ACC PREVIEW

The ACC is actually something of a sleeper conference this year. There are quite a few good teams in this conference, and there is a decent chance one of them is playing for all the marbles. Well, this is another conference with two divisions, so we will handle by division in my predicted order of finish.

ACC Atlantic Division

Clemson – 17 returning starters means that Tommy Bowden will do more than avoid being fired this season. All five OL return, which paves the way for the 1-2 punch of Davis and Merriweather in Clemson’s ground game. A new QB will also benefit from the protection. The LBs are all back and all good, and the DBs are solid. With a little luck, Clemson could be a serious contender for the ACC title.

Florida State – If having the most talent on the field won games, FSU would win almost every time. Unfortunately, their talented players seem to have zero common sense and team mentality. Nevertheless, FSU will have a strong O-Line and a much more balanced and productive offense this year. A minor QB controversy will be weathered with strong receivers and a solid stable of RBs. The D-Line is replacing a few, but strong LBs like senior Buster Davis, and a good enough secondary will keep FSU in every game. A strong season, but not the glory days known by earlier in the Bowden era.

Boston College – Junior Matt Ryan will be under center for the Eagles, and he will use his accuracy to find a corps of newer WRs led by big play threat Tony Gonzalez. Two solid backs share the backfield, and despite losing two key OL, the Eagles look to have a very good O-Line. The D-Line will need better production out of the LBs, after two huge losses in the trenches. Keeping a lid on things will be a good secondary. Expect Boston College to win more than they lose, especially with their schedule—only four tough games and they are all in conference and only two are on the road.

Maryland – Ralph Friedgen has stopped doing underarmor commercials, and that is a good thing for two reasons: 1) Ralph Friedgen should never be used to sell underwear, and 2) his team needs him to coach them back to success. QB Sam Hollenbach finally won the starting job, but has few experienced WRs. Thankfully, for Terp fans, the picture at RB is much better, and Lance Ball should have a solid year, especially working behind four returning starting blockers. The D-Line returns intact and should be good, which will help the rebuilding LBs. Two starters return from a bend but don’t break secondary last year (61% opponent completion percentage, but only 4 TDs through the air…of course with 24 going in on the ground, who needs to throw in the red zone…), but don’t expect that method to work too many times in a row.

NC State – Chuck Amato is officially on the Hot Seat, and the school is denying it, which only proves it is true. Amato never found a starter last year, and the truth is even with one of last year’s duo graduated, he still isn’t sure he has a decent #1. The WR corps are thinned out, the RB by committee approach only netted 3.4 YPC last year, and they are replacing two key OL. Ouch. Losing every bit of their pass rush (DaMarrio Williams ring a bell?) hurts the D-Line, and losing two of three LBs makes the front seven look really suspect. The secondary should be solid so that is good news, but not enough good news to make this a winning team, or keep Coach Amato his job.

Wake Forest – Wake Forest returns 18 starters from last year’s team, but this team simply doesn’t have the talent level to compete in this conference. QB Ben Mauk threw 54% of his passes for completions last year, but only one TD and six INTs. Sharing time is one thing, but sharing the ball with the defense is another. The WRs are big, but slow. Micah Andrews will lead the rushing attack this year that should be the strength of the offense, because the line welcomes back four starters. The D-Line needs to improve, but look for Jon Abbate to have another solid year at LB. The secondary is solid and led by safety Josh Gattis who has All-American potential. Still, these two are not enough to make this team a winner.


ACC Coastal Division

Miami (FLA) – Junior QB Kyle Wright was effective, but inexperienced last year, but looks to build on a solid first year as starter. With strong TE Greg Olson, the WR host a bevy of talented potential stars who lack experience. Tyrone Moss should bounce back from injury and the Hurricane ground game should be ferocious this year. Unfortunately, with youth at the skill positions, this is not the best year to rebuild the O-Line. The Defense looks good welcoming back 7 starters, including a great defensive backfield. With a decent schedule, the Canes are certainly a top 25 team, but not necessarily a top 10 team.

Virginia Tech – With the departure of Vick and his bong smoke, Beamer looks to keep the Hokies headed the right direction. A new QB should provide a new era of stability, especially one throwing to their very talented trio of WRs. Ore returns from an injury limited season that still saw him average 5.9 YPC! Replacing a few OL will not be easy, but lettermen provide depth that should ease the transition. Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi lead the defense from their LB positions. The D-Line will include several regulars taking over for the two players that graduated. The return of three starters in the secondary means that VT is not that susceptible to the big play. Look for VT to have another solid year.

Georgia Tech – Reggie Ball has all the physical tools to be a big time QB, but he seems to make the mental mistakes of a freshman (in his junior year he was 11-12 TD-INT). Calvin Johnson is a real man at the WR position and leads a strong group. Tashard Choice also looks to have a breakout year at HB, and with four returning starters on the O-Line, expect the Yellow Jacket offense to move well. LBs Michael Hall and Philip Wheeler are the leaders of a defense that was mighty good last year. The DL looks consistently good, but the secondary is replacing three players this year. The defense is not up to the same level as the offense so prepare for some shootouts ending in heartbreak against the upper echelon, but the ramblin’ wreck should come out with more wins than losses, even with a tough schedule that opens against Notre Dame and closes with Georgia.

Virginia – The Cavs will be led by their wonderful WRs, led by Williams and Mines, but with no clear cut QB starter, they will rely heavily on a reloaded ground game and a rebuilding line. The 3-4 defensive scheme welcomes back a decent pass rusher in Chris Long, and two of four very good linebackers, but its strength may be its secondary, led by Marcus Hamilton (6 INTs last year!). All in all, this team should be okay, but not amazing. Maybe next year this team will be something kind of special.

North Carolina – With no sure number one QB, no proven WR, and no proficient ground game, the loss of three OL to graduation is crushing news. The news improves on defense where the Heels are led by OLB Larry Edwards, and have a decent front seven, not to mention returning three members of a pretty good secondary. Expect the defense to play well, but the offense to simply not be able to keep pace with a schedule that saw nine of their opponents make bowl games last year.

