Big 12 ADs Meet With Learfield Sports To Discuss Cable Network
Est. 1996
Eight Athletic Directors from the Big 12 Conference met with Learfield Sports on Friday to discuss forming their own cable network, according to Dennis Dodd of CBSSPORTS.com. The ADs from Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas Tech were part of the discussions about the net, which is not related to any conference shifting, but is seen as a new revenue stream.
Texas A&M AD Bill Byrne, who has “talked and tweeted about the meeting publicly,” said of the net, “It’s something I’m quite interested in. … It’s something that our fans are going to be demanding sooner rather than later.”
Dodd reported experts have indicated that the success of a college sports cable net is dependent on the number of football and men’s basketball games it can broadcast. FOX, ESPN and ABC own those Big 12 rights, but there could be some flexibility in new negotiations.
Dodd noted it wasn’t immediately clear what Colorado was doing at the meeting if it is soon leaving the league. Texas rights are not handled by Learfield, and the school has made it clear it wants to develop its own channel or network.
This also comes on the heels of a NCAA report shows that just 14 of the 120 Division 1-A schools made money from campus athletics in 2009, down from 25 the year before.
Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Texas and Tennessee are among the select group that made money. So is Missouri, which reported generating $2 million in profits from campus athletics in 2009.
The largest reported amount of revenue generated by an athletics program was $138.5 million — nearly three times the median of $45.9 million. The top-spending program reported $127.6 million in annual expenses, with a similarly sized gap from the median. 68 schools reported turning a profit on football, with a median value of $8.8 million. The 52 schools that lost money on football reported median losses of $2.7 million.
In Iowa, the Board of Regents voted unanimously to order school presidents at Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa to come up with plans to scrap or dramatically decrease such sports subsidies.
University Of Alabama Rob Ezell Imitates Head Coach Nick Saban
In honor of Calvin Casey, who won’t be on today’s show as he attends to a personal matter, here’s this video of University of Alabama Crimson Tides walk-on quarterback turned wide receiver R ob Ezell doing a spot on impression of his favorite college coach Nich Saban.
Stay in the moment.
Dorothy Davidson Photoshops Herself With Nick Saban For Political Race
WTF
If your alright with University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban than your alright with the state of Alabama. That’s why Bessemer mayoral candidate Dorothy Davidson decided to photoshop herself with Saban and used it to post onto fliers declaring his endorsement of Davidson around town. But the University of Alabama athletics officials said there is no such endorsement.
“Coach Saban has not been contacted for a political endorsement of any kind,” Associate Athletics Director Jeff Purinton wrote in an e-mail.
Davidson at first said the image of her and Saban together was real and taken about three weeks ago. However, when presented later with a 2007 photo of Saban and his wife that appears to be the base photo onto which Davidson’s image was added, the candidate acknowledged that her image was digitally added to the 2007 photo.
San Francisco 49ers 2009 Draft Pick Glen Coffee Retires
83 Carries For 226 Yards
San Francisco 49ers 2003 3rd round draft choice running back Glen Coffee announced his unexpected retirement at age 23. The former University of Alabama star had been wrestling with the decision for a while he said and came to the conclusion that God had another plan for him other than football. Adding that leaving the sport was something he should have done a long time ago.
“I feel like it’s His will,” Coffee said. “It’s something that I really felt like I shouldn’t have entered the NFL in the first place. I don’t know what call God has for my life, but it wasn’t football. … I’ll be happier, not necessarily because I’m without football, but because I’m letting Him do his work. Whether it was leaving football or leaving something else, another job, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be happy because I’m following His will.”
In the midst of his Crimson Tide career he found Christianity and and was later baptized during the 2007 season. Religion eventually spurred his decision to leave pro football, he said.
“A lot of people aren’t going to understand and realize because they don’t have the wisdom to understand,” Coffee said. “Their eyes aren’t open like mine are open. True happiness is glorifying God and glorifying Christ. That’s what true happiness is. … And for me, that wasn’t the NFL. That wasn’t where I needed to be.”
