Pac 10 College Football Preview

With the mighty USC Trojans, college football’s top team of the last decade, staring down a 2-year bowl ban, among other sanctions, the Pacific Ten Conference (PAC-10) has become wide open. Teams such as the Oregon Ducks, Cal Golden Bears and the upstart Washington Huskies have seen their chances of playing in Pasadena increase two fold since the spring. Even perennial losers such as the Stanford Cardinal and Arizona Wildcats have dreams of Roses. But neither of those squads’ posses the necessary talent and moxie to pass one of the most underrated teams in the nation: Oregon State.

For years the Beavers had been on the verge of grabbing their first PAC-10 crown in two (1965) generations. Last season, Mike Riley’s team had a chance to play in the Rose Bowl. Its only obstacle was a relative weak Oregon team on the road. Unfortunately for Beaver Nation, OSU came up just short (37-33). Despite the loss, the Beavers put everyone on notice last fall with a solid 8 win campaign. They do lose their starting quarterback and several complementary players, but that's just about it.

Make no mistake about it, Riley’s 2010 Oregon team is loaded. There are 16 starters returning, which is the most in the conference. They have arguable the best backfield in the league, a solid offensive line, a veteran receiving corps and a potentially great defense. All the ingredients are there for a title run, and not only in the PAC-10 but a possible national title.

• Running back Jaquizz Rodgers (Sr) should ‘improve’ on his 1,440 yards, 5.3 ypc average running behind a more experience line. Heading the O-line is highly regarded center Alex Linnekohl (Sr). LG Grant Johnson (Jr) and RT Mike Remmers (Jr) is in everyone the short list of potential All Conference honorees.

• Sophomore QB Ryan Katz could as good as the departed Sean Canfield. In fact, he could be an improvement. He looks more comfortable in the pocket and has a displayed, albeit in limited action last season and during spring practices this year, better short-to-intermediate range accuracy. Although there are questions regarding his deep passing game, it may not come into play as the team does not throw deep passes all that much, just ask the club’s leading receiver, James Rodgers (Sr) who has seen his yards per catch diminish the last two years.

• Defense is what sets the Beavers apart from the pack. It all starts in the trenches where senior defensive tackle Stephen Paes resides. The 6-foot-3, 311 pounds defensive tackles has NFL scouts drooling. He has the speed and power to dominate inside like few can. The linebacker corps is among the best in the country with Keith Pankey (Sr) (if he is fully recover from Achilles surgery), Tony Wilson (So) and Dwight Roberson (Sr) providing the athleticism and range to cover the entire field. The secondary is as solid as they come. They could do a better job covering deep (7 of the 12 passing TDs allowed went beyond 30 yards) but overall, this is one of the better units in the conference.

• The schedule is manageable with only two dangerous conference opponents in it. Unlike last season, both USC and Oregon will have to come to Oregon State this season and also, unlike last 2009, both teams are more than beatable. The Trojans should have a down year with not much to play for when they arrive at Corvallis on November 20th. As for the Ducks, the loss of a playmaker such as QB Jeremiah Masoli is the great equalizer for the Beavers. No Masoli means fewer plays to defend outside the hash marks.

If Oregon State defeats a very good TCU team in their opener, and somehow manages to escape Boise State on the road, (September 25th) they could be in line for more than a Rose Bowl berth comes December 7th.

By Raul Colon
rcolonfrias@yahoo.com

Arizo St. honors fallen hero Tillman

Arizona State University and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor the late Pat Tillman with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute Nov. 13, 2010 as the Sun Devils host Stanford in Tempe.

"It will be an honor for Arizona State University to share this on-campus recognition of Pat Tillman with our community and his family and friends." says Lisa Love, Vice President for University Athletics at ASU. "Pat, an American hero, is a significant part of our history and we are thrilled to recognize him and his family once again."

