College Football Nation: Scot Loeffler
We're putting spring behind us and looking toward the fall with our post-spring power rankings:
1. LSU: The Tigers had one of the best springs around. Things were quiet off the field, and the offense rallied behind quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Coach Les Miles was very impressed with Mettenberger's play and maturity, and expects LSU's offense to be more balanced with him under center. LSU can still use four or five running backs, as well. Defensively, the Tigers are stacked once again, especially up front with two potential first-rounders in ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Questions surround the inexperienced linebackers, but Kevin Minter had a tremendous spring in the middle. On paper, LSU is equipped with the talent to make another title run, and gets Alabama at home this year.
2. Alabama: While the defending national champs saw a lot of "new" faces on defense this spring, coach Nick Saban left happy with where his players were -- but not satisfied. There is still work to be done, especially in the secondary, where the Tide must replace three starters. Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw are gone at linebacker, but the coaches were impressed with how Nico Johnson, C.J. Mosley and Adrian Hubbard played this spring. Some think Hubbard, a redshirt sophomore, could be Bama's top pass-rusher. Offensively, quarterback AJ McCarron is back, more mature and surrounded by a very veteran line. He has a group of younger receivers to throw to, but has at least four quality running backs. Alabama's road to repeating is tougher, with games at Arkansas and LSU.
3. South Carolina: A healthy Marcus Lattimore (knee) at RB makes South Carolina an even better contender for the SEC East crown. His status is uncertain, but the pieces around him are pretty impressive. Quarterback Connor Shaw had an impressive spring, and looks ready to be the passer coach Steve Spurrier wants him to be. The defense is once again stacked, especially up front with ends Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor. There are questions in the secondary, with two new, young starters in Victor Hampton (cornerback) and Brison Williams (safety), while senior Akeem Auguste returns after missing last season with a foot injury. Still, Spurrier is chirping about his SEC counterparts, so you know he thinks he's got a good team this year.
4. Georgia: The Bulldogs should be higher on this list, but when you take into account the suspensions of four defensive starters at the beginning of the season, they slide a little. Georgia returns nine defensive starters, including one of the nation's best linebackers in Jarvis Jones, and some firepower on offense, led by veteran quarterback Aaron Murray, who could get some early Heisman love. It also sounds like enigmatic running back Isaiah Crowell is slowly turning things around. Yet again, the Bulldogs have a favorable SEC schedule, with no games against Alabama, Arkansas or LSU, so their road to the SEC championship is easier than South Carolina's, but keep an eye on that inexperienced offensive line.
5. Arkansas: If not for Bobby Petrino's embarrassing dismissal, the Razorbacks might be ranked higher. Offensively, it doesn't get much better than what Arkansas has. Tyler Wilson returns as arguably the league's best quarterback, and he'll get to work with one of the most complete backs around, Knile Davis, who is returning from a devastating ankle injury. An older and more improved offensive line returns, and so does a talented receiving corps led by Cobi Hamilton. But there are questions. How effective will interim coach John L. Smith be, especially if something goes wrong? Will Marquel Wade's suspension leak into the fall after his spring arrest? And will the defense improve and be more aggressive under new coordinator Paul Haynes? The good news is that Alabama and LSU play in Fayetteville this fall.
6. Florida: The chemistry is much better in Gainesville. Florida returns 10 starters from a defense that ranked eighth nationally in 2011. Matt Elam looks like a budding star at safety, and Florida's linebacking group is solid. Buck/defensive end Ronald Powell could be out after tearing his ACL this spring, but coach Will Muschamp recently said Powell is off crutches. Stud defensive tackle Dominique Easley is also walking fine after tearing his ACL in last year's season finale. The Gators have their third offensive coordinator in three years, and unproven sophomore quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel are still battling. Florida has unproven running backs and receivers, but the offensive line toughened up tremendously.
