We told you about quarterback battles still going on among the non-AQ schools in a two part series yesterday: Part I and Part II . Here is a look at the quarterback battles that have already been decided as we close in on the start of the season: Akron Winner: Patrick Nicely . Buzz: Nicely and Matt Rodgers played pretty evenly throughout fall camp and split the reps evenly. But Nicely emerged thanks to his play throughout the spring and camp. He started seven games as a true freshman in 2009, completing 120 of 222 passes for 1,349 yards and six touchdowns. Bowling Green Winner: Matt Schilz . Buzz: With Tyler Sheehan gone, Bowling Green turns to the redshirt freshman, who has never thrown a pass in a collegiate game. The Falcons have had much stability at the quarterback position, so it will be interesting to see how Schilz does this season. Colorado State Winner: Pete Thomas. Buzz: The highly touted true freshman enrolled in school early and beat out redshirt freshman Nico Ranieri . The last time a freshman started at quarterback for Colorado State was Caleb Hanie in 2004. Louisiana Tech Winner: Steven Ensminger . Buzz: The Auburn transfer found new life under new coach Sonny Dykes’ spread offense. After playing tight end last spring under former coach Derek Dooley, Ensminger was able to beat out Ross Jenkins , who started parts of the past two seasons. Marshall Winner: Brian Anderson . Buzz: The incumbent survived a challenge from A.J. Graham , Eddie Sullivan and former Clemson player Willie Korn to emerge as the starter once again. Korn ended up transferring. Important to note: Anderson is learning his third different offense, now that new coach Doc Holliday is there. New Mexico Winner: B.R. Holbrook . Buzz: Holbrook won the job over freshman Tarean Austin and Brad Gruner , and coach Mike Locksley cited his knowledge of the offense, the way he moved the team during scrimmages and his mostly error-free play. New Mexico State Winner: Matt Christian
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Non-AQ quarterback battles resolved
Filed under Basketball, Football by on Aug 26th, 2010. Comment. 
Nobody expected what happened to SMU last season, least of all coach June Jones. Even now, he says his team is a year away from having the depth it needs to have sustained success. So was 2009 an aberration? Hardly. With 15 starters returning, including sophomore Kyle Padron , SMU is poised to have another good season, even if depth on the lines is an issue. “As a coach, the expectations are always the same,” Jones said in a phone interview. “They don’t change year to year. You always expect to do your best and win every year. Everybody’s excited at the school. I think everybody understands we’re a little ways away; we probably need another recruiting class to be highly thought of, but … It’s going to be a fun year.” Expectations are higher after the Mustangs went 8-5 last season and made a bowl game for the first time in 25 years. Before the breakthrough, they had won two of their previous 24 games
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SMU poised for more success
Filed under Football by on Aug 26th, 2010. Comment.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops released his latest depth chart on Monday, and likely inspired some double takes from some. Of the 44 spots on the offensive and defensive two-deep, seven are occupied by true freshmen, signees from the 2010 class who arrived on campus just this summer. Two have established themselves as starters just weeks into their first fall camps. Kenny Stills , a freshman receiver from San Diego, has earned a starting spot over senior Brandon Caleb at one of the three receiver positions. Elsewhere, Trey Millard , a freshman fullback who played tight end back home in Columbia, Mo., has taken the starting spot away from 241-pound redshirt freshman Marshall Musil , who rumbled for 92 yards in the spring game. Stills is hardly a surprise. He was one of the spring standouts for a receiving corps that struggled outside of Ryan Broyles in 2009, and Stills finished with six catches for 84 yards in the spring game. Elsewhere, two more freshmen cracked the two deep on offense. Joe Powell will back up Ryan Broyles at the SL receiver position and Bronson Irwin , who joined Stills as an early enrollee this spring, will step in behind Tyler Evans at right guard. Three showed up on defense. Safety Tony Jefferson , a 5-foot-11, 198-pounder who is competing to start as the Sooners’ situational hybrid safety/linebacker spot, is listed as a co-No. 2 behind Jonathan Nelson at strong safety. Nelson’s move from cornerback to safety — a formality for some time — freed up a spot for Aaron Colvin behind Demontre Hurst at one of Oklahoma’s two cornerback spots
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Freshman invasion under way at Oklahoma
Filed under Football by on Aug 24th, 2010. Comment.