Duke – Duke started a true freshman at QB last year and paid for it, but this year Zack Asack looks to improve and lead his team to more than the one win they had last year. The WRs are full of potential but up to now have not been able to realize it. The Blue Devils actually look solid at RB, but replacing four of five on the line hurts. The D-Line replaces two guys and really has to do better against the run for this team to come close to winning (5 YPC for the opposition is not a good average). Michael Tauiliili leads the LBs effectively but will need some help, and John Talley is a star at CB, so with adequate support the pass defense should be much improved. Look for Duke to win two games, because once they pass 1-AA Richmond, they face a tough schedule including conference bullies Virginia Tech, Virginia, FSU, Miami (Fla.), BC, and GT, not to mention out of conference games against Bama and Navy. Ouch.


So there it is, the ACC top to bottom.

More later.

God save the Cheese.

BIG 10 Preview

Hola quesolitos, and welcome to today’s next installment of college football heaven: Big Ten edition. As you know, the Big Ten is a conference so big, it has 11 teams and basically allows Notre Dame to be the twelfth member! Boy Howdy!

Well, I am leaving out Notre Dame since they aren’t official and all that, so here are the 11 teams in the Big Ten, and how I think they will all turn out.


Iowa – Coach Ferentz returns seven starters on each aide of the ball, including senior QB Drew Tate who completed over 62% of his passes last year from a 22-7 TD-INT ratio. Depth at WR will make up for losing some starting talent, and Scott Chandler at TE is a big plus. Albert Young returns at RB after a 1334 yds, 8 TD performance last year, and he will run behind one of the nation’s best O-Lines. The D-Line is also really strong, which will help the Hawkeyes recover from losing two great LBs to the pros. A strong secondary means that Iowa is sitting pretty in a tough conference. With a joke of a non-conference schedule, if this team can outlast OSU—and I think they will—they should win the Big 10.

Ohio State – Troy Smith returns to make a run at the Heisman and the National Title. He and super WR Ted Ginn, lead an offense that welcomes back eight starters. They should be very explosive. But on the defensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes only have two returning starters, and Tressel has to replace his entire LB corps and his entire DB squad. Although the ranks are deep at OSU, the truth is that this much inexperience, along with a schedule featuring an early test at Texas, a trip to Iowa, and being in the all around best conference in football this year adds up to at least one loss.

Michigan – Chad Henne is back after two good years and looks to build on his impressive 58% completion percentage. Steve Breaston heads a talented WR corps, and Mike Hart brings strength to the ground attack, but all of this may be limited by inexperience at the O-Line. Unfortunately, on defense only one starter returns to the D-Line, so the loaded LBs will have to work extra hard to keep opponents from chewing up yards and time on them. Leon hall is a stud, and the Michigan DBs are real solid. If they can stop the run, they will win a lot, but they may find this difficult in this league this year with games at Notre Dame and Ohio State, and against Iowa and Penn State.

Penn State – Joe Paterno proved everybody wrong last year, but this year could bring all the critics back. Although the talent that has been recruited is good, much of it will be brand new. New QB, new O-Line, new D-Line, new DBs. Strong WRs, RBs, and LBs may not be enough to escape the youth on this squad.

Minnesota – Glenn Mason has made lemonade out of what has traditionally been a lemon of a team in Minnesota. Can he keep it up? 14 returning starters suggest that he can. Bryan Cupito will call the signals again as one of the conferences most underrated QBs. Rock solid WRs Paine and Wheelwright look good, and should continue to do well with Gary Russell taking the lead at RB where Maroney left off. The O-Line replaces three guys, but they grow them big and strong up in Minnesota, so that should be no big worry. The only questionmark on the defense is the front wall where three are being replaced, but solid LB play and the DB corps mostly intact mean that this defense might even be better than last year. Expect Minnesota to surprise some people, but because of a tough schedule, 7-5 seems pretty reasonable.

Northwestern – The Wildcats bring back a wealth of talent on both sides of the ball. The most crucial element being on the line of scrimmage where they bring back all five on the O-Line and three of four on the D-Line. They will be replacing the surprising Brett Basanez at QB, but the WRs are deep and experienced. Tyrell Sutton will hope to have another great year after averaging 5.9 YPC running for 1474 yds and 16 TDs. The LBs and DBs look pretty good, so don’t be surprised if they follow their easy schedule to quite a few wins.

Michigan State – Every now and then a coach ends up on the Hot Seat for no real good reason. John L. Smith is just such a story. Here is a program that traditionally has great rivals that usually beat it. Smith is now under the gun because his Spartans are not as good as its rivals. Either way, Coach Smith has a talented signal caller in senior Drew Stanton and some solid WRs to go with him. All of the talent they have at RB is nice, but behind a line that graduated all of its talent, the entire offense is a little shaky. The bad news is that the entire D-Line graduated, the good news is that those guys really stunk it up last year, so it’s a push. The LBs on the other hand, are really good and all back. Look for junior LB Kaleb Thornhill to lead them in tackles. Two undersized starters return to a secondary that got abused last year. In sum: weak O-Line and shoddy Defense = a new coach. Sorry Spartan fans.

Wisconsin – John Stocco is an underrated QB, but played consistently well last year. He returns to lead the Badgers and will have to have an amazing year in order to make up for the inexperience of his receivers. The news gets worse when you remember that Brian Calhoun left early to play in the pros, leaving the ground game in dire straits. Three OL also left the team, and that means that the offense is somewhat sketchy. As bad as the offensive outlook is, the defensive outlook is that much better. Eight starters return to a defense that was really good last year. Expect it to continue to keep the badgers in games, but don’t expect the offense to be able to close the deal as often as it did last year.

Illinois – Normally returning 19 starters would be good news, but didn’t this crew go 2-9 last year? Yepper. Either way, Zook’s crew looks to do much better this year. Tim Brasic is back under center and should improve his decision making. The WRs were surprisingly decent last year, so hopefully they will continue to grow. The running game is solid, but unheralded, and the O-Line returns intact, but not amazing. The defense appears ready to slow opponents down returning all but one member of the D-Line. Miller and Carson need to step up in the LB corps and do better than a combined 133 tackles. Return all you want, but the talent level here is simply not enough to make this team a winning club in 2006.

