Chip Kelly Decides Against Joining Tampa Bay Buccaneers
He Is Afraid Of Willie Lyles
Oregon football coach Chip Kelly will not be jumping ship to the NFL, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
According to the report, Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik said Kelly’s heart is with college football. Kelly reportedly met with the Bucs late last week and was near a final deal on Sunday night. With the proximity to National Signing Day, the Times reports Kelly quickly ended talks once he decided to stay.
Oregon reached a BCS bowl game in each of Kelly’s three seasons. Kelly, 48, is 34-6 as the Ducks’ coach. In 2010 Oregon played for the BCS national championship but lost a thriller to Auburn. The Ducks won this year’s Rose Bowl against Wisconsin.
Oregon’s recent success has been mainly because of Kelly’s explosive no-huddle, spread attack that takes advantage of the team’s speed at the skill positions.
One of those skill players was former Ducks running back LeGarrette Blount, who now is a key part of the Bucs’ backfield.
Raheem Morris was fired earlier this month after three seasons in Tampa Bay. The Times reports at least eight known candidates have interviewed for the position. New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell could be on the team’s list in addition to that group.
Alabama-LSU Draws Lowest Ever Rating For BCS Title
Snoozer
The game had number one versus number two plus one 50-50 kicker but all that couldn’t help ESPN’s BCS title game Monday drew a 13.8 overnight rating the lowest rating in the BCS system’s 14-year history.
That 13.8 translates to 13.8% of households in the 56 urban markets measured for overnights. The previous record low was a 14.3 for Miami-Nebraska at the 2002 Rose Bowl. Last night’s game was down 14% from last year’s Auburn-Oregon title game on ESPN and down 24% from Alabama-Texas on Fox in 2010.
The new low isn’t surprising. Alabama’s 21-0 win was less-than-suspenseful, both schools are from relatively sparsely-populated states and from the same conference. The schools had already played earlier this season in an overtime game where neither team scored a touchdown. CBS coverage of that game drew an 11.9 overnight
Oregon Ducks Rose Bowl Helmets
Bling
On Tuesday we posted, Nike unveiling the University of Ducks Rose Bowl uniforms and now we have up close images of the helmets they plan in using. They are for sure going to be the talk of the airwaves between Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit that Rose Bowl evening.
Bling
Oregon Ducks Mark Asper Performs Heimlich At Rose Bowl Banquet
The Wind Beneath The Diamond's Wings
Oregon Ducks offensive guard Mark Asper performed the Heimlich maneuver on Paul Diamond as he began choking a bit while eating Wednesday at the traditional Beef Bowl, which brings the teams playing in the Rose Bowl to Lawry’s in Beverly Hills for prime rib.
One of the restaurant’s chefs initially attempted to do the Heimlich on Diamond, Hollywood screenwriter of such shows as Married With Children and father to Ducks student Tom Diamond, however the chef was not successful.
“He looked like he was struggling with it,” Asper said, “so I stood up and patted him on the back and said, ‘If you don’t know what you’re doing, I do, because I’m an Eagle Scout.
“So I ripped in there and the first heave was a test heave because the guy seemed a little old, I didn’t want to break his ribs or anything. Test heave, then he seemed like he could handle a full force heave so I popped it out. He came up to me afterward and said, ‘Hey man, thanks a lot, but you broke my sunglasses,’ Asper said. “I said, ‘I’m sorry, I’ll see if I can get you a new pair.’ ”
The Beef Bowl traditionally brings the teams to the restaurant on separate nights for a dinner before the game, Oregon’s opponent, Wisconsin, visits Lawrys Thursday.
Nike Unveils Oregon’s Rose Bowl Uniforms
Quack
Nike took today to unveil the University of Oregon Ducks newest uniforms that they will use to play in the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. The football program synonymous with new uniforms will display them on January 2 and is dubbing them Nike is dubbing, “the most advanced football uniform system ever assembled.”
Quack
BCS Strips USC Of 2004 National Championship
When It Rains, It Pours
The BCS has stripped USC of its 2004 national title and will leave that season without a BCS champion, marking the first time since polls began that a football or men’s basketball championship has been vacated. BCS officials had said USC was in danger of having its championship vacated after the Trojans were hit with heavy NCAA sanctions last year for rules violations committed during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. USC appealed the sanctions, which included a two-year ban from postseason play and a loss of 30 scholarships over three seasons but was denied on May 26. The BCS waited until the NCAA ruled on the appeal to make a decision about its championship.
In a statement, BCS executive director Bill Hancock said, “The BCS arrangement crowns a national champion, and the BCS games are showcase events for postseason football. One of the best ways of ensuring that they remain so is for us to foster full compliance with NCAA rules. Accordingly, in keeping with the NCAA’s recent action, USC’s appearances are being vacated. This action reflects the scope of the BCS arrangement and is consistent with the NCAA’s approach when it subsequently discovers infractions by institutions whose teams have played in NCAA championship events.”
USC beat Oklahoma 55-19 in the 2005 Orange Bowl to cap its perfect championship season and the BCS also stated that they must vacate its 2006 Rose Bowl, in which the school lost the national championship game to Texas, 41-38.
