The Purple Wimple

It's called "FanTake.com"

2010-08-02T12:58:00.000-05:00

The Wimple is moving.

Before diving into the new digs, how about a little retrospective?

This all began with my dive into law school in early 2006. Blogging just seemed a cool way to organize my thoughts on this and that, and to store links to articles I liked. Somewhere on the way to classical education and “conservatarian” politics, I started doing a little writeup about each TCU game. Soon enough I was spending as much time blogging about football as politics, and so I started the Purple Wimple.

I shuttered the Thwarth’s Wimple in early 2009, as politics became bad for my blood pressure. The Purple Wimple, however, is not scheduled to terminate. The good folks at Barking Carnival contacted me a few months ago, to see if I would re-cast The Wimple as part of their new blogworld, FanTake.com. I agreed, and so the future of The Wimple will be as http://purplewimple.fantake.com/.

It’s a fitting new start, as TCU gears up for its third blockbuster season in a row. Come join the fun, and re-set your internet favorite, to http://purplewimple.fantake.com/.

MWC unit previews: SECONDARIES

2010-07-23T21:09:00.000-05:00

The Wimple's ranking of the MWC's secondaries, best to worst:

Air Force's corners are the conference's best returning tandem: Anthony Wright and Reggie Rembert were 1st- and 2nd-team all-MWC. Jon Davis joins returns as safety with them, and the only newcomer is Phil Ohili, who has two years' experience as a backup. Air Force and TCU had the best pass defenses in the MWC last season, holding opposing squads to 154 and 157 ypg, and 57.6% and 47.4% completions. AFA returns 75% of its starters secondary; TCU only 40%-- although new starting cornerback Jason Teague played lots and often in '09. AFA's and TCU's secondaries are the class of the conference in 2010.

See TCU's and the rest of the MWC's secondary ranking after the jump.

TCU features "new" starting corners, but Greg McCoy and Jason Teague are familiar faces in the secondary. McCoy was the fastest Frog until Skye Dawson enrolled; he has a knack for interceptions. Teague is another NFL cornerback prospect, one of several to come through TCU since the revival. The leader of the back five is safety Tejay Johnson. Alex Ibiloye is the other returning starter at safety. Jurell Thompson is challenging last year's starters Tyler Luttrell and Colin Jones for the third safety spot. Look for Thompson to emerge as Johnson's heir presumptive.

Wyoming returns its entire secondary and will be very sound. Gipson, Gary, Prosinski , and Gipson are a frightful foursome, Gary being a freshman all-American and Prosinski tallying 140 tackles last season, tied for 10th nationally. They'll be on the field less, (thank you, improved offense) and three of their four backups saw action last season. This unit has 87 starts' experience.

BYU returns three starters to the four-man secondary, including standouts S Andrew Rich and CB Brandon Bradley. Replacing S Scott Johnson is the Cougars' biggest task on pass defense. Redshirt freshman Jray Galea'i may be called on to fill Johnson's shoes.

Utah had to replace the all-conference CB duo last season, and this year returns one of the replacements, Brandon Burton. JC transfer Conroy Black, who was penciled in to start last season was instead injured and redshirted. Likely he'll start in '10. This year the Utes must replace both safeties, including first-team all-MWC Robert Johnson. Justin Taplin-Ross stepped up in the spring, nailing down one starting spot. Chris Washington, who redshirted last season, appears poised to start in the other spot if he has a strong fall. Early-enrolled freshman Damian Payne is his main competition for the spot; likely they'll both see lots of PT.

Colorado State returns one of the conference's best safety tandems, in starter Elijah-Blu Smith and Ivory Herd. Herd was baptized by fire in Fort Worth, when he had to fill in for injured Klay Kubiak. Gerard (now "Momo," officially) Thomas returns at one CB spot, while DeAngelo Wilkinson begins starting at the other.

