Starting (kind of) University of Miami quarterback Robert Marve has decided to transfer from Da U.
It seems like the main reason for the transfer is Randy Shannon's refusal to promise Marve the starting job for the 2009 season. And you know what? Shannon has every right to do that. Marve did not exactly separate himself from backup QB Jacory Harris. The two were rotated all season and Harris finished with more TDs, less INTs, and a higher QB rating.
The only thing that really makes this transfer noteworthy is the Marve family's questioning of Shannon's character. They were upset that Shannon decided to wait 8 months to suspend Marve for the 2008 season opener. No one knows where Marve will transfer to because Shannon has pretty much barred him from playing anywhere in the Southeast.
Here are the Marve family quotes:
"(Randy Shannon) is preventing Robert from playing for any team in the ACC and also trying to prevent him from playing for any SEC team and any team in Florida, all the teams," said Marve's father, Eugene. "It's vindictive. If he's that worried about the talent of Robert Marve he would have treated him with better respect.
"I had to get out," Marve told the AP from his family's home in Tampa. "I just decided that I can't play for Coach Shannon."
``Shannon gave him the release with that stipulation. I've never heard of that before. The ACC [ban] is reasonable. The SEC is ridiculous. There are a lot of schools in the SEC that never see Miami. This has gone to a personal attack against my son, and it will not go without challenge. This is a shameful day that Shannon has brought to the University of Miami. This is a shameful day for Randy Shannon and what he represents, and every recruit should watch out for what you're seeing happening to Robert Marve."
Some quotes from Marve's coach, including his vow that no player of his will ever play for UM again, can be found here:
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/83434-tampa-high-school-coach-rips-miamis-shannon
So what does this all mean? Probably nothing. I can't really see UM's offense ever reaching a championship level under Randy Shannon no matter who he benches, promotes, whatever. Shannon is a defensive guy and it seems like he doesn't have any idea how to run an offense.
When he took over the UM job he tried to get Mike Shula and Dirk Koetter to run his offense. They both turned him down and he had to settle for Patrick Nix. Of course, Nix was a complete flop and now Shannon will have to go through a couple more candidates who will most likely turn him down before he settles on another offensive coach no one else really wants.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Excuse me sir, I could use your assistance.
Looks like we have some coordinator moves to go over.
#1 - Gus Malzahn / Auburn OC
Love the pick here. Malzahn was the OC for Arkansas when they went to the SEC Championship game in 2006 and he called the plays for a Tulsa team that ranked second in the nation in points and yardage per game this season.
He is one of those guys who can adjust his system to the talent that he has. This should setup some interesting Malzahn vs. Houston Nutt battles in the future. I didn't think it was going to happen, but if Urban Meyer wanted to hire him as UF's OC I wouldn't have complained. Speaking of that job...
#2 - Steve Addazio / Florida OC
Not a new hire, but a promotion. Addazio serves as the offensive line coach and will now be the head play caller also. Really, Meyer could have hired my dog as the new OC and I wouldn't be able to argue with the selection. His track record is pristine. Every OC Meyer has had has gone on to a head coaching position. Considering Addazio was already in consideration for some head coaching spots (Syracuse most notably) I think Addazio will do just fine.
#3 - THE CHIEF John Chavis / LSU DC
This is either going to be a great or disastrous hire. LSU flourished under Bo Pelini's aggressive defensive game plans, but then everything went to hell this year when they tried to run Pelini's (Pelini is now the head coach at Nebraska) scheme using a co-coordinator system.
Chavis is the opposite of Pelini, he'd rather sit back in a zone and eliminate the possibility of the big play. Chavis has been very successful when he had dominant defensive lineman like Albert Haynesworth at Tennessee, but his defenses have become very average when he has lineman who can't get in the backfield.