Coffee’s next step, he said, will be a return to the University of Alabama to finish work on his undergraduate degree before possibly beginning graduate school.
WTF: Alabama GameStop
NCAA's lil baby Jesus
The makers at EA Sports just released this week NCAA 2011 with the former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow on the cover however the people in Alabama have different ideas. That’s because the managers of a Tuscaloosa, Alabama GameStop decided to do some editing of their own on the EA Sports product and changed the cover of Tebow to the infamous tears on the sideline photo in the SEC championship game.
How long before corporate comes calling about their product being altered?
Nick Saban Documentary To Premier In August
"I'm not going to be the Alabama coach"
University of Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban will be the sole focus in the upcoming documentary “Nick Saban: Gamechanger” which is set for an August 24 premier. The film produced by Flashlight Media Group of Memphis, delves into uncharted waters with Saban and interviews those closest to the two-time national championship coach.
It will supposedly go behind the depths of which the public knows the coach and show the influences that shaped his organizational philosophy, how he runs the Crimson Tide operation runs on a day-to-day basis. The movie will also be available on DVD after the theater run ends. Flashlight Media Group produced a five DVD set on Alabama football in 2008 called “Defining Moments.”
The crew was granted undeinable access to the orivate coach and where allowed to shot everything staff meetings, film sessions and scenes in the locker room while trailing him throughout a scrimmage. The filmmakers also flew with Saban in May to California where he and Texas coach Mack Brown shot an ESPN promo for College Game Day.
SGE NFL 1st Round Mock Draft
Est. 2010
This Thursday marks the very first time the NFL Draft will premier to football fans in the primetime slot when it airs on ESPN at 6:30 CST. Sports Grind Entertainment has also decided to recognize the special occasion by providing a SGE Mock Draft of the First Round. Anything after that really is reaching, considering the likelihood of teams trading in and out their draft slots increases and that all to famous NFL team that screws everyone’s war room.
Instead of this Mock Draft being a one sided point of view on what each NFL teams drafts needs may be and who’s likely to be there, we are supplying three different points of view. In the process we made it a little unique by two of the selectors picks being blind. What we mean by that is Rudy J had no idea who Calvin Casey was picking and Calvin Casey had no idea who Rudy J was picking, just focusing on their selections. If a player was off the SGE Mock Draft board and selected then he was notified but nothing further. So without further ado is the selections/predictions
Draft Order
- 1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford (QB), Oklahoma Sooners – Calvin Casey
- 2. Detroit Lions: Ndakumh Suh (DT), Nebraska Sooners – Salami
- 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Eric Berry (S), Tennessee Volunteers – Rudy J
- 4. Washington Redskins: Russell Okung (OT), Oklahoma St. Cowboys – Calvin Casey
- 5. Kansas City Chiefs: Gerald McCoy(DT), Oklahoma Sooners – Salami
- 6. Seattle Seahawks: Jimmy Clausen (QB), Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Rudy J
- 7. Cleveland Browns: Sergio Kindle (OLB), Texas Longhorns – Calvin Casey
- 8. Oakland Raiders: Rolando McClain (MLB), Alabama Crimson Tide – Salami
- 9. Buffalo Bills: Trent Williams (OT), Oklahoma Sooners – Rudy J
- 10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Morgan (DE), Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – Calvin Casey
- 11. Denver Broncos: Dez Bryant (WR), Oklahoma St. Cowboys – Salami
- 12. Miami Dolphins: Joe Haden (CB), Florida Gators – Rudy J
- 13. San Francisco 49ers: Anthony Davis (OT), Rutgers Scarlet Knights – Calvin Casey
- 14. Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Bulaga (OT), Iowa Hawkeyes – Salami
- 15. New York Giants: Brandon Graham (DE), Michigan Wolverines – Rudy J
