'09 COLLEGE FOOTBALL OFF-SEASON THREAD-recruiting/Coaching Changes/Transfers

[80jerryrice80]

Marvin Jones, gettin the start next yr . at wideout

& Devin Bishop, Desmond's lil bro is startin at Mike

I hope he can continue the family legacy.

 

[gtownballer23]

There is no end to the Lane-Pahokee saga


[h2]Lane Kiffin rips Ariel Alejo, but school districtbacks him[/h2]
By Jason Lieser |Thursday, May 14, 2009, 01:42 PM



As of this afternoon, the Tennessee-Pahokee rift has no end in sight. In fact, things might actually be getting worse, if that's possible.
http://
Earlier this month, Pahokee principal Ariel Alejo informed Tennessee assistant coach Eddie Gran the Volunteers are not allowed on the school's campus.Gran had been in Pahokee to offer a scholarship to junior Antonio Ford, a defensive tackle and offensive lineman.

Still upset by Kiffin's derogatory remarks toward the Pahokee community, Alejo said Monday he will not permit Tennessee to visit the campusuntil head coach Lane Kiffin comes down to publicly apologize for his comments.

Pahokee head coach Blaze Thompson said there has been no progress this week in resolving the issue.

Alejo has not returned messages seeking comment this week, and Kiffin declined an opportunity to give his side of the situation to the Post.

However, Kiffin had no problem talking to VolQuest.com before he addressed the crowd at apublicity event in Cincinnati last night.

Kiffin reiterated that he has apologized to Thompson and has made attempts to reach Alejo and Pahokee Chamber of Commerce president Lewis Pope III, but thenwent on to take a jab at Alejo, who is a Florida graduate.

"Some people's allegiances are to the college they graduated from," Kiffin said.

Alejo is a Gators fan and even had a UF logo on his bio page until recently taking it down. Tennessee fans have attacked him all over the internet on blogsand message boards, accusing him of letting his collegiate loyalties affect his actions in this situation. It should be noted, though, that most of the peopleblasting Alejo appear to have their own bias. If we're going to scrutinize Alejo's choice in colleges, it is only fair to do the same to hisaccusers.

For Kiffin to say it, however, certainly will exacerbate the dispute.

"That's asinine," Thompson said Thursday, referring to Kiffin's most recent comment. "It's not the case. He does not begrudgeanybody from another school because he's a Florida fan. If it was Florida, he'd be getting the same pressure from the community.

"That's just going to stir the fire."

For his part, Alejo said Monday this issue is about the community, not him.

I know tempers are ablaze on all three sides of this problem (Pahokee's, Tennessee's and UF's), but let's step back for a second and look atthis objectively. Eventually this thing has to end (right?), but how exactly is that going to happen?

"It needs to end," Thompson said. "It'll end when Tennessee does what they're supposed to do."

The options at this point look like this, in no particular order: 1. Kiffin concedes and flies down here, 2. Alejo backs down from his demand, 3. The schooldistrict intercedes and overrules Alejo, allowing the Vols on campus.

At this point, Option 2 is unfathomable. Right or wrong, Alejo seems to have painted himself into a corner and it's unlikely he's going to back offhis original requirement of Kiffin coming down to a public meeting in Pahokee. Not many people back down once they get to this point.

Option 1 is hard to believe, too, although I wouldn't rule it out. Like Kiffin or not, and I'm guessing most of our readers don't, he's gota pretty demanding job. Not a lot of major college coaches have time to devote to town hall meetings. Furthermore, Kiffin feels as though he has alreadyapologized over and over. He's not crazy. He apologized on ESPN, apologized to Thompson and apologized in this newspaper. Alejo and Popesay those apologies were directed only toward Thompson, not the community, students and school staff.

It's hard to say how much Kiffin would gain by coming down here. On one hand, it would be a relatively small price to pay for what would probably be agust of good p.r. all over the country. A college head coach from a major program coming down to a town of 6,000 people just to make things right? I'm notsaying he should or shouldn't do it, but something like that would get a lot of play on TV, the papers and the web.

The flipside, though, is Kiffin personally might not feel he needs to apologize and it doesn't seem to be hurting Tennessee's recruiting viabilityin Pahokee. The Vols have offered scholarships to six Blue Devils and none of them have said they are directly opposed to playing for Kiffin. Ford and widereceiver De'Joshua Johnson both said they're open to Tennessee.

Don't count on Option 3. School district spokesman Nat Harrington said Thursday the county's policies "absolutely" stand behind Alejo.

"He's protecting the school and the students, and that's what we expect him to do," Harrington said.

"In a situation like this, the principal is the authority on that campus. If he views that anyone is a disruption to his campus, the policy backs himup on that."

Is it a disruption when Tennessee coaches come on campus?

