Adam’s Two Cents

Whoa Associated Press let’s ease it up a little, you guys get sold on teams way too quickly, and you get down on teams way too much. Two case in points from the following weekend, Miami-FL was number nine in your ranking while Georgia Tech fell out of the Top 25 following the loss to the Canes the week before.

Am I missing something here? Miami-FL had not left the state of Florida to play a game all season, they beat a terrible Florida State team, and played great against Georgia Tech, but they certainly didn’t look worthy of a number nine ranking, and clearly showed that on Saturday. Georgia Tech dropped like a rock from 14th to outside the Top 25 with that loss to Miami-FL. Why? If Miami-FL was worthy of a number nine after beating Georgia Tech, wouldn’t that mean that the Yellow Jackets got beat by a good team and shouldn’t drop so far in the polls right? Yet after this weekends game the Yellow Jackets are back in the Top 25 a place they shouldn’t have left.

Another case in point is how far your poll jumped Oregon, or how far Cal fell. Don’t get me wrong Oregon is better than Cal this season and proved that, but at the same time this was a team that looked abysmal against Boise State, and will likely get beat a few more times this season, and Cal still could beat USC and outlast other teams to the Pac-10 title.

Whatever happened to “earning your ranking” in the poll. Did teams deserve consideration for the wins they had? Yes, but at the same time I think pollsters need to reserve judgement before sky-rocketing a team, or dropping a team in the polls off of one game. Did Iowa earn their ranking by beating Penn State? They’d be in discussion for it on my poll, but I would reserve judgement on them until after the games versus Michigan, and then at Michigan State, and at Wisconsin. Is Iowa a good team? Right now yes, but I’m slow at handing them the number 13 ranking. I have to take into account that it was the first time they left the state of Iowa to play a game, and that they needed two blocked field goals to beat Northern Iowa. Now, Northern Iowa is a great FCS school, but at the same time no team that is WORTHY of a Top 25 FBS record should ever lose to an FCS school. Now many of you will bring up Michigan’s loss to Appalachian State, but like I said WORTHY of a Top 25 ranking.

Another one I had a hard time with was Ole Miss. You had them at number four? Why? Based upon how many starters they had back from last season, I know that’s the obvious answer. But at the same time they were coming off an 8-4 season last year. Now I know that the Rebels could have been the best 8-4 team at the end of last season, but that’s just it you lost four games last season and you’re returning players that lost those games last season. They should have never been number four in the country, and proved that.

Bottom line Associated Press, don’t get sold on teams too quickly after just one game, and don’t give up on teams after one loss, you’ll look smarter in the long run, and may keep giving teams more of a reason to keep playing well to earn that ranking rather than receiving the pressure of a good ranking after just one game.

My new Top 25 thru week 4 games last week’s rank in parenthesis:

#1 Florida (1)

#2 Texas (2)

#3 Boise State (4)

#4 LSU (6)

#5 Alabama (8)

#6 Oklahoma (9)

#7 Virginia Tech (10)

#8 USC (11)

#9 Ohio State (12)

#10 Houston (13)

#11 Penn State (3)

#12 Georgia Tech (14)

#13 Kansas (15)

#14 Pittsburgh (5)

#15 BYU (16)

#16 West Virginia (17)

#17 Ole Miss (7)

#18 Missouri (20)

#19 Notre Dame (19)

#20 Oklahoma State (21)

#21 Nebraska (22)

#22 Michigan (23)

#23 TCU (25)

#24 Cincinnati (26)

#25 Iowa (28)

Right Outside

#26 Utah (27)

#27 Georgia (29)

#28 UCLA (30)

#29 California (18)

#30 South Florida (NR)

New Mexico Lobo fans just need to take a big chill pill. Quite honestly I’m shocked to hear fans say they want Rocky back, and that the spread offense isn’t working, and how big a disaster bringing Locksley in as coach was, and that it would set the program back a while. Are you kidding me?

Less we forget about Rocky Long’s first season at UNM? The same kind of talk was coming from the stands on that season. The Lobos went 3-9 that season, with wins over Idaho State, Utah State, and Hawaii. During the season, and alot of bad games, including ones at home, people were skeptical of whether or not Long’s hiring was the right one for the job. People yelling from the stands about firing Rocky during 41-7, and 25-20 losses to Utah and Fresno State respectively.

