Kirk Herbstreit's chat on his recent Spring practice tour in which he visited LSU, USC, Texas, OU and Georgia. Here are some of the questions/answers I found interesting.
Darren (Baltimore, MD): Hey Kirk! Of the 5 schools that you recently visited (LSU, USC, Texas, OU, and Georgia), how would you rank them?
Kirk Herbstreit: Subject to change, after two a day practices of course later this summer, if you take in the talent I saw with the schedules they have .. I would say 1) USC 2) Georgia 3) LSU and Oklahoma tie 5) Texas.
Before all you get crazy with thinking this is my preseason top five, relax. This is just off of watching these teams in Spring and this is something more than likely could change between now and start of the season.
Blue (Wake Forest): Talk about the coaches that you visited on the spring practive tour. What impressed you the most about each one?
Kirk Herbstreit: Every one of these guys is pretty dynamic in his own way. Pete Carroll was more intense and hands on during practice than I would have thought going in. He's involved in every aspect of every drill and he creates an energy that is very impressive. His players worship him. If I were lucky enough to have a kid playing college football, I'd he hard pressed to not want to send him to play for Carroll. Nick Saban was another guy who was unbelievably intense (forget about Allen Iverson 'we talkin' about practice' ... we talking about Spring practice!) He is in guys faces and challening them every single minute of the practice. He doesn't let them take a rep off or go half speed.
Bob Stoops has the same characteristics as the previous two yet because of his experience and coaching with Steve Spurrier, I think he looks at things differently in the Spring. He likes to push guys and demand the most out of them. At the same time, he likes to make sure that they are having a good time and competing against each other (offense vs. defense) and likes to encourage them to push one another. Marc Richt is very cerebral at his approach to the game. He spends most of his time with his offense and relies on his defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder to get things in order on that side of the ball. Mack Brown looks at his players like a father looks at his son, always there encouraging them and giving them sound advice. But Mack relies quite a bit on his coordinators during practice to make sure things are being done properly.
All in all, these are five of the best in the business. It's like splitting hairs here. After seeing these guys this past spring, it's obvious why they run five of the best programs in the country. I have great respect and admiration for all of them. They do things the right way and at the same time, they do things their own way.
Kevin(Columbus, OH): Both LSU and USC lost important weapons at wide receiver. Despite the return of the quarterbacks aren't they going to lack some firepower with their passing game?
Kirk Herbstreit: Kevin, you have to remember with LSU, although Mauck was returning, he left early for the NFL (or maybe dental school). With that said, of the schools I've been to, USC and LSU had the most depth as far as the athletic ability and speed. USCs only issue is replacing their OL. Not only the players that have graduated, but one of their returning starters, Winston Justice, has been suspended indefinately. They have Steve Smith returning and a name to get used to .. Whitney Lewis .. not to mention the most talented backfield in college football with LenDale White, Herschel Dennis and possibly my favorite player this year in college football, Reggie Bush. The Trojan defense should be even better than it was a year ago. As far as LSU is concerned, their defense will be just as tenancious thanks to the return of Corey Webster and Travis Daniels. Offensively, the Tigers need to find a passing game while breaking in a new QB and a couple new receivers to give their lethal running game some balance. I would expect a lot of publications to have one if not both teams ranked 1 and 2 in the preseason.
Darren (Baltimore, MD): Hey Kirk! Of the 5 schools that you recently visited (LSU, USC, Texas, OU, and Georgia), how would you rank them?
Kirk Herbstreit: Subject to change, after two a day practices of course later this summer, if you take in the talent I saw with the schedules they have .. I would say 1) USC 2) Georgia 3) LSU and Oklahoma tie 5) Texas.
Before all you get crazy with thinking this is my preseason top five, relax. This is just off of watching these teams in Spring and this is something more than likely could change between now and start of the season.
Blue (Wake Forest): Talk about the coaches that you visited on the spring practive tour. What impressed you the most about each one?
Kirk Herbstreit: Every one of these guys is pretty dynamic in his own way. Pete Carroll was more intense and hands on during practice than I would have thought going in. He's involved in every aspect of every drill and he creates an energy that is very impressive. His players worship him. If I were lucky enough to have a kid playing college football, I'd he hard pressed to not want to send him to play for Carroll. Nick Saban was another guy who was unbelievably intense (forget about Allen Iverson 'we talkin' about practice' ... we talking about Spring practice!) He is in guys faces and challening them every single minute of the practice. He doesn't let them take a rep off or go half speed.
Bob Stoops has the same characteristics as the previous two yet because of his experience and coaching with Steve Spurrier, I think he looks at things differently in the Spring. He likes to push guys and demand the most out of them. At the same time, he likes to make sure that they are having a good time and competing against each other (offense vs. defense) and likes to encourage them to push one another. Marc Richt is very cerebral at his approach to the game. He spends most of his time with his offense and relies on his defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder to get things in order on that side of the ball. Mack Brown looks at his players like a father looks at his son, always there encouraging them and giving them sound advice. But Mack relies quite a bit on his coordinators during practice to make sure things are being done properly.
All in all, these are five of the best in the business. It's like splitting hairs here. After seeing these guys this past spring, it's obvious why they run five of the best programs in the country. I have great respect and admiration for all of them. They do things the right way and at the same time, they do things their own way.
Kevin(Columbus, OH): Both LSU and USC lost important weapons at wide receiver. Despite the return of the quarterbacks aren't they going to lack some firepower with their passing game?
Kirk Herbstreit: Kevin, you have to remember with LSU, although Mauck was returning, he left early for the NFL (or maybe dental school). With that said, of the schools I've been to, USC and LSU had the most depth as far as the athletic ability and speed. USCs only issue is replacing their OL. Not only the players that have graduated, but one of their returning starters, Winston Justice, has been suspended indefinately. They have Steve Smith returning and a name to get used to .. Whitney Lewis .. not to mention the most talented backfield in college football with LenDale White, Herschel Dennis and possibly my favorite player this year in college football, Reggie Bush. The Trojan defense should be even better than it was a year ago. As far as LSU is concerned, their defense will be just as tenancious thanks to the return of Corey Webster and Travis Daniels. Offensively, the Tigers need to find a passing game while breaking in a new QB and a couple new receivers to give their lethal running game some balance. I would expect a lot of publications to have one if not both teams ranked 1 and 2 in the preseason.