Preseason camps are about half gone. Opening weekend is less than two weeks away, and it’s just over a week away for teams like Iowa State. But plenty has been resolved in camps so far. Here’s the best of what we know: 1. Three quarterback battles have been won. Two (Kansas State and Nebraska) have yet to be decided, but Tyler Hansen won the job over Cody Hawkins at Colorado. Kale Pick beat out Jordan Webb at Kansas. Taylor Potts beat out Steven Sheffield in an epic duel at Texas Tech between two seniors who could start for about anyone in the conference. 2. Nebraska and Kansas have been hit hardest by injury. Nebraska lost linebacker Sean Fisher and utility lineman Mike Smith for the season, each with a broken leg. Backup cornerback Anthony Blue will also miss the season with a torn ACL. Tight end Dreu Young also required back surgery and may miss up to the entire season. None figured to be game-changers, but without them, the Huskers depth suffers, leaving them more reliant on less experienced players. That’s not the case in Lawrence, where Turner Gill will coach his first season without Huldon Tharp, one of the conference’s best linebackers and one of his most exciting young talents. Backup running back Rell Lewis will miss the season with a knee injury, as will offensive lineman Jeff Spikes, who had a chance to start. 3. Gill: What have you done for me lately? Turner Gill cares not about your recruiting stars, Jayhawks. Toben Opurum was the Jayhawks leading rusher as a freshman, with 554 yards. As one of the nation’s best fullbacks, he came to Kansas because Mark Mangino planned to let the 6-foot-1, 240-pounder play running back. He was injured in the spring, but returned to full strength by preseason camp. Unable to crack the depth chart at running back, he’s been moved to linebacker to help solve the Jayhawks’ depth problems at the position. Meanwhile, two-year starter at center Jeremiah Hatch was sent to the bench in favor of senior captain Sal Capra, who played both guard positions last year. 4. Iowa State is even more huggable. The team rallied behind rookie head coach Paul Rhoads in 2009 and raced to a seven-win season after just five wins in the previous two seasons combined. This fall, one of the teams practices was canceled so the players could sandbag the athletic facility to prevent damage from a major flood in Central Iowa. To do the team’s laundry, team managers had to travel nearly 20 miles to the nearest source of fresh water. 5. Robert Griffin’s arm isn’t rusty. The Bears sophomore quarterback has strung together two masterful scrimmages through the air, completing 33 of his 44 passes for three touchdowns and one interception. He has yet to prove he can run with the same explosiveness he showed as a freshman, but coach Art Briles isn’t going to be getting Griffin hit many more times than is necessary. 6. Texas is talking up its defense. Coach Mack Brown isn’t keeping quiet about his expectations for his defense in 2010. “”I do think this could be our best defense,” Brown told the Dallas Morning News last week , noting health and depth as variables. “We should be really, really good on defense.” The Longhorns already ranked No. 3 nationally in total defense last year, but bring back one of the nation’s best secondaries and perhaps the best and deepest group of defensive ends anywhere.
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Big 12: What we know with two weeks to go
Filed under Football, News by on Aug 23rd, 2010. Comment.
Scouts, Inc. has released its list of the top 150 NFL prospects for the 2011 draft, and it’s got plenty of Big 12 talent from top to bottom. You’ll need an Insider account to see the whole list, but here’s a bit of how it relates to the Big 12. Three Big 12 teams were among the nation’s top 10 in possessing the most players on the list. Here’s where they stood: T-3. Nebraska. (6) T-3. Oklahoma (6) T-10. Texas (4) North Carolina and Ohio State topped the list, with seven total prospects in the top 150. But let’s take a closer look. Here’s a few notes/thoughts. The Big 12’s top overall prospect? Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara, who is the No. 1 cornerback. That echoes what NFL scouts have been saying for the past few months, and it’ll be interesting to see the battle between him and Aaron Williams (No. 6 cornerback) as the season moves on.
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Huskers, OU top list of elite NFL prospects
Filed under Football by on Aug 19th, 2010. Comment.
Every analyst seems to be putting A&M’s Jerrod Johnson at the top of their Big XII QB list. While he clearly is talented with some reliable weapons around him on offense, a part of me just can’t seem to accept him as the best. OBVIOUSLY, I’m strong (“biased”) towards Gilbert, having seen him in action in the National Championship, Spring Game and in person during a Spring practice and last night’s open practice. While I won’t say Gilbert is the best right now, he’ll certainly have a chance to be the best as this season progresses.
When you start to think of Texas A&M’s schedule last year, it’s easy to see why Johnson’s numbers may be inflated. Again, the talent is there. I just can’t bring myself to say he’s the best right now. Does he have a very high set of expectations? Definitely. No doubt we all will be studying him intently this year (Boom better be too!), but I wanted to ask the question here:
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Is Jerrod Johnson the Real Deal?
Filed under Football, Lets Talk Texas by on Aug 14th, 2010. Comment.
