Big 12: Mark Ingram
Richardson tops solid Heisman quintet
December, 5, 2011
12/05/11
9:10
PM ET
By
Mark Schlabach | ESPN.com
My Heisman Trophy ballot has changed every week for the last couple of months.
I'm not surprised there are more than three players going to the trophy presentation.
Five players were invited to New York for Saturday night's Heisman Trophy presentation -- quarterbacks Andrew Luck of Stanford and Robert Griffin III of Baylor, tailbacks Montee Ball of Wisconsin and Trent Richardson of Alabama and cornerback Tyrann Mathieu of LSU.
It's a shame the Heisman Trust didn't have room for three more quarterbacks because Houston's Case Keenum, USC's Matt Barkley and Boise State's Kellen Moore were just as deserving.
With five finalists going to New York, it figures to be one of the closer votes in recent Heisman Trophy history.
The closest vote in Heisman Trophy history came just two years ago, when Alabama tailback Mark Ingram edged Stanford's Toby Gerhart by only 28 points. Ingram received 227 first-place votes, Gerhart got 222 and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, the second runner-up, received 203.
Given the number of finalists and their geographical regions, we could have another really close finish on Saturday night.
Luck, the runner-up to Auburn's Cam Newton last season, entered the 2011 season as the Heisman Trophy favorite. His performance didn't slip much this season, as he completed 70 percent of his passes for 3,170 yards with 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
I still feel Luck might be the most valuable player on any team in the country. Without him, there's no way the Cardinal is ranked No. 4 in the country and playing No. 3 Oklahoma State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Luck has done more with less, as Stanford lacks the game-changing playmakers that other teams have.
But Luck might still be the second-best quarterback in New York. Griffin, who is widely known as RG3, completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 3,998 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 644 yards with nine touchdowns.
Without him, the Bears wouldn't have beaten TCU, Oklahoma and Texas. Griffin's one drawback: He had a late interception that sealed the Bears' fate in a 36-35 loss at Kansas State on Oct. 1 and threw two picks in a 59-24 loss at Oklahoma State on Oct. 29. But with everything else RG3 has done this season, it's easy to give him a mulligan for the miscues.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesRunning back Trent Richardson has been at his best in Alabama's biggest games.Ball has been a scoring machine for the No. 10 Badgers this season, running for 1,759 yards with 32 touchdown runs and six touchdown receptions. His 38 total touchdowns are one shy of matching former Oklahoma State running back Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season record of 39 set in 11 games in 1988. Ball's production helped lead the Badgers to a Jan. 2 date against Oregon in the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO.
Mathieu fell off my ballot after he was suspended from playing in the Tigers' 45-10 victory over Auburn on Oct. 22 for smoking synthetic marijuana. But his big plays helped the Tigers overcome deficits in each of their last two victories, over Arkansas and Georgia in the SEC championship game.
Mathieu -- aka the "Honey Badger" -- is the best player on the top-ranked team. He leads the Tigers with 70 tackles and has forced six fumbles and recovered five. He also is the most dynamic punt returner I've seen since Florida State's Deion Sanders. Mathieu has scored four touchdowns -- two on fumble returns and two on punt returns.
To penalize Mathieu for one foolish mistake wouldn't have been right. After all, Newton was briefly ruled ineligible at Auburn last season and 2010 Heisman Trophy finalist LaMichael James of Oregon was suspended from playing in last season's opener.
Mailbag: Best WRs, coaches and co-champs
March, 4, 2011
3/04/11
3:00
PM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Thanks once again for all the questions. Lots of good ones this week. I hope you all enjoy the weekend.
Aaron in Denver, Colo., asks: DU, what are the chances that Murray gets put in a slot receiver roll in the NFL? Would he really be better as a back? Also, I already voted for him to be on the cover of EA's NCAA Football 2012!
David Ubben: I don't think we'll ever see him moved to a full-time slot receiver, but his ability as a pass-catcher certainly boosts his draft stock. If you're paying X amount for a player, you want to make sure you're getting your money's worth. Not many backs are as talented in the passing game as Murray. Wherever he ends up, it would be a mistake for that team not to give him some time in the slot. In this era of the NFL, every team is going to have more than one capable back (or at least should), and putting Murray in the slot and a second running back in the backfield is a good way to get talent on the field. Lots of NFL teams do that.
And as for your voting, I'm sure he appreciates it. It looks like he's been campaigning pretty hard on Twitter.
GTCat in Tonganoxie, Kan., asks: If you had to already pick a big 12 player as the face of NEXT year's NCAA football video game cover, who would it be? Blackmon? Bryce Brown?
DU: Interesting question. If you want to talk raw credentials and talent, Blackmon is a good call, but a big part of the game is name recognition and helping sell the game. Nick Fairley had enough press in his only year on the field to get the recognition, but the others up for consideration are two four-year starters/contributors in Murray and Jake Locker and a Heisman winner in Mark Ingram.
So from a name recognition standpoint, a four-year player from a perennial power like Ryan Broyles at Oklahoma would probably be a good call.
Joe in Denver, Colo. asks: Brandon Weeden posted a picture of his Big 12 South Championship ring on Twitter this week. What are your thoughts on co-champions or even claiming division championships?
DU: I don't have a problem with what Weeden did, or others who showcase the hardware the conference gives out, but I hate that the conference gives out hardware to everyone with a share of the division title. This isn't junior high where there aren't any tiebreakers and everybody is a co-regional district area neighborhood champion. I watched a Big 12 championship game with two teams in it this year.
And by handing out the trophies, which sure, players earned, you put schools in awkward positions. If a school proclaims itself a division champion when it didn't play in the title game, they're going to catch flack from opposing fans and programs and have a mild PR problem. That's just the way it's going to be.
If they don't acknowledge or celebrate it, it's a bit of a slap in the face to both the conference and the players who helped earn the trophies and rings. It's nice for programs and players to be given recognition for their efforts during the year, but are you aware that the Big 12 handed out FIVE divisional champion trophies for football this year? Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M all got them. That's absurd.
So please, Big 12: Next year, just hand out one set of rings and one trophy for the team at the top of the heap.
Tyler in Eden Prairie, Minn. writes: What a dirty trick, Ubben. Well played, sir. Well played.
- All of Nebraska
DU: Just keeping the Huskers on their toes.
Hob Howell in Waco, Texas, asks: I believe that Robert Griffin III remains the key ingredient in the Bears hopes for more wins next season. However, the Bears return all 5 of their top recievers, and two of them have a chance at All-Conference seasons (Kendall Wright and Josh Gordon). Their depth at WR impresses me; do you think this could be one of the most explosive and talented WR corps in the conference, if not the nation?
DU: I definitely agree that Wright and Gordon have a great chance to be All-Big 12 players next season, but Baylor's receivers on the whole aren't quite on the level with what Texas A&M, Oklahoma State or Oklahoma will be putting on the field this year.
Nick in NE asks: David, Just a little heads-up that Eric Crouch of Nebraska was featured on a cover for a 2002 NCAA Football game. I believe it was the one by 2K Sports. All I remember is my wife had that game for her GameCube when I met her in college.
DU: A different game franchise, but good to know. She sounds like a keeper, by the way.
Gerry in Columbia, Mo., asks: With all the hype Blaine Gabbert has gotten heading into the NFL Draft, the big question everyone seems to be asking is how Missouri will replace him. I find it interesting that no one wants to talk about how Missouri will replace their five departing starters on defense, including three of four defensive backs. People forget that it was Missouri's 6th-ranked scoring defense that carried the team this year, rather than the offense, as is usually the case. Anyway, just wanted to know how you see Missouri's defense shaping up over the course of the spring.
DU: They may have some trouble, but I look at what Missouri did last year with so many injuries already in the secondary and at linebacker. I don't think you can say enough about what defensive coordinator Dave Steckel did to get those guys ready despite a revolving door at the second line of the defense especially. The Tigers even played without a likely first-round pick in DE Aldon Smith for a good percentage of the year, and when he returned, he wasn't quite himself.
Steckel's an experienced coach, but this is only this third year as a coordinator at the major college level, and in my opinion, he's already established himself as one of the best coordinators in the league. Last year was really, really impressive, and outside of Brent Venables and Tim DeRuyter, I'm not sure anyone's done a better job than Steckel as a defensive coordinator, shoring up a defense that had historically been a weakness for the Tigers. He'll get a big test this year, but like Missouri's offense did with Chase Daniel at quarterback, big picture, the defense turned a corner in 2010.
Baron in Lubbock, Texas, asks: DU, I'm sure you've had a chance to make it to every big 12 stadium this past season. Rank the best gameday atmospheres based on your experiences. Thanks!
DU: I get asked that a lot, but I've got you covered.
Jimmy in Haysville, Kan., asks: So, do you think if Norman was as "loud" as Nebraska or Texas A&M, OU could lose as many games at home as those teams do? I'm sure both of those teams would trade their loud crowds for OU's home record any day of the week.
DU: This came up in our chat this week, but here's the fact of the matter: It's not like Owen Field is a peaceful oasis on game day, but it's not Death Valley either. Could, just maybe, Oklahoma's record at home compared to the Aggies and Huskers have more to do with the fact that the Sooners have been a whole lot better than Texas A&M and Nebraska over the last decade?
Any Oklahoma fan with a shred of self-awareness would willingly admit that the Sooners' remarkable current winning streak at home (36 games) and record under Bob Stoops (72-2) has a lot more to do with the teams Stoops is fielding every year than the fans making it a wholly intimidating atmosphere for opposing teams. They'll get up for big games like Texas Tech in 2008, but the atmosphere for pedestrian conference games like Colorado or Kansas State isn't anywhere close to where it can be. With the exception of this year against Florida State, when fans really sensed the winning streak could be on the line, they don't provide an elite atmosphere consistently. When they do, like in the Florida State and Tech games, the team responds. Clearly.
Aaron in Denver, Colo., asks: DU, what are the chances that Murray gets put in a slot receiver roll in the NFL? Would he really be better as a back? Also, I already voted for him to be on the cover of EA's NCAA Football 2012!
