Kickoff Zone College Football Blog

Apparently, the defending national champions are not to thrilled with their current schedule for 2010, and are lobbying the SEC Office to change it to give them a more favorable draw.  From Chris Lowe at ESPN:

There’s a reason the SEC hasn’t released the league schedule for the 2010 season.

That’s because some games could be switching dates.

Charles Bloom, an SEC associate commissioner, said Thursday that the league is trying to provide some relief for Alabama so that the Crimson Tide won’t have to play six of their eight conference games next season when the opponent is coming off a bye week.

As it stands now, Alabama’s final six SEC opponents during the 2010 season are scheduled to have bye weeks prior to facing the Crimson Tide.

Those six teams are South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn.

Bloom said the entire schedule wouldn’t be torn up to accommodate Alabama, but that a more likelihood scenario was a handful of games moving so that the Crimson Tide wouldn’t have to play so many teams next season on the heels of byes.

“This is something that’s important to the entire league, because nobody wants to be in that same position a year or two from now,” Bloom said. “So we’re looking at a way to balance it out this year and for years to come. The difference is that it might be a little tweak this year with more widespread changes coming in future years.”

Blooms said the league hopes to have any changes finalized for the 2010 season prior to the spring meetings in Destin, Fla., in May.

I’d have to side with the Crimson Tide on this one.  I’m personally not in favor of amending schedules because “they don’t seem fair,” but to have to face their final six opponents when they are coming off bye weeks is a little ridiculous.  Everyone is already going to be gunning for the Tide next year, but the current schedule has the deck stacked a little to far in their opponents’ favor.

Tags: changes, College Football, NCAA, Schedule, SEC, Southeeastern Conference// Category Schedule, Southeastern Conference, University of Alabama // Add Comment »

For now, it seems that Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez will still have a job when the 2010 college football season starts this fall.  New Athletic Director Dave Brandon reiterated that he is standing behind the embattled coach during NCAA inquiries.  From the Associated Press (via rivals):

Michigan’s once-proud team has been embarrassed on and off the field lately.

The NCAA notified Rodriguez and school officials two weeks ago that the football program is facing five potentially major rules violations in part because its report said Rodriguez “failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the football program” in regards to time spent on practice and football-related activities.

Brandon backed his coach then and on Monday reiterated his support for Rodriguez.

“He’s our coach for this season,” Brandon said. “There’s nothing within the framework of the NCAA allegations that led me to believe that it should change his status as our coach.”

Michigan was given 90 days to respond and is scheduled to appear at an NCAA hearing on infractions in August. Brandon said he is “very” involved in formulating the school’s response, but declined to comment much about it.

“We’re going to continue to be in a quiet period as all of this evolves,” Brandon said.

Rodriguez lost a school-record nine games in his debut season two years ago, then finished 5-7 last year after a 4-0 start.

“Rich knows football, he’s passionate and his track record for success— winning everywhere he’s been—is there for the world to see,” Brandon said. “He’s feeling very good about the upcoming season.”

Then, Brandon paused and simply said what many in Ann Arbor and around the country are saying.

“It’s a big season ahead,” Brandon said. “A big season.”

Though not unemployed, Rodriguez now sits squarely on one of the hottest seats in America.  Brandon put a lot of emphasis on next season, meaning that if the Wolverines continue to underperform, then they may be searching for a new coach come next winter.  On a related note, Lane Kiffin has not said whether he is interested in the job were it to become available.

Tags: College Football, Hot Seat, Michigan, NCAA, Rich Rodriguez// Category College Football, Hot Seat, Infractions, Rich Rodriguez, University of Michigan, Wolverines, coaching carousel, rumor mill, violations // Add Comment »

As David Brandon officially takes over as the new Athletics Director at the University of Michigan today, he has some tough issues he must deal with in the near future.  From ESPN:

The athletic department is stable, certainly more so than when Brandon’s predecessor Bill Martin arrived a decade ago, but Brandon faces several challenges right off the bat. Michigan’s three flagship sports programs — football, men’s basketball and hockey — are all struggling to varying degrees, and the football program is facing NCAA allegations of five rules violations.

Michigan has until May 23 to respond to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations, and the school is scheduled to appear before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions in August. Many will watch how Brandon handles this initial challenge, and he’s off to a good start.

If there was one bright spot for Michigan fans from the university’s Feb. 23 news conference to address the NCAA’s allegations, it was Brandon. The former Domino’s pizza CEO seemed prepared, poised and totally in command, even though he hadn’t officially taken over as AD.

