National Signing Day Creates College Football Buzz

Certain regions across the country have their eyes glued to their computer screens today to check out high schoolers. No, not in a perverted way. It's the day when blue-chippers around the country sign their national letters of intent to play college football. Unfortunately with the extensive coverage paid to high school sports, most of the luster has been taken from this day. Most people know who is headed to their favorite program well before, but everything becomes official today. Not surprisingly the top classes are headed to USC and Florida, but the excitement extends well beyond those programs. It's being felt in football madhouses like the SEC country in the South, and the middle of the country powered by Big 10 fanatics. If your looking for a relative "Cinderella", it may be South Carolina. Having famed recruiter Steve Spurrier helps, but ESPN ranks them as the 4th best class in the country. Not bad for a team that only finished 8-5 a year ago.

Unfortunately, College Football does not have the same stranglehold in the Northeast. New Jersey and Pennsylvania are relative "hotbeds" for college talent, but the college programs have never quite caught up. Aside from Rutgers rise to prominence this season, there isn't much to get excited about in the Tri-State area. A once proud Syracuse program can't get out of the cellar in a diminished Big East and many Northeast programs are Division I-AA. The few big time recruits that arise in this area typically head to more traditional football schools like USC. Until New York and surrounding states start improving on the prep level, the College programs will continue to lag behind.

Samardzija to focus on Baseball

You can take one name off Mel Kiper Jr's big board. Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija has decided to give up football in favor of a pitching career with the Chicago Cubs. It is being reported that Samardzija, the Cubs fifth round selection in the amateur draft a year ago, received a five year deal worth $8 million to focus on baseball. If recent history is any indication, this may have been a mistake. Former Michigan QB Drew Henson, once projected to be the top pick in the NFL draft, chose the Yankees riches instead of a football career. After a few disappointing seasons in the minors, he is trying to catch on in the NFL. Cubs phenoms Kerry Wood and Mark Prior have failed to stay healthy which could be a product of the farm system.

Many people were excited by the prospect of another two sport star. The 1990's enjoyed the varying successes of athletes such as Brian Jordan, Deion Sanders,and of course, Bo Jackson. Samardzija made a name for himself by making acrobatic catches seem easy and setting new records for the Fighting Irish. His big frame and tremendous hands could have made a huge difference in many teams' red zone offenses. He originally intended to give both sports a try, but it's hard to fault him for choosing one over the other. College baseball does not receive much publicity, but he's been oustanding as a pitcher for the Irish. In 50 career appearances he has a 21-6 record with a 3.82 earned run average. The Cubs will have him report to their class A affiliate, which is managed by hall of famer Ryne Sandberg. It seems that he's played his last down as a receiver, but we can all hold out hope he'll try to become the next two sport star down the road.

Gators Chomp Buckeyes

If we've learned nothing else from bowl season, it's to expect the unexpected. A close second would be to discount the importance of a favorable quarterback matchup. Just a few days ago, JaMarcus Russell outdueled Brady Quinn in LSU's rout of Notre Dame. Last night it was Chris Leak's Florida Gators who overwhelmed the Ohio State Buckeyes and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Troy Smith. While Leak looked impressive all night long, the Gators defense keyed the the palondromic drubbing. Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey chased Smith all night, creating two turnovers which aided the 41-14 rout. The Florida defense held Smith to only 35 yards passing. He completed only 4 of his 14 passes or one less completion than sacks (5) he took. Lots of talk centered around the massive Ohio State offensive line, but they looked like little boys messing with the front seven of Florida.

The game was touted as the speed of the SEC versus the power of the Big 10. Ohio State learned the harsh reality that speed kills. However, last night's loss coupled with Michigan's poor showing has to bring in to question the power of the vaunted Big 10 Conference. Furthermore, it empowers the belief that the non-BCS conferences should get a shot at the big boys. Regardless, this may have been the most thorough beating of all bowl games. Ohio State had more yards on its opening kick return touchdown (93 by Ted Ginn Jr) than it did for the rest of the game with only 82 total yards of offense. The absence of Ginn Jr., Smith's high school teammate and favorite downfield target, certainly hurt. Beyond that, you really have to question the job Jim Tressel did. On their only scoring drive, they were effective running the football with Antonio Pittman. After that, they essentially abandoned the ground game. He seemed to panic. Going for it on 4th and 1 only down 7 in the second quarter from your own 29 is stupid at best. They brought in bruising freshman back Chris Wells, but were stopped. Getting stopped on a telegraphed run on 4th and 1 is no reason to get away from running the ball, especially since the mistake only cost them three points. Many people are going to complain about the long layoff, which at over 50 days is ridiculous, but it did not cost Ohio State this football game. They ran in to a better who probably would beat them nine out of ten times.

