Sunday, August 26, 2007

RIVALS ranks Special Teams

Our good friends at Rivals (actually, we don't even know the guys) have been making our jobs easy and ranking the Top Special Teams Players. They've updated their list and it's not that bad, honestly.

Yes, you'll see that Special Teams includes punters and kickers, thankfully no deep snappers, and no gunners. Of course, the part that we care about is the punt returners.

Yes, they hit the obvious ones- DeSean Jackson, Felix Jones, Sammie Stroughter- but they hit some great stories in there as well, such as:

Jeremy Trimble @ Army. This kid gets 1 guaranteed TV game a year. The Navy game is his chance on the big stage, but it's only about a week before the Heisman is decided. Besides, it's always great to be able to talk about the history of the Army program and wax poetically about Michie Field and the Black Knights of the Hudson. Usually TV folks are talking about some kid that is there to go one to be a career army officer and happens to play ball. The fact that Trimble is dangerous is great because it means that TV broadcasters won't be patronizing him when they talk about how much heart and talent he has.

Marcus Thipgen @ Indiana. The late Terry Hoepner was spot on with this talent. Yes, the Hoosiers are on TV-- but usually only when playing Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State. This program hasn't produced a winning season in 12 years (and even that was a 6-5 1994), so it's not like their players get a lot of looks. Still, Thigpen has the chance to take it to the house on every kickoff.

Parrish Cox @ Oklahoma State. Cox was a big blue chipper out of Waco, TX last year and he made impacts in the special teams. Mike Gundy has been landing quality recruiting classes in Stillwater, and one has to wonder if Cox will continue to play on special teams as he logs more time on the field. Just like Cox benefited from playing on special teams last year, Star Signees WR Dex Bryant or CB William Cole could get the chance to return kicks.

But my question is why no mention of Brandon Tate? The JR WR at UNC is a proven returner--he holds single season and career school marks for touchdown returns for scores and is one of only 9 players in the NCAA HISTORY to score on both a kickoff and punt return in the same game (vs Duke last year).

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Miami Flees Orange Bowl



Evidently this year will be the last year of greatness in another sports icon. Yes, the world had been preparing for the end of Yankee Stadium after the 2008 season, but this is a new development. As early as 2008, the Miami Hurricanes may be playing in the Dolphin's Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. As the Broward County suburbs continue to make Dade Co look bad (see Fort Lauderdale's airport vs. Miami International), it seems that the Canes are tired of playing in a stadium that really looks more like an aging battleship sent to the scrap heap (go to the article in the Miami Herald and check out the slideshow if you need to confirm that statement).

It's sad in a way--the Orange Bowl has seen some great games in the pros, and seen the rise of the most dominant program of college football's truly modern era (1980-present). 4 national titles. Monstrous win streaks. Intimidation. The Hurricanes were the local kids proving the in the game of 'us vs. the world'--they were winning.

Toss in the fact that the Orange Bowl Classic was also played there and you get some of the game's great moments (see our earlier post on the possible phantom clip on Notre Dame's Raghib Ismail in the 1990 Classic vs. Colorado for the national title).

It is sad, however,as the grand old stadiums start to fall. Much like Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, these stadiums were fan friendly, even if they had become dumps. And much like Crosley Field or the old Boston Garden or Municipal Stadium in Cleveland-- they weren't viewed as cash inflows, but a public gathering place for people of all classes. They will be romanticized as better than they really were, but a piece of our history dies off as they crumble under the elements with little upkeep until they become financially unrealistic to save.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Notre Dame Obsession Post: Watch Out, Irish--History Could Repeat Itself

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Unfortunately, this is not a story about Notre Dame charging off to another national title or Jimmy Clausen being yet another Irish Heisman Trophy winner.

It is instead a story pops up out of the South Bend Tribune itself, but it merely summarized by SI.com. Super Hyped Blue Chip Freshman Jimmy Clausen was nabbed by the long arm of the law grabbing some booze at a local liquor store with a 23 year Notre Dame alumnus. Clausen escaped with a slap on the wrist (which is very proportional to the crime) -- a small fine and probation.


So why the "History Repeating Itself" tagline? Well, Clausen was the top ranked high school QB in the nation last year. He made a big deal of signing with a resurgent traditional power in hopes of competing instantly. His bravado was that of message board pride/disdain depending upon loyalties. Does this sound familiar? OU Fans will warn the Irish this is true.....

