MAC Previews And Picks

October 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Nick Gerogosian

Fantasy College Blitz

Last week, Eastern QB Alex Gillett (right, Eastern Echo) rushed for 189 yards and two scores and completed 10-of-18 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns in a come-from-behind 41-38 overtime win at Ball State; Gillett accounted for 414 yards of total offense, ninth-best in school history.

This weekend’s previews and picks:

Central Michigan (2-5, 1-3 MAC) at Northern Illinois (5-2, 3-0 MAC)
Saturday, October 23, 2010 • 4:00 pm ET • DeKalb, Ill. • Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium (24,000) Comcast SportsNet Chicago/ ESPN Game Plan/ESPN3.com • All MACcess Web Streaming via www.mac-sports.com
Series: Central Michigan leads 24-20-1

Chippewas QB Ryan Radcliff ranks third in the nation in total passing yards (2,032), 11th in passing yards per game (290.3 ypg), and 13th in completions per game (23.4)…WR Cody Wilson ranks tied for 14th with 581 receiving yards…Central Michigan ranks 17th in the nation in passing offense (292.7 ypg).  Northern Illinois ranks 11th in the nation in rush offense (242.6) and RB Chad Spann ranks 18th (107.5 ypg)…Huskies also rank seventh in third down conversion on offense (52.13%) and 15th in the nation in time of possession (32:11)…Play two of the next three at home (vs. Central Michigan, at Western Michigan, vs. Toledo).
Nick’s Pick:        NIU 38 – Central 17
Comment:        The Chips are free falling right now while the Huskies are quickly ascending as the premier MAC West team.

Temple (5-2, 2-1 MAC) at Buffalo (2-4, 1-1 MAC)
Saturday, October 23, 2010 • Noon ET • Buffalo, N.Y. • UB Stadium (29,013)
ESPN Plus/ESPN Game Plan/ESPN3.com • Announcers: Michael Reghi, Doug Graber
Series: Buffalo leads 12-2
Notes:
Temple captured its fourth straight home win this season with a 28-27 win over Bowling Green and a school record ninth consecutive win at home…Play two of the next three on the road (at Buffalo, vs. Akron, at Kent State)…Seven of Temple’s 2010 opponents participated in postseason play the previous year.  Buffalo ranks tied for 12th in the nation in red zone defense (68%), 11th in pass defense efficiency (103.87 rating) and 20th in third down conversion defense (32.6%)…DB Domonic Cook is tied for fourth in the nation with nine passes defended and three forced fumbles and tied for 15th with three interceptions.

Nick’s Pick:        Temple 21 – Buffalo 16
Comment:        The Owls offense is falling back into their old form of non-existence.

Ohio (4-3, 3-1 MAC) at Miami (4-3, 3-0 MAC)
Saturday, October 23, 2010 • 1:00 pm ET • Oxford, Ohio • Yager Stadium (24,286)
All MACcess web streaming via www.mac-sports.com
Series: Miami leads 51-33-2
Notes:
The Bobcats are ranked 13th in the nation in red zone touchdown percentage (73.9%)…Offensive line is on pace to allow just 12 sacks this season, which is less than half the total (30) the squad allowed in 14 games in 2009…Have outgained the last four straight opponents on the ground.  Three Miami receivers combined for 378 of the RedHawks 399 yards passing in last Saturday’s 27-20 win at Central Michigan…Miami ranks 10th in the nation in time of possession (32:54) and rank 11th in the country in red zone defense (68%)…QB Zac Dysert ranks 15th in the nation with 23.0 completions per game.
Nick’s Pick:        Ohio 33 – Miami 28
Comment:        This should be the MAC game of the week; expect a real back-and-forth game giving the nod to the Bobcats on the road.

Kent State (2-4, 1-2 MAC) at Bowling Green (1-6, 0-3 MAC)
Saturday, October 23, 2010 • 3:30 pm ET • Bowling Green, Ohio • Doyt L. Perry Stadium (24,000) All MACcess web streaming via www.mac-sports.com • BCSN
Series: Bowling Green leads 55-16-6
Notes:
The Golden Flashes rank third in the nation in rush defense (77.5 ypg) and 19th in the country in total defense (302.8 ypg)…DL Roosevelt Nix leads the nation with five forced fumbles, sixth in the country with 6.5 sacks and tied for eight with 11 tackles for loss…Three of the next four at home (at Bowling Green, home vs. Ball State, Temple and Army.  BGSU WR Kamar Jorden ranks third in the nation in receptions per game (8.86), fifth in total receiving yards (697) and seventh in receiving yards per game (99.6 ypg)…LB Dwayne Woods ranks ninth in the country with 81 tackles.  Play two of the next three games at home (vs. Kent State, at Central Michigan and vs. Miami).
Nick’s Pick:        Kent State 23 – BGSU 21
Comment:        History would say the Falcons win; this is Kent State’s last chance at turning 2010 into a shot at a bowl birth, their first since 1972.

Western Michigan (2-4, 1-1 MAC) at Akron (0-7, 0-3 MAC)
Saturday, October 23, 2010 • 3:30 pm ET • Akron, Ohio • InfoCision Stadium Summa Field (30,000) SportsTime Ohio/Comcast Michigan/ESPN Game Plan/ESPN3.com • Announcers: Matt Underwood, Frank Stams
Series: Western Michigan leads 11-4
Notes:
The Broncos rank 24th in the nation in pass offense (274.7 ypg)…QB Alex Carder ranks seventh in the country in passing completions per game (25.5) and tied for 24th in passing yards per game (261.2 ypg)…DL Paul Hazel ranks 15th in the country with 5.5 sacks…DB Jamail Berry ranks tied for 15th in the nation with three interceptions.  Akron RB Alex Allen ranks eighth in the MAC with 417 yards rushing and tied for sixth in scoring with six rushing touchdowns…LB Brian Winters ranks second in the MAC with 74 tackles…DL Shawn Lemon ranks fifth in the MAC with four sacks….Play two of the next three on the road (vs. Western Michigan, at Temple, at Ball State).
Nick’s Pick:        Western 40 – Akron 17
Comment:        The Broncos should roll against the hapless Zips.

