Tuesday, January 17, 2012

'Before I fly and wave goodbye'

College Football Week 20 – It’s a Fond Farewell, Until August 13

‘Before I fly and wave goodbye’

Keep my words safely stored
And I’ll be back, I promise, once more

The dust has barely settled on the Alabama-LSU national championship game and already there are predictions about who will be playing in next season’s national championship game – USC vs. LSU.

The dust has also barely settled on the Alabama-LSU game and already there is strong and creditable talk for a “4-Team Plus One Playoff.”  It won’t happen until the 2014 season at the earliest.  The current BCS contract runs through the 2013 season.  But it could be coming.

Late last week, NCAA president Mark Emmert said that he supported the “4-Team Plus One Playoff.”  In this format, No. 1 would play No. 4 and No. 2 would play No. 3 in bowl games on New Year’s Day.  The winners would meet about seven days later in the national championship game.  It sounds good to me and it maintains the viability and integrity of the regular season. 

Of course it was the rematch of Alabama-LSU in this season’s title game that has generated so much interest in and support for the 4-Team Playoff.  But then again, it has always been some controversy that has tweaked the past changes in the BCS format.  Be patient and stay tuned.

Before I fly and wave goodbye
I say to you, “Days with you
Are the best years of my life”
But if I don’t see you anymore
Keep my words safely stored
And I’ll be back, I promise, once more

Florida finally secured its offensive coordinator and it appears that Alabama has too.  Brent Pease, the offensive coordinator for Chris Petersen at Boise State will be the Gators new OC.  And now reports say that Washington offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier will be the new OC at Alabama.       

New Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez has quite a reunion going in Tucson.  Six of Rich Rod’s assistants at West Virginia are back with him at Arizona.  And a seventh Rich Rod assistant at West Virginia – Todd Graham – is the head coach of Arizona’s archrival Arizona State.  One southern California writer called Arizona “West Virginia Southwest.”

Speaking of West Virginia, Mountaineer coach Dana Holgorsen is still looking for a defensive coordinator to replace Jeff Casteel.  Casteel is one of the “six” at Arizona.   

Goodbye, goodbye
Till I see you again
Goodbye, goodbye
I’ll love and miss you till then

Sadly, we have come to the point where we have to close the door on another college football season.  But we will always remember 2011 as:

…the season Nebraska began playing in the Big Ten

…the season without Terrelle Pryor

…the season of Nevin Shapiro

…the season of rain delays

Remember me because I care
Where you are and how you fare
Get in touch if the wind blows in your face
I guess it’s been too much fun
We’ve shared and we’ve won
Yes, the best is yet to come

…the season of Maryland’s uniforms

…the season Charlie Weis was a Gator

…the season College GameDay was in Morgantown

…the season Urban Meyer was on ESPN

Goodbye, goodbye
Till I see you again
Goodbye, goodbye
I’ll love and miss you till then

…the season Texas A&M and Missouri announced they were leaving the Big 12 for the SEC

…the season West Virginia sued the Big East

…and the season the Big East sued West Virginia

…the season Lee Corso dropped the ‘F’ bomb on TV

…the season Joe Paterno was fired  

That one word hurts so bad
You leave the best you’ve had
But you keep the faith
And pray to return

…the season Craig James announced he was running for the U.S. Senate

…the season Howard Schnellenberger retired

…the season of Honey Badger

Goodbye, goodbye
Till I see you again
Goodbye, goodbye
I’ll love and miss you till then

…the season of RG3

…the season Gator fans were chanting, “Urban Liar”

…the season South Carolina first won 11 games

…the season of LSU

…the season of Alabama

If you think the 2011 season was wild, just wait until 2012.

And I’ll be back, I promise, once more

Touchdown Tom
January 16, 2012

"Goodbye (Kelly’s Song)” – Alabama
Written by Randy Owen


One Last Look at the Bowls

Won/Lost Records of the Conferences

Conference USA:  4-1 
Mid-American:  4-1
Big 12:  6-2
SEC:  6-3
Big East:  3-2
Independents:  1-1
Big Ten:  4-6
Mountain West:  2-3
Sun Belt:  1-2
Pac-12: 2-5
Atlantic Coast:  2-6
Western Athletic:  0-3


Bowl Game Attendance

Rose Bowl (Oregon-Wisconsin) – 91,245
Cotton Bowl (Arkansas-Kansas State) – 80,956
National Championship Bowl (Alabama-LSU) – 78,237
Chick-fil-A Bowl (Auburn-Virginia) – 72,919
Fiesta Bowl (Oklahoma State-Stanford) – 69,927
Meineke Car Care Bowl (Texas A&M-Northwestern) – 68,395
Champs Sports Bowl (Florida State-Notre Dame) – 68,305
Orange Bowl (West Virginia-Clemson) – 67,563
Alamo Bowl (Baylor-Washington) – 65,256
Sugar Bowl (Michigan-Virginia Tech) – 64,512
Capital One Bowl (South Carolina-Nebraska) – 61,351
Gator Bowl (Florida-Ohio State) – 61,312
Belk Bowl (N.C. State-Louisville) – 58,427
Liberty Bowl (Cincinnati-Vanderbilt) – 57,103
Holiday Bowl (Texas-California) – 56,313
Music City Bowl (Mississippi State-Wake Forest) – 55,208
Insight Bowl (Oklahoma-Iowa) – 54,247
Outback Bowl (Michigan State-Wisconsin) – 49,429
Sun Bowl (Utah-Georgia Tech) – 48,123
Ticket City Bowl (Houston-Penn State) – 46,817
Little Caesars Bowl (Purdue-Western Michigan) – 46,177
New Orleans Bowl (Louisiana-Lafayette-San Diego State) – 42,841
Independence Bowl (Missouri-North Carolina) – 41,728
Go Daddy Bowl (Northern Illinois-Arkansas State) – 38,734
Pinstripe bowl (Rutgers-Iowa State) – 38,328
Las Vegas Bowl (Boise State-Arizona State) – 35,720
Hawaii Bowl (Southern Miss-Nevada) – 32,630
Armed Forces Bowl (BYU-Tulsa) – 30,258
Fight Hunger Bowl (Illinois-UCLA) – 29,878
Compass Bowl (SMU-Pitt) – 29,726
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Ohio-Utah State) – 28,076
New Mexico Bowl (Temple-Wyoming) – 25,762
Military Bowl (Toledo-Air force) – 25,042
Poinsettia Bowl (TCU-Louisiana Tech) – 24,607
Beef ‘O’Brady’s Bowl (Marshall-Florida International) – 20,072


Quotes of the Week

“There is no question that we will be playing a Big 12 schedule in all of our sports for the 2012-13 academic year,” West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck.

