Coming around

- Still not totally on board, but I'm slowly warming to the trade. If it must be done, I'll live with it, and move on. A few reasons why I guess I can live with it.

- Comments by personnel people within the organization. I.E. basketball people who are smarter than me in knowing what makes a team work, both mentally and physically.

1) Avery knows what it takes to win. Strong leadership and point guard play he can trust. He didn't trust Devin, bottom line. He pulled the play-calling duties 20 games in. He didn't like that he was hurt all the time. He didn't like the dumb basketball IQ of driving wild ass to the lane and taking unnecessary charges/fouls. And he didn't trust him late in games, opting for a non-point guard (JET) to quarterback the team in the final period.

Said coach Avery Johnson, essentially confirming that the organization hasn't forgotten how the Mavs' last two playoff series played out: "[Kidd] knows how to finish games and that's what we are looking for."

"He's going to help us," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said, "because at the end of games, he just knows how to win."


2) They needed to get Dirk a superstar to play along before he runs out of time. It's sad that after 10 years into the league, the best teammate Dirk's ever had is a 35 year old point guard. Makes what he has accomplished basically by himself that much more impressive. Every superstar has a legit star next to him. Dirk's had no one. Steve Nash came close. Finley and Howard were not close.


3) They needed to improve offensive efficiency. Dirk has been working as hard as he ever has to get his shots. Without this move, he was going to absolutely wear out before the playoffs. Howard has become lazy on offense. He no longer drives to the rim, instead lays back on the 3 point line and jacks shots up. Jason Terry can become the #2 scorer behind Dirk, and not worry about ball handling duties. Jason Kidd solves all of this.

"I mean, Devin was great getting into the lane, but I felt sometimes he was finishing a little too much in there and didn't really find his shooters when they were open," Nowitzki said. "Jason will do that. ... We know when somebody is open, he's going to get them the ball.

"We want Jason Kidd to be himself. He's one of the best in the open court. Josh [Howard] is one of the best in transition, making plays, slicing through the paint.

"And I like a high-paced game where I can move more freely instead of eight guys bumping me in the lane. Where I can run and be open some, attack off the dribble if they run at me."


4) The locker room and fan base have become stagnant. You win 55+ games consistently, fail in the playoffs, and keep getting let down....you become stale and unmotivated. The Mavericks needed a shot in the arm, another carrott to be dangled in front of them. This provides that.

It's a toll, in Cuban's estimation, that extended to his fans, which clinched his determination to get Kidd at (virtually) all costs. He spoke repeatedly Tuesday of a growing "malaise" in Big D, which is hard to detect on the surface with a consecutive sellout streak in the hundreds but something Cuban is convinced had seeped into his locker room and the community.

"When you're doing the same thing for years, it's hard not to take some of those things for granted," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. "We needed a spark, that little instigator. We were settling a little bit.

"Jason will charge [up] a lot of people. His ability to create is going to make life easier. And nobody runs the break better than Jason Kidd."

"What happens in any business, there are lulls," Cuban said. "When you are doing the same thing for years and you reach a plateau, try to stay at that plateau, it's hard not to take some of those things for granted.

"I think this year we started taking some of those things for granted."

Mavs management knew, just as Suns management concluded, that their team was in failing mental health and slipping away from championship contention. In the Mavs' case, club sources say that Johnson going to Cuban recently and explicitly telling his boss that this group had gone as far as it could and needed a serious shakeup was the clincher that kept Dallas in the Kidd hunt through all the trade hiccups we witnessed in the past week.

"In the West, if you lose three games in a row, you're out of the playoffs," Cuban said. "I think there was a little more urgency this year."


5) Beware the "aging" superstar with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. Shaq in Miami. Nash in Phoenix.

Said one admiring GM from a West rival: "The bottom line is that the Mavs got themselves an absolute m----------. It's always good to get one of those. And Jason has always been at his best when he has something to prove."



- From Mark Cuban's blog.



Doing the Deal and Dishing the Dirt

Feb 19th 2008 1:40PM

I can say without question that this was the most amazing, annoying and difficult deal we have ever done since I bought the Mavs.

The annoyance. One agent who made a truism of the saying that "no good deed goes unpunished". That said, I have nothing but respect and admiration for Devean George. He told me that he would trust his agent as he had done for the last 10 years and take whatever may with that decision. He had the balls to stick to it. Even with people yelling and screaming at him. That said, as I write this, I really have no clue why the agent made the decision he did.