Ball State (2-5, 1-2 MAC) at Toledo (4-3, 3-0 MAC)
Saturday, October 23, 2010 • 7:00 pm ET • Toledo, Ohio • Glass Bowl (26,248)
All MACcess web streaming via www.mac-sports.com • BCSN
Series: Series tied 17-17-1
Notes: Cardinal QB Keith Wenning had a career-high three touchdowns on 16 of 29 passing for 145 yards last week vs. Eastern Michigan…RB Eric Williams ranks 24th in the nation in all-purpose running (148.6 ypg)…LB Travis Freeman ranks 24th in the country with 69 tackles…S Sean Baker ranks tied for ninth in the nation with four interceptions.  Toledo WR Eric Page ranks ninth in the nation in receptions per game (7.71) and tied for 17th in total receiving yards (580)…LB Archie Donald ranks tied for 18th in the nation with 72 tackles…Toledo ranks second in the MAC with a +5 in turnover differential…Play two of the next three on the road (vs. Ball State, at Eastern Mich., at Northern Illinois).
Nick’s Pick:        Toledo 35 – Ball State 16
Comment:        Historically the Cards have been a thorn in Toledo’s side through the years but this year’s Ball State team doesn’t seem to have much fight.

Eastern Michigan (1-6, 1-3 MAC) at Virginia (2-4, 0-3 ACC)
Saturday, October 23, 2010 • 6:00 pm ET • Charlottesville, Va. • Scott Stadium (61,500)
ESPN3.com
Series: First Meeting
Notes:
Eastern snapped 18 game losing streak with 41-38 (OT) win at Ball State last week…QB Alex Gillett set school records for rushes (35) and net rushing yards (189) in a single-game…Play three of the next four games on the road (at Virginia, vs. Toledo, at Western Michigan, at Buffalo).  The Cavs suffered a 44-10 loss to North Carolina last week…QB Marc Verica threw for 139 yards against the Tar Heels and moved into 10th place all-time passing at Virginia…RB Keith Payne scored his eighth rushing touchdown of the season against the Tar Heels, eclipsing Jameel Sewell’s team-high of seven touchdowns in 2009.
Nick’s Pick:        Virginia 34 – Eastern 7
Comment:        The Eagles got their win last week while UVa will have a much needed breather this week after getting hammered by NC last week.

Nick covers the Mid-American Conference like few others, see him at Vandelay Sports.


Filed Under: College Football, Featured Articles

Cahoon Catches 1007

October 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Alex

In the last post I discussed Don Hutson and Jerry Rice. In this piece, space will be devoted to Montreal Alouettes receiver Ben Cahoon who recorded his 1007 catch in a 46-19 victory over the Calgary Stampede moving him past the great Terry Vaughn as the all-time CFL leader for receptions.

In addition, the Utah native becomes only the ninth player in North American pro football history to nail down 1000 or more receptions. Coming into this season, Cahoon has caught for 1000 yards or more for eight straight seasons (nine in 13 seasons).

Not bad at all.

Cahoon, or Ca-hoooooooon!, as fans call him, is one of the finest athletes to ever grace the Montreal sports landscape. And there have been quite a few iconic sports figures: Jackie Robinson, Gary Carter, Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur and Jacques Villeneuve. to name a precious few.

Over the years, I’ve spoken to many football fans much older than me and they’ve all claimed Cahoon – nicknamed The Silent Assasin –  is one of the greatest receivers they’ve ever seen either in the CFL or NFL – or anywhere else. I certainly am of the opinion he’s among the best slotbacks I’ver ever seen. It’s like he has mighty putty on his hands.

Above all, Ben Cahoon is a model citizen and outstanding, humble individual. His arrival in Montreal has only enriched our sports culture and Sportsperspective salutes this great achievement.


Filed Under: Featured Articles, Pro Football Tagged With: , ,

Don Hutson Dominance Fades Into The Distance

October 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Alex

It’s not as subjective as the “Mark Messier is the greatest leader in sports history” assertion, but the “Jerry Rice is the greatest receiver ever” has an objective flaw in it as well. Its name is Don Hutson.

When I was growing up, Rice, then with the San Francisco 49ers, was arguably the top receiver in pro football. As his career evolved into a legendary one, so did the thought he was the best ever.

In its totality, Rice’s body of work is awesome. One can’t be faulted for concluding he was the best of them all. However, the thing that never sat well with me is Rice didn’t actually dominate his position for as long a period as Green Bay Packers receiver Don Hutson.

Hutson played between 1935 and 1945 (half the time of Rice’s career which lasted from 1985 to 2005 platooned between four teams) all with the Packers. In that short time frame, he led the NFL for most seasons leading in pass receptions with eight, five of those were consecutive years (1941-45 and still a record. In 1942, Hutson scored 17 touchdowns and earned 1 211 receiving yards…in 11 games) – Lionel Taylor of the Denver Broncos of the AFL  is a distant second with five – and was tops for eight of his 10 seasons played.

 He led in receiving yards for seven seasons, four consecutive seasons in most yards gained, five in leading the league in scoring and  Hutson was king of receiving touchdowns for nine seasons.

His 99 TD receptions after his retirement in 1945 stood for 44 years before Seattle Seahawks reciever Steve Largent broke it.

In other words, basically, Hutson dominated his position roughly 90% of the time he was around.

I would say he was, to borrow a hockey analogy, Phil Esposito-like in his dominance, but I wonder if it was more in the Gretzky mould.

If you notice, Rice dominates the “most in a career” statistics making his career value (thank you Bill James) fantastic but in terms of peak value and concentrated dominance, Hutson wins hands down.