David Ubben: I don't think we'll ever see him moved to a full-time slot receiver, but his ability as a pass-catcher certainly boosts his draft stock. If you're paying X amount for a player, you want to make sure you're getting your money's worth. Not many backs are as talented in the passing game as Murray. Wherever he ends up, it would be a mistake for that team not to give him some time in the slot. In this era of the NFL, every team is going to have more than one capable back (or at least should), and putting Murray in the slot and a second running back in the backfield is a good way to get talent on the field. Lots of NFL teams do that.
And as for your voting, I'm sure he appreciates it. It looks like he's been campaigning pretty hard on Twitter.
GTCat in Tonganoxie, Kan., asks: If you had to already pick a big 12 player as the face of NEXT year's NCAA football video game cover, who would it be? Blackmon? Bryce Brown?
DU: Interesting question. If you want to talk raw credentials and talent, Blackmon is a good call, but a big part of the game is name recognition and helping sell the game. Nick Fairley had enough press in his only year on the field to get the recognition, but the others up for consideration are two four-year starters/contributors in Murray and Jake Locker and a Heisman winner in Mark Ingram.
So from a name recognition standpoint, a four-year player from a perennial power like Ryan Broyles at Oklahoma would probably be a good call.
Joe in Denver, Colo. asks: Brandon Weeden posted a picture of his Big 12 South Championship ring on Twitter this week. What are your thoughts on co-champions or even claiming division championships?
DU: I don't have a problem with what Weeden did, or others who showcase the hardware the conference gives out, but I hate that the conference gives out hardware to everyone with a share of the division title. This isn't junior high where there aren't any tiebreakers and everybody is a co-regional district area neighborhood champion. I watched a Big 12 championship game with two teams in it this year.
And by handing out the trophies, which sure, players earned, you put schools in awkward positions. If a school proclaims itself a division champion when it didn't play in the title game, they're going to catch flack from opposing fans and programs and have a mild PR problem. That's just the way it's going to be.
If they don't acknowledge or celebrate it, it's a bit of a slap in the face to both the conference and the players who helped earn the trophies and rings. It's nice for programs and players to be given recognition for their efforts during the year, but are you aware that the Big 12 handed out FIVE divisional champion trophies for football this year? Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M all got them. That's absurd.
So please, Big 12: Next year, just hand out one set of rings and one trophy for the team at the top of the heap.
Tyler in Eden Prairie, Minn. writes: What a dirty trick, Ubben. Well played, sir. Well played.
- All of Nebraska
DU: Just keeping the Huskers on their toes.
Hob Howell in Waco, Texas, asks: I believe that Robert Griffin III remains the key ingredient in the Bears hopes for more wins next season. However, the Bears return all 5 of their top recievers, and two of them have a chance at All-Conference seasons (Kendall Wright and Josh Gordon). Their depth at WR impresses me; do you think this could be one of the most explosive and talented WR corps in the conference, if not the nation?
DU: I definitely agree that Wright and Gordon have a great chance to be All-Big 12 players next season, but Baylor's receivers on the whole aren't quite on the level with what Texas A&M, Oklahoma State or Oklahoma will be putting on the field this year.
Nick in NE asks: David, Just a little heads-up that Eric Crouch of Nebraska was featured on a cover for a 2002 NCAA Football game. I believe it was the one by 2K Sports. All I remember is my wife had that game for her GameCube when I met her in college.
DU: A different game franchise, but good to know. She sounds like a keeper, by the way.
Gerry in Columbia, Mo., asks: With all the hype Blaine Gabbert has gotten heading into the NFL Draft, the big question everyone seems to be asking is how Missouri will replace him. I find it interesting that no one wants to talk about how Missouri will replace their five departing starters on defense, including three of four defensive backs. People forget that it was Missouri's 6th-ranked scoring defense that carried the team this year, rather than the offense, as is usually the case. Anyway, just wanted to know how you see Missouri's defense shaping up over the course of the spring.
DU: They may have some trouble, but I look at what Missouri did last year with so many injuries already in the secondary and at linebacker. I don't think you can say enough about what defensive coordinator Dave Steckel did to get those guys ready despite a revolving door at the second line of the defense especially. The Tigers even played without a likely first-round pick in DE Aldon Smith for a good percentage of the year, and when he returned, he wasn't quite himself.
Steckel's an experienced coach, but this is only this third year as a coordinator at the major college level, and in my opinion, he's already established himself as one of the best coordinators in the league. Last year was really, really impressive, and outside of Brent Venables and Tim DeRuyter, I'm not sure anyone's done a better job than Steckel as a defensive coordinator, shoring up a defense that had historically been a weakness for the Tigers. He'll get a big test this year, but like Missouri's offense did with Chase Daniel at quarterback, big picture, the defense turned a corner in 2010.
Baron in Lubbock, Texas, asks: DU, I'm sure you've had a chance to make it to every big 12 stadium this past season. Rank the best gameday atmospheres based on your experiences. Thanks!
DU: I get asked that a lot, but I've got you covered.
Jimmy in Haysville, Kan., asks: So, do you think if Norman was as "loud" as Nebraska or Texas A&M, OU could lose as many games at home as those teams do? I'm sure both of those teams would trade their loud crowds for OU's home record any day of the week.
DU: This came up in our chat this week, but here's the fact of the matter: It's not like Owen Field is a peaceful oasis on game day, but it's not Death Valley either. Could, just maybe, Oklahoma's record at home compared to the Aggies and Huskers have more to do with the fact that the Sooners have been a whole lot better than Texas A&M and Nebraska over the last decade?
Any Oklahoma fan with a shred of self-awareness would willingly admit that the Sooners' remarkable current winning streak at home (36 games) and record under Bob Stoops (72-2) has a lot more to do with the teams Stoops is fielding every year than the fans making it a wholly intimidating atmosphere for opposing teams. They'll get up for big games like Texas Tech in 2008, but the atmosphere for pedestrian conference games like Colorado or Kansas State isn't anywhere close to where it can be. With the exception of this year against Florida State, when fans really sensed the winning streak could be on the line, they don't provide an elite atmosphere consistently. When they do, like in the Florida State and Tech games, the team responds. Clearly.
Sooner could be 'NCAA Football' cover boy
March, 3, 2011
3/03/11
4:00
PM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Any fans want former Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray on the cover of "NCAA Football 12"?
EA SportsVote for me!EA Sports announced four possible cover athletes this week, and Murray is one of them.
He'll have to beat out Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley and Washington quarterback Jake Locker to earn a spot on the game.
Voters will have to do so on Facebook.
Voting runs through April 4, and the winner will be announced on April 19. The game is traditionally released in mid-July.
Texas' Brian Orakpo was on the cover of the PlayStation 2 version of the 2010 game, and Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree was on the XBox 360 version of the same game.
Before that, the only other Big 12 players to land on the cover were Texas running back Ricky Williams in 2000 and Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier in 1997, back in the days of Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis.
EA SportsVote for me!He'll have to beat out Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley and Washington quarterback Jake Locker to earn a spot on the game.
Voters will have to do so on Facebook.
Voting runs through April 4, and the winner will be announced on April 19. The game is traditionally released in mid-July.
Texas' Brian Orakpo was on the cover of the PlayStation 2 version of the 2010 game, and Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree was on the XBox 360 version of the same game.
Before that, the only other Big 12 players to land on the cover were Texas running back Ricky Williams in 2000 and Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier in 1997, back in the days of Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis.
Blaine Gabbert has thrown two interceptions today, and both have cost Missouri points.
The first prevented Missouri from putting points on the board with the ball inside Kansas' 5-yard line. The second gave Kansas the ball in Missouri territory, where the Jayhawks rode James Sims and Jordan Webb for a touchdown to bring the Jayhawks within 21-7 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., midway through the third quarter.
Missouri has lacked the energy in the second half that it had in the first, and you can't help but remember what happened Friday to Alabama when you see the mistakes Missouri made in this one.
Alabama turned the ball over deep in Auburn territory when Mark Ingram had the ball punched out the back of the end zone for a touchback and dropped an easy touchdown pass that made what could have been a 35-0 lead a 24-0 lead. They came to regret it.
If Missouri doesn't get back to what it had success doing in the first half, it could see a similar fate. What could be a 24-0 or 28-0 lead is now a 21-7 lead.
After all, these are the same Jayhawks who erased a 28-point lead in 11 minutes against Colorado less than a month ago.
The first prevented Missouri from putting points on the board with the ball inside Kansas' 5-yard line. The second gave Kansas the ball in Missouri territory, where the Jayhawks rode James Sims and Jordan Webb for a touchdown to bring the Jayhawks within 21-7 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., midway through the third quarter.
Missouri has lacked the energy in the second half that it had in the first, and you can't help but remember what happened Friday to Alabama when you see the mistakes Missouri made in this one.
Alabama turned the ball over deep in Auburn territory when Mark Ingram had the ball punched out the back of the end zone for a touchback and dropped an easy touchdown pass that made what could have been a 35-0 lead a 24-0 lead. They came to regret it.
If Missouri doesn't get back to what it had success doing in the first half, it could see a similar fate. What could be a 24-0 or 28-0 lead is now a 21-7 lead.
After all, these are the same Jayhawks who erased a 28-point lead in 11 minutes against Colorado less than a month ago.
A couple quick housekeeping items before we get to the questions:
I got a few e-mails over the weekend about the Texas A&M link on the site's sidebar down the right side of the blog not working and leading you to a blank page. That's been fixed. You can view all posts about Texas A&M through that link now.
Miss your team's mailbag? Here's who we've covered so far? Cray in Dallas, Texas, writes: I was just perusing the ESPN website and saw a "List Ranker - Rank 'Em: College Football Quaterbacks". I was oh so excited to see how other people had my Jerrod Johnson ranked against the nations elite. But to my surprise he wasn't even listed as 1 of the top 15 QBs in the nation. I see Josh Brantly which didn't play any meaningful playing time last year. Three Big 12 Qbs are listed, Gabbert (I agree with), Gilbert (Played one half of meaningful football), and Griffin (injured for 2/3 of the season). Is Jerrod really national percieved as the 4th best QB in the Big 12? What gives?
David Ubben: I got about 5-10 e-mails about this Monday and a handful more today. I'll say this: He's not No. 4 in the Big 12 on my list. I suggest we nickname him Jerrod “Like Terrelle Pryor, except good” Johnson. If only Johnson had drawn out his recruitment into one big melodrama so everyone in America knew his name. Also, all non-Texas A&M fans, spare yourself the embarrassment: It's pronounced "juh-RAHD." Like Sayid's last name from Lost.