Purdue – Despite having one of the QBs in last year’s controversy transfer, Coach Tiller has yet to find a number one QB. Still, the WRs are in great shape led by Dorien Bryant. Kory Sheets will carry the ball on the ground and should be a key contributer, especially working behind the solid line up front. Last year this defense returned 11 starters and then proceeded to give up 431 YPG! That may mean that replacing seven this year is not such bad news. Almost completely new in the trenches, the LBs will attempt to hold the front seven together, and most likely will have serious trouble, because the DBs will not be giving much support—the only returning starter is a sophomore. Not this year Boilermaker fans.

Indiana – Blake Powers at QB was pretty good last year and his return makes the IU offense look pretty formidable. Especially while throwing to one of the conferences top wide outs, James Hardy. The blocking troops are replacing a couple of key players, and the old starter at WR is now the new starter at RB, but this offense is ready to move the ball. Unfortunately, this defense is ready to let anyone move the ball. Last year, I could have put some numbers up on these guys. The only DL returning was an underachiever, and the LBs are sub-par. The secondary is returning everyone and should be less big play prone, and this is the only up side on this side of the ball. Coach Hoeppner is headed in the right direction, but he has a long way to go before he gets this club to consistent respectability, or interestingly enough, respectable consistency.


Have a good day, and keep dreaming about college football.

God save the Cheese.

SEC PREVIEW

Okay, so this is a day late, but who cares so long as its good quality, right? Right. So here goes. Today we will be updating often, but we start with the biggest baddest conference of them all (even though it may not be the toughest this year)—the SEC. Now, the Wouth Eastern Conference is also two divisions, so we will look at each division in my predicted order of finish.


SEC WEST

Arkansas - I know. I am alone in this prediction, but that does not mean I am completely crazy (I think.). But let me explain. Yes, the Razorbacks were a pitiful 4-7 last year, but they were really bitten by the injury bug, and they were really young. This year, they return 19 starters from last year’s team, and another starter from two years ago who sat out last year hurt—20 starters! There is a little QB controversy between incumbant true sophomore Casey Dick and true freshman Mitch Mustain (HS player of the year last year). With the WRs deep and experienced, and a load of great runners led by Darren McFadden (1113 yds, 11 TDs), not to mention four of five returning along the front line, Arkansas’ offense is ready to come with it. The D-Line is big and tackle happy, and excellent LBs should swallow the run. Look for undersized LB Sam Olajubutu to have a huge year. The Secondary is older and wiser, but was somewhat vulnerable last year, so if they can shore it up, Arkansas looks prime to have a good year. Their biggest challenge is their opener against USC, but by avoiding Georgia and Florida, and getting Bama and LSU at home this year, the schedule looks pretty decent. Don’t be surprised if they don’t lose too many—you heard it here first.

Alabama - On offense, Shula’s Crimson Tide looks solid. With four returning starters on the Line, the Tide look primed to run the ball with stud RB Kenneth Darby (1242 yds, 5.2 ypc avg.). The WRs are loaded and Tyrone Prothro looks ready to excite again. The only question mark is the QB. In five appearances last year John Parker Wilson looked good throwing 7-11, 2 TDs, 0 INTs. Word is he can throw it through a brick wall, and is a little more mobile than Croyle, so things are looking up. The Tide defense lost a lot of talent last year, including almost all of its starting LB and DB troops. The line looks solid, and Robinson and Castille will anchor a young DB squad. Look for LB Juwan Simpson to step up and have a breakout year. Being shaky against the big play may hurt the Tide a bit this season, but don’t be surprised if they compete for the SEC West.

Auburn - Tubberville leads a team that is tough to feel out this year. Cox is back at QB and is solid, but not incredible. The top three WRs are gone, so there is not much depth or experience on the edges, but Kenny Irons (1293 yds, 13 TDs) is back and will consume even more yards and TDs this year. With a solid O-Line, the Tigers offense looks decent—maybe not as dangerous as last year though, because all of the big play receivers are gone. With seven returning starters in the defense, including the entire secondary, Auburn’s defense will be tough to beat. This team is talented, but not deep. Injuries could affect them more than some other teams. Look for a strong season, but not a ring. I know that I ranked them higher than Bama, and I still think that this is how they will finish, but Bama will beat them in the Iron Bowl to earn a tie-breaker.

LSU - Coach Les Miles had a good first year, but if he can’t reload quickly, the Tigers are in for a tough year. With a bevy of talented QB prospects, finding a starter might be the hardest part, but the WRs and RBs are back so rebuilding the O-Line is not completely hopeless. The defensive secondary is strong, but losing three DL and two LB hurts. If the new troops are as talented as the old ones, LSU rises, if not…

Mississippi – Coach Orgeron returns almost no one from last year, but that may be a step in the right direction. This is a team that has struggled since Eli, and wasn’t that good with him. Junior QB Brent Schaeffer is good, but traveled (2003 – Tennessee, 2004-05 – JUCO), and having no depth or experience at WR will hurt. The running game was boring last year and may benefit from the O-Line shake-up that is taking place. The D-Line is completely new, but the LBs are solid, led by Patrick Willis who had 128 tackles last year! Three starters returning to the DBs will help, but this team will do good just to win more than they lose.

Mississippi State – Sylvester Croom returns almost the whole team, but that just doesn’t make them very good still. Especially since the starting QB from last year is moving to become the #1 wide-out. Well, This team is young and the recruits are promising, but even returning the heart of the line is not enough to open up the running lanes, so expect them to struggle by air and land. The defense should be much improved, but improved from 24 ppg against is not that hard to do. Give Croom another year and this squad may be a true competitor in the conference, but until then, expect to lose more often than you win.


SEC EAST

Florida – Gator fans are excited about Urban Meyer’s sophomore effort, but only one returning starter on the O-Line could be trouble. With a possible QB controversy brewing between Leak and super frosh Tim Tebow, as well as a RB by committee approach, being deep at the WR position may not be enough to run unscathed through a tough schedule. A strong defense will help the Gators immensely. Look for LBs Earl Everett and Brandon Siler to step up and have great years. With tough games against Bama, LSU, Auburn, and Georgia all in a row, as well as a season finale in Tallahassee (not to mention some sleeper games in Southern Miss and Central Florida), the Gators should win the SEC East, but not get to play for the whole thing.

