- I sure hope he's 100% this year. Love watching him run, I want more games like last year at Iowa State where he was juking, speeding past, and running over tacklers. He's a man-child when healthy.
A Death On Saturday Afternoon? Don't Count Cody Glenn Out Yet.
Junior running back: “I'm the same guy. Even better."
Broken ribs. A separated shoulder. A torn bicep. Busted teeth. Collapsed lungs.
Those are the injuries suited to a running back like Nebraska junior Cody Glenn. At 6-foot, 230 pounds, a build like a Sherman Tank, the man is owed dramatic scars for the games he's missed. A souvenir for suffering. Not this flat tire.
Of course, just desserts so rarely mirror real life.
Thus, as Achilles had a Heel…Glenn had a Foot. Nearly torn off, in fact, during a touchdown run at Texas A&M. And now, this Hammy.
The injuries have made the Rusk, Texas, native one of the "concerns" of the Huskers' fall camp. Along with junior Marlon Lucky, his name shows up often in the fan message boards. Inside a lot of those discussion threads, the Husker nation digitally wonders aloud whether Glenn's role in the Husker offense is about to disappear to the likes of true freshmen Quentin Castille and Roy Helu.
Castille, particularly fits the bruiser profile. Or, at least, the profile Glenn has been ascribed in Head Coach Bill Callahan's West Coast Offense.
Truth is, No. 34 might be just be the best pure runner Nebraska's got.
Yes, NU Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson took time Wednesday to call Lucky among the most talented running back with whom he's worked. And Head Coach Bill Callahan spoke of the offensive packages specifically designed for him. From an NFL perspective, Lucky's clearly a better receiver than Glenn. Presumably he's a superior pass blocker. And if given a fat hole, Lucky's more likely to stretch a 20-yard run into something double or triple that.
But if you gave them both 30 carries in a college football game, my money's on Glenn. By 50 yards.
Garbage? Well, try this logic on:
Every time Glenn went in last season for the Huskers, he was in there to do one thing.
Take a handoff.
He wasn't going to block. He wasn't going to catch.
Glenn was the bull, and Nebraska's offensive line was the red cape.
The defense knew he'd get the ball. The backups knew. The redshirts in street clothes. The trainers. And most 4-year-old children.
You think that might wear on you?
"After awhile it kinda did," Glenn said. "I'd go in, they'd know I'm getting the ball and they ain't gotta respect any pass or anything, so they just'd come right downhill at me."
Eleven picadores poised with their lances. And still Glenn averaged 5.2 yards per carry.
It's a tribute to his motor, otherwise known as those thick, nasty, churning legs of his. He's nimble, too – and not just for his size. He's slippery, period. Because he picks up his feet and runs in short chops, he can change directions, pick through smaller holes and bust runs to the edge from out of a pack.
In a trench, an alley, an afternoon of Oklahoma drills - give me Glenn.
His signature performance came at Iowa State. Nineteen carries, 148 yards, two touchdowns. Including eight carries and 65 yards on the back-breaking fourth quarter drive.
That performance, too, had a catch. Three of them, actually. All by Lucky at the end of first half, just before quarterback Zac Taylor hit receiver Maurice Purify to put NU ahead 21-7 at halftime.
That's what Callahan means by “packages.”
So Glenn spent the offseason trying to hone those catching and blocking skills, because almost without exception, NFL backs have to block and catch. And Callahan's running an NFL offense.
He watched film, talked to Running Backs Coach Randy Jordan about technique and waited for the foot to heal. In the Red/White Spring Game, he caught three passes. This fall, he, along with Lucky – who, let's face it, is Callahan's No. 1 guy – intended to do with two what the Huskers did with four running backs last year.
So much for that. Lucky suffered a mild concussion and Glenn was nagged with another injury unfit for his stature. For awhile the coaches were either unsure on what was bothering Glenn, or, well, vague.
Glenn's take: His foot is fine. His hamstring's 95 percent. Nevada's not going to know he missed a day of practice.
Are Castille or Helu taking his role?
If that's what the coaches really want. Glenn said. But he wasn't planning on it.
“I'm the same guy,” he said. “Even better. Even more experienced. I know the game more. The game's slowed down a bit. I'm a lot better back than I was a year ago, two years ago. Even with this injury to the hamstring. I mean, my foot is good. Not bothering me at all. The hamstring's gonna get better. It's not gonna bother me during the season.”
If so, well...vive le bull.
- LaTravis Washington has it all to contribute immediately as a freshman. And Blake Lawrence looks to take his place in the long line of spare Nebraska white LB's.
Washington, Lawrence Bring Spirit, Speed to Husker Linebackers
Defensive Coordinator tells both true freshmen they won't redshirt
Wait 'til you get a load of Latravis Washington.
You know that French phrase, joie de vivre?
Invented for him.
Because there aren't that many football players who can so easily (and arrogantly) say "I'm from Florida, we produce great athletes," then bust out in a knowing grin that lets reporters feel like they're the kids in the candy store.
"I wake up every morning and I thank God I woke up," the Nebraska freshman linebacker said. "People always ask me, 'Why you so happy?' I be like, 'Why be so mad?' Why? It's just a blessing that you're here."
Washington gestured around to the fatigue-clad soldiers from the Nebraska National Guard, who attended practice on Tuesday with their kids.
"People that came from the army, man, that's crazy," he said. "They're fighting for our freedom every day. Why can't you get up happy?"
The 6-foot-3, 210 pounder knows his way around a pep talk. The former quarterback from Bayshore High School Bradenton, Florida, has also developed a taste for defense.
"It's better than getting hit," he laughed.
When Washington arrived in Lincoln, he wasn't sure whether he'd be placed at safety or linebacker. Because he could add weight to his frame, either position was suitable to his size.
Washington said there was a "debate" between defensive coaches. Finally, defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove settled on putting Washington at linebacker, where NU loses seniors Steve Octavien, Bo Ruud, Corey McKeon and Lance Brandenburgh after this season.
And linebacker is where the coaches intend Washington to stay.
"They told me straight up," Washington said. "They told what I was going to play when I got here. I really appreciated that."
He didn't quite trust the motives of some of the other programs that recruited him, particularly West Virginia and Ohio State, which offered Washington a quarterback scholarship. At Bayshore, he was a dual threat to run or pass, and his height made him a good prospect for the spread offenses that WVU Coach Rich Rodriguez and OSU Coach Jim Tressel ran last season.
Did Washington give any thought to being the next Pat White or Troy Smith?
"Nah," Washington said of offers from the Buckeyes and Mountaineers. "I was like 'Y'all just gonna' bring me there and then, boop!'"
As in, move him over to defense.
At NU, he'll get to follow his cousin, Fabian Washington, who played corner for NU and now starts for the Oakland Raiders. Latravis grew up watching his former cousin play little league football in Bradenton, outrunning all of his opponents.