Fast forward 11 years, and the successor of Long, Mike Locksley, is enduring similiar profane language from fans who want Rocky back during an 0-3 start. Boy aren’t the fans being hypocrites like no tomorrow. Did you forget Lobo fans how you treated Rocky his first season? Look how that turned out for the Lobos. Now you’re doing the same class-less act that you pulled 11 years ago. As Long showed us, even as Dennis Franchione showed us, 3-8 in his first season in New Mexico, rebuilding takes time, you’re not going to do it over night at New Mexico.

Rebuilding a College Football team is much harder than rebuilding a College Basketball program, and for the most part, a coach never has good success their first season rebuilding a program, especially one the level of New Mexico, and what I mean by that is that it’s alot harder to get big name players to come to New Mexico after a 4-8 season than it is after a 12-0 season at Utah.

The Lobos aren’t that far off though by any means. They have two big problems, that are big enough to make it look as though the whole team is in disarray. The first thing is the blocking schemes on pass plays are horrible, and we’ve seen since his Freshman season that Donovan Porterie does not handle being under duress well at all, and that, as we’ve seen in the first three games, causes turnovers, or forces him to throw the ball away. This also allows teams to blitz off the corners and giving the corners the ability to play receivers one on one with great success because Porterie having to get rid of the ball quicker. The second thing is the defense not being able to get off the field when they need to. In the first two games alone the defense was on the field for 90 and 85 plays each versus Texas A&M, and Tulsa. During the first three games it was evident that the team was going to struggle to win when on several third downs, in one drive alone, the defense couldn’t stop the opponents offense. That mixed with short offensive drives due to the inablilty to protect the quarterbacks well will lead to defeats quickly.

Bottom line is Lobo fans need to quit being hypocrites and calling for Locksley head, and second is to give the players and the whole team support. It’s one thing to be getting beat up every game, but then to look in the stands and see no one there for support, that’s when team really crumble. Support this team, especially the Seniors on the team, and be patient, good things will come with time, as Long and Franchione showed us before, and Locksley will show in years to come.

My New Top 25 thru Week 3, last week’s rank in parenthesis:

#1 Florida (1)

#2 Texas (2)

#3 Penn State (3)

#4 Boise State (4)

#5 Pittsburgh (6)

#6 LSU (8)

#7 Ole Miss (9)

#8 Alabama (15)

#9 Oklahoma (12)

#10 Virginia Tech (14)

#11 USC (5)

#12 Ohio State (13)

#13 Houston (16)

#14 Georgia Tech (10)

#15 Kansas (18)

#16 BYU (7)

#17 West Virginia (19)

#18 California (22)

#19 Notre Dame (20)

#20 Missouri (25)

#21 Oklahoma State (24)

#22 Nebraska (11)

#23 Michigan (26)

#24 Miami-FL (NR)

#25 TCU (28)

Right Oustide

#26 Cincinnati (29)

#27 Utah (17)

#28 Iowa (27)

#29 Georgia (30)

#30 UCLA (NR)

My New Top 25 thru Week 2, last week’s Ranking in parenthesis:

#1 Florida (1)

#2 Texas (2)

#3 Penn State (3)

#4 Boise State (4)

#5 USC (5)

#6 Pittsburgh (6)

#7 BYU (7)

#8 LSU (9)

#9 Ole Miss (12)

#10 Georgia Tech (14)

#11 Nebraska (16)

#12 Oklahoma (13)

#13 Ohio State (8)

#14 Virginia Tech (15)

#15 Alabama (22)

#16 Houston (19)

#17 Utah (17)

#18 Kansas (18)

#19 West Virginia (20)

#20 Notre Dame (10)

#21 Texas Tech (21)

#22 California (23)

#23 Oregon State (29)

#24 Oklahoma State (10)

#25 Missouri (30)

Right Outside

#26 Michigan (NR)

#27 Iowa (28)

#28 TCU (NR)

#29 Cincinnati (NR)

#30 Georgia (26)

Week 2 has come and gone in the College Football World that we barely have time to let it sink in.