Georgia - Coach Richt watched his 10-3 Bulldogs lose by 3 to West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl and then lose 13 starters to graduation or the NFL. That means that DJ Shockley is gone, and all of the other QBs are very inexperienced. Only one WR is back from last year, and although they have some strong runners, the blocking corps are a little thinner than last year. The defense is a brighter spot welcoming back its entire LB corps, and the DL looks solid led by Quentin Moses who had 12 sacks last year. The secondary is untested having only one starter return. Special teams play will lift them from danger, but this year will not be as strong as last year.

Tennessee – Prepare to watch the great pumpkin and his troops struggle again this year. Now that the QB struggle is over, they just have to get past the fact that their sole number one threw two more interceptions than touchdowns last year. The WRs have talent, but lack production; however, the Vols have a huge talent in sophomore HB Arian Foster. Of course, running behind a line that lost four starters will be tough. The D-Line doesn’t help matters bring back only one starter as well, but the LB corps is in even worse shape as every starter is gone. At least all of the secondary returns, but still this is not enough to make this anything more than a rebuilding year for the Vols who will look like the Vols of old again (by the way Vols fans, the Vols of old were not the Vols of Manning and Martin, they were not that good).

South Carolina – Spurrier made this team the conference’s biggest surprise last year, but he won’t sneak up on anyone this year. Junior QB Blake Mitchell is quality leader for the offense, and the WRs are solid led by super soph Sidney Rice (1143 yds, 13 TDs). This team had trouble running last year, and returning only two OL starters makes it seem like they may struggle again this year. Losing eight starters on defense hurts this team a lot! Let’s just say that they have converted a WR to a starting CB. Suspect? Yes.

Kentucky – Kentucky’s sanctions have been lifted, but this does not mean that they are bowl bound. The QB slot is up for grabs, the WRs are young and inexperienced, but at least the RB stables are full and the blocking looks good. Last year’s defense gave up 440 ypg to their opponents. Let’s hope that improves. The LBs are strong and should make the front seven decent, but the secondary is shaky and will give up some yards. This will make a winning record a tough goal to reach.

Vanderbilt – Coach Johnson was so close to six wins it hurt, and that was with Jay Cutler at QB. Now Cutler is gone, the QBs are have potential but are unproven, and the line replaces two key starters. The WRs are strong, led by Earl Bennett, but the RB position will get its yards by committee as no clear starter stepped up. The defense will struggle still as they have made few steps to getting better. New faces are nice, but Vandy still struggles in this league because of its admirable commitment to academic standards.


God save the Cheese.

PAC 10 Preview

It ain't a party unless we get to Cali, right? Either way, we are headed out west where QBs grow on trees and defense is optional. Let's see what we have waiting for us in the mighty PAC 3...I mean 10. We'll go in my predicted order of finish.


California - Coach Tedford returns 15 starters from last year, including last year’s starter at QB who was lost for the season to injury in game 1. The WRs are solid, and the backfield is absolutely loaded with Marshawn Lynch (1246 yds, 10 TDs) and his back-up Forsett (999 yds, 6 TDs) returning. The O-Line is a little thin, should be solid. The rock solid D-Line from last year returns everyone, the LBs return two of three, and both corners are back as well. I believe that this will be the year that Cal finally emerges as a legitimate challenger to USC in the Pac-10.

USC - The Trojans lost a lot of talent this off-season as 12 starters departed (most to get rich in the NFL). Dwayne Jarrett (1274 rec yds, 16 TDs) and Steve Smith (957 rec yds, 5 TDs) will make the new QB look right at home. The new RB is actually the old RB, Hershel Dennis who started in 2003 and then gave way to Bush and White. The O-Line is thin returning only two blockers, and this could get a little dicey—new line, new QB… With a strong defense, especially at LB, USC should still beat a lot of people, but I am not as sure as everyone else that they are even a lock to win the Pac-10 let alone the National Championship.

Oregon - Oregon returns 13 starters from last years 10-2 squad, and that means that things are looking up for the ducks. Clemons is now in the NFL, but the Ducks have two strong options at QB in Dixon and Leaf who did a great job after Clemons fell to injury last year. The WRs are tall and fast, and two of the four are returning starters. RB by committee is usually a bad thing, but there is enough talent in this offense to hide it, and with all five offensive linemen returning, the Ducks offense should be fine. It is the rebuilt defense that makes the Ducks shaky this year. The line looks decent, and the LBs are solid, but the 5 man secondary is mostly up for grabs. This spells crucial let-downs. With a tough schedule, look for Oregon to be good, but to lose one or two more than they did last year.

Arizona State - ASU uses a two-QB system which can go horribly wrong; however, with this much talent around them on offense, the Sun Devils look like they’ll be just fine. With two of the best TEs in the nation in Miller and Lewis, as well as four returning starters on the O-Line, the RBs and WRs will have plenty of room and time to make big things happen. The defense is much improved; however, being much improved from terrible is not hard. The DL has found some consistent and athletic talent, and the LBs look good. The big question mark here is the inexperienced defensive secondary. With games at USC and Cal, as well as against Oregon and against sleepers Colorado and Nevada, don’t be surprised is ASU can’t stay in the top 25 all year.

UCLA - Coach Karl Dorrell chould have been coach of the year last year, but whaddaryagonnado? He returns 15 starters from last year's 10-2 team. Great WRs and TEs make the prospect of a new QB a little less frightening, but the loss of Maurice Drew to the NFL makes the ground game a bit dicey. Thank god for four returning OL starters. The defense looks okay as last year's regular subs will take over for departed starters, but this defense needs more than a little help to be really good. The bottom line is that this team will not win 10 games this year, but it will win more than it loses.

Arizona - Willie Tuitama is a super sophomore at QB and could pilot this team to some new heights. The WRs are very solid, but their ground game will need to improve to make their offense really serious. Three returning starters give the O-Line stability, as do the three returning DL for the defense. Strong LBs and strong DBs make this team much better than last year, but unless the defense makes drastic improvements, this team is still a pretender.

