Showing posts with label Brian Wisowaty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Wisowaty. Show all posts
Monday, December 15, 2008
Pirate Primetime INTV with Anthony 'Fooch' Fucilli
Here is our interview with Anthony 'Fooch' Fucilli of MSG Network. Listen in as we talk a multitude of topics surrounding SHU Hoops.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Pirate Primetime: Quick Hits with Adam Zagoria
As transcribed by Brian Wisowaty
Interview: Adam Zagoria
Hosts: Jeremiah Sullivan, Steve Faulks, Brian Wisowaty
WSOU: Regarding the team’s performance against Molloy College:
AZ: Well, they looked good. They were playing a Division II opponent with no one taller than 6’7. So, it’s not like they’re playing Louisville or Pitt in the middle of Big East season. But I think they had to come out of there feeling good about themselves. Obviously, Jordan Theodore and Brandon Walters…I feel they were the bright spots of the night. Brandon, I feel, was probably motivated by some of the comments Coach Gonzalez made at media day. And I think Jordan Theodore, a kid I got to follow at Patterson Catholic, played very well in pushing the tempo.
WSOU: Is Mike Davis overrated?
AZ: Well, I think it’s too early to tell just after one preseason game. I think we need to revisit that five, eight, or ten games into the season. I will say he definitely looks physically a lot better than he did last year. His body looks better. But this team needs a power forward. They desperately tried to get Herb Pope eligible and they’re going to need a lot of contributions from John Garcia and Mike Davis down low, rebounding and blocking shots - doing the dirty work that every team needs. And I think Coach is hopeful that Brandon Walters can contribute and play that role a little bit. And they’re going to need (Robert) “Stix” Mitchell to do some of those things too. He can’t just hang by the perimeter and shoot three’s all day.
WSOU: On Davis fouling out versus the Lions:
AZ: Again, it’s one game. It’s not a big sample. But, sure, it’s not good. He didn’t play like John Garcia. And Coach did mention Mike fouling out after the game, so I’m sure he is probably a bit concerned.
WSOU: On the play of Jordan Theodore:
AZ: There’s no question that having Jordan Theodore on the team will help them. He’s a tremendously competitive kid. He wants to win. He won a county championship with Patterson Catholic last year. He spent last summer (summer of ’07) at the Steve Nash Academy and the LeBron James academy. And I watched him go up to those guys (Nash and James) and ask them questions, (such as) how to become a better leader. This is a kid who wants to develop himself and become the best player he can be. And he’s very excited to be at Seton Hall. Combine that with the performance on Friday night, it’s nothing but a plus for Seton Hall. And he had a few turnovers, but was the first to go to the media and say “I can’t have two turnovers.” Obviously, with him there, Eugene doesn’t have to play the whole game at the point. He can breathe for a few minutes or play the two.
WSOU: Recruiting news about Dominic Cheek, and where the local schools stand:
AZ: With Cheek, it was a rough week for Seton Hall, with St. Anthony’s announcing he is no longer considering Seton Hall plus he’s taking a visit to Rutgers. I know there’s a lot of rivalry and intensity between the two schools, especially on the message boards. I know also that Coach Gonzalez felt he had a pretty good chance at Cheek. You got to give him credit for going after players like that. But for all three of these teams (Rutgers, Seton Hall, and St. John’s), you have to be able to recruit well in this area. There are a ton of talented high school teams in New York and New Jersey, and you have to get players out of these schools. Seton Hall has been able to do that to some extent, with Theodore from Patterson Catholic and “Nu-Nu” (Eugene Harvey) from St. Benedict’s. So I think they need to continue to do that. Rutgers has shown an ability to do that with Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique. If you’re these three schools, you just can’t sit here and let Louisville, UConn, and West Virginia continue to come in here and raid these players.
WSOU: Out of the three local schools, who is currently ahead?
AZ: I think, to be frank, you have to give Rutgers the edge. Seton Hall doesn’t have any players committed for ’09. That’s a concern. I believe they’re the only team in the Big East with no commits for ’09. Rutgers has two more coming in for ’09. St. John’s has two coming in for ’09. And I think St. John’s has a shot for Lance Stephenson. Coach Gonzalez has said he has a different strategy for recruiting. He wants to go after transfers, JUCO’s, foreign players – because that’s who he believes can immediately turn around the team. And he’s gotten some good transfers, (in) Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence. But you have to have a relationship with the local high school coaches and players.
WSOU: On Melvyn Oliver and the attempt to get him cleared:
AZ: I honestly couldn’t tell you about Melvyn Oliver. I know they’re hopeful, and that by all indications he’s done well (academically) in school (at Seton Hall). I honestly don’t have a feeling one way or the other. It would be a big help if they could get him, because to go through a full season with eight guys is going to be tough. In a best case scenario, everyone stays healthy and one of the walk-ons is able to contribute a little bit, and the team bonds together with eight guys – maybe that’s a positive. But, worse case scenario, one or two guys gets hurt, like what happened with Paul Gause last year… guys are going to get hurt. And you can’t play a Big East season with six or seven guys. I think they really need Melvyn Oliver and no one to get hurt.
WSOU: Regarding the walk-ons:
AZ: The only thing I know is what Coach Gonzalez told us after the game Friday is that they’re going to take four guys, one of whom is Matt Cajuste. He’s 6’7, went to Jericho High School in Long Island, has experience playing. I’m not sure if he chose not to play in college or just didn’t get the offer he wanted, but it should be an interesting story going forward. But, I know Coach Gonzalez is high on him. Again, in a best case scenario, he comes out and is able to practice, work out Garcia and the big guys in practice, and may become a “Rudy” type situation, as someone mentioned on the message boards. Maybe he goes in and hits a big shot. I don’t know who the other three guys are, and Coach said he’s going to rotate how many of them travel for various games.
WSOU: On why Seton Hall was placed 15th in the Zagsblog Big East Preseason Poll:
AZ: The main element of putting them (15th in the Big East) is that they have eight guys. Again, I think for all three local schools – they’re in an absolutely loaded conference with perhaps nine or ten teams going to the (NCAA) Tournament. I don’t see any of the local teams cracking the upper eight-nine-ten, which leaves them to fill out the 11-16 spots. And if you talk to the coaches, they will tell you that the first goal over the next two years is to get to the 8-10 spot, where Providence is and West Virginia is. And once you get there, you can think about potentially getting in the top eight. Look, I hope Seton Hall does well. I wish them the best. But I think it’s going to be tough with eight guys. They need a lot of things to go right. They need no one to get hurt, to rebound the basketball, and it would help to get Melvyn Oliver eligible and possibly even Keon in the second half.