And, to those of you who put weight in championships (sometimes overblown in my view), both Rice and Hutson went 3-1 in title games.

Above all, Hutson and his legendary coach Curly Lambeau revolutionized the game in terms of the passing attack. Don Hutson is regarded as the game’s first modern receiver.

Oh. Hutson was an excellent kicker as well (it wasn’t uncommon for players to hold multiple positions back then) and a solid safety who made 30 interceptions in six seasons, including a league-leading eight interceptions in ten games in 1943. He also intercepted the ball six times for most in 1940.

All this points to one thing: Jerry Rice was masterful over his career, but no one dominated the position like Don Hutson.


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Big East Believes It Still Holds Edge On ACC

September 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Matthew McClusky

Fantasy College Blitz

The Big East would like to extend a hardy thank you to the Atlantic Coast Conference. FCS James Madison went to Lane Stadium and beat Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech drops a strange game at Kansas (the Jayhawks themselves coming off a loss to an FCS school), both Florida State and Miami were humiliated on national television.

That wrath from the college football world, however, would actually be better directed at the Big East as the conference has five wins total in two weeks with three victories coming against FCS squads. It was that very ACC that raided the Big East of its most popular and successful teams (Miami and Virginia Tech (sorry Boston College) just seven years ago, but now things are different.

Yet, the ACC remains at the center of the barbs while the Big East is quietly off to a putrid start. The volume from critics is surely going to be turned up if the Big East doesn’t collectively get it’s act together. A week three turnaround is a must for the Big East.

- Connecticut at Temple – What is the best recipe for playing Denard Robinson and Michigan? Schedule Texas Southern the following Saturday to make your players and fans forget about playing Denard Robinson (Too bad Notre Dame didn’t  follow that advice). One week after getting carved up by Robinson, the Huskies put the wood to the FCS Tigers. UConn hits the road again this weekend, however, to play a feisty Temple Owl team. Randy Edsall and Connecticut have played some close games in recent years against Bill Cosby‘s Owls. In 2007 Temple beat the Huskies with a last second touchdown, of course only the officials saw that differently. Through two games Connecticut running back Jordan Todman is averaging 178 yards per game with a total of four touchdowns. Despite a shakey effort against the Wolverines in week one, Todman is always a must play. In fact Temple is ranked 91st nationally against the run after playing Villanova and Central Michigan this season. Todman will end up getting 20 plus carries, hit at least his average, and will end up with at least one score against Temple. In deeper leagues (or Big East onlys) back up running back Robbie Frey for the Huskies is also in play here. Frey received 12 carries in garbage time against Texas Southern and churned out 112 yards and two touchdowns. As for the Husky aerial assault? Much like with the Bearcats and Collaros, I would stay away until qb Zach Frazer shows some consistency.

- Maryland at 21 West Virginia – Another Big East v. ACC game that pits old rivals against each other as well. The Mountaineers and Terrapins had played each other every year from 1980 – 2007. The two haven’t played since, but West Virginia has won five straight over the Terps. This game is in Morgantown where the ‘Neers haven’t lost a non-conference game in 14 straight contests. That is valuable information as every Big East team puts up more consistent numbers at home more than the road (WVU especially). Noel Devine will continue his ground attack for West Virginia against a Terps defense that allowed Navy to rush for 406 yards in week one. It is important to note, however, that the Senior back has carried the ball 46 times through two games. Last season Devine averaged 18 carries a game and seemed to break down a little at the end of the year. I love Devine’s big play potential, but I remain less enamored with him being an every down back. Neer’s quarterback Geno Smith has thrown for 532 yards in two games, with 316 of those coming last Friday on the road at Marshall. It looks as though, despite Devine’s heavy work load, Smith’s arm is the catalyst for the WVU offense. Smith and receivers Tavon Austin and Jock Sanders will put up points against an untested Maryland secondary.

- Louisville @ 25 Oregon State – No statistical breakdown necessary here as every player on Louisville this week, as in most weeks, is a stay away. The Beavers (can you write that on a web site?) have won eight straight home openers and the Cardinals have one road win since 2008. Throw in that Oregon State has both Rodger brothers (running back Jacquizz and receiver James) just salivating to play Louisville after losing to TCU in week one and this game will get ugly quickly. By the way, has there ever been a bigger discrepancy in sibling names than Jacquizz and James?

- Maine @ Syracuse – The Orange kickoff the home slate after getting smacked around by Washington Husky quarterback Jake Locker last weekend in Seattle. Much like the recipe for the Denard Robinson hangover, scheduling the Black Bears should help Syracuse recover quickly. This despite Stephen Colbert‘s continued warnings on the dangers of bears. The bad news for Syracuse hit on Thursday, however, as Senior wide out Aaron Weaver was lost for the year with a torn ACL. Weaver, a transfer from the now defunct Hofstra football program, had proven to be a big asset for quarterback Ryan Nassib. Weaver caught a touchdown pass in week one and had four receptions against Washington. Weaver’s injury will factor in for Syracuse later in the season, as for this weekend the Orange will be fine. Delone Carter will get the bulk of the work load has he rushed for 71 yards against Maine last year. More importantly Carter punched the ball across the goal line three times in that game. With Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone subscribing to former Orange head coaches Dick MacPherson and the Paul Pasqualoni theory of not running up the score (see the final sequence of plays against Akron), I would expect Carter and fellow running back Antwon Bailey to get plenty of carries and opportunities for scores.  Keep an eye on Nassib (431 yards passing – 3 TD – 1 INT)  in this game as the Junior signal caller has rushed for a 58 yard touchdown and thrown for a 45 yard score this season already.