“I didn’t know which way to go,” Penn State coach Joe Paterno, on not knowing how to handle the Jerry Sandusky situation.

“I didn’t know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was.  So I backed away and turned it over to some other people – people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did,” Penn State coach Joe Paterno, on blowing the Jerry Sandusky situation.

 
Looking Ahead to Next Season

Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson are off to the NFL, but the Honey Badger is back for the 2012 season.  LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu, the only Heisman finalist returning, will enter the season as one of the favorites for the coveted award in 2012.

But Honey Badger, no doubt, will have some competition.  That competition may come from Wisconsin’s Montee Ball, Kansas State’s Collin Klein, Oklahoma’s Landry Jones, Texas Tech’s Seth Doege, West Virginia’s Geno Smith, Ohio State’s Braxton Miller, Michigan’s Denard Robinson, USC’s Matt Barkley, Oregon’s Kenjon Barner, Georgia’s Aaron Murray, South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore or Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson.  Then again, it could come from someone else.  Only time and 11 months will tell.

It’s highly likely the SEC could win its seventh-straight national title.  After all, LSU is one of the favorites to be in the championship game.  If not LSU, Alabama or Georgia could keep the SEC run going in 2012.  But if the SEC streak is broken, it may be USC that snaps the streak.  The Trojans will be loaded.  Other teams given a chance to win the championship in 2012 are Oregon, Oklahoma, Florida State and Michigan.  Then again, it could be some other team – South Carolina, Arkansas, Clemson, Nebraska, Michigan State?  In 12 months time, we’ll know. 

No fewer than 25 teams will start the 2012 season with a new head coach.  That’s 21 percent of the FBS teams.  Ten of the 11 conferences will have at least one new head coach.  Only the WAC is returning with all of its coaches intact for another season.  The four Independents will have each of their coaches back too.  Conference USA will have the most new head coaches at five, while the ACC and Big East each will have only one new coach.

As in 2011, there will be a new look to several conferences next season.  The SEC expands from 12 to 14 teams, adding Texas A&M and Missouri.  There will be two seven-team divisions with the Aggies in the West and the Tigers in the East.  Saying goodbye to A&M and Mizzou, the Big 12 Conference replaces them with TCU and West Virginia.  However, depending on the outcome of its suit against the Big East, West Virginia may or may not be playing in the Big 12 in 2012.  If the Mountaineers lose their suit, they may not be playing in the Big 12 until 2013 or 2014.

If WVU does join the Big 12 next season, then the Big East will be a seven-team conference for a year, before Boise State, Houston, San Diego State, SMU and UCF join in 2013.  As a seven-team conference, the Big East would have to get a waiver from the BCS to send its champion to a BCS bowl.  The Mountain West Conference loses TCU, but gains Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada, all from the WAC.  The WAC picks up Texas State and Texas-San Antonio for 2012 – both teams new to FBS level football.

And finally, the Mid-American Conference adds Massachusetts for the 2012 season, expanding the MAC from 13 to 14 teams in football.  The ACC, Big Ten, C-USA, Pac-12, Sun Belt and Independents remain the same in 2012 as they were in 2011.  But changes will be coming in 2013 for C-USA and the Sun Belt – along with changes in 2013 or 2014 for the ACC, depending on the timing of departure from the Big East for Pitt and Syracuse.

Looking around the country in 2012, the SEC looks stronger than ever.  Except for Alabama, LSU and possibly Arkansas, the SEC was down in 2011.  Most teams were young.  But the SEC will definitely be a powerhouse in 2012.  In the SEC East, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have almost everyone back – offense and defense.  Florida does lose Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps, but that’s about it. 

Kentucky has its offense back, but the Wildcats will have to totally rebuild their defense.  And then there is poor Missouri.  The Tigers may have a tough time of it in their first season in the SEC.  Mizzou’s offense has departed and the Tiger defense is half gone.

In the SEC West, there is LSU and Alabama.  Need I say more?  The Tigers do lose several on offense, but the defense will be back, almost intact, stronger than ever.  And the offense will just reload.  Alabama loses a couple of key players on defense and Trent Richardson on offense.  Aside from that, the Tide is back, fiercer than ever.

Arkansas has its offense back, but the Razorbacks will have to rebuild their defense.  Auburn will have new coordinators on both sides of the ball, but personnel wise, the Tigers are in good shape.  Most, except for Michael Dyer, are back on offense, and the defense remains basically intact.  Mississippi State will have a lot of new personnel on offense, but the Bulldogs’ defense should be solid.

The good news for Ole Miss is the entire team basically returns on offense and defense.  But the Black Bears will have a new coach – Hugh Freeze.  For his sake, he will be hooking up with experience.  Then there is Texas A&M.  The Aggies also have a new coach – Kevin Sumlin.  A&M will have most of its offense back, but most of the starting defense is gone.

Like the SEC, the ACC was down in 2011.  But, also like the SEC, that should change in 2012.  The ACC should be stronger overall.  In the Atlantic Division, Florida State is being touted as a national championship contender.  The Seminoles do have some rebuilding, or reloading, to do on offense, but the defense should be awesome – all are returning.  Clemson will be a threat too, as the Tigers return their offense and defense, basically intact.  They do lose Andre Ellington on offense.

Maryland and N.C. State should be improved.  The Terrapins return almost everyone on both sides of the ball.  And Randy Edsall has a year under his belt.  N.C. State has most of its offense and defense back, including quarterback Mike Glennon.  Boston College and Wake Forest should be solid on defense, but both have some work to do on offense.  Still, the Eagles and Demon Deacons should be more competitive in 2012.

If there is a downside to the ACC in 2012, it could be the Coastal Division.  Virginia Tech, of course, will be tough, but the Hokies have some work to do on offense.  Tech’s defense should be solid.  Georgia Tech should be vastly improved.  The Yellow Jackets have lots of experience returning on offense and defense.  Virginia, the surprise team in 2011, will be rebuilding in 2012.  The Cavaliers lost a lot on offense and defense.

Miami could be slow getting out of the gates.  The Hurricanes have lost a lot on offense and defense.  But Al Golden has been recruiting well.  So the Canes could pick up steam as the season progresses.  North Carolina loses about half of its offense and defense.  The Tar Heels have a new coach too – Larry Fedora.  Duke could be a surprise in 2012.  It could be the team David Cutcliffe has been waiting for.  The Blue Devils have almost everyone returning.           

