As spring practice draws near, the Domer nation has an excuse to talk incessantly about the state of the Notre Dame football program. Despite the fact that ND hasn’t been in serious contention for a National Championship since 1993, hope springs eternal in South Bend.  Traditionally, the six week period between National Signing Day and the first of 15 spring practices, is when the Irish faithful lick their wounds from the previous fall. That time has come and gone, and Rockne’s wayward sons are daring to dream again...

The fact that Notre Dame hasn’t hired a proven collegiate winner since Lou Holtz has been well documented. Still, Fighting Irish fans have gotten behind each successive coach (Davie, Willingham, O’Leary—whoops, and Weis), if only for a short time. And with every coach since Lispy Lou, the gulf between expectation (National Championship) and reality (.583, .583, .565) has grown.

Knowing the blind, wilful nature of many Notre Dame blowhards sitting on the message boards all day at work, it serves to point out that the blowout losses to Oregon State and LSU, as well as the 14-point loss (which wasn’t nearly as close as 34-20 would suggest) to Ohio State in BCS games do more to strengthen the previous point than refute it.

Calling Notre Dame a ‘finesse’ team the past two seasons is, at best, a euphemistic way of saying they’ve been soft. Chock full of talent on paper, and paper-thin on defense, the Irish underwhelmed everyone in college football except ESPN analyst Mark May.

Enter Brian Kelly, the man who took Cincinnati to its first undefeated regular season, Big East Championship, and BCS berth last year with players ND might have taken as preferred walk-ons out of high school. With a history of winning and a clarity of purpose—National Championships—Kelly is embarking on a journey to restore the Fighting Irish to their long-abdicated throne atop the college football world.

Kelly is known for his grueling off-season workouts, complete with ‘puke buckets’ lined up around the practice facilities. Coupled with new Strength-and-Conditioning Coach Paul Longo’s unconventional methods—including a giant sand pit—that have proved highly effective in developing players, Irish fans can expect a toughness that was consistently lacking during the Weis regime.

Many have speculated about the cause of Notre Dame’s lack of grit and toughness over the past few seasons.  Most look to Weis in one form or another. Some questioned his lack of leadership and head-coaching experience. Still others attribute it to a difference in the way professional and college football players are motivated, and Charlie’s inability to recognize that difference. Yet, a simpler, almost childish explanation has been overlooked entirely:

A young man can only take so much Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen.

Charlie Weis’ love-affair with these 1980s rockers is a secret to none in the Notre Dame community.  In order to simulate stadium noise, Weis would play hits like “It’s My Life,” “Glory Days,” and “Living on A Prayer” over the PA system during practice in the days before away games.  The past two seasons, Notre Dame’s road record is 3-7.

In addition, Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet,” and Springsteen’s “Nebraska,” and “The River” albums could be heard in the weight room almost every day during the off-season. One player, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “I mean, I get that they’re great musicians, well, Springsteen at least. But ‘Nebraska’? Do you know what that song is about? And have you ever tried to rep 365 listening to ‘The River’? It’s just depressing, man.”

It seems that playing these Jersey rockers’ inspirational tunes backfired badly on Coach Weis.  Another player said: “I heard so much of those guys, I started to have nightmares. The night before the UCONN game last year, I had a dream that Jon Bon Jovi was playing at my wedding, and Richie Sambora was my best man. How am I supposed to play after something like that?  You think I wanted to get that penalty? It’s hard to focus when you got that stuff goin’ on. Richie Sambora. Fuckin’ Richie Sambora. Why do I even know that guy’s name?”

There are mixed emotions in and around the Fighting Irish community about Charlie Weis’ departure. His supporters talk about his undying love for and understanding of everything Notre Dame stands for. They talk about how he did things the right way, how he emphasized the University and not his three Super Bowl rings when pitching recruits. His naysayers all point to the bottom line: 35-27.

Moving forward, it’s apparent that Brian Kelly has his work cut out for him and the eyes of the Irish nation watching his every move. They’ll talk about the shift back to a 3-4 base defense, and whether players like Kapron Lewis-Moore, Darius Fleming, and Steve Filer can realize their potential within the scheme. They’ll talk about the spread offense he’s implementing, and which receivers will step up to complement Michael Floyd and TE Kyle Rudolph. They’ll second-guess his personnel changes, like Theo Riddick to slot receiver, instead of Cierre Wood to safety, and they’ll question his ability to recruit nationally. And if the Irish win fewer than 8 games this year, some will revert back to their Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops pipe dreams.

Many Irish fans walk around with a sense of entitlement that hasn’t been warranted for about 15 years. Looking at his track record, Coach Kelly might just be the man to justify that air of privilege once again. If Kelly is the man to lead the Irish out of exile, the fans will be there to quote his pre-game speeches like scripture, and name their first-born sons Brian. Any way about it, I hope somebody told him to check his ‘Jovi at the door.

