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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Jimmy Clausen Dropping Back... out of the Top 25. Again.

Notre Dame did it again...

The Fighting Irish went 10 games before the smoke and mirror show was exposed like Peter Bretter in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". Everybody in blue jerseys on Saturday evening were looking to cover their collective dongs when the final score showed Navy 23 - Notre Dame 21.

Can we all move on now? The Notre Dame Mystique thins every season; and now it's just about translucent. They just aren't a good football team. The coaching staff is lacking. The players don't get the job done. And the attention the program still garners is stomach-turning bad. 100% Serious: I'd rather watch a Kate Plus 8 Minus Jon marathon for a week straight than endure another proclamation that Notre Dame is "back".

Here's what makes Notre Dame even worse: Navy isn't good either. With this win--Navy's second consecutive win at Notre Dame Stadium--Navy qualifies for the Texas Bowl. Anybody care to fathom a guess as to whom Navy's going to see in the Texas Bowl? The Big 12's eigth place team, which currently looks to be Texas A&M. Notre Dame lost to the team who's not even a shoe-in to win the Texas Bowl.

With all the unjustified clout Notre Dame's golden domes carry these days, it's time to take the Irish down a few notches. Remember when Charlie Weis non-chalantly stated that his boys were as good as any of the top 5 teams? Let this serve as notice that Notre Dame certainly is not in the same league as Florida, Texas, USC, Boise State, TCU, or approximately 25 other teams.

Saturday's fourth quarter goes to show how terribly overblown Notre Dame is. The two touchdown scoring drives proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Irish should have been running circles around Navy's defense all day long. Even with the 23 points the Navy offense registered, Notre Dame should have put up 50. Those final touchdown drives for ND went for a combined 12 plays, 156 yards, 14 points in 2:24 of game clock. Really? What happened to the other 3 quarters of the game? What were they waiting for? Was this a rope-a-dope gone awry? No. This was a heartless, gutless showing.

Programs like Navy have nothing to rely on but heart while Notre Dame has a talent pool deeper than the Pacific Ocean. Navy won't ever play for the national title or have a nationally ranked recruiting class, but they aren't above seizing the opportunity. Saturday's game served as a case in point for the "On any given Saturday..." adage. Notre Dame looked to win simply by showing up. After an opening drive fumble turned into a Navy 7-0 lead, the Irish took a gut check they couldn't come back from. Navy outplayed ND all day long. By halftime, Navy was up 14-0. And in the end, Navy stood 2 points higher on the scoreboard and, on the road, beat Notre Dame.

The biggest blemish in Notre Dame's golden dome, though, was in Navy's reaction when the game ended. There weren't any reactions lending themselves to a "Nobody Believed in Us" week of preparation, no midshipmen rushing the field to celebrate with the team, no Gatorade baths for the coach; just a series of hand shakes and hugs for the Irish team they had just beaten. A series of events as such leads everybody looking on in the stadium and everybody watching on Notre Dame's national broadcast to infer that Navy expected to win the whole way--as there was never even a doubt to the outcome. That's what Notre Dame football has come to: Even Navy expects to win. "Play Like a Champion"? Please revise to read, "Play Like You're Relevant Today," because ND football is not. Not anymore.

We learned a lot about Notre Dame football on Saturday. We learned that they're not "back". We learned that they aren't as good as advertised. Most deflating of all, we learned that Notre Dame has no heart. All that "Play like a Champion Today" sign pounding and candle lit praying at the grotto amount to exactly nothing. Even with an unnervingly undeserved BCS bid on the line, Notre Dame couldn't beat one of the military academies.

Anchors away, boys, because there go the Irish all the way to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
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Are the Miami Hurricanes back?

by Jim March

The opening kickoff went out of bounds Thursday night, giving the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets the ball at their 40 to start the game. Tech had last year’s 472 yard rushing performance in mind when they carried the ball on all 12 plays of the first drive. For the first five minutes of the contest, it looked like the Yellow Jackets might be picking up where they left off the last time the two teams met. However, things didn’t work out the way they planned as the Miami Hurricane defense gained a great deal of confidence when they ended Tech’s 12-play, 60-yard drive. The drive chewed up almost seven minutes of clock, but Miami showed their grit with a third down red-zone stand forcing Georgia Tech to settle for a field goal. ...

 Score: 3-0 Georgia Tech 

 From here on, Miami would be the team setting the tempo in Land Shark Stadium.

 Miami’s new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple dialed up play calls that kept Georgia Tech’s defense guessing all night. From running the ball out of unbalanced formations with offensive tackles lined up at tight end, to throwing clever screen passes out of the backfield to executing the play action pass to perfection. The Canes’ stretched the field deep and put points on the board.

