Ameer Abdullah Doesn't Have Nice Things To Say About Tennessee

Do you know who Ameer Abdullah is? He wasn't on the national radar during the recruiting season, but he did sign with a major Division I school—the Nebraska Cornhuskers—on signing day.

He received a nice slew of offers, including several from SEC schools, but it's his comments about his visit to Tennessee that will likely raise a few eyebrows—especially given the more positive, toned down, atmosphere perceived to be in place under coach Dooley.

Check out the question, and corresponding answer, given by Abdullah during an interview by Rivals.com writer, Mike Matya:

What was the worst moment during the recruiting process?

"Probably when I visited Tennessee. The guys down there… I really didn't want to surround myself with."

Ouch! What's up with that?

You have to admit that was a curious statement to make about a school with a first-class guy as it's head coach.

I'd be interested to know how Abdullah spent his time in Knoxville and with whom, exactly, he spent it.

Ironically, Abdullah's best moment in the recruiting process came courtesy of Tennessee's eastern division rival, Georgia. Abdullah witnessed former star receiver, A.J. Green, in action during his visit to Auburn:

What was your favorite moment during the recruiting process?

"Probably when I visited Auburn and they played Georgia. I saw A.J. Green in action and he caught 211 (yards) on them. That game and seeing him play was the highlight for me."

(sigh)...A.J. did have that effect on people, didn't he? But, I digress.

Honestly, Abdullah's pronouncement should come as a surprise to the Knoxville contingent as it was only a handful of months ago that he was singing a much different tune following an official visit in November.

Said Abdullah, at that time, "I didn’t know much about Tennessee. I learned they have a very huge fan base no matter how the season is going. I met with Tauren Poole, he’s a real cool guy and he was my host. I really like Tennessee."

Uh-huh, just another example of how the recruiting game can be a kick in the head.

Georgia Bulldogs Football: 10 Things You Need To Know About Tennessee

The Georgia Bulldogs are back from Boulder, Colorado and they are 1-4. Everything else is irrelevant at this point as the majority of Georgia fans likely woke up on Sunday morning asking only one question: when will the Bulldogs get another win?

It's useless to recap another disappointing Saturday, because there is no way to adequately explain how a game that could have been won by this Georgia team, was instead, again, lost by them—in such heinous fashion.

As with every week, so far this season, it's just time to move on and focus on the next opponent. This week that's the Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols have shown plenty of fight the last few weeks: winning in overtime, at home, against UAB and in nearly upsetting a vastly overrated LSU team in Baton Rouge this past Saturday.

This team is hungry for an SEC win, and they are more than willing to come into Sanford Stadium to get it. So, what should Georgia fans know about the 2010 Vols?

1. They have a solid running back in Tauren Poole.

If people thought the running game at Tennessee was going to suffer minus the talents of Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown, they were sadly mistaken. Tauren Poole has done a more than capable job of carrying the load this year.

The junior already has three 100+ yard rushing games—including a 109 yard performance against the SEC's best rush defense (LSU) last week—and he's one of the best offensive players on the team. He should not be underestimated.

2. They are steadily improving from week-to-week. 

The Vols aren't a bad team, they're a young team. They've fought through every win and loss and they've done so with a lot of heart. The quarterback play gets better each week, and the careless mistakes that seemed to plague them in the early-going are fewer and fewer as the team gels. It's easy to see that they are coming into their own under Dooley.

3. Matt Simms is gaining confidence. 

The junior quarterback has done as well as you can expect, standing behind a young offensive line, with little pass protection. His numbers may not seem impressive, but he's been money in third down situations (particularly those where between 3-7 yards is needed) and his toughness has made him a fan favorite. He's not particularly mobile, but he can make plays on the move if he has to.

4. Gerald Jones is the leader of this offense. 

After the heartbreaking loss to LSU, the senior wide receiver was said to have gotten in the face of the offensive lineman, asking them the following: "Ask yourself, are you doing your job?" He doesn't shy away from giving or receiving criticism, and he's definitely one to watch on third downs—84 of his 132 yards this season have come in those situations.

5. Eric Gordon—remember that name. 

David Oku has been the primary return man for the Vols this year but the flashes of brilliance that Eric Gordon displayed against LSU this past Saturday could be a harbinger of things to come. He's got nice speed and some killer moves in his game and, if given too much space, could soon break free for a touchdown—giving the Vols just the spark they need on special teams.

6. Nick Reveiz is the heart of the defense.

The linebacker is considered, by many, to be the emotional leader on the defense. He's not the strongest, fastest, or even the most talented player, but he plays with a ton of heart and he brings intangibles to the field that defensive coaches love to see (toughness, leadership, and sound fundamental play).

