2010 College Football Preview by Consolidated Publishing Co.

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The Anniston Star

college football Wednesday, September 1, 2010

College football fans have always been dreamers. Well, we took a look into the world of pretend, and, while we found some dreams, there were also a few nightmares.

What If ...

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The Anniston Star

Page 2 Wednesday, September 1, 2010

What if ...

From the editor

Nobody played cupcakes “I wanna live where it’s always Saturday” In 1989, the band Guadalcanal Diary sang “Always Saturday.” Though the band was formed in Georgia and based for a while in Athens, the tune isn’t about college football; rather, it’s about an idyllic life in the suburbs. But for this exercise, we surely can co-opt the “I wish it were Saturday” sentiment. Here’s a preseason look at the best game each weekend this fall. WEEK 1 THE GAME: Because it’s the first weekend, we’re picking three games — Pittsburgh at Utah on Thursday, LSU-North Carolina in Atlanta on Saturday and Boise State-Virginia Tech in Landover, Md., on Monday. THE BUZZ: The first big TV game of the season is the Thursday night Pitt-Utah matchup, and you have to give the Panthers credit for being willing to play in Salt Lake City. Saturday’s spotlight game will be in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, where the first offense to reach 17 points and/or 250 total yards will be declared the winner. And the weekend winds up with a Labor Day night doozy. Boise State, basically, has a two-game schedule; the problem for Boise is that if it loses the first one on that schedule, the rest of the season doesn’t matter. ALSO OF NOTE: Cincinnati at Fresno State, Connecticut at Michigan, Oregon State vs. TCU in Arlington, Texas, BYU at Washington WEEK 2 THE GAME: Miami at Ohio State, Sept. 11 THE BUZZ: This will be the first meeting between the teams since the 2002 Fiesta Bowl, where the Buckeyes upset Miami to win the national title. The Buckeyes are prime title contenders this season, while this is a chance for the Hurricanes to show they’re truly back among the elite. ALSO OF NOTE: Penn State at Alabama, Michigan at Notre Dame, Florida State at Oklahoma WEEK 3 THE GAME: Georgia Tech at North Carolina, Sept. 18 THE BUZZ: The ACC Coastal Division race is going to be a monster, and this is the first meeting this season between teams with a chance to win the division. The winner takes a small step toward the crown, while the loser moves into quasi-desperation mode. ALSO OF NOTE: BYU at Florida State, Arkansas at Georgia, Nebraska at Washington WEEK 4 THE GAME: Oregon State at Boise State, Sept. 25 THE BUZZ: There’s a caveat with this one, as this moves to “interesting, but ...” if Boise loses its opener to Virginia Tech. If the Broncos win that one, then the Beavers are by and large the only object standing between the Broncos and a perfect regular season. ALSO OF NOTE: Miami at Pittsburgh (Sept. 23), Alabama at Arkansas, Oklahoma at Cincinnati, Stanford at Notre Dame WEEK 5 THE GAME: Florida at Alabama, Oct. 2 THE BUZZ: The teams that met in each of the past two SEC championship games get together again, this time for the first regularseason meeting since 2005. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this is the first of two meetings this season, with the other coming in the SEC title game in Atlanta on Dec. 4. ALSO OF NOTE: Penn State at Iowa, Stanford at Oregon, Oklahoma-Texas in Dallas WEEK 6 THE GAME: USC at Stanford, Oct. 9 THE BUZZ: This will be the first road test of the season for the Trojans, who got run over by the Cardinal last season. Meanwhile, this comes on the heels of a trip to Oregon for the Cardinal. Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh seemed to relish getting under Pete Carroll’s skin, and everybody knows Lane Kiffin loves to talk the talk. What does all that mean? There could be some mighty fine smack talk from the coaches before this one. ALSO OF NOTE: Oregon State at Arizona, LSU at Florida, Florida State at Miami, Pittsburgh at Notre Dame

Bran Strickland Sports Editor

Let’s just see how they all play out According to the History Channel, there are some — I don’t think very many, but some — people who believe for every possible scenario in life, there is an alternate universe where said scenarios are playing out. So that means there’s a place out there somewhere where Auburn has 13 national championships. And another where Bear Bryant lives forever. One, too, where Jacksonville State remained Division II, and the Gamecocks are just content with winning football games. (They beat Troy in that one all the time.) And there’s probably even one where I have hair ... Boy, I bet I look good. These people who believe in the existence of alternate universes — they come with and without tinfoil hats — don’t watch football. Actually, they probably went to a college, university or institute of technology that doesn’t even have a football team, because they don’t have time for it. They’re too busy studying quantum theory. All of which is OK, because if they could figure out how to get to one of these parallel universes, they wouldn’t be there to bother us. It would mean more football for us, and that’s seriously a lot of football. The night I heard this, my thoughts didn’t go directly to football. However, when my mind did make its way to sports, it wouldn’t stop racing. Because those people said, basically, if you can think it, then it exists somewhere. Like a really nerdy “Field of Dreams.” Maybe one day there will be a way to travel to alternate universes (if they exist). I don’t think I’d want to go there, though. Maybe they’ll just have a way they can broadcast all the different scenarios. Bran Strickland is the sports editor for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3570 or at bstrickland@annistonstar.com or follow him on Twitter @bran_strickland

ABOUT THE COVER The cover was designed by sports editor Bran Strickland with graphic work by Sigurd Decroos and photos from Star photographers Trent Penny, Bill Wilson and Stephen Gross. Special thanks to Star managing editor Anthony Cook, columnist Joe Medley and ESPN’s Andy Hall.

Joe Jaszewski/Associated Press/File

It won’t take long this season to find out whether Boise State is for real. The Broncos open with Virginia Tech. WEEK 7 THE GAME: Texas at Nebraska, Oct. 16 THE BUZZ: Oooh, this will be nasty. Nebraska fans are known for their hospitality, but Lincoln won’t be hospitable for the Longhorns, who have owned this series since the Big 12 was formed. Know this: No Nebraskan has forgotten the ending of last season’s Big 12 championship game. This will be the last time these teams meet in the regular season as Big 12 members, which will add a little extra spice. ALSO OF NOTE: Arkansas at Auburn, BYU at TCU, Ohio State at Wisconsin WEEK 8 THE GAME: Wisconsin at Iowa, Oct. 23 THE BUZZ: The second huge game in a row for the Badgers, who will have played host to Ohio State the previous week. Thus, the Badgers still will be in the Big Ten title hunt or will be out to play spoiler. Iowa has won six of the past eight meetings. ALSO OF NOTE: LSU at Auburn, North Carolina at Miami, Oklahoma at Missouri, Navy vs. Notre Dame in East Rutherford, N.J. WEEK 9 THE GAME: Oregon at USC, Oct. 30 THE BUZZ: USC has laid the lumber to the Ducks in each of their past two visits to L.A.,

winning by a combined 59 points. And while USC is ineligible for the Pac-10 title, you can be sure the Trojans don’t want to pass the mantle of “Best Program in the Pac-10” to the Ducks just yet. ALSO OF NOTE: West Virginia at Connecticut (Oct. 29), Florida-Georgia in Jacksonville, Missouri at Nebraska, California at Oregon State WEEK 10 THE GAME: Alabama at LSU, Nov. 6 THE BUZZ: Nick Saban makes his second visit to Baton Rouge as an opposing coach. It will be a nighttime kickoff. Add those two things together and, man, it’s gonna be big fun on the bayou. ALSO OF NOTE: Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (No. 4), TCU at Utah WEEK 11 THE GAME: Pittsburgh at Connecticut, Nov. 11 THE BUZZ: This could be the most important Big East game this season. Don’t expect a lot of finesse; this will be “I’m-going-to-lineup-and-run-the-ball-down-your-throat” football. ALSO OF NOTE: All others on Nov. 13— Miami at Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech at North Carolina, Utah at Notre Dame, Penn State at Ohio State WEEK 12 THE GAME: Ohio State at Iowa, Nov. 20 THE BUZZ: If all the analysts are right, this will be the de facto Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes won in OT in Columbus last season with Iowa using a backup quarterback on the way to the Rose Bowl. ALSO OF NOTE: Stanford at California, Virginia Tech at Miami, USC at Oregon State, Nebraska at Texas A&M WEEK 13 THE BUZZ: This is rivalry week and, frankly, the game of the week is in the eye of the beholder. OF NOTE: Texas A&M at Texas (Nov. 25), Auburn at Alabama (Nov. 26), West Virginia at Pittsburgh (Nov. 26). All others on Nov. 27— LSU at Arkansas, Florida at Florida State, Georgia Tech at Georgia, Michigan at Ohio State, Oregon State at Stanford, Notre Dame at USC, BYU at Utah WEEK 14 THE GAME: SEC championship game in Atlanta THE BUZZ: The past four national titlists have emerged from this game, and the winner seems a good bet to again go to the championship game this season. ALSO OF NOTE: ACC championship game, Big 12 championship game, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Oregon at Oregon State — Mike Huguenin, Rivals.com

M eet the staff

Bran Strickland Sports Editor

Joe Medley Columnist

Lacie Pinyan Copy Editor

Al Muskewitz JSU Beat Writer

Charlie Bennett Auburn beat writer

Michael Casagrande Alabama beat writer

Nick Birdsong Preps beat writer

Age: 35 From: Munford With The Star: 17 years

Age: 45 From: Louisville, Ky. With The Star: 14 years qq What if ... you could go back in time and cover any era of any sport? I’m a lifelong NFL fan, especially the Minnesota Vikings. I grew up watching the 1970sera Vikings teams with Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman and the Purple People Eaters. I’d love to cover the Vikings of that era. And yes, covering them outdoors in the old Metropolitan Stadium would make it that much sweeter.

Age: 23 From: Blountsville With The Star: 1 year qq What if ... you could have lifetime tickets to any sporting event, what would it be? Being an avid Alabama fan, I would give my right arm for lifetime tickets to Tide football games since that waiting list isn’t getting any shorter. Nothing compares to the chills you get when Bear Bryant’s voice fills the stadium or the joy that singing “Rammer Jammer” to an opponent brings.

Age: 51 From: Trenton, N.J. With The Star: 13 years qq What if ... you could cover any sporting event from any time in the past, what would it be? Out of every game that has ever been played, it’s the App State-Michigan 2007 game. It was the classic underdog shocks the world story and I like underdogs as much as I like a good story. And that game had both. (Almost like Jacksonville State would have gotten if it had beaten Florida State last year.)

Age: 53 From: Rock Hill, S.C. With The Star: 1 month qq What if ... you could only cover one sport for the rest of your life, what would it be? The temptation is to try and cheat on this question and just say “college sports.” But if I had to pick one, it would definitely be college football. Nothing captures people’s passion in the south like college football, and there’s nothing like sitting in a packed stadium, waiting on kickoff.

Age: 27 From: Louisville, Ky. With The Star: 2 years

Age: 26 From: Tampa, Fla. With The Star: 3 years

What if ... you could cover any sporting event from any time in the past, what would it be? The 1977 World Series. After reading “The Bronx is Burning,” it’s a nobrainer. It was such a fascinating time in our history, plus having personalities as big as Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson would make it a beat writer’s dream.

What if ... you could only cover one sport for the rest of your life, what would it be? NBA basketball, without a doubt. (With apologizes to Kurtis Blow) Basketball is my favorite sport. I like the way they dribble up and down the court. Seriously, though, in my opinion, it’s the greatest game played by the greatest athletes at the highest level.

qq What if ... you could have lifetime tickets to any sporting event, what would it be? Without a doubt it would be The Masters. Aside from golf, one of my favorite pastimes, there’s no scenery like that anywhere else in the sporting world. And with inflation the way it is, I’ll always be able to afford an adult beverage and an egg salad sandwich.

The Anniston Star

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 3

Lead in

Should college football ultimately realign, greed and TV markets should conspire to form these ...

College football fans can enjoy relative normalcy this season, but a few tense weeks in May made everyone ponder a new world order of realigned super conferences. Greed, the force that launched major football powers into brinkmanship, forestalled the change. The Big 12 Conference gave Texas a sweet deal, so the school that keyed everything got to stay and enjoy life as an unequal among equals. How long Texas’ Big 12 brethren will tolerate the intol-

erable is hard to say. We could be back on the brink some day soon. But the episode launched imaginations about what college football should look like, in the event of major realignment. With my head cocked, eyes to the ceiling and finger on my chin, I see the future. I see four, 16team revenue units with names befitting the logic that formed them.

Southea s te r n C o n f e r e n c e What it is The lovechild of the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Basically, it’s the finest of Southern College football. RSEC East Division Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami, South Carolina, and Kentucky. RSEC West Division Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Thought process Four former Atlantic Coast Conference teams merge with the former SEC to form a rivalry-perfect unit, complete with glamour schools and endless rivalry combinations for TV purposes. No, the East and West divisions don’t conform geographically, but who cares? It’s all about making sure rivals play each other for TV and ticket sales purposes, and all schools who have natural rivals in this alignment will play them. The Florida schools will play each year. Same for the Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi schools. Key interstate rivalries like Alabama-Tennessee and Florida-Georgia are preserved. Other interstate rivalries, like Florida-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia, can be addressed with one permanent opponent from the opposite division. That also keeps the league schedule at the current eight games. Sure, schedules are imbalanced, but let’s make lots of money. And there’s still Kentucky and Vandy to perform their functions of giving the league basketball and academic face.

UAW-GM Big Midwest What it is A revival. GM buys into this merger of teh Big Ten and Big 12 North Division to market it’s back-in-black message. They’re ready to take on the world ... or at the least, the SEC. UAW-GM BM East Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. UAW-GM BM West Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern.

Thought process The former Big Ten, not as desperate as the former Big East and ACC, wouldn’t sell its soul to win the Notre Dame sweepstakes. Illinois and Northwestern already give the new league inroads to the Chicago market, any way. There was discussion about Boise State, but the Idaho TV market hardly justifies the travel. Besides, the former Big Ten was above gimmicks like blue turf.

What it is

East Coast Conf erence What it is Survival of the fittest. The desperate Big East sells out to lure Notre Dame football, punts schools with the least to offer in football and gives safe harbor to the ACC’s refugees. NYSE ECC North Boston College, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse. NYSE ECC SOUTH Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, South Florida, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia.

Thought process Old acquaintance must be forgotten to form a league that maintains strength in basketball but insists on the revenue potential of football. Members must be Football Bowl Subdivision schools, preferably with credibility. Notre Dame gets better than a Texas-like deal, being allowed its separate agreement with NBC — which could stand for the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation. So sad for ACC member North Carolina State for being left out. It was down to Cincinnati, Louisville and N.C. State for the 15th and 16th spots, and Louisville-Cincinnati made for a natural rivalry while maintaining a North Division of mostly former Big East teams. North Carolina already has Duke as a rival in the South, and who can beat North Carolina-Duke for hoops hoopla?

Best of the West. The Pac-10 merges with the best of the Big 12 South Division plus Colorado and best-of-the-rest Utah to monopolize TV markets on the left coast. Nike West - South Arizona, Arizona State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Southern Cal, Texas, Texas A&M and UCLA. Nike West - North California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Utah, Washington and Washington State.