"It's already been a disruption, so of course an individual's presence who made those comments was a disruption again," Harrington said."(Kiffin) has disrespected a school and the students by these comments and has not taken them back."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports...ne_kiffin_rip.html?cxntfid=blogs_inside_preps

 

[gunna get it]

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=946103

Dangerous duo

Some quarterback-receiver combinations are so good together, they can be deadly. Texas Tech's Harrell-to-Crabtree combo that killed Texas' title hopes last season is gone, but others remain. Where do Oklahoma State's Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant rank? Olin Buchanan answers that and more inside his mailbag. [details]

Power rankings

2009 Receiver -- Select Position -- Quarterback Running Back Receiver Tight End Offensive Line Defensive Line Linebacker Defensive Back Special Teams Offensive Coach Defensive Coach Head Coach
Week: Post-spring
		Name	Pos	School	Ht/Wt	Hometown	Stock Value	Previous Ranking
	1	Dez Bryant	WR	OK State	6-2/215	Lufkin, TX		-
	He had more receiving yards (1,480) and TD catches (19) last year than any returning player.
	2	Dezmon Briscoe	WR	Kansas	6-3/200	Dallas, TX		-
	3	Mardy Gilyard	WR	Cincinnati	6-1/180	Daytona Beach, FL		-
	4	A.J. Green	WR	Georgia	6-4/190	, SC		-
	5	Damian Williams	WR	USC	6-1/190	Springdale, AR		-
	6	Jordan Shipley	WR	Texas	6-0/195	Temple, TX		-
	7	Eric Decker	WR	Minnesota	6-2/215	Cold Spring, MN		-
	8	Julio Jones	WR	Alabama	6-4/210	Foley, AL		-
	9	Golden Tate	WR	Notre Dame	5-11/195	Hendersonville, TN		-
	10	Arrelious Benn	WR	Illinois	6-2/214	Washington, DC		-
	11	DeAndre Brown	WR	Southern Miss.	6-6/230	Ocean Springs, MS		-
	12	Brandon LaFell	WR	LSU	6-3/210	Houston, TX		-
	13	Brandon Banks	WR	Kansas State	5-7/142	Garner, NC		-
	14	Kerry Meier	WR	Kansas	6-3/220	Pittsburg, KS		-
	15	Michael Floyd	WR	Notre Dame	6-3/215	St. Paul, MN		-
	16	Bryan Anderson	WR	Central Michigan	6-5/205	Rockford, MI		-
	17	Naaman Roosevelt	WR	Buffalo	5-11/184	Buffalo, NY		-
	18	T.Y. Hilton	WR	Florida Int'l	5-10/175	Miaim, FL		-
	19	Jeff Fuller	WR	Texas A&M	6-4/209	McKinney, TX		-
	20	Detron Lewis	WR	Texas Tech	6-0/209	College Station, TX		-
	21	Ryan Broyles	WR	Oklahoma	5-11/175	Norman, OK		-
	22	Jacoby Ford	WR	Clemson	5-10/185	Royal Palm Beach, FL		-
	23	Ryan Wolfe	WR	UNLV	6-1/210	Santa Clarita, CA		-
	24	Rashaun Greer	WR	Colorado State	6-1/200	Las Vegas, NV		-
	25	Jimmy Young	WR	TCU	6-1/205	Monroe, LA		-

No disrespect to Jacoby Ford but theres no way in hell hes even a top 50 WR in the country

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by GTownBaller23

There is no end to the Lane-Pahokee saga


[h2]Lane Kiffin rips Ariel Alejo, but school district backs him[/h2]
By Jason Lieser | Thursday, May 14, 2009, 01:42 PM



As of this afternoon, the Tennessee-Pahokee rift has no end in sight. In fact, things might actually be getting worse, if that's possible.
http://
Earlier this month, Pahokee principal Ariel Alejo informed Tennessee assistant coach Eddie Gran the Volunteers are not allowed on the school's campus. Gran had been in Pahokee to offer a scholarship to junior Antonio Ford, a defensive tackle and offensive lineman.

Still upset by Kiffin's derogatory remarks toward the Pahokee community, Alejo said Monday he will not permit Tennessee to visit the campus until head coach Lane Kiffin comes down to publicly apologize for his comments.

Pahokee head coach Blaze Thompson said there has been no progress this week in resolving the issue.

Alejo has not returned messages seeking comment this week, and Kiffin declined an opportunity to give his side of the situation to the Post.

However, Kiffin had no problem talking to VolQuest.com before he addressed the crowd at a publicity event in Cincinnati last night.

Kiffin reiterated that he has apologized to Thompson and has made attempts to reach Alejo and Pahokee Chamber of Commerce president Lewis Pope III, but then went on to take a jab at Alejo, who is a Florida graduate.

"Some people's allegiances are to the college they graduated from," Kiffin said.

Alejo is a Gators fan and even had a UF logo on his bio page until recently taking it down. Tennessee fans have attacked him all over the internet on blogs and message boards, accusing him of letting his collegiate loyalties affect his actions in this situation. It should be noted, though, that most of the people blasting Alejo appear to have their own bias. If we're going to scrutinize Alejo's choice in colleges, it is only fair to do the same to his accusers.

For Kiffin to say it, however, certainly will exacerbate the dispute.

"That's asinine," Thompson said Thursday, referring to Kiffin's most recent comment. "It's not the case. He does not begrudge anybody from another school because he's a Florida fan. If it was Florida, he'd be getting the same pressure from the community.

"That's just going to stir the fire."

For his part, Alejo said Monday this issue is about the community, not him.

I know tempers are ablaze on all three sides of this problem (Pahokee's, Tennessee's and UF's), but let's step back for a second and look at this objectively. Eventually this thing has to end (right?), but how exactly is that going to happen?

