I'm just starting this thread mainly to have a place to keep all of my Big 12 articles that I can refer back to later if I need to. Russ also does a great job of this for all of the college football teams, but I was wanting to have something that pertains strictrly to the Big 12, which is the only conference I will be capping this season.
Fast, fast, fast: The three best words to describe the new TCU offense
By Alex Apple
TCU co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach Doug Meacham walks the field during the first day of spring practice. (Alex Apple, Jeremy Clark--HornedFrogBlitz.com)
In the middle TCU’s first spring practice, Gary Patterson walked across the field, looking at at several tired defenders.
“Welcome to playing defense against a team that throws the ball all the time,” Patterson yelled as new offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie implored their quarterbacks to run the offense even faster.
In just one practice, the new co-offensive coordinators proved that the 2014 TCU offense would be a far-cry from the one that waylaid the Frogs last season.
The new TCU offense is all about one thing: speed.
The offense did everything fast in practice on Saturday. As they sprinted between drills and ran play after play at a rapid speed, they showed just how different the offense would be in 2013.
“You can tell the tempo is a lot quicker than we’ve been doing it,” Patterson told the media after practice. “There is going to be some learning curve. The biggest thing that you’ve got to understand with this offense is it’s about first downs.
“You’ve got to play throw and catch. It can’t be about incompletions, and that’s one of the things, the attention to detail, we’ve got to do a better job of perfection [through] the air.”
With the TCU offense expected to throw the football more often, the pressure is amplified on the starting quarterback, whoever that may be.
Junior Trevone Boykin and sophomore Tyler Matthews stood out on Saturday. They were shadowed by incoming freshmen Grayson Muehlstein and Foster Sawyer who will enroll in the summer.
Regardless of who wins the job, the Frogs must get better quarterback play than they have in their first two years of Big 12 play. Trevone Boykin is just 5-10 as a starter, and Tyler Matthews played just a handful of plays in his freshman season.
When asked about his quarterback situation, Patterson said he had not even thought about who would take more snaps in the early stages of spring practice.
“We’ll rotate them all through, but obviously, Trevone Boykin is the oldest, so he’ll be the guy” that is the de facto number one, for now, Patterson said.
Patterson has coached a top two defense in the Big 12 in each of his first two seasons, and the phrase, “…if they could just score,” has been uttered too often about the TCU offense.
In addition to finding a quarterback, the Frogs will have to replace two starters along an offensive line that must protect the quarterback better in 2014 than they did last season.
“With people like Tayo Fabuloje back, you know you have Matt Pryor, we ended up with no 6’8 guys, but now we have two 6’8 guards or tackles to add with Frank Kee who is a 360 pound guard, and then Bobby Thompson who emerged in the Baylor game,” Patterson said.
The offensive line is now coached by Jarrett Anderson who was moved from offensive coordinator to offensive line coach and Bryson Oliver who is in his first season at TCU after leaving Oklahoma State. Former offensive line coach Eddie Williamson now becomes the Director of Player Personnel.
Gary Patterson’s next media availability is likely Tuesday after what will be the Frogs’ third practice of the spring. The Frogs will have 15 practices total this spring.
By Alex Apple
TCU co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach Doug Meacham walks the field during the first day of spring practice. (Alex Apple, Jeremy Clark--HornedFrogBlitz.com)In the middle TCU’s first spring practice, Gary Patterson walked across the field, looking at at several tired defenders.
“Welcome to playing defense against a team that throws the ball all the time,” Patterson yelled as new offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie implored their quarterbacks to run the offense even faster.
In just one practice, the new co-offensive coordinators proved that the 2014 TCU offense would be a far-cry from the one that waylaid the Frogs last season.
The new TCU offense is all about one thing: speed.
The offense did everything fast in practice on Saturday. As they sprinted between drills and ran play after play at a rapid speed, they showed just how different the offense would be in 2013.
“You can tell the tempo is a lot quicker than we’ve been doing it,” Patterson told the media after practice. “There is going to be some learning curve. The biggest thing that you’ve got to understand with this offense is it’s about first downs.
“You’ve got to play throw and catch. It can’t be about incompletions, and that’s one of the things, the attention to detail, we’ve got to do a better job of perfection [through] the air.”
With the TCU offense expected to throw the football more often, the pressure is amplified on the starting quarterback, whoever that may be.
Junior Trevone Boykin and sophomore Tyler Matthews stood out on Saturday. They were shadowed by incoming freshmen Grayson Muehlstein and Foster Sawyer who will enroll in the summer.
Regardless of who wins the job, the Frogs must get better quarterback play than they have in their first two years of Big 12 play. Trevone Boykin is just 5-10 as a starter, and Tyler Matthews played just a handful of plays in his freshman season.
When asked about his quarterback situation, Patterson said he had not even thought about who would take more snaps in the early stages of spring practice.
“We’ll rotate them all through, but obviously, Trevone Boykin is the oldest, so he’ll be the guy” that is the de facto number one, for now, Patterson said.
Patterson has coached a top two defense in the Big 12 in each of his first two seasons, and the phrase, “…if they could just score,” has been uttered too often about the TCU offense.
In addition to finding a quarterback, the Frogs will have to replace two starters along an offensive line that must protect the quarterback better in 2014 than they did last season.
“With people like Tayo Fabuloje back, you know you have Matt Pryor, we ended up with no 6’8 guys, but now we have two 6’8 guards or tackles to add with Frank Kee who is a 360 pound guard, and then Bobby Thompson who emerged in the Baylor game,” Patterson said.
The offensive line is now coached by Jarrett Anderson who was moved from offensive coordinator to offensive line coach and Bryson Oliver who is in his first season at TCU after leaving Oklahoma State. Former offensive line coach Eddie Williamson now becomes the Director of Player Personnel.
Gary Patterson’s next media availability is likely Tuesday after what will be the Frogs’ third practice of the spring. The Frogs will have 15 practices total this spring.
| Big 12 spring football primer: Burning questions for each team |
Spring football primer: Big 12Source: SI SI's Ben Glicksman breaks down three storylines from the Big 12 as college football spring practice kicks off.
Spring Football 2014
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Last month, Baylor coach Art Briles said that he wanted his program to "run the show" in the Big 12 next season. That's pretty much what happened in 2013, when the Bears rode an explosive offense to the school's first conference title and a Fiesta Bowl berth. But Baylor wasn't without competition. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State both won at least 10 games, and eight-win Texas stayed in contention for the league crown until its regular-season finale. In all, six Big 12 teams went bowling last winter.
It's too soon to tell what the conference will look like in 2014, but each squad has plenty to figure out. Here are burning questions for each Big 12 team as spring practice kicks off.
• Baylor: Can the Bears' offense pick up where it left off?
The Bears have a number of holes to fill on an offense that averaged an FBS-best 52.4 points per game last season. Ultra-efficient quarterback Bryce Petty returns for his senior year, but running backs Lache Seastrunk (1,177 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) and Glasco Martin (509 yards, seven touchdowns), and wide receiver Tevin Reese (867 receiving yards, eight touchdowns), are gone. Keep an eye on the progression of sophomore running back Shock Linwood; he was the team's second-leading rusher with 881 yards last fall. The offensive line's development will be critical, too, with All-America guard Cyril Richardson among three key losses on the unit. Baylor's offense won't sneak up on opponents this season, and it will be up to Petty, Linwood and wideouts Antwan Goodley and Levi Norwood to prevent a drop-off in production.
• Iowa State: Is Mark Mangino the answer for the Cyclones' attack?
Iowa State struggled on both sides of the ball in 2013. The Cyclones ranked ninth in the Big 12 in scoring offense (24.8 points per game) and 10th in the league in scoring defense (36.0 points allowed per game) as they limped to a 3-9 record. New offensive coordinator Mark Mangino has been tasked with finding some answers for the dismal attack. His first order of business? Working out the kinks at quarterback, where Sam B. Richardson and Grant Rohach both saw significant playing time last fall. Neither was particularly impressive. They combined tho throw for 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The good news for Mangino is that the offense returns 10 starters, including the entire offensive line and leading rusher Aaron Wimberly. The coach also has a proven track record. He called plays for Oklahoma's 2000 BCS title-winning offense, and his Kansas team won the '08 Orange Bowl.
• Kansas: Can transfer T.J. Millweard solve the Jayhawks' quarterback issues?