Statistically, he leads the SEC in tackles (50), but his leadership is probably the most important part of his game.

7. They have an opportunistic secondary. 

The Volunteers have six interceptions as a unit this season (28th in the nation). Sophomores Prentiss Wagner and Janzen Jackson are both more than capable of defending any wide receiver in the country—particularly Jackson who, as a five star recruit out of Louisiana, has already made his presence felt on the field. Wagner has two interceptions this year—both returned for touchdowns.

8. Speaking of opportunistic...the pass defense is top notch. 

So far this season, the Vols pass defense (ranked 13th in the nation) has 21 passes broken up, 22 quarterback hurries, and three forced fumbles (h/t cfbstats.com). They rank third in the conference—following only Alabama and Florida, respectively. By contrast, in the same category, Georgia ranks 79th (that's a match-up worth noting).

9. Despite point No's. 7 and 8, the defensive front hasn't put opposing quarterbacks on their backs much. 

The defensive line of Tennessee has struggled getting into the backfield. The Vols only have five sacks this year, despite their ability to put pressure on the quarterback.

10. They haven't done a good job protecting their quarterback this season. 

Through five games, Matt Simms has been sacked 18 times. If there is one weakness the Vols have certainly had this year, it's in pass protection. Simms has managed to do well, despite their short-comings. Said Simms, "I think I've kind of mastered how to take a sack and just protect my body and protect the football, as crazy as that sounds."

College Football 2010: Five Incoming Freshman Who Face Heavy Expectations

There is both good and bad to being a highly-touted recruit for a major Division I school.

The good is easy, you essentially arrive at the big boy table with VIP status, everyone absolutely loves you, and you are expected to be a star. The bad is...well...it's the same thing.

As SEC teams around the South start practicing in the blaring 90+ degree heat, the reality of the choices these premiere talents have made is probably starting to set in—with force. They are no longer the prospect with massive potential but, rather, the true frosh who is going to be the difference between a conference champion and a middling bowl team.

That said, there are at least five SEC freshmen who are about to see the heat on the back of their necks get a whole lot hotter—so hot, in fact, that 90-degree read-out they see on their respective practice fields is going to look relatively cool in comparison.

1. Marcus Lattimore, RB—South Carolina

He's going to play in 2010—there's little doubt. Will he make the keen impact that the Gamecock faithful hope he can?  Well...only time and a few games will tell the story.

South Carolina has not had a dominant force at tailback during the Spurrier era. Cory Boyd and Kenny Miles have been nice talents but, Miles is prone to injury due to his diminutive size and Boyd never had enough consistency at quarterback to make his stellar running worthwhile.

With Stephen Garcia coming into camp both confident and ready to play, Lattimore is expected to bolster the already rising profile of the Gamecocks this season.

2. Da' Rick Rogers, WR—Tennessee

The top rated athlete from the state of Georgia in 2010, Rogers heads to a Tennessee team that is not only in a transitional state, but one in need of a boost this season.

So far, the talented freshman has seen himself landing in the news for all the wrong reasons but as Derek Dooley goes about the business of making Tennessee football the focus in Knoxville again, Rogers will be a key factor in turning what many expect to be a lackluster passing game into one worthy of a highlight reel.

All eyes will be on him this season as he tries to shake the negative stink off his shoulder pads in favor of a little more production on the field.

3. Seantrel Henderson, OT—Miami

After all the waiting and build-up that surrounded his arrival on the college football scene, Seantrel had better be bringing the goods to Miami. His size, potential, and overall talent level has been force-fed to the college-hungry football fan for more than two years and now that he's at The "U" and likely to be placed at the all-important left tackle position, he is expected to dominate from the first snap of the ball.

If he doesn't, his legacy would crumble as quick as you could say the name, Willie Williams.

4. LaMarcus Joyner, DB—Florida State

The 'Noles signed quite a few head-turners in 2010—Jeff Luc was another big name who landed in Tallahassee. However, the achilles heel at FSU last season was the secondary. Despite the presence of a lot of speed and a ton of talent, the unit was plagued with inconsistency and poor play on the field.

Joyner is not only expected to play immediately but there are quite a few out there who are looking for him to have the type of impact that Greg Reid (true sophomore) had as a true frosh last season. Standing at a mere 5'8", that's quite a tall order for the young man from Miami.

5. Jake Heaps, QB—BYU

I don't know that Heaps will outright win the job for the Cougars in 2010, but many expect him to do so. If he does, he will also be counted on to keep the team in contention and, sooner rather than later, lead them to the BCS promised land.