"It needs to end," Thompson said. "It'll end when Tennessee does what they're supposed to do."

The options at this point look like this, in no particular order: 1. Kiffin concedes and flies down here, 2. Alejo backs down from his demand, 3. The school district intercedes and overrules Alejo, allowing the Vols on campus.

At this point, Option 2 is unfathomable. Right or wrong, Alejo seems to have painted himself into a corner and it's unlikely he's going to back off his original requirement of Kiffin coming down to a public meeting in Pahokee. Not many people back down once they get to this point.

Option 1 is hard to believe, too, although I wouldn't rule it out. Like Kiffin or not, and I'm guessing most of our readers don't, he's got a pretty demanding job. Not a lot of major college coaches have time to devote to town hall meetings. Furthermore, Kiffin feels as though he has already apologized over and over. He's not crazy. He apologized on ESPN, apologized to Thompson and apologized in this newspaper. Alejo and Pope say those apologies were directed only toward Thompson, not the community, students and school staff.

It's hard to say how much Kiffin would gain by coming down here. On one hand, it would be a relatively small price to pay for what would probably be a gust of good p.r. all over the country. A college head coach from a major program coming down to a town of 6,000 people just to make things right? I'm not saying he should or shouldn't do it, but something like that would get a lot of play on TV, the papers and the web.

The flipside, though, is Kiffin personally might not feel he needs to apologize and it doesn't seem to be hurting Tennessee's recruiting viability in Pahokee. The Vols have offered scholarships to six Blue Devils and none of them have said they are directly opposed to playing for Kiffin. Ford and wide receiver De'Joshua Johnson both said they're open to Tennessee.

Don't count on Option 3. School district spokesman Nat Harrington said Thursday the county's policies "absolutely" stand behind Alejo.

"He's protecting the school and the students, and that's what we expect him to do," Harrington said.

"In a situation like this, the principal is the authority on that campus. If he views that anyone is a disruption to his campus, the policy backs him up on that."

Is it a disruption when Tennessee coaches come on campus?

"It's already been a disruption, so of course an individual's presence who made those comments was a disruption again," Harrington said. "(Kiffin) has disrespected a school and the students by these comments and has not taken them back."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports...ne_kiffin_rip.html?cxntfid=blogs_inside_preps

 

[gunna get it]

as long as Lane and Blaze are good. No worries ...

VQ: So you've reached out to Pahokee High School's principal and had those overtures rebuffed?

LK: Yeah, I've reached out, going way back and even last week. But that's all I can do and that's all I can control. Some people's allegiances are to the college they graduated from.
*shrugs*

The flipside, though, is Kiffin personally might not feel he needs to apologize and it doesn't seem to be hurting Tennessee's recruiting viability in Pahokee. The Vols have offered scholarships to six Blue Devils and none of them have said they are directly opposed to playing for Kiffin. Ford and wide receiver De'Joshua Johnson both said they're open to Tennessee.



Chuuuu'ch

 

[i3allistic]

Originally Posted by 80JerryRice80

Marvin Jones, gettin the start next yr . at wideout

& Devin Bishop, Desmond's lil bro is startin at Mike

I hope he can continue the family legacy.

marvin jones

�...Cal just need consistency from QB

�...they been recruiting well lately ...DL� & OL ..RB position isstacked for the next few years

watch out for Dasarte Yarnway 2009 recruit...dudes a Man-child, seen some of his game ...my co-worker son plays with him.�

��

 

[bigmike23]

Spring practices are over, and the start of the 2009 college football season is less than four months away.

[h4]Top 25 Bowl Goals[/h4]

Who has a shot at the BCS title? A New Year's Day bowl? Check the Top 25's chances. Mark Schlabach

Here's the third version of our way-too-early preseason Top 25, and there are several noticeable changes. Florida, with quarterback Tim Tebow and possibly the country's best defense comingback, remains a very solid No. 1. But Oklahoma and Texas flipped spots, with the Longhorns moving up to No. 2 and the Sooners falling to No. 3.

Alabama and LSU fell a few spots, and USC and Ohio State moved up a notch or two. Ole Miss was the biggest riser, going from No. 11 to No. 7. Not sinceArchie Manning played quarterback for the Rebels has there been this much excitement about football in Oxford.

Michigan State and Rutgers (and every other Big East team) are out. North Carolina and BYU are in.

The Big 12 and SEC continue to dominate the college football landscape with five teams from each league in the Top 25. Four ACC teams among the Top 25 couldbe a sign that conference is coming back, and the Pac-10 and Big 12 each have three teams in the Top 25.

1. Florida Gators

With 2007 HeismanTrophy winner Tebow and all 11 starters coming back on defense, the Gators are clearly the team to beat this season. Linebacker Brandon Spikes and perhaps themost talented secondary in the country lead what should be a ferocious defense. Tebow will take more snaps from under center, and coach Urban Meyer isdetermined to make him a more polished passer. Tight end AaronHernandez emerged as a big playmaker during the spring, and Carl Moore and Deonte Thompson's consistent play alleviated some of theanxiety about losing speedy receiver Percy Harvin to the NFL draft. Florida plays eight of its 12 games in the Sunshine State, but road games at LSU on Oct. 10and at South Carolina on Nov. 14 are potential stumbling blocks.