As with week 1, my push for a playoff continues, and is aided by Central Michigan beating Michigan State, and then Houston stunning Oklahoma State. Toledo’s crunching of Colorado on Friday helped a bit too, along with Hawaii’s road win over a terrible Washington State team, Louisiana-Lafayette knocked off Kansas State. Let’s not forget TCU winning at Virginia, the beginning of the end for Al Groh is well underway.

Moving along to other stories, I have to hand it to Matt Barkley and Tate Forcier. They proved on Saturday that Freshman can play big time ball as good as anyone. I was more impressed with Barkley. Here’s a guy who I think will eventually be a Heisman Trophy winner, but I didn’t expect him to do too much against Ohio State. However, that last drive of 86 yards, and the cool composer that Barkley possed means this kid is going to be good earlier than expected. Now if USC can shake the Pac-10 upset jinx they might just have a National Title contending team even with a Freshman quarterback. Speaking of good composer, Tate Forcier certainly showed it in a big way for the Wolverines Saturday. What a great game that turned into, and hey two weeks into the season and Michigan is one win away from matching their win total from last season. My only question is, how will Michigan do on the road?

Reality check hit Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Kansas State in big ways Saturday. For the Volunteers, a coaching change isn’t going to bring big success right away. For Mississippi State, while you have Dan Mullen at coach, you’re still Mississippi State, and for Kansas State, unfortunately while still playing a weak out of conference schedule under Bill Snyder, they’re not gimme’s anymore. One good thing each team has going for them, first years for their head coaches means still alot of rebuilding to do.

Congratulations are in order for both DeWayne Walker, and Steve Sarkisian. Walker got his first win for New Mexico State by a 21-18 win over Prarie View A&M, unfortunately that might be the Aggies only win of the season. Sarkisian got his first win as well when Washington took care of Idaho 42-23. Now while both of these coaches first win came against lesser opponents, you’ll take them however you can get them, and both of these programs know that.

Who is the worse team in the FBS? Miami of Ohio might take the cake a little bit on that one. Two games and 0 points scored, that’s right 0. Now granted they did play Kentucky and Boise State, but even when the games were no longer in doubt the Redhawks still couldn’t punch it in. Boy how far they have fallen since Big Ben left town. Ball State has stunned me by starting 0-2 and on top of that one of those losses was to New Hampsire at home. Now, New Hampshire is a really good FCS team, and the FCS has shown they can beat FBS opponents, but the reason why FBS teams schedule FCS teams is because it used to be a sure win, not anymore and a team that went 12-0 in the regular season last year has certainly fallen off the map.

Is Florida State really that bad? They entered the season #18 in the country, and after a tough loss to open up the season, the Seminoles struggled with Jacksonville State. Now just like above these games are of course not the gimme’s they once were, but at the same time alot was expected of this Seminole team, and when they are struggling to put away Jacksonville State, it’s not a good sign for Bowden and the boys.

Speaking of boys, some “attaboys” have to be handed out as well. First, SMU is 2-0 under June Jones, hmmmm……Hawaii all over again? Speaking of Hawaii they’re 2-0 as well, could they be a spoiler for Boise State? We’ll find out on October 25th. The Gene Chizik expirement is 2-0 in Auburn, well when you play the first four games at home with the toughest opponent being West Virginia, what did you expect to happen?

We end this blog with the score of the night, and with that we head to the FCS, where Stephen F. Austin scored 92 points, yes 92 in a win over Texas College, yet had the ball a mere 14 minutes and 22 seconds in time of possesion. If I were the AD at Miami of Ohio, I’m trying to hire SF Austin’s offensive coordinator to take over the same spot on my team. The offense scored 85 points of the 92, and racked up 603 total yards of offense in just over 14 minutes, now that’s productivity no matter who’s playing.

