Head 'Husker

Last Thursday, The University of Nebraska named Mike Riley as head football coach.  The move to hire Riley, head coach at Oregon State, as head 'Husker came completely out of left field, almost literally. While some may claim to have had insight to this hire, they would be lying, as nobody saw this coming.

Nebraska football coach Mike Riley/Photo LJS

Riley grew up in Corvallis, home of the Beavers where he had spent the last decade, so it seemed like he would remain there to conclude his career.  However, when the opportunity presented itself, the 61 year old Riley could not resist.  While Riley and his family no doubt have deep affinity for the Oregon State community, for a football coach looking for expansive resources to teach his craft backed by an unrivaled fan base, there is no place like Nebraska.

In the aftermath of firing Bo Pelini, Nebraska AD Shawn Eichorst had to get this hire right.  Many doubted Eichorst could pull it off, including me, but he operated in secret and got a very good football coach.  Most in the national media, inclusive of ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit, gave the Huskers high marks for the hire.

For the average fan in Husker Nation, this hire was met with bewilderment.  However, for those who follow the game intently, or have moderate knowledge of the game through having played or coached, the hire of Riley invokes a high level of optimism.

While there is no question Bo Pelini is a very good football coach and left the Nebraska program in better shape than he found it in, Riley has a proven track record of excelling in avenues many feel were below average under Pelini.  Examples of these areas would include growth and progression at the quarterback position, the development of players and mental toughness, of which attention to detail would be part.

I have followed Riley for many years and have been most impressed with what he has accomplished at Oregon State, who in 2013 lost a 36-35 squeaker to high powered cross state rival Oregon.  Riley can flat coach, and I am very excited at what he may be able to accomplish given the resources available at Nebraska.

The more those who question the hire get a chance to become engaged with Riley and his abilities, I think they will become more and more pleased with the hire.  Nobody has a crystal ball, but I do subscribe that Riley has all the qualities and attributes the Husker fan base is seeking in leading the Big Red back to national prominence.

That national prominence, with apologies to national pundits such as Dan Patrick who think Nebraska needs to know their place in the college football landscape, includes challenging for the national title.  That has been the history of Nebraska, and it will be such in the future.  After all, there is no place like Nebraska.  GBR!

Huskies Harnessed

EJ Manuel (Photo/SunTimes)

The current BCS criteria served up cold fish for supper as BCS buster Northern Illinois, MAC Champion, found themselves in the 2012 Fed-Ex Orange Bowl to face ACC Champion Florida State.  Debate all over the place about whether UNI deserved to be in the game raged on for weeks, with ESPN's Kirk Herbstriet calling their presence a "joke".

Northern Illinois did deserve to be there due to the criteria previously set forth, but there were at least a dozen teams clearly superior to the Huskies which could have been in Miami.  As such, that left the Seminoles in a lose lose situation.

Crush UNI, and of course they did not deserve to be in the game.  Win a tight one, and UNI is considered a fair team and Florida State is the one who is questioned.  God forbid the Seminoles, unfortunately known for playing down to the level of inferior opponents, snatches defeat from victory.

Husky signal caller Jordan Lynch, a dynamic player who had offensive yardage totals which garnered him Heisman Trophy and All America consideration, mouthed off prior to the game that "We plan on wearing them down. In the fourth quarter, we plan to have them on their knees, and then just keep pounding away." Lynch said. "They're just like us. They're human, too. If you cut them, they bleed."

The comments appeared to motivate the Seminoles, who smothered the Husky offense early and often.  FSU defenders dominated the line of scrimmage and were swarming to the ball.

On offense, FSU was accumulating furlongs of real estate without much to show for it, which is par for the course.  The Seminoles offensively resemble Jimmie Johnson wheeling his #48 Lowes Chevy around a parking garage, as top level talent seems to get hardly anywhere.

Then came versatile running back Lonnie Pryor, a favorite of Seminole Nation, who busted loose for 60 yards and a touchdown.  EJ Manuel controlled the game, connecting on short throws the UNI defense was giving.  Manuel hit Rashad Greene right before the half for a score, and the 'Noles were in control.

