Spring college football practices are starting...

[Guest]

I'm glad SC starts out on ESPN. WHY, you may ask? I'm ready to hear people everywhere start bitching about the hype that Stafon Johnson (I hope he plays to start the year) or Mark Sanchez will get. This team won't miss a beat, even if I envision week 1 being a little difficult. I predict a Rose Bowl berth, and I can't fucking wait for the season to start.

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"Da Predator" is leaving Miami.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=An...p&type=lgns

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Willie Williams has asked Miami to release him from his scholarship, and is beginning the process of finding a new school.

 

The linebacker -- who was allowed to enroll at Miami two years ago despite having 11 entries on his arrest record --was touted as one of the nation's best defensive players coming out of high school, but never became a starter with the Hurricanes.

 

"Whatever is best for Willie, I will be in favor of," Miami coach Larry Coker said in a statement released by the school.

 

Williams has not yet enrolled at any other school, and it's still possible that he could return to the Hurricanes if he changes his mind. Practice for the 2006 season begins next month.

 

Williams signed with Miami on Feb. 4, 2004, the day his arrest record became known publicly. He spent a few days in jail for violating probation, then had his admission to Miami scrutinized, delayed -- and eventually allowed, provided he adhered to strict academic and off-field ground rules.

 

He was redshirted for the 2004 season because of a knee injury, then appeared mostly as a backup and special-teams standout in 2005.

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Academic improprieties at a major college football program? Well I am shocked and outraged.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/14/sports/n...amp;oref=slogin

A graphic popped up on James Gundlach’s television during an Auburn football game in the fall of 2004, and he could not believe his eyes.

 

One of the university’s prominent football players was being honored as a scholar athlete for his work as a sociology major. Professor Gundlach, the director of the Auburn sociology department, had never had the player in class. He asked two other full-time sociology professors about the player, and they could not recall having taught him, either.

 

....

 

Eighteen members of the 2004 Auburn football team, which went undefeated and finished No. 2 in the nation, took a combined 97 hours of the courses during their careers. The offerings, known as directed-reading courses, resemble independent study and include core subjects like statistics, theory and methods, which normally require class instruction.

 

The professor for those players and many other athletes was Thomas Petee, the sociology department’s highest-ranking member. The star running back Carnell (Cadillac) Williams, now playing in the National Football League, said the only two classes he took during the spring semester of his senior year were one-on-one courses with Professor Petee.

 

....

 

The Auburn football team’s performance in the N.C.A.A.’s new rankings of student athletes’ academic progress surprised many educators on and off campus. The team had the highest ranking of any Division I-A public university among college football’s six major conferences. Over all among Division I-A football programs, Auburn trailed only Stanford, Navy and Boston College, and finished just ahead of Duke.

 

Among those caught off guard by Auburn’s performance was Gordon Gee, the chancellor of Vanderbilt, a fellow university in the Southeastern Conference and its only private institution. Vanderbilt had an 88 percent graduation rate in 2004, compared with Auburn’s 48 percent, yet finished well behind Auburn in the new N.C.A.A. rankings.

 

....

 

The sociology department became “a dumping ground for athletes,” according to one sociology professor, Paul Starr. That did not bother Professor Gundlach as much as what he viewed as the university administration’s apathy toward Professor Petee’s academic approach.

 

Professor Gundlach took the case to John Heilman, a university administrator who would soon become Auburn’s provost. He included paperwork showing that Professor Petee taught more than 250 students individually during the 2004-5 academic year. He also provided Mr. Heilman with examples of how prominent athletes had cut academic corners.

[Urban Warfare 0]

And Williams is headed to...

 

Former University of Miami linebacker Willie Williams, one of the school's biggest and most controversial football recruits in recent memory, will transfer to West Virginia after requesting and receiving his release last Tuesday from the Hurricanes, Yahoo! Sports has learned.

 

Williams, who missed spring drills while recovering from knee surgery, must sit out the upcoming 2006 season. He will have two years of eligibility remaining once he joins the Big East powerhouse.

 

Article

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CFN is counting down their preseason rankings this week, here are the bottom 40.

 

119. Temple

118. Florida Atlantic

117. Buffalo

116. New Mexico State

115. UL Monroe

114. San Jose State

113. FIU

112. Utah State

111. Army

110. Rice

109. North Texas

108. Arkansas State

107. Idaho

106. Troy

105. MTSU

104. Ohio

103. Eastern Michigan

102. Ball State

101. UL Lafayette

100. Kent State

99. Bowling Green

98. Tulane

97. Western Michigan

96. Air Force

95. Central Michigan

94. UNLV

93. Louisiana Tech

92. Miami of Ohio

91. SMU

90. Akron

89. Duke

88. UAB

87. Memphis

86. Wyoming

85. New Mexico

84. Navy

83. Vanderbilt

82. Marshall

81. UCF

80. Colorado State

[Guest]

As usual, Duke is the lowest ranked power conference team.

[Urban Warfare 0]

SI.com Team Previews

[teke184 0]

As usual, Duke is the lowest ranked power conference team.

 

Some things change, others stay the same.

 

Rutgers went from "We're keeping them and dropping Temple?" to a bowl team, while Duke is still the prag of the ACC.