2. Texas Longhorns

Longhorns fans willtell you this is what the polls should have looked like at the end of the 2008 regular season -- with Texas ranked ahead of Oklahoma. The teams will play againin Dallas on Oct. 17, when the Big 12 South title and a potential spot in the BCS Championship Game might be decided. With quarterback Colt McCoy and receivers Jordan Shipley and Malcolm Williams coming back, the Longhorns should again haveone of the best passing offenses in the country. But Texas has to run the football better than it did last season, when it ended a 10-year streak of havingproduced a 1,000-yard rusher. Vondrell McGee emerged asthe most reliable runner in the spring, after CodyJohnson and Fozzy Whitaker were hampered byinjuries. Incoming freshman Chris Whaley also will be given a chance to win the tailback job. The defense has to replace All-American end Brian Orakpo anddefensive tackle Roy Miller, but Sergio Kindle is a blossoming superstar. The Longhorns play Texas Tech at home on Sept. 19, and road games at Missouri on Oct.24 and at Oklahoma State on Oct. 31 might be difficult.

3. Oklahoma Sooners

With reigning HeismanTrophy winner Sam Bradford, running back DeMarco Murray and tight end Jermaine Gresham coming back, the Sooners have as manyplaymakers as any team in the country. But Oklahoma's fortunes this season might be determined by the guys up front. The Sooners must replace four startingoffensive linemen, including All-Big 12 tackle Phil Loadholt and guard Duke Robinson. Right tackle Trent Williams moves to the left side to protectBradford's blind side, and Cory Brandon emerged as a force at right tackle in the spring. Senior receiver Adron Tennell finally looked like a true deep threat in thespring after recovering from torn knee ligaments, giving Bradford another option in the passing game. Running back Mossis Madu also looked good playing slot receiver. The Soonerswere still working to replace both starting safeties, and they must develop some depth on the defensive line.

4. USC Trojans

We won't have towait long to find out if the Trojans do indeed simply reload after losing so many star players to the NFL draft. After hosting San Jose State in their Sept. 5opener, the Trojans play at Ohio State on Sept. 12. Either AaronCorp or freshman Matt Barkley will be making his second career start at quarterback in that game. There will be a lot of talent around whoeverstarts at quarterback, including receiver DamianWilliams and as many as six tailbacks who could start on most other Pac-10 teams. Eight starters must be replaced on defense, including linebackersBrian Cushing and Rey Maualuga and defensive end Clay Matthews. The Trojans feel pretty good about their linebacker corps, and end Everson Griffen finallyemerged as a potential difference-maker during spring practice. Along with the road trip to Ohio State, USC faces difficult road games at California on Oct. 3,at Notre Dame on Oct. 17, at Oregon on Oct. 31 and at Arizona State on Nov. 7.

5. Virginia Tech Hokies

If the Hokies aregoing to truly emerge as a BCS National Championship contender, quarterback Tyrod Taylor will have to improve his passing skills. He displayed an improved throwing motion during spring practice, which at leastgives coach Frank Beamer hope that his offense won't be so one-dimensional this season. Tailback Darren Evans is as good as any tailback in the ACC, and theoffensive line figures to be more athletic than it has been the past couple of seasons. Virginia Tech's young wide receivers will have to be better afterstruggling last season. Coordinator Bud Foster's defenses are always good, but there were questions on the defensive line and in the secondary coming outof spring practice. The ACC figures to be one of the more improved leagues in the country, but the Hokies play most of their difficult league foes at home,including Miami, Boston College, North Carolina and NC State. Tech opens the season against Alabama in Atlanta's Georgia Dome on Sept. 5 and also playsNebraska at home on Sept. 19.

6. Ohio State Buckeyes

It's hard toimagine the Buckeyes' being as good as last season without star players such as Chris "Beanie" Wells, James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins. Butquarterback Terrelle Pryor will probably be better inhis second season as a starter, and the offensive line might be much better after underperforming the past few seasons. The Buckeyes feel good about tailbacksDan "Boom" Herron and Brandon Saine, and receivers DeVier Posey and Taurian Washington showed glimpses of productive play duringspring practice. Michigan transfer Justin Boren looks like a star at left guard, and Andy Miller and Mike Adams were still battling at left tackle at the endof spring drills. Sophomore Michael Brewster is one of the better centers in the country. Ohio State's defensive line is as deep and talented as any unitin the country. But there are two new starters at linebacker, and cornerbacks Jenkins and Donald Washington won't be easily replaced. The Buckeyes open theseason with difficult non-Big Ten games against Navy and USC, and play league road games at Penn State on Nov. 7 and at Michigan on Nov. 21.

7. Mississippi Rebels

It might seem as ifthe Rebels are getting too much credit for their thrilling 47-34 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. But on paper, at least, they have fewer questionsthan every other SEC team except Florida. With quarterback JevanSnead, receiver Shay Hodge and versatileDexter McCluster coming back, the Rebels have plenty offirepower on offense. Defensive end Greg Hardy came back for his senior season and should be more effective after playing much of last season with a footinjury. Outside linebacker Patrick Trahan and free safety Kendrick Lewis are blossoming stars, and slimmed-down nose tackle Jerrell Powe should help Ole Missreplace departed star Peria Jerry. The Rebels' biggest concern heading into spring practice remains left tackle, where converted tight end Bradley Sowelltries to replace NFL first-rounder Michael Oher. The Rebels will play a very soft nonconference schedule (road game at Memphis and home games against SoutheastLouisiana, UAB and Northern Arizona) and three of their most difficult SEC games (Alabama, Tennessee and LSU) will be played in Oxford.