 The Ramblin’ Wreck defense looked awful. Defensive end Derrick Morgan didn’t have his name called all night. Georgia Tech was unable to muster anything resembling a pass rush looking winded from their first series. 

 Georgia Tech was playing their third game in 12 days. They looked tired and sluggish. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris certainly didn’t felt sorry for them. With protection all-day from his O-line on every pass play the entire game but one, Harris lit up the Tech secondary. The sophomore field general completed 20 of 25 passes for 270 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. There’s no doubt about who got the game ball Thursday night in Miami. 

 While Harris gets all the praise and looks amazing on paper, this was truly a team effort. The O-Line play has already been mentioned, but it bears repeating: It was absolute domination. The Canes had skill players lining up all night to get the ball into their hands.

 The biggest play of the first half for the GT defense was a Miami injury with 2:19 left in the second quarter.  After surrendering points on the first three series, Tech was down 17-3 with the Hurricanes driving. The injury timeout gave the gassed Yellow Jackets defense time to rest and gave defensive coordinator Dave Wommack time to dial up a drive-killing blitz. 

 After Miami’s quick strike drive to start the second half (6 plays, 60 yards 3:10 TOP), Tech answered with a scoring drive of their own. Anthony Allen scored on a 3 yard run after a big play was made on a jump ball by 6’3” WR DeMaryius Thomas. You can’t fault the Miami defense for that. Thomas’ jaw-dropping catch just reminded Yellow Jacket fans of what Tech could be capable of if they had a second playmaking wide out or a quarterback with any accuracy or timing.

The score was 24-10 with 8:07 left in the 3^rd quarter. However, it hadn’t been a game since Miami’s offense stepped on the field for the first time. The Hurricane defense fed off the offense, and grew more confiden that they could shut down Georgia Tech’s option attack with each successive stop. The Hurricane’s knew Tech’s QB Josh Nesbitt couldn’t beat them with his right arm. Honestly, following Tech’s second drive of the game, the Hurricanes knew this wasn’t going to be a repeat of their ‘08 match-up.

 At the end of the day Georgia Tech tallied 95 yards rushing (only two more than Miami RB Graig Cooper).

As a team, Miami has two weaknesses:

 Special Teams- Each of Georgia Tech’s first four drives began within around the forty. The Hurricanes had two kickoffs go out of bounds and two returned near mid-field. Sloppy play on kickoff won’t fit the bill as they prepare to meet Oklahoma and then the rest of the ACC. Coach Randy Shannon needs to remind his young team that championship football is played when, and only when all three phases of the game are running well. Significant improvements are needed from this squad or you can bank on the Hurricanes getting exploited in the next couple weeks.

 Killer Instinct- Leading 33-10 at the end of the 3^rd quarter, Miami got the ball in excellent field position.  They had a great opportunity to end this game with a touchdown drive. A Touchdown drive on that drive squeezes the last little bit of hope out of GeorgiaTech and would have given them an entire quarter to let their second stringers gain valuable game experience. 

 If Miami can’t finish with authority against a team that put up 41 points and the aforementioned 472 rushing yards against them last year, this Hurricane squad has a ways to go before they are to be considered BCS bowl contenders. The same can be said for the Hurricane defense. They allowed Georgia Tech’s only pass catcher Thursday night get behind them on the following drive to make it a two-possession game again. How do you let the opposition’s only receiving threat get behind your entire defense? A better question might be how do you let it happen twice in the fourth quarter? Thankfully for the Miami secondary, the second deep ball to Thomas bounced harmlessly off his fingertips, sealing 16 point victory. 

 Miami has to learn how to close out games because they’re going to face more dynamic squads than Paul Johnson’s Yellow Jackets before the season’s over.

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

“We owe that team an ass-whooping.” -Oregon Tailback LeGarrette Blount

 On 8 carries, -5 yards rushing LeGarrette Blount offered little help in #16 Oregon’s 19-8 loss to the #14 Boise State Broncos in the first Top 25 match-up of 2009. 

Blount’s numbers were, for the most part, indicative of the entire Duck offense on Thursday night. Oregon’s offense started the game with five consecutive three-and-outs, and didn’t get their first 1^st down of the contest until 7:07 in the THIRD quarter. Six total first downs, two turnovers, and less than 18 minutes in time of possession. 

 In truth, there isn’t much to say about the game itself. I could speculate about whether we saw a first-rate Bronco defense or a Duck offense that dropped acid before the game. I could talk about what we saw from Boise State QB Kellen Moore. That might be interesting.  He did start 11-12 for over 100 yards. Moore showed flashes of brilliance. What you may not have noticed was the absolutely perfect touch pass he threw on 3^rd and 2 to start the second half. It was only a 6 or 7 yard pass, but he threw it fading away from pressure and floated it just over a linebackers fingertips into the hands of backup TE Tommy Gallarda. At the time, I thought that would be most important play of the game; it was the only pass on a nine play touchdown drive to start the third quarter. We also saw Moore fumble four snaps from under center. Two of those fumbles were recovered by Oregon and kept giving the listless Ducks opportunities. Good thing for  Moore & Co., the Ducks do their ass-whooping in overtime.