Remember Rhett Bomar? The top rated high school quarterback in 2004 who signed with Oklahoma, had a few brushes with the law, never quite lived up to the incredible expectations--part because the bar was too high, partly because he brought the wrath of the NCAA on the Sooners and was asked to leave Norman. Perhaps this August '06 column by The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel will help. Seems like Bomar had wracked up two alcohol related offenses in his first 2 years on Campus before his cush summer job program pushed OU over the brink and Bomar out of the picture.

Clausen has 2 older brothers who have played at football mad locals--LSU and Tennessee and you would hope that Rick and Casey would take a moment and explain that he is now on a pedestal-- for both the positive and negative. While Irish fans hope that Jimmy doesn't become College Football's Lindsey Lohan--society isn't gonna make it any easier.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Could this be the last we see of Sammie Stroughter?

Last year the OSU star helped knock off USC, but it seems to be a bit stressful being a superstar.

Oregon State Return Hero Missing

One of the Return Man Award's finalists last year, Sammie Stroughter, is out of practice for personal reasons sez The Oregonian. And not just sitting on the sideline sipping on a drink with a funny umbrella in it while his teammates toil in the Corvallis sun---he ain't there. Beavers Coach Mike Riley isn't too worried, telling folks that Sammie's taking off for personal reasons (none of which include reenacting the 1971 D.B. Cooper hijacking out of Portland), but won't expand on what those reasons might be.

Miami to Supersize Kickoff Returner

The Hurricanes are contemplating moving a big ol' Defensive End named Richard Gordon to kickoff returns--or at least that's what he'd like. But at 6'5", 265lbs with a 4.5 forty time, it's not so bad an idea. The Miami Herald sez so in its briefs from Monday.....

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Ducks to Migrate to Big (Far) East?

Rumors out of Eugene claim that Oregon is now researching the idea of playing a game in China against Boise State in 2009. Yes, those wild and crazy Ducks are looking to reach the 1.3BILLION Chinese market and to continue UO's name as a trendsetter.

The push behind this came from Jim Warsaw, who is the founder of the Warsaw School of Sports Marketing at Oregon (one of the nation's best programs). He suggested playing in China, a year after the Beijing Olympics and trying to be the first College American Football Game in the world's most populous nation.

Not really a bad idea--but the Devil is in the details. First, Boise State hasn't agreed to it. Second, there is no money to fund it --yet (you've always got to think that ol' Phil Knight and Nike will step up whenever cash is needed and brand can be promoted). Also, you've got to figure that this game will have to be either an exempted early start type situation---for the sheer time commitment it takes to get to China, practice, see the cheesey touristy stuff, be goodwill ambassadors, yada,yada,yada--but for the all important 'time away from class' argument that academic purists tout. There is no way a team can get to China, play a game, fly back to the US, adjust back to US time and prepare for the next game without it impacting the player's studies and responsibilities.

Yes, Oregon is a trendsetter- not all of them have been good trends either. They have inflated the battle of the budgets and have attracted attention for their crazy/headache inducing uniform combinations--sometimes to the detriment of Mike Bellotti's best asset: he wins and keeps players out of trouble. Being like the professional teams that seek out new markets because 'the US is saturated' is not a positive. It speaks more that the NCAA is becoming more and more corporate (which is it, but at least it goes through the motions of trying to be 'amatuer') and that this really isn't the Ducks wanting to give their players a 'great life experience', but more of the University being a tool for its biggest booster, Nike, and its quest for global domination.

Ironically, the final obstacle may be the largest: As of this time, the Chinese Government, yes that Lighthouse of Enlightenment, Efficiencies and Warm-Fuzzies, has yet to approve anything.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Brown's 99 yd. Kickoff Return Vs. FSU (1984)

Take a Time Warp with Keith Jackson.....

Ahhh 1984. Bobby Bowden is in the middle of "a slump"--it's been 3 years since Florida State has posted a 10 win season and it will take 2 more seasons before he produces another. Of course, after that, the Seminoles go on to produce 14 seasons in a row with at least 10 wins.

South Carolina is in a different spot: '84 turned out to be the only 10 win season in the program's history. Coach Joe Morrison ended up leading the Gamecocks to their best record and a ranking as high as #2 after winning the first 9 games. They finished up with a loss to Oklahoma State in the 1984 Gator Bowl. 4 players received some sort of All American note for that season. Morrison lead the Gamecocks for 6 seasons before passing away from a heart attack in February of 1988.