8. Alabama Crimson Tide

The Crimson Tide wereranked No. 1 in the BCS standings for five weeks last season, before their campaign ended with consecutive losses, including a stunning 31-17 defeat againstUtah in the Sugar Bowl. It's hard to forget what the Utes did to Alabama's offensive line, which played without suspended left tackle Andre Smith.Smith, the Outland Trophy winner, is gone for good, along with All-SEC center Antoine Caldwell and starting right guard Marlon Davis. The Tide also mustreplace quarterback John Parker Wilson, one of the most accomplished passers in school history. Juco transfer James Carpenter takes over for Smith at lefttackle and will protect new quarterback GregMcElroy's blind side. Nine starters are back on defense, but safety Rashad Johnson is a big loss in the secondary. Alabama opens the seasonagainst Virginia Tech, but plays most of its difficult SEC games at home. Its Oct. 10 road game at Ole Miss might decide which SEC West team plays in the SECchampionship game.

9. Penn State Nittany Lions

The defending Big Tenchampions have to replace their entire starting receiver corps and rebuild both of their lines, but they still seem to be the second-best team in what willprobably again be a watered-down league. Quarterback DaryllClark is efficient, and tailbacks EvanRoyster and Stephfon Green form a prettygood one-two punch (if Green recovers from offseason ankle surgery). The Nittany Lions will have three new starters on the offensive line, and StefenWisniewski moves from guard to center. Derek Moye, ChazPowell and Graham Zug will have to step up at receiver,after Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood all departed. Linebacker Sean Lee returns from a knee injury that caused him to miss all of the 2008season. The Nittany Lions will have one of the country's best linebacker corps if Navorro Bowman puts his off-field problems in the rearview mirror. PennState's non-Big Ten schedule (home against Akron, Syracuse, Temple and Eastern Illinois) is far from challenging, and fellow Big Ten favorites Ohio Stateand Iowa play in Happy Valley.

10. Oklahoma State Cowboys

We knew Cowboys coachMike Gundy was a man. Now we're going to find out if he's a legitimate coach. Few teams in the country return as much firepower as Oklahoma State,which welcomes back quarterback Zac Robinson, tailbackKendall Hunter and receiver Dez Bryant. The Cowboys ranked in the top 10 nationally inscoring, total offense, rushing and pass efficiency, generating more than 3,100 yards both through the air and on the ground in 2008. But Oklahoma Statestruggled to stop most teams last season, and new defensive coordinator Bill Young must rebuild a defensive line that couldn't rush the passer and asecondary that couldn't cover receivers. Derek Burton looked good in the spring after moving from defensive end to tackle, and Jeremiah Price emerged as aconsistent pass-rusher. The offensive line must jell after losing center David Washington and guard Steve Denning. Oklahoma State opens the season againstGeorgia in Stillwater on Sept. 5 and also plays Texas and Texas Tech at home.

11. Oregon Ducks

For the first timein 15 seasons, Oregon will open a football season without coach Mike Bellotti on the sideline. Bellotti retired from coaching and becomes the school'sathletic director July 1. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly replaces Bellotti and his honeymoon won't last long. The Ducks open the season Sept. 3 at BoiseState and then play consecutive home games against Purdue, Utah and California. Oregon must replace six players who were selected in the NFL draft, includingsafety Patrick Chung, cornerback Jairus Byrd and center Max Unger. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is back and is a threat to run or throw theball. Running back LeGarrette Blount has battledoff-field problems and a foot injury. Three starters must be replaced on the offensive line, along with receiver Jaison Williams. Only one starting defensivelineman returns, and the losses in the secondary were heavy.

12. LSU Tigers

What was more stunninglast season? Watching LSU's once-ferocious defense allow 134 points combined in losses to Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss or watching the Tigers completelydismantle Georgia Tech 38-3 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl? The Tigers were plagued by poor quarterback play and a surprisingly porous defense during their nationaltitle defense last season. Coach Les Miles hired former Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis to shore up the defense, and the Tigers responded with moreaggressive play during spring practice. Sophomore JordanJefferson, who started the final two games at quarterback last season, showed more consistency during the spring. Tailback Charles Scott and receiver Brandon LaFell are proven playmakers, and the offensive lineshould be pretty solid. The defensive line must be rebuilt, but end Rahim Alem and tackle Drake Nevis looked like solid players during the spring. The Tigersplay three of their most difficult SEC games on the road: at Georgia on Oct. 3, at Alabama on Nov. 7 and at Ole Miss on Nov. 21.

