Talking football

I am starting to get an itch for football. Maybe it's because the Yankees are in third place, or maybe because it's been about eight months since a game. It's a bit of a country club on the sports desk at a newspaper in the summer, but we sure make up for it the other three seasons.

The college preview books started rolling in the last couple of weeks. I would say the bible of college football previews is Blue Ribbon. It's about $28 and an absolute necessity as a primer if you cover, bet, or want to speak somewhat intelligibly about college football. No one knows about every team, and these books are the starting points to where people rank others etc. Blue Ribbon does a great job of breaking things down.

Blue Ribbon has the Huskies forecast for fifth place behind WVU, USF, Rutgers and Cincinnati.

Other books, for example Phil Steele (highly recommend for sheer volume of information as others seem to be less comprehensive), has the Huskies picked seventh despite calling the team the best team Randy Edsall has had. What?

Several things at play here.

1. UConn was out gained in Big East play last year.
2. High +/- in turnover and several defensive and special teams touchdowns
3. Very low points against despite giving up yardage
4. Home games at Rentschler where UConn went 7-0. Now, UofL, Rutgers, USF, Syracuse are on the road. UConn is unlikely to go 4-0 again
5. HEALTH

The more you get away from the actual games, the more the stats make the Huskies look like a mirage. Were the Huskies lucky in 2008? Yes. Health is a big part of it.

Some games like against Pittsburgh and Louisville the Huskies outplayed the opposition severely despite being out-gained. UConn blew Rutgers out of the water. And, UConn gave away a game at Virginia.

UConn was destroyed at WVU and Cincinnati. Were they exposed? Or did they peak to soon?

About 16 starters are back, so we'll find out soon enough.

If they get the breaks the Huskies are going to be very good. If not? I would still expect a bowl eligible team. Pizza Bowl isn't going to be a bad game this year, and no one will argue about going to Tampa.

A thought on each team (no particular order):


West Virginia: Loads of talent, not even close with the rest of the Big East. I worry about Bill Stewart. It doesn't take very long (see Miami-Coker) to fall in college football. Is this the right guy? Any time you lose a coach with personality and aura of Rich Rodriguez it isn't good. It's not abut Xs and Os, Stewart should be fine in that regard, it's control over the program...confidence and swagger. Factor in the bitterness about the split, and I think it has the potential to undermine the team this year. Making Rich Rod go to court and having lawsuits filed may feel good on principle, but not sure it was a wise move for the football program. Let the guy go, and act like it doesn't bother you.


USF: Which team will show up? The one that beat West Virginia, or the one that lost to UConn and Rutgers and was humiliated in the Sun Bowl. Lot of talent, top 10 maybe, but are they a paper tiger? I love this team, but in the back of my mind I wonder if I am going to get burned.

Cincinnati: Loaded, experienced and physical defense. How will they do with Dustan Grutza or Demetrious Jones (yet another ND transfer) at quarterback? This team is going to be good, how dangerous they are will depend on how dangerous they are at QB. I like them to stick towards the top.

Rutgers: No Ray Rice, does that diversify and make the offense more dangerous, or does it turn the offense into subpar? More importantly, will a revamped offensive line hold up and give Mike Teel some time? They have WRs, but if that line doesn't hold up they won't be able to do much. Three new starters scheduled for the line. Make or break year for Rutgers. If they aren't top 15 the hype of two season ago will fade.

Syracuse: You have to get to the tunnel before you can see the light at the end of it. I just don't see how they get out of last place. I can't believe Syracuse has become the doormat. Doesn't seem right. Maybe they improve and surprise. Right now, it's all hope.

Pittsburgh: They always seem to have a great recruiting class, yet...Definite building blocks in Pat Bostick and Shady McCoy. Eventually, the recruiting classes are going to pay off, or the people who subscribe to the recruiting services are going to find out that stars mean nothing. Ask Bears and Dolphins fans what they think about Dave Wanstedt.

UofL: Steve Kragthorpe is on the hot seat. Team quick on him last year. I wonder who had a worse year, Bobby Petrino or Steve Kragthorpe? That's debatable. Lost a QB, receiver and a lot off a team that should have been much better than 6-6. The offense is decimated with the loss off Harry Douglas at WR and Brian Brohm at QB. Hunter Cantwell steps in and whenever he has played has performed. Good news? They have 8 starters back on defense. Ban news? They have 8 starters back on defense.

This team gave up -- 42, 40, 38, 44, 38, 55 and 38 points in games last season. UofL fans will scream Larry Taylor's unfair catch was what cost them a bowl game. If I remember, UofL came back to take a lead in that game...anyhow, don't give up 36 ppg per game and you won't have to worry abut special team plays.

UConn: Will be better than last, but much like last year, I am not sure how much better if at all the record is going to be. Tougher schedule this year and there are going to be teams that are going to want to get some revenge like Temple (felt cheated), Louisville (felt cheated) and Rutgers (hates losing to UConn in football).

My prediction is that the defense is big-time, it will stop teams this year and Lutrus' transition will be smooth. The downside? Passing game will struggle. Lorenzen better scramble and create more because I don't have confidence in the WRs. I think Lorenzen will manage the game and make plays with his scrambling ability, but they need to get deep, and I don't see anyone who can do it. Help is on the way, but it isn't ripe yet.

Will be in Newport July 28,29 and I'll give a full report.

Random email:

I have a google alert set up and look what was sent to me today:

Mumme's halftime tantrum sparks UK to 45-14 win.

Is that the best Google has? I think that game preceded google. I remember watching that game. Read the quotes, how arrogant is Mumme? Isn't he selling cars somewhere now? Maybe snake oil.

Edsall didn't shake hands after the game, neither did his players.

"I think you saw what we did," said Edsall, who also instructed his players not to shake hands, "I think that speaks for itself."

Classic Edsall encryption.

More stuff

• What was Wade Boggs wearing a Yankees hat for at the All-Star game, yet Dave Winfield was in a Padres cap on Tuesday? On the back of my Little League baseball card it says my favorite team when I was 10 was the Yankees, and my favorite player was Dave Winfield. 20 years later I am now officially confused. Is nothing sacred anymore?
  

• Hancock stunk. The movie loses it halfway through and becomes nonsensical. There are so few times you get a new angle and plot and character to work with (a boozing, antisocial superhero) and they blew it. I should have been a screen writer.

• You know what? Roger Clemens is a Red Sox pitcher.