2009 College Football Predictions

www.espn.com's Mark Schlabach makes his 2009 College Football Predictions
I agree with some of his predictions and have a few of my own. I do think Terrelle Pryor will be a Heisman Candidate, but only if he beats USC early in the year. I do think Steve Spurrior will be gone as South Carolina's coach. I don't think Florida will win the national championship. I think USC will! So that means that I totally disagree with his prediction that USC will not finish in the top 10. I think they have a better chance finishing in the top 10 before Notre Dame finishes in the top 25 with Charlie Weiss as their head coach. I think Alabama will beat Virginia Tech in the first game of the season. I don't think Tebow will win a 2nd Heisman, just because the voters won't let it happen. I agree that Mack Brown will ride off into the sunset after Usc beats them in the National title game. I agree 100 percent that Taylor Potts or any quarter back at Texas Tech will throw for 4000 yards. Pitt will not win the big east because their coach is awful. Northwestern will not make a run for the roses because they are Northwestern. Bowden will not catch JoePa because Penn State will be chalanging the Buckeyes for the big 10 title. Auburn will completely fall apart while Buffalo and Turner Gill head back to the top of the MAC. I hate to say this, but Michigan WILL win their 1st game versus Western Michigan. I don't think Arkansas is the team to watch, I think Ole Miss. will be the team to watch. **Remember, Ohio State's success all depends on whether or not Coach Tressel makes some coaching changes this off-season. If not, then they will be the same ole Buckeyes. (Get to a BCS game and get out-coached)


1. Florida will win back-to-back national championships
After beating Oklahoma in the Jan. 8 BCS Championship Game in Miami, the Gators will start the 2009 season ranked No. 1 in the country. Florida will go wire-to-wire at the top of the polls and will win its third national title in four seasons. Juniors Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin will return to school for their senior seasons, and speedy freshmen tailbacks Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey will be back. Every starter might come back on defense -- if junior linebacker Brandon Spikes doesn't enter the NFL draft. The Gators will play eight games in the state of Florida in 2009, but will have must-win road games at LSU and South Carolina.


2. It will be Mack's last dance in Texas
Quarterback Colt McCoy and a big offensive line will lead the Longhorns to a Big 12 championship after they beat Oklahoma (the teams will be tied, fittingly, at the end of regulation). Texas will take advantage of its soft nonconference schedule (Louisiana-Monroe, Wyoming, Central Florida and UTEP) to finish No. 2 in the country. After losing to the Gators in the BCS title game, coach Mack Brown will retire and turn the reins over to defensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp.


3. Notre Dame will be a Top 25 team
The Fighting Irish showed how explosive they can be in their 49-21 victory over Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Thanks to its watered-down schedule in 2009 -- it has only four road games (Michigan, Purdue, Pittsburgh and Stanford) and one neutral-site game (Washington State in the Alamodome) -- Notre Dame will finish 8-4, which will be good enough to save coach Charlie Weis' job.


4. The Big 12 will still be the best conference
Texas Tech and Missouri will be rebuilding in 2009, but the Big 12 will still have three national-championship contenders: Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The SEC will be the country's second-best conference, but traditional powers Auburn and Tennessee will have big rebuilding jobs under new coaches. Georgia will take a step back, too, after quarterback Matthew Stafford and tailback Knowshon Moreno enter the NFL draft.


5. Bobby Bowden will catch Joe Paterno
Paterno has a one-game lead over Bowden in career victories heading into the 2009 season. Florida State will continue to get better in 2009, with all five starters expected to return to one of the country's youngest offensive lines. Even after passing Paterno in career victories, Bowden will stay on the sideline in 2010, which will keep coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher waiting and waiting.


6. Virginia Tech will beat Alabama to start the season
The Hokies will open the 2009 season by upsetting Alabama in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. The Hokies were one of the country's youngest teams in 2008, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor and tailback Darren Evans will lead an improved offense. After beating Alabama, Nebraska and East Carolina, the Hokies will be legitimate national-championship contenders.


7. Oklahoma won't match its 2008 success
Quarterback Sam Bradford will return to school for his junior season, but the reigning Heisman Trophy winner won't be as effective in 2009. The Sooners lose four starters from the country's best offensive line, as well as receiver Juaquin Iglesias. Junior tight end Jermaine Gresham also is expected to enter the NFL draft.


8. Alabama will win the SEC West
The Crimson Tide will lose their opener against Virginia Tech, but will recover quickly to win the SEC West. Alabama will probably have to replace its two best offensive linemen, center Antoine Caldwell and left tackle Andre Smith, along with quarterback John Parker Wilson. But as many as nine starters could come back on defense -- if nose tackle Terrence Cody returns for his senior season.


9. Terrelle Pryor will be a Heisman Trophy candidate
Pryor will be much better as a sophomore, especially if tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells returns for the 2009 season. Even if Wells enters the NFL draft, Pryor, currently a true freshman, is capable of carrying the Buckeyes to another Big Ten championship. Pryor will lead the Buckeyes to a victory over USC on Sept. 12, thrusting the sophomore quarterback near the top of the list of Heisman Trophy contenders.


10. USC won't finish in the top 10
The Trojans face the prospect of losing 10 defensive starters from 2008 if junior safety Taylor Mays and others enter the NFL draft. As many as 10 starters might be back on offense, but USC's defense is what made the Trojans so special this season. The Trojans' schedule flips in 2009, so they'll play road games at Ohio State, California, Notre Dame, Oregon and Arizona State.


11. Tim Tebow will win a second Heisman Trophy
As a senior, the quarterback will become the second player to win the Heisman Trophy two times, joining former Ohio State tailback Archie Griffin. Tebow's main competition will come from Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant, Pittsburgh tailback LeSean McCoy, Bradford, Colt McCoy and Pryor.

12. Iowa fans will be nervous
The Cleveland Browns will inquire about hiring coach Kirk Ferentz, who might finally be ready to bolt to the NFL. After a couple of not-so-good seasons with the Hawkeyes, Ferentz showed us again why he's one of the best in the business.


13. Taylor Potts will throw for 4,000 yards at Texas Tech
The Red Raiders won't be national-championship contenders after losing quarterback Graham Harrell and receiver Michael Crabtree, but they'll still be a tough out in the Big 12 South. In his first year as the starter, Potts, currently a sophomore, won't miss a beat in Mike Leach's spread offense, and will throw for more than 4,000 yards. Leach will spend most of his summer trying to figure out who shot J.R.


14. Arkansas will be the most improved team in the country
Whether you love him or hate him, Arkansas' Bobby Petrino is one of the country's best coaches. The Razorbacks probably exceeded expectations in his first season, and it won't be long before he has the Hogs in contention for an SEC West title. With Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett leading the offense, and as many as 11 starters possibly coming back on defense, Arkansas will be one of the country's most improved teams. A difficult schedule -- road games at Ole Miss, Alabama, Florida and LSU -- provides plenty of upset opportunities.


15. Steve Sarkisian will win a game at Washington
The Huskies won't go winless again in 2009 under the former USC offensive coordinator. Sarkisian will lose his Sept. 5 debut against LSU, but the Huskies will beat Idaho the next week. Things won't get much easier from there, with a home game against USC and road games at Stanford and Notre Dame the following three weeks.


16. O'Leary will be on the hottest seat
Nearly a dozen coaches will enter the 2009 season on the hot seat, and at least half of them will be fired after their teams again fail to meet expectations. Among the coaches who probably need marked improvement next season: Louisville's Steve Kragthorpe, Virginia's Al Groh, Indiana's Bill Lynch, Central Florida's George O'Leary, Texas A&M's Mike Sherman, Colorado's Dan Hawkins, North Texas' Todd Dodge, Maryland's Ralph Friedgen, Marshall's Mark Snyder and UTEP's Mike Price.


17. Auburn will name Gus Malzahn its coach-in-waiting
After the Tigers lose their first three games against Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State and West Virginia, Auburn will name offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn its coach-in-waiting to succeed recently hired Gene Chizik. USC quarterback Mitch Mustain, who played for Malzahn in high school and briefly at Arkansas, will transfer to Auburn.


18. Michigan will open the 2009 season with a loss (to Western Michigan)
The Wolverines won't be much better in their second season under coach Rich Rodriguez, who still won't have the right personnel to run his spread offense. For the third straight season, Michigan will start its schedule with a stunning loss in the not-so-Big House, falling to Western Michigan.



[+] EnlargeJohn David Mercer/US Presswire

Will 2009 be Steve Spurrier's swan song?
19. Spurrier will hang up his visor
After believing South Carolina was ready and capable of challenging Florida and Georgia in the SEC East before each of the past two seasons, Steve Spurrier's patience has to have nearly run out. The Gamecocks will again have high expectations heading into 2009. And once again, South Carolina will fall short of its lofty aspirations. Spurrier will become so frustrated he'll bench scholarship quarterbacks Stephen Garcia and Tommy Beecher and start walk-on Zac Brindise in the SEC opener.


20. LSU will bounce back
After a disappointing encore to its 2007 national championship, LSU will once again be a title contender. Former Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis will make the Tigers more fundamentally sound, and quarterback Jordan Jefferson will stabilize the offense. LSU's 38-3 demolition of Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl showed us Les Miles can coach.


21. Boise State won't go undefeated
The Broncos won't have to worry about taking a 12-0 record into a bowl game in 2009. Boise State will lose to Oregon on its home field in the Sept. 5 opener. The Broncos will still finish the regular season with an 11-1 record.


22. The Big 12 South will finish in a three-way tie
Once again, the Big 12 South will be a jumbled mess at season's end. Texas will beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma will beat Oklahoma State. The Cowboys will beat the Longhorns. Texas will get the nod over the Sooners because the Longhorns will be the highest-rated team in the BCS standings. Under the league's new tiebreaker rules, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State receive a consolation prize: They get to play Missouri's defense again.


23. Pittsburgh will win the Big East
West Virginia will take a big step back without quarterback Pat White. Rutgers and Cincinnati will challenge Pittsburgh for the Big East title, but McCoy will run for 1,500 yards and lead the Panthers to the Orange Bowl.


24. Chip Kelly will be Oregon's head coach
For the first time in 15 years, Oregon will open the season without Mike Bellotti on the sideline. Bellotti will retire as coach sometime in February, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will take over the program.


25. Northwestern will make a run for the roses
The Wildcats will have to replace quarterback C.J. Bacher, tailback Tyrell Sutton and the bulk of their receiver corps, but their 9-4 finish in 2008 wasn't a fluke. Mike Kafka is waiting to take over at quarterback, and much of the defense will be back. Ohio State and Michigan aren't on the 2009 schedule, and Northwestern plays Penn State and Wisconsin at home. Pat Fitzgerald can flat-out coach, and will have his team in position to play for a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Greatest Performances by a Backup

Greatest Performances by a Backup

As if Boston fans didn't have enough to worry about, what with the Red Sox about to head back to the postseason and the Celtics prepping to defend their NBA title. But now Tom Brady is injured, and New England turns its lonely eyes to one Matt Cassel (no relation to Celts PG Sam Cassell). Perhaps Cassel can turn in a performance for the ages, and join the greatest performances by a backup in sports history...

1. Lou Gehrig: In 1925, Yankees first baseman Wally Pipp went down with a headache, and Gehrig filled in that day...then went on to play in every game for the next 14 years.

2. Tom Brady: During the 2001 season, after Patriots starter Drew Bledsoe was injured with internal bleeding, Brady stepped in, finished the season 11-3, and led the Pats to a Superbowl victory.

3. Robert Horry: Since the 1999-2000 NBA season, the most games Robert Horry has started in a season is 26, but he still always seems to come up big in crunch time.

4. Frank Reich: Most people forget that when the Bills came back from a 35-3 deficit to beat the Oilers, it was Reich, not Jim Kelly, who led the way.

5. Magic Johnson: OK, so Magic was really a starter (at point guard), but with the 1980 NBA Finals on the line, he filled in for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and posted 42 points, 15 boards and 7 steals and led the Lakers to the NBA title.