More 1984: Keith Jackson is firmly entrenched as the syrupy sweet voice of college football. Reagan-Mondale. Vanessa Williams wins the Miss America pageant, only to give it up due to 'artsy photos' in Penthouse.

And a plucky freshman named Raynard Brown sets Williams-Brice Stadium into pandemonium on an early November night in Columbia, opening the 2nd half of the game with Florida State with an amazing kickoff return .

The next year, Brown is the savior of the Gamecocks in a play that made #35 on the Fox Sports Net's Best Damn's Top 50 Spectacular Football Plays. A description is as follows:
  • 35. Desperation Pass: Mike Hold — the QB for South Carolina back in 1985 — evaded getting sacked five times, while backing up 20 yards into his own end zone (almost resulting in a safety). If that wasn't enough- he then heaved the ball 50 yards downfield. In a style reminiscent of the Immaculate Reception, the football deflected off a few players before falling into the hands of Raynard Brown, who ran it in for an 80 yard touchdown play.

Unfortunately, Brown is later drafted in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions and there is no further mention of him in cyberspace.

Navy Sinks Its Own Ship?




The U.S. Naval Academy is talking tough about its frosty relationship with the University of Maryland.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Maryland has approached Navy about playing a neutral site game in 2010--but the Middies still have their feelings hurt from an event in last December.

In 2005, the two teams met for the first time in 42 years (a 23-20 Terp win) in Baltimore. It was a great success and both AD's talked about repeating it. However, last year when Navy committed to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, they had hoped that Maryland would choose to meet them there. However, Maryland chose to play Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando instead. Now, Navy is holding steady that the Terps could have chosen to help the relationship by heading to North Carolina and that they had their chance to play Navy.

Tap the breaks on this. First off, while this pits two local schools against each other, keep in mind this isn't Notre Dame vs USC. Maryland has sported 6 losing seasons in the past decade. Navy is 5 years off of a 2 win season, which followed a winless season. The Terps have been hit by the strengthened ACC, while Navy's independent status allowed them to feast on Stanford, Duke, E. Michigan & Temple (wh0 combined for 3 total wins last year).

Second, Maryland has a responsibility to its conference to provide quality bowls. While Navy didn't share the proceeds of the Meineke Car Care Bowl, the Terps had to split up their revenue with the other 12 members of the ACC. The teams are obligated to help the bowls, since the bowls provide such large cash inflows to the conference.

Also, Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said that he was simply going where his players wanted to go. Not a hard choice there. Bowls are supposed to be rewards for good seasons. His players wanted to spend the holidays in sunny Florida, not in Charlotte. The Meineke Car Care Bowl plays one day later in Charlotte, N. Carolina with the ACC squaring off against the Big East or Navy. The Champs Sports Bowl matches up the ACC with the Big Ten. Let's see: To play in Charlotte and visit The Billy Graham Library or head off to Orlando and enjoy sun, surf and Walt Disney World?

Finally, let's look at the cash--- the Champs Sports Bowl pays out $2.25MILLION to each team. The Meineke Car Care Bowl pays $750THOUSAND. Yes, the Champs money is spread amongst the conference after bowl expenses, but Navy's asking Maryland to take 1/3 of the cash on the table.


Anyway, this shouldn't seem like a surprise in reality. The two schools don't exactly get along. Yes, they are close--a little over 30 miles--but in two different spots. One is part of the DC Metro area, the other is in Annapolis/Baltimore. One's the big state school, the other is a service academy. Still, they played frequently in the 1930s , 1950s and 1960s, until a tense game in 1964, when Navy won 27-22 on the road. The game had brawls in the stands and a Maryland linebacker told the Navy crowd that they were #1 in that oh-so-subtle way. The series stopped the next year until the 2005 game.

IRISH REBUILDING? NEVER!!!


This year, I don't believe the Irish will be movin' on up like George and Weezie.

I readily admit an obsession with Notre Dame. They are the New York Yankees of College Football--people love them or people hate them, but people love to talk (or read) about them. Try eliciting that response with, say, Buffalo or Utah State. So the obsession is simply good business sense.

OK, so everyone is waiting for Notre Dame to implode this year.
Gone are the star QB, the school's # 1 & #2 WR and starting HB. Throw in 3 new o-line. All those talentless pieces that no-good Ty Willingham brought to South Bend--two off to the NFL and one to pro baseball. However, no one worries that Charlie Weiss can't fix an offense, but the concerns start there none-the-less. Heck, the Irish didn't even get the traditional 'vote Notre Dame because of their past' in the preseason USA Today Top 25. They didn't even get in the Top 25 (but ended up tied with South Carolina for what would have been #29).

