Archive for the ‘The Countdown’ Category
No. 105: Kansas
By Paul Myerberg // May 9, 2012
Go ahead. Make his day. Try him. He’ll be your huckleberry. See that line in the sand? Cross it, if you dare. All that’s missing is a gun, a holster, a wide-brimmed hat and a six-shooter: Charlie Weis, the new sheriff in town, won’t take any of your sass-mouth, your weak-kneed cowardice, your yellow-bellying. He’d be the Man with No Name, but Weis is far too recognizable a figure to go anywhere, anytime and go unnamed. Instead, he’s rode into Lawrence like Wyatt Earp, bestride his transportation device of choice and with an incalculable degree of confidence — self-christened or otherwise. How has Weis decided to reverse the apathy that has crept up and invaded every nook and cranny of Kansas football? He’s combined two parts schematic advantage, one part N.C.A.A. graduate-student loophole and four parts no-nonsense accountability. Want to challenge the new sheriff in town? Then draw, pardner. But you should pack your bags first.
Tags: Anthony McDonald, Big 12, Bradley McDougald, Charlie Weis, Chris Omigie, D.J. Beshears, Dave Campo, Dayne Crist, Jake Heaps, James Sims, Josh Ford, Josh Williams, Justin McCay, Kale Pick, Kansas, Marquis Jackson, Michael Reynolds, Mike Ragone, Notre Dame, Rob Ianello, Tanner Hawkinson, Toben Opurum, Trevor Marrongelli
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No. 106: Colorado State
By Paul Myerberg // May 8, 2012
Tomorrow is more important than today at the vast majority of programs in the F.B.S. Those that value the present over the future are those that expect domination as a birthright, and it’s not a long list: Alabama, L.S.U., Ohio State, U.S.C. and their kin, those programs who first moved to the forefront of the sport generations ago and have, with a few speed bumps, remained atop the heap in the decades since. Colorado State isn’t one of those schools, and certainly isn’t one of those schools in 2012, when former Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain steps into Steve Fairchild’s mess. Those that stay firmly in the present would have suspended but not dismissed Mike Orakpo, Nordly Capi and Colton Paulhus, the three student-athletes arrested earlier this spring after a “savage beating” of four university freshmen. That McElwain dismissed the three, two of whom were all-conference defenders, sends a heartening signal: despite his pedigree, McElwain knows that in Fort Collins, tomorrow is more important than today. Keeping Orakpo, Capi and Paulhus on the roster might have led the Rams to another win or two in 2012, but at what cost?
Tags: Austin Gray, C.J. James, Chris Nwoke, Colorado State, Crockett Gilmore, Doug Baldwin, Garrett Grayson, James Skelton, Jim McElwain, Joe Caprioglio, John Froland, Jordan Gragert, Lou Greenwood, Marty English, Max Morgan, Mister Jones, Mountain West, Pete Thomas, Shaquil Barrett, Steve Fairchild, Thomas Coffman, Weston Richburg
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No. 107: Louisiana-Monroe
By Paul Myerberg // May 6, 2012
U.L.M. has an image problem. It’s not about L.S.U., because L.S.U. is L.S.U., and that’s fine. Louisiana-Monroe doesn’t compete with the Tigers, and wouldn’t dare try, of course. U.L.M. competes with Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech and Tulane for in-state eyeballs, and as the Warhawks head into the summer, they’re losing the battle for public attention. The Ragin’ Cajuns are riding a wave of good vibes after earning their first bowl berth on the F.B.S. level, beating U.L.M. to the punch. In addition to hitting its groove under Sonny Dykes, Louisiana Tech is now back in the news thanks to this week’s jump into Conference USA. Even Tulane, despite suffering a setback to its hopes for an on-campus stadium, has moved back into the regional conversation since hiring Curtis Johnson in December. In a state with five F.B.S. programs, U.L.M.’s Q rating comes in last. Perhaps being last isn’t new for the Warhawks; being a distant last, however, is a recent development.
Tags: Austin Moss, Ben Risenhoover, Brent Leonard, Centarius Donald, Jonathan Gill, Jyruss Edwards, Kentarius Caldwell, Kolton Browning, Louisiana-Monroe, Otis Peterson, R.J. Young, Sun Belt, Tavarese Mays, Todd Berry, Troy Reffett, Vincent Eddie
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No. 108: UTEP
By Paul Myerberg // May 4, 2012
You’ve woken up, but 30 minutes before your alarm was set to go off. Awake, but not awake. You’re in a weird spot. Going back to sleep is an option, and an appealing one at that: another 30 minutes in the dark couldn’t hurt. So is waking up fully: the day has to begin at some point, so why not now, since your eyes are already open? One option that’s not on the table is standing somewhere in the middle, rolling around half-asleep, half-awake, while the minutes slowly tick down until the buzzer sounds. Either wake up entirely or go back to sleep, but you need to make a choice.