TOP 50 MOST INTRIGUING PEOPLE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THIS YEAR

TOP 50 MOST INTRIGUING PEOPLE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THIS SEASON

ACC
Robert Marve, Miami
The indelible image of the '07 Hurricanes was the 48-0 curtain-closer at the Orange Bowl. Who knew that Virginia was bringing its own wrecking ball to the OB finale? Enter Marve, a redshirt freshman who two years ago broke Tim Tebow's state prep records for passing yardage (4,380) and TDs (48) in a season, as well as a 31 year-old record for completions (280) in a season. How many days until the first 'Marve-lous!' headline?
Orlando Franklin, Miami
Orlando comes to Miami via Jamaica and Canada. Got that? The 6-7, 330 pound sophomore was born in Jamaica and moved to Toronto with his mother as a child. Last season, as a freshman, he held Virginia’s Chris Long without a sack, inspiring the future No. 2 pick in the NFL draft to visit Franklin’s Facebook page and write, "You’re going to be a real good player. Just keep having fun and I’ll see you on the next level."
BIG EAST
Demetrius Jones, Cincinnati
Jones, who took the first snap of the season for Notre Dame last August, may well do the same for Cincinnati on August 28 versus Eastern Kentucky. The former Parade All-American dual threat QB is one of three former Fighting Irish QBs occupying a slot on a two-deep chart this fall (Zach Frazer, U Conn, David Wolke, Western Kentucky). A fantastic athlete, Jones may shine away from the high-pressure clime of South Bend.
Hunter Cantwell, Louisville
Mel Kiper, Jr., projects Cantwell as the top QB in the '09 NFL draft. This despite the fact that the 6'5" senior is a former walk-on who sat behind Brian Brohm the past three seasons. Should someone check Mel's meds? Or is Cantwell about to become the sport's next one-year wonder?
Bill Stewart, West Virginia
His act may seem a little hokey, but Stewart's a Mountaineer through and through. Part Bill Graham, part Jimmy Stewart, the affable assistant filled the void admirably when Rich Rodriquez decamped to Ann Arbor by whupping Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. He's Richie Cunningham with a headset, both the antipode and antidote to his predecessor. And, by the way, he has a five-year contract that totals $4 million...which is exactly what Rodriguez owes WVU as his buyout.
Pat White, West Virginia
Home dates versus Auburn (Oct. 23) and South Florida (Dec. 6) will likely determine whether White, college football's active leader in career rushing yards (3,506), wins the Heisman. The most exciting open-field runner in the game welcomes back sensational sophomore tailback Noel Devine as well as all five starters from a stellar O-line (WVU finished 3rd in rushing in '07). The 4-year starter at QB will garner a slew of "Lifetime Achievement Award" votes--as long as the Mountaineers do not stumble in their final home game, as they have the previous two seasons.
BIG TEN
Paki O'Meara, Iowa
The Big Ten has provided the FBS with its only repeat Heisman winner (Archie Griffin) and its all-time leading rusher (Ron Dayne). And here comes O'Meara, a walk-on who a year ago at this time was not even on the Hawkeye depth chart. The son of a Samoan mother and Irish father, O'Meara's childhood included stops in North Carolina, Melbourne, Australia, Western Samoa and finally, Cedar Rapids, where he rushed for 349 yards in a high school game. Entering fall camp he is listed No. 1 on Iowa's depth chart at RB.
Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
He left an offense that featured a Heisman front-runner and its entire O-line returning intact for one that returns two (insignificant) starters. His quarterback transferred specifically because of him. He whiffed on the nation's top recruit (Terrelle Pryor), who chose Michigan's hated rival. Oh, and he owes his old bosses $4 million. On the other hand, Joe Paterno thinks his wife is hot (see recent Big Ten media session, in which JoePa waxed fondly on her days as a WVU cheerleader). Something tells us R-Rod will have the last laugh.
Stephen Threet, Michigan
Ryan Mallett, who two years ago was considered the No. 2 prep QB in the nation (behind Jimmy Clausen), transferred to Arkansas. Terrelle Pryor, the No. 1 prep stud overall last winter, chose Ohio State. Thus Threet, a former valedictorian at nearby Adrian High, will be the likely starter under center for the Wolverines when Utah visits on Aug. 30th. Surely Threet will be a quick-study, but as one of nine new starters on offense, will it matter?
Javon Ringer, Michigan State
Once best-known (and, in South Bend, reviled) as the Spartans' designated flag-planter, Ringer has matured into one of the game's best backs. Ringer nearly tripled his rushing output from '06 to '07, eclipsing 125 yards five times last season.
James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
Hardware hog. The Buckeye 'backer, the cornerstone of the nation's top-rated defense in '07, was a top-10 NFL draft pick for sure if he'd come out last spring. Instead, Laurinaitis, who won the Nagurski Award in 2006 and the Butkus Award in 2007, returns to Columbus for his senior season. Heisman, anyone?
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
If there could ever be such a thing as a 6-star recruit, the Jeannette, Pa., native would be it. The Buckeye-bound quarterback is the first high school quarterback in Pennsylvania state history to both pass and run for 4,000 yards...and you may have heard that the Keystone State has produced a decent quarterback or two (Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, etc.). The Buckeyes are loaded on offense, but look for Jim Tressel to employ him the way Urban Meyer did Tim Tebow when he was a frosh.
Brett Bielema, Wisconsin
Madison's most eligible bachelor joins Fielding Yost and Jim Tressel as the only Big Ten coaches to win 21 games in their first two seasons. Of course, old Fielding won his first 56 games in Ann Arbor (something to shoot for, Coach Rodriguez) and the Vested One has already appeared in three national title games. Can Bielema, 38, lead the Badgers to a BCS bowl before his 40th birthday?
BIG 12
Robert Griffin, Baylor
The blue-chip quarterback recruit graduated high school last December. After devoting himself exclusively to spring football, he went out and won the 400-meter hurdles at the Big 12 track & field championships. In June, Griffin advanced to the semis in the 400 hurdles at the Olympic Trials in Eugene. Word of warning to Big 12 DBs: Dive for Griffin's legs and you'll wind up on SportsCenter.
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
No one uses the term "diaper dandy" in football, but if they did Maclin would be the dandiest. All the Kirkwood, Mo., native did in 2007 was set an NCAA freshman all-purpose yardage record (2,776) while also being the only player in the nation to score via run, catch, punt return and kickoff return. The kickoff run-back, which went for 99 yards, was Mizzou's first in a quarter-century.
Jeff Wolfert, Missouri
Wolfert attempted one - one! - kick in high school, a kickoff. The Overland Park, Kans., native swung his leg so hard into the ball that he broke his hip and missed the rest of the season. But that was okay, since he had a scholarship offer to Missouri - as a diver. Two years later, he forsook the pool in order to walk onto the Tiger football team. How's that working out for him? Wolfert has yet to miss a field goal or PAT in Big 12 play (90-of-90, including 26-26 on field goals) and has converted his last 64 kicks overall.
Marlon Lucky, Nebraska
How much has Husker football changed since Tom Osborne's coaching days? Lucky, a senior I-back, was the nation's leading receiver among running backs (75 catches) last season. Lucky is also old-school, though, as he is the Big 12's leading returning rusher as well.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Update: He's a man. He's 41.
Artrell Woods, Oklahoma State
Unless you live in Big 12 country, you vaguely recall the story of the Cowboy player who nearly was paralyzed in a freak weight-room accident last July. The sophomore-to-be lost his balance while returning weights to a rack and needed three hours of emergency spinal-fusion surgery to regain the use of his legs. One year later, Woods not only can walk, but he will start at wideout.
Michael Crabtree & Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
What we are witnessing is the most prolific passing tandem in NCAA history. If Harrell (10, 260 yards and 86 TD passes the last two seasons) simply averages this season what he has the past two, the Ennis, Texas, native will leave Lubbock No. 2 on the all-time passing yardage chart and No. 1 in TD passes. All Crabtree did as a redshirt frosh was set new NCAA freshman marks for catches (122) and TD receptions (22).
CONFERENCE USA
June Jones, SMU
Buy low, sell high, make lots of money. In his first year as Hawaii head coach in 1999, Jones led a squad that had gone 0-12 the previous year to a 9-4 finish. That's an NCAA record for the most dramatic one-year about-face. Now Jones leaves his 12-1 Warriors for a Mustang program that finished 1-11 last season, while doubling his salary to nearly $2 million per year.
Damion Fletcher, Southern Miss
Who heads into this season with more rushing yardage over the past two autumns than any player in the nation? Fletcher, whose 2,974 yards outdistance the likes of Wisconsin’s P.J. Hill (2,781) and West Virginia’s Pat White (2,554). The Biloxi native lost his home - and trophies - to Hurricane Katrina as a high school senior. His roomie in Hattiesburg is 311-pound defensive tackle Anthony Gray.
Gus Malzahn, Tulsa
Three years ago he was the head coach at Springdale (Ark.) High. Two years ago he followed his prize recruit QB, Mitch Mustain, to Arkansas, where in his first season as an offensive coordinator above the prep level he helped Darren McFadden to a runner-up Heisman finish. Last year, in his first season in the same role at Tulsa, Malzahn, 42, directed the nation's top unit in total offense (543.9 ypg). Is Malzahn the next Norm Chow or is a head coaching job in his future?
MAC
Dante Love, Ball State
To quote Lenny Kravitz, "Let Love rule." Last year, the Ball State wideout set a MAC single-season all-purpose yardage record with 2,690 yards, 100 of them coming on a kickoff return against Central Michigan. Alas, you may remember him best for dropping a potential game-winning TD pass at Nebraska with :22 remaining.
Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan
NFL scouts know the Chippewa QB even if you don't. Last year, the 6'3" Chicago native became only the second player (the first being Vince Young) to pass for more than 3,000 yards (3,652) and run for better than 1,000 (1,122) in the same season. As a point of comparison, LeFevour nearly doubled the passing yardage output of Notre Dame and gained more yards on the ground than the top three Irish rushers combined.
Eugene Jarvis, Kent State
Don't overlook the nation's leading returning rusher (1,669 yards) simply because he plays in the MAC and, more precisely, because he stands 5'5". Heavyweight Joe Louis once said of his foes, "They can run, but they can't hide." The ability to do both is the secret to Jarvis' success.
Mountain West
Max Hall, BYU
His name sounds like an over-stuffed freshman dorm. His uncle (Danny White) and granddad (Wilford "Whizzer" White) were legends at Arizona State, which is where Hall first enrolled. After a red-shirt year in Tempe followed by an LDS mission, Hall endeared himself to the Provo populace by leading the Cougars on a 10-game win streak and by being the nation's most prolific sophomore passer (cough, Tebow, cough) with 3,848 yards.
PAC 10
Thomas Weber, Arizona State
How can a kicker who lives in the desert have so much ice water coursing through his veins? As a true freshman last season, Weber converted an astounding 24 of 25 field goal attempts. His lone miss came at Oregon, where on his next attempt he nailed the first 50-yarder of his career. The Lou Groza Award winner (the first frosh to win the award) also handled the Sun Devils' punting duties. Talk about setting the crossbar high.
Rick Neuheisel, UCLA
This is the sideline where the charismatic Neuheisel has always belonged. Nearly three decades ago, the Arizona native eschewed admission to Princeton in order to walk on in Westwood...four years later the bright-eyed kid was the MVP of the Rose Bowl. Pete Carroll finally has a worthy adversary in town.
Everson Griffen, USC
Last spring, Trojan coach Pete Carroll arranged to have LAPD officers storm a team meeting and arrest his precocious defensive end for "physically abusing" freshmen offensive linemen. Last season, Griffen, a 6’3, 280-pound monster from Avondale, Ariz., became the first true freshman defensive linemen to start USC’s season-opener since 1986. Griffen is the next in a seemingly endless wave of dominant Trojan defensive studs.
Taylor Mays, USC
When your school song is "Fight On," you don't need an extra incentive to loathe Notre Dame. But Mays, a 6-3 All-American free safety in the mold of Troy Polamalu and Ronnie Lott, has one: he's Jewish. The son of former NFL defensive lineman Stafford Mays and Nordstrom executive V.P. Laurie Black (who's Jewish), Mays was bar mitzvahed when he was 13.
Jake Locker, Washington
The Pac-10's leading returning rusher is U-Dub's sophomore quarterback. This summer, the Ferndale, Wash., native spent weekends playing center field for the minor-league Bellingham Bells. You know who else was born in Washington? John Elway.
SEC
Julio Jones, Alabama
Quite an eventful February for the 6-foot-4 Foley, Ala., native who was the nation's most coveted wide receiver recruit. On national signing day, Feb. 6, he announced that he would roll with the Tide. Thirteen days later, he testified as an eye-witness in a murder trial (the assailant, LaBarron McDonald, was convicted and sentenced to life without parole). Curiously, Jones took the stand wearing an Oklahoma Sooners hoodie. You tell us.
Chris Rainey, Florida
At the Gators’ spring game, coach Urban Meyer lined up some of the school’s fastest non-scholarship students against his sophomore running back. He promised a full scholarship to anyone who beat Rainey in the 40-yard dash. Rainey blew the doors off the competition, then blew away Gator fans by rushing for 75 yards and scoring on a 65-yard pass play. Just what Florida so desperately yearns for: a playmaker in the backfield.
Tim Tebow, Florida
Even those witty folks who compile "Chuck Norris Facts" (e.g., "Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table because he only recognizes the element of surprise") would admit that their Texas Ranger bows at the altar of the Florida Gator. Tebow earned a national championship as a freshman and a Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. When he isn't circumcising 3rd World infants or speaking at state penitentiaries, the home-schooled wonder is shunning overtures from Playboy to appear in their preseason All-America photo. It wouldn't surprise us one bit if he could fly.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
Georgia's sophomore sensation was actually raised up north in Springsteen territory (Middletown, N.J.). And yes, baby, he was born to run. Although he did not become a starter until the Dawgs' seventh game, Moreno compiled 1,334 rushing yards. The last and only other Georgia to breach the 1,000-yard barrier? Herschel Walker.
Mark Richt, Georgia
The Bulldogs' youthful-looking coach, 48, has it made in the shades. The USA Today/Coaches' Poll has tabbed Georgia as the preseason No. 1, but there's more to the likeable top Dawg than just a top ranking. His wife, Katharyn, serves as a water girl during games. Their oldest son, Jonathan, is a freshman quarterback at Clemson. Two adopted children were orphans from the Ukraine. And this past spring Richt took two dozen of his players to a poverty-stricken town in Honduras to do service work. Good coach, good guy.
Herman Johnson, LSU
Someone needs to accost the folks in Baton Rouge who dole out nicknames. Two years ago the Tigers had a 6'8", 310-pound hoopster named Glen Davis (now with the Celtics) who was famously dubbed "Big Baby." So where does that put Johnson, LSU's mammoth (6'7", 351) left guard who weighed in just two ounces shy of 16 pounds at birth? Believed to have been the biggest baby ever born in Louisiana, "The House" has actually lost 50 pounds since matriculating at LSU.
Michael Oher, Mississippi
The son of a crack addict, Oher was essentially a homeless child on the streets of Memphis. Adopted by a wealthy white family, Oher grew (and grew) into a 6'6", 320-pound offensive tackle considered by most NFL scouts as the nation's best. It would make a great story. In fact, it already is. Author Michael Lewis (Liar's Poker, Moneyball) chronicled Oher's childhood in his 2006 best-seller, The Blind Side.
Eric Berry, Tennessee
An aspiring dentist -- he graduated high school with a 3.75 GPA and interned at a dentist's office this summer -- Berry also led SEC freshmen last year with 86 tackles ("This may hurt a little"). The son of former Vol team captain James Berry also had five interceptions in '07, most notably a pick against Heisman winner Tim Tebow that he returned 96 yards for a TD.
SUN BELT
Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic
Howard Schnellenberger presided over the genesis of Miami football as we know it, nurturing future NFL greats Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar. His latest passing protégé is Smith, a 6'5" stud who had more success throwing the football last season than Tim Tebow. The Jacksonville native couldn't draw a sniff from any SEC schools as a high school senior, but NFL scouts are drooling.
Giovanni Vizza, North Texas
Apparently being the nation’s leader among true freshmen in completions (223), passing yardage (2,388) and touchdowns (16), on a team that finished freaking 2-10, is not enough to secure a starting job. Vizza, the Sun Belt Conference Frosh of the Year in ’07, is being pushed for the starting job by incoming freshman Riley Dodge...whose dad is the head coach. Isn’t the "This town ain’t big enough for the both of us" the plot of every Western?
WAC
Pat Hill, Fresno State
You rarely see mustaches such as Hill's outside of biker bars or porn films, but that hairlip is no disguise for the fact that Hill, 56, is the most fearless coach in college football. Hill's credo — "Anybody, any time, anywhere" — has led the Bulldogs to visit USC (where they almost shocked the No. 1 Trojans in '05), LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee in the past five seasons. This September, Wisconsin, a preseason Top 15, visits the Valley.
INDEPENDENTS
Navy's Trident: Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, Eric Kettani and Shun White
Ever so quietly, the Middies have become the first school in the NCAA annals to lead the nation in rushing for three consecutive seasons. Mark it down for four, as three of the team's four leading rushers from a unit that averaged a school-record 444.1 ypg in '07 return. White's career per-carry average is a school-record 9.4 yards-per-carry, while Kettani, the leading rusher, was stopped for a loss just once in 152 carries last year. Quarterback Kaheaku-Enhada frustrates secondaries as much as he does play-by-play men, averaging an Academy-record 17.1 yards per completion. These sailors excel in ground assault ops.
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
Seven and six. As in seven touchdown passes and six interceptions. Certainly this was not the season the nation's most highly-touted freshman quarterback anticipated, but it was hardly Clausen's fault. Notre Dame's offensive line got its QBs sacked 58 times last season (worst in the nation), but you know what? Notre Dame's very own Beer Olympian (photos that underscore just how powerful a microscope he operates under) never made excuses, though plenty of valid ones, such as inexperience and injury, existed. Brady Quinn's freshman numbers? Nine and fifteen.
Armanti Edwards, Appalachian St.
The most dynamic Mountaineer QB in the nation may not play for West Virginia after all. Last year as a sophomore, Edwards helped App. State to its third consecutive FCS national title as well as that jaw-dropping 34-32 upset of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Whereas Pat White had 14 TDs passing and rushing, Edwards pulled a 17-17 combo despite missing four games due to injury.
Ryan Perrilloux, Jacksonville St.
From MVP of the SEC championship game to All-Cautionary Tale team. Last season Perrilloux rescued LSU's perilous national championship hopes by stepping in for injured quarterback Matt Flynn and leading the Tigers to victory against Tennessee in the SEC title game. Four months later, Les Miles booted his misadventurous QB off the team and he has since landed at this FCS school in northeast Alabama. Can you say, "CFL-bound"?