Thought process Poor Texas Tech. Power broker Texas has a bigger instate rival in A&M, and Washington needs its state rival. Plus, who squeezes out of the South Division? Southern Cal needs UCLA. The Arizona schools need each other, just like the Oklahoma and Texas schools need each other. So argue Tuberville will, just like he did for Auburn in 2004, but then Texas Christian chimes in. This arrangement leaves lots of aggrieved folks, but what else is new? Including two more Texas schools is overkill when Texas and A&M clinch the Dallas TV market. Keeping the Oregon and Washington schools broadens the league’s appeal with respectable TV markets like Portland and Seattle. Same for Colorado (Denver) and Utah (Salt Lake City), who could make natural rivals. Could Texas Tech and TCU squeeze out Stanford and Cal? Nah. Northern California is too large to skip, and it brings in markets like San Francisco/Oakland and Sacramento. And sorry, Boise State. The Idaho TV market is small potatoes.

Joe Medley is The Star’s sports columnist. He can be reached at 256-235-3576 or jmedley@annistonstar.com.

Page 4 Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Anniston Star

top 25 overview

B reaking down the projected end - of-the -year rankings

How it all could shake out 25. Washington Last year: 5-7 Tough games: at BYU; Nebraska Player to watch: QB Jake Locker Skinny: Locker is arguably the best QB in the nation. If the Huskies’ defense is a little better, Washington will post its first winning season since 2002. Season goes north if: The defense is decent, and the Huskies defeat Nebraska at home Sept. 18. Season goes south if: Locker needs to win every game by himself and the nonconference schedule eats ups the Huskies. Projected record: 9-4

24. Houston Last year: 10-4 Tough games: at UCLA; at Texas Tech Player to watch: QB Case Keenum Skinny: Keenum will put up ridiculous numbers, but the defense has to do something other than nothing for the Cougars to make a run at a BCS game. Season goes north if: The offense repeats its ‘09 performance and the defense is solid. Season goes south if: The defense, which is now run by former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart, again is one the nation’s worst. Projected record: 10-3

23. LSU Last year: 9-4 Tough games: North Carolina; West Virginia; at Florida; at Auburn; Alabama; at Arkansas Player to watch: WR Russell Shepard Skinny: The Tigers’ defense is rebuilding, QB Jordan Jefferson is a question mark, and the schedule is loaded with potential losses. Season goes north if: Jefferson is consistent, and the Tigers’ offense complements a defense that is long on talent but short on experience. Season goes south if: The schedule is too much, and Jefferson remains erratic. Projected record: 8-5

22. Arkansas Last year: 8-5 Tough games: Texas A&M; Alabama; LSU Player to watch: QB Ryan Mallett Skinny: Mallett is one of the nation’s top QB prospects, and this is the type of once-everyfour-years team in Fayetteville that can contend in the SEC. Season goes north if: Mallett is as good as people think, and the Hogs take advantage of what is a “softer” SEC schedule. Season goes south if: The defense is no better despite the return of five of its top seven tacklers from last season. Projected record: 9-4

21. Utah Last year: 10-3 Tough games: Pitt; Notre Dame; TCU Player to watch: RB Eddie Wide Skinny: The Utes have their passer in QB Jordan Wynn, but their defense is raw in the secondary and at linebacker. The Utes won’t win the MWC in their last year before leaving for the Pac-10. Season goes north if: Wynn and the offense are better than ‘09, and they somehow beat Pitt and Notre Dame. Season goes south if: A young defense is exposed and the team leans too much on the offense. Projected record: 10-3

20. Penn State Last year: 11-2 Tough games: at Alabama; at Iowa; at Ohio St. Player to watch: RB Evan Royster Skinny: The loss of QB Daryll Clark is huge, and the defensive front seven is green. Plus the schedule is one of the nation’s toughest. Season goes north if: The Nittany Lions find a QB to complement a solid running game and good receivers, and the defense finds some playmakers quickly. Season goes south if: The QB stinks, the schedule eats them up, and the questions surrounding 83-year-old

coach Joe Paterno become a distraction. Projected record: 9-4

game push. Season goes north if: The defense successfully replaces DE Jerry Hughes and LB Daryl Washington, plus the offense carries the load. Season goes south if: A loss after Week 4 would likely kill the Frogs’ BCS bowl game chances. TCU can lose early, but no non-BCS conference team has reached a BCS bowl game in consecutive seasons. Projected record: 11-2

19. USC Last year: 9-4 Tough games: Oregon; at Oregon St.; Notre Dame Player to watch: DE Nick Perry Skinny: The Trojans are a bit of a mess, and there is rebuilding aplenty for firstyear coach Lane Kiffin. But there is talent galore. Season goes north if: The young talent is as good as hoped, Kiffin proves he can coach, and QB Matt Barkley rebounds from an average season. Season goes south if: Kiffin proves he can’t coach, and the off-the-field drama surrounding the team engulfs the season. Projected record: 8-4

8. Virginia Tech Last year: 10-3 Tough games: Boise State; at North Carolina; at Miami Player to watch: RB Ryan Williams Skinny: The offense will control the ball with RBs Darren Evans, Williams and David Wilson, plus a solid QB in Tyrod Taylor. But the defense is inexperienced. Season goes north if: The running game dominates defenses and the Hokies win their tough games. Season goes south if: The defense is not good enough to do its part and big-game losses derail the season. Projected record: 11-2

18. Georgia Last year: 8-5 Tough games: Arkansas; Florida; at Auburn Player to watch: LB Justin Houston Skinny: The Bulldogs changed defensive coordinators, but they have fallen behind LSU, Florida and Alabama in the SEC talent race. They’re also starting an inexperienced QB in Aaron Murray. Season goes north if: WR A.J. Green touches the ball a lot, and Murray proves to be capable of leading a young offense. Season goes south if: The QB position is a mess, and the defense’s new 3-4 scheme does nothing. Projected record: 8-5

7. Boise State Last year: 14-0 Tough games: at Virginia Tech; Oregon State Player to watch: QB Kellen Moore Skinny: The Broncos return 22 of 24 starters from last season’s undefeated team. This may be Boise State’s best team. Season goes north if: The Broncos improve from last season and don’t fold under the highest expectations ever for a non-BCS team. Season goes south if: Boise State loses a game. This team is supposed to go to a BCS bowl game and maybe the title game, but a loss would doom its hopes. Projected record: 12-2

17. Iowa Last year: 11-2 Tough games: at Arizona; Penn St.; Ohio St. Player to watch: DE Adrian Clayborn Skinny: The Hawkeyes can’t expect to win as many close games as they did last season, despite the Big Ten being down (again). The Hawkeyes aren’t as good as everyone thinks. Season goes north if: They win at Arizona, and QB Ricky Stanzi improves his accuracy. Season goes south if: Iowa plans to rely on winning a slew of close games as it did last season. Projected record: 9-4

16. Miami (Fla.) Last year: 9-4 Player to watch: DE Allen Bailey Tough games: at Ohio St.; at Pitt; Fla. St. Skinny: A brutal schedule will keep the ‘Canes from being where they should be in about a year. The defense is stacked, and QB Jacory Harris should become a more consistent playmaker. Season goes north if: A team that figures to be about a year away from dominance is already there. Season goes south if: This is as good as Harris is, which is erratic and prone to interceptions. Projected record: 9-4

15. North Carolina Last year: 8-5 Tough games: LSU; at Miami; at Florida State; Virginia Tech Player to watch: FS Deunta Williams Skinny: Coach Butch Davis has the Tar Heels’ defense loaded, much the way Mack Brown did in Chapel Hill in the mid-’90s. The offense, however, won’t do much unless redshirt QB Bryn Renner beats out senior T.J. Yates. Season goes north if: Renner is as good as UNC hopes and the offense contributes. Season goes south if: The offense is an interception waiting to happen, and a defense that is so good is on the field too long. Projected record: 9-4

14. Oregon State Last year: 8-5 Tough games: at TCU; at Boise State; at Washington; USC; Oregon Player to watch: RB Jacquizz Rodgers Skinny: The Beavers are settled with experience and talent everywhere, but ... QB is an unknown and the schedule

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press/File

If Ohio State quarterback Terrell Pryor can become a more reliable passer, the Buckeyes could be right back in the thick of things yet again. is a killer. Season goes north if: The Beavers play to their level. They can beat everyone on their schedule. Season goes south if: QB Ryan Katz bombs, and the schedule, plus high expectations, are too much to handle. Projected record: 9-4

13. Auburn Last year: 8-5 Tough games: Clemson; Arkansas; LSU; at Alabama Player to watch: RB Mario Fannin Skinny: Coach Gene Chizik has Auburn pushing Alabama in recruiting, and the Tigers have enough talent to contend in the SEC West. A lot depends on junior college transfer QB Cameron Newton, who was kicked off the Florida team two years ago because of criminal charges. Season goes north if: Newton is as good as Florida coach Urban Meyer thought he was and can effectively lead Auburn’s offense, and the defense improves. Season goes south if: Newton is a bust, and a shaky defense can’t stop people. Projected record: 9-4

12. Pittsburgh Last year: 10-3 Tough games: at Utah; Miami; at Notre Dame Player to watch: RB Dion Lewis Skinny: Coach Dave Wannstedt’s early recruiting classes are coming around. The offense is loaded, especially with Lewis and star WR Jonathan Baldwin. Pitt should win the Big East. Season goes north if: The QB competition between Tino Sunseri and Pat Bostick has a clear winner, allowing the Panthers’ offense to fly. Season goes south if: Erratic QB play, injuries and a late-game collapse kill the

season. Projected record: 11-2

11. Oklahoma Last year: 8-5 Tough games: Florida State; at Cincinnati; Texas Player to watch: WR Ryan Broyles Skinny: The Sooners are healthy, and are set with experienced players at the skill positions. The offensive line is new, and the defense should again be good. Season goes north if: The O-line jells quickly and QB Landry Jones continues to improve. Season goes south if: An early-season nonconference loss to Florida State or Cincinnati, plus a loss against Texas, kills the Sooners’ momentum. Projected record: 10-3

10. Wisconsin Last year: 10-3 Tough games: Arizona State; Ohio State; at Iowa Player to watch: RB John Clay Skinny: The Badgers are good and the Big Ten stinks, meaning when they host the Buckeyes on Oct. 16, a trip to a BCS bowl game should be on the line. Season goes north if: The defense overcomes the loss of three starters up front. And they beat the Buckeyes. Season goes south if: Clay can’t remain healthy. Projected record: 11-2

9. TCU Last year: 12-1 Tough games: Oregon State; at Utah; BYU Player to watch: WR Jeremy Kerley Skinny: With a four-year starter at QB in Andy Dalton and plenty of good players, TCU should win the Mountain West. As usual, the defense is loaded and the schedule was created to make a BCS bowl

6. Texas Last year: 13-1 Tough games: Oklahoma; at Nebraska; at Texas Tech Players to watch: QB Garrett Gilbert; FS Blake Gideon Player who needs to improve: OT Britt Mitchell Learn this name: WR Marquise Goodwin Skinny: The loss of QB Colt McCoy is massive, but having Gilbert means this won’t be a wasted season. UT is stacked with talent and should be one of nation’s top defenses. Season goes north if: Gilbert avoids any prolonged slumps, and the ‘Horns beat the top two teams on their schedule — OU and Nebraska. Season goes south if: At this juncture, this team only cares about the BCS; a loss in the Red River Rivalry could kill that dream. Projected record: 12-2

5. Nebraska Last year: 10-4 Tough Games: at Washington; Texas Players to watch: DT Jared Crick; WR Niles Paul Player who needs to improve: QB Zac Lee Learn this name: CB Prince Amukamara Skinny: In their last year in the Big 12, the ‘Huskers should walk to the Big 12 title game. The schedule is easy, and the team is good. The offense features 10 upperclassmen. The team lost AllAmerica DE Ndamukong Suh, but DT Jared Crick is a potential Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Season goes north if: QB Zac Lee improves on an erratic ‘09 season, and the defense continues its return to the Black Shirt days. Only two teams scored more than 20 points against Nebraska last season. Season goes south if: Lee and the offense remain erratic, at best. And the rest of the Big 12 North sells its soul to beat the school that is leaving the conference. Projected record: 12-2

4. Oregon Last year: 10-3 Tough games: at Tennessee; at USC; at Cal; at Oregon State Players to watch: RB LaMichael James; LB Casey Matthews Player who needs to improve: CB Cliff Harris Learn this name: RB Kenjon Barner Skinny: The Ducks had a decade’s worth of off-season issues, most notably the dismissal of QB Jeremiah Masoli. The schedule isn’t favorable, but from talent and experience perspectives, the Ducks are ready to make a run at No. 1. Season goes north if: Nate Costa or Darron Thomas steps up at quarterback and contributes to an offense that has plenty of skill. Season goes south if: The Pac-10 is better than advertised, and the slew of challenging road games catches up with the Ducks. Projected record: 12-1

3. Alabama Last year: 14-0 Tough games: Penn State; Florida; at LSU; Auburn Player to watch: RB Mark Ingram Player who needs to improve: WR Julio Jones Learn this name: RB Trent Richardson Skinny: The Tide’s defense lost nine starters and the schedule is SEC tough. Despite the fact that he hasn’t lost a game in seemingly forever, there remains some doubt about QB Greg McElroy’s ability to make plays. Season goes north if: A running game that should be the nation’s best is just that, Jones rebounds from an average season before he turns pro, and a defense that is short on experience but long on talent matures quickly. Season goes south if: Alabama’s reliance on winning close games catches up with them, and the team can’t duplicate its magical ‘09 run in a loaded conference. Projected record: 11-2

2. Florida Last year: 13-1 Tough games: at Alabama; LSU; Georgia; at Fla. St. Players to watch: QB John Brantley; FS Will Hill Player who needs to improve: WR Deonte Thompson Learn this name: WR Andre Debose Skinny: Tim Tebow is gone, but the Gators have so much skill and so much talent that even losing a player of his magnitude won’t derail the season. Expect Florida to throw the ball more and expect the defense to be good. Season goes north if: The defense is a typical Gators defense, and Brantley proves capable of spreading the ball to all of the skill surrounding him. Season goes south if: Brantley can’t do it, and the defense is a year away. A Gators loss in Alabama on Oct. 2 could be tough to recover from. Projected record: 13-1

1. Ohio State Last year: 11-2 Tough games: at Wisconsin; at Iowa; Michigan Players to watch: QB Terrelle Pryor; DE Cameron Heyward Player who needs to improve: FS Jermale Hines Learn this name: LB Etienne Sabino Skinny: Ohio State is good, and the Big Ten figures to be weak again, so that should allow the Buckeyes to return to another BCS title game. The schedule is weak, and if Pryor continues to develop the way he did at the end of last season, the Buckeyes will go undefeated. Season goes north if: Pryor performs the way Vince Young did his junior year at Texas. Pryor can dominate a game, and if he becomes a reliable passer, he’s unstoppable. Season goes south if: Pryor reverts to his hit-or-miss ways as a passer, allowing defenses to stack the line to stop him as a runner. The Buckeyes are so loaded, it all depends on Pryor’s maturation. Projected record: 14-0

Rankings were projected and written by Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and not based on the Associated Press.