- 16. Tennessee Titans: Jason Pierre-Paul (DE), South Florida Bulls – Calvin Casey
- 17. San Francisco 49ers: Taylor Mays (S), Southern California Trojans – Salami
- 18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Iupati (OG), Idaho Vandals – Rudy J
- 19. Atlanta Falcons: Navorro Bowman (OLB), Penn State Nittany Lions – Calvin Casey
- 20. Houston Texans: Earl Thomas (S), Texas Longhorns – Salami
- 21. Cincinnati Bengals: Maurkice Pouncey (C), Florida Gators – Rudy J
- 22. New England Patriots: Jermaine Gresham (TE), Oklahoma Sooners – Calvin Casey
- 23. Green Bay Packers: Ryan Matthews (RB), Fresno State Bulldogs – Salami
- 24. Philadelphia Eagles: Corey Wooten (DE), Northwestern Wildcats -Rudy J
- 25. Baltimore Ravens: Jared Odrick (DT), Penn State Nittany Lions – Calvin Casey
- 26. Arizona Cardinals: Linval Joseph (DT), East Carolina Pirates – Salami
- 27. Dallas Cowboys: Bruce Campbell (OT), Maryland Terrapins – Rudy J
- 28. San Diego Chargers: Terrance Cody (DT), Alabama Crimson Tide – Calvin Casey
- 29. New York Jets: Brian Price (DT), UCLA Bruins – Salami
- 30. Minnesota Vikings: Toby Gerhart (RB), Stanford Cardinal – Rudy J
- 31. Indianapolis Colts: Jahvid Best (RB), California Golden Bears – Calvin Casey
- 32. New Orleans Saints: Eric Norwood (OLB), South Carolina Gamecocks – Salami
Alabama Crimson Tide Receives Three Rings For National Championship
Stolen Rings
Spring football for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide ended with it’s players receiving their three championship rings for last season’s success. Their SEC championship ring is on the left left, the national title ring issued by the BCS is in the middle, and the ring on the right is Alabama’s own national championship ring.
Three rings is that for the three plays Colt McCoy got to play in the BCS National Championship Game.
Ex-Giant Mark Ingram Gets 27 Months Added In Prison For Watching Son Play
"oh,oh,oh,oh,fallin fall fall fall fall"
Ex-Giants Mark Ingram has had another 27 months added to his sentence for jumping bail to watch his son play football against Utah in last years Sugar Bowl.
After a judge refused to let him watch his son play football a judge now will let him spend extra time behind bars for the descion. Ingram Sr. failed to surrender in December 2008 to begin serving a prison term of seven years and eight months after pleading guilty to money laundering and bank fraud. He’ll now have to spend nearly 10 years behind bars. Ingram, 44, has had a long criminal history since retiring from the NFL.
Ingram Sr.’s sentence on a money laundering and bank fraud conviction followed a 2005 guilty plea. He admitted laundering money he believed to be proceeds from narcotics deals and to bank fraud for cashing counterfeit checks.
In 2001, he was sentenced to six months in federal prison after he was caught with thousands of dollars in counterfeit cash. He then served a year in jail in 2004 after pleading guilty to stealing a credit card from a Flint, Michigan, area golf course. A later felony charge of breaking and entering to steal a purse from a parked car was dismissed because of a lack of evidence.
Ingram Sr. acknowledged that his failure to surrender was the wrong move.
“I know with bad decisions there is consequences,” he told the judge before being sentenced. “I have to own up to what I did and be sentenced today.”
No one from Ingram’s family appeared at the sentencing.
University Of Alabama’s Nick Saban Requesting SEC Schedule Changing
"I'm not going to be the Alabama coach"
At the request of Alabama’s head coach Nick Saban, the Southeastern Conference is continuing to look into possible changes to the league’s 2010 football schedule to ease the burden on the Crimson Tide due to it’s final six opponents have bye weeks before facing Alabama.
Of the eight SEC teams scheduled to play Alabama in 2010, the final six are set to have idle weeks before the game which includes South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn.
Changes could be as soon as next season to those include conference matchups, SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said. He stressed that any potential changes would be a “tweak here or there,” and not an overhaul of the league’s schedule.