The coaches have raved about him from the time he took his first spring snap and if he does anything short of blow his fellow Mountain West opponents out of the water with his All-American arm, there would be massive disappointment in Provo.

Derek Dooley to Bryce Brown: "Text Me?...Release NOT Granted"

Earlier this week, Bryce Brown showed just how much he knows about personal etiquette when he decided that he would text Tennessee Vols head coach, Derek Dooley, instead of showing up to meet with him face-to-face. The message was clear, Brown was done playing football at Tennessee.

Game over...or so we thought.

As it turns out, the game isn't really as over as first thought and coach Dooley has a little hand of his own he still wishes to play—he has refused to grant Brown his release. Brown has already decided he will return to his home state of Kansas to play football at Kansas State University.

Why won't Dooley grant Brown's release? Well, he says it isn't "personal", but rather a matter of his own personal protocol where releasing players is concerned.

Apparently, before Dooley can be satisfied that a player is ready to move on, he must meet three criteria:

1. What was the player's personal investment into the program? 

None if you ask me. I am wondering what types of promises former coach, Lane Kiffin, made to get the kid to Knoxville in the first place. It's no coincidence that Brown's desire to bolt the Vols came shortly after Lane exited stage  left. Adding more fuel to the fire, why would Brown leave when he was all but guaranteed to start next season? Seems fishy to me.  

2. What harm the player's departure would cause the program?   

Well, depth immediately becomes an issue, but I don't think anyone will be disappointed with what Tauren Poole can do. Also, incoming freshman, Rajion Neal could be a factor this season as well. Brown's departure will cause a minor inconvenience for the Vols but there still plenty of talent left at tailback. 

3. How the player handled the situation as a person.

The kid sent a text message to announce his departure. I'd say he handled it very poorly and, honestly, I don't care what coach Dooley says about his protocol, he took that personally. He's letting Brown take a nap in that bed he decided to lay down in and, who could blame him?

Seriously, though, it doesn't make sense for Tennessee to allow this matter to go any further. Brown was enough of a distraction before, due to his lengthy indecision, and the best possible thing coach Dooley can do now is let him go. Don't let this soap opera stretch out any further because it looks like, if it does, it will become a war of words between the coach and the player's father.

Arthur Brown, Bryce's father, has already started doing a little talking of his own and nothing good can come of a back and forth conversation which starts with finger-pointing and ends with "he said..."

You've made your point, coach. Now let the kid go back to Kansas—with your blessing.

Bryce Brown...The Very Definition of Unclassy

Bryce Brown just joined the ranks of his former coach and, coincidentally, the man who lured him to Knoxville in the first place, Lane Kiffin, by exiting the Tennessee football program via text message.

Brown, who abruptly departed the Vols football program in late March, was given quite a bit of leeway by new coach Derek Dooley. No pressure was applied to Brown as the Vols awaited his decision to either finish out his career at Tennessee or transfer out. However, the longer the decision took to be made, the more apparent it became that Brown would not be returning—by the end of spring, it was clear both Dooley and the team had moved on. 

In hindsight, though, Dooley may have been better served to approach Brown and alert him that he needed to make a choice sooner rather than later. The reason for doing so would have been simple, to take pressure off both the team and himself in answering the question of whether Brown was going to remain or not.

Why continue to allow that kind of a distraction? Especially since it was clear that Dooley knew Brown's fate long before the end of spring practice. I mean, most of the fans and players had moved on from this soap opera, but the waiting was the kicker—Brown continued to drag out his request for a release, why?

In the end, not only did Brown not show up to meet with Dooley about his situation but he decided the best way to say goodbye was through a text message.

Unbelievable.

It always seems like poor form to talk negatively about a 19-year old kid who, presumably, still has a lot of growing up to do, but come on—seriously?!? A text message? Considering the amount of respect that Brown was given by Dooley, I would think he would have thought to at least give him as much respect in return. The fact that he didn't says a lot about him as a player and a man—right now.

According to at least one report, his parents weren't too happy about his decision to exit the program in this manner either—his father was vocal in stating that he didn't feel it was the manly thing to do. Well, I can definitely agree with daddy Brown on that one, but, at the same time, look at the example Brown toiled under during his first season in Knoxville.

Former Vols coach, Lane Kiffin, scurried out of town, under the cover of night, on short notice, with no explanation other than he was taking his "dream job". After which, he tried to pilfer what was left of the Vol's 2010 recruiting class and then proceeded to make statements to the effect that he never promised Tennessee a rose garden.

I guess Bryce picked up on the wrong man's cues for how to do things the right way.