WSOU: Is the Big East the best conference in the nation?
AZ: I don’t think there’s any doubt. I wrote several preview stories and talked to many coaches and analysts, and it’s the best league in the country. I think you have eight automatic NCAA teams and possibly 10. There’s no real night off. Maybe South Florida is a night off, but who knows. Even the 12-15 teams are going to be tough. It’s just a brutal league. The key that everyone talks about is that there are a lot of returning players with experience. UConn is loaded. Pitt is loaded. Louisville is loaded. It’s going to be very tough for the local teams.
WSOU: Who is the best in the Big East?
AZ: I think that Connecticut on paper has the potential to be the best team. As Coach Gonzalez mentioned at media day, they essentially have an NBA front line with Hasheem Thabeet, who is 7’3…he alters the game and prevents you from driving into the lane because he’s going to block shots…and they have Jeff Adrien, who’s 6’7. And they’re going to get back Stanley Robinson. They have four big guys. Plus they have experienced guards in A.J. Price and Jerome Dyson. And by all accounts, Kemba Walker is a star on the rise from Rice High School in Manhattan. So, I think if they stay healthy, they have a shot to go as far as possible. Then I think Pitt and Louisville have brought back a lot, and added some good pieces…they are going to be tough to beat. I’d guess I would say UConn is my favorite to win the league and the tournament, but it wouldn’t shock me if Pitt, Louisville, or even Notre Dame went on a run at Madison Square Garden.
WSOU: On whether or not Robert Mitchell can be “the scorer” for Seton Hall:
AZ: I think that’s a terrific question. And, to some extent, Seton Hall’s season will be determined five months from now by how much he can score. He and Hazell will be asked to do a bulk of the scoring, supported by Nu-Nu and a few other guys. And Coach is on record as saying Stix Mitchell is going to come in and get Brian Laing’s points back plus a few more. So, that’s asking a lot for a kid who has never played a Big East game…coming in from Duquesne and play the four, which isn’t his natural position, and score 16-18-20 points a night. Does he have the potential to do it? It looks like he does. But he’s playing in the toughest league in the country. He can’t just sit on the perimeter and look for jump shots. He’s going to have to bang and rebound… unless they’re going to get outrebounded by the front lines of Connecticut, Pitt, and Louisville. It will be interesting to see.
WSOU: Will Mitchell take away shot attempts and maybe points from Jeremy Hazell?
AZ: I don’t know about that. I think you can never have enough guys who can score the basketball. And I haven’t seen them play enough games together. That’s a tough question to ask since they haven’t played a single regular season game together. We’ll have to see them play a few regular season games together first. But I definitely think they have guys who can score. Stix, Hazell, Nu-Nu, and I think Jordan can score a little bit. John Garcia can give you 8 or 10 points a game. Their problem is going to be more so defensively like it was last year. Can they contain other teams from scoring in transition? Can they rebound and play hard under the basket? And that was a major problem most of last year, that they weren’t playing effective defense. Now, I know Coach has a number of strategies for that, such as pushing the tempo. But the best teams in the league in any sport are the ones that play tremendous defense. That’s what this team has to do to move up, I think.
WSOU: On this team having chemistry:
AZ: From the little I’ve seen, they do have a lot of chemistry. They spend a lot of time together. I know Jordan and Eugene are roommates. Theoretically, Jordan can challenge Eugene for the (point guard) spot simply because they play the same position, but they seem to get along. I think that because they only have eight guys, they realize they all need to bond and contribute to have any success. I think John Garcia is always the quiet, stoic leader. But I also think Jordan and Nu-Nu have to be the leaders, because they are the point guards. Jordan can really inject some energy into this team. He’s the only true freshman and the only eligible recruit thus far. From everything I know about that kid, he wants to win. So, I think that can be a positive impact.
WSOU: Regarding what it is like to be a reporter around Bobby Gonzalez:
AZ: He’s a great guy to interview if you’re a reporter, because he tells you what is on his mind. He gives you a lot of great quotes. Sometimes, they are a bit controversial. But he doesn’t back off of them. He definitely made some comments last year about landing a player they weren’t supposed to get, then being accused of cheating, and the comments about Brandon this year. As a reporter, he fills up your notebook. He’s very engaging with reporters, and has always been good to me. But he’s clearly a controversial personality. And he’s going to have to produce some results here at Seton Hall in the next couple of years. As are Norm Roberts at St. John’s and Freddy (Fred Hill at Rutgers)…well, Freddy has the extension, but all these guys need to prove that they can win.
WSOU: On Seton Hall in the recruiting scene:
AZ: This is the one area where, quite frankly, I would be a bit concerned. I am not aware of them going to sign anyone. Signing day starts Wednesday, November 12th to the 19th. I not aware that they are going to get any players during that period. And again, they would be the only Big East team without an ’09 commit at that point. They had some high hopes for a couple of kids, including Arsalan Kazemi. He came for an official visit recently and I know Coach Gonzalez and (Assistant) Coach (Dermon) Player had high hopes that he would commit. He committed to Rice, and I think that was a bit of a blow for them. They’re involved with this kid Jarrid Famous, who’s a seven footer from Westchester Community College, who told me he wasn’t going to commit until the spring signing period. He’s also going to visit UConn, West Virginia, and Missouri. So Seton Hall feels they have a shot at him, but the season has to play out and the kid is visiting some high powered schools in UConn and West Virginia. Again, they’re looking at transfers. I know they’re looking at some of the Arizona kids who de-committed after Lute Olson stepped down. That’s fine, but I think you also need to recruit some of the local kids. Unfortunately, with Dominic Check saying he is not going to Seton Hall and with Kazemi declaring for Rice, I think they lost out on two guys they were hopeful for. I honestly don’t know who the next kid is that they will bring in, but they need to bring in some players.
WSOU: Can Seton Hall upset anyone this season, similar to last season’s home win vs. Louisville?
AZ: Well, look, any given night – anyone can beat anyone. Seton Hall beat Louisville. Rutgers only won three or four Big East games last year, but beat Pitt and Villanova in back to back games. In the Louisville game, Jeremy Hazell was just on fire. He was shooting from the parking lot, he was just unstoppable. There will probably be some games like that this year, but I can’t say who it will be against. There are a bunch of teams in the league that Seton Hall or Coach Gonzalez hasn’t beaten – UConn, possibly Pitt – that Seton Hall gets at home this year. So I’m sure there will be a focus on those games. And in any given game, Stix Mitchell and Hazell can go off for 50 points between them and can win any game. Over the long haul, it will be a tough road to hoe in the Big East.