The dirt. Peter Vescey's ridiculous assertion that Avery asked me to trade Dirk. Even in the Nellie years where we discussed trading every other player on the roster, Dirk was never mentioned. There has never been a discussion of trading Dirk during my tenure, EVER. Vescey's source is an out and out liar.

The thing about dealing with the media in this business is that they thrive on rumors and get bored with reality.

For example. Several local media outlets had no interest in sending anyone to New Orleans to cover the All Star game or Dirk's appearance there. That changed once the trade rumors started. Then all of the sudden, every media person they could find was there. Newscasts led with the rumors. Newspapers speculated and comments on the impact of the rumors if true or not true. There was reporting on rumors about rumors. All of which is fine. I get that and in many many ways, its good for the Mavs and the NBA. It drives interest.

My job, Donnie and Avery's jobs include trying to protect the team from those rumors. The fact of the matter is, we are going to "love our team" no matter what. Every team can be made better with the right deal. We are always going to be opportunistic and try to improve, but we are not going to add any fodder to the rumor mill. Until this deal, we were always able to keep things quiet. To their credit, the NY media takes things to another level, or low, depending on your point of view.

The difficult. Saying goodbye to Devin, Gana and Trenton. All 3 are great guys in every way. On and off the court. It was far from an easy deal to make. We know that all 3 will continue to grow and get better and like other players we have traded or lost, come back to haunt us in some manner. That comes with every and any trade of players who are talented and work hard at their profession. I also think this will be a great chance for Mo Ager to start fresh.

The amazing. We think that Jason Kidd will immediately make the other players around him better. He is a different kind of point than Devin is. There are certain things that Devin does that JKidd can't. No question about it. That said, through experience and talent, we think JKidd can make the game easier for JET, Dirk , Josh, Damp, Stack and all of our guys and as a result make our team better.

The business side. I think we were stagnating some. I think the spark and excitement that JKidd will bring is more than just what his talent offers. There is a reason why Kobe and Lebron were lobbying management to bring JKidd in. We think he will recharge the batteries of not just our players, but the organization, fans, media and even merchandise and advertising sales.

That's the reality of this business. Wins and losses are not just about talent, its about energy and teamwork. The best leaders recognize when a spark is needed and are honest enough to admit it, and get it. Even when things are going well, its sometimes hard to sustain the energy of being a start up or of levels year past. In business it might be an acquisition, or a sale that may not be the perfect transaction, but its the most impactful. We have been discussing this now for at least a month. We think this deal will have impact.

I've said before this was the best NBA season ever. It just got a little better.


- Kige Ramsey




- Must see TV tonight. Dallas in New Orleans. LA in Phoenix. The West adds 2 stars to their rosters. The star power of the playoffs will be unreal.



Lakers in town for Shaq's first game with Suns

Associated Press

PHOENIX -- Shaquille O'Neal says he is ready to run with the Phoenix Suns. Really.

"I'm going to be looking to get out like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens," he said Tuesday after going through his final workout before making his debut with the Suns on Wednesday night against his old team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

The prospect of the 7-foot-1, 325-pound O'Neal, at age 35, fitting in with the high-octane Suns has been ridiculed across much of the NBA.

The Lakers' Phil Jackson, O'Neal's former coach, said Shaq's role would be "taking the ball out of bounds and waiting for the other team to get back."

"He's a jokester, and that's funny, very funny," Shaq said without smiling. "Ha-ha. Very funny."

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni says people will be surprised about how well a motivated O'Neal can move, and playmaker Steve Nash was elated with the trade that brought O'Neal from Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

"We're going to have to adjust slightly to his strengths," Nash said, "but you know where he's strong we've been weak, and that's having a big presence in the paint, taking up space and guarding the rim."

O'Neal says he has no desire to be a star with his new team. Those roles belong to Nash and Amare Stoudemire, he said.

"I'm more like a senior adviser so I don't like to come in here and try to take over," O'Neal said. ... "Just like your basic karate movie where the young guys come to the old guys with beards who have them do weird stuff to get to the other side. That's who I am, the old guy with a long beard."

Long pause.

"You like that analogy?" he said, obviously pleased with himself. "That was pretty good?"

Nash was a willing sidekick.

