Kickoff Zone College Football Blog

After yesterday’s post, which speculated on whether UGA is at a crossroads of the Mark Richt Era, I thought it would be a good idea to look at the program which that basis was mirrored upon… in other words… can Derek Dooley be successful as the head coach in Knoxville?

We’ve done numerous posts here about the downfall on Rocky Top, but up until this point, have not offered any prognosis on what is needed to be done for the program to recover. 

The coaching problems the Vols have faced are well documented, but the major issue facing Coach Dooley is depth.  Dave Hooker outlines this problem quite nicely in this article.

Example #1:

Five players from the 2006 class left the program, didn’t qualify academically or were dismissed. Four have been lost from the 2008 class. From those two classes, UT lost four offensive linemen, a glaring weakness for 2010.

Example #2:

UT’s 2007 class is another matter entirely. It was highly ranked, but has since been one of the most disappointing signing classes in recent memory… 17 of those signees didn’t complete their eligibility. They either never made it to campus because of academic issues, were dismissed after they arrived or left the program.

Example #3:

Then there’s the attrition that one would expect from two coaching changes in little more than a year.

All that has resulted in 30 UT signees failing to complete their eligibility.

Then, there are 19 one-time UT commitments who went elsewhere after a coaching change was announced.

A dozen left in the Fulmer-Kiffin transition. Another seven left in the Kiffin-Dooley transition.

For any program, this is the key when having to replace a head football coach.  In the BCS era, where success and championships still rely on numerous sets of college football power rankings and ratings systems, program stability is still  the key to sustaining that tradition.  The are many examples of top programs who have suffered after the departure of a coach who has been the selling point of a program for over a decade. 

The fan base and the team lose that comfort zone and the stability which the program had come to rely upon, and in many cases, it takes the administration a couple of tries before they find the right ingredients for that stability again.  Traditional powerhouses such as Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida and Nebraska have all experienced this at some point in the last decade or so, and only the Crimson Tide and the Gators have fully recovered from this transitional period. 

Alabama’s situation may be the most similar, considering the length of coaches tenure between Gene Stallings and Nick Saban.  For all the success the Tide has achieved under Nick Saban, the fans had to endure the painful realities of irrelevance during the eras of Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione, and Mike Shula, while conviently trying to purge the Mike Price era from their memories.

With every coaching change comes a large exodus of players and recruits who were either loyal to the former staff, or don’t fit the philosophy of the new one.  Three coaching changes in as many years can cripple a program for many seasons before they are able to regain their footing.  For any program to sustain their position among college football power ratings, there must be stability within that program. 

Between Tom Osbourne and Bo Pelini were Frank Solich and Bill Callahan.  Notre Dame has yet to find their former success as Lou Holtz was succeeded by Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham, and Charlie Weiss; and that doesn’t bring into account the Alabama-esque debacle they faced with George O’Leary.  There are major doubts about whether or not Rich Rodriguez is the right man to bring the program back to the level of Lloyd Carr’s prominent run in the late 1990’s.  Between Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, Ron Zook was the head coach at the University of Florida. 

When it comes to continuing a tradition of excellence within a major football powerhouse, quick fixes are rarely the best answer.

Is Derek Dooley another quick fix, or will he last longer than his immediate predecessor? 

We’ll look at this question in Part 2…

Tags: College Football, College Football Power Rankings, Derek Dooley, NCAA, Recruiting, Southeastern Conference, University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, coaching carousel, transfer by Tommy
1 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.

Tags: College Football, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, Vanderbilt University, commitments, recap by Tommy
No Comments »

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, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, University of South Carolina, commitments, recap by Tommy
No Comments »

Recruiting Recap:  Mississippi State University

Mississippi State did well enough to land five 4 star prospects, and a number of 3 star athletes this year, as Dan Mullen slowly continues to build the program to fit his system of offense.  The Bulldogs always have to fight not only schools like Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi for the state’s top recruits, they always have to work extra hard to keep out of state programs from poaching their talent pool.  While former coach Sylvester Croom did as good of a job as he could to rebuild their depth, which had been severely depleted by probation, many State fans feel that Mullen is the right man to take them to the next level, and he has them moving in the right direction.  The big names that signed with the Bulldogs include OL Damien Robinson, JUCO DT James Carmon, WR Robert Johnson, ATH Michael Carr, and DE Kaleb Eulls.