25 Interesting "things" about the Upcoming College Football Season

1. Epic epidemic
It was called the superflu in Stephen King's masterwork The Stand. In the book, 99.4 percent of the human race kicks the bucket.
In college football, it seems that the only humans left are going to be those kicking the football. Everyone else is going down at an alarming rate.
• Both USC (Mark Sanchez) and UCLA (Ben Olson) have endured quarterback injuries. The last time Los Angeles didn't have a starting quarterback the Rams were in town.
• If you believe that a.) left tackle is the second-most important position on the field and b.) Georgia is No. 1, you have to believe that c.) the Bulldogs are in trouble with the knee injury to left tackle Trinton Sturdivant. The freshman All-American and rock of the Bulldogs' line is out for the season.
• That doesn't necessarily mean Florida is going to fill the void in the SEC. There have been so many ACL injuries in Gainesville, King is considering another novel. In other words, it's creepy. Five players will miss the season because of torn ACLs. The most significant losses are safety Dorian Munroe and tight end Cornelius Ingram.
• Not to be outdone, Illinois defensive tackle Sirod Williams blew out his knee last week (yes, it was an ACL) and will miss the season as well.
• Players from the Big 12's two best teams are out. Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Auston English continues to recover from having appendix removed. Missouri tight end Chase Coffman is missing time because of a broken pinky.
• Ole Miss' best defender, end Greg Hardy, will miss the opener while recovering from foot surgery.
The nation should be re-asking the obvious question ...
2. Who is No. 1?
It's a fluid situation and I won't reveal my last, official, preseason top 25 until later this month.
Let's just say it's a bit surprising that, so far, that Georgia is getting so much No. 1 love. Even before Sturdivant's injury, I was shocked that so many had jumped on the Dawgs' bandwagon.
The Associated Press will release its top 25 on Saturday. Until then, here is the combined poll of nine outlets (Blue Ribbon Magazine, Sporting News, Phil Steele, Lindy's, Athlon, ESPN.com, Collegefootballnews.com, Sports Illustrated and the coaches' poll).

1. Ohio State
2. Georgia
3. Southern California
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. Clemson
9. West Virginia
10. Texas
11. Auburn
12. Texas Tech
13. Wisconsin
14. Kansas
15. Virginia Tech
16. Brigham Young
17. Tennessee
18. Illinois
19. Arizona State
20. Oregon
21. Penn State
22. South Florida
23. tie Oregon State, Wake Forest
24. Utah
25. Pittsburgh

3. The Appalachian State Effect
It can't happen again, can it?
Four different No. 1s. Ten changes at the No. 2 spot in the polls. A two-loss team playing for the national championship.
Appalachian State kicked it all off last year with that shocking win at Michigan. History suggests the wildest season in the game's history won't repeat. The odds are against any team with two losses emerging to win a national championship. LSU got the benefit of the doubt last season largely because it played in the SEC. There will be enough one-loss and/or undefeated teams from which to chose in 2008.
Right?
After a recent sit down with Appalachian State players, I got the impression that the rash of upsets isn't over. After all, if a I-AA program with 25 less scholarships than I-A can win at Michigan, is any game certain?
I asked them how they would do playing a I-A schedule. Stamina wouldn't be a problem according to the Mountaineers. They play at altitude in Boone, N.C. Plus, they reminded me that they had played 45 games the past three seasons while winning three consecutive I-AA national championships.
"I think we'd do pretty well," said Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards said. "It wouldn't be nothing to us." It's almost a symbolic opener later this month at LSU. The defending I-A and I-AA champions hooking up in perhaps the game's loudest venue.
"They're alerted," Edwards said on LSU. "This is kind of what most of us want. We kind of snuck up on Michigan. They didn't practice for us. Now we got a D-I team that is practicing like it's a big game, which it really is."
4. Can LSU defend?
When I asked that question to some Tigers at the SEC media day, they looked at me like I was drunk.
It could happen -- LSU defending the national championship, not me being drunk at media day. Never mind the quarterback issue. Remember, the Tigers have won national titles with Matt Mauck and Matt Flynn under center. The rest of the lineup is actually pretty solid.
Defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois could be the best defender in the SEC. The offensive line and backs are solid. There is that usual LSU speed all over the field.
Do the Tigers have to be talked into it?
5. It's not all about the spread
Paul Johnson is bringing the true triple option to a BCS conference for the first time in years.
Why not? Georgia Tech has been offensively challenged in recent years. Flat-out boring might be more like it. Johnson was able to annoy the biggies with the option while at Navy. Now he's going to have the advantage, in theory, each week because his is an offense that few defenses see.
The best part is Johnson being indignant about the criticism.
"Bob Stoops has done a great job but they haven't been near as successful as when Coach Switzer was running the option," Johnson said.
You've got us there, P.J. Switzer won three national championships. Stoops still has that measly one.
6. Hot seats
(In order, these are the coaches at the most risk of being fired) Tyrone Willingham, Washington Greg Robinson, Syracuse Chuck Long, San Diego State Mike Stoops, Arizona