-Jim March

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 by Sean Heffernan

Prior to the Bears kicking off to the Packers last night there was a sense of optimism in Chicago about their football team that hadn’t been alive since the days of the ’85 Bears. By remarkable circumstances the Bears’ GM, Jerry Angelo, had scooped up disgruntled Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos. After years of wallowing at the shaky arms of terrible to mediocre quarterbacks for decades, Bears faithful now had a star thrower to lead their team to greatness.

Expectations for the 2009 season grew with each day drawing nearer where to September 13^th where at Lambeau Field the “Cutler Era” would begin against their dreaded rival to the north. As Robbie Gould kicked off into the Green Bay night, Chicago Bears fans collectively breathed a sigh of relief as the most anticipated season in the history of the 90-year-old organization had finally begun.

That sigh was about all the relief Bears fans got last night.

 No one could have dreamed of a worse start to the season. Jay Cutler looked anything, but the savior Bears fans have hoped he’d be this year, throwing a career high four interceptions. To be frank, Cutler looked like a Bears quarterback: confused, pressured, panicky, and frustrated. Cutler, who’s known for his risk taking, got off to a terrible start in the first quarter rolling out and throwing across his body straight to Packers safety, Nick Collins, who then returned the ball 31 yards.  

It was evident all night that the Bears’ receivers were not on the same page with Cutler. Cutler did connect with Devin Hester a number of times for good gains including a 36-yard touchdown pass, but the rest of the receiving core looked lost most of the game. Earl Bennett caught only 7 of the 14 balls Cutler threw to him. Tight end Desmond Clark struggled finishing his routes, leading to one of Cutler’s interceptions. Clark also dropped a touchdown in the second quarter that would have been a easy catch had he not broken off his route early. Cutler went on to throw two more interceptions both of which involved miscommunications with rookie wide out Johnny Knox.

In the face of Cutler’s terrible debut in a Bears uniform, the most devastating part of last night’s game manifested itself today, as the Bears announced that middle linebacker Brian Urlacher was out for the season after hurting his wrist in the first series of the second half against the Packers. No doubt the Bears’ defense will miss their leader who was poised to have great year after recovering from back and neck ailments that had plagued him in previous years.

To add further harm to injury starting outside linebacker, Pisa Tinoisamoa, injured his right knee in the first quarter only a few snaps into his 2009 season. Tinosamoa is currently day to day with a sprained PCL, but hasn’t been ruled out for next Sunday’s home game against the Pittsburg Steelers.

The Packers’ defensive line made the Bears’ offensive line look pitiful. Newly signed guard Frank Omiyale got manhandled throughout most of the game. Even with Cutler under center, the Packers were forced the Bears to beat them on the pass and in the end the Bears failed miserably. Offensive Coordinator, Ron Turner, didn’t do Cutler any favors.  

In the fourth quarter the Bears were threatening to go in for six on the Packers’ five yard line, but three bad play calls forced the Bears to settle for a field goal. Turner called two straight running plays into a defense that had bottled up Matt Forte the entire game. In Forte’s defense, he had little chance to get in the end zone as the Bears’ formation on first and second down lacked any real passing threats.

Why run two predictable running plays when the other team has been shutting down your running game consistently up to that point? On third down Turner called a roll out pass for Cutler where his only option was Greg Olsen who was covered by a mess of Packers. The Bears had to settle for three points and went on to lose the game.

Had the Bears scored a touchdown they most likely would have won in spite of of Cutler’s interceptions and Urlacher’s injury. Another strike against the Bears coaching was Lovie Smith’s two missed penalty challenges that left them with two timeouts they could have used on the final drive had Cutler not thrown his final interception on the first play.

The Bears’ 2009 season opener was nothing short of a disaster. For the Bears to have any chance of winning the division this year some unheralded players are going to have to step up. The Bears’ inexperienced receiving core is going to have to get on the same page with their star quarterback while the defense copes with the loss of their captain.

If the Bears can defeat a good team in the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers next week we might be singing a totally different song a week from now, but after last night’s debacle I doubt any Bears fan will be in the mood for a song soon.  

What do you think? Can the Bears rebound next week? Share your thoughts below.

Georgia Tech and Clemson are for real

By Jim March

Last night, nearly every football fan in America watched as Pittsburgh and Tennessee kick off the NFL season.  Here’s what you missed: an 82-yard TD run, an 85-yard punt return TD, two interceptions, and a 34 yard touchdown pass thrown by a kicker. That was the first quarter in Atlanta, as Georgia Tech fans welcomed Clemson to town with a white-out, and sent them home with a 30-27 loss to start conference play.

