College football: Preseason news and notes
By Jon Campbell
Mon, Aug 21, 2006
Vandy puts rushing game in freshmen hands
Vanderbilt begins the season with some serious question marks surrounding their top two tailbacks. Cassen Jackson-Garrisson, the leading rusher from last season, underwent an appendectomy this past Monday and is questionable for the season opener at Michigan Sept. 2.
Jeff Jennings, the starter at the beginning of last season, is the No. 2 TB but will also sit out the start of the season. He is still rehabbing a knee injury that kept him out of much of last season and spring practice.
That means redshirt freshman Jared Hawkins will likely get the start against Michigan, and 5-foot-7 true freshman Gaston Miller will see some time as the No. 2 back. Vandy coaches say don`t be fooled by Miller`s size - they`re expecting big things from him in the future and he has jumped out to a great start in practice.
The Commodores are monstrous 25 ?-point underdogs against the Wolverines.
Texas Tech QBs scrap after practice
Red Raiders coach Mike Leach isn?t saying much about it, but apparently two of his competing quarterbacks were involved in a post-practice fight last Monday. Reports from the Dallas Morning News say Chris Todd broke the nose of fellow redshirt freshman Ryan Rowland in the scuffle.
Todd was pushing sophomore Graham Harrell for the starting role this season, but Leach has since named Harrell the starter. The coach also brushed off the incident as a ?flare-up? that is par for the course during two-a-day drills.
McCoy leading way at UT
Redshirt freshman Colt McCoy is the front-runner to take over for departed QB Vince Young through the first stages of camp. Mack Brown recently said McCoy would get the nod if the season started today, ahead of true freshman Jevan Snead. Brown won`t announce his decision until game week though.
Both might get a chance to see some action in Texas? first game if it plays out anything like the pointspread suggests. The Longhorns are favored by 41 points over North Texas.
Baylor testing new offense
Bears head coach Guy Morriss liked what he saw at Texas Tech so much, he?s decided to copy its offense. Morriss is implementing a new spread offense this season, much like the one the Red Raiders use, which means his QBs will be passing more.
Senior Shawn Bell and three other quarterbacks threw a combined 500 hundred passes in a two-hour workout this week. The last time Baylor threw as many as 50 passes in a game was 22 years ago, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.
Baylor will try out its new formation Sept. 3 at home against last year?s Mountain West champs, TCU. The Bears are 7-point home underdogs.
New attitude at Washington State
After a 4-7 season last year, coach Bill Doba knew he needed an attitude change in his program. So conditioning coach Rob Oviatt brought a pirate?s approach to training sessions.
According to a story in the Seattle Times, pirates used to either raise a white flag to indicate surrender or a red one to announce they?d fight to the death.
"I had more than one guy come up and say this was the toughest summer they`d ever been through," Doba told the paper.
UCLA passers struggling
Quarterbacks Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan are reportedly struggling in practice so far. Head coach Karl Dorrell said the two are having trouble learning all the ins and outs of the Bruins? West Coast system. Dorrell named Olson the starter on Monday and he`ll take the first snap Sept. 2 at home against Utah. The Bruins are favored by four points.
Tulane in bad shape
Another conditioning note, this time a bad one. Green Wave head coach Chris Scelfo said he was very disappointed at the physical conditioning of his team heading into camp, especially with his defensive linemen.
Tulane opens its season later than most teams, on Sept. 9 at Houston, and players may have come into camp banking on the extra time to get in shape. Scelfo called it a lack of discipline.
Utah`s first goal: Beat UCLA
Utes coach Kyle Whittingham says his team has two goals this season: win the Mountain West, and beat UCLA. They`ll find out about the latter Sept. 2 when they travel to the Rose Bowl.
Whittingham might want to consider adding one more goal to the list: pick a starting quarterback. Brad Ratliffe and Brian Johnson, both excellent QBs, have been battling it out this fall and a starter has yet to be announced. Utah is the co-favorite along with TCU to win the Mountain West at +150.
Florida State QB making progress
If I were Seminoles quarterback Drew Weatherford, I would be nervous about an injury - i could mean the end of my playing days if Xavier Lee keeps improving.
Though Weatherford was arguably the best QB in the ACC last season, he threw too many picks with 18. His back-up, Lee, might be more talented and coach Bobby Bowden said he is improving rapidly in practice and scrimmages this summer. Lee has great arm strength and is certainly a better runner than Weatherford.