The Anniston Star

statewide spotlight

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 5

No sense in wondering

Content years after tainted exit from Auburn, Troy’s Blakeney doesn’t ask ‘What if?’ By John Zenor Associated Press

TROY — Troy football coach Larry Blakeney works in a modest, cramped office, strolls around campus for exercise and is a regular at “The Pig,” a cafe at the local Piggly Wiggly grocery store. Though Blakeney’s post is a few football fields — and tax brackets — removed from the seven-figure glamour jobs of major college football, only Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer and Penn State’s Joe Paterno have led their FBS teams for longer. He’s had a career that could have landed him one of those big-time jobs, and paychecks to match, but he doesn’t waste time wondering what might have been if his reputation hadn’t been tarnished following a stint as an assistant at Auburn. Instead, Blakeney is preparing for his 20th season at Troy, having led the Trojans up from Division II to FBS and to the past four Sun Belt Conference titles. It’s a low-key job in a low-key town in a state where college football is anything but; Alabama’s Nick Saban rakes in $4 million a year a few hours away. Displaying his trademark humor, the 62year-old Blakeney points out that there are benefits to his longevity at Troy. “You sort of know where everything is, I guess. When you get to be my age, you need a good hold on how to get in the building and how many steps there are before you open the door,” he said. “There are advantages, because you get into a routine. And especially if you’re able to win and be successful along the way, that routine is one that you sort of want to maintain if you can.” It’s worked so far. Blakeney has a 153-771 record in his only college head coaching job with seven conference titles and two FCS semifinal appearances before moving up to FBS in 2001. He has won back-to-back Sun Belt coach of the year honors and led the Trojans to a 26-3 league mark during the four-year title run. Of course, all that got a fraction of the attention of Saban & Co.’s national title last season. Blakeney has enjoyed enough success at each level on the way up to have possibly earned a shot at a bigger, more wellknown program. The offers haven’t come. Blakeney knows of at least one reason why: His reputation took a hit soon after he started at Troy following 14 seasons as an assistant at alma mater Auburn, where

he played quarterback. He was banned from contact with the university for his role in violations that led to NCAA probation in 1993. Former player Eric Ramsey admitted that he took money from Blakeney and other assistants. The ban was lifted a decade ago, but Blakeney believes “there’s no question” the episode hindered him from being a candidate for a high-profile job. “I harbor no ill will toward anybody, not even the guy that produced all this problem,” Blakeney said, referring to Ramsey. “Not at all. I still love Auburn and I still have a high regard for the University of Alabama. I’m not a hater of different people. I’m not the least bit bitter, not one iota.” In fact, he seems quite content. Blakeney’s three daughters have graduated from Charles Henderson High School near campus and then from Troy. His wife, Janice, sells real estate in the town of 15,000, 45 minutes south of Montgomery. Plus, they can eat at the cafe they’ve dubbed “The Pig” once a week or so. Saban, meanwhile, seldom ventures into Tuscaloosa restaurants because he gets mobbed by fans.

“I’ve been able to get to know and maintain a relationship with the townspeople and the folks in the area,” Blakeney said. “I’ve been certainly part of the small-town environment. We both sort of grew up that way. We’ve really enjoyed living here.” Troy defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell played on Blakeney’s first Troy team. He calls him a “fabulous coach,” but talks mostly about his personality and folksy charm. “I’m sure he’d be offended if anybody says he’s a celebrity in this town,” Rowell said. “Everybody throughout the public knows him. He talks to everybody he sees. He’ll go out and eat lunch and people say, ‘Hey coach.’ And he’ll say hey and know who they are. That’s just been from being here so long.” And that longevity comes from winning. Last season, the Trojans were the first Sun Belt team to go 8-0 in the league before falling 44-41 to Central Michigan in the GMAC Bowl. They have pulled upsets of Missouri and Oklahoma State since moving up to FBS, the former Division I-A.

And Blakeney & Co. also have landed underrated recruiting gems like Osi Umenyiora and DeMarcus Ware, now in the NFL. Former players don’t talk so much about his football acumen, though. “He’s just such a people person,” said Mike Turk, a former Troy quarterback and assistant coach. “If you’re around him five minutes you want to be around him for 10 more. At a place like Troy where there’s a lot of good people, they recognize a good person, a genuine person. “There have been a lot of people willing to help him with the program. It takes that. For a school like Troy in a small town to be as successful as it has on the ultimate level of football, you kind of have to have everybody on board. And he is that guy.” Blakeney also has changed with the times, switching from a run-oriented option attack to a fast-paced spread offense. “The way he termed it was he was going to put the cart before the horse,” said Turk, now head coach at Division III Huntingdon in Montgomery. “We were going to start running that style of offense before we had the players to run it. We took a lump or two along the way. “You see the results now.” Blakeney couldn’t have mapped out his career track, even minus the Ramsey situation. After graduating from Auburn, he spent three months with a paper company in Atlanta. It was the last time he worked out of the state. He came back to sell insurance for a company partly owned by Bear Bryant. Blakeney was sitting in a barbershop in his tiny hometown of Gordo, just outside Tuscaloosa, when a friend told him the Southern Academy coach had quit about a week before the season. Another friend recommended him for the job even though he had never coached. Eight days later, they won their first game, 6-0, he said. They played for the state title in AISA, a private schools league, the second year. Two more high school stops led him back to Auburn. “A lot of things happen and sometimes Troy coach you don’t know why,” Blakeney said. “I think Larry Blak I was being manipulated a little bit by forces eney has proved over that knew what I needed to do. It’s turned the years he out to be right 40 years later, at least from the can coach standpoint of being happy, having a little with the big boys success and being around some great folks of college football. along the way.” Dave Martin/AP/File

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The Anniston Star

ohio valley conference

Lonely no more? OVC TEAMS IN FCS/I-AA PLAYOFFS

1979: Eastern Kentucky, Murray State 1980: Eastern Kentucky 1981: Eastern Kentucky 1982: Eastern Kentucky 1983: Eastern Kentucky 1984: Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee 1985: Akron, Middle Tennessee 1986: Eastern Kentucky, Murray State 1987: Eastern Kentucky, Youngstown State 1988: Eastern Kentucky 1989: Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee 1990: Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee 1991: Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee 1992: Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee 1993: Eastern Kentucky 1994: Eastern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee (at-large) 1995: Murray State, Eastern Kentucky (at-large) 1996: Murray State, Eastern Illinois (at-large) 1997: Eastern Kentucky 1998: Tennessee State 1999: Tennessee State 2000: Western Kentucky, Eastern Illinois (at-large) 2001: Eastern Illinois 2002: Murray State, Eastern Illinois (at-large) 2003: Jacksonville State 2004: Jacksonville State 2005: Eastern Illinois 2006: UT Martin, Eastern Illinois (at-large) 2007: Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Illinois (at-large) 2008: Eastern Kentucky 2009: Eastern Illinois

Eastern Kentucky University photo

Eastern Kentucky is the only OVC school to have won the national title twice. They’ve made a league-high 19 appearance.

Expansion of playoffs could give OVC a more frequent companion By Al Muskewitz

were the next one. They took 16; I think they said we were 17.” amuskewitz@annistonstar.com “That definitely gives us a better chance,” When the NCAA expanded its Football EKU coach Dean Hood said. “I don’t think Championship Subdivision playoffs to 20 it’ll happen every year, but I think it gives us a teams for this season, one of the first organibetter chance.” zations to stand and applaud was the Ohio But one factor that may have held the Valley Conference. OVC back was its postseason history. The The OVC has long desired getting a secleague sends teams to the playoffs with its ond team into postseason play, but has long automatic bid, but it never makes it past the been disappointed — even when it believed first round. Over the last nine years, the OVC it had multiple worthy teams. is 0-12 in the playoffs. JSU contributed two Well, the expansion of the playoffs, just lopsided losses to that ledger — 45-7 at Westby its numbers, while not guaranteeing the ern Kentucky in 2003 and 49-7 at Furman in OVC a second team, at least makes it more 2004. possible. In fact, during that 12-game playoff losing “If it doesn’t make it streak, OVC teams have been easier, then we are the most outscored an average of 40biased of any place I’ve ever 15. Only two of the games been,” JSU coach Jack Crowe were decided by fewer than said. seven points. The expansion allows two It doesn’t do much for more automatic berths —to your reputation when your the Big South and Northeast representative dominates conferences — and two the league, then gets its head more at-large bids to balhanded to it the first time it ance the field. ventures outside. The OVC is hopeful one The last OVC team to win of those additional at-large a playoff game — Western berths comes its way and Kentucky in 2000 – isn’t even not, say, to a league like the in the league anymore. Colonial Athletic Confer“When you have the OVC — Jason Simpson, ence that already dominates and we haven’t won a playoff UT Martin coach the field. game in years and if I’m sit“That’s the way we’re ting there on the committee, going to approach it,” UT I’m not putting two in there, Martin coach Jason Simpson either,” Hood said. “I look said. “We hope that it makes a staple thing at the CAA every year and if it’s not Appalato count on each year that there’s going to chian State or Montana, it’s someone from be two. Until they tell me different, that’s the the CAA winning the championship, and it’s way I’m going to approach it.” always someone different from that league. Since the automatic qualifying process “Those guys are getting into the playoffs of the I-AA/FCS playoffs began in 1993, the and winning games so they deserve to get OVC has gotten a second team in the field four, five, six or how ever many teams they seven times. The last time was 2007. get in there. For us to get another team in, we The conference might have gotten two in have to win some playoff games.” last year had Jacksonville State, which posted Eastern Illinois knows the OVC’s postseathe best record in the league, not been son pain perhaps better than anyone. The ineligible because of its academic progress Panthers have lost their last eight playoff sanctions. As it was, the Gamecocks were the games going back to 1996. They were taken highest ranked team not in the playoffs when out last year by then-No. 1 Southern Illinois, the bracket was announced. 48-7. And the league might have gotten two the “We, along with everybody else from the year before when the Gamecocks were left OVC that has been in the first round, have out at 8-3, bumped for a Maine team that not serviced our conference very well,” EIU gave the CAA five in the 16-team field. coach Bob Spoo said. “If we’d have won a That same year, Eastern Kentucky and UT couple of those games and advanced a little Martin were playing at the end of the season bit, I think people would have a little more with the realization the winner would go to respect for the OVC. the playoff and the loser was staying home. “We need to be able to advance. We’ve Martin’s wrench in that mix was it had two got to have strong showings, whether it be non-Division I wins on its ledger, so the Skymaybe upsetting some of these IA teams hawks had to win the game to go. we’re playing along the way to get our rankThey didn’t win, Eastern Kentucky went ings up high initially, but playing good solid and was beaten by Richmond 38-10. football and gaining the respect of the coun“The year we didn’t get two in, in 2008, try a little bit more … The league as a whole that wasn’t right — that wasn’t right,” Crowe has to get more respect, and that’s a matter of said. “You take the fourth team out of the winning.” league, that bunch wouldn’t have stood as Al Muskewitz covers Jacksonville State we would. (A 20-team field) ought to keep sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256that vote from happening, because I think we 235-3577.

Editor’s note: From 1979-92, all playoff participants were determined on an at-large basis. The automatic-qualifying process began in 1993.

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L A E D

Eag l e s

1. Jacksonville State 2. Eastern Illinois 3. Tennessee State 4. UT Martin 5. Eastern Kentucky 6. Austin Peay 7. Tennessee Tech 8. Murray State 9. Southeast Missouri

1. Jacksonville State 2. Southeast Missouri 3. UT Martin 4. Austin Peay 5. Tennessee State 6. Eastern Kentucky 7. Eastern Illinois 8. Tennessee Tech 9. Murray State

1. Tennessee State 2. UT Martin 3. Austin Peay 4. Eastern Kentucky 5. Eastern Illinois 6. Jacksonville State 7. Tennessee Tech 8. Murray State 9. Southeast Missouri

SCORING DEFENSE G TD FG XPT 2XP DXP Saf Points Avg/G 11 24 8 20 0 0 0 188 17.1 11 26 9 25 0 0 0 208 18.9 12 35 4 29 0 0 2 255 21.2 11 31 9 25 0 0 1 240 21.8 11 37 10 34 0 0 0 286 26.0 11 40 6 37 1 0 1 299 27.2 11 41 11 39 0 0 0 318 28.9 11 43 8 39 1 0 0 323 29.4 11 46 9 40 1 0 0 345 31.4

TOTAL OFFENSE Rush Pass Plays Yards Avg/P TD Avg/G 2077 2665 734 4742 6.5 47 431.1 1830 2673 805 4503 5.6 42 409.4 1492 2364 738 3856 5.2 27 350.5 2020 1606 733 3626 4.9 27 329.6 1488 2288 767 3776 4.9 30 314.7 1821 1368 725 3189 4.4 25 289.9 1197 1891 644 3088 4.8 36 280.7 1647 1360 708 3007 4.2 20 273.4 747 1784 674 2531 3.8 17 230.1

1. Jacksonville State 2. Tennessee State 3. Eastern Illinois 4. Eastern Kentucky 5. Tennessee Tech 6. Southeast Missouri 7. Austin Peay 8. UT Martin 9. Murray State

1. Jacksonville State 2. UT Martin 3. Eastern Kentucky 4. Southeast Missouri 5. Eastern Illinois 6. Austin Peay 7. Tennessee Tech 8. Tennessee State 9. Murray State

G 11 11 11 11 12 11 11 11 11

SE Louisiana Away, 6 p.m.

RUSHING DEFENSE G Att Yards 11 398 1319 11 383 1348 11 398 1366 11 402 1431 12 432 1629 11 436 1649 11 469 2142 11 517 2147 11 492 2253

RUSHING OFFENSE G Att Yards 11 435 2077 11 446 2020 11 443 1830 11 470 1821 11 457 1647 11 415 1492 12 440 1488 11 368 1197 11 343 747

G 11 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11

Avg. 3.3 3.5 3.4 3.6 3.8 3.8 4.6 4.2 4.6

Avg. 4.8 4.5 4.1 3.9 3.6 3.6 3.4 3.3 2.2

TD Yards/G 12 119.9 16 122.5 18 124.2 14 130.1 19 135.8 14 149.9 22 194.7 24 195.2 24 204.8

TD Yards/G 20 188.8 16 183.6 26 166.4 19 165.5 12 149.7 20 135.6 11 124.0 23 108.8 6 67.9

TOTAL DEFENSE Rush Pass Plays Yards Avg/P TD 1649 1704 708 3353 4.7 20 1629 2057 773 3686 4.8 32 1319 2076 729 3395 4.7 25 1348 2312 699 3660 5.2 37 1431 2245 737 3676 5.0 30 1366 2513 744 3879 5.2 38 2142 1886 745 4028 5.4 33 2147 2012 769 4159 5.4 42 2253 2011 768 4264 5.6 37

Avg/G 304.8 307.2 308.6 332.7 334.2 352.6 366.2 378.1 387.6

Texas Christian Away, 6 p.m.