UT Coach Derek Dooley Faces Tough Test In Dealing With Brawl Incident

In the aftermath of the assault at Bar Knoxville, at least one player has been dismissed from the team—Darren Myles—and two others are suspended indefinitely.

Da'Rick Rogers has escaped any real punishment, for now, but the reputation of the University of Tennessee football program continues to be tarnished by his, and others, bad behavior.

As the new fearless leader of the Vols' football program, head coach Derek Dooley has already laid down his version of the law in stating that he won't continue to allow this kind of behavior to proliferate his program,

"It is a privilege, not a right, to be a member of the University of Tennessee football team," Dooley said in a statement. "The most important responsibility of that privilege is to properly represent this institution and our supporters on and off the field.

"I am disappointed and in many ways embarrassed by the poor judgment displayed on many fronts by several members of our football team last night," Dooley said. (CNN Wire, 7/9/10).

Not for nothing, but, talk is cheap. So far, all Dooley has done is show defensive back Darren Myles the door—this was his second arrest this offseason. Myles could see more jail time if he is found guilty of taking part in the assault on officer Robert Capouellez.

Even more, his decision to flee his arresting officer, purposely hitting him in the process, left little doubt that he would need to be dismissed from the program—that was a given.

The actions of Denarious Moore and Matt Milton, both of whom are wide receivers, could result in a lengthy suspension as well. Moore was Tennessee's second leading receiver last season and is entering his senior year for the Vols.

Matt Milton is a 2010 signee who many feel will be a future star at Tennessee.  He was rated a 4-star prospect by Rivals last season.

However, the real question is, how will Dooley handle the punishment of Da'Rick Rogers?

If he manages to get off without so much as a slap on the wrist, then there will be conversations about where Dooley's disciplinary philosophy truly ends—he's not at Louisiana Tech anymore—these are big boy decisions that Dooley is expected to make without prejudice.

Good luck.

As of now, charges are still pending and it is unclear the level of involvement of each player charged thus far. What is known is that Bar Knoxville may become no-man's land for UT football players from this point on. The whole "VIP" thing just screams of a scandal and I don't suspect that Dooley wants any part of it given the sensitive spot he's already been placed.

Perhaps he needs to speak to Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl. According to Sandra Morton, the basketball players have never given them any trouble and are just "good boys." As for those football players, they seem to have a little trouble with authority and following the proper dress code—a claim I believe considering how much Mr. Rogers loves to take his shirt off—just saying.

Interview with Bar Knoxville co-owner, Sandra Morton:



Footage of both Darren Myles and Da'Rick Rogers leaving the Knox County jail—that Rogers, boy, he sure is fast, ain't he? That might be the first time I've ever seen him try to AVOID the spotlight.

Oh, let me stop.

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• Tennessee dismisses one, suspends two after bar brawl (cbssports.com)

Tennessee WR Da'Rick Rogers Among Those Arrested At Knoxville Bar

Tennessee Vol receiver, Da'Rick Rogers, along with as many as six to 10 of his Volunteer teammates, were allegedly involved in the assault of an off-duty police officer at a local bar. Below is a recount of what happened as told by the bar's co-owner, Sandy Morton:

"Basically, it was a normal Thursday night — Thursday’s our big night," Morton said. "We had all the UT football players come in. They’re on a first-name basis with my husband (and co-owner), and they get VIP status, which means they pay no cover at the door. We’ve never had a problem with them in the past, but tonight, apparently they had a falling out with another gentleman. I don’t know why. I don’t know what happened, but several of the guys started beating up the other customer. I want to guess there was seven to 10 guys beating up this one gentleman.

"All the security then rushed in and were trying to break it up. My husband saw them picking up bar stools and starting to swing them. We got them out the door with security. There happened to be a friend of ours who was an off-duty police officer outside. He tried to help, and he ended up getting knocked out in the street and proceeded to be kicked while he was down on the ground in the middle of Cumberland.

"That’s basically the gist of it." (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 7/09/10)

Well, we appreciate your honesty, Sandy. The first question I have to know the answer to is this, why on earth are you giving VIP status to Tennessee players at your bar?

Furthermore, I'm not up on every single NCAA bylaw, but, I'm pretty sure that it's an NCAA violation to give gifts to a Division-I football player. Did you miss the part where she said the players are on a "first name basis" and "pay no cover at the door?"

Hellllooooooooo, that's a big no-no.

I will reserve full judgment on Mr. Rogers for now as it is possible that he was simply a bystander to all the action. However, it goes without saying that it was probably not the best idea to be within a handcuff of this fight.