"I think this is his 73rd Asian martial arts film," he said. "We're excited to learn from the great master."

Shaq's charisma and humor have energized the Suns franchise since last week's trade, with the anticipation building toward Wednesday night's showdown with Jackson, Kobe Bryant, newcomer Pau Gasol and the rest of the Lakers (ESPN, ESPN360.com HD, 9 p.m. ET). O'Neal insisted there is nothing special about the opponent being the Lakers, other than the fact that it's a tough Pacific Division foe.

"We had more great times than bad times together, but they've moved on, I've moved on," O'Neal said. "I have a new team now and I have a new focus."

Still, Jackson's comments have not been brushed aside.

"I don't take anything personal," O'Neal said. "I just have a certain file in my head, so Earthlings must be careful with what they say."

O'Neal is part of a recent migration of talent to the already-tough Western Conference, with Gasol going to the Lakers from Memphis and, in a trade finalized on Tuesday, Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks from New Jersey.

There will be no time for O'Neal to ease into his new role. After the Lakers, the Suns are home to Boston on Friday night and Detroit on Sunday.

"We don't have three cupcakes to start, but that's all right," Nash said. "We're going to learn a lot about ourselves and where we're going, and maybe that will give us a steeper learning curve to play against terrific teams."

O'Neal has played in four games since injuring his left hip while diving for a loose ball Dec. 22 against Utah. He returned Jan. 16, but was sidelined again after a Jan. 24 game against Cleveland.

He said his hip feels good but will play only about 20 minutes against the Lakers, D'Antoni said. O'Neal will be in the starting lineup.

"We know that's our team," D'Antoni said. "Let's get there as quickly as we can. Also, it's a 48-minute game, to spread 20 minutes out of 48 you don't want him to warm up and then sit down and get cold."

O'Neal said he hasn't played with a passer as good as Nash since his days with Bryant and, before that in Orlando, Scott Skiles.

"I can remember playing with Scott Skiles if you were open an inch, that would be there and it would be there perfect every time," O'Neal said. "When you've got a guy that's going to look for you, you run. A lot of people think I can't run, but my thing was I wasn't going to be running if you're not going to throw it. I know Nash will throw it."

O'Neal said he's learned a lot watching the Suns play from the bench, enough to make him believe that this team can win an NBA title, something the franchise hasn't achieved in its 40-year history.

"Their unselfishness, the way they play and their poise factor," he said. "When you never panic, that's a great sign."

He said he needs that fifth title, and maybe a sixth, to cement the legacy he covets.

"Every time that I've won a championship I've looked at my guys around me and looked at their work ethic and said 'You know what, I'm going to win it this year,'" O'Neal said. "I feel that way now."



- Stars nearing the trade deadline. Need a scorer bad. A list of some of the targets.



Stars quiet, but if they trade...

By TRACEY MYERSStar-Telegram Staff Writer

The general managers are meeting in Florida, probably talking up a storm. The rumor mill is running so high that it should probably lobby for overtime pay.

As the trade deadline sits six days away, the talk of who will go where and for what is increasing by the hour, but, for the Stars, the buzz factor has been pretty low. They're happy with their team. They're happy with how certain players have put together career seasons. And they're not sounding too high on giving up their future for one player.

Maybe it will be quiet after all. Still, there are some rumors and it's fun to look at what could be. Here's a look at the top names in trade rumors involving the Stars:

OLLI JOKINEN

Center, Florida Panthers

Salary: $5.25M per year through 2009-10

The plus: He's a go-to scorer in the clutch, something the Stars have lacked in recent postseason appearances.

The negative: The price is probably too great. The Hockey News had a scenario of the Stars giving up four players and a draft pick for Jokinen. That's quite a lot for one guy.

MATS SUNDIN

Center, Toronto Maple Leafs

Salary: $5.5M, unrestricted free agent in off-season

The plus: He's a big body with a beautiful scoring touch. And he's a name that everyone recognizes and a player all admire.

The negatives: He's 37, and the Stars are focusing on getting younger. He also has a no-trade clause and doesn't seem to want to nix it.

MARIAN HOSSA

Right wing, Atlanta Thrashers

Salary: $7M, UFA in off-season

The plus: The veteran is a scoring machine from the right side. With a team full of centers, the Stars could use a scoring right wing.

The negative: Once again, how big is the price? If the Thrashers are demanding prospects and draft picks, do the Stars want to part with those?

