Fearle$$ football picks: It's time - Jayhawks (+5) vs. Iowa State

I began the 2012 season with $50 of Monopoly money, and plan to fake bet a fake $10 spot on five college/pro games against the line to see how smart I am. Last season, I was plus $110. This season ...

Gitt'n' it done! Slayed 'em last week. Eat it, haters! I was 4-1. I am now a very impressive plus $90 for the season. Time to get back to work.

Last week's results:
1. Texas A&M at Alabama (-13.5) AGGIES. WIN
2. Baylor at Oklahoma (-21.5) SOONERS. LOSS
3. Arkansas at South Carolina (-14). SPURRIER. WIN
4. Oakland Raiders at Baltimore Ravens (-7.5). RAVENS. WIN
5. Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at NO Saints. SAINTS. WIN 

This week's picks
1. Arkansas at Miss State (-6). BULLDOGS. State hasn't looked as good lately but the Hogs are done.
2. Iowa State (-5) at Kansas. JAYHAWKS. Charlie Weis is getting so close to a real win.
3. Kansas State (-12.5) at Baylor. CATS. Too physical & now way to determined.
4. Cleveland Browns at Dallas Cowboys (-7.5). COWBOYS. Just no faith in Browns.
5. Indy Colts at New Engand Patriots (-9). PATS. Time for Colts to taste a little reality.

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Dispelling the University of Texas QB myth

From the Things My Little Brain Can't Comprehend File - The University of Texas continued inability to land the Grade A quarterbacks. Or at least the following ...

Andrew Luck - Stanford 
Robert Griffin III - Baylor
Chase Daniel - Missouri
Graham Harrell - Texas Tech
Andy Dalton - TCU
Kevin Kolb - Houston
Todd Reesing - Kansas (OK, I'm a KU grad so I had to throw this one in here)
Now add to the list Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M

Since Mack Brown arrived in Austin in 1998 to effectively turn the University of Texas into Wal Mart, he has established himself as one of the best recruiters in the country. Mommies and daddies love them some Mack.

There is growing sentiment that he has not landed consistently landed the best players at the most valuable spot. It's simply not entirely true.

Since Mack arrived he has had ...
Major Applewhite
Chris Simms
Chance Mock
Vince Young
Colt McCoy
Garrett Gilbert
David Ash

These guys aren't stiffs.

Much of the perception that UT has whiffed on QB's would be dramatically different had Simms' UT career arced just a bit higher, and Gilbert developed into the player so many thought he would. One Division I head coach told me of Gilbert that after he arrived to college "this was not the same player (he) saw in high school."

Mack has found good quarterbacks, two of which were outstanding (VY, Colt). The problem for Mack is that while he lands the best recruiting classes in the country, QBs from all around him routinely go elsewhere and to win Heisman trophies.

The Horns are 8-2 and sophomore QB David Ash has passed for 2,354 yards with 17 TDs and 5 INTs. Hardly horrible. Much like Colt McCoy, Ash does appear to be at least developing.

It is, however, really hard to look good when you aren't RGIII, Luck or Johnny Football.

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Big 12 is case study of parity (mediocrity?), and entertainment

If Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein's mysterious upperbody/lowerbody/left side/right side injury is actually serious enough to prevent him from playing the Big 12 is suddenly just experiencing a down season.

Assuming Klein is healthy and the Wildcats win their next three games - at TCU, at Baylor and home vs. Texas - to finish the regular season 12-0 and 9-0 in conference call it a great season for the Big 12. The Cats will either be in the Fake National Title game, or be the poor little team that gets screwed in this "very fair" process.

The No. 3 (AP poll) Wildcats will play TCU in Fort Worth on Saturday at 6 p.m.

What we have here in this first season of this revamped conference is little like originally projected. Here is the 2012 poll as selected by the media that covers the league, and the current standings:

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH ...... ACTUAL STANDINGS
1. Oklahoma (32) ...............       Kansas State (9-0, 6-0)
2. West Virginia (7) ................. Oklahoma (6-2, 4-1)
3. Texas .............................  Texas (7-2, 4-2)
4. Oklahoma State .................. Oklahoma State (5-3, 3-2)
5. TCU (1) ............................ Texas Tech (6-3, 3-3)
6. Kansas State (1) .................. TCU (6-3, 3-3)
7. Baylor ............................. West Virginia (5-3, 2-3)
8. Iowa State ........................ Iowa State (5-4, 2-4)
9. Texas Tech ....................... Baylor (4-4, 1-4)
10. Kansas  ........................... Kansas (1-8, 0-6)

Kansas State has been dramatically better than every other opponent. Oklahoma has been just good enough to be second while the rest are eating each other alive.

