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Not much has changed here in The Land of Polls since the end of spring practice. Except your desire for something to gnaw on.
(Oops, apologies to sensitivities in Atlanta and the suits at 280 Park Ave.)
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| If John David doesn't thrive ... well, USC better get its Booty in gear. (Getty Images) |
(Gosh, there I go again.)
A new Offseason Top 25 ought to keep you starved pit bulls -- (I just can't help myself) -- busy on the message boards for a while.
Please don't indict a whole segment of sportswriters for one man's pun abuse. In the following 25 capsules, we break down each team's camp issues and worst-case scenarios.
Hey, I'm hungry. Anyone for a PETA?
1. USC: Sort out the tailback situation. Develop a new set of receivers after the loss of Dewayne Jarrett and Steve Smith. Recipe for disaster: A Sept. 15 loss at Nebraska. John David Booty doesn't improve as a senior. Jim Harbaugh was right and Carroll bolts for the NFL.
2. LSU: Buy, trade or steal for quarterback depth. If Matt Flynn goes down, the Tigers could be in big trouble. Recipe for disaster: Les Miles gets his "wish" and plays USC in the BCS title game. The Trojans wouldn't have any motivation at all.
3. Michigan: The defense must re-discover its mojo. Were those last two games a preview of '07 or an anomaly of '06? Recipe for disaster: Are you kidding? Another loss to Ohio State.
4. West Virginia: You don't know Mike Dent. Hopefully, you won't know Mike Dent. He is the guy replacing the Dan Mozes, the All-American center. Centers are supposed to be anonymous. Recipe for disaster: Steve Slaton has more wrist problems (he had offseason surgery). His fumbles arguably cost the Mountaineers the Louisville game.
5. Wisconsin: We keep saying it doesn't matter who the Whiskey quarterback is. Senior Tyler Donovan will battle dual-threat Allan Evridge (a Kansas State transfer) next month. Either way, tailback P.J. Hill and tight end Travis Beckum will have their backs. Recipe for disaster: A hiccup before the runner-take-all game against Michigan on Nov. 10 at home.
6. Virginia Tech: The Hokies have to realize they're playing not just for a championship but for the entire university. Recipe for disaster: Injuries among the linebackers. After USC, Virginia Tech's are the best.
7. Florida: Tim Tebow inexperienced? The kid had a sore throwing arm in the spring, he was throwing so much in the offseason. Like last year, two QBs will play this season. One of Urban Meyer's biggest fall tasks is to develop a backup quarterback. Recipe for disaster: Tebow isn't the superstar he is projected to be and more of a burden falls on the defense.
8. Texas: Everything else in place except the secondary, which finished 99th nationally last season. Recipe for disaster: Colt McCoy's right shoulder is re-injured. You saw at Kansas State what happened when he was knocked out of the game.
9. Louisville: Former Miami bad boy linebacker Willie Williams has resurfaced. Louisville has a history, having taken Miami's Nate Harris and molded him into the team's leading tackler. Recipe for disaster: Brian Brohm gets injured. Again. He seems to make it a habit.
10. Oklahoma: It's never a good thing when you're looking to get snaps for three quarterbacks who have thrown a total of two collegiate passes. Recipe for disaster: Bob Stoops is in the same quandary he was after the spring. None of the quarterbacks -- junior Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford nor freshman Keith Nichol -- distinguish themselves.
11. Auburn: This is a year for the Tigers to surprise. Five of the first six are at home. Never bet against DC Will Muschamp and OC Al Borges. And Tommy T can coach a little, too. Recipe for disaster: An unsettled situation at linebacker doesn't clear itself up in August.
12. Cal: The opener against Tennessee is the barometer. A revenge game at home kicking off the season cannot be lost. Watch cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson, who got torched last season in Knoxville. Recipe for disaster: A loss at home to USC. How many know the Bears shared the Pac-10 with the Trojans last year?
13. UCLA: Karl Dorrell needs to go to shells and shorts in August. Twenty starters are back. Why risk injury? Recipe for disaster: Neither Ben Olson nor Pat Cowan become top-notch Pac-10 quarterbacks. Both are OK, but not great. Olson has been named the starter but Cowan is waiting in the wings.
14. Tennessee: A great Tennessee tradition is in danger. Phil Fulmer is short of game-breaking receivers. He wants to use his running backs more as pass catchers to compensate. Recipe for disaster: A 6-6 season. Not likely to happen but Fulmer would really feel the heat then.
15. Ohio State: Back away from yourselves, Buckeye Nation. A top-heavy Big Ten will doom you to third place, or worse. Recipe for disaster: If TB Beanie Wells doesn't have a breakout season, something is wrong. There's enough pressure on the defense already.
16. Arkansas: The best thing that can happen is that the Razorbacks get back on the field. Unfortunately, no amount of fall practice can make QB Casey Dick better. Recipe for disaster: An 8-5 season and a new AD for Houston Nutt.
17. TCU: This year's designated mid-major could see its major bowl chances evaporate in the second week at Texas. Recipe for disaster: The defense isn't up to Gary Patterson standards. His defenses have allowed no more than 2.8 yards per carry in seven of the last eight seasons.
18. Rutgers: The world can't wait to see 6-foot-6, 350-pound right guard Anthony Davis, perhaps the best recruit in Rutgers history. Recipe for disaster: Quarterback Mike Teel doesn't improve, even just a bit, to support Heisman candidate Ray Rice.
19. Boise State: The Broncos won't win 13 again, but 10 wins with their schedule would be admirable. Recipe for disaster: Chris Petersen goes conservative and doesn't call a Statue of Liberty all season.
20. Georgia: Dawgs have to get their minds back on football. Matthew Stafford can lift a keg, but can he lift Georgia to the SEC title? Recipe for disaster: The task of replacing six starters in the front seven proves to be too much.
21. South Carolina: Does it amaze anyone else than in Year 4 of Spur Dog, the Gamecocks are still winning with defense? TB Cory Boyd must have a big senior season. Recipe for disaster: The offensive line doesn't push back. It was dominated in the spring by the D.
22. Texas A&M: This year's surprise team in the Big 12 is some slight defensive improvements away from winning the South Division. Recipe for disaster: The defense plays more like the unit that gave up 45 to Cal in the bowl game and than the group that held Texas to seven.
23. BYU: Who cares if John Beck is gone? The Cougars are back in the national spotlight and get Utah and TCU at home. Recipe for disaster: There's a lot of revenge waiting out there to smack down nine new starters. Quarterback Max Hall who hasn't taken a snap since high school in 2003.
24. Notre Dame: Three quarterbacks head into August trying to win the coveted title of Charlie Weis' Whipping Boy. Brady Quinn didn't do too bad in that role. Recipe for disaster: Jimmy Clausen's elbow surgery keeps him from playing as a freshman. That leaves only two years before he turns pro (he thinks).
25. (tie) Nebraska/Missouri: One coach will win the Big 12 North. The other will be under fire. Missouri's Gary Pinkel must find a defense. Nebraska's Bill Callahan must find a way over the hump. After playing in the Big 12 title game last season, it would be nice if Callahan could win it this year. Recipe for disaster: Kansas State wins the division.