Lee saw limited action last year but managed 466 yards passing, threw for three touchdowns, and rushed for two others. He saw some time in the season opener against Miami after Weatherford struggled mightily in the early going.
Miami is a 3 1/2-point home fave against FSU on Monday, Sept. 3. The Noles are co-faves with Miami to win the ACC at +175.
North Carolina wants the ball
The Tar Heels are making turnovers their main focus on defense this year after a huge improvement in that department last season. Coach John Bunting says he has his players going through "takeaway circuits" in practice in hopes of building a team loaded with ball hawks.
UNC collected 20 turnovers last season, good for 71st in the nation. In the four years previous, the Heels never ranked higher than 95th.
The Tar Heels are favored by 5 1/2 points in their season opener at home against Rutgers on Sept. 2.
Fresno State loving its schedule
The Bulldogs are ecstatic about having three afternoon games this season slated for 2 p.m. local time, which is 5 ET. They normally play their home games at 5 or 7 p.m. to account for television audiences.
"Would I like to play at 1 p.m. every Saturday? I would like to, but that`s not the way it works out," coach Pat HIll told the Fresno Bee. "This is as good of a home schedule since I`ve been here."
The afternoon home games are against Hawaii on Oct. 14, New Mexico State on Nov. 11 and Idaho on Nov. 18. Fresno State is typically a tough place for visitors and the Bee reports it has a winning percentage of better than 80 since Bulldog Stadium opened in 180 (127-30-2).
Fresno State opens Sept. 1 against Nevada, the only game in the nation scheduled for that Friday night. The Bulldogs are 11 1/2-point favorites.
QB starters announced
The following have recently been named starters for their respective programs, ending several battles heading into the first game of the season: Arizona State - Rudy Carpenter sophomore, Georgia - Joe Tereshinski senior, USC- John David Booty junior, Arkansas - Robert Johnson senior, Colorado - James Cox senior, UConn - D.J. Hernandez sophomore, Texas Tech - Graham Harrell sophomore, and Penn State - Anthony Morelli junior.
By Jon Campbell
Mon, Aug 21, 2006
Vandy puts rushing game in freshmen hands
Vanderbilt begins the season with some serious question marks surrounding their top two tailbacks. Cassen Jackson-Garrisson, the leading rusher from last season, underwent an appendectomy this past Monday and is questionable for the season opener at Michigan Sept. 2.
Jeff Jennings, the starter at the beginning of last season, is the No. 2 TB but will also sit out the start of the season. He is still rehabbing a knee injury that kept him out of much of last season and spring practice.
That means redshirt freshman Jared Hawkins will likely get the start against Michigan, and 5-foot-7 true freshman Gaston Miller will see some time as the No. 2 back. Vandy coaches say don`t be fooled by Miller`s size - they`re expecting big things from him in the future and he has jumped out to a great start in practice.
The Commodores are monstrous 25 ?-point underdogs against the Wolverines.
Texas Tech QBs scrap after practice
Red Raiders coach Mike Leach isn?t saying much about it, but apparently two of his competing quarterbacks were involved in a post-practice fight last Monday. Reports from the Dallas Morning News say Chris Todd broke the nose of fellow redshirt freshman Ryan Rowland in the scuffle.
Todd was pushing sophomore Graham Harrell for the starting role this season, but Leach has since named Harrell the starter. The coach also brushed off the incident as a ?flare-up? that is par for the course during two-a-day drills.
McCoy leading way at UT
Redshirt freshman Colt McCoy is the front-runner to take over for departed QB Vince Young through the first stages of camp. Mack Brown recently said McCoy would get the nod if the season started today, ahead of true freshman Jevan Snead. Brown won`t announce his decision until game week though.
Both might get a chance to see some action in Texas? first game if it plays out anything like the pointspread suggests. The Longhorns are favored by 41 points over North Texas.
Baylor testing new offense
Bears head coach Guy Morriss liked what he saw at Texas Tech so much, he?s decided to copy its offense. Morriss is implementing a new spread offense this season, much like the one the Red Raiders use, which means his QBs will be passing more.
