NCAA Football FanHouse

Georgia Tech Cornerback Arrested For Rape

Brian Cook — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:37:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, NCAA FB Police Blotter

Another in a moderately long list over the past few years:

Georgia Tech cornerback Jerrard Tarrant has been charged with rape and has been suspended from the football team.

The alleged victim said she was raped at an on-campus dormitory April 25 and reported the incident to police that morning, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday.

Tarrant was released on $40,000 bail and has received the standard indefinite suspension from new Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson. A redshirt freshman, Tarrant was battling for a starting job this fall.

Georgia Tech Cornerback Arrested For Rape originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN's Bill Curry Returns to Coaching

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama Football, Georgia Tech Football, NCAA FB Coaching, Atlanta, Kentucky Football

After seeing mixed success as a head coach for Georgia Tech, Alabama, and Kentucky, Bill Curry found a home at ESPN. The former NFL offensive lineman and longtime coach spent ten years with the Worldwide Leader, serving primarily as a college football game and studio analyst.

The itch to coach, however, has returned for the 65-year-old Curry, and he's going back. Curry will be named the first head football coach in Georgia State history Thursday. The Atlanta-based school is starting up a football program in 2010. They'll compete in Division I-AA (er, FCS) and play home games at the Georgia Dome. Similar to the Atlanta Falcons, GSU will probably fail to sell the place out most weekends.

Curry has a familiar face helping him start the program. Dan Reeves, the former NFL player and head coach, has helped raise over $1 million for the startup program. He has given his endorsement to the reported hire.

Reeves said he was not part of the selection process but said "I can tell you this, I think that is a heck of a choice, a great deal for Georgia State, if that is the case.

"I think Bill will do a super job. He's got a great reputation. You couldn't ask for anyone better to start Georgia State's program. He's got college experience, he has recruited and he lieves in Atlanta. I think that's fantastic."

He's a well-known name, but Curry's track record as a head coach isn't all that great. He coached Alabama to the 1990 SEC championship, but lost twice as many games as he won at Kentucky before stepping aside in 1996. Reeves does make a great point, though.

For a startup program to get a guy like Curry is superb. He's already been through some intense recruiting battles, and he knows how to evaluate young talent.

At ESPN, Curry found a niche because of his conversational style of analysis. He brings GSU great expertise on offensive line play, and he should have little trouble convincing young kids and their families that his program will be a good place for players to develop, both on and off the field.

ESPN's Bill Curry Returns to Coaching originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joe Hamilton Resurfaces, Wishes He Hadn't

Brian Grummell — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC

Remember Joe Hamilton? Diminuitive quarterback par excellence at Georgia Tech a few years back. Heisman Trophy runner-up. The last known relevant Georgia Tech season was played under his command. Then he disappeared into football obscurity because the No Fun League has no need for guys that good.

Anyway.

Hit and run DUI, folks. Aaaaaaand our football God returns just in time to beat a hasty retreat.

Former Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton resigned from his position at the school Wednesday, a day after he was charged with marijuana possession, driving under the influence of alcohol and hit-and-run.
The charges came about a week after the 31-year-old was hired as the school's assistant director of player personnel.
"Today, I sadly accepted Joe's resignation," said Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson.

YouTube of the good times below (on the right side of the law) in lieu of further commentary.

Joe Hamilton Resurfaces, Wishes He Hadn't originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 08 May 2008 15:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why Can Taylor Bennett Play but Ryan Mallett Can't?

Brian Cook — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:52:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, Michigan Football, Arkansas Football

This offseason, two quarterbacks found themselves sca-roohed by coaching changes: Michigan's Ryan Mallett and Georgia Tech's Taylor Bennett. Both are square-peg pocket passing battleship types virtually guaranteed starting jobs until a QB-run-mad head coach came in with a bunch of round holes; both said "screw you guys, I'm going home."

But while Mallett has to sit out at Arkansas next year, Bennett has been given the go-ahead to play this fall for Louisiana Tech. Why? How? What? Well, remember that one year the NCAA allowed anyone who'd picked up an undergraduate degree to transfer without penalty?

