Category: College Football (Page 178 of 296)

      Kiffin tells recruit he’ll ‘wind up pumping gas if he plays for South Carolina’

      March 10, 2009 /

      Apparently Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin wasn’t too pleased with Alshon Jeffrey’s (one of the nation’s best high school wide receivers) decision to play for South Carolina next year, and told him so.

      According to Jeffrey and Wilson, Kiffin told Jeffrey that if he chose the Gamecocks, he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players from that state who had gone to South Carolina.

      Jeffrey was doing his best to stay awake at that point, but that comment from Kiffin woke him up. He clearly hasn’t forgotten it, either.

      “He said it, but it’s not worth talking about,” Jeffrey said.

      Wilson was a little more diplomatic. He wrote it off as Kiffin pulling out all of the stops and simply not wanting to concede defeat. Wilson acknowledged that’s about as negative as it got that morning.

      “It was his last resort. That’s all it was,” said Wilson, who also attended high school in South Carolina.

      “When you get pushed against the wall and your back is there, you’re going to come out with something. You should have heard coach Carroll. He was wide awake at 3 o’clock in the morning. Remember, he was on West Coast time and fighting to get Alshon to the very end.

      “But the war was over at that point.”

      I’m sure college recruiters have said much worse to recruits, but Kiffin’s act is starting to wear a little thin. He’s already pissed off several of the SEC coaches and now he’s not endearing himself to future prospects. Maybe he should relax a little and win a few games at Tennessee before pissing everyone off.

      College Football

      Athlete Profile: Mark Sanchez

      March 9, 2009 /

      If it seems as though Mark Sanchez is handling the constant comparisons to fellow top QB prospect Matthew Stafford in stride, that’s because the former USC signal-caller knows a thing or two about competition.

      After all, he starred for a school that in the last 6 years has produced four NFL quarterbacks – Carson Palmer (’03), Matt Cassel (’05), Matt Leinart (’06) and John David Booty (’08). Now, Sanchez stands poised to become the fifth.

      Competition was so stiff at quarterback for USC that Sanchez didn’t even become a full-time starter until this past season. But he made the most of it, shredding defenses to the tune of 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns while leading Southern Cal to a 12-1 record. He capped off his season by leading the Trojans to a 38-24 Rose Bowl victory over Penn State in which he completed 80 percent of his passes for 413 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, while also rushing for a score.

      Despite his stellar season and even better bowl game performance, some question Sanchez’s NFL value because of his relatively limited time under center in college.

      Count USC Head Coach Pete Carroll among his doubters. During a press conference in which Sanchez announced his intention to declare for the NFL Draft, Carroll said he disagreed with his quarterback’s choice, citing numerous cases and statistical data that suggest quarterbacks who leave school early struggle in the NFL.

      His coach’s lack of confidence aside, Sanchez certainly has the physical tools of an NFL quarterback. The 6’3″, 225-pound signal caller possesses a quick release, displays solid arm strength, above average athleticism and great field vision. He’s also known to be something of a gym rat – a quality that will certainly come in handy as he tries to break the mold of quarterbacks that entered the NFL draft early. It’s also important to note that Sanchez is a fourth-year junior, and will walk away from USC this year with his degree.

      As for those comparisons to Stafford, it appears that the University of Georgia product is winning the battle in the minds of pro scouts and draft pundits. Scouts love Stafford’s arm strength and claim he can make all the throws necessary for a quarterback to succeed in the NFL. Sanchez certainly is not backing down, choosing to perform every drill at the combine, both physical and throwing drills, while Stafford opted to sit out. Sanchez can also claim a slight advantage in on-field performance, as he threw for nine more TDs than Stafford did, while the Georgia QB engineered the Bulldogs to two more losses than Sanchez’s Trojans.

      No matter what team he ends up with, or how many quarterbacks are taken before him, it’s safe to say Sanchez will welcome the head-on competition. After all, he hasn’t backed down from a single battle yet.

      The latest on Sanchez

      Widely regarded by draft scouts as the second-best quarterback available in the draft behind Matthew Stafford, Sanchez should still go in the first round, possibly in the first 15 picks.