Coach Charlie Weis has yet another transfer in the mix for the starting quarterback spot. Such passers as Dayne Christ and Jake Heaps haven't found much success after transferring to Kansas, but perhaps T. J. Millweard can jumpstart an aerial attack that finished 119th in FBS last year. Millweard sat out the 2013 campaign after leaving UCLA, where he backed up Brett Hundley. Now, he'll join a spring competition with Heaps (eight touchdowns, 10 interceptions in '13) and Montell Cozart. The Jayhawks return three starting wide receivers, including Tony Pierson and Jimmay Mundine. First-year offensive coordinator John Reagan's spread scheme could work well for Millweard, who ran a similar offense in high school.
• Kansas State: Who steps up on defense?
The Wildcats' defense was formidable last season. It allowed just 22.9 points per game, third in the Big 12. This spring, however, K-State will be looking for a few new faces to step up. Coach Bill Snyder's team loses seven starters, including All-Big 12 safety Ty Zimmerman. The lone returning linebacker is Jonathan Truman (89 tackles). Look for bigger roles for the likes of safety Dante Barnett and defensive end Ryan Mueller, both seniors. Juco defensive back Danzel McDaniel could also make an instant impact the secondary. There is talent on this side of the ball, but the Wildcats need a few reserves to take on added responsibility.
• Oklahoma: Where do the Sooners turn at running back?
Trevor Knight threw for 348 yards and four TDs in Oklahoma's Sugar Bowl win over Alabama.
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Tailback Damien Williams was dismissed from the team last November, and the Sooners will also lose Brennan Clay -- last season's leading rusher -- and Roy Finch to graduation. Entering spring practice, all indications are that Keith Ford and Alex Ross will be battling for the starting role. Ford and Ross were each highly touted as recruits, but neither has much college experience. Both will look to establish themselves before Joe Mixon, a five-star prospect out of Oakley, Calif., arrives on campus and makes a push for carries. Also, be sure to monitor quarterback Trevor Knight's continued development. He shined in the Sugar Bowl after an inconsistent campaign, but he's firmly in command of the offense. Kendal Thompson transferred to Utah in February and Blake Bell switched positions to tight end.
• Oklahoma State: Can the Cowboys put last season's disappointing finish behind them?
After a 10-1 start that included a rout of previously unbeaten Baylor, Oklahoma State went out with a whimper: The Cowboys lost to Oklahoma in their regular-season finale before falling to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. Now, Oklahoma State looks to bounce back with a roster that returns only nine starters, including four on defense. Keep an eye on linebacker Ryan Simmons and cornerback Kevin Peterson, who both seem poised to step up. Quarterback remains a question mark, too, as J.W. Walsh and Clint Chelf will again compete for the starting job. But don't count out freshman Mason Rudolph. The early enrollee passed for 4,377 yards with 64 touchdowns as a senior at Northwestern High in Rock Hill, S.C.
• TCU: Can a staff shakeup spark the Horned Frogs' offense?
The Horned Frogs went 4-8 last season, their worst record since they went 1-10 in 1997. Much of the blame falls on an attack that scored just 25.1 points per game, eighth in the Big 12. In response, coach Gary Patterson brought in Sonny Crumbie and Doug Meacham as his new co-offensive coordinators, and they have plenty to figure out. Trevone Boykin (1,198 passing yards, seven touchdowns, seven interceptions) was underwhelming last year, and little-used quarterback Tyler Matthews should compete with Boykin for reps this spring. TCU will also look to establish some rhythm on the ground. Tailback Aaron Green will get some carries alongside B.J. Catalon.
• Texas: How will new coach Charlie Strong make use of his talent?
Lost in last season's Mack Brown farewell tour was the fact that the Longhorns, despite their struggles, remained in the mix for the Big 12 title until their regular-season finale. Now, Charlie Strong takes over a team set to return 13 starters. Quarterback David Ash's health will be a major storyline this spring; he missed 10 games last year with concussion-like symptoms, but has been cleared for workouts. Ash and Tyrone Swoopes are the frontrunners for the starting job, though USC transfer Max Wittek is still considering joining the team. Texas should have plenty of other weapons on offense, too, including wide receiver Jaxon Shipley and tailbacks Johnathan Gray, Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron. Meanwhile, the defense loses only four starters. Spring practice presents Strong's first opportunity to cultivate his own atmosphere and culture in Austin.
• Texas Tech: Can the Red Raiders avoid a drop-off in the passing game?
After playing musical chairs at quarterback in 2013, Davis Webb is now the guy at Texas Tech. His emergence last fall led to the transfers of Michael Brewer and Baker Mayfield. Yet Webb enters the spring looking for new targets. His top two pass-catchers, tight end Jace Amaro (106 catches for 1,352 yards) and wideout Eric Ward (83 grabs for 947 yards), are gone. The Red Raiders will look for Jakeem Grant, Bradley Marquez and juco transfer Devin Lauderdale to step up. Four starters on the offensive line return, and they should bring stability to an aerial attack that averaged 392.8 yards per game last season, second nationally.
• West Virginia: How will the Mountaineers look on defense?
West Virginia's defensive coordinator spot might as well be a revolving door. Keith Patterson, who held the position in 2013, bolted for Arizona State in February. Coach Dana Holgorsen subsequently promoted safeties coach Tony Gibson, who becomes the program's fourth defensive coordinator in Holgorsen's four seasons in Morgantown. Gibson has lots of work to do. The Mountaineers surrendered 454.3 yards per game last year, 102nd in the FBS, and lose such veterans as defensive end Will Clarke and defensive tackle Shaq Rowell. West Virginia will need to address its problems quickly. The Mountaineers open against Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Aug. 30.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co.../big-12-spring-football-primer/#ixzz2vP4SyeUm
Here is some very interesting stuff about Snyder and Kansas State's recruiting. I've always wondered how he has been able to field consistently good teams with what is perceived as very poor recruiting. KSU's recruiting classes according to Rivals the last five years have been ranked 47, 66,59,69,& 63rd. Along with Iowa State at the very bottom of the Big 6 schools.
Excellent Assessment by Inside Texas
By Ian Boyd , Inside Texas Special Contributor
Posted Feb 19, 2014
Copyright © 2014 InsideTexas.com
KSU is the most perennially underrated recruiter in the entire B12. I'll let you in on some of the magic tricks in Bill Snyder's hat but the most important of them is his ability to gaze through a crystal ball that tells him whether players will fit into his exact system at KSU.
The Wildcats have a precise system that allows them to recruit competencies for most positions rather than simply trying to grab the best overall athletes and then pidgeon-holing them into collegiate roles.
That said, this is one of the better classes Snyder has pulled down in recent years and they are quietly pretty excited about it up in Manhattan while the rest of the Big 12 media is woefully ignorant of how exactly Snyder consistently fields solid-to-great teams.
It's worth mentioning that perhaps the most essential ingredient to KSU success in recruiting is that they pick a lot of DT's from the JUCO ranks. Rather than relying on winning recruiting battles for the no-brainer, 6-3, 280-pound athletes that emerge in high school, or relying solely on projecting which DE's will add good weight and fundamentals and grow into good DT's, they make it easy on themselves.
They pick the best DL out of the JUCO ranks, where players have already demonstrated what will happen to their bodies and games after a few years of College life. Then, KSU consistently fields one of the better DL's in the Big 12. It's that simple.
Alright, let's begin:
QB:
Needs of the KSU system: Mobility is pretty key since the best KSU schemes utilize a running QB but Snyder has the capacity for coaching and developing a passing game as well. He taught Mangino everything he knows, in fact.
Takes: 0
They had Texas burner Aaron Sharp in the fold until late in the game when he bailed to UCLA. They have lots of bodies on campus so they aren't too worried yet but he was a great fit. Good runner, great ability to read and throw on the run.
Grade: F
RB:
Needs of the KSU system: Snyder has 2 RB types he likes. The powerful, versatile featureback who can run their Wildcat schemes (Daniel Thomas, Daniel Sams) and the little hobgoblin who hides behind their big OL before darting through creases undetected (Darren Sproles, John Hubert). They also like to take bruising fullbacks who can catch or lead block on their Wildcat and Option schemes.