Adam, thanks for joining us. We'd love to ahve you back again some time during the season.
Interview: Adam Zagoria
Hosts: Jeremiah Sullivan, Steve Faulks, Brian Wisowaty
WSOU: Regarding the team’s performance against Molloy College:
AZ: Well, they looked good. They were playing a Division II opponent with no one taller than 6’7. So, it’s not like they’re playing Louisville or Pitt in the middle of Big East season. But I think they had to come out of there feeling good about themselves. Obviously, Jordan Theodore and Brandon Walters…I feel they were the bright spots of the night. Brandon, I feel, was probably motivated by some of the comments Coach Gonzalez made at media day. And I think Jordan Theodore, a kid I got to follow at Patterson Catholic, played very well in pushing the tempo.
WSOU: Is Mike Davis overrated?
AZ: Well, I think it’s too early to tell just after one preseason game. I think we need to revisit that five, eight, or ten games into the season. I will say he definitely looks physically a lot better than he did last year. His body looks better. But this team needs a power forward. They desperately tried to get Herb Pope eligible and they’re going to need a lot of contributions from John Garcia and Mike Davis down low, rebounding and blocking shots - doing the dirty work that every team needs. And I think Coach is hopeful that Brandon Walters can contribute and play that role a little bit. And they’re going to need (Robert) “Stix” Mitchell to do some of those things too. He can’t just hang by the perimeter and shoot three’s all day.
WSOU: On Davis fouling out versus the Lions:
AZ: Again, it’s one game. It’s not a big sample. But, sure, it’s not good. He didn’t play like John Garcia. And Coach did mention Mike fouling out after the game, so I’m sure he is probably a bit concerned.
WSOU: On the play of Jordan Theodore:
AZ: There’s no question that having Jordan Theodore on the team will help them. He’s a tremendously competitive kid. He wants to win. He won a county championship with Patterson Catholic last year. He spent last summer (summer of ’07) at the Steve Nash Academy and the LeBron James academy. And I watched him go up to those guys (Nash and James) and ask them questions, (such as) how to become a better leader. This is a kid who wants to develop himself and become the best player he can be. And he’s very excited to be at Seton Hall. Combine that with the performance on Friday night, it’s nothing but a plus for Seton Hall. And he had a few turnovers, but was the first to go to the media and say “I can’t have two turnovers.” Obviously, with him there, Eugene doesn’t have to play the whole game at the point. He can breathe for a few minutes or play the two.
WSOU: Recruiting news about Dominic Cheek, and where the local schools stand:
AZ: With Cheek, it was a rough week for Seton Hall, with St. Anthony’s announcing he is no longer considering Seton Hall plus he’s taking a visit to Rutgers. I know there’s a lot of rivalry and intensity between the two schools, especially on the message boards. I know also that Coach Gonzalez felt he had a pretty good chance at Cheek. You got to give him credit for going after players like that. But for all three of these teams (Rutgers, Seton Hall, and St. John’s), you have to be able to recruit well in this area. There are a ton of talented high school teams in New York and New Jersey, and you have to get players out of these schools. Seton Hall has been able to do that to some extent, with Theodore from Patterson Catholic and “Nu-Nu” (Eugene Harvey) from St. Benedict’s. So I think they need to continue to do that. Rutgers has shown an ability to do that with Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique. If you’re these three schools, you just can’t sit here and let Louisville, UConn, and West Virginia continue to come in here and raid these players.
WSOU: Out of the three local schools, who is currently ahead?
AZ: I think, to be frank, you have to give Rutgers the edge. Seton Hall doesn’t have any players committed for ’09. That’s a concern. I believe they’re the only team in the Big East with no commits for ’09. Rutgers has two more coming in for ’09. St. John’s has two coming in for ’09. And I think St. John’s has a shot for Lance Stephenson. Coach Gonzalez has said he has a different strategy for recruiting. He wants to go after transfers, JUCO’s, foreign players – because that’s who he believes can immediately turn around the team. And he’s gotten some good transfers, (in) Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence. But you have to have a relationship with the local high school coaches and players.
WSOU: On Melvyn Oliver and the attempt to get him cleared:
AZ: I honestly couldn’t tell you about Melvyn Oliver. I know they’re hopeful, and that by all indications he’s done well (academically) in school (at Seton Hall). I honestly don’t have a feeling one way or the other. It would be a big help if they could get him, because to go through a full season with eight guys is going to be tough. In a best case scenario, everyone stays healthy and one of the walk-ons is able to contribute a little bit, and the team bonds together with eight guys – maybe that’s a positive. But, worse case scenario, one or two guys gets hurt, like what happened with Paul Gause last year… guys are going to get hurt. And you can’t play a Big East season with six or seven guys. I think they really need Melvyn Oliver and no one to get hurt.
WSOU: Regarding the walk-ons:
AZ: The only thing I know is what Coach Gonzalez told us after the game Friday is that they’re going to take four guys, one of whom is Matt Cajuste. He’s 6’7, went to Jericho High School in Long Island, has experience playing. I’m not sure if he chose not to play in college or just didn’t get the offer he wanted, but it should be an interesting story going forward. But, I know Coach Gonzalez is high on him. Again, in a best case scenario, he comes out and is able to practice, work out Garcia and the big guys in practice, and may become a “Rudy” type situation, as someone mentioned on the message boards. Maybe he goes in and hits a big shot. I don’t know who the other three guys are, and Coach said he’s going to rotate how many of them travel for various games.
WSOU: On why Seton Hall was placed 15th in the Zagsblog Big East Preseason Poll:
AZ: The main element of putting them (15th in the Big East) is that they have eight guys. Again, I think for all three local schools – they’re in an absolutely loaded conference with perhaps nine or ten teams going to the (NCAA) Tournament. I don’t see any of the local teams cracking the upper eight-nine-ten, which leaves them to fill out the 11-16 spots. And if you talk to the coaches, they will tell you that the first goal over the next two years is to get to the 8-10 spot, where Providence is and West Virginia is. And once you get there, you can think about potentially getting in the top eight. Look, I hope Seton Hall does well. I wish them the best. But I think it’s going to be tough with eight guys. They need a lot of things to go right. They need no one to get hurt, to rebound the basketball, and it would help to get Melvyn Oliver eligible and possibly even Keon in the second half.
WSOU: Is the Big East the best conference in the nation?