While Tressel struggled, Urban Meyer's spread offense clicked on all cylinders. With an abundance of playmakers and the steady hand of Chris Leak, the offense looked other worldly. Since he runs an unconventional offense, the short passing game pretty much substitutes for the running game. With athletes like Percy Harvin and Andre Caldwell, this is very effective. Leak made all the right decisions and ended his tumultuous four year career in Gainesville on a high note. Running back De'Shaun Wynn showed off his power in the second half grinding out the clock. He teams with freshman quarterback Tim Tebow to be the thunder to Leak and his receivers lightning. Early in the game they capitalized on a few Ohio State special team penalties for great field position. However, as it was for most of the season, the real story was the defense. From the speed rush of the front four and the relentless pursuit of the linebackers to the ball-hawking skills of the secondary, this was the most complete defense in college football. They had playmakers on every level of the defense and cohesion certainly was not a problem. Rallying around the death of All-American Reggie Nelson's mom and the creation of the unity chain, these guys were all on the same page. The unity chain, worn in the waning moments by starting middle linebacker Brandon Siler, evoked memories of the Heat's "15 strong" of last year's championship. The chain contained fake dog tags with the names of every member of the defense. Being witness to "Team Turmoil" this season, the importance of team unity can not be underestimated. With the win, the Gators now hold both the Men's Basketball and Football national championships. It is the first time this has happened in the history of college athletics. Unfortunately for fans of any other school, the basketball team looks poised to repeat in April.

Tigers Sweet in Sugar Bowl Victory

The story's been the same for Notre Dame under Charlie Weis: play an elite team and get thoroughly manhandled. Weis' offensive prowess has been unable to compensate for weak defenses. Last night JaMarcus Russell and friends sieved through the defense to the tune of 41 points. Playing close to home at the Louisiana Superdome, Russell put on a grand show. He threw for over 300 yards with 2 scores, along with a rushing touchdown. After the whirlwind year and a half that the boys in the Bayou experienced, it was only fitting that Russell led the way. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, the LSU gymnasium hosted many refugees. Several more found shelter in Russell's small off-campus apartment. At times over 20 people were housed in his apartment as Russell went above and beyond the call of duty. With his performance last night, the next place he calls home will be able to fit many more than that.

One of the interesting sub-plots to last night's game featured the tale of two quarterbacks. Notre Dame's Brady Quinn, the early season favorite for the Heisman and presumed top pick in the NFL draft, has come in to his own under QB guru Weis. He's got the size, arm strength, and accuracy that have NFL scouts salivating. However, he's shown an inability to handle pressure. Teams that came and smacked him the mouth (Michigan and Georgia Tech), he struggled mightily with. Facing a quick defense last night, Brady completed well under 50% of his passes along with two interceptions. LSU's JaMarcus Russell has had his share of ups and downs. In his time as a starter he's been replaced for ineffectiveness, but recently has gotten all the validation he needs. After last night's win Coach Les Miles said, "I just think. I have the best quarterback in the country right now." One of the best for sure, and also one of the biggest. Russell is a beast. He's listed at 6'6, 257 pounds. Even at his size he can make plays with his feet and last night showed a tremendous ability to get the ball downfield. One game doesn't make or break one's draft status, but Russell certainly closed a lot of ground last night. If he decides to declare himself eligible for the draft, the Sugar Bowl showdown won't be the last we've heard of "Quinn vs. Russell".

Liar, Liar...Saban Accepts Alabama Job

Ever wonder what $32 million dollars gets you? If your Alabama AD Mal Moore, a new acrobatic football coach who does a very nice 180. Just two weeks ago Nick Saban adamantly stated, "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach". Earlier this morning he made his decision to head to Tuscaloosa. Saban has been a widely sought after commodity for many years now. Dating back to his days at Michigan State he drew interest from the NFL, and that only grew stronger with his national championship as the head man at LSU. His two years in Miami have been sub-par, so Saban returns to the SEC with the Crimson Tide.