7. Auburn: The Tigers welcomed two new coordinators, Scot Loeffler and Brian VanGorder, this spring, and by all accounts players were very receptive. Coach Gene Chizik is still dealing with a lot of youth, as close to 70 percent of his roster is made up of underclassmen. One of those underclassmen is quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who made strides as a passer this spring and seems to have the edge in the quarterback race with Clint Moseley, who missed some of the spring with a sore shoulder. The defensive line will be the team's strength, with end Dee Ford exploding this spring and Corey Lemonier returning. There is a lot of depth up front on defense, which will go a long way for the Tigers.
8. Missouri: Coach Gary Pinkel and his players have made it clear they aren't intimidated by the move to the SEC. These new Tigers return solid offensive firepower, but there has to be some concern about quarterback James Franklin, who missed most of the spring after having surgery on his throwing shoulder. Plus, Mizzou's backup QB could miss games this fall after his recent arrest, so the Tigers' offensive success will be riding on Franklin's health. The Tigers are replacing a few starters on both lines, but feel confident about both areas. Mizzou will face a Georgia team down a few defensive players in Week 2, but must travel to South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
9. Tennessee: A lot is different in Knoxville, as the Vols welcomed seven new assistant coaches. Coach Derek Dooley insists the changes were for the best, but there's still going to be some adjusting to do this fall. The good news is that Tennessee returns a lot on both sides of the ball, starting with quarterback Tyler Bray and receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers. A healthy trio there makes Tennessee's passing game one of the best in the league. Questions remain on the offensive line and at running back, but improvements were made this spring. New defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but players aren't totally comfortable, leaving some concerns.
10. Mississippi State: Quarterback Tyler Russell finally looks ready to take over as the guy in Starkville, and he'll have a veteran receiving corps to work with. However, that group still has a lot to prove, especially senior Chad Bumphis. The running game looks solid with LaDarius Perkins and Nick Griffin, and the offensive line got help from the junior college ranks. Defensively, there are a few holes to fill up front and in the secondary, but Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield are a solid cornerback tandem and linebacker is set with a few vets back, including stud Cameron Lawrence. Junior college defensive end Denico Autry has to perform early to help a line with a couple of holes.
11. Texas A&M: The Aggies have some holes to fill this year, but the offensive line will be a strength. Left tackle Luke Joeckel, a future first-rounder, leads a line that returns four starters. Star wide receiver Ryan Swope is back, and running back Christine Michael should be healthy (knee) this fall, but quarterback is an issue. Sophomore Jameill Showers has the edge right now, but like all of his competitors, he lacks experience. The defense will lean on linebackers Sean Porter, Steven Jenkins, Jonathan Stewart and converted end Damontre Moore, but the secondary has depth and experience issues, and the team will still be adjusting to a new staff led by coach Kevin Sumlin.
12. Vanderbilt: There is some solid offensive talent in Nashville, starting with running back Zac Stacy and receivers Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd, but coach James Franklin is still waiting for quarterback Jordan Rodgers to be more consistent. The offensive line is very thin and could barely get through spring. The defense must replace a handful of starters and leaders, but Franklin felt better about guys like linebacker Chase Garnham, defensive end Walker May and cornerback Trey Wilson. Vandy's schedule will be tough this fall, and if that offensive line doesn't hold up, getting back to a bowl will be tough.
13. Kentucky: Coach Joker Phillips was pleased with how spring practice ended, especially when it came to finding offensive playmakers, like receivers Demarco Robinson and Daryl Collins. Quarterback Maxwell Smith had a solid spring, but struggled during the spring game, meaning the battle with Morgan Newton and freshman Patrick Towles should go into the fall. The offensive line is still trying to get by after losing three starters, and the Wildcats must replace six starters at linebacker and in the secondary. Given the Wildcats' schedule, they will need to sweep their nonconference games to be in bowl shape.
14. Ole Miss: The arrival of coach Hugh Freeze brought a lot of positive change to Ole Miss, especially off the field, but there are still a lot of concerns. There are depth issues at just about every position, especially running back and defensive tackle. Even one of the most experienced groups, the offensive line, has struggled mightily with picking up Freeze's spread offense and is the team's biggest weakness. Academic issues are also worrying Ole Miss' staff, and top running back Jeff Scott and cornerback/receiver Nickolas Brassell are in that group. Quarterback is still up for grabs, but progress was made on defense, especially in the secondary.