Takes:
Dalvin Warmack: 5-8, 183. Blue Springs, MO. (Blue Springs)
Winston Dimel: 6-0, 213. Manhattan, KS. (Manhattan)
Warmack is the best scat back I've seen them grab since Sproles himself. His short legs allow him to get rapid turnover and elite change of direction and acceleration. He finds the creases and then explodes through them with power. He's going to be absolute murder in their Zone Read and option attack.
Dimel is the son of the OC, hence his presence in the local high school. He has quick feet and some good power so it's possible he will contribute more than just father-son opportunities at FB for them. He'll need to grow into a bruising 240-pounder to really contribute.
Grade: B-
WR:
Needs of the KSU System: They typically take whatever they can get here but there is a preference for speed that translates into play-action threats or big bodies for blocking and making possession grabs over the middle.
Takes:
Dominique Heath: 5-8, 165. Huntersville, NC (Hopewell)
Tyler Ahrens: 6-4, 219. Kerryville, TX (Tivy)
Andre Davis: 6-1, 180. Santa Rosa, CA. (Santa Rosa C.C.)
The JUCO Davis is a very solid possession receiver without elite speed. The services like him but I wasn't blown away by the tape. Ahrens is fluid enough at 6-4 to cause some matchup problems and present a nice target for them. Heath is a pure burner. We'll see if Lockett was a particularly special player (most likely) or if the KSU staff has a gift for turning blazing fast midgets into dominant receivers.
Grade: C
TE:
Needs of the KSU system: They'll throw to these guys on bootleg or near the goal-line but mostly they love having extra blocking surfaces to create leverage in the run game.
Takes: 0
Grade: F
OL:
Needs of the KSU system: The trick here for the Wildcats are complex run schemes that keep a D guessing and unable to play fast. They mix option, draw, Power, inside zone, outside zone, and traps to keep DL from acting on instinct and muscle memory. Throws often come on play-action. Additionally, they rely on quickness and hand placement over power to create running lanes. They teach techniques to move people aside with double teams, rather than trying to drive them backwards. So height and quickness are the values here.
Takes:
Alec Ruth: 6-6, 298. Highlands Ranch, CO. (Valor Christian)
Dalton Risner: 6-4, 285. Wiggins, CO. (Wiggins)
Terrale Johnson: 6-2, 314. Hutchinson, KS. (Hutchinson C.C.)
Luke Hayes: 6-6, 290. El Dorado, KS (Butler Country C.C.)
AJ Allen: 6-7, 315. El Cajon, CA (Grossmont, C.C.)
You see what I mean? Three guys that are 6-6 or better. Ruth will need a few years adding strength to be a contributor but he has fairly quick feet. Hayes is even quicker but also needs a little time in their S&C before he's ready. AJ Allen is an absolute stud and may be an immediate starter at tackle for them where both starters graduate. He has the power and the base to fend off a pass rush or put a DE on the ground. I'm not sure if he's an NFL prospect but in this scheme he can be All-Conference.
Johnson and Risner are very soli interior prospects for them and Johnson translates his massive girth into solid power and ability to move a pile. He might start next year as well.
Grade: B-
DL:
Needs of the KSU system: Pass-rush from DE's and DT, 2-gap/double team power from the NT to cover up their LB's in the run game. KSU rarely blitzes and relies heavily on these guys up front.
Takes:
Elijah Lee: 6-3, 215. Blue Springs, MO (Blue Springs)
CJ Reese: 6-4, 255. San Antonio, TX (James Madison)
Terrell Clinkscales: 6-4, 315. Dodge City, KS (Dodge City, C.C.)
Elijah Lee has some quickness and hips to grow into a solid pass-rusher but he'll need to maintain those while adding weight to his frame. Good prospect but obviously not a sure thing. CJ Reese strikes me as an obvious spin down candidate who's long limbs and decent (for a DE) quickness could translate into a really strong pass-rusher as a 3-tech DT.
Clinkscales is the big coup. If you leave him 1-on-1 with a guard he will maul them and reset the point of attack on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage. He'll have to be doubled to avoid pile-ups inside and even then he's hard to move. Ideal KSU nose tackle. He'll probably replace Chaquil Reed immediately and upgrade the Wildcat run D.
Grade: B-
LB:
Needs of the KSU system: The 'Cats take quickness at LB and don't care as much about height or weight. They want guys who can run sideline to sideline and pursue the ball from the middle of the field. They have to be willing to stick their noses in the scrum but speed pursuing the ball and matching crossing receivers is the key. They play in Nickel 99% of the time and don't sub to Dime.
Takes:
Sam Sizelove: 6-4, 229. Argyle, TX (Argyle)
Justin Hughes: 6-1, 205. Tucker, GA (Tucker)
Isaiah Riddle: 6-3, 230. Scottsdale, AZ (Scottsdale C.C.)
Dvonta Derricott: 6-1, 230. Garden City, KS. (Garden City C.C.)
Sizelove is a classic inside linebacker prospect who's most prominent HS highlight is nearly killing Jake Raulerson on a punt return blindside hit. He's explosive around the line of scrimmage and is one of the better pure Mike LB prospects I've seen. His length and quickness may allow him to be solid enough in coverage to play at LB for them but if not, he could spin down as a DE.
Hughes has the backpedal and speed to erase receivers underneath in a pattern-matching scheme, which is ideal for the KSU D. I'm not sure if his grades have gotten him in yet but if he plays I see him growing into the weakside linebacker spot.
Riddle is an explosive downhill player who will have value as a blitzer on 3rd down.
Derricott is the jewel of the LB class. He can match underneath patterns in coverage, gets small and is explosive as a blitzer, can run sideline to sideline, and gets his hands (made of stone though) on a lot of quick passes. I'm betting on him winning the vacant Mike position and racking up 80+ tackles in 2014.
Grade: B+
S/NB:
Needs of the KSU system: KSU needs guys that are quick moving downhill or breaking on passes but they'll line them up deep and play them over the top to avoid putting them in position where they have to flip their hips and run with receivers. Reading keys, running to the ball or a pass with speed and proper leverage, and making open field tackles is key.
Takes:
Kendall Adams: 6-1, 193. Ft. Worth, TX (All Saints Episcopal)
Kaleb Prewett: 6-2, 197. Blue Springs, MO (Blue Springs)
Prewett is the third Wildcat from a Blue Springs HS team that won multiple state championships and has also provided KSU with the scatback Warmack and future DE Elijah Lee. Prewett is the real deal as a Cover-2/4 safety. He's very rangy on the back end of a defense and has the explosion in his hips to blow up ball carriers. I wouldn't be shocked if he ran a 4.5. Potential Ty Zimmerman replacement here, in a few years.
Adams is the prototypical Wildcat safety. You don't want to see him have to flip his hips and run with a vertical by a Baylor slot receiver but as long as the ball is in front of him he can play fast and physical. He can also play around the box.
Grade: B-
CB:
Needs of the KSU system: Whereas Akina long had a "4 Corners" philosophy in recruiting defensive backs, taking players who had the athleticism to potentially play at corner, I like to jokingly refer to KSU's D as a "4 Safeties" philosophy. They often play with a big cushion on the outside and close on the ball or wrap-up at cornerback. Occasionally they have a Nigel Malone who's fast enough to bait throws and then pick them off but an Allen Chapman who simply plays to not get beat is more typical.
Takes:
Jesse Mack: 6-0, 180. Highland, KS (Highland C.C.)
Danzel McDaniel: 6-2, 205. Dodge City, KS (Dodge City, C.C.)
Mack is your typical KSU CB, although taller than many they've stuck out there. He's not going to press and lock down anyone but he can play with a cushion and make tackles.
McDaniel is a specimen and an interesting take for KSU. At the JUCO level he would get his hands on guys and totally destroy any hopes they had of getting into something resembling a pass pattern. His big frame and long arms made him an absolute demon in press coverage. He's essentially a Cover-2 CB who can play run-force on the edge, match receivers underneath, or blitz. He showed some ability to turn and run with receivers, which is key to whether he can play at CB in the B12 but typically receivers couldn't get free of his jams.
I've not really seen KSU utilize a player like McDaniel so I'm not sure where he fits for them. Do they put him on the boundary to beat up big receivers with safety help? Teach him to play with a cushion? Play him in press on an island by himself? Move him to nickel? Even their nickel has often played with a 10 yard cushion so it'll be interesting to see where he ends up. His physicality and tackling will make him an asset somewhere in the defensive backfield.
