College Football Nation: Tim Brown
Biggest shoes to fill in the Big East
The league fared just fine in 2009 without those stars, and the good news for 2010 is that many of its top performers will be back. But that's not to say there aren't still some key losses that teams will have to adjust to this spring. Here's a look at the biggest shoes to fill this season in the Big East:
- Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati: The Bearcats aren't exactly hurting at wide receiver with Armon Binns, D.J. Woods and USC transfer Vidal Hazelton around. Still, someone must replace Gilyard's leadership and knack for making the big play at crucial times. What might be even more difficult to replace is Gilyard's production on special teams. The two-time Big East special teams player of the year was always a threat to score on kickoffs and punt returns. And hopefully someone will step in Gilyard's role as the best quote in the entire conference.
- Tim Brown, WR, Rutgers: Brown may not have received a ton of attention nationally, but he was vitally important to the Scarlet Knights. The speedster averaged 20.9 yards per catch and amassed 1,150 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as the team's only true deep threat. With a still very young receiving corps surrounding Tom Savage, Rutgers will need to find someone who can stretch the field the way Brown did.
- Mick Williams, DT, Pittsburgh: The 2009 co-defensive player of the year in the conference, Williams was a wildly disruptive force in the middle of that Panthers defensive line, as well as an inspirational leader. With fellow senior tackle Gus Mustakas also gone, Pitt needs more production from backups Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih, among others.
- Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers: McCourty was an underappreciated gem for the Scarlet Knights, a lockdown cornerback who also was seemingly everywhere on special teams. He was the leader of the secondary. Guys with his skills don't come around that often.
- Reed Williams, LB, West Virginia: The Mountaineers had to deal with Williams' absence for most of 2008 and at times this past season because of various injuries. But it was clear that they were a different team whenever Williams was healthy. A smart player (he's the 2009 Big East football scholar-athlete of the year ) who anchored the defense at middle linebacker, Williams was like a coach on the field.
- George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida: Say what you will about Selvie's dwindling production, but opposing offense still always had to account for him. And Pierre-Paul ascended to star status in his one year on campus. Combined, the two produced 26 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2009. The Bulls now need the next wave of pass-rushers to emerge, with former stud recruit Ryne Giddins one possible candidate.
Top 10 moments of the Big East season
AP Photo/Michael ConroyConnecticut's emotional win over Notre Dame will be remembered for a long time.2. The Cincinnati comeback at Pitt: In two years of doing this blog, I haven't seen a wilder game than Cincinnati's 45-44 win over Pitt in the season finale after the Bearcats were down 31-10. I made my way down to the field for the last couple of minutes and just happened to be standing in the corner of the end zone where Tony Pike's beautifully-thrown pass landed in the outstretched hands of Armon Binns for the game-winning touchdown. That play, and the looks on the faces of players from both sides, was something to behold up close.
3. West Virginia welcomes UConn: West Virginia fans showed solidarity with Connecticut when the Huskies traveled to Morgantown the week after Howard was killed. Signs of support, a moment of silence and Bill Stewart hugging Edsall were just some of the ways the Mountaineers displayed their empathy in a classy, heartfelt way.
4. Greg Paulus playing quarterback: This was one of the biggest -- and strangest -- stories of the offseason, as Paulus came back to the sport after four years of playing point guard for the Duke basketball team. Doug Marrone gambled by making Paulus his starter right away. Paulus had his ups and downs -- he completed 67.7 percent of his passes, but also threw 14 interceptions -- but it was a fascinating experiment to watch.
5. Tim Brown streaking to victory: In yet another moment involving UConn, it looked like the Huskies had beaten Rutgers after they scored with 38 seconds left to take the lead. But on the very next play from scrimmage, Tom Savage hit Brown over the middle, and the senior receiver darted 81 yards untouched to the end zone for the victory.
6. Dion Lewis bouncing off tackles: The Pitt true freshman had an unbelievable year, rushing for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns. What I'll remember is not one specific play, but just the way Lewis always seemed to emerge from a crowd, running through stunned defenders, as he kept slipping away for more yardage.
7. B.J. Daniels' homecoming: While it may have lost some luster later in the season, South Florida's upset at Florida State was pretty special at the time. And the fact that freshman quarterback Daniels led the way in his hometown of Tallahassee while making his first start in place of the injured Matt Grothe made it a storybook tale.