7. Honeymoons
(For now, these new coaches can do no wrong) David Cutcliffe, Duke Larry Fedora, Southern Miss June Jones, SMU Jerry Kill, Northern Illinois Bo Pelini, Nebraska Bill Stewart, West Virginia Kevin Sumlin, Houston

8. Pray for ...
Washington State coach Paul Wulff.
The Cougars' first-year coach lost his mother as a child. She disappeared one day and has never been found. The family suspected Wulff's father and a murder charge was filed. So was a wrongful death civil suit but nothing stuck. If Carl Wulff had a secret, he took it to his grave three years ago.
In 2002, Paul's wife Tammy died of brain cancer. He has since remarried and is taking over his alma mater this season. This is more than a job, it's a destiny to coach his beloved Cougars. Eighteen days after suffering an appendicitis, he played in the Apple Cup game against Washington in 1989. Wulff is tough and he is home.
If you root for one person this season, make it Paul Wulff.
9. A crack in the BCS?
The commissioners let us know loud and clear in April that the BCS was here to stay at least through the January 2014 bowls.
The ACC and SEC were in favor of a modest plus-one system but the five other major players (Big 12, Pac-10, Big Ten, Big East and Notre Dame) lined up against them in the spring BCS meetings. Not that it was a surprise. The BCS continues to be the most lucrative and, yes, compelling system in the sport's history.
Could the sport's postseason be better? Absolutely. Will it better? In time. Be advised that two of those commissioners are leaving after this academic year. The Pac-10's Tom Hansen and the Big East's Mike Tranghese are stepping down after long, glorious careers. Their replacements may sway the way those conferences' thinking about the BCS.
10. Michigan Man
Rich Rodriguez's Wolverines face Utah in the opener. (AP)
He's one of apostles of the spread option. His strength and conditioning program is second to none. He's paid up -- or will be -- with West Virginia.
The Rich Rodriguez era begins with a weird opener against Utah. While at Utah, Urban Meyer studied Rodriguez' offense at West Virginia, then turned it around in 2004 to become the first non-BCS school to get to a BCS bowl.
Those same Utes come to The Big House in Michigan's toughest opener since ... oh yeah, last year.
11. Ohio State-USC
Buckeyes vs. Trojans on Sept. 13 is largely considered the game of the year. The game of September, maybe (see below).
Both teams can afford a loss in this game at the Coliseum because the loser can run the table in its conference and still get to the BCS championship game.
12. Oct. 11
You want to know how the season is really going to shake out? Start with this date that could feature at least five games involved top 25 teams:
Arizona State at USC LSU at Florida Tennessee at Georgia Oklahoma vs. Texas (in Dallas) Penn State at Wisconsin These aren't shabby either that day ... Arkansas at Auburn Boise State at Southern Miss Cincinnati at Rutgers Notre Dame at North Carolina Purdue at Ohio State Tulsa at SMU
13. Upsets of the year
It wouldn't be a 25 things without sticking my neck out once again.
Last year, I picked Appalachian State over Michigan (kind of), Georgia Tech over Notre Dame (yeah, I know but ND was favored), Illinois over Penn State, Kentucky over Louisville and South Florida over West Virginia.
This year?
Utah over Michigan (Aug. 30): This one is too good to pass up. Utah comes to Ann Arbor with a veteran team (16 returning starters), a bulked up offensive line (averging 311 pounds), a physical tailback (Darrell Mack) and an Orange Bowl berth on the line. Last season, the Utes won at Louisville and TCU and put to rest Karl Dorrell's UCLA career.
Ohio State over USC (Sept. 13): One of the nation's most stout defenses goes up against an offense that is still finding itself. The USC quarterback situation is up in the air until Sanchez returns and Pete Carroll is still looking for a go-to receiver. Watch for Beanie Wells to pound it out and Terrelle Pryor to give the Trojans fits.
Fresno State over UCLA (Sept. 27): By this time, the Bulldogs will be either a.) stoked or b.) pissed because of a brutal early schedule. Fresno won't get past Rutgers, Wisconsin and Toledo unbeaten, but regardless, the quarterback-challenged Bruins better watch out.
Michigan State over Wisconsin (Nov. 1): Something has to break right for the Spartans, who lost all six of their games last season by a touchdown or less. That total includes a 37-34 heartbreaker at Wisconsin. Michigan State can score -- Wisconsin still needs an effective quarterback.
Kansas over Texas (Nov. 15): This one is far, far out but even from here, it's easy to see that Kansas will be a better team (at home) than Texas on this day. The nation is underselling the Jayhawks who continue to a sport a quarterback with a chip (Todd Reesing) and a stout defense.
14. The Heisman Thing
1. Tim Tebow, Florida: Until further notice, "The Surgeon" is the man to beat.
2. Chris Wells, Ohio State: It will be impossible for the new Eddie George not to run wild this season.
3. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia: The next Herschel Walker in Cadillac Williams' body.
4. Pat White, West Virginia: Is it possible to pass and run for 1,500 each?
5. Chase Daniel, Missouri: Along with White, the best spread option quarterback in the country.
6. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma: Everything you'd want in a candidate -- humble, clean cut and the nation's pass efficiency leader as a freshman.
15. Defensive Player of the Year
James Laurinaitis, LB, Sr., Ohio State: He should be playing -- no, starting -- in the NFL but this hard-working senior came back to chase a title. You're probably sick of hearing his name considering Laurinaitis has won enough hardware in his first three seasons to start a treasury. Don't count him out for a trip to New York this season. Seriously.
16. The Stack
The spread option zone read offense is so far gone as the most dominant offense in college football since the wishbone, that it's time to figure out how to stop it.
The answer may come from a funky alignment called The Stack. Basically it's a 3-3-5 alignment that allows coordinators to keep the offense off balance with a herd of defensive backs/linebackers who may or may not blitz on any given play.
It has worked for several non-BCS schools (Akron, Nevada, New Mexico, Tulsa). West Virginia is one of the few BCS conference school running the scheme. Mountaineers' defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel used The Stack to help West Virginia finish in the top 10 in both scoring and total defense last season.
17. BCS bowls
BCS Championship: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Sugar: Georgia vs. West Virginia
Fiesta: Missouri vs. Florida
Rose: Wisconsin vs. USC
Orange: BYU vs. Clemson
18. Timing rules
You know how I feel on the subject.
The truth is, no one really knows how the latest NFLimization of the college game will turn out. We're basically being told to trust that the 40/25 play clock will not gouge out huge chunks of plays from the game. For now, I'll rely on the wisdom of Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.
"Every time you try something the NFL does, it's not good," Franklin said. "To me the NFL game is totally boring."
19. Will Notre Dame be back?
Uh, no. A 7-5 might be doable but that's not "back" as far as Irish honks are concerned.
Three things bother me:
• Fifty-eight sacks given up last season. Notre Dame could improve that number by 15 and still be near the bottom of the national stats.
• Jimmy Clausen wasn't allowed much "leeway" to audible last season. That tells me that Charlie Weis didn't trust him. Clausen will get more freedom at the line. What will he do with it?
• One of ND's starting receivers is 5-foot-10, 177-pound David Grimes. It's nice to have a small, quick guy but Weis better hope to heaven that blue-chip receiver Michael Floyd (6-3, 215) develops -- fast.
20. Best of the worst
Will one of these moribund programs break through?
• Vanderbilt, no bowl since 1982
• Duke, 10 wins (total), four winless seasons since 2000.
• Idaho, 10 consecutive losses. Last winning season, 1999.
• Baylor, on its fifth coach entering 13th year in the Big 12.
• Minnesota, worst defense in the country.
• Syracuse, seven victories in three years under Greg Robinson.

21. The freshman impact
They're getting younger and better. Consider these first-year players from the recruiting Class of 2008 who are expected to contribute right away:
Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson : Subtract Phillip Merling who left early for the NFL. Add one of the best recruiting "gets" in the country.
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame: The nation's worst offense gets an immediate downfield threat.
Will Hill, DB, Florida: With Munroe out with a torn ACL, Hill is going to get a long look at strong safety.
Patrick Peterson, DB, LSU: Following in the great recent tradition of swift, hard-hitting Tigers d-backs.
Julio Jones, WR, Alabama: Jones' arrival is so anticipated that it seems like he's been around a couple of years. Hey, maybe Johnson will cover Jones when the teams meet on Nov. 8.
Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State: Jim Tressel is being coy about his playing time but expect a Tim Tebow-like secret-weapon type season.
Darrell Scott, RB, Colorado: If the nation's No. 1 prep running back doesn't contribute right away, something is wrong.
22. Winning streaks
BYU, 10 consecutive victories Georgia, 7 USC, 5 Oregon State, 4 Florida Atlantic, TCU, Fresno State, Wake Forest, Louisiana-Monroe, 3
24. Losing streaks
SMU, Minnesota, Idaho, 10 consecutive losses Duke, 9 Baylor, UNLV 8 Kent State 7 Alabama-Birmingham, Army, UTEP, 6

25. In and Out
In: Unspecified team violations
Out: The truth
In: Florida Atlantic
Out: Florida State
In: Spread
Out: Tight I
In: BYU
Out: Hawaii
In: Beanie (Wells)
Out: Charlie (Weis)
In: Slick Rick
Out: Blacklisting
In: Louisiana-Monroe
Out: Alabama
In: Florida's speed
Out: The Space/Time Continuum
In: Terrelle Pryor at Ohio State
Out: Quarterback depth at Michigan
In: Contract extensions
Out: Buyouts

Is Ohio State's Success Breeding Outrageous Expectations and is NCAA Football becoming more like the NFL?

Is College Football becoming more like the NFL?