AZ: I don’t think there’s any doubt. I wrote several preview stories and talked to many coaches and analysts, and it’s the best league in the country. I think you have eight automatic NCAA teams and possibly 10. There’s no real night off. Maybe South Florida is a night off, but who knows. Even the 12-15 teams are going to be tough. It’s just a brutal league. The key that everyone talks about is that there are a lot of returning players with experience. UConn is loaded. Pitt is loaded. Louisville is loaded. It’s going to be very tough for the local teams.
WSOU: Who is the best in the Big East?
AZ: I think that Connecticut on paper has the potential to be the best team. As Coach Gonzalez mentioned at media day, they essentially have an NBA front line with Hasheem Thabeet, who is 7’3…he alters the game and prevents you from driving into the lane because he’s going to block shots…and they have Jeff Adrien, who’s 6’7. And they’re going to get back Stanley Robinson. They have four big guys. Plus they have experienced guards in A.J. Price and Jerome Dyson. And by all accounts, Kemba Walker is a star on the rise from Rice High School in Manhattan. So, I think if they stay healthy, they have a shot to go as far as possible. Then I think Pitt and Louisville have brought back a lot, and added some good pieces…they are going to be tough to beat. I’d guess I would say UConn is my favorite to win the league and the tournament, but it wouldn’t shock me if Pitt, Louisville, or even Notre Dame went on a run at Madison Square Garden.
WSOU: On whether or not Robert Mitchell can be “the scorer” for Seton Hall:
AZ: I think that’s a terrific question. And, to some extent, Seton Hall’s season will be determined five months from now by how much he can score. He and Hazell will be asked to do a bulk of the scoring, supported by Nu-Nu and a few other guys. And Coach is on record as saying Stix Mitchell is going to come in and get Brian Laing’s points back plus a few more. So, that’s asking a lot for a kid who has never played a Big East game…coming in from Duquesne and play the four, which isn’t his natural position, and score 16-18-20 points a night. Does he have the potential to do it? It looks like he does. But he’s playing in the toughest league in the country. He can’t just sit on the perimeter and look for jump shots. He’s going to have to bang and rebound… unless they’re going to get outrebounded by the front lines of Connecticut, Pitt, and Louisville. It will be interesting to see.
WSOU: Will Mitchell take away shot attempts and maybe points from Jeremy Hazell?
AZ: I don’t know about that. I think you can never have enough guys who can score the basketball. And I haven’t seen them play enough games together. That’s a tough question to ask since they haven’t played a single regular season game together. We’ll have to see them play a few regular season games together first. But I definitely think they have guys who can score. Stix, Hazell, Nu-Nu, and I think Jordan can score a little bit. John Garcia can give you 8 or 10 points a game. Their problem is going to be more so defensively like it was last year. Can they contain other teams from scoring in transition? Can they rebound and play hard under the basket? And that was a major problem most of last year, that they weren’t playing effective defense. Now, I know Coach has a number of strategies for that, such as pushing the tempo. But the best teams in the league in any sport are the ones that play tremendous defense. That’s what this team has to do to move up, I think.
WSOU: On this team having chemistry:
AZ: From the little I’ve seen, they do have a lot of chemistry. They spend a lot of time together. I know Jordan and Eugene are roommates. Theoretically, Jordan can challenge Eugene for the (point guard) spot simply because they play the same position, but they seem to get along. I think that because they only have eight guys, they realize they all need to bond and contribute to have any success. I think John Garcia is always the quiet, stoic leader. But I also think Jordan and Nu-Nu have to be the leaders, because they are the point guards. Jordan can really inject some energy into this team. He’s the only true freshman and the only eligible recruit thus far. From everything I know about that kid, he wants to win. So, I think that can be a positive impact.
WSOU: Regarding what it is like to be a reporter around Bobby Gonzalez:
AZ: He’s a great guy to interview if you’re a reporter, because he tells you what is on his mind. He gives you a lot of great quotes. Sometimes, they are a bit controversial. But he doesn’t back off of them. He definitely made some comments last year about landing a player they weren’t supposed to get, then being accused of cheating, and the comments about Brandon this year. As a reporter, he fills up your notebook. He’s very engaging with reporters, and has always been good to me. But he’s clearly a controversial personality. And he’s going to have to produce some results here at Seton Hall in the next couple of years. As are Norm Roberts at St. John’s and Freddy (Fred Hill at Rutgers)…well, Freddy has the extension, but all these guys need to prove that they can win.
WSOU: On Seton Hall in the recruiting scene:
AZ: This is the one area where, quite frankly, I would be a bit concerned. I am not aware of them going to sign anyone. Signing day starts Wednesday, November 12th to the 19th. I not aware that they are going to get any players during that period. And again, they would be the only Big East team without an ’09 commit at that point. They had some high hopes for a couple of kids, including Arsalan Kazemi. He came for an official visit recently and I know Coach Gonzalez and (Assistant) Coach (Dermon) Player had high hopes that he would commit. He committed to Rice, and I think that was a bit of a blow for them. They’re involved with this kid Jarrid Famous, who’s a seven footer from Westchester Community College, who told me he wasn’t going to commit until the spring signing period. He’s also going to visit UConn, West Virginia, and Missouri. So Seton Hall feels they have a shot at him, but the season has to play out and the kid is visiting some high powered schools in UConn and West Virginia. Again, they’re looking at transfers. I know they’re looking at some of the Arizona kids who de-committed after Lute Olson stepped down. That’s fine, but I think you also need to recruit some of the local kids. Unfortunately, with Dominic Check saying he is not going to Seton Hall and with Kazemi declaring for Rice, I think they lost out on two guys they were hopeful for. I honestly don’t know who the next kid is that they will bring in, but they need to bring in some players.
WSOU: Can Seton Hall upset anyone this season, similar to last season’s home win vs. Louisville?
AZ: Well, look, any given night – anyone can beat anyone. Seton Hall beat Louisville. Rutgers only won three or four Big East games last year, but beat Pitt and Villanova in back to back games. In the Louisville game, Jeremy Hazell was just on fire. He was shooting from the parking lot, he was just unstoppable. There will probably be some games like that this year, but I can’t say who it will be against. There are a bunch of teams in the league that Seton Hall or Coach Gonzalez hasn’t beaten – UConn, possibly Pitt – that Seton Hall gets at home this year. So I’m sure there will be a focus on those games. And in any given game, Stix Mitchell and Hazell can go off for 50 points between them and can win any game. Over the long haul, it will be a tough road to hoe in the Big East.