Oregon State - Turnovers cost the Beavers last year greatly. Last year's turnovers may cost this team this year as they are locked in a QB controversy that may cost two young QBs their confidence. All of the starters from the O-Line and the RBs return and that is good news, but two vacancies at WR make this already questionable passing attack look even more doubtful. The D-Line has to get more pressure on opponent passers, and the LB corps graduated a whole lot of talent and depth, and the DBs...let's just say that OSU needs to head back to the drawing board. The nation's best Kicker, Serna, is not enough to make this team formiddable.

Stanford - Walt Harris' attempts to bring offensive creativity to Stanford will bear the weight of some mighty high expectations this year as the Cardinal return 10 starters on that side of the ball. Trent Edwards is set to have a big year under center throwing to a talented but shallow pool of WRs, and he will have to have a big year to make up for a ground game that returns the crew that averaged 2.4 yards per carry last year behind a returning O-Line that is going to swith things up this year. Switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 might help the defense get better, but an injury prone defense is still injury prone no matter what formation they are in. The secondary was the weakest part last year, and little has been done to make great strides in improving this area. Bottomline: A decent, but not amazing year from Stanford.

Washington State - Returning seven starters to each side of the ball is never a bad thing. Alex brink did a fine job in the QB slot last year, and looks to have a strong WR squad to throw to--led by Jason Hill. Look for Sophomore RB DeMaundray Woolridge to have a breakout year behind three returning blockers. Mkristo Bruce is a stud at DE and heads a decent front seven on the defense. The bad news is that a bad secondary lost most of its "talent." This team will get bruised by the big play this year, and it will cost them.

Washington - Ty Willingham's disciplined approach can't undo several terrible years of recruiting and some NCAA sanctions. UW is in for another tough year. Erratic offensive play plagues this team across the board. Losing big play wideout Craig Chambers to transfer after his workout habits were questioned hurts a lot. Redshirt Freshman J.J. Hasty needs to make a huge splash at RB for this offense to much of anything, but he will be hindered by an almost completely new O-Line. The D-Line looks solid enough, but inexperience at LB will hurt the stop crew. The secondary returns, but this crew allowed opponents to complete 67% of their passes last year!!! Talk about crappy! Good luck UDub.


Well, enough of this west coast stuff, tomorrow we get back to the ground with the Big 10 and the SEC--real football.

God save the Cheese.

Big 12 Preview

Hola, football fans. Here it is, your first conference preview of the week. Put on your thinking caps and take a walk with me. We start with the hometown of college football (although it was born in New Jersey...go figure...no really...Rutgers University is the birthplace of college football)--the Big 12. There are two divisions here, so let's break down each division in order that they are likely to finish.


BIG 12 SOUTH

Texas - Texas returns 14 starters this year from last year’s championship team (kudos James). Unfortunately, one of them is not Vince Young, aka superman. Still, a loaded receiving core, a solid stable of running backs, and the heart of the O-Line intact all bode well for the heir apparent blue chip QB Colt McCoy (rsFresh.). With three of four returning along the D-Line and two of three back in the Linebacking corps, this defense looks plenty ready to stifle opponents. The Longhorns are a lock for another Big 12 championship, but can they think even bigger…probably so, because their schedule features only four away games and an out of conference schedule containing North Texas, Sam Houston State, and Rice. Their biggest roadblock is the September 9 showdown against Ohio State.

Oklahoma - Oklahoma’s heart and soul is its defense this year. Returning eight starters, Coach Stoops will pressure the QB with a talented D-Line, and super LB Rufus Alexander (102 tackles last year), and an excellent secondary. Adrian Peterson may make another Heisman run, and the five sophomore WRs are young but talented. Still, replacing four of five OL and having an idiot QB who reports illegal booster cash to the IRS as income means that the offense may struggle this year. Sure Bomar was not a veteran, but he was your starter for a reason, coach. Good luck. Oh yeah, Mack Brown says thanks.

Texas Tech - Tech returns 15 starters this year. Their offense will not struggle under the leadership of super-sophomore Graham Hall, who was a very able backup last year. The receiving corps returns all of its amazing talent, and four linemen return to block for an offense wide open enough to let anyone run for a huge average. The front seven of Tech's defense looks strong, but the secondary looks suspect. The defense will not be as good as it was last year, and as a result, neither will this team.

Texas A&M - Coach Fran is on the Hot Seat, and in my opinion will not be back to A&M after this year. A new QB and some inexperienced Wideouts leave the Aggie ground game getting too much attnetion to be effective, even if they return four blockers. With no proven pass ruch, weak LBs, and a hideous secondary that allowed over 300 passing yards per game last year, the Aggies look to do well just to eek out a winning season.

Oklahoma State - Alternating QBs can be helpful unless they are both mistake-prone like the Pokes QBs who each threw for less than 50% complete last year. Solid WRs and RBs work behind a decent O-Line, but this offense needs to be less generous and stop turning the ball over to be more effective. Losing three starters at LB hurts, losing two of the three regulars who serve behind them on top of that is downright excruciating. Returning two DBs and three DL is still not enough to make this defense good enough to win in this league.

Baylor - Baylor's offense will be solid this year. QB Shawn Bell should have another decent year, but without more talent at WR, it can't take the heat off of the RBs enough to make the big play. The Lines both look okay, and the defensive backfield also looks okay, but the LBs will have to overachieve to stiffen up the defense. Look for Baylor to not quite return to the glory of last year.


BIG 12 NORTH

Nebraska - The Cornhuskers are still getting used to west coast football, but the 16 returning starters should help. Sr. Zac Taylor should continue to improve, especially with both starting WRs back and some really good TEs. Still, with no proven runners (last year they averaged 2.7 YPC), and a rebuilt line that wasn’t good enough to do very much last year, things look sketchy on the ground this year. The good news is that the defense was solid last year despite a bad offense and they should only improve. Corey McKeon is a superstar at MLB and Cortney Grixby is a good corner despite being a little undersized. Look for Nebraska to win the Big 12 North, but don’t be amazed as this is roughly equivalent to winning the office karaoke contest—the most talented of the lack-luster.

Missouri - Even though super TEs Rucker and Coffman return, super QB Brad Smith doesn't. Missouri has very talented RBs and some experienced WRs, as well as four returning starters on the line. Every member of the DL returns, not to mention some solid LBs, as well as a secondary led by David Overstreet who had 100 tackles last year. Don't be surprised if Missouri surprises Nebraska. It will be hard in this conference to be a major player because the talent level is simply not equal to Texas and Oklahoma, but this program is headed in the right direction.