The Big Ten should be an exciting conference in 2012.  In the Leaders Division, it could be a shootout between Ohio State and Wisconsin.  The Buckeyes have to settle into a new coach – Urban Meyer.  They also have to live through a season of probation – no bowl game.  But pride could give the Bucks some extra incentive.  They will be experienced at quarterback with Braxton Miller.  Wisconsin has to rebuild half of its offense and defense, but Bret Bielema has established a solid program in Madison.

Purdue could be the most improved team in the Big Ten next season.  The Boilermakers return just about everyone.  Penn State will be interesting to watch.  The Nittany Lions have a new coach – Bill O’Brien.  And the fallout from this season’s scandal will be hanging over the team.  The Lions return about half of their starters on offense and defense.

Illinois has a new coach – Todd Beckman.  He is stepping into a good scene as the Banned Indians have an experienced defense returning and most of their offense.  Indiana should be vastly improved.  The Hoosiers have most of the 2011 starters returning on both sides of the ball.

The Legends Division of the Big Ten could be a race between Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska.  The Wolverines are looking good with Brady Hoke in his second year and Denard Robinson returning.  The Wolverine defense looks solid.  The defense will be the stronger side at Michigan State as the Spartans return almost everyone.  State will have some rebuilding to do on offense.  Watch out for Nebraska.  The Huskers have a year of the Big Ten under their belt.  They also have a good nucleus of their offense and defense returning, including Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead on offense.

Iowa returns a good bit of its offense, but the Hawkeyes will have some work to do on defense.  Minnesota should show improvement and could be more dangerous.  Northwestern may be hurting some in 2012.  The Wildcats lose their defense and only have about half of the offense back. 

The Big 12 should be a stronger conference next season.  Several teams are returning a good nucleus of their starters.  Oklahoma has to be the favorite, as the Sooners return most of their offense and defense, including Landry Jones at quarterback.  Except for two key players on offense, Robert Griffin and Terrance Ganaway, Baylor will be loaded in 2012 as most everyone else from a good team in 2011 returns. 

Kansas State will be a dangerous team.  The Wildcats have a powerful offense returning, including quarterback Collin Klein.  The K-State defense is mostly back as well.  West Virginia will no doubt be exciting on offense.  The Mountaineers return almost everyone, including Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey.  WVU will have a new coordinator on defense with about half of the starters returning.  TCU will have another good team in 2012.  The Horned Frogs return most of their starters from a good season in 2011.

Texas has most of its offense and defense back so 2012 should be an exciting year for the Longhorns.  They finished 2011 well with a good win in the Holiday Bowl.  Texas Tech may be the most improved team in the Big 12.  The Red Raiders return an experienced offense and defense.  That’s good news for coach Tommy Tuberville, as he will enter the season on the hot seat.  But quarterback Set Doege could help to cool the seat. 

Mike Gundy has an established program at Oklahoma State.  The Cowboys will be tough again too.  The defense should be solid.  The offense will require some surgery.  Like Texas Tech, Iowa State should be vastly improved in 2012.  The Cyclones have a good nucleus of their offense and defense returning.  And finally, Charlie Weis is walking into a good picture at Kansas.  The Jayhawks return basically all of their starters on both sides of the ball. 

Rutgers and South Florida may be the teams to beat in the Big East.  The Scarlet Knights, a surprise in 2011, are looking real good for 2012 with everyone back – offense and defense.  Skip Holtz needs a good year at South Florida and this could be it.  The Bulls return almost everyone from 2011, including quarterback B.J. Daniels. 

The Scarlet Knights and the Bulls will feel a strong threat from Louisville.  Charlie Strong is building a good program and it should definitely show in 2012 on defense.  Basically all of the 2011 squad is back.  There is some work to be done on offense, but it may be minor.  Cincinnati, Connecticut and Syracuse should be tough on defense.  All three schools return most of their defenders.  The offenses for the Bearcats, Huskies and Orange are the question marks.  Pitt has a new coach – Paul Chryst – and the Panthers will have a new defense too.  But Chryst does inherit an experienced offense.

The Pac-12 will be interesting next season.  USC is a bona fide national title contender and there are four new coaches in the conference.  In the South Division, the Trojans are definitely loaded with a solid offense and defense returning, led by quarterback Matt Barkley.  Colorado and UCLA should be stronger on defense.  But both the Buffaloes and the Bruins could be so-so on offense.  UCLA has a new coach – Jim Mora.

Arizona and Utah should be dangerous on offense, as most of their starters are back.  But Arizona has a new coach – Rich Rodriguez – and we know how his first years can be as he installs his spread – a little shaky.  Both the Wildcats and Utes have some work to be done on defense.  Arizona State may be the weakest team in the Pac-12 South.  The Sun Devils not only have a new coach – Todd Graham – but also, they lost basically all of their starters on offense and defense.

In the Pac-12 North, Oregon will most likely be the favorite.  The Ducks are an established program, but Chip Kelley has some work to do.  If Oregon is at a point in its program where it can reload instead of rebuild, we’ll soon know.  The Ducks have some veterans returning, but they lost several as well, including LaMichael James and Darron Thomas.  Oregon’s strongest threat should come from Washington.  The Huskies will be loaded in 2012 as almost everyone returns on offense and defense. 

Stanford and California will be good on offense.  Yes, the Cardinal did lose Andrew Luck, but just about everybody else on offense is back for 2012.  California has a veteran offense returning as well.  Both schools have some work to do on defense.  Oregon State and Washington State will be mysteries next season.  Beavers coach Mike Riley will start the season on the hot seat.  He has to rebuild half of his offense and defense.  The Cougars have a new coach – Mike Leach.  Leach will definitely make things interesting in Pullman.  But there is a lot of work to be done offense.  If anyone can do it, Leach can.  Fortunately for Leach, he has an experienced defense returning.    

Conference USA made a run for a BCS bowl spot in 2011 with Houston’s performance.  Maybe the conference will finally attain a BCS bowl in 2012.  In the C-USA East Division, everyone should be better, except for UAB.  The Blazers lose a lot of starters on both sides of the ball and they have a new coach – Garrick McGee.  McGee has his work cut out for him.

Memphis will be improved in 2012, but not a contender.  The Tigers have a new coach – Justin Fuente.  The four contenders for the East Division of C-USA will be UCF, Marshall, East Carolina and Southern Miss.  The Knights, Herd and Pirates should be vastly improved.  Southern Miss may not be better, but the Eagles may still be dangerous.  UCF, Marshall and East Carolina return a lot of veterans.  It should be exciting in the East.

