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Cody Hawkins, Dan HawkinsColorado coach Dan Hawkins has been adamant the past few seasons that having his son, Cody Hawkins, play quarterback for the Buffaloes was no different than other recruit.

Hawkins did a complete turnaround during Monday's weekly press conference, saying if he had to do it all over again he would not have recruited his own son.

"Not for him, no. Nope. Not at all," Hawkins said. "It's not fair to him. Here is a guy who is trying to do his best to win games and to help his team and does everything right, he's a good student and he's getting killed on Facebook and getting killed on his cell phone.

"The great thing about this job is you meet some unbelievable people. But then you also see another side of humanity that's not real fun."

It's funny how losing and facing scrutiny has opened Hawkins' eyes to something that should have been apparent from the start. The risk and the potential reward of coaching your son at the highest profile position in the highest level of college football just doesn't balance out.

It's hard enough on coaches' kids dealing with the pressures in school when their dad isn't being successful at this level. Just ask Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. Imagine the angst Cody Hawkins has endured the past couple seasons being the focal point of why his dad had not been successful.

Hawkins claims he considered all of this when he recruited his son in the 2006 class.

"I'm looking around the country and I've got a lot of these quarterback gurus saying 'Hawk, why [do] you keep looking? Why don't you look down the hallway and knock on your kid's door and beg him to come to school there,"' Hawkins said. "I thought twice about it, I did. Cody was well aware of it. But again, it's me being glass half-full. I'm Iooking at what's the best possible scenario. I'm looking at hey, here is a kid that is a good player, that other people have offered, that other people want and he's going to come to our place and I know what kind of kid he is, what kind of player he is and how bad we need a quarterback in this class. So it was probably selfish on my part, it really was.
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"Like I said, he's been great with it. I think it's been harder on him than it is on me."

This could have could have gone over much better at Boise State, where Dan Hawkins was instrumental in transforming the Broncos into a non-BCS power. Father and son going to battle together might have made a great national story if it worked out. Cody could have quietly been shifted to safety if it didn't.

But at Colorado, where the Buffalo faithful have been clamoring for a turnaround, the scrutiny and expectations were always going to be great. Cody, a fourth-year junior, showed real promise two years ago as a redshirt freshman as he led the Colorado Buffaloes to wins over Oklahoma and Nebraska in the same season.

Last year, however, things began to unravel and Hawkins had to bench his son in favor of freshman Tyler Hansen. Things again went awry this season and Hawkins had to pull Hansen out of another presumed redshirt year when the heat became too intense on his son.

The 3-7, 2-4 Big 12 Buffaloes are limping toward their third bowl-less season in Hawkins' four years as they close out the year hosting North division champ Nebraska on Friday. Hawkins could very well be out of a job shortly thereafter.

Much of the blame will be attributed to how he has mishandled his quarterback situation the past two years. So it's easy to see how Hawkins is having second thoughts about recruiting his son in the 2006 class." If I had it to do over again [recruiting son Cody] , I wouldn't, ... it's not fair to him. It's not. "
-- Dan Hawkins

"If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't do it because I tell you what, it's not fair to him. It's not," Hawkins said. "It's like this around the country, when you lose everything is good, when you lose everything is wrong. That just becomes an even bigger lightning bolt, a bigger lightning rod. He's handled it great, and he's been awesome with the thing. That guy has been great for our team and great for us.

"I'm a glass half-full guy. When I came to Colorado there were a lot of guys telling me 'Don't go there, man. Are you kidding me? Don't go there.' But you know what I believed in this place, I still believe in this place and I believe in me."

Cody declined to discuss the subject when asked by reporters about his father's comments.

Dan Hawkins Wouldn't Recruit Son if Given Another Chance originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>charlie weisCharlieWeisCody HawkinsCodyHawkinscolorado buffaloesColoradoBuffaloesDan HawkinsDanHawkinsTyler HansenTylerHansenTerrance HarrisMon, 23 Nov 2009 22:08:00 EST Big 12 North Gets Nostalgichttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/20/big-12-north-gets-nostalgic/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/20/big-12-north-gets-nostalgic/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/20/big-12-north-gets-nostalgic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Big 12 North remains a ways from returning to the prominence it enjoyed when the conference first formed in the late 1990s, but if Saturday's matchup between Kansas State and Nebraska for the division title is any indication then better days are certainly on the horizon.

After years of struggles by the Kansas State Wildcats and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, which have coincided with a dip in the North's strength, the two meet Saturday in Lincoln for a winner-take-all showdown. Neither team has had quite the season it anticipated but each has won enough for the right to play for the Big 12 championship, likely against No. 2 Texas, Dec. 5.

"Certainly we've been in this position before, probably in different ways," said veteran Wildcats coach Bill Snyder, who broke out of a three-year retirement to return to the sidelines this season. "By the same token, I can't remember other than the very early years that playing against the Nebraska teams was not a great challenge and certainly key ball games were after those initial years after they beat us so soundly."

It used to be that Nebraska was the football program many were measured by across the country when legendary coach Tom Osborne was running the Cornhuskers. The pull was even greater for an up-and-coming coach in the Big Eight, who dared dream he could turn Kansas State into a team capable of competing with mighty Nebraska.

"It was a dynamic conference, there were a lot of models," Snyder said this week. "I always had amazing respect for Tom Osborne and I loved the way he conducted his program, not just all the championships he had won, but just the fact of how he handled his program and how he worked with young people and what he meant to his state. It was a total package. Indeed it could serve as a model program for any one of us."

Eventually Snyder and his Wildcats caught up enough to make the early years of the Big 12 quite interesting. From the inception of the league in 1996 to 2000, either Nebraska or Kansas State won the North Division every season. But since then both teams have won the North just once as the division has taken a backseat to the South.

In the meantime, Nebraska has had three coaches and Kansas State moved on to Ron Prince for a few up and down seasons before returning to the stability of Snyder.

Both teams are still shadows of their former selves, but this may be sign of progress. Nebraska enters Saturday game 7-3, 4-2, while the Wildcats come into their regular-season finale 6-5, 4-3 with a chance to become bowl eligible (two of Kansas State's win are over FCS teams) and the division champs at the same time.

"Obviously, the game means a lot, this is going to determine the Big 12 North," said second-year Nebraska coach Bo Pelini. "We have a lot of respect for our opponent in every way and we know we have to be ready to play our best football."
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Cyclones Gathering Strength

A few days into spring practice, first-year Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads felt he had plenty of reasons for concern after watching the team he inherited tackle.

But Rhoads and his staff had just as much to celebrate after the Iowa State Cyclones beat Colorado 17-10 to become eligible for the first time since 2005. Iowa State, coming off a 2-10 season last under Gene Chizik, has moved to 6-5 on the season to give Rhoads the biggest turnaround of any rookie coach this season.

"We've made a lot of progress before we got to this sixth win and bowl eligibility," said Rhoads, whose team is 3-4 in league play heading into Saturday's regular-season finale at Missouri. "Progress and improvement is what we wanted to accomplish. Now we've put the program a little bit more on the national map by gaining bowl eligibility.

"Hopefully the bowl game that will follow helps recruiting, helps people's perception of you, it begins to build tradition. Those are hopefully all things we can follow up with."

Interestingly, the defense that Rhoads was so concerned about this past spring has really stepped up at critical times this season. During the win over Colorado, the Cyclones stopped Colorado three times inside their 10 to preserve the win.

The Buffaloes were the third Big 12 opponent ISU has held to 10 points or less this season.

Rhoads is no longer as worried, though he knows major improvement still needs to made to get the unit back up to par of the Dan McCarney days.

"They keep improving, they keep listening to the coaching," Rhoads said. "I thought their preparation and their understanding of Colorado was as good as it's been all year. The communication that took place on the field, the adjustments and communication that took place on the sideline, just gave the appearance of a very smart football team in holding our third Big 12 team to 10 points or less, which is the first time it's been done since 1965 with conference opponents I think also speaks to their growth."

Alexander Making Most of Final Shot

Missouri senior receiver Danario Alexander anticipates getting a little emotional Saturday when he comes out of the tunnel at Memorial Stadium one last time.

"I've been thinking about it for a couple of weeks now," Alexander said. "My time is coming to an end, and it's kind of bittersweet. I'm sure emotions will be flying everywhere, but I've got to try to contain them and play my best game."

It will be pretty difficult to top the two weeks Alexander has had, in which he caught for 414 yards in games against Baylor and Missouri. Alexander, whose career has been marred by serious knee injuries, blistered the Wildcats last Saturday for 200 yards and receiving touchdowns of 54, 16 and 18 yards to earn Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.

After the game, Snyder said Alexander was the best receiver in the Big 12 after watching him run circles around his defense. His opinion of the 6-foot-5 blazer didn't change a couple days later during the Big 12 conference call.

"I had not seen him play until the week of the game and I saw some things he did well," Snyder said. "He's a rangy guy, he's got the height that allows you to put the ball up in the air and for him to jump and go up and get it. I like the fact he can catch the ball over the middle, he' not afraid to lay out for the ball. He obviously has very good hands and has good speed to go with it.

"He's a complete receiver that creates a lot of difficult mismatches because of his height."

Alexander, who had to watch Missouri stars like Jeremy Maclin romp all over the field while injured, is certainly making up for lost time this season. He leads the conference with 81 catches for 1,238 yards and 11 touchdowns and he is averaging 123.8 yards per game receiving.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, who has had to watch Alexander endure several disappointing seasons, is pleased that the standout receiver is finally getting a chance to shine. Now he thinks the rest of the nation should take notice.

"His numbers speak for themselves," said Pinkel, whose team became bowl eligible last week for a school-record fifth straight year. "Because he had been injured the past couple years and didn't play on a consistent basis, I think without question his name should be out there for All-American honors. Based on stats, based on performance just week in and week out the consistency.

"I know there are great players in this league, I have great respect for all the players here but certainly from an offensive standpoint with two games left in the regular season, I think his numbers are really really outstanding."

Toilet Bowl

It's amazing that as disappointing as both Texas A&M and Baylor have been this season that either of them are in contention for a postseason bowl.

But it's fitting that their matchup Saturday in College Station will likely determine if either will qualify for a postseason bowl game. The Bears, who came into the season with hopes of breaking a long-standing bowl drought had their enthusiasm tempered when sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin suffered an early season-ending knee injury, must win its final two regular season games to be bowl eligible.

The Texas A&M Aggies, meanwhile, have been the biggest mystery of the season having overwhelmed the likes of Texas Tech and Iowa State while falling to Colorado. At 5-6, they need to win at least one of the final two to make a bowl.

But with No.2 Texas coming up on Thanksgiving night, A&M's best bet is to beat the 4-6 Baylor Bears at home Saturday.

"Every game we play is important and this one certainly has some implications for both teams and certainly that's out there," said second-year A&M coach Mike Sherman, who is looking for his first bowl bid. "There are two games left and we are excited about playing this one."

Baylor coach Art Briles, who has endured a heart-breaking season, says it's a victory just for his team to have a chance at a bowl game.



"The good thing is we've put ourselves in position, whereas a year ago we didn't have this position," said Briles, whose team takes on Texas Tech in the regular-season finale at Jerry Jones' Cowboys Stadium on Nov. 28. "We didn't have enough wins to be considered of an opportunity to become bowl eligible with two games remaining. We've got something in front of us, now we have to go take care of business and make it reality."

Hawkins Finds Humor in Job Security

When asked Monday if he had any communication with athletic director Mike Bohn and chancellor Phillip P. Di Stefano about his job status, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins let loose a loud and awkward laugh during the Big 12 conference call.

Then he gathered himself.

"They've been great, they've been awesome," Hawkins said. "Mike has been great and Phil has been great. They've both been very supportive about the whole deal."

But most believe Hawkins' job is in jeopardy after another disappointing season in which the Buffaloes are 3-7 and 2-4 heading into Thursday night's game at Oklahoma State. Colorado has been bowl eligible just once in Hawkins' four-year tenure.

Hawkins, however, said he didn't believe his job is in jeopardy. He inherited a program from Gary Barnett that had been rocked by a sensational recruiting scandal.

"Those guys are great," Hawkins said of Bohn and Di Stefano. "I think they understand the nature and scope of the position we have here and all the things that go on and have gone on. Everybody wants to win more games but in terms of helping get this place back on track after what it went through I think we've had to take on a number of tasks and done a great job with that."

Big 12 North Gets Nostalgic originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Art BrilesArtBrilesBaylor FootballBaylorFootballBig 12 FootballBig12FootballBill SnyderBillSnyderBo PeliniBoPeliniDan HawkinsDan McCarneyDanario AlexanderDanHawkinsDanMccarneyGary PinkelGaryPinkelGene ChizikGeneChizikIowa State FootballIowaStateFootballJeremy MaclinJeremyMaclinKansas State WildcatsKansasStateWildcatsMike ShermanMikeShermanNebraskaFootballpaul rhoadsPaulRhoadsRobert GriffinRobertGriffinRon PrinceRonPrinceTexas AM AggiesTexasAmAggiesTom OsborneTomOsborneTerrance HarrisFri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST Oklahoma State Rallies Past Coloradohttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/oklahom-state-rallies-to-stay-in-bcs-hunt/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/oklahom-state-rallies-to-stay-in-bcs-hunt/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/oklahom-state-rallies-to-stay-in-bcs-hunt/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Oklahoma StateThe Oklahoma State Cowboys rallied in the second half to defeat Colorado, 31-28, on Thursday night at Boone Pickens Stadium to remain in contention for their first BCS bowl.

With Zac Robinson sitting out the game due to a shoulder injury, the 12th-ranked Cowboys (9-2, 6-1 Big 12) turned to junior Alex Cate but it was third-string sophomore Brandon Weeden who rallied them from a 21-10 deficit against the struggling Buffaloes.

Weeden completed 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. His 28-yard touchdown pass to Justin Blackmon while rolling right gave the Oklahoma State Cowboys the lead for good with 8:11 remaining in the game. Weeden also had a 47-yard touchdown throw to running back Keith Toston earlier in the second half.

The win keeps Mike Gundy's Cowboys in position to earn the Big 12 conference's Fiesta Bowl bid and also keeps the pressure on No.3 Texas for the South division title. The undefeated Longhorns, who could have clinched with a loss by OSU Thursday night, must beat Kansas Saturday to wrap up the South title.

Texas would have to lose its final two games and the Cowboys would need to defeat rival Oklahoma next week in order to change the standing at the top of the division.

But even still, the Cowboys have been outstanding through a great deal of adversity in recent weeks. They have been without All-Americans Dez Bryant (receiver) and Kendall Hunter (running back) since the non-conference schedule and Robinson missed Thursday night's game with a shoulder injury suffered in Saturday's win over Texas Tech.

OSU, which is riding a three-game winning streak, has won six Big 12 games for the time in program history and are poised for its best finish yet in the division.
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Oklahoma State Rallies Past Colorado originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>bcsBig 12 FootballBig12FootballDez BryantDezBryantKendall HunterKendallHunterOklahoma State CowboysOklahomaStateCowboyszac robinsonZacRobinsonTerrance HarrisThu, 19 Nov 2009 23:32:00 EST Big 12 Notebook: '05 Still Alive in Texashttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/notebook-feeling-of-05-alive-at-texas/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/notebook-feeling-of-05-alive-at-texas/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/notebook-feeling-of-05-alive-at-texas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vince Young, Colt McCoyThe comparisons between the Texas Longhorns 2005 team and this season's team are inevitable.

At this point in the 2005 season, the Vince Young-led Longhorns looked pretty invincible. After a tough early season game against Ohio State , they romped over opponents with relative ease on the way to the BCS national title. These Colt McCoy-led Longhorns are doing the same with only their annual rivalry game against Oklahoma serving as the lone close challenge in putting together a perfect 9-0 record and a No. 2 national ranking.

It's just the second time since 1983 that the Longhorns have been 9-0. The other time, of course, was in 2005 when they put together an undefeated campaign that ended with a dramatic national championship victory over USC.

UT coach Mack Brown, who has gone through great pains at times to keep his team focused on the task at hand this season, agreed Monday that he sees favorable comparisons between his two teams. But he also cautioned there are still a couple obvious major differences.

"I would think right now you could compare them because there really has been only one close game from this team and there was only one through nine games for the 2005 team," Brown said during the weekly Big 12 conference call. "I think the biggest question will be the way that other bunch finished in 2005. Obviously they were the best in the country at this time and this bunch hasn't even won the Big 12 South yet."

McCoy, who was soaking it all up while as a redshirt in 2005, says he learned some valuable lessons from that team that he's passing along to this year's Longhorns as a seasoned senior.

"They had their edge," McCoy said. "They were focused every week. Not just focused and excited about going into the game, but focused all week, making sure everyone on the team is working hard and getting their minds right and understanding their jobs going into the game all week long.

"I think that is one thing that we have cleaned up well. We really practice hard. We really prepare each week so that we will be ready on Saturday."

While this year's team is undefeated, like 2005, these Longhorns are awaiting that complete game where they dominate an opponent from beginning to end and in all phases of the game. Defensively, they've been stout and arguably better than the 2005 defense thanks to defensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp.