Filed Under: College Football, Featured Articles Tagged With: ,

Pac 10 Review For Week Two

September 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Matt Ryan

Fantasy College Blitz

Cal vs Colorado:  Colorado put up little resistance, down 14-0 at the end of the 1st, then falling behind 31-0 at the half before limping home to a thorough 52-7 defeat in which the Cal D scored twice. As you might expect in such a blowout , star RB Shane Vereen was riding the pine in the 2nd half, but he had a pretty good start to the game with 59 yards and a score on the ground and adding 18 more yards and a score through the air. Vereen had 6 redzone attempts; 3 rushes and 3 pass targets. QB Kevin Riley was 15-of-24 for just under 200 yards and 4 scores, 2 to each WR and 2 to each RB. WR Keenan Allen was again the team’s top target with 10 passes throw his way, hauling in 6 for 66 yards and a score. #2 WR Marvin Jones had 100 yards on the day (77 on 3-of-5 receiving, 23 on the ground) with a score. Cal threw zero passes to the TE in Week 2.Washington State vs Montana State:  This offense is horrid, cut any ties now. Wazzu had turnovers on its 1st 2 possessions and was playing from behind all day, needing a last second FG to eek out a 1-point win. QB Jeff Tuel faced the weakest D he will see all year and was still sacked 3 times, was harassed all day and barely threw for 200 yards on 17-of-29 passing. RB James Montgomery was great, gaining 116 yards on 20 carries with a score. RB Logwone Mitz was a non-factor. But there is no way this team will ever be in a position to pound the rock this season, the D is swiss cheese and the O cant punch itself out of a paper bag. Montgomery just will not get enough work. None of the WRs had much time to get open, so none had a great day. WR Marques Wilson should be monitored in any Keeper league, but no reason to own him now. If you’re stuck, Wilson could make a decent pinch weekly start at WR on any week, the logic being that Washington State will be out of most games by halftime this season, so when the 2nd and 3rd stringers come in on the opposing Ds, Wilson could find some nice mismatches. He is a great talent playing on a truly bad team.

Washington vs Syracuse:  As expected, Syracuse had no answer for WR Jermaine Kearse, who hauled in 9 of the 12 passes that came his way for 179 and 3 scores. #2 WR Devin Aguilar also finished with a very nice 7 catches (of 11) for 81 yards and one score. QB Jake Locker was 22-of-33 passing for just under 300 yards on the day with the afore mentioned 4 TDs and chipped in 15 yards on the ground. RB Chris Polk finished with 117 yards and a score on 20 carries but was kept under wraps most of the day (53 yards came on a long TD run). Husky TEs only saw 2 passes come their way, but interesting both went to Marlion Barnett and not Chris Izbicki. OF NOTE: a Syracuse D that really penetrated and annoyed Akron in Week 1, registering 3 sacks, had trouble even getting to Locker in Week 2. The Husky OL kept their star QB’s jersey almost completely clean allowing no sacks and only a few knockdowns.

#7 Oregon @ Tennessee:  The big fantasy story here was RB Kenjon Barner vs LaMichael James, and despite being bottled up most of the evening (72 of his 134 came on one play), James owners should be breathing a huge sigh of relief based on how it appears both players will be used as the season goes on. Barner’s 1st touch in a close game (well, a close half…) came at the start of the 2nd quarter on a swing pass. His first carry was with about 12 to go in the half. He finished the 1st half with only 2 catches and 2 carries. Translation: the offense does appear to belong to James. Not that Barner won’t steal some carries, yards, and scores from time to time. But James definitely appears to be The Man. James had 4 consecutive carries on a pivotal drive late in the 2nd that would lead to a FG that cut the deficit to 7 point. To start the 2nd half James had drives where he was fed the rock on 5 straight plays and another where he got it 2 straight plays. (NOTE: Barner did not have consecutive carries till James was out of the game.) Sweet Baby James even showed his wheels off by taking one 72 yards to the house on a blown coverage. After tying it up at the half, Oregon had a huge 3rd going up 2 scores on 2 plays (the long run by James and a pick-6 by the Oregon D) and James did not play in the 4th, so his stat line might not be all that impressive as it could have but rest assured that James should turn out to be the stud work horse you though he would be when you drafted him. As far as Barner: he will still get his touches, but interesting that when the game was out of reach, it was Remene Alston who saw mop-duty in the 2nd half. Barner had 5 2nd half touches then sat after his 70-yd punt return early in the 3rd. Alstongot the rest of the action. So from a fantasy prospective, Alston might be the better #2 fantasy option for the Ducks as they should be blowing some folks out this season.

Pass catchers: WR Jeff Maehl was the top target (7) and pass-catcher (5) but the young Tennessee secondary did a good job keep him from breaking free. He should be the beneficiary  of the potent 1-2-3 Duck ground attack, but he really needs QB Darron Thomas to step up his game to have any real week-2-week value: Thomas was again hovering around 50% completion percentage, going 17 of 33 for 202. TE David Paulson might be the bigger fantasy factor given the relative value of their positions. He scored for the 2nd straight game and while he might not score every week he ought to be good for 4-8 catches and 40-100 yards and it at least a threat to score every week. In short, he should continue to be a major factor in the Ducks offense.

HIDDEN NUGGET:  Striking from deep, scoring on Special Teams and on D, the Ducks only had 4 trips into the Red Zone, but 3 of them were passes. Translation: Don’t give up on QB Thomas yet. He is still learning the position, and while he may not be uber-effective at the moment as far as moving the ball between the 20’s, it appears the Staff plans to use him more as the field shortens, both on play fakes on rolling him out.

