NCAA Football FanHouse

Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe Pushing for Fifth Year of Eligibility

Jeff Adams — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Colorado Football, Kansas Football, Nebraska Football, Oklahoma Football, Oklahoma State Football, Texas Football, Big 12, Missouri Football, Texas A&M Football, Kansas State Football, Texas Tech Football, Baylor Football, Iowa State Football

The Big 12's annual meetings are currently taking place in Colorado Springs and league commissioner Dan Beebe has a lot on his plate. But one agenda item that he is pushing strongly is a fifth year of eligibility for football players. He hopes the proposed change will get some attention from the NCAA rules committee.

The proposal for a fifth year of eligibility would eliminate redshirting, instead giving college football players five years to compete on the field. Under current rules, players have a five-year window in which to complete four years of playing time. This isn't the first time this change has come up, but opponents have argued that eligibility rules need to standard across sports. Big 12 commissioner Beebe, disagrees.

Beebe, however, said he thinks football should be seen as unique because it has a high rate of redshirts and injuries.

"Injuries happen and coaches have players who could contribute, but they don't want to play someone on a limited basis and burn a redshirt year," Beebe said. "And you have kids during their redshirt year who are getting the heck beat out of them in practice every day with no hope of playing."

The rule change would certainly eliminate the need for coaches to agonize about redshirting decisions. In addition, it would seemingly end the need for athletes and schools to file medical hardships in the wake of injuries. Lastly, given that the average college football player takes around 4.7 years to graduate, the five-year eligibility window could help improve graduation rates.

Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe Pushing for Fifth Year of Eligibility originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Eight Big 12 Defenders Placed On Nagurski Watch List

Jeff Adams — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:43:00 EST

Filed under: Colorado Football, Kansas Football, Oklahoma Football, Big 12, Missouri Football, Kansas State Football

The Watch List for the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been released by the Football Writers Association of America. The Nagurski Trophy is presented annually to the best defensive player in college football and is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

According to the press release:

"The Charlotte Touchdown Club will hold the 2008 banquet on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. For the eighth straight season, the FWAA will also pick a Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week beginning with games on Aug. 30 and running through the middle of November. And a Bronko Nagurski Legends Award winner will also be selected from the FWAA's 1967 All-America team.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been presented since 1993 and is awarded in memory of the legendary Nagurski, a former All-America lineman at Minnesota in 1927-29 and a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s."

This year's watch list includes eight players from Big 12 schools, led by Oklahoma, which places three Sooners on the list. The Big 12 players on the Nagurski Watch List are:

George Hypolite, Colorado

Joe Mortensen, Kansas

Ian Campbell, Kansas State (pictured at right)

William Moore, Missouri

Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri

Auston English, Oklahoma

DeMarcus Granger, Oklahoma

Nic Harris, Oklahoma

Since its inception in 1993, three Big 12 players have won the Nagurski Trophy. Oklahoma defensive back Roy Williams took home the award in 2001. The Big 12 then had back-to-back winners in 2003 and 2004 in Oklahoma's Derrick Strait and Derrick Johnson from Texas.

Eight Big 12 Defenders Placed On Nagurski Watch List originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 13 May 2008 14:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Missouri Offensive Lineman Arrested After Traffic Stop

Jeff Adams — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:33:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, Missouri Football, NCAA FB Police Blotter

Austin Wuebbels a redshirt freshman offensive lineman for Missouri was arrested on suspicion of possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of alcohol by a minor and false identification. The arrest occurred early Sunday morning after Wuebbels was pulled over by Columbia police.

"At 2:56 a.m., Wuebbels was pulled over for speeding in South Columbia at the corner of Southampton Drive and Executive Drive. While an officer prepared to issue a warning, a second officer noticed Wuebbels grabbing for something underneath the dash, Lt. Dianne Bernhard said.

That's when the officers found marijuana and a pipe. They also determined Wuebbels smelled of alcohol and discovered he was carrying a false ID and had beer in the car. After he was taken to the police station, Wuebbels successfully passed a sobriety test."

Passing the sobriety test ought to count for something, but it certainly won't eliminate the four misdemeanors Wuebbels accumulated before the night was over. At last check, Gary Pinkel and the he university had yet to issue a statement concerning the situation. Wuebbels had been practicing at the No. 2 right guard spot during spring practices.

Wuebbels' troubles only add to what has been a miserable off-season in terms of injuries and arrests. Two other players have also been arrested since the end of last season, and both were dismissed from the team. John Stull was arrested in January for felony possession of drugs, while Marquis Booker was arrested last month on suspicion of the unlawful use of a firearm. These incidents have allowed the Tigers to jump to an early lead on the off-season's ~~most~~ least coveted prize, the Fulmer Cup.

Missouri Offensive Lineman Arrested After Traffic Stop originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Big 12 Walk-ons Garner Attention During Spring

Jeff Adams — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:51:00 EST

Filed under: Colorado Football, Oklahoma Football, Big 12, Missouri Football

Without a scholarship and without notoriety, hundreds of walk-ons are doing their best to carve out a spot on Division IA rosters. Spring practices, which take place without graduating seniors, and before the bulk of incoming freshman arrive, promise plenty of reps. If local media outlets are to be believed it seems a host of walk-ons are serving notice this spring in the Big 12.