 1.  Get to know the name Derrick Morgan. 

 “The Ramblin’ Wreck” junior defensive end had 10 tackles and 3 sacks last night. Lightning quick off the ball, Morgan alone kept Clemson from getting into any sort of offensive rhythm in the first half. A combination of fatigue and Clemson’s halftime blocking adjustments kept Morgan in check during the second half, but this guy has the ability to change games by himself. Don’t be surprised when he is named to the All-American team at the end of the year.

2. Georgia Tech is a Running Team.

 This is clear to anybody who knows about Coach Paul Johnson’s triple option offense. However, QB Josh Nesbitt proved to the nation last night that GT must run the ball at least 80 % of the time in order to win games. Nesbitt went 3-14 passing with 2 INT. Another pick was overturned on replay. This guy cannot be counted on to take advantage of play-action passing opportunities the option offense naturally affords him. 

3.  Josh Nesbitt: Clutch Player or Fluke?

 Though he put up horrendous numbers through the air, Nesbitt led the Yellow Jackets on two fourth quarter FG drives to win the game. On the first drive, he completed a dump pass to RB Anthony Allen on 3^rd and 9.  Allen went for 24 yards and a first down. Nesbitt also carried the ball 6 times for 43 yards on the game-tying march, including 5 consecutive runs. On the final Tech drive, he completed his homerun ball; a 38 yard pass to DeMaryius Thomas on 3^rd and 11 with 1:48 left in the game. Nesbitt came up bring when it matter with 62 of his 83 passing yards and 50 of his 91 rushing yards came on the final two drives. This begs the question: did a big-time player shake off a bad night and come through in the clutch, or did Clemson run out of gas and big plays?

4.  Frank Beamer can learn a couple of things.

 Although Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer is a special teams guru and leader of the ACC odds-on favorite this year, he could take some notes from Thursday’s game. First, Georgia Tech ran a Fake FG to perfection in the first quarter, switching the offense out for the special teams unit halfway through the play clock. DeMaryius Thomas was left near the sidelines as though he were out of bounds allowing the trick play to work better than some of Papa Kearney’s Pop Warner league antics. Thomas was uncovered on the 34 yard TD pass. Second, if you’re going to pooch punt, kick the ball out of bounds. Clemson K Richard Jackson took a fake FG punt and kicked it directly to the safe man, PR Jerrard Terrant. All Terrant had to do was make one man miss on his way to the end zone. Finally, Clemson’s kick coverage unit was superb.  The Yellow Jackets only took one kick return past the 30 yard line all night. Purple jerseys swarmed on every kickoff.

5. The ACC should not be overlooked in the National picture.

 For the past few years, the Atlantic Coast Conference has fallen out of favor with those who crown the SEC as the premier conference in the land and talk about how the Pac-10, Big 10, and Big XII are nipping at their heels. Last night’s game showed that these two schools have the athletes to compete with anyone in the country. Clemson RB C.J. Spiller, WR Jacoby Ford, DE’s DeQuan Bowers and Ricky Sapp, and S DeAndre McDaniel could play for just about any school in the entire nation. The same could be said for Georgia Tech RB’s Jonathan Dwyer and Anthony Allen, WR DeMaryius Thomas, DE Derrick Morgan, CB Mario Butler, S Morgan Burnett, or PR Jerrard Tarrant. This conference has the coaching and the athletes to play with any conference in the land.

by Jim March

Missouri embarrassed Illinois in St. Louis Saturday afternoon. An uninformed spectator would likely talk about how much Rejus Benn’s injury hurt the Illini. A fairly astute observer would talk about how the depleted stable of running backs may have hurt Illinois’ ability to run between the tackles. However, in truth Isaiah "Juice" Williams, Illinois’ Senior quarterback, was the problem this weekend. ...

Every time the cameras scanned the Illinois sidelines, they would find and stop for a moment on Williams.  His expression did not change. Blank. With few exceptions, “Juice” stood by himself on the sidelines, arms folded, seemingly unaware of what leadership entails. He showed no life coming off the sidelines for the first offensive series. The game was over before it started. Williams displayed absolutely no enthusiasm for a game he’s been waiting eight months to play. On Saturday, Isaiah “Juice” Williams had no heart. 

 Williams gave fans in Champaign-Urbana cause for hope coming into the season. Since he took over as starter halfway through his freshman year, he served as a sparkplug for an often listless Illini offense. On Saturday, his uninspired play was the corrosive thread that quickly ate away at his team. This may seem harsh and overly critical, but it manifested itself on the field.