Golfer Jerry Kelly Dresses Up As TCU Mascot After Losing Rose Bowl Bet
Golfers Jerry Kelly and J.J. Henry had a friendly bet over the Rose Bowl that the loser would have to wear the opposing school’s mascot costume during the Colonial ProAm. Kelly is from Madison, Wisconsin while Henry played golf at TCU. The Horned Frogs beat the Badgers in the Rose Bowl, and the result was Kelly having to wear the SuperFrog costume.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5na7CAayquM&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
TCU Turns Down Chance Of Rose Bowl Rematch With Wisconsin
Undefeated
A Madison radio station reports that TCU turned down a chance to open the season in a Rose Bowl rematch with Wisconsin, leaving what happened to the schools willingness to play any other school. A third party, likely a TV network, contacted both schools, about the rematch but said that it would be a one-time thing and not a home-and home. TCU gearing up for a season in which it had its most successful class of football players to graduate in school history plus the opportunity not to not showcase the game in front of it’s own fans saw the Horned Frogs quickly turn down the offer. Despite all that though, you would think TCU would welcome the chance to play a big school after several big schools canceled games in recent years due to the Horned Frogs success of late.
“I was contacted a week and half after the bowl game about the opportunity to play TCU in our opener,” Badger football head coach Bert Bielema said. “It was something that was going to be broadcast and made a big deal, it took me all of about point five seconds to say yes.”
So the thought of a Rose Bowl rematch would be an exciting one will have to wait.
WTF: Ohio State
Undefeated
Ohio State president Gordon Gee said earlier this year that non-automatic BCS qualifier schools where “Little Sisters of the Poor.” Now fresh off of TCU’s 21-19 win over Wisconsin, a Big Ten school, in the Rose Bowl 20 electronic billboards went up in Columbus today that congratulated the team on it’s victory. Oh and underneath the congratulatory statement it said “Little Sisters of the Poor.”
Primetime College Football: Rose Bowl
TALENT
This game goes down on the ABC network and it features the University of Wisconsin Badgers taking on the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in the “The Granddaddy of Them All” adds its 97th edition this New Year’s Day an the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Wisconsin, 11-1, 7-1 Big Ten, the Big Ten Conference title with Ohio State and Michigan State. Head coach Bret Bielema Badgers are averaging 45 ppg this season and happens to be one of five teams in the country to rank among the top 25 in both total offense and total defense. The others being Boise State, TCU, Stanford and Ohio State.
Wisconsin uses the run about as well as any team in the nation, and the Badgers are the only team to have three running backs who have gained at least 800 yards on the ground this season. James White led the backfielfd with 1,029 yards and 14 touchdowns while John Clay added 936 yards 13 touchdowns and Montee Ball finished it out with 864 yards and 17 touchdowns. That gave Wisconsin an average of 6.12 ypc and 247.3 ypg.
With an overly effective running game its easy to overlook the work quarterback Scott Tolzien put in as he threw for 2,300 yards with 16 touchdowns and and only 6 interceptions. His favorite target was Lance Kendricks, who had 39 receptions, 627 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The Badgers only turned the ball over 9 times on the year as well as being the least penalized team in the country with just 2 per game.
TCU, 12-0, 8-0 MWC, the Horned Frogs enter its last games as a memeber of the Mountain West Conference as next year they will become part of the Big East and they hope to go out in style with a win in “The Granddaddy of Them All”. Head coach Gary Patterson also has a very potent offense as his team is averaging 43 ppg on 491.5 total ypg. The TCU rushing attack is just as punishing as the Badgers, turning out 261.2 ypg and accounting for 39 touchdowns.
Ed Wesley has rushed for 1,065 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, picking up 6.6 ypc. Wesley was joined by three others who rushed for at least 400 rushing yards including quarterback Andy Dalton.
Dalton has thrown for 2,638 yards and 26 touchdowns while only throwing 6 interceptions and leads the school in almost every caterogy. Dalton never really had one single reciever he just threw to instead played the role of equal distrubitor. Jeremy Kerley and Josh Boyce where the teams leaders when it came to catching the ball though as Kerley caught 50 passes for 517 yards and 10 touchdowns while Boyce had 602 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Defensively the Horned Frogs are truly one of the elite defensive teams in the country holding opponents to 11 ppg and only 215.4 total ypg. Tanner Brock is a standout player on defense with his 97 tackles, a pair of sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception on the season.
PICK: Texas Christian University Horned Frogs
Wisconsin Has Already Won The Rose Bowl According To ESPN
No Respect For TCU
According to ESPN the Rose Bowl already has it’s 2011 champs and it isn’t TCU and the best part of it is that the games has yet to be played. The Rose Bowl game takes place on January 1st but if your a Wisconsin fan you can already buy your champion t-shirt. Wonder how Horned Frog fan feels about that?