8. The Brian Kelly drama: Cincinnati's perfect 12-0 finish was nearly overshadowed by the rumors of its three-time Big East coach of the year leaving for Notre Dame. And when Kelly finally confirmed he was going to South Bend at the postseason banquet, many players angrily stormed out of the room. Then they had to play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl without their coach. While maybe it shouldn't be the most memorable thing about the Bearcats' season, it's near the top of the list, for sure.
9. Pitt drives into a Meineke: Pittsburgh could have folded up shop after losing its last two regular-season games in the final minute. But the Panthers showed a lot of resilience in the Meineke Car Care Bowl by marching on an epic 17-play, 8:47 scoring drive to beat North Carolina.
10. Devine on the run: When I think of West Virginia's season, I'll always picture Noel Devine dashing to daylight. It's not just the fuzzy lens of nostalgia. Devine had seven runs of at least 56 yards this season, including an 88-yarder against Pitt, a 77-yarder versus Colorado and a 70-yard sprint in the Gator Bowl. Will he keep running to the NFL or come back to create more memories in the Big East?
Those are my top 10 moments from 2009. What are some of your favorites that I didn't include?
Instant analysis: Rutgers 45, Central Florida 24
How the game was won: Rutgers managed to take advantage of Central Florida's shaky pass defense to the tune of 294 passing yards by freshman quarterback Tom Savage. The defense, meanwhile, held UCF to just 32 rushing yards and came up with two key interceptions -- including one for a touchdown -- as the Scarlet Knights cruised to victory.
Turning point: Billy Anderson's interception and 19-yard return for a score late in the first half gave Rutgers a commanding 28-17 lead going into the half.
Player of the game: Mohamed Sanu. The Rutgers true freshman scored three touchdowns -- two out of Wildcat formation rushes and one on a reception -- and had 147 total yards.
Unsung hero of the game: Tim Brown was doubtful with a leg injury and appeared to be injured again during the game. Still, he managed four catches for 100 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown that was reminiscent of his grab-and-go to beat Connecticut earlier this year.
Stat of the game: Brynn Harvey, who had rushed for more than 100 yards in his last three regular season games, was held to 30 yards on 13 carries by the Rutgers defense.
What it means: It's hard to say the St. Petersburg Bowl means a whole lot. Still, Rutgers wrapped up a nine-win season and has something to build upon going into next year, especially with true freshmen Savage and Sanu playing so well. They should be stars in the Big East for a long, long time. As for Central Florida, the Knights showed they aren't quite ready for the Big East yet despite talk of the Knights being a potential addition to the league in the near future.
WHO TO WATCH: Rutgers wide receiver/occasional quarterback Mohamed Sanu. With Tim Brown either out or very limited in this game, Sanu becomes the team's No. 1 big-play weapon. He was very effective late in the season operating out of the Wildcat formation, and look for a lot more of that on Saturday night. He could also be quarterback Tom Savage's main option in the passing game. The true freshman had an outstanding regular season and needs to come up big in the postseason for Rutgers to win this game.
WHAT TO WATCH: It should be strength versus strength on the edge when Rutgers' offense lines up against the Central Florida defense. UCF defensive ends Bruce Miller -- who was the Conference USA defensive player of the year -- and Jarvis Geathers combined for 23 sacks and 30 tackles for loss this season. While the Scarlet Knights' offensive line didn't live up to expectations this season, they still have two excellent tackles in Anthony Davis and Kevin Haslam. It's most likely Davis' last game in a Rutgers uniform as the junior expected to declare for the NFL draft. Davis and Haslam need to hold off the pass rush and try to create some running lanes against the Knights, who ranked fourth in the FBS in rush defense this season.
WHY TO WATCH: Because it's the first night of bowl season, and haven't you missed football? Plus, Central Florida wants to impress the Big East as a potential future member, and this could be a good audition. This game could also serve as a springboard to next year for the Scarlet Knights.
PREDICTION: Neither team will find it easy to score, but Rutgers has more athletes across the board and will create field-position advantages with its defense and special teams. Scarlet Knights over regular Knights, 21-17.
1. Focus: That's the key word this week, as the top three contenders in the Big East all are heavy favorites at home. Showdowns between Cincinnati, Pitt and West Virginia loom on the calendar ahead. But for those to matter, they need to take care of business this week against the heavy underdogs and not start thinking ahead to the stretch run.
