Willingham's Scorched Earth
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Willingham and Racism, It's Not What You ThinkI just snicker when I hear commentators talk about Tyrone Willingham needing more time at Washington. More time for what? To kill Husky football for the next five years? If Willingham's allowed to continue he's going to deliver a death knell recruiting class to the Huskies. Babbling idiots like John Saunders and Mark May keep talking about Tyrone needing more time for his recruiting to take hold. They forget that it's already taken hold. It is what it is and what it's always been.
Washington had a good recruiting class last year. Not elite. Not great. Just a good class. It finished anywhere between 14th and 24th in the country depending upon which service you use. That class followed two straight recruiting classes by Willingham that didn't crack the top 25. And the only reason last year's class was good was because there were so many in state recruits that were high caliber. That won't be the case this year or in most years. Consider this fact: over the last three years Willingham has recruited exactly four four-star or higher players from outside the state and only three are with the team. One great player a year from outside the state? That wouldn't cut it at Texas, Florida or USC which are loaded with in state talent. Washington is not. To succeed you have to get at least some of best kids from around the country.
But that folks is as good as it gets under Willingham. Woof, woof.
Currently the Huskies have the 86th ranked class after losing their best player (who decomitted last week.)
Willingham is about to do to the Huskies what he did to ND and Stanford before him.
For those who didn't follow Notre Dame closely back at the end of Willingham's tenure, the most frightening element wasn't the prospect of another mediocre to bad season, it was the recruiting abyss we were staring into.
In Willingham's second season at Notre Dame he recruited one of the worst overall Notre Dame classes in decades. In this third season, he was doing it again, only this time it looked even worse. Two classes that were all but bereft of linemen.
When USC and Michigan are piling up top ten class after top ten class, that dog won't hunt.
Worse still was the fact that Willingham didn't expect things to get much better on the field, which would have ensured three straight bad recruiting years; a virtual death penalty that Notre Dame wouldn't have recovered from 'till this day.
What made all of this maddening to Notre Dame fans was that Willingham wasn't even trying, he simply expected recruits to come to him. Recruiting analyst Tom Lemming labeled Willingham and his staff outright lazy. Willingham would wait and wait to evaluate and offer kids while other coaches mounted full court presses.
Charlie, while still coaching the Patriots, wasn't able to do much to turn that second class around, but finally put together a top 10 class his second year and has followed that up with two top 5 classes including last year's number one recruiting class.
But the die had already been cast. Last year Notre Dame had exactly two offensive linemen in its junior and senior classes.
That's unheard of... or maybe it isn't... read on.
Willingham left Notre Dame with over 5 million dollars in payouts (he was still the highest paid Notre Dame coach last year btw) and then proceeded to scorch ND's reputation, letting John Saunders float charges of racism while Tyrone played the big man.
So that's Notre Dame. Scorched and burned. Millions out the window and a black hole in recruiting that's taken Notre Dame to its lowest depths in decades. That scorched earth is finally turning to fertile ground and the Irish are coming back from the dead.
None of this surprises Stanford followers who also felt the black hole of Willingham recruiting, twice.
Willingham created his own black hole back in
1996 when he failed to recruit one offensive lineman that year.
None. Zero. Zippo.
Willingham went 5-6 and 3-8 the next two years and almost got fired. But a 8-4 run against a depleted Pac 10 in 1999 (he was 7-1 against the Pac 10 and 1-3 outside of the Pac 10) saved his job before a third losing season in four years in 2000.
Willingham had his best year in 2001 finishing 9-3. But pain was coming as Willingham's recruiting sowed the seeds for failure again leaving Teevens with what the San Francisco Chronicle called "rampant inexperience on the offensive line" in 2003. Said the Chronicle, "
... a line that couldn't run block, couldn't protect the passer and couldn't stand up to more experienced defenses at virtually every turn. " Hmmm... sounds like Notre Dame in 2007.
Here's the Stanford 2003 preview from SI:
"The Cardinal is hurting on the offense line with only one experienced returnee in three-year starter Kirk Chambers, the left tackle. Kwame Harris' early departure for the NFL complicated an already dire situation, and now Teevens will have to rely on a host of unproven players, including seven redshirt freshmen."