Grade B-
All in all, KSU loaded up with infrastructure pieces. They got the players they need to continue to field bafflingly (to all but you and I) effective anti-spread defense and lanky OL that can move around and execute all their run schemes.
The challenge for Snyder has typically been finding more than 1 player that can be featured in the offensive scheme so the most terrifying KSU class would have included one more offensive player likely to end up as a Wildcat RB, dual-threat QB, or deep-threat WR.
Warmack has great potential but I'm not sure if the WR class will produce another weapon that really terrifies anyone. They were this close had they landed Aaron Sharp to quietly having one of the league's best classes.
Breakdown:
JUCO: 9
HS: 14
KS: 7
TX: 3
MO: 3
GA: 1
CO: 2
CA: 2
NC: 1
The Snyder/KSU talent pipeline is quite clever. They take advantage of their proximity to in-state JUCO programs to grab linemen will also mining the California JUCO system for athletes. They also do their homework evaluating local states and of course, talent-rich Texas. The nightmare would be if they manage to start regularly pulling athletic QB's out of the Lone Star state. Again, they were close in 2014.
Their proximity to midwestern JUCO's is actually a solid advantage that provides them with a recruiting turf of sorts.
Look out for KSU in 2014, their JUCO adds and returning starters make them a Big 12 title contender.
[h=1]Big 12 Sports[/h] Here's your chance to share your opinion and views on Big 12 football and other sports.
[h=1]Study proves KSU might be ultimate football recruiting outlier[/h]Posted on February 27, 2014 | By Tim Griffin
SAN ANTONIO — Kansas State coach Bill Snyder has been confounding the recruiting analysts over the years.
The Wildcats rarely attract many heralded recruits. They were ranked 47th by Rivals in the most recruiting season after placing 66th in 2013, 59th in 2012, 69th in 2011 and 63rd in 2010. During a period dating to 2002, the Wildcats attracted two five-star recruits — running back Daniel Davis and offensive lineman Peni Holakeituai. Neither of them panned out.
Despite consistently ranking among the recruiting bottom-feeders, Snyder has made the Wildcats a consistent power with a 2012 Big 12 championship included among his successes.
A study by Matt Hinton of the outstanding analytical web site footballstudyhall.com ranked the Wildcats as the ultimate outliers in college football.
Hinton ranked all of the major programs in terms of the recruiting jargon of five-star programs, four-star programs, three-star programs, etc.
Here’s a look at how Hinton has them ranked in his study:
‘Big Six’ Conference Teams by Recruiting Class
• FIVE-STAR: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas.
• FOUR-STAR: Arkansas, California, Clemson, Miami, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Washington.
• THREE-STAR: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, TCU, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, Virginia, West Virginia.
• TWO-STAR: BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, N.C. State, Northwestern, Purdue, South Florida, Utah, Washington State, Wisconsin.
• ONE-STAR: Boise State, Boston College, Central Florida, Connecticut, Duke, Iowa State, Kansas State, Memphis, SMU, Syracuse, Temple, Wake Forest.
We’ve obviously seen some strong teams among one-star programs in recent seasons. UCF won the Fiesta Bowl this past season. But the Wildcats have consistently overachieved during the period of the study.
Here’s what Hinton had to say about KSU:
Excellent Assessment by Inside Texas
By Ian Boyd , Inside Texas Special Contributor
Posted Feb 19, 2014
Copyright © 2014 InsideTexas.com
|
KSU is the most perennially underrated recruiter in the entire B12. I'll let you in on some of the magic tricks in Bill Snyder's hat but the most important of them is his ability to gaze through a crystal ball that tells him whether players will fit into his exact system at KSU.
The Wildcats have a precise system that allows them to recruit competencies for most positions rather than simply trying to grab the best overall athletes and then pidgeon-holing them into collegiate roles.
That said, this is one of the better classes Snyder has pulled down in recent years and they are quietly pretty excited about it up in Manhattan while the rest of the Big 12 media is woefully ignorant of how exactly Snyder consistently fields solid-to-great teams.
It's worth mentioning that perhaps the most essential ingredient to KSU success in recruiting is that they pick a lot of DT's from the JUCO ranks. Rather than relying on winning recruiting battles for the no-brainer, 6-3, 280-pound athletes that emerge in high school, or relying solely on projecting which DE's will add good weight and fundamentals and grow into good DT's, they make it easy on themselves.
They pick the best DL out of the JUCO ranks, where players have already demonstrated what will happen to their bodies and games after a few years of College life. Then, KSU consistently fields one of the better DL's in the Big 12. It's that simple.
Alright, let's begin:
QB:
Needs of the KSU system: Mobility is pretty key since the best KSU schemes utilize a running QB but Snyder has the capacity for coaching and developing a passing game as well. He taught Mangino everything he knows, in fact.
Takes: 0
They had Texas burner Aaron Sharp in the fold until late in the game when he bailed to UCLA. They have lots of bodies on campus so they aren't too worried yet but he was a great fit. Good runner, great ability to read and throw on the run.
Grade: F
RB:
Needs of the KSU system: Snyder has 2 RB types he likes. The powerful, versatile featureback who can run their Wildcat schemes (Daniel Thomas, Daniel Sams) and the little hobgoblin who hides behind their big OL before darting through creases undetected (Darren Sproles, John Hubert). They also like to take bruising fullbacks who can catch or lead block on their Wildcat and Option schemes.
Takes:
Dalvin Warmack: 5-8, 183. Blue Springs, MO. (Blue Springs)
Winston Dimel: 6-0, 213. Manhattan, KS. (Manhattan)
Warmack is the best scat back I've seen them grab since Sproles himself. His short legs allow him to get rapid turnover and elite change of direction and acceleration. He finds the creases and then explodes through them with power. He's going to be absolute murder in their Zone Read and option attack.
Dimel is the son of the OC, hence his presence in the local high school. He has quick feet and some good power so it's possible he will contribute more than just father-son opportunities at FB for them. He'll need to grow into a bruising 240-pounder to really contribute.
Grade: B-
WR:
Needs of the KSU System: They typically take whatever they can get here but there is a preference for speed that translates into play-action threats or big bodies for blocking and making possession grabs over the middle.
Takes:
Dominique Heath: 5-8, 165. Huntersville, NC (Hopewell)
Tyler Ahrens: 6-4, 219. Kerryville, TX (Tivy)
Andre Davis: 6-1, 180. Santa Rosa, CA. (Santa Rosa C.C.)
The JUCO Davis is a very solid possession receiver without elite speed. The services like him but I wasn't blown away by the tape. Ahrens is fluid enough at 6-4 to cause some matchup problems and present a nice target for them. Heath is a pure burner. We'll see if Lockett was a particularly special player (most likely) or if the KSU staff has a gift for turning blazing fast midgets into dominant receivers.
Grade: C
TE:
Needs of the KSU system: They'll throw to these guys on bootleg or near the goal-line but mostly they love having extra blocking surfaces to create leverage in the run game.
Takes: 0
Grade: F
OL:
Needs of the KSU system: The trick here for the Wildcats are complex run schemes that keep a D guessing and unable to play fast. They mix option, draw, Power, inside zone, outside zone, and traps to keep DL from acting on instinct and muscle memory. Throws often come on play-action. Additionally, they rely on quickness and hand placement over power to create running lanes. They teach techniques to move people aside with double teams, rather than trying to drive them backwards. So height and quickness are the values here.
Takes:
Alec Ruth: 6-6, 298. Highlands Ranch, CO. (Valor Christian)
Dalton Risner: 6-4, 285. Wiggins, CO. (Wiggins)
Terrale Johnson: 6-2, 314. Hutchinson, KS. (Hutchinson C.C.)
Luke Hayes: 6-6, 290. El Dorado, KS (Butler Country C.C.)
AJ Allen: 6-7, 315. El Cajon, CA (Grossmont, C.C.)
You see what I mean? Three guys that are 6-6 or better. Ruth will need a few years adding strength to be a contributor but he has fairly quick feet. Hayes is even quicker but also needs a little time in their S&C before he's ready. AJ Allen is an absolute stud and may be an immediate starter at tackle for them where both starters graduate. He has the power and the base to fend off a pass rush or put a DE on the ground. I'm not sure if he's an NFL prospect but in this scheme he can be All-Conference.