At Oklahoma, tight end Trent Ratterree is living out his boyhood dream as he tries to earn the #3 spot on the TE depth chart.

"I'd been an OU fan all my life," Ratterree said. "I dreamed of it my whole life."

He came to Norman at 215 pounds and was thrown into Jerry Schmidt's boot camp.

"It's tough physically," Ratterree said. "Nothing can get you ready for Schmidtty."

But Ratterree got through it and was rewarded; he suited up for home games last season.

"I never felt, like you see in 'Rudy,' where they were pushing him around," Ratterree said. "They never made me feel like a low-down walkon. You're treated really good here."

"Rudy" was also mentioned at Missouri, where 5-foot-7, Titus Wonsey is trying to find a home in a crowded Tiger backfield. His efforts have not gone unnoticed by head coach Gary Pinkel (pictured at right).

"He's competitive," Pinkel said. "He gets after it. I love those guys."

However, Missouri has four to five running backs ahead of Wonsey on the depth chart.

"He's going against guys who are bigger, stronger," Pinkel noted.

Wonsey also has a message for all the kids out there.

"A lot of kids get discouraged," he said. "There's always someone bigger, someone always taller, someone faster. Trust God. Be persistent. I'm not done yet. I'm just starting my dream."

That type of attitude and hard work has finally paid off for Colorado walk-on running back Cory Nabors.

[Colorado head coach Dan] Hawkins told the team he didn't want players thinking he ever would overlook their hard work. He then asked walk-on running back Cory Nabors to stand up. When Nabors took a knee once again, he was no longer a walk-on.

Hawkins awarded one of the program's available scholarships to Nabors, who joined the program as an invited walk-on from Rangeview High School in Aurora in 2006.

Nabors was also the Buffaloes' second leading rusher in their most recent scrimmage.

It's hard sometimes as a football fan not to look at spring football as a meaningless tease killing time between college basketball season and the long-anticipated opening of fall camp. Stories such as these, however, remind us of the toils of the role players, the long snappers, the holders and the fifth-year senior walk-ons fighting for one more day as a college football player.

Big 12 Walk-ons Garner Attention During Spring originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Scary Thought: Jeremy Maclin Keeps Getting Better and Better

Jeff Adams — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:25:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, Missouri Football

Few players had a better season in 2007 than did Missouri's Jeremy Maclin. After all, Maclin gained 2,776 all-purpose yards, which was an NCAA Division I-A single-season freshman record, and was also the fifth-most ever by any player in a season in Division I-A history. He made just about every All-American team possible and gave Big 12 defensive coordinators and special teams coaches constant headaches. Now comes word that Maclin is only getting better as spring practices resume in Columbia.

"Jeremy Maclin is a lot better player right now than he was a year ago," [Missouri coach Gary] Pinkel said yesterday after the Tigers scrimmaged for nearly three hours on Faurot Field. "People go, 'Wow, how can that happen?' Well, Brett Favre was a heck of a lot better player his eighth year as a starter than he was his first year."

I'm not sure Pinkel's analogy makes a whole lot of sense, but certainly players do generally get better over time. In the case of Maclin, however, you have to wonder if he might be nearing some sort of ceiling effect? There just doesn't seem to be that much room for improvement when you look at his statistics. So, what is Coach Pinkel seeing on the practice field?

His 1-on-1 routes, he's improved dramatically," Pinkel said. "I also think that's where he's got to be demanding on himself for perfection because that's how good he can be. No single guy should ever be able to cover him. ...

"Last year was his first year, and we forget that sometimes. His work habits were good, but they weren't like Will Franklin's. They weren't like" Martin "Rucker's. Now, they're like they're supposed to be."

Now that's scary. With a Heisman finalist quarterback in Chase Daniel returning, along with a wealth of talent on the offensive side of the ball, Maclin just might continue to break records. As he progresses look for the Tigers to really separate themselves from the rest of the Big 12 North.

Scary Thought: Jeremy Maclin Keeps Getting Better and Better originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Called On in Relief, Daniel Flubs First Pitch

Jeff Adams — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:07:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, Missouri Football, General CFB Insanity, The Word

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel was scheduled to throw out the first pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals' Opening Day game on Monday. A delay in his return flight from Florida, however, forced the Tigers to go to their bullpen. As a result, it was quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Chase Daniel who got the call along with his battery mate wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned for Daniel.

The crowd gave a standing ovation to Daniel and one of his favorite wide receiver targets, Jeremy Maclin and in a nice touch, Daniel brought out a ball he was more accustomed to throwing...a football.

It certainly couldn't have been the pressure of throwing in front of a bunch of people, or the fact that the weather conditions weren't ideal, both of which Daniel is used to, so I'm going to blame the fact that Daniel BOUNCED the pitch/pass into Maclin from 60 feet 6 inches on standing on the mound.

So Daniel's pitch/pass missed Maclin and apparently rolled to the backstop eliciting boos from the Cardinal faithful. I don't expect many incompletions like that between the two this fall.

Interestingly one local writer went as far as to have a major league scout give his appraisal of Daniel's pitching prowess.

His analysis after the jump.

Body: "He's got the wrong body for a pitcher. He's too thick."

Delivery: "High three-quarter."

Arm action: "OK. He shoves it a bit, but you expect that from a football quarterback."

Control: "Very poor."

Velocity: "Looked usable."

Poise: "He's got major-league average poise. He's comfortable."