On May 27, the NFF announced that Tillman, an All-American linebacker at ASU from 1994-97, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2010 class. Throughout the football season, each Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) College Football Hall of Fame inductee returns to his school for the special on-field event, where a commemorative plaque is presented to the university for permanent display. Beginning with the Foundation's inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1951, the On-Campus Salute has served as the first of numerous highlights in the hall of fame experience, giving each inductee one more chance to take the field. Tillman, who was tragically killed while on duty in Afghanistan, will be represented by his wife Marie.

"Pat Tillman is a true American hero and his thrilling accomplishments on the field provide an unmatched example of the leadership qualities forged on the gridiron that he exhibited later in life," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "It will be an honor to travel to Tempe and hear the crowds cheer his name in appreciation of his accomplishments."

The first-ever Arizona State player to be named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, Tillman led the Sun Devils to the 1996 Pac-10 title and a berth in the Rose Bowl. Named team MVP in 1997, the two-time First Team Academic All-Pac10 selection finished his ASU career with 230 career tackles. He was named Sun Bowl MVP in his senior season and has since been inducted into the Sun Bowl Hall of Fame. Tillman was also named the 1997 Sporting News/Honda Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 1998 NFL Draft, Tillman spent three seasons in the NFL before enlisting in the U.S. Army after 9/11. Tillman, a U.S. Army Ranger, served tours in Iraqi Freedom (2003) and Operation Enduring Freedom (2004) before he was tragically killed. Following his death, he was awarded a Purple Heart by the U.S. Army and a Silver Star by the U.S. Military. Tillman was posthumously honored with the NFF's Distinguished American Award in 2006.

The Pat Tillman Foundation was established in his name to promote scholarship, the sprit of community service and supporting veterans, active service members and their dependents. Its signature event, Pat's Run, attracts over 30,000 participants each year. He is survived by his wife Marie.

Sun Devil players previously inducted into the hall of fame include Michael Haynes (2001), John Jefferson (2002), Randall McDaniel (2008), Ron Pritchard (2003), and Danny White (1998). Hall of Fame coaches with stints at ASU include John Cooper (2008), Dan Devine (1985), and Frank Kush (1995). For a complete list of players and coaches in the hall, please visit www.collegefootball.org.

The 2010 Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the NFF's Annual Awards Dinner, held at New York City's historic Waldorf=Astoria Hotel on Tuesday, December 7. The National Hall of Fame Salute at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl follows on January 1, giving the class recognition on a national stage, and events culminate with the College Football Hall of Fame's Enshrinement Festival in the summer of 2011.

This year's hall of fame class includes Dennis Byrd (North Carolina State); Ronnie Caveness (Arkansas); Ray Childress (Texas A&M); Randy Cross (UCLA); Sam Cunningham (Southern California); Mark Herrmann (Purdue); Clarkston Hines (Duke); Desmond Howard (Michigan); Chet Moeller (Navy); Jerry Stovall (LSU); Pat Tillman (Arizona State); Alfred Williams (Colorado); and coaches Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin) and Gene Stallings (Texas A&M, Alabama).

Critical year for Oklahoma State

By Raul Colon
rcolonfrias@yahoo.com

Oklahoma State has been teasing the Big Boys of the Big 12 now for the last five years. Ever since the innovating Mike Gundy (36-27 in five years) took the helm of the Cowboys, the ‘other’ Oklahoma school has steadily improved its level of play. Win total, the benchmark administrators usually use to measure a head coach success, has raise since 2005, going from a low of 4 victories in the fall of ’05 to 9 in both, the 2008 and 2009 campaigns. Paring the win increase has been an improvement in recruiting. State will never match the star power Big Brother Oklahoma has to attract prospects, but in Gundy’s tenure, OSU has amassed an impressive haul. They will never be a top 30 recruiting school, but a 45 average (over the last 3 years) is better than all but three conference schools.

