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Here are four thoughts for the upcoming college football weekend ...
1. The Other D
Lost in the rubble of the Cam Newton recruiting scandal is that the Auburn Tigers actually have a football game to play on Saturday. And not a cupcake afternoon delight versus Chattanooga, either. Rather, No. 1 Auburn — amidst a brouhaha so wide-ranging that Vegas casinos have removed Newton's Heisman odds from their sports books — hosts an upset-hungry Georgia Bulldogs squad.
Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Wednesday that Newton "will be playing against the Georgia Bulldogs” and Georgia has been operating under that assumption all week.
"We really haven't tried to keep up with [the controversy] at all," Georgia coach Mark Richt said Wednesday. "I think it could be a distraction to us, so we're keeping our blinders on and studying the film and getting the plan and making sure we're prepared for him being the quarterback. As much as some people think it could be a distraction to [Auburn], it could be a distraction to us if we're, ‘Is he in? Is he out?' We're planning on him being in."
In his weekly press conference, Chizik criticized the media for the way they've handled the various stories, rumors and accusations circling Newton this week, "If you really want to do your homework, go and start with his little league coach, then go to his junior high coach, then go to his high school coach, then go to his junior college coach, and then come talk to any coach at Auburn,” Chizik said. "You're going to hear the same thing. So this is a waste of my time, but I'm going to address it because I'm defending a young man that deserves it.”
Following his aggressive opening statement, Chizik refused to answer questions regarding the allegations against Newton and, oh yeah, mentioned the game on Saturday: "We've got a very tough game against Georgia this week, and there's going to be a great crowd here at home,” Chizik said. "The Georgia series is obviously one of the best in college football, and we've got our work cut out for us.”
But that was Tuesday, and by Thursday things had escalated. Noted "runner” Kenny Rogers told ESPN Radio in Dallas on Thursday afternoon that Newton's father, Cecil Newton, advised him that it would take "anywhere between $100,000 and $180,000” for his son to sign with a school.
Rogers said he then reached out to a Mississippi State booster and attempted to facilitate a deal. According to NCAA guidelines, that very act could be interpreted as a rules violation — regardless of whether money exchanged hands or if Newton eventually signed with another school. Newton could be penalized.
Ah, Saturday's game. Remember that? Actual football has to be played this weekend.
Can this Auburn squad, just three wins away from a BCS National Championship Game berth, stay focused on Georgia when its quarterback's face has graced the cover of every major sports Web site's centerpiece each day this week? Does the Auburn coaching staff prepare an alternative game plan with backup quarterback Barrett Trotter at the helm? Is the coaching staff focused on the Bulldogs' high-flying aerial attack or the high-flying rumors and accusations? What about the players?
We'll have to see. Remember, these aren't professionals. The constant barrage of negativity can have an impact on college students who have a hard enough time balancing academics, football and a social life.
I used to skip class in college when a good episode of "Law and Order” was on (sorry, mom and dad, it's the truth). I assume I would have missed a lot more than just class if my buddy and team leader's face was on television every hour.
In truth, Georgia presents a far greater challenge than its record would indicate. First off, this is one of college football's greatest rivalries, and though UGA left its SEC Championship Game dreams in Jacksonville, the ‘Dawgs would love nothing more than to derail Auburn's train to Glendale. Secondly, the Bulldogs' offense has been red hot since the start of October. If Auburn has an Achilles' heel, it's pass defense. The Bulldogs have scored 30 points in five consecutive games for the first time in school history. Georgia's greatest strength matches up well against Auburn's greatest weakness.
Seven SEC teams are ranked in this week's AP poll, with once-mighty Georgia not among them. Remember, Richt's squads recently went on a run of finishing in the top AP Top 10 in six of seven seasons. This season, with the ‘Dawgs fighting to stay above .500, won't be salvaged with a win at Auburn on Saturday. But the folks in Athens sure would be quite satisfied hanging their hats on a win of this magnitude.
It might not be the Georgia pass rush or secondary that sends Auburn off its BCS title track, though. It could be the other "D".
Distraction.
2. Mike Sherman's difficult midseason move
Over the summer, Texas A&M senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson was named the Big 12's preseason Offensive Player of the Year by media covering the conference. There was Heisman talk, NFL Draft buzz and a whole lot of hype following a national coming out party on Thanksgiving night vs. Colt McCoy and No.2 Texas last year. Johnson's career had a storybook feel to it. His father went to A&M, his older brother went to A&M and there were jokes on campus that his kids' kids' kids would someday go to A&M. He'd been building towards 2010 for a lifetime.