13. California Golden Bears

This might very wellbe the season in which California finally breaks through in the Pac-10. The Bears have been close before -- they climbed as high as No. 2 in the nationalrankings before finishing 7-6 in 2007. Coach Jeff Tedford has earned the reputation of a quarterback guru, but Cal's passers have been pretty mediocre inrecent seasons. Kevin Riley will have to hold offBrock Mansion and Beau Sweeney to win the starting job this year. But the Caloffense starts with tailback Jahvid Best, who ran for1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. He missed spring practice after undergoing foot and elbow surgeries. All-American center Alex Mack will have to bereplaced up front, and the receiver corps is far from a finished prospect. Three of the team's four starting linebackers must be replaced, including starZack Follett. The Cal secondary is one of the most underrated in the country, after finishing sixth in pass-efficiency defense and ranking third nationallywith 24 interceptions last season. Cal will have to play better on the road this season, with games at Minnesota, Oregon, UCLA and Arizona State looming on theschedule.

14. Boise State Broncos

We might know beforethe first Saturday of the season whether the Broncos are again a legitimate BCS bowl game contender. Boise State opens the season Thursday, Sept. 3 againstOregon on the blue turf of Bronco Stadium. The opener is being called the most anticipated home game in school history. With six starters coming back on bothoffense and defense from a team that finished 12-0 during the regular season in 2008, Boise State fans have plenty of reason to be excited. QuarterbackKellen Moore and receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young lead a high-octane passing attack. The offensiveline needs to be more consistent, after 11 different combinations played in 13 games last season. All four starters are back in a very talented secondary, ledby cornerback Kyle Wilson. If the Broncos can beat the Ducks, they'll face two difficult road games: at Fresno State on Sept. 18 and at Tulsa on Oct.14.

15. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Will the YellowJackets be even better running coach Paul Johnson's triple-option spread offense in Year 2? Or will opposing defenses catch up with his offense? GeorgiaTech returns all but two starters on offense, including running backs Jonathan Dwyer and Roddy Jones.Quarterback Josh Nesbitt missed much of spring practicewith a wrist injury, and needs to become a better passer to keep defenses honest. The offensive line remains the No. 1 concern after many projected startersmissed the spring because of injuries. Georgia Tech must replace three star defensive linemen: end Michael Johnson and tackles Darryl Richard and Vance Walker.Georgia Tech plays many of its most difficult ACC foes at home: Clemson on Sept. 10, North Carolina on Sept. 26, Virginia Tech on Oct. 17 and Wake Forest onNov. 7. The Yellow Jackets play three games in the first 12 days of the season and don't have an open date until the week before the Nov. 28 regular-seasonfinale against rival Georgia.

16. Georgia Bulldogs

The Bulldogs won'thave the star power they had last season, when quarterback Matthew Stafford and tailback Knowshon Moreno led one of the SEC's most explosive offenses.Senior Joe Cox takes over after spending the past threeseasons behind Stafford. Cox threw 66 touchdowns as a high school senior and showed good command of the offense during spring practice. Caleb King and Richard Samuel are being counted on to replace Moreno, butfreshman Carlton Thomas was the most impressive runnerduring spring practice. The offensive line should be better with tackle Trinton Sturdivant returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss all of the 2008season. The Bulldogs struggled to find a pass-rusher during spring practice, and projected starting defensive end Justin Houston will miss the first two gamesof the season because of a suspension. Georgia opens the season at Oklahoma State on Sept. 5 and also plays Arizona State at home on Sept. 26. The Bulldogsplay only six home games and travel to Arkansas and Tennessee during SEC play.

17. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

There are no moreexcuses for coach Charlie Weis, who returns 10 starters on offense and a ton of experience across the roster. With quarterback Jimmy Clausen and receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd coming back, the Fighting Irish should beexplosive on offense. Notre Dame must improve its running game, which ranked 100th nationally in 2008, and new offensive line coach Frank Verducci helped itmake strides during spring practice. Coordinator Jon Tenuta takes over the defensive play-calling duties, and the Irish are going back to a 4-3 scheme.Opponents can expect the Irish to be more aggressive with safety and linebacker blitzes. Notre Dame plays seven home games, along with an Oct. 31 neutral-sitegame against woebegone Washington State in San Antonio. Only one game on Notre Dame's schedule -- home against USC on Oct. 17 -- seems to be especiallydifficult. The Irish might need to win at least nine games to show Weis is truly making progress.

18. TCU Horned Frogs

The Horned Frogshave built their reputation on defense during coach Gary Patterson's successful tenure, but TCU's offense might be reason for optimism in 2009.Quarterback Andy Dalton is entering his third season asa starter, after helping the Horned Frogs set single-season school records for points (437) and touchdowns (56) last season. Top wide receiver Jimmy Young also is back, along with tailbacks Joseph Turner and Ryan Christian. The Horned Frogs must replace seven starters ondefense, but end Jerry Hughes is back after leading the country with 17 sacks in 2008. The secondary must replace two starters, but Rafael Priest and NickSanders form one of the country's best cornerback tandems. TCU plays two ACC opponents on the road (at Virginia on Sept. 12 and at Clemson on Sept. 26) andplays at BYU on Oct. 24. The Horned Frogs host defending MWC champion Utah at home on Nov. 14.

19. Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa won six of itslast seven games -- spoiling Penn State's BCS title hopes in the process -- to end the program's recent slide with a 9-4 record in 2008. The Hawkeyeshave to replace tailback Shonn Greene, thecountry's second-leading rusher with 1,850 yards last season, and star defensive tackles Mitch King and Matt Kroul. But with quarterback Ricky Stanzi and one of the country's best offensive linescoming back, Iowa might be good enough to challenge Ohio State and Penn State for the Big Ten title. Iowa lost four games by only 12 points combined lastseason. The Big Ten schedule is difficult, with road games at Penn State on Sept. 26, at Wisconsin on Oct. 17, at Michigan State on Oct. 24 and at Ohio Stateon Nov. 14.

20. Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Cornhuskersimproved from 5-7 to 9-4 in coach Bo Pelini's first season in 2008, and the pieces are in place for even more improvement this season. Ndamukong Suh is oneof the best defensive tackles in the country, but the Cornhuskers were still sorting out their linebacker corps at the end of spring practice. Pelini stressedforcing more turnovers during spring practice, after Nebraska finished 107th nationally in turnover margin in his first season. Steady quarterback Joe Ganzwill have to be replaced, along with wide receivers Nate Swift and Todd Peterson. The Cornhuskers' offense might resemble the old Big Red Machine, relyingheavily on tailbacks Roy Helu Jr. and Quentin Castille and mobile quarterback Zac Lee's running. The schedule is pretty manageable withnon-Big 12 games against three Sun Belt Conference foes and a Sept. 19 road game at Virginia Tech. Nebraska plays Big 12 road games at Missouri and Kansas, butplays Texas Tech and Oklahoma at home.

21. North Carolina Tar Heels

It didn't takeButch Davis long to turn the Tar Heels around, as they finished 8-5 in 2008, doubling their victory total from his first season. Much of UNC's firepower onoffense is gone, with receivers Hakeem Nicks, Brooks Foster and Brandon Tate departing. Quarterback T.J. Yates will have to stay healthy, and the Tar Heels need toget more production from tailbacks Shaun Draughn andRyan Houston. The right side of the offensive line alsomust be rebuilt. UNC won't have to outscore many opponents if its defense is as good as advertised. The Tar Heels have perhaps the ACC's best defensiveline, led by tackles Marvin Austin and Cam Thomas. Middle linebacker Quan Sturdivant is another budding star. The Tar Heels will have to navigate a difficultACC schedule, which includes road games at Georgia Tech on Sept. 26, at Virginia Tech on Oct. 29, at Boston College on Nov. 21 and at NC State on Nov. 28.

22. Kansas Jayhawks

After winning 20games in two years and back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history, the Jayhawks wouldn't figure to have much room for improvement. Butwith quarterback Todd Reesing returning for his seniorseason, along with tailback Jake Sharp and top wideoutsDezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier, Kansas should again challenge for the Big 12 Northtitle. The Jayhawks will have to replace all three of their starting linebackers, who were the heart and soul of a defense that struggled at times last season.Kansas plans to use a 4-2-5 scheme to better defend the Big 12's high-octane passing attacks. The offensive line also must be rebuilt after the Jayhawkslost their center and starting guards. Jeremiah Hatch moves from left tackle to center, and converted end Tanner Hawkinson is the projected left tackle. Theschedule figures to be more difficult, as Kansas plays Big 12 South opponents Oklahoma (home), Texas Tech (road) and Texas (road). In fact, five of Kansas'last seven games will be played away from Lawrence.

23. Utah Utes

The team thatfinished 13-0 and stunned Alabama by two touchdowns in the Sugar Bowl last season has plenty of holes to fill in 2009. Utah returns only four starters onoffense and must replace quarterback Brian Johnson. The top three receivers from 2008 also are gone, along with the right side of the offensive line.Quarterback Corbin Louks was trying to hold off jucotransfer Terrance Cain and freshman Jordan Wynn during spring practice, but the three-man race probably won't be settled until preseason camp. Sevenstarters are back on defense, but the Utes must replace star defensive end Paul Kruger and cornerbacks Sean Smith and Brice McCain. Coach Kyle Whittinghamfeels very good about ends Koa Misi and Derrick Shelby. The loss of All-American kicker/punter Louie Sakoda also can't be underestimated. The Utes will begood enough to win 10 games again, but they'll have to win at least one of three difficult road games: at Oregon on Sept. 19, at TCU on Nov. 14 and at BYUon Nov. 28.

24. Brigham Young Cougars

There are no slogansfor the Cougars this season, after last year's "Quest for Perfection" ended with a 10-3 record. The Cougars will be lucky to leave their 2009opener with a victory. They open the season against Oklahoma at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington, Texas. BYU also plays home games againstFlorida State on Sept. 19, TCU on Oct. 24 and Utah on Nov. 28. Quarterback Max Hall returns, but four starters on the offensive line must be replaced. The Cougars also lost top receivers Austin Collie and MichaelReed. The offense might be OK if tailback Harvey Ungastays healthy. Eight starters return on defense, but BYU still had questions at cornerback at the end of spring practice.

25. Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles moved astep closer to returning to the BCS hunt last season, finishing 9-4 and blasting Wisconsin 42-13 in the Champs Sports Bowl. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisheris convinced Christian Ponder is a potential NFLquarterback and he showed flashes of such ability last season. The offensive line, which had been FSU's Achilles' heel the past few seasons, should bea strength with all five starters returning. FSU is counting on young tailbacks Ty Jones and Jermaine Thomas, and young players will also have to step up atreceiver after Greg Carr graduated and Preston Parker was kicked off the team. Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews faces a sizable rebuilding job, but juniorMarkus White is a potential star at defensive end. FSU plays three of its first four games at home, including a Labor Day night contest against Miami. TheSeminoles play difficult road games at BYU on Sept. 19 and at defending national champion Florida on Nov. 28, along with road games against ACC foes BostonCollege, North Carolina, Clemson and Wake Forest.