But offensively, Texas has frequently been slow to get going. This past weekend, Central Florida led the Longhorns 3-0 in the second quarter before the Longhorns scored the next 35 en route to a 35-3 win.

McCoy is on the way to being the all-time wins leader for football's top division and remains in the Heisman conversation. McCoy and receiver Jordan Shipley have been an unstoppable connection, but the running game continues to be inconsistent.

For whatever reason, it seems whenever the Longhorns get one area fixed another seems to break down. Brown was still bothered Monday by flaws in the kicking game after kicker Hunter Lawrence missed a 44-yard field goal in the first quarter this past Saturday.

"You are happy at 9-0 obviously," he said. "But it seems like holes in the bottom of your boat -- when you fix one hole something else pops up. "

Still, most expect little to get in the Longhorns way as they march toward the BCS national title game at the Rose Bowl, the site of their 2005 national title. With three games left in the regular season, including Saturday's game at Baylor, the Longhorns most difficult remaining challenge may be Texas A&M in the Thanksgiving night finale.

Texas remains ranked third in the BCS standings behind Florida and Alabama, but with the Gators and Crimson Tide meeting in the SEC championship that opens the door for the Longhorns to most likely meet the SEC champion in Pasadena provided they win out and emerge as Big 12 champs.

Then the comparisons to the 2005 squad would really come into focus.

"At this time they've earned the right to be in conversation with the 2005 team," Brown said, "but they haven't earned the right to be considered as good because they've got to finish like that bunch did."

More Bad News for Sooners

The season and the news just keep getting worse for Bob Stoops and his Oklahoma Sooners.

If it wasn't bad enough that they're coming off a 10-3 loss to Nebraske, a loss that ensures Bob Stoops will lose four games in a season for just the second time since 2000, they have now lost three players to season-ending injuries behind that game.

A day after expressing optimism that versatile offensive lineman Brody Eldridge would return this season from a shoulder injury suffered Saturday, Stoops confirmed Tuesday that Eldridge is one of three players lost for the season. Joining Eldridge are offensive lineman Jarvis Jones and defensive end Auston English.

Eldridge, who has started this season at center, tight end and guard, has a sprained shoulder, suffered while making a tackle following one of quarterback Landry Jones' five interceptions. Jones has a fractured heel and English is having surgery to repair an ankle tendon.

The Sooners (5-4, 3-2 Big 12), of course, lost Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford with a shoulder injury last month and All-America tight end Jermaine Gresham with a knee injury before the season began.
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Thomas Giving Wildcats a Boost

Junior college transfer Daniel Thomas came to Kansas State as a quarterback-wide receiver from Northwest Mississippi Community College

Yet, Thomas has certainly had one of the greatest impacts on the Wildcats surprising season as a hard-charging running back. Thomas leads the Big 12 in both rushing (1,087) yards and rushing touchdowns (11) through 10 games.

"Daniel is a very good young person, very conscientious," said Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, whose team is 64- (4-2 in the Big 12) with a half-game lead over Nebraska for first place in the Big 12 North. "He's a hard worker. He's obviously has some physical capabilities. He gives us a kind of multi-purpose dimension."

Most importantly, he gives the Jayhawks a ground-controlling presence as a 6-foot-2, 227-pound power back. Thomas became just the ninth player in KSU history to go over 1,000 yards rushing this past weekend when he ran for a career-best 185 yards in the win over Kansas.

"I like that as a running back, he's a pretty physical running back," Snyder said. "He has reasonably good size, but he has, as demonstrated this past weekend, a major motor that kind of keeps him going. He stays on his feet well.

"He's gotten better as the season has progressed. That comes from understanding the system a little bit better, some comes from experience some of it from the daily practice routine. But his development has been very good and he's playing well."

Up and Down Aggies

Mike ShermanSecond-year Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman is probably as frustrated and confused about his team as anyone.

Just when it looks like the Aggies are ready to turn a corner, they pull a confusing loss like Saturday's 35-34 stumble at Colorado. Texas A&M looked like it were about to cruise to a third-straight win and bowl eligibility for the first 56 minutes against the Buffaloes.

Then things fell apart as Colorado rallied in the final minutes. Suddenly, things were feeling a lot more similar to the night they lost 62-14 to Kansas State.

So once again, Sherman is trying to pick up the pieces and making something positive happen in these final three games.

"We've had to do that before this year. I tell the guys I knew the season was going to be one that was going to be some high points and some rough spots, as well," said Sherman, whose 5-4 (2-3) Aggies travel to Oklahoma on Saturday for its final road game. "You just have to move on whether you win or you lose. You look at yourself critically whether you win or you lose and you learn from your mistakes.

"This was a tough one because certainly it was a winnable game and one we had in check for about 56 minutes of the ballgame and then at the end there... That's tougher than getting your butt kicked like we did at K-State in many ways because you are so close. We were never in the K-State game, but we were in this one until the last four minutes.

"With young guys we've just got to get them back on track again and try to go against a very good Oklahoma team."

Uncertainty at QB for Huskers

If Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is in a quandary over his quarterback situation, he certainly isn't letting on.

Junior Zac Lee struggled in his first year as a starter, so the Huskers turned to freshman Cody Green. But this past weekend, with the offense struggling to get anything going against Oklahoma, Pelini turned back to Lee.

Lee didn't do muchl, but he steadied the offense to help Nebraska to a surprising 10-3 win at home.

So how will Pelini, whose Cornhuskers are still very much in the North division race, deal with his quarterback situation during these final three games?

"That remains to be seen. We kind of go week to week," Pelini said. "We are going to do what we need to do to win each football game. I think it could a combination of the two. It could be Zac or it could be Cody. That's something we are going to figure out as time goes on and we put in game plan to give ourselves an opportunity to win football games."

Pelini insists he still has confidence in Green, who is Nebraska's future. But there is no denying that Lee seems a lot less rattled at this point.

"He's a little bit older, obviously he doesn't have a ton more experience but he has a little more experience," Pelini said. "I go by off what I see in practice. For the most part I have confidence in both guys. We'll just see how it plays out."



Leach Closing in on Milestone

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach says he didn't necessarily look at Lubbock as a destination spot or somewhere he'd achieve greatness when he came aboard 10 years ago.

"I never really thought about it," Leach said. "I just tried to be the best I could from week to the next and see where that all takes you."

Where it has taken Leach is on the brink of becoming the program's all-time winningest coach. Leach needs just one more win to surpass Spike Dykes' 82 career wins collected over 13 seasons with the Red Raiders.

Leach has brought recently unthinkable levels of success to Tech. He hasn't come close to a losing campaign and last year tied at the top of the competitive Big 12 South.

"I'm just excited for Mike, he has done a great job there with Tech," said Stoops, who hired Leach as his offensive coordinator at Oklahoma before Leach left for Tech. "He did a great job for us. ... I obviously felt he could be a head coach when I hired him and those were my words to him. I felt if he did a good job here and we got things rolling here that he'd have an opportunity to be head coach in the first year though. It just happened quickly but he's done an excellent job. All of here still keep in touch with Mike and we're happy for him."

Big 12 Notebook: '05 Still Alive in Texas originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bill SnyderBillSnyderBo PeliniBob StoopsBobStoopsBrody EldridgeBrodyEldridgeCody GreenCodyGreencolt mccoyColtMccoyJordan ShipleyJordanShipleyMack BrownMackBrownMike LeachMike ShermanMikeLeachMikeShermanvince youngVinceYoungWill MuschampWillMuschampZac LeeZacLeeTerrance HarrisWed, 11 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST Former Top Recruit Scott Quits Coloradohttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/prized-recruit-darrell-scott-leaves-colorado/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/prized-recruit-darrell-scott-leaves-colorado/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/prized-recruit-darrell-scott-leaves-colorado/#commentsFiled under: ,

It seemed like a sign of positive things to come in Boulder, Colo., when Parade All-American running back Darrell Scott chose Colorado over Texas and Southern California two years ago.

But it was the fairy tale that was never realized as injuries and questions about his physical conditioning clouded a two-year career. Scott, easily the biggest and most high-profile recruit of Dan Hawkins' Colorado tenure, informed the coaching staff Tuesday that he is leaving the program.

Hawkins said in a released statement the sophomore "is leaving for assorted personal reasons." He assumed Scott would be transferring to school closer to his Ventura, Calif., home.

Scott told the Denver Post he hopes to get a release to UCLA, where he can join his uncle Josh Smith, a former Buffs wide receiver who transferred to UCLA last year and is sitting out this season per NCAA guidelines.

"I'd been thinking about it for a couple of months," Scott told the newspaper on Tuesday.

Scott seemed to turn a major corner in the Buffaloes' second game of the year with a career-best 12 carries for 85 yards in a loss to Toledo.

That couldn't have been the type of production Scott or the Buffaloes anticipated when he picked them as the country's top running back and the No. 2 overall prospect of the 2008 recruiting class. Scott earned top All-American honors from Parade, USA Today, Prep Star and SuperPrep coming out of St. Bonaventure High School.

As a freshman last season, he played in 11 games, but missed a game and parts of others due to groin and ankle injuries. Injuries continued to be a major theme this season.

He injured his knee in the Toledo game and had arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 22, according to The Post. It probably hasn't helped that Colorado is still struggling and pressure is mounting on Hawkins, who could lose his job after the season.

Colorado is at the bottom of the Big 12 North standings with a 2-6, 1-3 conference record.

"There's really nothing to say, other than 'Sorry to Buff nation,' " Scott said.
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Former Top Recruit Scott Quits Colorado originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Dan HawkinsDarrell ScottTerrance HarrisTue, 03 Nov 2009 22:25:00 EST Stoops, Snyder Resume Friendly Rivalryhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/stoops-snyder-resume-friendly-rivalry/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/stoops-snyder-resume-friendly-rivalry/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/stoops-snyder-resume-friendly-rivalry/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

There is nothing new about Bob Stoops matching coaching wits with old mentor and boss Bill Snyder. They've done plenty of that over the years in Big 12 cross-divisional play.

But that doesn't mean Stoops isn't a little surprised to see Snyder, 70, back on the Wildcats sideline. The longtime Kansas State coach retired four years ago to pursue opportunities outside coaching, but was lured out of retirement last winter.

Stoops, whose 22nd-ranked Sooners host the Wildcats on Saturday, admits it's a little unexpected to be going up against his old boss again, but he was stunned when Snyder was no longer there, too.

"I always believe you have something in the tank, but I guess I was surprised because I was surprised initially that he did retire," said Stoops, who served on Snyder's staff at K-State from 1989-95 as defensive backs coach and later co-defensive coordinator. "I know how well thought out everything Coach Snyder does is that I figured that was it for him. But life changes I guess, the way people keep asking me what's going to happen with me in the next five to 10 years. Heck, I don't know. You just don't know.

"In the end, life changes and he felt that it was right for him to go back and I'm happy for him that it's working out well."

Working well may be the biggest of understatements. The Wildcats, who were up-and-down in the three seasons under Ron Prince, came into the season expected to finish near the bottom of the division race. But after the first three weeks of Big 12 play K-State (5-3, 3-1) stands alone in first place in the North division having won back-to-back league games and four of its last five.

The three-time defending Big 12 champion and last season's BCS championship game participant Sooners (4-3, 2-1), meanwhile, have fallen on difficult times this season with three defeats and the loss of Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford for the season.

Still, the Wildcats will get their greatest of the season Saturday and it comes courtesy of someone who knows Snyder and his tendencies rather well.

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"It may make it more difficult because they probably have a better understanding of me than I do of them over a period of time," Snyder said. "Having been out of the game for three years I didn't study what other teams were doing or how consistent Oklahoma was in doing the things I was more attuned to at that particular point in time. What makes it most difficult is just the fact I know the quality of coaching that exists there.

"Bob and his staff there have done extremely well. You always know that you are going to play an excellent football team and a well coached football team a very aggressive football team and one that is difficult for anybody to beat."

Stoops is always aware of what to expect from a Snyder-coached football team, as well. The Wildcats will play great disciplined defense; offensively they will start by effectively running the ball both with the running back and quarterback and they won't beat themselves.

Knowing that, Stoops said he wasn't surprised when Snyder blasted his team in victory last week over Colorado for stumbling and bumbling offensively in the second half.

"He's always looking for improvement," Stoops said. "I spent a long time with Coach Snyder, seven years at Kansas State and I was around him for 10 years at Iowa so I know all about it."

Snyder, who has come back slightly kinder and gentler than before, admits he might have been a little harsh on his team after last Saturday's impressive home win.

"It wasn't good for a lot of different reasons, some I mentioned and some I didn't," Snyder said. "I was probably a little angrier than I should have been. Nevertheless, it's apparent we've got some improvement to make there."

What's Inside a Score, Really?

It was interesting to see if anyone could make sense out of three scores and three teams in the last three weeks in the Big 12.

Follow this: Texas Tech torched Kansas State, 66-14, in Week 6. The following week the Wildcats took out their frustration on Texas A&M by stomping the Aggies 62-14 in Manhattan. And then this past weekend, the Aggies went up to Lubbock, Tex. and destroyed the 21st-ranked Red Raiders 52-30.

So what, if anything, can be derived from college football scores these days?

"Don't look at them because history will repeat itself if you do," said Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, who insinuated afterward that his team went into the A&M game a little full of itself having seen what the Wildcats did to the Aggies a week earlier. "I just think it doesn't matter how much you talk about it during the course of the week, because we talked about it in the course of the week because we spent most of the week talking about it doesn't matter what that Kansas State score was, you've got to be ready play. Somehow as coaches, we weren't able to reach them. We've got to find a better way to do that.

Mike Sherman"I think between a guy looking at the score themselves and then going out into the community and being told how great they are and how easy it's going to be, I think somehow you have to have the ability to overcome it. I think we have to find a better way to do that."

Second-year A&M coach Mike Sherman was also at a loss to explain his team's dramatic one-swing that ended a three-game losing streak.

"If I could, I probably could write a book and sell it to a lot of coaches across the country," he said. "Each week presents different challenges. Obviously last week our back was against the wall and there was only way you could go and that's to come out swinging which I thought they did."

Snyder used the odd turns of events in the three games as an excuse this week not to gush over his team's surprising first place standing in the North division.

"There is no real way of predicting how things will turn out," Snyder said. "Just look at the past few weeks involving us, Texas Tech and Texas A&M. That just shows you how much of a guessing game this really is."

Sherman, who of course spent some time as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers and offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans, said the scores in college football can be misleading from week to week. Unlike in the NFL, college kids are dealing with a lot of extenuating circumstances like mid-terms and papers to write.

And there is the injury issue. In the NFL, it's released who is healthy and who will play from week to week. College teams release such information at their discretion and coaches like Leach don't discuss injuries or who might be out at all.

"In college football you have guys playing hurt no one else knows about, different guys playing different positions," Sherman said. "I think it's very difficult because you don't have the full extent of knowledge of what a team is presented with. So I think every team is different."

As The Quarterback Turns At Colorado

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins made it clear Monday that sophomore Tyler Hansen would remain the Buffaloes starting quarterback this week.

But what is a little uncertain is whether Hansen will carry the load or will Hawkins' son, Cody, take most of the meaningful snaps? Hansen was pulled out of his redshirt three weeks ago and given the starting job over ineffective Cody Hawkins.

After guiding the Buffaloes to a surprising win over Kansas, however, Hansen struggled early during last weekend's loss at Kansas State. Cody Hawkins then spent the majority of the second half playing as the Buffaloes tried to come from behind.

Hawkins, a junior and three-year starter, moved the ball effectively at times but he also threw two costly picks, including one into triple coverage in the end zone that iced the game on the final drive. Immediately there were questions after the game about who would start this week against Missouri.

While continuing to back Hansen as the starter, Hawkins left open the door for his son to play in the hurry-up offense and in no huddle situations.

"You just have to kind of see how it goes, you have to play it by feel," he said. "I think Cody has a little better handle on the no huddle part of it."



Quarterback Issues II

Colorado, however, is far from alone in having quarterback dilemmas.

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini has continued to stick with first-year starter Zac Lee much to the dismay of the Nebraska Cornhuskers faithful who've been given a little taste of freshman Cody Green and they want more.

Then at Texas Tech, the cradle of record-breaking college quarterbacks, Leach is possibly looking at starting his third quarterback of the season Saturday against Kansas.

Former walk-on Steven Sheffield, who came off the bench and led the Red Raiders to a three-game winning streak, is out with a broken football suffered two weeks ago. Taylor Potts, the season-opening starter, was practically booed off the field during Saturday's stunning home loss to Texas A&M in his first start since Oct. 3 when he suffered a concussion.

Redshirt freshman Seth Doege could make his starting debut against the Kansas Jayhawks after seeming to light a spark in the Red Raiders during the second half of the A&M game. Leach, of course, wouldn't reveal his starter Monday.

But he did discuss Potts' shaky confidence after fans at Jones AT&T Stadiu chanted "No More Potts" as he walked to the locker room at halftime after losing a fumble and throwing two interceptions in the Aggies territory.

"I think it's an issue," Leach said. "Confidence is probably the most important asset that a quarterback has. No matter who you are, there are things that you have to fight through.