Sound familiar Domers? What happened?
Willingham's recruiting left Teevens with only... drum roll please...
TWO upper class offensive linemen out of fourteen on the team.In other words, he created the exact same problem at both schools.
Predictably, Teevens (not that he wouldn't have failed anyway) bombed in his second year in the same way Notre Dame did... just slightly worse than Weis's 3-9 last year. What we've learned is that both coaches were playing with a very unstacked deck due to negligent recruiting. Stanford followers speculated that Willingham got out just in time.
It's no surprise to anyone that Willingham led the charge to impose restrictions on coaches' travel. It saved him from having to compete on hard work.
The thing we Domers learned is that Willingham only cares about Willingham. He poisoned the well in every conceivable way upon his departure from Notre Dame. He left a media mess, a recruiting nightmare and a financial albatross. It didn't have to be that way either. If he fired Deidrick he could have stayed (something he did anyway when he went to Washington.) He didn't and that turned out to be the best thing that has happened to Notre Dame football in years. It's taken four years to cleanse the stench of losing and divisiveness. Much like Washington now, Notre Dame's players were just plain quitting in games, which happens when you have a coach that refuses to accept responsibility. That attitude takes a long-long time to change.
But now the Huskies are facing the same Willingham imposed virtual death penalty. A null recruiting class following one decent and two mediocre classes will hamstring the Huskies for years. And if you thought Willingham didn't work hard on the recruiting trail before, you ain't seen nothing yet. A lame duck Willingham won't be able to take the insult of rejection. Remember Tyrone only cares about Tyrone and recruiting takes a lot of groundwork.
Recruiting isn't microwave popcorn ya know.
Most Domers think that Willingham's a self-important con artist who talks in strange platitudes that sound smart when you first hear them, but upon reflection make little sense and mask his lack of understanding of the issues. I used to think his stern looks had meaning, now I just view them as funny faces he makes when he's clueless.At Stanford he opined what he would do with Notre Dame's players. At Notre Dame he wondered what he would do without the restrictions. Lack of performance was always someone else's fault. I have no idea where he goes from here, but I believe that if he had an offer to go to another school with a good golf course nearby, he'd be on a plane already.
But after scorching the earth from South Bend to Seattle, it looks like this time the jig's up. When he leaves, don't expect it to be pretty. At Notre Dame he took people down with him and some reports claim he's already done that with Todd Turner at the Dub.
As AFCA president, Willingham may yet have another surprise in the works.
College Football Notes: Quarterbacks Take Center Stage
By Radio Man
There's a big College Football World out there, and plenty of happenings to discuss amongst the notable College Football Programs…
Out West, the Southern California Trojans currently do not have their starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez, under center. Not yet, anyway. The former Mission Viejo, Calif. prepster was firmly entrenched in the starting lineup before fall camp began, but a knee injury kept him out last week. He's now throwing some in practice. Will he be ready by next weekend against Virginia? Hard to say. In fact, bet against that. The Trojans should absolutely destroy the Cavaliers anyway. That's right. No respect for Virginia against an opponent such as Southern California. Sorry Cavalier fans… The bigger question becomes will Sanchez be ready for the vaunted Ohio State defense? The Buckeyes come to Los Angeles on Sep. 13!
Down South, the main question that still cannot be answered until Florida plays at Tennessee on Sep. 20 is whether Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is truly going to hand the football off instead of running it up the gut. Tebow is invaluable to the Gators, obviously, but he's a money player on third and two with three minutes left in the game…Will Florida head coach Urban Meyer turn the signal caller loose to run the football and risk injury? This may just be the biggest question within College Football this season, and the Gators' National Title hopes rest on the outcome of Tebow's body not taking too many shots and staying healthy. It's hard to imagine Tebow taking as many blows as he did last fall and him not having to miss a game or two...
Back East, Penn State quarterback duties could be interesting. Darryl Clark and Pat Devlin are battling for the starting nod. Both players will play. Rumors have it that Clark is the favorite, due to his mobility. Will a two-quarterback system work in Happy Valley? While Devlin came to Penn State with all the hype, Clark waited his turn to start. Interesting...