My fellow Americans, welcome to the 2008 campaign, one that all of us, from red state and blue, have anticipated for these many months. Autumn beckons, promising a hard-fought race that, no matter how bitter, will lead us to the traditional transition of power in January.
The polls will say what the polls will say. Money will be raised, especially if you buy a ticket to the Texas-Oklahoma game, where the $95 face value of every ticket is as accurate as $2.00 gas, judging by the listings on StubHub.
Do your own analysis. Watch each team handle the mundane, the little things that prevent big problems. As the political cliché goes, see how well each side performs its blocking and tackling.
As we embark on this most sacred of civic journeys, let us come together on the striped fields of battle, where eight months of training will be combined with ferocity and tempered by sportsmanship -- unless Georgia coach Mark Richt says, "To heck with it. Team, go celebrate!"
However, there is still a noticeable lack of celebration about the BCS. In truth, a majority of the public wants it to go away. The leaders in charge turn a deaf ear, maintaining that a new system would result in a cure worse than the disease. Their collective wisdom brings to mind a comment by a hall-of-fame coach, Sir Winston Churchill, who once sized up an opponent by declaring him "a modest man with much to be modest about."
The BCS leaders believe in Churchill's famous description of democracy: "the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." But you can count on democracy, or at least the American form of presidential politics, to be a fairly accurate predictor of national champions.
In 13 of 18 general elections dating to the first Associated Press college football poll in 1936, a plurality of voters from the home state of the team that would finish ranked No. 1 cast their ballots for the eventual president. The most recent exception? Four years ago, when 55 percent of the voters in California, the home of the No. 1 USC Trojans, cast their ballots for John Kerry.
College football and presidential politics have a long history. When Teddy Roosevelt demanded that the game's violence be curbed in 1905, the major universities formed the NCAA. Dwight Eisenhower played for Army. Harry Truman annually attended the Army-Navy game, switching his seat from one side of the stadium to the other at halftime. Richard Nixon, to Joe Paterno's horror, "awarded" the 1969 national championship to No. 1 Texas before either the Longhorns or equally undefeated No. 2 Penn State played their bowls.
If the topsy-turvy 2007 season did nothing else, it provided a window into the 2008 presidential race. Look no further than the three surprise teams to earn BCS bids, which together frame the life of the presumptive Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama: born in Hawaii, rooted in Kansas, elected in Illinois.
Look no further than three-time defending FCS champion Appalachian State, which began last season by shocking the world with a win at the Big House. This season, Appalachian State opens at LSU. The idea that the Mountaineers can upset the defending champion Tigers is what sustains the fan of every underdog: the hope of audacity.
Look no further than Arizona State, located a short drive from the home of Sen. John McCain. The Sun Devils provided the tell on McCain's successful campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. A wisecracking, white-haired coach shoved Arizona State into the national championship race and injected life into his own oft-traveled career as well.
Dennis Erickson, 61, coached Arizona State to a 10-3 record last season. When Erickson sat down on the dais at Pac-10 Media Day two weeks ago, he began his comments by saying, "For me, it's just good to be anywhere every year."
And look no farther than Ohio State, which, like the late Minnesota Gov. Harold Stassen, announces its candidacy for the big prize, only to be humiliated when the votes are counted. Stassen ran for president nine times between 1948 and 1992, and rarely threatened to win the Republican nomination. The Buckeyes have jumped out to an early lead in the past two BCS National Championship Games and rarely -- well, you get the point.
There are other issues that demand national attention. There is our crumbling infrastructure. Where there is no strong interior from which the fastest may spring; where there is no foundation from which the tallest may leap, there will be no champion. Find a team with veteran offensive and defensive lines and you will find, at the very least, a dark horse (Wisconsin? Tennessee? BYU?).
Will Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno add enough wins to stay in office?
The nation calls for alternative sources of energy, yet there's only one candidate in the ESPN.com preseason power rankings that is credibly green. Oregon tantalized fans with national championship contention a year ago before a knee injury to quarterback Dennis Dixon precipitated the team's late collapse. This season, the Ducks will continue their up-tempo spread offense without Dixon, and few coaches in the Pac-10 expect the Ducks to suffer a scoreboard drought.
The West will continue to be dominated by California -- USC to be accurate. The Trojans have blown through the tacit term limits imposed by graduation. They are favored to win their seventh consecutive league championship. No other Pac-10 school has ever won more than four in a row.
T. Boone Pickens, the oil magnate and Oklahoma State's $165 Million Man, has become the nation's leading proponent of wind farms. Pickens hasn't said whether he got the idea from Cowboys coach Mike Gundy, the sport's leading producer of hot air last season. "I'm a man! I'm 40!" Gundy cried.
According to Gundy's calculation, that would make Bobby Bowden or Joe Paterno twice the man that Gundy is.
That brings us to the sad reality of political life. There will be winners and there will be losers. Incumbents will be tossed out on their whistle. There is impatience at Syracuse and Washington. And there are questions even at Florida State and Penn State. All of their 745 victories may not overcome Bowden and Paterno's combined 159 years of age much longer.
Let's face it: Four score (years) and seven (wins) just doesn't have the same ring as when Lincoln said it.
The one incumbent most expected to win his race is Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. He would be only the 17th junior to win the Heisman Trophy, but the first junior to have won it twice. As Tebow goes, so go the Gators. And until coach Urban Meyer finds a running back, Tebow will be going on nearly every down.
Florida's path to the nomination is blocked by one of its biggest rivals. Richt's Bulldogs are a popular favorite in the early polls. They return 17 starters, including the best quarterback-tailback combination in the country in Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. But Georgia does have its question marks, especially how it replaces a nine-year starter.
If Uga VII proves he can fill in as starting mascot, Georgia will sigh, even if it may not breathe easier. That is the cost of playing in the desert on an Indian summer night. Georgia plays at Arizona State on Sept. 20, the Dawgs' first nonconference regular-season road trip west of the Mississippi since a 1960 visit to USC.
And so, my fellow Americans, ask not whether the college game is becoming more like the professional. The NCAA has adopted the NFL's 40-second clock. But that's it. Ask how the professional game can become more like the college. Thank you and God bless America.

Sustained success breeds outrageous expectations

The Ohio State record books reveal that legendary coach Woody Hayes won nearly 76 percent of his games, 13 Big Ten titles and three national championships.
But if you believe the expectations surrounding Ohio State's football team each season, you might think Hayes won much more often.
"The general feeling you have at Ohio State is you're expected to win every game," Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said. "It's like Woody never lost a game."
Oklahoma's Bob Stoops might feel like he's never won a bowl game -- or the 2000 national championship -- after being scorned for much of the past five seasons for his team's failure in BCS bowl games.
"We've been in six Big 12 championships and we won five of them," Stoops said. "We are doing something right."
But is it enough at schools such as Ohio State and Oklahoma, where sustained success breeds outrageous expectations? The Buckeyes and Sooners are scrutinized more than most schools. Even USC, which has produced three of the past six Heisman Trophy winners and has littered the NFL with its former players, doesn't seem to be under such a powerful microscope.
The Trojans played for at least a share of the national championship for three straight seasons from 2003-05, winning an Associated Press title the first season and a BCS title the later. But USC coach Pete Carroll wasn't heavily criticized after the Trojans lost to Texas 41-38 in the 2006 Rose Bowl, a game in which his late-game strategy might have cost his team a national championship. Most people believed the Trojans were just beaten by a great player, Texas quarterback Vince Young.
USC seemed to get a free pass even after it was upset by Stanford 24-23 last season, a stunning loss that ultimately knocked the Trojans out of the national championship race.
In a city consumed with so much, Los Angeles doesn't seem to live and die with the Trojans each Saturday. The smog-filled sky doesn't fall after each loss. As a result, Carroll doesn't face quite the same pressure as coaches at such schools as Ohio State and Oklahoma, where State U seems to be the only team that matters.
USC's lofty expectations don't seem to be as overwhelming, either. Late last month, when the Trojans were selected as a unanimous choice to win their seventh straight Pac-10 championship, Carroll said, "It's cool. It's a beautiful thing."
Sometimes we're held to a higher standard than other schools. It's good because you're in the spotlight and get a lot of attention. It's hard because the expectations are always so high. That's Ohio State's tradition.
--Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins
Things couldn't be more beautiful at Ohio State -- or so it would seem. Tressel has won 82 percent of his games, four Big Ten championships and the 2002 national title. He reversed the Buckeyes' losing streak against rival Michigan and has reigned over the Big Ten like few coaches before him.
But as Ohio State opens another season with national championship aspirations, it has become the butt of jokes and, for many college football fans, is Example A for why the BCS system of determining a national champion isn't working. After winning 23 games the past two seasons, the Buckeyes were embarrassed by SEC schools in two straight BCS championship games.
Florida beat Ohio State 41-14 in 2006, and LSU whipped the Buckeyes 38-24 in '07.
For the Buckeyes, just earning a chance to win a national championship isn't good enough anymore. Finishing second simply isn't good enough.
"Sometimes we're held to a higher standard than other schools," Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "It's good because you're in the spotlight and get a lot of attention. It's hard because the expectations are always so high. That's Ohio State's tradition."
Tressel said he believes most people, particularly those in the media, don't appreciate the difficulty in simply reaching the BCS championship game.
"When you're covering the game, everyone is there," Tressel said. "It wasn't that hard. They got on a plane and went there and their job is to write about it. How hard was it to get there? It was no different than getting to any other game. To the people that cover it, it wasn't hard. To the X-number of people that have never been in it, they think it's next to impossible."
In each of the past two seasons, Tressel has learned that winning a second national championship is difficult.
"Does that bother me?" Tressel said. "I like to analyze our shortcoming as much as anybody does. I happen to think we're capable of anything. I love to try to get there."
Most college football fans love to beat up the Buckeyes -- and the Big Ten Conference -- for losing on college football's biggest stage. Ohio State is 0-9 against SEC schools in bowl games. Big Ten teams lost badly to USC in the past two Rose Bowls (Illinois in '08, Michigan in '07).
So after Ohio State seemed so overwhelmed in the past two BCS championship games, it was criticized for playing in a weak conference. Not only are the Buckeyes expected to carry the flag for their school and state, but they've also become the face of the Big Ten.
"Should that paint a picture of our whole conference? I don't think so," Tressel said. "But it also makes me feel disappointed that our performance in two championship games brushes with a wider brush. I don't think it's fair. But what I think and what you think doesn't matter. What happens in the games is what matters."
The Buckeyes have won three consecutive Big Ten championships and have lost only two of their past 24 games against conference foes. For many fans outside the Big Ten, it seems too easy.
"Maybe we should put some people in our shoes," Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman said. "It's tough going through the Big Ten. It's brutal. Teams come at you each and every week, and they're always tough, hard-nosed football games. It's a very, very tough thing to do."
Tougher than most people believe, if you ask the Buckeyes.
"When you're getting talked bad about and hated on and stuff, you've got to be doing something right for people to be talking about you," Buckeyes linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "If you're just a mediocre team, people aren't going to talk about you. People are going to have their own opinion. Hopefully, people in Big Ten country will stick up for the Big Ten. I think the Big Ten is talked about in more of a negative light than it should be. It's a terrific conference and a first-class conference; I truly believe that."
And you better believe that -- fair or not -- nothing short of holding up the crystal trophy in Miami on Jan. 8 will curtail the criticism.

Buckeyes Ranked 3rd According to Rivals.com

This is Rivals.com review of the Ohio State Buckeyes whom they have ranked 3rd behind Georgia (2) and USC (1).

Coach: Jim Tressel (73-15 in seven seasons; 208-72-2 overall in 22 seasons). | Staff
In 2007: 11-2 overall, 7-1 in Big Ten (first in league). | Highlights
Returning starters: Offense—9. Defense—9. Special teams—2 | Depth Chart
Key losses: Offense—T Kirk Barton. Defense—E Vernon Gholston, LB Larry Grant.
Final 2007 Rivals.com ranking: 6th. | Complete Final 2007 Rankings
2008 Breakdown: Offense | Defense | Special teams | Coaching | Schedule | Depth Chart

OFFENSE
THE SCHEME: Jim Bollman is the coordinator, but Jim Tressel's fingerprints are all over the offense. The Buckeyes have come a long way from their "3-yards-and-a-cloud-dust" days, featuring a unit that has as many varied looks as anybody in the nation. The arrival of heralded quarterback recruit Terrelle Pryor likely means Ohio State will revert to some of the spread schemes it used when Troy Smith piloted the ship from 2005-06. That worked out well, as Smith won the Heisman in 2006 en route to taking the Buckeyes to the BCS title game.




Running back Chris Wells wasn't completely healthy last season but still rushed for 1,609 yards.
STAR POWER: Is there a better running back in America than junior Chris Wells? He rambled for 1,609 yards and 15 TDs last season, and his 222-yard effort vs. Michigan means he'll never again have to buy a meal in Columbus. And get this: Wells did it all last season on a bum ankle and with a broken bone in a hand. Just think of what this freakish combination of power and speed will do when he's 100 percent – 2,000 yards and the Heisman Trophy, anyone?

IMPACT NEWCOMER: All eyes are on Pryor, the No. 1 recruit in the nation. Ohio State won a protracted and highly publicized battle with Michigan and Penn State for Pryor's signature. News flash: Pryor didn't come to Columbus to redshirt. That means returning starter Todd Boeckman is going to have to share his seat, even though he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media. Look for Ohio State to handle Pryor the same way Florida did Tim Tebow during his freshman season in 2006, getting 10-15 snaps a game. That plan worked well for the Gators, who won the BCS national title. And Tebow proceeded to win the Heisman as a sophomore last season. Hmmmm.

IT'S HIS TIME: The legacy of great Buckeyes wide receivers is long. Recent vintage has given us Joey Galloway, Terry Glenn, David Boston, Michael Jenkins, Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr. Senior Brian Robiskie is ready to join that vaunted fraternity. He emerged as a top target last season, grabbing 55 passes for 935 yards and 11 TDs. Robiskie will have ample opportunity to amp up those numbers if defenses sell out to stop the run. And if foes opt to blanket Robiskie, blue-collar counterpart Brian Hartline is equipped to make them pay.