I want to focus more on the reasons that the focus is there---the Notre Dame Defense. Last year, the Irish ranked #65 in total defense and #67 in scoring defense (that's below SEC doormats Ole Miss and Vandy). In Notre Dame's 3 losses--Michigan, USC, LSU-- they gave up over 40 points in each game. There wasn't a shutout--and hasn't been one since the 2002 opener--nearly 5 years.

The new hope on defense? Blue-collar playmaker S Tom Zbikowski returns, anchoring what could be a decent secondary. However, any DB will tell you that they can't shine if there isn't pressure on the QB.

And this starts the questions: Weiss went to the NFL well again, bringing Corwin Brown in as a new defensive coordinator. Brown, well respected, coached the NewYork J!-E!-T!-S! JETS! JETS! JETS! secondary last year and now is a first-time coordinator. To add to the transition, the Irish will shift to a 3-4, using personnel suited to the 4-3. The one returning d-lineman moves to end. The expected starting defensive tackle moved to undersized noseguard. One backup end moves to outside linebacker.

Ironically, it's the exact opposite of Jimmy Johnson's Miami Hurricane defensive theory---move undersized players with speed down the chain (Safeties to linebackers, linebackers to ends, ends to tackles), instead of over-sized (and likely, less mobile) players up. Remember what happened when that played out in the 1980s? Johnson posted a 3-1 record against the Irish (the one loss was by 1 point in South Bend to Lou Holtz's 1988 National Championship team).

Still, ever-positive Weiss said "God should strike me dead if I utter the word 'rebuilding'"
on Monday. I don't care how much pull Notre Dame has in heaven, Mrs. Weiss may want to make sure that life insurance policy is paid up.

Monday, August 6, 2007

We Need Some Creativity Here, Folks! Give Us a Nickname!

Apparently, Kansas State Quarterback Josh Freeman enjoyed too many ice creams over the summer and is having trouble passing his pre-season conditioning tests. Wildcats Coach Ron Prince scored a major win in 2006 as he convinced Freeman, then the #4 QB recruit in the nation by Rivals.com.

Freeman, who started the final 8 games of the season, including the Cats' upset win over Texas, has fluctuated between 245-250, but had a high of 265 pounds. Yes, 265 pounds. That's larger than last year's listed weight for the starting tight end and fullback and 9 of last year's starting defensive 11.

There hasn't been a quarterback this big since the days of Jared Lorenzen at Kentucky. Lorenzen, who allegedly topped out at 6'5", 322 lbs in Lexington was known more for his arm strength and the ability to have D-Line bounce off of his hide. He's now down to a svelte 285lbs with the NY Giants, but his best asset was the nicknames: "The Pillsbury Throwboy", "The BBQ (Big, Beautiful QB)", "The "Round Mound of Touchdown" and my personal favorite, although a tad crass- "The Fat A** with a Cannon Blast".

So while Ron Prince tries to get some Nutri-System to help his quarterback lose some weight, hopefully we can come up with a decent nickname for the kid....

For the purists-- College Football is Just Better....


Yes, Diversity can mean that you have more weapons.


There is always a great discussion of which is better- college or professional football. Yes, there is usually a divide between those that love Sunday or Saturday editions of the great game, but today we'll look at one of the major reasons that college football is just that much better. And that reason is one that is thrown around by educators seemingly nonstop these days: DIVERSITY.

Whether it is a positive or a negative, college football does have a class system. The schools very rarely physically 'relocate' for better corporate support (except for Wake Forest, which in 1941 moved from Wake Forest to Winston-Salem after almost 110 years), the talent pools are not equally distributed across the county, and history/tradition/facilities DO matter.

Compare this with the NFL, where franchises follow the money, a cap system tries to keep competitive balance (much like Communism in the 1970s-it doesn't mean 'good for everyone' it just means everyone gets the same watered-down product), and let's face it-- facilities really don't matter as much as everyone would believe (case in point, the 49ers STILL play at Whatever Corporate Name Has Been Attached to Candlestick Park--and people have been complaining about that place since it opened in 1971--yet they fielded 5 Super Bowl Champs in their time there. The Detroit Lions have played in 3 stadiums since 1972-- Tiger Stadium, the Pontiac SilverDome and Ford Field--the last two of which were far better situations than Candlestick could ever be--and all they have to show for it is one playoff win).

