Category: College Football (Page 179 of 296)

      Alabama tackle Andre Smith goes missing at combine

      February 21, 2009 /

      In one of the more bizarre stories of the week, Alabama offensive tackle prospect Andre Smith disappeared on Saturday morning at the NFL scouting combine.

      Rotoworld.com explains:

      Andre SmithOutland trophy winner Alabama T Andre Smith was missing at the NFL Scouting Combine Saturday morning.

      There are conflicting reports from Smith and his agent about where he was, and why he didn’t show on Saturday. He has recently been located. Either way, this is the story dominating talk in Indy after Smith also admitted that he was out of shape Friday. Smith has a stellar on-field resume, but the Combine couldn’t be going worse. This will hurt his chances of being a top-two tackle in the draft.

      Smith’s week is like watching a bad movie. You want to turn away, but you just have to see the ending at this point. Heading into the Sugar Bowl, he was regarded as the top offensive tackle in the draft. Then he got suspended for the game, checked into the combine overweight (he flat out admitted to being out of shape) and then doesn’t show up on one of the workout days. Now he’ll be lucky to be selected in the top 15.

      What a weird, weird story.

      College Football, NFL

      Michael Crabtree to have foot surgery

      February 21, 2009 /

      Texas Tech wide receiver Michel Crabtree will not be able to work out for the next 10 weeks after being required to have surgery for a stress fracture in his foot.

      Michael CrabtreeThe injury and surgery is expected to sideline Crabtree for at least 10 weeks, jeopardizing his NFL pro day, which now is expected to be cancelled, and raising questions about when he will be healthy again. Doctors believe that with the precautions the All-American wide receiver is willing to take, Crabtree will be sufficiently recovered in time for training camp this summer.

      After doctors found the slight stress fracture on Friday they conducted more testing on Crabtree, including a bone scan that revealed that the injury happened only recently, possibly during training for the combine. Since finding it, Crabtree has been investigating the best and smartest way to treat the injury.

      Crabtree also measured slightly shorter than expected, coming in at 6-foot-1 3/8 and weighing 214 pounds. Most teams thought Crabtree was 6-foot-3. But as Seahawks head coach Jim Mora pointed out, Crabtree had the longet arms of any receiver in the draft, and it easily would cancel out whatever the wide receiver was missing in height.

      The only two-time Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top wide receiver, Crabtree was regarded as a surefire top-five pick. He still is expected to be a top pick, but how his injury will affect his draft status will be one of the most hotly debated questions.

      If Crabtree falls in the first round because of this injury, whatever team snags him will get a steal. Regardless of his size and the fact that he had to have surgery – the kid can play. He draws comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald for a reason and if he falls out of the top 5, I highly doubt Al Davis passes on him at No. 7.

      College Football, NFL

      Michigan QB Steven Threet transferring

      February 16, 2009 /

      Michigan quarterback Steven Threet has decided to transfer, although he’s uncertain at this point what school he’s transferring to.

      Michigan WolverinesThreet said in a statement Monday he does not yet know where he will continue his college career.

      School spokesman David Ablauf declined to comment.

      Threet enrolled early at Georgia Tech in 2007 but transferred to Michigan before fall camp. After sitting out the 2007 season under NCAA rules, Threet started eight games for the Wolverines in 2008.

      The 6-foot-6, 230-pounder from Adrian completed 102 of 210 passes for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

      Michigan had a 3-9 record in coach Rich Rodriguez’s first season, losing the most games in school history.

      Michigan finished last in the Big Ten in passing efficiency and averaged just 143.2 passing yards per game last year, so it’s not like losing Threet is devastating news. But it does put pressure on Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson (the Wolverines’ quarterback recruits in 2009) to develop quickly as underclassmen. Both are duo-threat quarterbacks, with Forcier being the better passer and Robinson the better running.

      Rich Rodriguez better work some magic this year or else UM fans could very well see a repeat of ’08.

      College Football

      Top 10 College Sports Towns

      February 13, 2009 /

      Forbes.com ranked the top 10 best college football towns in America.