As annarbor.com’s Michael Rothstein writes: “He was genuine. He was confident. He didn’t stumble over words. He acted like a CEO and a leader. All of this even though this situation is not one any employee wants to walk into — let alone someone preparing to take over one of the country’s most storied athletic departments. … He was the star, if there could be a headliner in a three-person press conference.”

Like Mike Hamilton at the University of Tennessee, Brandon is not a “football guy.”  Nor is he a basketball guy.  He has no background in collegiate athletics.  Heck, he probably doesn’t have a background in high school athletics either.  As the ESPN article mentions, more and more schools are turning to businessmen to run their athletics programs, as opposed to former coaches.    As was the case in Knoxville, this could mean that more and more historically successful coaches will find themselves in hot water much faster than they are previously accustomed to.

Tags: College Football, NCAA, Rich Rodriguez, sanctions, University of Michigan// Category College Football, Hot Seat, Infractions, NCAA, Rich Rodriguez, University of Michigan, Wolverines, rumor mill, violations // Add Comment »

Chris Lowe, over at ESPN.com, has a great article up about South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia. 

But in a season in which Steve Spurrier didn’t have any other options at quarterback, Garcia took the kind of step the Gamecocks needed him to take.

Now, he has to take an even bigger one if South Carolina is going to contend for the Eastern Division title in 2010. Garcia has to become even more of a leader, not to mention more consistent.

He hasn’t had any off-the-field missteps since his run of problems soon after he arrived on campus and showed some real toughness on the field last season. He took a serious beating (the Gamecocks gave up 37 sacks), but didn’t miss a game and played through some pretty intense pain after bruising his ribs against Ole Miss in the fourth week of the season.

You still got the feeling last season that Spurrier didn’t trust Garcia implicitly and held off on calling some things. That should change in 2010.

Hard as it is to believe, Garcia is now the grizzled veteran of the league at quarterback. He’s the SEC’s active leader in career total yards (4,078) and passing yards (3,694).

There are several factors that will go into the Gamecocks genuinely making a run in the East next season, but none are any more important than Garcia taking that next step as a quarterback and as a leader.

Lowe is correct in that Garcia has improved.  A lot of his critics seem to forget that he was only a sophomore last season and has lots of time to continue to mature into a good leader.  If Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks want to be successful next season, they need Garcia to continue to improve and step into a leadership role.

Tags: College Football, Gamecocks, NCAA, South Carolina, Stephen Garcia// Category College Football, NCAA, Steve Spurrier, University of South Carolina // Add Comment »

According to the Rivals website, Tennessee RB Bryce Brown is not yet sold on the new coaching staff, and may be open to the idea of transferring.

From the Kansas State Mercury:

Bryce Brown, Arthur’s brother who was the No. 1 player in the nation in 2009, is currently at Tennessee after playing his freshman season for the Volunteers. Sources have told The Mercury that Bryce will wait and see how he fits into coach Derek Dooley’s system, who took over after coach Lane Kiffin bolted for the USC job in January, and then will make a decision on whether or not he will remain in Knoxville.

Bryce Brown, of course, was the number one high school player in the nation last year who signed with the Volunteers after an extended recruiting process that was drawn out over a month after National Signing Day.  One of the biggest attractions for Brown was the coaching staff Lane Kiffin had assembled, so it is not a total shock that he would be considering a transfer… if the rumor is true.

This would cause a lot of problems in Knoxville, however.  With the graduation of both QB Jonathan Crompton and RB Montario Hardesty, the Vols are going to have to rely on a strong running game.  Brown was supposed to be the answer to their tailback problems and did finish the season with over 500 yards on the ground, although he was stuck behind Hardesty on the depth chart.  

Although the tailback position is one of the deepest on the Vol roster, they can hardly afford to lose a player with as much talent as Bryce Brown at this point.

Tags: Bryce Brown, College Football, Derek Dooley, NCAA, transfer, University of Tennessee// Category College Football, Derek Dooley, NCAA, University of Tennessee, Vols, rumor mill, transfer // 1 Comment »

Spring practice has begun for a number of schools.  Some of the early schools to keep on the radar are LSU and the NCG runner ups, the Texas Longhorns.

For the first time in four seasons, the Longhorns will not be able to rely on the abilities of quarterback Colt McCoy.  One can argue whether his injury in the NCG cost them the national title, but they now have to learn to win without him on a permanent basis.  Taking his place under center will be sophomore Garrett Gilbert. 

It was Gilbert who replaced McCoy in the title game against the Crimson Tide.  Although he threw 4 interceptions and lost a fumble (which together may have cost them the game), the experience he gained in such a high stakes atmosphere should only help him adjust to the expectations that come with playing in Austin on a weekly basis.  To make matters even more complicated for the ‘Horns, star WR Jordan Shipley has also used up all of his eligibility.  Those responsibilities now fall onto the shoulders of Malcolm Williams (550 yds recieving in 2009), John Chiles (319 yds in 2009), and James Kirkendoll (461 yds in 2009).