Former NFLer Ryan Leaf Signs Deal To Write 3 Books About His Life
Forever Linked
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf said he will write three books about his life, football career and addiction to painkillers. Funny he’s now going to get paid to talk about his drug use but a certain program director had to set up a meeting for calling Leaf out it on the air-waves just because the national media hadn’t yet picked up on the story. It’s OK and all is now forgiven even if a certain program director wont, vindication.
The deal was announced by Crimson Oak Publishing, a publisher that bills itself as specializing in books about “hope, possibility and determination.”
The first book will focus on Leaf’s playing career at Washington State, including the team’s 1998 Rose Bowl appearance. Another book will be a broader biography covering his youth and troubled NFL career. A third book will be about his addiction to prescription painkillers, which resulted in a 2009 indictment while he was coaching quarterbacks at West Texas A&M.
In April, Texas State District Judge John B. Board sentenced Leaf to 10 years of probation and ordered him to pay $20,000 in fines after pleading guilty to eight felony drug charges.
Primetime College Football: uDrove Humanitarian Bowl
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features Northern Illinois University Huskies taking on Fresno State Bulldogs in the 14th annual uDrove Humanitarian Bowl at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho.
Northern Illinois, 10-3, 8-0 MAC, of the Mid American Conference is making its third consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history and is 2-3 all-time in bowl games. Though the Huskies lost a heart breaker in the MAC title game, they still have a chance to go for a school-record 11 wins.
Northern Illinois is now a program that is in transition as earlier this month their head coach Jerry Kill accepted an offer to become the next head coach at Minnesota. So for the time being assistant coach Tom Matukewicz will handle play calling duties before they are given over full time to Dave Doeren, who will become head coach after his Wisconsin Badgers finish up their season in the Rose Bowl.
The Huskies went undefeated in the MAC and in fact won 9 straight games to close out the regular season, with the streak beginning with a 34-23 win at Minnesota. However, even being the top scoring offense in the league at 37 ppg couldn’t help the team when it came to the MAC Championship game against Miami-Ohio. A week after putting up an incredible 71-3 win over Eastern Michigan, the Huskies found themselves with a disappointing 26-21 defeat at the hands of a RedHawks team that converted a late 4th-and-20 play to stay alive.
The Huskies offense is lead by junior quarterback Chandler Harnish, who guides a balanced offense that ranks 13th in nation averaging 37 points. The junior broke a 46-year-old school record by amassing 2,991 total yards on the season. Chad Spann, the MAC player of the year, leads a running game with 264.8 ypg and ranked 7th in country as he gained 1,293 yards for his second straight 1,000-yard season. Willie Clark was often Harnish’s favorite target when he went downfield as he led the team with 38 catches for 514 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Fresno State, 8-4, 5-3 WAC, guided by head coach Pat Hill, is playing in this particular bowl game for the third time in the last seven years and already has wins over Virginia (37-34 OT) and Georgia Tech (40-28) in 2004 and 2007. Coach Hill had trouble guiding the team to wins over the second-tier programs in the WAC this year but almost pulled off an upset of nationally ranked Nevada before losing 35-34 at home. The Bulldogs are currently riding a two game win streak thanks in part to running back Robbie Rouse, who is averaging 109.7 rushing ypg and ranks 13th in the nation on an offense that averages 30 points.
The rest of the Bulldogs offense is managed by Ryan Colburn who has converted almost 62 percent of his pass attempts for more than 2,500 yards and 21 touchdowns against 9 interceptions. Colburn’s often looks downfield to Jamel Hamler who earned all-conference honors as he turned his 47 catches into 725 yards and 5 touchdowns.
A Fresno State squad under coach Hill is known for it’s defense and that hasn’t changed as the team was 6th in the nation in sacks with an average of 3 per game. Senior defensive end Chris Carter is a huge force to reckon with as he had 11 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles on the season to earn the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.
The schools split their previous four meetings, with the Bulldogs winning 55-7 in the most recent game in 1991. NIU is making its third consecutive bowl appearance but its first appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl and is 2-3 all-time in bowl games. Fresno State is making its fourth straight bowl game and is in the Humanitarian for the first time since 2007 but is 2-0 in the event. The Bulldogs are 12-11 in postseason play after last seasons 35-28 double overtime loss to Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl.
PICK: Fresno State Bulldogs
University Of Wisconsin School Paper Calls Out Students For Selling Student Tickets
Are Any Of You On This List
The University of Wisconsin Badgers are having one of those dream seasons which they will travel to Pasadena to play in the Rose Bowl, the granddaddy of them all. As all school do, they set aside 5,800 number of tickets for students at affordable price so there student fan base can attend within economic reality. However some of these students have gone onto Facebook and Craigslist to try and gain a profit from these tickets which sold out in 20 minutes. Some of the tickets have been spotted in the range of $400.
That pissed someone off in the journalism department so they decided to publish students names in the school paper and name them ‘The Worst People On Campus’. They have even put in the request that UW Athletics, make it so people have to pick their tickets up at the bowl site, so in there words “will keep the worst people on campus from cheating the system.”
The Herald hereby declares that the below students are the worst people on campus.