Colorado - New coach Dan Hawkins may restore some of the punch to a much maligned Buffs squad. Look for a QB controversey to be settled by going with the blue-chip true freshman who also happens to be Coach Dan's son, Cody Hawkins. The WRs are a little shaky, and the TE cupboard is bare. The RB stables are not deep, but junior Hugh Charles is a mighty mouse kind of back who should gain more than his 842 yards of last year. The O-Line looks solid, so this should be a plus; however, the D-Line is full of questionmarks. Thaddeus Washington had 112 tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles last year at MLB, but he will need some help, especially if the secondary continues to struggle. Hopefully a year of experience will make the DBs more effective.

Iowa State - Ofensive production should be up as the Cyclones welcome back 10 starters this year. Returning to lead the offense is Bret Myer who threw for almost 62% completion percentage last year and 19 TDs to 10 INTs and who only figures to improve as he throws behind four returning OL and to four returning WRs. Hopefully, they can be more balanced as their leading rusher only gained 545 yards last year, though. The biggest problems for this team are on defense though. Matt Robertson leads the LB corps (103 tackles, 1 INT last year), but the secondary only returns one starter and the line is looking to transfers to fill its gaping holes. All in all, it will be a shoot-out season, which rarely turns into a bowl appearance.

Kansas State - Although the mastermind coach is gone, 16 starters return to Manhattan. With a settled QB situation and some solid WRs behind a strong veteran line, KSU deeply needs its running game to catch up so that there can be a little balance, otherewise they will have another year of very limited production. The D-Line returns three starters, but this may not be great news as this crew combined for only 4 sacks last year. Brandon Archer and Maurice Mack look to have great years at LB, but returning only one DB makes their pass defense suspect. The Wildcats need more talent to compete in this conference.

Kansas - Losing eight big-play defenders to graduation never helps a team improve. This is a reloading year for Mangino's troops. New QB and new WRs mean that the burden of the offense falls on a decent ground attack behind four returning starters on what should be a good O-Line. New LBs and three new DL mean that the experienced secondary really needs to be effective. Expect Kansas to be a .500 club at best this year.


The honest truth is that any of the top three teams in the South could beat any team from the North in the conference championship game no matter how many times they played it, so look for the BCS participant to be from the South.

My prediciton: Don't mess with Texas.

THE ANNUAL HIGH CHEESE NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW (part 1)

Welcome to day one of the High Cheese's Annual College Football Preview. I hope that you are fired up, because this week we will be introducing you to more NCAA Football knowledge than you have ever wanted. Basically, each day of the week will come with conference previews and some other stuff:

Tuesday: Big 12, Pac 10
Wednesday: SEC, Big 10
Thursday, ACC, Big East
Friday: Minor Conference Teams to Watch, and our Heisman Preview

Of course, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves...you've been patient and you have earned it:

2006 PRESEASON TOP 25!!!


1. Notre Dame – Returning 17 starters to a 9-3 team with the most proven offensive coach in football spells a great year for the Irish. Their schedule could be a tough one with tough games vs. Penn St. and Michigan in their first three games, not to mention finishing the year at Southern Cal. Still, with an offense that returns all its skill players—not to mention a couple of Heisman favorites in Quinn and Samardzija and three of five starters from last year’s line, and a defense that will be a year wiser and almost impossible to throw against, the Irish should have a whole lot at stake going into Los Angeles in late November.

2. Texas – Texas returns 14 starters this year from last year’s championship team (kudos James). Unfortunately, one of them is not Vince Young, aka superman. Still, a loaded receiving core, a solid stable of running backs, and the heart of the O-Line intact all bode well for the heir apparent blue chip QB Colt McCoy (rsFresh.). With three of four returning along the D-Line and two of three back in the Linebacking corps, this defense looks plenty ready to stifle opponents. The Longhorns are a lock for another Big 12 championship, but can they think even bigger…probably so, because their schedule features only four away games and an out of conference schedule containing North Texas, Sam Houston State, and Rice. Their biggest roadblock is the September 9 showdown against Ohio State.

3. West Virginia – Normally I don’t favor a two-QB system, but with White and Bednarik throwing to experienced receivers and handing it to all-world tailback Steve Slaton, and three of five offensive linemen back this year, Coach Rodriguez has a strong chance to go very far. The 3-3-5 defense is weird, but it works pretty well. Still, returning only five starters could be worrisome, until you look at the schedule. The only game that should even be tough is the November 2 match-up with Louisville, but WV should win that too. Scheduling makes a difference, and it just may land WV in the title game…or it could be the reason they are on the outside looking in despite and undefeated record.

4. Ohio State – Troy Smith returns to make a run at the Heisman and the National Title. He and super WR Ted Ginn, lead an offense that welcomes back eight starters. They should be very explosive. But on the defensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes only have two returning starters, and Tressel has to replace his entire LB corps and his entire DB squad. Although the ranks are deep at OSU, the truth is that this much inexperience, along with a schedule featuring an early test at Texas, a trip to Iowa, and being in the all around best conference in football this year adds up to at least one loss.

5. California – Coach Tedford returns 15 starters from last year, including last year’s starter at QB who was lost for the season to injury in game 1. The WRs are solid, and the backfield is absolutely loaded with Marshawn Lynch (1246 yds, 10 TDs) and his back-up Forsett (999 yds, 6 TDs) returning. The O-Line is a little thin, should be solid. The rock solid D-Line from last year returns everyone, the LBs return two of three, and both corners are back as well. This could easily be the year that Cal finally emerges as a legitimate challenger to USC in the Pac-3…I mean Pac-10.

6. Iowa – Coach Ferentz returns seven starters on each aide of the ball, including senior QB Drew Tate who completed over 62% of his passes last year from a 22-7 TD-INT ratio. Depth at WR will make up for losing some starting talent, and Scott Chandler at TE is a big plus. Albert Young returns at RB after a 1334 yds, 8 TD performance last year, and he will run behind one of the nation’s best O-Lines. The D-Line is also really strong, which will help the Hawkeyes recover from losing two great LBs to the pros. A strong secondary means that Iowa is sitting pretty in a tough conference. With a joke of a non-conference schedule, if this team can outlast OSU, they should win the Big 10.