 The schematic strengths and weaknesses of the “Fighting” Illini offense serve as the poetic truth of the situation. The Illini ran out routes and bubble screens successfully. They worked the outside the hash marks and moved the ball down the field well. In the middle of the field it was another story. Except for WR Jarred Fayson’s highlight reel catch down the middle with a minute left in the first quarter and consecutive first down runs up the gut by RB Mikel LeShoure in the second quarter, Illinois was absolutely worthless within the hash marks. With no ability to run up the gut or throw over the heart of the defense, Illinois was left with 7 yard passes at the numbers. Even on basic throws to the outside, William’s inaccuracy showed that he is not a pocket passer. 

After taking a day to contemplate this game, it seems Williams was more concerned with shedding his image as a running quarterback and proving he could pick apart defenses from the pocket. There were moments where we saw glimmers of hope that Juice was coming to life, acting like a Senior quarterback should; they were fleeting.  In the end, all we saw was an average pocket passer who doesn’t know how to lead.

 On the other side of the coin, Blaine Gabbert was phenomenal in his first collegiate start. After a couple of shaky plays on the first drive, the Sophomore QB got very, very comfortable: completing 25 of 33 passes for 313 yards and 3 touchdowns, and rushing for 39 yards and another TD. Gabbert delivered what many analysts expected to see out of the other starting quarterback. In the same way, Missouri WR Danario Alexander played the part of Rejus Benn. Alexander wore down the opposing defense and had his name called all day, hauling in 10 catches for 132 yards. Illinois’ played bend-don’t-break defense and they actually did a fair job keeping Illinois in the game through the first half. The constant chipping away by the Gabbert-Alexander connection eventually wore down their resolve, and Mizzou left St. Louis feeling pretty good about the direction they’re headed.

 The arrow certainly is pointing up for the Missouri Tigers in a season that was supposed to be a rebuilding year. If Gabbert can carry the swagger we saw Saturday into Big 12 play, they can challenge Kansas and Nebraska for the Big 12 North crown.  Conversely, if Williams doesn’t find the ‘Juice’ that made Illinois electric offensively in recent years then they will start 1-4 and the season will be over by mid-October.

  by Jim March

The 2009 College Football season kicks off this week.  Does anyone else share my spastic enthusiasm for this sport?  Have you been counting down the days until kickoff?  Do you plan on watching 12 hours of football every Saturday for four months?  Does your girlfriend catch you sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night to check your favorite team’s website?  Do you the names of all the high school kids your college is recruiting?  And when your team loses to, oh I don’t know… Syracuse, Syracuse, 24-23 last November when you were favored by 19 at home,  do you curl up in the fetal position and cry yourself to sleep?

Yes? Oh good, me too. 

Now that we’re on the same page, I feel comfortable telling you that I’ve been watching CBSSports and the Big Ten Network religiously the past six weeks or so in order to get my college football fix.  After watching a lot of last year’s games, I’ve formed some opinions on how I think this season will shake out.  I’m watching the Big Ten Network as I write this.  So, for now, I’ll focus on this conference exclusively, giving you a prediction and the Big things you ought to know about all 11 teams in the Big 11 followed by three key players you might not know much about, but should:

1. OHIO STATE – Aside from wide receiver, the Buckeyes’ big question mark is linebacker.  With James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman gone to the NFL, and slated ’09 WLB Tyler Moeller out for the year, who will step up alongside lone returning starter Ross Homan?  Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell may be the best pair of safeties to line up together in the whole conference, and don’t be surprised if Junior Cameron Heyward (son of former NFL fullback Mike “Ironhead” Heyward) comes on as one of the top D lineman in the nation.  The difference between competing for a conference championship and a BCS National Championship hinges on how quickly Sophomore QB Terrelle Pryor’s grasp of the Buckeye offense catches up with his “out of this world” athletic ability.

2. PENN STATE- Senior Daryll Clark needs receivers.  The 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th all-time leaders in receiving yards used up their eligibility at the close of the 2008 season.  Look for the tight ends to be a big part of the passing game.  Also, the Nittany Lions replace their entire ’08 secondary.  Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman head Linebacker U’s defense this season and will need to make plays early while 7 new starters adjust to game speed on defense.  Running backs Evan Royster and Stephon Green will help Clark motor the offense behind guard-turned-center Stefen Wiesniewski until a receiver can emerge as a legitimate threat to keep opposing defenses from stacking up 8 in the box.  Head Coach Joe Paterno is entering his 60^th season as a part of Penn State’s coaching staff; nothing to do with conference standings, I just think that’s amazing.  Also, did anyone else seen the commercial on Big Ten Network last year where all the coaches do a 3 second pitch on their school and at the end, JoePa is red in the face screaming “COME TO PENN STATE.”?....If he’s still alive later in life, I want him to discipline my children.