Arizona State vs Northern Arizona:   If Week 1 was for showcasing the rushing game, Week 2 was all about the air attack. QB Steven Threet was 33-of-49 for 391 and 3 scores. The main beneficiary was WR Michael Willie, who had 8 catches (of 10 thrown his way) for 114 yards and a score. Be careful of adding him right away and remember the competition: the Sun Devils have played 2 straight 1-AA opponents, and Willie only had 2 catches for 12 yards last week. Keep an eye on Mr. Willie but don’t pull the trigger just yet. WR Aaron Pflugrad was still the teams #1 target with 14 balls tossed in his direction. The rushing game was clearly not the point of emphasis in this scrimmage as Arizona State only attempted 9 rushes in the 1st half, most of the other 20 2nd half carries were in clock-kill mode, so don’t be alarmed at the ugly YPC the Sun Devils put up in this game, the offense looks to be more potent than it has been in recent years. RB Deantre Lewis looked like a true freshman in Week 2, only generating 9 yards of offense on 5 touches. Don’t worry — too much. Lewis has been getting rave reviews since arriving on campus and is still a prime candidate to be the teams #2 RB.

Arizona vs The Citadel:  RB Nic Grigsby had 10 carries for 40 yards in the 1st half before breaking off a 67 yard scoring scamper to start the 3rd, he was done after that finishing with 107 yards on 11 carries. Supposed #2 RB Keola Antolin only had 2 carries for 2 yards but hauled in 4 passes of 4 thrown his way for 53, true frosh RB Daniel Jenkins 6 carries. But the story was TD Vulture RB Greg Nwoko who finished with 72 yards and 2 scores on just 7 carries. However the race for #2 RB shakes out, after Grigsby, Nwoko appears to be the best fantasy RB option. QB Nick Foles and both backups looked crazy-sharp, as the QB unit completed passes to 11 (of 13 ) different targets en route to a collective 300-yard day through the air. Starting WRs Juron Criner and David Douglas were done before halftime, (Criner actually left the game with a minor shoulder ding) so neither got a full scrimmage this week. Criner‘s injury is considered ‘minor’ and until we learn otherwise he still figures to be the main cog in the passing attack.

#16 USC vs Virginia:   It was an ugly evening at the Coliseum as the Trojans eeked out a 17-14 win over a Virginia program they whalloped 52-7 just 2 seasons ago.  Granted these 2 programs are in vastly different places than they were in 2008, but still there are some alarm bells going off in Southern Cal as Week 1 was marred by defensive lapses and Week 2 was uglied up with offensive ineptitude and penalties. But the silver lining, it appears we have a starting RB and the #1 WR might be every bit as good as advertised: RB super-frosh Dillon Baxter saw his first collegiate action to the tune of 49 yards on 9 rushes, but RB Marc Tyler led the team with 17 carries and 60 yards. RB Allen Bradford finished with 10 yards on 3 carries, if you’ve been hanging on to him hoping against hope, it is time to let go. QB Matt Barkley was a pedestrian 20-of-35 for 202, so clearly he will need to learn something from this game when watching the film, but the offense seems intent on getting WR Ronald Johnson the ball early and often: He again led the team in targets with 12, but opposing DCs are also starting to get the trend and double-covering the awesome wideout, and he only ended up with 5 receptions for 58 yards (note: RoJo had a 52 yard scoring strike negated on a holding penalty), for the second game in a row WR Woods finished second with 5 targets.

UCLA vs #25 Stanford:

On paper, the Bruins should be substantially better than how they have played the first 2 weeks, this team is having some serious issues on both sides of the ball. At the moment and outside of K Forbath, there is no reason to own any Bruin in any league in any format this season. The OL can’t protect or open holes and the WRs can’t get open…The rest of the offense seems horrendous as well. A change was made @ QB and neither one is ownable.  QB Kevin Prince went 6-0f-12-for-39 yards with a pick and 2 sacks while QB Richard Brehaut was only better in the strictest of interpretations going 5-of-9-for 42 yards with a pick and only one sack….

If there is any good news it could be that there will likely be a change @ RB too: RB Jonathan Franklin led the team with 11 carries and 72 yards, but this team needs massive change and it will become increasingly difficult to keep true frosh Malcom Jones off the field much longer. Jones averaged 7.4 last week, going for 52 yards on 7 carries, mostly in the 3rd quarter. UCLA was down 28-0 to start the 4th and forced to throw.

Along with 63 yards on the ground, Stanford’s QB Andrew Luck finished with 2 TDs (one to WR Ryan Whalen) but only 151 yards passing as Stanford just didn’t need to do a whole lot to win this game. In fact, they hardly even needed their offense, as they could have won this game just with the D and Special Teams.

If we learned anything this week it was that the RB situation might be getting a little clearer. RB Stephan Taylor had 9 of the first 12 carries in the 1st half, the other 3 went to RB Tyler Gaffney. Taylor finished with 81 yards on 20 carries while Gaffney chipped in 28 on 8. It appears at the moment that Gaffney is not the team’s 1st rushing option. RBs Anthony Wilkerson and Usua Amanameach only had 3 carries and they all came in mop-up time. Keep in mind that Jeremy Stewart did not play this week due to a minor injury, but it looks as things might be settling down to more of a 1-a/1-b situation with Taylor and Stewart rather than the a/b/c/d/e fantasy fiasco we had earlier. Do not expect anyone to emerge as the next Gerhart.


Filed Under: College Football, Featured Articles, Football Tagged With: , ,

Stats Corner: CFL’s Team Of The Decade

September 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Alex

Prime Minister Wilfird Laurier’s proud proclamation that the 20th century belonged to Canada may have come up short, but there’s no doubting who owned the start of the 21st century in the CFL: Tte Montreal Alouettes.

Between 2000-2009, the Alouettes compiled a 115-65 regular season record. This translates into a .640 winning percentage. Their worst record came after that infamous collapse in 2001. Even with such turbulence the club still finished 9-9. They’re the only to team to not have one losing season during that period. In fact, since their return in 1996, the Als have not recorded one single losing record.