Tags: Andre Patterson, Brander Craighead, Brian Natkin, Carson Meger, Conference USA, DeShawn Grayson, Drew Thomas, Felix Neboh, Horace Miller, Jamie Irving, Jordan Leslie, Josh Bell, Josh Fely, Marcus Bagley, Mike Edwards, Mike Price, Nathan Jeffery, Nick Lamaison, Tom Williams, UTEP
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No. 109: Indiana
By Paul Myerberg // May 3, 2012
All that was missing was a banana peel. Or Moe, Larry and Curly — nyuk nyuk — though this team could have used the laughs. Indiana’s season was like the spring training montage from “Major League,” but the film stopped there: there was no magical, inspired turnaround, just loss after loss after loss. Part of me was surprised that after finally scoring a touchdown against Wisconsin, Kevin Wilson didn’t imitate one of his predecessors, Lee Corso, and have the entire roster pose under the nearest scoreboard for a team photo. This was the worst B.C.S. conference team in the country, beating out strong contenders like Kansas, Mississippi, Maryland and Colorado for the crown, and this might have also been the worst team in program history. The latter designation says it all, if you’re familiar with the history of Indiana football.
Tags: Adam Replogle, Big Ten, Bobby Richardson, Cameron Coffman, Charlie Chapman, David Cooper, Duwyce Wilson, Greg Heban, Indiana, Jacarri Alexander, Jammone Chester, Kevin Wilson, Kofi Hughes, Mark Murphy, Mike Ekeler, Stephen Houston, Tre Roberson, Will Matte
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No. 110: Buffalo
By Paul Myerberg // May 2, 2012
It’s not necessary to go into great detail explaining how Buffalo won the MAC title back in 2008, because the answer is simple: the Bulls won because they had a multiple-year starting quarterback in Drew Willy, a senior; the MAC’s best running back in James Starks; the MAC’s best receiver in Naaman Roosevelt; one of the most opportunistic defenses in all of college football; and the ability to win games in the fourth quarter. The first four qualities are simple, at least, if difficult to replicate – if not impossible for Buffalo to replicate on an annual basis. The final positive, the ability to stay calm and cool in the eye of the storm, has everything to do with confidence: Turner Gill was somehow able to convince one of the nation’s weakest programs that it was supposed to beat teams it had failed to beat with any consistency since joining the MAC in 1999. This achievement is Gill’s lasting legacy with the Bulls.
Tags: Alex Davis, Alex Neutz, Alex Zordich, Branden Oliver, Buffalo, Colby Way, Cortney Lester, Fred Lee, Gokhan Ozkan, Jaleel Verseer, Jeff Quinn, Jerry Davis, Joe Licata, Khalil Mack, Lou Tepper, MAC, Najja Johnson, Steven Means
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No. 111: Rice
By Paul Myerberg // May 1, 2012
Since the start of the 2003 season, Rice has allowed, on average, 36.7 points per game. So it’s not too surprising to find that the Owls are 39-69 over the last nine years; what’s surprising is that Rice has made two bowl trips over the last nine years. Rice has allowed at least 40 points in a game 44 times since 2003: eight times in 2007, when the defense allowed 515 points, and another seven times in 2009, when the defense allowed 517 points. The Owls have scored 40 or more points in 24 of their 39 wins since 2003, including seven such victories in 2008, when the program scored more points than it allowed for the only time since 1997. The goal of football is to score more points than your opponent over the span of 60 minutes; for Rice, that quest is waylaid every fall by a defense that is reaching a historical level of ineptitude.
Tags: Bryce Callahan, Cameron Nwosu, Chris Thurmond, Conference USA, Corey Frazier, David Bailiff, Drew Carroll, Driphus Jackson, Hosam Shahin, Jared Williams, Jon Hodde, Jordan Taylor, Kyle Prater, Luke Wilson, Paul Porras, Phillip Gaines, Rice, Sam McGuffie, Taylor McHargue, Turner Peterson, Vance McDonald
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No. 113: Idaho
By Paul Myerberg // Apr 26, 2012
This happens with Vandals. Beginning in about 430 and running for the next century, the original Vandals — the group with the higher winning percentage — whipped the Romans out of Northern Africa, Sicily, Corsica and, eventually, Rome itself. But the Vandals grew fat and lazy in power, which allowed a reborn Byzantine Empire, from 530-34, to regain a significant portion of its lost Roman outposts and send the Vandals into irrelevance. Said Gelimer, the last king of the Vandals, at the time of the tribe’s decline, as recounted by Edward Gibbon: “The Vandals still prefer an ignominious repose, at the expense of their wives and children, their wealth and liberty.” See, the Vandals worked, clawed and fought to achieve their goal, but that pace grew to a crawl once they reached the pinnacle. Kind of like the other Vandals — the group with the lower winning percentage — who worked for more than a decade to go back into bowl play, but since getting there in 2009 have returned to, well, irrelevance.
Tags: Aaron Grymes, Benson Mayowa, Bobby Cowan, Conrad Scheidt, Dominique Blackman, Gary Walker, Gordy Shaw, Idaho, Jason Gesser, Justin Veitung, Mike Levenseller, Mike Marboe, Mike Scott, Robb Akey, Robert Siavii, Ryan Bass, Su'a Tuala, Taylor Davis, Trey Farquhar, WAC
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