Posted on 08/10/2007 4:11:38 PM PDT by GOP_Raider
College football coaches tend to be a paranoid bunch. With the proliferation of the Internet and, more specifically, fan message boards, there aren't many secrets in college football anymore.
Even Frank Beamer, this journalist's last hope for open access, has gone to the dark side. He closed Virginia Tech's practices during preseason camp after suggesting that someone might have tipped off Georgia as to what plays the Hokies were going to run in last season's Chick-fil-A Bowl.
In a clandestine effort, we've enlisted our sources from coast to coast to uncover a few of college football's secrets heading into the 2007 season:
1. Darren McFadden is the best QB at Arkansas
It's no secret that Darren McFadden is one of the most explosive players in college football. He ran for 117.6 yards per game while sharing carries with Felix Jones last season. The SEC hasn't seen a tailback as complete as McFadden since Bo Jackson was carrying the load at Auburn.
But McFadden also might be the best quarterback at Arkansas, which is why opponents will see more of him behind center this season. Even after offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn bolted for Tulsa after only one season on Houston Nutt's staff, the Razorbacks are expanding their "Wildcat" package (now called "Wildhog") to take advantage of McFadden's versatility.
Opposing defenses also figure to see Jones working at quarterback, or even sophomore Michael Smith, who might be as explosive as Jones and McFadden. Just think Navy's triple option with better athletes.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
8. The NFL has better ball games.
#8 We at ESPN despise the Big XII, so we won’t write anything about them. And we really, really, really, really hope that Texas, OU, or Nebraska doesn’t go undefeated. Otherwise we’d have to acknowledge their existence.
They have to get new players from somewhere...
Indeed. But there’s a reason why rookies are almost always benched for one, sometimes two, or even three, years before seeing any significant time.
I think the biggest secret is that Joe McKnight is the reincarnation of Reggie Bush at USC.
The kid is making what is probably the best defense in college football look helpless in practice. He’s that good.
Just once in my life I saw a situation in which an amateur verson of a sport for a while outgrew the pro version, and that was those last five years Paul Bryant coached at Alabama and devised a passing game keyed to the action of the wishbone ground game in such a way that it didn’t look like a desperation act when they threw the ball, and nobody could tell a passing play was on until the ball was snapped. THAT was cool.
Although, in the sheer interest of fairness and balance, I think the college game has better full scale brawls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSuxsR6YcuU
I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, so I did both. :)
If Terpfen is hiroglyph for Terp Fan, I can see where your past experience might lead you to that conclusion...
Sorry, I have no association with Maryland or its various universities.
I did want my Dolphins to use a 5th round pick in the supplemental draft on Jared Gaither, though.
Arkansas' Darren McFadden is — shall we say — an interesting fella.
Now before someone twists off on me, I realize this was all in good fun and he was just doing a bit. But this IS funny!
Is South Florida still collectively apoplectic about not taking Quinn w/ their #1 pick?
LOL, that’s comical!
Hint: he’s not the cute blonde with the big cans.
Not really. The mood has turned to depression over the upcoming season; no one expects the Dolphins to do well at all. A lot of the talk radio callers keep talking about having a high pick in next year’s draft, meaning they don’t think the team is going to improve on its 2006 record. Me, I’m over it, and thankful for it. Beck looks great, and I wanted Ginn to begin with. (Though I thought Quinn would be gone by #9.)
Quinn’s antics in Cleveland are probably helping ease the pain.
Better in what way?
Off the top of my head: more talented players at nearly every position; more advanced systems, schemes, and play calling; playoffs.
College ball does have the advantage of more intense rivalries (OSU-Michigan), but that’s due to the NFL’s team realignment in 2002. Even with that, it’s hard to beat some NFL rivalries: Dolphins-Jets, Patriots-Colts, Eagles-Giants, and Bills-Winning to name some. (Cowboys-49ers used to be damn good.)
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