" I think on an individual level [Potts] needs to ensure that he's confident because no quarterback is going to be effective unless they are."

Pelini, meanwhile, said the fans won't decide who places a spark in the Cornhuskers who are riding a two-game losing streak into Saturday's game at Baylor. Lee, a junior, has struggled in conference play completing 50-of-93 passes for 534 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in three games.

As a consequence Nebraska's offense has been lethargic, ranking 10th in the Big 12 in scoring with a 14.7 points per game average in league play.

"I do believe the offense needs a spark, where that spark comes from that's up for us to determine where that comes from," Pelini said. "I think that can come from a lot of different areas. I can say this, we need to light a fire under it. Somebody has to step up and make some plays."

Stoops, Snyder Resume Friendly Rivalry originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bill SnyderBillSnyderBo PeliniBob StoopsBobStoopsBoPeliniCody HawkinsCodyHawkinsDan HawkinsDanHawkinsDeion SandersDeionSandersDez BryantDezBryantKansas JayhawksKansasJayhawksMike GundyMike LeachMike ShermanMikeGundyMikeLeachMikeShermanNebraskaFootballRon PrinceRonPrinceSam BradfordSamBradfordSteven SheffieldStevenSheffieldtaylor pottsTaylorPottsTyler HansenTylerHansenZac LeeZacLeeTerrance HarrisWed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST Hansen Thrives After Eclipsing the Sonhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/23/hansen-thrives-after-eclipsing-the-son/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/23/hansen-thrives-after-eclipsing-the-son/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/23/hansen-thrives-after-eclipsing-the-son/#commentsFiled under: ,

Conventional wisdom says Tyler Hansen should have been wary.

You don't commit to a program where the quarterback you will be competing with for time is the head coach's son. Period.

But that is exactly what the lightly-recruited Hansen did two years ago when he committed to Dan Hawkins and the Colorado Buffaloes, with Cody Hawkins already entrenched as the team's signal caller. Ever since, it had been a rollercoaster ride for Hanson.

The sophomore happens to be on a big up right now after having his redshirt yanked in mid-season two weeks ago for the second year in a row, and after sparking a surprising 34-30 win over No. 16 Kansas this past weekend in his first start. Suddenly, the previously reeling Buffaloes have hope and a new starting quarterback.

"It's been a wild ride, a lot of ups and downs from going from redshirt to not redshirting, to thinking I'm going to start to not playing," Hansen told FanHouse this week. "It's been a wild, crazy ride, but you've just got to be resilient and battle through it and just know that in the end things work themselves out."

It's that belief that got him through the difficult times, the times when Hansen thought he had done just enough to beat out his coach's son, only to find out he didn't. That was never more the case than this summer when after a neck-and-neck battling for the No. 1 spot began in spring ball and lasted until the final week of fall camp -- only to have Cody end up with the job.

It didn't help much either when the Buffaloes started out of the gate poorly, suffering embarrassing losses to Colorado State and Toledo, and then a tough defeat to West Virginia took the luster off the first win of the season the previous week. All Hansen could do was suffer quietly after making the decision to redshirt to put a little distance between him and Cody, a junior, in class rank.

"I'm not going to lie, I was pretty frustrated," Hansen said. "I wanted this starting job, I wanted to lead this team to victory, especially early in the season when were (1-3). That was the worst time in my life.

"That was another factor that went into me playing. I wanted to lead this team to victory and turn this thing around. I guess it's worked out so far."

There was a big part of Hansen that also wanted to show the coaching staff in general and Dan Hawkins in particular that they picked the wrong starter to begin the season.

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"Early in the year, I thought I had a good shot at getting the starting job," Hansen said. "I thought I was ready to be the starter. But they didn't see it that way, so they went with Cody.

"From there on, I wanted to prove to people that I was the guy, that I should have been playing from the get-go. I guess I kind of did that at Kansas. I showed people that I should be playing."

The coaching staff approached Hansen about giving up his redshirt season the week leading up to the Texas game. The offense was stagnant and much of the frustration was being directed at Dan and Cody Hawkins.

Hansen consulted with his parents and former high school coaches before ultimately deciding to do what was obviously best for the team and likely Coach Hawkins.

"They all said you are not guaranteed an opportunity to play ever again, you can get injured tomorrow and never play football again," said Hansen, who did little to secure the job last season when he got in as a true freshman. "So when you get an opportunity to play, you have to take it, especially at Texas. They were the second team in the country, it's unbelievable."

As expected, Hansen entered the UT game at halftime with Cody struggling in a surprisingly close game with the Longhorns. Texas pulled out the win at home, but the decision from the Colorado end was clear: Hansen would start the following week against Kansas.

Though not flawless, Hansen gave the Buffaloes an energy that had been missing all season as he made plays with both his arm and legs in engineering a fourth-quarter rally over the previously unbeaten Jayhawks. On the come-from-behind drive, Hansen ran twice for nine yards and completed 2-of-4 passes for 34 yards, including the 29-yard scoring strike to tight end Riar Greer.

Hansen completed 14-of-25 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown while running for a net 34 yards (he lost 30 yards on three sacks) and another touchdown.

Dan Hawkins attributed some of the team success to Hansen's play, but he also said the win was the result of other things at play.

"I think it's a combination of things. I think he obviously sparked us," Hawkins said. "I think the other thing is you sort of have that right time, right moment if you have been watching our team a little bit. We played pretty well against West Virginia, didn't win it. We played really well against Texas except for really four plays. So our team continues to get better, so I think there is a whole cumulative kind of an effort.

"Tyler obviously made some great plays with his legs and ran around and gave us some life and made some good throws, as well."

Any debate about who would quarterback the Buffaloes this week at Kansas State and for the remainder of the season is effectively over.

"It feels good," said Hansen, who also had his redshirt year pulled last year six games into his true freshman season. "My confidence is high, I feel like we can compete with anybody in the country right now and get a win. The team is real confident right now."

If only it was that easy for Dan Hawkins. Admittedly, it's difficult to bench any starting quarterback. It's much harder when that quarterback is your son.

Dan Hawkins, whose team was 1-4 in its first five games, can't bring himself to admit Cody needed to be replaced because of his play. The numbers, however, don't lie. Cody was last in the Big 12 in passing efficiency with a rating of 102.0 after completing 104 of 205 passes for 1,113 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions in five games this season.

"It is hard and I've done it a few more times, and it's always gut-wrenching, and you hate it," Dan Hawkins said of having to bench a quarterback in-season. "It has nothing to do, really with what the kid's last name is. The reality is there are 10 other guys involved in this thing, as well as the coaching staff. It's always easy to point at the quarterback but it's never just that guy. He's not the total reason for success and he's not the total reason for failure."

Had Cody remained in the lineup and the Buffaloes continued to underachieve, it would have heightened the desire of many to see Dan Hawkins chased out of Boulder, Colo. this season. But now some of those rumblings have given way this week to talk of how the Hansen-led win has propelled the Buffaloes (2-4, 1-1 Big 12) from the bottom of the heap to a chance to play for the North division lead Saturday.

Arriving at this point has been indeed gratifying for Hansen. It's an opportunity that at times Hansen wondered if he would ever get while Cody was still there -- and honestly, maybe not even once he was gone.

"That's the biggest thing," Hansen said. "I knew coming into Colorado that it was going to be a little rough and a battle to get the starting job early with Coach Hawkins having a son here. So I knew I had to push myself that much more to be that much better than Cody so that I can get the starting job.

"I kind of like that. It pushes me, it makes me a better play to want that. I kind of embraced it."

Hansen Thrives After Eclipsing the Son originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Cody HawkinsCodyHawkinscolorado buffaloesColoradoBuffaloesDan HawkinsDanHawkinsTyler HansenTylerHansenTerrance HarrisFri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST Big 12 Notebook: North by North Messhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/big-12-notebook-north-by-north-mess/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/big-12-notebook-north-by-north-mess/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/big-12-notebook-north-by-north-mess/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bill SnyderIt's just three weeks into the full-swing of Big 12 play but the North Division is looking like any of the six teams could win the race.

That doesn't necessarily bode well at all for the weaker half of the two-division league.

Nebraska and Kansas came into the season as the presumed favorites to represent the North, but after two weeks of inconsistent play neither seems as powerful. The same can be said for two-time North champion Missouri, which started the season a surprising 4-0, but has dropped its first two games of the Big 12 season.

The standings looked a little odd to start this week when Kansas State and Colorado joined Nebraska and Kansas at the top of the North standings as one-loss teams. The Wildcats, who were expected to be in major rebuilding mode in the return of Bill Snyder, actually sit alone in first place as they've played one more game than the other top three and have a 2-1 league record.

"Certainly this far into the season, it looks like it's going to be kind of a wild race," said KU coach Mark Mangino. "For us, we understand this is a great conference and that anybody can win on any day. I don't think you can discount anybody in the conference. You've got to be ready to play and play smart football.

But the signal that this could be a wacky year in the North is much more than team records. It's what's happened in the first couple weeks.

Kansas State lost to Texas Tech 66-14 two weeks ago and then, last week, made a big statement by stomping Texas A&M 62-14. Nebraska, meanwhile, pulled off a late fourth-quarter win over Missouri only to fall apart and stay that way against Texas Tech this past Saturday.

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Snyder, who built the Wildcats into an unlikely North power in the 1990s and the early part of this decade before his retirement, can't explain the dramatic swing, from dazed in the opener to sitting atop the standings.

"It probably tell us we are a little goofy and we have no idea who we are or what we are," Snyder said. "Why does it happen? Everybody has their own opinion about it.

"I think in our situation, there was certainly a major embarrassment from the week before. The preparation in a lot of different ways improved over the course of the week."

Then there are the Jayhawks, who, thanks to steady diet of cupcakes in non-conference play, jumped out to a 4-0 record but barely squeaked by Iowa State before being upset Saturday by a one-win Colorado team Saturday. The Buffaloes also gave No. 2 Texas a scare week earlier before falling to the Longhorns in the second half.

Even the two bottom teams, Iowa State and Colorado still have a chance. The Cyclones, under first-year coach Paul Rhoads, have played both K-State and Kansas tough while they pulled out a convincing win over Baylor this past week.

And 0-2 Missouri has been the victim of a forgiving start to the Big 12 season that includes facing Nebraska and Oklahoma State and it continues this week when No. 3 Texas comes to Columbia. The Tigers fortunes should change the final five games with a slate that includes Colorado, Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State and Kansas.

"It's kind of hard to figure, I don't know what's going on," said Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel. "Everybody is playing different people at this time. We are on a real tough stretch obviously. We knew going into this it was going to be tough.

"There is a lot left in the season, a lot of things are going to happen by the end of October and November will be interesting to see how that all works out."

So the theme for the North is to expect the unexpected and hold on for a rather wild ride.

"What I see is that a lot of teams in the North, probably everybody is still got an opportunity," Mangino said. "For us, we just have to take care of the business at hand. We've just got to win as they come and let that stuff kind of figure itself out at the end. But it certainly looks like it's going to be a wild race, no question."

Longhorns sitting pretty at No.3

It may have seemed like a slight to some Texas fans when the Longhorns came in No.3 during the first BCS poll released this week.

But with either No.1 Florida or No.2 Alabama sure to take a fall in the SEC championship game at the latest, the third-ranked Longhorns just have to keep winning and they will punch their ticket to the BCS national title game.

The key for the Longhorns is to keep winning, but tough back-to-back road games coming up against Missouri and Oklahoma State that could prove difficult.

It doesn't really matter to me," UT senior quarterback Colt McCoy said of being third in the BCS rankings and what that might mean. "We don't care about that. We care about beating Missouri this week. Other than that, it doesn't matter."

Mack BrownBut coach Mack Brown recognizes the challenges that are in front of his team as it attempts to make a run at the BCS national title this season. The Longhorns were just seconds away from earning a trip last season when they fell to Texas Tech on a last-second play. That was all that stood between them and an undefeated record.

"The pressure is there being No. 3, because everybody says to every one of our kids that unless you win them all you're not going to have a chance to get what you want," said Brown, whose team dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 in the polls after an unimpressive win over Colorado two weeks ago. "What we want for them is to try to enjoy the ride. What a wonderful time that these kids have given us as fans, you as media, this is fun.

"Two years in a row they have been in the mix after mid-season. Two years in a row they have beaten Oklahoma to jumpstart the writing of the first BCS polls that come out.

"There is pressure, regardless of whether you are [No.] 1 or 3 and I don't think that the kids feel there is any difference because they know that it changes. They know it changes per week so I feel like they know that if you are in the top 3 or 4 than it is okay."


Who's at QB For Tech this week?

It appears that new star quarterback Steven Sheffield may have been injured during the Nebraska game and won't play in Saturday's home game against Texas A&M.

That means, if Sheffield isn't able to go, he will be replaced by starter Taylor Potts, whom Sheffield replaced a few weeks ago when he went down with an apparent concussion against New Mexico.

But don't expect to hear anything official from head coach Mike Leach or Texas Tech. Injuries are guarded under lock and key. We'll see Saturday.

But does it really matter? Whoever is at quarterback, the Red Raiders will throw for a lot of yards and score a bunch of touchdowns against A&M. Don't they always?

Pelini mum on quarterback situation

Nebraska nearly pulled ineffective quarterback Zac Lee during the second half of the Missouri game two weeks ago, but Lee got things going just in time to pull off the rallying win.

Lee, a first-year starter, didn't have that same magic this past weekend and in came freshman Cody Green, who did guide the Cornhuskers to a score in the loss to Tech.

Now head coach Bo Pelini has a full-blown quarterback controversy on his hands. Surprise, he isn't tipping which way he's leaning, either.

"Right now nothing has changed," Pelini said. "If and when the change occurs we'll announce it."

So does that mean the competition is open?

"It's always open," the always short on words coach said. "That's kind of how we always approach it."

That's certainly not helpful information to Paul Rhoads, whose Iowa State Cyclones have the task of preparing for two quarterbacks instead of one this week.

"You have to certainly analyze all their film and study what they've done and build a basic game plan and preparation based on those plays and look long and hard when the different players are there. Did the play go any different? Is there a significance to that?," Rhoads said. "If there is then you have to devise a little bit different play calling scheme.

"You can't over prepare, there just is not enough time, not enough reps in a day or a week. That's where the problem can come up if there is significant difference and the time that goes along with it."

There is also the possibility the Cyclones could face both Lee and Green. Maybe.

"It depends on how it goes," Pelini said. "We're not real big on the rotating quarterback system. It's hard to get a guy in a rhythm. We'll see how it goes and how they practice and how they perform and we'll go from there.

"There are a lot of variables, there is a lot of things that could happen, but it's hard for me to look into a crystal ball and say this will happen for sure."

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Notre Dame receiver Robby Paris (82) is injured on a hit by Southern California's Taylor Mays (2) and Kevin Thomas (15) late in the fourth quarter during a college football game, Saturday, October 17, 2009, in South Bend, Indiana. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

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    Notre Dame receiver Robby Paris (82) is injured on a hit by Southern California's Taylor Mays (2) and Kevin Thomas (15) late in the fourth quarter during a college football game, Saturday, October 17, 2009, in South Bend, Indiana. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

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    Connecticut football coach Randy Edsall, center, leads his players during NCAA college football practice in Storrs, Conn., on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. Practice was scheduled as usual despite the on campus slaying of player Jasper Howard over the weekend. (AP Photo/George Ruhe)

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    Connecticut football coach Randy Edsall, center, leads his players during NCAA college football practice in Storrs, Conn., on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. Practice was scheduled as usual despite the on campus slaying of player Jasper Howard over the weekend. (AP Photo/George Ruhe)

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    South Carolina's football coach Steve Spurrier holds up a jersey with camouflage designs during a news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Columbia, S.C. Maryland and South Carolina will wear uniforms with camouflage designs during their NCAA college football games on Saturday, Nov. 14, to honor military veterans and promote the Wounded Warrior Project. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

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    South Carolina's football coach Steve Spurrier, center, flanked by Sgt. Jeremy Hale, left, and Master Sgt. Pete Lara, both from Fort Jackson, as he holds up a jersey with camouflage designs during a news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Columbia, S.C. Maryland and South Carolina will wear uniforms with camouflage designs during their NCAA college football games on Saturday, Nov. 14, to honor military veterans and promote the Wounded Warrior Project. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

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Anyiam stepping up in place of Dez Bryant

Oklahoma State has needed someone to step in place of suspended All-American receiver Dez Bryant and so far that person has been sophomore Hubert Anyiam.

During Saturday's win over Missouri, Anyiam put forth a Bryant-like performance with 10 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown to earn Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors on Monday. Anyiam has 16 catches for 223 yards and two scores on the season.

"Hubert has played well for us, he still has a ways to go but he's made catches for us," said OSU coach Mike Gundy. "He's a great example of a young man taking advantage of an opportunity. He hadn't had as many reps when Dez was playing and available to us, but since then he's had to step up and play a considerable amount of reps and done a good job."

As for when Bryant might be reinstated for lying to the NCAA about his friendship with Deion Sanders, Gundy said he still doesn't know. Bryant has been held out of the Cowboys last three games, all wins, but last week he went to Indianapolis to ask for reinstatement. No decision has been made.