 For those who didn’t see it, an otherwise sloppy and underwhelming Top-25 season opener got a lot more interesting after the final whistle blew. As the teams were on the field shaking hands after the game, Boise State lineman Byron Hout slapped Blount on the shoulder pad to ask him (presumably) about that ass-whooping. Bronco Head Coach Chris Petersen saw his player do this and immediately grabbed Hout to reprimand him. As Petersen swung Hout around, LeGarrette Blount broke out the whoopin’ stick. No, not that one. Blounte cracked Hout in the jaw, dropping him to a knee. 

 Bloune apparently still had work to do, as 8 for -5 does not add up to an ass-whooping no matter where you took remedial math. He decided to throw a stiff arm to a teammate’s facemask. You know that part in Full Metal Jacket where the Gunnery Sergeant calls Private Pile a “fat fucking baby”? That kept running through my head while LeGarrette had his temper tantrum.  It just kept getting better though.

 Next, he chucked his helmet off the blue turf in Boise. I think that was because he didn’t like his team switching from green to white helmets this season. Don’t quote me on that, but I’m pretty sure that’s where he was coming from.  As he headed off to the locker room, the Boise fans heckled Blount. I’m not sure why, but I think it had something to do with that goofy white du-rag he was wearing. Again, don’t quote me on that. 

 I get the impression said du-rag had sentimental value to LeGarrette, as he took offense to the Bronco fans and tried to charge the first row. Literally. He tried to take a swing at the entire first row on the way to the locker room. Then the cops and security finally dragged him away and the shit show was over. 

 Does anybody know protocol for this type of situation? I’m pretty sure that no matter what happens, LeGarrette Blount has a future in reality TV. I’m also pretty sure (double check the math here) that he has five fewer career rushing yards than he had yesterday. Aren’t pocket passing Quarterbacks supposed to be the only guys on the field who finish with negative rushing yards? 

 Anyways, thanks for giving me something to write about tonight, you fat fucking baby.

 P.S. Even without his 40 yard run, BSU backup RB DJ Harper played better than starter Jeremy Avery.

Comment below!

  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!

 

 

Can the Wildcats survive without Tyrell Sutton?

Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald's Northwestern Wildcats finished the season last year with a disappointing overtime loss in the Alamo Bowl to Missouri. However, the Wildcats 2008 9-3 record was the school's best finish since their surprise 10-2 season in 1995 when they won the Big Ten Conference. ...

 A favorable schedule could benefit Northwestern as they do not play Ohio State or Michigan in 2009. On the road the Wildcats face Iowa (who they beat in Iowa City), Illinois (who could be really good this season), Michigan State, and Purdue. They will welcome Wisconsin and Penn State to Evanston with the hopes of defending their home turf against the mighty Badgers and Nittany Lions.

Fans of the purple and white should expect wins in their first three non conference games against Townson, Eastern Michigan, and Syracuse (All three finished last year towards the bottom of their respected divisions) which could really help the Wildcats' bid for a second bowl game appearance in a row. If the Wildcats can make a bowl game two years running that would be a big step in the right direction for the school's football program.

 In terms of the roster, the big holes on offense Pat Fitzgerald must fill this season will be replacing running back Tyrell Sutton and QB CJ Bacher. The front runner in the quarterback battle is veteran Mike Kafka who was the Wildcats' second leading rusher last year. The real test with Kafka (played at Chicago Catholic high school St. Rita) is developing a passing threat to complement his running talents.

 On the defensive end Northwestern returns an experienced unit anchored around defensive end Corey Wooten and the entire defensive backfield from last season. Fitzgerald is a defensive first coach so one should expect the Wildcats to be ready on that end of the ball once the season starts.

 The big news surrounding the Wildcats this off-season has been the possibility of playing a game inside Wrigley Field against the University of Illinois. I sense that Fitzgerald is wary of playing a home game at Wrigley against Illinois because there would likely be more Illinois fans than Northwestern fans at the game. Still, in terms of increasing the popularity of Northwestern football playing a game in Wrigley would be very beneficial.

The Wildcats have never been able to truly tap into Chicago's football adoring public that flocks to Bears' games in droves, but if Northwestern can put together winning seasons on a consist basis while gaining exposure through an annual Wrigley game, the Windy City might just give the Cats in Evanston a little more attention than in years past.