Mary in College Station, Texas, asks: How much of a chance do you think we have of winning the Big XII South? I'm thinking if by some miracle Texas and Oklahoma just do really bad this year we might have a chance. But I guess thats just wishful thinking. Thoughts?
DU: Texas and Oklahoma being on the down part of their yearly cycle (as I’ve said before, that usually just means 10 wins instead of 11) is a big part of the hype for Texas A&M. They’ve got a shot to jump up and do it this year, but it all comes down to the defense. It just has to be better. But, handicapping the South, I’ll say Texas at 42 percent. Oklahoma at 38. Texas A&M at 15 percent and Texas Tech at five percent.
Michael in College Station,Texas, asks: There has been some articles or websites with a good amount of hype for Jerrod Johnson to win the Heisman, and there has been some saying the least bit about him winning. What do you see his chances being of winning the Heisman?
DU: Part of that disagreement comes from the Heisman’s most important stat: wins. Texas A&M only had six of them, and if writers don’t believe Texas A&M can win at least nine games, there’s no point in considering Johnson for the Heisman. You can’t disagree with his passing, rushing or touchdown numbers. But without the wins, those are all pretty hollow and end up getting you left off lists of the best quarterbacks nationally. If he stays healthy, he’ll put up the numbers. But he has to have the wins.
Jesse Thompson in College Station writes: The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band is hands down the best band in the Big 12, right David? Alright thanks.
DU: Eh, I can never really get into the whole band thing. If they start throwing stuff in the air or setting stuff on fire, I’ll check it out. Otherwise, it’s all kind of the same to me.
Frederic in Corpus Christi, Texas, writes: David do you think that the Aggies will have a better defense this year with new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter?
DU: It’s tough to see them being any worse. They have the advantage of practicing against the best offense in the Big 12, and never having to play them in a game. They’re somewhat at a disadvantage in having all the great offensive teams -- excluding Missouri -- in the South. The defense doesn’t need to be great. It needs to just not be awful and stop giving up 30 points a game. Get inside the top 50 or 60 nationally, start allowing closer to 20 or 25 points a game, and they’re going to give the offense a chance to win a lot of games. They just can’t have the complete defensive breakdowns like they had against Kansas State or Oklahoma last year.
Ethan Ballinger in College Station, Texas, writes: Where does A&M's running back duo, in Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray stack up against the rest of the country? And why was Michael not on the top 25? 844 yards, 10 TD's as the #2 guy (and a freshman). His stats were basically were a mirror image of Trent Richardson's and Richardson is getting much more hype.
DU: Any running back duo that wins a national title is obviously going to get more publicity than two that win half as many games. Excluding the Oklahoma game, he had a nice finish to the season, and he should have a nice year coming up, but you’re going to get more respect putting up those numbers in the SEC. Additionally, just watch Alabama play for a long stretch. Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael are a great duo, but they’re just not on the level of Mark Ingram and Richardson.
I got a few e-mails over the weekend about the Texas A&M link on the site's sidebar down the right side of the blog not working and leading you to a blank page. That's been fixed. You can view all posts about Texas A&M through that link now.
Miss your team's mailbag? Here's who we've covered so far? Cray in Dallas, Texas, writes: I was just perusing the ESPN website and saw a "List Ranker - Rank 'Em: College Football Quaterbacks". I was oh so excited to see how other people had my Jerrod Johnson ranked against the nations elite. But to my surprise he wasn't even listed as 1 of the top 15 QBs in the nation. I see Josh Brantly which didn't play any meaningful playing time last year. Three Big 12 Qbs are listed, Gabbert (I agree with), Gilbert (Played one half of meaningful football), and Griffin (injured for 2/3 of the season). Is Jerrod really national percieved as the 4th best QB in the Big 12? What gives?
David Ubben: I got about 5-10 e-mails about this Monday and a handful more today. I'll say this: He's not No. 4 in the Big 12 on my list. I suggest we nickname him Jerrod “Like Terrelle Pryor, except good” Johnson. If only Johnson had drawn out his recruitment into one big melodrama so everyone in America knew his name. Also, all non-Texas A&M fans, spare yourself the embarrassment: It's pronounced "juh-RAHD." Like Sayid's last name from Lost.
Mary in College Station, Texas, asks: How much of a chance do you think we have of winning the Big XII South? I'm thinking if by some miracle Texas and Oklahoma just do really bad this year we might have a chance. But I guess thats just wishful thinking. Thoughts?
DU: Texas and Oklahoma being on the down part of their yearly cycle (as I’ve said before, that usually just means 10 wins instead of 11) is a big part of the hype for Texas A&M. They’ve got a shot to jump up and do it this year, but it all comes down to the defense. It just has to be better. But, handicapping the South, I’ll say Texas at 42 percent. Oklahoma at 38. Texas A&M at 15 percent and Texas Tech at five percent.
Michael in College Station,Texas, asks: There has been some articles or websites with a good amount of hype for Jerrod Johnson to win the Heisman, and there has been some saying the least bit about him winning. What do you see his chances being of winning the Heisman?
DU: Part of that disagreement comes from the Heisman’s most important stat: wins. Texas A&M only had six of them, and if writers don’t believe Texas A&M can win at least nine games, there’s no point in considering Johnson for the Heisman. You can’t disagree with his passing, rushing or touchdown numbers. But without the wins, those are all pretty hollow and end up getting you left off lists of the best quarterbacks nationally. If he stays healthy, he’ll put up the numbers. But he has to have the wins.
Jesse Thompson in College Station writes: The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band is hands down the best band in the Big 12, right David? Alright thanks.
DU: Eh, I can never really get into the whole band thing. If they start throwing stuff in the air or setting stuff on fire, I’ll check it out. Otherwise, it’s all kind of the same to me.
Frederic in Corpus Christi, Texas, writes: David do you think that the Aggies will have a better defense this year with new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter?
DU: It’s tough to see them being any worse. They have the advantage of practicing against the best offense in the Big 12, and never having to play them in a game. They’re somewhat at a disadvantage in having all the great offensive teams -- excluding Missouri -- in the South. The defense doesn’t need to be great. It needs to just not be awful and stop giving up 30 points a game. Get inside the top 50 or 60 nationally, start allowing closer to 20 or 25 points a game, and they’re going to give the offense a chance to win a lot of games. They just can’t have the complete defensive breakdowns like they had against Kansas State or Oklahoma last year.
Ethan Ballinger in College Station, Texas, writes: Where does A&M's running back duo, in Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray stack up against the rest of the country? And why was Michael not on the top 25? 844 yards, 10 TD's as the #2 guy (and a freshman). His stats were basically were a mirror image of Trent Richardson's and Richardson is getting much more hype.
DU: Any running back duo that wins a national title is obviously going to get more publicity than two that win half as many games. Excluding the Oklahoma game, he had a nice finish to the season, and he should have a nice year coming up, but you’re going to get more respect putting up those numbers in the SEC. Additionally, just watch Alabama play for a long stretch. Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael are a great duo, but they’re just not on the level of Mark Ingram and Richardson.
Texas' rush defense improves after halftime
January, 8, 2010
1/08/10
4:08
AM ET
By Tim Griffin | ESPN.com
PASADENA, Calif. -- The wear and tear was noticeable on their faces. Tired Texas players like Lamarr Houston and Roddrick Muckelroy showed the effects of trying to contain bruising Alabama running backs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson during a long night at the Rose Bowl.
The Longhorns’ No. 1 national defense was gashed for a season-worst 205 rushing yards as Ingram rushed for 116 yards and Richardson added 109 in Alabama’s 37-21 victory in the Citi BCS National Championship game.
But despite those numbers, Texas made adjustments in the second half and the defense was one of the key reasons the Longhorns had a chance to win. Texas allowed only 57 rushing yards after the break, and continually came up with the key plays that were missing in the first half.
"The defense was out there a lot with (quarterback) Colt McCoy being gone,” Houston said. “We were playing tough and played through a lot of adversity all night long. And we were right there.”
The Longhorns’ defense came up with three, three-and-out possessions to start the second half, and Alabama's only two scores of the second half came off late turnovers. The Texas defense gave the Longhorns a chance to pull back into the game when the offense finally started clicking behind freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert.
“We did all we could do to keep the game close,” Muckelroy said. “The defense stepped up and made some plays. They got us early, but in the end, about four plays killed us.”
Richardson’s 49-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter sliced through the middle of the Texas defense. It was one of four rushing touchdowns the Longhorns allowed Thursday night after giving up five rushing TDs in the 13 previous games.
“It was disappointing they got to us like that,” Houston said. “But we bounced back and did what we could to make adjustments to get back in the game.”
It was the second-most rushing yards against a Texas defense since Will Muschamp arrived last season. Only Oklahoma State's 217-yard effort last season surpassed the title game.
While Texas struggled containing the running game, Muschamp cooked up a pressure-heavy defensive front that sacked Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy five times.
The ringleader of the Texas pass rush was Sergio Kindle, who had his best game of the season with eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for losses.
“Our game plan was to get pressure on their quarterback,” Kindle said. “We thought their lineman were good in run blocking but might have slip-ups in pass coverage. We tried to get speed off the edge and middle. And those plays started coming for us as the game went on.”
But there weren’t enough of those big plays for the Longhorns to overcome the way the Tide won the battle in the trenches, using a methodical offensive philosophy.
“I’m not disappointed at all,” Houston said. “I’m proud of the team and our players for stepping up and almost winning this game. It was a good effort, but in the end it just wasn’t good enough.”
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Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Trent Richardson's 49-yard touchdown run was part of Alabama's 205-yard rushing effort.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Trent Richardson's 49-yard touchdown run was part of Alabama's 205-yard rushing effort.But despite those numbers, Texas made adjustments in the second half and the defense was one of the key reasons the Longhorns had a chance to win. Texas allowed only 57 rushing yards after the break, and continually came up with the key plays that were missing in the first half.
"The defense was out there a lot with (quarterback) Colt McCoy being gone,” Houston said. “We were playing tough and played through a lot of adversity all night long. And we were right there.”
