Write On Sports LLC - "Football 2007..Week 1" by Tom Zuck

Football 2007..Week 1

2007-08-31 12:28:10 | By: Tom Zuck

Whew, 23 weeks down and one more Friday to go for me until racing is over and football starts..Saturday! I am seriously ready for some ball. The racing is fun but it's damn near half the year. So now it is time to talk about football.

Last year we brought you an overview of each team and just what I thought we could expect. Pitt looked like they were better but then the season fell apart and the two big games against WVU and Louisville turned into second half butt kickings. Pitt was in the Rutgers game but then Ray Rice broke a huge TD run and that was it and we lost by 10.

Oh well, I think we are getting closer but the key is to get the games you should win. That means no more losses to UConn or Ohio University. As for some of the other teams on our watch list here I think the speed difference was great in the Rose Bowl and the Florida - Ohio State game. Yes, Ohio State is very good but their linebackers were two steps behind the Florida backs and receivers all night.

So on to this year. There are some teams that have some big holes to fill. The Buckeyes must replace Troy Smith and Ted Ginn. Do they have the guys to do it? Michigan must finally live up to its purported talent level. Beating Indiana each year does NOT make you ready to play USC. Auburn has to replace four of five offensive linemen. Pitt must finally stop someone from running the ball. Penn State has to prove they can run the ball against the top teams, which will be difficult with an almost new offensive line.

Everyone's favorite team to hate, Notre Dame, could be in trouble. But I am not jumping on the beat up ND bandwagon. I just think that Charlie will have something up his sleeve. And judging by the Penn State message board there will be a riot if the Nits lose in a few weeks to the Irish.

And speaking of message boards; I love how you always hear Penn Staters talk down to Pitt fans about how they don't care one lick about us. We mean nothing to them. If that is true why do so many on Blue & White Illustrated spend so much time talking about Pitt? More importantly, why am I looking at Blue & White Illustrated online? It's fun sometimes. Sure Pitt fans are irrational in our hatred of State Penn, and that is expected, but I do think it's funny. It's not as bad as Auburn fans talking about Alabama though. That is some funny stuff.

Anyway, on to the teams with their all-time records and bowl records..enjoy**

West Virginia:

563-383-41, 11-15-0

Arguably the Mounties have the best quarterback and tailback combo in the country. Pat White and Steve Slaton.now, enter Noel Devine. This kid is scary and the word from Al Davis, although it might be an urban legend, is that Devine raced Slaton.minus shoes (insert West Virginia joke here) and beat him no problem. Everyone knows they will score a lot of points. The question is will the defense stop anyone good. If so, this could be a magical season.

Pitt:

590-410-37, 10-14

For years now Pitt has put out some great "skill" players. We have put DBs, LBs, and wide receivers into the NFL. The problem is that the most successful teams put linemen in too. That is something we have not done. Pitt's fortunes will rise, or fall, with the line play. Things look better though. If they stay healthy this could be a nice season. The road schedule is killer though, @ WVU, Rutgers, Mich. St., UVA and Louisville. The backfield looks better able to rush the ball too. So time will tell if we finally get this thing turned around.

Michigan State:

471-326-30, 7-10-0

Man that fourth quarter collapse against Notre Dame was tough. Have they recovered? My guess is yes because new head coach Mark Dantonio will not let them dwell. The problem is the Spartans have a change of philosophy to deal with. The massive offensive line returns but will have to change from a pass-blocking scheme to running. My guess is that the progress made this season is not noticed by the nation, but it will be noticed in East Lansing.

Wisconsin:

582-447-52, 10-8-0

This could be the year Wisconsin takes control of the Big 10. The Badgers have it all, a terrific young coach, a bruising running attack led by awesome P.J. Hill and a smothering defense. The biggest question will be at quarterback. Three big games, @PSU, @ OSU and home against Michigan will decide the season.

Navy:

583-487-52, 6-6-1

These guys are great fun to watch. Anyone who views Navy as a novelty is wrong. The option the way Navy runs it is beautiful. The skill people are all back on offense but the line needs some work. Defensively there are just three starters returning. The early season test at Rutgers will be key. As will games at Pitt, at ND and home against Wake Forest will tell if this is a good season or a great one.

Texas:

759-303-32, 23-21-2

One of the Texas hallmarks has been great defense. Last year the pass defense was not very good. That needs to change for the Longhorns to get back through the Big 12 Championship game and a possible BCS title game. Colt McCoy is back at QB, that's a plus. He needs Jamaal Charles to have a big season. Up front 3 of 5 starters return. On defense the front seven are always good. Just one starter is back in the secondary though, plus Gene Chizik is gone as Defensive Coordinator. Luckily for the Longhorns the schedule works out well. The first "tough" game should be Sept. 29 against KSU.

Auburn:

641-374-43, 18-13-2

Brandon Cox was never on last season; whatever the reasons he just did not perform well. The line was terrible at times and it showed in the two losses. Running back is not a problem, having only one returning starter on the offensive line could be! Defensively the Tigers are fast and will hit you. They do need to get more push from the middle of the line and that will force backs and QBs into the arms of speedy ends and backers. All in all it could be a very nice season.