3. ILLINOIS- Which receiving targets will step up in ’09 to keep opposing defenses from doubling pre-season All-American WR Rejus Benn?  Look for Florida transfer Jarred Fayson, Jeff Cumberland, and pre-season Mackey Award watch list TE Mike Hoomanawanui to make this the most potent passing attack in the Big Ten.  The real question is whether the defense can put together a respectable unit, and keep every Illini game from turning into a shootout.  If they can put together a solid between the tackles run game, this offense can get to the same level as the Oklahoma’s, Texas’s and Texas Tech’s of the country.

4. MICHIGAN STATE- Sophomore QB, and Oklahoma transfer Keith Nichol was just named starter over classmate Kirk Cousins.  Will Nichol evolve as a passer or try to rely on his mobility? Can Nichol carry this team long enough for one or two backs to emerge from the 5-deep pack of runners trying to fill in for 1600 yard rusher Javon Ringer? Early non-conference games against the under-the-radar All-American QB candidate Dan LeFevour’s Central Michigan Chippewas and a trip to South Bend to take on a much-improved Irish squad should tell where the Spartans stand heading into a manageable conference schedule (PSU at home, don’t play OSU).  Pre-Season Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year MLB Greg Jones leads a defense that brings back 8 starters from a better than average squad in ’08 (22 ppg allowed).  The Spartans have a habit of not showing up for their big games (45-7 vs Ohio State, 49-18 vs Penn State last year).  Can Sparty finally win one they’re expected to lose?

5. IOWA- Adding pressure to quarterback Ricky Stanzi’s situation(see Key Players below) is the fact that 2008’s leading receiver JR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is constantly in Coach Kirk Ferentz’ doghouse and will begin the season as a second-stringer.  Who will rise to the occasion and lighten Stanzi’s load?

Although the defense returns 8 from one of the nation’s best scoring D’s in ’08, they lose both tackles (Mitch King, Matt Kroul).  The Hawkeyes need somebody or some bodies to plug the middle so opposing offenses don’t gash them up front.  Also, with the toughest road schedule in the conference, Iowa must improve on their 2-3 away record from last season.

6. NORTHWESTERN- The Wildcats bring back All-American Candidate and 1^st Team All Big Ten DE Corey Wootton, and the entire defensive secondary (including three current seniors). Opposing offenses will have a hard time passing on this squad.  The real test for the secondary comes against Illinois in November.  On offense, Northwestern loses QB CJ Bacher, RB Tyrell Sutton, and their top-3 receivers.  The only things they have going on this side of the ball are 4 returning linemen and a mobile QB.  Mike Kafka ran for a Big Ten QB record 217 yards against Minnesota last year.  Can Kafka take charge of the offense and pass efficiently?  Do the Wildcats have guys to step in at every skill position?  It will take some time for these guys to get in rhythm with one another.  A weak early schedule should help the learning curve.  All the same, I’m not sure Kafka has the talent or experience to be in the top half of conference QB’s.

7. MICHIGAN- The obvious question here is QB.  RichRod has taken a page from Charlie Weis’ ’07 book and refused to announce the starter for the Sept. 5 opener against Western Michigan.  Hopefully for the blue and maize, the move works out better than it did for the ’07 Irish (3-9 record; two of the QB’s transferred).  True freshmen Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson have the athletic ability to run the spread offense Rodriguez brought with him from West Virginia, and the Wolverines bring back 10 offensive starters. Brandon Minor  will lead the running game after freshman phenom, youtube sensation Sam McGuffie transferred to Rice.  If the eventual starting QB can manage the offense and minimize turnovers (which most freshmen QB’s don’t do very well), then Michigan might surprise some people.

8. MINNESOTA- Last year’s Jekyll and Hyde roared out to a 7-1 start, then whimpered through 5 straight losses including a 55-0 shellacking at the hands of Iowa on their home field in the last game of the year, as well as a three touchdown shaming by Kansas in the Insight bowl.  Can anybody else step up on offense so that QB Adam Weber and WR Eric Decker can resume the pitch and catch game that netted over 1000 yards and 7 TDs last season?  More importantly, can the Gophers’ porous defense improve?  With their fourth ‘D’ Coordinator in as many years, it will be tough.  Finally, with the way their schedule shakes out don’t be surprised to see Minnesota fly out of the gates with a 5-1 record (3-0 in conference), only to stumble through the second half ending up 6-6, with 5 straight conference losses to end the year.