Despite the number success, Gundy’s team hasn’t escaped the underachieving label. Their record against top 25 ranked opponents since 2005 is a very pedestrian 5-13. The biggest win, a 28-23 squeaker over an overrated Missouri team in 2008, left something to be desire. OSU’s bowl mark isn’t that pretty either. Wins over a mediocre Alabama team (2006 Independence) and a real bad Indiana one (2007 Insight) are sandwiched between bad losses to Ole Miss (2003 and 2009 Cotton), Ohio State (2004 Alamo) and Oregon (2008 Holiday). Enter 2010, a year which should mark State’s route for the next five years. Gone are the recruiting classes that saw QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryan and OL Russell Okung emerge as team, and in the case of Bryan, national star.

Now its time to see how far the team can go with a relative young roster. The projected starting quarterback, Brandon Weeden, a former minor leaguer, has a better arm and more pocket presence than Robinson. He does lacks some mobility which can be an issue playing behind a line that return just one (RG Lane Taylor) starter. Look for RB Kendall Hunter (1,555 rushing yards, 16 TDs) to shoulder the lead early on as the offense transition from a rushing spread (the Cowboys has led the Big 12 in rushing the last four years) to a more balance attack.

New offensive coordinator, Dana Holgorsen, a Mike Leach protégé who was the architect of Houston’s top rate passing attack last year, believes the Cowboys have whet it takes to become a top notch aerial team. “I think we have in place the pieces to produce a better offense through the air. The receivers are young but their talent is undeniable. The line, although young, is big and athletic. Plus, our QB is a 26 year old with a very solid arm. Yes, I’m feeling confident”, said Holgorsen a few minutes after he arrived at Stillwater.

Supplanting the offense as the team main stay, at least in the early going, will be an athletic but inexperience defense. Only three (DEs Ugo Chinasa and Jaime Blatnick and FS Markelle Martin) full time starters return from a unit that was ranked 31st overall in the nation. The return of senior OLB Orie Lemon should improve a front seven that already boast two (Chinasa and Blatnick) of the best defensive linemen in the conference. The backfield is well manned by budding superstar Martin. The 6-foot-1 junior is one of the better players, regardless positions, in the country. The unit should be good enough to limit opponents below 22 ppg. A mark that by itself, in the offensive-minded Big 12, should produce at least three wins.

The schedule is conducive for a big year. Replacing Georgia at the beginning of the season is hapless Washington State. Gone is the scary Houston Cougar. In its place, Troy comes to Stillwater. An easy 3-0 beginning is all but guarantee with Tulsa visiting on the third week of September. The home stand ends with a visit from the Texas A&M. The Aggies are one of the sleepers teams in the conference and should handle Gundy’s squad its first loss of the year. The second should come two weeks later when State travel to Lubbock to tangle with the always exiting Red Raiders of Texas Tech. Nebraska should handle the Cowboys their third loss. November will be a brutal month for OSU. A trip to Austin should equal another loss as does a season end home game versus archrival Oklahoma.

A 7-4 mark and another mid level bowl bid can be considered a monumental step forward for a program on the rise. At the same time, if the club slip to a 6-5 mark, a distinct possibility with games versus upstart Baylor and the always dangerous Kansas State, they will be branded as underachieving. A label no head coach wants to tag his name on.

Ivy League 2010 Preview

By Raul Colon

Much like 2009, this season’s Ivy League winner should come down to two teams. Pennsylvania, last year’s champions, and Harvard figure to be right in the thick of the league race from day one. But unlike last fall, there are a few schools ready to challenge the “Order” for league supremacy. Chief among them is Brown which could ride the arm of talented quarterback Kyle Newhall-Caballero all the way to the title.

Two other legendary programs, Yale and Princeton could make thing interesting if all their chips fall in the right places. Even Dartmouth and Cornell, considered by many to be the league’s worse football teams, have the talent to compete with the Big Boys on a regular basis.

Overall, 2010 looks to be a very exciting time for the ‘Ancient Eight’.