Yeah, that rule was repealed after coaches complained, but by "repealed" we mean "not repealed." The above-linked article on Bennett:

[Myles] Brand and the NCAA created a workaround. The waiver process Bennett used to be able to play at Louisiana Tech has been used successfully by about 30 Division I athletes since July 1, 2007, NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson told me. That's actually more than took advantage of the graduate student transfer rule in the one year for which it applied.
"For any individual who has legitimate academic reasons to transfer after graduating, we will grant it," Brand said.

Mike Knobler, the author, takes a properly skeptical tone about "legitimate academic reasons," saying there is some "fiction at work here," but is generally approving of the move. And you know what? He's right.

I think the NCAA got this one right, too. Bennett should be able to play out his final year of eligibility. Without the waiver his football career ends on the sideline, watching some freshman get blown up on a triple option. Mallett, on the other hand, doesn't even lose a year since he played as a freshman. He's got an enforced redshirt, then has three more years, just like he would have had at Michigan.

The transfer process works for players who move early in their career, but a sudden change when you're a junior or senior is terribly damaging. And sometimes it can give you hope for a career where there was none. One of those 30 athletes that have gotten waivered through was Michigan safety Ryan Mundy, who no one around the Michigan program was exactly sad to see leave. He jetted to West Virginia for a year, got Barwisized, played well, and was drafted in the sixth round. Without the waiver he would have been cut and likely out of football.

The key distinction between the new NCAA process and the new, player-friendly one:

Whether to grant a waiver is based on "why the student-athlete is transferring, whether the specific graduate degree is offered at the previous institution, and whether the previous institution supports the waiver," Christianson wrote in an e-mail.

Don't want your star cornerback transferring to Florida for no particular reason? Say so. Have no problem with a quarterback who doesn't fit your system finding a place to play? Say so. Everyone wins.

Why Can Taylor Bennett Play but Ryan Mallett Can't? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 05 May 2008 13:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good Thing Paul Johnson Likes to Run the Ball

Bill Maloney — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:25:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, BCS

When Paul Johnson was hired at Georgia Tech, he assured fans, players, recruits and the media -- and anyone else who'd list -- that he'd adjust his triple option offense to the ACC and throw the ball. With the departure of yet another Yellow Jacket wide receiver Johnson may not have any choice. Even if he wanted to throw the ball, there's no one to catch it.

The latest pass catcher to leave, James Johnson, didn't blame the new offense as his reason for giving up his final year of eligibility. He simply said he was just tired of football. Tech's depth chart at wide receiver now includes one freshman, two sophomores and one walk-on.

Johnson's offense only averaged 5.6 completions a game last season. Yet, the Middies scored at will averaging 39.9 points per game and more than 440 yards of offense per game. If Johnson can get his new QB and running backs to pick up his system quickly, there is no reason why Georgia Tech can't compete in the ACC without throwing. However, the necessisity of running in Year 1, will probably undermine his ability to recruit WRs and passing QBs down the road. But no one will care if he wins...and beats Georgia.

Good Thing Paul Johnson Likes to Run the Ball originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Atlanta Journal Constitution Got Fooled On April Fool's

Nathan Fowler — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:44:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, NCAA FB Recruiting, NCAA FB Media Watch

That's a picture of an AJC.com sports story yesterday (click HERE for a larger version) announcing the commitment of running back Joseph Kerr to Georgia Tech. Unfortunately for the AJC, they didn't follow their own advice to beware of April Fool's jokes - as Joe Kerr was a spoof made up by the Georgia Tech recruiting and fan site The Hive.