Lonnie Pryor (Photo/Boston Herald)

FSU had trouble putting the game away, keeping it close, which is sadly customary.  However, Pryor struck paydirt again, as did EJ on a quarterback draw, and it was night night for the Huskies. Florida State owned the line of scrimmage and pounded Lynch all night.  UNI was successful on some trickery, but outside of one second half drive, they were handcuffed.  Lynch said after the game "They were fast, physical and well-coached. Definitely the best defense we've played all year." Imagine that!

While FSU left a lot of opportunities on the field, the Seminoles got the win, and the importance of this win, the first BCS win since 2000, cannot be understated.  As Coach Fisher said, this is a big step in the process of building a team who expects to win championships, both conference and national.  The Seminoles won 12 games, and the contributions of this senior class should be properly recognized.

EJ Manuel, who is far from the best FSU signal caller to hit the gridiron, has won four bowl games in a row and displayed outstanding leadership during his career, on and off the field.  With talent few have, perhaps he can improve and sharpen his game, which may actually be better suited for the next level.  We wish him the best of luck!

Florida State is primed for additional accomplishments in 2013. The Seminoles must replace Manuel and Xavier Rhodes, who is off the NFL. Bjoern Werner may jump also, but even still, FSU is loaded for bear and should be preseason top ten and then some.

Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1.     Alabama, 4-0, 1
2.     Florida State, 4-0, 3
3.     Oregon, 4-0, 4
4.     LSU, 4-0, 2
5.     Georgia, 4-0, 5
6.     South Carolina, 4-0, 8
7.     Kansas State, 4-0, 10
8.     West Virginia, 4-0, 7
9.     Stanford, 3-0, 9
10.   Notre Dame, 4-0, 15
11.   Florida, 4-0, 16
12.   Texas, 3-0, 12
13.   USC, 3-1, 13
14.   Clemson, 3-1, 11
15.   Ohio State, 4-0, 16
16.   Oklahoma, 2-1, 6
17.   Oregon State, 2-0, NR
18.   Louisville, 4-0, 21
19.   Michigan State, 3-1, 19
20.   Nebraska, 3-1, 20
21.   Texas Christian, 3-0, 22
22.   Mississippi State, 4-0, 24
23.   Rutgers, 4-0, NR
24.   Baylor, 3-0, NR
25.   Northwestern, 4-0, NR

OUT: UCLA (14), Michigan (18), Oklahoma State (25), and Arizona (23).

VOTES: UCLA, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, Iowa State, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Arizona, Ohio, Tennessee, and Cincinnati.

ESPN Gameday at Tallahassee Saturday. Don't Hate!

The Sunshine Scooter, Lee Corso

It was a pleasure to take in ESPN College Gameday Saturday in Tallahassee with Chris Fowler, Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit and The Sunshine Scooter, Lee Corso. ESPN does this right, and this family friendly event captures the color and pageantry of NCAA College Football in fun and fine fashion. Do attend one if given the chance.

Chris Thompson in prayer after scoring

Florida State tailback Chris Thompson gets the gameball as Florida State, after a slow start, demolished Clemson at Tallahassee Saturday. Clemson has a quartet of skill people, in quarterback Taj Boyd, back Andre Ellington and receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins, that rival anyone in the country, and I do mean everyone. The Tigers threw everything and the kitchen sink at the Seminoles, inclusive of halfback passes, reverses and fake field goals. With FSU off balance, Clemson held the lead until early in the third quarter, when FSU unleashed 20 minutes of warpath, outscoring the Tigers 35-3 in an approximate 20 minute period. It was something to behold. Chris Thompson was spectacular, James Wilder Jr. ran strong and EJ Manuel stepped up his game big time, something all Seminoles had been hoping to see. FSU has a stellar defensive unit, and if the offense is what we saw Saturday night, the Seminoles should run the table provided they maintain a high level of maturity and focus, something recent teams have failed to accomplish.

 

Nebraska had a breather, welcoming in Idaho State, who left town with rug burns after getting blasted 73-7. Rex Burkhead was back for the Big Red, and the game provided an opportunity to get some younger defensive players work as the 'Huskers welcome in Wisconsin Saturday night for the ABC Game. The game will feature new uniforms for both teams, which I am not pleased about by any stretch of the imagination.