The Longhorns’ defense came up with three, three-and-out possessions to start the second half, and Alabama's only two scores of the second half came off late turnovers. The Texas defense gave the Longhorns a chance to pull back into the game when the offense finally started clicking behind freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert.
“We did all we could do to keep the game close,” Muckelroy said. “The defense stepped up and made some plays. They got us early, but in the end, about four plays killed us.”
Richardson’s 49-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter sliced through the middle of the Texas defense. It was one of four rushing touchdowns the Longhorns allowed Thursday night after giving up five rushing TDs in the 13 previous games.
“It was disappointing they got to us like that,” Houston said. “But we bounced back and did what we could to make adjustments to get back in the game.”
It was the second-most rushing yards against a Texas defense since Will Muschamp arrived last season. Only Oklahoma State's 217-yard effort last season surpassed the title game.
While Texas struggled containing the running game, Muschamp cooked up a pressure-heavy defensive front that sacked Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy five times.
The ringleader of the Texas pass rush was Sergio Kindle, who had his best game of the season with eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for losses.
“Our game plan was to get pressure on their quarterback,” Kindle said. “We thought their lineman were good in run blocking but might have slip-ups in pass coverage. We tried to get speed off the edge and middle. And those plays started coming for us as the game went on.”
But there weren’t enough of those big plays for the Longhorns to overcome the way the Tide won the battle in the trenches, using a methodical offensive philosophy.
“I’m not disappointed at all,” Houston said. “I’m proud of the team and our players for stepping up and almost winning this game. It was a good effort, but in the end it just wasn’t good enough.”
Late first-half interception dooms Texas
January, 8, 2010
1/08/10
3:10
AM ET
By Tim Griffin | ESPN.com
PASADENA, Calif. -- It was the kind of game that left Texas players feeling empty, wondering if they could have beaten Alabama under some different circumstances.
Like having a healthy starting quarterback. Or without a botched shovel pass late in the first half that cost them a touchdown, a touchdown that proved to be pivotal at the end of a 37-21 loss to the Crimson Tide.
“Who knows?” Texas senior defensive end Sergio Kindle said. “If Colt hadn’t gotten hurt, things might have been a little different. It’s something we’ll never know.”
The Longhorns were already in a huge hole after McCoy’s injury occurred only five plays into the game. But Alabama was able to cruise into a 24-6 halftime lead after a bizarre call. Backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert's shovel pass for D.J. Monroe was intercepted by Marcell Dareus for a 28-yard touchdown with three seconds left in the half.
Texas coach Mack Brown initially considered letting the clock run out. But the Longhorns got greedy, thinking they could hit a big play and get some points.
“We knew it would be a struggle with points and we felt that with 15 seconds left we had the safest thing,” Brown said. “We called a little shovel pass that had never been intercepted before and I certainly never had seen it intercepted for a touchdown. We were trying to run down 10 or 15 yards and then take a shot in the end zone.”
Instead Brown’s gamble backfired and gave the Crimson Tide a huge surge of momentum before the break.
“They tried to shovel pass and my first reaction was to grab the ball,” Dareus said. “Then I blanked out and all I could do was think about Mark Ingram and Javier (Arenas), and making all the moves I didn’t think I could do. I saw the lineman coming for my legs and my first reaction was to spin. I looked to my left and I saw Eryk Anders and I knew it was a touchdown. I could not wait to get into the end zone.”
Brown didn’t show the moxie Thursday that led to eight bowl victories in the past nine seasons, and a 3-0 record in BCS games. The Longhorns battled to overcome mistakes for much of the night.
But Brown said he was proud of what his team accomplished during a 17-game winning streak that stretched back to a October 2008 loss at Texas Tech.
“I told the guys they had a great run,” Brown said. “I thought they were prepared and had worked really hard. Losing is tough. We’re proud to be in the national championship game, and it’s still equally hard to lose it.”
Like having a healthy starting quarterback. Or without a botched shovel pass late in the first half that cost them a touchdown, a touchdown that proved to be pivotal at the end of a 37-21 loss to the Crimson Tide.
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AP Photo/Chris Carlson Alabama's Marcell Dareus (57) breaks away from Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert after intercepting a pass that he would return 28 yards for a touchdown.
AP Photo/Chris Carlson Alabama's Marcell Dareus (57) breaks away from Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert after intercepting a pass that he would return 28 yards for a touchdown.The Longhorns were already in a huge hole after McCoy’s injury occurred only five plays into the game. But Alabama was able to cruise into a 24-6 halftime lead after a bizarre call. Backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert's shovel pass for D.J. Monroe was intercepted by Marcell Dareus for a 28-yard touchdown with three seconds left in the half.
Texas coach Mack Brown initially considered letting the clock run out. But the Longhorns got greedy, thinking they could hit a big play and get some points.
“We knew it would be a struggle with points and we felt that with 15 seconds left we had the safest thing,” Brown said. “We called a little shovel pass that had never been intercepted before and I certainly never had seen it intercepted for a touchdown. We were trying to run down 10 or 15 yards and then take a shot in the end zone.”
Instead Brown’s gamble backfired and gave the Crimson Tide a huge surge of momentum before the break.
“They tried to shovel pass and my first reaction was to grab the ball,” Dareus said. “Then I blanked out and all I could do was think about Mark Ingram and Javier (Arenas), and making all the moves I didn’t think I could do. I saw the lineman coming for my legs and my first reaction was to spin. I looked to my left and I saw Eryk Anders and I knew it was a touchdown. I could not wait to get into the end zone.”
Brown didn’t show the moxie Thursday that led to eight bowl victories in the past nine seasons, and a 3-0 record in BCS games. The Longhorns battled to overcome mistakes for much of the night.
But Brown said he was proud of what his team accomplished during a 17-game winning streak that stretched back to a October 2008 loss at Texas Tech.
“I told the guys they had a great run,” Brown said. “I thought they were prepared and had worked really hard. Losing is tough. We’re proud to be in the national championship game, and it’s still equally hard to lose it.”
PASADENA, Calif. -- After overcoming obstacles throughout the game, Texas' late hope was undone by a pair of critical late mistakes by freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert.
Alabama got a clinching 1-yard touchdown by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram with 2:01 left to ice the Tide's 37-21 victory.
The Crimson Tide took advantage of a short field after a blindside sack by linebacker Eryk Anders. The fumble was recovered by Courtney Upshaw at the Texas 3.
On the ensuing drive, Javier Arenas returned an interception to the Texas 27 that led to a 2-yard TD run by Trent Richardson with 47 seconds left.
And Tyrone King produced the final interception with a pick at the Alabam 31 with 26 seconds left.
Those two late scores make the final margin of victory for the Crimson Tide a little misleading.
The Longhorns had a chance to take the lead with 3 minutes left before the sack on Gilbert.
Before the late struggles, Gilbert had shown promise and moxie. But in the end, he couldn't overcome those late miscues so deep in his own territory in the end.
Alabama got a clinching 1-yard touchdown by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram with 2:01 left to ice the Tide's 37-21 victory.
The Crimson Tide took advantage of a short field after a blindside sack by linebacker Eryk Anders. The fumble was recovered by Courtney Upshaw at the Texas 3.
On the ensuing drive, Javier Arenas returned an interception to the Texas 27 that led to a 2-yard TD run by Trent Richardson with 47 seconds left.
And Tyrone King produced the final interception with a pick at the Alabam 31 with 26 seconds left.
Those two late scores make the final margin of victory for the Crimson Tide a little misleading.
The Longhorns had a chance to take the lead with 3 minutes left before the sack on Gilbert.
Before the late struggles, Gilbert had shown promise and moxie. But in the end, he couldn't overcome those late miscues so deep in his own territory in the end.
PASADENA, Calif. -- Texas has lost the lead and likely their quarterback for the rest of the game.
Colt McCoy's injury has left the Texas offense struggling. And Mark Ingram's 2-yard TD run gave Alabama the lead on the second play of the second quarter.
McCoy's injury has shell shocked the Longhorns offense, who produced only Hunter Lawrence field goals despite moving to the Alabama 1 on the first drive and the Crimson Tide 25 on the second possession.
ESPN radio reports that McCoy is in the locker room without his pads after he was treated for the injury. His roommate and close friend Jordan Shipley has gone to the locker room to console him.
Alabama took advantage of the good field position and moved the ball consistently on the play. It looks like they have Texas on its heels.
Colt McCoy's injury has left the Texas offense struggling. And Mark Ingram's 2-yard TD run gave Alabama the lead on the second play of the second quarter.
McCoy's injury has shell shocked the Longhorns offense, who produced only Hunter Lawrence field goals despite moving to the Alabama 1 on the first drive and the Crimson Tide 25 on the second possession.
ESPN radio reports that McCoy is in the locker room without his pads after he was treated for the injury. His roommate and close friend Jordan Shipley has gone to the locker room to console him.
Alabama took advantage of the good field position and moved the ball consistently on the play. It looks like they have Texas on its heels.
Blogger debate: Texas vs. Alabama
January, 6, 2010
1/06/10
10:00
PM ET
By Tim Griffin and
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Alabama is coming off its best victory of the season. Texas is coming off its worst.
Mark Ingram will be battling the Heisman Trophy jinx in national championship games, and Alabama will be trying to claim the fourth-straight BCS national title by an SEC team. The last non-SEC team to win the title: Texas.
Those are just a few of the subplots in Thursday's Citi BCS National Championship Game. Big 12 blogger Tim Griffin and SEC blogger Chris Low take a look at the matchup and other factors that will play into it.
Tim Griffin: Chris. I saw Alabama in the SEC title game and was very impressed with the way they jumped on Florida quickly and put the Gators behind from early in the game. Do you think Greg McElroy can have a mammoth performance against a strong defense in back-to-back games?