Chizik impressed with maturity of his Tigers
The Tigers were sitting at the 4-yard line, only steps from scoring, but there wasn’t any urgency. There wasn’t any desire to take those few steps because the game was well in hand. So instead of shooting for 50 points, Auburn knelt on the ball twice to run the clock out.
Moments later, Auburn was celebrating its 43-24 thrashing of Virginia without starting quarterback Clint Moseley or starting running back Michael Dyer.
Joshua S. Kelly/US PresswireGene Chizik has been impressed with his team's maturity heading into the 2012 season.The squad that left the Georgia Dome that night was a much better representation of the Tigers than any prior last season, and coach Gene Chizik said that New Year’s Eve win propelled this team into the offseason.
“There’s a lot of value in playing in a bowl game and winning it,” Chizik said.
That value has come in the form of a more competitive and faster spring on the Plains. Even with the addition of two new coordinators in Scot Loeffler and Brian VanGorder, Chizik said this team was further ahead as far as maturation and development within the schemes than last spring‘s group.
“It’s been a really productive offseason,“ Chizik said. “We know that we’ve got a long way to go, but I think our kids understand that our future here is very bright and the foundation has been laid and will continue to work in that direction. Everybody’s very upbeat, very positive and understanding that there’s an urgency to be a better football team than we were the previous year.
“We’re excited about it and our kids are, too.”
One side of the ball that made a lot of progress was the offense. Auburn’s players were entrenched in a spread style with Gus Malzahn running the show, but with Loeffler in town, the Tigers have added more pro-style sets. The good thing, Chizik said, is that Loeffler has a background in both styles, which made it easier for players to adapt this spring.
Loeffler would rather run more of a pro-style offense, but he isn’t naïve. He knows what his talent can do, and while Chizik wouldn’t exactly give the blueprint for Auburn’s offense, he did hint that there could be elements of both styles this fall.
“We’re going to come up with our own package and our own identity,“ he said. “We’re going to try and get good at just a few things, but we have certainly moved forward in terms of finding out exactly what we can and can’t do this spring; no question about it.”
Another thing that isn’t totally clear is who will throw the ball for the Tigers this fall. Moseley, who started the last six games of the season, was sidelined for most of the spring with a sore shoulder, while rising sophomore Kiehl Frazier, who was used more for running situations last year, took a bit of a lead.
Frazier fits more of a spread style, but Loeffler’s teaching really helped him develop more of his game, especially as a passer, this spring.
“I don’t think that there’s any question about it; he certainly improved in a lot of aspects this spring,” Chizik said. “He had a lot of opportunities. He’s maturing as a quarterback, but he’s learning a lot. He’s still a young 19-year-old kid that has a lot in front of him, but we’re asking a lot of him. I thought he handled it very well.
“His best days are certainly ahead of him, but he made a lot of strides this spring.”
And Chizik thinks the best days are ahead for his entire team. Offensively and defensively, this team will still be young, as close to 70 percent of Auburn’s scholarship players will be underclassmen, but Chizik said the level of maturity this year doesn’t resemble a group of underclassmen.
Development still has a ways to go, Chizik said, but the want to improve and win is exactly where he wants it.
“As long as you have young, eager guys that are wanting to succeed and wanting to better themselves,“ he said, “I think you always got a great chance to have a successful year.”
Sure, the Tigers were coming off an unbeaten 14-0 season and national championship in 2010, and it’s a fact that only six starters returned from that team. Gone were Heisman Trophy quarterback Cam Newton, Lombardi Award winner Nick Fairley and four senior starters on the offensive line.
It was an entirely different football team -- one with first- and second-year players dominating the depth chart -- that scratched out an 8-5 season a year ago.
But a transition year?