So let's go back and talk of some DIVERSITY--but limit it to just one aspect of the game: OFFENSE.

Football is a simple game of running, blocking, passing, catching, tackling. However, coaches scheme how to use their talent the best to give them a chance to win. Most of the time, innovation comes from the simple fact that one team has an established advantage over the other. Your quarterback needs a little more time? Landry makes the shotgun famous with the Cowboys. Your offensive line can't move the ball? Walsh invents the West Coast Offense to control the clock with short passes. Still, since the salary cap age came into play, innovation is quickly slowing. Most teams run a variant of the pro-set or West Coast, with only a limited few (read Indianapolis) mimicking the offenses you see in the college ranks.

In college, however, Navy can sport a winning record despite lesser talent using the wishbone triple option. West Virginia busts upon the national scene with the zone read upset of Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Steve Spurrier blows the doors off the competition with the Fun N Gun at Florida (but watches it fail in the pros). USC's pro set creates a defacto NFL franchise in Los Angeles. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach seemingly puts in the guy from the Seven Eleven and makes him a record setting QB. Spreads, Veers, Options, Pro-Sets, Pistols, Shotguns, Run and Shoots, No Huddles, Wildcats, Ninjas. You get them all. Certain players become legends in systems that highlight their talents, yet flop in the die-cast NFL (see Crouch, Eric or Ware, Andre).

College coaches know that gamebreakers can help you--but only for a limited time and then they must be replaced. Try as they might, Mack Brown couldn't sign Vince Young to an 8 year contract in Austin. So he has to work with more talent--trying to develop under-heralded QB Colt McCoy. In Green Bay, Brett Farve starts his 17th season in the league (and 16th with the Pack). Farve goes down, the team is pretty much written off for the season. When Oklahoma's starting quarterback, Rhett Bomar, was kicked off the team before pre-season practices, OU won the conference championship with a converted wide receiver under center.

Friday, August 3, 2007

That Sure Shows Them! Les Miles is a Man of Discipline!

Hard Talkin' LSU coach Les Miles sure laid down the law in May when he suspended one time 5 Star QB recruit/ Current Backup QB Ryan Perrilloux. It seems that Perrilloux, the Louisiana Prep Folk Hero that switched from an oral commitment to Texas just as Miles was coming to Baton Rouge had run afoul of the law by trying to enter a casino underage, using his brother's i.d.--technically, 2 violations of the law, but in reality, nothing too crazy. The problem was that it followed up a counterfeiting investigation by the Feds and rumors that the once omnipotent Perrilloux was having trouble hitting his targets with his howitzer arm.

So, with the Tigers' Quarterback job safely in the hands of Sr. Matt Flynn, Miles told Perrilloux to take basically the summer off. Yes, he gave him some things to work on- community service, stay out of the casinos, etc-- but in the end, Miles' discipline ended up being suspended for the period after spring practices until the day before fall pre-season 2-a-days begin.

Yes, you're reading that right-- Miles put his foot down and made sure that he didn't miss any mandatory school time, or more importantly, any practices to shore up the LSU QB Depth or by any means, GAMES. All Perrilloux missed were summer voluntary practices (yet, if coaches can't monitor them, how do they really know if Perrilloux stayed away?) and the endless stretch of time known as the Major League Baseball Season.

Miles essentially threatened to put Perrilloux to bed without his dinner, only to take him to the all-you-can-eat ice cream parlor. Way to stick it to 'em, Les.

Book 'Em Horns


Ok, so I stole the headline from an editorial in the Austin American-Statesman. But kudos to Cedric Golden for having the stones to write that Texas Coach Mack Brown needs to act after a tumultuous summer for the Longhorn Roster.

For far too long the Statesman has served up softballs in its coverage of the defacto local pro team. That's not bad business in any way. It could be construed as bad journalism, though. But today Golden speaks the unflattering truth.

For the most part, Mack Brown is a good man, and no, he can't be every where at all times with all of his roster---I believe Bob Stoops implied as much last summer with the whole Bomar/Quinn incident (ironically, that incident didn't have much of a legal ramification, but issues with the NCAA. The UT incidents will not bother the NCAA, but could impact the players far greater). Something still needs to be said about the fact that UT's football program is starting to be listed amongst the usual suspects in the Austin PD's files.