San Diego State's five-man secondary (one of just two in the conference) made major strides in '09, and with four returners (LB Preston has moved to Aztec back, but I'll call him a starter because he's started 20 games). Dey Juan Hemmings and Brandon Davis return at safety; Jose Perez at corner. Leon McFadden starts at the other corner spot, and saw plenty of PT last season. Improved corner play this season will allow Rocky Long to use more of his playbook on the defense, and greatly aid the Aztecs' offense. Look for SDSU's defense to be significantly improved, again, and challenge for top billing in the MWC.

New Mexico was utterly hapless defensively last season (and offensively, too, for that matter). CBs Emmanuel McPhearson and Anthony Hooks return, bookending new starters at safety-- Bubba Forrest and Freddy Young. Forrest and Young both saw significant PT last season. Look for improvement this season, largely because the front 7 in Albuquerque will be much, much better.

UNLV is the conference's biggest question mark going into 2010. The wholesale change in coaches means we don't yet know what to expect from the new Rebels. We do know that 09 starting corners Will Chandler and Quinton Pointer return, as does 09 starting safety Mike Grant. Alex De Giacomo got the first team snaps at the other safety spot in the spring.

MWC unit previews: Special Teams

2010-07-21T19:07:00.000-05:00

Preseason practices are just weeks away. To get you there, the Wimple begins the MWC unit rankings, starting with special teams.
Kickers: Utah returns the only a 90%+ kicker, Joe Phillips.

TCU and Wyoming each return 80%+ kickers in Ross Evans and Ian Watts, respectively.

Colorado State, BYU, New Mexico, and AFA return 70%+ kickers: Ben DeLine, Mitch Payne, James Aho, and Erik Soderberg.

UNLV and SDSU have new kickers, probably Nolan Kohorst and Brian Shields.

Punters: San Diego State, Wyoming, and Utah return the best punters, in Brian Stahovich, Austin McCoy, and Sean Sellwood, who each averaged at or over 43 ypp (Sellwood averaged 42.9, which is close enough for the Wimple).

BYU and CSU return 40+ ypp punters in Riley Stephenson and Pete Kontodiakos.

TCU's Anson Kelton serves to remind readers that past performance is no guarantee of future results: in 2008 he averaged over 41 ypp, but didn't best 38 ypp in 2009. He returns in 2010, hoping to return to the 40+ club.

New Mexico, AFA, UNLV start new punters, probably Ben Skaer, Keil Bartholomew, and Brendon Lemers.

Returners: AFA's return duo of Jonathan Warzeka and Reggie Rembert may be the conference's best. Anthony Wright on punt returns completes the conference's most dangerous trifecta in the return game. However, TCU's Jeremy Kerley handles both duties, and with highlight reel aplomb. The Frogs do not have a clear #2, and may be vulnerable if Kerley gets injured.

Behind the Academy and TCU, Utah is probably the best situated for returns. Shaky Smithson and DeVonte Christopher field kickoffs, with Smithson and Luke Matthews handling the punts.

Opponent Preview: SMU

2010-07-17T10:48:00.004-05:00

This was supposed to be the (first in a long time) year the Ponies could sit back and relax during the off-season: the depthchart was filled with underclassmen who managed 8 wins in 2009, and there was little reason to expect they couldn't do at least 7 in 2010. Kyle Padron was back, with a good bevy of receivers. Knowing June Jones's offense like they now do, and with a slowly improving defense, hadn't the Mustangs finally found the golden road to repeating bowl eligibility?

And then came the sucker punch.

One, then two, three, and now four would-be starters will not be on the field in 2010. McNeal (RB) went pro (that wasn't too surprising), taking with him nearly all of the '09 SMU ground game. Josh LeRibeus (LG), and Terrance Wilkerson (WR) and Torlan Pittman (DT) are the others, having missed academic eligibility or had other (legal) problems. How these absences among the ones will hurt SMU has suddenly become the headline on the Hilltop. (or, in the sports information department's ploy to distract, "Look at our offensive tackles!")