You'd think Chavis would be a great fit for LSU with the recent talent LSU has had on the defensive line, but unfortunately it seems like the talent well is drying up. Les Miles has had some highly ranked recruiting classes, but so far they have not lived up to their ranking. If LSU can find itself another Glenn Dorsey or two they'll be ok, if not... Chavis and Miles will both probably be out of a job in the next two years.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
PLAYOFFS
I know this is a college football blog but I have to acknowledge what the Dolphins did this year. From 1-15 to 11-5 and AFC East champs. Chad Pennington goes into Jersey and whoops up on Favre and the Jets.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Murray Out / Mullen In
Two interesting developments for the national championship game today...
1. DeMarco Murray Out
Starting Oklahoma running back and kick returner DeMarco Murray will miss the game. I don't think this will hurt Oklahoma's running game too much, as backup Chris Brown actually has rushed for more yards than Murray. Where it's going to hurt is on kick returns and receptions out of the backfield. Murray had a Percy Harvin like ability to line up in the back field and then motion into the slot and catch passes. With Chris Brown in the game, the Gators won't have to guess as much as they would if Murray was in the game.
2. Dan Mullen Will Call Plays
Not sure how I feel about this. If Meyer thinks it's best, then I can't really argue. I'd imagine Meyer demanded that Mullen stay in Gainesville and concentrate solely on the BCS Championship game. Even if this is the case, I can't help but feel that Mullen at least will be somewhat distracted.
1. DeMarco Murray Out
Starting Oklahoma running back and kick returner DeMarco Murray will miss the game. I don't think this will hurt Oklahoma's running game too much, as backup Chris Brown actually has rushed for more yards than Murray. Where it's going to hurt is on kick returns and receptions out of the backfield. Murray had a Percy Harvin like ability to line up in the back field and then motion into the slot and catch passes. With Chris Brown in the game, the Gators won't have to guess as much as they would if Murray was in the game.
2. Dan Mullen Will Call Plays
Not sure how I feel about this. If Meyer thinks it's best, then I can't really argue. I'd imagine Meyer demanded that Mullen stay in Gainesville and concentrate solely on the BCS Championship game. Even if this is the case, I can't help but feel that Mullen at least will be somewhat distracted.
9. Chick-fil-A Bowl - Georgia Tech vs. LSU
An interesting matchup because the two teams are heading in different directions. No one expected much out of Georgia Tech, but they managed to go 9-3 and made a late push for the ACC Championship. LSU started out in the top 10 but ended up 7-5 due to inexperienced QB play and a surprisingly awful defense.
LSU has one advantage in this game because they have a whole month to prepare for Georgia Tech's unusual rushing attack. Will it matter though? LSU was supposed to have one of the best defensive lines in college football, but in big games against Florida and Georgia the defensive line wasn't much of a factor.
On the other side of the football, LSU will have to coach up freshman QB Jordan Jefferson to go against a decent Georgia Tech defense. Jefferson has made less mistakes than Jarett Lee, but he hasn't really been able to move the offense either.
LSU has one advantage in this game because they have a whole month to prepare for Georgia Tech's unusual rushing attack. Will it matter though? LSU was supposed to have one of the best defensive lines in college football, but in big games against Florida and Georgia the defensive line wasn't much of a factor.
On the other side of the football, LSU will have to coach up freshman QB Jordan Jefferson to go against a decent Georgia Tech defense. Jefferson has made less mistakes than Jarett Lee, but he hasn't really been able to move the offense either.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Top 10 Bowl Games
Over the next ten days I will take a look at what I think are the ten best bowl games, starting with...
#10. Hawaii Bowl - Hawaii vs. Notre Dame
This one creeps in at the #10 spot for two reasons:
1. If Notre Dame can't end its nine game bowl losing streak against Hawaii then it might actually be possible that they never win another bowl game again.
2. Cheeseburger Charlie is officially on the one-more-bad-season-and-you're-gone hot seat. No one is going to be saying the Irish are back if they win this game, but at least a win will be something to build on going into next year's do-or-die season.
As for the game itself... it should be pretty close, because these two teams are the definition of mediocrity. Neither of them do anything particularly well, but they are also not totally inept.