7. USC – The Trojans lost a lot of talent this off-season as 12 starters departed (most to get rich in the NFL). Dwayne Jarrett (1274 rec yds, 16 TDs) and Steve Smith (957 rec yds, 5 TDs) will make the new QB look right at home. The new RB is actually the old RB, Hershel Dennis who started in 2003 and then gave way to Bush and White. The O-Line is thin returning only two blockers, and this could get a little dicey—new line, new QB… With a strong defense, especially at LB, USC should still beat a lot of people, but I am not as sure as everyone else that they are even a lock to win the Pac-10 let alone the National Championship.

8. Florida State – If having the most talent on the field won games, FSU would win almost every time. Unfortunately, their talented players seem to have zero common sense and team mentality. Nevertheless, FSU will have a strong O-Line and a much more balanced and productive offense this year. A minor QB controversy will be weathered with strong receivers and a solid stable of RBs. The D-Line is replacing a few, but strong LBs like senior Buster Davis, and a good enough secondary will keep FSU in every game. A strong season, but not the glory days known by earlier in the Bowden era.

9. Florida – Gator fans are excited about Urban Meyer’s sophomore effort, but only one returning starter on the O-Line could be trouble. With a possible QB controversy brewing between Leak and super frosh Tim Tebow, as well as a RB by committee approach, being deep at the WR position may not be enough to run unscathed through a tough schedule. A strong defense will help the Gators immensely. Look for LBs Earl Everett and Brandon Siler to step up and have great years. With tough games against Bama, LSU, Auburn, and Georgia all in a row, as well as a season finale in Tallahassee (not to mention some sleeper games in Southern Miss and Central Florida), the Gators should win the SEC East, but not get to play for the whole thing.

10. Arkansas – I know. I am alone in this prediction, but that does not mean I am completely crazy (I think.). But let me explain. Yes, the Razorbacks were a pitiful 4-7 last year, but they were really bitten by the injury bug, and they were really young. This year, they return 19 starters from last year’s team, and another starter from two years ago who sat out last year hurt—20 starters! There is a little QB controversy between incumbant true sophomore Casey Dick and true freshman Mitch Mustain (HS player of the year last year). With the WRs deep and experienced, and a load of great runners led by Darren McFadden (1113 yds, 11 TDs), not to mention four of five returning along the front line, Arkansas’ offense is ready to come with it. The D-Line is big and tackle happy, and excellent LBs should swallow the run. Look for undersized LB Sam Olajubutu to have a huge year. The Secondary is older and wiser, but was somewhat vulnerable last year, so if they can shore it up, Arkansas looks prime to have a good year. Their biggest challenge is their opener against USC, but by avoiding Georgia and Florida, and getting Bama and LSU at home this year, the schedule looks pretty decent. Don’t be surprised if they don’t lose too many—you heard it here first.

11. Auburn – Tubberville leads a team that is tough to feel out this year. Cox is back at QB and is solid, but not incredible. The top three WRs are gone, so there is not much depth or experience on the edges, but Kenny Irons (1293 yds, 13 TDs) is back and will consume even more yards and TDs this year. With a solid O-Line, the Tigers offense looks decent—maybe not as dangerous as last year though, because all of the big play receivers are gone. With seven returning starters in the defense, including the entire secondary, Auburn’s defense will be tough to beat. This team is talented, but not deep. Injuries could affect them more than some other teams. Look for a strong season, but not a ring.

12. Miami – Junior QB Kyle Wright was effective, but inexperienced last year, but looks to build on a solid first year as starter. With strong TE Greg Olson, the WR host a bevy of talented potential stars who lack experience. Tyrone Moss should bounce back from injury and the Hurricane ground game should be ferocious this year. Unfortunately, with youth at the skill positions, this is not the best year to rebuild the O-Line. The Defense looks good welcoming back 7 starters, including a great defensive backfield. With a decent schedule, the Canes are certainly a top 25 team, but not necessarily a top 10 team.

13. Louisville – Bobby Petrino welcomes back a very talented senior QB Brian Brohm (68.8 completion percentage last year!), some very talented runners, and some young but effective receivers led by Mario Urruttia. Unfortunately, he also is replacing three members of the O-Line, and three members of the D-Line. The LBs and DBs looks solid, so as long as they can hold the line of scrimmage, the Cards look pretty good. An easy schedule makes for a crucial game on November 2 against West Virginia. I predict at least 10 wins for Louisville, but second in a weak conference.

14. Oregon – Oregon returns 13 starters from last years 10-2 squad, and that means that things are looking up for the ducks. Clemons is now in the NFL, but the Ducks have two strong options at QB in Dixon and Leaf who did a great job after Clemons fell to injury last year. The WRs are tall and fast, and two of the four are returning starters. RB by committee is usually a bad thing, but there is enough talent in this offense to hide it, and with all five offensive linemen returning, the Ducks offense should be fine. It is the rebuilt defense that makes the Ducks shaky this year. The line looks decent, and the LBs are solid, but the 5 man secondary is mostly up for grabs. This spells crucial let-downs. With a tough schedule, look for Oregon to be good, but to lose one or two more than they did last year.

15. Oklahoma – Oklahoma’s heart and soul is its defense this year. Returning eight starters, Coach Stoops will pressure the QB with a talented D-Line, and super LB Rufus Alexander (102 tackles last year), and an excellent secondary. Adrian Peterson may make another Heisman run, and the five sophomore WRs are young but talented. Still, replacing four of five OL and having an idiot QB who reports illegal booster cash to the IRS as income means that the offense may struggle this year. Sure Bomar was not a veteran, but he was your starter for a reason, coach. Good luck. Oh yeah, Mack Brown says thanks.

16. Clemson – 17 returning starters means that Tommy Bowden will do more than avoid being fired this season. All five OL return, which paves the way for the 1-2 punch of Davis and Merriweather in Clemson’s ground game. A new QB will also benefit from the protection. The LBs are all back and all good, and the DBs are solid. With a little luck, Clemson could be a serious contender for the ACC title.