The RB position is filled with talented veterans, who should help take some of the pressure of the shoulders of Gilbert.  Tre Newton returns as their leading rusher, gaining 552 yds on the ground last season.  Joining him in the backfield will be Cody Johnson and Vontrell McGee.  The running game must improve next season if the Longhorns have any hope of finding themselves back in contention for a national title.

Tags: College Football, longhorns, NCAA, spring practice, University of Texas// Category College Football, University of Texas, spring practice // 1 Comment »

With the latest news making the rounds regarding Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines, one has to wonder just how much the school administration is willing to put up with.  Last week, the NCAA revealed  that “major infractions” had taken place under the head Rodriguez’s watch.  Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated has more on the subject:

But after reading the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations — which, to the school’s credit, it released in its entirety to the public — Michigan fans’ greatest cause for concern isn’t the impermissible practices themselves; it’s the NCAA’s rather blunt assessment of Rodriguez and other school officials’ handling of the matter.

There are five allegations of major violations contained in the letter, only two of which address the actual practice-time violations. In one, graduate assistant Alex Herron is accused of providing misleading information to investigators. Ask Dez Bryant how the NCAA feels about misleading investigators.

Of more import, the NCAA says Rodriguez “failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the football program.” That’s not exactly a cap in the feather for a guy already saddled with an 8-16 record. On top of that, Michigan’s athletic department allegedly “failed to adequately monitor its football program.” The school avoided the dreaded “lack of institutional control” tag, but “failure to monitor” is the next step down.

Mandel goes on to say that:

The party with the most to lose is clearly Rodriguez, whose 26-month stint in Ann Arbor must seem like an eternity at this point both to him and the school’s followers. As if the indignity of overseeing the Wolverines’ first losing seasons since 1967 wasn’t enough, he now stands accused of allowing the first major violations in the program’s history.

That’s the million dollar question that many of the Michigan faithful are surely wondering.  There’s no question whether or not Rodriguez is a good coach because he’s already proven himself at West Virginia University, but the fans in Ann Arbor could care less about RichRod’s record anywhere else.  Former Head Coach Lloyd Carr ran a clean program and kept the Wolverines in the national limelight on a consistent basis for many years.  Rodriguez needs something to go right this season to win the school’s rabid fanbase back over to his side.

Tags: College Football, Infractions, job security, Michigan, NCAA, probation, Rich Rodriguez, violations, Wolverines// Category Law, NCAA, Rich Rodriguez, University of Michigan, Wolverines, violations // Add Comment »

Recruiting Recap: Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt won’t ever be able to recruit the way the other programs in the SEC are able to because of their high academic standards, but Coach Bobby Johnson was able to sign a respectable group of players this time around.  Rivals states that this might be “the top Vanderbilt class in many years.”  While that point is debatable, they did end up with a solid class, and were able to grab one elite talent.  The star of this class is undoubtedly RB Rajaan Bennett, the only 4 star prospect of the bunch.  Other standouts in this class include 2 DBs,  Andre Simmons (#35 DB in the nation according to Rivals) and Kenneth Ladler (#42 DB in the nation), and DE Thomas Ryan (#39 DE in the nation).  To fill the void left over at the quarterback position, Vandy signed Juco star Jordan Rodgers, who was also offered scholarships by Virginia, Colorado, Kansas, and Houston.

Class Rankings:

Rivals: 61st; Scout – 53rd; ESPN – NR

Star of the Class:

RB Rajaan Bennett

Rivals Ranking: #19 RB in the nation; #246 overall player in the nation

Bennett is a big signee for a school such as Vanderbilt, where many top athletes don’t always meet their high academic standards.  A big back, he could grow into a Ricky Williams-type of runner.  He has a physical running style that will wear down defenses and good hands out of the backfield.  He should see the field a lot as a freshman next season.

Sleeper of the Class

QB Jordan Rodgers

Unrated Juco Prospect

If there is one glaring need for the Commodores next season, it’s consistency at the quarterback position.  Though not highly touted, Juco QB Jordan Rodgers should have the opportunity to compete with returning players Mackenzie Adams and Larry Smith.  Rodgers has the right frame and size for the position, is pretty quick on his feet, and can throw.  He is also the younger brother of the current Green Bay Packer starting signal caller, Aaron Rodgers.