“We’re looking into anything that can be done to provide relief to this issue,” Bloom said.
Relief? Let’s be frank on whose relief we are talking about, Saban’s it’s definitely not a relief for Steve Spurrier, Houston Nutt, Derek Dooley, Les Miles, Dan Mullen, or Gene Chizik.
Super Bowl XLIV Most Watched TV Event EVER With 106.5 Milli
Surpasses "Goodbye & Amen" Episode
For 27 years M*A*S*H finale was the most watched TV event until last nights Super Bowl XLVI dethroned it. The previous record was of 106.0 million for the finale in 1983.
The Saints 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV drew a 45.0 national rating and 106.5 million viewers on CBS Sunday night, up 7% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Pittsburgh Steelers/Arizona Cardinals on NBC last year (42.0, 98.7 mil), and up 4% and 9%, respectively, from New York Giants/New England Patriots on FOX in ’08 (43.1, 97.4 mil).
Additionally, the 45.0 rating is the highest for any television program since Dallas Cowboys/Pittsburgh Steelers drew a 46.0 in 1996.
To put the numbers in perspective, the Super Bowl drew over 70 million more viewers than the top non-NFL sporting event of the past 12 months — the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game (30.8 mil).
This is the third-straight year the Super Bowl has drawn record viewership, and the fifth-straight year that viewership for the game has increased. Just five years ago, Super Bowl XXXIX drew only 86.1 million viewers on FOX. From 1999-05, the Super Bowl drew less than 90 million viewers each year.
The record for the Super Bowl is the capper to a highly successful season for the NFL. The regular season was the most-viewed since 1990 (16.6 mil), the Wild Card round was the most-viewed since ’95 (29.9 mil), the Divisional Round was the most-viewed since ’94 (33.0 mil), and the Conference Championship games were the most-viewed since ’82 (52.9 mil).
You Need To Sign A College Football Player Tomorrow, Come To TEXAS
Texas Leads The Way
That’s right with national signing day being tomorrow, the state that colleges across the country to come invade the most for its talents is Texas. The number of players the Lone Star State produces is staggering.
Of the 12,853 players on Division 1A rosters last season, 1,714 came from Texas. Dallas and Houston produced one-fourth of all the Big 12 players. Texas bred players make up 42 percent of the roster of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The least productive states in the country North Dakota and Maine, each had a single native player on 2009 rosters.
So when your scanning your favorite college team tomorrow and seeing how they rank in the recruiting, make sure you see some Texas players on the roster. Hell, even a Texas reject like former Southlake Carroll quarterback Greg McElroy can make a difference, just ask Alabama.
Alabama To Display BCS Trophy At Wal-Marts
The Dollar General Must Have Been Booked
That does say Wal-Mart and there is an s on that meaning plural. The University of Alabama is going to display its new national championship football trophy at a Walmart Supercenter in Tuscaloosa and another Walmart store in Gardendale.
Fans will be able to get their picture taken with the actual Coaches Trophy that was presented after the BCS win over Texas. The $30,000 trophy is topped with a football made of Waterford Crystal.
I guess the Dollar General’s in Tuscaloosa where already booked.
BCS National Championship Game Draws 30 Milli Viewers
Like Rudy J Said *Asterisk*
For the second straight year, overnight ratings increased for college football’s national championship game.
Alabama’s win over Texas in the BCS National Championship Game drew an 17.2 overnight rating and 30.8 million viewerson ABC Thursday night, up 7% from a 17.0 for Florida/Oklahoma last year, and up 17% from a 15.6 for LSU/Ohio St. in ’08 both of which aired on FOX.
The 17.2 overnight is the highest for the BCS National Championship Game since the Florida/Ohio St. BCS title game drew a 19.1 in ’07. The 30.8 million viewers is the most for a college football game since the 2006 title game between Texas and USC (35.6 mil), and the second-most ever for the a national championship game in the BCS era.
Additionally, the 17.2 is the highest overnight rating for any sporting event on ABC since Super Bowl XL in 2006. As well the 30.8 million viewers tops every single regular season NFL game during the 2009-10 season including Brett Favre’s return to Lambeau Field 29.8 million.