Blake isn’t buying it; not at Auburn.
“For us, we never think of a year as a transition year,” said Blake, who led the Tigers in catches (36) and receiving yards (613) last season despite missing three games with a high-ankle sprain.
John Reed/US PresswireEmory Blake takes a lot of confidence into his senior season.One of those things that went against Auburn was a passing game that was virtually non-existent, particularly the downfield passing game.
Nobody in the SEC completed fewer passes than Auburn in regular-season play, and the only two teams that had fewer passing yards than the Tigers were Ole Miss and Kentucky.
“We just never could get our passing game going, and that made us easy to defend,” Blake said.
Even more frustrating for Blake was the high-ankle sprain that plagued him the second half of the season. He suffered the injury in the 16-13 win over South Carolina, and his only action the next three games was one play against Florida.
That’s after catching four touchdown passes in his first five games. He only caught one more the rest of the way, although he came back and hauled in six catches for 108 yards in the Chick-fil-A Bowl once he had a chance to fully rest the ankle.
“That’s just what we needed, our offense having one of its best games at the end of the year and everybody finally not being banged-up, because it’s carried over into the offseason,” Blake said.
This spring has only created more excitement for Blake, who’s moving around a lot more in the Tigers’ new offense than he did in the past. First-year offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler is installing more of a pro-style system, according to Blake, and the Auburn staff has made it clear that one of the goals is to get the ball to Blake during his senior season.
In fact, receivers coach Trooper Taylor has thrown out there the “80 for 80” theme.
Blake, who wears No. 80, is all for that idea. Then again, what receiver doesn’t want to catch 80 passes?
“I feel like I have the confidence, the ability and the experience to be one of the top receivers in the SEC, and if you’re one of the top receivers in the SEC, you’re one of the top receivers in the country,” Blake said. “We’re all excited about the possibilities in this new offense. We’re still learning, but it’s a fresh start, a clean slate for a lot of guys.”
Whereas the Tigers leaned on Michael Dyer and the running game last season, they won’t have that option in 2012. Dyer followed Gus Malzahn to Arkansas State.
The 6-foot-2, 197-pound Blake is now the closest thing the Tigers have to a proven go-to guy on offense.
In his last 13 games dating back to the national championship season, he’s caught eight touchdown passes. His 13 touchdown catches over the past two seasons are more than any returning SEC player.
“You would be hard-pressed to find a receiver that runs better routes or is smarter,” Taylor said. “He may not be the fastest or the biggest or the strongest, but I guarantee he’s productive.”
Blake also has the luxury of talking shop with his dad, Jeff Blake, who was a quarterback in the NFL for 14 seasons.
And now that the Tigers are running an offense that more closely resembles what they’re running in the NFL, Blake looks forward to even more of those conversations.
“It’s a more universal offense,” Blake explained. “Coach Malzahn’s offense was more his offense, more the stuff he created. This is more pro-based now, especially the lingo, and my dad can relate more. I can call him now and talk about what we’re doing, and I think that’s going to be a big help in learning the offense.”
Blake doesn’t think the learning curve will be a steep one. He already sees considerable progress with everybody. In particular, he says Loeffler has zeroed in on the quarterbacks.
“With everybody we have coming back and everything Coach Loeffler brings to the table, we should be a much more consistent offense,” Blake said. “Just seeing how quarterback-oriented [Loeffler] is, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to have whoever wins that job ready to play.
“We have to help the defense out more this year. There were too many times that we didn’t do our part last year. We need to create more explosive plays and finish games, and we have the players and the attitude to do that.”
Take Two: Who faces steeper challenge?
Today's Take Two topic: Auburn's Scot Loeffler and Florida's Brent Pease are two of six new offensive coordinators in the league. Who faces the steeper challenge in 2012 -- Loeffler or Pease?