Yes, the Longhorn program is facing somewhat of a crisis. 5 'incidents' in the summer. 4 Longhorns with mug shots. Talk of better evaluation of recruits will help for the future, but the problem is that the current roster evidently didn't have the same filtering process--or else this wouldn't be popping up. Yes, Mack Brown did the right thing in not offering Texarkana LB Chris Collins a scholarship after being charged with sexual assault (that did not stop Oklahoma State from taking him on, though). Yes, he has taken action with some of the players involved in past brush ups with the law--notice Ramonce Taylor's exit from the squad, Robert Joseph's departure.

The future steps to be taken? That remains to be seen. The lucky thing is that UT's past, facilities and location within a talent deep area means that Brown CAN sit back and choose based upon a combination of talent AND character in the future. That's not always the case for other schools.

Growing up, Texans used to chide OU fans by implying that the Sooners' success was due to the large amounts of Texas talent on Barry Switzer's teams---calling them the "University of Texas at Norman". They also loved to insinuate that the Sooners' won by hiring out thugs and cheating, while the future doctors and lawyers playing on the Longhorn roster represented everything good of the scholar-athlete. Now, it appears that Texas is following the example set in the 80s by the Sooners--weapons, drugs, assault charges---at least they come with the success of a national title and an annual contender, much like OU's 80's.

Unfortunately, Longhorn fans will now hear the taunts of others for the actions of a limited few. The shoe is on the other foot now.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!!


Col. Nathan Jessup eats breakfast 300 yards away from snipers trained to kill him, but if he played football at Michigan, he wouldn't have to do long division.

Former Michigan QB/ NFLer/ Current Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh called out his alma mater this spring saying the Michigan 'had ways to get borderline players in' and that they steer them into easier academic paths. He also announced that the sky is blue, water is wet and that the sun rises in the east. These things are pretty much a given in major college football. If you don't believe it, please pull your head out of the sand.

The irony is that Michigan coach and players have taken offense to the statement and are replying. IN AUGUST. While I believe that the University of Michigan is an outstanding school, I do find this comical. First, it took 3 months for Wolverine Tailback Mike Hart to respond. It's like he got word of this via Pony Express or that the internet doesn't reach Ann Arbor or Hart's hometown of Syracuse, NY. Next, here's Lloyd Carr making mention of it, again 3 months later--ok, so maybe Carr's not up to date on technology or current events, but more on him later.

Now, Harbaugh uses his own personal experience as a reference on the matter. Granted, it was a while ago, but he basically blew the whistle on Bo Schembechler's crew around 1983-1987. So let's look at the present:

Of Michigan's preseason award winners/watch list nominees and the starting QB:
  • The aforementioned Mike Hart- Big 10 (11) Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
  • Sr QB John Navarre- starting QB
  • Sr LB Shawn Crable- Nagurski Watch List
  • Sr S Jamar Adams- Thorpe Watch List
  • Sr OL Jake Long- Outland Trophy Watch List
  • Sr OL Adam Kraus- Outland Trophy Watch List

All of the above, except Kraus, are majoring in academically vague "General Studies" major. Mr. Kraus is a sports management/communications major in the Kinesiology Dept......so it doesn't look like much has changed. Perhaps Mr. Hart was sensitive because it was true?

In fact, if you go through the Wolverine Roster, you get 6 players out of 29 Sr/5th year players ARE NOT ENROLLED in either a General Studies degree or a degree tied to the PE Dept. Of those 6, you have 2 players that transferred into Michigan and 1 English major o-lineman that has seen action in 2 games over his career.

So what was Lloyd Carr's response? Harbaugh was 'elitist' 'arrogant' and 'self-serving'. Notice that he doesn't say 'Jim's flat out wrong, we try to guide our players into coursework that will make them better people and be productive pieces of society." He pretty much simply implies that they try to keep his players eligible, which isn't hypocritical to a football coach, but maybe it is a little hypocritical to a highly acclaimed university like Michigan.

Other comments by Harbaugh like Stanford is needed because they are 'scholar athletes' and no other school can carry that banner. I point out that he's somehow forgotten about Big 10 whipping boy Northwestern, SEC doormat Vandy, Big XII stepchild Baylor as well as Wake Forest, Rice, etc. All of those schools are strong academics and in the case of Wake and Northwestern--they hold conference titles far more recently than Stanford.