Up North, there could be trouble brewing in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines are simply using far too many freshmen on offense within their two-deep depth chart for them to honestly have any type of consistency, especially without a veteran signal caller. Worse, the quarterback job is likely going to be handed over to, gulp, a former walk-on, Nick Sheridan. Look, Michigan is going to be really good come 2010, maybe even 2009 if a young QB develops, but even with what could be a special Michigan defense this season (linebacker play is the one possible caveat), if Michigan trots out a walk-on quarterback and goes that route…it's going to be a long season. Plus, Michigan now has OL issues due to injuries. Uh-oh.
The Inflation Equation 2008
(www.cfb360.com) - Two years ago many magazine prognosticators, reporters and coaches had picked
Notre Dame and Ohio State to battle for the still mythical national championship. It seemed likely on the surface based on the previous year, but they fell into the
pre-season inflation trap as
Notre Dame had no business being ranked number one or close to it.
But early predictors overweight two important factors:
1. talent at glamor positions (the Halo Effect) and
2. previous year's performance exceeding previous year's expectations (the
Hangover Effect)
The roots of the inflation equation usually go back two years. For example in 2005 some predicted a 1-5 start for ND, which was a bit silly given that talent was cresting in South Bend from
Willingham and Davie's 'good' recruiting years, and Notre Dame greatly exceeded expectations that year reaching the BCS. That created a massive Hangover effect for Weis and Notre Dame heading into 2006. When coupled with the Halo Effect, where the presence of stars at glamor positions makes the whole team seem better, Notre Dame was set up for a fall.
These two factors tend to gloss over major deficiencies or key talent losses as they did for many when evaluating Notre Dame heading into 2006. The problem?
Notre Dame returned Brady Quinn, but lost his best receiver in Maurice
Stovall and his other top receiver was already thinking baseball, which was bad enough, but the offensive line couldn't protect and the
Notre Dame defense, while talented, was caught in a coaching conundrum. Result:
Notre Dame finished the year barely in the top 20.
2007 it was as similar story with Michigan. Because Michigan disappointed in 2005, they started 2006 off ranked far lower than they should have been and became a 'surprise' team. Thus, despite some important losses on defense, these factors along with star talent at the glamor positions pushed Michigan up in the rankings for 2007. They fit the inflation equation: They returned glamor players in
Henne, Hart and
Manningham and exceeded previous year's expectations, but had major talent holes to fill.
That hangover effect creates the illusion of a rising program, but because talent is turning over every four years, teams that fit the inflation equation need to come with a warning level: past performance does not guarantee future results, but it's so easy to get caught up in the hype.
Phil Steele does a nice job stripping out the noise of the halo and hangover effects by focusing on experience and talent.
Of course, the reverse is also true. Predictors tend to be blinded by poor performance in a previous year and ignore rapidly maturing talent. Traditionally, Freshmen have little impact. Sophomores have some impact, but it isn't until their junior years that most athletes start maturing into difference makers. For instance, Michigan was far underrated going into 2005 because the Wolverines had accumulated an impressive talent base that was just maturing.
Florida started last year at #3 in the coaches poll despite losing a ton of talent on defense. Why? They far exceeded expectations in 2006 and returned
Tebow and
Harvin. Louisville was in a triple whammy position. They exceeded expectations and returned
Brohm, but lost their
hea
d coach and bottomed out in 2007. Meanwhile, Boston College had quietly accumulated an impressive cast of senior and 5
th year players and was in a strong position to take advantage of the talents of Matt Ryan. Give me a team with dominant senior lines over one with glamor boys any day. You can't run or pass without blocking, but even an average back can get yards behind a good offensive line. All things being equal, I'll take an experienced player who may not have had star recruiting accolades, but has physically matured over a player with star potential.
Who fits the overrated mold in 2008? Surprisingly, Georgia. The Bulldogs are a preseason #1 according to Coaches Poll,
Lindys and The Sporting News and return Matthew Stafford and
Knowshon Moreno at the glamor positions after exceeding expectations last year. But the Bulldogs will have new starters at four of the five positions on the offensive line and four of the five starters will likely be sophomores. Not a good situation as offensive linemen don't usually become effective until their junior years and often don't hit their potential until their senior years. Against the
Dawgs' schedule, that's not a recipe for a national championship run. Counterbalancing that deficit, Georgia returns a deep and talented defensive unit, but the sexy
pick isn't always the sensible pick.