To put the numbers in perspective, the 17.2 overnight tops every Major League Baseball game since 2006, every NBA game since 1996 and every college basketball game since at least ’94.
The game gave ABC its highest rated Thursday night since 1995.
Locally, the game drew a 67.4 rating in Birmingham, AL, and a 47.8 in Austin, TX. Elsewhere, the game drew a 37.2 in San Antonio, a 33.4 in Nashville, a 31.3 in Dallas, and a 29.9 in Atlanta.
Dick Saban Takes Jug To Face
“Gatorade Baths” are so played out, even if a Gatorade jug slams into Dick Saban’s face, it’s time we throwing trophies at coaches faces to show how much you really appreciate their love and hard work they put you through.
A bloody face or a concussion is so much better than the played out “Gatorade Baths”.
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
ESPN Hires USC’s Pete Carroll
Jerk Move
ESPN has hired USC head coach Pete Carroll to serve as an analyst for the BCS Championship Game. Carroll will also appear on College Gameday, a few SportsCenters and of course all of ESPN coverage of the Texas-Alabama game at the Rose Bowl.
This is the first season since Carroll intial year with the Trojans he has not coached in a BCS Bowl game and it will allow him to explore such adventures. Carroll and the Trojans are coming off 24-13 victory of Boston College in the Emerald Bowl. He will offer his insight on the pressure of playing in a National Championship Game and at the Rose Bowl, as well as coaching against Texas coach Mack Brown.
Carroll will appear on the ESPN set at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on the evening editions of SportsCenter Wednesday, Jan. 6; a special one-hour College GameDay Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m.; National Championship pre-game and halftime shows on ABC beginning at 8 p.m.; and for ESPN’s SportsCenter post-game coverage following the game.
University Of Alabama Lowers Admissions So Athletes Can Play
Big Al Wants To Win
The Associated Press did a review nearly all of the 120 schools in college football on their admissions data submitted to the NCAA found that blue chip athletes attending some of the countries major schools allowed admission requirement waived or altered so they could play football.
That doesn’t come as a surprise but what is that it’s found in every major conference and the review identified at least 27 schools where athletes were at least 10 times more likely to benefit from special admission programs than students in the general population.
That group includes Alabama where 19 football players got in as part of a special admissions program from 2004 to 2006, the most recent years available in the NCAA report. While
Texas was one of 7 schools that reported no use of special admissions but the Longhorns did acknowledged that athletic recruits overall are less prepared where the average SAT score for a freshman football player from 2003 to 2005 was 945 – or 320 points lower than the typical first-year student’s score on the entrance exam.
In all, 77 of the 92 universities that provided information reported using special admissions waivers to land athletes and other students with particular talents.
2009 ALL-SGE-NCAA FOOTBALL Team
Est. 2009
The 2009 regular season of NCAA football has ended and Sports Grind Entertainment is handing out it’s first ever All-SGE-NCAA Football Team. The 2009 All-SGE-NCAA Football Team takes in several factors and wins and losses is not one of them but such factors as on the field performance, consistency, detrimental to the team and rivalry or big game impact. Off the field issues are not even considered.
2009 ALL-SGE-NCAA FOOTBALL Team:
OFFENSE
- Quarterback – Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish: It’s easy to blame the struggles of the Fighting Irish upon Clausen but when you pass for 425 times and only throw 4 interceptions all year as well only being sack sacked 24 times, there’s not much blame that can be put on his arm. Clausen finished the season completing 289 passes for 3,722 yards and 28 touchdowns with a passer rating of 161.4 in a non run and shoot type offense.
- Running Back – Toby Gerhart, Stanford Cardinal: Gerhart complied the best season in all of college football for running backs with 1,736 yards and 26 touchdowns although his yards per carry where just average at 5.6.