Chris Low: Tim, it's ironic that you would ask about McElroy, because everybody was asking about him back in the spring. Nobody really knew anything about him, whether he could handle the quarterback position or whether he would even finish the season as the starter. I think it's safe to say that he's far surpassed anybody's expectations. He's such a smart player, knows the Alabama offense inside and out and rarely makes the same mistake twice. After all, he's only thrown four interceptions in 13 games. I've seen halves against SEC defenses in which quarterbacks have thrown three or four picks. But McElroy is not just a caretaker of the offense. He'll spread the ball around. He throws a nice deep ball, and is better at moving around and making plays than he's given credit for. In short, if the Alabama offensive line plays the way it did against Florida, I look for McElroy to have another solid game. That's the thing about this Alabama offense. They don't need him to put up mammoth numbers to win. My question to you, Tim, is whether Colt McCoy is going to be running for his life against Alabama like he was against Nebraska a month ago?
TG: If he does, Texas has absolutely no chance. But I think the fact that observers have been questioning Texas' offense for nearly five weeks after the Longhorns allowed nine sacks against Nebraska should serve as a motivational ploy. I look for Texas to try and dictate tempo early. Look for McCoy to try to use the Longhorns' one-minute offense, in which there would be little time between plays as they try to keep them out of their comfort zone. The Longhorns have struggled with their pass blocking all season. Look for freshman Tre Newton to get more time because of his pass-blocking skills. And I would also expect Texas to use tight end Greg Smith more than usual to have an extra blocker. In the Big 12, the Longhorns liked to run a lot of three- and four-wide receiver sets. I think they'll need the extra beef tonight. Chris, speaking of beef, how do you think Alabama's big offensive line will play against Texas' fast and quick defense. The Longhorns led the nation in rush defense, but faced four teams with defenses ranked 100th or worst. Does Alabama feel like they can exploit a Texas defense that is good, but hasn't played many good rushing attacks?
CL: Honestly, I think Alabama thinks it can exploit any defense. This Alabama offensive line isn't as big as the one last year and has relied more on quickness and angles than just lining up and mashing people. Alabama will certainly look to run the football and won't be afraid to use both Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. It seems like the Crimson Tide always have a fresh back in the game. Against Florida, Alabama was able to throw it some and spread the Gators out. But that was just one game. We also saw Alabama struggle to run the ball against Auburn in the last game of the regular season, and McElroy had to bring them from behind throwing the football. Even in that game, after getting down 14-0, the Crimson Tide didn't panic and didn't get out of character offensively. What do you make of McCoy having two of his worst games against the two best defenses he's faced this season -- Nebraska and Oklahoma?
TG: Chris, interestingly those were also the games where he most faced consistent pressure from blitzes and had more trouble with interceptions. If Alabama can keep him from getting comfortable in the pocket and knock him around some, he could face a similar fate. The Texas offensive front isn't a great line -- by its standards or anybody else's. It's their biggest weakness, but really didn't impact them over the course of the season. The Longhorns had too many weapons and scored touchdowns in other ways to beat all the Big 12 teams they played.
When they played Oklahoma, they were facing a green quarterback in Landry Jones after Sam Bradford's injury earlier in the game. And against Nebraska, they were able to neutralize the Cornhuskers' big defensive effort because Nebraska's offense played so poorly. Chris, I think that Texas is going to have to get some cheap points -- say from a long kick or punt return or a turnover to have a chance. Is there anything you've seen that shows Alabama has got its special teams under control enough to withstand the pressure that D.J. Monroe, Marquise Goodwin and Jordan Shipley will place on the Tide?
CL: Alabama has not been very good on kickoff coverage. That's a given. So it wouldn't be a shock to see the Crimson Tide give up some long returns or even a touchdown. Short fields could be critical in this game, because neither defense has allowed teams to consistently put together long drives. The problem with exploiting Alabama on special teams is that the Crimson Tide have one of the best punt returners in the country in Javier Arenas and a field goal kicker in All-American Leigh Tiffin who's made a bunch of big kicks and also has great range. In short, unless Alabama uncharacteristically turns the ball over and/or is forced to play from behind the whole game, I think the Crimson Tide take home the crystal trophy and complete a perfect season. Alabama 27, Texas 17
TG: I think Texas is going to have trouble stopping the run defense. But if they can get some early momentum, I like their chances of taking this game into the fourth quarter. But at that point, Alabama will have too much power and gradually wear the Longhorns down, likely with a late drive like the one Florida put Oklahoma away with last season. Alabama 24, Texas 13
Mark Ingram will be battling the Heisman Trophy jinx in national championship games, and Alabama will be trying to claim the fourth-straight BCS national title by an SEC team. The last non-SEC team to win the title: Texas.
Those are just a few of the subplots in Thursday's Citi BCS National Championship Game. Big 12 blogger Tim Griffin and SEC blogger Chris Low take a look at the matchup and other factors that will play into it.
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Marvin Gentry/US PresswireIf Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy plays the way he did against Florida, the Texas defense could be in for a long night.
Marvin Gentry/US PresswireIf Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy plays the way he did against Florida, the Texas defense could be in for a long night.Chris Low: Tim, it's ironic that you would ask about McElroy, because everybody was asking about him back in the spring. Nobody really knew anything about him, whether he could handle the quarterback position or whether he would even finish the season as the starter. I think it's safe to say that he's far surpassed anybody's expectations. He's such a smart player, knows the Alabama offense inside and out and rarely makes the same mistake twice. After all, he's only thrown four interceptions in 13 games. I've seen halves against SEC defenses in which quarterbacks have thrown three or four picks. But McElroy is not just a caretaker of the offense. He'll spread the ball around. He throws a nice deep ball, and is better at moving around and making plays than he's given credit for. In short, if the Alabama offensive line plays the way it did against Florida, I look for McElroy to have another solid game. That's the thing about this Alabama offense. They don't need him to put up mammoth numbers to win. My question to you, Tim, is whether Colt McCoy is going to be running for his life against Alabama like he was against Nebraska a month ago?
TG: If he does, Texas has absolutely no chance. But I think the fact that observers have been questioning Texas' offense for nearly five weeks after the Longhorns allowed nine sacks against Nebraska should serve as a motivational ploy. I look for Texas to try and dictate tempo early. Look for McCoy to try to use the Longhorns' one-minute offense, in which there would be little time between plays as they try to keep them out of their comfort zone. The Longhorns have struggled with their pass blocking all season. Look for freshman Tre Newton to get more time because of his pass-blocking skills. And I would also expect Texas to use tight end Greg Smith more than usual to have an extra blocker. In the Big 12, the Longhorns liked to run a lot of three- and four-wide receiver sets. I think they'll need the extra beef tonight. Chris, speaking of beef, how do you think Alabama's big offensive line will play against Texas' fast and quick defense. The Longhorns led the nation in rush defense, but faced four teams with defenses ranked 100th or worst. Does Alabama feel like they can exploit a Texas defense that is good, but hasn't played many good rushing attacks?
CL: Honestly, I think Alabama thinks it can exploit any defense. This Alabama offensive line isn't as big as the one last year and has relied more on quickness and angles than just lining up and mashing people. Alabama will certainly look to run the football and won't be afraid to use both Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. It seems like the Crimson Tide always have a fresh back in the game. Against Florida, Alabama was able to throw it some and spread the Gators out. But that was just one game. We also saw Alabama struggle to run the ball against Auburn in the last game of the regular season, and McElroy had to bring them from behind throwing the football. Even in that game, after getting down 14-0, the Crimson Tide didn't panic and didn't get out of character offensively. What do you make of McCoy having two of his worst games against the two best defenses he's faced this season -- Nebraska and Oklahoma?
TG: Chris, interestingly those were also the games where he most faced consistent pressure from blitzes and had more trouble with interceptions. If Alabama can keep him from getting comfortable in the pocket and knock him around some, he could face a similar fate. The Texas offensive front isn't a great line -- by its standards or anybody else's. It's their biggest weakness, but really didn't impact them over the course of the season. The Longhorns had too many weapons and scored touchdowns in other ways to beat all the Big 12 teams they played.
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Brendan MaloneyAlabama's special teams will have its hands full with Texas returner Jordan Shipley.
Brendan MaloneyAlabama's special teams will have its hands full with Texas returner Jordan Shipley.CL: Alabama has not been very good on kickoff coverage. That's a given. So it wouldn't be a shock to see the Crimson Tide give up some long returns or even a touchdown. Short fields could be critical in this game, because neither defense has allowed teams to consistently put together long drives. The problem with exploiting Alabama on special teams is that the Crimson Tide have one of the best punt returners in the country in Javier Arenas and a field goal kicker in All-American Leigh Tiffin who's made a bunch of big kicks and also has great range. In short, unless Alabama uncharacteristically turns the ball over and/or is forced to play from behind the whole game, I think the Crimson Tide take home the crystal trophy and complete a perfect season. Alabama 27, Texas 17
TG: I think Texas is going to have trouble stopping the run defense. But if they can get some early momentum, I like their chances of taking this game into the fourth quarter. But at that point, Alabama will have too much power and gradually wear the Longhorns down, likely with a late drive like the one Florida put Oklahoma away with last season. Alabama 24, Texas 13
Citi BCS National Championship: Texas vs. Alabama
January, 6, 2010
1/06/10
9:00
AM ET
By Tim Griffin | ESPN.com
Here’s all you need to know about the Citi BCS National Championship Game matchup between Texas (13-0) and Alabama (13-0) Thursday night at the Rose Bowl.
WHO TO WATCH: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Texas’ hopes in springing an upset over the Crimson Tide will rely on McCoy, who will be gunning to make history in his final college game. McCoy’s numbers in his senior season have been good, but not what he expected coming into the season. His most recent struggles -- a three-interception, nine-sack performance in the Big 12 title game against Nebraska -- should serve as inspiration for a better title-game performance. He'll be facing an even more imposing defense at the Rose Bowl in Alabama, and will have to be at his sharpest to help his team win. It will be important for McCoy not only to pass the ball strongly, but also to make some early plays with his feet to neutralize Alabama’s defensive pressure and help give his team some early confidence after their offensive struggles in their last game. If he can do that, the Longhorns might have a puncher’s chance of pulling an upset.
WHAT TO WATCH: Texas’ run defense against Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram
Alabama’s hopes of emerging victorious will be dictated by winning the game in the trenches and providing some running opportunities against Texas’ defensive front. The Longhorns aren’t the biggest team along the defensive front, but have done a good job of stifling opposing running games with a mixture of speed and talent. Crimson Tide players say that defensive style reminds them of their own team. But it will be key for Ingram to effectively run the ball, keeping Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy in manageable down-and-distance situations where he is less susceptible to turnovers. Ingram will challenge the Longhorns inside, trying to do something that no other team has done this season. The Longhorns haven’t allowed an opposing player to run for more than 100 yards. Texas' chances of winning will be much better if it can keep the bullish tailback in check.