Class Rankings

Rivals – 38th; Scout – 39th; ESPN – NR

Star of the Class

OT Damien Robinson

Rivals Ranking: 21st ranked OT; 168th overall player in the country

At 330 lbs., Robinson is a beast of a lineman.  Scout actually has him rated as one of the top 10 OTs in the country.  According to Rivals scouting report, Robinson has “a huge powerbase and a barrel-chested upper body” and is already “big enough to compete at the next level.”  He has a lot of potential and is still a raw talent, meaning that he will get better as he learns the system and what is expected of him.

Sleeper of the Class:

RB Vic Ballard

No rankings given for JUCO prospects

With the graduation of Anthony Dixon, Vic Ballard could step in and fill the void left at running back this fall.  At 5′10” and 207 lbs., he has the size and strength to break tackles and gain the tough yardage.  According to scouts, he has better vision than freshman signee Matthew Wells, so it may be that Ballard will see more immediate playing time next fall, while Wells works on improving his skills.

Tags: College Football, Mississippi State University, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, commitments, recap by Tommy
No Comments »

Recruiting Recap:  LSU

While Les Miles and the LSU Tigers didn’t bring in their almost customary Top 3 class this year, they still finished in the Top 10 according to three of the main recruiting services.  To put it more bluntly, LSU is always going to bring in a lot of talent, and this year is no different.  With a year of John Chavis’ system under their belt, the defense should already be much improved, and this years recruiting class will only add to the talent that is already present there.  LSU signed four different 4 star prospects who project as defensive ends at the next level, including Memphis standout Justin Maclin and VA native J.R. Ferguson.  All-everything athlete Spencer Ware is more of a question mark, though, as the coaching staff will have to figure out where he best fits.

Class Rankings:

Rivals – 6th; Scout – 7th; ESPN – 8th

Star of the Class

ATH Spencer Ware

Rivals Ranking: #3 athlete, 19th overall player in the nation

While Spencer Ware has all the accolades and is indeed the only 5 star player (according to Rivals) to sign with LSU, he may not be the first to see the field next year.  He played quarterback in high school, but has been projected as a RB in college.  The problem with this is that he might be to slow to become an elite tailback in the SEC, and may be much more suited to fullback.  This would limit his carries at the next level.

Sleeper of the Class

DE Justin Maclin

Rivals Ranking: #20 DE in the nation

Maclin will be a stud at DE in the SEC.  He will eventually grow into his 6′4” frame, and with the size to go with his 4.5 40 yd. dash, he should make the transition from linebacker to defensive end quite nicely.  He was an underrated prospect, and an absolute steal for Les Miles and the LSU Tigers.  He is much quicker than the other DEs that were signed.

Tags: College Football, LSU, Louisiana State University, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, commitments, recap by Tommy
No Comments »

Recruiting Recap: University of Kentucky

With a new head coach, the University of Kentucky brought in a solid, if unspectacular group of signees this year.  While they will probably never be able to recruit on the level of a school with a traditionally elite football program, Joker Phillips was able to bring in a Top 50 class, according to both Rivals and Scout.  As has been the custom, the Wildcats signed a couple of small, but extremely fast athletes on the offensive side of the ball in RBs Raymond Sanders and Brandon Gainer, and ATH Jerrell Priester.  They also signed a number of players on the defensive side of the ball who should be able to step in and get some playing time, such as LB Jebari Johnson and DE Mike Douglas.  Douglas is considered to be a steal from the state of Florida, and with his size and speed, could potentially develop into a special player on the defensive side of the ball.