Halo and Hangover effects aside, if you look at experience and talent together, four teams stick out.
No one's accumulated more talent recently than Florida and
USC and they are both returning experience as well as glamor players. Both also underperformed against high expectations last year.
Oklahoma's great classes from years ago are now maturing and the
Sooners now have the talent and depth of a number one team.
One team that many in the South will discount this year because of their recent
BCS performances is Ohio State, but they're returning almost their entire team (with one notable loss,) will have a tested senior quarterback and, most importantly, with have four of five returning starters (four of whom are seniors) blocking for glamor back Beanie Wells who has as much talent as any running back in football. Wells, now a junior, will likely reach his full potential this year.
After opening with their usual cupcakes, the Buckeyes will have a much anticipated clash against
USC. If they win they'll be a heavy favorite to win out in a suspect Big Ten, but even if they lose, they still have a great shot at making the title game this year.
College Football Meets Tradition, Clemson Football
By Radio Man Continuing with the second installment of College Football's Powerhouse Programs, Clemson will be examined. As a refresher for what a school must do to make the list, note the following: the list of College Football's powerhouse programs will be defined based on recent history, i.e. 1980 to present day, with a school's all-time tradition being the tie-breaker in separating tier one schools from tier two schools. Heisman winners, winning consistently, consistently playing a good schedule, home game atmospheres, loyalty and size of a school's fan base, great coaches, recruiting prowess, national media attention, and staying within NCAA rules "and" the proverbial "where there's smoke there's fire" cliché, will all count towards a school's standing as either Tier I or Tier II as well. The one common denominator to make Tier I for this list is that a school must have at least one national championship from 1980 until 2007. Otherwise, Tier II is automatically the best a team can do. Clemson makes the cut as a Tier II school.Clemson has a rich football tradition. Long before 1980, Clemson Football meant a lot to the Tiger faithful, but it was not until 1981, under then head coach Tommy Ford, that Clemson won its first and only National Championship. The issue with the National Championship season is that it came during a time when Clemson was using various illegal recruiting tactics to gain an advantage over its opponents, and it was hit with severe sanctions by the NCAA. Paying recruits and improper payment for employment being two of the charges that were levied against the Tigers, it is safe to say that Clemson was a renegade program during the Ford era. What Clemson is also known for is "Running down the hill" after players touch "Howard's Rock." The rock is at the top of the hill due to legendary Clemson head coach Frank Howard, a man that was the rudder of the program from 1940-1969. Howard brought a rock from Death Valley, Calif. to Clemson as an inspirational piece to its players. When the Tigers come out of the tunnel at the top of Memorial Stadium and before they run onto Frank Howard Field, each player touches the rock before his descent, all the while the crowd goes crazy. It was, is, and will continue to be one of the best traditions in all of College Football. Some of the notable Clemson players from 1980 to the present include Jeff Davis, an All-American linebacker that played for the 1981 National Championship team, and Davis' teammate, Terry Kinard, who also played for the 1981 squad. Davis and Kinard are both a part of Clemson's Ring of Honor, a selection for only the greatest of Clemson athletes. More recent Clemson greats include Gaines Adams, a defensive end that was a first round pick of Tampa Bay, defensive tackle Trevor Pryce, and linebacker Keith Adams. Biggest Positive: The tradition of touching the rock and running down the hill. Tiger fans are loyal and "Death Valley," as it is often called, is one of the most intimidating places to play in all of College Football. Biggest Negative: The infamous NCAA sanctions that were placed against Clemson for its unethical recruiting tactics that led to serious NCAA sanctions in the early 1980s.
Labels: Clemson Football, Frank Howard, Gaines Adams
College Football Meets Tradition, Tigers and Cougars
By Radio Man
The Golden Dome, the winged helmet, the men of Troy, Script Ohio, Roll Tide and Boomer Sooner are but a handful of the College Football's earmarks of tradition and grandeur. Each moniker symbolizes the players, coaches, students, alumni, fans, and the stadiums of College Football's true powerhouses.