2. Cincinnati's receivers vs. the UConn secondary: The Huskies got burned by Tim Brown on an 81-yard pass play to lose this week, but they've been pretty good against the pass this year and have the league's two co-leaders in interceptions (Robert Vaughn and Robert McClain). They will face a major challenge this week against the Bearcats' Mardy Gilyard, Armon Binns and D.J. Woods. Syracuse had some small success slowing Cincinnati down last week by trying to keep everything in front of the defense. UConn might also want to make the Bearcats prove they can sustain long drives.
3. Attack of the backup Zachs: Cincinnati looks likely to go with Zach Collaros again at quarterback as Tony Pike continues to recover from his left forearm injury. Collaros has been outstanding the past two and a half games, though this will be the best team he's started against thus far. UConn's Zach Frazer is back at quarterback now that Cody Endres is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Frazer has been way too erratic this season, including three more interceptions last week at Rutgers, and can't afford those mistakes against the Bearcats.
4. Lindsey Witten vs. Jeff Linkenbach: Witten is tied for second in the nation in sacks with 10.5. Linkenbach has developed into the best left tackle in the Big East, in my opinion. If UConn can't get pressure on Collaros, it could be a long night at Nippert Stadium for the Huskies. Witten needs to bring the heat.
5. Dion Lewis: The Pitt freshman tailback was named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award this week and floats on the periphery of the Heisman race. Syracuse has been surprisingly stout against the run this season, ranking first in the Big East with just 88.9 yards allowed per game on the ground. Another big game by Lewis against this defense should vault him into the lead for Big East player of the year and other award honors.
6. Paulus and the passing game: Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus was booed at home last week and then received a passionate defense by his head coach Doug Marrone. Paulus has struggled in Big East play, and he just lost his best and maybe only big-play receiver in Mike Williams, who quit the team on Monday. How do he and the Orange offense respond?
7. West Virginia's pass defense: The deep pass has hurt the Mountaineers the past few weeks and much of the season. Louisville has the worst scoring offense in the Big East but is capable of pulling off some big plays in the passing game with guys like Scott Long, Trent Guy and Doug Beaumont. If West Virginia can tighten that part of its defense up, it should have little trouble at home against the last-place Cardinals.
8. Louisville's quarterback derby: Three guys -- Justin Burke, Will Stein and Adam Froman -- have started, and it's anybody's guess who will get the call this week. Coach Steve Kragthorpe said earlier this week that Burke and Froman, who were both hurt at Cincinnati, should be available for practice. If they're all good to go, Froman likely gets the nod. But West Virginia has to prepare for all three just in case.
9. Speed on the edge: The main difference between West Virginia and Louisville the past two years was that the Cardinals didn't have the defensive speed on the perimeter to contain the Mountaineers' playmakers unlike, say, South Florida. Pat White got outside with ease in last year's game in Louisville, and the Cardinals' quickness hasn't gotten significantly better. Expect at least one huge run, if not several, from Noel Devine and maybe even Jarrett Brown or Jock Sanders.
10. Cincinnati's competition: We're not talking about UConn, but the other contenders for the national title. Keep an eye this weekend on Alabama against LSU, Iowa against Northwestern, Boise State at Louisiana Tech and TCU against San Diego State. Any of them faltering would help the Bearcats' national title chances.
1. It's a two-team race: West Virginia's loss means that only Pitt and Cincinnati remain unbeaten in the Big East. Sure, the Mountaineers can still capture the league title if they win out and beat both the Panthers and Bearcats. But right now, Cincinnati and Pitt are in the driver's seat, especially since both teams have only one road game left. The Dec. 5 game between the two in Heinz Field looks more and more like the de facto Big East championship game.
2. Maybe this isn't the same old South Florida: It was easy to dismiss South Florida as another September sensation/October fraud after the Bulls' losses to Cincinnati and Pitt. But they bounced back in a big way to beat West Virginia 30-19 on Friday. Maybe South Florida just got overpowered by the league's best two teams. The Bulls can still contend for a nine- or 10-win season, which would be an achievement for this young program.
3. West Virginia has an uphill climb: Two straight years without a Big East title seems like a crisis in Morgantown, and that looks like where we're headed. The Mountaineers have been inconsistent on offense and have been susceptible to the pass on defense, and both those flaws came back to bite them in their new house of horrors, Raymond James Stadium. West Virginia now most likely will have to win at Cincinnati and topple Pitt at home to have any chance of going back to the BCS.