Take 1: Chris Low
AP Photo/Austin McAfeeRB Onterio McCalebb should provide Auburn explosiveness out of the backfield in 2012. The starting quarterback job is also up for grabs, although Loefller said he’s not in a rush to name a starter this spring. The Tigers also have to replace both offensive tackles. So there’s not a lot for Loeffler to hang his hat on this first season, at least in the way of proven offensive players. Loeffler has a vast coaching background, but he prefers more of a pro-style attack. It will help if the Tigers’ receivers can stay healthy. The passing game a year ago rarely produced any big plays down the field. Loeffler’s smart enough to realize that he has to play to his personnel. What makes that so difficult, though, is that it’s hard to say right now that the Tigers do anything particularly well on offense given what they have returning. Loeffler’s definitely going to need some new faces to emerge. He's also going to need a lot of focus out of everybody on offense this spring as the Tigers make the transition from Gus Malzahn's system. That transition isn't going to happen overnight, meaning it could take the Tigers a few games next season before they figure out what they do best.
Take 2: Edward Aschoff
I think both of these coaches will have their hands full this spring and fall. Both have to deal with inexperience at just about every position. But for Pease, he has to deal with more unproven players than Loeffler. Loeffler might have an interesting quarterback battle on his hands, but he at least has a proven running back in Onterio McCalebb and a proven receiver in Emory Blake. Pease has neither. Florida has three young quarterbacks -- Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy -- running backs that have had consistency issues, unproven wide receivers and an offensive line that returns most of the parts of a unit that struggled mightily last season. The good news is that it sounds like the offensive line added some bulk during the offseason, and when you have four starters returning, improvements are inevitable.
Florida still isn't sure which quarterback will step up and lead this team. Brissett had the edge heading into spring, but Driskel was the top high school quarterback in his class for a reason. No matter which one prevails, baby steps will still have to be taken this fall because the winner will still be a little bug-eyed come SEC play. What would help is if a receiver or two steps up during the offseason. Since Riley Cooper left after the 2009 season, the Gators have lacked a consistent go-to receiver. Quinton Dunbar has shown flashes this spring, but he did last spring as well and caught just 14 passes in 2011. Frankie Hammond gets a lot of praise in practice, too, but it hasn't consistently translated onto the field. Andre Debose was Florida's best deep threat, but it's time for him to do more for this offense and be more reliable in all types of situations, not just deep throws. One thing that will help is that the tight end position should be solid with Jordan Reed and A.C. Leonard coming back. As for running back, Mike Gillislee has the talent to be a solid starter this fall, but he has to do more than just carry the rock. He has to improve his blocking as well. Mack Brown has the tools as well, but getting the offense down is his first objective because it has kept him off the field for two years. Pease is Florida's third offensive coordinator in three years and brings new elements like the others did, so the Gators are having to learn even more. It will be a challenge, but there are bodies to work with. It's all about getting his guys to understand things before the season starts or Florida's offense will continue to struggle.
Post-signing day SEC Power Rankings
You won't see any change really, but we have more confidence in some teams now than we did before:
1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide hauled in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class last week and not only did Nick Saban sign a handful of top-rated players, but he met all of Alabama's major needs with the 2012 class. There are a few freshmen who could make early impacts in Tuscaloosa, including athlete Eddie Williams (Panama City, Fla./Arnold), and wide receivers Chris Black (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast) and Amari Cooper (Miami/Miami Northwestern).
2. LSU: The Tigers' class wasn't as highly rated as some recent ones, but Les Miles and his coaches brought in a solid group and there are a few defense players who might see some playing time early. Three starting linebackers need to be replaced and a few freshmen will get their chances. While LSU lost Torshiro Davis (Shreveport, La./Woodlawn) flipped to Texas, the Tigers brought in ESPNU 150 linebackers Kwon Alexander (Oxford, Ala.) and Ronnie Feist (Edgard, La./West Saint John).
3. Georgia: The Bulldogs needed to get bigger up front and add a couple of playmaking linebackers. Georgia did just that with the handful of athletic defensive linemen signed and grabbed top outside linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes), who should thrive in Todd Grantham's 3-4. Georgia's offense could be even better this fall with Keith Marshall (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) helping Isaiah Crowell, and the wide receiver depth returning.