9. WISCONSIN- With Junior QB Scott Tolzien named starter for the season opener, Brett Bielema’s Badgers have answered their most significant off-season question.  Or have they?  Bielema also announced that Redshirt Freshman Curt Phillips will take some snaps in the opener.  Factor in last year’s part-time starter Dustin Sherer, and you’ve still got confusion at Camp Randall.  Maybe the only thing Wisconsin really has going for it is a ground game.  Mammoth RB John Clay (6’2”, 245 lbs) fits the mold and reminds the Sconnie faithful of former Badger great, RB Ron Dayne.  The fact that Clay is listed as 2^nd string RB on the depth chart speaks to the development of starter Zach Brown.  Behind one of the better Big Ten O-Lines, look for the Badger rushing attack to keep them in many games this fall.  Also, expect the secondary to struggle and the Badgers to give up big numbers through the air.

10. INDIANA- Ben Chappell has experience and will be an effective game manager.  The big question (aside from ‘Can they move the ball?’) will be at WR.  The Hoosiers’ potential #1 receiver Ray Fisher moves to CB to help out a depleted secondary.  Can a couple of guys make plays at receiver and make this a decent offense?  On the other side of the ball, this unit will be decent to good if stud DE’s Jammie Kirlew (First-team Big Ten in ’08) and Greg Middleton can force opposing QB’s into making mistakes.  Do the Hoosiers have playmakers to take advantage if the bookends can put constant pressure on signal-callers?  Converted receiver Fisher could be key here.

11. PURDUE-Corners Brandon King and David Pender combined to break up 21 passes last season.  DE Ryan Kerrigan returns after 7 sacks in his sophomore campaign.  The Boilermakers return 4 from a poor offensive line, and lose all starting skill position players on offense except WR Keith Smith (49 rec, 486 yd).  Expect some Freshmen to get playing time and Freshman Head Coach Danny Hope to go through some major growing pains this year.  Miami transfer QB Robert Mavre has to sit out this season.  He will lead the Boilers out of the cellar in 2010, but don’t expect much from this squad in ’09.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH

DeVier Posey.  Unless you’re an Ohio State fan, you probably don’t know this name.  I believe that in order for the Buckeyes to win another conference title and compete for a National Championship, this sophomore receiver must become a household name by years' end.  OSU lost running back Beanie Wells (1197 rush yards in only 10 games) and their top two receivers in Brian’s Hartline and Robiskie.  Dual-threat sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2008 Big Ten Freshman Player of the Year) will be the focal point for opposing defenses all season long.  He needs a go-to target.  Top returning receiver Dane Sanzenbacher (21 catches, 272 yards) and dynamic yet inconsistent (not to mention currently suspended) receiver Ray Small simply don’t fit the bill.  Coming out of high school, Posey was one of the top five receivers in his class.  The other four?  Alabama’s Julio Jones, Georgia’s A.J. Green, Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant, and Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd. These guys all came in and produced as freshmen. In order for the Buckeyes to run the table in the conference and have a shot at taking down the USC Trojans on September 12, Posey needs to step up and play to his potential.

Martez Wilson.  The lllinois defensive playmaker is making the transition from outside to middle linebacker for the 2009 season.  Wilson is the best athlete on the Fighting Illini defense.  Nobody is expecting this defense to pitch many shutouts this year.  However, if U of I is going to be a top-tier team, the defense will need to make some stops and force some turnovers.  Only two of the front seven return from Illinois’ 2008 starting defense (DT Josh Brent, 34 tackles, 7 TFL is the other).  This team has the firepower on offense to put up points and make opposing defenses cry.  If the Illini are going to be relevant come November, Wilson needs to play like the potential All-American he is.  This team will be tested early, facing Missouri, Ohio State (in Columbus), Penn State, and Michigan State within their first five games.  Wilson and the Illini need to improve on last years rush defense (gave up over 175 rush yards four times last year , including 176 to EASTERN ILLINOIS) or they could stumble to a 1-4 start.

Ricky Stanzi.  Iowa quarterback.  Many analysts like to point out his 134.8 pass efficiency rating last year.  They talk about the junior signal caller’s potential being through the roof.  You need to know about this guy because he leads a team that can contend for a Big Ten title.  Ranked #21 in the preseason AP poll, this year’s Hawkeye team returns eight starters from one of the nations best defenses (13 ppg against).  The defense should give them an opportunity to win every game despite a tough road schedule, playing away against in-state rival Iowa State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State.  Though the defense looks to be consistent in their transition from ’08 to ’09, the offense needs to plug a gaping hole. 