WHY WATCH: The national championship game has been a recent nightmare for No. 1 teams
The top-ranked teams haven't played well in recent national title games. The No. 2 team has won the past four games over the No. 1 team and claimed six of the past seven games. Heisman Trophy winners like Sam Bradford, Troy Smith and Reggie Bush all have similarly struggled as their teams lost their national championship games, which might not bode well for Ingram. The Longhorns already feel emboldened after their previous success in their last two BCS bowl victories in Pasadena. Collectively, that run of recent history might help propel another underdog to an upset Thursday night if the Longhorns can produce a few breaks.
PREDICTION: For the past month, naysayers have knocked Texas for its struggles in the Big 12 title game and wondered if the Longhorns really deserve to be playing for the national championship. That inspiration to prove doubters wrong, however, will only last so long against a team that is as talented as Alabama in running the ball and playing strong defense. The star-studded Alabama team is dotted with a record six members on the Associated Press’ All-America team. Coach Nick Saban’s grinding scheme isn’t pretty, but should have enough talent to gradually wear the Longhorns down. Texas’ upset hopes will be predicated on big plays from McCoy and a couple of breaks along the way. The Longhorns have the speed to take advantage of Alabama’s season-long struggles covering kickoffs. And if they can win that phase of the game, their chances of an upset will be much better.
But the thought here is that the Crimson Tide will be able to dominate a Texas offense that has struggled against the better defenses it has faced all season. Look for Ingram’s running to wear the Longhorns down, scoring a late touchdown to clinch the game and take their first national championship since 1992 back to the Capstone. Alabama 24, Texas 13.
WHO TO WATCH: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Texas’ hopes in springing an upset over the Crimson Tide will rely on McCoy, who will be gunning to make history in his final college game. McCoy’s numbers in his senior season have been good, but not what he expected coming into the season. His most recent struggles -- a three-interception, nine-sack performance in the Big 12 title game against Nebraska -- should serve as inspiration for a better title-game performance. He'll be facing an even more imposing defense at the Rose Bowl in Alabama, and will have to be at his sharpest to help his team win. It will be important for McCoy not only to pass the ball strongly, but also to make some early plays with his feet to neutralize Alabama’s defensive pressure and help give his team some early confidence after their offensive struggles in their last game. If he can do that, the Longhorns might have a puncher’s chance of pulling an upset.
WHAT TO WATCH: Texas’ run defense against Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram
Alabama’s hopes of emerging victorious will be dictated by winning the game in the trenches and providing some running opportunities against Texas’ defensive front. The Longhorns aren’t the biggest team along the defensive front, but have done a good job of stifling opposing running games with a mixture of speed and talent. Crimson Tide players say that defensive style reminds them of their own team. But it will be key for Ingram to effectively run the ball, keeping Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy in manageable down-and-distance situations where he is less susceptible to turnovers. Ingram will challenge the Longhorns inside, trying to do something that no other team has done this season. The Longhorns haven’t allowed an opposing player to run for more than 100 yards. Texas' chances of winning will be much better if it can keep the bullish tailback in check.
WHY WATCH: The national championship game has been a recent nightmare for No. 1 teams
The top-ranked teams haven't played well in recent national title games. The No. 2 team has won the past four games over the No. 1 team and claimed six of the past seven games. Heisman Trophy winners like Sam Bradford, Troy Smith and Reggie Bush all have similarly struggled as their teams lost their national championship games, which might not bode well for Ingram. The Longhorns already feel emboldened after their previous success in their last two BCS bowl victories in Pasadena. Collectively, that run of recent history might help propel another underdog to an upset Thursday night if the Longhorns can produce a few breaks.
PREDICTION: For the past month, naysayers have knocked Texas for its struggles in the Big 12 title game and wondered if the Longhorns really deserve to be playing for the national championship. That inspiration to prove doubters wrong, however, will only last so long against a team that is as talented as Alabama in running the ball and playing strong defense. The star-studded Alabama team is dotted with a record six members on the Associated Press’ All-America team. Coach Nick Saban’s grinding scheme isn’t pretty, but should have enough talent to gradually wear the Longhorns down. Texas’ upset hopes will be predicated on big plays from McCoy and a couple of breaks along the way. The Longhorns have the speed to take advantage of Alabama’s season-long struggles covering kickoffs. And if they can win that phase of the game, their chances of an upset will be much better.
But the thought here is that the Crimson Tide will be able to dominate a Texas offense that has struggled against the better defenses it has faced all season. Look for Ingram’s running to wear the Longhorns down, scoring a late touchdown to clinch the game and take their first national championship since 1992 back to the Capstone. Alabama 24, Texas 13.
Scott excited to play first game after suspension
January, 5, 2010
1/05/10
5:39
PM ET
By Tim Griffin | ESPN.com
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- It’s been a long, rocky road for Texas sophomore safety Christian Scott back into his team’s playing rotation.
Scott was ruled ineligible for the season shortly before the Longhorns’ Sept. 5 opener against Louisiana-Monroe. He was held out of the lineup until becoming academically eligible for the second semester -- meaning he can join the lineup in Thursday’s Citi Bowl Championship Series title game against Alabama.
“It feels really good to be out there,” Scott said. “The academics were a little overwhelming. I stumbled a little bit but I bounced back.I was able to do the things I needed to get back.”
Scott has worked on the scout team all season, mimicking future opponents who would see action against the Longhorns. One week, he showed the playing tendencies of Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis. Another week, he was Nebraska safety Larry Asante for the purposes of the Longhorns’ pre-game practices.
“I felt like I could help the team in some way,” Scott said. “I’m just trying to make our offense better.”
He might get his chance on defense in Thursday’s game, serving as an X-factor because the Alabama coaches haven’t seen much of him on tape.
During preseason practice, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Scott was one of the revelations of camp. Coaches said he was the hardest hitter in the secondary and was thought to be challenging Blake Gideon for a starting job at free safety before he was ruled academically ineligible.
He’s also expected to be a pivotal part of the Longhorns’ special teams, serving on all squads but the field goal and extra point teams. One of his most crucial roles will be as a gunner on punt coverage.
“I was able to practice, but just not able to play,” Scott said. “I never really had a chance to get rusty other than not being able to play.”
The physical nature he brings to the secondary would give the Longhorns a weapon to clamp down on Alabama’s interior running game keyed by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
“I’ve been waiting all season and I’m ready,” Scott said. “We have good coaches and they’re building a good game plan. However they want me, I’m ready to be used.”
The academic suspension has also helped Scott to grow up with a new attitude as he prepares for the bowl game against the Crimson Tide.
“This has changed me a lot as far as taking responsibility as far as classrooms go,” Scott said. “I’m just excited to be back out and playing again.”
Scott was ruled ineligible for the season shortly before the Longhorns’ Sept. 5 opener against Louisiana-Monroe. He was held out of the lineup until becoming academically eligible for the second semester -- meaning he can join the lineup in Thursday’s Citi Bowl Championship Series title game against Alabama.
“It feels really good to be out there,” Scott said. “The academics were a little overwhelming. I stumbled a little bit but I bounced back.I was able to do the things I needed to get back.”
Scott has worked on the scout team all season, mimicking future opponents who would see action against the Longhorns. One week, he showed the playing tendencies of Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis. Another week, he was Nebraska safety Larry Asante for the purposes of the Longhorns’ pre-game practices.
“I felt like I could help the team in some way,” Scott said. “I’m just trying to make our offense better.”
He might get his chance on defense in Thursday’s game, serving as an X-factor because the Alabama coaches haven’t seen much of him on tape.
During preseason practice, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Scott was one of the revelations of camp. Coaches said he was the hardest hitter in the secondary and was thought to be challenging Blake Gideon for a starting job at free safety before he was ruled academically ineligible.
He’s also expected to be a pivotal part of the Longhorns’ special teams, serving on all squads but the field goal and extra point teams. One of his most crucial roles will be as a gunner on punt coverage.
“I was able to practice, but just not able to play,” Scott said. “I never really had a chance to get rusty other than not being able to play.”
The physical nature he brings to the secondary would give the Longhorns a weapon to clamp down on Alabama’s interior running game keyed by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
“I’ve been waiting all season and I’m ready,” Scott said. “We have good coaches and they’re building a good game plan. However they want me, I’m ready to be used.”
The academic suspension has also helped Scott to grow up with a new attitude as he prepares for the bowl game against the Crimson Tide.
“This has changed me a lot as far as taking responsibility as far as classrooms go,” Scott said. “I’m just excited to be back out and playing again.”
McCoy, Young share similar reaction to Heisman snub
December, 21, 2009
12/21/09
7:11
PM ET
By Tim Griffin | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- For the second time in five seasons, Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis sent a text message to his quarterback shortly after his player lost in the Heisman Trophy.
David sent Colt McCoy a message last Saturday night similar to one that was delivered to Vince Young in 2005 when he finished second behind USC's Reggie Bush.
"I told Vince he was my Heisman winner," Davis said. "And I sent one to Colt, too, where he was my Heisman winner."
And like Young five years ago, McCoy answered the text with a short declaration as he gets ready for a chance to beat the team with the eventual winner of the Heisman.
"I answered the way I felt," said McCoy, who answered like Young: "Game On."
McCoy was thought to be the Heisman leader after a strong performance against Texas A&M in the Nov. 26 regular-season finale. But he struggled through a nine-sack, three-interception performance in the Big 12 championship game against Nebraska.
Those struggles helped contribute to him finishing third this season behind winner Mark Ingram of Alabama and second-place finisher Toby Gerhart of Stanford.
McCoy finished second last season behind Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.
"I think last year was a lot more disappointing than this year," McCoy said. "I was fine afterwards this year because I know how much more we have to play for.
"The only disappointing thing was that I was disappointed for my teammates that I couldn't bring it home for them. Every award is a team award and for the most part we did pretty good. But I wasn't upset."
But whether he uses the disappointment to fuel his competitiveness might be a different story.