Senior Shawn Bell and three other quarterbacks threw a combined 500 hundred passes in a two-hour workout this week. The last time Baylor threw as many as 50 passes in a game was 22 years ago, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.
Baylor will try out its new formation Sept. 3 at home against last year?s Mountain West champs, TCU. The Bears are 7-point home underdogs.
New attitude at Washington State
After a 4-7 season last year, coach Bill Doba knew he needed an attitude change in his program. So conditioning coach Rob Oviatt brought a pirate?s approach to training sessions.
According to a story in the Seattle Times, pirates used to either raise a white flag to indicate surrender or a red one to announce they?d fight to the death.
"I had more than one guy come up and say this was the toughest summer they`d ever been through," Doba told the paper.
UCLA passers struggling
Quarterbacks Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan are reportedly struggling in practice so far. Head coach Karl Dorrell said the two are having trouble learning all the ins and outs of the Bruins? West Coast system. Dorrell named Olson the starter on Monday and he`ll take the first snap Sept. 2 at home against Utah. The Bruins are favored by four points.
Tulane in bad shape
Another conditioning note, this time a bad one. Green Wave head coach Chris Scelfo said he was very disappointed at the physical conditioning of his team heading into camp, especially with his defensive linemen.
Tulane opens its season later than most teams, on Sept. 9 at Houston, and players may have come into camp banking on the extra time to get in shape. Scelfo called it a lack of discipline.
Utah`s first goal: Beat UCLA
Utes coach Kyle Whittingham says his team has two goals this season: win the Mountain West, and beat UCLA. They`ll find out about the latter Sept. 2 when they travel to the Rose Bowl.
Whittingham might want to consider adding one more goal to the list: pick a starting quarterback. Brad Ratliffe and Brian Johnson, both excellent QBs, have been battling it out this fall and a starter has yet to be announced. Utah is the co-favorite along with TCU to win the Mountain West at +150.
Florida State QB making progress
If I were Seminoles quarterback Drew Weatherford, I would be nervous about an injury - i could mean the end of my playing days if Xavier Lee keeps improving.
Though Weatherford was arguably the best QB in the ACC last season, he threw too many picks with 18. His back-up, Lee, might be more talented and coach Bobby Bowden said he is improving rapidly in practice and scrimmages this summer. Lee has great arm strength and is certainly a better runner than Weatherford.
Lee saw limited action last year but managed 466 yards passing, threw for three touchdowns, and rushed for two others. He saw some time in the season opener against Miami after Weatherford struggled mightily in the early going.
Miami is a 3 1/2-point home fave against FSU on Monday, Sept. 3. The Noles are co-faves with Miami to win the ACC at +175.
North Carolina wants the ball
The Tar Heels are making turnovers their main focus on defense this year after a huge improvement in that department last season. Coach John Bunting says he has his players going through "takeaway circuits" in practice in hopes of building a team loaded with ball hawks.
UNC collected 20 turnovers last season, good for 71st in the nation. In the four years previous, the Heels never ranked higher than 95th.
The Tar Heels are favored by 5 1/2 points in their season opener at home against Rutgers on Sept. 2.
Fresno State loving its schedule
The Bulldogs are ecstatic about having three afternoon games this season slated for 2 p.m. local time, which is 5 ET. They normally play their home games at 5 or 7 p.m. to account for television audiences.
"Would I like to play at 1 p.m. every Saturday? I would like to, but that`s not the way it works out," coach Pat HIll told the Fresno Bee. "This is as good of a home schedule since I`ve been here."
The afternoon home games are against Hawaii on Oct. 14, New Mexico State on Nov. 11 and Idaho on Nov. 18. Fresno State is typically a tough place for visitors and the Bee reports it has a winning percentage of better than 80 since Bulldog Stadium opened in 180 (127-30-2).
Fresno State opens Sept. 1 against Nevada, the only game in the nation scheduled for that Friday night. The Bulldogs are 11 1/2-point favorites.
QB starters announced
The following have recently been named starters for their respective programs, ending several battles heading into the first game of the season: Arizona State - Rudy Carpenter sophomore, Georgia - Joe Tereshinski senior, USC- John David Booty junior, Arkansas - Robert Johnson senior, Colorado - James Cox senior, UConn - D.J. Hernandez sophomore, Texas Tech - Graham Harrell sophomore, and Penn State - Anthony Morelli junior.