Jackson State Memphis, 6 p.m.

Murray State Away, 6 p.m.

Cumberland Home, 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Home, 6 p.m.

Louisville Away, 2:30 p.m.

2009 OVC team statistics

Tennessee Away, 5 p.m.

Arkansas Away, 6 p.m.

SCORING OFFENSE G TD FG XPT 2XP DXP Saf Points Avg/G 1. Jacksonville State 11 53 7 46 0 0 0 385 35.0 2. UT Martin 11 42 3 37 1 0 0 300 27.3 3. Tennessee Tech 11 37 3 34 0 0 1 267 24.3 4. Eastern Illinois 12 34 14 34 0 0 1 282 23.5 5. Austin Peay 11 31 9 27 1 0 0 242 22.0 6. Southeast Missouri 11 31 9 25 1 0 0 240 21.8 7. Eastern Kentucky 11 29 8 22 0 0 1 222 20.2 8. Murray State 11 22 14 22 0 0 2 200 18.2 9. Tennessee State 11 23 2 15 0 0 1 161 14.6

s k y ha w k s

UT martin

g ol den

Tenn. Tech

t i g e r s

Alabama A&M Home, 6 p.m.

Ball State Away, 6 p.m. (Sept. 2)

Kent State Away, 6 p.m. (Sept. 2)

Ole Miss Away, 2:30 p.m.

Missouri State Away, 6 p.m.

Central Arkansas Home, 1:30 p.m.

Middle Tenn. St. Away, 6 p.m.

Sept. 11

1. Jacksonville State 2. UT Martin 3. Eastern Illinois 4. Tennessee Tech 5. Eastern Kentucky 6. Murray State 7. Southeast Missouri 8. Tennessee State 9. Austin Peay

1. Jacksonville State 2. Eastern Illinois 3. Tennessee Tech 4. Southeast Missouri 5. Murray State 6. Tennessee State 7. Eastern Kentucky 8. UT Martin 9. Austin Peay

1. UT Martin 2. Jacksonville State 3. Eastern Kentucky 4. Eastern Illinois 5. Tennessee Tech 6. Murray State 7. Southeast Missouri 8. Austin Peay 9. Tennessee State

Eastern Illinois Home, 6 p.m.

Lane College Home, 7 p.m. (Sept. 16)

Austin Peay Home, 6 p.m.

Pct. 59.2 59.9 56.3 57.6 57.0 54.7 50.2 47.8 45.5

Murray State Home, 6 p.m.

Kentucky State Home, 6 p.m.

SE Missouri Home, 1:30 p.m.

OPEN

Oct. 2

Effic. 161.2 127.7 127.5 124.9 120.0 103.1 100.8 91.9 84.2

TD Avg/G 6 154.9 13 171.4 11 171.5 13 182.8 18 182.9 13 188.7 16 204.1 21 210.2 20 228.5

TD Avg/G 16 243.0 27 242.3 7 214.9 19 190.7 13 171.9 11 162.2 11 146.0 6 124.4 8 123.6

Ryan White Terrence Holt Tim Benford Marcus Harris Cory Freeman Willie Henderson Tylor Chambers Slade Adams Curt Porter Malcolm Jones

RB WR WR TE OC OG OG OT OT

Matt Scheible

QB RB

Name

Jacksonville State Home, 1 p.m.

Austin Peay Away, 4 p.m.

SE Missouri Away, 6 p.m.

Tennessee State Home, 6 p.m.

Missouri State Home, 3 p.m.

UT Martin Away, 1 p.m.

EAstern Illinois, Home, 6 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky Away, 6 p.m.

Tennessee Tech Home, 4 p.m.

Oct. 9

Pos.

Tennessee Tech Away, 7 p.m. (Sept. 30)

UT Martin Home, 7 p.m. (Sept. 30)

N.C. A&T Indianapolis, 3 p.m.

Eastern Illinois Away, 1:30 p.m.

Jacksonville State Away, 6 p.m.

Yards TD 2665 27 2673 16 2288 19 1891 13 2364 7 1784 11 1606 11 1360 8 1368 6

PASS DEFENSE Comp Att Int Pct. Yards Avg. 138 272 9 50.7 1704 6.3 196 341 11 57.5 2057 6.0 161 276 15 58.3 1886 6.8 168 276 11 60.9 2011 7.3 145 252 10 57.5 2012 8.0 167 331 12 50.5 2076 6.3 197 335 14 58.8 2245 6.7 195 316 11 61.7 2312 7.3 221 346 10 63.9 2513 7.3

PASS OFFENSE Comp Att Int Pct. Yards Avg. 217 362 16 59.9 2673 7.4 177 299 4 59.2 2665 8.9 184 323 9 57.0 2364 7.3 184 327 11 56.3 2288 7.0 159 276 8 57.6 1891 6.9 181 331 13 54.7 1784 5.4 144 287 13 50.2 1606 5.6 116 255 18 45.5 1368 5.4 120 251 15 47.8 1360 5.4

Murray State Away, 6 p.m.

SE Missouri Away, 6 p.m.

Florida A&M Atlanta, 2:30 p.m.

Tennessee Tech Home, 6 p.m.

UT Martin Home, 6 p.m.

Eastern Illinois Away, 1:30 p.m.

OPEN

Jacksonville State Home, 1:30 p.m.

Wisconsin Away, TBD

Sept. 25

PASS EFFICIENCY G Comp Att Int 11 177 299 4 11 217 362 16 12 184 327 11 11 159 276 8 11 184 323 9 11 181 331 13 11 144 287 13 11 120 251 15 11 116 255 18

G 11 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11

G 11 11 11 12 11 11 11 11 11

Southern Illinois Away, 6 p.m.

Central Arkansas Away, 6 p.m.

Georgia State Away, Noon

Chattanooga Away, 5 p.m.

UT Martin Away, 6 p.m.

Tennessee State Away, 6 p.m.

Sept. 18

Tennessee Tech

Jacksonville State

Tennessee Tech

Jacksonville State

Eastern Illinois

Jacksonville State

Murray State

Tennessee Tech

Austin Peay

Southeast Missouri

School

OFFENSE

6-5

6-7

6-6

6-3

6-2

6-3

6-1

5-7

6-1

Ht.

300

290

315

290

266

245

185

195

180

199

200

Wt.

All-OVC First team

Lambuth Home, 6 p.m.

Tennessee State Away, 6 p.m.

Tennessee Tech Home, 6 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky Home, 1 p.m.

Eastern Illinois Away, 1:30 p.m.

Austin Peay Home, 3 p.m.

SE Missouri Away, 1 p.m.

Murray State Home, 1:30 p.m.

Jacksonville State Away, 3 p.m.

Oct. 23

Preseason

Eastern Kentucky Home, 2 p.m.

Eastern Illinois Home, 7 p.m.

Jacksonville State Away, 3 p.m.

Austin Peay Away, 6 p.m.

OPEN

Tennessee State Home, 3 p.m.

UT Martin Away, 2 p.m.

Tennessee Tech Away, 7 p.m.

SE Missouri Home, 6 p.m.

Oct. 16

Jr.

Sr.

So.

Jr.

Sr.

Jr.

Sr.

Jr.

Class

J.J. Sanchez

Terrence Holt

Kienan Cullen

Jeremy Caldwell

CJ James

T.J. Heath

Eugene Clifford

Nick Nasti

Jordan Dalrymple

Josh Bey

Austin Peay

Murray State

SPECIALISTS

Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Illinois

Jacksonville State

Tennessee State

Eastern Illinois

Eastern Kentucky

UT Martin

Tennessee State

Southeast Missouri

Eastern Illinois

Eastern Kentucky

DEFENSE

Tennessee State Home, 6 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky Home, 1:3 p.m.

UT Martin Away, 6 p.m.

Jacksonville State Away, 3 p.m.

Austin Peay Away, 1 p.m.

SE Missouri Home, 3 p.m.

Tennessee Tech Away, 1:30 p.m.

Illinois State Away, 1 p.m.

Murray State Home, 1 p.m.

Nov. 13

5-7

6-3

5-10

5-8

6-1

6-2

6-1

6-0

6-2

6-1

6-2

180

224

172

182

170

195

232

215

220

320

277

234

290

OPEN

Sr.

Jr.

Sr.

Jr.

Sr.

Jr.

Sr.

Jacksonville State Home, 6 p.m.

Murray State Away, 1 p.m.

OPEN

Tennessee State Home, 1 p.m.

Tennessee Tech Away, 6 p.m.

Austin Peay Home, Noon

OPEN

Eastern Kentucky Away, Noon

Nov. 20

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Terrence Holt (RB/KR), Austin Peay Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Bey (LB), UT Martin

Donteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;e Nicholls

Perry Burge

DL DL

Andrew Soucy

Austin Peay Away, 1 p.m.

Murray State Away, 1 p.m.

Eastern Illinois Home, 5 p.m.

Southwest Baptist Home, 1 p.m.

Tennessee Tech Home, 1 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky Away, 6 p.m.

Jacksonville State Home, 6 p.m.

Tennessee State Away, 5 p.m.

UT Martin Home, 1 p.m.

Nov. 6

SE Missouri Away, 1 p.m.

OPEN

UT Martin Home, 1 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky Away, 2 p.m.

OPEN

Murray State Home, 2 p.m.

Austin Peay Home, 1:30 p.m.

Eastern Illinois Away, 1:30 p.m

Oct. 30

Ohio Valley Conference

T O H S

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Iowa Away, 11 a.m.

Cumberland Home, 6 p.m. (Sept. 2)

Sept. 4

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7 Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 7

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The Anniston Star

If the do-over had turned out

Different

National acclaim, bowl games, big-time revenue ... all might have transpired if Jacksonville State could have hung on in â&#x20AC;&#x2122;05 and downed then-No. 2 Furman

The Anniston Star

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 9

B y al m u ske w i t z • S Ta r S p o rt s w r i t e r

JACKSONVILLE magine how things might be within the Jacksonville State football program today if the final minute of its game on Sept. 1, 2005, had turned out differently. That was the night the Gamecocks lost their season opener at home to second-ranked Furman on a memorable last-second do-over that allowed the Paladins to complete a game-winning touchdown pass to the back of the end zone on the last play of the game. The Gamecocks will cut the ribbon on a shiny refurbished football stadium they say will be the envy of their class in their 2010 home opener on Sept. 11. The possibility still exists for the program to go to the highest level of college football when the NCAA moratorium comes off in 2011. But imagine how much sooner those things — and maybe more — might have been in place had the clock been allowed to expire or the Gamecocks knocked down that last-play pass. “One game can make that much think it would have accelerated a lot difference,” JSU head coach Jack of the things you’re talking about Crowe said. “When you’re dealing … For our conference, for national with a state of mind, one play, one recognition, I think everything would game, could change the direction of have changed. There would have a football program. There’s no doubt been a major mindset shift.” about it. qq “A lot of coaches, if you really were Jump into the Way-Back Machine to talk to them, would say, ‘Hey, tell and turn the dials back to that Labor me the play that appreciably changed Day night against Furman. something going forward from that The Gamecocks trailed by 10 point.’” points with 11:15 to play, but rallied If the Gamecocks had just pulled to take a 35-31 lead with 1:27 to play. off that one play, here’s what might Furman quarterback Ingle Marhave been: tin, a transfer from Florida, drove They beat a recognized national the Paladins 74 yards in nine plays, power on their level, a team that accounting for all the yardage himcrushed them 49-7 self. With the ball in the first round of at the 9 and six secthe NCAA playoffs onds left, the Gamethe year before. cocks put on a heavy The euphoria of rush, and Haneef that victory ignites a Haqq hit Martin just wave of enthusiasm as the quarterback that accelerates released the ball. the conversation of The stadium expanding the staerupted as the clock dium and moving to hit all zeroes, but Division I-A at least the officials on the two years earlier field ruled it an than it actually hapincomplete pass and pens. ordered one second In doing so at back on the clock. that time, they beat With new life getting caught in the and the JSU sideline NCAA moratorium frantically signaling on teams moving the defense into a between or within call, adding to the divisions and could — JSU coach Jack Crowe on confusion – Crowe, be playing in the the 2005 Furman game certain he knew Sun Belt or some what was comother bowl-eligible ing, wanted presconference right sure; the assistants now. wanted blanket pass On a more immecoverage – Martin diate scale, maybe found Justin Stepp they don’t start that season 0-3 — for in the back of the end zone between the first time since 1996 — with three defensive backs Kenny Brown and gut-wrenching losses and perhaps Darren Williams. become a playoff team for the third In the blink of an eye, what year in a row, validating their posimoments earlier seemed like the bigtion as at least a regional power in gest win in the school’s Division I hisDivision I-AA. tory became a bitter defeat. Instead, they lost the following “I still think about that (game), week to Chattanooga in the final min- because there was no way they ute and the week after that at UAB should have put a second back on the when their comeback was thwarted clock,” Crowe said. “You put that in in the final minute by the recovery of front of 100 officials, they’d say that an onsides kick. doesn’t work. “What would have happened dif“That would have been a stateferently is that football team’s menment game for the program. We tality would have changed,” Crowe haven’t had a statement game. We’ve said. “Would it have been to the bethad some games I’m really proud of, ter or the not-so-good? Were we at but we haven’t had that incremental the time mature enough to seize the leap, and we’re due.” moment or ride the momentum to a As painful as that loss was to higher level? absorb, in retrospect, defensive coor“Seizing the momentum, we may dinator Greg Stewart believes that have become a 3-0 team. I think we game actually set the Gamecocks on would have conceivably been a better the path to believing they could make team playing UAB. I think our menthe move up. tality against Chattanooga may have “To me, the win and loss was not made the difference in that game. important,” he said. “It showed me That would have made us maybe a we could play with the upper-echeplayoff team. lon of I-AA as far as making it happen “What difference would it have quicker. It may have helped because made to be in the playoffs there? I Please see JSU ❙ Page 11

“I still think about that (game), because there was no way they should have put a second back on the clock.”

OPPOSITE: Steve Latham/Jacksonville State/File; ABOVE: Anniston Star file photo

In the season opener of 2005, Furman, pictured above, scored on the final play of the game — one that referees allowed to be done over — to knock off upset-minded Jacksonville State. The game still eats at JSU coach Jack Crowe, pictured opposite.

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JSU will christen its new digs on Sept. 11. Had the Gamecocks defeated Furman in 2005, the wave of enthusiasm around the program might have already made this a reality.

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Page 10 Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Anniston Star

Jacksonville State gamecocks

Defensive outlook

Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star/File

The Gamecocks have gone from a bend-don’t-break defense to now becoming a stout unit that ranks nationally in keeping opponents out of the end zone.