Mark Schlabach covers college football and men's college basketball for ESPN.com. You can contact him at [email protected]

 

[jville819]

VT @ 5 is setting them up for failure. They still win the ACC but there is no way they are a top 5 team.

@ ND being anywhere near the rankings

25

 

[bigmike23]

Running back Mossis Madu also looked good playing slot receiver.

that boy got talent to be a VERY good RB but i guess OU hasway to many

Dmurray Show this year will be

 

[80jerryrice80]

Originally Posted by i3allistic

Originally Posted by 80JerryRice80

Marvin Jones, gettin the start next yr . at wideout

& Devin Bishop, Desmond's lil bro is startin at Mike

I hope he can continue the family legacy.

marvin jones

�...Cal just need consistency from QB

�...they been recruiting well lately ...DL� & OL ..RB position is stacked for the next few years

watch out for Dasarte Yarnway 2009 recruit...dudes a Man-child, seen some of his game ...my co-worker son plays with him.�

��

word Best+Yarnway = great 1, 2 punch

and btw Glad to see the pac 10 gettin tons of luv in the top 25

 

[al3xis]

@ ND being anywhere near the rankings
I'm still not seeing why some of yall don't see a top 25 team in ND.

Offense was decent last year, no? and everyone is back.

Tenuta callin the shots on D is huge, statistically his years as a DC are great

 

[jville819]

Allen, I'm just not a believer in potential. You gotta go out and prove you're good enough and earn that %!+@. Y'all start off undefeated orhowever long it is before you play SC than you can justify being in the top 25.

Not having a winning season in 2 years and losing to garbage schools should never be grounds for getting a top 25 ranking before the season. I don't carehow good a team could be.

 

[al3xis]

fair enough

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

lol @ FSU being a top 25 team right now.

 

[after h0urs]

Trajuan Briggs committed to SC. RB out of Birmingham.

 

[wraith aka invincible]

my dude dom easley put his self on the map this year hope fully he makes the right decision

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Fred Pickett to WVU.

Great pickup for the Mountaineers.

He should do work up there.

 

[newbs24]

Michigan should have a decent shot at locking up some nice names when they have a ton of prospects up for the BBQ and the BH and their summer camp in earlyJune. Looks like Miami Northwestern and BTW are sending some kids up for the camp. Michigan getting into Dade and throwing their name and faces around is fineby me. Looks like we gave up on Cali and are going after Florida hard.
Devin Gardner is a massive pickup for the QB position. Kid is a supreme athlete and should show some big gains in throwing the ball.

Cannot wait to see Denard Robinson up here. Kid just needs the ball in his hands. Would love to see him have an impact on our team like Randall Cobb at UK. Iknow I keep saying it but the kid can play.

Looks like Kevin Grady and his bust self are gonna be out of UM pretty soon. Dumby couldn't even follow thru with his probation sentence for his DUI and isdoing 7 days in jail. Moron.

Kurt Wermers also left the team. Kid was a never gonna make the 2 deep and realized he couldn't be a student/athlete at Michigan. Best of luck to himthough.

 

[80jerryrice80]

Yo Newbs, how's brandon minor lookin this yr??
& how do you expect michigan to compensate for losing mcguffie??

 

[gunna get it]

Grady

What a BUM

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by 80JerryRice80

& how do you expect michigan to compensate for losing mcguffie??

I don't think they'll miss him much.

McGuffie hadn't really balled out like that anyways.

 

[80jerryrice80]

Originally Posted by dreClark

Originally Posted by 80JerryRice80

& how do you expect michigan to compensate for losing mcguffie??

I don't think they'll miss him much.

McGuffie hadn't really balled out like that anyways.

Really??? he was only a freshman last yr and he was their second leading rusher.
Dude was set to be a star in a couple yrs.

 

[gunna get it]

Mcguffie was a Bum

Dude went down off first contact every carry

might as well be playign WR

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Dude ran for like 480 yds on 100+ carries.

Set to be a star?

Not even.

Running for ~4.0 ypc in college, in a spread....is not good.

Scratch that, running for 4.0 yds a pop in college regardless of the scheme is terrible.

Noel Devine put up like 600-700 yds freshman year as a backup/2nd leading rusher on way less than 100 carries. You can tell he was 'Set to be a star'

2nd leading rusher/backup for FSU put up 480.....on 69 carries.

 

[80jerryrice80]

Originally Posted by dreClark

Dude ran for like 480 yds on 100+ carries.

Set to be a star?

Not even.

Running for ~4.0 ypc in college, in a spread....is not good.

Scratch that, running for 4.0 yds a pop in college regardless of the scheme is terrible.

Noel Devine put up like 600-700 yds freshman year as a backup/2nd leading rusher on way less than 100 carries. You can tell he was 'Set to be a star'

2nd leading rusher/backup for FSU put up 480.....on 69 carries.

got me