Sherrill to Bama? It could happen
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From the home office in Bristol, Conn., the weekly Top 20 List. . .
Alabama's decision to fire Mike DuBose with three games remaining in the regular season is working out great. . . for other head coaches.
Given Sherrill's, uh, interesting history with the NCAA, you'd think there's no way Alabama, which has served probation time in the past, could make a serious run at the 56-year old coach. At least, that's what we were told a few weeks ago. But if Bama keeps seeing its wish list shrink, it might not have any choice but to ask Sherrill to come home. Sherrill said he isn't leaving Starkville, but what else could he say with three regular season games remaining, as well as a possible SEC championship game and a bowl game?
This week's nominees for non-hidden video:
Michigan State's Little John Flowers scoring on a 48-yard run, the last 35
or so yards wearing one shoe? Or. . .
Miami defensive tackle Damione Lewis making a block during a Hurricanes
interception return. . . without a helmet? Or. . .
Oklahoma cornerback Ontei Jones and OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops
having to be separated during a thermonuclear sideline argument. And this was
after the Sooners stopped a crucial fourth-down scoring try by Texas A&M late
in the fourth quarter.
With Michigan's victory against Penn State at the Big House, Lloyd Carr now has beaten Joe Paterno an unprecedented four consecutive years. Good for Carr. But what in the name of Bo Schembechler was Carr doing when he let the Wolverines go for a score with Michigan ahead, 27-11, with less then 40 seconds remaining in the game? Carr got his meaningless touchdown with 1 second left, but the classy move would have been to take a knee. It's just the kind of cheap score that would steamed Carr had it happened to him. Afterward, Paterno didn't seem upset by the last-second touchdown. But don't think his players won't remember the slight next season, when Michigan visits Happy Valley.
You know it's Senior Day when senior Florida quarterback Jesse Palmer, in relief of starter Rex Grossman, accidentally throws a touchdown pass to Thomas Moody, a former Gators defensive tackle moved to offensive guard this spring. The unlikely score is part of a 28-0 second-quarter run against South Carolina. Palmer finished with three touchdown passes.
Spent my Saturday at Mitsubishi Stadium, where I watched 11 different ballgames. I especially enjoyed the parts where the color analysts would order me to, "Watch this," before almost every replay. What did they think I was going to do, avert my eyes?
The Hawkeyes upset Penn State at Beaver Stadium last week, then they beat No. 18 Northwestern this week. Now we understand why Iowa brass recently added another season to second-year coach Kirk Ferentz's original deal: Ferentz waited almost two full seasons before signing his contract.
Torrance Marshall, Oklahoma. Marshall's fourth quarter, 41-yard interception return for a touchdown against Texas A&M kept OU's magical season alive. It was his first career interception. And wouldn't it be something if the Sooners played Miami in the BCS Championship. Marshall's brother, Sheven, is a linebacker for the Hurricanes.
Talked recently to one of the best ADs in the business, a guy who has a reputation for identifying and hiring great coaches. Asked who he'd hire if he were Alabama's Mal Moore -- and he couldn't get Miami's Butch Davis -- the AD didn't hesitate: Southern Mississippi's Jeff Bower. His second choice: East Carolina's Steve Logan.
ABC's Terry Bowden says he wants to give the TV gig a serious run. But Bowden was born in West Virginia, played at West Virginia and has a soft spot for his alma mater. So with the legendary Don Nehlen retiring at season's end, Bowden might have a decision to make: stay in the studio, or return to the sidelines. Expect an announcement from Bowden concerning the situation soon, perhaps in the next few days.
It's official: Palm Beach County will not be allowed to design the ballot sent to Heisman Trophy voters. Downtown Athletic Club officials were worried Alabama's Andrew Zow would somehow win the award.
Now that true freshman quarterback Matt LoVecchio has won all six of his games since replacing the injured Arnaz Battle, the question becomes, who's the starter next year? Notre Dame offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers says the job is wide open when spring practice begins. Hmmm.
During Saturday's game against Illinois, Ohio State strong safety Mike Doss pulverized Kurt Kittner just as the Illini quarterback was beginning his slide near the Buckeyes goal line. You can debate whether Doss should have gone helmet to helmet with Kittner (the officials didn't; no penalty was called), but you can't debate the reaction. Instead of celebrating the crushing hit, Doss kneeled in prayer a few yards away as Illini trainers attended to the semiconscious Kittner. Kittner eventually walked off the field and Doss, who was booed by the Illinois crowd, helped lead the Buckeyes to a 24-21 win.
"I have been coaching football a long, long time and I have been through some 1-9 seasons in high school, 3-13 in the pros and 4-7 here. But this is the first time I have ever seen a football team that acted like they did not want to play. The players and coaches acted like they did not want to play. It was a very disappointing workday."
-- Alabama coach Mike DuBose, after last Tuesday's practice. (The Tide also acted as if it didn't want to play a few days later, losing to Mississippi State, 29-7.)
Two more wins (at Rutgers, at Southern California) and the Fighting Irish are in a BCS bowl. Not bad for a guy being fitted for a pink slip during the offseason.
Invite to Downtown Athletic Club: Oklahoma's Josh Heupel, Florida State's Chris Weinke, TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson, Northwestern's Damien Anderson.
Keep name on DAC's Palm Pilot: Auburn's Rudi Johnson, Michigan's Anthony Thomas, Purdue's Drew Brees.
Can tell the kids he was a fringe Heisman candidate: Nebraska's Eric Crouch, Wisconsin's Michael Bennett, Miami's Santana Moss, Indiana's Antwaan Randle El.
Thanks for stopping by the booth: Everyone survives.
To Alabama Birmingham. Who thought the second-best team in the state would be UAB, not Bama? A Division I-A member since only 1996, Watson Brown is slowly but surely putting together a program worth watching, even with the overtime loss to Southern Miss this past Saturday. With a win against Army, UAB would finish 7-4.
Kentucky. Lose to Vanderbilt? At home? And a season-ending game left at Tennessee? Yikes. There will be no third consecutive bowl appearance for the 2-8, and counting, Wildcats.
It's that time of the year again: Carolina goes on a Save-Carl win binge. Given up for dead after losing to Virginia, the Tar Heels won at Pittsburgh, beat Maryland Saturday and only need a victory at 0-10 Duke to become bowl eligible and perhaps save the embattled Carl Torbush's job.
Oklahoma (9-0) -- Kansas State does Sooners huge favor with win against Nebraska.
Miami (8-1) -- Speedy Hurricanes play on Syracuse's artificial turf this week.
Florida State (10-1) -- Seminoles' BCS slot and Chris Weinke's Heisman chances at stake against arch-rival Florida.
Florida (9-1) -- NFL scouts will need extra seating for FSU-Florida.
Washington (9-1) -- Finish season with dangerous game at Washington State, road winners against USC.
Oregon State (9-1) -- Nothing Civil about this Saturday's war.
Oregon (8-1) -- Cardiac Ducks have won last three games by a combined 12 points.
Virginia Tech (9-1) -- Memo from Johnnie Cochran to Michael Vick: If you're ankle's on ice, you can't win the Heis.
Ohio State (8-2) -- Still has outside chance at Rose Bowl.
Kansas State (9-2) -- Earned rematch against Oklahoma.
20 -- Soapbox moment
Alabama's decision to fire Mike DuBose with three games remaining in the regular season is working out great. . . for other head coaches.
Jackie Sherrill added to his Mississippi State hero status, first by publicly announcing last week that he was staying put, and then by beating the beleaguered Crimson Tide a few days later. Sherrill played and coached for Bear Bryant, but loyalty to your alma mater only goes so far, especially when you're trying to earn a place in the SEC Championship game.
Then there's Tommy Bowden, who said all the right things after signing a big-bucks extension at Clemson. He ought to send Bama 10 percent of the new package. Same goes for Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, who also re-upped for a big time raise. And Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, who's availability and price tag was discussed recently by Bama officials, signed a $1-million-plus-a-year package Sunday.
This won't be the end of Bama-driven sweetened deals for coaches on the Crimson Tide wish list. Somebody else is going to get a nice raise because of Bama's troubles.Maybe it will be Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer, or Miami's Butch Davis, who is said to also be on the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans wish list.
And nothing against Bama athletic director Mal Moore, who had little choice but to make a change when he did, but the timing of the firing hasn't had the intended effect. Moore said he wanted to take the pressure off the players and coaches, which is partly why he said DuBose was gone, effective at season's end. It sounds nice, but if you're a Bama assistant coach, what are you more concerned about: your family's future, or if your backup right tackle knows what to do on a weakside blitz? And you don't think DuBose's lame duck status gives Bama's players the perfect excuse to phone it in during those last three games? Of course, it does.
Since the announcement, the Tide has lost to LSU and Mississippi State. They have a final chance to salvage something for themselves and for their coach: the Iron Bowl against Auburn this Saturday.
19 -- Jackie Sherrill
Given Sherrill's, uh, interesting history with the NCAA, you'd think there's no way Alabama, which has served probation time in the past, could make a serious run at the 56-year old coach. At least, that's what we were told a few weeks ago. But if Bama keeps seeing its wish list shrink, it might not have any choice but to ask Sherrill to come home. Sherrill said he isn't leaving Starkville, but what else could he say with three regular season games remaining, as well as a possible SEC championship game and a bowl game?
18 -- Sights to behold
This week's nominees for non-hidden video:
17 -- Non-sportsmanship award
With Michigan's victory against Penn State at the Big House, Lloyd Carr now has beaten Joe Paterno an unprecedented four consecutive years. Good for Carr. But what in the name of Bo Schembechler was Carr doing when he let the Wolverines go for a score with Michigan ahead, 27-11, with less then 40 seconds remaining in the game? Carr got his meaningless touchdown with 1 second left, but the classy move would have been to take a knee. It's just the kind of cheap score that would steamed Carr had it happened to him. Afterward, Paterno didn't seem upset by the last-second touchdown. But don't think his players won't remember the slight next season, when Michigan visits Happy Valley.
16 -- Only fitting
You know it's Senior Day when senior Florida quarterback Jesse Palmer, in relief of starter Rex Grossman, accidentally throws a touchdown pass to Thomas Moody, a former Gators defensive tackle moved to offensive guard this spring. The unlikely score is part of a 28-0 second-quarter run against South Carolina. Palmer finished with three touchdown passes.
15 -- If a hack screams in his living room, can anyone hear it?
Spent my Saturday at Mitsubishi Stadium, where I watched 11 different ballgames. I especially enjoyed the parts where the color analysts would order me to, "Watch this," before almost every replay. What did they think I was going to do, avert my eyes?
14 -- Iowa 27, Northwestern 17
The Hawkeyes upset Penn State at Beaver Stadium last week, then they beat No. 18 Northwestern this week. Now we understand why Iowa brass recently added another season to second-year coach Kirk Ferentz's original deal: Ferentz waited almost two full seasons before signing his contract.
13 -- Player of the week
Torrance Marshall, Oklahoma. Marshall's fourth quarter, 41-yard interception return for a touchdown against Texas A&M kept OU's magical season alive. It was his first career interception. And wouldn't it be something if the Sooners played Miami in the BCS Championship. Marshall's brother, Sheven, is a linebacker for the Hurricanes.
12 -- One athletic director's opinion
Talked recently to one of the best ADs in the business, a guy who has a reputation for identifying and hiring great coaches. Asked who he'd hire if he were Alabama's Mal Moore -- and he couldn't get Miami's Butch Davis -- the AD didn't hesitate: Southern Mississippi's Jeff Bower. His second choice: East Carolina's Steve Logan.
11 -- West Virginia watch
ABC's Terry Bowden says he wants to give the TV gig a serious run. But Bowden was born in West Virginia, played at West Virginia and has a soft spot for his alma mater. So with the legendary Don Nehlen retiring at season's end, Bowden might have a decision to make: stay in the studio, or return to the sidelines. Expect an announcement from Bowden concerning the situation soon, perhaps in the next few days.
10 -- Vote early, vote often
It's official: Palm Beach County will not be allowed to design the ballot sent to Heisman Trophy voters. Downtown Athletic Club officials were worried Alabama's Andrew Zow would somehow win the award.
9 -- Best offseason intrigue
Now that true freshman quarterback Matt LoVecchio has won all six of his games since replacing the injured Arnaz Battle, the question becomes, who's the starter next year? Notre Dame offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers says the job is wide open when spring practice begins. Hmmm.
8 -- Class move
During Saturday's game against Illinois, Ohio State strong safety Mike Doss pulverized Kurt Kittner just as the Illini quarterback was beginning his slide near the Buckeyes goal line. You can debate whether Doss should have gone helmet to helmet with Kittner (the officials didn't; no penalty was called), but you can't debate the reaction. Instead of celebrating the crushing hit, Doss kneeled in prayer a few yards away as Illini trainers attended to the semiconscious Kittner. Kittner eventually walked off the field and Doss, who was booed by the Illinois crowd, helped lead the Buckeyes to a 24-21 win.
7 -- Quote of the week
"I have been coaching football a long, long time and I have been through some 1-9 seasons in high school, 3-13 in the pros and 4-7 here. But this is the first time I have ever seen a football team that acted like they did not want to play. The players and coaches acted like they did not want to play. It was a very disappointing workday."
-- Alabama coach Mike DuBose, after last Tuesday's practice. (The Tide also acted as if it didn't want to play a few days later, losing to Mississippi State, 29-7.)
6 -- Attention Bob Davie bashers
Two more wins (at Rutgers, at Southern California) and the Fighting Irish are in a BCS bowl. Not bad for a guy being fitted for a pink slip during the offseason.
5 -- Heisman Trophy race
Invite to Downtown Athletic Club: Oklahoma's Josh Heupel, Florida State's Chris Weinke, TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson, Northwestern's Damien Anderson.
Keep name on DAC's Palm Pilot: Auburn's Rudi Johnson, Michigan's Anthony Thomas, Purdue's Drew Brees.
Can tell the kids he was a fringe Heisman candidate: Nebraska's Eric Crouch, Wisconsin's Michael Bennett, Miami's Santana Moss, Indiana's Antwaan Randle El.
Thanks for stopping by the booth: Everyone survives.
4 -- Congratulations
To Alabama Birmingham. Who thought the second-best team in the state would be UAB, not Bama? A Division I-A member since only 1996, Watson Brown is slowly but surely putting together a program worth watching, even with the overtime loss to Southern Miss this past Saturday. With a win against Army, UAB would finish 7-4.
3 -- Whatever happened to. . .
Kentucky. Lose to Vanderbilt? At home? And a season-ending game left at Tennessee? Yikes. There will be no third consecutive bowl appearance for the 2-8, and counting, Wildcats.
2 -- Tar Heel Alert
It's that time of the year again: Carolina goes on a Save-Carl win binge. Given up for dead after losing to Virginia, the Tar Heels won at Pittsburgh, beat Maryland Saturday and only need a victory at 0-10 Duke to become bowl eligible and perhaps save the embattled Carl Torbush's job.
One hack's weekly elite here
Oklahoma (9-0) -- Kansas State does Sooners huge favor with win against Nebraska.
Miami (8-1) -- Speedy Hurricanes play on Syracuse's artificial turf this week.
Florida State (10-1) -- Seminoles' BCS slot and Chris Weinke's Heisman chances at stake against arch-rival Florida.
Florida (9-1) -- NFL scouts will need extra seating for FSU-Florida.
Washington (9-1) -- Finish season with dangerous game at Washington State, road winners against USC.
Oregon State (9-1) -- Nothing Civil about this Saturday's war.
Oregon (8-1) -- Cardiac Ducks have won last three games by a combined 12 points.
Virginia Tech (9-1) -- Memo from Johnnie Cochran to Michael Vick: If you're ankle's on ice, you can't win the Heis.
Ohio State (8-2) -- Still has outside chance at Rose Bowl.
Kansas State (9-2) -- Earned rematch against Oklahoma.
Waiting list: Notre Dame (7-2), Georgia Tech (7-2), Mississippi State (7-2), Auburn (8-2), Nebraska (8-2).
Honorary Elite: Air Force (7-3) Attent-shun!
Gene Wojciechowski is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. His Movers and Shakers appears each Monday. E-mail him at gene.wojciechowski@espnmag.com.
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