"Dang, my cousin was fast," Washington said.
Still is. It was Fabian Washington's speed that enticed the Raiders' owner to draft him in the first round after he spent three years with the Huskers. Fabian Washington played in his true freshman season and left after his junior campaign.
Although Latravis has been told by his older cousin not to leave school early, he's been assured by Cosgrove that he, too, will be playing as a true freshman.
"Coach Cosgrove was like, 'You're not red-shirting. You're not gonna' redshirt. No,'" Washington said. "That's not scary. That's pretty nice."
Ditto for freshman linebacker Blake Lawrence, a decidedly more low-key member of the 2007 Husker recruiting class.
"Coach Cosgrove told me to not think about red-shirting because he sees opportunities for me all over the field," Lawrence said.
Cosgrove said it's crucial that Lawrence and Washington, among others, get good reps and field time in 2007.
“We have to develop those kids because they're the guys that will have to play next year along with next year's incoming class,” he said. “The quicker we can develop them the better off we can be.”
Lawrence is another player who's grown into his 6-2 frame. Playing for Shawnee Mission (Kansas) West High School last year, he was both a star quarterback and linebacker, and generally considered the best player in the Sunflower State. He also weighed 200 pounds.
After a summer in Lincoln, he added 20 more to that total.
"Coach (Cosgrove) always said I had a big frame to carry weight," Lawrence said. "I believed them. I came in here and ate up this summer and did a lot of protein. It feels great to weigh what my goal was."
But Lawrence said he hasn't lost any speed, which he'll if he plays, an planned, on the kickoff coverage team. Lawrence is currently battling for the No. 2 slot at strongside linebacker, but he should see significant time on special teams.
"On kickoff coverage, I really enjoy running down the field at full speed and disrupt plays," Lawrence said. "I feel I can do that early here in my career. We'll see what the coaches think, but that'd be very enjoyable to me."
- Thursday's Practice Report
Red Report: 'Little headaches'
By the Lincoln Journal Star
Friday, Aug 24, 2007 - 12:14:32 am CDT
Marlon Lucky still feels the effects of a couple of hard hits he’s absorbed during preseason camp.
“Obviously, I came back with some little headaches,” the junior I-back said Thursday. “But that’s natural when you come back from a concussion.”
Lucky practiced for the second straight day Thursday. He had missed three straight practices, as well as most of last week, because of what was diagnosed as a mild concussion.
The 6-foot, 210-pound Lucky said he’s practicing at full-speed and feels like he’s in good shape.
“Coach K had me on a climber, so I’m good,” Lucky said, referring to Nebraska head strength coach Dave Kennedy.
Fellow junior I-back Cody Glenn also practiced Thursday, his third straight practice after missing more than a week with a hamstring injury.
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said the I-backs’ missed practice time means the Huskers will have to revisit some of the work that was specifically planned for them during their absence.
“We’re pretty confident they’ll grasp what we need them to do,” Callahan said.
In other injury news, starting right guard Matt Slauson (shoulder) sat out his fourth straight practice Thursday and remains day-to-day, Callahan said.
Paul in mix
Although true freshman wide receiver Niles Paul is seeing practice time with the first- and second-string offenses, Callahan wasn’t ready to say for sure that the Omaha native would be an immediate contributor at the position this season.
But Callahan indicated it was a strong possibility.
“I still want to keep watching, but he has tremendous upside,” the coach said. “He’s a strong, powerful, gifted athlete. He has exceptional hands. He’s picking up the system better than I anticipated. His work ethic is outstanding on the field. … It seems like he never gets tired.”
The 6-1, 210-pound Paul last season had 46 receptions for 814 yards and 13 touchdowns for Omaha North.
By the numbers
1 or 2: Number of designed running plays for the fullback in Nebraska’s playbook, said fullback Andy Sand. “We usually put a bigger running back in there to run the ball, like Cody or Quentin (Castille), instead of us. We pretty much block.”
Scouting report
FB Andy Sand
A fifth-year senior, Sand has yet to see game action in college. But that’s about to change.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Sand has been working almost exclusively with the first-string offense, he said. His main competition for the starting job appears to be junior Thomas Lawson.
Sand, a Lincoln Southeast graduate, was a tight end in 2004 and 2005 before switching to fullback last August.
“It wasn’t really my choice,” he said. “They asked me to do it, and I was willing to do it for the team.”
It’s looking like a pretty good move right now.
“There’s not a whole lot of glory in (playing fullback) — we’re just kind of an extension of the O-line,” Sand said. “But I still take pride in it. I mean, I think it’s a great job, and I like doing it. There’s been a great tradition of the fullback at Nebraska.”
Opponent watch: Texas
Freshman quarterback John Chiles, who is set to back up sophomore Colt McCoy, is generating a buzz with his play in preseason camp, according to the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman.
Chiles is expected to see playing time this season, perhaps as early as Sept. 1 when fourth-ranked Texas opens against Arkansas State. Chiles moved up to second string when redshirt freshman Sherrod Harris sprained his knee Aug. 12.
“I think you’ll be pleased with what you see,” Texas coach Mack Brown told the American-Statesman.
It’s likely that Chiles’ most pleasing plays will be made first with his feet, according to the newspaper. That’s where he’s drawing quiet comparisons to Vince Young.
- Junior running back Marlon Lucky returned to practice Wednesday. The Huskers did not scrimmage, practicing in shoulder pads and shorts.
- Cosgrove had high praise for senior linebacker Octavien, who had spent much of last couple years nursing injuries.
"He's a playmaker. We ask him to do a lot of different things, he plays a lot of different position on our defense. We're trying to put him in position to make plays. He's improved as a linebacker also. His fundamental techniques have gotten better. He still has to improve but he's a hard worker. He's got a great motor. He'll go until he can't go no more.”
- National News/Notes
- A report on Aggie
Crystal ball has A&M in Cotton Bowl
02:37 AM CDT on Friday, August 24, 2007
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – With one week before the season opener, it's time to answer what appears to be the biggest question among the Texas A&M faithful.
What will be this team's record?
An e-mailer named William summed up everyone's thoughts:
"There seems to be quite a bit of optimism coming out of the Aggie camp from the head coach down to the players," William wrote. "While generally the case for all teams this time of year, it seems as though the Aggies return a solid nucleus of players with very few question marks compared to other elite Big 12 teams. The road schedule seems to be pretty daunting, however. Is the optimism warranted?"
Simply put, yes it is. Let's break down the entire schedule.
Montana State (Sept. 1), Fresno State (Sept. 8) and Louisiana-Monroe (Sept. 15): I lump all three games together, because they all should be easy victories. Fresno will be the toughest of the three. But these three games, in my mind, are all about how A&M performs. This should help the Aggies get off to a great start. Result: W, W, W.