If you haven’t noticed just yet, Friday’s college football content at ESPN.com is all about the quarterbacks. We’ve ranked the conference’s top 5 individual quarterbacks , but now it’s time to take a broader look at who’s in good shape behind center and who’s in trouble across the conference. The discrepancy between the South’s QBs and the North’s is somewhat jarring, especially when you see it on paper (bandwidth?) like this. Only one North team made the top six, and the bottom five teams are all from the North. Five schools (four in the North) still have their starters up in the air, and that makes this a little tricky, but here’s how I’d rank them: 1. Texas A&M : The Aggies boast the preseason player of the year at quarterback and the man at the top of our Big 12 player list from earlier this summer, Jerrod Johnson . I also got a few e-mail requests from some Aggies fans to stress — once again — that it’s juh-RAHD, not Jared from Subway. Word has apparently not reached every corner of Big 12 country just yet. It might if the Aggies can win more than six games like they did in 2009. But Johnson broke out in a big way last season, throwing for 3,579 yards, 30 touchdowns and just six interceptions while also running for 506 yards and eight touchdowns. 2. Baylor : Trust in Robert Griffin ’s knee lands the Bears here, significantly higher than they’re used to considering the strong quarterback tradition across the Big 12 for the past decade. But Griffin will still have to regain his status as the conference’s most electrifying player on a reconstructed knee after missing the final nine games of the previous season with a torn ACL. Baylor also has a nice situation at backup quarterback because of the injury with sophomore Nick Florence , who threw for 427 yards in Baylor’s lone conference win — at Missouri — last season. 3. Missouri: Blaine Gabbert has a claim as the conference’s best quarterback, and he’ll try to snatch it as a junior after playing much of his sophomore season with a bum ankle, courtesy of a soggy Ndamukong Suh sack. Despite being hobbled for most of conference play, he still racked up 3,593 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. If he stays healthy, he might get a chance to showcase his underrated wheels, too. Freshman James Franklin is impressing in camp and hanging on to his job as Gabbert’s backup over Jimmy Costello , Ashton Glaser and little brother Tyler Gabbert. 4. Oklahoma : Landry Jones should benefit from his first full spring and preseason camp taking the first-team reps, but he’ll need a second reliable target opposite Ryan Broyles to emerge if he wants to improve on his 26 touchdowns and 3,198 yards as a redshirt freshman. Jones also needs to limit his turnovers after throwing a league-high 14 interceptions in 2009, but it’s worth noting that seven of those came away from Owen Field against top-tier defenses in Texas and Nebraska. He didn’t play a good defense in Norman, but he threw 18 touchdowns to just four interceptions and helped the Sooners stretch their home streak to 30 games. Backup Drew Allen is untested and inexperienced, but has potential and wouldn’t inspire panic if Jones finds injury in 2010. 5. Texas Tech : No team has two quarterbacks with as much skill and experience as Texas Tech, but unlike receivers or running backs, the Red Raiders can’t play both of them. Regardless of who wins the competition in Lubbock, Texas Tech will be in great shape with Taylor Potts or Steven Sheffield . You heard a few hundred words on the details of this race earlier this morning. 6. Texas : This may look silly in November, but it’s tough to put Garrett Gilbert on top of anyone else on this list who has already proven themselves. Clearly, the potential is there, and he’s inspired a lot of confidence from his coach and team, but making good on that potential will mean finding a solid target to replace the only player he’s ever thrown a real touchdown to: Jordan Shipley. If Gilbert goes down, Texas would have to rely on a pair of true freshmen: Connor Wood or Case McCoy, Colt’s little brother. 7. Oklahoma State : This won’t be the last time you hear about the Cowboys 26-year-old former minor leaguer, Brandon Weeden . Just make good decisions, make easy throws to open receivers who make plays with the ball and he should put up big numbers in new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s version of the Air Raid. Oklahoma State got to see Houston’s offense in person last season and wanted it for themselves. Now they’ve got the man who coordinated the best offense in college football a year ago and an unquestioned, mature starter to run it.
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Ranking the quarterbacks across the Big 12
Filed under Football by on Aug 13th, 2010. Comment.
Some thought that would happen after the 2008 season when Roy Miller left for the pros, but Lamarr Houston moved over from defensive end, finished second on the team with eight sacks and turned what had been a question mark in the spring into a team… Source: Austin American-Statesman
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Acho will lead the Horns’ line, wherever he plays
Filed under News by on Aug 10th, 2010. Comment.
I have to admit: I did not see that one coming.
Sure, Tom Izzo was always vague. In retrospect, his non-committal attitude toward Michigan State senior Chris Allen’s potential departure from the program — which Izzo discussed almost immediately after the season but left hanging for much of summer since — was probably not a good sign.
And now we know for sure: Michigan State released a statement Tuesday evening announcing that Allen would not be returning to the Spartans in 2010-11. Izzo and Allen both gave quotes:
Izzo: “It’s been no secret that Chris Allen’s been in a tenuous position since the spring. There were multiple obligations that Chris had to meet in order to return for his senior season. While he did make progress through the summer, he has failed to meet all the obligations and will not be a part of our program this fall. I know he’s going to be a great player. He deserves another chance to play basketball somewhere, but it’s in everyone’s interest that it be somewhere other than Michigan State. Like every player, he has to mature a little bit. I think a year away from the game will be beneficial for his development as a person and a player.”And Allen: “Coach was straight-forward with me about what I needed to do to remain a part of the team. Unfortunately, I didn’t meet all the obligations. I have enjoyed my time at Michigan State and I appreciate all the support from my fans, and everyone associated with the program. It’s unfortunate things didn’t work out, but I’m leaving on good terms with my teammates and coaches.”