      Mel Kiper Jr. has him going no. 3 to the Kansas City Chiefs

      SI.com’s Don Banks says the Jacksonville Jaguars will take him no. 8

      Todd McShay says he will go no. 15 to the Houston Texans

      Sanchez on the Web

      ESPN.com profile

      Career and year-by-year statistics

      USC profile

      Stats and personal information

      Wikipedia page

      Loads of information and links on Sanchez

      New York Times feature from September 2008

      Billy Witz writes of the emphasis Mark’s dad Nick put on education

      ESPN The Magazine preseason 2008 feature (with video of the Sanchez family)

      Jose Arangure, Jr. writes about Sanchez’s upbringing, and his Mexican-American heritage

      USA Today article on Sanchez at the combine

      Jim Corbett describes Sanchez’s drive to prove himself worthy of the top pick in the draft

      Fan site

      Bio, news and videos

      Video of Todd McShay breaking down Sanchez’s game

      ESPN’s draft guru points out Sanchez’s strengths and weaknesses

      Video of Sanchez and USC roommate Stanley Havili showing off their crib

      They’ve got a pet snake named Katrina

      Video of every single one of Sanchez’s Rose Bowl passes

      Shield your eyes, Penn State fans

      Video of Pete Carroll upset over Sanchez leaving early

      Sanchez Says

      On interviewing with so many NFL teams at the combine in a short time span:

      “It’s like speed dating.”

      On whether or not he should be the no. 1 pick instead of Matthew Stafford:

      “Absolutely. I’d better think that. I think he should think that too.”

      On USC Coach Pete Carroll saying Sanchez would have been better off returning to school:

      “If you know coach, you know how competitive he is. I took that as a sign of respect. A very good football coach wanted me back on that team.”

      College Football, NFL, NFL Draft

      2009 Fantasy Baseball Preview: DH

      March 5, 2009 /

      All 2009 Fantasy Articles | 2009 Position Rankings

      Ugh…DH’s. Is there anything less thrilling when it comes to fantasy baseball? They’re like the equivalent to kickers when it comes to talking about fantasy football. Still, you have a utility spot to fill in your lineup and there is some power to be had here, which means we’re apt to discuss some kind of approach to drafting designated hitters.

      So here it goes: Avoid them if at all possible. That’s right, forget about them and don’t, under any circumstances, draft Big Papi in the top 20. It makes no sense to spend a high pick on a hitter with deteriorating power who is just as likely to miss a chunk of the season again as he is to hit 30 home runs.

      Look, we mean no harm to Ortiz – he’s still a quality player and he could have a bounce back year. But chances are Jim Thome will produce just as many home runs and you can have him much later in the draft.

      Of course, the question is, do you even want to select Thome, or any other DH for that matter? By the time you need to address your utility position, your starting roster should be set and you will have already started to stockpile pitchers. You can take a guy like Thome or maybe roll the dice on a Travis Hafner rebound, but understand that, in most leagues, any DH you select is going to eat up your util slot since they don’t qualify at any other position, which diminishes your overall roster flexibility. Why not save that utility slot for another OF or a corner infielder, someone who can fill several different spots on your roster and someone who, quite frankly, could be more valuable to you? Then you can get back to finding the next Tim Lincecum or cashing in on one of the many prospects you’ve already targeted as sleepers.

      The one thing you will find at DH is power, which will make some of these guys appealing if you find yourself a little weak in that department on draft day. Below are your best bets to give you a fair amount of dingers and RBI’s this season. Don’t worry about what they’ll produce in terms of an average; if you select a DH sniffs .280 this year, drop to your knees and thank the fantasy gods for the gift.

      Jim ThomeJim Thome, Chicago White Sox
      Sure he’s old and fragile, but Thome may also produce 35 home runs this year while batting cleanup for the Chi Sox. Bonus: You can also have him in the later rounds while some chump over values Big Papi.

      Pat Burrell, Tampa Bay Rays
      Burrell slumped in the second half of last year after posting 23 home runs before the All-Star break, but a change of scenery could do him a lot of good and he could zero in on a 30-home run season.

      Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals
      Ah, the young sleeper of the group; Butler posted a .444 slugging percentage over the final three months of the season last year and at only 23, he has a ton of potential. He’s an unknown risk, but he could be a high reward type of player, capable of blasting 25-plus home runs.

      Jason Kubel, Minnesota Twins
      Kubel will see plenty of time at DH for the Twins this year and could produce 20-25 home runs after hitting a career-best of 20 in 2008. He also might chip in 85 RBI hitting in a lineup that consists of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Joe Crede.

