That was a lot of scrolling down on my handheld to find the good guys :-( Let's prove everybody wrong! Go gators!!!
On 1/13/11, Woody <[email protected]> wrote: > Oklahoma Sooners reload in 2011Email Print Comments1645 By Mark Schlabach > ESPN.com > Archive > The Early 2011 Top 25 > Mark Schlabach gives his way-too-early rankings for the 2011 college > football season. > > > > The Tigers, who won their first national championship in more than a > half-century, are the fifth straight SEC team to win a BCS title. > > > > Will another SEC team be in contention for a BCS national title in > 2011? Can Auburn and Oregon get back to New Orleans for the 2012 BCS > National Championship Game? > > > > It's never too early to take a look at the Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2011: > > > > 1. Oklahoma Sooners > After struggling in 2009 because of myriad injuries, Oklahoma coach > Bob Stoops seems to have his program back on track. The Sooners > finished the 2010 season with a 12-2 record, won a Big 12 title for > the seventh time in 11 seasons and ended their five-game losing streak > in BCS games by blasting Connecticut 48-20 in the Tostitos Fiesta > Bowl. The Sooners might be the team to beat in 2011, with 14 players > coming back who have starting experience on offense and 15 on defense. > Quarterback Landry Jones gets back his favorite target, Ryan Broyles, > who passed on entering the NFL draft to return to school, and all but > one offensive lineman is expected back. The Sooners will have to > replace leading rusher DeMarco Murray, along with a few key parts on > defense -- end Jeremy Beal and safeties Jonathan Nelson and Quinton > Carter. Two of OU's toughest Big 12 games (Texas A&M and Missouri) > will be played at home and the Sooners will have to make difficult > trips to Oklahoma State for the Bedlam Game and Florida State for a > key nonconference contest. > > 2. Alabama Crimson Tide > Alabama struggled at times in defending its 2010 BCS National > Championship, but the Crimson Tide sure looked like one of the > country's best teams when they routed Michigan State 49-7 in the > Capital One Bowl. Alabama's youth was overlooked this past season, as > 22 of its players were first-time starters. The Tide will have to > replace three juniors who entered the NFL draft -- tailback Mark > Ingram, receiver Julio Jones and defensive end Marcell Dareus. > Quarterback Greg McElroy also is departing, and AJ McCarron and > Phillip Sims will battle for the starting job this spring. Four > starting offensive linemen are returning, and linebacker Dont'a > Hightower and safety Mark Barron should be better after battling > injuries this past season. The Tide play a nonconference game at Penn > State and they'll play two difficult SEC West games at home (Arkansas > and LSU) and two on the road (Mississippi State and Auburn). > > > > 3. Oregon Ducks > The Ducks will have to replace a lot of talent on both sides of the > ball in 2011, but they'll still have several key pieces back from the > team that played Auburn in Monday night's Tostitos BCS National > Championship Game. Coach Chip Kelly has installed a winning formula in > Eugene, Ore., and quarterback Darron Thomas and tailback LaMichael > James will give the Ducks a chance to outscore any opponent. Oregon > will have to replace three starting offensive linemen, along with > leading receivers Jeff Maehl and D.J. Davis. The losses are heavy on > defense, too, with tackles Brandon Bair and Zac Clark, end Kenny Rowe, > linebackers Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger and cornerback > Talmadge Jackson III departing. Oregon plays only four true road games > in 2011, along with a much-anticipated neutral-site contest against > LSU in Arlington, Texas. > > > > 4. LSU Tigers > Here's why Tigers coach Les Miles didn't leave LSU for Michigan: The > Tigers might be really, really good in 2011. The Tigers, who have been > the most consistent program in the SEC over the last 10 years with 102 > victories, bring 10 starters back on offense and eight on defense. The > losses on defense are still pretty significant, though, with tackles > Lazarius Levingston and Drake Nevis and middle linebacker Kelvin > Sheppard leaving, and cornerback Patrick Peterson entering the NFL > draft as a junior. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson played better down the > stretch, but he'll be challenged by junior-college transfer Zach > Mettenberger, who has a very strong arm. The Tigers play Oregon in > Arlington, Texas, and also will play difficult SEC road games at > Mississippi State and Alabama. > > > > 5. Boise State Broncos > The Boise State bus ran off a cliff at Nevada on Nov. 26, as the > Broncos' 34-31 overtime loss to the Wolf Pack knocked them out of a > BCS bowl game. But it's hard to ignore Boise State's consistency under > coach Chris Petersen, who has guided the Broncos to 12 victories or > more in each of the last three seasons. It would be a surprise if > Boise State isn't a BCS contender again in 2011, its first season in > the Mountain West Conference. Boise State will have to replace leading > receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young, which won't be easy after > they combined to catch 142 passes for more than 2,100 yards with 19 > touchdowns in 2010. But quarterback Kellen Moore and running back Doug > Martin will be back to lead what should be another high-powered > offense. There are also big losses on defense with end Ryan Winterswyk > and safeties Jeron Johnson and Winston Venable departing. Boise State > opens the 2011 season against Georgia in Atlanta's Georgia Dome, so it > will have another opportunity to impress voters. > > > > 6. Oklahoma State Cowboys > Fresh off its first 11-win season in school history, Oklahoma State > seems poised for even more in 2011, as long as the Cowboys learn to > keep their poise in big games. The key pieces from the Pokes' > record-setting offense, which set school records for points scored > (575) and total offense (6,763 yards) in 2010, are coming back, > including quarterback Brandon Weeden and receiver Justin Blackmon. > Tailback Kendall Hunter is a big loss on offense, along with offensive > coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who left to become West Virginia's > coach-in-waiting. Six defensive starters will have to be replaced, > including leading tacklers Orie Lemon and Justin Gent. The Pokes play > nonconference games against Arizona (home) and Tulsa (road) and play > Big 12 road games at Texas A&M, Texas and Missouri. > > > > 7. Florida State Seminoles > The Seminoles were pretty good in their first season in more than > three decades without Bobby Bowden, as first-year coach Jimbo Fisher > guided them to a 10-4 record, ACC Atlantic Division title and 26-17 > victory over South Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Seminoles are > expected to bring back nine starters on both offense and defense, and > many of their best players in 2010 were freshmen and sophomores. > Quarterback Christian Ponder will be missed, but EJ Manuel has > starting experience and is really talented. FSU's defense is only > going to get better as young players such as cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes > and Greg Reid and linebackers Telvin Smith and Christian Jones > continue to develop. The Seminoles will play Oklahoma at home in a key > nonconference game, but they get a big scheduling break because they > don't play Georgia Tech, North Carolina or Virginia Tech during the > regular season. > > > > 8. Arkansas Razorbacks > The Razorbacks' 31-26 loss to Ohio State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl > was a deflating way to end a breakthrough season, but coach Bobby > Petrino has built an SEC West contender after three seasons. > Quarterback Ryan Mallett will be missed, but backup Tyler Wilson might > be another NFL prospect waiting to take over. Most of the Hogs' deep > receiver corps will return, except for tight end D.J. Williams. Top > receiver Greg Childs comes back after missing the last five games of > the 2010 season with a knee injury, and tailback Knile Davis' strong > running really made the Hogs balanced on offense down the stretch. The > Hogs made strides on defense this past season and might be even better > after losing only three starters. Arkansas will play only four true > road games -- they play Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas -- but they'll > have to play at Alabama and LSU during SEC play. > > > > 9. Stanford Cardinal > Can the Cardinal duplicate their 2010 success without coach Jim > Harbaugh, who left for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers? Harbaugh > instilled a toughness and blue-collar work ethic that we hadn't seen > in Stanford teams of the past. But with quarterback Andrew Luck > bypassing a chance to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft to return to > Stanford for his junior season, the Cardinal won't fall off the map. > In fact, depending on who Stanford hires to replace Harbaugh, the > Cardinal might have a chance to contend for another BCS bowl spot or > even more in 2011. Stanford will have to replace a lot of key pieces, > with seven starters leaving on offense and four on defense. Three > starting offensive linemen and two-way star Owen Marecic will be > particularly difficult to replace. Stanford plays seven home games in > 2011, including contests against Oregon, California and Notre Dame, > and travels to USC and Oregon State. > > > > 10. Ohio State Buckeyes > If the Buckeyes can survive the first five games of the season, in > which they'll play without suspended quarterback Terrelle Pryor, > tailback Dan Herron, receiver DeVier Posey, offensive tackle Mike > Adams and defensive end Solomon Thomas, they'll be favorites to win > the Big Ten. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, their first four games > aren't very arduous: home against Akron and Toledo, at Miami and home > against Colorado. Pryor and the other four suspended players will miss > the Big Ten opener against Michigan State at home. Nine starters are > expected back on offense, but OSU will have to replace several key > defensive stars, including end Cameron Heyward, linebackers Ross Homan > and Brian Rolle and cornerback Chimdi Chekwa. OSU plays a Big Ten road > game at Nebraska and also plays Wisconsin and Penn State at home. > > > > 11. South Carolina Gamecocks The Gamecocks finally won their first SEC > East title, but the 2010 season ended with two bad losses: 56-17 to > Auburn in the SEC championship game and 26-17 to Florida State in the > Chick-fil-A Bowl. Still, South Carolina has plenty of offensive > firepower coming back with tailback Marcus Lattimore and receiver > Alshon Jeffery. USC coach Steve Spurrier says he'll open the > quarterback competition this spring between Stephen Garcia and Connor > Shaw, after Garcia struggled down the stretch. South Carolina loses > two key defensive linemen and two linebackers, and receiver Tori > Gurley also entered the NFL draft. In 2011, the Gamecocks play > potentially difficult SEC road games at Georgia, Mississippi State and > Arkansas and host Auburn and Florida. The Gamecocks still look like > the best team in the SEC East. > > > > 12. Wisconsin Badgers The Badgers' red-hot finish to the 2010 season > ended with a dud, a 21-19 loss to TCU in the Rose Bowl Game presented > by VIZIO. If the Badgers are going to contend for a Big Ten title > again in 2011, they'll have to rebuild their mammoth offensive line > and replace quarterback Scott Tolzien. Left tackle Gabe Carimi, the > Outland Trophy winner as the country's top lineman, and All-America > left guard John Moffitt will have to be replaced, along with tailback > John Clay. But the Badgers bring back to capable runners in Montee > Ball and James White, along with receiver Nick Toon. The defense loses > star end J.J. Watt, two starting linebackers and two defensive backs. > Linebacker Chris Borland, who missed most of the 2010 season after he > was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in '09, is expected to return. > The Badgers play only four true road games, but two of them are at > Michigan State and Ohio State. > > > > 13. Texas A&M Aggies The Aggies' November to remember didn't extend > into the postseason, as they were routed by LSU 41-24 in the AT&T > Cotton Bowl. But coach Mike Sherman's third season certainly ended > better than his first two; the Aggies went 9-4 and defeated Oklahoma, > Nebraska and Texas during a six-game winning streak to end the regular > season. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill's performance down the stretch -- > he was 5-1 as a starter -- gives the Aggies plenty of hope for 2011. > The Aggies should have back 10 starters on offense, including receiver > Jeff Fuller and tailback Cyrus Gray. The offensive line should be > better after the Aggies started two freshmen and two sophomores up > front this past season. Nine starters are expected back on defense, > but linebacker Von Miller is leaving. The Aggies should be better in > their second season in defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter's 3-4 > scheme. The Aggies play only three games outside the state of Texas in > 2011 (at Iowa State, Oklahoma and Kansas State) and they play Oklahoma > State and Texas at home. > > > > 14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish This finally might be the season the > Irish break through, especially now that junior receiver Michael Floyd > is returning to school. Notre Dame showed a lot of promise in Kelly's > first season, ending 2010 with a four-game winning streak, including a > 33-17 rout of Miami in the Hyundai Sun Bowl. If Floyd returns, the > Irish might have nine starters back on offense and eight on defense. > There should be a pretty good quarterback battle in the spring between > Dayne Crist and Tommy Rees, who played well after Crist was hurt. The > most promising development of Kelly's first season was the improvement > on defense. Notre Dame's 