Johnson and Risner are very soli interior prospects for them and Johnson translates his massive girth into solid power and ability to move a pile. He might start next year as well.
Grade: B-
DL:
Needs of the KSU system: Pass-rush from DE's and DT, 2-gap/double team power from the NT to cover up their LB's in the run game. KSU rarely blitzes and relies heavily on these guys up front.
Takes:
Elijah Lee: 6-3, 215. Blue Springs, MO (Blue Springs)
CJ Reese: 6-4, 255. San Antonio, TX (James Madison)
Terrell Clinkscales: 6-4, 315. Dodge City, KS (Dodge City, C.C.)
Elijah Lee has some quickness and hips to grow into a solid pass-rusher but he'll need to maintain those while adding weight to his frame. Good prospect but obviously not a sure thing. CJ Reese strikes me as an obvious spin down candidate who's long limbs and decent (for a DE) quickness could translate into a really strong pass-rusher as a 3-tech DT.
Clinkscales is the big coup. If you leave him 1-on-1 with a guard he will maul them and reset the point of attack on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage. He'll have to be doubled to avoid pile-ups inside and even then he's hard to move. Ideal KSU nose tackle. He'll probably replace Chaquil Reed immediately and upgrade the Wildcat run D.
Grade: B-
LB:
Needs of the KSU system: The 'Cats take quickness at LB and don't care as much about height or weight. They want guys who can run sideline to sideline and pursue the ball from the middle of the field. They have to be willing to stick their noses in the scrum but speed pursuing the ball and matching crossing receivers is the key. They play in Nickel 99% of the time and don't sub to Dime.
Takes:
Sam Sizelove: 6-4, 229. Argyle, TX (Argyle)
Justin Hughes: 6-1, 205. Tucker, GA (Tucker)
Isaiah Riddle: 6-3, 230. Scottsdale, AZ (Scottsdale C.C.)
Dvonta Derricott: 6-1, 230. Garden City, KS. (Garden City C.C.)
Sizelove is a classic inside linebacker prospect who's most prominent HS highlight is nearly killing Jake Raulerson on a punt return blindside hit. He's explosive around the line of scrimmage and is one of the better pure Mike LB prospects I've seen. His length and quickness may allow him to be solid enough in coverage to play at LB for them but if not, he could spin down as a DE.
Hughes has the backpedal and speed to erase receivers underneath in a pattern-matching scheme, which is ideal for the KSU D. I'm not sure if his grades have gotten him in yet but if he plays I see him growing into the weakside linebacker spot.
Riddle is an explosive downhill player who will have value as a blitzer on 3rd down.
Derricott is the jewel of the LB class. He can match underneath patterns in coverage, gets small and is explosive as a blitzer, can run sideline to sideline, and gets his hands (made of stone though) on a lot of quick passes. I'm betting on him winning the vacant Mike position and racking up 80+ tackles in 2014.
Grade: B+
S/NB:
Needs of the KSU system: KSU needs guys that are quick moving downhill or breaking on passes but they'll line them up deep and play them over the top to avoid putting them in position where they have to flip their hips and run with receivers. Reading keys, running to the ball or a pass with speed and proper leverage, and making open field tackles is key.
Takes:
Kendall Adams: 6-1, 193. Ft. Worth, TX (All Saints Episcopal)
Kaleb Prewett: 6-2, 197. Blue Springs, MO (Blue Springs)
Prewett is the third Wildcat from a Blue Springs HS team that won multiple state championships and has also provided KSU with the scatback Warmack and future DE Elijah Lee. Prewett is the real deal as a Cover-2/4 safety. He's very rangy on the back end of a defense and has the explosion in his hips to blow up ball carriers. I wouldn't be shocked if he ran a 4.5. Potential Ty Zimmerman replacement here, in a few years.
Adams is the prototypical Wildcat safety. You don't want to see him have to flip his hips and run with a vertical by a Baylor slot receiver but as long as the ball is in front of him he can play fast and physical. He can also play around the box.
Grade: B-
CB:
Needs of the KSU system: Whereas Akina long had a "4 Corners" philosophy in recruiting defensive backs, taking players who had the athleticism to potentially play at corner, I like to jokingly refer to KSU's D as a "4 Safeties" philosophy. They often play with a big cushion on the outside and close on the ball or wrap-up at cornerback. Occasionally they have a Nigel Malone who's fast enough to bait throws and then pick them off but an Allen Chapman who simply plays to not get beat is more typical.
Takes:
Jesse Mack: 6-0, 180. Highland, KS (Highland C.C.)
Danzel McDaniel: 6-2, 205. Dodge City, KS (Dodge City, C.C.)
Mack is your typical KSU CB, although taller than many they've stuck out there. He's not going to press and lock down anyone but he can play with a cushion and make tackles.
McDaniel is a specimen and an interesting take for KSU. At the JUCO level he would get his hands on guys and totally destroy any hopes they had of getting into something resembling a pass pattern. His big frame and long arms made him an absolute demon in press coverage. He's essentially a Cover-2 CB who can play run-force on the edge, match receivers underneath, or blitz. He showed some ability to turn and run with receivers, which is key to whether he can play at CB in the B12 but typically receivers couldn't get free of his jams.
I've not really seen KSU utilize a player like McDaniel so I'm not sure where he fits for them. Do they put him on the boundary to beat up big receivers with safety help? Teach him to play with a cushion? Play him in press on an island by himself? Move him to nickel? Even their nickel has often played with a 10 yard cushion so it'll be interesting to see where he ends up. His physicality and tackling will make him an asset somewhere in the defensive backfield.
Grade B-
All in all, KSU loaded up with infrastructure pieces. They got the players they need to continue to field bafflingly (to all but you and I) effective anti-spread defense and lanky OL that can move around and execute all their run schemes.
The challenge for Snyder has typically been finding more than 1 player that can be featured in the offensive scheme so the most terrifying KSU class would have included one more offensive player likely to end up as a Wildcat RB, dual-threat QB, or deep-threat WR.
Warmack has great potential but I'm not sure if the WR class will produce another weapon that really terrifies anyone. They were this close had they landed Aaron Sharp to quietly having one of the league's best classes.
Breakdown:
JUCO: 9
HS: 14
KS: 7
TX: 3
MO: 3
GA: 1
CO: 2
CA: 2
NC: 1
The Snyder/KSU talent pipeline is quite clever. They take advantage of their proximity to in-state JUCO programs to grab linemen will also mining the California JUCO system for athletes. They also do their homework evaluating local states and of course, talent-rich Texas. The nightmare would be if they manage to start regularly pulling athletic QB's out of the Lone Star state. Again, they were close in 2014.
Their proximity to midwestern JUCO's is actually a solid advantage that provides them with a recruiting turf of sorts.
Look out for KSU in 2014, their JUCO adds and returning starters make them a Big 12 title contender.
[h=1]Big 12 Sports[/h] Here's your chance to share your opinion and views on Big 12 football and other sports.
[h=1]Study proves KSU might be ultimate football recruiting outlier[/h]Posted on February 27, 2014 | By Tim Griffin
SAN ANTONIO — Kansas State coach Bill Snyder has been confounding the recruiting analysts over the years.
The Wildcats rarely attract many heralded recruits. They were ranked 47th by Rivals in the most recruiting season after placing 66th in 2013, 59th in 2012, 69th in 2011 and 63rd in 2010. During a period dating to 2002, the Wildcats attracted two five-star recruits — running back Daniel Davis and offensive lineman Peni Holakeituai. Neither of them panned out.
Despite consistently ranking among the recruiting bottom-feeders, Snyder has made the Wildcats a consistent power with a 2012 Big 12 championship included among his successes.
A study by Matt Hinton of the outstanding analytical web site footballstudyhall.com ranked the Wildcats as the ultimate outliers in college football.
Hinton ranked all of the major programs in terms of the recruiting jargon of five-star programs, four-star programs, three-star programs, etc.
Here’s a look at how Hinton has them ranked in his study:
‘Big Six’ Conference Teams by Recruiting Class
• FIVE-STAR: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas.
• FOUR-STAR: Arkansas, California, Clemson, Miami, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Washington.
• THREE-STAR: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, TCU, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, Virginia, West Virginia.
• TWO-STAR: BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, N.C. State, Northwestern, Purdue, South Florida, Utah, Washington State, Wisconsin.