Ouch. Not exactly Heisman-like praise. I've searched high and low for video evidence, but have so far come up empty. If you run across it, please let me know.

Called On in Relief, Daniel Flubs First Pitch originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Gary Pinkel to Throw Out First Pitch for Cardinals' Opening Day

Jeff Adams — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, Missouri Football, NCAA FB Coaching, The Word

What a long, strange trip it has been for Gary Pinkel and the Missouri Tigers. Pinkel began his career in Columbia with a rather pedestrian 37-35 record. Because of that Pinkel, spent quite a bit of time riding a warm seat. But all that changed following last year's 12-2 breakout season.

So how far has Pinkel come? He's now reached ceremonial first pitch status, on Opening Day, no less!

"Pinkel, the 2007 Big 12 Conference co-Coach of the Year, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch for Monday's game. It is not currently known what kind of pitch the former tight end will be going with, but his repertoire reportedly consists of a slow ball, a slower ball and something resembling an eephus pitch.

The FieldTurf 2007 National Coach of the Year will also appear for a stint in the broadcast booth as guests of Fox Sports Net Midwest for the Cardinals telecast. Pinkel is scheduled to appear in the top of the third inning for the game with FSN broadcasters Dan McLaughlin and Al Hrabosky."

I don't know what kind of pitching repertoire Pinkel actually possesses, but it seems his he lobbed his biggest curveball at college football fans who assumed he was a dead man walking years ago.

Gary Pinkel to Throw Out First Pitch for Cardinals' Opening Day originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

YouTubesDay: Missouri's Truman the Tiger Cranks Dat Soulja Boy

Brian Grummell — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:22:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, Missouri Football, NCAA FB Video, The Word

Or should I say yooooouuuuuuTubesDay? Cultural phenomena meets man in animal suit . . . go!

YouTubesDay: Missouri's Truman the Tiger Cranks Dat Soulja Boy originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Breaking: Larry Smith Dead at 68

Brian Grummell — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: USC Football, Missouri Football, NCAA FB Coaching, The Word, Arizona Football, Tulane Football

Former USC, Arizona, Tulane and Missouri coach Larry Smith died Monday, succumbing to leukemia and lymphoma.

Smith coached for the greater part of two decades, compiling a 143-126-7 (.531) career record between 1976 and 2000. He is fondly remembered at Arizona for starting the first five of a ten-game win streak against rival Arizona State.

He also coached USC to within two games of the national championship in 1988 before falling to Notre Dame in the season finale and Michigan in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans finished with a 10-2 record that year.

Smith left football after the 2000 season, retiring to Arizona. He spent the last two years as an analyst for an Arizona television station.

Breaking: Larry Smith Dead at 68 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Keeping 'The Man' Busy: Utah Keeps it Real

Adam Jacobi — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Washington Football, Missouri Football, NCAA FB Police Blotter, Utah Football, The Word

Here's why athletic directors are frowning this morning...

We've been saying it for years: snowballs are just a gateway weapon to screwdrivers and knives: Two Utah football players and a recruit they were hosting at a university-sanctioned party are recovering after being attacked by knife- and screwdriver-wielding assailants on Friday. The escalating factor in the scuffle? A snowball.

Freshman defensive end Paul Kruger (same name as his father), junior defensive lineman Greg Newman and Kruger's younger brother David, a recruit who plans to sign with the Utes next month, told the men to "shut up" and "get out of here." Kruger's father said Newman threw a snowball at the car during the exchange and the occupants then got out of the vehicle.

As mentioned in the article, the Deseret News obtained all the information about the attack from the father of one of the victims. That's not so great if you're looking for unbiased information (Paul, he explained, then ran over to the men and said, "Look this is not worth getting into a scuffle over."), but awesome for things you'll never hear east of the Continental Divide (Kruger's father said Meredith (he couldn't recall her last name) saved his son's "bacon" by immediately calling 911 for an ambulance when his blood pressure began to drop).

"Splashes cause severe irritation, possible corneal burns and eye damage." Hiiiiigh-larious!: From the Institute of Phenomenally Poor Ideas comes this story from the University of Washington, where junior Xavier Hicks was arrested and suspended after soaking teammate Grady Maxwell's contacts in rubbing alcohol. That's particularly unwise behavior for someone who plays "safety" (sorry), since--as noted in the header--rubbing alcohol doesn't belong in one's eyes.

According to Pullman, Washington's newspaper, the Daily Evergreen (which sounds more like the most boring blog ever), the entire incident began because Maxwell owed Hicks money. The two are roommates, so naturally the only way to resolve the dispute was through ocular sabotage.

Fortunately, Maxwell was fine; the rubbing alcohol caused the contact lenses to expand, which tipped him off that treachery was afoot before he placed them in his eyes. Take note, sadistic prankers: the rubbing alcohol contact lens trick doesn't work. Amend plans accordingly.

The coaches ignored all the warning signs--bloodshot eyes, decreased attention span, 'Kid Charlemagne' as a ringtone: The Missouri football team lost 275 pounds two weeks ago--not as a result of diet and exercise, mind you, but after reserve defensive end John Stull's third arrest and subsequent dismissal from the team.

According to the Columbia Tribune, Stull was in possession of marijuana, synthetic pills, and cocaine. That's two felonies and a misdemeanor. He's also 20, so the booze in his apartment was a bad idea--there's another misdemeanor. So really, why not give the officer a false ID, right? Not so fast, McLovin--that's misdemeanor #4.