The offensive line was supposed to be a strength for the team-- and it still may be. But the element of uncertainty that accompanies inexperience has reared its ugly head again in the offseason. Perhaps redshirt freshman Jordan Favreau (zero career starts) will replace Josh LeRibeus. Favreau (or whoever starts now at LG) will play next to an experienced tackle, Kelvin Beachum, and center Bryce Tennison (above, right), who moves over from the RG position. J.T. Brook returns at RT. Both starters at guard will be deterimed in the fall; it appears the line will have three returners, with a decent 54 starts between them. They're still undersized, averaging 6-3, 293.

Kyle Padron (left) leads the show, backed up by transfer J.J. McDermott, who sat out last season, but practiced well in the spring. Padron is the most visible player on the team, and (barring injury) will keep the Mustangs competitive. If his connection with the receivers gets hot, SMU may be much more than competitive.

About those receivers: with Emmanuel Sanders' graduation, McNeal's turn pro, and Terrance Wilkerson's ineligibility, SMU finds itself looking for ways to replace 60% of last season's catches, and fully two-thirds of last season's receiving yards. June Jones is high on sophomore Darius Johnson (right); Aldrick Robinson appears poised to become the doyen of the corps. Two receivers named Cole (Beasley and Loftin) are poised to have big years, and young Bradley Haynes and Chayse Joubert showed very well in the spring.

June Jones has always maintained that his run and shoot air attack requires a steady ground game, and for the first time at SMU in a long time, the Mustangs had one in 2009, in the form of Miami transfer Shawnbrey McNeal. This season his production will have to be replaced by a largely untested group of players, incoming freshmen Daryl Fields and Kevin Pope most likely to get the majority of the snaps. Here, more than anywhere else on the team, uncertainty reigns.

Across the trench, the defensive line appears poised for improvement. Taylor Thompason and Marquis Frazier return at ends, unless Frazier moves inside, due to the lack of depth there. Thompson, at 6-6, 276, isn't even the largest end on the team, though he is the best. Margus Hunt-- perhaps the only Estonian in D-1A ball-- is 6-8, and closer to 300 lbs., (shown left in his discus-throwing getup) and is developing into a very good end, as well. Inside, small sophomore Aaron Davis may not be able to keep early-enrolled freshman Mike O'Guin, who is 6-3, 321 lbs. from starting.

Any improvement in production on the line is gravy for SMU, because the real heart of the defense is in the four linebackers. Three of the four from last season return-- Yenga, Felps, and Reed. Reed (below, right)appears to have inherited the leadership mantle filled by Chase Kennemer, who graduated. The new starter will be Ja'Gared Davis, who came on strong as a true freshman (as did Reed) last season, and is expected to shine in 2010.

Behind them CB Sterling Moore and S Chris Banjo lead the secondary. The two-deep remains unsettled at the other safety spot (Ryan Smith v. Jay Scott) and corner (Keivon Gamble v. Bennie Thomas).

Expect the defense to improve, as the number of freshmen on the field continues to drop. In 2009, SMU allowed nearly 400 yards per game-- and that was an improvement. That trend wil continue, especially because the Mustang offense will consume more time than it has in the past.

Opponent Preview: BAYLOR

2010-07-10T08:56:00.002-05:00

Baylor has been on the cusp of bowl-eligibility, at least in pre-season writing, for years. It appears that the Bears are finally going to make good on all that pre-season press, now that the team's best runningback and quarterback return, and get to work behind slightly improved lines. It does not yet appear that Baylor is so much improved, however, that they may expect to leave Fort Worth with a win.

While all eyes and the Green and Gold hopes are on the return of Robert Griffin at QB, the worries accumulate in front of him, where the offensive line returns only 37 starts (15th worst in the NCAA). Granted, last year’s line managed to pave the way for only 3.5 ypc (down from 4.9 in ‘08) and allowed over 30 sacks, so maybe a fresh set of faces up front ain’t a bad thing.