1. Harvard (7-3 overall, 6-1 in league play): The school is the only Ivy member with five (nine overall) or more 7+ wins seasons in a row. Fueling the Crimson drive is an athletic defense led by all everything safety Collin Zych (53 un-assisted tackles, 12 Passes Broken Up). The offense, which spotted much of last season, should be more consistent in 2010 thanks to the development of QB Collier Winters. The 5-foot-11 senior is poise to have a breakthrough season after a huge finish versus Yale (19-26 for 211 yards and 3 TDs). The key may be incoming freshman wide receiver Bisi Ezekoye who could have a major impact on the return game.

2. Penn (8-2, 7-0): The current champions have the fire power to repeat. Lead by a trio of quarterbacks (Keiffer Garton, John Hurley and Billy Ragone) Penn has the ability to score in bunches. Of the three, Ragone has the more upside. Whoever is behind center will have the most talented group of skill position players at his disposal. WR Ryan Calvert and TE Ryan Murray should help the team maintain its offensive output (24.7 ppg) on a consistent basis. Defensively, the Quakers are the top school in the Ivy. They allowed opponents to score less than ten (8.3) points a contest. Their 212.7 total yards allowed is even more impressive.

3. Brown (6-4, 4-3): One of the surprise teams in the league last fall. The ‘Brownies’ utilized the strong arm of Newhall-Caballero all the way to an unexpected third place finish. His 263 passing yards per game were a league best. As was his 1,841 total yards and 10 TDs (8 interceptions). If the Browns defense can hold opponents below 18, something they had done only twice in the last 10 years, they could crash the Harvard-Penn party.

4. Columbia (4-6, 3-4): The Lions are one of only four teams in the league to topple the 20 point (21.6) per game scoring output. Spearheaded the attack is the league’s most punish running game. Columbia ranked third in total yards gained through the ground with 158. Seventy of them running between the tackles. No other team can match that. Its passing attack (177 pypg) wasn’t too shabby either. Unfortunately for the Lions, their defense proved to be awfully thin, especially in the front seven. Opponents routinely were able to exploit one of the smallest defensive lines to a tune of 170 ground yards a game.

5. Princeton (4-6, 3-4): A year after struggling to stop some of the weakness offensive teams in the country, the Tigers decided to began anew this season with a new man at the helm. It’s a good thing that new head coach Robert Surace’s forte is defense because he has his work cut out. Princeton allowed a league worse 412.6 yards a game. The 27.4 points allowed are a decade’s worse for this once proud unit. Although the stats are pedestrian, the Tiger defense does have some talent. OLB Steven Cody led all Ivy teams in tackles per game (11.6). He is the reason the team’s rushing (5th place) defense was way ahead of its passing counterpart (8th). The lackluster offense should at least improve on its league low 13 ppg production.

6. Dartmouth (2-6, 2-5). Despite winning only two games, the Big Green does have some talent. DE Charles Bay is capable of taking over a game. So is OLB Garret Wymore. But they need help if Dartmouth hopes to improve on its 20.9 points allowed a game. The offense is also in a state of flux. But the team hopes that QB Conner Kemper will take a big leap forward. The 6-foot-4 has the talent to become one of the Ivy League best, but he needs to improve his accuracy and mobility if he is to lead Dartmouth out of the league’s cellar.

7. Yale (4-6, 2-5): The Bulldogs are one of the best kept secrets this season. Sophomore signal caller Patrick Witt had a great spring. He is clearly the most talented QB in the Ivy League sporting NFL-type talent. The defense should be decent with junior DT Joe Young paving the way.

8. Cornell (2-8, 1-6): The league worse offensive (12.6 ppg) team has little hope of improving in 2010. The main culprit has to be the passing attack. The Big Red utilized three quarterbacks in ’09 and still finished at the bottom of the league in yards per game with 151.4. New head coach, Kent Austin main task this spring was to improve the air game. Look for Austin to settle on Elliot Corey as their starting quarterback. The defense, especially the secondary with anchor S Anthony Ambrosi leading the way, is good enough to win two games. If the offense could score above 15 a game Cornell could surprise.