Here’s how the rest of the league shaped up:

British Columbia Lions 108-71-1 (.603)

Edmonton Eskimos 97-82-1 (.542)

Saskatchewan Roughriders 91-87-2 (.511)

Winnipeg Blue Bombers 90-88-2 (.506)

Calgary Stampeders 86-91-3 (.486)

Toronto Argonauts 80-98-2 (.426)

Hamilton Tiger-Cats 61-118-1 (.342)

Ottawa Renegades 23-49 (.319)

What about the playoffs? Well, Grey Cup wins specifically. True, the Als “only” won two titles but they did reach the finals a whopping seven times. Relative to their powerful regular season record, the low amount of titles garnered them a comparison to baseball’s Atlanta Braves. The Braves, as you recall, were a perennial power in the National League and the most consistent of all MLB teams only managed one World Series in five attempts.

Another sports giant, since we’re on the subject, that falls under this category is Italy’s soccer club Juventus in Champions League play. Relative to their status, the club has two CL titlesSome feel it should be more. However, Juve has reached the finals an impressive seven times – like the Alouettes. How bad is two titles? Considering that Manchester United, Inter Milan and Barcelona have three each, I’d say not that bad. Not too many teams can win this coveted and prestigious trophy.

Could be worse for the Als. They coulda been compared to the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings.

And the rest of the CFL’s Grey Cup record looks like this:

B.C. 2-1

Edm. 2-1

Cal. 2-0

Sask. 1-1

Tor. 1-0

Image from CFL.com


Filed Under: Featured Articles, Pro Football Tagged With: ,

BIG 12 Preview Time

August 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By James Lawrence

Fantasy College Blitz

The 2009 season saw a broad toning down of scoring and offensive statistics in the Big 12 compared to the frenzied shootouts of 2008 and to some extent 2007. 2010 looks to be a continuation of that trend, as the conference has lost its top two quarterbacks and most of its top receivers. Additionally, the defenses that improved in 2009 appear to be similarly strong in 2010.

Of course, the most obvious change will likely take place at Texas Tech. With Mike Leach gone and Tommy Tuberville in place, the Texas Tech starting QB and their receiving corps is no longer a lock to put up big numbers week after week. Tuberville claims to be committed to the spread, but a) that’s a claim we’ve heard before (when Tony Franklin was OC at Auburn) and b) earlier this spring, Tuberville also said that Tech QBs had been concerned about the lack of support from a running game – likely a hint that the offense would be undergoing at least some level of changes. But even if Tubbs were to commit to the spread, you don’t just step in and run an offense like Mike Leach does. So expect decline there.Texas will be without Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley. Oklahoma loses Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham – neither of whom played much/any in 2009 – but also line anchor Trent Williams and Brody Eldridge.

Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant are no longer at Oklahoma State; Missouri loses their top two WR from last season, Kansas loses Todd Reesing, Desmon Briscoe, and Kerry Meier; Kansas State loses 4 of their top 5 receivers… it is just not looking like a good year for many offenses.

On the bright side, Texas A&M returns most of their starting offense, and Baylor should rebound in a big way if QB Robert Griffin stays healthy.g

Once again, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska should field very formidable defenses – possibly all top ten units in the nation. Because of their elite defenses, one of these three teams should finish with the best record in the conference. A&M might be considered a sleeper; however, to win the Big 12 South they will have to show much more consistency than they have in recent years.

Nonetheless, there are still many players in the conference worth looking at:

Jerrod Johnson’s poised to make this conference his?

 Quarterbacks

Jerrod Johnson is the clear preseason favorite for top conference QB here, and as a dual threat QB his rushing TDs will be a big boost to fantasy stats.

Blaine Gabbert benefits from an incredibly easy non-conference schedule and the fact that the Tigers do not face the Big 12′s top secondary, Texas.

Gabbert narrowly beats out Robert Griffin, who is likely to struggle against TCU, Texas, and Oklahoma as those defenses will give the Baylor offense fits. (Nonetheless, I’m half-expecting and whole-heartedly rooting for Griffin to lead Baylor to a bowl eligible season.)

Landry Jones will lead an Oklahoma offense that returns most of its receiving corps and can only expect improvement over 2009.

If it gets this late in the draft, Garrett Gilbert and Austen Arnaud are your two best bets. We likely know what we’re getting with Arnaud – solid production but an offense that isn’t going to put the ball in the end zone a lot. Gilbert is more of a question mark — I think he performed admirably against Alabama given the circumstances, and that 2010 will be a redeeming season for him. But on the other hand, the team’s best WR (who caught both TD passes against the Tide) is also gone and the running game has been problematic for several seasons now.

Running Backs

The Big 12 has no nationally elite running backs. However, there are some good picks in this bunch.

Daniel Thomas basically is that Kansas State offense. He may not score heaps of TDs because of the team he plays for, but he’s got a good shot to finish in the top 10 nationally in rushing yards just because of the volume of carries he gets.

Demarco Murray is in the opposite situation. Oklahoma’s offense is bound to improve, and with Chris Brown gone, Murray should be nearing full-time status in the red zone. He can expect a lot of scores.

Kendall Hunter should be the focus of Oklahoma State’s offense now that Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant are gone. Keith Toston is also gone, so Hunter will reclaim his featured role.

Looking a little down out list, Derrick Washington will be playing in an offense that could score a lot of points, and his priority will be emphasized in the red zone as some of the experienced WRs are gone. Alexander Robinson is likely to be a major emphasis (along with Arnaud) for the otherwise lackluster Iowa State offense.

Roy Helu has become something of a name in the conference, but I expect Nebraska’s offensive woes to only slightly improve in 2010. Likewise, Christine Michael’s stats may be hurt by the fact that Jerrod Johnson himself is a threat to run in the red zone, so Michael may be deprived of some of the easy scores that other top fantasy RBs get.

Baron Batch plays for an offense that has been prolific in the past, and his new coach has hinted at more of a running game than the team has used in the past. However, I am skeptical that this Tech offense will continue putting up numbers even resembling those of previous seasons.