All told, this case may shatter the Fulmer Cup as we know it. Stull was originally awarded three points, but that seems low for two felonies and four misdemeanors, plus any style points that may come into play (because, well, holy crap). Watch for a possible adjustment in days to come.

Keeping 'The Man' Busy: Utah Keeps it Real originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Notre Dame Loses Another Player

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:07:00 EST

Filed under: Notre Dame Football, NCAA FB Recruiting, Missouri Football

It's a good thing that Charlie Weis and Notre Dame are still able to recruit the nation's top talent out of high school, even after an awful year in South Bend, because the players they already have on the roster just keep leaving. The latest is sophomore cornerback Munir Prince.

Prince has decided that South Bend just isn't the place for him, and he's going to start over at Missouri.

Munir Prince (above), a reserve cornerback from St. Louis, has left Notre Dame and is transferring to Missouri.
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis confirmed the departure, and [Prince's high school coach] Pat Mahoney confirmed the pending arrival.

Obviously, as with any player transfer, Prince is going to have to sit out the 2008 season. When he's able to play again in 2009, he'll still have two years of eligibility left.

Prince is the fifth member of the 28 in his original sophomore class to have left Notre Dame. He was also the first recruit to verbally commit to Notre Dame after Charlie Weis took over the program. Prince was originally a running back in his freshman season before being converted to cornerback this past season.

With all the players the Irish had ahead of Munir on the depth chart, Prince didn't see much time on the field and only recorded three tackles this season. With news that Terrail Lambert has applied for a fifth year of eligibility, and Darrin Walls also returning for 2008, odds are that Munir wasn't going to see much playing time next season either.

Notre Dame Loses Another Player originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Arkansas Making Life Hard on Arkansas

John Radcliff — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: Bowl Games, Missouri Football, Arkansas Football

Despite a decent drive by Arkansas late in the third quarter that ended in a three yard touchdown run by Darren McFadden, Arkansas has been their own worst enemy in the second half. From the fumble by Felix Jones after a 40 yard pass completion, to the Casey Dick interception returned for a touchdown by Missouri, to the interception by Adrian Davis that he promptly fumbled, to the Peyton Hills catch and fumble, Arkansas is showing us what it means to properly screw the pooch.

As Bobby Petrino watches, he has to be asking himself why all the fumbles. Dang, I can't even finish this post without Arkansas messing something else up. With another Razorback drive stalling, the punt coverage team gets a fifteen yard penalty for interfering with the chance to catch the kick. Give credit to Missouri for playing a good game and knowing when to step back and watch Arkansas implode. Oh yeah, Missouri needs all of one play to make Arkansas pay with a 40 yard touchdown run by Tony Temple. This makes it 38-7 in favor of Missouri.

The score might change between now and then, but this one is over. For Missouri they cap one of the best seasons in school history with a dominating performance that should catapult them into a high ranking next year and an eye on their next game with Oklahoma. For Arkansas they really have to wonder who they are. Are they the team that ran all over then number one LSU or are they the team that couldn't get out of their own way today? Will the hire of Bobby Petrino help to stabilize this team into more consistent play, or will the sine wave roller coaster continue full steam ahead?

Arkansas Making Life Hard on Arkansas originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mizzou Leading the Cotton Bowl

Charles Rich — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 13:17:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, SEC, Missouri Football, Arkansas Football

First half thoughts on the ~~Fox~~ AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic between Arkansas and Missouri. Missouri has a 14-0 lead.

Arkansas came out in all red unis. They said it was the first time Arkansas has ever broken out the same colored tops and bottoms. Since I've never been a fan of the high school uniform look, here's hoping it will be the last time.

The coverage of this game -- in case they haven't made the point enough times -- is Fox. Pat Summerall and Brian Baldinger providing play-by-play and color. I hate having Summerall do games now. He used to be one of the best, but he's not able to stay on top of things any longer. Add in the fact that Summerall is an NFL guy, knows the NFL game and then Fox just plops him in a college bowl game and it hurts to listen.

He and Baldinger seem to assume that the viewers along with himself, are seeing a college game for the first time this season. Talking about Darren McFadden and Kevin Jones like their performance is some sort of burst-on-the-scene-revelation. Admittedly it's the first game of the season on the Fox network channel, so to them it may well be. Most everyone else taking the time to watch this game, however, has at least a passing awareness.

Arkansas has had good field position thanks to great returns by Jones and McFadden. They just haven't been able to finish drives. Twice they stalled out inside the 20, and missed field goals. McFadden and Jones can't get free at that point and the passing of Casey Dick doesn't scare anyone.

Missouri started the game tight, but got over their opening jitters. The Tigers actually offer offensive balance with Chase Daniels throwing and Tony Temple running absolutely wild through the Razorbacks. Temple already has more than 150 rushing yards and both TDs. Daniels has under 100 yards passing, thanks to plenty of Mizzou receivers dropping passes.

At the end of the half, Summerall mentioned that Missouri players were a little ticked at the Razorbacks players talking up their speed and how much faster the players are in the SEC. So far, beyond McFadden and Jones, speed hasn't been noticeable from Arkansas.