• ONE-STAR: Boise State, Boston College, Central Florida, Connecticut, Duke, Iowa State, Kansas State, Memphis, SMU, Syracuse, Temple, Wake Forest.
We’ve obviously seen some strong teams among one-star programs in recent seasons. UCF won the Fiesta Bowl this past season. But the Wildcats have consistently overachieved during the period of the study.
Here’s what Hinton had to say about KSU:
“Kansas State. I mean, obviously. As far as recruitniks are concerned, K-State should be the most overmatched outfit in the Big 12, ranking just behind Iowa State for the worst signing-day grades in the league. Instead, as a “one-star” team, the Wildcats have winning records since 2010 against three-star (10–7), four-star (4–3) and five-star (5–3) opponents, and a conference championship to show for it after beating both Oklahoma and Texas in 2012.”
It proves that Snyder might be one of the greatest coaches and program builders of recent college football history. He’ll be in the College Football Hall of Fame one day. But he still has some work to do with KSU before he hangs up his whistle, overachieving low recruiting rankings along the way.
Snyder's done pretty darn well considering he's basically working with one star classes year in and year out. Snyder coming in with a 47th ranked recruiting class this year is just about the equivalent of a team like Okie State having the number one recruiting class in the country. His next two or three teams could turn out to be something pretty special. I still think you need to be a top 10 recruiting team to win the national championship. But this new playoff format could prove me wrong. I still think for the most part these 4 and 5 star guys are properly evaluated by the recruiting services. But what they miss out on is the 2 and 3 star guys who come from the smaller more isolated areas. The recruiting services simply don't have the time or resources to properly evaluate those guys. I think some of these players get unfairly underrated because of the automatic bias that comes from not playing top competition. Snyder seems to be the very best at finding this untapped talent pool. What was remarkable about Super Bowl champs Seattle was that over 50% of that team was made up of 3 stars or less recruits coming out of high school. So it's pretty obvious that many of these low rated players have the talent or can be coached up.
Awful doesn't even describe the TCU offense. It has been horrendous since they entered the Big 12. To give you some idea, they had just 1,400 yards rushing all of last year. Even Texas Tech had more rushing yards. Compare that to Baylor, who had over 3,300 yards rushing. The Frogs were also 114th in the nation in fumbles lost. They pretty much lost the ball an average of once every quarter. It was just a terrible and predictable offense that looked very unorganized and lost at times. With Meacham there now, I think this offense is going to look completely different. The good thing for them is this year they'll have 6 stud RB's in camp. So I'm betting we'll see an Auburn/Oregon type of uptempo running attack. I'm curious about this team, because this fast tempo goes completely against Gary Patterson's grind it out philosophy. Hopefully he won't meddle in the offense and let Meacham do his thing. That's the big reason why Tubberville didn't work out at Texas Tech. He had a tendency to go very conservative in certain situations. You never want to get out of your game. Hopefully GP will have a little patience. TCU still has a ways to go. I don't think they have enough depth yet. GP said he's on a 3-5 year plan to develop their Big 12 BCS conference type of depth. But he better start winning, or they may not give him 5 years. I think he needs at least a 7-6 season this year or his seat could start heating up. TCU also needs a QB. You don't see teams winning this conference without elite QB play.
No leadership on TCU team right now. The qb options are Tyler Mathews, 4 star recruit from Kansas sophomore. I think if he were very good he would have been playing qb when Pachall went down last year. Zach Allan is another one, don't think he has what it takes though. 2 freshman coming in Muhlstein from Decatur and Sawyer from Ft. worth All saints, he is a private school kid. Never know about private school kids from Texas.......I have no idea what to make of tcu this year yet
All of the starting QB's from last year will be back. But teams like Kansas and TCU are going to new offenses, so it's still up in the air if they'll have new starters. Same with Iowa State. Sam Richardson is still there. But Rhoades never seems to decide on his starting QB until the last minute. Ash is still at Texas. He has had concussion problems, but he's been cleared. But I don't know yet if he'll start.
I think Pachall was an ok leader. I think the early injury last year and the suspension the year before really fucked up the team chemistry. Lets face it, Boykin ain't Pachall. As far as Boykin goes, if he is the starting qb next year I think it says alot about their other qb's not being very good. Seems to me that what we have seen from Boykin is about as good as its going to get from him at qb, and it hasnt been good. The team is better when Boykin is the best WR on the team and not playing qb, other than wildcat. I've read where Meacham's offense is supposed to suit the younger qb's. I take that to mean the qb catches the snap and knows exactly where the ball is supposed to be going. Hopefully one of the young guys can grasp it.
if somebody steps up at qb and Brandon Carter and Boykin both have their heads screwed on right, I think tcu can win some games this year. If not, they'll be back in the bottom half of the league
also, Ladarius Brown who was the 2nd best receiver last year is off the team, failed piss test
Baylor one of 6 teams sure to win 10 or more games this year. The article loses some of it's credibility when it calls TCU a walkover for the Bears. That's always a war between those two teams.
6 College Football Teams That Are Locks to Win 10 Games in 2014
By Brian Pedersen , Featured Columnist Mar 10, 2014
Baylor Bears
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Walkover wins: SMU, Northwestern State, at Buffalo, TCU, Kansas
Losable games: at Texas, at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, vs. Texas Tech (in Arlington, Tex.)
Baylor's non-conference schedule is only slightly better than last year if only because it includes a road game, but that will be against a Buffalo team that is replacing a potential first-round pick in linebacker Khalil Mack off a team that lost 70-13 in Waco in 2013.
The Bears have a much tougher start to Big 12 play this time around, though, opening with three of four on the road. Granted, two of those are at Iowa State and West Virginia (with a visit from TCU thrown in), but they have to visit Texas early as well.
The three-game November stretch of Oklahoma, OK State and Texas Tech is very likely to produce a loss, but with pretty much the same team that went 11-1 in the regular season last year, it's not a stretch to say Baylor will do no worse than 10 wins in 2014.
6 College Football Teams That Are Locks to Win 10 Games in 2014
By Brian Pedersen , Featured Columnist Mar 10, 2014
Baylor Bears
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Walkover wins: SMU, Northwestern State, at Buffalo, TCU, Kansas
Losable games: at Texas, at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, vs. Texas Tech (in Arlington, Tex.)
Baylor's non-conference schedule is only slightly better than last year if only because it includes a road game, but that will be against a Buffalo team that is replacing a potential first-round pick in linebacker Khalil Mack off a team that lost 70-13 in Waco in 2013.
The Bears have a much tougher start to Big 12 play this time around, though, opening with three of four on the road. Granted, two of those are at Iowa State and West Virginia (with a visit from TCU thrown in), but they have to visit Texas early as well.
The three-game November stretch of Oklahoma, OK State and Texas Tech is very likely to produce a loss, but with pretty much the same team that went 11-1 in the regular season last year, it's not a stretch to say Baylor will do no worse than 10 wins in 2014.
K-State's not fucking around w/ their schedule (doing all 15 practices in just over 3 weeks). Most schools spread it out as long as possible (5 weeks, 3 practices/week). I think the kids will retain what they learn more by spreading it out longer. Not sure why they'd want to rush through the spring season.
I'm not sure what the reason would be for the rushed spring. I'm not sure if this is their regular routine every year or not. I know KSU is notorious for starting slow. And then play themselves into game shape. If they use their main stadium for their practices, the short spring could be because of stadium renovations that are going on. But I would think that they have an alternate training facility.
Rodney Coe is a huge loss for ISU. Their DL was supposed to be the strongest part of their team this season...
[h=1]Rodney Coe dismissed from ISU football team[/h]
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Photo: Brian Achenbach/Iowa State Daily
[h=3]Cyclone Football Open Practice[/h]Junior defensive lineman Rodney Coe hits the sleds at the open practice at the Johnny Majors Practice Field on August 5, 2013.
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Posted: Thursday, March 13, 2014 3:18 pm | Updated: 11:01 pm, Thu Mar 13, 2014.
Rodney Coe dismissed from ISU football team By Dylan Montz, dylan.montz@iowastatedaily.com TownNews.com
ISU defensive lineman Rodney Coe has been dismissed from the ISU football team for violation of team rules, an ISU spokesman confirmed Thursday.