Class Rankings:

Rivals – 46th; Scout - 47th ; ESPN – NR

Star of the Class:

TE Alex Smith

Rivals Ranking: 11th Best Tight End in the nation

The lone 4 star recruit of UK’s class, Smith was a late signee with the Wildcats.  When he committed, the Ohio native said that he was “going to a team where I am more of a need than a want,” which makes sense considering that Kentucky graduated three TE’s last season, and there will be ample opportunities for Smith to contribute immediately.  The list of schools from which he was offered a scholarship included the University of Michigan, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Cincinnati.  A lifelong fan of UK, Smith should have every chance to excel in his time there.

Class Sleeper:

RB Raymond Sanders

Rivals Ranking: 15th best All Purpose Back in the nation

One of the reasons Kentucky has been able to put together competitive teams on the field for the last few years has been the school’s ability to sign unheralded gems.  Many of those have been speedy, scatbacks who excel in their offensive schemes.  RB Raymond Sanders fits the mold perfectly.  At only 5′8″ and 175 lbs., many of the major schools overlooked his potential as most of his other offers came from mid-major programs such as Middle Tennessee, Marshall, East Carolina, and Louisiana Tech.  With a 40 time of 4.4 seconds, he could be only the latest in a long line of successful, undersized RBs that played collegiate ball for the ‘Cats.

Tags: College Football, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, University of Kentucky, recap by Tommy
No Comments »

Class Recap:  University of Georgia

The Bulldogs are lucky that they have a lot of talent that redshirted over the last few years because if they were relying on this year’s recruiting class to fill a lot of gaps, they’d be in trouble.  It’s not that it is a particularly bad group of players, only that it is small and the talent is not up to the level that Georgia fans have become accustomed to Mark Richt bringing in on a yearly basis.  Of course, losing 5 star WR Da’Rick Rogers to Tennessee did not especially help their rankings, but the Dogs did not have a backup plan in place and in the end, lost out on their only elite prospect of this class.

However, the Bulldogs did still end up with a Top 20 ranked recruiting class, and it is only considered a disappointment because Mark Richt and his staff have set the bar so high in recent years.  This class is led by 4 star defensive end prospect T.J. Stripling.  In fact, the majority of UGA’s highly rated recruits this year are defensive prospects, which definitely fills a need considering that their defense has been pretty abysmal over the last couple of years.  Stripling is joined by 4 star DB prospects Jakar Hamilton, Alec Ogletree, and 4 star DL prospects Garrison Smith, Jalen Fields, Dexter Morant, and Mike Thornton.

Class Rankings:

Rivals – 16th; Scout – 21st; ESPN – 12th 

Star of the Class

DE T.J. Stripling

Rivals Ranking:

#4 Weakside DE; #45 overall player in the nation

Once he adds some muscle to his 6′6″ frame, Stripling has the potential to be an elite defensive player.  He has excellent speed, athleticism, and is very quick off the line.  He still needs to work on his technique, and at 210 lbs, will have to bulk up.  It will be interesting to see how they use him next year, as new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham may install a 3-4 defensive scheme.

Tags: College Football, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, University of Georgia, commitments, recap by Tommy
1 Comment »

Recruiting Recap: University of Florida

If there is anything that can be said about Florida’s recruiting class, the first word that comes to mind is impressive.  While Rivals ranks them at #2, both ESPN and Scout have Florida as the #1 class in the nation.  All of this comes despite the fact that Urban Meyer was supposedly going to retire or take a leave of absence.  In any event, I think it’s safe to say that Meyer was very involved in the recruitment of these players right up until signing day.  The Gators landed the top 3 defensive line prospects in the nation, and they landed Rivals #2 ranked safety in the nation.  The only potential problem may be that Florida did not sign another quarterback, which means that if rising JR. John Barkley does not live up to the expectations that have been placed on his shoulders, then the Gators could be in for a long season.

Class Rankings

Rivals – 2nd; ESPN – 1st; Scout – 1st

Star of the Class

DE Ronald Powell

Rivals Ranking:

#1 Defensive End; #1 overall player in the nation

Defensive end Ronald Powell is considered by Rivals to be the number one overall player coming out of high school this season, and he also fills one of the Gators needs at that position.  A great athlete, the only known weakness he has is the tendency to not always give 110% on every down, which is obviously a fixable problem.  He has the size, speed, and strength to beat most offensive linemen, and could be one of the best defensive players in the country over the next few years.