Just when Texas Tech looked as if it would secure itself as the third-best team, the Red Raiders pooped down their pants and lose at home against a Texas team that once again is disappointing.

Only Kansas, which somehow is going to win fewer games under first-year coach Charlie Weis than it did last season under Turner Gil, was the only predcitable variable with its consistent suckage.

By season's end the Big 12's third place finisher is not going to look that much different than seventh, or eighth.

Outsiders will say the league is down. Big 12 proponents, and coaches, will say this reflects parity. 

Whatever the case, it is highly, highly entertaining.

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Gary Patterson to his quarterback - "You're not Dan Marino"

FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU football coach Gary Patterson said that he thinks freshman quarterback Trevone Boykin will play against West Virginia on Saturday in Morgantown. Boykin left TCU's game at Oklahoma State late after he suffered what appeared to be a knee injury.

Assuming Boykin does play, Patterson wants to see more of his quarterback running the ball. This is not the NFL. In college, running quarterbacks don't suffer a quick death, and can win big (see Kansas State & QB Collin Klein).

"One of his assets is he can run," Patterson said. "When it's not there, you're not ... Dan Marino. You are a redshirt freshman quarterback."

Boykin is completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 1,122 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has rushed for 334 yards, an average of 3.8 yards per carry. Hardly horrid.

If there is any advantage to Trevone Boykin over Casey Pachall - and this is a reach - it is Boykin's ability to run. Pachall really couldn't. Alas, there is no advantage if Boykin does not actually run.

Patterson wants to see Boykin out of the pocket a bit more, passing, or running. 

"Don't do anything fantastic; don't be bad. Manage the game," Patterson said. "What you want is a junior Trevone Boykin not a freshman Trevone Boykin.

Boykin is listed at 6-foot-2, which may be generous, and he does not have the classic over-the-top motion. He has had a few passes knocked down, which Patterson said he does not think is as a result of a sometimes three-quarters angle Boykin uses. Patterson said the teams that have given Boykin trouble have height in their front seven.

"People have been on (SD Chargers QB) Philip Rivers' butt since he started; I think he's been in the Pro Bowl," Patterson said. "Everybody is different. His motion was OK against Texas Tech.  When you have a wall of people coming at you, you can't put the ball ... you have to know your own strengths and weaknesses. You have to be able to change things and do things differently."

 

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It's official: The North finally caught the South in Big 12 football

As a Kansas Jayhawk undergrad grad, this aggrivates me no end but massive kudos to the Kansas State Wildcat football program for daring to be better than Nebraska.

Perhaps because they never had the chance, but the Wildcats never played the victim card as members of the Big 12 and ran east to play its equally slow-footed members of the Big 10 like the University of Nebraska did.

Instead, Kansas State just got better and now have officially become the best team in the Big 12 conference. The Big 12 is  no longer split by North/South regions, but the Wildcats are proof you don't have to live in Texas, or be bordered by Texas, to win this league.

Since the league was formed in 1996, the North won the conference title game a total of four times, and not once since 2003. (The league dropped the title game last year).

The conference that was born out of football and all but catered to its members in the south - Texas, Oklahoma - now is officially looking up at Kansas State.

Texas Tech got run out of the state by Kansas State over the weekend.
Had Texas played any other team but Kansas on Saturday the Horns would have lost.
Oklahoma is in denial.
Iowa State is Iowa State.
Baylor and Oklahoma State are both rebuilding.
TCU is too young, and not nearly deep enough.
West Virginia has to at least fake defense before it can become a serious threat.

The Wildcats host No. 24 Oklahoma State on Nov. 3 before traveling to TCU and Baylor and finishing the season on Dec. 1 at home against No. 23 Texas.

The Wildcats should have the Coach of the Year in Bill Snyder and the Heisman winner in QB Collin Klein. If all continues to go according to plan, the Wildcats will be the team to reach the BCS title game for the right to get crushed by Alabama.