Rodney Stewart is probably the only other RB in the conference worth looking at.

 Wide Receiver/Tight End

The first pick at WR is easy, as Ryan Broyles had a monster season in 2009 and could be the nation’s top fantasy receiver in 2010. Broyles doubled as the conference’s top punt return man in 2009.

Jeff Fuller won’t be in Broyles’ point range, but he has been Johnson’s favorite target in the past and should be the #2 receiver in the conference.

Beyond this, things are less clear. Detron Lewis and Alexander Torres both had similar stats a season ago for Texas Tech. With Torres having been just a freshman, he should be expected to see the greater improvement, and thus could be the third-most productive receiver in the conference.

Jerrell Jackson is the top receiver returning at Missouri and could be due a 1,000 yard season. Wes Kemp ought to settle in as the offense’s #2, but I see no reason he won’t be within 200 yards of Jackson.

Anyone expecting a resurgence of Robert Griffin should look for Kendall Wright to be catching plenty of balls and getting more open looks as defenses struggle with Griffin’s mobility.

Malcolm Williams had more yards per catch than any other Texas receiver in 2009, and could lead the team in yards in 2010. The problem is that James Kirkendoll outscored him in TDs 6 to 2. One of these will likely be the top receiver on the team… with Gilbert throwing a deeper ball than McCoy, that could be Williams.

Scotty McKnight emerged as a reliable receiver at Colorado, and could easily place above the Tex recivers and Wright on this list. There is some variance here due to Colorado’s offensive issues, particularly at QB.

For Oklahoma State, Hubert Anyiam stepped up to become the #1 receiver after Dez Bryant became ineligible. However, Anyiam had just 515 yards and 3 TDs in this role, and shouldn’t challenge the top of the league’s receiving stats.

At the TE position, Mike McNeill is the clear league favorite and will get decent production in Nebraska’s offense. The rest of the league is full of question marks at TE. Missouri could well field the #2 TE because of the offense they run, but whether that will be Andrew Jones or Michael Egnew is not completely clear at this point.

Kickers

Place kicker is a very strong position for the Big 12, and just about everyone is returning their kicker from 2009 (save for Texas).

Grant Russell hit 26/27 for Missouri in 2009 and could be the nation’s top kicker in 2010.

Alex Henery was reliable for Nebraska with an 86% conversion rate, and his stats are helped by the fact that Nebraska’s defense often puts the offense in favorable positions, but the offense is often unable to put the ball in the end zone. He is the most likely challenger to Russell’s spot at #1.

After these two, the question becomes which teams will likely get the ball into field goal range the most. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are my picks here as both could be running fairly one-dimensional offenses that don’t quite fire on all cylinders, but are still successful enough to push the ball well past midfield.

Texas actually was one of three Big 12 teams to have a kicker hit over 20 field goals in 2009 (nobody else hit over 13 in fact), but Hunter Lawrence is gone – replaced by John Tucker who did most of the punting last year as well as handling kickoffs – and the offense is full of question marks.

Betting on Oklahoma’s offense never seems like a bad idea, and returning kicker Jimmy Stevens converted 11 of 13 last season. I’d look for a 50-100 point improvement for this offense over the season, and Stevens would obviously see a large chunk of that.

Defense

As mentioned, the Big 12 has three top tier defenses. In this order: Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma. Beyond these three, Texas Tech might see some improvement under a more defense-minded coach, and Missouri looks like a passable choice if your options are limited.


Filed Under: College Football, Featured Articles

Big 10 Fantasy College Football Preview

August 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Mike Ware

Fantasy College Blitz

Well Buckeye fans, this is the year the Buckeyes take the BCS title.  They are loaded with weapons and ready to unleash their destruction upon anyone that steps in their way.  If the Terrelle Pryor (featured on the right, thanks SMI) we saw in the Rose Bowl shows up this season, the Buckeyes will be unstoppable.  It is time for the Buckeyes to take the next step and become national champions.

Head coach Jim Tressell has a team with plenty of experience and weapons.  This year he will utilize those weapons more efficiently than ever.  Expect to see better passing numbers from Terrelle Pryor. The QB has shown he knows how to use his legs to open up the passing game and he was throwing lasers in the Rose Bowl.  His completion percentage should take a huge jump this season and his rushing yards should decline a little as Tressell attempts to get the QB to throw more this year.

That is good news for RB Brandon Saine, who rushed for 739 yards and 4 TD’s last year.  Saine should get more work this season and come closer to posting 1,000 yards.  Dan Herron should also see increased carries this season and improve on his 600 yards from 2009.

The Buckeyes have two of the top Big 10 receivers returning this year.  Expect to see big numbers from DeVier Posey who posted 828 yards and 8 TD’s last season.  Dane Sanzenbacher will also see an increase in numbers over last years 570 yards and 6 TD’s.  Both receivers will benefit from breakdowns in coverage created by Pryor scrambling around in the backfield.  Tight End Jake Stoneburner is a great blocker and has the ability to get down the field.The Buckeye defense will be one of the best in the nation this year.  Ross Homan, Brian Rolle, Chimdi Chekwa and Cameron Heyward anchor this defensive unit.  The only weakness for now is concerning the safeties.  But when you have big monsters attacking the offense and keeping the opposing QB on his heels, it should keep the pressure off your safeties.

Iowa Big 10 Fantasy College Football PreviewThe good news for the Iowa Hawkeyes is that QB Ricky Stanzi is back for his Sr. year and it should be a great one.  He finished last year with 2,417 yards and 17 TD’s.  The downside, he also threw 15 interceptions.  He has to reduce that number for the Hawkeyes to have a real chance at contending for the Big Ten title against Ohio State.  The offensive line has some questions with the loss of three big men from last year.  With a rebuilding line and a tendency to play close games, as well as falling behind early in games, it may put pressure on Stanzi to produce those numbers again this year.