#10. Hawaii Bowl - Hawaii vs. Notre Dame
This one creeps in at the #10 spot for two reasons:
1. If Notre Dame can't end its nine game bowl losing streak against Hawaii then it might actually be possible that they never win another bowl game again.
2. Cheeseburger Charlie is officially on the one-more-bad-season-and-you're-gone hot seat. No one is going to be saying the Irish are back if they win this game, but at least a win will be something to build on going into next year's do-or-die season.
As for the game itself... it should be pretty close, because these two teams are the definition of mediocrity. Neither of them do anything particularly well, but they are also not totally inept.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The Cycle Is Nearly Complete
As recently as the beginning of this season it looked like the SEC was set to maintain it's reputation as the best conference in college football for quite some time. The league boasted five national championship winning coaches (Steve Spurrier, Phil Fulmer, Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Les Miles), one coach who led his team to an undefeated season (Tommy Tuberville), an SEC championship caliber coach (Mark Richt), two proven winners (Houston Nutt, Bobby Petrino), and two coaches capable of making both Kentucky and Vanderbilt respectable (Rich Brooks, Bobby Johnson). The only weak link was Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State.
Fast forward to December 13th and the SEC coaching landscape looks a lot different. Here is how I think each school's stock has changed since the beginning of the season:
Alabama - Stock: Way Up
Nick Saban has turned Bama around in just his second season. Alabama's stock has risen more than any other school's this season. One of the few bright spots in the SEC this season.
Arkansas - Stock: Unchanged
The record will say that Arkansas' stock took a bit of a hit this season, but that is not the case. Arkansas had to replace two first round running back talents and much of the defense. Bobby Petrino's young team improved as the season went on and with Ryan Mallet ready to take over the QB position next season, Arkansas may be ready to make some noise in the west.
Auburn - Stock: Way Down
Gene Chizik replaced Tommy Tuberville. This is a real head scratcher. Really, Auburn's president should fire the AD and Chizik tomorrow. Just an unexcusable hire. What an absolute train wreck.
Florida - Stock: Up
Urban Meyer has proven that he will have the Gators in contention for national titles for years to come. It might be hard to believe, but this is just the beginning. This Florida team is still very young. If Brandon Spikes does not leave early, the Gators will return every starter from what is already a dominant defense.
Georgia - Stock: Down
You can blame the disappointing season on injuries, but true championship caliber teams have enough depth to overcome some personnel losses. Richt may never have a better QB/RB/WR trio than Stafford/Moreno/Green.
Kentucky - Stock: Unchanged
With a respectable 6-6 season, Rich Brooks has shown that he can keep Kentucky competitive in the SEC.
LSU - Stock: Way Down
I would have been willing to give Miles a pass on this season because of the Perilloux ordeal, but the QB position was not the only reason LSU stunk this season. The defense was routinely lit up and the Tigers managed to lose three games at home. Miles is going to have to turn it around quick or he'll be gone in two years.
Mississippi - Stock: Up
Houston Nutt took a team that did not win a single SEC team last year and led them to victories in Baton Rouge and Gainesville. Ed Orgeron recruited well and now Nutt is reaping the benefits. If Nutt can maintain this kind of talent in Oxford he might be able to win an SEC West and maybe even an SEC championship.
Mississippi State - Stock: Unchanged
This is definitely the most intriguing of all the new hires. MSU was in desperate need of some offense, so they went out and hired arguably the best offensive coordinator in the SEC. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Did Meyer make Mullen? Was he only successful because of Tebow and Harvin? If Mullen is the real deal, will he have all the tools necessary to be successful at MSU?
South Carolina - Stock: Down
The 'Ol Ball Coach has gotten decent play out of his defense, but he has yet to get the offense up to Spurrier standards. It is looking less and less likely that Spurrier will be able to accomplish any of his goals at South Carolina.