Class Sleeper

WR Quinton Dunbar

Rivals Ranking:

#24 WR; 150th overall player in the nation

The Gators lost their top 2 recievers from last season, so one of their young signees will have to step up.  Dunbar is as raw a prospect as you can find, but he also has huge room for improvement and loads of potential.

Tags: College Football, Florida Gators, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, University of Florida, commitments, recap by Tommy
No Comments »

Class Recap: Auburn University

Despite their 2009 record of just 8-5 and their in-state rival winning the National Championship, Head Coach Gene Chizik and the Auburn Tigers put together one of the most impressive recruiting classes in the nation.   Out of the 32 players they signed, 3 were ranked 5 star prospects and 13 were given 4 stars.  The headliner of the class is RB Michael Dyer, who was rated the #2 RB in the nation by Rivals.com, and he is joined by 5 star recruits Shon Coleman (OT) and former Florida QB Cameron Newton.  Newton is one of the more intriguing prospects in the nation.  With 2 years of eligibility remaining, Newton fills an immediate need at the quarterback position with the graduation of Chris Todd.

Post Signing Day Class Rankings:

Rivals- 4th, ESPN- 4th, Scout- 6th

Star of the Class:

RB Michael Dyer

Rivals Ranking:

#2 RB Prospect; #11 Overall Prospect in the nation

RB Michael Dyer is one of the best running backs in this years class.  At 5-8″ and 200 pounds, he is a load for anyone to bring down.  Unlike many “big” power backs, Dyer has soft hands and is a good reciever out of the backfield, which will be beneficial in coordinator Gus Malzahn’s offense.  He is quite similar to former University of Tennessee running back Travis Henry, who set his school’s all time rushing mark, an impressive feat when one considers the long line of great backs who came out of that system.  Dyer has all the tools to be an elite SEC back.

Star of the Class:

QB Cameron Newton

Rivals Ranking:

5 stars; no ranking available for juco players

Many junior college transfers can be hit or miss at qb(see Brent Schaeffer’s career at Ole Miss), but Newton could take over the starting quarterback position the day he joins the team.  He has all the intangibles and then some.  He’s got a cannon for an arm, is accurate on his throws, and has great speed for a quarterback.  Having spent two years at the University of Florida in Urban Meyer’s system, he should be able to adjust to Malzahn’s schemes with little difficulty, as long as his head is in the right place.

Tags: Auburn University, College Football, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, commitments, recap by Tommy
No Comments »

Class Recap:  University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas may not have had the most heralded recruiting class, but they filled most of their needs and brought in a few blue chip prospects along the way, led by 4 star  DTs Calvin Barnett and Byran Jones.  Also in the mix is 4 star OT Cam Feldt.  Head Coach Bobby Petrino filled this class with numerous athletes who could concievably fit in a number of different positions on the field, including athletic dual threat quarteback Jacoby Walker. 

Post Signing Day Rankings:

Rivals- 48th, Scout- 36th, ESPN- unranked

Star of the Class:

DT Calvin Barnett

Rivals Ranking:

#13 Defensive Tackle in the nation;

#108 overall prospect

This award would have to go to the above mentioned DT Calvin Barnett.  Barnett wasn’t only a signing day surprise, but he was stolen right out from under the nose of Bob Stoops.  The number 1 rated player in the state of Oklahoma, Barnett should see the field quite a bit next season, as the Arkansas defense has been suspect the last two years under Petrino.

Class Sleeper:

QB Jacoby Walker

Rivals Ranking:

#33 Dual Threat Quarterback in the nation

Under the radar, Walker could develop into an very good quarterback for the Razorbacks.  He can be very accurate, has a strong arm, and the speed to avoid the rush and gain positive yardage with his legs.  Walker is a leader by example, letting his actions do the talking for him, and keeps his composure under pressure.

Tags: College Football, NCAA, National Signing Day, Rankings, Recruiting, University of Arkansas, commitments, recap by Tommy
1 Comment »