// Category College Football, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, Vanderbilt University, commitments, recap // Add Comment »

Recruiting Recap: University of Tennessee

When one considers the circumstances around his hiring, Derek Dooley did a remarkable job in keeping the University of Tennessee’s recruiting class among the nations elite.  He was able to hang on to a number of players recruited by former coach Lane Kiffin, and also pulled in a couple of gems on his own.  The biggest name is undoubtedly WR Da’Rick Rogers out of Georgia.  The #1 rated WR in the nation had previously commited to the Georgia Bulldogs, but it was Dooley who was able to convince him at the last minute to sign with the Volunteers.  Joining Rogers at WR will be 4 star recruits Justin Hunter and Ted Meline. 

Even with the RB logjam already on the roster, Dooley was also able to bring in 4 star RB Raijon Neal, the #9 RB in the country.  Following the graduation of Jonathan Crompton, Dooley was able to keep two QB commitments from the previous regime, as well as sign one of his own.  The big name is Tyler Bray, a 6′6″, strong armed kid out of California who had already enrolled by the time Lane Kiffin exited Knoxville.  Joining Bray in the QB derby will be Nash Nance (Rogers’ high school teammate) and Juco transfer Matt Simms (the younger son of Phil). although none are really expected to come in and beat out rising senior Nick Stephens, at least to open the season.

Class Rankings

Rivals – 9th; ESPN – 9th; Scout – 15th

Headliner of the Class

WR Da’Rick Rogers

Rivals Ranking- The #1 rated WR and the #9 overall player in the nation

Rogers is undoubetdly the jewel in the crown of Dooley’s first class in Knoxville.  It also likely proved to many of the Volunteer faithful that the new head coach can sway top prospects in favor of the Big Orange.  Rogers is the #1 WR in the country and ranked as one of the top 10 overall prospects, and should see playing time in the fall as long as he is in good standing academically.

Sleeper of the Class

K Michael Palardy

Signing the #2 rated kicker in the country was undoubtedly a top priority for whoever ended up as the head coach at Tennessee.  It will be a long time before the Big Orange Nation forgets the 2 blocked field goals that cost them victory against the eventual national champion Crimson Tide.  Palardy could fill this need nicely, as well as handle both the kicking and punting duties.

Tags: College Football, commitments, da'rick rogers, Derek Dooley, National Signing Day, NCAA, Rankings, recap, Recruiting, University of Tennessee, Vols// Category College Football, Derek Dooley, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, University of Tennessee, commitments, recap // Add Comment »

Recruiting Recap:  University of South Carolina

Steve Spurrier has always been known as one of the greatest football minds in the country.  At one point, he was also considered the best active  coach in the NCAA.   Although his reputation has cooled off a bit since he returned to the college game, there’s no arguing the fact that when it comes to offensive gameplans, he is one of the best.  His achilles heel since returning to coach in the SEC at the University of South Carolina could very well be that he’s never been a great recruiter.  During his glory years at Florida, the University was able to bring in the top athletes by itself, while the old ball coach could hit the golf course during the off season.  South Carolina is a whole other story.

Despite his hesitation to hit the recruiting trail like some of his competitiors, Spurrier still always lands some top notch players, some of whom will still come just to play for him.  Although this year’s class might not be in the top 10, it may be the one that could return Spurrier to the top of the SEC.  The reason for this is the commitment of the #1 RB in the nation, Marcus Lattimore.  Since he took the USC (east) job, Spurrier has yet to find a really consistent running game.  Lattimore is a beast of a tailback, at 6′o and over 210 lbs, with a 4.4 time in the 40 yd dash.  Should he live up to the hype, Spurrier won’t have to worry about finding a running game for much longer.

Along with Lattimore, Spurrier signed 5 four star recruits in DB Victor Hampton, DT Kelcy Quarles, OL A.J. Cann, LB Toquavius Gilchrest, and WR Ace Sanders.

Class Rankings

Rivals – 25th; Scout – 34th; ESPN – 23rd

Star of the Class:

RB Marcus Lattimore-

Rivals Ranking- #1 RB in the nation; #10 overall player in the nation

The headliner of this class is obviously RB Marcus Lattimore.  He is a complete back who runs with power and has great hands out of the backfield.  He has great vision and is able to make all the tough yard gains.  Berry Every (of Rivals) has compared him to Knowshon Moreno and Cadillac Williams, which would put him in elite company in the SEC.  Lattimore is the type of player that Head Coach Steve Spurrier has been desperate for the last few years.  A gamebreaker at RB will take a lot of the pressure of QB Steven Garcia, and Lattimore is definitely one of those.

Tags: College Football, Gamecocks, NCAA, Rankings, recap, Recruiting, University of South Carolina// Category College Football, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, University of South Carolina, commitments, recap // Add Comment »