In fact, the talent upgrade that Art Briles has brought to Waco is beginning to show on the offensive line. Phil Steele lists six of the players on the two-deep as notable recruits. Two of them, LT Danny Watkins (the star up front, pictured right), and Robert Griffin (RG) (no relation to the QB) are JUCO transfers. Watkins didn’t play up to his hype in 2009, but still has enormous upside, and will get the starts to show it, if he can. Watkins, C Philip Blake (who played RT last season) are and RT Ivory Wade (played guard last season) started all of 2009, and are not a bad group to build around. Wade was the star of the Bears’ 2009 freshman class. However, the line they anchored this spring (with Kaufhold/Richardson at LG, Jones at RG; Griffin did not play) did not impress. The Bears’s defensive line pushed back the offensive all spring, and registered too many sacks to soothe Bear-watchers’ fears that this year may not return all the way to the 4.9 ypc mark set in ‘08.

Protecting Mr. Griffin III (left) will be the line’s first task. Baylor’s bowl hopes rise and set with Griffin’s health in 2010. The speedy QB felt like he was playing at 90% in the spring, and expects to play at 100% plus a knee brace this fall. So the ground game depends an awful lot on the spark it gets from Robert Griffin at QB, both as a runner, and as a passer. Griffin was Baylor’s #2 rusher in ‘08 (only 19 yards behind Jay Finley, the ‘08 best rushing Bear). Baylor basically had no rushing game in 2009 (Finley, playing through injury, tallied only 370 yards, almost 100 more than the next-best Bear; the whole team rushed for about half as many yards as in 2008). Jay Finley returns with Griffin, though neither played much during the spring (giving backup Issac Williams time to shine, and he did). Bear fans hope the two starters, playing at 100% for the first time in almost a year, will be able to capitalize on the fresh strength up front, and resurrect the ground game. And while the ground game in Waco can’t get any worse in 2010, expect improvement to be incremental, setting the groundwork for much higher expectations in 2011.

What about the air attack? Griffin is easily the best passing quarterback on the roster, and he has a decent group of receivers. Returning starters Lanear Sampson and Kendall Wright accounted for about a third of last year’s receiving game. Coach Briles is high on sophomore Josh Gordon, right, who may be a go-to receiver this season. Terrance Williams has impressed in spring, as well. Tight end Willie Jefferson (6-6) will be the tallest receiver on the team. The first-team group of receivers is respectable by any measure. There is almost no experience behind them, however.

The defense realistically cannot get worse, especially when offset by likely improvement in the offense. Fresher legs on D is always good, and Baylor will have more of them as the offense chews up more minutes and puts up more points.

How good is the defensive line that pushed around the offensive line all spring? Two of the four who last season led the dismal 98th-best rushing defense in the country (over 178 ypg allowed on the ground) and managed only 18 sacks last season return: guard Phil Taylor and end Zac Scotton. Taylor, above left, who transferred from Penn State and had a too-average year last season, hopes to play more quickly, having shed 20 pounds this offseason (down to a slim 355!); his backup, Nicholas Jean-Baptiste showed well in the spring. The new starting end and tackle are Gary Mason and Tracy Robertson.

Despite losing one of the team’s all-time great linebackers, Joe Pawelek, the Bears seem to be well stocked at linebacker for 2010. The team's playmakers appear at this level of the defense. Chris McAllister (redshirt sophomore) LeQuince McCall (sophomore) and Rodney Chadwick (redshirt freshman) all impressed in the spring, and likely all of them will be back ups starting the year. Elliot Coffey, Chris Francis, and star Antonio Johnson (right) top the two-deep going into fall drills. Nowhere else on the team do the Bears feel so talented and deep.

The secondary was a hospital ward this spring, with starting safety Byron Landor had knee surgery, Anthony Moore and CB Antareis Bryan out with a foot injury. One safety and corner spot each is open, with incoming freshman Ahmad Dixon hoping to oust senior Byron Landor from the first team safety (returning senior Tim Atchison is the other starting safety) and healed Antareis Bryan hopes to oust senior Clifton Odom from starting at corner (sophomore Chance Casey is the other starter at corner).