Griffin gets a medical redshirt

Baylor sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin has been granted a medical redshirt after suffering a season-ending ACL injury last month so he will have three to play upon returning in 2010.

Griffin opted to have surgery to repair his ACL last week, effectively ending his season. Now begins a lengthy rehab, which head coach Art Briles hopes will have him ready to participate some in spring ball.

"I think he is going to depend on how his rehab goes," Briles said. "I think he is going to be able to participate but certainly on a limited basis right now."

Big 12 Notebook: North by North Mess originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Art BrilesArtBrilesBig 12 FootballBig12FootballBill SnyderBillSnyderBo PeliniBoPeliniCody GreenCodyGreencolt mccoyColtMccoyDeion SandersDeionSandersDez BryantDezBryantGary PinkelGaryPinkelJerrod JohnsonJerrodJohnsonMack BrownMackBrownmark manginoMarkManginoMike GundyMike LeachMike ShermanMikeGundyMikeLeachMikeShermanpaul rhoadsPaulRhoadsRobert GriffinRobertGriffinryan tannenhillRyanTannenhillSteven SheffieldStevenSheffieldtaylor pottsTaylorPottsZac LeeZacLeeTerrance HarrisTue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST Upsets Send Big 12 North's Rep Southhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/17/upsets-send-big-12-norths-rep-south/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/17/upsets-send-big-12-norths-rep-south/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/17/upsets-send-big-12-norths-rep-south/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

So much for the Big 12 North being taken seriously this season.

On a day when division leaders Kansas and Nebraska had a chance to make a statement, both teams were upset, and stunningly so.

No.15 Nebraska was exposed offensively in a 31-10 loss to unranked Texas Tech in Lincoln, Neb. And the 17th-ranked Jayhawks, which hadn't played a quality opponent until Saturday, was stunned, 34-30, by a one-win Colorado team for their first loss of the season.

Both defeats have left the door open for supremacy in the North with darkhorses Colorado and Kansas State perhaps having a shot at the division title. The Wildcats exploded on Texas A&M Saturday for after struggling offensively most of the season.

Nebraska, meanwhile, seems like a team that could be on the verge of big trouble.

A week after head coach Bo Pelini flirted with benching starting quarterback Zac Lee against Missouri, he pulled the trigger Saturday by replacing ineffective Lee with Cody Green in the fourth quarter. There is no word on who will start next week when Iowa State comes to town.

But for the second time in as many games, the Cornhuskers couldn't get anything going in the first three quarters. But unlike against the Tigers, Nebraska was unable to turn it on in fourth quarter against Tech. The Cornhuskers managed just 285 yards of offense for its lowest output since 2007.

"We didn't execute from the beginning to the end," said Pelini, whose team slipped to 4-2, 1-1 Big 12. "On offense, we didn't come off the ball. We didn't catch the ball. We didn't make the right reads at quarterback. We didn't run the ball effectively.
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"On defense, we didn't make plays. You can sit there and ask all of the questions you want in the world. It comes down to we got beat because we didn't make plays. We got outplayed and outcoached."

In the Jayhawks road loss, they came across a re-energized Colorado team that was starting Tyler Hansen at quarterback for the first time this season. Hansen may have caused more problems for head coach Dan Hawkins with his performance Saturday.

Hawkins reluctantly benched his son, Cody Hawkins, last week in favor of Hansen. Prior to coming off the bench in the Texas game, Hansen was on his way to a redshirt season after losing out to Hawkins for the starting job during two-a-days.

Hansen sparked the Buffaloes defense with one passing and one rushing touchdown. Hansen completed 14 of 25 passes for 175 yards with one interception while rushing 11 times for 35 yards.

The Jayhawks (5-1, 1-1), meanwhile, were explosive with their trio of quarterback Todd Reesing and receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier. But it was the ground game that took a real hit after finishing with minus-7 yards. Kansas lost the time of possession battle soundly, with Colorado holding a 35:12 to 24:48 edge.

But even still, the Jayhawks had their chances in the end with touchdown passing attempts to both Briscoe and Meier being swatted away to preserve the Colorado upset.

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The University of Miami's fans signal the "U" at the end of the second quarter of a game against The University of Central Florida at Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, October 17, 2009. (Joe Rimkus Jr./Miami Herald/MCT)
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    Illinois wide receiver Jeff Cumberland catches a touchdown pass in the end zone over Indiana defender Richard Council during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game in Bloomington, Ind., on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. Indiana won 27-14. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland)

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    Iowa State's Derrick Catlett, left, makes a reception in front of Baylor's Jordan Lake, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 24-10. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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    Oklahoma State running back Keith Toston heads into the end zone with a touchdown against Missouri in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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    Baylor's Lanear Sampson, center, is tackled by Iowa State's Kennard Banks, left, and Jesse Smith, right, after making a reception during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 24-10. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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    Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter an NCAA college football game against Baylor, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State won 24-10. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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    Georgia Tech students tear down the goalpost after the Yellow Jackets' 28-23 win over Virginia Tech in an NCAA college football game in Atlanta, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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    Missouri kicker Grant Ressel, right, kicks a field goal against Oklahoma State in the first quarter an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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    Mississippi runningback Brandon Bolden (34) runs through an attempted second half tackle by UAB linebacker Marvin Burdette during their NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. Mississippi won, 48-13. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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    San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke watches from the sidelines during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against BYU Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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    BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall watches from the sidelines during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against San Diego State Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 in San Diego. BYU won 38-28. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Upsets Send Big 12 North's Rep South originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bo PeliniCody Hawkinsdezmon briscoekerry meierTodd ReesingTyler HansenZac LeeTerrance HarrisSat, 17 Oct 2009 23:52:00 EST Big 12 Notebook: As Usual, Red River Rivalry Is More Than a Gamehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/big-12-notebook-red-river-runs-through-it/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/big-12-notebook-red-river-runs-through-it/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/big-12-notebook-red-river-runs-through-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sam Bradford, Colt McCoyIt's not like Texas and Oklahoma ever needed a reason to make their annual Red River Rivalry game in Dallas any more intense.

The tradition of the two programs, the bordering states and the fight for superiority in fertile recruiting ground of Texas use to be enough. Who knew this early season game would take on so much more meaning when both teams joined the Big 12 in 1996?

This game has become about so much more than school pride and bragging rights, as one of these two teams has won the South each of the last 10 years, and it has sometimes set the stage for the national championship picture.

"It's a definite highlight, how could it not be?" OU coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday during his weekly press conference. "It's a definite highlight, a definite challenge and all of that.

"But it's not unlike anyone else. If you are in a good league, you are going to play against teams where you've got your hurdles, your challenges throughout the year. You embrace them and you go play them."

Saturday's game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, like so many of the past 10 years, will have huge Big 12 South implications. Oklahoma and Texas, the only South division champs since 1999, were both picked as the co-Big 12 South champs in the preseason media.

The Longhorns, undefeated (5-0) and ranked third in the country, not only have Big 12 implications riding on this but are trying to keep pace with Florida and Alabama for a shot at the BCS national championship. The 20th-ranked Sooners (3-2), who have been injury plagued all season, are probably out of the national title picture, but they still have their sights on a fourth straight Big 12 championship.

Giving this game an even more interesting twist is the fact UT actually defeated Oklahoma by 10 points in this game last season, but it was the Sooners who advanced to the Big 12 championship game and also into the national title game following a controversial three-way tiebreaker decision that sent 7-1 Oklahoma to the conference championship game and left 7-1 UT and Texas Tech home to watch.

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"It's a conference game, and I think if you ask both teams, it's crucial," said UT senior quarterback Colt McCoy, who comes into Saturday's game 2-1 against the Sooners. "For us, we can't look at their record and the things that have gone on in the first five games of the season. We have to understand that it doesn't matter who we're playing, we're going to get their best shot. This game is the most important game for us this season."

On the surface, this will be billed as a matchup of two Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterbacks who happen to be good friends in OU's Sam Bradford and McCoy. Last season, Bradford won the prestigious award and McCoy finished second. This season, McCoy could have the edge right now just by virtue he has been healthy and Bradford just returned last week from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss two complete games.

But underneath it all, this should play out as a classic matchup of two outstanding defenses.

The Longhorns, led by defensive end Sergio Kindle and linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy, rank fourth in the nation in overall defense after allowing teams an average of 233.0 yards per game. Against a much tougher slate, Oklahoma's defense is allowing 256.00 yards per game and has given up just six touchdowns to rank ninth in country in overall defense.

"We have the two best defenses in the country," said UT coach Mack Brown, whose team slipped from No.2 to No.3 this week in the AP poll. "It will be really fun to watch the two defenses play because they play well every week."

But for everyone on both sides, it will be fun just because it's Texas vs. Oklahoma.

"This game is one of the reasons why you come to Texas," said UT guard Charlie Tanner. "I grew up watching the Texas vs. OU game. Going to the Cotton Bowl is one of the most awesome games of college football. You got half the stadium crimson, half the stadium orange and coming out of that tunnel is everything you could want in a college football game."


Todd Reesing for Heisman?

Kansas coach Mark Mangino, as a practice, doesn't campaign for his players to win national awards like the Heisman Trophy.

So that might explain why his trumpeting senior quarterback Todd Reesing for the Heisman Trophy on Monday seemed a little odd and ill-timed.

"We've only played five games, but I believe, this is an opinion, he certainly merits the right to be a part of the Heisman conversation," Mangino said during Monday's Big 12 football media call. "When you look at him statistically you are impressed.

"But I think the true way you judge Todd Reesing is you have to see him play. If you watch him play, the way he just has great leadership, he's in control, how he can take what looks to be a minus-yardage play and turn it into a gain or big gain. The real appreciation is after you watch him play. It's not fair just to look at his statistics."

There is no doubt Reesing is an exciting player. The 5-foot-11 quarterback certainly makes the 17th-ranked Jayhawks fun to watch as he dodges tackles, squares his shoulders and heaves the football down field to either Dezmon Briscoe or Kerry Meier.

But is he Heisman Trophy worthy? The numbers and the competition to this point just don't seem to support such an assertion.

Reesing ranks third in the Big 12 in total offense with 1,680 yards in five games, he's second in the league in passing per game (315.8), passing efficiency (157.6) and passing yards (1,579). He has completed 133 of 192 passes while throwing for 13 touchdowns and three interceptions while guiding the Jayhawks to a 5-0 record so far.

All of this fancy work has come against a slate of Northern Colorado, UTEP, Duke, Southern Miss and Iowa State. Let's talk Heisman after these next six weeks when Reesing will have matchup against the likes of Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Nebraska, Texas and Missouri.

Praise for Suh

Coming into the season, there probably wasn't a more hyped defensive lineman in the country than Nebraska senior tackle Ndamukong Suh.

All indication were after the way he ended last season that he could be the best to ever come through Nebraska. Six games into his final season in Lincoln, Suh is appearing to be worth the hype and then some.

At 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, he has been doing it all for the Cornhuskers: rushing the passer, stopping the run, dropping back into passing lands and yes intercepting passes.

Suh was the defensive catalyst in the Cornhuskers come-from-behind 27-12 win at Missouri last Thursday night. He not only had six tackles, a forced fumble, a sack and a pass deflection, but his fourth quarter interception changed the game. Nebraska was trailing 12-7 when he got his hands on a Blaine Gabbert pass near the line scrimmage. That pick led to the go ahead touchdown for the Cornhuskers.

"That's pretty special when a guy like that can make those kind of plays and create turnovers," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

He will get no argument for Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, who watched his team try to do everything it could within the rules to neutralize Suh. Nothing seemed to work as Suh put up numbers worthy of him being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.

In the type of production normally seen from linebackers and safeties, Suh leads Nebraska in tackles (32). The preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year is the top tackling defensive lineman in the conference where is tied with Oklahoma defensive back Quinton Carter for 22nd with 6.4 tackles per game.

"I think he's a great player," Pinkel said. "You can double team a player every single (down). We played him year ago and I thought he was a good player then. We played him earlier in the season a year ago, by the end he was first team All-Big 12.

"The things he does, the numbers he puts up at that position, at that size, he's a very dominant player. As he's done with everyone else he's played, he caused us a lot of problems."

Oklahoma' Red Zone Problems

The Sooners knew they would miss All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham when he went down with a season-ending knee injury before the season began.

But they didn't know it would be this much. Gresham had been one of Bradford's primary targets in the red zone the past couple seasons, but without his presence the Sooners touchdown success has plummeted.

Last week alone, Oklahoma made seven trips into the red zone and had to settle for four field goals and just two touchdowns as receivers had major drop problems in the win over Baylor.

The success rate is even more troubling when you consider that in two one-point defeats to BYU and Miami, the Sooners made eight combined trips inside of the red zone and came away with just three touchdowns. That could be the major difference in them being 5-0 instead of 3-2.

While Stoops admits the offense misses Gresham, he says the problems in the red zone have been far more complex than just one missing player.

"Sometimes it's blocking, it's just executing the run game a little bit better, sometimes it's being able to work offensive coverage and sometimes we've had some drops, as well," he said. "It doesn't take much when you are down there for that to happen."

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In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)
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    In this photo taken on Sept. 26, 2009, Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead (22) carries the ball against Louisiana-Lafayette during an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb. Burkhead injured a foot in practice on Monday, Oct. 12, 2009, and Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said the freshman would be out "for a while." (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno smiles during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    ** RECROPPED VERSION ** Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno smiles during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno addresses the media during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno enters his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno addresses the media his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy is shown before his team's 38-14 win in an NCAA college football game against Colorado in Austin, Texas. Texas, ranked No.3, is set to play No. 20 Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 in Dallas. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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    In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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    In this Sept. 26, 2009, photo, Michigan cornerback Boubacar Cissoko (33) trails Indiana wide receiver Tandon Doss (2) on a long pass during an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich. Michigan has suspended Cissoko indefinitely for violating team rules. Coach Rich Rodriguez made the announcement Saturday night, Oct. 10, after Iowa beat the Wolverines 30-28. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)

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    Washington's Desmond Trufant returns an intercepting of a pass from Arizona's Nick Foles at the end fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. Earlier in the quarter Washington intercepted another pass returning it for a touchdown to win 36-33 over Arizona. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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Quick Hits

Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin elected to have surgery to repair his torn ACL, effectively ending his sophomore season. Griffin, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2008, should be back in time to begin the season in 2010...Stoops said receiver Ryan Broyles could return to the lineup as early as this week after being projected to be out four-to-six weeks with a shoulder injury ... Texas A&M receiver Jeff Fuller has began practicing with the team after suffering a cracked right fibula in the Aggies second game of the season on Sept. 19 ... Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said Kendall Hunter, the Big 12 leading rusher in 2008, has began practicing with the team after missing the last couple games with ankle injury. It's not certain if Hunter will be back the lineup for Saturday's home game against Missouri...In addition to Suh, Texas Tech quarterback Steven Sheffield earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors after throwing for seven touchdowns against Kansas State in his first start. Texas receiver/punt returner Jordan Shipley was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after he returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter Saturday in the win over Colorado.

Big 12 Notebook: As Usual, Red River Rivalry Is More Than a Game originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bob StoopsBobStoopscolt mccoyColtMccoydezmon briscoeDezmonBriscoeGary PinkelGaryPinkelJermaine GreshamJermaineGreshamJordan ShipleyJordanShipleyKendall HunterKendallHunterkerry meierKerryMeierMack BrownMackBrownmark manginoMarkManginoMike GundyMikeGundyndamukong suhNdamukongSuhRed River RivalryRedRiverRivalryRobert GriffinRobertGriffinRoddrick MuckelroyRoddrickMuckelroyRyan BroylesRyanBroylesSam BradfordSamBradfordSergio KindleSergioKindleSteven SheffieldStevenSheffieldTodd ReesingToddReesingTerrance HarrisTue, 13 Oct 2009 19:33:00 EST BCS Title Could Be an All-SEC Affairhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/lanket-coverage-sec-squared-for-the-bcs-title/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/lanket-coverage-sec-squared-for-the-bcs-title/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/lanket-coverage-sec-squared-for-the-bcs-title/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Blanket Coverage is a weekly rewind of all the action of Week 6, from the big opinions, to the small news, and, of course, coverage of all players named Ju-Ju.

In the second half of Florida's 13-3 win at LSU Saturday night, CBS color analyst Gary Danielson opined that a one-loss SEC team would play in the BCS Championship Game. Danielson's forecast seems fair enough, particularly considering the teams playing in front of him in Death Valley.

The Gators lost one game in both 2006 and 2008 and won the national championship. The Tigers lost two games in 2007 and beat Ohio State in the BCS title game. What Danielson failed to consider, though, was whether a one-loss SEC team with the second-best record in the conference might advance to Pasadena come January.

There is -- and I cannot emphasize this enough -- a lot of football remaining to be played. Still, let's imagine that the No. 1 Gators and No. 2 Alabama both advance to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta undefeated. The winner is a lock for a date at the Rose Bowl, but would voters ever allow a rematch between the two 33 days later?