4. South Carolina: Talk about underrated. South Carolina didn't make much noise at all on national signing day, but the Gamecocks brought in a very balanced class and have a few players who should contribute early to a team that will yet again compete for the SEC East title. Two freshmen to keep an eye on in 2012 are wide receiver Shaq Roland (Lexington, S.C.) and safety Chaz Elder (College Park, Ga./Benjamin E. Banneker).
5. Arkansas: It seemed like the Razorbacks were headed for a very strong finish to their 2012 recruiting class, but watched as top receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (Springfield, Mo./Hillcrest) and four-star offensive tackle Jordan Diamond (Chicago/Simeon) committed elsewhere. However, Arkansas is still waiting on top athlete Davonte Neal (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) and signed some pretty talented wide receivers to add to that high-flying offense. Defensive depth was a need and Arkansas added six defensive linemen and snatched Tennessee linebacker commit Otha Peters (Covington, La./Covington) late.
6. Auburn: Before Auburn could complete its recruiting class, it had to find someone to run its offense. The Tigers lured Scot Loeffler away from Temple, getting a coach who knows a thing about teaching quarterbacks. Clint Moseley and Kiehl Frazier should be ecstatic. The loss of Michael Dyer hurts, but Auburn has a stable of running backs to work with and signed one of the best offensive line classes around. Also, athlete Ricardo Louis (Miami Beach, Fla/Miami Beach Senior) could be a real playmaker at wide receiver.
7. Florida: Will Muschamp wanted his team to get tougher and he took a step in the right direction by hitting the line of scrimmage hard in his first full recruiting class. He also got a big back in Matt Jones (Seffner, Fla./Armwood) and having D.J. Humphries (Charlotte, N.C./Mallard Creek) in early should really help the offensive line. Florida is also waiting for a potential receiving threat in Stefon Diggs (Olney, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel). Muschamp feels better about this team's attitude and expects a more resilient squad in 2012.
8. Missouri: These Tigers could come in and frustrate some of its new SEC East family with the depth it returns. No one is quite sure if top running back Henry Josey will return in 2012 after a major knee injury, but the Tigers added a very complete back in Morgan Steward (Kansas City, Mo./Staley), who could compete for playing time early. But Missouri took home the biggest national signing day prize when Green-Beckham picked Missouri. Mizzou lacked a big-play receiving threat until now.
9. Tennessee: There is a lot of talent returning in Knoxville and the Vols added some quality depth with its 2012 recruiting class. Tennessee took a hit when top inside linebacker Dalton Santos (Van, Texas) flipped to Texas and needed to add a big-time running back to help that offense, but grabbing junior college wide receiver Cordarrelle Paterson (Rock Hill, S.C./Hutchinson Community College) was big. He'll add to an already solid receiving tandem and could provide more leadership. Tyler Bray should have a fun offseason.
10. Texas A&M: The Aggies lose a lot heading into their first season as a part of the SEC Western Division, but helped the future by signing a top-25 class. Running back Trey Williams (Houston/Andy Dekaney) could provide an early spark for the offense with Cyrus Gray leaving. The receivers got some needed help with the signing of No. 3 receiver Thomas Johnson of Dallas, and outside linebacker Jordan Richmond (Denton, Texas/Billy Ryan) should see early playing time as well.
11. Vanderbilt: James Franklin's first full class at Vanderbilt was a total success. He showed that he won't just compete on the field with the SEC big boys but he'll recruit with them too. He beat out a few bigger schools for ESPNU 150 athlete Brian Kimbrow (Memphis, Tenn./East) and the Commodores added a lot of bigger bodies up front and at linebacker. Vandy's veterans shouldn't have an issue mingling with this solid recruiting class.
12. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs will head into the spring looking to jump start their offense. There is a lot of depth and three senior starters returning at wide receiver, but some oomph needs to return to this offense. It's officially Tyler Russell's time at QB and LaDarius Perkins and Nick Griffin could be a powerful one-two running back punch. Where Mississippi State really struck gold in recruiting was up front, where the Bulldogs added three top defensive linemen, including No. 13 tackle Quay Evans (Morton, Miss.).
13. Kentucky: The Wildcats need playmakers on offense and having running back Josh Clemons come back at full health this year, will go a long way. But Kentucky desperately needed to add more with its 2012 recruiting class. The Wildcats are hoping dual-threat quarterback Patrick Towles (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) can help in that department. Kentucky won't get anywhere without developing the talent already on campus and that's most important at this point.
14. Ole Miss: Hugh Freeze had some defensive success in his first recruiting class as the Rebels' head coach. There is a good foundation with ESPNU 150 defensive tackle Issac Gross of Batesville, Miss., and ESPNU 150 defensive end Channing Ward of Aberdeen, Miss., and the secondary got a boost when safety Trae Elston (Oxford, Ala.) picked Ole Miss over LSU. Now, Freeze turns his attention to players a part of a two-win 2011 season. Generating discipline and finding leaders are key for a program glued to the bottom of the SEC.
3-point stance: Chip Kelly and the NFL
2. If New England had lost the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien would have been the full-time Penn State head coach on Monday. So, Matt McGloin, were you a Baltimore fan on Sunday? “Kind of,” the Nittany Lions quarterback said, laughing. “No, that would obviously be selfish of you. You want the best for your head coach. Now that’s he in the Super Bowl, if they win it, it’s great for the university. It’s great for him. A Super Bowl offensive coordinator to be your head coach; that’s pretty exciting, especially as a quarterback.”
3. Auburn coach Gene Chizik hired offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler away from Temple. That’s the same Loeffler who ran the Florida offense in 2009-10. But don’t think the Tigers are going to install the spread offense that Loeffler used with Tim Tebow. Chizik also leapt at the chance to accept as a transfer Illinois fullback Jay Prosch, a Mobile native who didn’t think he would fit in new Illini coach Tim Beckman’s offense. The Tigers’ spring practice just got a lot more interesting.
Scot Loeffler named Auburn's new OC
The school announced Sunday night that former Temple offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler has been hired to replace Gus Malzahn as the Tigers' offensive coordinator. Malzahn left after the Chick-fil-A Bowl to become the head coach at Arkansas State.
AP Photo/Temple Athletics Joseph V. LabolitoFormer Temple offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler will take his system to Auburn next season.While Temple excelled at running the ball under Loeffler's guidance, he does have a lot of experience working with quarterbacks that have gone on to play in the NFL, including Tom Brady, Tim Tebow, Brian Griese, Chad Henne, Drew Henson and John Navarre.
“Scot is a rising star who has worked with some very good quarterbacks, and has achieved a tremendous amount of success,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. “He is a tireless worker, is an outstanding recruiter and knows the rigors of competing in this conference. We’re very excited to have Scot join our staff, and we welcome him to the Auburn family.”
Loeffler, who is a Michigan graduate, gained experience in the SEC while serving as Florida's quarterbacks coach in 2009 and 2010. In 2009, Florida's quarterbacks, headed by former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, led the nation in passing efficiency (167.3) and passed for 3,305 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions. Florida also ranked second in the SEC in passing offense (236.1).
I interacted with Loeffler a few times during his two years at Florida, and he certainly seemed like a man who knows what he was talking about. He probably has more pro-style ideals when it comes to running an offense, so this might be his chance to get out of the spread mindset that he's had since his time with the Gators.
He'll also have the job of improving Auburn's quarterback play. The Tigers were wildly inconsistent at the position last season, and finished the season ranking 100th nationally in total offense (337.8). Seven-game starter Barrett Trotter, who graduated, decided not to return to Auburn, leaving Loeffler with rising junior Clint Moseley and rising sophomore Kiehl Frazier as the only quarterbacks with any experience.