It’s early in the season, but some coaches are already feeling the seat warm up quite a bit entering the second week of the regular season. In this blog I’ll look at two coaches whose days are probably numbered where they are at, as well as give some advice to a coach whose team has played already twice this season. Our coaches are Virginia’s Al Groh, Illionis’ Ron Zook, and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

Let’s start with the later of the three in Swinney. I will cut Dabo alot of slack since he is in his first full season at the helm after taking over at the midway point of last season. However, one bad sign is already starting to show itself that proved to be one of the sour notes of his predecessor Tommy Bowden, and that is winning close ball games. I will give him this, coming back to take the lead after being down 24-0 against the #15 team in the country is amazing, especially doing it on the road. Problem is the Tigers didn’t finish. That was a huge problem for Bowden, and is starting to be a problem for Swinney that might be his downfall unless he can turn it around. Bowden from 2002 to his resignation last season was 10-15 in games decided by 5 points or less in that time span. Since taking over for Bowden, Swinney is 0-3 in games decided by 5 points or less, including Thursday’s loss. Bowden in the same time period of 2002 to his resignation was 15-16 in games decided by 7 points or less, while Swinney is 1-3 in games decided by 7 points or less. Swinney needs to find a way to win the close games, or he could be out sooner than later.

Let’s move next to Ron Zook. After a dream of a 2007 season in which the Illini went to the Rose Bowl and Zook got a contract extension through 2013 in October of that season, it appears to have started to turn south in Champaign. One thought that maybe Zook had found a home at Illinois and shutup all the nay-sayers that said he couldn’t handle a big time job. Now after a 5-7 2008, and a 37-9 loss to a Missouri team who was replacing Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin, as well as Chase Coffman things aren’t looking good. While Zook might have one thing working for him, he has two things working against him. The thing working for him is he has alot of Freshman and Sophmores on the team, which means youth and inexperience for now, but it might turn into dividends later. The two things working against him are for one the expectations placed upon the program after a successful 2007. Remember we live in a day and age now for college football where teams in the big conferences don’t believe in rebuilding. The second thing is a tough schedule this season. Following the loss to Missouri, they catch a break and play Illinois State. From there, however, is a road trip to Columbus to face Ohio State followed by a home game against Penn State. Even the game October 10th at home versus Michigan State is no gimme, which means by the middle of October the Illini could be 1-3 or 1-4 and 0-3 in the Big Ten. Not good given the expectations.

That leaves us with Al Groh. While Groh found success for five straight seasons, and going to bowl games in five of six seasons prior to 2008, he has found the going tough in the last two seasons. After winning 2007 Coach of The Year in the ACC that went with a 9-3 season, just like Zook at Illinois, great expectations were put upon the Caviliers, and just like Zook, Groh hasn’t delivered. Following the opening loss to William & Mary last week, two things are evident for Groh, number 1 he has some bad losses in his career, and number 2 he can’t quite win the big games. Groh has seen some really tough losses in his tenure at Virginia, and it might get worse before it gets better, and it might not get better. I do think TCU will beat them this weekend, and while the Horned Frogs are probably the better team, the old addage is that ACC teams can’t lose to Mountain West teams, or at least the fans of the ACC think that way. Aside from that a loss to William & Mary, as well as to Wyoming, Colorado State, Fresno State, Western Michigan, East Carolina, and a 31-3 loss to Duke, who up until then had lost 25 straight ACC games, all in Groh’s tenure doesn’t add up well for his supporters. Neither does a combined record of 4-9 versus Top 25 teams since he began at Virginia, and being 2-10 versus Virginia Tech and Florida State, with only 1 win versus the Hokies. Bottom line for Groh, he needs to win the games against smaller conference foes, and get over the hump by beating the Seminoles, and Hokies a few times.

This is my own poll I did the top 75 earlier in the summer, so this Top 25 goes based off of that and not the AP Poll. Last week’s ranking in parenthasis.

#1 Florida (1)
#2 Texas (2)
#3 Penn State (3)
#4 Boise State (5)
#5 USC (7)
#6 Pittsburgh (8)
#7 BYU (11)
#8 Ohio State (9)
#9 LSU (10)
#10 Notre Dame (12)
#11 Oklahoma State (13)
#12 Ole Miss (14)
#13 Oklahoma (4)
#14 Georgia Tech (15)
#15 Virginia Tech (6)
#16 Nebraska (16)
#17 Utah (18)
#18 Kansas (22)
#19 Houston (21)
#20 West Virginia (24)
#21 Texas Tech (25)
#22 Alabama (27)
#23 California (26)
#24 Buffalo (31)
#25 Michigan State (28)

Right outside

#26 Georgia (20)
#27 Florida State (17)
#28 Iowa (23)
#29 Oregon State (30)
#30 Missouri (33)