From reading what Ms. Morton had to say about the overall attitude of the players they serve, this seemed like an inevitability,

"We have a strict dress code, and they’ll try to cross the line as much as they can," she said. "They’ll try to come in without ID, but we’re very strict on ID. We’re very strict on underage drinking. We’ve had small occasions where we’ve had to throw a couple of them out for underage drinking. An overage friend will buy them a drink.

"That’s the typical problems we’ve had, but we’ve never had a fight. This is our first, and it will be our last."

Hmmm, on second thought, maybe Ms. Morton shouldn't say too much about how her establishment caters to football players, "...they'll try to cross the line as much as they can?"...nooooooo, really? You don't think by granting them "VIP-status" that you in effect give them a sense of entitlement?

The assault that took place at Bar Knoxville was unfortunate. Jokes aside, Derek Dooley doesn't need this controversy hovering over his program to start the season. It's a headache and a public relations nightmare. I sincerely hope that the number of players speculated to have been involved is a lot less than has been reported thus far.

No additional names have been released as of yet but, it's safe to assume, they will be revealed as soon as the charges are filed.

In the meantime, Rogers has been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest by the University of Tennessee Police Department.
 

Lane Kiffin Is Still Trying To Prove He's Got The Bigger...Uh..Boat

Lane Kiffin has seen his USC Trojans in the news a lot. That would be fine if the news were not always so darn negative lately.

First there was the transfer of linebacker Jordan Campbell—a talented but, likely, dispensable player on USC's defense. Then came the news that Seantrel Henderson wished to try his wares elsewhere—specifically at a school without sanctions.

Next came the karma police who seemed to have no problems transporting defensive end Malik Jackson from the sunny skies of California to the Rocky Tops of Tennessee—the location of Kiffin's former employer.

That last point gave me such a laugh that I found it hard not to give a point to both Derek Dooley and the Vols for being able to exact a little revenge on ol' Kiffy—that was a good one.

Well, not to be outdone, Kiffin decided to let it leak that the Vols were offered the opportunity to play the Trojans in the 2011 Chick-fil-A Kickoff game—they declined the challenge. The hidden message: Tennessee is afraid of USC—end of story—Lane Kiffin wins again, right? Well...not exactly.

Tennessee's 2011 schedule is already top-heavy with quality opponents and if they replaced their current opening opponent, North Texas, with USC they could stand to have one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the nation.

Here is how 2011 would looks with USC added:

vs USC
vs Cincinnati
at Florida
at North Carolina,
vs Georgia
vs LSU

That would be brutal. There would be zero need for the Vols to play the Trojans and I think that Derek Dooley would agree. It's a lose-lose for the Vols.

Sure, it would prove to some that AD Mike Hamilton has faith in the Tennessee football program and, if the Vols won, it would do wonders for the tradition that Kiffin stepped on when he slithered away late last winter. However, other than proving whose band is bigger, the game has absolutely no purpose for Tennessee.

The Vols aren't looking to establish a strong west coast presence in recruiting nor do they have to buoy the strength of the SEC by playing a Pac-10 power. The game would be nice from an ESPN hype standpoint but, in every other facet, it has zero meaning.

Honestly, it wouldn't even be that great a deal if USC's head coach wasn't named Lane Kiffin.

By contrast, Kiffin always feels a need to be in the spotlight and he knows that giving his old team a royal beating, on southern soil, would go a long way towards establishing good public relations for not only his conference but his team.

He could become the new ambassador of the Pac-10—a la Pete Carroll—and could, potentially, set his team up for a slew of big name prospects in 2012.

Even more, it might make the way easier for him when recruiting against the true big boys of the SEC, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban.

Meyer, in particular, gets under Kiffin's skin and he would love nothing better than to keep the Gators from stealing away any more of California's best talent (i.e. Ronald Powell in 2010).  Playing, and beating, Tennessee could open doors on the southern recruiting trail—particularly in Georgia and Florida—where the talent is plentiful.

There's always a motive with Kiffin—always.

In the end, it's just a good story about two programs that suddenly have a very ugly cross-country rivalry. One that, at some point, could find it's end on the football field. For now, the score stands tied—we'll see who casts the next stone.

Riches to Rags: 10 College Football Teams That Will Suffer A Letdown in 2010

College football can be unpredictable. One moment a team looks like a sure thing— unbeatable, untouchable—money in the bank. However, as the saying goes, on “any given Saturday, anything is possible.” Success is not promised from season-to-season.

It doesn’t necessarily matter how many returning starters are on a roster, or, how much experience is had by the quarterback, sometimes it’s about who wants it more and how prepared they are to prove it on the field—period.