The Wildcats may be boring led by their boring head coach, but they do deserve credit.

 

 

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Baylor football coach stands by his embattled defensive coordinator

Do not expect Baylor football coach Art Briles to dump defensive coordinator Phil Bennett any time soon. He is not going to make any changes in season.

Bennett will remain Baylor's defensive coordinator in the face of historically bad numbers.

I asked Briles on the Big 12 media conference call on Monday morning if he has full faith in Bennett to coach his defense and make the necessary improvements.

“Yes. I certainly do,” Briles said.

The Bears rank last in the FBS level in total defense, allowing 553.17 yards per game. They are giving up an average of 6.51 yards per play on defense. Generally, those are the types of numbers that don’t help your football team win football games on the football field.

Of the many problems this defense has had start with 3^rd downs – the Bears defense is allowing opposing offenses to convert at a 63 percent rate.

"We’re certainly depleted a little bit depth wise, no doubt. That’s a concern," Briles said. "What we have to do is play better. We have to get off the field on third downs, that is the most critical factor for us. That has been a thorn for us this season."

The Bears are 3-3, and have lost three straight games where they have allowed 63, 49 and 50 points, respectively.

Public Enemy No. 1 in this Bear bomb is Bennett, who is in his second season in Waco.

Bennett is like any other coach or coordinator – he can do a fine job if he has players. Baylor doesn’t have enough defensive talent.

Bennett has been a defensive coordinator since 1984 when he was with Iowa State. Below are each of Bennett’s season as a defensive coordinator, the team’s national defensive ranking, and their overall record.

Iowa State defensive coordinator
1984: 17^th out of 110 (2-7-2)
1985: NCAA does not have this ranking outside of the top 20 (5-6)
1986: NCAA does not have this ranking outside of the top 20 (6-5)

Purdue defensive coordinator
1987: NCAA does not have this ranking outside of the top 20 (3-7-1) 
1988: NCAA does not have this ranking outside of the top 20 (4-7)
1989: 67^th out of 106 (3-8)
1990: 71^st out of 106 (2-9)

LSU defensive coordinator
1994: 11^th out of 107 (4-7)

Texas A&M defensive coordinator
1995: 3^rd out of 108 (9-3)
1996: 33^rd out of 111 (6-6)

TCU defensive coordinator
1997: 49^th out of 112 (1-10)

Kansas State defensive coordinator
1999: 2^nd out of 114 (10-1)
2000: 4^th out of 114 (10-3)
2001: 3^rd out of 115 (6-5)

Pittsburgh defensive coordinator
2007: 5^th out of 119 (5-7)
2008: 27^th out of 119 (9-4)
2009: 23^rd out of 120 (10-3)
2010: 8^th out of 120 (8-5)

Baylor defensive coordinator
2011: 116^th out of 120 (10-3)
2012: 120^th out of 120 (3-3)

Give Bennett players and the Baylor defense will be fine. Alas, this does not mean he won't be fired in the offseason.

 

 

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Fearle$$ football predictions: LSU (-3.5) vs. Aggies is a winner

The Big Mac Blog returns with more football predictions. When we last left this segment I was bathing in imaginary riches. I began the 2011 season with $50 of Monopoly money, and by season's end I was plus $100. Cash.

Last week I started out 2-0 only to be done in by Norv Turner to finish 2-3. I am now plus $40 for the season.
The results:
1. Oklahoma (-3.5) v. Texas in Dallas. SOONERS. WIN
2. Alabama (-21) at Missouri. TIDE. WIN
3. West Virginia (-4) at Texas Tech. WVA. LOSS
4. Buffalo Bills at Arizona Cardinals (-4.5). CARDS. LOSS
5. Denver Broncos at SD Chargers (-1.5) CHARGERS. LOSS   

This week's picks:
1. Stanford (-3) at California. TREE. Big come back after a kick-in-the-teeth loss at Notre Dame.
2. Purdue at Ohio State (-19). BUCKEYES. Los Boilermakers es mas terrible.
3. LSU (-3.5) at Texas A&M. TIGERS. Johnny Ball, meet LSU's defense.
4. Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts (-2.5). COLTS. Bounce back week for Luck.
5. Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans (-6.5). TEXANS. The Cowboys pumped the prime on a large Ravens' loss.