STRONGEST AREA: The line will be killer. NFL scouts already are clamoring for left tackle Alex Boone, center Jim Cordle and left guard Steve Rehring. Right guard Ben Person is just a notch below that trio. The only hole to fill is at right tackle, but staffers feel sophomore Bryant Browning – from Cleveland Glenville, which has sent so many big-time players to Columbus –will prove more than capable.

BIGGEST PROBLEM:The offense is searching for a fullback, but the coaches will find some big lug to serve as Wells' escort. The $64,000 question in Columbus: Can Ohio State make effective use of Pryor without disrupting the chemistry of what looks like a dynamite attack? Florida was able to pull it off because then-starting quarterback Chris Leak had the disposition to make it work. And Tebow is a team guy. Can Boeckman and Pryor co-exist?

OVERVIEW: Wells is the focal point of the offense, which means he has to stay healthy. But when he needs a blow, there are several capable replacements - including sophomore Brandon Saine. He's the team's fastest back and could see an expanded role as a receiver. Senior Maurice Wells also is a viable option. With the ground game humming behind a strong line, it will be key for Boeckman to play within himself. The last we saw of him, Boeckman was floundering. In the last three games of '07, he committed seven turnovers (six picks and a fumble) with just two touchdown tosses. Not good. Now, Pryor will be looking over his shoulder.

0
That's the number of road losses in the past two seasons. Ohio State could have a difficult time staying perfect away from Columbus for a third consecutive season with games at USC and Wisconsin.
GRADE: A

DEFENSE
THE SCHEME: Ohio State operates out of a 4-3 scheme, and coaches like to rely on the front four getting pressure without benefit of the blitz. That allows the secondary to play more varied coverages. But the Buckeyes aren't averse to mixing things up and bringing heat at unconventional times from unconventional places.

STAR POWER: Senior middle linebacker James Laurinaitis already is considered an Ohio State great. That he shunned the NFL and opted to return for his senior season cements his status as a legend. Laurinaitis is coming off a stellar season that saw him claim Big Ten defensive player of the year honors as well as the Butkus Award. He won the Nagurski Award in 2006. His trophy case should get even more full after this season.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: It will be difficult for any newcomer to have much of an impact on this veteran squad. But keep an eye on true freshman linebacker Etienne Sabino, who enrolled early and impressed in spring drills. He could be a key player off the bench at strongside linebacker behind new starter Curtis Terry for an outstanding corps that also features Marcus Freeman on the weak side.

IT'S HIS TIME: With end Vernon Gholston gone early to the NFL after notching a school single-season record 14 sacks last season, the role of tormenting quarterbacks has fallen to junior end Lawrence Wilson. He was primed to break out last season, but his season ended with a broken leg in the opener. Wilson's skills remind many of former Ohio State great Will Smith, with a quick initial step to the outside coupled with a powerful inside punch.

STRONGEST AREA: All three units are worthy of mention, but the secondary may be a cut above all of them. Cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, as with Laurinaitis, shocked many by opting to return for his senior season. Jenkins is a prototype NFL corner, blending good size (6-1/201) with good speed. The safety tandem of Kurt Coleman (strong) and Anderson Russell (free) often gets overlooked, but their presence allows Jenkins to play more aggressively knowing he has his back covered. Junior Andre Amos is one to watch at the other corner spot. He missed most of last season with a knee injury but has impressed. Amos could win the job over junior Donald Washington, who could face discipline after encountering off-field issues.

BIGGEST PROBLEM: If you look hard enough, you can find a few nits to pick. One of the biggest is the production of the tackles. It would help if the big guys became more proficient at generating pressure up the middle. The quartet of Todd Denlinger, Nader Abdallah, Doug Worthington and Dexter Larimore are back in the middle, but they need to generate more than the five sacks they combined for last season.

OVERVIEW: It will be difficult to top last season's defense, which ranked No. 1 in the nation by allowing just 233.0 yards and 12.7 points per game. But it's possible, given the array and abundance of talent that's on hand. One area staffers are emphasizing is turnovers (the Buckeyes generated only 19 takeaways in '07). But as long as this defense holds the line on last season's numbers, the Buckeyes will be poised for at least a share of a fourth consecutive Big Ten title.
GRADE: A

SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker Ryan Pretorius is steady and dependable – 18 of 23, including 6-for-7 from beyond 40 yards – but he had four attempts blocked last season. A.J. Trapasso enters his fourth season as the punter, coming off a season in which he averaged 41.5 yards and was a Ray Guy semifinalist. The one area that needs the biggest improvement is kick returns. Ohio State ranked 118th in the nation, averaging just 17.7 yards per return. That's shameful for a roster that teems with athletic ability. Wide receiver Ray Small will get another shot, but look for Saine and Maurice Wells, among others, to get looks. Punt returns are in good hands with veterans such as Robiskie, Hartline and Small. The coverage units also need to get better. Ohio State gave up two kickoff returns for touchdowns and a punt return for a score.
GRADE: B
COACHING
Tressel has shown in seven seasons that he may deserve a spot alongside Woody Hayes in Buckeyes lore when all is said and done. Tressel already has delivered a national title (2002) and gotten Ohio State to two more BCS title games (2006, 2007). And don't forget about the four Big Ten titles. Even better: He has mastered Michigan, owning a 6-1 record vs. "that school to the north." Tressel has built a stable staff that is a good blend of age and youth. Offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, quarterback coach Joe Daniels (who is battling health problems) and defensive coordinator Jim Heacock are sage hands. Co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell is one of the game's rising stars and is on the fast track. Assistant head coach/receivers coach Darrell Hazell also is one to watch.
GRADE: A
DATE OPPONENT
Aug. 30 Youngstown State
Sept. 6 Ohio U.
Sept. 13 at USC
Sept. 20 Troy
Sept. 27 Minnesota
Oct. 4 at Wisconsin
Oct. 11 Purdue
Oct. 18 at Michigan State
Oct. 25 Penn State
Nov. 8 at Northwestern
Nov. 15 at Illinois
Nov. 22 Michigan

SCHEDULE
The showdown at USC – the schools' first meeting since 1990 – will be one of the most anticipated regular-season games in recent memory. Even if the Buckeyes lose, there will be ample time for them to crawl back up the polls. If Ohio State wins, it may ride atop the polls at No. 1 all the way to the BCS title game. Why? Because after the visit to L.A., the Buckeyes have only two truly scary games: at Wisconsin and at Illinois. The Badgers have been an especially troublesome foe, winning three of the past five meetings. Ohio State should be motivated to whip Illinois after the Illini toppled the top-ranked Buckeyes last season in Columbus. What about the visit from Penn State, you ask? Well, the Nittany Lions are 0-7 in the Horseshoe since joining the Big Ten. Enough said. The season-ending game with Michigan? Tressel is 6-1 vs. the Wolverines, including 3-0 in Columbus. He's a lock to make it 7-1. Cue the fight song!

OUTLOOK
Go ahead and sing a few bars of "Carmen Ohio." And stop by the Varsity Club on West Lane Avenue for a couple of tall, cold ones. This looks like a great team, and the excitement along the banks of the Olentangy is more intense than usual. This edition of the Buckeyes may be better than the previous two, which advanced to the BCS title game. But unlike the 2006 and 2007 Buckeyes who got thumped in the championship game, these Buckeyes may finish the job. The roster is full of veteran talent, boasting nine returning starters on both sides of the ball. Two cherries on top: the kicker and punter also return. What's it all mean? Ohio State is primed to advance to the title game for the third season in a row.

OFFENSE
QB Todd Boeckman *, 6-4/244, Sr.
Terrelle Pryor, 6-6/225, Fr.
TB Chris Wells *, 6-1/237, Jr.
Brandon Saine, 6-1/217, Soph.
FB Curtis Terry, 6-1/229, Sr.
Ryan Lukens, 6-0/238, Sr.
WR Brian Robiskie *, 6-3/199, Sr.
Taurian Washington, 6-2/179, Soph.
WR Brian Hartline *, 6-2/186, Jr.
Ray Small, 5-11/180, Jr.
TE Rory Nicol *, 6-5/252, Sr.
Jake Ballard, 6-6/256, Jr.
LT Alex Boone *, 6-8/312, Sr.
Jon Skinner, 6-5/305, Sr.
LG Steve Rehring *, 6-7/345, Sr.
Kyle Mitchum, 6-3/291, Sr.
C Jim Cordle *, 6-4/297, Jr.
Michael Brewster, 6-5/300, Fr.
RG Ben Person *, 6-3/323, Sr.
J.B. Shugarts, 6-8/300, Fr.
RT Bryant Browning, 6-4/312, Soph.
Evan Blankenship, 6-3/290, R-Fr.
K Ryan Pretorius *, 5-9/169, Sr.
KR Maurice Wells, 5-10/196, Sr.
DEFENSE
E Lawrence Wilson, 6-4/274, Jr.
Thad Gibson, 6-2/240, Soph.
T Todd Denlinger, 6-2/292, Jr.
Dexter Larimore, 6-2/300, Soph.
T Doug Worthington *, 6-6/276, Jr.
Nader Abdallah *, 6-4/300, Sr.
E Cameron Heyward *, 6-6/287, Soph.
Tom Ingham, 6-1/243Jr.
WLB Marcus Freeman *, 6-1/239, Sr.
Ross Homan, 6-0/229, Soph.
MLB James Laurinaitis *, 6-3/240, Sr.
Austin Spitler, 6-3/234, Jr.
SLB Curtis Terry, 6-1/229, Sr.
Tyler Moeller, 6-0/216, Soph.
CB Donald Washington *, 6-0/194, Jr.
Andre Amos, 6-1/183, Jr.
CB Malcolm Jenkins *, 6-1/201, Sr.
Chimdi Chekwa, 6-0/188, Soph.
FS Anderson Russell *, 6-0/205, Jr.
Aaron Gant, 6-0/194, Soph.
SS Kurt Coleman *, 5-11/188, Jr.
Jamario O'Neal, 6-0/205, Sr.
P A.J. Trapasso *, 6-0/229, Sr.
PR Brian Robiskie, 6-3/199, Sr.

(NOTE: *--denotes returning starter; %--denotes returning starter who has changed positions.)

Top Recruiting Classes for 2009 and Top 100 Players

2009 Top Recruiting Classes and Top 100 Players

It is still relatively early in the recruiting process for the Class of 2009, but several schools are already beginning to fill up their recruiting classes with commitments from some of the nation's top prospects.
Rivals.com national recruiting editor Jeremy Crabtree takes a look at how the top 25 currently stands and gives us his take on those teams' efforts.
This first sampling of the team rankings is based strictly on rated high school players - neither junior college nor prep school prospects have been ranked at this time.