At Miami (Sept. 20): As road trips go, this one is pretty good. The stadium is a dump, but fans won't go for the stadium. They want to see A&M and Miami collide. QB Kyle Wright will test the A&M secondary, and the Hurricanes have enough experience on defense to make it interesting. It's a major test, but one the Aggies will pass. Result: W.
Baylor (Sept. 29) and Oklahoma State (Oct. 6): If A&M starts the year 4-0, these two games shouldn't be a problem. I'm not sold on OSU being this juggernaut that's ready to take over the Big 12 South. WR Adarius Bowman is clearly the most talented wideout in the Big 12, but defensive coordinators can plan to stop one receiver. Playing both games at home gives A&M the edge: Result: W, W.
At Texas Tech (Oct. 13): The Aggies haven't won in Lubbock since 1993. Enough is enough. Go out there and get it done. Just don't stuff yourself at The 50-Yard Line restaurant. Result: W.
At Nebraska (Oct. 20): Here's where A&M could stub its toe. Big Red should be steamrolling after playing four of its previous five games at home. Texas and Oklahoma have both won in Lincoln in recent years, so it's not impossible. A&M hasn't won there since 1955. Result: L.
Kansas (Oct. 27): After a close loss, A&M will maintain its solid national ranking and return home to thump KU. No fuss, no muss. Result: W.
At Oklahoma (Nov. 3): A&M's Big 12 South title hopes hinge on this game. Ever since the disastrous 77-0 loss in 2003, the Aggies have gotten closer to the Sooners every year. By this point, OU quarterback Sam Bradford should have some things figured out. The Sooners have enough components around him to be successful. Result: L.
At Missouri (Nov. 10): This game is a test of a championship-caliber team. With two conference losses (based on this projection), A&M players could feel their South title hopes are gone. That's ridiculous. A&M can stay in the hunt with a win here. Some people are high on Missouri; I'm not. Aggies bounce back with a victory. Result: W.
Texas (Nov. 23): A&M players should be motivated to prove last year was no fluke. I don't think it was by any stretch. Stephen McGee runs wild, Mike Goodson has another big touchdown run, the defense has another solid performance and Kyle Field goes crazy. Result: W.
So far, the Aggies are 10-2. But I think Oklahoma wins the South this season and beats Nebraska in the championship game.
Based on that scenario, A&M would be the top contender for the AT&T Cotton Bowl. Nebraska played there last year and won't want to go back. So the Aggies come to Dallas, and the Huskers go to San Diego.
Give me A&M vs. Georgia in the Cotton Bowl. The Aggies, leery of their last appearance in the Cotton Bowl, win in a solid all-around game. A&M finishes the year 11-2 and goes into 2008 with a preseason top-10 ranking and serious national title hopes.
Now I ask you this, A&M fans. Is that good enough? It's certainly realistic considering this team's talent and its schedule. It's going to be a fun season for sure and one heck of a ride.
- A very good source for College Football news, ESPN's Bruce Feldman, has his latest blog out. The QB for my darkhorse team this year is #1 on his list of mystery men for 2007.
This week's list is about the biggest mystery men in college football, those guys who are being counted on to really take a big step up and emerge and potentially spark a big season.
1. Ben Olson, UCLA, QB: The Bruins are one of those "kinda trendy" picks you hear some people tout as a darkhorse title contender because they return 20 starters and did shut down USC last season. Having said that, this is also the same team that flopped in the bowl game right after beating SC, losing to a mediocre FSU team. There's also some added pressure around UCLA coach Karl Dorrell, given the number of changes over the years on his staff and a 29-21 mark entering his fifth season. Dorrell's offense ranked near the bottom of the Pac-10. It lacked an identity. Maybe Olson, the former all-everything QB recruit, can provide that. New Bruin offensive coordinator Jay Norvell brings a pure West Coast scheme and says Olson has been very sharp in camp. "He's never really been in a situation where he's been The Guy since high school and that has helped his comfort level tremendously," says Norvell, who calls Olson "the prototype" QB because the 6-foot-5, 228-pounder has a big arm, good feet and can really throw on the run. Now the challenge is for Olson's improved chemistry with the Bruins collection of athletic receivers to pile up points. An added boost, according to Norvell, has been the emergence of diminutive burner Terrence Austin.
2. Austin Scott, Penn State, RB: Tony Hunt was one of the most underrated players in college football last season, but now the do-everything back is gone. All Hunt did was run for 3,320 yards, second only to Curt Warner's 3,398 in PSU's all-time list. This fall the Nittany Lions passing game should be in good hands with strong-armed Anthony Morelli working with a dynamic receiving corps that has matured nicely, but can Scott, a former blue-chip recruit, move the chains and balance out the offense for a program that has a decent chance to make a run at the Big Ten title and possibly a lot more? The 221-pounder, who has more of a burst than his predecessor, has shown some flashes in his career, including a 110-yard performance in Penn State's 26-23 triple-overtime win against Florida State after Hunt injured his ankle. Some PSU insiders believe that Scott has gotten focused and is capable of coming up with a huge final year. We'll see.
3. Sean Glennon, Va. Tech, QB: On paper, the Hokies should cruise to the ACC title. They have an outstanding defense, excellent special teams and a standout tailback in Branden Ore. There are also some speedy wideouts to juice up the passing game. At issue is how much improved will Glennon be at QB? Last season, his TD-INT rate of 11-11 was hardly the work of a championship QB.
4. Brandon Spikes, Florida, MLB: The defending national champs are ranked No. 6 in the preseason. Imagine how much better their ranking would be if the Gators had more than two returning starters on defense? Last year's team featured a very mature crew of linebackers. Now UF is incredibly young there. Urban Meyer challenged Spikes and said he didn't think the 6-foot-3, 240-pounder handled that well in the winter, but that he has responded well in the summer, pushing himself and his teammates. Just how consistent Spikes can be in the middle of the Gator defense should go a long way in determining the SEC East race.
5. Jamaal Charles, Texas, TB: This might be the fastest back in the country, but is Charles ready for stardom? He didn't quite shine as many expected in 2006 as the Longhorns, despite a veteran line, had a surprising amount of trouble running the football. To be able to handle the work load, Charles has bulked up 15 pounds (to 210) and teammates say he is really making an effort to finish off his runs. That, coupled with his explosive speed, could make UT one of the five most prolific attacks in the country and maybe have Mack Brown poised to make it two national titles in three seasons. Who knows maybe Charles -- not Colt McCoy -- will prove to be UT's Heisman candidate.
6. Matthew Malele, Cal, DT: Offense won't be an issue for the Golden Bears, but having to replace three-fourths of their D-line is a major concern. Malele, the lone holdover, shed 30 pounds (down to 300) in hopes of making more plays inside, must become the anchor of a very young line.
7. Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin, OT: Think Joe Thomas leaves big shoes to fill? Heck yeah, but Carimi, a 6-8, 290-pound redshirt freshman, has that look of one of those prototypical Badger blockers. On Monday, Carimi was announced as the Badgers starting LT beating out fifth-year senior Danny Kaye. Given Wisconsin's unproven QB situation and the Big Ten's strong collection of pass-rushing defensive ends, there's ample pressure on Carimi to not only help open holes for P.J. Hill, but also keep the Badgers from some costly turnovers.
8. Lance Leggett, Miami, WR: Yes, the lanky speedster is still at Miami. And yes, we're hearing another batch of how he's ready to blossom since he's gained some more strength. Of course, the 6-3, 190-pounder doesn't have the benefit of playing with an established QB. Then again, maybe some of that blame needs to go to the suspect play of those receivers.
9. Terry Grant, Alabama, RB: Nick Saban's new squad actually finished 9th in the SEC in rushing offense and that was with Ken Darby. The young O-line should be the team's strength, but there was a gaping hole at tailback. The buzz out of Bama country is that the speedy Grant might be on the brink of stardom. If that is indeed the case, the Tide might be ready to jump back into the top 25.
10. Matt Spanos, USC, C: Of all the great offensive players USC has had over the last five years, the most underrated was all-American center Ryan Kalil. The guy was quick, smart, tough and a great leader. Last year, the Trojans could barely get the ball snapped back to the QB in practice when Kalil wasn't in the lineup. Spanos, who missed last season because of academics, has impressed the coaches with his grit, but they know won't find out just how ready he is until he gets to Nebraska Sept. 15 in a hostile environment against some big D-linemen.
Random Stuff
• Just a follow up on what I think is the most underrated story of the fall camp: the status of Sammie Stroughter, the super WR-PR at Oregon State. Just ask USC how dangerous Stroughter is. Last season when the Beavers knocked off the Trojans, he scored on a 70 yard punt return and also caught eight passes for 127 yards.
Yesterday, Stroughter, who has been missing from practice since Aug. 8, issued a brief statement through the school Tuesday morning that said he was taking more time off to deal with his personal issues. He said he was coping with the grief over the loss of two family members and a former coach and gave no timetable on his possible return. Stroughter is expected to leave school and return home to Sacramento.
• A key guy in the national championship picture could be Woodny Turenne. He's a JC transfer CB at Louisville. On paper he is everything colleges look for in a cover man, a tall guy with long arms and blazing speed. However many schools fell off him last season when they went to watch him play and saw other schools attacking him. (I cover this some in Meat Market.) Louisville stayed on him and defensive coordinator Mike Cassity was raving about him the other day after watching him blanket the Cards talented crew of wideouts. Cassity is a guy who loves to blitz and apply pressure, so having a lockdown corner like Turenne would be huge for a team that has to replace four of its top five tacklers and three starting DBs.
Brian Bennett has more about the Louisville secondary in this story.
Quote that caught my eye: "I've coached three defensive backs who made it to the NFL, and he's better than all of them," Curtis Allen, Turenne's former coach at College of the Sequoias, said. "He has natural instincts, and his speed is just ridiculous.
• Willy Korn, the blue-chip freshman QB at Clemson, literally got thrown into action yesterday, writes Paul Strelow: "Midway through the Tigers' final scrimmage of camp, first-stringer Cullen Harper grabbed his right ankle and dropped to the ground in pain. Korn was quickly sent in from the sideline to take charge of the starting unit.
"Things got exciting there for a moment," Korn said. "But it was Academy Award winner Cullen Harper."
A handful of plays later, Harper came back onto the field to replace Korn. Coach Tommy Bowden had told Harper to fake the injury. "I think I sold it pretty well," Harper said.
Clemson coaches had wanted to test Korn's poise and knowledge of the offensive system under duress.
Korn audibled to a run play in his first snap and wound up handing the ball off for all but one of his plays against the first-team defense, a swing pass batted down by linebacker Nick Watkins. Against the second-string defense, Korn had a field day, completing 9 of 16 passes for 134 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown to senior receiver La'Donte Harris, his favorite target in Saturday's scrimmage. Harper went 4 of 12 for 41 yards but engineered two touchdown drives as Clemson emphasized its running game for the first time in three scrimmages.
Nice ploy by Bowden. Facing his daddy's talented D-line in the opener, he might need Korn.
• I get a FedEx with my first actual copy of Meat Market today. I am very excited. I also just found out my first book signing has been moved up to Sept. 7 at 5 PM in Oxford at Square Books. If you're in the area, please come by.
- The NoTex Rant Top 25
#25 - Missouri
#24 - Hawaii
#23 - Oklahoma St.
#22 - Texas Tech
#21 - South Carolina
#20 - Boston College
#19 - Boise State
#18 - Rutgers
#17 - Cal
#16 - Ohio State
#15 - Tennessee
#14 - Michigan
#13 - TCU
#12 - Nebraska
#11 - Florida
- #10 - Texas
COACH AND PROGRAM
Just how impressive of a program does Mack Brown have at the University of Texas?
Consider this: The Longhorns lost three games in 2006, one shy of equaling their total number of losses in the previous three seasons combined. The two Big 12 conference losses last season matched the totals from 2003, 2004 and 2005 combined, and despite averaging 36 points per game, that was a drop-off of two touchdowns from their 2005 national championship squad.
All that from a team that still won 10 games, extending its streak of seasons with double-digit victories to six -- best among any team in the nation.
When a 10-3 season is a noticeable drop from the year before, chances are you're probably among the nation's elite.
And that's an understatement.
"Mack is like the Darrell Royal of the 21st century," former Texas All-American and NFL All-Pro Jerry Sisemore said, bestowing what would be considered the ultimate compliment from anyone in Austin on Brown by comparing him with the university's most legendary head coach. "The coaches and players work hard and support one another, and that's exactly how coach Royal ran things."
Long considered one of the most desirable jobs and best potential recruiting spots in the country, the Texas tradition had started to falter a bit before Brown's arrival.
In fact, the Longhorns had five losing seasons in the 12 before Brown was hired, and another campaign of 5-5-1. From 1984-94, the Longhorns lost six straight games and 10 out of 11 to in-state rival Texas A&M, and a 4-7 mark in 1997 -- with just two conference wins -- opened the door for Brown to take his shot in Austin.
He didn't disappoint. His first season, he helped guide Ricky Williams to a Heisman Trophy and has been leading Longhorn football players to success ever since. By harvesting talent-rich Texas, the nation's undisputed champion of high school football, Brown started a campaign of keeping the state's best players at home -- losing fewer and fewer each year to out of state raiders trying to keep their squads in the top five.
The results -- both individually and in team success -- speak for themselves.
In his nine seasons at Texas, Brown has produced 52 first-team All-Big 12 players, 34 All-Americans (17 first team), three Big 12 Offensive Players of the Year, four Big 12 De-fensive Players of the Year, six Big 12 Offensive Freshmen of the Year and four Big 12 Defensive Freshmen of the Year. Oh, there has also been one Heisman Trophy (Williams, 1998), another Heisman Trophy finalist (Vince Young, 2005) who happened to also win the Maxwell, Davey O'Brien and Manning Awards, as well as the ABC Sports Player of the Year.