- Running Back – LaMichael James, Oregon Ducks: The freshman James served as a backup to senior LaGarretteBlount in the opening week against Boise State and only carried the ball twice. After Blount’s suspension his carries improved to nine times against Purdue and settled in on a steady dose of at least 15 there after. The freshman stepped up to average 6.9 yards per carry and 1,476 yards on only 215 carries and no fumbles. James ended the season with 14 rushing touchdowns.
- Offensive Tackle – Russell Okung, Oklahoma State Cowboys: Okung is a four year letterman that stands at 6-5 and 300 pounds. Okung has quick feet that has allowed him to have 127 knockdown blocks and 58 pancakes. In his 836 snaps he has only allowed one sack.
- Offensive Tackle – Ciron Black, Louisiana State Tigers: Black is a four year letterman that stands at 6-5 and 325 pounds. Black has started 52 consecutive games at left tackle and had over 70 knockdowns this season.
- Guard – Rodney Hudson, Florida State Seminoles: Hudson is a three year letterman and is a quick 6-2 285 pounds. Hudson did not allow a sack all season and was only penalized twice.
- Guard – Mike Iupati, Idaho Vandals: Iupati is a four year letterman and is 6-6 330 pounds. Iupati is a massive man at the guard spot however is not that light on his feet.
- Center – J.D. Walton, Baylor Bears: Walton comes in at 6-3 305 pounds and was the only bright spot for Baylor this year. Walton finished his career with 36 consecutive starts after transferring from Arizona State in 2006. He anchored an offensive line that generated 2,349 rushing yards the most at Baylor since 1981, as well as 29 rushing touchdowns.
- Tight end – Dennis Pitta, Brigham Young Cougars: Pitta entered the 2009 season as one of the best receiving tight ends in the country and his 2009 season did nothing to change that. Pitta lead all tight ends this year in receiving yards with 784 and receiving yards per game 65.33 in a pass first offense. This season Pitta became BYU’s all-time leader in total receptions and also the NCAA career leader in tight end receiving yards. In 12 games Pitta recorded 57 receptions and 7 touchdowns.
- Wide Receiver – Jordan Shipley, Texas Longhorns: Shipley didn’t catch the most touchdowns, yards or the most passes but did finish in the top 10 in all of the categories while being Colt McCoy’s bailout receiver. Shipley finished 106 catches for third in the country, 1,363 yards for fifth and 11 touchdowns tying him for eight. Shipley’s biggest reception came on the final drive to keep Texas undefeated season alive in the Big 12 Championship game against Nebraska.
- Wide Receiver – Danario Alexander, Missouri Tigers: Alexander ranked second in receptions with 107 and had 5 games of collecting double digit receptions, while still finishing with an average of 15.4 yards per catch. Alexander ranked first in the country with 1,644 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. Alexanders shinning moment came against rival Kansas when he caught 15 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown to help in the 41-39 victory.
- Kicker – Kai Forbath, California Los Angeles, Bruins: Forbath was 22 of 23 on extra points, his only miss did not have an impact on the Bruins beating San Diego State 33-14. Forbath was 26 of 29 on his field goal attempts resulting in a 89.7 percentage. His 3 misses on the year all came from distances of 50 yards (51, 52, 51) or more, 2 of the 3 came in wins. He lead the Bruins with 100 points on a team that had trouble all year to move the ball. Forbath finished 8-8 (20-29 yards), 11-11 (30-39 yards), 4-4 (40-49 yards), 3-6 (50+ yards).
DEFENSE
- Defensive End – Brandon Graham, Michigan Wolverines: Graham led the nation in tackles for loss with 26 and recorded 10.5 sacks. He recorded 64 tackles as 42 where solo while contributing 2 pass blocks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery. Graham wasn’t finished wrecking havoc on the defensive line as he blocked 2 kicks and returned 1 for a touchdown.
- Defensive End – Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Morgan finished the season with 52 tackles 37 of them where solo. Morgan ranked among the national leaders in sacks at 12.5 and 2 forced fumbles on the year. Adding to his stats that helped Georgia Tech reach the ACC Championship game was 18 tackles for a loss.