Coe, who was sitting out of spring practices while recovering from a shoulder injury, made a statement on Twitter:
"Idk [sic] when it's going public but guess I might as well say it now. I've been dismissed from the ISU football program after this semester and will be continuing my football career somewhere else! Just wanna say thanks to all the ISU fans showing me love, such an awesome support group and fan base here in Ames, I enjoyed and had a blast being able to play in Jack Trice Stadium and I will truly miss it and and miss playing with the amazing group of guys here, I love all yal boys and wish yal the best in yal season! Sorry if I let anyone down!"
Coe started the final four games of the 2013 season at defensive tackle and recorded 37 tackles, five tackles for loss and two pass breakups throughout the year. He averaged 4 tackles per game in the last five games of the year.
[h=1]Rodney Coe dismissed from ISU football team[/h]
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Photo: Brian Achenbach/Iowa State Daily[h=3]Cyclone Football Open Practice[/h]Junior defensive lineman Rodney Coe hits the sleds at the open practice at the Johnny Majors Practice Field on August 5, 2013.
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Posted: Thursday, March 13, 2014 3:18 pm | Updated: 11:01 pm, Thu Mar 13, 2014.
Rodney Coe dismissed from ISU football team By Dylan Montz, dylan.montz@iowastatedaily.com TownNews.com
ISU defensive lineman Rodney Coe has been dismissed from the ISU football team for violation of team rules, an ISU spokesman confirmed Thursday.
Coe, who was sitting out of spring practices while recovering from a shoulder injury, made a statement on Twitter:
"Idk [sic] when it's going public but guess I might as well say it now. I've been dismissed from the ISU football program after this semester and will be continuing my football career somewhere else! Just wanna say thanks to all the ISU fans showing me love, such an awesome support group and fan base here in Ames, I enjoyed and had a blast being able to play in Jack Trice Stadium and I will truly miss it and and miss playing with the amazing group of guys here, I love all yal boys and wish yal the best in yal season! Sorry if I let anyone down!"
Coe started the final four games of the 2013 season at defensive tackle and recorded 37 tackles, five tackles for loss and two pass breakups throughout the year. He averaged 4 tackles per game in the last five games of the year.
Okie State loses two starters. The Pokes took a big hit on defense this year with graduations. So this isn't good news. Plus they lost Joe Wickline to Texas. He was probably the best OL coach in the country. Gundy is really going to have to work his magic this year for the Pokes to be competitive against the big boys.
Oklahoma State Football Loses Two Starters [Updated]
By ChrisRoss.sports @ChrisRossCRFF on Mar 10 2014, 2:32p 3
Welp, It's officially the football off-season.
Lyndell Johnson was expected to do big things things in the secondary. Last season he recorded 54 tackles, including 4 for a loss. Gundy said in the press conference that Johnson left for personal reasons. He his still enrolled at Oklahoma State.
Jake Jenkins has graduated from Oklahoma State and will not return to the football team. It's another tough loss, and new O-line coach Bob Connelly has his work cut out to replace him.
*****
It was also reported that Oklahoma State will be without backup center Travis Cross. Cross has also graduated and has decided to pursue other endeavors.
"We need that practice." -Coach Gundy
That leaves Paul Lewis, a red-shirt freshman last season, as the likely replacement to Jenkins.
It could be worse. At least Connelly will have the entire spring and fall to prepare Cross before going to Jerry World to face defending National Champion Florida State.
"We need that practice." Gundy said about changing up the spring game.
Oklahoma State Football Loses Two Starters [Updated]
By ChrisRoss.sports @ChrisRossCRFF on Mar 10 2014, 2:32p 3
Welp, It's officially the football off-season.
Lyndell Johnson was expected to do big things things in the secondary. Last season he recorded 54 tackles, including 4 for a loss. Gundy said in the press conference that Johnson left for personal reasons. He his still enrolled at Oklahoma State.
Jake Jenkins has graduated from Oklahoma State and will not return to the football team. It's another tough loss, and new O-line coach Bob Connelly has his work cut out to replace him.
*****
It was also reported that Oklahoma State will be without backup center Travis Cross. Cross has also graduated and has decided to pursue other endeavors.
"We need that practice." -Coach Gundy
That leaves Paul Lewis, a red-shirt freshman last season, as the likely replacement to Jenkins.
It could be worse. At least Connelly will have the entire spring and fall to prepare Cross before going to Jerry World to face defending National Champion Florida State.
"We need that practice." Gundy said about changing up the spring game.
The Big 12 looking at solution to the Big 12 Championship Game. I've got to admit, I have mixed feelings about this.
[h=1]ACC pushing for conference championship game changes; Big 12 listening[/h] Posted by Kevin McGuire on March 21, 2014, 9:12 PM EDT
Getty ImagesAsk anyone who follows ACC football who the best two teams in the conference were in 2013 and the response would likely be Florida State and Clemson. both went on to play in BCS bowl games, Florida State winning the BCS National Championship and Clemson winning the Orange Bowl,but it was Duke that played the Seminoles in the ACC Conference Championship Game in Charlotte last season. Florida State and Clemson were the best two teams in the conference in 2012 as well, but Florida State was paired up with Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game despite the Yellow Jackets actually being the third best option out of their own division (Miami voluntarily sat out of the postseason and North Carolina was on a postseason ban). If the ACC gets its way, the two best teams in the conference regardless of division affiliation will get a chance to compete for the conference championship in the future.
According to a report by Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com, the ACC is asking for a deregulation of football conference championship games. If approved by the NCAA, conferences will be permitted to establish the rules and guidelines for their respective conference championship games instead of following the mandated NCAA blueprint that requires two division champions to face off even if potentially more worthy teams are available. If approved, the Big Ten, Pac 12, SEC, Conference USA, MAC and Mountain West Conference could do the same. The American could follow suit when Navy joins the conference and a championship game is introduced in 2015. And yes, even the Big 12 could revisit the idea of a conference championship game.
The Big 12 has had to put their conference championship game on ice in after the previous rounds of realignment reduced the conference to a 12-member league to 10. Texas A&M and Missouri left for the SEC, the pioneer conference of the championship game. Nebraska joined the Big Ten, allowing that conference to form two divisions and create a conference championship game. Colorado left to join the Pac 10 along with Utah from the Mountain West Conference. That allowed the Pac 10 to rebrand to the Pac 12 and start their championship game as well. The Big 12 has since added West Virginia and TCU, but has been sitting on 10 members for the past few years. Although the Big 12 could have applied for a waiver to approve a conference championship game — any conference below 12 members is allowed to ask — the Big 12 has settled on life without a conference championship game. But how long will that last?
“You wouldn’t any longer have to have 12 (teams),” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in Dodd’s report. “You wouldn’t any longer have to play a full round-robin in your subdivision. That would actually afford us the opportunity to have a playoff between two selected teams by whatever process we would want to select. I doubt we’re going to do that but we would likely have the prerogative.”
With conference media rights packages continuing to draw big bucks, the demand for more attractive match-ups is rising and television partners are more than willing to give a nudge when needed. If the Big 12 does not want to be left behind, returning to a conference championship game might be a good idea. The best part is it would help the Big 12 stay at 10 members because the need to expand will no longer be there for the conference. If the NCAA allows for a deregulation of the conference championship games, getting to 12 teams becomes less of a priority. The problem the Big 12 faced once losing Texas A&M, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado and adding West Virginia and TCU is there was a lack of attractive expansion candidates that would boost the membership to 12 schools. The BYU talk has been sitting in a corner waiting for a reason to pull up a seat to the table, but without a 12th member that made any sense for the Big 12, nothing really developed.
The Big 12 has the perfect setting just waiting for the championship game to make a return in Arlington. The television partners with the conference, ESPN and FOX, surely would jump at the opportunity to add another championship game to the line-up as well. The pieces are just about all in place for the Big 12. Somebody just needs to put them all together.
Potential 2013 Conference Championship Match-ups with Deregulation
(using BCS standings for placement)
So what would the conference championships have looked like in 2013 if there was a deregulation of the championship game rules in 2013? Honestly, perhaps not all that much different. The Big Ten and Pac 12 would have had the same match-ups, but the match-ups may have been different in the ACC and SEC, where an Iron Bowl rematch would have taken place one week after that memorable finish. The Big 12 may have given Oklahoma State a Mulligan for a loss in the Bedlam game to Oklahoma if using BCS standings, but the Sooners finished second in the conference standings. One of them would have faced Baylor, who won the Big 12 title last fall.