This is a little confusing for a few reasons. For one, it’s never exactly been clear what obligations Izzo is referring to. As The Only Colors noted Tuesday night, Allen seemed to buy in to Izzo’s system on the court last season — he was the team’s best perimeter defender and an efficient outside threat, and despite a brief suspension for the Big Ten tournament, he had a thoroughly productive junior year. It’s possible Allen’s issues happened off the court. With so little detail, it’s hard to say. But it sure is baffling.
It’s also a big blow for Allen, who was playing summer ball in East Lansing and seemed optimistic about his chances of returning. (It also renders Derrick Nix’s predictions obsolete.) Instead, Allen will be forced to look for a school willing to take him on for his final year of eligibility.
More than anything, though, it means the Spartans will be one contributor less in the coming season. The good news is that Michigan State is loaded, deep, talented, and a reasonable Final Four projection even without Allen. The bad news is that Allen’s skills were specific and beneficial, and his departure could be the difference between a national title season and something slightly less.
Michigan State will have to adapt. Whatever Izzo’s issues with Allen, he’s apparently willing to take bet his team can do just that.
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Tom Izzo dismisses Chris Allen
Filed under Basketball, Lets Talk Texas, News by on Aug 4th, 2010. Comment.
but are you confident that at this time the Rice game is the biggest thing on his mind? I can assure you it needs to be.
As the season draws nearer, I find myself staring at the schedule hoping that the “9/4″ turns to “8/4″. No such luck. So I go on scurrying through featured stories, checkin’ out the roster, thinking about Wyoming and why in the world someone would pick them to upset Texas. That game is a W for Texas. The Wyoming Cowboys will not come into Austin and win. Sorry, Andre. By that point Gilbert will have been able to get the taste of the MNC out of his mouth and jitters should not be a problem in Game 2.
But, uh, what about the first game? The game where Gilbert will still have that taste?
Let me start by saying that I believe no College Football game should ever be played in an NFL stadium. Ever. It does things to the atmosphere. Look no further than the Big12 CG vs Nebraska. If you were there, you understand.
Once thought of as ” harbingers of doom and death ” (anyone else get chills when you see an owl out on the farm?), the Owl is now mostly thought of as a symbol of wisdom here in “The West”. This idea is a little more fitting when coupled with Rice University.
Military commanders have always cherished the element of surprise. Rightfully so. It’s kind of a big deal. It’s worked so well historically that competitive leaders of all kinds have adopted the idea and used it to their advantage throughout the ages. September 4th 2010, Rice will have the element of surprise.
Don’t kid yourself. Gilbert is an unproven kid with all the potential in the world. But right now, it’s just that. Potential. [Insert cheesy metaphor]. Sure he looked pretty good at times coming off the bench, especially in the MNC (turnovers aside). He looked good in the spring game and he looked good at media days saying all the right things. Still, he’s probably more anxious than all of us. It’s probably day to day for him when talking about jitters vs. confidence. What we need to hope for is that on that Game 1 Saturday he happens to be confident and focused, rather than… the opposite. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Rice is going to try and rattle him and do it early. It will be on ESPN in what I previously noted to be a less than compatible atmosphere and Rice would love nothing more than to knock us off and send a shock through College Football the likes of which we haven’t seen since Game 1 of the ‘07 season in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
There’s always that one game for a Quarterback where you sort of step into yourself, and become a leader. A game where whether you win or lose, you figure things out. Sometimes it gets ugly and you throw -4- 5 interceptions. Sometimes you hit a zone and come out and play a flawless game. Sometimes a little of both. Garrett Gilbert got a taste of both in January. Although he has yet to do it as a prepared starter.
September 4th is more than Texas Longhorns vs Rice Owls. It’s more than the start of football season. It’s even more than the fact it will be the first time I’ve touched a cold beer in 8 months. It is the beginning of a new era of Texas football. It’s a day that fans, coaches and teammates alike will come together to properly welcome a new leader onto the field. And folks, it ain’t at home. We’ll all need to be ready for this one. The decibel at which you yell is ever so important. So may I suggest, come mid-August, while you’re planning the trip or breaking in that new couch, that you kindly ask your better halves to simply not talk so much. Because you’re gonna need your voice.
-Dirty Work
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Garrett Gilbert says the right things, re Rice
Filed under Football, Lets Talk Texas by on Jul 30th, 2010. Comment.