4. Rutgers is going bowling; UConn may not be: Rutgers came within 22 seconds of starting 0-3 in the Big East. Instead, a huge play from Tom Savage to Tim Brown may have changed this season's outlook. Now the Scarlet Knights are almost certainly going back to a bowl. Meanwhile, UConn -- which Rutgers victimized with that game-winner -- will have to split its last four games to qualify for a bowl. And that schedule includes trips to two ranked teams, Cincinnati and Notre Dame, and a visit from possibly resurgent South Florida.
5. Cincinnati might have the best two quarterbacks in the Big East: Apologies to Bill Stull, Jarrett Brown and others. But what Zach Collaros has done since replacing the injured Tony Pike is simply astounding. Collaros has gone 41-for-52 (78.8 percent) for 620 yards and seven touchdowns while running for 206 yards and two scores in 2 1/2 games. Can Brian Kelly coach quarterbacks or what? The Big East will have to deal with Collaros for the next couple of years when Pike is gone.
- B.J. Daniels, QB, South Florida: The redshirt freshman completed 13-of-26 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns and ran 14 times for 104 yards in South Florida's 30-19 win over West Virginia.
- Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati: The backup continues to impress in place of Tony Pike. He completed 22 of 28 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns in the Bearcats' 28-7 win over Syracuse.
- Tim Brown, WR, Rutgers: Brown had five catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 22 seconds left as Rutgers beat UConn 28-24
- Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: Binns had five catches for 138 yards and two scores in the win over Syracuse.
- Darius Ashley, RB, Louisville: The redshirt freshman ran 13 times for 77 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-13 win over Arkansas State.
Connecticut is just snake bitten.
The Huskies trailed Rutgers 21-10 at halftime, but battled back to take a 24-21 lead on Jordan Todman's touchdown run with 38 seconds left. Todman's run came on fourth-and-goal.
On Rutgers' next play from scrimmage, though, Tom Savage found Tim Brown for an 81-yard touchdown pass, and the Scarlet Knights won 28-21.
UConn (4-4, 1-3 Big East) has now led in the fourth quarter in all four of its losses. None, though, were as stunning or as painful as this. You've got to feel bad for the Huskies, who've been through so much since the Jasper Howard death two weeks ago. UConn may have trouble making a bowl game now.
Props to Rutgers (6-2, 1-2), which got its first Big East win and showed a lot of heart. The Scarlet Knights couldn't get anything going offensively in the second half until that game-winning pass, which may be the first of many legendary plays that Savage makes in his career.
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Now what for Rutgers?
The Scarlet Knights' opener could hardly have been more disastrous. Picked by some, including yours truly, to win the Big East, they didn't look like they belonged in the same league as Cincinnati in a 47-15 home loss before a national audience.
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| Rich Kane/Icon SMI | |
| True freshman receiver Mohamed Sanu was one of the few bright spots for Rutgers, hauling in 10 catches for 101 yards. |
"We were a step behind physically, mentally, coaching ... the whole deal," head coach Greg Schiano said.
Even the team's supposed strengths -- defense and the offensive line -- failed to perform anywhere near expectations. The Bearcats neutralized Rutgers' front seven by going with a no-huddle, four-wide receiver scheme and having quarterback Tony Pike get rid of the ball quickly out of the shotgun. The Scarlet Knights got very little pressure and could not cover Cincinnati's receivers with linebackers and safeties -- or anyone else. Tackling, surprisingly, was also an issue.
The offensive line, which returned all five starters from a year ago, did not control the point of attack after Rutgers' first drive. Granted, the Scarlet Knights all but abandoned the running game after falling behind quickly, allowing Cincinnati to tee off on the pass rush, but the performance from what everybody assumed was the Big East's best line was uninspiring.
"We still have a lot of young guys on the offensive line," Schiano said. "We need to make large improvements before we're a dominant offensive line."
At least Schiano figured out his quarterback situation, by default. Dom Natale threw three interceptions in the second quarter, while the Jabu Lovelace package (he was 0-for-2 passing and ran for -2 yards on three carries) seems like a waste of time. The only spark from the offense came once true freshman Tom Savage came in to start the second half. The rookie showed a nice pocket presence and a strong arm, and it's hard to fathom why Schiano would start anyone but Savage from here on out.
"I was a little nervous going out there," said the highly recruited Savage, who completed 15 of 23 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown in his debut. "The older guys helped me out and got me cooled down.
"It was awesome going out there, and I definitely got my feet wet. I just want to move forward now."