Team rankings top 25
1. Ohio State
2009 total commits: 23
Headliner: Dorian Bell
2008 class rank: 4 The Buckeyes have assembled the nation's best class with one five-star commitment and 16 four-star pledges. They also have a whopping 23 commitments, the most in the nation. But the class isn't just about quantity. It's about quality. Five-star linebacker Dorian Bell is a major catch, as are Jamie Wood, Justin Green and C.J. Barnett.
2. USC
2009 total commits: 14
Headliner: Matt Barkley
2008 class rank: 8 The Trojans are in a familiar spot – near the top of the recruiting rankings. The class is headlined by the nation's No. 1 player, quarterback Matt Barkley, but he's not the only future star. Five-star prospect Vontaze Burfict is a headhunter at linebacker, two-way star Randall Carroll is one of the nation's fastest players and some insiders believe five-star athlete Patrick Hall is the best prospect in the class – including Barkley. USC also has reloaded at receiver.
3. Texas
2009 total commits: 19
Headliner: Garrett Gilbert
2008 class rank: 14 The Longhorns are always near the top of the rankings at the start and at the finish, so it's no surprise to see them at No. 3 now. The class features one five-star player, 11 four-star prospects and seven three-star guys. Five-star quarterback Garrett Gilbert is back from an injury that has kept him on the shelf for a while, and he should have a big senior season. End Alex Okafor is one of the best defensive players in the nation. Texas has gone heavy on defense early and has landed some quality players, especially at tackle with Calvin Howell and Derek Johnson.
4. Michigan
2009 total commits: 12
Headliner: William Campbell
2008 class rank: 10 Who said Rich Rodriguez was going to struggle recruiting top players to Ann Arbor? After seeing what he was able to do down the stretch - and then to start off this way - there should be no doubt that he's going to be a successful recruiter in the Big Ten. Michigan's class is only 12 deep at this point, but it has top-shelf recruits. Five-star defensive tackle William Campbell has been as impressive as anybody in the nation this offseason. The Wolverines have added play-making receivers for the future with Bryce McNeal and Dewayne Peace. Running back looks to be solid for the future, too, with Jeremy Gallon and Fitzgerald Toussaint on board.
5. LSU
2009 total commits: 13
Headliner: Russell Shepard
2008 class rank: 11 The Tigers always are a factor when it comes to national recruiting rankings, so it's no shocker to see LSU at No. 5. The 13 players include one of the best players to come out of Houston since Vince Young in quarterback Russell Shepard. The Tigers also have done a lot of damage in Texas with the additions of four-star athlete Dexter Pratt and four-star defensive end Michael Brockers. They've also cleaned up in their backyard with big pledges from cornerback Janzen Jackson, offensive lineman Chris Faulk and running back Michael Ford. What's also impressive is that LSU continues to go into rival SEC schools' territories and do damage.
6. Florida State
2009 total commits: 12
Headliner: Jacobbi McDaniel
2008 class rank: 9 The Seminoles are off to a solid start. Five-star defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel is one of the most dominating players in the nation, and offensive standouts such as four-star prospects Willie Downs, Chris Thompson and Willie Haulstead give this class plenty of punch. FSU also has a pledge from arguably the nation's top kicker in Dustin Hopkins. FSU fans have to be pleased with the way things have started.
7. Georgia
2009 total commits: 11
Headliner: Aaron Murray
2008 class rank: 7 Georgia again has done a great job landing many of the top players in its backyard, such as four-star offensive lineman Chris Burnette, four-star running back Washaun Ealey and four-star defensive tackle Abry Jones. But what makes this class even more special is Georgia's ability to go out and pull in highly touted quarterback Aaron Murray out of Florida. Georgia also landed a potential star in four-star offensive lineman Austin Long out of Memphis.
8. Clemson
2009 total commits: 10
Headliner: Craig Loston
2008 class rank: 12 The Tigers continue to do wonders on the recruiting front, and not just in their home state. What also gives this class a nice early boost is the commitment from the nation's No. 1 safety prospect, Craig Loston, from Houston. In-state, Clemson has scored four-star pledges from Malliciah Goodman, DeVonte Holloman and J.K. Jay. There's still plenty of work to do - there are just 10 commitments - but it's a good start.
9. Oklahoma
2009 total commits: 14
Headliner: Ronnell Lewis
2008 class rank: 6 While this group might not contain the typical star power we've seen in years past for the Sooners, this group still is solid enough to rank in the top 10. The Sooners have 14 commitments, headlined by eight-man star Ronnell Lewis, Las Vegas defensive end Justin Chaisson and cover man Steve Williams. Insiders also are excited about the linebacker class of Lewis, Tom Wort, Jaydan Bird, Gus Jones and Brandon Mahoney.
10. Michigan State
2009 total commits: 9
Headliner: Edwin Baker
2008 class rank: 47 For all the headlines that have been grabbed in Columbus and Ann Arbor, Mark Dantonio and the Spartans have been overlooked a bit. Michigan State has tapped into the in-state talent in one of the deepest years in Michigan in recent memory. Running back Edwin Baker and linebacker Chris Norman are outstanding players. But when you see other talented guys such as Andrew Maxwell, Blake Treadwell, Larry Caper and Donald Spencer aboard, you know things are going well. Michigan State also will do well in Ohio this season, as evidenced by the addition of fast-rising receiver Patrick White.
11. Rutgers
2009 total commits: 18
Headliner: Tom Savage
2008 class rank: 46 The Scarlet Knights have done a tremendous job of reeling in some of the top talent in the East. It's a large class so far – 18 commitments – and it should be fun to see where Rutgers finishes with a late run of talent from the South.
12. Texas A&M
2009 total commits: 17
Headliner: Ivory Wade
2008 class rank: 16 A&M has 18 commitments and the class is loaded with help on the offensive line and in the secondary. The Aggies should close strong if they show signs of progress on the field.
13. Florida
2009 total commits: 7
Headliner: Nick Alajajian
2008 class rank: 3 This probably is only a temporary spot for the Gators - there just is too much talent interested in playing in The Swamp for UF not to finish in the top 10. The early class of seven is flat-out scary.
14. Tennessee
2009 total commits: 11
Headliner: Josh Nunes
2008 class rank: 35 Nobody in the SEC gets into recruiting more than Phillip Fulmer. UT's class of 11 features two solid quarterbacks, tremendous depth at running back and a solid offensive line group.
15. Mississippi State
2009 total commits: 10
Headliner: Fletcher Cox
2008 class rank: 44 The days of Mississippi State being down seem to be over. The Bulldogs have improved on the field and now they are making strides on the recruiting front. The defensive class so far is special.
16. Miami
2009 total commits: 8
Headliner: Bryce Brown
2008 class rank: 5 The Hurricanes have just eight commitments, but it's a really nice start. Expect Miami to climb the charts as things go deeper into the season, especially with the way it has had success in south Florida recently.
17. North Carolina
2009 total commits: 12
Headliner: Donte Moss
2008 class rank: 32 UNC has 12 pledges, and what it has done on defense has been impressive. Two solid defensive backs, a standout linebacker and stars on the defensive line make this a great start for the Heels.
18. Virginia
2009 total commits: 18
Headliner: Dominique Wallace
2008 class rank: 61 Virginia has 18 commitments, including some who aren't ranked yet. But the ones that are ranked should help boost the talent on campus quickly, especially on defense.
19. Penn State
2009 total commits: 12
Headliner: Eric Shrive
2008 class rank: 43 The class of 13 commitments is loaded with some big-time talent on defense. The defensive back class should rank among the nation's best, and plenty of help on the offensive line is on the way.
20. Notre Dame
2009 total commits: 9
Headliner: Cierre Wood
2008 class rank: 2 Notre Dame should close strong, and its current class of nine commitments is solid. A good start has been made at linebacker and defensive tackle, and the committed running backs have chances to be special for the Irish.
21. West Virginia
2009 total commits: 11
Headliner: Tajh Boyd
2008 class rank: 42 WVU's class hasn't been talked about, but there is plenty of offensive firepower - which should help keep the Mountaineers near the top of the rankings.
22. UCLA
2009 total commits: 7
Headliner: Richard Brehaut
2008 class rank: 13 The Bruins took a hit when Byron Moore decommitted in favor of USC, but UCLA still is off to a nice start. The defensive back class definitely is one of the nation's best so far.
23. Auburn
2009 total commits: 14
Headliner: Rodney Scott
2008 class rank: 20 The Tigers' class of 17 players definitely is defense-oriented. Auburn always does a great job of finding – and developing – defensive talent, and this group should be no exception. Watch out for unranked Reggie Taylor. He's a potential star.
24. Stanford
2009 total commits: 7
Headliner: Shayne Skov
2008 class rank: 50 Quietly, Jim Harbaugh is putting together one of the nation's best classes. Much as with West Virginia, nobody is talking about Stanford. But things definitely look like they're on the way up in Palo Alto.
25. Alabama
2009 total commits: 8
Headliner: Trent Richardson
2008 class rank: 1 Last year's recruiting national champions start off at No. 25 in the first edition of the rankings. The offensive line class is solid, and the Tide look to have their quarterback and running backs of the future.
JUST MISSED:
Missouri, Kansas, Wisconsin, USF, Georgia Tech, TCU and Texas Tech. Missouri and Kansas have put together the best classes in the Big 12 North, which isn't a big surprise based on last season's results. Wisconsin has been on a nice run lately after a strong group of players attended the Badgers' camp. USF continues to be one of the nation's most overlooked programs, but Jim Leavitt continues to bring in top talent in Tampa. Georgia Tech has done a nice job locally and added plenty of offensive playmakers. TCU and Texas Tech have done a nice job of keeping in-state talent at home.