2011 schedule features nine games against > teams that played in bowl games in 2010. > > > > 15. Michigan State Spartans The Spartans won a share of their first > Big Ten championship in two decades, but the season was somewhat > spoiled by their 42-point loss to Alabama in the Capital One Bowl. > Coach Mark Dantonio will have to rebuild both sides of the ball, but > he has a good nucleus coming back on offense with quarterback Kirk > Cousins and running backs Edwin Baker and Le'Veon Bell. Replacing > linebackers Eric Gordon and Greg Jones, a two-time All-American, will > be a priority in the spring. There also might be a new direction on > offense, after coordinator Don Treadwell left to become the new head > coach at Miami (Ohio). The Spartans' 2011 fortunes might be decided > during a four-game stretch in October: at Ohio State, home against > Michigan and Wisconsin, and at Nebraska. > > > > 16. Missouri Tigers The Tigers went only 3-3 in their last six games, > including a 27-24 loss to Iowa in the Insight Bowl. Worse, Blaine > Gabbert left Missouri a year early and might be the first quarterback > selected in next spring's NFL draft. But the Tigers might still bring > back 10 starters on offense and seven on defense. The Tigers are > really excited about quarterback James Franklin, who is more mobile. > He'll battle Gabbert's younger brother, Tyler Gabbert, and Ashton > Glaser for the starting job. The Tigers will play at least three > difficult road games: at Arizona State, at Oklahoma and at Texas A&M. > > > > 17. Auburn Tigers We don't think the Tigers are going to completely > fall off the map, but there have been few teams that were so reliant > on one player as much as Auburn relied on Heisman Trophy winner > Cameron Newton this past season. If Newton leaves for the NFL draft as > expected, the Tigers are going to endure at least one rebuilding > season. Four starters on the offensive line will have to be replaced, > including All-America tackle Lee Ziemba and All-SEC center Ryan Pugh. > The losses on defense will be even worse, especially if All-America > tackle Nick Fairley enters the NFL draft as expected. Quarterback > Barrett Trotter will get the first crack at replacing Newton this > coming season. Auburn plays road games at South Carolina, Arkansas, > LSU and Georgia, so it will certainly be difficult to match this past > season's success. > > > > 18. TCU Horned Frogs We're about to find out whether coach Gary > Patterson built a great team or a great program at TCU. After beating > Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO, the Horned Frogs > are losing a boatload of talent on both sides of the ball. Four > offensive linemen will have to be replaced, along with Andy Dalton, > who won more games than any other quarterback in TCU history. > Receivers Jimmy Young and Jeremy Kerley also are big losses. On > defense, three starters are gone in the secondary, along with two > linemen. Casey Pachall and Yogi Gallegos will battle for the > quarterback job as the Horned Frogs enter their final season in the > MWC before joining the Big East in 2012. They'll play nonconference > games at Baylor and home against Texas Tech and SMU. > > > > 19. Nebraska Cornhuskers There's no question the Cornhuskers are > better under coach Bo Pelini than they were under former coach Bill > Callahan, but Pelini can't be too excited about the way Nebraska's > last season in the Big 12 ended. Nebraska lost three of its last four > games, including a 19-7 loss to Washington in the Bridgeport Education > Holiday Bowl. The Cornhuskers scored three offensive touchdowns in > their four losses this season. Before Nebraska begins its first season > in the Big Ten, Pelini has to restore quarterback Taylor Martinez's > confidence and replace Roy Helu Jr.'s production. There are also a > couple of big losses on defense, with cornerback Prince Amukamara and > safety Eric Hagg departing. Nebraska's first Big Ten schedule includes > home games against Ohio State, Michigan State and Iowa and road games > at Wisconsin and Penn State. > > > > 20. Virginia Tech Hokies Virginia Tech did a stellar job of rebuilding > its defense in each of the past few seasons, and now it will have to > reload its offense if it's going to repeat as ACC champions in 2011. > The Hokies will be without quarterback Tyrod Taylor and tailbacks > Darren Evans and Ryan Williams, who both left school early to enter > the NFL draft. All told, five starters are leaving on offense and four > on defense. Four seniors will return on the offensive line, along with > tailback David Wilson. Logan Thomas, a converted tight end, is the top > candidate to replace Taylor. The Hokies' nonconference