Opponent Preview: OREGON STATE

2010-07-02T14:58:00.003-05:00

Gary Patterson has already begun to raise expectations for Oregon State, reminding audiences that the Beavers were a drive away from the Rose Bowl, and return 21 starters. While the Wimple hopes CGP's coaching is better than his math, El Bulldog is on to something: Oregon State is the toughest opener the Frogs have lined up since OU in 2005.
Offense: Oregon State had a pass-heavy attack (65-35 pass-run) last season, with senior Sean Canfield mostly flinging the pigskin to the Rodgers brothers (who, with TE Joe Halahuni accounted for 64% of receptions and 58% of receiving yards), and handing it off to... the Rodgers brothers. Jaquizz and James (right) tallied 75% of carries, and 96% of rush yards in 2009. Those folks all are back this year, except Canfield, who graduated.

Receivers James and JaQuizz Rodgers, Halahuni, and three who had strong springs (Jordan Bishop, Markus Wheaton, and Aaron Nichols) will try to make life as easy as they can for the new quarterback. Passing percentage jumped from 60.3 in '08 to over 66% in '09; expect a return to 60%, although 6 of top 7 receivers return.

Backup runningbacks Ryan McCants (injured most of '09) and Jovan Stevenson will spell Jaquizz; McCants had a very good spring, focusing on downhill running, to complement Jaquizz's lateral moves. He wants to be the thunder to Rodgers's lightning, and appeared to be just that this spring. Oregon State hasn't averaged under 4.1 ypc for three years, and with 'Quizz back and McCants healthy will again be very productive on the ground in 2010. Countering that prediction is the very likely evening-out (at least) of the Beavers' pass-run ratio. QB Katz is not only a very inexperienced player, but he has a tendency to run it himself, which his coaches will try and pound out of him before the Frogs line up against him. (Canfield was about as mobile as a bowling pin, netting negative 160 rush yards for the Beavers last year.)

The skill players will work behind a strong line. All the beef up front is back, including backups, except for the star guard, Gregg Peat, a first-team all-Pac 10 selection in '09. Together the returners bring 74 starts to the mix, 30th best in nation. Burke Ellis and Michael Lamb are competing to replace Peat, and won't be bad replacements as their inexperience wears off. Between them they have zero starts, and snaps in only 14 games.

Of the four returners, the star this year will be sophomore Michael Philipp (right), if he recovers fully from arthroscopic surgery that kept him off the field all spring. Philipp was a freshman All-American last year; senior C Alex Linnenkohl was an honorable mention all-Pac10 in '09. Last year the group allowed only 29 sacks in '09, second lowest in 7 years (21 in '08). Given the strength returning this year up front, and the team's focus on running, expect that number to drop in '10. The biggest question facing the front five is where Philipp will play: at LT, where he played last season, or at LG? Senior Wilder McAndrews stepped up in Philipp's absence at LT this spring, and the coaches' need to have the five best players atop the depth chart may mean guards Burke Ellis and Michael Lamb have to wait another year for an opening on the first team.

So who's new in this crew? Ryan Katz (right), the starter at QB. His main competition in the spring, transfer Peter Lalich, quit the team in May. Katz was last seen being hounded in the garbage minutes of the Las Vegas Bowl by BYU's defense, which simply played faster than Oregon State all that windy night. He has a very strong arm and can scramble. Look for him to challenge the Pac-10 (or 12, or whatever)'s reigning QB leaders, but not in time to send shivers up TCU's spine: he'll be playing in only his fifth game, and making his first start, at JerryWorld on September 4.

Defense: This group returns 77.3% of its tackles from 2009, 10th best in the nation. (72.2%, or 34th best, without Pankey, who is questionable for the opener, so far.) They didn't excell at getting to the quarterback last season, tallying their lowest sack total in seven years (17).