Fast forward a few months and he's currently the backup quarterback of a Texas A&M squad that's suddenly the hottest team in the Big 12.
Following the Aggies' 33-19 victory over Oklahoma last Saturday — their first over OU since 2002 — A&M (6-3, 3-2) has a legitimate shot at winning out this season and, with some help, capturing its first Big 12 South title in 12 years. If the Aggies do it, it will be with Johnson, the face of the team for the past few years, watching from the sidelines.
Benching Johnson in favor of redshirt junior Ryan Tannehill wasn't an easy decision for coach Mike Sherman. But it's proven to be the right one. Since taking over for the turnover-prone Johnson, Tannehill's won three straight games and limited the turnovers. If Tannehill were eligible for being included in the NCAA statistical rankings, his pass-efficiency rating would put him No. 10 in the nation. That's pretty good for a converted receiver who wasn't supposed to see a snap at quarterback this season.
Many pundits circled this weekend's Baylor-Texas A&M game as a showdown of the conference's two top quarterbacks. It still very well might be; only Johnson's not the guy taking snaps against Robert Griffin III.
Sherman may have saved the Aggies' season with his difficult coaching decision a few weeks back.
In truth, he may have saved his job.
3. Brady's boys
Though 2009 defensive All-Americans Jerry Hughes and Daryl Washington were each drafted by NFL teams in April, Gary Patterson's TCU defense — ranked first in the nation and averaging an eye-popping 8.5 points per game against — has somehow improved in 2010.
And yet, my choice for the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year isn't Patterson. Rather, it's San Diego State's Brady Hoke.
In San Diego this season, Hoke is simply doing what Hoke does. He's college football's version of Buck Showalter or Billy Martin: the guy comes in, cleans your team up, whips it into shape and does so in little time at all. Prior to this season, the Aztecs hadn't been bowl eligible since 2003. They went 2-6 in conference play last season. Yeah, they've already got seven wins this year.
At 7-2, the Aztecs are actually just a few bad bounces from being undefeated, as their two losses — at Missouri in September and at BYU last month — were each by three points. Since losing to BYU, the Aztecs have won four straight games for the first time in 12 years and are still mathematically capable of winning the conference title. With TCU, Utah and UNLV up ahead, they'd have to go on quite a little run to do so.
Hoke, of course, was the savior of Ball State football, taking a 4-8 team and molding it into a 12-2 squad in his final season.
The Aztecs are 27-point underdogs in the final game being played in the old Amon G. Carter Stadium, but Hoke doesn't want to hear any of that. "We've just scratched the surface of what we want to accomplish," Hoke said. "November is when you play for championships."
Win this one and we can forget the Mountain West Conference coach of the year award. That'll be a given.
With a "W”, we'll be talking about college football's national coach of the year.
4. Bowers is Ballin'
Though Clemson's having a somewhat forgettable 5-4 season, junior defensive end Da'Quan Bowers has been DVR-worthy each and every Saturday. He's having an Ndamukong Suh-esque 2010 campaign.
Bowers was a beast against N.C. State last Saturday with two sacks, giving him at least half a sack in seven consecutive games. The former No. 2 overall high school recruit now leads the nation with 12.5 sacks and is currently second all-time on the Clemson list. Most NFL Mock Drafts seem to have quarterbacks Andrew Luck or Ryan Mallett going first overall to Buffalo in April's NFL Draft. Heck, if I'm Buffalo GM Buddy Nix, I'd look long and hard at Bowers as my number one pick.
In addition to leading the nation in sacks, Bowers also leads the nation in tackles for loss with 20 in nine games.
Clemson plays at Florida State in a game that once meant the Bowden Bowl. Now it's Dabo vs. Jimbo. The latter had the following to say about Bowers this week: "Not taking anything away from anyone else, but he's as good as we've played against. He's athletic. He can transition from speed to power and from power to speed. Very athletic. Very mobile."
The ACC's not always the prettiest conference to watch, but Bowers makes Clemson games worth tuning in for.
You'll be hearing a lot more of his name come March and April.
Schrager Bowl Projections through Week 10:
Schrager Heisman Ballot through Week 9:
1. Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn
2. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
3. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State