JAROMIR JAGR

Right wing

New York Rangers

Salary: $8.36M, possible UFA in off-season

The plus: He's a sniper who had been going through a slump before Tuesday. Maybe he just needs a change of scenery.

The negatives: He's 36 , so the slump could be more than just a slump. And, after trading for him, what contract do you give this guy in the off-season?

FLAMES VS. STARS

7:30 tonight, American Airlines Center

Tickets: $15-150, 214-467-8277 or www.dallasstars.com

Records: Stars 37-21-3-2, 79 points; Flames 30-22-6-2, 68 points

TV: KDFI/Ch. 27

Radio: WBAP/820 AM

What to watch: The Stars are 2-0-1 against the Flames this season, with each game decided by one goal. Marty Turco will start for the Stars; he is 12-5-2 against them in his career. Calgary will be coming off a back-to-back (they played in Phoenix on Tuesday). Captain Jarome Iginla has now scored 35 or more goals for six consecutive seasons.

Notable: Stars center Stu Barnes will be out for seven days with a
partially torn retina, suffered during Sunday's game against Detroit. Barnes did get the injury fixed, coach Dave Tippett said.... Star defenseman Philippe Boucher (shoulder) still isn't willing to put a date on his return. On Tuesday, he was more involved with battle drills; there's still no hitting. He is also taking some slapshots. "I'm doing more every week," Boucher said. "Hopefully next week it's even better."



- Rangers lock up another guy. This will be a bargain in about 3 years.



Texas Rangers' Kinsler gets five-year, $22 million deal

12:55 AM CST on Wednesday, February 20, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The "talk" has now reached a third generation of Rangers. It was passed from Rusty Greer to Michael Young and this winter was passed from Young to Ian Kinsler.

The message: Take care of your family first. Show a little loyalty. Worry about playing baseball rather than the gaudiness of the paycheck.

Kinsler, 25, heeded his baseball ancestors on Tuesday by signing a five-year deal with the only professional team that he has known. The deal is worth $22 million guaranteed, and it would jump to $32 million if the Rangers exercise an option for 2013. It could buy him out of two years of free agency.

"Mike and [wife] Cristina basically walked us through this whole thing," Kinsler said. "A lot of people say Mike took a club-friendly deal in his first contract, but the important thing was to make sure he had taken care of his family first and that he could concentrate on just playing baseball. We talked about all of that. It's the same way for me."

Young took a four-year, $10 million deal in 2004. After three consecutive seasons with a .300 average and 200 hits, he parlayed it into a five-year, $80 million extension.

Kinsler's deal dwarfs Young's. He will receive a raise to $500,000 this year and will also receive a $1 million signing bonus. The contract will go to $3 million in 2009, $4 million in 2010, $6 million in 2011 and $7 million in 2012. If the Rangers choose not to exercise the $10 million option, Kinsler will receive a $500,000 buyout. If he is traded, both the buyout and option year would increase by $500,000.

With the option, the commitment would be the largest the Rangers have made to a player that they drafted and developed. The previous high: a three-year, $25.8 million contract extension with Greer that expired in 2004.

The Rangers' hope is Kinsler gets a chance to pass the talk on to another generation of Rangers and that generation to future generations.

"Ian represents the past, present and future of this organization," said assistant general manager Thad Levine, who oversaw most of the negotiations. "As we continue to build towards being a championship organization, we wanted to try to continue to identify core players and get them to commit to be here.

"It was important to us that he be the first of that next wave of young players to commit. We think he will have a huge impact on those young players."

Said Kinsler: "We have a lot of young kids who are very talented. Hopefully this illustrates what they can accomplish for their families and that it's not all about dollars. It's about focusing on winning."

Neither of Kinsler's first two seasons with the Rangers ended with a winning record, but his performance improved from one year to the next. He followed up a 14-home run rookie season, which was disrupted by five weeks on the disabled list, by hitting 20 homers and stealing 23 bases in 2007 despite missing a month. He and Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips were the only major league second basemen to have 20-20 seasons last year. Phillips, who has a year's more experience than Kinsler, signed a four-year deal worth $27 million on Monday.

Kinsler could have gone the route of Phillips. He could have played the season out and perhaps been in position to demand an even larger contract going into 2009. But he pushed to get this contract done rather than wait.



- Spring football preview.



