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Capping College Football Notes- Add em if ya got em!
Concerning Senior Ladened Football Teams!
College football is a far different game than the National Football League on many different levels.
The age and experience of the players is one of the most obvious differences between the two sports. A 22-year old senior is a far different football player than an 18 or 19 year old freshman. Compare that to a more physically mature 23-year old vs. a four year NFL veteran at age 27 or 28, whose biggest asset now is the knowledge of the pro game.
Each year in college football a hand full of teams that had relatively lower expectations come together and catch the sport by surprise, often in large part to a deep senior class or a large contingent of upperclassmen.
In the ACC, Maryland is picked to finish fourth or fifth in the Atlantic division under head coach Ralph Freidgen. After a pair of 5-6 campaigns, the Terps bounced back with nine win season, including win over Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl 24-7.
On offense, eight starters return including an offensive line that will be among the best in the ACC. The big thing for Maryland is a total of eight senior starters are back, to be meshed with the seven other juniors who are now upperclassmen. This gives Freidgen a lot of veteran leadership while he breaks in junior Jordan Steffy at quarterback.
Behind the starters are eight more juniors and seniors on the two deep roster that can step right in should injuries occur. If Steffy comes through as the Terrapins signal caller, another nine win season and contending team in so-so ACC could be in Maryland immediate future.
Most of the discussion in the Big 12 revolves around Texas and Oklahoma and it should since these are the two most talented squads in the conference. Nebraska and Missouri are an afterthought in the North division, with those two clubs being the top picks in that division.
The Cornhuskers being good would not be shocking, however the possibility exists for a memorable season, and harkening back to the Tom Osbourne years. Three years ago, most people thought Bill Callahan was crazy choice for coach, who wanted a passing offense in Lincoln. Nebraska had been one of the best rushing teams in the country for almost four decades and now the Huskers were magically going to start passing the ball.
Callahan understood the pro game and knew he needed better athletes to come into the heartland. Nebraska may have only 11 starters back from a nine win team, but as many as 13 will be seniors starters, including transfer quarterback Sam Keller who understands a thing or two about the passing game having played at Arizona State. Only two sophomores are projected starters, meaning this will be a deep, veteran squad. This could be a banner year in Lincoln with double digit wins.
For a decade (1994-2003), coach Sonny Lubick had Colorado State a constant Mountain West title contender and real pain in the rear end to BCS schools when they matched up. (Ask Colorado) The last three seasons have seen the Rams fall on harder times with 14-21 record, including 4-8 season a year ago.
Lubick determined he and the team had gone soft and with 18 starters back, it was not a time to sit back. Spring practice was full contact with pads for the first time since Lubick arrived in Fort Collins. He will be looking to this senior class that has not lived up to expectations to go out with a bang. A dozen starters are seniors with at least four more part of the two deep roster. Seven other starters are juniors, meaning desire, not experience is the only issue.
Having Kyle Bell back at running game is a confidence builder and a much more physical defense will help prevent a late season meltdown. Colorado State has not won the Mountain West since 2002 and probably will not this year either, but a bowl bid and feeling of accomplishment are likely very much in store for the 70-year old Lubick seeking redemption.
One team that could well go the other way is the defending national champions, the Florida Gators. The talent level in Gainesville will not take a severe hit, in spite of losing a ton to the NFL. Able bodied replacements are more then excited to step right in and coach Urban Meyer’s record speaks for itself even in such a short time as a head coach. Nevertheless, only a dozen starters figure to be seniors and juniors (fewest in the SEC) and the two deep roster might have less then half that backing them up.
This might be a very good team by the end of November, but with Tennessee at home, Georgia in Jacksonville, plus trips to LSU, South Carolina and tricky one in Kentucky, before facing Florida State, the Over 9.5 win total at Bookmaker.com is no sure bet this season.
College football is a far different game than the National Football League on many different levels.
The age and experience of the players is one of the most obvious differences between the two sports. A 22-year old senior is a far different football player than an 18 or 19 year old freshman. Compare that to a more physically mature 23-year old vs. a four year NFL veteran at age 27 or 28, whose biggest asset now is the knowledge of the pro game.
Each year in college football a hand full of teams that had relatively lower expectations come together and catch the sport by surprise, often in large part to a deep senior class or a large contingent of upperclassmen.
In the ACC, Maryland is picked to finish fourth or fifth in the Atlantic division under head coach Ralph Freidgen. After a pair of 5-6 campaigns, the Terps bounced back with nine win season, including win over Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl 24-7.
On offense, eight starters return including an offensive line that will be among the best in the ACC. The big thing for Maryland is a total of eight senior starters are back, to be meshed with the seven other juniors who are now upperclassmen. This gives Freidgen a lot of veteran leadership while he breaks in junior Jordan Steffy at quarterback.
Behind the starters are eight more juniors and seniors on the two deep roster that can step right in should injuries occur. If Steffy comes through as the Terrapins signal caller, another nine win season and contending team in so-so ACC could be in Maryland immediate future.
Most of the discussion in the Big 12 revolves around Texas and Oklahoma and it should since these are the two most talented squads in the conference. Nebraska and Missouri are an afterthought in the North division, with those two clubs being the top picks in that division.
The Cornhuskers being good would not be shocking, however the possibility exists for a memorable season, and harkening back to the Tom Osbourne years. Three years ago, most people thought Bill Callahan was crazy choice for coach, who wanted a passing offense in Lincoln. Nebraska had been one of the best rushing teams in the country for almost four decades and now the Huskers were magically going to start passing the ball.
Callahan understood the pro game and knew he needed better athletes to come into the heartland. Nebraska may have only 11 starters back from a nine win team, but as many as 13 will be seniors starters, including transfer quarterback Sam Keller who understands a thing or two about the passing game having played at Arizona State. Only two sophomores are projected starters, meaning this will be a deep, veteran squad. This could be a banner year in Lincoln with double digit wins.
For a decade (1994-2003), coach Sonny Lubick had Colorado State a constant Mountain West title contender and real pain in the rear end to BCS schools when they matched up. (Ask Colorado) The last three seasons have seen the Rams fall on harder times with 14-21 record, including 4-8 season a year ago.
Lubick determined he and the team had gone soft and with 18 starters back, it was not a time to sit back. Spring practice was full contact with pads for the first time since Lubick arrived in Fort Collins. He will be looking to this senior class that has not lived up to expectations to go out with a bang. A dozen starters are seniors with at least four more part of the two deep roster. Seven other starters are juniors, meaning desire, not experience is the only issue.
Having Kyle Bell back at running game is a confidence builder and a much more physical defense will help prevent a late season meltdown. Colorado State has not won the Mountain West since 2002 and probably will not this year either, but a bowl bid and feeling of accomplishment are likely very much in store for the 70-year old Lubick seeking redemption.
One team that could well go the other way is the defending national champions, the Florida Gators. The talent level in Gainesville will not take a severe hit, in spite of losing a ton to the NFL. Able bodied replacements are more then excited to step right in and coach Urban Meyer’s record speaks for itself even in such a short time as a head coach. Nevertheless, only a dozen starters figure to be seniors and juniors (fewest in the SEC) and the two deep roster might have less then half that backing them up.
This might be a very good team by the end of November, but with Tennessee at home, Georgia in Jacksonville, plus trips to LSU, South Carolina and tricky one in Kentucky, before facing Florida State, the Over 9.5 win total at Bookmaker.com is no sure bet this season.
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