* Aaron Redlich
* Adam Gadbois
* Alex Benedict
* Amy Jones
* Bailey Tyrpak
* Bob Sixsmith
* Brad Gruener
* Brad Harris
* Brad Smolek
* Caitlin Cusack
* CLaRe LiStOn
* David McMunn
* Eric Ballecer
* Eric Engel
* Erik C. Larson
* Greg Sitter
* Jake Shithead
* Jeff Albrecht
* Josh Fangman
* Juliana Hermann
* Kathryn Ison
* Kyle Cooper
* Kyle Vaughn
* Matt Materson
* Matt Milson Wilson
* Matt Shapiro
* Melissa Annen
* Nick Schidermayer
* Rebecca Stern
* Rhea Schommer
* Taylor Valentine
* Tim Kessler
* Tj Meyer
Primetime College Football: Bruins vs Ducks
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features the University of California Los Angeles Bruins taking on the University of Oregon Ducks in Eugene.
Head coach Rick Neuheisel takes his Bruins up to Autzen Stadium 3-3 overall but just 1-2 in Pac-10 play. The Bruins are coming off another thrashing last week, which has been far to familiar during Neuheisel’s tenure, against California 35-7 on the road. The Bruins have no passing game to really speak of as they rank 118th in the nation with 95 yards per game.
The weak passing attack the Bruins put on display is handled by sophomore quarterback Kevin Prince, 384 yards 3 touchdowns 5 INTs, who averages 4.09 yards per completion and is on completing 44.7 percent of his throws. Prince however left the California game with a knee injury before the game was over and his status is uncertain. If he isn’t healthy to play the Bruins will go with sophomore quarterback Richard Brehaut, 189 yards 1 INT, who has 38 pass attempts on the year.
UCLA does have better success on the ground as their rushing attack is turning out 223 yards per game thanks to an impressive average of 5.2 yards per carry. Of the 16 touchdowns scored by the offense this season, 13 have come on the ground. Sophomore running back Johnathan Franklin, 679 yards 5 touchdowns, leads the way, while junior Derrick Coleman, 332 yards 4 touchdowns, has been productive as well as he is averaging 7.5 yards per carry.
Defensively opponents are generating 25 points per game and is allowing almost the same number of rushing yards per game of 182.3 as passing yards 187.5.
Head coach Chip Kelly is a perfect 6-0 and every victory has come by double figures. The Ducks are backed by Heisman Trophy hopeful and ALL-SGE-NCAA Team member LaMichael James, 848 yards 9 touchdowns, who is averaging 7.4 yards per carry. As tremendous as James has been once again, this year he hasn’t had to do it all by himself as the Ducks have the play of sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas, 1231 yards 14 touchdowns 5 INTs, and has rushed for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. However Thomas is only completing 58.8 percent of his passes but does look for wide receiver senior Jeff Maehl, 423 yards 5 touchdowns, when he does go to the air.
While the Oregon offense gets most of the media attention, the team’s defense has certainly help up its end of the bargain. The Ducks are allowing only 16 points per game and 338.5 total yards per game. The success of the defense is due the ability to generate turnovers, as Oregon has posted 12 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries. Sophomore defensive back Cliff Harris has four interceptions and junior safety Eddie Pleasant leads the Ducks with 33 total tackles.
The Bruins owns the all-time series with a 39-24 advantage between the two schools but Oregon has won seven of the past nine against UCLA. The Bruins are just 4-10 all-time against top-ranked teams and hasn’t defeated one since the 1976 Rose Bowl against Ohio State.
PICK: University of Oregon Ducks
Primetime College Football: Beavers vs Horned Frogs
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features the Oregon State University Beavers taking on Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, who will be facing off for their first ever meeting in their schools history down in Jerry’s World.
The Beavers came up short last season in their bid to make their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1964 when they lost 37-33 to rival Oregon in the regular-season finale. The Beavers followed that loss with another to BYU, 44-20, in the Las Vegas Bowl. It was certainly a disappointing ending for Mike Riley’s squad, which finished 8-5 and 5-3 in the Pac-10.
For the Beavers to build on last years run they will need quarterback Ryan Katz to play above his experience. The sophomore quarterback will make his first collegiate start this weekend and has only appeared in four games after backing up Sean Canfield. Canfield graduated after throwing for 21 touchdowns and completing a school-record 67.9 percent of his passes.
Katz has the Rodgers brothers, to help him succeed immediately. James Rodgers, the older of the two, had 91 catches for 1,034 yards and 9 touchdowns. Jacquizz on the hand finished 11th in the nation with 1,440 yards and 3rd in touchdowns with 21. The 5-7 junior also grabbed 78 passes and is one of top tier running backs in the nation.
Defensively, Oregon State returns eight starters and defensive tackle Stephen Paea, 8.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks, is main piece of the puzzle. Dwight Robinson, 55 tackles, returns to the line-backing core. The Beavers are inexperienced in the secondary and as a unit gave up 23 passing touchdowns last season however junior safety Lance Mitchell, who had 72 tackles and 3 INTS, does returns.
TCU enters this season with its highest ranking ever following their 12-0 perfect season and a Mountain West Conference title under the guidance of head coach Gary Patterson. TCU did end up losing to Boise State, 17-10, in the Fiesta Bowl.