Mizzou Leading the Cotton Bowl originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 13:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Big 12 Dominates AP First Team

Jeff Adams — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:08:00 EST

Filed under: Colorado Football, Kansas Football, Oklahoma Football, Big 12, Missouri Football

The Big 12 which is regularly left out of conversations about college football's elite conferences managed to place eight players on The Associated Press All-America team. The conference's dominance is particularly noticeable at the receiver positions where Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, Kansas State's Jordy Nelson, and Missouri's tight end Martin Rucker were honored. Jeremy Maclin of Missouri, another wide receiver, was recognized as the first team all-purpose player. The rest of the Big 12 honoree's were Kansas tackle Anthony Collins, Oklahoma guard Duke Robinson, Colorado linebacker Jordan Dizon and Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib.

Much of the Big 12's representation can be attributed to the emergence of Kansas and Missouri as national powers. Both teams placed two players on the AP's list. Overall, the Big 12 outgunned the SEC (four players), the Big 10 (four players), ACC and Pac-10 (three players), and the Big East with two players. I've always hated the conference sniveling that goes on a year-to-year basis, but where is all that much ballyhooed SEC speed? Sorry couldn't help it.

The bottom line is that the Big 12, which has been maligned by many critics in recent years isn't quite as dead as folks might have thought. In addition, Kansas and Missouri have also been relatively hot on the recruiting trail this year, which could be indicative of transfer of power to the lower Midwest. Or not, but even one-hit wonders deserve their recognition.

Big 12 Dominates AP First Team originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

StiffArmTrophy.com Projects Final Finish in Heisman Race

Ryan Ferguson — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:48:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Football, Big 12, MAC, SEC, Heisman, Missouri Football, Arkansas Football, Hawaii Football

Spoiler alert! If you continue reading, you'll be privy to the name of the student-athlete who will win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, and you'll also know who will come in as runner-up. In fact, there's an odds-on chance you'll know exactly how all four finalists will finish.

Want to surprise and impress your non-blog reading friends with your Heisman prescience? Simply tell them that you know exactly what order the finalists will finish and what percentage of the total vote they'll get.

How will you be able to do this? By way of StiffArmTrophy.com, which has to be the coolest of all the Heisman websites out there; it's like the early exit poll for college football's most prestigious individual award. The website tracks publicly announced ballots, whether they be in print, over the radio or on TV, and projects the winner.

Does it work? Yes. Since 2002, SAT has correctly projected the winner and runner-up.

Since then, the website has correctly nailed the Top 3 (2006), the Top 4 (2003) and Top 5 (2005) in the correct order of finish. The average margin of error is anywhere from 1-4%, so for extremely tight races the site is less accurate.

As it happens, despite what ESPN might be advertising as a "close race," the 2007 race isn't that tight at all... except for 3rd and 4th place, which are close enough to fall just within that aforementioned margin. The victor in this race will win comfortably, and the runner-up will be defined with a similar cushion in statistical margin.

Ready for the results? Here you go... after the jump.

#4: Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri
Projected total points: 364. Projected total %: 13.1%

Why he's a finalist: Chase Daniel had a phenomenal year as a quarterback in '07, throwing for 4,170 yards, 33 TDs and only 10 INTs. He has a QB rating of 151.91 and led Mizzou to a #1 ranking.

Why he didn't win it: The two losses to Oklahoma -- the best team Mizzou played all year -- eroded voter confidence that Daniel could play at a Heisman level against a Top 10 team not named Kansas. A win over Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game most likely would have made a seismic shift in voter perception, but it wasn't to be.

Next year?: Daniel will be an early Heisman favorite in his senior year at Mizzou.

#3: Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii
Projected total points: 514. Projected total %: 18.5%

Why he's a finalist: Brennan led Hawaii to an undefeated regular season and BCS bowl bid. He threw for 4,174 yards, 38 TDs and 14 INTs. His QB rating is 166.3.

Why he didn't win it: There's a reason Hawaii's undefeated and still isn't being given a chance to play in the BCS Title game, despite the fact that two teams with a combined 3 losses between them are playing for the championship. That reason is Hawaii's schedule; their toughest opponent was 4-8 Washington. Close wins over Louisiana Tech (45-44), Nevada (28-26), and Fresno State (37-30) did little to help matters. Brennan also has some character issues in his past, but I don't think they played a significant role in how voters viewed him. Hawaii's weak schedule is a burden that Brennan has to carry when being considered for an honor as prestigious as the Heisman Trophy, and that burden has translated into a distant 3rd-place finish behind the top 2 finalists.

Next year?: It's off the pros for senior Brennan; if Warriors' head coach June Jones is to be believed, he's one of the best pro prospects ever. We'll see.

#2: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Projected total points: 1510. Projected total %: 54.5%

Why he's a finalist: Darren McFadden is easily the finest running back in the country. Despite sharing the load with fellow superstar Felix Jones, he still rushed for 1,725 yards in the regular season for a 5.7 YPC average. He has 15 rushing TDs, 1 TD reception, and for good measure, threw 4 more. He had monster games against South Carolina (321 yards) and LSU (206 yards) and rushed for over a hundred in all but three games. He is a likely Top 2 NFL draft pick should he decide to forgo his senior year with the Razorbacks.