Adam, thanks for joining us. We'd love to ahve you back again some time during the season.
Friday, October 10, 2008
College Football: Week 5 and Week 6 Round-Up with Da' Whiz
By Brian Wisowaty
I wrote only two short weeks ago that this college football season was becoming bland.
Then, the Beavers struck.
Perhaps Oregon State read the WSOU Sports Blog and thought it was absurd to declare Southern Cal the runaway national title favorites after only five short weeks. Their stunning upset of the (at the time No. 1) Trojans, 27-21, has opened up the door for many programs across the land.
The problem with USC may not be that they have been overrated or overhyped, but rather that the Beavers play them extremely close in Oregon State. Consider the two most recent scores for Beavers/Trojans matchups in Corvallis, excluding this year:
Oct. 28, 2006: OSU 33, No. 3 USC 31
Nov. 6, 2004: No. 1 USC 28, OSU 20
Aside from the win/loss split, the Beavers rose to the occasion against the Trojans in both meetings, despite being big underdogs against a highly-ranked team. Impressive to say the least. So, here we are in early October with Southern Cal playing catch-up. Oklahoma will prove whether or not they are for real with Saturday’s Red River Rivalry game versus Texas.
And, if the Longhorns follow suit like Oregon State, my two “solid” predictions may be shattered.
Time to restore some credibility around here and reexamine the national title picture. In doing so, we’ll be able to see how exciting of a college football ride is coming up.
The contenders:
Missouri
The Tigers have stars all over the offense and an easy end to regular season play. I still get worried about the Big 12 Title game, let alone the Oct. 18 date with Texas. Essentially, the fate of Missouri may lie with the Longhorns. If UT can beat Oklahoma on Saturday, they’ll be among the top in the nation and ready for Mizzou come the 18th. But if the Longhorns fall to the Sooners, they might be just in position for the “angry upset”. Regardless, I’ll go with Texas to get it done versus the Tigers.
Texas
As to not rehash the above, the Longhorns have two key tests coming up. Look for UT to split. (That essentially gives my Saturday pick away – I like OU to win the Red River Rivalry.)
Penn State/Ohio State
I combine both here because of their Big Ten status. The Nittany Lions may be for real, but the Buckeyes are not. Terelle Pryor has done a nice job under center for OSU, however the ground game has not been the same since Chris Wells was hit with injury. Penn State will be the best in the Big Ten at the end of November, and should avoid upset through the next two months. It won’t be easy though, at Joe Paterno’s squad will meet Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State consecutively in October.
The SEC field
Florida proved they can be beat, as I mentioned, when QB Tim Tebow is pressured on defense and a coverage unit can lock down the speedy receivers for the Gators. Nicely played by Ole Miss.
Georgia looked like they left their poise on the team bus when Alabama drubbed them with over four touchdowns in the first half en route to a 41-30 win. You cannot take a national title with an effort like that, or lack thereof.
Alabama escaped by three over Kentucky last week. That’s a legit problem, but the Crimson Tide look defensively ready to be a national title and BCS player. They’re the best in the SEC overall and should win the conference.
LSU, too, has taken care of business despite a scare or two (see:Auburn).
Again, I cannot see one of these teams running the table completely in such a rough conference. The Gators and Bulldogs have fallen, and I see Alabama (at LSU on Nov. 8) and LSU (within the three game stretch of at Florida, at South Carolina, and vs. Georgia) picking up the proverbial “L”. Though the Crimson Tide might win the SEC with only one loss, that might not be enough to hoist the glass football in early 2009.
Brigham Young
They don’t deserve to be in the national title hunt because they play in the Mountain West. Going to Utah on Nov. 22 should make it official.
To reevaluate, I’ll take Penn State running the table of the Big Ten to be undefeated at year’s end. I’ll keep with Oklahoma, also without a loss, to meet them and win it all.
Then again, this weekend (for a second time) could change all that. The joys of college football: every week counts.
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this post and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
I wrote only two short weeks ago that this college football season was becoming bland.
Then, the Beavers struck.
Perhaps Oregon State read the WSOU Sports Blog and thought it was absurd to declare Southern Cal the runaway national title favorites after only five short weeks. Their stunning upset of the (at the time No. 1) Trojans, 27-21, has opened up the door for many programs across the land.
The problem with USC may not be that they have been overrated or overhyped, but rather that the Beavers play them extremely close in Oregon State. Consider the two most recent scores for Beavers/Trojans matchups in Corvallis, excluding this year:
Oct. 28, 2006: OSU 33, No. 3 USC 31
Nov. 6, 2004: No. 1 USC 28, OSU 20
Aside from the win/loss split, the Beavers rose to the occasion against the Trojans in both meetings, despite being big underdogs against a highly-ranked team. Impressive to say the least. So, here we are in early October with Southern Cal playing catch-up. Oklahoma will prove whether or not they are for real with Saturday’s Red River Rivalry game versus Texas.
And, if the Longhorns follow suit like Oregon State, my two “solid” predictions may be shattered.
Time to restore some credibility around here and reexamine the national title picture. In doing so, we’ll be able to see how exciting of a college football ride is coming up.
The contenders:
Missouri
The Tigers have stars all over the offense and an easy end to regular season play. I still get worried about the Big 12 Title game, let alone the Oct. 18 date with Texas. Essentially, the fate of Missouri may lie with the Longhorns. If UT can beat Oklahoma on Saturday, they’ll be among the top in the nation and ready for Mizzou come the 18th. But if the Longhorns fall to the Sooners, they might be just in position for the “angry upset”. Regardless, I’ll go with Texas to get it done versus the Tigers.
Texas
As to not rehash the above, the Longhorns have two key tests coming up. Look for UT to split. (That essentially gives my Saturday pick away – I like OU to win the Red River Rivalry.)
Penn State/Ohio State
I combine both here because of their Big Ten status. The Nittany Lions may be for real, but the Buckeyes are not. Terelle Pryor has done a nice job under center for OSU, however the ground game has not been the same since Chris Wells was hit with injury. Penn State will be the best in the Big Ten at the end of November, and should avoid upset through the next two months. It won’t be easy though, at Joe Paterno’s squad will meet Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State consecutively in October.
The SEC field
Florida proved they can be beat, as I mentioned, when QB Tim Tebow is pressured on defense and a coverage unit can lock down the speedy receivers for the Gators. Nicely played by Ole Miss.
Georgia looked like they left their poise on the team bus when Alabama drubbed them with over four touchdowns in the first half en route to a 41-30 win. You cannot take a national title with an effort like that, or lack thereof.