      Michigan Stadium1. Ann Arbor, Mich.
      University of Michigan
      At a time when most quality of life news out of Michigan is focused on Detroit’s woes, there are a lot of things to like about Ann Arbor–even if the hometown Wolverines missed a bowl this season. A four-bedroom home runs just $303,750, while median salaries are $51,232, making this the 14th most affordable market on our list. Schools ranked eighth overall, and Ann Arbor has the fourth lowest crime rate of any college on our list.

      2. Palo Alto, Calif.
      Stanford University
      Those who follow the Director’s Cup know Stanford always seems to finish at the top of the table, and last year was no exception. A family-size home costs big bucks, however–a cool $1.67 million, to be exact. Though with venture capital and technology firms around Stanford bringing in big money, the median earner in Palo Alto makes $119,046, the most of any college town on our list. Schools ranked first, and the crime rate was the second lowest. If it weren’t for the 42nd ranking in housing affordability, living on the Farm would have ranked first overall.

      3. Madison, Wis.
      University of Wisconsin
      Both the state capital and a legendary party city, Madison is one of the Midwest’s best college towns. While on the courts and playing fields, the Badgers mustered an 18th ranking in the Director’s Cup, Madison performed stronger in our quality of life rankings: seventh in affordability ($264,950 for a four-bedroom home; $50,852 median income) and 13th in our score of crime rate and education quality.

      4. State College, Pa.
      Penn State University
      While most people aren’t sure what exactly Penn State’s mascot, a Nittany Lion, is, the teams bearing that logo finished ninth in last year’s Director’s Cup. Home prices for a four-bedroom house are $307,500. Public schools rank second of the college towns measured (even though this is technically a borough), and State College had the lowest violent crime rate of college towns measured, according to FBI data.

      5. Lexington, Ky.
      University of Kentucky
      If you like basketball and horse racing, there’s no better place in the world to live than Lexington, Ky. Besides the university’s hoops team and the tracks around the city, there is quality affordable housing to be found. A four-bedroom, 2,200-square-foot home costs just $234,500, while median earners make $45,622 a year.

      I know Ohio State fans won’t like seeing Ann Arbor listed at number one, but let me say from personal experience that the atmosphere surrounding Michigan Stadium is unique. (Not to say the other college towns mentioned on this list aren’t, but there’s just a nostalgic feeling about Ann Arbor.)

      I’m sure every town listed has something special about it. I always think about that one MasterCard commercial where the two friends travel to all of the MLB parks over the summer and how cool it would be to hit up a ton of sports towns throughout the course of a year.

      College Basketball, College Football

      NCAA to wipe out touchdowns if player taunts?

      February 12, 2009 /

      The NCAA is actually considering implementing a rule that if any player is caught taunting on a scoring play, officials can disallow a touchdown.

      Citing an increasing concern over unsportsmanlike conduct, rules committee chairman Mike Bellotti said Wednesday that his group is considering “a major change” to the taunting rules.

      Currently, “taunting, baiting or ridiculing an opponent verbally” is considered a dead-ball foul. Penalty yardage is assessed on the next kickoff. If the rule is changed, penalty yardage would be marked off from the spot of the foul and the touchdown would be nullified.

      Simply explained: Think of an offensive player, headed toward the end zone, turning to show a defender the ball in a taunting manner before he crosses the goal line. That play would be considered a live-ball foul.

      “It would be treated like a clip, for example,” said Rogers Redding, NCAA secretary-rules editor.

      In a Statement on Sportsmanship released Wednesday after a three-day meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., the committee said adjusting the taunting rule, “is a viable option for possible rules changes in the future.”

      They can’t be serious. I’m all for players turning around and handing the ball to the official after a touchdown ala Barry Sanders, but to wipe out an entire touchdown because a player celebrates is absolutely ludicrous.

      A taunting penalty is essentially a judgment call by officials. So basically the NCAA wants to start wiping out touchdowns based on what officials deem inappropriate behavior. And what happens if/when a referee misses a taunt for one team but not another? You could change the momentum of the game in a blink of an eye and for what? A little taunting?

      Leave the rule as is – penalize the team on a kickoff. The NCAA is treading down a bad path here.

      College Football

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