We all know that much of the mainstream media and large newspapers view the shady and occasionally distasteful world of college recruiting with some form of disdain and don't invest a lot of resources into covering it. They also realize the huge amount of traffic that recruiting can drive for their sports sections, and in the internet age their eagerness to get information up on their own sites as fast as possible leads to them often ripping off internet sites dedicated to recruiting and/or falling hard for internet rumors (such as the Wally Yappo fiasco a few years - another totally fictitious recruit). But on April Fool's Day? For a recruit named "Joe Kerr"? The AJC.com sports page isn't exactly known as a bastion of accurate reporting, but this was especially brutal.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution Got Fooled On April Fool's originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GT's Starting QB Leaves School

Ian Cohen — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:12:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, BCS, NCAA FB Campus, NCAA FB Rumors

It was all good just a ~~week~~ year ago. After four years of Reggie Ball and his unorthodox approach to quarterback, Georgia Tech was finally to have some sort of stability in the form of Taylor Bennett, a statue of a dropback passer who had looked more than competent in the chances he got to sub in. Whether it's due to the loss of Calvin Johnson, I'm not to say, but the Yellow Jackets somehow managed to have an even worse passing game in 2007, with Bennett sporting a sub-50 completion rate and a 7-9 TD/INT ratio. Still, that was good enough to earn GT a chance to get worked something horribly by Fresno State in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, and hey- maybe with another year, he'd get the hang of it.

But that's before Paul Johnson took over for Chan Gailey (enjoy, KC- really) and promised to apply his spread-option offense from Navy pretty much verbatim. Some recruits understandably jumped ship, including QB prospect Sean Renfree, who eventually ended up at Duke. The latest casualty is Bennett himself, who is planning to transfer to an unnamed number of schools. Mind you, this is the second team in the ACC Coastal Division that lost their starting QB for 2008 for reasons other than graduation or injury, the other being Virginia (Jameel Sewell). Can't say I blame Bennett on this one, even if he'll need a waiver to play D-I football after using his redshirt season. Ben Mauk at Cincinnati may have set a precedent for seemingly lost campaigns to get back up and running, but he might get two seasons as a Bearcat. Bennett might find himself lucky to get a season in at any DI-A school, let alone as a starter. But hey, I know a school in Charlottesville that's looking for a solid backup.

GT's Starting QB Leaves School originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Holy Freaking Crap! Jon Tenuta to Join Irish Defensive Coaching Staff!

Brian Stouffer — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:23:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, Notre Dame Football, NCAA FB Coaching, The Word

Irish fans, I'm guessing most of you have a fancy bottle of scotch laying around somewhere, undoubtedly a gift from a client a few years back that you just haven't gotten around to opening because there's never really been an occasion to do so (plus straight scotch tastes icky and burns your throat, you big girl). Well, son, dive into that cabinet with pots and pans in it, crack open the blue label, and take a big hearty slug from it, because it's a damn good day for the Fighting Irish.

Completely out of nowhere, the Irish have hired Jon Tenuta, the moody genius behind Georgia Tech's perennially awesome defenses, to replace the retiring Bill Lewis as defensive backs coach.

Yeah, you read that correctly.

The same Jon Tenuta that held the vaunted 2006 Irish offense to its season-low 14 points, the same Jon Tenuta that somehow managed to turn the Yellow Jackets into a consistent bowl team despite having Reggie Ball at quarterback and a completely nonexistent offensive scheme. One of the prized defensive coordinators on the market picked the Irish as his next project.

Details are still hazy, but I think it's safe to assume his hiring comes with an assistant head coach title, oversight for the woeful Irish special teams, and a truckload of money. At any rate, go out and get drunk tonight, Irish fans, and spend your hazy blackout sleep dreaming about exotic blitz formations, two-star Yellow Jacket players making it to the NFL under Tenuta's tenure, and a brilliant defensive mind on the Irish coaching staff that can foist against Charlie Weis to improve the offensive scheme. Prost!

Holy Freaking Crap! Jon Tenuta to Join Irish Defensive Coaching Staff! originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former GT Blue Chipper Now A Blue Devil

Ian Cohen — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:31:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, BCS, NCAA FB Recruiting, Duke Football

Okay, so maybe the whole Terrelle Pryor to Duke thing is a monstrous (crack) pipe dream, but I wasn't foolin' when I said that they'd get themselves a potential stud sooner rather than later with David Cutcliffe at the helm. They found one, and on the rebound, no less.