Alabama escaped by three over Kentucky last week. That’s a legit problem, but the Crimson Tide look defensively ready to be a national title and BCS player. They’re the best in the SEC overall and should win the conference.
LSU, too, has taken care of business despite a scare or two (see:Auburn).
Again, I cannot see one of these teams running the table completely in such a rough conference. The Gators and Bulldogs have fallen, and I see Alabama (at LSU on Nov. 8) and LSU (within the three game stretch of at Florida, at South Carolina, and vs. Georgia) picking up the proverbial “L”. Though the Crimson Tide might win the SEC with only one loss, that might not be enough to hoist the glass football in early 2009.
Brigham Young
They don’t deserve to be in the national title hunt because they play in the Mountain West. Going to Utah on Nov. 22 should make it official.
To reevaluate, I’ll take Penn State running the table of the Big Ten to be undefeated at year’s end. I’ll keep with Oklahoma, also without a loss, to meet them and win it all.
Then again, this weekend (for a second time) could change all that. The joys of college football: every week counts.
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this post and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The surprises are just about over – it’ll be USC and Oklahoma
By Brian Wisowaty
Has the 2008 college football season begun to lose its luster?
The feel-good story of my last post, East Carolina, seems to be no more. A dramatic 30-24 defeat in overtime at North Carolina State bumped the Pirates all the way out of the USA Today poll. Seemingly, a pretty harsh response to the team’s first loss of the season.
Now the eyes of the nation can shift to Brigham Young, the No. 11 team in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today poll. That victory for the Cougars over Washington on the heels of Jake Locker’s “excessive celebration” (and I use that term loosely) is now key as BYU preps for Utah State, New Mexico, and TCU in October.
In other words, we’re left with a BYU team that, at best, is questionably undefeated at this point.
Meanwhile, on the national title hunt, an injury and conference quality has almost trimmed the “legitimate contender” field down to two or three. Consider Ohio State, the clear class of the Big Ten. While that matchup at Southern California two weeks back would have been difficult no matter what, the loss of Chris Wells at halfback for the game made it a blowout.
Moving up and down the AP’s top ten teams, it can only be expected for LSU and Alabama to find out the hard way that the SEC is the toughest conference in the land. As happens every year, these teams will catch a hungry rival this fall, probably on the road, and get beat for the first time. In fact, it nearly happened to the Tigers the past week, just escaping Auburn with the 26-21 win.
I’m also not a big believer in the back end of that top ten, Wisconsin (No. 9) and Texas Tech (No. 10). The Red Raiders can score a ton, but do not belong defensively on the same field as many of the programs in front of them in the polls. And, the Badgers have not played anyone yet. Let’s see them get past back-to-back home contests versus Ohio State and Penn State in early October without a loss.
We are then left with the top tier of a few select programs and the teams chasing them.
Can Missouri stay on the field and compete with Oklahoma?
Will Texas be able to take their annual meeting with the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry game?
Again, I stand by the Sooners explosive offense and physical defense. The answer to both those questions: a resounding no.
Moving forward, can Georgia and Florida run the table in the SEC?
I really don’t think anyone can survive the overall top-to-bottom talent in that league. Florida is very good, but Miami (FL) proved that an effective blitz scheme can stop Tim Tebow in his tracks for a bit. The Gators can be beat. I’d go out on a limb and say it will be Georgia getting it done against the Gators with their November 1 matchup “between in hedges” in Athens.
In regards to the Bulldogs, the SEC Title game can be what hurts their national title hopes most. It’s a tough spot, especially if Georgia goes in undefeated against a one-loss, angry conference foe trying to play spoiler. Nonetheless, prior to postseason play, I’d keep an eye out for Bulldogs’ November 15 game at Auburn as a legit chance for a regular season loss. We’ll learn a lot about Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and company on that day. I’m not confident enough in the Tigers that late in the season to call the upset, but it will be close no matter what.
That leaves the Trojans all alone at the top. Enjoy the Pac 10, no conference title game, and talent far better than Oregon has. They will cruise to the BCS Championship Game.
The Sooners will also have enough to join them there. No national title “BCS-busters” this year. For better or for worse, a big element of this college football season is simply waiting for the SEC to catch up with Georgia and Florida, respectively.
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this post and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
Has the 2008 college football season begun to lose its luster?
The feel-good story of my last post, East Carolina, seems to be no more. A dramatic 30-24 defeat in overtime at North Carolina State bumped the Pirates all the way out of the USA Today poll. Seemingly, a pretty harsh response to the team’s first loss of the season.
Now the eyes of the nation can shift to Brigham Young, the No. 11 team in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today poll. That victory for the Cougars over Washington on the heels of Jake Locker’s “excessive celebration” (and I use that term loosely) is now key as BYU preps for Utah State, New Mexico, and TCU in October.
In other words, we’re left with a BYU team that, at best, is questionably undefeated at this point.
Meanwhile, on the national title hunt, an injury and conference quality has almost trimmed the “legitimate contender” field down to two or three. Consider Ohio State, the clear class of the Big Ten. While that matchup at Southern California two weeks back would have been difficult no matter what, the loss of Chris Wells at halfback for the game made it a blowout.
Moving up and down the AP’s top ten teams, it can only be expected for LSU and Alabama to find out the hard way that the SEC is the toughest conference in the land. As happens every year, these teams will catch a hungry rival this fall, probably on the road, and get beat for the first time. In fact, it nearly happened to the Tigers the past week, just escaping Auburn with the 26-21 win.
I’m also not a big believer in the back end of that top ten, Wisconsin (No. 9) and Texas Tech (No. 10). The Red Raiders can score a ton, but do not belong defensively on the same field as many of the programs in front of them in the polls. And, the Badgers have not played anyone yet. Let’s see them get past back-to-back home contests versus Ohio State and Penn State in early October without a loss.
We are then left with the top tier of a few select programs and the teams chasing them.
Can Missouri stay on the field and compete with Oklahoma?
Will Texas be able to take their annual meeting with the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry game?
Again, I stand by the Sooners explosive offense and physical defense. The answer to both those questions: a resounding no.
Moving forward, can Georgia and Florida run the table in the SEC?
I really don’t think anyone can survive the overall top-to-bottom talent in that league. Florida is very good, but Miami (FL) proved that an effective blitz scheme can stop Tim Tebow in his tracks for a bit. The Gators can be beat. I’d go out on a limb and say it will be Georgia getting it done against the Gators with their November 1 matchup “between in hedges” in Athens.