Like the East, the West Division of C-USA should be exciting.  However, unlike the East, the teams in the West may be down compared to 2011.  This could be the year for UTEP in the West.  The Miners return a lot of veterans.  Tulsa may give UTEP a run for its money.  The Golden Hurricane have most of their starters back.

Houston and SMU, typically two of the stronger teams in the West, lose a lot of starters on offense and defense.  Houston has a new coach too – Tony Levine.  Rice could be a surprise in 2012.  Tulane will be improved, but still weak.  The Green Wave has a new coach – Curtis Johnson.           

The Mountain West Conference is in the process of losing all of its prominent teams.  BYU and Utah left last year.  TCU is leaving this year.  Boise State and San Diego State will leave next year.  If it wasn’t for Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada coming in from the WAC, the MWC would be down to five teams.

In its last year in the conference next season, Boise State will be favored to win.  But it may not be so easy.  The Broncos lose most of their offense and defense, including Kellen Moore and Doug Martin.  Next season will be a true test for Chris Petersen and Boise State.  The Broncos could be challenged by any of Fresno State, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV or Wyoming – all of whom return most of their starting lineups on offense and defense.  Three – Fresno State, Colorado State and New Mexico – will have new coaches in 2012.

Air Force, normally a challenger, loses a lot of its offense and defense.  2012 will be a major rebuilding year for Troy Calhoun.  Nevada could go either way next season – up or down.  Hawaii could be the cellar dweller in the MWC.  The Warriors are losing most all of their experience on offense and defense.  And Hawaii will have a new coach – Norm Chow.

There won’t be a dull minute in the Mid-American Conference in 2012.  In the MAC East, Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami and Ohio all figure to challenge for the division title.  All of those teams have a lot of experienced players returning.  Among the five, only Akron has a new coach next season – Terry Bowden.  The other four should watch out. 

Temple, a power in the MAC East in recent years, may drop a few notches in 2012.  The Owls lose a lot of starters on offense and defense.  Massachusetts, the new kid on the block, may have a tough time finding its way in the conference next season.

Over in the MAC West, Bowling Green, Ball State, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan should contend for the title.  And it should be a good race too.  All four of those teams are loaded.  The two Michigan schools may be the best of the four.  Western Michigan could turn out to be a dangerous team in the MAC West.  The Broncos should improve as the season progresses.  Northern Illinois and Toledo, two of the traditional powers in the Mac West, could be down in 2012.  The Huskies and the Golden Rockets have a lot of rebuilding to do.

What’s left of the WAC should make for an interesting time next season.  Louisiana Tech, champions of the WAC in 2011, should be favored to win again in 2012.  The Bulldogs are experienced.  Either San Jose State or Utah State could challenge Louisiana Tech.  Both return a good many starters.  Idaho and New Mexico State could be facing long seasons.  New members Texas State and Texas-San Antonio could provide a surprise or two next season.

The Sun Belt Conference gets better and better every season.  Three teams from the conference played in bowl games in 2011.  And a fourth team – Western Kentucky – qualified for a bowl.  Western Kentucky and Troy should be the favorites to win the Sun Belt in 2012.  Both are loaded.  Also looking good for 2012 are the two Florida schools – Florida Atlantic and Florida International.  FAU has a new coach – Carl Pelini. 

Middle Tennessee, Louisiana-Monroe and North Texas could surprise next season.  The potential is there, but some rebuilding is required.  Two of the best teams in the Sun Belt in 2011 – Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette – could be two of the worst teams in 2012.  Both lose a lot of starters on offense and defense.

Among the Independents, 2012 should be the year for Army.  The Cadets are loaded.  Army should get its first win over Navy in 10 years and beat Air Force as well.  The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy could well be sitting in West Point next December.  A bowl game should be in Army’s future as well.  Navy, on the other hand, could be suffering in 2012.  The forecast is not looking good for the Middies.

BYU and Notre Dame return about half of their starters next season.  Both teams should be no better or no worse than they were in 2011.  Brian Kelly may have some explaining to do.

The preseason polls for 2012 are already out.  ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2012 has (1) LSU, (2) USC, (3) Alabama, (4) Oregon, (5) Oklahoma, (6) Georgia, (7) West Virginia, (8) Florida State, (9) Michigan State, (10) South Carolina, (11) Michigan, (12) Kansas State, (13) Nebraska, (14) Arkansas, (15) TCU, (16) Oklahoma State, (17) Stanford, (18) Virginia Tech, (19) Wisconsin, (20) Boise State, (21) Texas, (22) Clemson, (23) Notre Dame, (24) N.C. State, (25) Louisville.       

Sports Illustrated’s Preseason Top 25 for 2012 has (1) LSU, (2), USC, (3) Oregon, (4) Arkansas, (5) Alabama, (6) Michigan State, (7) South Carolina, (8) Oklahoma, (9) Georgia, (10) TCU, (11) Michigan, (12) Wisconsin, (13) West Virginia, (14) Clemson, (15) Kansas State, (16) Nebraska, (17) Florida State, (18) Virginia Tech, (19) Boise State, (20) Stanford, (21) Texas, (22) Notre Dame, (23) Auburn, (24) Oklahoma State, (25) Georgia Tech.

And finally, the Orlando Sentinel’s Preseason Top 25 for 2012 has (1) USC, (2) LSU, (3) Oregon, (4) Alabama, (5) Oklahoma, (6) Georgia, (7) Florida State, (8) Michigan, (9) South Carolina, (10) Ohio State, (11) Kansas State, (12) Michigan State, (13) Arkansas, (14) Nebraska, (15) Clemson, (16) Auburn, (17) Virginia Tech, (18) West Virginia, (19) Texas, (20) TCU, (21) Wisconsin, (22) Texas A&M, (23) Washington, (24) Baylor, (25) Boise State.

The 2012 season begins on Thursday, August 30.  Opening weekend runs for five straight days from August 30 to Labor Day night, September 3.  Two of the big games on opening weekend are Alabama-Michigan in Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas, and Clemson-Auburn playing in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.  Both games are scheduled for Saturday, September 1. 

The 2012 season will come to a close on January 7, 2013, with the BCS National Championship Bowl in Miami Gardens, Florida.  The other four BCS bowls – Rose, Fiesta, Sugar and Orange – will be played on January 1, 2 and 3, 2013.