Moseley took over for Trotter midway through the season, but struggled to get the Tigers' offense going, passing for 800 yards and five touchdowns, with three interceptions. Frazier came in more for running situations throughout the season and only attempted 12 passes, tossing two interceptions in the process.
Loeffler will also be without star running back Michael Dyer, who left with Malzahn for Arkansas State, but Auburn does have a lot of young talent to work with. If Loeffler is making the switch to a more pro-style offense, there will no doubt be some hiccups along the way, but those are common with coaching changes. Implementing the system he wants should be his first priority.
“Auburn is one of the special jobs and special places in college athletics, with a tremendous amount of history and tradition. It’s an honor to be joining coach Chizik’s staff, and I’m very appreciative of this opportunity," Loeffler said.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
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| Douglas Jones/US Presswire | |
| Florida is tinkering with Tim Tebow's throwing mechanics. |
My ESPN.com colleague, Mark Schlabach, has an interesting piece on Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.
And while a lot has already been written and said about Tebow, Schlabach delves into Florida's attempt to tweak Tebow's mechanics as a passer, in particular his footwook and sidearm delivery.
My first thought is: It ain't pretty, but it sure is effective. After all, Tebow threw 30 touchdown passes and only four interceptions last season.
Messing around with how Tebow goes about his business on the football field is akin to messing around with Tiger Woods and telling him what club he ought to hit off the first tee.
Tebow's proven that he can get it done, funky release or not.
The question becomes: Can he get it done at the next level with that same funky (and slow) release? And I'm guessing that's what is really at work here with this tweaking of his mechanics.
Nobody at Florida wants to see Tebow go in the second or third round of the NFL draft, especially Urban Meyer. What does Meyer tell the next quarterback he's recruiting to that system when one of the greatest and most productive players of this era isn't even drafted in the first around, if that indeed happens?
I still have to believe it to see it.
But despite all this talk about refining Tebow's throwing mechanics, he's still going to be the same player. When it's time to take off and run, he's going to run. When he needs a play on third down, he's going to make the right decision. When he needs to hit a big play down the field, he's going to put the ball where it needs to be.
We've seen it for three years now. And one thing I'm 100 percent sure of is that his will to win needs absolutely no tweaking.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
In the end, Tim Tebow simply couldn't walk away.
Sure, there were other factors that went into his decision to return to Florida for his senior season. But none were more important than his sense of loyalty to everybody associated with the Gators' football program and all the people who make up the Gator Nation.
"When it came down to it, I just wanted to be loyal to Coach (Urban) Meyer and the University of Florida," said Tebow, who was named Thursday as the winner of the Manning Award, which is the only national quarterback award that takes into account the bowl games.
"I love being here. It's been a joy being here, and I wanted to finish what I started. I'm really enjoying it, and there will be time to do other things once this is done. But I wanted to be loyal to all my guys and all my coaches here."
Tebow is still recuperating from surgery on his right (non-throwing) shoulder and said he hasn't thrown any since the FedEx BCS National Championship Game. He said he should be full strength in time for the start of spring practice.
"Right now, I'm just trying to get back healthy," said Tebow, who underwent the surgery to remove bone spurs in his shoulder.
When he does return, he'll be under the guidance of a new quarterbacks coach, former Detroit Lions and Michigan quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler. The two share a close relationship dating back to Tebow's recruitment. Tebow said the only reason he visited Michigan was because of Loeffler.
"I'm going to spend every second I can with him working on things and trying to prepare myself for the next level, but even more importantly, preparing my team to be successful next year," Tebow said.
The Gators will almost certainly be ranked No. 1 in the country going into the 2009 season, but Tebow said those kinds of expectations come with the territory when you're playing at Florida. He's only the third player in college football history to enter a season with a Heisman Trophy and two national championships to his credit.
"Our expectation level is higher than anything anybody else could put on us," Tebow said. "Coming off last season, we're used to expectations. We're used to handling that, and I'm used to handling that. We need to be focused, take it one game at a time and play with enthusiasm and passion every time we step out there and not let the hype get to us."
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