Line: very good; DE Miller, DT Paea, DT Olander are all returning seniors; Paea was 2All-P10 last year, and is inhumanly strong. DT Castro Masaniai appears poised to thrive in the interior of the line, especially with Paea drawing so much attention. DE Taylor Henry looked very good with the first team in the spring; Henry tallied four sacks an seven tackles in the spring game.

Two of the three starting linebackers are untested, and must replace two of the Pac 10's best, Kristic and Pa'aluhi. Senior Pankey (HM all-P10) was out with ACL injury all spring; it's not clear he'll return in time to face TCU. Sophomore Unga and true frosh Akuna vie to replace him. Returning senior Dwight Roberson is the group's leader, well solidified in the spring. Also young is Robinson/Wilson at other spot. The coaches are not using a strong/weak scheme, like they have in the past. Rather, they're staying on one side of the field or the other, hoping to mask blitzes better.

Secondary: 3 of 5 are returning starters, none were all-P10. Corners Hardin and Dockery are the starters, Dockery a returning starter, Hardin new in the role (he started a few games last season). Hardin (right) is big and quick and has good hips. Hardin and Dockery both showed vulnerability in man coverage in the spring. Safety Lance Mitchell is the team interception leader (3 in '09) and the easy-call return starter. Cameron Collins (230 lbs!) is the talented upstart who hasn't yet shown every-play consistency, but is too talented to keep off the field. Collins is competing with Suiesi Tuimaunei for the second first-team spot in the secondary. A wildcard in the secondary is OU-transfer Dax Dilbeck, who has moved from QB to safety, and is playing as well, or better, than everybody else.

Trading Utah for Boise State

2010-06-20T21:29:00.004-05:00

If pictures really are worth 1,000 words, I need write little more about Boise State than that my impression of them is incurably colored by the mere existence of this fan.

Frogs Omaha-bound

2010-06-13T22:41:00.003-05:00

Schloss's crew, following sophomore Kyle Winkler's dominating performance on the mound, knocked Texas out of the baseball post-season, and earned their first trip to Omaha for the college world series. Congrats, Frogs. Florida State awaits.

For a hilarious bit of gamesmanship, hear a Longhorn fan heckle Bryan Holiday ("get in the batter's box and shut up") second before Holiday hits one out of the park (literally) to put the game on ice.

Rumor mill spits out the best possible scenario for MWC

2010-06-11T10:14:00.003-05:00

Here it is, folks, supposedly from the BYU AD's mouth: the best possible outcome for TCU and the MWC, after the expansion dust settles:

Kansas is in talks with the Mtn West as we speak and has been for a few days now... Kansas State [also]. ... Mizzou also contacted the Mtn West and is gathering information just in case. ...The Mtn West is scheduled to get BCS status (according to the BCS Commissioner) in 2011. The BCS has also informed the Mtn West that if they do get BCS status in 2011 and the Big12 collapses, the Mtn West is "very likely" to take over the BCS Fiesta Bowl auto-bid hosting slot. ...
The Mtn West will be taking 3 teams and only 3 teams [Boise, Kansas, K-State or Missouri]. They currently have 9 teams and the Mtn West Commish says they will halt expansion at 12 because the Mtn West does not have a big TV deal like the PAC10 will have. In 2015-2016 the Mwc Commish said the league would consider adding 2-4 more teams if the TV deal is increased dramatically at that time.

If this is true, and it happens, the MWC would be a better spot than anybody could have imagined even just a week ago. This would make the Mountain West a first-class basketball conference, a BCS autobid football conference, with better than just an at-large affiliation with the big bowls. And a conference poised to garner a vastly superior TV deal than its current one.

Shock and awe: NCAA to put the hammer on USC?

2010-06-10T04:32:00.004-05:00

While we're dealing in explosive imagery, count me as shocked and awed if ESPN's and the LA Times's report that USC is getting substantial sanctions is true. They say USC is getting whacked with a 2-year bowl ban, 20 less scholarships, and forfeitted wins.