In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Former Arizona coach Mike Stoops has joined his brother Bob as a co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma.  That’s the position Mike held at Oklahoma when he left to become the head coach of Arizona after the 2003 season….  Toledo and Cincinnati have scheduled a home-and-home series to be played in 2012 and 2014….  Houston defensive coordinator Brian Stewart is the new defensive coordinator at Maryland….  Alabama assistant head coach and linebackers coach Sal Sunseri is the new defensive coordinator at Tennessee. 

And finally, those from the world of football who we lost during this past season included Don Chandler, 76, (NFL player); Pete Pihos, 87, (NFL player); Lee Roy Selmon, 56, (Oklahoma and Tampa Bay Bucs player); Sam DeLuca, 75, (New York Jets guard and NBC sportscaster); Orlando Brown, 40, (NFL offensive tackle), and Mike Heimerdinger, 58, (NFL offensive coordinator). 

Also, Al Davis, 82, (Oakland Raiders owner); Kent Hull, 50, (Buffalo Bills center); Gale Gillingham, 67, (Green Bay Packers guard); Greg Gantt, 59, (Alabama punter);  Bob Barry, 80, (Voice of the Oklahoma Sooners); Larry Munson, 89, (Voice of the Georgia Bulldogs); Chester McGlockton, 42, (Stanford assistant coach), and Joe Restic, 85, (former Harvard coach).


Extra Points

On the Internet – College Football Week now has a Website and can be read at www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com.

Take care, my friends.

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but in mid January as college football fans closed the lid on another great season and shifted their attention to college basketball, the number one song in the country…

…75 years ago this week in 1937 was “Pennies from Heaven” by Bing Crosby

…70 years ago this week in 1942 was “Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Glenn Miller

…65 years ago this week in 1947 was “The Old Lamplighter” by Sammy Kaye

…60 years ago this week in 1952 was “Cry” by Johnnie Ray & the Four Lads

…55 years ago this week in 1957 was “Singing the Blues” by Guy Mitchell

…50 years ago this week in 1962 was “The Twist” by Chubby Checker

…45 years ago this week in 1967 was “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees

…40 years ago this week in 1972 was “American Pie” by Don McLean

…35 years ago this week in 1977 was “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder

…30 years ago this week in 1982 was “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John

…25 years ago this week in 1987 was “Shake You Down” by Gregory Abbott

…20 years ago this week in 1992 was “Black or White” by Michael Jackson


Not directly college football related, but figures from other sports who left us during this past football season included Mike Flanagan, 59, (Baltimore Orioles pitcher); Dave Gavitt, 73, (founder of the Big East Conference); Dave Hill, 74, (PGA golfer); Matty Alou, 72, (major league baseball player); Joe Frazier, 67, (heavyweight boxing champion), and Ed Macauley, 83, (NBA player).

Also, Roger Christian, 75, (member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic championship hockey team); Charlie Lea, 54, (major league baseball pitcher); Walt Hazzard, 69, (basketball player); Don Mueller, 84, (major league baseball player); Johnny Wilson, 82, (NHL player); Gene Bartow, 81, (college basketball coach), and Andy Carey, 80, (New York Yankees third baseman).


Those from the entertainment world who passed away during the past football season included Jerry Leiber, 78, (songwriter); Nick Ashford, 70, (songwriter); Ross Barbour, 82, (original member of the Four Freshmen); David Honeyboy Edwards, 96, (blues singer and musician); Eve Brent, 81, (actress who played Jane in the Tarzan movies), and Cliff Robertson, 88, (actor).

Also, Mary Fickett, 83, (Broadway, film and TV actress); Willa Lee Cooper, 90, (country music singer); Frances Bay, 92, (television actress); Dolores Hope, 102, (Bob Hope’s wife); Johnnie Wright, 97, (country music singer); Marv Tarplin, 70, (Motown guitarist and songwriter); Diane Cilento, 78, (stage and screen actress); Roger Williams, 87, (pianist); Doris Belack, 85, (actress); Patricia Breslin, 80, (television actress), and Paul Leka, 68, (songwriter and record producer).

Also, Liz Anderson, 81, (country music songwriter and singer); Sid Melton, 94, (actor); Lee Pockriss, 87, (songwriter); Harry Morgan, 96, (actor); Dobie Gray, 71, (singer/songwriter); Bob Burnett, 71, (member of the Highwayman); Billie Jo Spears, 73, (country music singer); Dan Frazer, 90, (actor); Ralph MacDonald, 67, (percussionist), and Fred Milano, 72, (member of Dion and the Belmonts).


And finally, well-known folks from other walks of life who departed us during the past football season included Charles H. Percy, 91, (former U.S. Senator from Illinois); Claude Kirk, 85, (former governor of Florida); Steve Jobs, 56, (Apple co-founder and visionary), and Mildred Savage, 92, (author).

Also, Dennis Ritchie, 70, (creator of Unix and the C programming language); Robert Pierpoint, 86, (CBS News correspondent); Tom Wicker, 85, (journalist); Christopher Hitchens, 62, (writer); Vaclav Havel, 75, (writer and former Czech president), and Kim Jong Il, 69, (leader of North Korea).


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Tide Was Higher the Second Time Around

College Football Week 19 – Colts will take Luck with their No. 1 pick

The Tide Was Higher
the Second Time Around

The Tide may go out, but the Tide always comes back in.  And sometimes it comes back a little higher than the last time.

LSU won the game in Alabama (9-6 in OT on November 5).  But Alabama won the game in Louisiana (21-0 on January 9).  And it was the game in Louisiana that counted.  It was the game in Louisiana that was the most important.  For Alabama, the game was lovelier the second time around.  The Tide was higher.    

LSU’s goose egg marked the first time in the history of BCS bowls that a team has been shutout.  Before the game, LSU coach Les Miles said he expected the game to be played like “big boy football.”  Miles was half right.  Alabama played like big boys.  LSU played like little boys.

Beating LSU 21-0, Alabama won its second BCS national championship in three years and its ninth national championship overall.  And Alabama coach Nick Saban became the first coach to win three BCS national championships – one at LSU (2003) and two a Alabama (2009 and 2011).

Either way, an SEC team was going to win, giving the conference its sixth-straight BCS national championship and eighth overall in the 14 years of the BCS championships.  Alabama, Florida and LSU each have two titles and Auburn and Tennessee have one each.  The game was the second BCS bowl played in the New Orleans Superdome in seven days.

Last Tuesday night in the Sugar Bowl, Virginia Tech beat Michigan in every aspect of the game except the most important one – the final score.  As the game ended, I was praying that the Wolverine players wouldn’t dump a container of Gatorade on their coach.  There is nothing grosser than seeing Brady Hoke in a wet shirt.  My prayers were not answered. 