What other BCS contenders might emerge? Let's look at the unbeatens:

-- Boise State and TCU are both undefeated, but neither non-BCS team will play for the national title.

-- In the Big Ten, Iowa is undefeated, but the Hawkeyes have won three home games versus three unranked teams by a total of six points. Visits to Madison, East Lansing and Columbus do not augur well for Kirk Ferentz's team.

-- Cincinnati and South Florida are unbeaten in the Big East, but they meet Thursday night. The winner will emerge with a more respectable resume, but there are too many one-loss teams with more cache and neither the Bearcats nor the Bulls will have a win against a Top-10 school this year.

-- The ACC and the Pac-10 have no unbeatens remaining.

-- Which brings us to the Big 12, where unbeatens Kansas and Texas will meet in Austin Nov. 21. Although who is to say that both, or even either the Jayhawks and Longhorns will be beaten by then? The cleanest result would be an undefeated Texas, currently No. 3, facing the SEC champion on January 7 in Pasadena. And there's nothing that ESPN covets more than a duel between Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy in the final game of their storied careers.

What if Texas loses, though? Here's an even more intriguing scenario: What if Alabama loses one SEC West game to a one-loss opponent such as Auburn or LSU? Could the Tide fail to play for the SEC championship but remain the most viable, and highly ranked, candidate to face Florida, a team they would not yet have played?

The feeling here is no. Which is why all of a sudden, the most fascinating tilt of the year for my money will take place on Halloween night in Eugene: USC at Oregon. The winner of this glamour game just might leap ahead of one-loss Virginia Tech in the polls and, should the Longhorns fail to finish undefeated versus a rough Big 12 field, be in the driver's seat.

Just think ... a national championship pitting Florida and Tim "God Bless" Tebow versus Oregon and resurrected rusher LaGarrette Blount. The player who absorbed the most talked-about blow to the head this season on one sideline and the player who delivered the most notorious such hit on the other. That would be a ... knockout.

One monstrous, blow-up-the-BCS caveat: Would there be any way to justify sending Oregon to the Rose Bowl over an undefeated Boise State team that defeated them?

Keeping Up With the Hawkins

Try being Misti Rae Ann Hawkins this week. On Saturday, she watched her oldest son get benched in a nationally televised game in primetime. And she saw her husband bench him.

Cody Hawkins, Colorado's 5-foot-11 junior quarterback, has actually played in three nationally televised games in primetime this season: at Toledo, at West Virginia and this weekend, at Texas. In those three games, all losses, Hawkins has accumulated the following numbers: 63-134 passes (47 percent), eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. The defeats are not Cody's fault alone, but his 102.4 passer rating does not put him among the top 100 passers in the FBS.

On Saturday, with the 1-3 Buffs driving for a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter against the No. 2 Longhorns, Hawkins underthrew a pass into the right flat. Texas cornerback Earl Thomas picked it off and returned it 92 yards for a score, the Longhorns' longest interception return for a TD since 1938.

On the ensuing Buff possession, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins burned the redshirt of sophomore Tyler Hansen, inserting him at quarterback in place of his son. It's the second time in as many years that Hansen's redshirt status has been erased at midseason. After the game Hawkins named Hansen the starter going forward, saying of his son's costly interception, "He's gotta make that throw."

Temperatures have been in the teens along the Front Range this weekend, but it's about to get even chillier at the Hawkins household.

Incredible INT

You may never see a stranger interception than the one UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers had against Oregon. Duck quarterback Nate Costa, falling out of the back of his own endzone, tried to force a bullet over Ayers' head. Ayers leaped in the air and caught it, then had to worry about getting one foot in bounds himself without landing past the back line. He did.

Even Costa was in awe. "That was just a flat-out great play," he said. It was also the Bruins' only touchdown in their 24-10 loss.

Now This Is a White Out

Seven inches of snow fell on Friday night in Laramie, Wyo., and the temperature at kickoff was 15 degrees, yet 14,502 hearty (foolhardy?) fans huddled in War Memorial Stadium to watch the Cowboys defeat New Mexico, 37-13, on Saturday. How brutal were the conditions? The winless Lobos spent Friday evening at a hotel in Cheyenne, 50 miles east, and on Saturday morning needed a two-snowplow escort across a closed Interstate 80 in order to make it to the game.

A Man for all Seasons

Give Stanford credit for knowing how to promote a Heisman candidate with subtlety and a sense of humor. Tailback Toby Gerhart entered the weekend fourth in the nation in rushing (130 yards per game) and even ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit said that Gerhart was among his top three Heisman nominees. Gerhart also happens to be a MLB prospect as an outfielder, which prompted the Stanford athletic department to put together this video of the studly senior trying his hand at other sports.

Sly, Stanford. Promoting Gerhart while also promoting your non-revenue sports. My only question is how someone who lives year-round in California be that pale?

An Education

Michigan's true freshmen quarterbacks, Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson, are learning the ups-and-downs of late-game heroics. In consecutive road losses each has accounted for a late touchdown only to follow it up on the ensuing drive with an interception that cost the Wolverines the game. Forcier led the Wolverines on a 14-point fourth quarter comeback at Michigan State two weeks ago, then threw a deflected pick in overtime of the 26-20 loss.

Robinson, who entered Saturday's game at Iowa with Michigan trailing 30-21 midway in the fourth quarter, calmly led the Wolverines on a scoring drive, capped by his own three-yard TD rush. On Michigan's next drive he missed two wide-open receivers and instead tossed a prayer into double coverage as the Maize and Blue lost 30-28.

JJ, Jo Jo and Ju Ju

BYU's JJ DiLuigi caught a 15-yard touchdown pass while teammate Jo Jo Pili added a one-yard rushing TD in the Cougars' 59-21 win at UNLV. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech backup quarterback Ju-Ju Clayton threw an 80-yard touchdown strike in the Hokies' 48-14 demolition of Boston College.

Stats Incredible

A smattering of bizarre statistics or eye-popping numbers from Saturday's games:

-- Florida's defense has only allowed two touchdowns in 61 opponents' drives (3.3 percent) this season. As coach Urban Meyer told ESPN's Chris Fowler in the midnight hour from Baton Rouge, "You can't be a great team unless you have a great defense."

-- Bowling Green wideout Freddie Barnes caught 22 passes in the Falcons' 36-35 win at Kent State. Barnes leads the nation with 12.5 receptions per game, a full 33 percent more catches than the No. 2 receiver, Jordan Shipley of Texas (9.4 per game), grabs. Shipley's circus-quality highlights do show up on "College Football Final" an awful lot more, though.

-- Georgia's offense failed to get in the red zone in the Bulldogs' 45-19 loss at Tennessee. It was the first time in 38 meetings that neither the Dawgs nor Vols entered the game ranked.

-- Arkansas held Auburn scoreless in the first quarter of their 44-23 win against the No. 17 Tigers. It marked the first time in 21 quarters this season that Gus Malzahn's offense had failed to put a point on the board.

-- Boston College quarterback Dave Shinskie, a 25 year-old freshman who had previously pitched in the minor leagues, was 0-for-9 passing with two interceptions in the first half of the Eagles' 48-14 loss at Virginia Tech. Shinskie finished 1-12 for 4 yards.

-- How good is Oklahoma's front seven? Baylor's leading rusher in Saturday's 33-7 defeat, Terrance Ganaway, ran four times for 8 yards.

-- Wisconsin's offense doubled up Ohio State's in yardage, 368 to 184, but a pair of pick-sixes by Badger QB Scott Tolzien helped the Buckeyes to a 31-13 win. SEC Squared for the BCS title?

BCS Title Could Be an All-SEC Affair originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Akeem AyersJohn WaltersMon, 12 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST Big 12 Weekend in Review: Career Days For Kansas Triohttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/big-12-weekend-in-review-career-days-for-kansas-trio/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/big-12-weekend-in-review-career-days-for-kansas-trio/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/big-12-weekend-in-review-career-days-for-kansas-trio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We all knew the Kansas Jayhawks offense had a chance to be lethal this season with quarterback Todd Reesing and wide receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier setting the pace.

Well, the trio took it to a ridiculous level Saturday as the receivers bested each other during the Jayhawks' 41-31 win over Iowa State. First Briscoe set the school record for career receptions, then Meier jumped ahead of him. Meier, a converted quarterback, has 167 career catches while Briscoe sits at 165 after making 12 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns Saturday.

Meier also established a new school record with 16 catches in a game, while gaining 142 yards and scoring two receiving touchdowns.

And not to be overlooked were Reesing's career-high 442 yards and four passing touchdowns on the day.

--Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson established a new Big 12 mark by extending his streak of consecutive passes without an interception to 228 during Saturday's 36-31 loss to Oklahoma State.

Ships-A-Hoy!

Texas' Super-Duper senior Jordan Shipley had a monster game during the No. 2 Longhorns' 38-14 victory over Colorado on Saturday.

Shipley, perhaps one of the most underrated players in the country, accounted for 273 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns on the day. The sixth-year senior had 11 catches for 147 yards and a 39-yard touchdown reception. And then he capped his day with a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

A Get Well Card

While 2008's Big 12 leading rusher, Kendall Hunter, nurses an ankle injury, his backup at Oklahoma State, Keith Totson, is continuing to make quite an impression. The senior produced 204 all-purpose yards, rushing for 130 yards on 26 carries and adding 74 yards on two catches against the Aggies.

Happy Return

After missing four weeks and three games, Oklahoma's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford made a triumphant return to the Sooners' lineup Saturday.

And probably even better, Bradford showed no ill-effects from the sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, as he completed 27-of-49 passes for 389 yards and one touchdown during Saturday's rout of Baylor.

The return was just in time as the Sooners get ready to face No. 2 Texas during next week's anticipated annual Red River Rivalry in Dallas.

One thing the Sooners will want to clear up is Bradford's career-high 22 incomplete passes, which were due in large part to a number of drops by the receivers.

Quarterback Controversies Abound

The Colorado fans and boosters may have had enough of quarterback Cody Hawkins for weeks now, but finally his father/coach Dan Hawkins had his fill during the second half of Saturday's loss to Texas, when Cody tossed interceptions on back-to-back series, with the first going for a 92-yard touchdown on the return.

Hawkins yanked his son and pulled the redshirt off sophomore Tyler Hansen, who lost out in the battle with Cody during fall camp. It's the second time in as many seasons Hansen seemed headed for a redshirt year only to have it yanked away during the middle of the season. Last year, it was seven games into the season that Hawkins put Hansen in as Cody struggled. He waited five games this season.

"I guess I'm getting kind of used to burning this redshirt," Hansen joked afterward Saturday. "They came to me last week and gave me a couple of days to decide. It pretty much came down to -- I can get an injury tomorrow and never play again. So when you have the opportunity to play, especially in college at the D-1 level in this atmosphere, you take it."

Obviously, the ball should remain in Hansen's hands the remainder of the 1-4 Buffaloes season, no matter the outcome. Hawkins says Hansen is the starter now. Of course, Hansen has been jerked around plenty of times as Hawkins tries to balance fatherhood and being the head coach of a Division I-A program.

"We're just going to have to see," Hansen said. "We'll do whatever's best for the team. I'm ready to get this thing going. I just want to win games."

Texas Tech, meanwhile, may have a quarterback controversy on its hands in a good way.

With starter Taylor Potts sidelined Saturday with what is believed to be concussion, former walk-on Steven Sheffield came in and the Red Raiders' high-powered offense didn't miss a beat. In fact it seemed fine-tuned with Sheffield throwing for 491 yards and seven touchdowns in the 66-14 slaughter of Kansas State on Saturday.

The offense scored on its first six possessions and nine of its first 10, while scoring the most points in a Big 12 game since defeating Nebraska, 70-10, in 2004.

Oh, what will Mike Leach decide when Potts is ready to return from an injury he doesn't even acknowledge?

A Costly Victory

Texas got the win over the Buffaloes, but may have lost its two top running backs in the process with the Red River Rivalry game against Oklahoma coming up next week.

Not good.

Tailback Vondrell McGee exited the game when he suffered a left shoulder injury Saturday, while Tre' Newton left in the first half with a mild concussion.

The injuries, along with the fact the Longhorns netted just 46 yards on the ground against the Buffaloes, left Mack Brown more than just a little concerned about what was supposed to be an improved ground attack this season.

"What we're trying to do is get better in the running game. It didn't work," said Brown, whose team was surpassed by Alabama for the No.2 spot in the latest AP poll despite defeating Colorado. "We've just got to keep looking at it and keep doing what we need to do."

Big 12 Weekend in Review: Career Days For Kansas Trio originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Cody HawkinsCodyHawkinsDan HawkinsDanHawkinsdezmon briscoeDezmonBriscoeJordan ShipleyJordanShipleykerry meierKerryMeierMack BrownMackBrownMike LeachMikeLeachSam BradfordSamBradfordTodd ReesingToddReesingTre NewtonTreNewtonTyler HansenVondrell McGeeVondrellMcgeeTerrance HarrisSun, 11 Oct 2009 12:28:00 EST Big 12 Notebook: North Heats Uphttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/big-12-notebook-north-heats-up/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/big-12-notebook-north-heats-up/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/big-12-notebook-north-heats-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Maybe it's premature to start trumpeting the return of the Big 12 North, but if the non-conference success of the big-three North teams is any indication this could be an interesting season.

Nebraska and Kansas were expected to dominate the weaker of the league's two divisions, but it appears they will have company. Missouri, which is supposed to be in a rebuilding mode after back-to-back North titles, is off to a surprising 4-0 start that catapulted the program into the Top 25 this week at No. 24.

The North has three teams in Top 25 this week with the 4-0 Jayhawks at No. 16 and the Cornhuskers (3-1) ranked No. 21 in the latest AP poll. But before we anoint the North as the dominant division in the Big 12 this season, let's remember there isn't a Top 25 victory among the top three. So don't expect the national fireworks that the three-way tie in the South between Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech set off last season.

It does, however, make for a potentially interesting race as league play gets going in earnest this week. It should be a lot more interesting than the South race where it looks like the Longhorns are now the clear favorites.

For obvious reasons, nobody is quite ready to discuss the North Division race.

"I am not looking at the big picture at all," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said during Monday's Big 12 coaches call. "The way we are handling things is that we have to take care of the business at hand. A byproduct of having a great season in the North for us is paying attention to each opponent as they come.

"But to tell you where people are, how they are going to be three weeks, a month from now, I'm not able to do that."

Things start off in hurry for this week for Missouri and Nebraska when they open up against each other in primetime Thursday night in Columbia, Mo. in what has become quite an intriguing rivalry. The Cornhuskers once upon a time owned Missouri, but the Tigers have reeled off three straight impressive wins over Nebraska at Faurot Field by an average of 23 points and have won four of the last six meetings in the Gary Pinkel era. The Tigers blasted Nebraska 52-17 at Memorial Stadium last year.

Initially, this seemed like the year Nebraska might be able to swing the rivalry back to its favor, but first-year Mizzou quarterback Blaine Gabbert has been impressive in his replacement of Chase Daniel. Gabbert is coming off a 414-yard, three passing touchdown effort against Nevada on Sept. 25, which bested his 319-yard effort in the season opener against Illinois.

Nebraska, meanwhile, in attempt to return to prominence has been successful against Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State and UL Lafayette while losing a heart-breaker near the end at Virginia Tech in a matchup of Top 25 teams.

So is Nebraska back and is Missouri here to stay?

"I'd like to think yes to both questions," said second-year Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, whose team generated excitement with four straight wins at the end of last season, including 26-21 victory over Clemson in the Gator Bowl. "We still have ways to go. We'll see what happens Thursday."


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Could Griffin Return?

It was generally assumed super sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin was done for the season when he suffered the isolated tear of his right ACL during the first quarter of the win over Northwestern State Sept. 26.

But head coach Art Briles said the surgical procedure that would have cost him the rest of the season has not yet been scheduled. He left open the door that Griffin could return at some point this season. He would obviously lose some mobility but there is a chance Griffin could not injure the knee any worse.

"That's strictly his decision because there are positives and negatives with going either way," Briles said Monday. "That's a decision that will be based on what's best for Robert in the long term."

His loss certainly was a blow to the Bears ending their postseason drought, though they came out of non-conference play 3-1 despite having to start third-string quarterback Nick Florence during Saturday's 31-15 win over Kent State.

Senior backup Blake Szymanski was also injured in the Northwestern State game and was unavailable last week, leaving the freshman as the best option.

Florence completed 20-of-27 passes for 216 yards and did not throw any interceptions while also running for two touchdowns.

"I thought Nick did what we asked him to do and that's to be careful with the football, give us an opportunity to be productive on the offensive side and put us in the position of winning the game," Briles said. "So he did all of those things. He played with a lot of awareness, a lot of intelligence, a lot of passion."

Briles said Monday he still wasn't certain whether Szymanski or Florence would start Saturday at No. 19 Oklahoma.

"As far as Blake, he wasn't available yesterday at workout," he said. "We'll have to see how it looks (Tuesday) when we get back on the field."

Potts' Progress

It's hard to find out any official news on the progress of Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts, who was knocked out of Saturday night's win against New Mexico and hospitalized overnight with an apparent concussion, since head coach Mike Leach won't even acknowledge that he was hurt.

