College football’s preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #2 Florida International

If you mention FIU football to someone, this incident from 2006 is probably the first thing that will jump to that person’s mind:

What a clip, nobody in that thing (Larry Coker, Don Strock, Bill Pidto, you name it) is still employed by the same outfit that employed them back then. That’s some kind of turnover.

This offseason, the football team was once again in the spotlight for news that was anything but good. Back in March, running back Kendall Berry was stabbed to death on campus just days before FIU’s spring game. The fact that his assailant, Quentin Wyche, had briefly played for the Golden Panthers made the tragedy even tougher for those within the program to deal with.

In the context of what they’ve endured, writing about the on the field prospects of the Golden Panthers seems a little trivial. But there are still games to be played, and without question Berry’s teammates want to win as many of those as possible as a means of paying tribute to him.

Before that can happen, though, this football team will have to get better on defense…a lot better. The Golden Panthers finished 119th nationally in total defense a season ago, yielding 500 or more yards on seven different occasions.

The passing defense was especially woeful. Opponents completed 61% of their fourth quarter passes against FIU last season, generating an average QB rating of 152.5. On the season, FIU yielded 24 passing plays of 15+ yards during the fourth quarter.

Eight new starters will take the field on defense for FIU this season. However, that might not necessarily be a bad thing, especially if new defensive coordinator Geoff Collins can implement a more aggressive style that will create more turnovers.

On offense, Wesley Carroll appears to have won the quarterback job after transferring in from Mississippi State. But for a school sitting in the Sunshine State, there’s a strange lack of playmakers surrounding him. Still, Carroll’s previous major college experience will help immensely.

Why FIU is in the bottom 10: The first four games of the season will probably sink any hope for a dramatic improvement over 2009’s 3-9 record. The opener is a home date with Rutgers followed by road tilts with Texas A&M, Maryland and Pittsburgh. An 0-4 start is pretty much a certainty unless they can catch an underachieving Maryland team napping.

How FIU can avoid the bottom 10: This team just didn’t make enough big plays on either side of the ball last season. FIU picked off just 10 passes in 2009 and on offense recorded just 38 rushes of 10+ yards (compare that to 65 such plays for Sun Belt champ Troy). An increase in big plays might have the Golden Panthers sniffing a 5-win campaign.

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #3 Eastern Michigan

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #4 Miami (Ohio)

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #5 New Mexico State

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #6 Tulane

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #7 North Texas

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #8 New Mexico

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #9 Washington State

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #10 UL Monroe

College football’s preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #3 Eastern Michigan

In most of the lists I’ve seen that try to rank every team in the FBS, Eastern Michigan has been the squad most frequently tabbed to be last.  Yup, 120th out of 120 teams. To make matters worse, the program’s coach recently got in some hot water for something that didn’t involve anything on the field.  Larry Lage of the AP provides the details:

Eastern Michigan’s football team has always had a hard time creating buzz because its program gets lost in the shadow of college football’s winningest program in Ann Arbor.

Eagles coach Ron English unwittingly pulled it off this summer at the Mid-American Conference’s media day, saying he wanted recruits with a father in their background because they didn’t need to learn how to be taught by a man.

“I regret that some people thought I was attacking single moms,” English said Wednesday in his office that looks over Rynearson Stadium. “I was raised by my grandmother. My father wasn’t really a part of my life until I was a teenager. So, I have all the respect in the world for women raising kids on their own.  (Associated Press)

While single moms in and around Ypsilanti try to unwad their panties in the wake of English’s harmless comment, the Eagles are busily preparing for a season in which they’ll seek to prove that they’re not the worst of the worst.

How ugly did it get last year?  Try an 0-12 record on for size.  On five different occasions a monumentally bad EMU defense yielded 45 or more points.  That defense gave up…brace yourself…a whopping 6.3 yards a carry to the opposition.

Teams were so successful running the ball against them that the Eagles ended up finishing first nationally in pass defense.  You got it, opponents didn’t even bother to take to the air against them because things were so easy on the ground.

So why don’t I agree with the rest of the pundits who have this team looking up at every single other program in America?  First off, I think that EMU can be a little better at stopping the run, which will go a long way toward making this team competitive.

Defensive tackle Brandon Slater will probably show some improvement as he transitions into his junior year while junior college transfer Jasper Grimes will provide some instant help at tackle as well.  Also, junior linebacker Marcus English showed promise last season, recording 41 tackles in six games.  It would help immensely if he can maintain that type of production for all of 2010.

Keep an eye on redshirt freshman linebacker Darius Moffett, who looks like a very intriguing prospect.  He’s a Big 10-caliber player who fell into EMU’s lap after having some grade issues.  If the coaches throw him into the rotation, his athleticism will greatly enhance the defense’s ability to get to the point of attack.

The other reason I think Eastern Michigan can jump into the win column is the schedule.  While other bottom feeder teams are faced with multiple confidence crushing road trips, the Eagles’ slate is a little less demanding.  Sure, the trip to Ohio State will sting, but road dates against Vanderbilt and Virginia aren’t necessarily terrifying.

Why EMU is in the bottom 10: While I feel things can get a little better, they won’t improve dramatically. More often than not, teams will expose the Eagle defense. On offense, quarterback Alex Gillett is a true sophomore who still lacks the confidence to make enough plays.

How EMU can avoid the bottom 10: Frankly, I don’t see that happening.  EMU can at best hope for two or three wins on the season, which still puts them pretty damn low in college football’s pecking order.  But hey, it’s an upward trend, and any ray of hope would be fantastic for a program that’s pretty much bottomed out.