Following in the footsteps of Herm "I'm not coaching the Chiefs" Edwards, Saban managed to put his foot in his mouth in less than two weeks. It is a trend in coaching; sought after candidates who leave themselves no wiggle room. Look at the recent statements by Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. There's been speculation that Tom Coughlin's job is in jeopardy if the Giants lay an egg in Philadelphia. Weis, a Jersey native and former Giants employee, is rumored to be a favorite if the job becomes vacant. There's no doubt coaching for the Giants would be a dream come true, but instead has pledged his allegiance to his alma mater. In recent weeks he made it clear, "I'm only leaving if I'm dead or fired". All things considered, those probably are the only ways he leaves South Bend. But if it's not, he's got a whole lot of explaining to do.

Boise State Seals It With A Kiss

Life can't get much better for Boise State Running Back Ian Johnson. While 2006 may have been his coming out party, 2007 got off to a pretty good start for the nation's second leading rusher. In last night's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl he converted the game winning two point conversion and proposed to his girlfriend during the post-game show. However, Johnson is not the only one who had a memorable night. Senior Quarterback Jared Zabransky went from goat to hero in the span of a minute and a half. Coach Chris Peterson and his staff put on a show-calling display never before seen in crunch time. A hook and ladder sent the game to overtime, a former walk-on threw an overtime touchdown, and the Statue of Liberty play sealed the deal. The imagination, innovation, and intestinal fortitude displayed by the brain trust of Boise State inspired anyone who watched.

This may have been the finest of the four overtime bowl games in BCS history. With the game ending well after midnight on the East Coast, unfortunately many people missed the thrilling conclusion. To quickly recap, Oklahoma scored 15 points in less than a minute to take a seven point lead with around a minute to play in regulation. On 4th and 18, the Broncos converted a hook and ladder for the game-tying score with seven seconds to play. After the Sooners scored on their first play in overtime, the Broncos again stunned their opponents with trickery. Reserve wide receiver Vinny Paretta tossed a touchdown to tight end Derek Schouman on fourth down to set up the ultimate "I don't believe what I just saw" moment. Down one, the Broncos opted to go for two. With three receivers bunched right, Zobransky pump faked right before handing the ball around his back to Johnson who scampered in to the left side of the end zone untouched for the winning conversion. Guys don't have the guts to call this play in a Turkey Bowl; how about making that decision to win the biggest game in Boise State history. Again, not enough can be said about the coaching done by Peterson and his staff.

Aside from being an instant classic, this game had several deeper implications. First, it reminded everyone how flawed the BCS system is. There must be a playoff system put in place. College sports is predicated on unpredictability; every George Mason and Boise State needs its chance to shine. However, the need for a tournament extends beyond that. Heading in to yesterday's games many felt that Michigan deserved to playing for the national championship. They were thoroughly dominated by a USC team who couldn't beat an inferior UCLA to secure their own spot in the BCS title game. Again, anything can happen in college sports. Now, we all know with the revenue created by bowl games there is very little hope of ever getting the playoff system so many fans desire. Schools and conferences will be unwilling to risk the enormous paychecks they receive for participating in these games. But why not have your cake and eat it too? The bowl games could serve as hosts to playoff games and still culminate in a BCS title game. It could still be an enormous cash cow for participating schools and give more programs the opportunity to chase a national championship.

Second, the belief that "mid-majors" who run the table are not prepared to take on the big boys of the BCS conferences must be dispelled. The running theme of last night's game, as nauseating as it was, continued to be "David vs. Goliath". I say nauseating because they compared the two programs as if what happened in past years truly affected the outcome of this game. The only link to the past that these teams have is the ability to recruit, and that is a very indirect connection. Yes, Oklahoma is a name brand in College Football and can bring in top level high school talent. But no, it does not matter how many more Heisman trophy winners or National Championships they've won when it comes down to winning a single ball game. The fact of the matter is that Boise State won all 13 games on its schedule, while Oklahoma dropped three. Obviously there was disparity in who they played, but until the big programs are willing to be challenged, the Boise State's of the college world will be denied their fair shot. Just like Utah did in 2005, an undefeated small conference school controlled a "powerhouse" program. When the media hypes "David vs. Goliath" every time a matchup like this occurs, it only strengthens the misconception that the smaller conferences can not compete with the bigger conferences. Boise State had a phenomenal season and should receive a world of credit. Although they won't get a crack at Ohio State this year, hopefully their win will accelerate some change.