"I might use it as a little motivation," McCoy said. "But other than that, I know how much more we have to play for. That was really what was on my the whole trip."
It's not exactly like McCoy's trophy case will be barren. He claimed his second Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award and also was named the winner of the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
But a bigger goal remains the crystal ball presented to the national championship team after the Jan. 7 Citi Bowl Championship Series game.
"The most special thing is getting to play for a national championship," McCoy said.
David sent Colt McCoy a message last Saturday night similar to one that was delivered to Vince Young in 2005 when he finished second behind USC's Reggie Bush.
"I told Vince he was my Heisman winner," Davis said. "And I sent one to Colt, too, where he was my Heisman winner."
And like Young five years ago, McCoy answered the text with a short declaration as he gets ready for a chance to beat the team with the eventual winner of the Heisman.
"I answered the way I felt," said McCoy, who answered like Young: "Game On."
McCoy was thought to be the Heisman leader after a strong performance against Texas A&M in the Nov. 26 regular-season finale. But he struggled through a nine-sack, three-interception performance in the Big 12 championship game against Nebraska.
Those struggles helped contribute to him finishing third this season behind winner Mark Ingram of Alabama and second-place finisher Toby Gerhart of Stanford.
McCoy finished second last season behind Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.
"I think last year was a lot more disappointing than this year," McCoy said. "I was fine afterwards this year because I know how much more we have to play for.
"The only disappointing thing was that I was disappointed for my teammates that I couldn't bring it home for them. Every award is a team award and for the most part we did pretty good. But I wasn't upset."
But whether he uses the disappointment to fuel his competitiveness might be a different story.
"I might use it as a little motivation," McCoy said. "But other than that, I know how much more we have to play for. That was really what was on my the whole trip."
It's not exactly like McCoy's trophy case will be barren. He claimed his second Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award and also was named the winner of the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
But a bigger goal remains the crystal ball presented to the national championship team after the Jan. 7 Citi Bowl Championship Series game.
"The most special thing is getting to play for a national championship," McCoy said.
Many of you have written to me over the last several days asking me about my bowl picks for various confidence pools.
Obviously, these games aren't quite as prevalent as bracket sheets during the NCAA men's tournament, but they assuredly are growing. I know I have several offers and have to get my sheets ready by Saturday's games.
Here are my picks for Big 12 bowl games ranked one through eight in terms of my confidence in the results of the games. I'll have much more extensive previews before the games and I reserve my right to make a last-minute change, but here are my picks in place for Saturday's confidence-pick deadline.
8 points: Texas Tech over Michigan State, Valero Alamo Bowl. The Red Raiders are catching the Spartans at exactly the right time. And the fact that Michigan State is riddled with suspensions only makes the Red Raiders' opportunity to win that much greater. Tech's Taylor Potts should have a huge game against the Spartans' struggling secondary that ranks 96th in pass-efficiency defense and 103rd in pass defense.
7 points: Missouri over Navy, Texas Bowl. The Tigers played well late in the season when Blaine Gabbert was healthy. Danario Alexander was the Big 12's most explosive player down the stretch. And while the defense isn't their best quality, I like their chances of being able to stuff Navy's run-heavy offense. Missouri limited four of its last five opponents to 77 yards rushing or less and Dave Steckel's group will have a long time to prepare for the option.
6 points: Georgia over Texas A&M, Advocare V100 Independence Bowl. Which Aggies team will show up for this game? The one that nearly beat Texas or the one that was blown out by Oklahoma or Kansas State? I think that Joe Cox and A.J. Green will have a lot of success against the Aggies' struggling defense, providing they can effectively keep Von Miller out of the Georgia backfield.
5 points: Oklahoma over Stanford, Brut Sun Bowl. The Sooners are intent on turning around after losing five of their last six bowl games. Oklahoma gets a break because of Andrew Luck's iffy status for the Cardinal. Look for the Sooners' run defense to clamp down on Toby Gerhart and Ryan Broyles and Landry Jones to make enough big plays to win.
4 points: Mississippi over Oklahoma State, AT&T Cotton Bowl. How much will that blowout loss at Oklahoma in Bedlam harm the Cowboys' psyche? I'm thinking more than might be expected as underrated bowl game coach Houston Nutt will assuredly have the Rebels ready to play. Look for a game similar to last year's Cotton Bowl against Texas Tech where the Rebels win the game in the trenches.
3 points: Arizona over Nebraska, Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Look for a defensive struggle between good buddies Mike Stoops and Bo Pelini. But with Nebraska's well-chronicled offensive struggles against better opponents, it might be more of the same for the Cornhuskers in the bowl game. This one should be tight, but look for Arizona quarterback Nick Foles to make enough big plays to give the Wildcats a narrow victory.
2 points: Iowa State over Minnesota, Insight Bowl. The Cyclones definitely are happy to move up this far in the bowl pecking order. That attitude, along with strong inside running by Alexander Robinson, might be enough to catapult them to a big effort over the Gophers. Minnesota has been to the Insight Bowl three times in the last four seasons and might be a little bored with another trip to the desert this time around.
1 point: Texas over Alabama, Citi BCS National Championship Game. The Longhorns are underdogs in this one, but I'm thinking they are going to be a little tired about pundits talking about how fortunate they are to be playing in this game. The Longhorns are actually a better match for the Crimson Tide than they would have been against Florida. Will Muschamp's expertise on Nick Saban and his system will be pivotal. And I think Texas' run defense will keep Mark Ingram bottled up and that Colt McCoy will outplay Greg McElroy for his fourth bowl victory.
That would produce a 5-3 bowl record for the Big 12 this time around. It might be a little optimistic, but I'm fairly confident the teams can play to my expected levels.
What about some of your picks? I'm curious what you believe is a legitimate record the Big 12 can achieve this season.
Obviously, these games aren't quite as prevalent as bracket sheets during the NCAA men's tournament, but they assuredly are growing. I know I have several offers and have to get my sheets ready by Saturday's games.
Here are my picks for Big 12 bowl games ranked one through eight in terms of my confidence in the results of the games. I'll have much more extensive previews before the games and I reserve my right to make a last-minute change, but here are my picks in place for Saturday's confidence-pick deadline.
8 points: Texas Tech over Michigan State, Valero Alamo Bowl. The Red Raiders are catching the Spartans at exactly the right time. And the fact that Michigan State is riddled with suspensions only makes the Red Raiders' opportunity to win that much greater. Tech's Taylor Potts should have a huge game against the Spartans' struggling secondary that ranks 96th in pass-efficiency defense and 103rd in pass defense.
7 points: Missouri over Navy, Texas Bowl. The Tigers played well late in the season when Blaine Gabbert was healthy. Danario Alexander was the Big 12's most explosive player down the stretch. And while the defense isn't their best quality, I like their chances of being able to stuff Navy's run-heavy offense. Missouri limited four of its last five opponents to 77 yards rushing or less and Dave Steckel's group will have a long time to prepare for the option.
6 points: Georgia over Texas A&M, Advocare V100 Independence Bowl. Which Aggies team will show up for this game? The one that nearly beat Texas or the one that was blown out by Oklahoma or Kansas State? I think that Joe Cox and A.J. Green will have a lot of success against the Aggies' struggling defense, providing they can effectively keep Von Miller out of the Georgia backfield.
5 points: Oklahoma over Stanford, Brut Sun Bowl. The Sooners are intent on turning around after losing five of their last six bowl games. Oklahoma gets a break because of Andrew Luck's iffy status for the Cardinal. Look for the Sooners' run defense to clamp down on Toby Gerhart and Ryan Broyles and Landry Jones to make enough big plays to win.
4 points: Mississippi over Oklahoma State, AT&T Cotton Bowl. How much will that blowout loss at Oklahoma in Bedlam harm the Cowboys' psyche? I'm thinking more than might be expected as underrated bowl game coach Houston Nutt will assuredly have the Rebels ready to play. Look for a game similar to last year's Cotton Bowl against Texas Tech where the Rebels win the game in the trenches.
3 points: Arizona over Nebraska, Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Look for a defensive struggle between good buddies Mike Stoops and Bo Pelini. But with Nebraska's well-chronicled offensive struggles against better opponents, it might be more of the same for the Cornhuskers in the bowl game. This one should be tight, but look for Arizona quarterback Nick Foles to make enough big plays to give the Wildcats a narrow victory.
2 points: Iowa State over Minnesota, Insight Bowl. The Cyclones definitely are happy to move up this far in the bowl pecking order. That attitude, along with strong inside running by Alexander Robinson, might be enough to catapult them to a big effort over the Gophers. Minnesota has been to the Insight Bowl three times in the last four seasons and might be a little bored with another trip to the desert this time around.
1 point: Texas over Alabama, Citi BCS National Championship Game. The Longhorns are underdogs in this one, but I'm thinking they are going to be a little tired about pundits talking about how fortunate they are to be playing in this game. The Longhorns are actually a better match for the Crimson Tide than they would have been against Florida. Will Muschamp's expertise on Nick Saban and his system will be pivotal. And I think Texas' run defense will keep Mark Ingram bottled up and that Colt McCoy will outplay Greg McElroy for his fourth bowl victory.
That would produce a 5-3 bowl record for the Big 12 this time around. It might be a little optimistic, but I'm fairly confident the teams can play to my expected levels.
What about some of your picks? I'm curious what you believe is a legitimate record the Big 12 can achieve this season.
Big 12 mailbag: Should Nebraska be looking for another QB?
December, 15, 2009
12/15/09
6:20
PM ET
By Tim Griffin | ESPN.com
Tuesday afternoons wouldn’t be the same without digging into my e-mail and answering some of the better questions I received from readers over the last several days.
So here goes.
Larry from Las Vegas, Nev., writes: Should Nebraska recruit a top quarterback, even a JC candidate (that is if they can)? Zac Lee has left a lot to be desired and Cody Green has shown nothing so far when he was in. Taylor Martinez and LaTravis Washington are the only unexplored options. Is that a weakness that will haunt the Husker offense for years to come?
Tim Griffin: I don’t know about years to come, but it was definitely a weakness that cost the team this year. With better quarterbacking play and a more productive offense, it would have been easily attainable for the Cornhuskers to have won three more games with triumphs in close losses to Virginia Tech, Iowa State and Texas. That 12-1 record would have given them the Big 12 championship and no worse than a chance at a top BCS bowl. So with just a little smidgen of offensive improvement, it’s notable to consider what the Cornhuskers could have accomplished this season with just a little bit better offensive production.