Eager to capitalize on last years success the Horned Frogs return an abundance of starters. On a squad that averaged 456.7 yards and 38 points it only lost left tackle Marshall Newhouse and leading rusher Joseph Turner. Senior quarterback Andy Dalton, who enters 2010 as the nation’s leader in victories with 29, passed for 2,756 yards 23 touchdowns 8 INTS while rushing for 513 yards and 3 touchdowns does return. Dalton will have his three favorite receivers back on the field with him. Jeremy Kerley, 532 yards, Jimmy Young, 517 yards, and Bart Johnson, 401 yards.
The Horned Frogs ranked first in the nation in overall defense last season, allowing just 239.7 ypg, and that kind of success has been the norm under Patterson’s 4-2-5. The defense will still have to answer questions on how will they perform without All-American end Jerry Hughes and linebacker Daryl Washington, who were both picked in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. Starting cornerbacks Rafael Priest and Nick Sanders also graduated.
Junior linebacker Tank Carder, 89 tackles 10 tackles for loss, does return and the secondary has a wealth of experience as well, with safeties Tejay Johnson and Alex Ibiloye combining for 129 tackles last season.
PICK: Oregon State University Beavers
Primetime College Football: Herd vs Buckeyes
TALENT
It’s that time of year again and I’m back for another year of Primetime College Football posts. For those that weren’t regular visitors of this site during this time last year, you might not be familiar with the whole objective of these posts. First, breakdowns only come of Primetime games during the season. Bowl season is a different story and every bowl game will get it’s own moment. Second, I don’t root for any particular college team just a fan of all 120 Division 1A and no I won’t call it Football Bowl Subdivision. Third, these are just observations I collect throughout the year and notes I’ve compiled through the years on players. I did somewhat OK last year going 66-27 and slightly above .500 during the bowl season.
Oh and if you have any pictures of TALENT decked out in school gear,doesn’t matter which school, feel free to send them my way. So let’s kickoff the 2010 NCAA Division 1-A Football Season.
The Big Ten Network kicks off the first game of this years Primetime College Football and it’s between Ohio State Buckeyes and Marshall University Thundering Herd. A lot of experts have the Buckeyes in contention to play for a BCS National Championship Game this year but it all starts here.
Marshall starts the year off with new coach Doc Holliday, who inherits a Thundering Herd squad that finished 7-6 a year ago, including 4-4 versus Conference USA competition. Marshall’s last victory was a 21-17 win over Ohio in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. Holliday a longtime assistant and regarded as one of colleges best recruiters returns 13 starters. Senior quarterback Brian Anderson is one of them after throwing for 2,646 yards and 14 touchdowns 13 INTS last year. Anderson main target is Antavious Wilson, who lead the team in catches with 60 catches for 724 yards and 3 touchdowns as a freshman.
On the defensive side of the ball for Marshall they will have to lean heavily on defensive end Vinny Curry, 59 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a sophomore, and senior linebacker Mario Harvey, 117 tackles and 7 sacks. The Thundering Herd will have to go about this season without one of their best play-makers in the secondary after DeQuan Bembry, 3 INTS, was kicked off the team after being charged with assault on a police officer.
Jim Tressel is currently 9-0 in season openers at Ohio State and will watch as junior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Terrelle Pryor looks to guide the Buckeys to their 6th consecutive Big Ten title. Ending the season Pryor had one of his best games when he threw for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 72 yards in a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon.
Two of Pryor’s favorite targets in DeVier Posey, 60 catches for 828 yards and 8 touchdowns, and Dane Sanzenbacher 36 catches for 570 yards and 6 touchdowns are back. The offense firepower doesn’t stop with Pryor and his favorite wide receivers as running back tandem of Brandon Saine, 739 yards, 5.1 ypc, 4 touchdowns, and Daniel Herron, 600 yds,7 touchdowns also are back. The offensive line also returns four starters.
The headlines might read all about Pryor and the offesne but it’s the Buckeyes defense that should dominate the 2010 college football. The defensive unit that was among the nation’s best last year, ranking 5th in total defense and scoring defense brings back most of its starters. Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is the real star on the defensive side of the ball as he led the team with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss last year. Top tacklers Ross Homan and Brian Rolle also have returned for their senior seasons.
The only previous meeting between Ohio State and Marshall occurred in 2004 with a narrow 24-21 win by the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes haven’t dropped a home opener since a 19-0 loss to Penn State in 1978.
PICK: The Ohio State University Buckeyes
FedEx & Orange Bowl To Part Ways
BYE
After 21 years of partnership, FedEx and the Orange Bowl are going their separate ways. While the game itself was important to FedEx, the company was not interested in a larger college football platform. ESPN is reserving bowl game entitlements for companies that buy a lengthy and more expensive college football package starting in September.
The network, which will be carrying the BCS games for the first time next year and is selling all sponsorship and advertising inventory, is seeking around $20 million annually over four years for a new title deal that includes ad commitments.