So USC's hopes of returning to the Rose Bowl are gone up in smoke, as will its recruiting classes currently in progress, and if the players get penalty-free transfers to other programs, its prospects for winning seasons these next few years...

Perhaps the Wimple shall foreswear chiding the NCAA for treating its banner programs more lightly than its smaller programs. As a lawyer, the Wimple would advise USC to sue Reggie Bush for damages; he's good for 'em, and guilty as sin.

An appropriate interpretive visual

2010-06-09T20:28:00.008-05:00

News reports are proliferating that Nebraska will join the Big10 Friday, meaning the Big12 is on ice. For that matter, so is the rest of college football as we know it. Here's ESPN, Chicago WGN/Tribune, Omaha World-Herald. The next big pieces of realignment are outlined here (nothing new, just that it's going to happen) LATimes (saith the Times's source: it's "locked and loaded"). Colorado apparently has already been invited, and has accepted. Here's the Pac10's press release saying as much.

What remains to be seen is how the pieces will fit together once reassembled. One thing's for sure: Baylor is being left out in the cold. Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech are pledging solidarity among themselves as a trio, but not as a Bears-included quartet.

Kansas schools in the MWC? Market numbers.

2010-06-09T17:03:00.007-05:00

Now that we all can agree that eyeballs on TV commercials is one of only two relevant matters driving expansion (the other being the yet-unwritten rules regarding double autobids to the BCS), let's examine the numbers of a hypothetical move of Boise and the Big12 leftovers to the Mountain West.

So, what would happen if an expanded MWC included those schools, and this expansion triggered a media deal that included TV coverage in the basic cable in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Waco, St. Louis, San Diego, Las Vegas, and then every other cable market in Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and those markets close to Kansas City in Missouri? (This list of markets is in the first comment below this post.)

According to TVB Research Central, that would put the MWC in range of about 14.2 million TV households, or 8.53 million cable households, which is about eight percent of the nation's cable households. (About 60 percent of American households have basic cable.)

Compare this with the current (awful) media reach of the MWC's dedicated cable network, the mtn. The mtn. is available, on cable, to less than 1.5 million (or 0.8 percent of) cable households in America. A TV deal like the one outlined above would be for coverage about 5.6 times greater than the current reach of the mtn. That's getting into the ballpark of the kind of reach contemplated by ESPN when it bid so high for the new ACC media deal. Note: I didn't say equivalent territory, but in the ballpark. I haven't run the numbers, but I expect the ACC's deal reaches somewhere like twice as many cable homes as an expanded MWC deal could.

But were the markets I've outlined in the comment below reached in basic cable by the mtn., or some other provider hoping to capture an expanded MWC's media value, I believe the rights to such a media deal would be lucrative indeed.

Compare, using the quickest and dirtiest of estimations of the media deals an expanded MWC could get: the Mountain West's current media deal nets MWC schools about $1.3 million annually. Supposing the MWC were to expand to include five more schools (Boise + Big12 leftovers), a media deal that's 5.6 times more lucrative, split 14 ways, would net each school about $4.8 million annually. That's not the princely sum Kansas is used to getting right now, but it sure beats what the Jayhawks or Wildcats could get as indies, or as C-USA members.

The MWC, from the outside looking in:

2010-06-09T12:04:00.006-05:00

Few glimpses into the psyche of the cartel could have been more revealing than the ESPN news story posted today on the (self-proclaimed) World Leader’s website. The story examined Kansas’s predicament, facing all of the expansion talk as a spectator, with the possible outcome being a retreat to the Mountain West. (The story didn’t name that conference specifically as a destination, but it made clear that this was the species of hell that the school was contemplating, with increasing sweat and seriousness.) “Kansas' status as a major player in college athletics has been placed in [jeopardy]. … strip Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State of the safety and privileges of membership in a Bowl Championship Series conference.” You know: one of those outsider conferences.