It seems that the Cornhuskers’ coaches are comfortable with the talent they have on hand at quarterback. It was interesting to see the stories that have surfaced over the next couple of days where Bo Pelini is thinking about becoming more involved in Nebraska’s offense with a “downhill” running style.
And I wonder what Nebraska could have accomplished if they had been successful in keeping Blaine Gabbert’s original commitment with the current defensive unit they have this season.
Because they weren’t far from a BCS-bowl with the group they had this year. Because of that, I would be in favor of bringing another quarterback in just for competitive purposes to help in the offensive development next year and into the future.
Justin L. Swanson from Omaha, Neb., writes: Tim, there’s no way anyone from the Big 12 leaves for the Big Ten, especially any historic Big 8 teams. There’s way too much history there to walk away, even for lots more money.
Tim Griffin: Tradition is important, but money might be more important than you think in coming years. I agree it would be tough for Nebraska, Iowa State or Missouri to leave its natural rivals from the old Big 8, along with its new southern ones from the Big 12. But the chance to join the Big Ten would provide any of those schools with instant financial cache as well as a new set of challenges.
While I don’t exactly think it will be an immediate improvement -- the Big 12 is better than the Big Ten right now top to bottom -- the addition of one of the Big 12’s best would weaken the Big 12 and improve the Big Ten.
But I believe that Jim Delany will look long and hard at Notre Dame first. I then think that Pittsburgh and Rutgers will get a long look, along with Missouri. Nebraska might be a little bit down the list because its population lacks with the other contenders. And I think that Iowa State would add little to the Big Ten, as far as extra television sets for its fledgling network and for a new population base that is already saturated with the Iowa support in the state.
Missouri’s announcement today that they would listen to the Big Ten shows it is interested. But I don’t know if the Big Ten will be interested in the Tigers with other potential candidates out there.
Jim from Grand Junction, Colo., writes: Tim: Did Nebraska's defensive performance against Texas (along with a little bit of bad time management by Mack Brown) cost Colt McCoy the Heisman?
Tim Griffin: Absolutely. If the Heisman balloting had ceased after the final week of the regular season, McCoy would have won, in my opinion. He was coming off the monster game against Texas A&M and Mark Ingram had struggled against Auburn.
But the strong performance by Nebraska, along with some struggles with clock management made a lot of voters take a second, or maybe a third look at McCoy. And in the end, it was enough to drop him from the favorite’s role to third place by the time the balloting ended.
Kevin Jacob from Lawrence, Kan., writes: You do realize that the fireturnergill.com site has been around for many years and mostly negative of his time at Buffalo? It's also registered to someone who lives in Georgia and has no affiliation with the University of Kansas. I guess it would be too hard to look up facts about it though, so you instead use it to make KU fans look like we already want the guy fired. How about a little effort next time before you post something completely off base?
Tim Griffin: Kevin, I never specified Kansas fans in my post about fireturnergill.com. But the information that I saw had some very specific information about Gill’s hiring at Kansas and nothing about his time at Buffalo listed when I checked the site.
I again wonder why any fan would chastise or castigate Gill before his first day of work at his new job. I also wonder why any fan -- for whatever reason -- would choose to blast that hire in favor of other specific choices such as the fireturnergill.com Web site made.
But go back and read my post. Nowhere does it isolate Kansas fans as the perpetrators of this cruel Web site.
After listening to his news conference yesterday, I think Gill will do a good job. I just hope fans -- both inside and outside the Kansas support group -- will give him a chance to do his work to get his program running.
John Rumsler of Albuquerque, N.M., writes: Tim, which Big 12 team do you think has the most to gain from a bowl game and which might come into the games a little flat, in your opinion?
Tim Griffin: John, good question. I’m thinking that Texas will be very charged for its opportunity against Alabama in the BCS title game. I think once the Longhorns get to California, they are going to hear a lot of questions doubting their legitimacy as far as being national-title contenders. Mack Brown couldn’t ask for a better inspirational ploy for his team.
I also think Oklahoma should be ready to play in the Sun Bowl against Stanford, mainly because of the Sooners’ recent bowl-game struggles. That should infuse them with some excitement despite playing in a lower-level bowl.
I’m curious to see how Oklahoma State handles the late-season loss to Oklahoma and the injury to Zac Robinson. It will be a challenge for Mike Gundy to keep the intensity for the Cotton Bowl the Cowboys played with late in the season. So it will be a test for them to come into that game very excited.
Thanks again for all of the good questions. Keep working away at your holiday cards and presents and check back again Friday for another batch of reader mail.
So here goes.
Larry from Las Vegas, Nev., writes: Should Nebraska recruit a top quarterback, even a JC candidate (that is if they can)? Zac Lee has left a lot to be desired and Cody Green has shown nothing so far when he was in. Taylor Martinez and LaTravis Washington are the only unexplored options. Is that a weakness that will haunt the Husker offense for years to come?
Tim Griffin: I don’t know about years to come, but it was definitely a weakness that cost the team this year. With better quarterbacking play and a more productive offense, it would have been easily attainable for the Cornhuskers to have won three more games with triumphs in close losses to Virginia Tech, Iowa State and Texas. That 12-1 record would have given them the Big 12 championship and no worse than a chance at a top BCS bowl. So with just a little smidgen of offensive improvement, it’s notable to consider what the Cornhuskers could have accomplished this season with just a little bit better offensive production.
It seems that the Cornhuskers’ coaches are comfortable with the talent they have on hand at quarterback. It was interesting to see the stories that have surfaced over the next couple of days where Bo Pelini is thinking about becoming more involved in Nebraska’s offense with a “downhill” running style.
And I wonder what Nebraska could have accomplished if they had been successful in keeping Blaine Gabbert’s original commitment with the current defensive unit they have this season.
Because they weren’t far from a BCS-bowl with the group they had this year. Because of that, I would be in favor of bringing another quarterback in just for competitive purposes to help in the offensive development next year and into the future.
Justin L. Swanson from Omaha, Neb., writes: Tim, there’s no way anyone from the Big 12 leaves for the Big Ten, especially any historic Big 8 teams. There’s way too much history there to walk away, even for lots more money.
Tim Griffin: Tradition is important, but money might be more important than you think in coming years. I agree it would be tough for Nebraska, Iowa State or Missouri to leave its natural rivals from the old Big 8, along with its new southern ones from the Big 12. But the chance to join the Big Ten would provide any of those schools with instant financial cache as well as a new set of challenges.
While I don’t exactly think it will be an immediate improvement -- the Big 12 is better than the Big Ten right now top to bottom -- the addition of one of the Big 12’s best would weaken the Big 12 and improve the Big Ten.
But I believe that Jim Delany will look long and hard at Notre Dame first. I then think that Pittsburgh and Rutgers will get a long look, along with Missouri. Nebraska might be a little bit down the list because its population lacks with the other contenders. And I think that Iowa State would add little to the Big Ten, as far as extra television sets for its fledgling network and for a new population base that is already saturated with the Iowa support in the state.
Missouri’s announcement today that they would listen to the Big Ten shows it is interested. But I don’t know if the Big Ten will be interested in the Tigers with other potential candidates out there.
Jim from Grand Junction, Colo., writes: Tim: Did Nebraska's defensive performance against Texas (along with a little bit of bad time management by Mack Brown) cost Colt McCoy the Heisman?
Tim Griffin: Absolutely. If the Heisman balloting had ceased after the final week of the regular season, McCoy would have won, in my opinion. He was coming off the monster game against Texas A&M and Mark Ingram had struggled against Auburn.
But the strong performance by Nebraska, along with some struggles with clock management made a lot of voters take a second, or maybe a third look at McCoy. And in the end, it was enough to drop him from the favorite’s role to third place by the time the balloting ended.
Kevin Jacob from Lawrence, Kan., writes: You do realize that the fireturnergill.com site has been around for many years and mostly negative of his time at Buffalo? It's also registered to someone who lives in Georgia and has no affiliation with the University of Kansas. I guess it would be too hard to look up facts about it though, so you instead use it to make KU fans look like we already want the guy fired. How about a little effort next time before you post something completely off base?
Tim Griffin: Kevin, I never specified Kansas fans in my post about fireturnergill.com. But the information that I saw had some very specific information about Gill’s hiring at Kansas and nothing about his time at Buffalo listed when I checked the site.
I again wonder why any fan would chastise or castigate Gill before his first day of work at his new job. I also wonder why any fan -- for whatever reason -- would choose to blast that hire in favor of other specific choices such as the fireturnergill.com Web site made.
But go back and read my post. Nowhere does it isolate Kansas fans as the perpetrators of this cruel Web site.
After listening to his news conference yesterday, I think Gill will do a good job. I just hope fans -- both inside and outside the Kansas support group -- will give him a chance to do his work to get his program running.
John Rumsler of Albuquerque, N.M., writes: Tim, which Big 12 team do you think has the most to gain from a bowl game and which might come into the games a little flat, in your opinion?
Tim Griffin: John, good question. I’m thinking that Texas will be very charged for its opportunity against Alabama in the BCS title game. I think once the Longhorns get to California, they are going to hear a lot of questions doubting their legitimacy as far as being national-title contenders. Mack Brown couldn’t ask for a better inspirational ploy for his team.
I also think Oklahoma should be ready to play in the Sun Bowl against Stanford, mainly because of the Sooners’ recent bowl-game struggles. That should infuse them with some excitement despite playing in a lower-level bowl.
I’m curious to see how Oklahoma State handles the late-season loss to Oklahoma and the injury to Zac Robinson. It will be a challenge for Mike Gundy to keep the intensity for the Cotton Bowl the Cowboys played with late in the season. So it will be a test for them to come into that game very excited.
Thanks again for all of the good questions. Keep working away at your holiday cards and presents and check back again Friday for another batch of reader mail.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
David Ubben
Ubben joined ESPN.com in March 2010 after covering Big 12 football for two seasons at the Columbia Missourian and The Oklahoman. Ubben, a native of Springdale, Ark., lives in Dallas.
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