 

 

Then again, Duke's inheriting most of the teams that kicked the shit out of Rutgers on a regular basis.

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CFN preseason rankings continued.

 

79. Cincinnati

78. Stanford (ouch)

77. Illinois

76. Nevada

75. Washington

74. Houston

73. Kentucky

72. East Carolina

71. San Diego State

70. Hawaii

69. Indiana

68. Mississippi State

67. Syracuse

66. UTEP

65. Baylor

64. Wake Forest

63. Toledo

62. Northern Illinois

61. Southern Miss

[Guest Princess Leena]

Go Buffalo! They're 3rd last! I think that's the highest they've ever been.

 

I'm surprised North Texas is so low... aren't they a constant powerhouse of the Sun Belt?

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They were until last year when they went 2-9. Lafayette is the heavy favorite this year.

 

Big East Media Presason Poll

 

1. West Virginia (18)

2. Louisville (6)

3. Pittsburgh

4. Rutgers

5. South Florida

6. Connecticut

7. Cincinnati

8. Syracuse

[Damaramu 0]

I sure hope OU doesn't go into this season ranked #1. We always seem to fall short when ranked that high.

 

I rewatched the Holiday Bowl on ESPNU at work today. Jesus that ending was intense. I don't think the game in Eugene will be as close though. OU will be waaaaaaay better.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Which OU.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Obviously, Oregon University.

[Guest]

I love when people totally underestimate the Zoo. I fucking hate watching USC play there.

[CanadianChris 0]

They were until last year when they went 2-9. Lafayette is the heavy favorite this year.

 

Big East Media Presason Poll

 

1. West Virginia (18)

2. Louisville (6)

3. Pittsburgh

4. Rutgers

5. South Florida

6. Connecticut

7. Cincinnati

8. Syracuse

That's depressing. Ten years ago, the Orange were a regular top 25 team; now they can't even beat out teams that weren't in I-A ten years ago.

[Damaramu 0]

I keep having dreams about OU/Oregon. It's weird.

The first one I had I mentioned in this thread. OU was up HUGE at halftime and Oregon came back and killed them.

The one I had last night had OU winning 34-0 before suffering defeat later in the season at the hands of Iowa State. Yikes.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Yeah, what's happened with the Syracuse program?

 

Obviously, Oregon University

 

I'm not sure if Dama is back in OU homer mode, or remains in "I'm a professional writer and don't have any biases. Really. I don't. And I will prove this in every one of my 1000 upcoming posts." mode.

[Damaramu 0]

Eh I'd like OU to win the national title but I doubt it's going to happen b/c:

 

A) Oregon will be a very tough road game

 

B) Texas is always tough even if they don't have Vince Young

 

C) They have to go to College Station. I know A&M won't be any great shakes but OU ALWAYS has trouble in College Station

 

D) The O-Line is even more inexperienced than last year and a ton of guys that are expected to start are still injured right now and might not be ready till the end of two-a-days.

 

I think they'll win the Big 12 no sweat. But a National Title? That's pushing it.

 

Maybe they run through the Big 12 and finish with one loss(to Oregon) and play in another BCS bowl? Or maybe a loss to Texas(who goes on to win the big 12) and they end up in the Cotton Bowl?

Both are more likely scenarios than a national title IMO.

[Damaramu 0]

Also because of my new job I'll be working on Saturday's and Sunday's so I may have to tape games.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Shouldn't OU lose all their games for the good of the Big 12.

[Damaramu 0]

How would that help the Big 12? You talk crazy Leena.

[Bored 0]

CFN rankings continued.

 

59. Oklahoma State

58. North Carolina

57. Mississippi

56. Northwestern

55. Tulsa

54. Kansas State

53. Kansas

52. Connecticut

51. Minnesota

50. BYU

49. Virginia

48. South Carolina

47. Purdue

46. UCLA

45. Fresno State

44. Texas A&M

43. Pittsburgh

42. N.C. State

41. South Florida

40. Oregon State

[Guest]

OLN added Mountain West football to their programming.

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CFN Preaseason 39 thru 21

 

39. Boise State

38. Utah

37. Arizona

36. Oregon

35. Washington State

34. Michigan State

33. Iowa State

32. Boston College

31. TCU

30. Wisconsin

29. Arkansas

28. Texas Tech

27. Maryland

26. Colorado

25. Missouri

24. Alabama

23. Georgia Tech

22. Penn State

21. Iowa

[Guest Princess Leena]

Penn St. at #22?

 

I'm sensing bitching about that at various places.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Who is Arkansas's QB going to be?

[Guest]

Whoever isn't hurt after the first week. They would be smart to start Dick.

[Bored 0]

Casey Dick will probably start the USC game but there will be a lot of pressure to get big time recruit Mitch Mustain in there.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

So Georgia Tech is somewhere in CFN's preseason top 20. I will never understand their perpetual hard-on for a team that has gone 7-5 or 7-6 for the last four years under Chan Gailey, and done it in the exact same fashion every year. They're an okay team who have more notable wins than most okay teams (see Auburn and Miami last year, even though neither team was terribly impressive at the time played), but more inexplicable losses as well.

 

I can't wait for the season to start. I'm probably going to Charlottesville for the opener, even though UVA is just playing Wyoming. I don't care. I need me some football.