So, if the line between victory and defeat can razor thin for a team that’s loaded with talent, what happens if obstacles are introduced (i.e. new coaching, new scheme, new sanctions, or new players)?
Many college football fans view the landscape through a homer-colored pair of glasses but the truth can be a bitter pill.

This article will list a few teams who may see the road to victory marred by more losses this season than the last.

Does that mean said team won’t go bowling or will fail to make an impact? No, it just means that this is a season where expectations should be lower than before because the vibe around the program doesn’t look good based on the mix.

As always, I appreciate the feedback and the intelligence of those who choose to comment and, never fail to recognize this as my opinion—by all means, feel free to express yours.

Oklahoma State—2009 Record, 9-4

Quarterback Zac Robinson is gone—as are both Perrish Cox (DB) and Russell Okung (OT). The Cowboys have little experience to offer at the quarterback spot and, even if they did, the offensive line is going to be young. (four starters are gone).

Kendall Hunter’s return is a positive but that greatly depends on his ability to stay healthy. His lackluster 2009 was forgiven thanks, in part, to the success of Keith Toston. However, with Toston gone, the Cowboys will lean on Hunter again and there is some question as to how effective he will be with the spotlight resting totally upon his 5’8” shoulders.

Also, how will the team do under new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.

Holgorsen coached the Houston Cougars’ offense in 2009—the most potent offense in the nation last season. He is a welcome addition to a Cowboy’s offense that found trouble scoring down the stretch.

That said, the Cowboys lack the signature pieces necessary to make Holgorsen’s spread system a success—a star wide receiver and a gun-slinging quarterback. 26-year old Brandon Weeden is the answer could be the answer but it definitely looks like the Cowboys will be in rebuild mode for 2010.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 7-5

Potential Upset Alert: vs. Baylor. Robert Griffin is back for the Bears and, if he is healthy, he could be an achilles heel for a Cowboys defense that has some serious questions—both in the secondary and on the defensive line.

Cincinnati—2009 Record, 12-1

The main argument for the continued success of the Bearcats, in light of coach Brian Kelly’s departure, is the fact that Butch Jones has followed in Kelly’s footsteps before—successfully.

Well, no offense to either coach Kelly or his successor but this isn’t Central Michigan and that guy playing quarterback isn’t Tony Pike.

The Bearcats have the good fortune of two quality quarterbacks in both Zach Collaros
And Chazz Anderson, but neither have had to maintain their performance-level for the duration of a season, nor will they have Mardy Gilyard soaring through the air to trap their passes.

Cincy’s new coach will have to navigate the waters of an ultra-competitive Big East that includes a determined Pitt, a legit West Virginia, and a pesky Connecticut team that suddenly has new life at the quarterback spot with Zach Frazer’s return.

Oh, and did I mention, their September schedule includes opening on the road at Fresno State and playing Oklahoma as well?

Expect to see some growing pains for the Bearcats in 2010.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6

Potential Upset Alert: at Louisville. Aside from a blowout in 2009, these two teams have played some close games over the last four-years—with Louisville taking two. By this point in the season, Charlie Strong could be looking for a signature win for his rebuilding program and this game could prove to be just that.

Tennessee—2009 Record, 7-6

The Vols have been through the fire this off-season.

First, there was the somewhat disappointing bowl loss to Virginia Tech to end their post-season, then came the tsunami that was the Lane Kiffin decision to bolt the SEC for the Pac-10—leaving the team, it’s players, and the fan base stunned and angry.

Derek Dooley has arrived on the scene with calm assurances that he won’t mirror the regime of old and he would set the program back on the winning track. He got well on his way to keeping that promise by securing the Vols 2010 recruiting class—which stopped the bleeding for the Knoxville faithful. That said, there are still questions as to how good Tennessee can be in their first season under Dooley.

Quarterback Jonathan Crompton and leading rusher Montario Hardesty are both gone—so the offense will take a hit. Add to that, defensive playmakers Eric Berry (DB) and Dan White (DT) have moved on to the pro ranks. That leaves some fairly big shoes for Montori Hughes (DT) and Janzen Jackson (DB) to fill next season.

Can they do it?

Tennessee has a very challenging schedule this season and it will take some time for Derek Dooley and his staff to get accustomed to coaching in the SEC. The foundation is being built, particularly with the great defensive talent at the end position, but it’s not quite there yet.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6

Potential Upset Alert: at Vanderbilt. The Commodores won’t be better than Tennessee in 2010. There are holes in their offensive line and no guarantee that quarterbac Larry Smith will be any better. However, Vanderbilt has a good run game in Warren Norman and some fairly decent receivers for Smith, or JUCO player Jordan Rodgers, to throw it to. If the Commodores come out with purpose, they could steal a win from the Vols.