Several years ago when Holly Rowe made her debut as a sideline reporter on ESPN, former Orlando Sentinel columnist Jerry Greene dubbed her the “biker chick.”  Well, Holly was ESPN’s sideline reporter at the Michigan-Virginia Tech contest.  During the post-game activity, following the Sugar Bowl, she lived up to her “biker chick” dubbing. 

Needing to interview Michigan coach Brady Hoke for the ESPN viewers, Rowe noticed another reporter had gotten to Hoke first and was interviewing him.  So what did Holly do?  She did what any good biker chick would do.  She hammered the other reporter, also a female, with an Ndamukong Suh slam, knocking her out of the way.  Then Holly calmly and collectively conducted her interview with Hoke for ESPN.  Way to go Holly!  And way to go Jerry for recognizing a biker chick when you see one.

And if you missed it, Michigan won the game in overtime, 23-20.

Remember “Chuckles the Clown?”  No, not the one from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”  Brent Stancil knows who I’m talking about.  I’m talking about the one who used to stand on the sidelines at football games – Chuck Amato.  Amato, a former head coach at N.C. State and a longtime assistant of Bobby Bowden’s at Florida State, is back in the saddle again.  And he’s back with a Bowden again too.  Terry Bowden named Amato as his defensive coordinator at Akron.

Now, there is an interesting irony here.  In 2006, Amato’s final season as head coach at N.C. State, the Wolfpack lost to Akron, 20-17.  After the game, Amato, who was under pressure and already on the hot seat, told reporters the reason N.C. State lost to Akron was because the Zips could recruit academically marginal players.  Players that Amato said couldn’t get into N.C. State.  That was his excuse for losing.

Keep in mind that Akron was no better than 5-7 that season – a season that Penn State and Cincinnati had no problem beating the Zips.  By the way, in case you are wondering, a Zip is a kangaroo (not short for Zipper).  I can just picture Terry Bowden and Chuck Amato, hopping around like a couple of kangaroos.  Instead of “Chuckles the Clown,” Amato can be “Zippy the Kangaroo.”

West Virginia tied or broke nine bowl-game records, beating Clemson, 70-33, in the Orange Bowl.  Washington coach Steve Sarkisian must have felt relieved after West Virginia’s win.  His Huskies gave up 67 points to Baylor in the Alamo Bowl.  So I wonder if Clemson coach Dabo Swinney will do what Sarkisian did – fire his defensive coordinator?

Well, at last we can finally report that Penn State has a coach.  After a lengthy search that played out for weeks and weeks the Nittany Lions have an honest-to-goodness football coach.  It seems like everybody under the sun from Lee Corso, Stephen Colbert, Beano Cook and Donald Trump to Newt Gingrich, Kim Kardashian, Rahm Emanuel and Herman Cain, at one time or another, told Penn State they weren’t interested in the job. 

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is the new football coach at Penn State.  O’Brien surfaced as a potential candidate for the job around the end of December.  O’Brien, along with Mike Munchak, Tom Clements, Eric Mangini and Greg Roman, all current or former NFL coaches, were the hot candidates at the end of the year.  It seems that Penn State had given up on the college ranks and was looking solely at the NFL for its new coach.

For a while, O’Brien and Penn State appeared to be playing a cat-and-mouse game.  O’Brien wasn’t interested in the job, then he was and then he wasn’t.  And then he got the job.  O’Brien is perhaps best known for his sideline spats and arguments with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.  Several analysts have said they think O’Brien is too hot-headed and temperamental for the Penn State brand.  Only time will tell.  But for Penn State’s sake, I hope the Nittany Lions fair better than the last school that chose a New England Patriots offensive coordinator to be its coach.    

Several former Penn State players, including D. J. Dozier, LaVar Arrington and Brandon Short, were extremely upset that Bill O’Brien was chosen over current interim coach Tom Bradley.  They said they were going to burn, bury and destroy all of their Penn State jerseys and shirts.  Conversely, several other former Penn State players, including Kerry Collins, were content and satisfied with the hiring of O’Brien. 

Several coaches who have worked with O’Brien in the past – former Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, Syracuse coach Doug Marrone and LSU athletic director Joe Alleva – all speak very highly of O’Brien and say that Penn State made the right choice.

Speaking of making a choice and another lengthy search, Florida is still looking for an offensive coordinator.  The latest candidate du jour is Boise State offensive coordinator Brent Pease.  Pease joins Carolina Panthers quarterbacks coach Mike Shula, Jacksonville U. coach and former Florida quarterback Kerwin Bell and New York Jets offensive coordinator and former Florida backup quarterback Bryan Schottenheimer as the potential candidates.  Pease also could be Alabama bound. 

Arkansas beat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl, 29-16.  The Razorbacks finished the season 11-2.  Their only two losses were to Alabama and LSU – the two best teams in the country.  Does that mean Arkansas was the third best team?  No.  The Razorbacks were crushed by both Alabama and LSU. 

Pitt has to be the most demoralized team in the country.  Four coaches in a year.  The Panthers were crushed by SMU in the Compass Bowl, 28-6.  Watching Pitt play, I couldn’t help but think of Linda Ronstadt singing, “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me.”

After the Broncos beat the Steelers on the first play in overtime with an 80-yard pass play from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas, Northern Illinois beat Arkansas State in the Yo Mama…..I mean…..Go Daddy Bowl, 38-20.  Fans attending the game were disappointed that the halftime entertainment wasn’t Danica Patrick doing a poll dance on the 50-yard line. 

And speaking of Tim Tebow, did you see where Lady Gaga sent Tebow a congratulatory Tweet after the Broncos’ win over the Steelers?  Yeah, of all people, Lady Gaga is a real Tebow fan.

Back before the season began, in College Football Week One, I looked around each one the conferences and posed a question.  Now is a good time to review those questions and check out the answer.

In the SEC, I asked:  Will Mark Richt still be coaching Georgia next season?  Yes, and possibly several more seasons.  Granted Richt was on the hot seat when the season began, and the seat got considerably hotter after losses to Boise State and South Carolina which got the Dawgs off to a 0-2 start.  But then Georgia reeled off 10-straight wins to finish the season at 10-2 and win the SEC East Division.  The most important win being the 24-20 victory over Florida, just Richt’s second in 11 tries against the Gators.  Then the Dawgs lost to LSU in the SEC title game and Michigan State in the Outback Bowl to finish 10-4 overall. 