Why he didn't win it: "D-Mac" came into the 2007 season as a favorite to win the Trophy. If he had managed this Heisman-like season in a year when our Heisman winner wasn't playing football, he'd likely have won it this year, now that he's a junior. Option 2: if Arkansas had just managed to win the SEC West and compete for a conference championship, losing perhaps only 2 or 3 games instead of 4, this year's Race could have been much closer.

Next year?: The "Boss Hawg" says he hasn't yet decided whether he'll go pro or not after the Hogs' bowl game against Missouri, but nobody's fooled. McFadden has one game remaining in an Arkansas uniform and after that, hello NFL!

#1: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Projected total points: 2045. Projected total %: 73.8%

Why he's a finalist: What more can be said about Tim Tebow that hasn't already been said? He's shattered just about every record a quarterback can break, and he's done it in his first year as a starter in the SEC. He's tied the SEC single-season rushing TD record at 22, with a bowl game to go. He's the first quarterback in the history of Division I-A football to score 20 passing and 20 rushing touchdowns in a single season. His 51-TD performance against the nation's best defenses is a milestone record that will likely remain unbroken even by Tebow himself as a junior or senior. The Heisman Trophy goes to college football's most outstanding player; there is no other criteria. Tebow has proven himself to be that in 2007.

Next year?: He'll be wearing a Florida uniform in 2008. In a recent interview, Tim Tebow said he was "planning to stay all 4 years" at Florida, but whether that occurs obviously remains to be seen. How many career records will Tim Tebow break if he stays through 2009? Only time will tell.

Looking at the Numbers

As you can see, with Tebow pulling in a projected 2,045 votes to McFadden's 1,510, the gap between first and second place isn't terribly close. But it's certainly closer than the gap between McFadden's runner-up finish and Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel, who are projected to receive only 514 and 364 votes, respectively.

Brennan and Daniel are close enough point-wise that a reversal of 3rd and 4th place is possible; so don't take that prediction to the bank. One thing you can be certain of is that Tim Tebow will be the first sophomore in the history of the Heisman Trophy to win the award, and that fellow SEC'er Darren McFadden will be the runner-up.

We'll be back after the ceremony with any new updates or info of interest. Until then, you can spread the word with confidence: it's an SEC QB and RB duo taking 1st and second place, respectively. Thank you, StiffArmTrophy.com, for all that you do.

%Gallery-11504%

StiffArmTrophy.com Projects Final Finish in Heisman Race originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Michigan's Newest Target: Gary Pinkel

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:37:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan Football, NCAA FB Gossip, Missouri Football, NCAA FB Coaching

I have to tell you, I'm offended. It seems as though the University of Michigan is interested in everybody (Brady Hoke? Really?) as Lloyd Carr's replacement, and I want to know why nobody's called me. You should see me on my Playstation. I've won back to back national titles with Baylor, people. Baylor.

Still, apparently that's not good enough for the head honchos up in Ann Arbor, because my phone sits here silent. Instead they're trying to figure out a way to get Missouri's Gary Pinkel.

MU coach Gary Pinkel now could be coveted by many other schools seeking coaches, including Michigan, the winningest program in college football history.

So now we can add Pinkel's name to the list of candidates that once included Les Miles, and has had Greg Schiano's name floating around lately as well. Though just because Michigan's interested in Pinkel, it doesn't mean Pinkel is interested in Michigan, yet anyway. When asked about the job, Gary made that much clear.

"I'm not commenting on fiction," Pinkel told the Post-Dispatch, adding, "Nobody's contacted me."

Notice he never said that if Michigan did contact him, that he wouldn't listen. He'd be stupid not to, and Michigan would be stupid not to call Pinkel.

Over the last few years Pinkel has built a top program at Missouri, and has the team going to it's first New Year's Day bowl since 1970. Still, Pinkel is a loyal guy, so who knows if he'd really leave Missouri. Of course, loyalty is nice, but if Michigan drives a truck load of money up to his front door, Gary could survive without it.

Michigan's Newest Target: Gary Pinkel originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

This Week In Schadenfreude: The Continuing Malaise of the Mountaineer

Brian Cook — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:11:00 EST

Filed under: Tennessee Football, UCLA Football, West Virginia Football, Missouri Football

scha·den·freu·de /???dn?fr??d?/
-noun

satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.

[Origin: 1890-95; < G, equiv. to Schaden harm + Freude joy]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, (C) Random House, Inc. 2006.

On This Week In Schadenfreude we explore the sputtering rage, gibbering condemnation, and resigned ennui of the college football fan who has recently undergone humiliating defeat. Because even in your darkest hour, someone else is suffering too, and probably worse than you. Unless you are a Michigan fan who has just finished watching the Appalachian State game.

Last week on TWIS, we noted that LSU "lost its shot" at a national championship by dropping a triple OT game against Arkansas, because everyone knew that West Virginia was going to pound Pitt. The Mountaineers were four touchdown favorites. One Pat White injury and three turnovers later, LSU is back in the national championship game and West Virginia fans have a decision to make: self-immolation on the 50 yard line or on the university president's lawn?

Yes, West Virginia takes this week's Tears of Unfathomable Sadness, and many of the tears can be found right here at the Fanhouse, on Brian Stouffer's post. A winning entry:

This was the last straw. I am a 1984 grad of WVu and grew up 15 minutes from Morgantown in Preston County. I will never cheer for the Mountaineers again. Not ever. I hope they lose every freeking game they ever play from now on.