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #4 Miami (Ohio)

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #5 New Mexico State

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #6 Tulane

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #7 North Texas

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #8 New Mexico

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #9 Washington State

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #10 UL Monroe

College football’s preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #4 Miami (Ohio)

Here’s the deal: Miami RedHawk football is usually pretty damn competitive. Not so long ago, the late Terry Hoeppner was putting teams on the field capable of scaring the daylights out of Ohio State and actually beating teams like North Carolina.

But things have gotten away from the program the last few years. Miami has dropped 10 or more games in three out of the last four seasons. Before this current spate of bad play, the program had exactly one 10-loss season in its entire history.

Mike Haywood’s first year in leading Miami was as a study in frustration. The team didn’t even score a point until the third game of the season and notched its only victory with a 31-24 decision over Toledo on Halloween.

Along the way, a bunch of freshmen saw playing time as Haywood took a tear it down and built it up from the ground approach to things. So a ton of sophomores will start this year for Miami, while more than a few true freshmen and first-year players are sprinkled among the depth chart.

With that much youth in the mix, plenty of mistakes will still be made. But there is some depth and experience at wide receiver, where seniors Armand Robinson and Jamal Rogers are better than competent and Chris Givens returns after being on the shelf most of last season with an injury.

The job of getting the ball to them will be in the hands of Zac Dysert, the redshirt sophomore quarterback who took his lumps in 2009. Given the carnage around him, his 12 TD’s vs. 16 picks last season didn’t represent a terrible performance, especially when you consider the fact that he was sacked 51 times. In the win over Toledo he was a sterling 31-of-51 for 344 yards and no interceptions.

Why Miami is in the bottom 10: This thing will get turned around once these youngsters grow up a little and get some confidence. However the schedule won’t allow that to happen during the first half of the season. Trips to Florida, Missouri and Cincinnati will be absolutely brutal. Also, three out of Miami’s final four games will be on the road.

How Miami can avoid the bottom 10: Eastern Michigan visits Oxford in the second game of the year and represents a fantastic opportunity for Miami to even up its record following the trip to Florida. The confidence boost from an early win would be great, but more importantly, the RedHawks absolutely have to run the ball better. They were 119th nationally in rushing a season ago.

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #5 New Mexico State

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #6 Tulane

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #7 North Texas

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #8 New Mexico

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #9 Washington State

Preseason bottom 10 of 2010: #10 UL Monroe

Miami’s new Pro Combat uniform has a FAMU-ish feel

In its never ending quest to put out as many variations on its existing products as it can, Nike has come up with a concept called the Nike Pro Combat football uniform.

Basically, a bunch of teams under contract with Nike will at some point this season put on a ridiculously garish alternate uniform (not as garish as anything in the Oregon collection, but close).  For example, Oregon State and Ohio State will sport Pro Combat wear inspired by uniforms that the schools wore in the distant past.

Miami, on the other hand, will suit up in this on November 20 against Virginia Tech:

Below is a quote from Michael Irvin, who hosted the unveiling.  This dude never passes up a chance to gush about the U:

“I can’t wait till Nov. 20,” Irvin said. “You’ve heard many times when they say, ‘Oh the team takes on the personality of the head coach.’  These uniforms take on the personality of the team. This is fast, this is bold, this is what the U is all about - fast, bold players. That’s the way we play the game.”  (CaneSport.com)

I’m not some crusty old codger who whines whenever something a little hip or outside the box is rolled out, but in this case, I’m playing the goofy card.  Why?  Because this particular color scheme makes Miami look an awful lot like Florida A&M:

You remember Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Story about Prince, when he said men used to mistake Shalamar’s Micki Free for being a woman?  Something similar will happen on November 20 when casual fans glance at TV sets in sports bars across the country.

“Wow, FAMU is really hanging with Virginia Tech today, this is gonna be a hell of an upset!  But why the hell is FAMU even playing Virginia Tech?”

Mormons and Catholics unite in independence

In a move we knew was pretty much inevitable, BYU’s newly independent football program has inked a deal with staunchly independent Notre Dame to play a six-game series that Baptists won’t give two shits about.

Not to be outdone by their Catholic brothers in South Bend, Boston College has announced that they have signed a six-game women’s soccer series with BYU-Hawaii.  At this rate, HBO’s “Big Love” will have a storyline that has the Henricksons (all wives included) vacationing in Vatican City.

Wow, this new college sports landscape sure does make for strange bedfellows.  But here’s a union that’s not so strange: BYU and ESPN.

The two sides have entered into a agreement whereby ESPN gets exclusive rights to BYU home football games across all its channels from 2011 through 2018.

It’s a solid deal that guarantees BYU visibility while the school navigates the waters of independence.  However, it’s not the massive windfall that some predicted would happen if the school kept all its games on its own BYUtv network.

Also, the deal doesn’t mean that BYU will get showcased on ESPN the way Notre Dame sits front and center on NBC.  The terms of the agreement say that in contests where BYU is the designated home team, an annual minimum of three games will be on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC, with those games being broadcast on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays.

There is also an annual minimum of one game on ESPNU with ESPN3 and ESPN GamePlan having the right to simulcast any ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC telecast involving BYU.

So in years where a few of BYU’s juicier games might be on the road, ESPN could opt to only show the Cougars four times the entire season, and not necessarily in the choicest time slots.  BYUtv would pick up the other games that ESPN bypasses.  Like I said, this isn’t the tulips and lollipops scenario that some people told me would come to pass.

But in the end, BYU is way ahead of where it was with that crappy TV payout the Mountain West was giving its teams (but not making SEC or Big 10 money).  So far in this evolving realignment saga, BYU has come out looking pretty damn good.

« Previous Page — Next Page »