In the ACC, I asked:  Can any team other than Virginia Tech win the Coastal Division, and can any team other than Florida State win the Atlantic Division in 2011?  No and yes.  Virginia Tech, as expected, won the Coastal Division.  But Clemson beat out Florida State for the Atlantic Division title.  Clemson then beat Virginia Tech in the ACC title game. 

In the Big Ten, I asked: Will Nebraska in its inaugural season in the Big Ten play in the conference’s inaugural title game?  No.  Nebraska, 5-3, finished third in the Legends Division of the Big Ten behind Michigan State and Michigan. 

In the Big 12, I asked:  Is this Texas A&M’s last season in the Big 12?  And if it is, who will replace Texas A&M in the Big 12?  Yes, not only was it Texas A&M’s last season in the Big 12, but also Missouri’s.  TCU will replace Texas A&M and West Virginia will replace Missouri.

In the Big East:  With new coach Dana Holgorsen, will Mountaineer fans still be bubbling over with excitement in December?  Well, maybe not in December, but they were in January, after WVU beat Clemson, 70-33, in the Orange Bowl. 

In the Pac-12:  Is this Rick Neuheisel’s swan song season in Westwood?  Yes.  The Bruins finished the season 6-7 and Neuheisel was fired.       

In the MWC, I asked:  Can anyone in the MWC beat Boise State in 2011?  Yes, TCU.  The Horned Frogs beat Boise State, 36-35, and won the MWC championship.  It was Boise State’s only loss.

In C-USA, I asked:  Will a C-USA team become a BCS bowl buster in 2011?  No, but one came oh so close.  Houston would have been a BCS bowl buster if the Cougars had beaten Southern Miss in the C-USA title game.  It was Houston’s only loss. 

In the WAC, I asked: Is this the last year of any respectability for the WAC?  No, last year (2010) was.  The WAC had no respectability in 2011.  The conference was 0-3 in bowl games and none of its members made an appearance all season in the Top 25.

In the MAC, I asked: Will a MAC team crack the Top 25 in 2011?  The final polls aren’t out quiet yet, but Northern Illinois (11-3) should finish in the Top 25 of one, if not both, of the polls (AP and Coaches).

In the Sun Belt, I asked:  Will Howard Schnellenberger’s last season coaching football be a losing one?  Yes, and was it ever.  Florida Atlantic finished the season at 1-11.

Among the Independents, I asked:  How will BYU fare in its first season as an Independent?  And will the Cougars be in the Big 12 Conference next year?  Good and no.  BYU finished the season 10-3, beating Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl.  But the Cougars will not be in the Big 12 next season.  The Big 12 never invited them.  But the Big East did.  BYU turned down the Big East.

Now the question of the off-season:  What conference will West Virginia be playing in next season – the Big East or the Big 12?

Speaking of next season, the following coaches will enter the 2012 campaign on the hot seat.  They are Frank Spaziani (Boston College), Tommy Tuberville (Texas Tech), David Bailiff (Rice), Mike Price (UTEP), Bobby Hauck (UNLV), Jeff Quinn (Buffalo), Dave Clawson (Bowling Green), Dan Enos (Central Michigan), Mike Riley (Oregon State), Derek Dooley (Tennessee), Joker Phillips (Kentucky) and Rob Akey (Idaho).  

Then there are a group of coaches who, not necessarily on the hot seat at the start, stand a good chance of being fired if they fail to win at least six games in the 2012 season.  They are Tom O’Brien (N.C. State), Skip Holtz (South Florida), Doug Marrone (Syracuse), Danny Hope (Purdue), Mack Brown (Texas), Paul Rhoads (Iowa State), George O’Leary (UCF), Ruffin McNeill (East Carolina), Steve Sarkisian (Washington), Jeff Tedford (California), Will Muschamp (Florida), Rick Stockstill (Middle Tennessee), DeWayne Walker (New Mexico State) and Rich Ellerson (Army).  

Touchdown Tom
January 10, 2012


Bowl Game Review

Hokies got lost in the Maize (in the Sugar Bowl) Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 25, Michigan 24).  Frank Beamer has to be kicking himself.  Virginia Tech totally controlled the game.  The Hokies dominated the statistics.  Michigan’s Denard Robinson had a terrible game.  And yet the Wolverines won.  Go figure?  A crowd of 64,512 attended the game in New Orleans.

Watkins who? (in the Orange Bowl) – West Virginia 70, Clemson 33 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 30, Clemson 27).  Prior to the Orange Bowl, all ESPN and the media talked about was Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins.  Clemson was going to win because of Sammy Watkins.  That was enough to fire up the WVU players.  The Mountaineers set all kinds of records, humiliating the Tigers.  And Sammy Watkins?  He was a no show.  You would have hardly known he was on the field.  The WVU defense made sure of that.  West Virginia has won more BCS bowl games (3) than the entire ACC conference (2).  A crowd of 67,563 attended the game in Miami Gardens.

This little piggy went wee, wee, wee all the way home (in the Cotton Bowl) – Arkansas 29, Kansas State 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas 28, Kansas State 23).  Arkansas played good defense, shutting down K-State quarterback Collin ‘Tim Tebow’ Klein.  The Hogs shut down the Wildcats running game too, holding K-State to 87 yards on the ground.  Still, it was a fun season for K-State.  A crowd of 80,956 attended the game in Arlington.

No horse meat for the Panthers (in the Compass Bowl) – SMU 28, Pitt 6 (Touchdown Tom said: Pitt 31, SMU 24).  Neither team could run the ball, but Pitt least of all.  The Panthers had 7 yards rushing.  A crowd of 29,726 attended the game in Birmingham.

Wolves get Hounded (in the Go Daddy Bowl) – Northern Illinois 38, Arkansas State 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Arkansas State 30, Northern Illinois 29).  An aerial circus all game as neither team could run the ball – 28 yards rushing for Arkansas State and 59 for NIU.  Together they combined for 695 yards passing.  The Red Wolves jumped out to a 13-0 lead, but it was all Huskies after that.  Arkie State suffered five turnovers.  A crowd of 38,734 attended the game in Mobile.

Tigers can’t bide the Tide (in the National Championship Bowl) – Alabama 21, LSU 0 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 16, LSU 13).  LSU came out flat and the Tigers remained flat throughout the entire game.  It was the second-straight game the Tigers started flat.  But unlike the slow start against Georgia in the SEC championship game, LSU couldn’t get it going in the second half.  Against Alabama, LSU only had 17 yards rushing, 26 yards passing and only one first down in the first half.  They weren’t much better in the second half.  The Tigers never advanced the ball beyond the 50-yard line until there was only 7:53 on the clock in the fourth quarter.  By the end of the game, LSU only had 92 yards of offense to Alabama’s 384.  The Tigers only had five first downs to Alabama’s 21.  The Tide’s A.J. McCarron was 23-34-0 for 234 yards passing, and Trent Richardson had 96 yards rushing.  A crowd of 78,237 attended the game in New Orleans.