Brown has also had two Thorpe Award winners, one Butkus Award and Nagurski Trophy winner, one Doak Walker award winner and too many national award winning finalists and semifinalists to mention.
Name a piece of national hardware, and at some point one of Brown's Longhorns has won it.
"He's a player's coach," said former Texas All-American Quentin Jammer, a first-round pick in the 2002 NFL draft. "He knows his stuff and works you hard, but no matter what is going on in your life, he's a guy you can talk to."
Of course, those players didn't earn all those awards based solely on their individual success. It's much easier to get noticed when your team is winning, playing in conference championship games and BCS bowls. And Brown's Longhorns have done plenty of that.
Dating back to his days at North Carolina, Brown is the only active coach to have at least nine wins in each of the last 11 seasons. His nine consecutive seasons with at least nine wins and the six straight seasons with 10 wins are both UT records. The Longhorns have finished the season ranked among the top 13 each of the last seven seasons, also a school record.
He's had a plan since his arrival. He's carried out that plan to perfection, and pride among Texas fans is undoubtedly at an all-time high. One might even say in the ever changing, fickle nature of big time college football, Brown has his feet as firmly planted as any coach in the nation, and probably has a home in Austin for as long as he decides to stay.
That alone says all you need to know about the Texas program.
"He's a visionary, and he had a sense of what he wanted to do with a program, the way he wanted to do it," Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. "It's not just the Xs and Os, which he is outstanding at, but developing the experience the kids are going to have, spending four or five years with you."
In fact, Brown has already received the biggest endorsement one could get in Austin short of praise from Lady Bird Johnson. Because any vocal support from Royal himself constitutes the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval down in the Texas hill country.
"Mack has done everything right from the first day he hit town," Royal said.
That he has. And Texas football has regained the national reputation it had during the 1960s and '70s under Royal. However, there continues to be an eye on the future as the already mammoth Texas program keeps growing.
Because of Texas' success, the university is once again expanding Darrel K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and adding an additional 9,000 seats. The lower bowl expansion will be ready for this season, and the upper deck suites to be complete by the 2008 season.
That's bad news for visiting teams. After all, the Longhorns are 48-5 under Brown at home -- and 30-2 at home in conference games. Now, the supporting crowd will be even bigger?
As if the Longhorns needed the help.
QUARTERBACKS
A year ago, the Texas faithful were, at best, cautiously optimistic about the Longhorns' quarterback position.
OK, let's be honest. No matter what they had heard about their two freshmen phenoms, they knew nobody would be able to replace Young, who proved to be Superman while leading the Longhorns to the 2005 national championship.
Then again, that slight bit of panic could tell you all you need to know about sophomore quarterback Colt McCoy (6-3, 205).
Having to beat out fellow freshman Jevan Snead for the starting job might seem like enough of a chore. After doing so, stepping in for a man who threw for 3,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 more certainly had to be a hurdle.
Well, he may not have won a national championship -- yet. But McCoy did show all the signs of being Texas' next great quarterback by completing the best single season by a freshman signal-caller in school history.
His 10 wins were the most by any Texas freshman -- ever. He also set the school's freshman passing record with 2,570 yards, and his 29 touchdowns were the most by any Texas quarterback and tied the NCAA single-season freshman record. Also, his 161.8 passer rating was the eighth best in the country.
McCoy was chosen national freshman of the year by The Sporting News, and was the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.
Yep, Texas fans, you've found your quarterback. And if spring drills proved anything to the Texas coaching staff, they expect McCoy to be even better.
"He is stronger, he's even more accurate if that's even possible, and he obviously has a better feel with confidence and leadership and a better feel of the offense," Brown said during spring practices. "Colt has a chance to be a really special player."
Getting stronger is something McCoy wanted to work on during his off-season, with hopes of limiting his time away from the field. Obviously, the physical nature of the Big 12 took its toll on him at times, and he was twice knocked out of the regular-season finale against Texas A&M.
This year, he hopes to avoid any in-game departures by being prepared for the physical challenges.
"I need to be [stronger]," he said. "I am tired of getting thrown around. I don't want to get hurt again. I've spent a lot of time in the weight room."
McCoy, clearly, is prepared for his sophomore campaign and the possibility of being even better than last season. The Longhorns' biggest concern, however, is what to do should McCoy not be available.
With Snead transferring to Ole Miss during the offseason, Texas is left without a backup quarterback with any NCAA experience. That No. 2 quarterback job will be hotly contested through the fall, and potentially right up to the Sept. 1 season opener against Arkansas State, between redshirt freshman Sherrod Harris (6-3, 219) and freshman John Chiles (6-2, 197).
Harris was Arlington (Texas) Bowie High School's all-time leading passer with 4,321 career yards in three seasons and has more experience on campus after running the scout team offense last season. Chiles was a three-year starter at quarterback and wide receiver at Dallas Summit, throwing for 2,036 yards, rushing for 1,248 more and hauling in 694 receiving his final two seasons.
"Both guys are doing some really good things right now," Davis said. "Their heads are swimming a little bit with all of the protections and the various blitzes that our defense brings at us [during spring scrimmages], and that is going to create some confusion early.
"What I told both of them is you have to go through this period. We would rather go through it in the spring so that when it comes up in fall camp, it will be easier."
RUNNING BACKS
The most experienced member of the Texas running back corps is junior Jamaal Charles (6-1, 200), and after a team-leading 831 yards on 156 carries (5.3 per carry) and seven touchdowns in 2006, the Texas coaching staff hopes this is the year Charles really breaks out and becomes one of the conference's -- if not the nation's -- elite runners.
One of the keys to that progression will be staying healthy. However, Charles' coaches hope his decision to work out with his team during the spring rather than run track will help in that goal as well.
"We need him to touch the ball more and stay healthy doing it," Brown said. "We have ways to get the ball to him more and we need him to get stronger and more confident and get him into a position where he feels he can be the every-down back."
The every-down back. Exactly what every tailback wants to hear.
Now, it's just up to Charles to earn it.
"I want to be the main back this fall," Charles said. "I don't want to come out of the game every other play or every two plays. That's one of the reasons that I decided to stay with football for the spring, to try and stay in shape so I'm ready to go whenever I touch the ball."
If Charles isn't in the game, expect junior Chris Ogbonnaya (6-1, 225) or redshirt freshman Vondrell McGee (5-10, 200) to be filling in for him. Ogbonnaya, who played safety much of last season, also rushed for 82 yards on 18 carries. McGee is an explosive player who rushed for 3,400 yards and 44 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Longview (Texas) High School.
"Vondrell McGee has done some really good things, and I think Chris Ogbonnaya is a very valuable tool because he can play fullback, tailback, he can be a third-down back, and he is really good at blitz pickup," Davis said.