The bright side is the running game will take some of the heat off Stanzi.  Adam Robinson should see an increase in his number over last years 834 yards and 5 TD’s.  Brandon Wegher compiled 641 yards last year and 8 TD’s.  Jewel Hampton, who tore his ACL last August, also returns to give coach Kirk Ferentz a triple threat running attack.  Expect the bulk of the carries from Robinson but Wegher and Hampton should split the rest of the work load.

Stanzi does have the luxury of throwing to two familiar faces at the wide receiver position.  Derrell Johnson-Koulianos hauled in 750 yards last year and 2 TD’s while Marvin McNutt pulled in 674 yards and 8 TD’s.  Expect to see similar yardage numbers from these guys and an increase in TD’s for Johnson-Koulianos.  Tight End Andy Reisner returns and should see a better year than last years 143 yards and 1 TD.

The Defense should be tested this season after an impressive 2009 campaign.  They should be able to fill many of the holes and build on an already strong and experienced defensive core.

penn state logo1 Big 10 Fantasy College Football PreviewThe big question is who is that playing QB this year for the Penn State Nittany Lions?  Kevin Newsome is expected to be the guy.  He has good size and is mobile enough to buy time as he learns how to run the Spread HD attack.  Newsome will be a gamble in fantasy leagues this year but will be one with lots of upside potential considering the weapons he has at his disposal.

It doesn’t hurt to have one of the best running backs in the conference in your backfield.  Evan Royster should build on last years numbers (1169 yards and 6 TD’s) as he carries more of the load this year.  Royster is one of those backs that can be fed the ball 20 or more times a game and do well.  Something Newsome can use in his first year.

The receiving game is one of the best in the Big Ten with Derek Moye (785 yards and 6 TD’s) and Graham Zug (600 yards and 7 TD’s).  Chaz Powell also had 28 catches last year.  All three may see a slight decline in numbers this year with a new QB.  From a fantasy perspective the tight end spot is a gamble.  Andrew Szczerba is expected to be the starter but he caught just one pass last year.  Add in the fact that he has a new QB and it is a tough call on what to expect from the TE spot.

The defense has some big holes to fill this year but Joe Pa has always had good defensive units.  Bani Gbadyu and Nathan Stupar should provide solid replacements at linebacker.  The defensive line has Ollie Ogbu and Jack Crawford returning to a strong line.  The safeties are strong as well with the return of Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay.

wisconsin badgers logo Big 10 Fantasy College Football PreviewI have the Wisconsin Badgers ranked 4th in the Big Ten mainly due to their defense and concerns over the way the team struggled after tough losses in 2009.  They could be a surprise team this year though since they don’t have to play Penn State and their toughest games are back to back against Ohio State and Iowa.  The rest of the schedule is not that bad.

Scott Tolzien returns to lead the Badger air attack where he compiled 2,705 yards and 16 TD’s in 2009 and led the Big Ten in passing efficiency.  He should improve in accuracy, passing yards and TD’s this year as well as cut down on those pesky INT’s.

The key to the Badger attack though is all about RB John Clay, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year last year.  Clay racked up 1,517 yards and scored 18 times.  Expect big numbers again from Clay as he makes a run for the Heisman behind his big offensive line.  All five offensive lineman return for another season to pave the way for Clay.

At the receiver spot Tolzien will have one of the best Big Ten wide outs in Nick Toon to throw too again.  Last year, Nick caught 54 balls for 805 yards and 4 TD’s.  Look for Nick to improve on those numbers this year.  Isaac Anderson will also return and should improve on last years 480 yards and 2 TD’s.  Lance Kendricks should fill in well at Tight end and improve on last years 356 yards and 3 TD’s.

The Defense is a big question mark for the Badgers.  Three of the front four have left and there are some really big shoes to fill at end.  In total, five starters on defense have to be replaced and that is a little alarming.  Last year the Badger defense yielded an average of 21.8 points a game.  I’m not sure this Badger defense will be better than that.  I would try to find another defense to draft.


Filed Under: College Football, Featured Articles Tagged With: ,

CFL SEASON STARTS WITH SPARKLES ON CANADA DAY

July 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The CFL kicked off the 2010 season on Canada Day with a rematch of last years Grey Cup final between Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

And it wasn’t without pure and raw excitement. The game was showered with end to end action culminating into an enthralling 54-51 overtime win for the Riders over the defending champs.

Two things about the highlights. One, at about the six minute mark, you will see one of the all-time great catches. Two, Saskatchewan was called for too many men at a critical junction that should have ended the game. Again.

Recall that last year the Grey Cup ended on a bizarre note after the Roughriders were called for, yup, too many men.

Really. Already it was insane when it first happened, but for it to happen again is just plain crazy-insane. The Als, naturally, scored and the game persisted. This time around, however, the Riders prevailed.

Not a bad start to the CFL season. Now to do something about Montreal’s secondary.


Filed Under: Featured Articles, Football, Pro Football

PITTSBURGH FANS ARE A DIFFERENT BREED

May 3, 2010 By 4 Comments

Whenever an athlete does a bad thing  - like cheat on their wives with a best friend’s wife, rough up a girl, rape a girl, carry a loaded weapon, rob a Dunkin’ Donuts (ok, maybe not), is caught with cocaine, take HGH and so on – fans are generally forgiving. As long as he “wins” all that matters is what they do on the pitch, ice, court or field.

Not in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has standards. I’m not kidding. Eight in ten Pittsburghians (?) want Big Ben disciplined or traded. They don’t mess around in Steeltown. When Ben Roethlisberger escaped formal prosecution for allegedly raping a girl, he probably thought he was in the clear. Instead, he was suspended by the NFL for six games while the Steelers apparently entertained offers from other teams to dump the double Super Bowl chump. After all, this is a franchise and city that sent two-time Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes and his bad attitude (because there really is only one B.A. Baracus)  to the New York Jets.


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