Getting a set in their ways Nearing a decade in the 3-4 scheme, Gamecocks making outside speed their signature By Al Muskewitz amuskewitz@annistonstar.com

JACKSONVILLE — When a team has been doing something for almost 10 years, you have to figure it has got the basics down pat. Jacksonville State has been in its 3-4 defense for eight years now — ever since it joined the Ohio Valley Conference — and while the Gamecocks haven’t exactly perfected their play in the scheme, they’re getting pretty good at it. If you look at their stats or the NCAA rankings since the switch, with the exception of the occasional dip, the trend is improving numbers every year. Even when there has been a spike, the numbers are better the following season. “It’s a lot different now than it ever was,” Gamecocks coach Jack Crowe said. “When you work at something long enough, you ought to see improvement.” In 2003, the first season they went to it, they ranked 93rd out of 121 Division I-AA teams nationally in total defense (397.17 yards per game), 119th in pass defense (276.50) and 47th in scoring defense (23.17 points) — all their worst position since the transition. Last season, when their won-loss record was good enough to get them in the NCAA playoffs but their past academic sins wouldn’t allow it, they ranked 23rd in total defense (304.82), eighth in pass defense (154.91) and 12th in scoring defense

(17.09) — and that was with playing two nationally ranked BCS teams to open the year. In the middle of it all — 2006 — they ranked in the top 20 of all five major statistical defensive categories. “We do focus on improvement,” Crowe said. “Maybe not the statistical improvement as much as the functional improvement. I’ve always thought we made honest evaluations with ourselves. We’re not afraid to say we’re not very good here or there. Honest assessments are the beginning of whatcha gonna do about it. “The biggest part of it is raising the level of players who are playing, but the other part of it is — and I give a lot of credit to Greg (Stewart, the Gamecocks’ defensive coordinator) — we’ve become a little more specialized.” The word that immediately comes to mind is sophisticated. A couple weeks ago, Stewart pointed over to a bookshelf in his office that contained several defensive playbooks two inches thick of paper that needed to be installed in the first six days

of training camp. He calls it “getting out of the box.” Of course, what gets used from its pages are determined by the specific opponent, but the players still have to know it all. “The last thing he wants to be accused of is that, that’s not his style,” Crowe said of his coordinator. “I do think we have become pretty sophisticated. That requires you have smart football players and a highly integrated coaching process for smarter players. We can present a problem every week to somebody. “We’ve probably — Jack Crowe, finally fully evolved JSU coach more to what I understood as Brother’s (Bill Oliver) approach to it, but we really had to evolve there. It wasn’t ‘OK, line up and do this.’ … Every spring it looks like to me we go out there with an understanding of where we are and where we need to get.” It also makes things easier when the same guy is in place directing traffic. Stewart, the longest-tenured defensive coordinator and assistant coach currently in the OVC, is in his 20th season on the JSU staff

“We do focus on improvement ... We’re not afraid to say we’re not very good here or there.”

and has been the only DC the Gamecocks have known during Crowe’s term as head coach. He has seen the transition of their 3-4 come a long way. “When we first started doing it, if you were watching it and knew anything about the 3-4, it was probably pretty embarrassing, because we were feeling our way through everything,” Stewart said. “I think we’re very comfortable with it now.” It’s a scheme that optimizes speed, especially on the outside, making it tough for blockers to get into the second level of defense. Graduated linebacker Alexander Henderson had more than 100 tackles each of the last two seasons. As a team, the Gamecocks averaged 72 tackles for loss and 20 sacks each of the last two seasons and are looking for ways to put even more pressure on the football this season. Junior defensive tackle Jamison Wadley admitted he didn’t think he’d like playing the scheme when he first stepped into it, but now he embraces it as routine. “We’ve been playing it so long now, it just seems like second nature,” he said. “Me and Monte (Lewis) have been together since we were freshmen, so we’ve done basically the same thing three years now, and it just makes everything a lot easier. You don’t have to think when you’re out there playing; you can just relax and play. That makes the game real easy.” Al Muskewitz covers Jacksonville State sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3577.

Names and numbers Offensive depth chart

Marques Ivory Coty Blanchard

6-1, 235

defense

Top 10 RUSHING

Quarterback 12

Defensive depth chart

2 0 0 9 s tat i s t i c s Jr.

6-0, 180

Fr.

Fullback 46

Alphonso Freeney

6-1, 220

Sr.

Cole Doolittle

5-10, 230

Jr.

Tailback 3

Calvin Middleton

5-11, 220

Jr.

Jamal Young

5-7, 175

Sr.

Wide receiver 21

La’Ray Williams

5-11, 190

Jr.

John Whiddon

6-0, 185

Sr.

Left Tackle 77

Curt Porter

6-7, 307

Sr.

Taylor Johnstone

6-3, 312

Fr.

Left Guard 78

De’Von Hayes

6-5, 310

Jr.

Colt Kennedy

6-6, 300

Fr.

Center 75

Tyler Ogletree

6-1, 295

Sr.

Max Holcombe

6-3, 271

Fr.

GP-GS Calvin Middleton 11-5 Jamal Young 11-3 Ryan Perrilloux 10-10 Drec Lindley 4-0 Alphonso Freeney 11-10 Jahron Brown 8-0 Brandon George 8-3 Marques Ivory 9-1 James Shaw 10-0 Rod Byrd 6-0 Team Total 11 Opponents 11

Att 126 100 98 22 20 13 17 24 6 1 435 436

Net 629 523 443 125 99 56 56 50 42 27 2077 1665

Avg 5.0 5.2 4.5 5.7 4.9 4.3 3.3 2.1 7.0 27.0 4.8 3.8

TD 6 4 8 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 20 14

Long 43 48 48 25 17 11 9 14 15 27 48 74

Avg/G 57.2 47.5 44.3 31.2 9.0 7.0 7.0 5.6 4.2 4.5 188.8 151.4

PASSING GP-GS Ryan Perrilloux 10-10 Marques Ivory 9-1 TEAM 5-0 Jamal Young 11-3 Total 11 Opponents 11

C-A-I 1 38-236-2 39-60-1 0-2-0 0-1-1 177-299-4 138-272-9

Pct 58.5 65.0 0.0 0.0 59.2 50.7

Yards 2350 315 0 0 2665 1704

TD Avg/G 23 235.0 4 35.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 27 242.3 6 154.9

Top 10 RECEIVING GP-GS No. Yards Avg James Wilkerson 11-9 36 716 19.9 Greg Smith 11-11 30 485 16.2 James Shaw 10-0 19 281 14.8 La’Ray Williams 10-2 15 270 18.0 Justin Howard 9-1 15 148 9.9 Jamal Young 11-3 15 147 9.8 Alan Bonner 11-0 14 300 21.4 Alphonso Freeney 11-10 12 102 8.5 Cory Freeman 11-10 6 42 7.0 Calvin Middleton 11-5 5 66 13.2 Team Total 11 177 2665 15.1 Opponents 11 138 1704 12.3

TD Avg/G 6 65.1 4 44.1 2 28.1 1 27.0 4 16.4 2 13.4 4 27.3 1 9.3 0 3.8 1 6.0 27 242.3 6 154.9

Solo Ast. Tot. TFL Scks 45 Alexander Henderson 77 38 115 7 - 17 1 - 8 13 Josh Cain 44 23 67 4 - 9 . 23 Kevin Dix 35 14 49 7 - 34 6 - 32 34 Andrew Ridgeway 30 17 47 1 - 4 . 43 Morrell Jones 24 16 40 3 - 10 . 35 Eric Russell 30 10 40 5 - 11 1 - 2 92 Brandt Thomas 19 19 38 9 - 25 4 - 7 26 Carnell Clark 20 16 36 1 - 1 . 15 T.J. Heath 21 13 34 2 - 4 . 54 Antonio Bonner 20 12 32 3 - 9 . 93 Jamison Wadley 20 10 30 2 - 5 . 2 Jawaan Booker 13 13 26 . . 28 Keginald Harris 17 8 25 . . 20 A.J. Davis 15 8 23 1 - 4 . 90 Monte’ Lewis 12 9 21 6 - 28 2 - 19 96 Dimetrio Tyson 13 7 20 4 - 17 1 - 1 47 Chris Findley 11 6 17 . . 91 Michael Ellis 12 5 17 4 - 6 . 99 Torrey Davis 10 6 16 5 - 12 3 - 4 31 Santez Mays 10 5 15 6 - 16 4 - 14 9 Jason Horton 10 5 15 1 - 1 . 49 Rodney Garrott 11 3 14 7 - 32 4 - 24 24 Nick Johnson 5 5 10 1 - 1 . 48 Rylee Zalanka 3 6 9 . . 14 Brooks Robinson 5 3 8 . . 39 Matt Thompkins 6 1 7 1 - 1 . 30 Michael Owens 5 1 6 . . 4 James Shaw 3 3 6 . . 22 Brandon George 5 . 5 . . 27 Patrick Tatum 2 3 5 . . 21 La’Ray Williams 4 . 4 . . 19 Rod Byrd 2 1 3 . . 1 Greg Smith 2 1 3 . . 44 Cory Freeman 1 1 2 . . 83 Brandon Rogers 2 . 2 . . 46 Alphonso Freeney 1 1 2 . .

Cornerback 20

A.J. Davis

6-0, 183

Jr.

Francis Duncan

5-11, 167

So.

Safety 9

Jason Horton

6-0, 202

Jr.

Brooks Robinson

6-2, 201

So.

Weakwide Linebacker 43

Morrell Jones

6-0, 235

Sr.

Brent Tolson

6-0, 195

Fr.

Antonio Bonner

6-2, 245

Sr.

Rod Byrd

6-0, 230

Jr.

6-1, 255

Jr.

Strongside Linebacker

Bandit 49

Defensive End 96

DiMetrio Tyson

6-2, 275

So.

Marquis George

6-4, 242

Jr.

Keginald Harris

6-3, 200

So.

Nick Johnson

5-11, 185

So.

Safety

Nosegaurd

Right Guard 74 70

Justin Kay

6-3, 290

Ricky Clemons

6-5, 288

Sr.

Michael Ellis

6-2, 285

Jr.

Fr.

Tim McGee

6-5, 301

Sr.

Defensive Tackle

Right Tackle 69 58

Tori Mobley Odie Rush

6-3, 280 6-3, 292

Rodney Garrott

So.

Jamison Wadley

6-3, 282

Jr.

Armani Williams

6-2, 277

Fr.

Rover

Tight End 44

Cory Freeman

6-3, 245

Sr.

Monte Lewis

6-3, 251

Jr.

Justin Howard

6-3, 245

Jr.

Kevin Dix

6-2, 260

Sr.

Cornerback

Wide Receiver 1

James Cameron

6-2, 185

Sr.

James Shaw

6-0, 195

Jr.

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star/File

Ryan Perrilloux finished with 2,793 yards of total offense for JSU last season.

T.J. Heath

Jawaan Booker

6-1,170

Sr.

5-11, 180

Jr.

11 Jacksonville State gamecocks

The Anniston Star

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 11

Offensive outlook

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star/File

Jacksonville State’s Calvin Middleton, pictured, and Darius Barksdale are both getting work as the No. 1 running back in JSU’s new ground-oriented attack.

Gamecocks back on the run

Without weapon like Perrilloux, Crowe returning to his old ways By Al Muskewitz amuskewitz@annistonstar.com

JACKSONVILLE — With a talent like Ryan Perrilloux in the mix, Jacksonville State had the luxury the past two seasons of attacking opposing defenses in a variety of ways. Now that Perrilloux has moved on, the Gamecocks are turning to an old standby. “We’re going to try to get back to running the ball,” JSU coach Jack Crowe said. “That’s not a reflection on any shortcoming that Marques (Ivory) had, because I don’t think he has any shortcomings, but we just think we can control games better running the ball than we can throwing it.” The Gamecocks have had a long history of running the ball, and the results bear out it being the best way for them to go. Every year since 2003, when they have won the Ohio Valley Conference or gone down to the wire with a chance to win the league, they led the conference in rushing. When they won their first league title in 2003, they averaged 242 yards a game rushing, which ranked 12th nationally. When they backed it up with another title in 2004, they averaged 260 yards a game, sixth nationally. The following year, when they played for the title in the last game, they averaged 215 yards. Last year, when they had the best conference record despite not being eligible for the title, they averaged nearly 190 yards a game on the ground. Perrilloux had such a strong and accurate arm, it would have been ridiculous not to go that route. And he developed a deep-threat combination with Maurice Dupree and James Wilkerson. Crowe isn’t sure what the down-thefield passing game holds for the Game-

JSU Continued from Page 9 everybody could see we could compete at that level ... because nobody thought we could before then.” qq JSU officials have long known the time had come to upgrade their athletic facilities, which in the mid-70s were considered among the best in Division II. They continue to say, as if to make a pre-emptive strike on the criticism of considering a move to the Championship Subdivision, that is the driving force of the $65 million stadium/dormitory project. The arguments against the project were varied, but mostly tied to on-field performance and the economy. The arguments to proceed were the financial windfall they would stand to attract and thereby pay off the debt and, once they move up, they’ll be able to recruit better athletes to become competitive within the ranks. “My idea all the time is for us to be the best we can be in our division,” trustee Red Etheredge said. “Get to where we’re the Tiffany of our league — the team everybody wants to whip.” Fast forward to 2007, two years after the Furman heartbreak. At one time, the stadium project was tied to the possibility of federal funding for a combined regional medical facility, but that fell through and ultimately was replaced by the dorm component. Board of Trustees member Jim Coxwell initially proposed the project and exploration of

cocks this year, although they have a solid against Georgia Tech last year — and he’ll corps of receivers. stay in the pocket longer than Perrilloux, “We may develop into being as good who was apt to take off to make a play on or better than we’ve ever been,” he said. his own when it appeared things were col“With Perrilloux, it was a given … but a lapsing around him. Ivory’s greatest value lot of it was not based on one individual’s in this offense is as a game manager, makskills, but on the combination. That ing sure the ball gets to the right people at evolved so naturally for Ryan and those the right time. receivers that when you saw it, that was “That’s how I’d prefer it to be (even) just going to be part of what you did. But if I were playing for him for three years on the other side, we lost the EKU game starting,” Ivory said. “It’s not that I don’t (in 2008) trying to throw it too much. like (throwing) it or couldn’t handle hav“I think we ing to throw can control the ball a lot, it games better just makes it a JSU RUSHING STATS with more runwhole lot easier (Since 2003) ning. It’s like on everybody. Mack Brown “It makes Rankings said at Texas. it easier to call Year Record Yards OVC NCAA It felt like plays. You can 2003 8-4, 7-1* 242.08 1 12 you weren’t do a whole 2004 9-2, 7-1* 260.27 1 6 in control of bunch of things 2005 6-5, 6-2 215.27 1 17 games, but had because you 2006 6-5, 5-3 169.55 3 33 a guy who was have a good 2007 6-5, 5-3 166.55 7 51 so good with running game. 2008 8-3, 6-2 182.45 2 26 the receivers It’s a concept I 2009 8-3, 6-1** 188.82 1 15 you’ve got, you like.” want to get the The Game*-OVC champions numbers. Most cocks certainly **-Best record in OVC, but ineligible for title of the times it appear to have worked out, the weapons but it didn’t for it. always. Are we still going to throw the Calvin Middleton returned in the fall a ball down the field? Yes. Are we going to trimmer version of the junior who led the be able to force that hand against everyGamecocks in rushing last season. And the body we play? I’m not going to bet the running game got a big boost late in trainhouse on it.” ing camp when Darius “Tig” Barksdale, a And that’s just fine with Ivory, who former Parade All-American and Mississteps into the starter’s role he was recruitsippi Mr. Football, transferred in from Ole ed to have as a true freshman after two Miss. years behind Perrilloux. Middleton and Barksdale are brackIvory can throw the ball — he threw eted at one running back spot — perhaps 193 yards and two touchdowns in his start the power side of the equation — while

the football program moving to I-A. The idea got the go-ahead a short time later, drawing protects from students and faculty alike. Even the vote among the trustees was mixed. “I voted for the stadium, not the number (cost),” Coxwell said after the decisive board meeting. Trustee Ronnie Smith questioned the wisdom of the move given the economic climate of the time, but said he would support the decision if it were approved. The stadium immediately met with engineering problems that added to its price tag. But all that seems to have been resolved, and whatever future fate holds for the JSU football program, the stadium is built now. It opens with a lot of pomp and ceremony on Sept. 11, and at least one board member is confident it will be a winner. “I think when those five teams come in here this year, it’s going to blow their socks away,” Etheredge said. qq While the 2005 Furman game may have been the most pointed turning point of the program, given the events that have followed it, there have been other games in the Gamecocks’ Division I lifetime that might have accelerated their ambitions. No one will forget how close the Gamecocks were to upsetting Florida State last year in the rain in Tallahassee. Pull that one off and they become that year’s Appalachian State. Take the 1999 game with McNeese State. Sure, the Gamecocks were going through the turmoil of a midseason coaching change and ultimately finished