At fullback, the Longhorns will likely rotate between junior Luke Tiemann (6-2, 235) and redshirt freshman Antwan Cobb (6-0, 215).
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
It's a safe statement to say the wide receivers are the deepest, most talented part of the Texas offense. Brown, who is always sincere in his praise, will take it even a step farther.
"We believe this is the best group of receivers we have ever had," he said.
Quite a statement for a school that has produced Roy Williams, Kwame Cavil, Wane McGarity, B.J. Johnson and tight end David Thomas just in Brown's tenure alone.
But this group has the talent to back up that statement.
Leading the cast is certain all-conference and All-America candidate Limas Sweed (6-5, 219), who caught 41 passes for 801 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Entering his senior season, Sweed already has four 100-yard receiving days, and his combination of size and speed make him an almost impossible match-up for opposing cornerbacks.
But he's far from the only potential star. In fact, what makes Sweed even better is the presence of a deep group of receivers, including senior Billy Pittman (6-0, 200), junior Quan Cosby (5-11, 200), junior Jordan Shipley (6-0, 188) and senior Nate Jones (6-2, 195).
Cosby pulled down 45 catches for 525 yards last year, while Pittman had 35 catches and four touchdowns. Shipley and Jones combined for seven touchdown catches between them, and figuring to fight his way into the mix will be redshirt freshman Montre Webber (6-3, 206).
"Those guys are so skilled and they are going to make some explosive plays," McCoy said of his primary targets. "If we can make 10-to-12 explosive plays a game, we are going to be really hard to beat."
Making the group even more dangerous is the presence of a very good group of tight ends, led by sophomore Jermichael Finley (6-5, 236), who had 31 catches for 372 yards last season. He'll be joined by junior Peter Ullman (6-4, 255) and redshirt freshman Josh Marshall (6-4, 210).
OFFENSIVE LINE
Perhaps no unit of the Texas team suffered greater loss than the Longhorns' offensive line.
Gone are three -- count them, three -- All-Big 12 selections with the graduation of guard Kasey Studdard, center Lyle Sendlein and tackle Justin Blalock, the latter a unanimous All-America pick in 2006.
Even Brown will admit that's a concern.
"Our offensive line is so young," he said. "We have good players but virtually no experience."
That means the Longhorns will lean heavily on senior tackle Tony Hills (6-6, 300) to be their best, most consistent player up front. He'll be joined up front by junior Cedric Dockery (6-4, 320), who has six career starts but missed part of last season with a knee injury, and Adam Ulatoski (6-8, 305), who had seven starts last year, his freshman campaign.
After that, it's all green for the Longhorns. Senior center Dallas Griffin (6-4, 285) has played in 22 games, but all of that coming as Texas' backup center behind Sendlein. Dockery will battle for one of the starting guard spots with sophomores Charlie Tanner (6-4, 295) and Chris Hall (6-4, 295), who have a combined 14 games experience.
Others hoping to work their way into the line rotation are sophomore J'Marcus Webb (6-8, 310) and redshirt freshmen Steve Moore (6-5, 296), Buck Burnette (6-3, 310), Britt Mitchell (6-5, 280) and Roy Watts (6-6, 315).
As that group continues to try and work its way into a national-championship caliber unit, Hills said the start they got in the spring -- thanks to the pushing of the Texas coaching staff -- would be a huge springboard.
"First of all, I have to give credit to the coaches, because their game plan coming in was making sure that we play physical," Hills said. "We had a couple of short practices and then we went straight to full pads and we were doing a lot of hitting drills and preparing for the defenses we will face.
"I think what you saw [at the spring game] was a product of that because a lot of our guys were physical."
KICKERS
One position with fewer questions for Texas is kicker, where junior Ryan Bailey (6-2, 195), who shared kicking duties with Greg Johnson last year and was 6-for-6 on field-goal attempts, has seemingly locked down the job. Bailey also made 17 of his 18 extra points and is expected to take sole possession of the job this year with Johnson's departure.
"He's the main guy," Brown said. "We're re-opening up every position. There will be some guys that get in line first and Ryan will be one of them because he hasn't missed a kick."
Should Bailey struggle or fall victim to injury, sophomore Hunter Lawrence (6-0, 175) would step in. Lawrence handled many of the kickoff duties in 2006, doing so 42 times with 15 touchbacks.
At the very least, he will kick off again in 2007. In high school, he made 32-of-44 field goals and 63-of-70 extra points in his final two seasons at Boerne (Texas) High School.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Want the definition of a perfectionist?
A good place to start might be senior defensive tackle Derek Lokey (6-2, 280).
A year removed from playing on a defensive front that allowed just 61.2 rushing yards per game (third fewest in the NCAA), Lokey entered the spring talking about the unit's need to be better.
That is a refusal to rest on your laurels.
"We can definitely be better than we were last year," Lokey said. "We were No. 3 in the nation against the run, but there were times last year where we gave up easy yards. Run defense, to me, is about discipline. If all 11 guys stay in their gap assignments, then there is nowhere to run."
There's no question that defensive front could be stellar yet again, considering Lokey -- who has 51 career tackles, including nine for loss -- will be joined by returning starters Roy Miller (6-2, 290), a junior and Frank Okam (6-5, 320) a senior.
Okam, the most experienced of the group with 26 career starts, has 108 career tackles, 17 of those for loss. He also has five career sacks to his credit. Miller, who has six starts in his 23 career games, recorded 39 tackles last season, six for loss.
Those three will be joined on the inside by senior Thomas Marshall (6-6, 290), sophomore Ben Alexander (6-0, 310) and redshirt freshman Brian Ellis (6-5, 287).
The Longhorns' defensive ends will be anchored by two players who have started a combined total of five games. Juniors Brian Orakpo (6-4, 248) and Aaron Lewis (6-4, 260) are the most experienced of an inexperienced group of big, fast, athletic ends.
The candidates to battle those two for starting spots include sophomore Lamarr Houston (6-2, 265), junior Henry Melton (6-3, 268) and redshirt freshman Eddie Jones (6-3, 260).
Even without much experience, Lokey sees plenty of talent -- and depth -- in this defensive front.
"The defensive ends are good, and they're getting in there, disrupting plays and making sacks every day [during the spring], so I know they're going to be tough," Lokey said.
LINEBACKERS
A big part of Texas' success against the run last year could also be credited to the outstanding corps of linebackers.
In fact, all three starters return -- as well as one other player who has started three games -- to give the Longhorn linebackers a combined 61 career starts of experience.
"I think the linebackers are one of our strengths," co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina said. "There is really great competition there and that's what really helps people develop as good players."
The most experience of the group are junior middle linebacker Rashad Bobino (5-11, 228), who has 127 tackles, including 20 for loss, in his 26 career starts, and senior strong-side linebacker Robert Killebrew (6-2, 230), who has started 22 career games and has 122 tackles.