In regards to the Bulldogs, the SEC Title game can be what hurts their national title hopes most. It’s a tough spot, especially if Georgia goes in undefeated against a one-loss, angry conference foe trying to play spoiler. Nonetheless, prior to postseason play, I’d keep an eye out for Bulldogs’ November 15 game at Auburn as a legit chance for a regular season loss. We’ll learn a lot about Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and company on that day. I’m not confident enough in the Tigers that late in the season to call the upset, but it will be close no matter what.
That leaves the Trojans all alone at the top. Enjoy the Pac 10, no conference title game, and talent far better than Oregon has. They will cruise to the BCS Championship Game.
The Sooners will also have enough to join them there. No national title “BCS-busters” this year. For better or for worse, a big element of this college football season is simply waiting for the SEC to catch up with Georgia and Florida, respectively.
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this post and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
Monday, September 8, 2008
College Football Week 2: Lets Go ECU Pirates!
By Brian Wisowaty
By virtue of team nickname, maybe Seton Hall fans can jump on the red-hot East Carolina bandwagon. After stunning the Virginia Tech Hokies on the first Saturday of the college football season, the Pirates put a beat-down on Pat White and the visiting West Virginia Mountaineers, 24-3.
Keep in mind, West Virginia came into the game as the number eight team in the nation.
Is this a case of a hot start, or perhaps was ECU just underrated from the start? Consider the leader on the field for the Pirates, quarterback Patrick Pinkney. His father was under center at QB for the team way back when, thus giving us a nice father-to-son overture in this story. Statistically, younger Pinkney went 22 of 28 against West Virginia, including a touchdown and 236 passing yards.
Against the Hokies on August 30: 19 of 23 for 211 yards and a TD. Looking at the line scores for him, he has two individual quarterback ratings above the 160.0 mark to start a season. Not bad for a player that not many people even knew about three weeks ago.
And for East Carolina, the road gets a bit easier as the year goes on. A trip to Tulane is on the radar for next Saturday, with contests at Virginia, at UCF, and versus UTEP later on this season. Other than those, the schedule isn’t too daunting.
It can get rough if the Pirates stay hot, simply because the lower-level teams on the schedule will circle the upcoming match-up against them and try to play spoiler. Plus, the emotional drop-off after beating two ranked major-conference teams might keep need week’s game “closer than the experts think”.
But, I’d trust Pinkney and the Pirates to keep it rolling. East Carolina should hit the polls this week ranked somewhere between 15 and 25. But, most importantly, it’s way too early to mention BCS talk for these kids.
Quick hits:
• Gosh, did Notre Dame ever give its fans a scare at home versus San Diego State. Quarterback Jimmy Claussen bailed the Fighting Irish out of a loss that could have set things back painfully for the team. It could be a long season in South Bend if this keeps up.
• The personal foul for excessive celebration assessed to Washington quarterback Jake Locker was absolute ludicrous in their game versus Brigham Young. In case you missed it, a last second scramble run by Locker brought the Huskies within one point, but the penalty pushed the PAT attempt back 15 yards. Of course, BYU blocked the kick and escaped with a one point win. The foul came, as the officials said, because Locker flipped the ball over his shoulder, or “tossed it into the air” (not to the official or near the line of scrimmage). Give me a break. Interpret the rules to keep the game in the players’ hands. On a related note, kudos to the Washington coaches and players in staying respectful of the atrocious decision by the Pac 10 officiating crew.
• USC and Ohio State have survived weeks one and two. Now, we have a week three showdown in The Coliseum to shake up the national title mix. The injury to Buckeyes HB Chris Wells in week one hurt them versus Ohio in game two, but he should return against the Trojans.
• Pitt, after embarrassing themselves last weekend and proving head coach Dave Wannstadt may be on his way out, picked up a redemption win against Buffalo. Though the Bulls aren’t a conference foe, a loss to them would have sent the Panthers into an early tailspin.
• The Rutgers loss to Fresno State in week one showed (a) HB Ray Rice will be greatly missed and (b) QB Mike Teel still has work to do. The problem is that we’ve been saying this about Teel for years.
• Miami hung tough with Florida, despite the final score not indicating such. Aside being disgusted with UF coach Urban Meyer in seemingly trying to run up the score late (QB Tim Tebow was launching deep passes for no reason in the fourth quarter), I leave the game as a Hurricanes fan very optimistic about the future. It’s also worth noting that a questionable and controversial overturned call gave the Gators a red zone visit that broke the 9-3 barrier down and started the scoring. Had the call stood, and it probably should have in my opinion, “The U” would have forced a punt and maybe kept the upset brewing at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Nevertheless, it’s onto Texas A&M for Miami in two weeks, while Florida preps for a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee and an SEC showdown with the Vols.
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
By virtue of team nickname, maybe Seton Hall fans can jump on the red-hot East Carolina bandwagon. After stunning the Virginia Tech Hokies on the first Saturday of the college football season, the Pirates put a beat-down on Pat White and the visiting West Virginia Mountaineers, 24-3.
Keep in mind, West Virginia came into the game as the number eight team in the nation.
Is this a case of a hot start, or perhaps was ECU just underrated from the start? Consider the leader on the field for the Pirates, quarterback Patrick Pinkney. His father was under center at QB for the team way back when, thus giving us a nice father-to-son overture in this story. Statistically, younger Pinkney went 22 of 28 against West Virginia, including a touchdown and 236 passing yards.
Against the Hokies on August 30: 19 of 23 for 211 yards and a TD. Looking at the line scores for him, he has two individual quarterback ratings above the 160.0 mark to start a season. Not bad for a player that not many people even knew about three weeks ago.
And for East Carolina, the road gets a bit easier as the year goes on. A trip to Tulane is on the radar for next Saturday, with contests at Virginia, at UCF, and versus UTEP later on this season. Other than those, the schedule isn’t too daunting.
It can get rough if the Pirates stay hot, simply because the lower-level teams on the schedule will circle the upcoming match-up against them and try to play spoiler. Plus, the emotional drop-off after beating two ranked major-conference teams might keep need week’s game “closer than the experts think”.
But, I’d trust Pinkney and the Pirates to keep it rolling. East Carolina should hit the polls this week ranked somewhere between 15 and 25. But, most importantly, it’s way too early to mention BCS talk for these kids.
Quick hits:
• Gosh, did Notre Dame ever give its fans a scare at home versus San Diego State. Quarterback Jimmy Claussen bailed the Fighting Irish out of a loss that could have set things back painfully for the team. It could be a long season in South Bend if this keeps up.