 

In a very odd early contest, after we blasted the 'Canes last week, they bolted out to a 19-0 lead at Georgia Tech, only to give up the next 36 before charging back to win in overtime. With all the issues at UM, this win may have got them into a bowl game......Ohio State and Michigan State both struggled with much inferior opponents, but somebody will need to step up as they play each other this week...LSU struggled at Auburn, and lost spots because of it,...while Oregon blasted upstart Arizona....South Carolina destroyed Missouri, who travels to UCF this weekend, who might just beat them...Arkansas is in real trouble, and although many expected issues in the aftermath of losing Coach Petrino, the season is about to be lost....Florida controlled Kentucky, a very bad team with a horrible quarterback, who could not hit the side of a barn Saturday, or any open receivers the Cats had either.....Michigan could not generate any offense at an improved Notre Dame, but they did assembly line plenty of turnovers and a four or five loss season is now a possibility for this preseason top ten team....TCU crushed Virginia, who was thought to be solid if not spectacular.....Oregon State shut down UCLA at the Rose Bowl in surprising fashion, and no doubt the Beavers are well coached....Terry Bowden and his Akron Zips took Tennessee late at Rocky Top, and Bowden ball is gaining momentum in Ohio ....Ohio, meanwhile, could run the table under former 'Husker boss Frank Solich, which would be yet another black eye for Pitt AD Steve Pederson.....Oklahoma falters again, losing to a very good K-State team at Norman, and while OU has issues, K-State does not and could be on the way to the BCS...Kirk Ferentz at Iowa has always been very highly thought of, and I have never been sure why. After the Hawkeyes stumbled badly and lost at home to Central Michigan, others are wondering the same thing....Big weekend for many, including Mich. State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Texas, Virginia Tech, West Virgina and Miami.

No Nole Sticker Shock in 2012

Florida State Head Football Coach Jimbo Fisher was seen handing out Tomahawks to the ESPN Gameday Crew.



The Sunhsine Scooter can't get any love, and Desmond is living a dream.

The color and pageantry of college football begins this weekend.

Florida State is highly ranked again, and there will be no sticker shock in 2012. Go Seminoles!

Corso's Color and Pageantry

This past weekend, with the ESPN Gameday crew at East Lansing for the Wisconsin at Michigan State game to be played later in the evening, Lee Corso made his 200th heaadgear pick of the day. This has become tradition for us college football faithful, and part of the color and pageantry that makes this game so special. ESPN's Tom Renaldi takes a look back:



Corso, a former star at Florida State and head coach at Indiana and Louisville and our local Orlando Renegades of the World Football League among others, is a fixture on ESPN Gameday and gameday. Corso, who has battled back from a very serious stroke a few years back, is well loved from conference to ever changing conference.

Congratulations to Lee Corso for his 200th pick, his great success and for being such a well respected and beloved ambassador for the color and pageantry of college football and gameday in stadiums, sports bars and households across the fruited plain.

Victors Hailing Hot at Buckeyes

The long and winding road of lies has come to rest at the heels of well liked and successful Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel. Jerseys were sold, and little lies were apparently told, which is not good. However, the big issue at hand is that it appears Tressel knowingly played ineligible players, which is a huge problem when the NCAA comes for a visit, and they are coming.

Primarily due to the tremendous success Tressel has had at OSU, many are behind him. Many are not, including former Buckeye signal caller and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit. Those folks feel Ohio State is bigger than a successful current coach and stands above these types of transgressions, and although I do not have a dog in the hunt, I agree with them.

Should Tressel be shown the door, at this unusual time of the year for such activity, who might take over. Lost Letterman has a list.

Ohio State has been dominating arch rival Michigan for about a decade now, but with a new coach and the NCAA set to visit Columbus, some Wolverine fans are feeling chippy.

The above pictured billboard, perhaps the most clever I have seen, is found outside Ann Arbor, Michigan. Alas, the color and pageantry is alive and kicking.