Tennessee - Stock: Way Down
Even though Tennessee was picked to finish third in the SEC East this year, no one saw 5-7 coming. Fulmer is gone. Kiffin may or may not turn out to be a good hire, but you'd have to think that Tennessee needed to get a bigger name than this. When the fanbase is more excited about the assistants being brought in than the actual head coach... there might be a problem.
Vanderbilt - Stock: Slightly Up
Vandy finally gains bowl eligibility.
Conference Outlook:
The SEC is starting to look like the Big 12 did earlier this decade. Two dominant teams (Florida and Alabama) and then a bunch of middle of the road and lower tiered teams. LSU and Georgia are going to need to step it up over the next few seasons or Meyer and Saban are going to run away with the conference.
Fast forward to December 13th and the SEC coaching landscape looks a lot different. Here is how I think each school's stock has changed since the beginning of the season:
Alabama - Stock: Way Up
Nick Saban has turned Bama around in just his second season. Alabama's stock has risen more than any other school's this season. One of the few bright spots in the SEC this season.
Arkansas - Stock: Unchanged
The record will say that Arkansas' stock took a bit of a hit this season, but that is not the case. Arkansas had to replace two first round running back talents and much of the defense. Bobby Petrino's young team improved as the season went on and with Ryan Mallet ready to take over the QB position next season, Arkansas may be ready to make some noise in the west.
Auburn - Stock: Way Down
Gene Chizik replaced Tommy Tuberville. This is a real head scratcher. Really, Auburn's president should fire the AD and Chizik tomorrow. Just an unexcusable hire. What an absolute train wreck.
Florida - Stock: Up
Urban Meyer has proven that he will have the Gators in contention for national titles for years to come. It might be hard to believe, but this is just the beginning. This Florida team is still very young. If Brandon Spikes does not leave early, the Gators will return every starter from what is already a dominant defense.
Georgia - Stock: Down
You can blame the disappointing season on injuries, but true championship caliber teams have enough depth to overcome some personnel losses. Richt may never have a better QB/RB/WR trio than Stafford/Moreno/Green.
Kentucky - Stock: Unchanged
With a respectable 6-6 season, Rich Brooks has shown that he can keep Kentucky competitive in the SEC.
LSU - Stock: Way Down
I would have been willing to give Miles a pass on this season because of the Perilloux ordeal, but the QB position was not the only reason LSU stunk this season. The defense was routinely lit up and the Tigers managed to lose three games at home. Miles is going to have to turn it around quick or he'll be gone in two years.
Mississippi - Stock: Up
Houston Nutt took a team that did not win a single SEC team last year and led them to victories in Baton Rouge and Gainesville. Ed Orgeron recruited well and now Nutt is reaping the benefits. If Nutt can maintain this kind of talent in Oxford he might be able to win an SEC West and maybe even an SEC championship.
Mississippi State - Stock: Unchanged
This is definitely the most intriguing of all the new hires. MSU was in desperate need of some offense, so they went out and hired arguably the best offensive coordinator in the SEC. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Did Meyer make Mullen? Was he only successful because of Tebow and Harvin? If Mullen is the real deal, will he have all the tools necessary to be successful at MSU?
South Carolina - Stock: Down
The 'Ol Ball Coach has gotten decent play out of his defense, but he has yet to get the offense up to Spurrier standards. It is looking less and less likely that Spurrier will be able to accomplish any of his goals at South Carolina.
Tennessee - Stock: Way Down
Even though Tennessee was picked to finish third in the SEC East this year, no one saw 5-7 coming. Fulmer is gone. Kiffin may or may not turn out to be a good hire, but you'd have to think that Tennessee needed to get a bigger name than this. When the fanbase is more excited about the assistants being brought in than the actual head coach... there might be a problem.
Vanderbilt - Stock: Slightly Up
Vandy finally gains bowl eligibility.
Conference Outlook:
The SEC is starting to look like the Big 12 did earlier this decade. Two dominant teams (Florida and Alabama) and then a bunch of middle of the road and lower tiered teams. LSU and Georgia are going to need to step it up over the next few seasons or Meyer and Saban are going to run away with the conference.
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