Most college graduates, in the event they have any wisdom to pass on, usually say something along the lines of "make sure you go to a warm weather school. Trust me, brah." Sean Renfree ain't havin' that, though. Rated as the #10 QB in the country by Scout.com, he was originally committed to Georgia Tech, but that was before Paul Johnson was hired to rejigger the offense to a scheme that would give him approximately zero chance of showing his skills for the NFL. Cutcliffe, Mannings, you know the story by now. So, Renfree gets his wish of plying his wares for an academic rigorous ACC school where all the hot girls are at least within driving distance.

Former GT Blue Chipper Now A Blue Devil originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ACC Embrace of the Hawaii Scheduling Model

Charles Rich — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Clemson Football, Florida State Football, Georgia Tech Football, Virginia Tech Football, ACC

Everyone lambasted the Hawaii schedule for being so easy and especially for having two 1-AA opponents on their schedule. Who knew they were just ahead of the curve.

Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State and Virginia Tech are all struggling to find one more home game. All of them already have a 1-AA team on the schedule. It appears that all four may have to resort to having two 1-AA home games for the 2008 season.

The problems are the usual: last minute buyouts/cancellations, wanting the game to be relatively safe (read, patsy), not wanting to provide a return game, "needing" another home game and/or not wanting to pay the premium price that 1-A guarantee games now cost.

Of course, those were the same problems Hawaii faced. I'm sure the other teams will get the same sympathy and understanding as the Warriors received for their scheduling issues.

ACC Embrace of the Hawaii Scheduling Model originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Where Will John Tenuta End Up?

Ian Cohen — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, Washington Football, ACC, Pac 10, BCS, NCAA FB Gossip, NCAA FB Coaching

Outside of what appears to be a firmly entrenched Bud Foster, there's been no defensive coordinator in the ACC that's been as sought after in the past few years as John Tenuta. Even as Georgia Tech's offense could be most generously described as "erratic" under Reggie Ball and "competent" under the stewardship of Taylor Bennett, the Yellow Jacket defense could be relied on for its aggressiveness, possibly due to the pent up rage that comes from spending time in one of the south's few public school with almost no hot chicks.

And yet, after a rather inauspicious cameo as GT's head coach in this year's Humanitarian Bowl, Tenuta was not retained under the new Paul Johnson regime. Even more shocking was that Chan Gailey managed to land a job first, Basically, if you're a BCS school with a DC opening, Tenuta may have already been rumored as going to you. Originally, he was a blue and maize lock until the whole Les Miles thing went to sea (yuk, yuk). Then it was South Carolina. Or was it Arkansas??? And just this morning, Washington denied any involvement, so the question must be asked- where you at, Virginia?

Tenuta's ultimate ambitions are unclear, and I have no idea what kind of interview he is, so it's difficult to say that he'll take a position that can lead him to that plum head coaching gig. I mean, Ty Willingham supposedly has one year left to get it together, but then again, Tenuta's Pac-10 roots are almost nil, and the furthest west he's been as a coach was SMU in the '90s.

Where Will John Tenuta End Up? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posse On Bowl-way: Georgia Tech

Ian Cohen — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Fresno State Football, Georgia Tech Football, ACC, WAC, Bowl Games

Happy To Be Here?

Well, from the looks of things, GT should be happy to be in a bowl of any sort at all. Such is the assumption one can make when you've been bypassed by a 6-6 team in the selection process. But the truth is, my lord- GT is one unattractive team right now. Among the things to consider are a passing attack that somehow managed to get worse after the departure of Reggie Ball, the recent dismissal of coach Chan Gailey and a pasting at the hands of Georgia that reversed the trend of GT at least being competitive against at the Bulldogs.

Come Here Often?

This will be the second time the Yellow Jackets have shuffled off to Boise for the postseason, the first being a 52-10 victory over Tulsa after the 2003 season...believe it or not, I actually remember watching this game and having to endure a grueling interview with Steve Largent trying to save face while his alma mater got its ass handed to it.
Why Care?