Leach, like most college coaches, has a policy of not discussing injuries. But as with almost anything with Leach, the Red Raiders coach takes his policy over the top by not even being willing to discuss what thousands at Jones AT&T Stadium witnessed.

"He's doing well, a great member of our team and we continue to look forward to his success," Leach said when asked about Potts progress.

When asked if there is any reasonable way Potts could play Saturday against Kansas State after suffering an apparent concussion, Leach remained evasive.

"First of all, I've never acknowledged that an injury exists," Leach said on the Big 12 Conference call. "So write what you want to write."

The only thing Leach did confirm was that offensive lineman and captain Brandon Carter has returned to the team after the team captain was indefinitely suspended last week for violation of team rules. Carter, a guard, practiced with the team Sunday.

Leach has not discussed what Carter did to be suspended and declined to say what transpired to allow him to return to the team after missing all of last week's team activities.

"Since we didn't talk about his case to me to begin with, it seems to me it's an internal matter so we are not going to go into it now," he said.

It's unknown whether or not Carter will resume his role as a team captain.

Kansas State Has QB Dilemma

There probably wasn't anyone in Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday who was surprised when well-traveled senior quarterback Grant Gregory trotted out to start for Kansas State against Iowa State.

That included Gregory, whose workload had certainly increased in the week leading up to the game.

"We have been practicing pretty well overall," Gregory said. "We just go out there every day. Wednesday and Thursday practices I started taking number one reps, but I said I'll believe it when I get on the field."

Gregory quickly became a believer Saturday and perhaps so did many on the Wildcats' sideline as he made several big plays to spark Kansas State to the 24-23 come-from-behind win over the Cyclones. Coach Bill Snyder, who has long favored mobile quarterbacks, went with Gregory over Carson Coffman as the starter for the first time this season.

Both players had played quite a bit throughout the first three games, but Coffman had been the starter. But with Gregory possessing a few more physical tools, including being a better runner, Snyder turned it over to the senior who has played with three different college programs in six years.

And Gregory didn't disappoint, completing 16-of-23 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns while he also ran for 29 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. He threw two fourth quarter touchdowns, which included the go-ahead 54-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Banks with 5:36 left to play.

Surprisingly, Snyder wouldn't commit to Gregory as his starter against Texas Tech.

"I thought Grant did some really positive things in the ballgame. He created some big plays for us, which was important for us to have," he said. "There was certainly some of his performance that needs vast improvement on. There were some mistakes that were critical in the ballgame, threw an interception and some other things.

"There are just things that are going to come with constant focus on improvement and more experience on the field. He's a hard working young guy who is very focuses and conscientious. They will go to the practice field and continue to compete as they have all season."

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In this Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 photo, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden is shown walking the sideline during the second half against Boston College of an NCAA college football game at Alumni Stadium in Boston. Boston College won 28-21. The chairman of the Florida State University trustees wants Bobby Bowden to retire at the end of this season. Jim Smith said Monday, oct. 5, 2009, the arrangement with Bowden as head coach and his successor, Jimbo Fisher, as offensive coordinator isn't working. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
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    In this photo taken Sept. 12, 2009, Illinois' QB Eddie McGee (10) heads down field against Illinois State during the second half of the NCAA college football game at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill. Illinois will start backup quarterback Eddie McGee on Saturday against Michigan State instead of Juice Williams. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

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    In this photo taken Oct. 3, 2009, Illinois' quarterback Juice Williams (7) scrambles out of the pocket against Penn State during the first half of the NCAA college football game in Champaign, Ill. Illinois will start backup quarterback Eddie McGee on Saturday against Michigan State instead of Juice Williams. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

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    In this Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 photo, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden is shown walking the sideline during the second half against Boston College of an NCAA college football game at Alumni Stadium in Boston. Boston College won 28-21. The chairman of the Florida State University trustees wants Bobby Bowden to retire at the end of this season. Jim Smith said Monday, oct. 5, 2009, the arrangement with Bowden as head coach and his successor, Jimbo Fisher, as offensive coordinator isn't working. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

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    In this photo made Oct. 3, 2009, Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher makes a call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Boston College at Alumni Stadium in Boston. Boston College won 28-21. The chairman of the Florida State University trustees wants Bobby Bowden to retire at the end of this season. Jim Smith said Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, the arrangement with Bowden as head coach and his successor, Jimbo Fisher, as offensive coordinator isn't working. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

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    Washington State running back Logwone Mitz, top, attempts to leap in for a touchdown but is stopped short by the Oregon defensive during the second half of their NCAA college football game in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. Oregon beat Washington 52-6.

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    In this Oct. 3, 2009 photograph, Mississippi State linebacker K.J. Wright (34) attempts to block a first half pass by Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt (9) during their NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss. Josh Nesbitt is making it tough on defensive coordinators. The Georgia Tech quarterback did a little bit of everything the last two weeks, baffling defenses in wins over Mississippi State and North Carolina. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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    Stanford running back Toby Gerhart (7) scores a touchdown past UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner (1) in the first quarter of their NCAA football game in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    Houston quarterback Case Keenum and UTEP defender Aaron King chase a fumble during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 in El Paso, Texas. Keenum was unable to recover the ball and it was instead picked up by UTEP's Roddray Walker and run 70 yards for a touchdown. (AP Photo/Victor Calzada)

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    Houston's Brandon Brinkley agonized after UTEP's Donald Buckram scored his fourth touchdown of the evening during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 in El Paso, Texas. UTEP linemen celebrated with Buckram in the background. (AP Photo/Victor Calzada)

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    UTEP defender Roddray Walker sprints 70 yards for touchdown after recovering a Houston fumble during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Victor Calzada)

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Jayhawks Might Turn Sharp Loose

Kansas running back Jake Sharp could be back in the lineup Saturday against Iowa State, but Mangino isn't saying yet.

Sharp suffered an unknown injury in a non-contact drill in the week leading up to the Sept. 19 Duke game and since playing sparingly against the Blue Devils he sat out the Southern Miss game and the Jayhawks had a bye this past week.

"For Jake, we feel pretty good about his progress," Mangino said. "We will see him all-out, full-speed on the practice field this week, and if he's feeling good and no effects, he will play against Iowa State."

In his absence, freshman Toben Opurum has turned quite a few heads with his versatility. During the 44-16 win over Duke, he put up a total of 120 yards while scoring two touchdowns and averaging 4.1 yards per play. He came back the following week and rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown while catching two passes for 21 yards, which included a 12-yard touchdown.

Mangino said the bye week was good learning time for the freshman.

Toben got a chance to assess what he has done," he said. "He's gone over with his coaches all the positive things and all the things he needs to work on. So it was a very positive big week of learning for Toben."

Longhorns not overlooking Colorado

The second-ranked Texas Longhorns have a big one in couple weeks against the Sooners in the annual Red River Classic game in Dallas.

But before then, they will host struggling Colorado on Saturday. Head coach Mack Brown said there is no way his team overlooks the Buffaloes.

"It's something that comes up because OU is like a bowl game in the middle of the football season," Brown said." But this football team is excited about the home game this weekend against Colorado. We'll have over 100,000 here plus they had a weekend off so we are pumped. We've had some great ballgames with Colorado since we've been here and I do think our fans will get excited about this game, as well.

"We do understand we have to get better. We have not played near our best yet. This weekend gives us a chance to improve on some things we were able to look at and re-evaluate over the bye week."

Big 12 Notebook: North Heats Up originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Art BrilesArtBrilesBill SnyderBillSnyderBlaine GabbertBlaineGabbertBo PeliniBoPeliniBrandon CarterChase DanielChaseDanielGary PinkelGaryPinkelJake SharpJakeSharpMack BrownMackBrownmark manginoMarkManginoMike LeachMikeLeachRobert GriffinRobertGriffintaylor pottsTaylorPottsToben OpurumTerrance HarrisMon, 05 Oct 2009 23:30:00 EST Big 12 Notebook: Texas' Tre Newton Earns Starting Job on the Runhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/21/big-12-notebook-texas-tre-newton-earns-starting-job-on-the-run/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/21/big-12-notebook-texas-tre-newton-earns-starting-job-on-the-run/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/21/big-12-notebook-texas-tre-newton-earns-starting-job-on-the-run/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tre NewtonIt was of little surprise Monday when Texas coach Mack Brown named redshirt freshman running back Tre' Newton as the starter for Saturday's UTEP game.

Newton gave the second-ranked Longhorns everything they had been looking for in a tailback for the last two seasons during Saturday's win over Texas Tech, picking up difficult yards and moving the chains. Filling in for injured starter Vondrell McGee in the second half, Newton rushed for 88 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.

His 18 carries for 81 yards in the second half proved pivotal in keeping Texas Tech's explosive offense off the field as the Longhorns escaped with a 34-24 win. It was the inability of the Longhorns backs to pick up critical yards late that paved the way for their upset loss to Tech last season.

"He was like he has been every time we've seen him," Brown said. "We've just got to keep playing him more."

Coming into fall camp, Newton and redshirt freshman D.J. Monroe seemed to take a backseat to proven tailbacks Cody Johnson, Fozzy Whittaker, McGee and even true freshman Chris Whaley. But Newton has stepped up with McGee and Whittaker continuing to struggle to stay healthy.

Starting out the second half after McGee tweaked his ankle Saturday, Newton made an impact on the opening drive with carries of 6 and 7 yards before he burst through the line for a 19-yard touchdown run that put the Longhorns ahead 17-3.

That was all the UT coaches needed to see to keep running him for the remainder of the night.

"Tre' has good patience, good vision," said UT offensive coordinator Greg Davis. "We had a couple guys who were (banged) up and we just felt like he was healthy and playing well."

Newton, the son of former Dallas Cowboy great Nate Newton, was excited after receiving his first extended opportunity Saturday night.

"It felt good," said Newton, who leads the Longhorns backs with 178 yards in three games. "Going into the game I was backing up Vondrell, just ready to do whatever they asked me to do. I just try to make sure I'm always ready for when the opportunity comes."

A learning experience for the Cornhuskers

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini couldn't hide his frustration on the sideline Saturday afternoon as Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed an 11-yard touchdown with 21 seconds remaining to rally the Hokies to a 16-15 win over the Cornhuskers.

The Cornhuskers came so close to the signature win the program needs. But two big plays -- the 11-yard touchdown pass and then a 76-yard kickoff return run that set up a one-yard touchdown in the first quarter -- were really all that denied Nebraska its biggest win in years.

Pelini was a little more philosophical Monday than he was on the sideline Saturday after the 11-yard touchdown pass.

"You have to finish things off and you have to execute for four quarters and unfortunately we didn't do that and it cost us," he said. "That's what we are working towards, getting that aspect fixed.

"I've moved on, we've moved on. It doesn't change whether we stopped them on that last drive or not. There is a lot of things we need to get fixed and it shouldn't have come down to that anyway. We had plenty of opportunities to put that game away on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Everybody contributed to us not finishing that game off."

Still, Pelini realizes the value in such a game even in loss. The Cornhuskers went into a hostile environment against a top-25 opponent and played better in all facets, except the final score.

"Playing in a game like that helps you get ready for conference play because you've been tested, you've been in a tough environment and we know we are going to face that once we get into conference play," said Pelini, whose team dropped down to No.25 in the latest AP poll. "So I think we will be a better football team because of it."

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Fuller out for 4-6 Weeks at A&M

It wasn't much of a shock when Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman confirmed Monday that star sophomore receiver Jeff Fuller will miss four to six weeks after cracking a bone in his leg.

But what was a little surprising was to hear that doesn't mean backup quarterback/receiver Ryan Tannehill will necessarily see his workload increase at receiver. Tannehill, a sophomore, showed he was a true natural last season at receiver.

He competed with Jerrod Johnson for the starting quarterback spot, as promised by Sherman, during spring and fall practices but lost in his bid to unseat Johnson. Tannehill views himself as a quarterback who can play receiver though his heart is really at quarterback.

His value to the Aggies is at receiver, but Tannehill's desire is to be a college quarterback. Certainly Sherman finds himself in an awkward situation.

"You have to really appreciate Ryan to see him practice and throw the football to realize he really is a quarterback," said Sherman, whose team hosts UAB on Saturday. "But he keeps playing receiver, I'm sure from the outside looking in and even from my standpoint, he's equally adept at both. It's a very unique combination. I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like it."

Tannehill has thrived as a receiver, who doesn't put in the work meeting with the receivers and rarely practices. Yet goes into the games and excels with limited work.

"He sits with the quarterbacks, he doesn't meet with the receivers, he doesn't practice receiver a lot, just certain plays at certain times," Sherman said. "It's just amazing to me what he does with the limited amount of time. You can argue both sides of the coin but to appreciate him as a quarterback you have to watch him in practice."

So instead of seeing Tannehill's reps increase and introducing more risk to the No.2 quarterback spot, Sherman said you can expect to see more of freshmen Brandal Jackson and Kenric McNeal along with an increased workload for Uzoma Nwachukwu and Terrence McCoy to fill Fuller's void.

Baylor's run defense gets exposed

Two weeks after a feel-good road win at Wake Forest, Baylor seemed like the same old Bears during Saturday's deflating 30-22 home loss to UConn.

The Bears allowed UConn to run the ball down their throats the entire game in front of 40,147 at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Huskies picked up 235 yards of their 382 total yards on the ground, while winning the time of possession battle 39:44 to 20:16.

Andre Dixon led the way for UConn with 149 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries while Jordan Todman accounted for 103 yards, marking the second time the duo had both eclipsed the 100-yard barrier in the same game.

"It was embarrassing as a defense to get the ball run down our throats like that," Baylor safety Jordan Lake said to the Waco Tribune. "We knew they were going to run the ball, but we didn't come out with the energy we needed to stop them up front. They did a good job of using their big line to push the ball downfield, and then Dixon would pop out and get four or five more yards."

Baylor coach Art Briles and his staff will likely have to restore a lot of confidence in his defensive front before having to face the likes of Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter or Missouri's Derrick Washington during the Big 12 season.

"As far as the defensive line and stopping the run, that's something you've got to be able to do," Briles said. "That's something each week is an opportunity to get better at. We know what we need to do now we need to go out and do it. We'll have that opportunity this Saturday."

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A swarming Alabama defense stops North Texas running back Jeremi Mathis (24) during the second half of an NCAA college football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. Defending for Alabama is Cory Reamer (13), Luther Davis (96), Nick Gentry (58) and Kerry Murphy (64). Alabama won 53-7. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
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    In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy talks with coaches during a fourth quarter time out in his team's 34-24 NCAA college football victory over Texas Tech in Austin, Texas. McCoy had the flu last week, causing him to miss a day of practice and kept him out of most drills. By Saturday night's game, he said he was still not feeling 100 percent. But a halftime spent downing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and slugging back a hydration drink, made him feel better. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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    In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, Texas wide receiver Dan Buckner is shown during the pregame warmup before his team's 34-24 NCAA college football victory over Texas Tech in Austin, Texas. With Buckner in the lineup, quarterback Colt Mc Coy has a new passing target in the Longhorns' offense. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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    A swarming Alabama defense stops North Texas running back Jeremi Mathis (24) during the second half of an NCAA college football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. Defending for Alabama is Cory Reamer (13), Luther Davis (96), Nick Gentry (58) and Kerry Murphy (64). Alabama won 53-7. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Texas head football coach Mack Brown talks on his headset during the fourth quarter of his team's 34-24 NCAA college football victory over Texas Tech Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. For the second week in a row, the Longhorns used their quick-snap "jet" tempo to pull themselves out of the doldrums of a clunky first half and rode it to a victory. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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    Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy talks with coaches during a fourth quarter time out in their 34-24 NCAA college football victory over Texas Tech Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. For the second week in a row, the Longhorns used their quick-snap "jet" tempo to pull themselves out of the doldrums of a clunky first half and rode it to a victory. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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    PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: UCLA Bruins head coach Rick Neuheisel looks on from the sideline in the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at the Rose Bowl on September 19, 2009 in Pasadena, California. UCLA defeated Kansas State 23-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rick Neuheisel

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    PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder looks on during the first half against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on September 19, 2009 in Pasadena, California. UCLA defeated Kansas State 23-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bill Snyder

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    PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Alterraun Verner #1 of the UCLA Bruins is brought down by Brandon Banks #83 of the Kansas State Wildcats after intercepting a pass in the first half at the Rose Bowl on September 19, 2009 in Pasadena, California. UCLA defeated Kansas State 23-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alterraun Verner;Brandon Banks

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    PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Kevin Craft #3 of the UCLA Bruins congratulates teammate Eddie Williams #62 following a touchdown against the Kansas State Wildcats in the fourth quater at the Rose Bowl on September 19, 2009 in Pasadena, California. UCLA defeated Kansas State 23-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Craft;Eddie Williams

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    PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder yells towards the bench during the first half against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on September 19, 2009 in Pasadena, California. UCLA defeated Kansas State 23-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bill Snyder

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Stoops could have QB quandary

With a bye coming this week, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Monday he doesn't want to begin speculating about the availability of Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford for the Oct. 3 mega non-conference showdown at Miami.