Boston College:

421-315-14, 12-6-0

Tom O'Brien is gone, to another ACC team.hmmmm. That makes the N.C. State game Sept. 8 very interesting. New coach Jeff Jagodzinski is lucky that he has Matt Ryan back for his senior season. Ryan is terrific and makes great decisions. He's also pretty talented too. Someone has to step forward at running back and claim the position. Nine starters return on defense. BC is always tough, albeit never spectacular. They might have missed their window of opportunity last season in what was a down year for the ACC.

UMass:

UMass was very good last year, 13-2, and that made Jim happy! The Minutemen lost the national championship game and also lost the top rusher, top receiver from last season. UMass has lots of defense so another run at the national championship is possible.

Duke:

422-431-28, 3-5-0

Again, thank God for basketball. Duke returns all 11 starters from last year's team, a team that went 0-12. There is hope though because Brady Quinn's QB coach last season at ND is now the Duke Offensive Coordinator. Soooooo, maybe there is hope. If not, there is always basketball.

Va. Tech:

601-402-44, 7-13-0

Hokie fans are talking a lot this season, and it has nothing to do with Michael Vick. It has to do with an awesome defense, as usual. Up front and through the middle the Hokies' defense is killer and on the perimeter they are more than solid. I do have one problem with the offense. I liked them better when they had two main backs. As it is there is just one main runner, Brandon Ore. He's very good, but needs some help. There could be a QB battle through the season between returning starter Sean Glennon and Ike Whitaker. The game Sept. 8 at LSU could decide if the Hokies play in the BCS championship game.

Oklahoma:

705-268-47, 24-14-1

After last season's QB fiasco the Sooners will probably start redshirt freshman Sam Bradford. He won't have Adrian Peterson in his back pocket for insurance. Running back Allen Patrick needs a big season to help Bradford's development, as will a good season from a massive and rugged offensive line. There are gaping holes on the defensive line but there should be competent replacements. The showdown with Miami Sept. 8 will go a long way towards telling what type of a season the Sooners have.

Notre Dame:

744-254-33, 13-15-0

Will Notre Dame do better without the high expectations? A lot of folks are saying the Fighting Irish will lose their first eight games, which is insane. Charlie Weiss better start delivering though. Gone is Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardzjia. Who will be the QB? Weiss knows but won't say yet. The opener against Ga. Tech is tough, but that's followed by a stretch at PSU and Michigan. We will know a lot right away. Notre Dame fans can't worry about not winning its last eight or nine bowl games this year, they just have to worry about winning enough games to get to one.

Penn State (boooo):

758-335-37, 25-12-2

Will the real Anthony Morelli please stand up? Please stand up. Is Morelli the guy? We will find out. He played very well in the win over a rather pedestrian Tennessee team in last year's Outback Bowl. Austin Scott finally has his shot at tailback and he is a question mark. The offensive line has struggled recently too. Defense is rarely a problem at Penn State and this year it should be very good. Dan Connor is the leader and if the defensive line comes around this defense will be one of the nation's best. The ND game Sept. 8 will go a long way towards determining the type of season PSU has.

Georgia:

675-355-50, 23-15-3

Georgia must get its offensive line situation figured out. The team is set at QB and running back, even though I don't think they have rushed the ball as well as needed. Kregg Lumpkin needs a big season from the backfield. The defense has some holes too. Only two starters return on the front seven so there needs to be a rapid progression on defense. The opener Saturday against Oklahoma State is going to be an interesting game. The possibility is there for a good season, but there are way too many questions that need sorted out.

Wake Forest:

379-575-31, 4-3-0

Last season was a dream year for Wake. Now the task is to replicate that. I don't think it can be done. Not because Wake will not be good, I just think the rest of the conference will be better. Two games right off the bat are very difficult for the Demon Deacons, @ BC and then home against Nebraska. All the key pieces return on offense, including Micah Andrews who is back after knee surgery. Quarterback Riley Skinner is great fun to watch. This is a great story and the fact that our boy Matt Hartford is on the team makes you want to root for them. Go Deacons!

...that's Matt during a recent scrimmage at Wake! Photo courtesy of the Winston-Salem Journal newspaper

Michigan:

834-2742-35, 18-20-0 (8-11 in Rose Bowl games)

Alright, now before Asa gets all PO'd at me I will state what I think of Michigan. The defense fattened up last year on some bad teams. The two biggest games it played, OSU and USC the defense gave up 71 points. Teams that want to be considered great do not do that. They failed their biggest tests, and I won a steak dinner from my cousin Jimbo with the result of the Rose Bowl. That being said, the pieces are there for a great season. Offensively the Wolverines should score a ton of points. Only four starters return on defense, so there are questions. They have an interesting schedule too. September games against Oregon, ND and PSU give way to a soft schedule in the middle. That's followed by monster games against Wisconsin and OSU to close November.