New coaches, systems, addresses among top spring stories

The 2007 college football season is barely two months behind us, but spring practice, believe it or not, is already upon us.

Texas kicks off the spring practice schedule on Friday. Miami, Mississippi State, Stanford and defending national champion LSU are among the teams that begin practicing next week.

While spring practice is the time of year when coaches typically evaluate younger players, begin to assess depth charts and pray their teams get through 15 practices without significant injuries, several schools will have more pressing concerns this year.

Georgia Tech, Michigan and SMU will begin wholesale renovations on offense. Boston College, Kentucky and Hawaii have to replace record-setting quarterbacks.

For other schools, such as Penn State, it will be business as usual. Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno is about to begin his 43rd season at the school, and his approach is much the same as when he arrived at Penn State in 1966.

"Our primary focus is on fundamentals and getting better," said Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, who begins his 30th season working under Paterno. "We're not splitting up and getting into teams. We're working on blocking and tackling. We don't do a lot of tricky things. We spend the spring getting back to basics."

Before ESPN.com kicks off its conference-by-conference spring primers on Wednesday, here's a look at some of the top national story lines heading into spring practice:

1. Back to school: Two former NFL head coaches return to college football. Former Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino takes over at Arkansas and former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman has made the move from assistant head coach of the Houston Texans to Texas A&M. Those coaches will spend the spring getting familiar with NCAA rules and managing time constraints with their players. Sherman inherits a boatload of skill players at Texas A&M, but he'll go through spring practice without QB Stephen McGee, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. Petrino will have to start rebuilding the Razorbacks, who lose star tailbacks Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Two former NFL assistants, Rick Neuheisel of the Baltimore Ravens and Steve Fairchild of the Buffalo Bills, take over at their alma maters, UCLA and Colorado State, respectively.

2. Installation begins: More than a handful of teams will undergo complete renovations this spring. Former West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez begins the difficult task of installing the spread offense at Michigan. Rodriguez will do it without an experienced quarterback, after Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas. Former Navy coach Paul Johnson installs his triple-option spread offense at Georgia Tech, and June Jones brings his pass-happy, high-octane attack to SMU. Auburn puts the finishing touches on installing the spread offense, which began when coach Tommy Tuberville replaced offensive coordinator Al Borges with Troy's Tony Franklin before the Tigers beat Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

3. Kick off the rust: A handful of high-profile players will be back in action after sitting out the 2007 season under NCAA transfer rules. Former Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain will battle junior Mark Sanchez for the starting job at USC. One of the Trojans' top targets will be Damian Williams, another former Razorback. Former Trojans tailback Emmanuel Moody goes into the spring under the spotlight at Florida, where he hopes to become the runner the Gators lacked last season. Former Texas quarterback Jevan Snead takes over at Ole Miss, and the Rebels will look to UCLA transfer Jeremy McGee for help at tailback. Quarterback Kirby Freeman, who started three games at Miami last season, transferred to Baylor and is eligible to play for the Bears immediately after being granted an eligibility waiver by the NCAA.

4. Stay healthy: Several players will be in action for the first time since suffering injuries that caused them to miss all or significant portions of the 2007 season. Syracuse coach Greg Robinson's job security might depend on tailbacks Curtis Brinkley (broken leg) and Delone Carter (dislocated hip) returning to form. Neuheisel inherits talented quarterbacks Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, but neither was able to stay healthy for the Bruins last season. Marshall gets back defensive end Albert McClellan, the 2006 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Ohio State hopes Lawrence Wilson, who broke his leg in the 2007 opener, can replace Vernon Gholston at defensive end. South Carolina linebacker Jasper Brinkley returns from a knee injury which derailed his season and the Gamecocks' bowl hopes in 2007.

5. Find insurance plans: Two teams head into spring practice with serious issues at quarterback. Defending national champion LSU indefinitely suspended junior Ryan Perrilloux, who was expected to replace starter Matt Flynn. Tigers coach Les Miles hasn't yet determined whether Perrilloux will be available for spring practice. If Perrilloux isn't available, junior Andrew Hatch, who began his career at Harvard, and redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee will compete for the job. At Virginia, incumbent Jameel Sewell is among a handful of returning players who aren't enrolled in classes this semester. Sewell isn't expected to return to the team this fall, so sophomore Peter Lalich takes over the job.