An exciting new addition to this post has thus far been a work in progress. A long time bookie, "Zliff", rebounded last week with a 3-1 performance. He is so far is 6-5 in his lock picks.

1. LSU at Texas A&M over/under 52 points: OVER 
2. South Carolina at Florida (-3.5). GATORS
3. Texas Tech (-1.5) at TCU. HORNED FROGS

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The last time Texas Tech visited Ft. Worth (as conference rivals) 34 teams claimed a share of the SWC title

Most - OK, all - of the players involved in the upcoming TCU/Texas Tech football game are too young to recall the last time the Red Raiders visited Fort Worth as conference rivals. Even the players who were actually alive at the time were smart enough to realize that on Nov. 25, 1994 the Southwest Conference sucked.

Texas Tech needed to defeat TCU that afternoon to win the SWC outright. Instead, TCU won and 34 teams could claim a share of the Southwest Conference title that season.

In front of 43,219 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Tech and QB Zebbie Lethridge took a 17-16 lead late in the fourth quarter before they blew it. TCU was led by QB Max Knake and RB Andre Davis; the Frogs scored a late TD to secure a 24-17 win.

It was TCU's first share of SWC title since 1959. The win all but ensured TCU would be invited to the Independence Bowl, and for a brief time convinced TCU people that head coach Pat Sullivan's tenure was going to work out.

Tech finished 6-5 and went to the Cotton Bowl.

This is my favorite part: Texas, TCU, Rice, Baylor, Texas Tech all claimed a share of the SWC title.

 

 

 

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TCU, Baylor, etc. wants to keep people in the stands? Follow UTEP's lead

The college game day atmosphere is the "place to be on Saturdays", but in our hyper competitive society with decreasing attention spans people now need a draw to come back to watch the games they paid a ticket to enjoy from the seat rather than the parking lot.

A potential solution? Beer.

On Tuesday afternoon UTEP announced that it will implement the sale of beer at home football games and home basketball games at the venues that are owned and operated by the univeristy. UTEP will begin sales of beer beginning with its home game on Saturday against Tulane.

You have to think one of the primary reasons fans leave the games for the halftime tailgate scene is the chance the drink without having to hide it. We all know fans smuggle in a little container of something to mix in with their Diet Coke (don't want those calories). 

With athletic departments searching for any additional way to increase revenue, selling beer is not a final step but an inevitable one to sell tickets.

“That’s obviously part of the equation here.  We will see.  We will see how ticket sales react to this," said UTEP executive vice president Ricardo Adauto III in a press conference on Tuesday. "And we hope it does.  And hopefully Saturday night will be a nice night, people will want to come out and we’ll see how this works."

Prediction: A lot of schools have embraced selling beer in suites, or in a designated beer garden, but general beer sales to the rest of the stadium in university-owned venues has been mostly verbotten.
It will take a while, but expect that within the next 10 years most college football and men's basketball games will sell beer so fans can enjoy watching their favorite amateur sports team.

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Former Baylor coach Grant Teaff recalls before Dick Vitale & Lee Corso there was Beano Cook

What Dick Vitale did for the growth of college basketball, Beano Cook did the same thing for college football. Although Cook was not nearly as visible on TV as he aged in the last few years, his impact on the game he loved so much is undeniable.

Today, Carroll H. "Beano" Cook died. Click here for the story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He was 81.

My most distinct memories of Cook are his passionate rants about the greatness of Notre Dame, and quarterback Ron Pawlus, who was going to win five Heisman trophies.

I called former Baylor head coach and current American Football Coaches Association president Grant Teaff to discuss Cook's legacy:

Grant Teaff: "I don't know many folks that didn't know Beano. He had been around a long time. I would go into the meetings and there was Beano. For several years, he was a pretty good fixture and an influence in college football."

The Big Mac Blog: How did he influence it?
Grant Teaff: It seemed he was always around and involved in various ways and knew everybody. That was the thing that struck me. He was engaging and very unassuming. I had a lot of people who said that Beano had a big effect in the growth in college football.

The Big Mac Blog: Was he Dick Vitale for college football?
Grant Teaff: That's it. He kinda created an image of college football and a respect for it. Because of the uniqueness of his background and his vernaculare and he had a way of making all of us in the coaching profession feeling very comfortable. 

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