Bradford has been out since opening week when he suffered a shoulder injury.

"No updates on Sam but he continues to do well," Stoops said Monday. "But we are not getting into any speculations about when."

The way redshirt freshman Landry Jones is playing could be a reason Stoops doesn't have to worry about his quarterback position. Jones is coming off one of the best performances of any freshman quarterback in NCAA history.

Jones threw six touchdowns in the Sooners' 45-0 win over Tulsa on Saturday, the second most touchdown passes in a game by a freshman in NCAA history. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after also completing 25-of-37 passes for 336 yards against Tulsa.

"I feel good. I think if it is Landry he's handling it really well," said Stoops, whose team jumped up to No. 10 in the AP poll this week. "He's been nothing but consistent and solid. I think more than anything it's the players around him and in the last couple of weeks the players around him have played better. Regardless of who is in that position, the players around him have to protect that position. You have to protect him, you've got to be able to run the ball, you have to be able to get open and catch it when you have the opportunities.

"But as far as his part, he's doing a really good job."

Muckelroy honored

Middle linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy showed up big for the Longhorns Saturday night, constantly harassing quarterback Taylor Potts and serving as virtual shadow to Texas Tech running Baron Batch all night.

Muckelroy finished the night with seven tackles, which including two tackles for loss, and one sack while playing a major role in the Longhorns limiting the Red Raiders to minus-6 yards rushing.

Muckelroy was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

"I've been very proud of his progress, he's started all three games for us at the Mike (middle linebacker)," said UT defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. "He's a guy you enjoy to coach in the way he approaches the game. He certainly showed up (Saturday) an awful lot and played well."

Big 12 Notebook: Texas' Tre Newton Earns Starting Job on the Run originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>art brilesArtBrilesbo pelinibob stoopsBobStoopsBoPelinidemarco murrayDemarcoMurrayderrick washingtonDerrickWashingtonfozzy whittakerFozzyWhittakerjeff fullerJeffFullerkendall hunterKendallHunterlandry jonesLandryJonesmack brownMackBrownmike shermanMikeShermannate newtonNateNewtonroddrick muckelroyRoddrickMuckelroyryan tannenhillRyanTannenhillsam bradfordSamBradfordtaylor pottsTaylorPottstre newtonTreNewtontyrod taylorTyrodTaylorvondrell mcgeeVondrellMcgeewill muschampWillMuschampTerrance HarrisMon, 21 Sep 2009 20:20:00 EST Dan Hawkins Sounding Like Mike Gundy When It Comes to Sportswritershttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/dan-hawkins-sounding-like-mike-gundy-when-it-comes-to-sports-wri/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/dan-hawkins-sounding-like-mike-gundy-when-it-comes-to-sports-wri/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/dan-hawkins-sounding-like-mike-gundy-when-it-comes-to-sports-wri/#commentsFiled under: ,

BOULDER, Colo. -- For a minute, it looked as if Dan Hawkins was going to make like Mike Gundy did two years ago, and declare, "I'm a man. I'm 40."

It was Gundy, Oklahoma State's coach, who directed that at a female sports writer who had been critical of the team's quarterback. He made a point of mentioning the reporter didn't have any children.

What is it about whether sports writers have children and Big 12 football.

There was Hawkins, the embattled Colorado coach, following his team's 24-0 whitewash Saturday over Wyoming, going the children route.


"Unfortunately, in this business (of sports media), there's not a lot of you that have children,'' Hawkins said in his rant. "I don't know why that is. But when you have kids you love them up and you give them unconditional love. And you hang in there.

"And sometimes they flunk science and sometimes they strike out. And sometimes they drop fly balls. And sometimes they miss last-second shots. But when you're a true parent and you're a true teacher and you hang in there, you keep believing in them and you keep working on things and eventually it turns.''

And sometimes the kid overthrows receivers. Hawkins should know about that since his son, Cody Hawkins, just happens to be the quarterback for the woeful Buffaloes.

Or should we say the once-woeful Buffaloes.

"This is the real Colorado,'' said Colorado wide receiver Markques Simas on the field after the game in a fit of glee.

Who knows what this team was in the first two weeks of the season. The real Tulane?

The Buffaloes lost to in-state rival Colorado State 23-17 in their opener and then were embarrassed on national television 54-38 by Toledo. In those two games, the defense gave up 1,000 yards.

It got so bad Colorado linebacker Marcus Burton, a co-captain, showed up for a geology class last Monday. Suddenly, his professor singled him out while ripping the team, saying the study of rocks was as exciting as watching the Buffaloes play.

"He was basically saying that we weren't playing well in comparison to how boring the class was,'' said Burton, who said his professor did apologize to him later in the week for calling out Burton and the team in class.

But the real heat entering the game was being thrown at coach Hawkins, whose record had dropped to 13-26 in his fourth season at Colorado. There was speculation by some that, if the Buffaloes lost to Wyoming, Hawkins might want to keep walking after his post-game handshake with Cowboys coach Dave Christensen.

All was much better after the Buffaloes beat a lackluster Wyoming team thanks to tailback Rodney Stewart running for 127 yards and two touchdowns and the defense stepping up, allowing just 230 yards. Players were smiling and celebrating afterward.

But Hawkins wasn't doing much of that.

"It's easy to stand outside of the arena and point fingers and say you're not good enough and criticize and be negative,'' he said in his opening remarks after the game. "But, when you're in the arena and you're scrapping, you're never that far away from victory and you're never that far away from defeat. And until you're in the arena, until you've gone through it a time or two, until you've done some things in your life, until you've strived and you've succeeded and you've failed... people don't get that.''

So, evidently, not only do not many sports writers have children, they haven't strapped on helmets and laced up cleats.

Hawkins couldn't resist taking dig after dig after the game at all the reporters last week who speculated he was on the hot seat. He lauded the 50,535 fans who showed up even though "you've got everybody flipping dirt on you.''

OK, so the Buffaloes aren't buried yet. But Saturday's win won't result in a lot of shovels being put back in the tool shed.

Colorado already has dropped two supposedly very winnable games. The schedule soon gets brutal with the next two games at West Virginia and at Texas in the Big 12 conference owner. Also showing up on the conference schedule are the likes of Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma State.

Yes, those are the same Cowboys who are coached by the guy in Stillwater who has reminded us he is "a man'' and has children.

Speaking of children, Hawkins' son was just so-so Saturday. He did complete 17-of-31 passes for 175 yards but he overthrew receivers a number of times, including two balls that looked to be easy touchdowns had they been on line.

At least the younger Hawkins didn't get antagonistic after the game, like his old man.

"It's nice to know people care,'' he said when asked about all of the negativism entering the game from the media, including the speculation surrounding his father's future. "It's nice to know guys around you care so much. I thought there was a lot of confidence in the locker room.

"Just because we didn't perform the way we wanted (in the first two games), there was no reason to slap the panic button and start freaking out. College football is a long season, and that's going to be tough because we do play a lot of great teams too. But we're a great team too. We just have to go out and play like that.''

Sounds like the son is more level-headed about all of this than the father. Than again, what would a sports writer without any kids know?

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.
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SOUTH BEND, IN - SETPEMBER 19: Brian Linthicum #88 of the Michigan State Spartans fights off Harrison Smith #22 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 19, 2009 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Michigan State 33-30. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brian Linthicum;Harrison Smith
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    SMU head coach June Jones gets ready to yell to his players during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Washington State Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009 at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash. Washington State won 30-27 in overtime. (AP Photo/Dean Hare)

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    AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Running back Tre' Newton #23 of the Texas Longhorns runs the ball against Victor Hunter #52 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tre' Newton;Victor Hunter

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    AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Taylor Potts #15 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drops back to pass against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Taylor Potts

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    AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Colt McCoy #12 of the Texas Longhorns drops back to pass against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Colt McCoy

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    AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Colt McCoy #12 of the Texas Longhorns is sacked by Richard Jones #99 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Richard Jones;Colt McCoy

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    Texas' Colt McCoy (12) runs past Texas Tech defender Bront Bird, right, during the second quarter of their NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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    Texas' Colt McCoy (12) throws against Texas Tech during the second quarter of their NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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    Georgia quarterback Joe Cox passes during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/April L Brown)

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    Texas Tech safety Cody Davis (16) puts to stop on Texas wide receiver Dan Buckner on a pass during the first quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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    Buffalo president John Simpson, second from left, Willie Evans, Jack Dempsey, and the rest of the 1958 Buffalo team are honored by Central Florida president John Hitt and Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty during halftime of an NCAA college football game between the two schools in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. Willie Evans was one of two African-American players on the 1958 Buffalo team that voted not to play in the Tangerine Bowl that year due to the stadium's policy against racially integrated events. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

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Dan Hawkins Sounding Like Mike Gundy When It Comes to Sportswriters originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Dan HawkinsMike GundyChris TomassonSat, 19 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST Sal Aunese, T.C. McCartney Noted at 20th Anniversaryhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/sal-aunese-t-c-mccartney-noted-at-20th-anniversary/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/sal-aunese-t-c-mccartney-noted-at-20th-anniversary/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/19/sal-aunese-t-c-mccartney-noted-at-20th-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: ,



Sal Aunese, the Colorado quarterback who died of stomach cancer during what would have been his senior season, is being remembered this weekend on the 20th anniversary of his death. And a big part of that remembrance is T.C. McCartney, the LSU backup quarterback who is the son of Aunese and Kristy McCartney, daughter of then-Colorado coach Bill McCartney.

ESPN is running a series of pieces this weekend about Aunese, but it's T.C. McCartney who makes this story more than just an anniversary of a tragic death.

McCartney -- whose coach at LSU, Les Miles, was a Colorado assistant when Aunese played there -- views his own college football career as one that keeps his father's spirit alive.

"I think a lot of what keeps me going is continuing his legacy," T.C. McCartney said in a story by ESPN's Tom Friend. "Finishing what he started, that's what my whole football career, I've always thought about. He didn't get to see it through, so maybe I'll be able to get on the field and see it through one day."

Sal Aunese, T.C. McCartney Noted at 20th Anniversary originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bill McCartneyBillMccartneySal AuneseSalAuneseT.C. McCartneyT.c.MccartneyMichael David SmithSat, 19 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST Big 12 Notebook: Overrated?http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/big-12-notebook-overrated/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/big-12-notebook-overrated/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/big-12-notebook-overrated/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oklahoma State, HoustonEvery college football season there seems to be at least one major conference that's projected to be among the best , only to find out it's all just hype.

Could this season be the Big 12's turn?

Projected to be one of the top two conferences in the country, along with the SEC, there is now a small mountain of evidence indicating the Big 12 isn't the conference we thought it would be. The league has already suffered more than it share of stunning upsets in non-conference play, starting at the top.

Oklahoma, the preseason favorite with Texas to win the Big 12 South and the nation's third-ranked team to start the year, had its hopes of another BCS national championship berth jolted after an opening week loss to BYU. This past weekend, Oklahoma State, ranked fifth in the nation (their highest ranking in 24 years, following a win over Georgia) came falling back to reality when Houston strolled out of Stillwater with a convincing upset.

Just like that, the Big 12 lost two of its three Top 10 team preseason teams, leaving No.2 Texas carrying the weight of the Big 12 by itself. But even the Longhorns struggled at Wyoming in the first half last week before pulling away from the Cowboys, as did Missouri against Bowling Green.

It certainly seems as though the Big 12's quest for a third BCS national championship appearance in five years is already in jeopardy. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, whose team moved back up to No.12 in this week's AP poll, believes it's too early to make such assertions.

"There is a ton of football to go," Stoops said. "I've never tried to project in the first or second week where you are going to be for a Big 12 or national title. It's a long road, so you have to keep working and try to improve as you go."

But early evidence says the league has a lot of work to do to make up for the perception-altering performances of its top teams. In addition to the Oklahoma State loss last weekend, Kansas State also went to Louisiana-Lafayette and suffered a stunning defeat to the Ragin Cajuns of the Sun Belt Conference. And then there is Colorado, which doesn't seem capable of beating anyone after falling apart against Mid-American Conference foe Toledo on Friday night to fall to 0-2 on the season.

So far this season, the Big 12 has suffered defeats to the Mountain West, Conference USA, Sun Belt and Mid-American Conference. None of the other major conference can make that claim to this point.

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In this Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Northwestern's Stefan Demos celebrates after kicking the game-winning 49-yard field goal against Eastern Michigan in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Evanston, Ill. Northwestern won 27-24. (AP Photo/David Banks)
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    In this Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Northwestern's Stefan Demos celebrates after kicking the game-winning 49-yard field goal against Eastern Michigan in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Evanston, Ill. Northwestern won 27-24. (AP Photo/David Banks)

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    In this Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, photo Penn State linebacker Sean Lee, left, walks away after sacking Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus, right, during the second half of their NCAA college football game in State College, Pa. Lee was so active against Syracuse, it seemed like the Penn State linebacker spent all day leveling opponents behind the line of scrimmage. Any lingering doubts about the health of his surgically-repaired right knee were erased in a dominating performance against the Orange. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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    In this Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, photo, Penn State linebacker Sean Lee (45) stands with assistant coach Tom Bradley on the sideline during the second half of their college football game against Syracuse in State College, Pa. Lee was so active against Syracuse, it seemed like the Penn State linebacker spent all day leveling opponents behind the line of scrimmage. Any lingering doubts about the health of his surgically-repaired right knee were erased in a dominating performance against the Orange. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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    Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers rushes for a key fourth quarter gain on the wiining drive of the Beavers 23-21 win over UNLV in an NCAA college football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2009 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Daniel Gluskoter)

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    COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 12: Running back Stafon Johnson #13 of the USC Trojans celebrates in the end zone with teammate Jarvis Jones #10 after scoring a two yard touchdown in the fourth quarter over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 12, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio. USC won the game 18-15. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stafon Johnson; Jarvis Jones

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    COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 12: Running back Stafon Johnson #13 of the USC Trojans celebrates in the end zone after scoring a two yard touchdown in the fourth quarter over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 12, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio. USC won the game 18-15. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stafon Johnson

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    Purdue head coach Danny Hope, left, confers with referees on a call that kept the Boilermakers from tying the game with just seconds left during the second half of their NCAA college football game against Oregon in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. Oregon beat Purdue 38-36.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

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    Utah players celebrate a 24-14 win over San Jose State in an NCAA college football game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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    Utah running back Sausan Shakerin (22) breaks through for a long run late in the fourth quarter against San Jose State in an NCAA college football game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. Utah won 24-14. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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    COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 12: Running back Stafon Johnson #13 of the USC Trojans celebrates in the end zone with teammate Jarvis Jones #10 after scoring a two yard touchdown in the fourth quarter over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 12, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio. USC won the game 18-15. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stafon Johnson; Jarvis Jones

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"It's a 12-game season. It's a grind," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said to FanHouse. "I wouldn't judge the Big 12 on the first couple weeks. I really think you have to look at the body of work throughout the season. Those kind of discussions arise at the end of the year.

"Sure there has been some games where we've gotten beat when we were favored, but I think you have to look at the whole body of work and wait until the season is over because this is a pretty doggone good conference."

Stoops seems to think what we've seen so far in the Big 12 early is just a symptom of parity created by the scholarship limits. So far we've seen Boise State dominate Oregon and Central Michigan delivered a blow to Michigan State to name a few other upsets outside of the Big 12.

"In the end there are a lot of good teams and if you are not at your best anybody can beat you," Stoops said. "I don't know that that's like any other year or unlike any other conference. I think you see it around the country with everybody every year.

"Every week you see different people with upsets around the country. I don't know any year that hasn't been the case."


Fast-Break Offenses

The Big 12 season kicks off Saturday when No. 2 Texas hosts Texas Tech in what should be a fast-paced, high scoring affair based on what both teams have showed so far.

Through the first two games, both teams lead the Big 12 in scoring offense. The Longhorns, behind the proven arm of Colt McCoy, are averaging 50 points per game and have scored 13 touchdowns combined against Louisiana-Monroe and Wyoming.

Mike Leach's Red Raiders, who seemed to have invented fast-break offense in college football, are second in the conference in scoring offense with first-year starting quarterback Taylor Potts after averaging 46.5 points and having scored a total of 13 touchdowns against North Dakota and Rice.

Both teams also rank around the middle of the pack in the Big 12 in scoring defense.

"This will be a great fan game," said UT coach Mack Brown. "There is going to be balls flying all over the place. People come to see offense. Both defenses are improved, they're playing well but I'm going to tell you there will be some sparks flying in this game on offense because we're more uptempo than we've ever been and Tech has been that way from the beginning. So I think it will be a great game to watch."

It will be interesting to see how both offenses handle the obvious elevation in competition.

Snyder staying the course

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said he doesn't anticipate making a change at either quarterback or placekicker, despite some obvious struggles in both areas in the first two games.

Quarterbacks Carson Coffman and Grant Gregory have combined to complete just 49.1 percent of their passes. The Wildcats struggled early against Louisiana-Lafayette before scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter prior to falling to a late field goal.

But Snyder says he doesn't anticipate a change heading into Saturday's game at UCLA.