USC:

645-258-40, 29-16-0

This is a special time at USC. The Trojans have had a run for the ages and this year is more of the same. Everyone talks about the skill on offense but this year's defense will be awesome. EVERYONE is back. On offense they will be pretty darn good too. John David Booty's name is great fun to say and he is fun to watch too. There is an embarrassment of riches at running back too. At Nebraska Sept. 15 could be interesting but I really don't see the Trojans losing this season, until possibly the BCS championship game.

Ohio State:

655-233-36, 18-19-0

Dave McNally won't like to hear this but it's true. The lack of speed on defense killed the Buckeyes when they played Florida. But really, most of us would love to have Jim Tressel and the program he has built. The Buckeyes lose players to the NFL and just plug someone else in there. This year there will be a lot of plugging. The key on offense will be Chris Wells at tailback. If he does what he should he will ease the transition to a new quarterback. On defense the linebackers need to be strong because only one starter returns from last year's line. The Buckeyes will be good. The early game at Washington could be tricky. The end of the season will be tough with games against MSU, PSU and Wisconsin in a row, then Illinois before the game at Michigan.

Tennessee:

736-298-51, 24-22-0

The heat is on for Head Coach Phil Fulmer. UT really needs to get things back to where they were about a decade ago. The last SEC championship came in 1998. The defense does not seem as tough up front and they don't run the ball as well either. Either Arian Foster or LaMarcus Coker has to be the man on offense because QB Erik Ainge does not have an experienced receiver on which he can depend. The linebackers are solid and that should help the interior of the line. The opener Saturday at California will be very interesting. A win there and things might turn out ok.

Here are the TV listings for this weekend. Are you ready for some football?!

08-30 Thu. Tulsa @ UL-Monroe 7:00 p.m. ESPN2
08-30 Thu. Murray State @ Louisville 7:30 p.m. ESPNU
08-30 Thu. LSU @ Mississippi State 8:00 p.m. ESPN
08-30 Thu. Utah @ Oregon State 10:00 p.m. FSN Regional
08-31 Fri. Navy @ Temple 7:30 p.m. ESPNU
08-31 Fri. Washington @ Syracuse 8:00 p.m. ESPN
09-01 Sat. East Carolina @ Virginia Tech Noon ESPN
09-01 Sat. UAB @ Michigan State Noon ESPN2
09-01 Sat. Marshall @ Miami, Fla. Noon ESPNU
09-01 Sat. Colorado State vs. Colorado (Denver) Noon FSN
09-01 Sat. Big Ten Regional Game Noon BigTen
09-01 Sat. Western Kentucky @ Florida 12:30 p.m. GP (Ch. 777)
09-01 Sat. Virginia @ Wyoming 2:00 p.m. Versus
09-01 Sat. South Carolina State @ Air Force 2:00 p.m. The Mtn
09-01 Sat. Southern vs. Florida A&M (Birmingham) 3:00 p.m. ESPN Classic
09-01 Sat. Nevada @ Nebraska 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. 778)
09-01 Sat. Wake Forest @ Boston College 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. 779)
09-01 Sat. Washington State @ Wisconsin 3:30 p.m. ABC
09-01 Sat. Georgia Tech @ Notre Dame 3:30 p.m. NBC
09-01 Sat. Missouri vs. Illinois (St. Louis) 3:30 p.m. ESPN2
09-01 Sat. UCLA @ Stanford 3:30 p.m. FSN
09-01 Sat. Iowa @ Northern Illinois 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
09-01 Sat. Western Michigan @ West Virginia 3:30 p.m. GP (Ch. 780)
09-01 Sat. Houston @ Oregon 3:30 p.m. GP (Ch. 781)
09-01 Sat. Arizona @ BYU 5:30 p.m. Versus
09-01 Sat. Baylor @ TCU 6:00 p.m. CSTV
09-01 Sat. Eastern Kentucky @ Kentucky 6:00 p.m. GP (Ch. 782)
09-01 Sat. Oklahoma State @ Georgia 6:45 p.m. ESPN2
09-01 Sat. North Texas @ Oklahoma 7:00 p.m. FSN
09-01 Sat. Purdue @ Toledo 7:00 p.m. ESPNU
09-01 Sat. Western Carolina @ Alabama 7:00 p.m. GP (Ch. 777)
09-01 Sat. Lafayette @ South Carolina 7:00 p.m. GP (Ch. 778)
09-01 Sat. Army @ Akron 7:00 p.m. GP (Ch. 779)
09-01 Sat. Gardner-Webb @ Ohio 7:00 p.m. GP (Ch. 780)
09-01 Sat. Kansas State @ Auburn 7:45 p.m. ESPN
09-01 Sat. Tennessee @ Cal 8:00 p.m. ABC
09-01 Sat. Big Ten Regional Game 8:00 p.m. BigTen
09-01 Sat. New Mexico @ UTEP 10:00 p.m. CSTV
09-01 Sat. Idaho @ Southern California 10:15 p.m. FSN
09-03 Mon. Texas Tech @ SMU 4:00 p.m. ESPN
09-03 Mon. Florida State @ Clemson 8:00 p.m. ESPN

**Editor's Note: Tom Zuck does a weekly email to many of his friends that has been turned into this column. The email, and this column, focus on the teams that Tom and his friends follow.

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