Consensus All-American and Doak Walker Award winner, running back Shonn Greene rushed for 1,850 yards and 20 TDs last year.  Greene won’t be in the backfield this season.  The loss of Greene puts a whole lot of pressure on the right arm of Ricky Stanzi.  Last year, as a sophomore QB, he was an effective game manager (1956 passing yards, 14 TDs).  In ’09, that won’t be enough. If Iowa is to contend for a Big Ten crown or a spot in a major bowl, Stanzi must evolve into a playmaker.  Jewel Hampton and Paki O’Meara will do a workmanlike job filling Greene’s award-winning shoes in the ground game.  However, the success of the 2009 Iowa Hawkeye campaign will depend on how well Stanzi adjusts to his role as leader.  Many experts have Ricky Stanzi slated for a breakout year.   Personally, I don’t think he has what it takes to push the Hawkeyes into a top-three conference finish.  Regardless of my opinion, the Hawkeyes will go only as far as their QB takes them.

The Midwest is alive and well

 

How do you think the Big 10 will turn out this year? Share your thoughts below!

 

 

Will You Join the American Soccer Revolution?

  by Sean Heffernan

 This week's look at the happening and going ons taking place in "The Beautiful Game" touches on the kick off the English Premier League, MLS taking on a Latino flair, and just some cool stuff. Withthe EPL back and the Champions League beginning we have plenty of soccer to enjoy as August is drawing closer to its end. So let's get started. ...

1. Manchester United's Downfall
This week saw the Red Devils fall to newly promoted to the English Premier League Burnley 1-0 in a shocker. It took a wonder goal from Burnley midfielder Robbie Blake and a superhuman day from keeper Brian Jensen to pull off the historic win, but in my opinion Manchester United hasn't done enough in the transfer market to win the EPL again. Landon Donovan is better than most of the Red Devil's lineup: Michael Owen, Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Park Ji-Sung.
 
United can't expect Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov to carry them all season. They're missing a world class player who can create chances for United to score. Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo who both left Old Trafford this past season filled that description and manager Sir Alex Ferguson didn't do anything to replace that creative element in the transfer market.
 
2. London Burning:  Arsenal and Tottenham
The two teams off to the best start in the twilight of the 2009 EPL campaign have to be the duo of London based clubs Arsenal and Tottenham.
 
The Gunners of Arsenal scorched contenders Everton6-1 in their season opener and then went on to defeat Scottish power Celtic 2-0 at Celtic Park in Champions League Qualifying earlier this week. With the likes of Robin van Persie, Cesc Fàbregas, and Andrei Arshavin running the show the Gunners' attack is pretty deadly.
 
At White Hart Lane the Spurs of Tottenhamhave looked as good as ever with a surprise victory over Liverpool in their opener followed by a drubbing of Hull City 5-1 a few days later. The North London club has a stable of capable strikers in Jermaine Defoe (scored a hat trick against Hull), Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch, and Roman Pavlyuchenko. Tottenham have historically been a mid table club, but Harry Redkanpp's squad might be one of the most talented in the club's history. Spurs finished 8th last season, but don't be suprized if the Lilywhites put some heat on the Big Four this year.
 
3. Americans in the UK
 
 Clint Dempsey scored on a long range strike against Russian side Amkar Perm to help Fulhamto a 3-1 victory. Dempsey who scored three goals earlier this summer for the U.S. in the ConfederationsCup recently signed a new deal with the Cottagers. The other American at Fulham, Eddie Johnson, might see more action withstarting striker Andy Johnson out for 8 weeks with an injury.
 
Jozy Altidore looks to finally make his debut at Hull City this Saturday as the 19-year-old U.S. international has returned to England after a lengthy work permit delay because of his U.S. teammate Landon Donovan contracting swine flu. Altidore landed in England last night and will likely be used in some capacity tomorrow against Bolton. 

4. What's crackin in MLS 
 I was able to cover the Columbus Crew CONCAF Champions League game against the Puerto Rico Islanders at Crew Stadium last Tuesday for Soccer365. Guillermo Barros Schelotto returned to the starting lineup for the Crew and was a delight to watch as he carved up Puerto Rico's midfield. The 2008 MLS MVP really has a knack for always making the right pass whenever he touches the ball. The Crew won 2-0 in front of a small, but devoted crowd of fans.
 
Two Mexican players joined MLS this week with Mexican-American Jesus Padilla agreeing to a deal with Chivas USA ands Luis Angel Landin signing with first place Houston Dynamo on a loan deal from Mexico City club Cruz Azul. MLS has long been supported by the futbol-loving Latino communities in the United States and bringing in promising young Mexican players could be a very good thing for the league.
 
The L.A. Galaxy soundly defeated the Chicago Fire 2-0 on Wednesday night on ESPN2 from Toyota Park. The Fire played a poor game in front of a sell out crowd that were expecting to see David Beckham, but the superstar was out because of a red card he received in the previous game. On Thursday night the Seattle Sounders fell to the New England Revolution 1-0 in front of 32,705 fans as the Sounders continually to be the hottest ticket in the Emerald City.  