This guy has an idea how to make his newfound desire a reality that's almost as stellar as his WVU education. That, and the week in spleen, after the jump.

Right, the idea:

By the way, coach Rod-- your offense has been figured out. Try something new. Like go to Michigan and join your old friend John Beilein.

Um .. yes, please. I mean, no offense to Gerry DiNardo, Salvador Dali, and the rest of Michigan's stellar options in the wake of the Miles implosion, but that would be okay by me.

BIG TEN

The Big Ten is done, but check this space in January for a rundown of their horrible bowl losses.

PAC 10

Should this entry be for UCLA or USC? As the picture above indicates, another UCLA loss and the presumptive end of the Karl Dorrell Era is probably a worse day for Trojans than Bruins, though Trojan fans have that whole "Pac-10 champs going to the Rose Bowl thing" to salve their wounds.

UCLA? Not so much. Even the basketball team isn't helping matters: they dropped a game to Texas. But there's hope in Westwood once again. Hope and pictures of Karl Dorrell in an enormous sombrero.

SEC

LSU got what they wanted both on and off the field. Tennessee, not so much, but there's little in the way of "Fire Phil" sentiment hanging aroud these days; UT fans are a little disappointed but seem mostly content:

We knew before the game that LSU was the better team, and it should be no great surprise that they won.

Nothing to see here. Except maybe this:

What is it? I don't know. I don't care, either.

BIG EAST

The only other Big East game this week was Rutgers-Louisville, a battle between two disappointing teams no one had much riding on by this point in the season, so we'll stick with the WVU meltdown above.

BIG TWELVE

Missouri got the full-on Kansas State treatment this year, dropping from a spot in the national championship game all the way to the Cotton Bowl by losing in the Big 12 championship game.

You might imagine that Kansas getting in with their weak-ass schedule and uncompetitive loss to Missouri is a serious opportunity to be pissed off, and you would be right. Tigerboard.com is aflame with calls to fire the AD (though to be fair, everyone thinks that guy is an idiot) and rampant KU-bashing.

One Jayhawk fan tries to make peace, calling on Mizzou fans to focus their anger on the BCS's two-teams-per-conference rule:

Kansas deserved a BCS Bowl. Mizzou deserved a BCS Bowl. Oklahoma deserved a BCS Bowl. All are ranked in the top 8 in the BCS. All should be playing in a BCS game. Kansas didn't "take your spot" the stupid rule "took your spot."

This is met with a torrent of disapproval; the best riposte for sheer comedy value:

Suck it, segregationist (nm)

If nothing else, this year has provided us our first real look at the biggest little rivalry in America. You have to love grudges borne of Civil-War-era massacres.

ACC

I guess BC lost, but anyone who saw their earlier matchup against Virginia Tech could see that coming. No, let's focus on someone else ...

The Gateway Conference (!)

Hey, Iowa State fans! Remember losing to Northern Iowa in September? (And, hey, Iowa fans, remember losing to Iowa State like the week after?) Well, you may be pleased to know that I-AA #1 Northern Iowa lost to Delaware last weekend.

Some members of Panther City-State are not amused:

Farley and his O-cord are like impetous kids. "I want a touchdown, and I want it now"!

The most dominating position on this years team is the O-line. Why Farley didn't trust them is beyond me.

Just goes to show you that wherever you are and whoever you're rooting for, there's always a That Guy around. There is one difference: at UNI, having a "That Guy" can be seen as a form of accomplishment:

My University is growing up.

We now have enough fanatics that love their football program so much that they can criticize the decisions made in a game. I say Hooray! We have made it!

In 20 years, when the Northern Louisiana State coach refuses to return home to lead you to glory, or at least the occasional win over Northern Ohio State, you'll be sorry.

Programming note: with college football season at its end, TWIS shuffles off the mortal coil for a bit. Watch for a post-bowls edition in early January.

This Week In Schadenfreude: The Continuing Malaise of the Mountaineer originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Unthinkable Happens: #1 and #2 Both Fall

Ryan Ferguson — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 23:48:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, Kansas Football, LSU Football, Ohio State Football, Virginia Tech Football, West Virginia Football, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, BCS, Missouri Football

WVU loses to Pitt.

No, that can't be correct. Did that really happen?

Why, yes. I did not just hallucinate that. A 4-TD underdog beats West Virginia in Morgantown in a game that no one, and I mean no one thought they could win.

Un-freaking-believable.

Oh, and by the way: #1 Missouri just fell to Oklahoma. That's less of a shock; Oklahoma was favored.

But no matter how you slice it or dice it, #1 and #2 both fell. Again.

So now you have the ultimate BCS nightmare: total disarray, total chaos. This is what the anti-BCS anarchists are always dreaming of. Now, it's here.

BCS standings:

1. Missouri ~~11-1~~ 11-2 (lost to #9 Oklahoma)

2. West Virginia ~~10-1~~ 10-2 (lost to unranked Pitt)

3. Ohio State 11-1

4. Georgia 10-2

5. Kansas 11-1

6. Virginia Tech ~~10-2~~ 11-2 (beat Boston College, now ACC Champion)

7. LSU ~~10-2~~ 11-2 (beat Tennessee, now SEC Champion)

8. USC ~~9-2~~ 10-2 (beat UCLA)

9. Oklahoma ~~10-2~~ 11-2 (beat #1 Missouri)

10. Florida 9-3

You ask me, I think it's rather obvious what should happen.