The other returning starter, senior weak-side linebacker Scott Derry (6-3, 230), was, like Bobino, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last year after recording 70 tackles.
"His value really soared [last year]," Akina said of Derry. "I would say Scott Derry for us is very similar to what Michael Huff did for us on a mental side, where he can really drive things for us."
Another player with starting experience is sophomore Roddrick Muckelroy (6-2, 230), who started three times last year and hopes to earn time at the weak-side position.
Despite the depth and experience, there are youngsters waiting to challenge for playing time. That group includes sophomores Sergio Kindle (6-4, 239), and Jared Norton (6-3, 236) and redshirt freshman Dustin Earnest (6-3, 221).
DEFENSIVE BACKS
While the inexperience of the offensive line is Brown's biggest concern on offense, it's the secondary that has the toughest voids to fill on the Longhorns' defense.
After all, of the three starters lost to graduation, two were All-Americans and first-round NFL draft picks -- and one of those two was given the Thorpe Award at the conclusion of 2006.
Cornerback Aaron Ross, recipient of the award given to the nation's best defensive back and a first-team All-American, leaves after being selected by the New York Giants with the 20th overall pick. His teammate, safety Michael Griffin, was a second-team All-American and the 19th overall selection by the Tennessee Titans.
Add to that the loss of corner Tarell Brown -- who started 35 career games and had 53 tackles last season with eight pass breakups -- and the holes left in the secondary are quite apparent.
Losing such experience means the Longhorns could go to more of a rotational system of defensive backs, rather than relying on a select few to handle every situation.
"In our secondary you have got an older group and a younger group. Obviously, both are talented," Mack Brown said. "The young group is very talented, they just don't have any experience. We will have to decide who gets what spot and could you possibly play two deep in the secondary? We have never done that. We've played five guys, but we haven't played eight guys. We will really be looking at that hard."
The most experienced member of this sure-to-be-tested group is senior safety Marcus Griffin (6-0, 202), who has 10 career starts to his credit and was second on the Longhorns with 90 tackles in 2006. After that, however, the experience is minimal -- though the talent is not. Sophomore Deon Beasley (5-10, 170) is expected to man the right cornerback position, but he has just one start in his career. Last year, in seven games as a true freshman, Beasley recorded seven tackles and a pass breakup.
He'll be challenged at the right corner position by redshirt freshman Chykie Brown (6-1, 180), who recorded 10 career interceptions at Houston's North Shore High School.
Even with his 10 career starts, Griffin, like many others, will have to keep his position against a potential uprising from other players. Senior Drew Kelson (6-2, 215), who has started four career games, moves from linebacker back to safety and could give the Longhorn secondary a more physical look. Senior Tyrell Gatewood (6-2, 210), a former wide receiver, also expects to compete for playing time at free safety.
At strong safety, two potential starting candidates will vie for the job after the June transfer of sophomore Robert Joseph. Senior Erick Jackson (6-2, 200), who has 23 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 23 career games, and Ishie Oduegwu (5-10, 205), who posted seven tackles in 2006, will take their competition into the fall.
The left cornerback position is also up for grabs as senior Bryan Foster (5-9, 180) will battle junior Ryan Palmer (5-10, 190) for the starting job. Palmer had 16 tackles and one interception in a reserve role last season, while Foster has 35 career tackles in 34 games.
As a group, the unit seemingly began to overcome its inexperience a bit in the spring -- enough so that players from other positions noticed after the spring game.
"I think the secondary is coming along well," Orakpo said. "There were a lot of questions about the secondary and what they were going to do with all the people that recently graduated, but they played really well today. I take my hat off to them on the way they played."
PUNTERS
Sophomore Trevor Gerland (6-2, 190) is the only returning Longhorn with any punting experience after playing in four games in 2006. Unfortunately, with an offense as potent as Texas generally possesses, that only meant six punts for him, on which he averaged 39.2 yards per effort.
However, three of his six punts were downed inside the 20 -- a must when trying to win field position.
The battle for the starting job will be waged by junior Justin Moore (6-2, 197), who has played only on the scout team to date.
SPECIAL TEAMS
When you pull in the kind of athletic talent year after year that Texas does with is recruiting efforts, one would expect to be strong in special teams.
The Longhorns usually are, and this year should be no different.
The most dynamic of Texas' special teams players should be Quan Cosby, who, when not making big catches, handles the punt return and kickoff return duties for the Longhorns.
Last year, Cosby averaged 25.7 yards per kickoff return, with a long of 78 yards. On punts, he fielded two for an average return of 32 yards -- with one 55-yard return for a touchdown. He'll be backed up by fellow receiver Shipley on punt returns, while either Charles or Shipley could join Cosby on kickoff returns.
"Quan is the first punt returner, and Jordan Shipley, those two guys will be back there for sure," Brown said. "Deon [Beasley] and Chykie [Brown] those guys can all catch. Vondrell [McGee] might be a really good kick off return guy."
In the equally important -- but not as glamorous -- special teams positions, expect Lokey to handle the deep snapping for field goals and extra points. Junior William Harvey (5-11, 225) will battle Derry for the job of deep snapper on punts.
Shipley, Cosby and Harris will compete for the holder job on place kicks.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
The offensive strengths lie in the skill positions, but with uncertainty about the blocking in front of McCoy and Charles, it's hard to give the Texas offense a higher grade. It's almost flipped on the defense -- where the interior is clearly the strength and the speedy defensive backs are still untested.
However, opponents' inability to run the ball because of the Texas front seven makes the focus much more simple for the Longhorns' defensive backs. With or without experience, this much we know -- Brown has recruited talented players, year after year, so even those who have never played are still a step ahead of the game.
If Texas can find consistent blocking and decent pass coverage, there's no reason to think they can't battle Oklahoma for the top of the Big 12 South standings yet again, and potentially playing in the league championship game -- followed, of course, by yet another trip to a BCS bowl.
Grading the Longhorns
Unit Grade
Offense B+
Special teams B+
Defense A-
Intangibles A
Texas Longhorns
LOCATION Austin, Texas
CONFERENCE Big 12 (South)
LAST SEASON 10-3 (.769)
CONFERENCE RECORD 6-2 (2nd)
OFF. STARTERS RETURNING 6
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 6
NICKNAME Longhorns
COLORS Burnt Orange & White
HOME FIELD Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium/Jamail Field (85,123)
HEAD COACH Mack Brown (Florida State '74)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 93-22 (9 years)
CAREER RECORD 179-96-1 (23 years)
ASSISTANTS • Mac McWhorter (Georgia '74), Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line
• Greg Davis (McNeese State '73), Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Duane Akina (Washington '79), Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
• Larry Mac Duff (Oklahoma '70), Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
• Bruce Chambers (North Texas '82), Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends
• Oscar Giles (Texas '91), Defensive Ends
• Bobby Kennedy (Northern Colorado '89), Assistant Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers
• Ken Rucker (Carson-Newman '76), Running Backs
• Mike Tolleson (Delta State '70), Defensive Tackles/Special Teams
TEAM WINS (Last five yrs.) 11-10-11-13-10
FINAL RANK (Last five yrs.) 6-13-4-1-21
2006 FINISH Beat Iowa in Alamo Bowl.
- #9 - Auburn
After winning 33 games over the last three seasons (four more than Florida, two more than LSU, and three more than Ohio State), you'll have to forgive Auburn if it's ready to break something tasteful for being the nation's hard-luck team when it comes to national titles.