1-10, paving the way for Crowe’s arrival, but it certainly would have been a coup for a fledgling Division I program to knock off one of the nation’s most highly regarded programs. And it might have happened had JSU defensive back Eriles McCullough simply fallen on a loose ball along the sideline instead of trying to return it. Instead, the ball went out of bounds back to the Cowboys, who eventually scored and won in overtime 39-36. UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson was a JSU assistant at the time. Although the game took place more than a decade ago, he still chuckles when asked about it. “Every once in a while I’ll pull out the old media guides and flip through them and, as you go down the scores, you think about the losses,” he said. “I think about that one and the Northwestern State game when we were up maybe 25 points at the half and got beat. That puts you at 8-3, and it’s a different mindset than 7-4. “Anytime you beat a quality opponent like McNeese, anybody would take that, especially when you have them on the ropes like that. It was definitely a morale (buster) ... it hurt. It definitely did. Any momentum you were trying to build, definitely it slowed down that day because that was a game that was well within our grasp.” It might not have saved any job, but it would have left them feeling good about themselves — and maybe even put the wheels of progress in motion a little sooner. Al Muskewitz covers Jacksonville State sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3577.

speedsters Jamal Young and Richard Freelon are bracketed at the other. It has the potential to give the Gamecocks a production line of backs similar to the run they enjoyed early in Crowe’s tenure when they ran through — in order — Payton Award candidate Rondy Rogers, Kory Chapman (Barksdale’s cousin), Oscar Bonds and Clay Green. Only this time, all four are on the team at the same time. “We won the championship with really dominant runners,” Crowe said. “I’m going to try to integrate all four of these guys (into the plan).” The one drawback, however, has been the rash of injuries that has run through their offensive line. An expected strength at the end of spring, the line now is a cause for concern. The Gamecocks lost guard Matt Jones to off-season knee surgery and likely will lose All-OVC guard Tylor Chambers to hand problems. The other veterans — AllOVC tackle Curt Porter, Tyler Ogletree and Justin Kay — and projected first-time starter Tori Mobley all have missed time in camp with injuries. It’s prompted Crowe to say they were “so far off schedule” and “lost ground” on offense two weeks before the opener. “You can’t be consistent there if you’re not consistent on the offensive line,” Crowe said. If the Gamecocks can get it together, they could have the kind of year that gets them back in the NCAA playoffs. “That’s what we aim for,” Middleton said. “There’s going to be a lot of focus on the running game. We’ll have to step up.” Al Muskewitz covers Jacksonville State sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3577.

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college football Wednesday, September 1, 2010 • Page 13

Whistle stop

At both Auburn and Alabama, head coaches were ousted to make room for change. While the reactions of the fan bases differed, both seem happy now. However, small things here and there could have made it all turn out much differently. ALABAMA, page 14 • Auburn, page 18

Auburn

Alabama

Tigers

Crimson Tide

• Cam Newton has moved around, but the highly touted quarterback is excited to make a home at Auburn. Page 20 • Auburn’s woefully short-handed defense struggled to make it through 2009, which was year one under coordinator Ted Roof. The Tigers have more help at safety and linebacker this season, and Roof is cautiously optimistic about how much improvement they can show in 2010. Page 21 • Depth chart. Page 21

• With so much inexperience on defense, the Crimson Tide’s talented offense will be counted on to carry the team as its teammates on defense mature. Page 16 • Special teams were special in Alabama’s run to the BCS national title in 2009. This year, the Tide is searching for players to replace departed stars like Leigh Tiffin, P.J. Fitzgerald and Javier Arenas. Page 17 • Depth chart. Page 17

p r e vi e w o f t h e S o u t h e as t e r n c o n f e r e n c e a n d c o m p o s i t e s c h e d u l e • pa g e s 2 2 - 2 3

Page 14 Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Yes man The Anniston Star

A simple

a n D T h e T i d e â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

would not be in Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;town

Rich Rodriguez said no, then Nick Saban said yes ... only after saying no. Since that fortunate turn for Alabama, the careers of the two college football coaches have turned in opposite directions.

The Anniston Star

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 15 B y B r a n S t r i c k l a n d & J o e M e d l e y • S Ta r S p o r t s w r i t e r s

here’s a theory that says a butterfly in China can flap its wings, and the chain reaction can cause a hurricane millions of miles away. Maybe. Maybe not. But if one believes that, then one should have no trouble buying into the belief that it was nothing short of caterpillars, cocoons and planetary alignment that took Alabama to college football’s summit once again. People could point to myriad miniscule things that helped to pave the way for Nick Saban’s return to college football and the Crimson Tide’s 13th national championship. • Mike Shula barely losing the recruiting battle over Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow to Florida coach Urban Meyer. • Drew Brees failing his physical, and the Miami Dolphins settling for quarterback Daunte Culpepper. • Even former Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams’ love for cannabis. In their own little way, each one was a factor.

“You’ve got to be careful in terms of what you ask for when you’re wanting a change — fan-wise, alumni-wise.” — Andre Ware, ESPN analyst

One might even say it was fate dropping hints that Saban would end up with the Crimson Tide. After all, in high school, he wore the same hallowed No. 12 that some of Alabama’s most famous leaders have worn. And he did win his first title with the Tide at the Rose Bowl, the place where Alabama won its first decades ago. But amid all that, there’s one single moment in time that is anything but subtle. It’s the day then-West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said, “No.” qq Shula set the wheels into motion, seemingly from the moment he arrived in Tuscaloosa. After two mediocre years, he looked to be making serious improvement with 10 wins and a Cotton Bowl victory in 2005. Looks can be — and in this case they were — deceiving. Alabama was back in the very same rut the very next year. With a 1-11 record against Auburn, LSU and Tennessee, Shula’s loss to Mississippi State in 2006 put his exit into high gear. “The funny thing is, the talent was there,” said quarterback Greg McElroy, whose first year was Shula’s last. “The talent was there in my first year. It was just the mindset. “You had a lot of negative leadership.” With Shula gone, names for his possible replacement swirled around college football, ESPN and the Internet. They all but ended with everyone’s hot-shot darling of the day. Rodriguez is coming to Alabama. If one source reported it, one hundred did. The Crimson Tide wanted a proven winner, and Rodriguez was it. He’d won everywhere he’d been, turning

around small Glenville State in just three seasons en route to coaching his alma mater. In the end, only Michigan was able to pry him away from his home the next year, much to the chagrin of Alabama fans. Ever since that one wrinkle in time, their lives have followed the course of polar opposites. Saban put Alabama on the fast-train to success, while Rodriquez has all but derailed the tradition-rich Michigan program. “Part of the problem was he tried to change the entire culture of Michigan,” said former Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware, now an ESPN analyst. “You’ve got to be careful in terms of what you ask for when you’re wanting a change — fan-wise, alumni-wise. “Basically, a conventional pro-style offense that they’d run at Michigan for a long period of time, and you change the culture in a sense when you go all spread. … It’s the same thing if Alabama had made that hire.” Rodriquez posted a 3-9 record in his first season, breaking a streak of 33 straight bowl appearances. The next season, 2009, the Wolverines found themselves on the other side of the streak as they limped to a 5-7 record. And now, he heads into this season with the NCAA breathing on his back. After Michigan self-imposed a two-year probationary period in May, West Virginia was accused of five major NCAA violations on Rodriguez’s watch. But he still has his job — for now — while Saban likely has one for as long as he wants it. “There would be a larger backlash on the hire and if the same things were going on at Alabama,” Ware said. “There would be a big toPlease see Alabama ❙ Page 16

Chris Carlson/Associated Press/File

Nick Saban and Alabama players celebrate their BCS national title in the Rose Bowl in January. The Tide went from a 7-6 team to national champs in three years under Saban.

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The Anniston Star

Alabama crimson tide

Offensive/Defensive outlook

University of Alabama photo

Alabama coach Nick Saban teaches freshman linebacker C.J. Mosley (32) during a recent scrimmage. Mosley is just one of many young players on the defensive side of the ball. While those players learn and mature, the offensive players (bottom, from left) Julio Jones and Mark Ingram will shoulder the burden of defending their national championship.

Inexperienced, but not incapable Crimson Tide hoping explosive offense can carry load while defense, special teams units mature By Michael Casagrande sports@decaturdaily.com

TUSCALOOSA — For the 2010 Alabama football team, it’s a matter of potential and whether it’ll be realized. Talent isn’t the question for Nick Saban’s fourth Crimson Tide team. Experience — specifically on defense and special teams — has this defending national champion and consensus preseason No. 1 in a unique place. With roles reversed, the suddenly explosive offense has the perceived burden of carrying that young defense long enough to work the wobble out of their young legs. Names like Mark Ingram, Greg McElroy, Julio Jones and a few of their friends will need to do more than babysit and avoid blowing any advantage gained on defense. For this fall, at least, this is Alabama football. The Nick Saban buzzword of August is one that wasn’t uttered much, if at all a year ago. “We need to get more players that play with the kind of maturity …” “…every player on the team now has to have maturity …” “What is your maturity? We talk about it all the time.”

Without the “M” word, the first month of the season will be a chore. Penn State and Florida come to Bryant-Denny Stadium, while road trips to Arkansas and South Carolina could either dash hopes of a repeat or affirm Saban’s method. Those two alternatives hinge largely on the Tide defense that produced four NFL draft picks taken in the first three rounds and the special teams, which returns zero kickers, punters or returners. That’s where the potential comes in. The Alabama practice fields overflow with former four- and five-star recruits, but the big reputations don’t necessarily lead to big careers at the college level. As many as eight or nine starters have never assumed that job before, so that maturity factor looms large for the unit that’s been a Crimson Tide calling card over the years. “Up front it seems like we have a lot of depth, but we’re not as talented right now from an experience perspective with the inside three,” defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. “As you can tell, we lost a lot of guys, but we’re excited about the challenge in front of us. They’re working every day and are excited about it, and so am I.” Even as the countdown to the Sept. 4 season-opener with San Jose State

reached the one-week mark, more than a handful of starting jobs were up in the air. But, as linebacker Dont’a Hightower said, the competition is only fueling the final push toward the regular season. Giving up close to 700 passing yards in the first of two preseason scrimmages also served notice, Hightower added. “In the first scrimmage, we probably gave up more probably than has ever been given up in the history of Alabama scrimmages,” he said. “So we’re way better than that.” Offensively, maturity and experience is less of an issue with a fifth-year senior at quarterback, a Heisman winner in the backfield and All-American candidates on the line and catching passes. Saban knows how explosive the offense can be depends largely on the veteran McElroy. “I think he’s more confident, more comfortable, and he’s played with a lot of confidence in this camp,” Saban said. “I think the players have a lot of confidence in him as well.” But will McElroy, the young defense and the even younger specialists live up to the potential they carried into camp? Only the next four months will tell. Michael Casagrande covers the University of Alabama sports for The Star.

Alabama Continued from Page 15

Bil Wilson/The Anniston Star/File

Greg McElroy is one of just a handful of players with experience from the past two coaching regimes.

do, a big cry, much more so at Alabama than at Michigan. “I’m not sure Rich would still be the coach if it was the same scenario and you flipped it to Alabama.” qq Super agent Jimmy Sexton, Alabama athletic director Mal Moore and Saban — they all tell the same story. The now-Crimson Tide coach spoke the truth when he stood behind that podium and uttered the words that will likely haunt him every time his name is mentioned in connection with any other job: “I am not going to be the next football coach at the University of Alabama.” He said it repeatedly in his final weeks as head coach for the Dolphins, but few in Alabama cared. The moment Saban strolled off the plane in Tuscaloosa, the ground kissed him. Well, an exuberant Alabama fan did, any way. Saban arrived with a national championship on his resume, the one he won at LSU in 2003. He arrived as the savior of a once-

Trent Penny/The Anniston Star/File

“I think he’s more confident ... I think the players have a lot of confidence in him as well.”

proud program that was emerging from the reaching effects of sanctions and years of coaching turmoil. He became Alabama’s fifth head coach since Gene Stallings ended his 10-year run in 1996. “I don’t think there’s a better guy and a better fit for what Alabama wanted to obtain or wanted to achieve … and in a short period,” Ware said. “You go back and you look at what they’ve done over the past couple seasons, the record they have, the national title — those just aren’t passed out. “ … AND he recruited Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner” in running back Mark Ingram, who won it this past season. Saban has done it with his nowfamous “process,” his defensive skills honed while working as an assistant in the NFL, and outworking competitors, whether in preparation or recruiting. Shula’s process? McElroy just calls the difference “night and day.” “You had a lot of guys who were not buying into what coach had to say,” said McElroy, the plan B quarterback Shula signed after losing out on Tebow. That is not a problem now, nor was it before for Saban. Buy-in was the biggest key to the seeming ease of Alabama’s three-year transition, going

— Alabama coach Nick Saban on QB Greg McElroy

from 7-6 to 12-2 to 14-0. The mix of his players and those left over from Shula has been — with minor exceptions — a near flawless diamond mine. Saban has superior talent and the depth that it takes to play both in the Southeastern Conference and for him. And all because they believed, no matter who promised them what. “I think the personality of our team has basically come from players buying in, regardless of who brought them in,” Saban said. “That has never been an issue. We had a lot of good players last year that we recruited and we brought here, and we had a lot of good players last year that were here when we came here who bought in to the principals and values of the organization, and they were more successful because of it. “I think who brought them in is insignificant. I think it’s what their commitment is and how they buy into the organization, together as a group and individually, that makes the group what it is and what’s going to determine the personality of the team and the identity of the team.” And to think, what if Rodriguez had been the Tide’s salesman-in-chief the past three years?