6. Quarterback battles: There will be more than a few high-profile quarterback battles taking place at camps across the country. Replacing Matt Ryan at Boston College figures to be a battle between Chris Crane and JC transfer Codi Boek. Following the end of Kyle Wright's eligibility and Freeman's transfer, Miami will seek more stability at the position. Redshirt freshman Robert Marve will battle freshmen Cannon Smith and Jacory Harris, who enrolled in January. Look for a two-man race between Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin to determine who succeeds Anthony Morelli at Penn State.

7. Starting over: Hawaii is coming off the best season in school history, but the Warriors will be starting from scratch this spring. Former defensive coordinator Greg McMackin replaces Jones on the sideline, and he'll have to replace record-setting quarterback Colt Brennan and his top four receivers. Senior quarterback Tyler Graunke, a former starter, has been suspended from participating in the team's offseason conditioning program and his status for spring practice is in question. McMackin signed two JC quarterbacks and five JC wide receivers for immediate help.

8. Changing attitudes: No new coach faces as big a challenge as former Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, who takes over a Duke team that won only four games in the past four seasons combined and takes a 25-game losing streak against ACC foes into the 2008 season. Cutcliffe inherits a pretty good quarterback in Thaddeus Lewis and six other returning starters on offense. The Blue Devils ranked 117th in total offense and 114th in scoring in 2007, so Cutcliffe's rebuilding job is only starting.

9. Introductions: Fresh off a disappointing 5-7 record in his second season, Kansas State coach Ron Prince took an unusual approach in recruiting, signing 19 JC transfers. The Wildcats might need name tags this spring. Six of the JC transfers are already enrolled in classes at Kansas State, so Prince will begin overhauling his team during spring practice. Much of the help will come on defense, where linebackers Ulla Pomele and Hanson Sekona and defensive tackle Daniel Calvin are being counted on for immediate help this fall.

10. Getting defensive: Former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini takes over at Nebraska, and his first task will be revamping a defense that was downright awful in 2007. The Cornhuskers lose their entire linebacker corps from a defense that allowed an average of 476.8 yards and 37.9 points in 2007. More than anything, Pelini will have to make the defense tougher. Nebraska ranked last in the Big 12 in sacks and 117th in turnover margin.

11. Seeking redemption: Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe hopes to rebound from a dreadful first season in which the Cardinals started with national championship hopes and finished 6-6. Kragthorpe must replace quarterback Brian Brohm, who figures to be a first-round choice in the NFL draft. Senior Hunter Cantwell, who started when Brohm was injured during the 2006 season, finally gets the full-time job. But Cantwell won't have top receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia, who are headed to the NFL.

12. Leaving a mark: New West Virginia coach Bill Stewart made quite an impression in the Mountaineers' 48-28 rout of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, so much so the school removed his interim tag and named him Rodriguez's replacement. Stewart begins putting his own touches on the program this spring. The Mountaineers return quarterback Pat White and speedy tailback Noel Devine, but tailback Steve Slaton, receiver Darius Reynaud and bruising fullback Owen Schmitt will have to be replaced.

13. Airing it out: If Illinois is going to match its remarkable success from last season, when the Illini upset Ohio State and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl, quarterback Juice Williams will have to become a better passer. The Illini will be without Rashard Mendenhall, the Big Ten's leading rusher in 2007, who left after his junior season to enter the NFL draft. Big Ten freshman of the year Arrelious Benn is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and might not participate much in spring practice.

14. New voices: Several high-profile programs played musical chairs with their coordinators during the offseason. Former Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp left for Texas, but Muschamp was hardly the only DC on the move. Kansas' Bill Young went to Miami and Mississippi State's Ellis Johnson left for Arkansas and then South Carolina. Texas A&M's Joe Kines gets an especially late start, after previous hire Reggie Herring left for the Dallas Cowboys. LSU promoted Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto to co-defensive coordinators after Pelini left. LSU, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Virginia and Wake Forest are among the other schools with new defensive coordinators. On the other side of the ball, Fresno State's Jim McElwain replaces Major Applewhite as Alabama's offensive coordinator and Richmond's Dave Clawson replaces Cutcliffe at Tennessee.

15. Keeping it going: Several teams will begin the quest to prove that they're more than one-hit wonders. Programs such as Air Force, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, Michigan State and Mississippi State hope to maintain momentum after putting together surprising seasons in 2007.