The Year in Review: Baylor (10-3, 6-3)
By Paul Myerberg // Feb 1, 2012
Robert Griffin III is gone. He’ll be seen again in Waco, but only in highlight montages — he has time… launches it into the end zone… touchdown! — and on the odd fall Saturday, should he be free of all N.F.L. obligations. All that’s left are records, plenty of records, as well as the sort of imprint that comes only with being the finest player in program history. That’s no hyperbole: There’s Griffin, followed by a solid gap, then there’s Mike Singletary, then there’s Don Trull, and then there’s everybody else. So how does Baylor recover from losing the most transcendent figure in program history, not to mention losing him one year ahead of schedule?
Tags: Ahmad Dixon, Art Briles, Auburn, Barrett Trotter, Baylor, Mike Hicks, Nick Florence, Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, Robert Griffin III, Sam Holl
Comments (1)
Missouri Makes Its Presence Felt in the SEC
By Paul Myerberg // Feb 1, 2012
Want to play in the SEC? Landing SEC-caliber players helps. You know those guys: five stars, built like a statue, hits like a truck, runs like a gazelle and ready for the N.F.L. from day one. The SEC dominates all of our college football acronyms, from the F.B.S. to the B.C.S. to N.S.D. – I’m sure there are others. And the conference’s newest addition, Missouri, is doing what it takes to keep pace. The SEC-bound Tigers signed wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, the consensus No. 1 recruit in the country regardless of position, sending a fairly clear message to its new conference brethren: If you’re looking for a pushover, look elsewhere.
Tags: Arkansas, Dorial Green-Beckham, Gary Pinkel, Missouri, Recruiting, SEC
Comments (0)
A Few New Coaches Hit the Trail Running
By Paul Myerberg // Feb 1, 2012
A rookie head coach can offer the keys to the kingdom. That’s the usual pitch for a new staff, one that plays on the idea that unlike his predecessor, in most cases, the new head coach will be one who builds the dynasty. So be the missing piece: play immediately, for starters, but also become known as the one recruit who turned the tide. It’s a pitch that’s worked for generations, heading all the way back to Bear Bryant’s initial turn at Texas A&M more than a half-century ago and continuing with coaches like Urban Meyer, whose 2006 class at Florida ranks among the best in college football history. And a few rookie coaches, as well as a few coaches completing their first full recruiting haul – those who had only a few months to fill out a class last winter – are again using this approach to land a top 10 class in 2012.
Tags: Al Golden, Alabama, Brady Hoke, Florida, Kevin Sumlin, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Nick Saban, Ohio State, Recruiting, Texas A&M, Urban Meyer, Will Muschamp
Comments (0)
The Annual Curmudgeonly Take on N.S.D.
By Paul Myerberg // Feb 1, 2012
Once asked whether he preferred his wide receivers to be fast or quick, B.Y.U.’s LaVell Edwards replied, “I’d like them to have both, but if they had both, they’d be at Southern California.” This is true: Yesterday, today and tomorrow, for as long as the weather remains lovely and the Trojans field a team, U.S.C. will win be the preferred landing spot for receivers who are fast and quick, not to mention for any five-star prospect who views the N.C.A.A. as a boarding school on the road to N.F.L. riches. What’s left to be said about national signing day? Those who are fast and quick are swooped by the national powers. Those who are fast but not quick, quick but not fast, fast but not big, big but not fast — those recruits go elsewhere.
Tags: B.Y.U., Isaiah Crowell, Recruiting, Sun Belt, U.S.C.
Comments (13)
Can Anyone Knock Oregon Off Its Perch?
By Paul Myerberg // Jan 31, 2012
Oregon knew – or had a very strong suspicion – that LaMichael James was going to forego his final season of eligibility; Darron Thomas’ decision to follow James out the door came as a bit of a surprise. It was certainly surprising on a national level, as Thomas, while certainly one of the top quarterbacks in the Pac-12, could probably have used another season of college seasoning before taking his game onto the next level. Oregon’s offense shouldn’t have much trouble replacing James, as strange as that might sound, since the Ducks can turn to the three-headed monster of Kenjon Barner, De’Anthony Thomas and Tra Carson to help pick up the slack.
Tags: Bryan Bennett, California, Chase Thomas, Chip Kelly, Clancy Pendergast, Darron Thomas, De'Anthony Thomas, Jeff Tedford, Justin Wilcox, Keith Price, Kenjon Barner, Mike Leach, Mike Riley, Oregon, Oregon State, Pac-12, Shayne Skov, Stanford, Tra Carson, Washington, Washington State
Comments (4)
The Year in Review: Washington (7-6, 5-4)
By Paul Myerberg // Jan 31, 2012
Washington, like the Pac-12 as a whole, needs a big, strong, healthy dose of defense. The Huskies are sitting pretty when it comes to the offensive side of the ball, what with Keith Price under center and Steve Sarkisian pulling the strings, but the Huskies need a high-test defense to go with their high-potent offense. Perhaps improvement will come from the additions from Tennessee: Justin Wilcox and Peter Sirmon, two former Oregon Ducks, will be Sarkisian’s new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, respectively. Another two new defensive assistants come from the Pac-12, with defensive line coach — and ace recruiter — Tosh Lupoi coming over from California and defensive backs coach Keith Heyward from Oregon State.
Tags: Alameda Ta'amu, Cort Dennison, Josh Shirley, Justin Wilcox, Keith Heyward, Keith Price, Nick Holt, Pac-12, Peter Sirmon, Steve Sarkisian, Tosh Lupoi, Washington
Comments (0)
Kyle Flood Lands a Promotion at Rutgers
By Paul Myerberg // Jan 31, 2012
Kyle Flood’s coaching career can be summed up in three words: Gardi, Keeler and Schiano. Those are names, actually, with Gardi the former coach at Hofstra, Keeler the current coach at Delaware and Schiano, of course, the head coach at Rutgers from 2001 through last Friday. His connection with each coach spans back to 1997, when he joined Gardi as Hofstra’s offensive line coach, but Flood’s coaching career spans back to 1993, when months after graduating from Iona he took a position coaching both lines at St. Francis Prep in Lafayette, N.J. — Flood’s alma mater, as well as a school famous for producing Vince Lombardi, among other notables.
Tags: Greg Schiano, K.C. Keeler, Kyle Flood, Mario Cristobal, Rutgers
Comments (1)
Unexpectedly, Cristobal Isn’t Rutgers-Bound
By Paul Myerberg // Jan 30, 2012
How is it possible that two sides so clearly destined for each other couldn’t hold hands and cross the threshold? It wasn’t about the relationship: Rutgers knew Mario Cristobal and Cristobal knew Rutgers, thanks to his three-year stint as a Greg Schiano assistant. It wasn’t about ability: Cristobal can coach, as he proved over five years at Florida International, and replacing Schiano at Rutgers would clearly mark a step up the coaching ladder. It wasn’t about a better option on the horizon — for Rutgers, at least: If not Cristobal, the Scarlet Knights would turn their sights inward toward interim head coach Kyle Flood. No, it wasn’t about relationships, it wasn’t about ability and it wasn’t about a better option. So what prevented Rutgers and Cristobal from walking down the aisle?
Tags: Florida International, Greg Schiano, Kyle Flood, Mario Cristobal, Rutgers
Comments (0)
Follow us
RSS | 
Twitter