      Gary Sheffield, Detroit Tigers
      Shef has to stay healthy, but he hits in a solid lineup (as long as Curtis Granderson stays healthy that is) and could be in store for a bounce back season. He’s aging, but he represents good value later in the draft and might have one more 20-home run season left in him.

      Below our official ranking of designated hitters.

      1. David Ortiz, BOS
      2. Jim Thome, CHW
      3. Travis Hafner, CLE
      4. Pat Burrell, TB
      5. Hideki Matsui, NYY
      6. Billy Butler, KC
      7. Jason Kubel, MIN
      8. Gary Sheffield, DET
      9. Rocco Baldelli, BOS
      10. Frank Thomas, OAK
      11. Kila Ka’aihue, KC
      12. Cliff Floyd, SD
      13. Hank Blalock, TEX
      14. Juan Rivera, LAA
      15. Ryan Garko, CLE

      College Football, Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Football, General Sports, Happy Hour, Humor, MLB

      Michigan to save season ticket holders a whopping $3.57 a game in ‘09

      February 26, 2009 /

      After putting their fans through a horrific 3-9 season last year, the powers at be at the University of Michigan have decided to lower the prices for season ticket holders in 2009. After paying an average of $53.57 per ticket last year, the university has lowered the average to $50.

      Michigan StadiumAthletic director Bill Martin told The Associated Press on Thursday a season-ticket holder will pay $50 on average for a ticket after paying $53.57 last year.

      “In this challenging time economically, this is our way of thanking our fans who have supported us for decades,” Martin said. “Unlike most schools, we had an opportunity to lower prices for football tickets.”

      So instead of seeing UM get beat by Toledo for $160.71 like last year, season ticket holders can see their beloved Wolverines lose to Toledo for only $150 this year. Wow, thanks.

      It’s a nice gesture and something the university didn’t have to do, but when one slice of that cardboard-tasting Dominos pizza costs $37.50 at Michigan Stadium, the savings just don’t amount to much.

      College Football

      Did OSU’s Malcolm Jenkins cost himself the top 10 at the combine?

      February 25, 2009 /

      Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, who many scouts feel is the best defensive back in the draft, might have cost himself an opportunity to be a top 10 pick after a poor showing at this year’s scouting combine.

      Malcolm JenkinsJenkins, mentioned as a possible selection of the Browns at No. 5, ran unofficial times of between 4.53 and 4.58 at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium. He also dropped some passes in the ball drills, prompting Deion Sanders of the NFL Network to proclaim that Jenkins and a couple of the other DBs were “killing themselves.”

      “His value will be affected by his time, like it or not,” said Mayock. “But there’s a lot of good tape on him and a lot of Cover 2 teams are going to love him at corner.”
      Or perhaps at another position.

      “Some people think day one he’s a Pro Bowl free safety,” said Mayock. “He’s got the size and the strength and the physicality to play the position.”

      Most of the analysts were more concerned about Jenkins’ shaky performance in the ball drills.
      “He kind of followed up [the 40 time] with an average at best — and probably not even average — performance for his skill-set,” said Mayock.

      I watched the combine yesterday on the NFL Network and Jenkins’ performance was as bad as the article suggests. He’s a good player and he had a tremendous collegiate career at Ohio State. The combine doesn’t mean everything, but it’s hard to shake off a bad 40-time when you’re a corner – especially when you’re projected to go in the top 10. Most safeties run n the mid 4.5’s, so this isn’t good for Jenkins’ draft stock.

      What’s interesting about Jenkins being labeled a Cover 2 corner by Mayock is that some say that’s a knock. But the fact of the matter is that most defenses run a variety of coverages (Cover 2, man to man, Cover 4, etc.) and outside of Denver’s Champ Baliey and Oakland’s Nnamdi Asomugha, there aren’t any true cover corners left in the NFL anymore. So Jenkins being labeled as a Cover 2 corner isn’t a bad thing and chances are he’ll still be a top 15 pick.

      Illinois’ Vontae Davis ran a 4.49 at the combine and is a physical marvel. The knock on him is that he freelances too much in coverage, but he might have done enough at the combine to leapfrog Jenkins as the top corner selected in April.

      College Football, NFL Draft

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