"We have what we have," he said. "I don't know that we could go any further than we are right now."

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The same goes for junior placekicker Josh Cherry, who has missed all three of his field goal attempts through the first two games. Cherry missed two field goals in the loss to ULL and also missed on an extra point attempt.

"The major thing right now is to re-establish his confidence," Snyder said. "He's a very intent young guy, he really cares, he's very genuine. He's pained by it, as well, and I certainly understand it and appreciate that. I have great confidence in him and will continue to work with him. I think he will continue to move forward and eventually become the kicker I'm quite confident he's capable of becoming."

But most glaring right now is the play of Snyder's quarterbacks. Both went into fall camp in a tight race for the job, but Coffman emerged as the starter.

So far Coffman has struggle, completing just 27 of 52 passes for 360 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Gregory has been worse after not completing a pass in four attempts.

"It's quite obvious that we need to have substantial improvement at that position," Snyder said. "We have to make better decisions, we have to throw the ball more accurately. Those are the two main situations and get us in the right plays we can get into and not put us jeopardy. It's just a matter of trying to make improvement and that's true of the entirety of our football team.

"We are trying to make improvements at every position we have but the quarterback position stands out dramatically for any football team and it's quite obvious we need those improvements."

Tech not missing a beat at QB

Taylor Potts is just two games into his first year as a starter and already he seems on the way to being another record-setting Red Raiders quarterback.

Potts was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after completing 36 of 57 passes for 456 yards and seven touchdowns in the 55-10 win over Rice on Saturday. Potts became the first Raiders quarterback to throw for at least seven touchdowns in a game since B.J. Symons tossed eight touchdowns against Texas A&M in 2003.

After two games, Potts leads the Big 12 in passing with 430.5 yards per game to go along with nine touchdowns and just three interceptions. He has also completed 70 of 105 attempts for 861 yards.

"He's playing and is getting better every game out there," Leach said. "He's thrown for a bunch of yards both games and he's getting sharper and sharper."


Cowboys hope to recover

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy compares the uphill battle his Cowboys face in trying to recover from Saturday's stunning loss to University of Houston to challenges of recovering from failure in everyday life.

"The only difference in college football than any other aspect of life is we are in the public eye.," Gundy said. "Everything we do, every weekend people see it and there is a lot of talk about it. There are great lessons to be learned here."

The Cowboys, who went from No.5 in the country to No.16 this week, begin their recovery process Saturday when Rice pays a visit to Boone Pickens Stadium.

Cody Hawkins expected to play for Buffaloes

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins said he expects his son, quarterback Cody Hawkins, to play Saturday when Wyoming comes into Boulder.

Hawkins suffered a mild concussion at the end of Friday's loss to Toledo.

Big 12 Notebook: Overrated? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>bill snyderBillSnyderbob stoopsBobStoopscarson coffmanCarsonCoffmancody hawkinsCodyHawkinsColt McCoyColtMccoydan hawkinsDanHawkinsgrant gregoryGrantGregorymack brownMackBrownmark manginoMarkManginomike gundyMikeGundytaylor pottsTaylorPottsTerrance HarrisTue, 15 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST Hawkins' Tenure at Colorado Becoming an Embarrassmenthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/hawkins-tenure-at-colorado-becoming-an-embarrassment/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/hawkins-tenure-at-colorado-becoming-an-embarrassment/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/hawkins-tenure-at-colorado-becoming-an-embarrassment/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dan HawkinsPerhaps Colorado coach Dan Hawkins somewhere internally knew his tenure was in trouble when he made the infamous 10-win prediction prior to this season.

That's what desperate coaches do to soothe a restless fan base. Smart ones just shut up and coach.

But two games into Hawkins' fourth season in Boulder, we're finding out Boise State isn't exactly the cradle of coaches and that it's time for the Hawkins experiment to end. The Buffaloes' latest embarrassment, a 54-38 drubbing at the hands of middle of the pact Mid-American Conference foe Toledo on Friday night at the Glass Bowl.

The Rockets led 23-3 at halftime and 30-3 before their first punt in the third quarter before Colorado made it deceptively interesting between late in the third quarter and the fourth.

Fans may not have wanted Hawkins to board the plane early Saturday morning. They certainly don't want the unimpressive Hawkins coaching the Buffaloes any longer.

"It's the nature of the beast that (fans) want us to win," Hawkins said. "All I can do is all I can do. We're going to have some supporters, we're going to have some detractors.

"I can't control what people think, nor am I willing. I know inside our program we're doing things right ... we've just got to grow up a little, get our momentum to turn and it can be way different."

Chances of that are about as likely as former Buffs coaches Rick Neuheisel and Gary Barnett leading the way at Holy Cross. Hawkins' body of work at Colorado, a 13-26 record, has been way too shameful. His Buffaloes' start to their supposed 10-win season -- blowout losses to ... ummm, Colorado State and Toledo -- have been way too unforgivable.

If a quarterback like Aaron Opelt, who hasn't come close to distinguishing himself in the MAC, can blister the Buffaloes defense for 428 total yard and six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing), what is Heisman Trophy candidate Colt McCoy going to do when Colorado visits Texas on Oct. 10th? What about Todd Reesing and the Kansas Jayhawks on Oct. 17th or Blaine Gabbert and Missouri on Halloween or Zac Robinson and Oklahoma State's high-powered offense on Nov. 19th.

Can you say bombs away?

CU athletic director Mike Bohn fired Barnett after the Buffaloes were torched by the Longhorns, 70-3, in the 2005 Big 12 championship game. These first two losses this season to CSU and Toledo, in which the Buffaloes dug deep first-half holes for themselves, are worse.

The onus is now on Bohn, who plucked Hawkins from Boise State after a few successful seasons, to end the misery in Boulder. Bohn sounds like a man who knows what must be done and is now beginning the process of dotting the I's and crossing the T's.

"I know there's anger. How are we going to respond? Are we going to start knee-jerking?" Bohn said to the Denver Post following Friday night's fiasco in Toledo. "If we decided it was time to go the Johnny Next Coach route, what kind of message would that send?"

It would send the message Colorado is serious about winning and returning to its national championship contention ways. Doing nothing would set the program way too far back with Nebraska on a resurgence in the Big 12 North. Prized running back recruit Darrell Scott is probably already having second thoughts about choosing the Buffaloes over Texas after the first two games of his college career.

Hawkins is placing the blame everywhere but where it belongs and that's with him and the weak arm of his quarterback son Cody, who apparently suffered a mild concussion at the end of Friday night's game. Sure, the defense gave up 624 yards of total offense to the Rockets on Friday night, but the evidence of Cody's lack of growth in three years was much more glaring.

Due to another slow start, Cody was forced to throw 64 passes against Toledo. And he was often off the mark as he overthrew several receivers, while completing 30 of them for 356 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Still, Hawkins seemed to place the greatest blame on the defensive side of the ball.

"Man ... we just have to look at (the defense)," Hawkins said on the school's website. "There were too many big plays, that's for sure. It's a little bit of a getting adjusted issue in the game."

That might make sense in the first year of a coaching staff. It's inexcusable in the fourth.

Certainly Bohn knows as much. He's just trying to buy some time as he wonders about the wisdom in extending Hawkins last year through 2012, but his rationalizations in the process seem a little odd.

"How many times did Texas and Oklahoma take to get the right coach? About four," Bohn said to the Post. "But we're not about to give up on Dan Hawkins."

Bohn will soon have no choice. Or the fans and boosters will give up on him, as well.

Hawkins' Tenure at Colorado Becoming an Embarrassment originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>dan hawkinsDanHawkinsgary barnettGaryBarnettrick neuheiselRickNeuheiselTerrance HarrisSun, 13 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST Minnesota, Colorado Both Recruiting Kicker Who Made 67-Yard Field Goalhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/minnesota-colorado-both-recruiting-kicker-who-made-67-yard-fiel/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/minnesota-colorado-both-recruiting-kicker-who-made-67-yard-fiel/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/minnesota-colorado-both-recruiting-kicker-who-made-67-yard-fiel/#commentsFiled under: , ,



A recruiting battle could be brewing over a high school kicker from Broomfield, Colorado who has verbally committed to Minnesota but then made an unofficial visit to Colorado a day after making a state-record 67-yard field goal.

The kicker, Kip Smith, a senior at Broomfield Legacy High School, has Gophers fans excited because he has said he'll be playing at Minnesota in 2010. But after his big field goal Friday, he reportedly made an unofficial visit to Colorado to watch the Buffs play Colorado State.

Verbal commitments aren't worth the paper they're not printed on, so we'll have to wait until Smith signs on the dotted line before we know whether he'll be a Gopher or a Buffalo. But we do know the kid has an awfully strong leg. Yes, it's true that his 67-yarder came without a rush on a fair catch free kick, and it's true that the kick benefited from the thin air of Westminster, Colorado, with its elevation of 5,300 feet. Nonetheless, it was the state record in the state where field goals fly longest, and either Minnesota or Colorado has a very good kicker coming next season.

Minnesota, Colorado Both Recruiting Kicker Who Made 67-Yard Field Goal originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Kip SmithKipSmithMichael David SmithWed, 09 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST Notebook: Gresham's Season Ends Earlyhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/08/notebook-greshams-season-ends-early/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/08/notebook-greshams-season-ends-early/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/08/notebook-greshams-season-ends-early/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jermaine GreshamThe news on Oklahoma All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham Tuesday night wasn't what was hoped for in Norman, but it also wasn't unexpected.

The Sooners senior underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday afternoon and the scope revealed a tear in the cartilage that needed to be stitched back, a procedure that ended his season before it began and likely means the end of his college career.

Gresham, who passed on a chance to skip his senior season and head to the NFL, injured his knee during practice last Tuesday and missed the Sooners' season-opening loss to BYU. Gresham was expected to be the Sooners' top receiving threat and maybe the best tight end in the country after catching 14 touchdowns and 950 yards last season.

"Just unfortunate that he comes back and is not able to continue to participate," OU coach Bob Stoops told the Tulsa World. "So we really feel for him."

Stoops informed the Oklahoma media of the season-ending surgery, which he says will take five months to heal properly. Just Monday, the Sooners learned that Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford will be out of the lineup for two to four weeks with a Grade III sprain of the AC joint in his right throwing shoulder.

Bradford will not need surgery, but Gresham wasn't as fortunate.

Both players had a chance to leave school early as high NFL draft picks last spring, but both elected to come back; Gresham was believed to be a sure first-round draft pick. Stoops told Oklahoma reporters that Gresham should be recovered in time to take part in February's NFL combine.

"For his sake, the rest of the knee looks good, and this is something that heals really well," Stoops said to the World. "So for his long-range future, he'll be fine."

Gresham also has the option of returning to school for a fifth year because he did not redshirt as a true freshman.

Big 12 Trio Hopes to Stay Focused

Conventional wisdom holds that the biggest improvement in college football teams comes between the first and second week.

But for a handful of Big 12 teams coming off huge opening-week wins, there could be a false sense they've already arrived. Oklahoma State, Baylor and Missouri all are coming off impressive victories that could propel them towards strong seasons but a lot will depend on how they handle Week 1 success.

Oklahoma State, coming off a big-time 24-10 win against Georgia this past week in Stillwater, has to quickly get focused because an explosive and dangerous Houston team is heading into Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday. The Cowboys have to be extra careful they aren't still celebrating the win over Georgia and their new top-five ranking this week.

"I think we have to be up front with them and tell them, 'We had a great win on Saturday and we have a great football team coming in here, a team that led the nation in scoring and is very capable of playing at a high level on any given day,'' ' said OSU coach Mike Gundy. "I think because of the success they had last year and obviously as well as they played in the first game, our players should be able to stay focused. This will be a good football game. Houston is a very good team."

Baylor has a bye this week after accomplishing what was once thought impossible for the Bears program -- go on the road and beat a quality BCS conference school. But that is exactly what quarterback Robert Griffin and his Bears did this past Saturday, hanging on to beat Wake Forest, 24-21, in Winston-Salem.

That win was pivotal as Baylor looks for its first bowl bid since 1994. The victory over the Demon Deacons should be great for the Bears' confidence, but they have to guard against overconfidence as they head into a three-game home non-conference stretch against UConn, Northwestern State and Kent State, three games they are expected to win. A slip-up in non-conference followed by an unforgiving Big 12 schedule could all but make the Wake Forest win irrelevant.

"Where we are as a program, we don't have to worry about getting overconfident or getting the big heads because we've had our lips punched enough times to understand that you've never arrived and you are never where you need to be," said second-year Baylor coach Art Briles, whose team received votes in the AP poll this week. "One game doesn't dictate your outcome. I think the thing that helps us a little bit is we have an open date this week.

"It was a big win against a quality opponent, but it was something that we felt like needed to do if we were going to accomplish one of our intermediate goals, which is to win all of our non-conference games. Starting from [Sunday], we have flipped our focus off of that game and on to the next one."

Perhaps the team with the most to prove last Saturday and with the biggest chip on its shoulder was Missouri. The winner of the Big 12 North the past two seasons, Mizzou entered the season without many outside expectations in the North or in the national polls due to the senior talent lost, including star quarterback Chase Daniel.

So all the Tigers did this past week was roll a respectable Illinois team, 37-9, on a neutral field in St. Louis. The voters were obviously paying attention because they entered the AP poll this week at No. 25. But the Tigers have little time to gloat because a dangerous Bowling Green team is heading to Columbia this weekend.

"I think you just want to react responsibly when you come out of a big game like that and have a reasonable amount of success," said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel. "I'm paid to make sure our team is prepared at its highest level and we're not good enough to take anybody lightly. Bowling Green has beat us the last two times they've played us.

"We are just focused on getting better and through the leadership of our team, I think we will be okay."

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Sooners' Offensive Line Blues

All offseason the biggest concern for the Oklahoma Sooners seemed to be their offensive line.

And in the Sooners' season-opening 14-13 upset loss to BYU on Saturday night, it seems the concerns were well-founded. The offensive line was out of sync well before Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford was hit and knocked out of the game with a AC joint injury late in the second quarter.

Bradford had little time to set his feet, throwing for just 96 yards in the first two quarters while with former 1,000-yard rushers DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown in the backfield, the Sooners rushed for 118 yards on the night.

But OU coach Bob Stoops seemed most bothered by the penalties called on the offensive line. Right tackle Cory Brandon had six penalties called on him alone, including a critical five-yard false start penalty late in the game that forced Tress Way to have to kick a 54-yard field goal that could have won the game, but came up short.

"The major issue are the penalties," Stoops said. "That really just took away and destroyed so many drives. As far as physical play and playing hard, it's there. but the part of having the discipline to play by the rules and eliminate penalties we have to improve. As far as effort and being physical and everything, that part was solid. But we have to have more discipline to not have the penalties.

Trouble Brewing at Colorado

Dan HawkinsColorado is a team on the other end of the spectrum that didn't start the season the way its alumni and fans would expect.

Dan Hawkins, already under fire for lack of success on the football field, didn't do himself or his quarterback son any favors with Sunday night's embarrassing 23-17 defeat to Colorado State in Boulder, Colo. Many of the 53,168 fans in attendance began booing the Buffaloes as they entered halftime trailing 20-3.

When asked Monday how he responds to the fans booing, Hawkins was short when he replied: "I don't. You just have to do your deal."

There were several questionable decisions made during Sunday's game, such as limiting highly-touted running back recruit Darrell Scott to just a couple touches. Then there is the touchy subject of giving his son, Cody, all the snaps at quarterback and what was apparently a close quarterback competition between him and Tyler Hansen this summer.

Hawkins didn't reveal who the starter was until game time Sunday. But that apparently was for show, because Hansen revealed this week that he has decided to redshirt this season to put some distance between himself and Cody, and likely Hawkins, if things aren't corrected real quick.

Hawkins, who is largely responsible for the success at Boise State, hasn't had quite the same touch at Colorado. The Buffaloes are 13-25 in the four seasons under Hawkins. He will have to get things smoothed quickly with a tough road game at Toledo coming up Friday night.

"We'll be okay," Hawkins said.

Leach's Meaning of Balance

When coaches talk about being balanced on offense, they are comparing the number of running plays versus passing plays called in a particular game.

Leave it to Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, perhaps one of the most out-of-the-box coaches in the college game, to have a completely different spin on being balanced. A coach who would just as soon throw a two-yard pass for a first down as run it, says balance to him means the number of players you use in a game.

And a quick glance at the Red Raiders' stat sheet from their 38-13 opening-week win over North Dakota certainly makes it hard to argue when Leach says he is the most balanced coach in the country. The Raiders had 10 different players catch balls from first-time starting quarterback Taylor Potts, and six players carried the football on Saturday.

"I am proud to say we are probably the most balanced team in the nation because balance has virtually nothing to do with rushing as opposed to passing," Leach said. "It has to do with your ability to get the ball in all of your players' hands.

"We had 10 receivers touch the ball so if you run across anybody more balanced than that, I'd like to meet them."

Notebook: Gresham's Season Ends Early originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>art brilesbob stoopsBobStoopsjermaine greshammike leachMikeLeachrobert griffinTerrance HarrisTue, 08 Sep 2009 22:35:00 EST