*Hot off the Press: Rumor has it that Landon Donovan may be headed to French club Paris St. Germain (PSG) on a loan deal after the MLS season is finished. Americans have recently found success playing in Ligue 1 as U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes) and young striker Charlie Davies (Sochaux) have displayed. PSG is historically one of the best clubs in France and one would think the versatile Donovan would see a lot of the field for the club.

5. Cool Stuff
If you haven't seen this yet check it out: "The Sports Guy" Bill Simmons wrote a great piece on the U.S./Mexico game that he attended. The story is indicative of the soccer movement taking place presently in American sports.

If you want to find the pulse of American soccer look no further than Soccer365 cohort Greg Seltzer's blog www.NoShortCorners.com . His blog is quickly becoming my favorite to place check legitimate soccer news pertaining to U.S. players in America or in Europe. Check it out.
 
Until next week. Feel free to comment below on "The Beautiful Game".

by Chris Cwik

The Cubs are in first place, the White Sox just added Jake Peavy, and baseball is all the rage in Chicago. However, no player made a bigger impact in Chicago this year than Jay Cutler. So, I decided, what better way to spend a Sunday than to head down to Bourbonnais and take in Chicago Bears Training Camp? Armed with nothing but a camera, I had to see what all the fuss was about at Camp Cutler. ...

The Positives
Jay Cutler - The QB was everything that you would expect. On one of his first passes of the day, he rifled a slant to Devin Hester. He displayed a really strong arm and a knack for looking off the defensive backs all day.

Devin Hester - Hester looked great.  He ran his routes pretty well, and he didn't drop a pass all practice. One of the most promising signs was the chemistry he had already developed with Cutler. Hester and Cutler connected 3-4 times during 7 on 7 drills. Cutler also connected with Hester on a deep bomb pretty ealry on in practice. It was one of the prettiest deep passes I have ever seen, Hester didn't even have to break stride.

Earl Bennett - Cutler's favorite target in college showed why the Bears drafted him in the 3rd round last year. He, like Hester, didn't drop a pass the entire practice. Bennett's biggest highlight came when he beat press coverage from Nathan Vasher and hauled in a deep pass from Cutler. This was probably the best play of the day.

The Play Calling - In the early drills, the Bears seemed to be toying with some new formations. On the third huddle of the day, the Bears came out in the Wildcat with Cutler split out wide. This drew both laughs and applause from the fans. On another play, they called a direct snap to Forte who handed off to Kevin Jones. They also called a reverse to Hester in which Cutler was the lead blocker. I'm all for the Offense getting a little creative, just please don't get Hester killed.

The Negatives
The Rookie Wideouts - Both Johnny Knox and Juaquin Iglesias were yelled at early on for being out of position on certain plays. However, both also showed some flashes during practice as well. Iglesias rebounded by performing pretty well in 7 on 7s, and Knox showed some great speed. All in all, it was an up and down day for the two rookies. 

The Defense - Maybe the Offense was just that good today, but the D wasn't totally up to speed yet. This was especially evident when the D was in the Cover 2. Cutler and Caleb Hanie consistently found players in the seams and connected with some nice passes. As the day went on, however, the QBs did have to check down more often and the D seemed to be cracking down.

Lance Briggs - I don't know what was up with Briggs today, but he must have been a little dinged. He didn't take part in any of the drills today, however, he was fully suited up. This is probably a minor issue, but the Bears need a healthy Briggs come the pre-season.

Random Notes
-Rashied Davies made a great move on Daniel Manning in 1 on 1s and then proceeded to drop the pass. Afterward, Davies did 10 push-ups to make up for his gaffe.
-Caleb Hanie looked pretty good in his back-up role. He seemed to have a good understanding of the offense and showed some promise today. He told one of the rookie wideouts that they weren't lined up properly and made sure they were in the right place before the ball was snapped.
-Charles TIllman was unable to practice as he continues to recover from back surgery. He was at practice sporting a floppy hat and hanging out with the other Defensive Backs.
-Nathan Vasher and Earl Bennett were also seen fielding some punts. Perhaps the Bears will have a few options at Punt Returner this year?
-Rod Marinelli had the D-line looking aggressive. Even though the linemen were on pretty far away from where I was standing, you could hear the linemen yelling as they went through their drills.

Those are my news and notes from practice today. Overall, the team looked pretty good. The Offense is coming together pretty quickly. The main players seem to be on the same page. The D could use a bit of work, but it is pretty hard to judge the Defense when they aren't allowed to hit. All in all, it looks like this team, and Jay Cutler, is the real deal. If the Offense continues to play at this level, the Bears could be playing late into the Winter.

How will the Monsters of the Midway fair in 2009? Share your thoughts below!