Tiger fans are still grumpy over getting passed over in 2004's three-way debate with Oklahoma and USC, while LSU got the benefit of the BCS doubt in 2003 (and won) and Florida got the mega-break of all breaks when USC lost to UCLA to open the door to the national title. The success of the other SEC schools in championship games has once again opened up the debate about that 2004 team and what it would've done against the Sooners or Trojans.
Let it go.
Yeah, easier said than done in the grudge-holding world of college football, but the 2004 issue should actually help the team if it can get it close to the cup. Now, the voters would be more than happy to give Auburn the benefit of the doubt and get it into a national title game if there are several teams in the hunt, but first, Tommy Tuberville's club has to be consistent enough to get into the discussion.
Every time the world is ready to gush all over the Tigers, they pull a dud out of the bag. Arkansas might have been really good last year, but it shouldn't have gone into Auburn and come away with a 27-10 win. A 37-15 home loss to Georgia, with everything on the line, including being in the national title mix, was unacceptable.
This year's team has the make-up and the talent to potentially get over the top, even if the schedule makes it too tough to actually do it. There might be some major personnel losses on the offensive line, and the departure of RB Kenny Irons doesn't help, but the defense has the potential to be the best yet under Tuberville (and he's had some killers), while the offense should be fine as long as QB Brandon Cox starts to be more of a playmaker.
Now it's time to finish the job. It's an overstatement to suggest Auburn's window has passed, but Alabama is finally done with its probation and has Nick Saban patrolling the sidelines. LSU has gotten better and better under Les Miles, Florida has assembled a mini-NFL team, and the rest of the SEC is improving by the year. Tuberville and the program have to prove they haven't hit a plateau.
What to watch for on offense: Is Cox ready to be a difference-maker? Auburn has been blessed with some of the most talented backs in the game under Tuberville, but it's no coincidence that the team has been at its best with a quarterback who rocked. Jason Campbell was flawless in 2004 after going through years of SEC battles. After two seasons at the helm, Cox has to be better against the top teams and can't just be along for the ride.
What to watch for on defense: The secondary will be dominant. Losing top corner David Irons hurts, but three starters return to one of the nation's stingiest groups. Helped by a big pass rush from Quentin Groves and company, expect the Tiger pass defense to control games and force teams to try to run on the smallish front seven.
The team will be far better if ... it keeps the foot on the throttle for a full season. You can't blame Tuberville and his staff for resting starters in stretches during a light part of the schedule last year, but the team couldn't find its groove once the lights came back on against Georgia. The offense was rarely consistent and didn't show up against the top teams. That has to change if Auburn wants to be playing in the really big 2008 games.
The Schedule: Great at home, awful, awful, awful on the road. The four home games to start the year aren't walks in the park playing Kansas State, South Florida, Mississippi State, and the high-octane New Mexico State offense before going on the road to face Florida. The three other road games are at Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia. However, if the Tigers can beat the Bulldogs, there's a chance for a great run to end the year with Ole Miss, Tennessee Tech, and the Iron Bowl against Alabama in Jordan-Hare.
Best Offensive Player: Junior WR Rodgeriqus Smith. Smith goes from being a game-breaking home-run hitter to the No. 1 receiving threat with the loss of Courtney Taylor. He led the team in touchdown catches (four) and cranked out steady production all season long. Now he has to prove he can make five-to-seven catches a game rather than one-to-three.
Best Defensive Player: Senior DE Quentin Groves. The Tigers got a huge life when Groves decided to come back for his senior year. Now he'll be one of the nation's most fearsome pass rushers with the potential to be a double-digit sack man if he gets some help from the other side. Few ends can change a game like he can.
Key player to a successful season: Cox. Auburn rolls out of bed and finds a productive running back. To be special this year and be more than just an SEC West contender, it needs Cox to make everyone around him better. Has he been average because the offense has had a great ground game, or is he just average? Being accurate isn't always the same as being effective.
The season will be a success if ... the Tigers win 10 games. While the four road games (Florida, Arkansas, LSU and Georgia) might not completely end and SEC title dreams before they begin, you can all but forget about the national title (think LSU of last year and its four rough road trips). Sweeping the eight home games will be expected, but don't be shocked if South Florida, Kansas State or (gulp) Alabama pulls off an upset.
Key game: Sept. 29 at Florida. Of course the battle with 'Bama to end the season is a must-win, beating Florida at Florida would be even bigger on a national scale. If the Tigers can pull it off, they'll likely start the year 6-0 and ranked in the top three with dates at Arkansas and LSU to follow.
2006 Fun Stats:
Third quarter scoring: Auburn 102 — Opponents 33
Fourth down conversions: Auburn 11 of 14 (79%) — Opponents 8 of 19 (42%)
Sacks: Opponents 35 for 205 yards — Auburn 29 for 190 yards
Auburn Tigers
Team Information
Head coach: Tommy Tuberville
8th year: 71-29
12th year overall: 96-49
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 22, Def. 27, ST 2
Lettermen Lost: 23
Ten Best Players
1. DE Quentin Groves, Sr.
2. LB Tray Blackmon, Soph.
3. DT Sen'Derrick Marks, Soph.
4. WR Rodgeriqus Smith, Jr.
5. RB Brad Lester, Jr.
6. QB Brandon Cox, Sr.
7. OT King Dunlap, Sr.
8. NG Josh Thompson, Sr.
9. LB Patrick Trahan, Soph.
10. CB Jonathan Wilhite, Sr.
2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 Kansas State
Sept. 8 South Florida
Sept. 15 Mississippi State
Sept. 22 New Mexico State
Sept. 29 at Florida
Oct. 6 Vanderbilt
Oct. 13 at Arkansas
Oct. 20 at LSU
Oct. 27 Ole Miss
Nov. 3 Tennessee Tech
Nov. 10 at Georgia
Nov. 24 Alabama
- Kige Ramsey lets us know his top 3, and as always, provides in-depth analysis of each pick.
- Picks O'the day
Yesterday - 0-3
YTD - 124-106
1) Texas +120 - Millwood's been throwing well.
2) Detroit +135 - Clemens sucks.
3) Toronto +105 - Halladay rocks.
4) Cin -140 - Cin has won 7 of 10, Harang is 2-0 in his last 3.