Because if anything, you get the pleasure of reliving a time when Fresno State's scheduling philosophy actually managed to benefit them. During the first part of the decade, Pat Hill made it abundantly clear that if he had the opportunity, he'd play Notre Dame in a Carl's Jr. parking lot and call them a bunch of nancy boys if they refused. But recently, the Bulldogs have been surpassed in the WAC by more offensively progressive teams like Hawaii and Boise State, and last season, Fresno fell off the map with a velocity that suggested the world might actually be flat after all. However, after that 4-8 season, the Bulldogs are looking for their eighth straight bowl win, a streak that includes their last trip to Boise. A game which I will speak no more of.

And The Winner Is...

One might think to give the advantage to Fresno because GT is playing with an interim coach, but let's slow down there, professor. First off, Bulldogs pwn Chan Gailey, so maybe this is for the best. Second, John Tenuta (GT's defensive coordinator) gets the assignment here and I'm sure it won't be long before he's on the sidelines somewhere else without the "interim" tag. More than likely, the Yellow Jackets will stick to Tashard Choice on the ground, which is a pretty great idea considering that Taylor Bennett's completion percentage is less than 50% and Fresno is likely to stick to the running attack as well; meaning that this will likely be a colossally boring game that will be decided by turnovers and field position. But here's the thing; this is the first time in seemingly forever that the ACC representative will come in with something to prove. Think of the last couple of guys who made the trip: Virginia and Boston College teams that got passed over for more prestigious bids despite top-25 rankings due to their (probably deserved) rep for poor travel. A Miami squad playing their last game for Larry Coker and likely feeling akin to someone at the movies with their parents on a Friday night; they just hope that no one sees them. GT on the other hand is basically performing an audition for Tenuta, a guy they love. And moreover, they're trying to get some semblance of momentum before the Paul Johnson Era begins. Considering the perceived overhaul that could take place, it wouldn't hurt to look useful on national TV. Then again, it's Fresno State and as long as Pat Hill's mustache is in the picture, they'll never look down a BCS team, even it's one that's not all that good. I didn't like the way GT played at all during the end of the season, and Fresno has quitely gotten it together, so another one for the V...

Fresno State 20 Georgia Tech 14

Posse On Bowl-way: Georgia Tech originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is GT's New Coach Going To Hurt Recruiting?

Ian Cohen — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:44:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, BCS, NCAA FB Recruiting, NCAA FB Coaching

It's fairly obvious why Georgia Tech would be interested in a coach of Paul Johnson's caliber. What he accomplished at Navy is no small feat, even if they have a pretty swank guaranteed bowl destination anytime they have a winning record. But what has to be acknowledged is that Johnson succeeded by running an offense that didn't compromise Navy's traditional ground-based option attack.

And while that may work with Navy's bric-a-brac schedule, it's a little tough to see how that might work out translated verbatim to an ACC slate. More to the point, Georgia Tech had been running a traditional dropback offense this past year with statuesque leadfoot Taylor Bennett. Of course, that didn't work out so well, but the writing's on the wall that Tech might have to deal with a decent deal of growing pains before they can institute the Johnson offense (yeah, I giggled a little).

One of their top QB recruits, Sean Renfree of Arizona (rated as #54 in the nation) doesn't see himself in GT's plans now that they're likely to be run-first. Quoth his coach, Scot Bemis:

"It's not a passing offense. It doesn't suit him at all."

Money quote! You have to wonder where it'll go from here considering that while Georgia Tech competes with all manner of schools for their recruits, Navy is Navy- a school that's such a pain in the arse to attend, you need to get recommendations from local politicians in your applications instead of that English teacher who gave you an A on your "A Doll's House" essay. Odds are, you're not thinking "football first" with those guys or narrowing down between UGA, West Virginia and Air Force. Will they still compete for guys who have their eyes on the pros? Frankly, I don't see how Johnson represents a downgrade from Chan Gailey, but it may take a little bit of rejiggering for a team that has been a bastion of consistency.