The receiver position caused a lot of worry in the offseason but proved to be one of the few solid areas in the opener. Tim Brown (seven catches, 86 yards) showed he could be a No. 1 target, while true freshman Mohamed Sanu (10 catches, 101 yards) looks like a future star.
For whatever reason, a lot of Schiano's teams seem to come out of the gates slowly and improve as the year goes along. Rutgers got blown out at home by Fresno State in last year's opener and started 1-5 before turning things around. At least the players have the experience of knowing how to bounce back.
"We'll find out what kind of team we are," cornerback Devin McCourty said. "Maybe last year will be fortunate for this team. We understand you have to just keep playing and prepare for the next game because it can snowball on you."
It's unlikely that the Scarlet Knights will build a similar hole for themselves this year, simply because of the schedule. They have two FCS teams -- Howard and Texas Southern -- in their next four games, which also include a home date with Florida International and a trip to Maryland, which also got blown out in Week 1.
The next Big East game doesn't come until Oct. 16, when Pitt visits Piscataway. By then, conceivably, Savage will have had time to grow and the team will have straightened its issues out.
But there's no denying that Monday's loss dealt a blow to the excitement around the program. A record crowd of 53,737 filled the newly expanded Rutgers Stadium for the opener, and even the emergence of Savage probably won't get fans excited to come out for Howard, Texas Southern and Florida International.
"I just hope that people have learned this is a resilient program, a resilient team and a resilient coach," Schiano said. "This program will be back and be fine. We'll be exciting and we will win games.
"We've got to do it, though, because this is an event-driven era. You've got to be an event, and part of the event is winning."
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
The Big East doesn't put out an official preseason all-conference team. But I do. Below are my picks for the best in the league for 2009. Pittsburgh leads the way with six selections.
Offense
QB Tony Pike, Cincinnati
RB Noel Devine, West Virginia
RB Victor Anderson, Louisville
WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
OT: Anthony Davis, Rutgers
OG: John Malecki, Pittsburgh
C: Ryan Blaszczyk Rutgers
OG: Art Forst, Rutgers
OT: Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh
TE: Nate Byham, Pittsburgh
Defense
DE: George Selvie, South Florida
DT: Arthur Jones, Syracuse
DT: Scooter Berry, West Virginia
DE: Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
LB: Ryan D'Imperio, Rutgers
LB: Scott Lutrus, Connecticut
LB: Reed Williams, West Virginia
CB: Aaron Berry, Pittsburgh
CB: Brandon Hogan, West Virginia
S: Nate Allen, South Florida
S: Robert Vaughn, Connecticut
Specialists
P: Rob Long, Syracuse
PK: Jake Rogers, Cincinnati
KR: Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
PR: Jasper Howard, Connecticut
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
There aren't really many links to share today. It's mid-May, and it's a Monday, so there really isn't a whole lot going on. But here are a few things to chew on during your lunch break:
• By now, you've probably seen the story about Pitt wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin facing misdmeanor charges. He's scheduled to have a hearing on May 27. Of course, this is a potentially big problem for the Panthers, since Baldwin is the most naturally gifted receiver in the Big East and looks to be in line for a gigantic sophomore season.
Very few details have emerged yet about the case, which occurred on a campus shuttle bus. Baldwin was charged by campus police. It's too soon to have any idea what possible disciplinary measures Baldwin might face, but this offseason has been a little tumultuous for Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt. Another receiver, T.J. Porter, was arrested on his second DUI offense in February, and he and defensive tackle Tommie Duhart were suspended for the spring before leaving school.
• What do Baldwin, Jock Sanders and Scott Lutrus all have in common? Well, all three will make my Big East Top 30 players list, and all three have encountered legal troubles this offseason. Sanders is currently suspended following a DUI arrest. Lutrus was charged with interfering with police last month. College kids are going to make mistakes, but each player is important to his team this season and might need to exercise some better judgment.
• Big East coaches and administrators will be leaving at the end of this week for the league's annual meetings in Ponte Vedra, Fla. This is not just a football meeting. Men's and women's basketball coaches and athletic directors will also be discussing various issues (and with 16 teams in hoops, that will probably take a while). I'm sure that scheduling, the bowl lineup and the usual expansion rumors will be tossed around when the football coaches gather. I'm hoping to talk with incoming conference commissioner John Marinatto at some point before the meetings begin.
• There is one link to share. The Hartford Courant took a look at how much some of the Huskies' draft picks and free agents might stand to make in the NFL.
• ESPN.com has been rolling out spring wrap-ups for each league this month. Tomorrow will be Big East day. I'll have capsules on each team, a look at what we learned this spring, a feature on Rutgers receiver Tim Brown and a chat at 4 p.m. on all things Big East. So don't miss it.
NEW YORK -- Finding out the newest members elected to the College Football Hall of Fame is great fun every spring.
Finding out how the men reacted is even better. Imagine discovering that of the four to five million players in the history of the game, you are one of fewer than 900 deemed worthy of the sport's greatest honor.
"The more you learn about it, the more daunting it is," said former Miami quarterback Gino Torretta, the 1992 Heisman winner, who, along with former Notre Dame wide receiver Tim Brown, the 1987 Heisman winner, represented the class of 16 players at a news conference in New York on Thursday afternoon.
"We've passed our prime. We can't go back and play any more of our games," Torretta said. "You hope what you did, your body of work, is good enough to get into the Hall of Fame."
Joining Brown and Torretta in the Hall's 62nd class are two Lombardi Award winners, defensive end Grant Wistrom of Nebraska, a member of three national champions in the 1990s, and linebacker Chris Spielman of Ohio State.
Among the other standouts is three-time All-American linebacker Woodrow Lowe of Alabama. Joining Brown, Wistrom and Spielman as two-time All-Americans are tight end Gordon Hudson of BYU, wide receiver Ken Margerum of Stanford and linebacker Larry Station of Iowa.
The Hall also named coaches John Robinson, who led USC to a share of the 1978 national championship and won five conference titles in two stints with the Trojans, and Dick MacPherson, who dominated the Yankee Conference at Maine in the 1970s before resurrecting a moribund Syracuse program in the 1980s. MacPherson took the Orange, then an independent, to five bowl games, peaking in 1987. Syracuse went 11-0-1 and finished fourth in the nation.
"It's the epitome of coaching," MacPherson said. "There's no way to go from here. This is truly America's game: one coach from the state of Maine, one coach from California, and John Robinson had a great career."
The least known of the honorees is William Lewis, the first African-American All-American. Lewis played at Virginia State, Amherst and Harvard in the late 19th century. Lewis who played center on offense and "rush" on defense, became the first Crimson team captain of color and then stayed at his alma mater as a coach. He developed the "neutral zone" that remains in the rulebook to this day.
Lewis was nominated by the Veterans Committee, which considers candidates whose eligibility for election (50 years from the end of their careers) has expired. Squeezing in under that 50-year deadline are New Mexico State back Pervis Atkins and Auburn back and kicker Ed Dyas. Both finished playing in 1960, and both have been on the Hall of Fame ballot for many years.
Dyas already has asked to buy 20 tickets for the black-tie Hall of Fame induction dinner on Dec. 8 in New York. That's what this honor means.
"You think about your coaches from Pop Warner, all the work you did with your brothers in the summers, you're throwing, and you'd really rather be out with your buddies playing or water-skiing or something like that. You think about all the coaches you had and everything you went through as a player. That's pretty awesome."
The other members of the 2009 Hall of Fame class are defensive back Chuck Cecil of Arizona, quarterback Major Harris of West Virginia, defensive tackle Steve McMichael of Texas, defensive end Pat Swilling of Georgia Tech and running back Curt Warner of Penn State.
- Cameron Dantley has made progress at quarterback for Syracuse but still needs to cut down his mistakes, Donnie Webb writes in the Syracuse Post-Standard.
"For me, I play good for most parts of the game," Dantley said. "I start off strong. But there are also points in the game where I kind of go back to my first year or first game ever playing and look like I don't know what I'm doing out there. The biggest part for me is to be consistent and make the routine plays when I can make a routine plays."
- First-year Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Phil Bennett (great name) has plenty of background coaching against the option offense, like the Panthers will see Saturday at Navy. Kevin Gorman has the story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- West Virginia has agreed to a home-and-home series with LSU for 2010 and 2011, according to the Charleston Daily Mail.
- Zach Frazer is a cool customer for UConn and is ready to improve on his first start at North Carolina, Desmond Conner writes in the Hartford Courant.
- Louisville needs to get off to better starts, C.L. Brown writes in The Courier-Journal. The Cardinals have yet to score in the first quarter against an FBS opponent this season.
- Receiver Tim Brown -- all 5-foot-8, 165 pounds of him -- could be the spark the Rutgers offense needs, Tom Luicci writes in The Star-Ledger.
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