• The personal foul for excessive celebration assessed to Washington quarterback Jake Locker was absolute ludicrous in their game versus Brigham Young. In case you missed it, a last second scramble run by Locker brought the Huskies within one point, but the penalty pushed the PAT attempt back 15 yards. Of course, BYU blocked the kick and escaped with a one point win. The foul came, as the officials said, because Locker flipped the ball over his shoulder, or “tossed it into the air” (not to the official or near the line of scrimmage). Give me a break. Interpret the rules to keep the game in the players’ hands. On a related note, kudos to the Washington coaches and players in staying respectful of the atrocious decision by the Pac 10 officiating crew.
• USC and Ohio State have survived weeks one and two. Now, we have a week three showdown in The Coliseum to shake up the national title mix. The injury to Buckeyes HB Chris Wells in week one hurt them versus Ohio in game two, but he should return against the Trojans.
• Pitt, after embarrassing themselves last weekend and proving head coach Dave Wannstadt may be on his way out, picked up a redemption win against Buffalo. Though the Bulls aren’t a conference foe, a loss to them would have sent the Panthers into an early tailspin.
• The Rutgers loss to Fresno State in week one showed (a) HB Ray Rice will be greatly missed and (b) QB Mike Teel still has work to do. The problem is that we’ve been saying this about Teel for years.
• Miami hung tough with Florida, despite the final score not indicating such. Aside being disgusted with UF coach Urban Meyer in seemingly trying to run up the score late (QB Tim Tebow was launching deep passes for no reason in the fourth quarter), I leave the game as a Hurricanes fan very optimistic about the future. It’s also worth noting that a questionable and controversial overturned call gave the Gators a red zone visit that broke the 9-3 barrier down and started the scoring. Had the call stood, and it probably should have in my opinion, “The U” would have forced a punt and maybe kept the upset brewing at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Nevertheless, it’s onto Texas A&M for Miami in two weeks, while Florida preps for a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee and an SEC showdown with the Vols.
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Who is for real?
By Brian Wisowaty
I suppose this is part two of the previous post, and the time to get into who may emerge as a BCS contender this year.
Preseason rankings have been set for a few weeks, and the bowl projections are starting to trickle in. It can be clearly seen that a few programs are expected to run through their respective conferences and head into the national championship game.
But, even the casual sports fan knows this doesn't work anymore. The BCS system, amid annual controversy, and the strength of dangerous conferences (SEC fans, be prepared for a wild ride) can assure a fun filled fall until December and the plethora of bowl games. Until then, all we can do is analyze the top 25 and figure out who has some "staying power".
The top five and "cream of the crop": Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, Georgia
Florida has quarterback gem Tim Tebow who may be enough, along with ultra-athletic Percy Harvin, to propel the Gators back into the title game. I am not convinced, however, that UF can survive a tough conference schedule including a four-week span featuring at Tennessee, at Arkansas, and vs. LSU. Oklahoma is my dark horse pick to take the championship, mainly because of they seem much better than fellow Big 12 competition. And, on a local note, stay cognizant of Georgia HB Knowshon Moreno of Middletown South (Middletown, NJ) High School. He's may already be the nation's best running back in his second year as a Bulldog. Most overrated in this group is USC, as per to an untested quarterback core of Mark Sanchez and Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain. But, playing in the Pac 10 will help them out greatly. Ohio State stays the perennial power with a talented defense and definite home-field advantage.
Rest of the top ten: Missouri, Clemson, West Virginia, LSU, Auburn
Clemson has the best running back duo in the ACC, with James Davis and C.J. Spiller. They are the class of the conference, and anything but the conference title would be a letdown. Food for thought: the next ACC team in the top polls in Virginia Tech, pegged in the 20-25 range. West Virginia can benefit from a Big East in limbo, with teams like Lousiville suffering a setback. Pat White and Noel Devine are just a more talented QB/HB tandem than Rutgers or South Florida have to offer. Louisiana State opens its title defense in 2008 with three easy contests before traveling to Auburn, a Sept. 20 showdown and marquee game for both squads. Missouri, once again due in part to a shaky conference, can emerge similar to Oklahoma. Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin form a quarterback/wide out team that can put up points quick.
It's expected that your national champion will come from this top ten group. I'll go with the Sooners to take it all in early 2009.
Meanwhile, the Heisman watch never stops. In a short but brief analysis, keep an eye out for:
Pat White, West Virginia (favorite; will torch lower-level Big East teams)
Tim Tebow, Florida
Matt Stafford, Georgia (at quarterback, his numbers might be down if Moreno eats up TD's and stats)
Dark horse: Joe McKnight, Southern California (if the quarterbacks are shaky, and Sanchez cannot recover fully from a recent dislocated kneecap, this halfback can put up some big numbers)
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
College Football from a Student Perspective
By Brian Wisowaty
There will always be those who wish and hope that Seton Hall University will develop a football program (again) in the future. In the meantime, and with realistic views in mind, there is no reason to ignore NCAA Football throughout the upcoming fall.
First and foremost, I am of the strong belief that New Jersey residence does not mandate required cheering and rooting for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have certaintly turned things around from where they stood five or ten years back, but there are many teams that can draw local interest.
You have the perennial national powerhouses that can draw fans from around the nation: Florida, USC, Texas, Oklahoma, and Ohio State to name a few. Some college football die hards, such as myself, live for programs who have been up and down in the last decade but remained popular overall: Miami (FL), Florida State, Alabama, Penn State, and "everyone's favorite" Notre Dame.
As a Hurricanes fan, I have seen Miami go from back-to-back national championship berths (record in them: a controversy-filled 1-1) to a team that failed to qualify for a bowl game in 2007. Nevertheless, I rank them amongst my "top teams" that I follow, perhaps on par with my dedication to the New York Mets. That's saying much for a college student at a school with (a) the aforementioned lack of a football team and (b) a thick rivalry (and I daresay dislike) for that university in Piscataway.
My following of the 'Canes is just a simple example that college football can matter to anyone who loves the sport. The NFL may have become a 365, 24/7 industry, but the enthusiasm, historic rivalries, and intensity of the college game is calling out to sports fans everywhere. Especially if they do not have a team where they attend classes.
So, whether you support a school so popular that they have merchandise in Jersey sporting good stores, or pick the obscure program that you can boast sole "fanship" over, I implore you to keep in mind: some excellent football is played on Saturdays.
The opinions mentioned here are solely those of the author of this piece and are not shared by other posters on this site or the site creator
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