The title sponsorships for all the BCS games ended earlier this year, as Fox completed its four-year run of broadcasting the games. Renewal talks are ongoing between ESPN and Tostitos for the Fiesta Bowl, Allstate for the Sugar Bowl and Citi for the Rose Bowl.
Over the past decade, FedEx consistently has been a top 50 spender in sports advertising. In 2009, it spent $51.6 million, placing it 48th among sports advertisers. It spent $45.1 million in 2008 and $51.3 million in 2007.
National Championship Game Gets 23.9 Milli Viewers
3-17-10 Prediction Of Duke To Win Comes True
The finale of the college basketball season hit a five-year high in the ratings. Monday’s Duke/Butler Men’s Basketball National Championship Game drew a 14.2/23 final rating and 23.9 million viewers on CBS, up 31% in ratings and 36% in viewership from North Carolina/Michigan St. last year (10.8/18, 17.6 mil), up 17% and 23%, respectively, from Kansas/Memphis in ’08 (12.1/20, 19.5 mil), and up 16% and 22%, respectively, from Florida/Ohio St. in ’07 (12.2/20, 19.6 mil).
Duke/Butler ranks as the highest rated National Championship Game since North Carolina/Illinois in ’05 (15.0/23), and the most-viewed since Duke/Arizona in ’01 (24.0 mil).
Excluding the NFL and the Olympics, the game ranks as the third-most viewed sports telecast of 2010, behind the BCS National Championship Game (30.8 mil) and the Rose Bowl (24.0 mil).
Oregon Ducks Athletic Director Getting Out Of The Kitchen While It’s Hot
Would You?
The kitchen must be getting to hot up in Eugene,Oregon as athletic director and former football head coach of the University of Oregon Ducks Mike Bellotti is leaving, for ESPN.
His tenure as the Ducks athletic director lasted less than one year and will now be an announcer and discuss college football with ESPN. Bellotti is stepping away from the kitchen just as things where starting to heat up. Just last week the Ducks second team all Pac-10 quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and ALL-SGE-NCAA Team running back LaMichael James were both suspended after respectively resolving burglary and domestic violence charges.
Bellotti who compiled 116-55 record in 14 seasons before giving way to Chip Kelly last spring, will debut with the network next month.
“I am really excited to join the best team in college football broadcasting,” Bellotti said in a statement. “Working as an analyst for ESPN is a dream come true and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I will bring the insight, experience and expertise I have gathered from 36 years of coaching college football to the studio and telecast booth.”
No doubt Bellotti is excited to be getting away from the firestorm in Eugene, imagine what is going to be said next year if the Ducks fail to produce a comparable season to last when they reached the Rose Bowl.
If you would like for a informative rundown on the Ducks off the field issues that have surrounded the football program since the Rose Bowl game just click (here). It’s a great read.
Oregon Ducks Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli Charged With Burglary & Suspended
Is That A Face Of A Criminal?
Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who helped lead the Ducks to the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl berth last season, faces a burglary charge in connection with a theft at a campus fraternity house in late January.
The Lane Country district attorney’s office says Masoli and former Oregon receiver Garrett Embry were each charged with one count of burglary in the second degree. Masoli and Embry are scheduled to be arraigned in Lane County Circuit Court later this afternoon.
A fraternity member reported that Masoli and Embry stole two computers and a guitar from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house on Jan. 25. The Ducks announced in early February that Embry had been dismissed from the team a month before for violating team rules unrelated to the alleged theft.
Masoli, who came to the Ducks as a junior college transfer out of Daly City, Calif., threw for 2,147 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 668 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Chip Kelly has made the announcement that Masoli will be suspended for the entire 2010 season after the second-team All-Pac-10 quarterback plead guilty to burglary in the second degree, and was sentenced to 12 months of probation.
You can read about the fall of the Ducks football program in such a short time here.
Is The Oregon Ducks Football Team Out Of Control?
Out Of Control
What the hell is going on in Eugene Oregon? If you haven’t been following the off season of the University of Oregon Ducks this all might be new to you. Since the Ducks appeared in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State a lot has happened making the Oregon program look out of control.
The Ducks star quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and little-used wideout Garrett Embry have been implicated in a laptop theft. Embry has since been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules. Masoli and Embry are being investigated by police for stealing two laptops and a guitar from a fraternity house.
Then head coach Chip Kelly’s placekicker Rob Beard was hospitalized in critical condition after he took a beating on the streets of Eugene. At one point, Beard stepped in to help his friend, Mike Bowlin, a fellow placekicker involved in the fight. Beard wound up on the ground, getting kicked by several people until he was unconscious. Beard has now been charged with assaulting a 19-year-old woman during the fight the Eugene police announced. Bowlin has since left the football team and withdrew from the university.
Sophomore defensive end Matt Simms took it upon himself days later to stand up for his teammates. Simms was arrested and cited with a misdemeanor assault charge for allegedly retaliating against a man he thought had been involved in Beard’s beating. Simms then was dismissed from the team after the arrested.
But that’s not the end to Kelly problems as his team continues to spiral out of control with the arrest of ALL-SGE-NCAA Team member LaMichael James. He was arrested and charged with menacing, assault, and strangulation of his girlfriend. Police said during the altercation James strangled and assaulted Ducks cheerleader Courtney Eckhart.