17. Michigan – Chad Henne is back after two good years and looks to build on his impressive 58% completion percentage. Steve Breaston heads a talented WR corps, and Mike Hart brings strength to the ground attack, but all of this may be limited by inexperience at the O-Line. Unfortunately, on defense only one starter returns to the D-Line, so the loaded LBs will have to work extra hard to keep opponents from chewing up yards and time on them. Leon hall is a stud, and the Michigan DBs are real solid. If they can stop the run, they will win a lot, but they may find this difficult in this league this year with games at Notre Dame and Ohio State, and against Iowa and Penn State.

18. LSU – Coach Les Miles had a good first year, but if he can’t reload quickly, the Tigers are in for a tough year. With a bevy of talented QB prospects, finding a starter might be the hardest part, but the WRs and RBs are back so rebuilding the O-Line is not completely hopeless. The defensive secondary is strong, but losing three DL and two LB hurts. If the new troops are as talented as the old ones, LSU rises, if not…

19. Nebraska – The Cornhuskers are still getting used to west coast football, but the 16 returning starters should help. Sr. Zac Taylor should continue to improve, especially with both starting WRs back and some really good TEs. Still, with no proven runners (last year they averaged 2.7 YPC), and a rebuilt line that wasn’t good enough to do very much last year, things look sketchy on the ground this year. The good news is that the defense was solid last year despite a bad offense and they should only improve. Corey McKeon is a superstar at MLB and Cortney Grixby is a good corner despite being a little undersized. Look for Nebraska to win the Big 12 North, but don’t be amazed as this is roughly equivalent to winning the office karaoke contest—the most talented of the lack-luster.

20. Georgia – Coach Richt watched his 10-3 Bulldogs lose by 3 to West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl and then lose 13 starters to graduation or the NFL. That means that DJ Shockley is gone, and all of the other QBs are very inexperienced. Only one WR is back from last year, and although they have some strong runners, the blocking corps are a little thinner than last year. The defense is a brighter spot welcoming back its entire LB corps, and the DL looks solid led by Quentin Moses who had 12 sacks last year. The secondary is untested having only one starter return. Special teams play will lift them from danger, but this year will not be as strong as last year.

21. Alabama – On offense, Shula’s Crimson Tide looks solid. With four returning starters on the Line, the Tide look primed to run the ball with stud RB Kenneth Darby (1242 yds, 5.2 ypc avg.). The WRs are loaded and Tyrone Prothro looks ready to excite again. The only question mark is the QB. In five appearances last year John Parker Wilson looked good throwing 7-11, 2 TDs, 0 INTs. Word is he can throw it through a brick wall, and is a little more mobile than Croyle, so things are looking up. The Tide defense lost a lot of talent last year, including almost all of its starting LB and DB troops. The line looks solid, and Robinson and Castille will anchor a young DB squad. Look for LB Juwan Simpson to step up and have a breakout year. Being shaky against the big play may hurt the Tide a bit this season, but don’t be surprised if they compete for the SEC West.

22. TCU – The Horned Frogs bring back a talented QB, some strong experience at WR and more quality RBs than most teams know what to do with; however, revamping a graduation depleated O-Line makes things a little dicey. Great at the DE positions, the returning starters at LB provide solid support for the new DTs. Solid support from the DBs mean that TCU will waltz through the Mountain West again, and face their only non-conference challenge in a September 16 shootout with Texas Tech. This is an up-and-coming team that no one really wants to play, and their record shows it. They will be good again this year, but maybe not 11 wins good, and they will again be left out of the major bowl picture.

23. Arizona State – ASU uses a two-QB system which can go horribly wrong; however, with this much talent around them on offense, the Sun Devils look like they’ll be just fine. With two of the best TEs in the nation in Miller and Lewis, as well as four returning starters on the O-Line, the RBs and WRs will have plenty of room and time to make big things happen. The defense is much improved; however, being much improved from terrible is not hard. The DL has found some consistent and athletic talent, and the LBs look good. The big question mark here is the inexperienced defensive secondary. With games at USC and Cal, as well as against Oregon and against sleepers Colorado and Nevada, don’t be surprised is ASU can’t stay in the top 25 all year.

24. Virginia Tech – With the departure of Vick and his bong smoke, Beamer looks to keep the Hokies headed the right direction. A new QB should provide a new era of stability, especially one throwing to their very talented trio of WRs. Ore returns from an injury limited season that still saw him average 5.9 YPC! Replacing a few OL will not be easy, but lettermen provide depth that should ease the transition. Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi lead the defense from their LB positions. The D-Line will include several regulars taking over for the two players that graduated. The return of three starters in the secondary means that VT is not that susceptible to the big play. Look for VT to have another solid year.

25. Penn State – Joe Paterno proved everybody wrong last year, but this year could bring all the critics back. Although the talent that has been recruited is good, much of it will be brand new. New QB, new O-Line, new D-Line, new DBs. Strong WRs, RBs, and LBs may not be enough to escape the youth on this squad.


Of course, some of you will have an opinion, and it is welcome. I look forward to this part of the year.

God save the Cheese.

Lower Standards

okay.

ask and you shall receive...even if it means i lower my personal ethical standards.

i have a myspace:

www.myspace.com/musicforgiants

adamhill was taken, so naturally i went to musicforgiants. makes perfect sense right?

enjoy the tunes.

Link of the Week

Allrighty, so while I am here, I figure that I should provide you with a link that will rock your socks off. Actually, it is more of a self-serving shamelss promotion, but I still think that many of you will like it (and those that don't will be nice enough to not point out how crappy it is...right? good.).

Check out:

www.purevolume.com/adamhill

The music is mine, but the dancing you do is all yours.

Enjoy. Get Cheesy.

Home.

I miss my home.

I miss my wife.

I miss my dog.

I miss my sleep.

I am about to get on my flight back to all of these things. Here's a kudos to those airports that offer free wifi.

My dad is doing well.

I am very tired, but very studied up on college football, so be ready. Next week it begins with the annual High Cheese College Football Preview. And get fired up, because this time it is a full week of information and predictions. Get ready to gain the knowledge that will impress your friends.

See you soon.

God save the Cheese.

I'll Be Back

Never give up.

And watch your back.