Penn State—2009 Record, 11-2

Joe Pa is like the Energizer bunny, he just keeps coaching….and coaching...and coaching. However, this could be the season that finds the legendary icon of the Big Ten taking a step back to reevaluate just how much longer he intends to patrol the sidelines in Happy Valley.

The Lions managed to skate through 2009 by steamrolling the, mostly unworthy, competition and despite hiccups against Iowa and Ohio State, Joe Pa’s program ended a good note—defeating LSU in the Capital One bowl.

However, with senior quarterback Daryll Clark out of the picture and six spots to fill on the defense—including the entire linebacking corps—Penn State may find their dominating ways a bit less evident in 2010.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 8-4

Potential Upset Alert: vs. Michigan. Whether it’s Tate Forcier or Devin Gardner, the Wolverines may have one of the better, if not the best, offenses in the Big Ten this coming season. If Penn State can’t find some new playmakers to bolster their depleted linebacking corps, it could be a long day for the Lions.

Stanford—2009 Record, 8-5

The popular opinion seems to be that the arm of Andrew Luck can lead Stanford to a Pac-10 Championship in 2010. That seems like a good bet on the surface; especially given the probable parity in the Pac-10 this coming year.

However, in making such a bold prediction, some dismiss the major reason the Cardinals, and Luck for that matter, were so exceptional last season. I’ll give you a hint: his name was Toby Gerhart. He didn’t just run the ball—he ran over the river and through the woods with the ball.

His consistency was a huge factor for the Cardinals in time of possession. They held the ball, on average, six minutes longer than their opponent. That ability to control the clock kept games within reach and, if the Cardinals had been able to win the close ones, there is no doubt 2009 could have been a championship one.

So, riddle me this, how on earth is Stanford going to be better without Gerhart? I’m simply not buying the logic.

Luck may be outstanding but Stanford needs a little more than Luck to duplicate their 2009 success.
Even more, despite the return of six players, on a defense that trended toward awful on more than one occasion, the Cardinals are making the transition to the 3-4 this fall—uh huh.

Jim Harbaugh did great things with this team last season but a step back is more likely than a step forward in 2010.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6

Potential Upset Alert: at UCLA. Despite the issues the Bruins have faced over the last two seasons under Rick Neuheisel, this is a matchup that has been close and could end up swinging towards the home-field advantage. With no Gerhart (he rushed for 134-yards and 3 TD’s in 2009) to take advantage of what may be a soft defensive front by UCLA, Stanford could lose this early Pac-10 contest.

Florida Gators—2009 Record, 13-1

The Gators have had a stranglehold on the SEC East over the last three seasons as they made fools of just about every team they played. However, with Tebow now gone, the team suddenly seems less other worldly than in years prior.

John Brantley is the new phenom at quarterback and, although talented, he has not been tested in the SEC (particularly on the road). Furthermore, he will enter 2010 minus the offensive presence of either Aaron Hernandez (TE) or Riley Cooper (WR)—the team’s two leading receivers in 2009.

Add to that, the loss of defensive coordinator Charlie Strong along with the NFL departures of Joe Haden, Carlos Dunlap, and Brandon Spikes, and you have a team that isn’t rebuilding but definitely readjusting in 2010.

If some of the hungrier teams in the East want to take advantage of a, possibly, hungover Gator program, this will be the best year for doing so because the reload beckons.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 9-3

Potential Upset Alert: vs. South Carolina. Look for the requisite bumps along the way as a new team of Gators get acquainted with playing in the SEC without No. 15 leading the way. This could be Steve Spurrier’s last year in Columbia and nothing would please him more than to come away with a big win over the Gators in Gainesville.

California—2009 Record, 8-5

Will Kevin Riley be able to right the ship?

He wasn’t blowing the doors off anyone last season, but he was consistent and didn’t make costly turnovers. However, as the season wore on, he seemed to regress and fall into an annoying rut of inconsistency—throwing six interceptions in his final five games (he only threw 2 in his first eight). He needs to fix whatever ailed him and get his game back on track if he’s going to be of any value to his team.

The presence of an experienced offensive line will help, but the loss of Mike Tepper cannot be discounted. Also, there is some question as to the depth at running back if Shane Vereen gets injured. There is little depth at this position for 2010.

The introduction of a new defensive coordinator means a new defensive approach for the Bears and that’s a good thing. The Bears had trouble containing the pass last season (they were ranked 7th in the Pac-10) and in a conference where throwing the ball around is akin to running it in the SEC, that’s a bad deficiency to own.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6

Potential Upset Alert: vs. Arizona State. The Sun Devils played the Bears down to the wire last season. Kevin Riley played one of his best games of the year in leading the Bears to the victory in Tempe. The Sun Devils offense isn’t likely to make any major improvements but, if the defense can play up to expectation and the offense makes few mistakes, this game could fall the Devils way.