Just a day later Ducks linebacker Kiko Alonso was cited for DUI. Alonso, had 15 tackles in 11 games playing primarily backup to starter Casey Matthews. The very next night, senior wide receiver Jamere Holland had something to say to all his Facebook friends.
Holland wrote “how the fuck you kick kinko off the team,,,on some weak shit, niggas always faded he slipped up but iveslipn up, and I’m still here, that shit weak buff cuh could have done damage for the ducks, that shit is weak, weak ass fuck, quote me” been
Holland later on updated his status on Facebook and wrote “I wish I could block whites as friends and only have blacks LOL, cause apparently I’m misunderstood.”
Kelly now has dismissed Holland from the football team for a violation of team rules and apparently changeling Kelly with his first expletive post. Holland seemed to believe Alonso had been kicked off the team but that has not happened as of yet.
So if your counting at home that four arrests for the Ducks football team in just a months time. Three players have been kicked off the team and a fourth leaving on his own. Two players futures still to be determined and the star quarterback under investigation for theft.
What the hell is going on with the Oregon Ducks football team? Does coach Kelly have control of this team?
UPDATE:
- 19-year-old linebacker Josh Kaddu, was issued a citation for minor in possession of alcohol after he attempted to open the door of a car that did not belong to him.
- Sophomore kicker Rob Beard pleaded guilty to a charge of physical harassment.
- Sophomore linebacker Kiko Alonso was suspended for the entire 2010 football season after he pleaded not guilty for his DUII charge.
- LaMichael James has been sentence to 10 days in jail and a 24 month probation. He was suspended for the Ducks 2010 season opener.
- Jeremiah Masoli will be suspended for the entire 2010 season after the second-team All-Pac-10 quarterback pleaded guilty to burglary in the second degree, and was sentenced to 12 months of probation.
Primetime College Football: BCS National Championship Game
TALENT
The best two teams in the land collide in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for the 4th actual BCS National Championship game, the game was first played at the conclusion of the 1998 college football season to form the Bowl Championship Series however beginning with the 2006 season, the BCS National Championship Game became a separate event. The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the SEC and the second-ranked Texas Longhorns from the BIG 12 each come into the game undefeated at 13-0 with hopes to be crowned National Champion.
Alabama is no stranger to the big stage, as the Crimson Tide will be playing for their 13th national title this week. The team’s last national title came back in 1992. Likewise, Nick Saban is very familiar with the pressures of the big game, leading LSU to the national championship in 2003 and now back in just his third season at the helm in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has earned an NCAA-best 57th bowl berth and are 31-22-3 in postseason play overall.
Mack Brown is also seeking a second national title, winning his first just four years ago with the Longhorns. Texas sporting a perfect 13-0 mark to this point, including winning the Big 12 title with a 13-12 dramatic decision against Nebraska in the conference championship game. Texas ranks second in NCAA Bowl appearances, playing in its 49th bowl game and is 25-21-3 in prior postseason affairs.
There wasn’t much that Texas couldn’t do with the football this season and the result was ranking third in the nation in scoring at 40 ppg. The team was able to rush for 152.7 yards per game on 4.1 yards per carry, but the real strength was in a passing attack that netted 279.7 yards per game.
It certainly helps to have one of college football’s greatest leaders under center in senior All-American Colt McCoy. The all-time leader in career wins, McCoy had yet another stellar campaign this season, completing a ridiculous 70.5 percent of his passes, for 3,512 yards, with 27 TDs. The Heisman finalist was certainly aided by fellow ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member wideout Jordan Shipley, who has hauled in 106 passes, for 1,363 yards and 11 TDs. The ground game plays second-fiddle in Austin, but rushers like Tre Newton 5.0 ypc, 6 TDs and Cody Johnson 4.0 ypc, 12 TDs know how to make the most of their opportunities.
As good as McCoy and company have been this year, the Texas defense may have actually played a more critical role in landing the Longhorns in the title game. Among the national leaders in just about every facet of defensive play, Texas finished up ranked 1st in rush defense 62.2 ypg, 3rd in total defense 251.1 ypg and 8th in scoring defense 15 ppg. In addition, this big play unit racked up 41 sacks, 24 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries.
There are playmakers at every position on the defense. Up front, Texas relies heavily on the push upfield by ends Sam Acho 57 tackles, 13 TFLs, 9 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries and Sergio Kindle 62 tackles, 18 TFLs, 3 sacks and tackle Lamarr Houston 58 tackles, 20 TFLs, 7 sacks. Rodderick Muckelroy has a team-high 96 tackles, 11 TFLs, 2 sacks, one INT highlights the play in the LB corps, while ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member safety Earl Thomas has 71 tackles, 5 TFLs, 8 INTs while Blake Gideon has 56 tackles, 5 INTs are ball hawks in the secondary.