Is GT's New Coach Going To Hurt Recruiting? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Johnson to Georgia Tech

Bill Maloney — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:52:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, Navy Football, ACC, BCS, NCAA FB Coaching

According to reports in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Paul Johnson has agreed to become the next head football coach at Georgia Tech. The AJC's venerable college football insider Tony Barnhart does hedge in his article that there is always a chance that Johnson could change his mind. (And after a week filled with false alarms on the coaching carousel, can you blame Tony for playing a little CYA?)

When Georgia Tech fired Chan Gailey, they gave lip service to finding a coach to excite their fanbase. Johnson is not Mr. Personality but he is a proven winner and winning games fills seats. Outside of his W-L record the two big pluses for Johnson at Georgia Tech are his familiarity with recruiting in the state of Georgia (he was a head coach at Georgia Southern) and his history of recruiting at a school with challenging admission standards.

The only question mark is what sort of offense will he use. He made his name with Navy's triple option, but has plenty of experience with passing oriented schemes. Jacket fans probably won't care if he throws all day or keeps it on the ground. All he needs to do is beat Georgia.

Report: Johnson to Georgia Tech originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jackets Don't Fit For UConn's Edsall

Ian Cohen — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:55:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, Big East, BCS, NCAA FB Rumors, NCAA FB Coaching, Connecticut Football

Whether you admit it or not, every time the coaching carousel takes an offseason turn, you place teams in a certain hierarchy. You know, find the guy who made a non-BCS team worth caring about and peg him to lead the BCS team that finished 5-7 and is no longer worth caring about. Or, find the awesome coordinator from the team playing on New Year's Day and see if he won't start his career by trying to make some non-BCS team worth caring about again. And the cycle continues.

Things get a little dicier though when it comes to evaluating the merits of teams in differing BCS conferences. For example, Mike Leach has established himself in a way where he can possibly compete for a Big XII title without having a raving fanbase looking to run him out on a rail in the event the Red Raiders finish 8-4. And yet, UCLA, renowned for being a frugal program with a pain-in-the-ass commute to an off-campus stadium and second citizens in their own city is considered a step up. A similar position befell UConn's Randy Edsall; though he basically created UConn as a DI-A contender and, aside from BC, has New England to himself, there were whispers that he could "do better." As in, Georgia Tech, a school with great history and a fertile recruiting ground, but an arguably apathetic fanbase, rigorous academics and a general sense of malaise.

Well, he decided that if Meineke Car Care Bowls are considered reasonable goals any given year, it's probably not best to upend everything unless the job's a dream. Despite overtures from Atlanta, Edsall is staying in Storrs to continue his stewardship of the Huskies program.

Edsall's salary isn't chicken feed: $920k through 2010, which is about half of what the likes of Tommy Bowden and Al Groh make. But considering that, like his Meineke Car Care Bowl counterpart Jim Grobe, is something of a conquering hero on campus, bringing success to where there was none before (even more pronounced at UConn). And he's certainly leaving the door open by saying he's remaining in Storrs for "the good of his family and his team" (so selfless!). Who knows if he'll the UConn Frank Beamer or what have you, but you can expect that this won't be the last open position he's associated with.

Jackets Don't Fit For UConn's Edsall originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Football Game II: Miles, Tenuta Hired by Michigan?

Brian Cook — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:32:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, LSU Football, Michigan Football, Big 10, NCAA FB Coaching

Don't know if ESPN is jumping the gun here, but on the 9 AM Sportscenter and Gameday Kirk Herbstreit is reporting that Les Miles has been (or will be) hired by Michigan. The kicker: Miles is bringing former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator John Tenuta with him.

As Michigan fan, I can only react to this in one way suitable for a family website:

!!!

Tenuta, of course, was the architect of the good bits of Georgia Tech these last six years, consistently dragging GT to bowl games in the face of the Reggie Ball experience. If you asked the nation at large who the best defensive coordinator in the country was, he would get a significant chunk of the votes.

As an added bonus, Tenuta coached at Ohio State in the mid to late 90s, spending five years there as a defensive backs coach and, in 2000, defensive coordinator. Hello rivalry spice.

