No need to fear; I am here

Sporting News, The, July 21, 2006 by Matt Hayes

When I was young, we used to play the If I Were ... game. If I Were ... Underdog, I'd have more than one place to hide my special vitamin pill and I'd take it before Simon Bar Sinister knocked me silly and had Sweet Polly Purebred strapped to the railroad tracks.

So in the spirit of the humble, lovable Shoeshine Boy, If I Were ... ... Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, I'd realize that I had Herschel Walker in my backfield. I'm all for using some spread principles here and there as a changeup. But when you have a tailback with Adrian Peterson's size, speed and vision, stop fooling around with misdirection garbage, put a powerful lead-blocking fullback in front of him and hand away.

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... a Notre Dame junkie, I'd be more than a little concerned about that season opener at Georgia Tech. The Irish don't have a corner with the speed and physical attitude to match up with Tech wideout Calvin Johnson, and it's not going to matter whether he's double-teamed. And another thing: Erratic but talented senior quarterback Reggie Ball could have a huge game.

... Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer, I'd sell my coaching soul to win that first game against a very good Cal team. Momentum--good or bad--is contagious.

... a betting man, I'd lay a few sawbucks down on Clemson's winning the ACC--and maybe much more. Quarterback Will Proctor is a first-year starter but also a fifth-year senior who will play with poise. The Tigers play at Boston College and Florida State in the second and third weeks of the season. Split those and they'll win the Atlantic Division. Win both and they'll be in the desert in January.

... still betting, I'd take a look at Arizona. The Cats will scare the bejesus out of LSU in Week 2--and eventually win eight games.

... the engraver for the Heisman Trophy, I'd get out the Bush template for one more run. Louisville is not going to lose, and ubertalented 250-pound tailback Mike Bush is in the best shape of his career.

... any conference commissioner, I'd feel free to loot from any other league without repercussion. The final bill for legal fees was recently tallied for Connecticut, Rutgers, West Virginia and Pittsburgh for defending the Big East from the ACC's raid. Each paid $2.3 million to watch attorneys make $750 an hour--after getting $1 million each last year in a settlement. You do the math. (Psssst, Mr. Weiberg: Arkie would look really good in your Big 12's South Division.)

... a BCS bigwig, I'd feel fairly confident no non-BCS team is going to knock the postseason sideways with an improbable unbeaten season. TCU--if it beats Texas Tech at home September 16--has the best chance. Everyone else is going to need a whole lotta help from the lovable Shoeshine Boy.

Who doesn't love Underdogs?

INSIDE DISH

Penn State offensive coordinator Galen Hall met with the Texas staff before last season to find a better way to use QB Michael Robinson in the spread option. Obviously, it worked. So this past February, Hall met with Indianapolis quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell to discuss how the Colts use the shotgun to take advantage of Peyton Manning's talent and--to a lesser extent--how it works despite Manning's lack of mobility. First-year starter Anthony Morelli is a strong-armed pocket passer, and the coaches are emphasizing sliding, moving and buying protection time in the pocket. > West Virginia QB Pat White is a preseason All-American contender, and he'll be on all the Heisman Trophy lists. Yet here's the most distinguishing indication of his worth to the Mountaineers: With all of five career starts, the sophomore has been organizing and leading the team's summer workouts. And to think, two years am Auburn wanted White to play wideout or defensive back. > Lost among the hype of California coach Jeff Tedford's adding some spread option principles to his offense: A once-shaky line now looks formidable after a few offseason developments. Mammoth OT Mike Tepper has returned after missing all of 2005 with a leg injury, and OT Andrew Cameron, one of the Pac-10's top young talents in 2004 before leaving the team last season because of multiple injuries, says he will return. G Tyler Krieg, a two-year starter at Duke before graduating this year, will play his final season at Cal under the new NCAA graduate transfer policy. RB Marshawn Lynch's chances for a Heisman run look better and better.

(S) BLOG ALERT

'Purdue has fallen. Can it get back up?'

Read Tom Dienhart's diagnosis of what ails the Boilermakers at sportingnews.com.

Matt Hayes

mhayes@spotingnews.com

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No need to fear; I am here

Sporting News, The, July 21, 2006 by Matt Hayes

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