The Longhorns use the pass to soften things up for the run, while Alabama uses the run to set up the pass. Sophomore Mark Ingram is the main reason for success on offense for Alabama as he rushed for 1,542 yards and 15 TDs making things easier for quarterback Greg McElroy to manage the passing game and throw for 2,450 yards, with 17 TDs against 4 interceptions. Wideouts Julio Jones had 42 receptions, for 573 yards, 4 TDs and Marquis Maze 30 receptions, for 519 yards, two TDs are the main options on the outside.
The Alabama defens is lead by ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member Rolando McClain who led the team in tackles this season 101, with 12.5 TFLs, 4 sacks and 2 INTs. Fellow LB Eryk Anders had 59 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 5 sacks, one INT. Up front, the team looks to Marcell Dareus 32 tackles, 9 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and Terrence Cody 25 tackles, 6 TFLs. The secondary was lead by ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member Javier Arenas 66 tackles 12.TFL 5 sacks and 3 INTs he also gets the help of Mark Barron 70 tackles, seven INTs.
Texas has never lost to Alabama in the all-time series, sporting a 7-0-1 record in eight previous meetings. However, this is the first time these two teams have met on the gridiron since the 1982 Cotton Bowl, a 14-12 win for Texas.
PICK: University of Texas Longhorns
Primetime College Football: FedEx Orange Bowl
TALENT
The 76th annual Orange Bowl will have the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten take on the ACC champions the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Miami Gardens at Land Shark Stadium.
Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes were not as fortunate in their bid for a conference championship as back-to-back losses to Northwestern and Ohio State prevented the Big Ten title and Rose Bowl bid. Still the team reeled off a 10-win campaign to place second in the Big Ten. Iowa is making its 24th bowl appearance and is 12-10-1 in its previous postseason play. The Hawkeyes have played in the Orange Bowl just one time before, that being a 38-17 loss to USC in 2003.
Unlike a lot of teams in the Big Ten, Iowa utilized more of a balanced attack this season, instead of relying heavily on the run. Iowa scored just 12 rushing touchdowns, all by tailbacks Adam Robinson 775 yards, 5 touchdowns and Brandon Wegher 528 yards, 7 touchdowns. The passing attack was much more effective as quarterback Ricky Stanzi threw for 2,186 yards and 15 touchdowns. The receiving corps was lead by Derrell Johnson-Koulianos 687 yards and 2 touchdowns and Marvin McNutt 653 yards and 7 touchdowns.
A strong defense was really the key to Iowa’s season, as the team limited the opposition to a mere 15 ppg. The team was stingy against both the run at 122.4 ypg, and the pass, where foes managed just 164.7 ypg, ranking eighth nationally in that category. The Hawkeyes thrived on big plays, racking up 29 takeaways this year, including 20 interceptions. Led by ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member defensive tackle Adrian Clayborn who finished the season with 61 total tackles and 18 tackles for a loss while forcing 9 sacks. Linebacker Pat Angerer lead the team in tackles with 135. The secondary is highlighted by saftey Tyler Sash and his 84 tackles amd 6 interceptions. Other great defenders on the Hawkeyes are A.J. Edds 73 tackles, four INTs and Broderick Binns 58 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 6 sacks.
The Yellow Jackets posted an 11-win campaign and captured their first outright ACC title since 1990. Paul Johnson’s squad opened the season with a pair of victories before suffering its only league loss at Miami but then won eight straight. The season earned Johnson his second straight ACC Coach of the Year award. Georgia Tech is playing in its 13th consecutive bowl game and is 22-15 in the postseason all-time, including a 3-2 mark in the Orange Bowl. The Yellow Jackets have not had much success in the postseason of late, losing their last four bowl games, including a 38-3 rout at the hands of LSU in last year’s Chick-fil-A Bowl.
The Yellow Jackets use a totally different approach to move the football, as they represent one of the most productive rushing teams in the nation thanks to a devastating spread offense. Georgia Tech finished the year second in the nation in rushing, at 307.2 yards per game on the ground a 5.3 per carry.
They have one of the nations top tailbacks in Jonathan Dwyer who rushed for 1,346 yards and 14 touchdowns. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt was not to much of a passer only throwing for 1,689 yards and 10 touchdowns but did rush for 991 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets also got production from backup tailback Anthony Allen and his 597 yards, 5 touchdowns. When Nesbit does throw he finds wideout Demaryius Thomas who had 46 receptions, for 1,154 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Keeping the defense fresh has been a key to Georgia Tech’s success this year and a potent ground game has done just that, with Tech controlling the ball for just over 34 minutes per game. That has allowed the defense to make big plays, including 24 takeaways and 23 sacks. The unit is highlighted by ALL-SGE-NCAA Football Team member defensive end Derrick Morgan who finished with 52 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. The linebacking corps is highlighted by standouts Brad Jefferson 90 tackles, 8 tackles for loss and Sedric Griffin 72 tackles. Morgan Burnett is an upcoming star with 77 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 4 interceptions in the secondary.
Iowa is 0-7 all-time against the ACC, while Georgia Tech is 6-6 in 12 matchups against the Big Ten. However, this is the first-ever meeting between these two teams on the gridiron.
PICK: University of Iowa Hawkeyes