What Football Game II: Miles, Tenuta Hired by Michigan? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 10:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slick Rick To The Dirty South?

Nathan Fowler — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:54:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, NCAA FB Coaching

ESPN.com is reporting a 'rumor' that Georgia Tech has narrowed the list of candidates to replace Chan Gailey to three favorites (it sounds like GT will interview around six total candidates - ESPN.com is just reporting on who seems to be the most likely final selections). One is Will Muschamp, the current defensive coordinator at Auburn. One is "unidentified" according to ESPN.com, though sources near the GT program point to it being current UCONN head coach Randy Edsall. The third name though, that's where it gets fun. It's none other than 'Slick Rick' himself, Rick Neuheisel.

Neuheisel was last spotted in the college ranks getting himself fired from the University of Washington for participating in a NCAA Tournament pool, a no-no by NCAA rules which the apparently incompetent Washington athletic department had actually cleared him to participate in. Of course, that was a few years after committing minor NCAA recruiting violations within his first two weeks on the job in Seattle. That was after he had already left behind multiple NCAA recruiting violations in Boulder for his successor to clean up. None of the individual infractions were very major, but there's certainly an existing image of a guy who's quite willing to skirt the edges of the NCAA rules and then leave programs with his baggage.

So why on earth would Georgia Tech, an Institute that seems stuck in the 1950's sometimes, be even talking to a guy like Neuheisel? Because he wins (at least at first). Minus the NCAA stuff, he's exactly what GT's fairly new athletic director wants - a young, energetic head coach who will play an exciting brand of football and raise GT's profile both locally and nationally - that's Neuheisel to a 'T'. If you want to look at it one way, he mostly kept his nose clean for 4 years at Washington working for one of the worst AD's in the country and his problems at Colorado occurred when he was the youngest head coach in the country and were just mistakes born of trying too hard. I'm betting the truth is somewhere between the honest guy in trouble over eagerness and the slick cheat who never saw a rule he wouldn't bend.

College sports almost needs characters like Rick, he adds color to the proceedings - something Chan Gailey never would have been accused of doing. Having him rot away as Brian Billick's glorified water boy in Baltimore seems a waste for a guy with a talent for catching newspaper headlines, creating crazy motivational ploys for his players and openly taking on rival teams for bragging rights. Maybe GT needs a shakeup, maybe Rick is the right guy for the Yellow Jackets - GT right now has probably the lowest 'Q' factor of any reasonably decent college football program.

Slick Rick To The Dirty South? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Firing Chan Gailey Land GT In Boise?

Ian Cohen — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:53:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, BCS, Bowl Games

The dismissal of Chan Gailey, while not particularly surprising, was most likely made with long-term interests in mind. Regardless of who's coaching, there's not a whole lot of reason to think that the Yellow Jackets (or a whole lot of other teams for that matter) can beat the Dawgs in 2008, but GT football had become synonymous with complacent mediocrity. And paradoxically, in an ACC that's arguably more mediocre than ever, that's become a serious liability; the Jackets can achieve far too much to have their season ultimately be determined by a non-conference game against a school that's a regional superpower.

And this is not a move that was made because a quick fix was readily available, provided that their search goes beyond John Tenuta (long mentioned in rumor mills at other schools). The coaching pool is mostly devoid of star power, unless you're looking to take your chances with Glen Mason again...and he pretty much defined complacent mediocrity by appearing in three Music City Bowls in four years despite having Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney at his disposal.

So in the short term, I can't imagine that GT is that upset that their in flux coaching situation could land them in Boise instead of San Francisco despite their superior record to Maryland. Though the 6-6 Terps are strictly in the "lucky to be there" tier of bowl teams, word is that they might be a more attractive option than the Jackets, having never played in the Emerald Bowl and coming off a 37-0 win. But more to the point...

"No decision has been made," Emerald Bowl executive director Gary Cavalli said Sunday, but he listed a few reasons his San Francisco-based bowl might favor Maryland despite Tech's one-game advantage in overall and ACC record: "You always like a fresh team you haven't had before," he said. Tech played in the Emerald two years ago. "You end the season with a 37-0 win on the road, that's definitely going to pique people's interest." "Is there a possibility of a coaching change [at Tech]?"