- Defensive Tackle – Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska Cornhuskers: If you have followed SGE, your well of the love affair there is for Suh. However, his performance on the field justifies his selection. Suh recorded 82 tackles and 47 of them where solo. Suh racked up 12 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss on the season. Suh finished the year with 10 block passes and 3 blocked kicks. Only to serve as a reminder was his performance in the Big 12 Championship game of 12 tackles, 10 of them solo and accumulating 4 sacks.
- Defensive Tackle – Adrian Clayborn, Iowa Hawkeyes: Clayborns performance was over shadowed all season by the infused media hype of Alabama’s Terrence Cody. Clayborn terrorized the Big Ten all season long as Cody did in the SEC but out performed Cody on an individual basis. Clayborn finished the season with 61 total tackles, 27 of them solo and 18 tackles for a loss. He gave the Hawkeyes 9 sacks, 2 pass deflections and forcing 4 fumbles while blocking 1 kick in comparison to Cody’s 25 tackles, 11 of them for solo and 0 sacks.
- Linebacker – Rolando McClain, Alabama Crimson Tide: McClain was all over the field this year for Alabama creating 101 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, 3 pass deflections and forcing 1 fumble while leading the nations number 2 defense. His performance against in state rival Auburn was his shinning moment of the season has he did everything to insure a Bama’s perfect season.
- Linebacker – Greg Jones, Michigan State Spartans: Jones was third in the country in tackles with a 140. Jones reached double-figure tackles 8 times this season while also sacking opposing quarterbacks 9 times.
- Linebacker – Eric Norwood, South Carolina Gamecocks: Norwood had 71 tackles on the season and 11.5 that where for a loss as well as having 7 sacks on the season. His sack and tackle for a loss totals pushed him to become the all-time leader for South Carolina in both categories. Norwood leads the team with 2 interceptions and 3 blocked kicks. He also finished the year with 3 pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
- Cornerback – Javier Arenas, Alabama Crimson Tide: Arenas recorded 65 tackles, 42 of them solo. Arenas made himself very acquainted with quarterbacks sack them 5 times and intercepting them 3 times. He made his presence felt all over the field in a 12-10 nail biting win against Tennessee with 13 tackles and 1 sack. Arenas even pulls double duty on special team recording more than a 1,000 return yards this season and has scoring 1 touchdown.
- Cornerback – Joe Haden, Florida Gators: Haden recorded 57 tackles, 45 of them solo while no playing in the game against Georgia. Haden had his best game against South Carolina when he recorded 10 tackles, 9 of them solo, and pulling down 1 interception plus sacking the quarterback once ion 24-14 win. He finished the year with 3 sacks and 4 interceptions while deflection 8 passes.
- Safety – Eric Berry, Tennessee Volunteers: Berry is one of the hardest hitting defensive players in the country. He finished his season 83 tackles including 6 for lost yardage and deflected 9 passes while pulling down 2 interceptions and recovering 2 fumbles.
- Safety – Earl Thomas, Texas Longhorns: Thomas is one of college football true rising stars, outside of Ndamukong Suh he could have had the best college football season. Thomas recorded 57 tackles, 1 sack and 10 pass deflections in his sophomore year. He also grabbed 8 interceptions while taking 2 of them back for touchdowns, one for 92 yards in a win against Colorado. Thomas registered better games but came up big with an interception to stop Oklahoma in the fourth quarter of their final possession to preserve a 16-13 win.
- Punter – Matt Reagan, Memphis Tigers: Reagan ranked third nationally in averaging 45.5 yards per punt but also pulled double duty as the teams place kicker. His average was 3.3 yards behind Georgia’s Drew Butler and only 0.3 East Carolina’s Matt Dodge. Reagan punted on an average of 5 times a game for an actual total of 63 times and for 2,868 yards, again pulling double duty as the teams kicker.