2009 Top 100 Prospects
2009 Rank Pos Ht/Wt Schools
1 Matt Barkley
Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei QB 6-3/226 USC
Remains at No. 1. Righty threw for 3,560 yards and 35 TDs in 2007.
2 Jamarkus McFarland
Lufkin (TX) Lufkin DT 6-3/280 list
Had 67 solo tackles, 18 TFLs and six sacks as a junior.
3 Cierre Wood
Oxnard (CA) Santa Clara RB 6-0/192 Notre Dame
Ran for more than 2,600 yards and scored 42 TDs in 2007.
4 Russell Shepard
Houston (TX) Cypress Ridge QB 6-1/179 LSU
Was amazing at the Baton Rouge NIKE Camp.
5 Devon Kennard
Phoenix (AZ) Desert Vista DE 6-3/257 list
Had more than 100 tackles and two dozen sacks on the year.
6 Rueben Randle
Bastrop (LA) Bastrop WR 6-3/195 list
A key offensive weapon on state championship team at receiver is moving to QB as senior.
7 Manti Te'o
Honolulu (HI) Punahou LB 6-2/230 list
Recorded 90 tackles, five sacks and rushed for 400 yards and 10 TDs as a junior.
8 Jacobbi McDaniel
Greenville (FL) Madison DT 6-0/267 Florida State
The top defensive lineman at the U.S. Army All-American Combine in San Antonio.
9 Bryce Brown
Wichita (KS) Wichita East RB 6-0/215 Miami
Two-time all-state selection and brother of Miami linebacker Arthur Brown.
10 Jelani Jenkins
Wheaton (MD) Our Lady Of Good Counsel LB 6-1/212 list
Film is amazing.
11 Vontaze Burfict
Corona (CA) Centennial LB 6-2/244 USC
Moves up a few slots after destroying the competition at the Los Angeles NIKE Camp.
12 Donte Moss
Jacksonville (NC) Northside DE 6-4/235 North Carolina
Relentless defensive end that also rushed for 15 scores in 2007.
13 Dre Kirkpatrick
Gadsden (AL) Gadsden City DB 6-2/180 list
Six interceptions as a junior; great year for cornerbacks overall.
14 Patrick Hall
Ventura (CA) St. Bonaventure ATH 6-1/181 USC
Lines up all over the field on defense; highlight clips just released.
15 Garrett Gilbert
Austin (TX) Lake Travis QB 6-3/186 Texas
Threw for 4,826 yards and 52 TDs and rushed for 400 yards and six TDs in 2007.
16 William Campbell
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech DT 6-5/317 Michigan
Moves up a few spots after a great effort at the State College NIKE Camp.
17 Marlon Brown
Memphis (TN) Harding Academy WR 6-5/205 list
Had 41 catches for 861 yards and six TDs to go along with 629 yards rushing and 10 TDs.
18 Chris Davenport
Mansfield (LA) Mansfield DT 6-4/318 list
Recorded 120 tackles, 20 TFLs and 18 sacks as a junior.
19 Randall Carroll
Los Angeles (CA) Cathedral WR 5-10/175 USC
Averaged 12 yards per carry in 2007; ran a sub-10.5 100-meter this spring.
20 Darius Winston
West Helena (AR) Central DB 6-0/180 list
Plays corner, wide receiver and returns kicks and punts. Is top-ranked player in Arkansas.
21 Craig Loston
Aldine (TX) Eisenhower DB 6-2/193 Clemson
Loves to come up from the safety spot and lay the wood.
22 Morgan Moses
Richmond (VA) Meadowbrook OL 6-7/347 list
Measured 6-7, 343 at Rivals Five-Star Academy and dropped off this eye-opening film.
23 Dorian Bell
Monroeville (PA) Gateway LB 6-0/226 Ohio State
Recorded 131 tackles, 25 TFLs and had 11 sacks in 2007.
24 Shaquelle Evans
Inglewood (CA) Inglewood WR 6-0/203 list
Caught 30 passes for 608 yards and three TDs, also returned a kickoff for a score.
25 Gabe Lynn
Jenks (OK) Jenks DB 6-0/185 list
One of the better kick returners in the country. Takes one back 107 yards here.
26 Jamie Wood
Pickerington (OH) Central DB 6-2/190 Ohio State
Recorded 65 tackles and had 550 yards receiving in 2007.
27 Trent Richardson
Pensacola (FL) Escambia RB 5-11/210 Alabama
Ran for more than 1,500 yards in 2007.
28 Melvin Fellows
Garfield Heights (OH) Garfield Heights DE 6-5/245 Ohio State
Recorded 92 tackles, seven sacks and nine batted passes in 2007.
29 Rolando Jefferson
Fresno (CA) Edison WR 6-2/190 list
Averaged more than 24 yards a catch and had 11 TDs in 2007.
30 Nico Johnson
Andalusia (AL) Andalusia LB 6-3/226 list
Devastating striker. 28 TFLs over the last two seasons.
31 Andre Debose
Sanford (FL) Seminole WR 6-0/170 list
Want to see a player with an extra gear? Click here.
32 Logan Thomas
Lynchburg (VA) Brookville School ATH 6-6/233 list
Athletic quarterback that could move to receiver, tight end or linebacker in college.
33 Jheranie Boyd
Gastonia (NC) Ashbrook WR 6-2/184 list
Averaged 24.5 ypc. Has run a 22.1 200-meter.
34 Shayne Skov
Pawling (NY) Trinity Pawling LB 6-2/225 Stanford
Big mover: Improved dramatically this spring, showing great burst to go along with great size at State College NIKE Camp.
35 Malliciah Goodman
Florence (SC) West Florence DE 6-4/255 Clemson
Big mover: Rivals.com analyst Barry Every: "He has the biggest hands I've ever seen."
36 Alex Okafor
Pflugerville (TX) Pflugerville DE 6-4/232 Texas
Big mover: His performance at the Ft Worth Nike Camp was just flat out dominating. He was very quick off the ball, and was unstoppable.
37 Michael Philipp
San Bernardino (CA) Arroyo Valley OL 6-3/320 list
Could be a guard, tackle or center.
38 Xavier Nixon
Fayetteville (NC) Jack Britt OL 6-6/263 list
One of the top linemen at the U.S. Army All-American Combine.
39 Jarvis Jones
Columbus (GA) Carver LB 6-3/226 list
Led his team to the 2007 4A state championship.
40 Jaamal Berry
Miami (FL) Miami Palmetto RB 5-10/185 list
Rushed for 1,033 yards and 14 TDs in 2007.
41 Garrett Porter
Odessa (TX) Permian OL 6-6/308 Texas
Could play either tackle spot and carries a 4.0 GPA.
42 D.J. Fluker
Foley (AL) Foley DT 6-7/325 Alabama
Recorded 78 tackles and had seven sacks on the season.
43 Patrick Patterson
Macon (MS) Noxubee County WR 6-3/215 list
Led team to state finals in 2007 with 72 catches for 1,424 yards.
44 Mason Walters
Wolfforth (TX) Frenship OL 6-6/290 Texas
May be the largest high school center we've ever seen.
45 Tom Savage
Springfield (PA) Cardinal O'Hara QB 6-4/217 Rutgers
Has the skill set to move up in the rankings, but missed his junior year with injury.
46 Chris Watt
Glen Ellyn (IL) Glenbard West OL 6-3/280 list
Rated top player in Illinois.
47 Willie Downs
Tallahassee (FL) Godby WR 6-2/192 Florida State
Line him up on offense or defense - he's a playmaker on either side of the ball.
48 Kraig Appleton
East St. Louis (IL) East St. Louis WR 6-3/190 list
Led team to state finals in 2007 with 59 receptions and 15 TDs. 21.3 200-meter.
49 Justin Turner
Massillon (OH) Washington DB 6-2/186 Michigan
Recorded 40 tackles, three INTs, five TFLs and returned 11 kicks for 355 yards.
50 Aaron Murray
Tampa (FL) Plant QB 6-0/198 Georgia
Threw for 4,012 yards and 51 TDs, also was first-team all-state in 2007.
51 Je'Ron Stokes
Philadelphia (PA) Northeast WR 6-1/178 Tennessee
Had 28 catches for 617 yards and six TDs as a junior.
52 Jon Bostic
Wellington (FL) Palm Beach Central LB 6-1/218 list
Big mover: Rivals.com analyst Jamie Newberg said he was the hottest prospect in the South this spring.
53 Kendrick Hardy
Monticello (MS) Lawrence County RB 6-0/210 list
Rushed for 2,103 yards and 29 TDs while recording 44 tackles.
54 Branden Smith
Atlanta (GA) Washington DB 5-11/171 list
Speedster plays offense, defense and returns kicks.
55 Nick Alajajian
Naples (FL) Naples OL 6-4/280 Florida
Polished and menacing lineman on 3A state championship team.
56 C.J. Barnett
Clayton (OH) Northmont DB 6-1/181 Ohio State
Was the sixth Ohio State pledge in this class.
57 Jordan Whiting
Louisville (KY) Trinity LB 6-0/230 Ohio State
Has already been a part of two state championship games.
58 Frankie Telfort
Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep LB 5-11/197 list
Undersized linebacker with a lot of pop.
59 Christine Michael
Beaumont (TX) West Brook RB 5-11/195 list
Rushed for 2,556 yards and 45 TDs over the last two seasons.
60 Ronnie Wingo Jr.
St. Louis (MO) University ATH 6-3/212 list
Won the 200 meters for his age group at Junior Olympics.
61 Marcus Hall
Cleveland (OH) Glenville Academic Campus OL 6-5/290 list
Imposing line prospect. May be the best left tackle prospect in the country.
62 Edwin Baker
Oak Park (MI) Oak Park RB 5-10/204 Michigan State
Averaged 11.5 yards per carry over six games last year.
63 David Wilson
Danville (VA) George Washington ATH 5-11/192 list
Big mover: An explosive athlete as his film and tremendous triple jump numbers in track speak to.
64 Kevin Brent
Dallas (TX) South Oak Cliff DB 5-11/196 list
Recorded 86 tackles and three interceptions in just nine games.
65 Tana Patrick
Stevenson (AL) North Jackson LB 6-3/215 list
Recorded 72 tackles and caught 15 passes as a junior.
66 Eddie Lacy
Geismar (LA) Dutchtown RB 5-11/200 list
Rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2007.
67 Justin Green
Louisville (KY) Male DB 5-10/178 Ohio State
More than 2,000 all-purpose yards last season. Has run a 10.54 100-meter.
68 Orson Charles
Tampa (FL) Plant TE 6-2/216 list
Will play with QB Murray this fall.
69 Sam Montgomery
Greenwood (SC) Greenwood DE 6-4/230 list
Recorded 65 tackles, 15 sacks and 20 TFLs
70 Michael Carter
Pompano Beach (FL) Ely DB 5-11/154 list
Recorded seven INTs and 15 PBUs in first year of football in 2007.
71 Jerod Askew
Chesapeake (VA) Oscar Smith LB 6-1/230 list
Big mover: Eyeballing him in May showed he's added an inch of height and plenty of muscle weight.
72 John Martinez
Salt Lake City (UT) Cottonwood Senior OL 6-3/265 list
Ultra-quick lineman who could play any position on the OL.
73 Corey Brown
Monroeville (PA) Gateway ATH 6-0/180 Ohio State
Big mover: Showed his versatility at the State College Nike Camp by dominating at corner and wide out and winning the DB MVP.
74 Darren Myles
Atlanta (GA) Carver DB 6-0/175 list
Big mover: Also versatile as he could actually play either safety position in college.
75 Eric Shrive
Scranton (PA) West Scranton OL 6-7/285 Penn State
Strong-side tackle who will be 300-plus pounds in college.
76 DeVonte Holloman
Rock Hill (SC) South Pointe DB 6-2/214 Clemson
Recorded 50 tackles and two INTs while splitting time at QB.
77 Bryce McNeal
Minneapolis (MN) Breck WR 6-2/170 Michigan
Has caught 88 passes for 1,404 yards and 13 TDs in last two years.
78 Gary Brown
Quincy (FL) West Gadsden DT 6-3/275 Florida
Recorded 26 sacks and 18 TFLs last season.
79 Damario Jeffery
Columbia (SC) Columbia ATH 6-3/215 list
Natural strong safety. Recorded 102 tackles and four INTs in 2007.
80 Chris Burnette
LaGrange (GA) Troup OL 6-2/300 Georgia
A mauling force on the inside. He's an honor student with a 4.0 GPA.
81 Kevin Graf
Agoura (CA) Agoura OL 6-6/301 USC
Will attend USC, where his father and brother played.
82 David Oku
Midwest City (OK) Carl Albert RB 5-10/186 list
Has rushed for 3,090 yards and 39 TDs in last two seasons.
83 Lamar Miller
Miami (FL) Killian RB 5-11/205 list
Rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2007.
84 Deandre Coleman
Seattle (WA) Garfield DT 6-4/295 list
Quick-footed two-way starter, recorded 45 tackles as a junior.
85 Craig Drummond
Chicago (IL) Morgan Park DE 6-5/260 list
Recorded 67 tackles and 18 sacks in 2007.
86 Donavan Tate
Cartersville (GA) Cartersville ATH 6-2/195 list
Plays QB and safety. Son of former NFL RB Lars Tate.
87 Chris Whaley
Madisonville (TX) Madisonville RB 6-3/220 Texas
Averaged 8.1 ypc and 28.6 yards per catch, scoring 30 TDs in 2007.
88 Sheldon Richardson
St. Louis (MO) Gateway High TE 6-4/281 Missouri
Recently ran a 4.7-second time at Missouri's summer camp at 6-foot-3 3/4 and 292 pounds.
89 Corey Adams
Scottsdale (AZ) Saguaro DT 6-3/277 list
Member of back-to-back state championship teams.
90 Ray Ray Armstrong
Sanford (FL) Seminole ATH 6-4/218 list
Plays quarterback and linebacker; could project at TE.
91 Janzen Jackson
Lake Charles (LA) Barbe DB 6-0/174 LSU
Recorded 93 tackles, five interceptions and 15 PBUs. Will come up and hit you.
92 Washaun Ealey
Twin City (GA) Emanuel County Institute RB 5-11/205 Georgia
The Georgia player of the year recorded 58 touchdowns in 2007.
93 Chris Bonds
Columbia (SC) Richland Northeast DT 6-4/262 list
Injured as a junior. Impressive highlights are from sophomore year.
94 Nick Kasa
Broomfield (CO) Legacy DE 6-7/245 list
Top player in Colorado. Recorded 19 sacks in the last two seasons.
95 Chris Fields
Painesville (OH) Harvey WR 6-0/181 Ohio State
Had 51 catches for 879 yards last season.
96 Jemari Roberts
Long Beach (CA) Wilson College Prep WR 6-3/200 list
Has a 3.97 GPA and speed to burn.
97 Chris Norman
Detroit (MI) Renaissance LB 6-2/207 Michigan State
Reminds his HS coach of former Wolverine star Larry Foote.
98 Ryne Giddins
Seffner (FL) Armwood DE 6-4/235 list
Recorded 21 sacks last season.
99 Ronnell Lewis
Dewar (OK) Dewar LB 6-3/220 Oklahoma
Plays eight-man ball. Rushed for 2,000 yards and recorded 11 INTs in 2007.
100 Kendall Kelly
Gadsden (AL) Gadsden City WR 6-4/210 list
Combines good size and speed. Eight TD receptions as a junior.