The debate of which college or university represents College Football's all-time greatest can be debated, but the answer truly cannot be agreed upon universally. With that in mind, the list of College Football's Powerhouse Programs will be defined based on recent history, i.e. 1980 to present day, with a school's all-time tradition being the tie-breaker in separating tier one schools from tier two schools. Heisman winners, winning consistently, consistently playing a good schedule, home game atmospheres, loyalty and size of a school's fan base, great coaches, recruiting prowess, national media attention, and staying within NCAA rules "and" the proverbial "where there's smoke there's fire" cliché, will all count towards a school's standing as either Tier I or Tier II as well.
The one common denominator to make Tier I for this list is that a school must have at least one national championship from 1980 until 2007. Otherwise, Tier II is automatically the best a team can do. Note: this list is subjective at best; a tweak in how the teams were placed into Tier I or Tier II would alter the rankings by a large margin. In short, this list is for fun.
In alphabetical order, starting the Tier II list is Auburn. The Tigers sported many big-time football players on offense and defense over the years, but have not made it over the hump to win a National Championship. Regardless of whom one roots for, the assembly line of Auburn tailbacks to the NFL has been incredible and should be given the utmost respect. Bo Jackson, in many people's opinion, is still the best tailback during the past thirty years, albeit a shortened career due to the hip injury he sustained that eventually ended his football playing days. James Brooks, "Cadillac" Williams, and Ronnie Brown are a few more of the talented Auburn tailbacks. Kevin Greene, the great pass rusher is also worthy of mention, as he went on to a fantastic NFL career after playing for Auburn.
Auburn has attracted many great recruits over the past twenty-eight College Football seasons, but it is not consistently mentioned amongst the nations top five or ten when recruiting rankings are released each February. They have won with above average talent, although not elite talent, very good coaching, and most notably, playing home games at Jordan-Haire Stadium, with chants of "War Eagle" and a deafening crowd-noise level that awaits visiting teams. Without question, making a trip Down on the Plains is a must for an avid College Football fan.
Biggest Positive: Bo Jackson. One of College Football's all-time great players, Jackson won the 1985 Heisman Trophy.
Biggest Negative: Auburn has been one of the most heavily penalized teams in NCAA history, being punished by the NCAA six times from 1957 to 1993 alone: NY Times.
While Auburn is known for its tailbacks, Brigham Young (BYU) is known for its aerial assault. Four BYU quarterbacks were awarded first team All-American status under now retired Cougars head coach LaVell Edwards: Gifford Nielson, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, and Steve Young. Additionally, quarterback Robbie Bosco led BYU to a 13-0 record and the 1984 National Championship. BYU consistently out-schemed, out-hustled, and definitely out-coached its opponents more often than not since Edwards took over in Provo, Utah, as the Cougars never make the elite list of top recruiting classes.
Edwards received a great deal of credit, and deservedly so, for the Cougars' success. Helping Edwards was offensive coordinator Norm Chow (now the offensive coordinator at UCLA). He directed the passing attacks that left many opponents guessing as to what had happened to their defenses after playing the Cougars. Chow's prowess as a quarterback guru is well known and if BYU would have produced even above average defenses during the time Edwards was paired with Chow, the Cougars would have likely had a few more undefeated regular seasons. Additionally, it should be noted that BYU is an extremely strict school and doesn't take many character risks that other programs do when it comes to recruiting. The cougars have seen a resurgence since head coach Bronco Mendenhall took over, and could make it to a BCS Bowl Game this after the conclusion of the 2008 regular season.
Biggest Positive: quarterback tradition, with an explosive offense directed by Edwards and Chow.
Biggest Negative: Poor competition. The Cougars do not play in a BCS Conference, and often faced a schedule that simply does not stack up to those in the major conferences such as the Big 10, SEC, or Pac 10.
The series continues with two more teams tomorrow.