Comment:  I finished 23-12 on my bowl picks (65.7 percent).


Superlatives

Impressive Passers: West Virginia’s Geno Smith – 31-42-0 for 401 yards, and Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish – 18-36-1-274.


Headline of the Week

(From The Wall Street Journal)  You Can’t Spell Lush Without LSU, When it Comes to Drinking, Tigers Fans Top Every College Poll


Sign of the Week

(Denver Broncos fan) Tebow will you marry my wife?


Weekend Review

North Dakota State 17, Sam Houston State 6 (FCS Championship).  A crowd of 20,586 attended the game in Frisco, Texas.


Quotes of Last Week

“It’s unfortunate that coach O’Brien has not been made aware of the implications of him being in this position.  I don’t envy him at all.  He doesn’t have the support of the vast majority of former Penn State players and the vast majority of the student body and the faculty won’t support him.  I feel sorry for him,” former Penn State linebacker Brandon Short, on Bill O’Brien being named the coach at Penn State.

“It appears as if it is Dave Joyner’s intent to disassociate himself with everything related Penn State.  Then a group of former players will now disassociate ourselves from everything related to Penn State,” former Penn State linebacker Brandon Short, on acting Penn State athletic director Dave Joyner.

“Much is being said about the hiring of Bill O’Brien as the next football coach at Penn State.  I do not know him.  I have never met him nor been coached by him.  One thing I do know is that I will support him and I call on all Penn State football lettermen to do the same.  Whether you agree or disagree with his hiring, we should support him.  Instead of chastising him for not being a Penn Stater, let’s show him what it means to be a Penn Stater.  Coach O’Brien is faced with the daunting task of resurrecting our beloved, yet bruised program.  Let’s support him in any way we can,” former Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins.

“I am excited about the hiring and some of the players I have spoken with are excited as well.  I am anxious to get spring ball started and am ready for a fresh start.  I think coach O’Brien will lead us in the right direction and am looking forward t working with someone who has a lot of experience with quarterbacks.  I think it is a great hire and a great thing for Penn State football,” current Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin, on the hiring of Bill O’Brien.

“This is unbelievable.  I feel like I’m the right guy,” new Penn State coach Bill O’Brien at his introduction press conference.   

“I definitely think I’m ready to take the next step.  It’s gotta be the right place, the right opportunity.  That hasn’t really presented itself.  I’m completely happy being the defensive coordinator at Alabama.  It’s the greatest non-head coaching job in the country,” Kirby Smart, on becoming a head coach.

“I’d expect it to be big-boy football.  When we take the field, we’ll be an emotional, fired-up football team,” LSU coach Les Miles, prior to the national championship game against Alabama.


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football…. Kentucky has added UT Martin to its 2014 schedule.  The game will be played in Lexington….  Barry J. Sanders, the son of Barry Sanders, has chosen Stanford over Oklahoma State.  The younger Sanders, a 5-star running back, committed to the Cardinal.

New Penn State coach Bill O’Brien will retain Ron Vanderlinden from the current Nittany Lion staff.  Vanderlinden has been Penn State’s linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator….  Central Michigan has added Southeast Missouri State to its 2012 football schedule….  Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder is the new defensive coordinator at Auburn.

The Football Writers Association of America voted West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen the best first-year coach of the year….  Auburn running back Michael Dyer is transferring to Arkansas State….  Ted Roof will be the new defensive coordinator at Penn State.  Roof just left the defensive coordinator position at Auburn 34 days ago to become the defensive coordinator at UCF….  South Florida defensive coordinator Mark Snyder is the new defensive coordinator at Texas A&M.


Extra Points

On the Internet – College Football Week now has a Website and can be read at www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com.

The last CFW of the season (College Football Week 20) will be posted Monday morning, January 16.

Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but on a sad comment, there were three passings of note last week – Fred Milano, Gene Bartow and Andy Carey.

Fred Milano, one of the original members of Dion and the Belmonts, who wove his tenor tones into hits of the 1950s and 1960s, died last week at a hospital on Long Island, New York.  He was 72 and lived in Massapequa, New York.  The cause was lung cancer.  Milano and two buddies who grew up in the Bronx formed a group called the Belmonts (after the avenue on which Milano lived) in the mid 1950s.  They became Dion and the Belmonts when Dion DiMucci joined them in 1957.  They became one of the best vocal groups of the late 1950s and early 1960s.  Hits included “I Wonder Why,” “No One Knows,” “A Teenager in Love” and “Where or When.”  The group made appearances on Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand.”  After Dion left the group for a solo career in 1960, the Belmonts had more hits with “Tell Me Why” and “Come On Little Angel.”  For one night, in 1972, Dion and the Belmonts reunited for a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden.  Freddy Milano was born in New York City on August 26, 1939.  Milano went on to become a paralegal.  He and the Belmonts continued to perform occasionally at casinos and concert halls.  

Gene Bartow, who succeeded John Wooten as coach of the UCLA basketball team and who coached five other college teams over a 34-year period, died last week at his home in Birmingham, Alabama.  He was 81.  The cause was stomach cancer.  Bartow’s career record was 647-353, and he took 12 teams to the NCAA tournament and nine others to the NIT.  In addition to UCLA, he also coached Central Missouri, Valparaiso, Illinois, Memphis and UAB.  He took Memphis to the 1973 NCAA finals, losing to UCLA.  He took UCLA to the 1976 NCAA semifinals.  In 1985 he was offered the head coaching job at Kentucky, but turned it down, after initially accepting the offer.  Gene Bartow was born on August 18, 1930, in Browning, Missouri.  He graduated from Truman State University.  

Andy Carey, a third baseman on the 1950s New York Yankees, a machine that won four consecutive American League pennants and two World Series, died last week at his home in Costa Mesa, California.  He was 80.  The cause was dementia.  Carey played eight seasons with the Yankees from 1952 to 1959, and four games in 1960 before he was traded.  Andy Carey was born Andrew Arthur Hexem in Oakland, California, on October 18, 1931, and grew up in nearby Alameda.  His name changed to Carey when his mother remarried and his stepfather adopted him.  He played baseball as a freshman at St. Mary’s College in California.  Then was drafted by the Yankees in 1950.  The Yankees traded Carey to Kansas City in 1960.  He also played for the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers before retiring in 1962.