ACC: Florida State vs. Clemson
American: UCF vs. Louisville
Big 12: Oklahoma State vs. Baylor
Big Ten: Ohio State vs. Michigan State
Pac 12: Stanford vs. Arizona State
SEC: Auburn vs. Alabama
Conference USA: Marshall vs. Rice (although a Marshall vs. East Carolina rematch may have come in to play if going off expanded BCS standings)
MAC: Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green
Mountain West: Fresno State vs. Utah State
Sun Belt: Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Arkansas State
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...e-championship-game-changes-big-12-listening/
[h=1]ACC pushing for conference championship game changes; Big 12 listening[/h] Posted by Kevin McGuire on March 21, 2014, 9:12 PM EDT
According to a report by Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com, the ACC is asking for a deregulation of football conference championship games. If approved by the NCAA, conferences will be permitted to establish the rules and guidelines for their respective conference championship games instead of following the mandated NCAA blueprint that requires two division champions to face off even if potentially more worthy teams are available. If approved, the Big Ten, Pac 12, SEC, Conference USA, MAC and Mountain West Conference could do the same. The American could follow suit when Navy joins the conference and a championship game is introduced in 2015. And yes, even the Big 12 could revisit the idea of a conference championship game.
The Big 12 has had to put their conference championship game on ice in after the previous rounds of realignment reduced the conference to a 12-member league to 10. Texas A&M and Missouri left for the SEC, the pioneer conference of the championship game. Nebraska joined the Big Ten, allowing that conference to form two divisions and create a conference championship game. Colorado left to join the Pac 10 along with Utah from the Mountain West Conference. That allowed the Pac 10 to rebrand to the Pac 12 and start their championship game as well. The Big 12 has since added West Virginia and TCU, but has been sitting on 10 members for the past few years. Although the Big 12 could have applied for a waiver to approve a conference championship game — any conference below 12 members is allowed to ask — the Big 12 has settled on life without a conference championship game. But how long will that last?
“You wouldn’t any longer have to have 12 (teams),” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in Dodd’s report. “You wouldn’t any longer have to play a full round-robin in your subdivision. That would actually afford us the opportunity to have a playoff between two selected teams by whatever process we would want to select. I doubt we’re going to do that but we would likely have the prerogative.”
With conference media rights packages continuing to draw big bucks, the demand for more attractive match-ups is rising and television partners are more than willing to give a nudge when needed. If the Big 12 does not want to be left behind, returning to a conference championship game might be a good idea. The best part is it would help the Big 12 stay at 10 members because the need to expand will no longer be there for the conference. If the NCAA allows for a deregulation of the conference championship games, getting to 12 teams becomes less of a priority. The problem the Big 12 faced once losing Texas A&M, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado and adding West Virginia and TCU is there was a lack of attractive expansion candidates that would boost the membership to 12 schools. The BYU talk has been sitting in a corner waiting for a reason to pull up a seat to the table, but without a 12th member that made any sense for the Big 12, nothing really developed.
The Big 12 has the perfect setting just waiting for the championship game to make a return in Arlington. The television partners with the conference, ESPN and FOX, surely would jump at the opportunity to add another championship game to the line-up as well. The pieces are just about all in place for the Big 12. Somebody just needs to put them all together.
Potential 2013 Conference Championship Match-ups with Deregulation
(using BCS standings for placement)
So what would the conference championships have looked like in 2013 if there was a deregulation of the championship game rules in 2013? Honestly, perhaps not all that much different. The Big Ten and Pac 12 would have had the same match-ups, but the match-ups may have been different in the ACC and SEC, where an Iron Bowl rematch would have taken place one week after that memorable finish. The Big 12 may have given Oklahoma State a Mulligan for a loss in the Bedlam game to Oklahoma if using BCS standings, but the Sooners finished second in the conference standings. One of them would have faced Baylor, who won the Big 12 title last fall.
ACC: Florida State vs. Clemson
American: UCF vs. Louisville
Big 12: Oklahoma State vs. Baylor
Big Ten: Ohio State vs. Michigan State
Pac 12: Stanford vs. Arizona State
SEC: Auburn vs. Alabama
Conference USA: Marshall vs. Rice (although a Marshall vs. East Carolina rematch may have come in to play if going off expanded BCS standings)
MAC: Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green
Mountain West: Fresno State vs. Utah State
Sun Belt: Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Arkansas State
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...e-championship-game-changes-big-12-listening/
The Baylor AD is either lying through his teeth or is a complete idiot. It's either or. You CANNOT defend playing a school like Incarnate Word. Seriously guys, this is an actual football team. And he wants Baylor to be taken seriously for a playoff spot? Nuh uh.
Baylor AD defends scheduling of Incarnate Word
Posted by Kevin McGuire on March 19, 2014, 7:24 PM EDT
Getty ImagesBaylor has scheduled a game against University of Incarnate Word for the 2019 season. At a time when college football is moving toward a stronger emphasis on strength of schedule, Baylor’s latest scheduling announcement seems to go against the grain for those in favor of stronger non-conference match-ups. Baylor Athletics Director Ian McCaw took to the radio to defend the decision to add UIW, a FCS program coming off its first year after moving up from the Division 2 ranks, to the future schedule.
During an interview on ESPN Radio Central Texas McCaw said Baylor has often scheduled one game against a program from the FCS within the region. With UIW moving up to the FCS and joining the Southland Conference, they fall within those parameters. McCaw defended that decision by referencing SEC schedules against FCS opponents and said there is no plan to change that scheduling structure in the future at Baylor. Baylor has scheduled an FCS team every season dating back to 2001. The defending Big 12 champions are scheduled to host Northwestern State in 2014, Lamar in 2015 and Northwestern State again in 2016. As noted by FBSchedules.com, a future game against Liberty is also on the agenda but does not have a specific date or year in place just yet.
The self-proclaimed thick-skinned AD noted fans have voiced opinions and demand for more interesting, or perhaps challenging games, but games against the likes of Alabama or Ohio State are probably going to be pipe dreams according to McCaw. McCaw did say Baylor has been in discussions with UTEP about potential games in the future, but nothing has been put together just yet. A former Baylor rival from the old Southwest Conference, Houston, is not expected to show up on the future schedule any time soon.
Baylor will rack up the points on a weak opponent, but they will not b the only ones to do so in the coming years. As long as a win against a FCS school counts the same in the win column as one against a conference opponent, this scheduling trend is not going anywhere. The hope for the good of the sport is that more schools will move away from this scheduling philosophy as strength of schedule is given more emphasis in the College Football Playoff, but until a team is punished for playing inferior opponents solely to pad the stats and grab an automatic win, Baylor is far from the only team to take advantage of schools like UIW.
You can listen to the radio interview here.
Baylor AD defends scheduling of Incarnate Word
Posted by Kevin McGuire on March 19, 2014, 7:24 PM EDT
During an interview on ESPN Radio Central Texas McCaw said Baylor has often scheduled one game against a program from the FCS within the region. With UIW moving up to the FCS and joining the Southland Conference, they fall within those parameters. McCaw defended that decision by referencing SEC schedules against FCS opponents and said there is no plan to change that scheduling structure in the future at Baylor. Baylor has scheduled an FCS team every season dating back to 2001. The defending Big 12 champions are scheduled to host Northwestern State in 2014, Lamar in 2015 and Northwestern State again in 2016. As noted by FBSchedules.com, a future game against Liberty is also on the agenda but does not have a specific date or year in place just yet.
The self-proclaimed thick-skinned AD noted fans have voiced opinions and demand for more interesting, or perhaps challenging games, but games against the likes of Alabama or Ohio State are probably going to be pipe dreams according to McCaw. McCaw did say Baylor has been in discussions with UTEP about potential games in the future, but nothing has been put together just yet. A former Baylor rival from the old Southwest Conference, Houston, is not expected to show up on the future schedule any time soon.
Baylor will rack up the points on a weak opponent, but they will not b the only ones to do so in the coming years. As long as a win against a FCS school counts the same in the win column as one against a conference opponent, this scheduling trend is not going anywhere. The hope for the good of the sport is that more schools will move away from this scheduling philosophy as strength of schedule is given more emphasis in the College Football Playoff, but until a team is punished for playing inferior opponents solely to pad the stats and grab an automatic win, Baylor is far from the only team to take advantage of schools like UIW.
You can listen to the radio interview here.