Labels: Auburn, Bo Jackson, BYU, LaVell Edwards, Norm Chow
College Football Is Almost Here
By Radio Man
Today marks the last day of July. To be truthful, there is nothing on the College Football docket for today, but it is one day closer to fall camps opening up. To mark the beginning of August, an ode to the wonder of College Football…with all of its sights and sounds. Imagine the following, just as if it were happening on the television screen:
"And here come the LSU Tigers!!!"
There is not much like a Saturday night in Baton Rouge, and hearing the TV announcer mention that phrase, even for a non LSU fan, is pretty cool.
So what will be some of the headlines that will hit the College Football airwaves over the course of the month of August? Three things to consider:
Joe Paterno and Penn State, what in the world of "Happy Valley" is going on with all of the thuggery? Dismissing the "thuggery" as coach Paterno did when interviewed by ESPN, over the past half dozen years, the Penn State program has still acted like the late 1980s-to-mid-1990s-like Miami Hurricanes with its off the field issues. No way to hide it, Penn State has serious problems to deal with, and it's only going to be a distraction – all season long – despite the fact that Penn State could make a run at the Big 10 championship, or at least a New Year's Day Bowl Game.
Can Georgia, with a schedule that includes road contests at South Carolina and Arizona State on consecutive Saturdays, plus home dates with Alabama and Tennessee, then at Louisiana State, the anticipated neutral site game against Florida in Jacksonville, at Kentucky and Auburn, and finish up with Georgia Tech, finish the regular season unblemished? That's a gauntlet if there ever was one. The Bulldogs are loaded; now they must clear their own path to the BCS National Championship Game.
How will West Virginia play without its former head coach Rich Rodriguez and the assistant coaches he took to Ann Arbor? Do not sleep on the Mountaineers. They still have several offensive weapons. Pat White still leads the show, with Noel Devine the next media darling with all of his jaw-dropping open-field moves.
Lights, camera, action. College Football is one week closer to coming to fruition. And I, for one, cannot wait.
Labels: Georgia Bulldogs, Joe Paterno, LSU Tigers, Noel Devine, Pat White
Did ESPN Distort and Sensationalize Penn State Problems?
nittanylions360.com - Sunday, July 27 2008
Tomorrow, we’ll be just 32 days away from the first game of 2008, but the problems of 2007 continue to haunt Nittany Nation. And no, I’m not talking about Anthony Morelli.
Today’s report on ESPN’s sensationalized show Outside the Lines, hosted by Bill O’Reilly, um I mean Bob Ley, lambasted Paterno and Penn State. There is little doubt all alumni and fans feel embarrassed about the flurry of off-field issues that Penn State felt last year. However, this piece combined skewed statistics, interviews with long-time haters (Ron Bracken), and a not-so-flattering interview with Paterno as, well, as himself, to paint a devastating picture of the current state of the program. Some of the show presented a balanced portrayal, but some information misrepresented the problem.
Let’s start with their 2002 – 2008 statistic that 46 players were charged with 163 counts, for an average of 3.5 counts per players. Forty-five of the 163 counts brought a conviction or plea, for a batting average of 27.6%. Of the 46 players charged, 27 were guilty for a winning percentage of 58.6%.
I’m not sure where that stands in comparison with other cases in Centre County. If I were a betting man, I’d bet the average tends to be higher.
Therein lies the problem with the whole report. It had no comparison data. What’s the Bowl Sub-Division average for players getting in trouble? What’s the Big Ten average? I imagine we’re near the top in 2007, but are we really from 2002 – 2008? I find that very hard to believe.
Another question I can’t help but ponder: of those 46 players charged, how many were for underage drinking offenses versus violent crime offenses? Not to ‘excuse’ underage drinking, but it shouldn’t be ticker news for ESPN.
Their 2007 data shows that 17 players were charged with 72 crimes for an average of 4.2 per player. Nine were found or pleaded guilty for a winning percentage of 52.9%.
So, we have a combination of factors leading to PSU being common ticker fodder for ESPN. Players doing dumb things, a hyper-aggressive DA, and a deny deny deny! from the 81 year-old head coach.
All of that said, those that love PSU have held significant pride in both the on-field and off-field stature of our Nittany Lions. It’s time for Paterno, the coaches, and the captains to manage this problem in-house, and the players to act responsibly.
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