Ohio State?

Tressel comes up roses again -- but gets to turn them down. Ohio State is #1 yet again and will play in the BCS title game for the second year in a row. Congratulations, Buckeyes.

Georgia?

It's just tough luck for #4 Georgia that they didn't get a chance to represent the SEC East in the SEC Championship game. The way LSU played -- and the way Georgia finished their season -- you'd have to think they would have had at least as many opportunities to win that game as Tennessee had. If they had managed to do that, there would be no debate: Georgia would be playing for a BCS Title. But that's pure fantasty at this point. Based on recent events, I don't see Georgia remaining at #4; while they sat idle, #7 BCS LSU beat another ranked team and won a conference championship.

Kansas?

Forgive me for saying this, Kansas fans, but a 1-loss Kansas appearing in the title game will not happen for two reasons. One, their schedule was far too soft for any voter to take the Jayhawks seriously. Two, they didn't win their conference, much less their division. I can't see too many voters keeping Kansas' ranking intact. Expect Kansas to drop.

Virginia Tech?

Here we encounter our first pingings of the geiger counter as we approach BCS meltdown: Virginia Tech meets most of the voters' requirements for a title game appearance. They're ACC Champions. They have only two losses. And at #6, they should slide neatly into position at #2 to play for a BCS title. One problem: they were demolished by LSU early in the season. And I do mean demolished: they lost 48-7. That's just Va Tech's unlucky draw to get the Tigers in this year, of all years.

LSU?

Ding-ding-ding. Written off for dead just hours ago, the 2-loss Tigers, in my view, will most likely get the nod due to a long list of factors: they're SEC Champions, they beat Va Tech as previously mentioned, they have the "inertia" of an expected title appearance, and despite how bad they've looked at times they still look like the best 2-loss team in the country, particularly when they're healthy. After all, they did win an SEC championship despite playing their backup QB and with a rash of injuries throughout the roster. And I think the public would love to see another Big Ten/SEC matchup for the national title.

USC?

Nope. Lost to Stanford. Sorry, that's the worst loss, by far, of any team in the Top 10. This will not be overlooked and USC is not likely to jump anyone except perhaps West Virginia.

Oklahoma?

This is an interesting one. Yeah... what about Oklahoma? They're a two-loss team, like LSU. They're the Big 12 conference champion. They look the part. Biggest problem? Their two losses both look bad. They're only two weeks removed from losing to Texas Tech, although starting QB Sam Bradford was concussed for the majority of that contest. Losing to lowly Colorado early in the season is also an ugly mark on their record. Still, I'd feel better about Oklahoma playing Ohio State than Kansas or Virginia Tech.

Hawaii?

Get real. Call me when Hawaii starts playing D-IA football.

Final call?

I think this one's too close to call definitively, but I think voters are going to put LSU, two losses and all, into the BCS title game to keep Tressel and the Buckeyes honest.

That's a game I'd really love to see. How about you?

The Unthinkable Happens: #1 and #2 Both Fall originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 23:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Missouri Football No Longer Chokers

Brian Grummell — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Kansas Football, Big 12, Missouri Football

Over the years, Missouri's football program has carried the burden of being a squad of chokers. Grand Poobah among them has been pucker pucker pucker-ish head coach Gary Pinkel. He had squandered several good Tiger teams under Brad Smith and then watched what I thought was a pretty good Missouri team last year falter down the stretch after a similar hot start.

It was a well-earned rep, until now.

Missouri edged a solid Kansas team last night in an electric atmosphere, badly outplaying the Jayhawks early and then doing what was necessary to close late including the clinching end zone safety with just seconds to go.

At least for one year, the Tigers have boldly shaken off that burden of being a team that just can't close. I don't even think it matters whether they win or lose against Oklahoma in next weekend's Big 12 Championship game, they've held firm this entire season and done the impossible these last few weeks in surviving pressure games as the favorite to even get to this point.

The difference between closing and not closing makes all the difference in the world, as these Tigers have repositioned themselves from a top 15 team that plays its way out of the top 25 to a team gunning for #1. Coffee is for closers, and these guys deserve a few sips.

Missouri Football No Longer Chokers originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 25 Nov 2007 14:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Border Rivalry Re-Writing History

Scott Olin Schmidt — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Kansas Football, Big 12, Missouri Football, NCAA FB History, NCAA FB Media Watch

All week long, sports radio has been buzzing about tonight's Border War football game between Kansas and Missouri. The rivalry, we were told, dates back to before the Civil War. College Gameday repeated the myth this morning.

Today's Los Angeles Times, repeated the myth headline and again in the article, "The game is called the "Border War," and dates to before the Civil War, when Missouri was a slave state and Kansas a free state." It must be in somebody's press notes and no one has bothered to jog their memories about simple American history.

If I recall correctly, the Civil War began in South Carolina in 1861 and ended when the CSA surrendered in 1865. The first college football game was between Rutgers and Princeton four years later, and in fact, it was Rugby. College Football as we know it wasn't invented until 1875, when Tufts played Harvard. Kansas first played Missouri in the "Border War" in 1891.

Certainly the animus between the two states goes back to the Civil War, but only in SEC country--where some may believe the war never ended--could you say that the football game dates to before the Civil War.

Border Rivalry Re-Writing History originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments