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Is Oklahoma the team to beat in 2011? How will Ohio State and Michigan react to new head coaches? Can a senior win the Heisman Trophy for the first time in five years? As always, there’s no shortage of tantalizing questions, storylines and subplots on the minds of college football fans as the 2011 season rapidly approaches.
The following queries will define the upcoming campaign and be fodder for endless debates until the opening kickoff in early September.
25. Will this year's Backyard Brawl be the strangest in rivalry history? If nothing else, it’s going to be flush with storylines as both Pitt and West Virginia pop the cork on new and inventive coaching staffs. The Panthers hired Todd Graham to replace Dave Wannstedt after original successor Mike Haywood got the boot for a domestic violence charge. The Mountaineers elevated Dana Holgorsen from coach-in-waiting in June when it was learned that then-boss Bill Stewart was plotting a covert sabotage campaign through the media. Both schools are installing creative offensive attacks that raise the tempo and accentuate the arms of the quarterbacks. Whichever coach gets his system purring faster could finish his debut in a BCS bowl game.
24. Can Al Golden alter the mind-set in Miami overnight? Although it’s unlikely the Hurricanes will have enough stability under center to win the ACC this quickly, it doesn’t mean Golden and his staff can’t begin changing the culture in 2011. In the spring, the team was noticeably more physical, taking on the personality of the coaches. Sure, Miami has lofty goals. It does every year. However, in the bigger picture, the upcoming season is more about intangible strides, like getting the young 'Canes to buy into the system and getting Golden and those he's bringing in more comfortable with their unfamiliar surroundings in South Florida.
23. Can anything keep Virginia Tech from an eighth consecutive 10-win season? Thanks to Frank Beamer, defensive coordinator Bud Foster and the rest of the coaches, the Hokies have been the school you can set your watch to. Regardless of the personnel hurdles, Virginia Tech has had a knack for battling through, having won the ACC title three times in the past four years. This season has its own unique issues, such as the departure of the offensive backfield and the loss of six defensive starters. As long as this staff remains intact, you get the feeling the Hokies will find a way to overcome on their way to conference contention.
22. Can South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia stay out of hot water for an entire year? The Gamecocks need Garcia for all of 2011 in order to fully unlock the potential of the dynamic duo of RB Marcus Lattimore and WR Alshon Jeffery. Sure, Steve Spurrier has plenty of confidence in sophomore QB Connor Shaw, but Garcia gives the school its best chance to contend again in the SEC. The rub is that Garcia was suspended in April for his behavior in a life skills seminar. Now, he’s expected to be reinstated in August, but after five career suspensions, he hardly gives the program a sense of leadership and stability under center.
21. Will the most talented Texas A&M team in more than a decade deliver? For good reason, there’s a palpable buzz in College Station this summer that hasn’t existed in quite some time. It’s hard to imagine, but the Aggies haven’t produced a 10-win season since 1998. However, many signs point to that trend changing this fall. A&M is stacked with enough returning starters, especially on offense, to make a serious run at a Big 12 title. With QB Ryan Tannehill back to distribute the ball to WR Jeff Fuller and backs Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael, the team has enough firepower to offset weak spots of the D. With or without a championship, this will be one of the more entertaining programs in America.
20. How will Denard Robinson adapt to a pro-style offense in Ann Arbor? As the focal point of Rich Rodriguez’s spread attack, Robinson was brilliant a year ago. The Heisman frontrunner at the midway point, he wound up rushing for more than 1,700 yards and accounting for 32 total touchdowns. What does he do for an encore in an offense that’s less likely to accentuate his incredible athleticism? Coordinator Al Borges has a track record of maximizing the skills of his personnel, which should mean a few wrinkles to get Robinson outside the tackles. Although the junior needs to work on his footwork in the pocket, he was hardly a slouch as a passer, throwing for 2,570 yards and 18 scores.
19. Can Oklahoma State actually build on its best season in school history? Those expecting a retreat from 2010 are going to be surprised by the current Cowboys edition. The team is loaded on offense, hopeful on defense and motivated to soar beyond last season’s Alamo Bowl invitation. Plus, it helps that Mike Gundy enters his seventh season as head coach. The attack that averaged 44 points and 520 yards a game last fall returns QB Brandon Weeden, All-American WR Justin Blackmon and the entire starting line. Oklahoma visits Boone Pickens Stadium on Dec. 3, which could wind up being the conference title game that was lost when the Big 12 shrunk to 10 teams.
18. Is Russell Wilson the long-awaited answer at quarterback for Wisconsin? The Badgers have had nice quarterbacks in the past, such as Scott Tolzien, Brooks Bollinger and John Stocco, but rarely a game-changer. Wilson has that potential, provided he can learn the system and get comfortable in Madison on the fly. If the former ACC Offensive Player of the Year at North Carolina State can acclimate in August, the Wisconsin ground game will be even more difficult to slow down. Of course, don’t completely dismiss the candidacy of feisty sophomore Jon Budmayr, who won’t go down without a fight.
17. Will Brady Hoke's impact be felt right away at Michigan? Based on the early returns, Hoke has been very well-received by current — and future — Wolverine players. Sure, no games have been played yet, but the buzz is palpable as the new staff starts reshaping Michigan’s philosophy and approach to success. The coach is taking over a defensively challenged team that hasn’t won more than seven games since 2007, so there’s plenty of clutter that needs to be discarded. However, there’s reasonable optimism that Hoke was the right choice to get the program back on course after the Rich Rodriguez debacle.
16. Will USC underachieve for a second straight year for Lane Kiffin? Despite all the off-field distractions, the Trojans still had no business going 4-5 over the final nine games of 2010. The offense was fine until November, but the defense was historically toothless under Kiffin and his dad and defensive coordinator, Monte. The offensive attack will again be potent, with Matt Barkley teaming up liberally with Robert Woods. However, the D will continue to be a question mark until proved otherwise. USC will also have to self-motivate for one more year, having lost the NCAA appeal that would have made the team eligible for the postseason.
15. Is this JoePa's final year on the sideline? When a coach reaches age 84, it’s fair to ponder a possible exit strategy each and every summer. That said, Joe Paterno looked spry throughout the offseason, even venturing into the world of Skype to upgrade his recruiting street cred. It gets repeated all the time, but he plans to stick around as long as he’s healthy, showing no desire to be away from the game. His 46th Nittany Lions team has a chance to be pretty good if both lines grow up in a hurry. The staff also must decide whether Rob Bolden or Matt McGloin will be the quarterback, a competition that could last deep into August.
14. How far will defending champion Auburn fall? The only way is south for the defending national champs, but how far will the Tigers fall? While it’ll be next to impossible to duplicate 2010 with the losses of QB Cam Newton, DT Nick Fairley and a bunch of other starters, Gene Chizik has amassed a considerable amount of talent the past two years. While the program will reload for 2012, young stars like RB Michael Dyer and DE Nosa Eguae are going to cut their teeth this fall as the foundation of Chizik’s next title run.
13. Can Nebraska win a Big Ten title in its first year in the league? The Huskers will start play in a new environment with as much ability as any Big Ten member. The defense is championship caliber, and the running game has the potential to be vintage Nebraska. Besides the durability of QB Taylor Martinez, the biggest hurdle to success will be getting to know an entirely new set of opponents. Film work will be crucial. The birth of new rivalries against the likes of Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio State won’t take many meetings to blossom in intensity and excitement.
12. What will Steve Kragthorpe's impact be on a mediocre LSU offense? The Tigers will go far based on the defense and the coaching staff, but an SEC title for the first time in four years will require more support from the offense. The 86th-ranked unit produced an unthinkable two touchdown passes in the 11 games between the opener and the Cotton Bowl. Kragthorpe was hired to milk more consistency out of an offense that’s always been able to attract outstanding athletes, and its linchpin could be QB Zach Mettenberger. Whether the hard-throwing former Georgia Bulldog can unseat the incumbent Jordan Jefferson, Mettenberger is bound to make everyone at the position work a little harder this offseason.
11. Is Notre Dame poised to turn the corner in Brian Kelly’s second year? Year 2 is typically the time a coach can really validate his hiring by ratcheting up the play of his kids. Winners of four straight to close out 2010, the Irish will begin the season with confidence and a bit of a tailwind. With 19 starters back, including the return of healthy QB Dayne Crist, there’s legitimate reason to believe the Irish will finish the season inside the Top 25. If the defense can pick up where it left off in November, yielding just 39 points in four games, Kelly could have Notre Dame back in BCS bowl contention.
10. How does Ohio State respond to Luke Fickell replacing Jim Tressel on the sideline? It’s been a strange offseason in Columbus. The season figures to be even weirder now that Tressel won’t be on the sideline for the first time since 2000. The Buckeyes have been mired in a well-documented NCAA scandal that cost them their coach and QB Terrelle Pryor. It’ll be interesting to witness how well the rest of the program handles all the changes on the sideline and in the huddle. Ditto the performance of Fickell, who has a one-year audition to fully secure his dream job.
9. Assuming Ohio State fades, who takes over and wins the expanded Big Ten? The most exciting aspect of the conference this season is that it’s going to be wide open . . . in both divisions. As many as eight members have bona fide hopes of finishing in the Top 25, guaranteeing competitive races right through the regular season. In the Legends Division, Nebraska is the favorite, but Michigan State, Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern plan to be in the hunt. The Buckeyes’ off-field issues have elevated Wisconsin and Penn State in the Leaders half of the conference. The clock is ticking on Ohio State’s Big Ten supremacy, though its successor remains clouded in mystery and debate.
8. Has the magic left the Farm with Jim Harbaugh? In a classic good news, bad news scenario, All-America QB Andrew Luck has returned to school, but Harbaugh is now a San Francisco 49er. The head coach was an undeniable revelation on the Farm, guiding the Cardinal to national relevance with last season’s Orange Bowl victory and 12-1 mark. While he leaves behind plenty of talent to go along with Luck, there’s no guarantee that successor David Shaw and his staff can keep the trend going. Since Stanford won't have Luck back again in 2012, the program needs to capitalize in his final year as an amateur.
7. Can Oregon keep its focus? For the second straight offseason, the Ducks have been in the news for all of the wrong reasons. It didn’t affect the national championship runner-up in 2010, but that team had a lot more talent. The 2011 edition, while still the Pac-12 favorite, lost a ton of key players on defense and along the offensive line. If the back-to-back league champ takes its eye off the ball, there are a few teams lining up to take their place in a BCS bowl game. Oregon is one of the country’s elite schools, but its margin for error isn’t as wide as it was last year.
6. Is Florida State back? Last season will go down as a breakthrough for the Seminoles and head coach Jimbo Fisher. The program won 10 games for the first time since 2003, blowing out rivals Miami and Florida along the way. From that squad, 16 starters return. The next steps for Florida State are to win the ACC and contend for a national title. Those are realistic goals provided QB E.J. Manuel can handle being the starter for the first time in his career. If the 'Noles can get past Oklahoma in Week 3, the bridge to the glory days won’t be far from completion.
5. What will life in Gainesville be like now that Urban Meyer is an ESPN analyst? Oh, it’ll be a little strange without Meyer prowling the sideline — but only until Will Muschamp and his staff can gain some traction. There’ll be some similarities between the old and new regimes, namely big personalities and noticeable intensity. The combination of Muschamp and his new offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, will produce boundless storylines this fall. Producing wins, of course, is their only goal. While the Gators are predictably loaded with fresh talent, the return of just a few starters indicates a need for patience for the new regime in 2011.
4. Are two new coordinators enough to get Texas back on the rails? No team was a bigger disappointment than the Longhorns, who inexplicably slid to 5-7 a year after playing for the BCS title in 2009. Coach Mack Brown reacted swiftly by overhauling his staff. On offense, Greg Davis is being replaced by the combination of former Texas QB Major Applewhite and inventive Boise State coach Bryan Harsin. The defense is in the hands of Manny Diaz, the successor to new Florida coach Muschamp. Are the Longhorns ready to once again storm the Big 12 gates? Probably not. However, there’s too much defensive talent for this team to wallow in mediocrity a second straight season.
3. Will quarterback play keep Alabama from winning the SEC? On a title-contending team, with few glaring holes, all eyes will be on the battle to replace Greg McElroy behind center. Sophomore A.J. McCarron and redshirt freshman Phillip Sims both got plenty of first-team repetitions in the spring, failing to build much separation. In fact, the complementary pair is so close that Nick Saban has floated the prospect of playing both at times this season. While McCarron has an extra year of experience, Sims is an elite prospect who has been making up ground ever since arriving from Chesapeake, Va.
2. Will the SEC win a sixth national title in a row? As if there’s much debate these days, the Southeastern Conference has staked its claim as the premier league in college football by winning the past five BCS titles. The rest of the country is determined to keep it from winning No. 6. As usual, there are a slew of viable contenders, with the West Division alone housing highly ranked Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Arkansas. The East Division is not quite as deep, through South Carolina, Georgia and Florida cannot be underestimated. So rugged is the league that the champion will never drift too far from the top of the BCS rankings.
1. Does Oklahoma have what it takes to break the SEC’s grip on the crystal trophy? If there’s one team best suited to dethrone the SEC, it’s the Sooners. They’re rich in next-level talent, such as QB Landry Jones, WR Ryan Broyles and LB Travis Lewis, and 29 players have starting experience. Oklahoma closed 2010 with five consecutive wins, including the Big 12 title game and the Fiesta Bowl over Connecticut, gaining a head of steam as the offseason progressed. Although there are tough road games in Tallahassee and Stillwater, Oklahomai s nicely positioned make a serious run at a fifth BCS title game appearance in just over a decade under Bob Stoops.