The Anniston Star

17 Alabama Crimson Tide

special teams outlook

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 17

p r o j e ct e d d e pt h c h a r t O ffense

defense

Quarterback

defensive end

Greg McElroy

6-3, 225

Sr.

96 Luther Davis

6-3, 279

Sr.

A.J. McCarron

6-4, 190

Fr.

92 Damion Square

6-3, 284

So.

Phillip Sims

6-2, 214

Fr.

Running back 22

Mark Ingram

5-10, 215 Jr.

Trent Richardson

5-11, 220 So.

Eddie Lacy

6-1, 212

Fr.

H-back 85

Preston Dial

6-3, 237

Sr.

Brad Smelley

6-3, 227

Jr.

Wide receiver 8

Julio Jones

6-4, 220

Jr.

Brandon Gibson

6-2, 196

Jr.

Wide receiver 4

Marquis Maze

5-10, 182 Jr.

Darius Hanks

6-1, 184

Jr.

Left tackle

nose tackle 99 Josh Chapman

6-1, 310

Jr.

64 Kerry Murphy

6-4, 319

So.

defensive end 57 Marcell Dareus

6-4, 306

Jr.

94 Darrington Sentimore 6-3, 261

Fr.

linebacker 35 Nico Johnson

6-3, 238

So.

55 Chavis Williams

6-4, 223

Sr.

linebacker 41 Courtney Upshaw

6-2, 263

Jr.

47 Ed Stinson

6-4, 252

Fr.

linebacker 5

Jerrell Harris

45 Jalston Fowler

James Carpenter

6-5, 300

Sr.

Arie Kouandjio

6-5, 335

Fr.

Chance Warmack

6-3, 300

So.

John Michael Boswell 6-5, 291

William Vlachos

6-1, 289

Jr.

David Ross

6-3, 302

Sr.

Left guard Jr.

Center

Right guard 75

Barrett Jones

6-5, 301

So.

Anthony Steen

6-3, 292

Fr.

Right tackle 76

D.J. Fluker

6-6, 340

Fr.

Alfred McCullough

6-2, 309

Jr.

Tight end 89

Michael Williams

6-6, 270

So.

Drew Bullard

6-3, 232

Jr.

6-3, 231

Jr.

6-1, 236

Fr.

linebacker 30 Dont’a Hightower

6-4, 260

So.

36 Chris Jordan

6-3, 232

Jr.

Cornerback 21 Dre Kirkpatrick

6-3, 190

5-11, 193 So.

B.J. Scott

cornerback 24 DeQuan Menzie

6-1, 195

Jr.

28 DeMarcus Milliner

6-1, 182

Fr.

free safety 37 Robert Lester

6-2, 206

So.

29 Will Lowery

5-9, 188

Jr.

Strong safety 4

Mark Barron

6-2, 210

Phelon Jones

5-11, 199 Jr.

Brennen Smith/The Decatur Daily/File

In addition to his role at running back, Trent Richarson (3) will handle part of the return duties for the Crimson Tide.

Problem V ery

S pecial

Mark Downs!!

Richardson will lead cast of players looking to fill multitude of voids on special teams By Michael Casagrande mcasagande@annistonstar.com

TUSCALOOSA — There is a conspicuous gap on Page 13 of the Alabama football media guide. Dedicated to the special teams, just one word appears below the space reserved for returning starters. None. The Crimson Tide lost more than just the veteran punter and kicker who’d received all the preseason headlines. Practically the entire well-oiled kicking and returning skilled units are gone, too. Long snapper, holder, Javier Arenas — they’re all somewhere else this fall. Perhaps the position that is easiest replaced is the dual role that belonged to the record-breaking Arenas. Having a stockpile of explosive athletes to choose from makes deciding who runs back kicks a little easier than having to recruit a specialty player like a kicker. Sophomore running back Trent Richardson is settling into his job returning kickoffs, while receivers Julio Jones, Darius Hanks and Marquis Maze have shared time on punt return duties in practice. The next wave, coach Nick Saban said, includes true freshman Keiwone Malone and Corey Grant. Richardson and Jones each returned one kickoff last year, and Mark Ingram’s backfield mate is looking forward to the rush that comes with running straight at 11 defenders. He didn’t get many opportunities in high school as most opponents kicked away from the explosive runner. One kicker learned why the hard way. “I ran up to him, acted like I was going to truck him, went to the side and shook him, came back and ran him over, or something like that,” Richardson said smiling. “That was crazy.” Richardson’s style varies a little from the one Arenas used to rewrite the record book in his four years. He doesn’t have the same speed as the Kansas City Chief draft pick, The art of the return requires much more than pure speed, though. “Just really, you got to be patient,” Richardson said. “You’ve got set your blocks up. It’s more like running back, for real. You’ve got to be very quick on your feet

“You’ve got set your blocks up. It’s more like running back, for real.” — Trent Richardson on playing returner

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and have very good instincts.” Filling the long snapping and placekick-holding jobs also requires replacing consistent seniors. Brian Selman never botched a snap in four years in Tuscaloosa, while P.J. Fitzgerald was equally reliable setting the ball in time for kicker Leigh Tiffin. Carson Tinker is expected to assume Selman’s duties after appearing in just the Chattanooga win during his redshirt freshman season. Saban likes his top option in Tinker while looking at bringing back the old way of doing things with the holder. Fitzgerald had the job because of his experience, and his other specialty job allowed the time to work with Tiffin more in practice. But with two true freshman battling for the punting job, Saban is looking for a different alternative — the one he knows a lot about. “When I was a quarterback, which I know was many, many, many moons ago ... if you played quarterback, you were the holder,” Saban said. “I was a holder since I was 10 years old.” With that, he said quarterbacks Greg McElroy and AJ McCarron currently are sharing the job while some of the younger candidates develop. McElroy said he’s comfortable in the job since he’s been practicing as a backup since his freshman year. “Hopefully, I won’t have to do a lot of it,” he said. “But, if need be, I’ve put in the practice and the work with the snapper and the kicker to be able to be, I guess, functional to a certain extent.” Michael Casagrande covers the University of Alabama sports for The Star.

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Page 18 Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Spread out W i t h f r a n k l i n â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Au bu r n bet t e r o f f

Addition of Troy coordinator led to subtraction of Tuberville, but offensive change equalling success for Tigers in the end

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star/File

The Anniston Star

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 19 B y J o e M e d l e y • S Tar S p o rts C o lumnist

AUBURN ommy Tuberville dodged one bullet then used the shotgun formation and inadvertently shot himself. He won 85 games at Auburn, with an undefeated season and Auburn’s first SEC title in a decade, but he crashed when then-No. 1-ranked Alabama snapped a sixyear losing streak against the Tigers with a definitive 36-0 victory. The ugly loss at Tuscaloosa in 2008 ended Auburn’s worst season under Tuberville, a 5-7 malaise that saw the Tigers win only one of their final seven games. Tuberville took a $5.1 million buyout from a contract extension he’d gotten one year prior and resigned, officially, ending an otherwise strong 10-year run. Tuberville’s 2008 meltdown partly owes to a dropoff in recruiting, but most point to his disastrous turn to a spread offense and hiring of spread peddler Tony Franklin as his offensive coordinator. By midseason, Tuberville had fired Franklin, and Auburn fans wrung their hands with the what-if question — what if Auburn had never switched to the trendy spread? Nearly two years have passed, and Auburn fans reached a much different place with the spread. Current Auburn coach Gene Chizik and coordinator Gus Malzahn carried a spread-like offense to big numbers and a surprising 8-5 season in 2009. Malzahn balks at his offense being called a spread, insisting it’s a two-back, run-first approach. Auburn’s 2009 statistics seem to bear that out. Then again, his system hardly runs like the straight Iformation power game that Auburn fans considered the program’s hallmark for decades. Year three of Auburn’s new era on offense starts Saturday when the Tigers play host to Arkansas State. As ex-Florida quarterback Cam Newton does his dual-threat best to showcase Malzahn’s system, many Auburn fans might just ask that what-if question again. What if Auburn had never bought into college football’s offense of the day? qq For starters, Tuberville might have stayed at Auburn for at least one more year. Tuberville’s decision to hire Franklin and adopt Franklin’s spread blew up in 2008, and there was no fixing the damage before season’s end. In all likelihood, Tuberville would have fared well enough to maintain his job, had he gone another year with Borges and the old approach. It wasn’t so much the system that became Tuberville’s albatross. It was quarterback Chris Todd’s lingering shoulder problems plus the strained mix of Franklin and an entrenched staff of offensive assistants. Tuberville had taken care of his stalwart, front-line assistants. It was always the coordinators who either moved on to better things or took the fall when things went south. Bobby Petrino, Gene Chizik, Will Muschamp and David Gibbs moved onward and upward. Al Borges, Noel Mazzone and John Lovett just moved on under mutual-agreement circumstances. The core assistants stayed, including Hugh Nall, Steve Ensminger, Eddie Gran and Greg Knox on the offensive side. All but Ensmigner had been with Tuberville for 14 years, and Ensminger had worked with Tuberville previously at Texas A&M. Nall had an unsuccessful turn as Auburn’s offensive coor-

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star/File

Tommy Tuberville’s spread experiment started off well with a victory in the Chick-Fil-A bowl, but the next season was disastrous and cost Tuberville his job. dinator in 2003, and Ensminger had been a coordinator at other stops. All of those assistants had coached in conservative offensive schemes under Tuberville. Into that mix, Auburn hired the blunt Franklin, who had literally made the spread his business. He had written a book on the offense and installed it in high schools around the country as a consultant.

“Everybody’s on the same page now. It’s a much better situation.” — Lee Ziemba, Auburn offensive lineman

With an assist from Gran, Tuberville hired Franklin away from Troy after parting ways with Borges in December of 2007. By all accounts, Franklin and the established staff didn’t mix. The veteran assistants were slow to buy in, and they carried more sway with Tuberville. It didn’t help that Todd, the quarterback Franklin brought with him, struggled mightily in his first year at Auburn. Shoulder problems that carried over from junior college severely limited Todd’s effectiveness and that of the offense. But Auburn fans saw a failing quarterback. They also saw a failing system that was so foreign to them, nothing like offenses they had come to love under Pat Dye. The Tigers finished 11th in the Southeastern Conference and 110th of 119 teams in scoring offense. Fans ultimately saw Auburn failing, and pressure mounted. Established assistants wanted to retreat to what worked previously, and Franklin dug in. Ultimately, Tuberville fired Franklin midseason. To get an idea of why the spread didn’t work in 2008, one need only hear senior offensive tackle Lee Ziemba’s take on why a similar offense worked so much better in 2009. “Everybody’s on the same page now,” he said. “It’s a much better situation.” qq A popular cliché holds that, if it looks and walks like a duck, it’s a duck. Malzahn swears his offense is no duck, no matter how it looks from the stands. His players follow his lead. “This isn’t a spread offense,” Ziemba said. “It’s a two-back offense, and we run and then play-action pass. That’s what we are. “A lot of people like to call us spread because we’re nohuddle, but, if you look at last year, I think we were about 5545 run to pass.” Indeed, Auburn’s offense was balanced in 2009. The Tigers averaged 212 rushing yards and 220 passing yards per game. Auburn finished third in the SEC in scoring offense (33.3 points a game), fourth in rushing offense, fifth in passing Please see Auburn ❙ Page 20

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Page 20 Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Anniston Star

auburn tigers

Offensive outlook

After stints at Florida and at a junior college, Cam Newton finally has a big-time team to call his own.

Stephen Gross /The Anniston Star/File

Newton hoping he can discover dream at Auburn By Charles Bennett cbennett@annistonstar.com

AUBURN — Auburn’s Cam Newton looks like a major college quarterback, acts like a major college quarterback and possesses the physical attributes of a major college quarterback. Now all Newton has to do is prove that he is one. The Tigers’ season likely depends on it. He says he’s ready. “I think this whole camp I’ve just been trying to get more comfortable with the system and knowing in depth what I’m supposed to do on each play,” said Newton, who transferred to Auburn in January after leading Blinn College to the NJCAA National Championship. “To wrap everything up, I think I’ve done an excellent job.” A 6-6, 250-pound junior, Newton certainly comes in with impeccable credentials but, as of yet, unrealized potential on the major college level. He originally signed with Florida, where he played in five games as a freshman, mostly in mop up situations against Western Kentucky, Troy, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Florida Atlantic. In limited playing time, he completed five passes in 10 attempts and rushed for 103 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries.

Auburn Continued from Page 19 offense and second in total offense (431.8 yards a game). Running back Ben Tate finished third in the league at 104.8 yards a game, and Todd set an Auburn record with 22 touchdown passes. Malzahn took many of the same players and made duck soup out of duck … well, one gets the picture. The moons and stars aligned for Malzahn and Chizik in ways they never did for Franklin and Tuberville. For starters, Malzahn and Chizik inherited a healthy Todd, who had offseason surgery and entered 2009 in much better form. Malzahn and Chizik were also part of an allnew staff, and they inherited players eager to buy in after an agonizing 2008. They found a coordinator just as eager to teach. “He’s a perfectionist,” senior running back Mario Fannin said. “He’s a guy that’s going to be out there with you and make sure that you’re doing everything right. “Coach Franklin, he’s a great coach. He taught us, but it was more like he expected us to know what we’re supposed to do, which is understandable. We’re college athletes, but Coach Malzahn breaks it down a little bit more for us and allows us to be successful.” The moons and stars continue to align for Malzahn, who didn’t use all of his playbook in 2009. The plays that maximize a mobile quarterback will come on line with Newton this season. Teammates say the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Newton wins sprints in practice. He used his speed and size to lead Blinn Junior College to a national championship in 2009, rushing for 655 yards and 16 touchdowns.