schedule isn't > as arduous as it has been in past seasons and they play ACC foes Miami > and North Carolina at home. > > > > 21. Arizona State Sun Devils The Sun Devils came painfully close to > qualifying for a bowl game this past season, finishing 6-6 with two > victories over FCS foes. The Sun Devils, who lost four games by a > combined nine points in 2010, might be favorites in the Pac-12 South > this coming season. They're expected to bring back 10 starters on > offense and nine on defense. Coach Dennis Erickson's biggest problem > the last couple of seasons was not having a consistent quarterback, > but Brock Osweiler played well while starting the last couple of games > in '10. Osweiler should also be more comfortable in his second season > in coordinator Noel Mazzone's hurry-up offense. The Sun Devils play a > handful of challenging road games in 2011, against Illinois, Utah and > Oregon. > > > > 22. Texas Longhorns After the Longhorns' string of nine consecutive > seasons with at least 10 victories ended with a 5-7 record in 2010, > coach Mack Brown revamped his coaching staff. After letting three > assistant coaches go, defensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting Will > Muschamp also left to become Florida's coach. Brown hired Mississippi > State's Manny Diaz to replace Muschamp, and Boise State's Bryan Harsin > and running backs coach Major Applewhite were named co-offensive > coordinators. Texas is expected to bring back six starters on offense > and eight on defense. With so many changes, the Longhorns' fortunes > won't change overnight. But Texas won't be as bad again as it was this > past season, either. > > > > 23. Florida Gators The Gators also figure to undergo a face-lift after > Muschamp was hired to replace coach Urban Meyer, who resigned for the > second time in as many seasons. Like Texas, the Gators have too much > talent to be down for very long. Muschamp made a couple of interesting > hires with his coaching staff, bringing in former Notre Dame coach > Charlie Weis to direct the offense and Seattle Seahawks assistant Dan > Quinn to guide the defense. Florida will lose at least five starters > on each side of the ball, but the Gators received good news when > cornerback Janoris Jenkins passed on entering the NFL draft. Weis will > have to figure out which of three quarterbacks -- John Brantley, > Jordan Reed or Trey Burton -- will be the starter in his pro-style > offense. Muschamp will open his Florida career with four of the first > five games being played at home, and the Gators will play SEC road > games at LSU, Auburn and South Carolina. > > > > 24. Mississippi State Bulldogs The Bulldogs had a breakthrough finish > in coach Dan Mullen's second season in 2010, finishing 9-4 after > blasting Michigan 52-14 in the Gator Bowl. The Bulldogs are expected > to bring back seven starters on both sides of the ball, but they'll > have to replace their best offensive lineman (left tackle Derek > Sherrod) and best defensive lineman (end Pernell McPhee). State also > loses center J.C. Brignone and three starting linebackers, along with > kicker Sean Brauchle and punter Heath Hutchins. Mullen promoted > defensive line coach Chris Wilson to defensive coordinator after Diaz > left for Texas. State plays three of its first six games on the road > in 2011, including SEC games at Auburn and Georgia. The Bulldogs also > play LSU and Alabama at home. > > > > 25. West Virginia Mountaineers The Mountaineers will have to overhaul > their defense after losing eight starters from 2010. But their offense > should be more consistent with the addition of former Oklahoma State > coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who was named coach-in-waiting. The losses > on defense are especially heavy, with linemen Scooter Berry and Chris > Neild, linebackers Anthony Leonard and J.T. Thomas and safeties Sidney > Glover and Robert Sands departing. Top playmakers Noel Devine and Jock > Sanders also are leaving. Quarterback Geno Smith will have to carry > much of the load on offense in 2011. The Mountaineers play > nonconference home games against Marshall and LSU at home and Maryland > on the road. > > > > Mark Schlabach covers college sports for ESPN.com. He co-authored > Bobby Bowden's memoir, "Called To Coach," which was published by Simon > & Schuster. The book is available in stores and can be ordered here. > You can contact him at [email protected]. > > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions > 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions > 2008 National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- Sent from my mobile device -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