Which is ultimately sort of ridiculous, considering that Georgia Tech fans (and arguably, Cowboys fans) had grown tired enough of seeing Chan Gailey-coached teams anyway.

Will Firing Chan Gailey Land GT In Boise? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chan Gailey Is Done At Georgia Tech

Nathan Fowler — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, NCAA FB Coaching

AM 790 in Atlanta is now reporting that Georgia Tech will have a 2pm press conference this afternoon. While there is no further information forthcoming, it's not hard to read between the lines and the expectation is that athletic director Dan Radakovich will be discussing Chan Gailey's future (or lack thereof) at GT. The two had a scheduled meeting this morning according the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and this press conference is probably the outcome of that meeting.

If Chan is in fact fired or resigning, he will have had a winning record every single season and have taken GT to a bowl every season during his tenure as a Yellow Jacket. He will have been 3-1 against Miami, 2-0 against Auburn and 1-1 against Notre Dame. All of that sounds impressive. He will have also lost at least 5 games each season and be 0-6 against Georgia, which is clearly the biggest sticking point.

UPDATE - ESPN.com is now reporting that Chan Gailey has in fact been fired as the head coach at Georgia Tech. All internal signs and sources are pointing to former LSU and current Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp as the leader to be his possible replacement.

Chan Gailey Is Done At Georgia Tech originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seven In A Row

Nathan Fowler — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 19:12:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Tech Football, ACC, NCAA FB Fans

I'll go ahead and get my entry for Brian Cook's weekly schadenfreude column in early:

Today, Georgia Tech lost their seventh straight game to Georgia. And in what has become a recent Thanksgiving tradition for GT fans, it was a litany of blown chances, terrible luck and questionable officiating that did the Yellow Jackets in. A GT wideout was wide open and five yards behind the secondary when a pass hit him right in the hands ... and he dropped it and GT proceeded to go three and out. Georgia muffed two punts into their own end zone ... GT recovered neither of them. GT recovered a Georgia fumble and returned it to the three yard line ... before fumbling it right back out of the end zone. Three huge chances with the ball rolling around freely in the end zone, three touchbacks for Georgia and zero points for GT. A GT defensive back got flagged for a completely phantom PI call on a third and long ... Georgia promptly scored a TD.

You could summarize any of the last three UGa v. GT games with those last few sentences, GT is the team that simply can't get out of our own way when we have had chances to beat the miserable cretins (I can say that, this is a blog!) from east of Atlanta. The 51-7 loss a few years back was terrible, but at least it wasn't maddening in the same way the past few years have been. If you are a GT fan, since then it's like Jigsaw from the Saw movie series has been designing even more painful ways to torture us when that Saturday after Thanksgiving rolls around.

Worst of all - "of course GT lost" is the reaction around the nation, because Georgia is now seen as clearly superior to GT. Recent history, unfortunately, has born that out. Despite the fact that GT has 4 National Championships to Georgia's 2, and GT's last was 10 years more recent than Georgia's. Despite the fact that Heisman, Dodd, Alexander and Ross coached at GT - an almost unmatched collection of coaches. Despite the fact that the longest winning streak in the rivalry is Georgia Tech's eight in a row.

Yes, a lot has changed since Marilyn Monroe was wearing GT sweaters on the covers of magazines, but not that much has changed since 1990 when a certain crystal football was being polished up for the boys in while and gold. That's the worst part of going 3 and 14 against the Bulldogs since then - the long march to mediocrity that it represents. GT is headed for our eleventh straight bowl game, which is nice. The fact that outside of a couple of Gator Bowls they have been played in places like Boise, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle just hammers home how mediocre those 11 years have been.

It isn't quite death by a 1,000 cuts, but it's slowly becoming depression by averageness and it's seeping through the GT fanbase like a poison. That's the worst part of losing to Georgia again.

Seven In A Row originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 24 Nov 2007 19:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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