BYU—2009 Record, 11-2

With Max Hall gone, it will be either Riley Nelson or, incoming phenom, Jake Heaps taking over the quarterback role. The most pressing factor will be how quickly Heaps can learn the playbook.

Nelson, a junior, has the most experience with the system, but his limited snaps make him just as green as Heaps where taking the lead is concerned—either guy could assume the job come fall.

Another glaring question is who will replace Harvey Unga (RB)? He was set to be one of the signature pieces of the offense again this season, but his dismissal has left a hole at the tail spot—JJ Di Luigi and Bryan Kariya will have their hands full trying to replace his production.

The defense lost a bit of its luster with the loss of both Jan Jorgensen (DE) and Coleby Clawson (LB).

Jorgensen led the team in both tackles for loss (10.5) and sacks (6.5), while Clawson was key in a linebacking corps that produced more than 240+ tackles, 7 sacks, and 19.5 tackles for loss—leading BYU to the 2nd ranked rush defense in the conference.

Also gone is Dennis Pitta (TE); he led the team in receiving last year with 811 yards and 8 touchdowns.

BYU has work to do to find replacements for the playmakers they saw depart.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 9-3

Potential Upset Alert: at Air Force. You have to figure Air Force is due a win, right? After all, they dismantled the Houston Cougar’s high-powered offense in the Armed Forces Bowl and Tim Jefferson will be back at quarterback. They have a lot of momentum coming into 2010 and if BYU is still sorting out personnel chemistry, particularly on defense, by the time the two meet in week two, this game could be interesting.

Houston—2009 Record, 10-4

The Cougars won five game last season by a total of 21-points—two by just one point. Their defense was something shy of horrendous and most of the components of that defense will return in 2010.
Who wants to place a bet that there will be just as many last-possession games this coming season as there were in the last?

Houston has a great quarterback in Case Keenum but he cannot be expected to continue pulling out last-minute victories. The defense has got to get better and, in the future, there is hope that they will.
That said, the Cougars are moving to a 3-4 this season and transitioning what was a bad defense into a new one, using a new scheme, doesn’t come without a price—in this case, more losses.

Offensive coordinator, Dana Holgersen has moved on and new coordinator, Jason Phillips (who spent last season as the receivers coach) will have to transition seamlessly into his new role. Can he do so without disrupting the high-powered scoring prowess of this team?

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 8-4

Potential Upset Alert: vs Tulsa. The Hurricanes are feeling good about 2010. G.J. Kinne makes his return (2,732 yards, 22 TD’s, 10 INT’s, and 399-yards rushing) along with Damaris Johnson (WR) and DeAundre Brown (DB). All were members of a team that nearly went bowling last season. The one-point loss to the Cougars all but sealed their fate. Don’t think they won’t remember that when they square off again, this time in Houston, this year. This game could be one of the biggest shoot-outs of the season for these two teams and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Tulsa come out on top.

USC—2009 Record, 9-4

The Trojans will win at least nine games this season. Anything less would be surprising.

Their schedule is fairly uncomplicated, their coach is endlessly determined, and there is enough talent in USC’s cupboard to handily beat the pants off almost any team the Pac-10 has to offer in 2010.
That said, outside of Southern California, Lane Kiffin’s name is castor oil—the guy just leaves the worst taste in your mouth. He’s great for a sound bite and is one of the most competitive coaches west of the Mississippi.

On the other hand, he’s arrogant, pushy, and talks way too much.

Why does this matter?

For one, every team that plays the Trojans this season will do so with an eye towards making Lane Kiffin look bad—call it an added bonus of a victory. Furthermore, how well will this team of young men respond to both the scrutiny and the expectations heaped upon them following the sanctions?

USC may be primed for greatness but that in no way means they will be great.
Both the team and its coaches have huge targets on their backs and the pressure of having that much expectation, in the post-Carroll era, may prove to be the hardest obstacle to overcome.

2010 Regular Season Prediction: 8-5

Potential Upset Alert: vs. Notre Dame. The Trojans have some question marks in the secondary with the loss of Taylor Mays and, one might think, that by the time these two hit the field, Brian Kelly’s crew could have a handle on the spread. The game in South Bend was decided by a score in 2009 and this game could be every bit as close. If USC gets caught sleeping, the Irish could leave with their eyes a’smiling.

(This article appears courtesy of the The Lady Sportswriter—Check it out!)