College Football Week 19 – Colts will take Luck with their No. 1 pick
The Tide Was Higherthe 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, 2012Hokies 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).
Impressive Passers: West Virginia’s Geno Smith – 31-42-0 for 401 yards, and Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish – 18-36-1-274.
(From The Wall Street Journal) You Can’t Spell Lush Without LSU, When it Comes to Drinking, Tigers Fans Top Every College Poll
(Denver Broncos fan) Tebow will you marry my wife?
North Dakota State 17, Sam Houston State 6 (FCS Championship). A crowd of 20,586 attended the game in Frisco, Texas.
“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.
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.
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
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.
You might want to look at Rich Ellerson's seat at Army a little more closely. It is not the least bit warm.
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