- All-Purpose – C.J. Spiller, Clemson Tigers: Spiller was the most exciting football player in 2009, having his hands in every facet of the offensive side of the ball. He rushed 201 times for 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns as well catching the ball 33 times for 445 yards and 4 touchdowns. Spiller was also the return man on kickoffs and punts, returning 21 times for 708 yards and 4 touchdowns on kickoffs with a long of 96 yards. His returns 13 punts for a total of 210 yards and 1 touchdown with a long of 77 yards. Spiller had a dominating performance in the ACC Championship game against Georgia Tech with 233 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.
- Head Coach – June Jones, Southern Methodist Mustangs: This was by far the hardest decisions, either to go with a coach that hadn’t lost like Gary Patterson, Brian Kelly, Mack Brown, Nick Saban or Chris Peterson or to a coach that turned around a program like Al Golden, Danny Pearman, Randy Shannon or Jones. Jones came to a program that had back to back 1-11 seasons to finish 7-6 and lead the Mustangs to their first bowl, Hawaii Bowl, since 1984. The program lives infamy of its two-year death penalty in 1987-88 but since then the 1997 team is the only one to finish above .500, 6-5, until this year. Jones had the Mustangs finish 6-2 in Conference USA and within one game of playing in the championship game.
Alabama Lawyer Wants Trial Postponed So He Can Attend National Championship Game
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An Alabama lawyer has filed a motion for a trial set for January 4th 2010 to be postponed so he can attend the BCS National Championship Game against Texas in Pasadena California.
What makes this awesome is in the motion it clearly states that some of the witness are trying to acquire tickets and the Honorable Jim Lloyd has children in the area and plans on visiting them in California to “celebrate the game and the Tide’s success”.
Oh but the story gets better as the plaintiffs have opposed the motion of the trial being moved because they are fans of “the other great team (Auburn) in this state who did not make the playoffs”. A sidebar is that one of the other attorneys on the case is a former SGA President at Auburn.
To top it all off it even ends with a ROLL TIDE!! and a claim from his secretary, who attended Auburn, feels that he should attend the championship game to see the Longhorns be defeated.
Thank you Jon B. Berry for the laugh.
Mark Ingram Steals Heisman From SGE Winner
University of Alabama Crimson Tides Mark Ingram won the 75th Heisman Trophy by 28 votes over the best running back in the country Stanford University Cardinal Toby Gerhart.
Gerhart was already named the Sports Grind Entertainment’s 2009 Heisman Trophy winner and given the Doak Walker Award because he rushed for 1,736 to lead the Division I-A in rushing and carried the ball 5.6 yards per carry while finishing the season with 26 rushing touchdowns.
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Ndamukong Suh Wins The Lombardi Award
it gross but im in love with a dt
I’m not really in the game to make posts about every college football award, I’m not trying to diminish them it’s just I don’t have the time. I instead choose to devote my time to the granddaddy award the Heisman Trophy but I have a love affair with Ndamukong Suh of the University of Nebraska. I sound like a broken record in running off my praise for the guy but when you haven’t seen a player on his level of beasting since John Henderson, a good eight to nine years, there’s good reason to be excited.
Suh picked up another honor, outside of my afair, by taking home the Rotary Lombardi Award as the nation’s top lineman. But in picking up the trophy, he took some time away from the celebration to apologize to fellow Lombardi Award finalist Jerry Hughes of TCU for not knocking off Texas in the Big 12 Championship game on Saturday.
Terrance Cody of University of Alabama, he a good player but we that kind of talent almost yearly er Glenn Dorsey of LSU but compares nowhere near to Suh, for stealing his shine all year.
I think I had to send you a reminder.
Mark Ingram’s Case For The Heisman Trophy
It’s a run for the Heisman Trophy and the winner will be declared on Saturday so for every day this week a finalist will get to make there case via video highlight. Today is Wednesday and the honor goes to University of Alabama Crimson Tide’s Mark Ingram. But why is Ingram on the number 2 team in the country playing in the fourth quarter of a game with an outcome of 24-3 with seven minutes left?
Monday – Tim Tebow
Tuesday- Ndamukong Suh
Wednesday – Mark Ingram