“He’s so explosive you can never tell what’s going to happen. He can break a 60-yard run or he can complete a 60-yard pass.” — Terrell Zachery, Auburn receiver He followed his freshman season with a redshirt year and then transferred to Blinn. While leading Blinn to the junior college national championship last season, Newton passed for 2,833 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 655 yards and 16 touchdowns. Rivals.com labeled him the top incoming quarterback among both high school and junior college players. An air of mystery has surrounded Newton since his arrival. He had limited playing time in Auburn’s spring game, but was tabbed No. 1 heading into the fall, even though the coaches had labeled the fourman quarterback race “too close to call” for most of spring practice. All of Auburn’s fall scrimmages and practices have been closed, with an occasional 20-minute window allotted to the media. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has been

positive, but not exactly effusive in assessing Newton’s progress. “He can make plays when things break down,” offensive coordinator Guz Malzahn said in analyzing Newton’s strengths. “He’s a good runner, but he’s got a very strong arm. He can get the ball in windows that a lot of people can’t.” His teammates are a bit more enthusiastic. “He’s what we’re looking for,” said wide receiver Terrell Zachary. “He’s so explosive you can never tell what’s going to happen. He can break a 60-yard run or he can complete a 60-yard pass. Him one-on-one with a safety or a linebacker, they’re not going to want to tackle him.” It’s also clear the coaches are being patient with Newton. “Cameron needs to stay locked in and focused,” said Auburn coach Gene Chizik. “He has done some good things. He’s done

He also threw for 2,833 yards and 22 touchdowns, but his dual-threat talents are what make him so intriguing. They had him first in line behind Tim Tebow at Florida before a theft arrest prompted Newton to transfer. Newton calls his mobility “a big deal” in Malzahn’s offense. “It gives defenses an added dimension to prepare for,” he said. “It’s just not a person that just sits back there in the pocket and throws to receivers, which I’m capable of doing, but at times I feel like I have the capability to get myself and the offense out of trouble at times.” Newton is also likely to carry on designed quarterback runs, which were staples in Florida’s spread system when the tall-and-bulky Tebow played there. “I don’t really know, as far as how many runs that they have planned for me during the gametime situations,” Newton said. “But if my number is called, I’m going to do whatever they have me to do.” Newton’s presence and the successful turnaround for Auburn in 2009 have Auburn fans enthusiastic about the immediate future. The Tigers enter 2010 ranked 22nd and considered by ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit as a team that could topple national champion Alabama in the SEC West Division. Long gone among Auburn fans is any hint of discontentment over the direction of the offense. They seem quite happy, whatever the offense is called. “It’s all spread, but different coaches have different philosophies,” Newton said. “It’s kind of fun to just see what a different coach has or a different coach’s method is.” Joe Medley is the sports columnist for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3576 or follow him on Twitter @jmedstar

some things we wish we could take back. But again, that’s all part of the learning process. It’s that with all of them. It’s a continuous learning process. It will be all the way up through game one, game two, game three. It’s just going to be a continuous cycle of growth. “You’re going to learn things when you’re playing on national TV and there are big stakes on the line. You can’t simulate that out here.” Newton will be surrounded by enough talent to make his debut a success. Senior offensive lineman Mike Berry said the team has a goal of being the top offense in the nation. Four of five starters return on the offensive line, and there’s plenty of talent at wide receiver and running back to make it happen. But the Tigers’ lofty offensive goals, as well as their chances of contending in the Western Division of the SEC, may well come down to the play of Newton. Pressure? Newton says he doesn’t feel it. “I live by one rule and one rule only — just win the football game,” he said. “I feel like if I do that, there will be no pressure on me.” Charles Bennett covers Auburn University sports for The Star.

Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star/File

Auburn coordinator Gus Malzahn, right, insists his offense isn’t a spread. Whether it is or isn’t, it’s a far more productive one than Auburn had under Tony Franklin.

The Anniston Star

auburn tigers

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 21

p ro j ec t ed de p t h c h ar t

Defensive outlook

O ffense

defense

quarterback

Left end

Cam Newton

6-6, 250

Jr.

45 Antoine Carter

6-4, 256

Sr.

Barrett Trotter

6-2, 211

So.

55 Corey Lemonier

6-4, 227

Fr.

running back

nose guard

Mario Fannin

5-11, 228 Sr.

98 Zach Clayton

6-3, 296

Sr.

Michael Dyer

5-9, 215

93 Mike Blanc

6-4, 297

Sr.

Fr.

halfback

defensive Tackle

Eric Smith

5-10, 240 Jr.

90 Nick Fairley

6-5, 298

Jr.

Ladarious Phillips

6-0, 291

Fr.

54 Jeffrey Whitaker

6-3, 308

Fr.

Philip Lutzenkirchen 6-4, 258

So.

49 Michael Goggans

6-3, 261

Sr.

Robert Cooper

Fr.

95 Dee Ford

6-4, 240

So.

Terrell Zachery

6-1, 210

Sr.

46 Craig Stevens

6-3, 229

Quindarius Carr

6-1, 186

Jr.

35 Jonathan Evans

5-11, 230 So.

tight end

Right end 6-4, 226

Wide receiver

inside linebacker

Wide receiver

Sr.

middle linebacker

Darvin Adams

6-3, 185

Jr.

17 Josh Bynes

6-2, 235

Sr.

Shaun Kitchens

6-3, 217

Fr.

58 Harris Gaston

6-1, 231

So.

Left tackle

cornerback

Lee Ziemba

6-8, 319

Sr.

14 Demond Washington 5-9, 182

Sr.

Brandon Mosley

6-6, 299

Jr.

So.

Left guard 66

Mike Berry

Bart Eddins

Anthony Morgan

5-9, 185

Cornerback

6-3, 316

Sr.

15 Neiko Thorpe

6-2, 186

Jr.

6-4, 304

Sr.

22 T’Sharvan Bell

6-0, 180

So.

Center

Strong Safety

Ryan Pugh

6-4, 297

Sr.

Zac Etheridge

6-0, 213

Sr.

Blake Burgess

6-2, 278

Fr.

16 Ikeem Means

6-0, 204

So.

Byron Isom

6-3, 302

Sr.

John Sullen

6-6, 312

So.

26 Mike McNeil

Right guard

free safety Aairon Savage

5-11, 200 Sr. 6-2, 208

Jr.

Right tackle

Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star/File

Auburn’s Neiko Thorpe breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Louisiana Tech wide receiver Adrian Linwood.

Baby steps

A.J. Greene

6-5, 291

Jr.

John Sullen

6-6, 312

So.

Senator Del Marsh is proud to support our area college athletic teams!

After being basement dwellers last season, Tigers cautiously looking for improvement By Charles Bennett cbennett@annistonstar.com

AUBURN — While some of Auburn’s offensive players are talking about their goal of leading the nation in scoring this season, the Tigers are taking a much more modest approach on defense. “Right now, we just want to get better every day,” said defensive coordinator Ted Roof. “That’s our focus right now. When we get to game week, we’ll get to seaSo.nal goals and things of that nature. Right now, the focus is keeping pictures really small. Let’s get better at this particular technique today, let’s get better at our pursuit angles, let’s get better at how we tackle.” Roof is hoping that taking care of the little things will help the Tigers take care of the big things. A lot of improvement is both expected and needed if Auburn is going to be a contender in the SEC West. While Auburn’s offense was putting up big numbers last season, the Tigers’ defense was allowing big numbers. Auburn ranked last in the SEC in scoring defense (27.5 points per game), 11th in total defense and 10th in both rushing defense and passing defense. It was a difficult pill to swallow for a school that has traditionally prided itself on tough defense. “The defense my freshman year was sixth in the nation,” said senior safety Zac Etheridge. “The defense my sophomore year, we didn’t have much offense, but we were one of the better defenses in the nation. This year, it doesn’t matter what the offense does, we’re going to get back to the defense we used to play.” With eight starters returning, a solid influx of incoming talent and a year under their belts in Roof’s 4-3 defense, major improvement is expected. Roof remains cautiously optimistic. “I feel very encouraged where we are,” he said. “I know we’ve made strides. I know we’re ahead of where we were at this time last year. But we haven’t played a game yet to prove anything. It all goes back to that.” Meanwhile, the players rankle a bit at the fact that the defense is considered the Tigers’ major question mark. “We’re just trying to be consistent and one of the better defenses in the SEC,” said senior linebacker Josh Bynes, the team’s leading tackler last season. “Last

OPPONENT GAME HIGHS Rushes 49 Yards Rushing 282 Yards Per Rush 5.8 TD Rushes 4 Pass attempts 78 Pass completions 47 Yards Passing 532 Yards Per Pass 10.2 TD Passes 4 Total Plays 115 Total Offense 621 Yards Per Play 6.4 Points 44 First Downs 34

Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky at Arkansas Northwestern Northwestern Northwestern at Georgia Northwestern Northwestern Northwestern West Virginia at Arkansas Northwestern

SOURCE: Southeastern Conference year was a down year and that’s all anybody talks about — question mark on the defense. They don’t know whether we’re going to win 10 games or five games, depending on our defense. “The main thing about fall camp was to make sure our defense is focused and that we’re competitive each and every down. We’re very competitive, and we’re much more mature than we were last year. There’s going to be a big difference from last year to this year.” A year’s experience in the defense also allows Roof to add a few wrinkles after a season in which the Tigers remained fairly basic in their approach. “We teach concepts and our players understand concepts,” Roof said. “You can say this is just like so and so. So, it’s not like teaching them something new. It’s just like this or just like that. It’s like something they’ve already done. It allows you to be more multiple.” Simply put, it all comes down to the Tigers’ defense getting off the field with a few more three-and-outs. Auburn allowed 268 first downs last season — the most in the SEC. “We want to get better at every aspect on defense, but we really want to tackle better and get better on third down,” said senior defensive back Aairon Savage. “If we give the ball to our offense a little more, maybe they will lead the nation. And, hopefully, we’ll win a National Championship.” Charles Bennett covers Auburn University sports for The Star.

“I wish all teams a safe and successful season!” - Del Marsh

November 2nd Re-elect

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LSU vs. North Carolina, Sept. 4 in Atlanta Georgia at South Carolina, Sept. 11 Arkansas at Georgia, Sept. 18 Alabama at Arkansas, Sept. 25 Alabama at LSU, Oct. 23 Florida at Alabama, Oct. 2 LSU at Florida, Oct. 9 Arkansas at Auburn, Oct. 16 Florida vs. Georgia, Oct. 30 in Jacksonville — Rivals.com Auburn at Alabama, Nov. 26

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southeastern conference

They say the SEC is once again Florida, Alabama and all the rest, but Florida and Alabama play each other in the regular season. One will have at least one loss. Auburn, Arkansas and South Carolina project as improved teams. Georgia and LSU doubters could be premature. There’s always intrigue in the SEC.

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2 0 1 0 southeaste r n C onfe r ence schedu l e

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Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Page 23

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EC teams have won four national titles in a row, and for the second season in a row, the reigning national champion will go into the season as the favorite to win it all again. Nick Saban and Alabama stormed to a 14-0 record and the national title last season, but repeating as champs — both in the league and nationally — will mean overcoming the loss of nine full-time defensive starters and three key special teams performers, including AllAmerica kicker Leigh Tiffin and All-America return man Javier Arenas. Florida won it all in 2008 and returned its entire defense two-deep last season, but offensive issues derailed the Gators, though they still finished 13-1. The Tide should have no offensive issues with the return of, among others, Heisman-winning tailback Mark Ingram and supremely talented wide receiver Julio Jones.

The Tide also returns quarterback Greg McElroy, which makes them stand out among their SEC brethren. The only other league teams returning their full-time starter at the position are South Carolina with Stephen Garcia, LSU with Jordan Jefferson and Arkansas with Ryan Mallett. The league’s other eight teams either are breaking in new starters or trying to avoid a potential quarterback controversy while choosing from among former starters. Those quarterback concerns may mean the SEC is down a bit again. Last season, Alabama and Florida were head-and-shoulders above everyone else in the league. Florida won the SEC East title by four games, and no one in the division other than the Gators was over .500 in the league. Alabama won the West title by three games, and Alabama and LSU were the only teams above .500 in the division. — Mike Huguenin, Rivals.com

the players BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Alabama RB Mark Ingram. Given Alabama’s emphasis on a grind-it-out rushing attack, you might think Ingram was a 4-yards-anda-cloud-of-dust guy. You would be wrong. Ingram, the reigning Heisman winner, ran for 1,658 yards and 17 TDs and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. He had at least one run of 20 yards in nine games and at least one of 30 in six games. He had nine 100-yard games and scored at least twice in eight games. BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: LSU CB Patrick Peterson. Coaches covet shutdown corners, and Peterson is just that. He has the potential to be the best corner in the country this season; if he proves it on the field, he’ll be a top-15 pick in next year’s NFL draft. Peterson, who will be a three-year starter this fall, had two interceptions and ranked second in the SEC in pass breakups with 13 last season. He also ranked second on the team with 43 solo tackles. OFFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett. Mallett led the SEC in TD passes last season with 30, but he struggled against good defenses. Against the top four SEC pass defenses he saw (Alabama, Florida, LSU and Ole Miss), Mallett completed just 39.3 Mallett percent of his passes and averaged 216.3 yards per game. Arkansas is an SEC West dark-horse if Mallett elevates his game. The Hogs also have to get better defensively to make sure every game isn’t a shootout.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Georgia LB Justin Houston. Georgia’s defensive woes last season have been wellchronicled, almost as well-chronicled as the Bulldogs’ switch to a 3-4 defense. Houston was a second-team All-SEC performer at defensive end last season after coming up with 7.5 sacks. He has been moved to outside ‘backer in coordinator Todd Grantham’s new scheme, and he has to be an even more productive pass rusher this season if this defense is going to be as good as it needs to be. Houston and the coaches have talked about how outside linebacker is a perfect fit for him; now he has to show it on the field. BREAKOUT OFFENSIVE STAR: Florida QB John Brantley. Brantley — whose dad (at quarterback) and uncle (linebacker) both started for the Gators in the late 1970s — is a fourth-year senior tasked with replacing Tim Tebow. Brantley is not near the runner, but he is the prototypical pocket passer. Brantley has a strong arm and a deep knowledge of the offense. A 3,000yard, 25-TD season is a legit goal. BREAKOUT DEFENSIVE STAR: Alabama DE Marcell Dareus. Alabama loses all three starting defensive lineman, but Dareus, who will be a junior, will make sure the drop-off isn’t that steep. He was productive off the bench last season, finishing with 33 tackles and a teamleading 6.5 sacks. He’ll be expected to be a team leader and provide even more production this season; a 10-sack output is a legitimate goal.

the coaches

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press/File

COACH ON THE HOTTEST SEAT: LSU’s Les Miles (pictured left). Miles guided LSU to the national title in 2007, but the Tigers have been big-time underachievers the past two seasons, losing nine times overall and eight times in league play. LSU is 0-4 against SEC West foes Alabama and Ole Miss and 0-2 against Florida in the past two seasons, losing those six games by an average of 12.5 points. In 2008, the offense was solid but the defense was mediocre. Last season, the defense was good but the offense was awful. This season the offense is still bad. BEST COACHING STAFF: Alabama. Nick Saban casts a shadow over everything in Tuscaloosa, but he has put together a staff that knows what it is doing. Hiring Jim McElwain as his offensive coordinator from Fresno State might have raised some eyebrows in 2008, but it was a master stroke. Defen-

sive coordinator Kirby Smart finally is getting recognition for his work with the Tide’s defense. BEST OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Auburn’s Gus Malzahn. Malzahn did excellent work last season with a Tigers offense that had been in disarray. He rose to prominence because of his pass-happy high school teams in Arkansas, but Malzahn has overseen strong rushing attacks in his jobs as coordinator at Arkansas, Tulsa and Auburn. The passing attacks have been solid, too. BEST DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: South Carolina’s Ellis Johnson. In his two seasons at Carolina, working with less-than-elite talent, Johnson has guided the Gamecocks to finishes of 13th and 15th nationally in total defense. Johnson technically does not have the coordinator title at South Carolina — he’s the assistant head coach/assistant coach defense — but the Gamecocks’ defense is his.

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