What would joining the Mountain West be like?
The story, which did not list an author, characterized it this way: “all this could not be more demeaning.” Such an outcome would mean that the “…the Jayhawks' great basketball tradition may not hold any more value than the tennis team.” Yes, if you’re located on the other side of college football’s tracks, your other sports are suddenly value-less. You know, like Memphis’s basketball team. Or Gonzaga’s, Villanova’s, George Mason’s... Oh, nevermind.

"It's driving me nuts," coach Bill Self was quoted in the story as saying Tuesday. How could it not? Your school might suddenly be thrown to the dogs—and have to carry water with the likes of New Mexico, BYU, San Diego State, and UNLV, or as the Mountain West quartet call themselves, basketball purgatory. Between the four of them, they racked up six credits in the 2010 NCAA tournament. And that wasn’t prelude to rebuilding years for those programs, either. It makes one wonder if Kansas is really worried about the high quality of competition in Mountain West basketball... but just can’t admit it.

The ESPN story quoted a Kansas co-ed, saying "This is just breaking my heart." Yes, honey, it ought to break your heart. You might spend (at most) a couple years as a non-BCS school. Clearly you haven’t paid attention, but the Mountain West is cruising toward auto-bid status in 2012, so at most, your fifth year at Kansas (don’t kid us; we know the averages) would be enjoyed from inside the cartel, again. Will your Jayhawk-little heart going to break then, for the other schools that are still outside the cartel? Somehow I doubt it.

But for a couple years, thanks to your cherished cartel (which charity apparently isn't requited), you could be, to quote the ESPN story, “fenced off from a major conference.” Funny, that fence hasn’t kept TCU, Utah, and Boise State out of the big games. Not that ESPN has given a rat’s behind about that fence. ESPN perpetrates it with gusto!

Your coach agrees that it’s a shame. "I can hardly believe that ...we could come away with nothing to show for that, that we would be penalized because we live in an area that's not as populated as other areas... This is bad for us. It's really bad for Kansas and Kansas State both. ... I don't like it. To ... leave some schools out in the cold ... is a pretty tough pill to swallow."

Bad for you, coach? For Kansas State, too? Isn’t it likewise bad for Boise State, TCU, Utah, and every other rising program on the other side of the tracks that has to contend against the cartel for leftovers, after the big conferences have hogged 90-plus percent of the pie for themselves?

It’s about time you saw that light, Coach. But where were you when the other half of college sports was being raked over the same coals you’re now contemplating? I didn’t see you out there railing against the unfairness of it then. To think: a school that benefited from that unfairness might suddenly be a victim of it! How ghastly! Pass a Kleenex; the unfairness of it all makes me weep.

Another Kansas student chimed in, "At first, I thought all this was a joke, Kansas basketball has such a history. It's shocking that it isn't thought of at all in this." Well, a whole pile of history in the relevant sport (that’s football, for you Jayhawks) got TCU a death-penalty and a kick to the curb when the last major realignment in college football happened. Maybe turnabout’s fair play.

Or, and this ought to cheer you up a little, maybe the Mountain West is making history, and getting on that train ain’t as bad a place to be as you fear. In a couple years you’ll be back on the BCS gravy train (albeit not in a two-autobid conference, sadly).

Take heart in this, too-- the quality of football and basketball in the MWC is higher than you know. For years now, every team that has faced TCU for the first time has come away saying: they’re really fast, or talented, or have incredible athletes, or something just like that. After the losing season you’ll like endure to start, you’ll get used to it. And right about when you do, we’ll get an autobid, and you can spend New Year’s watching the MWC champ play in BCS bowls every year, like you already do. Of course, that champ won’t be Kansas, but you’re used to that already.

The pertinent expansion question in three words: double BCS autobid?

2010-06-03T20:12:00.004-05:00

Amid the rumors that suddenly jumped to fever pitch Thursday lurks an issue that is yet fully aired: under which circumstances will a super-conference be given two autobids to the BCS? Will a 14-team conference with two divisions get them? Or will only the truly mammoth sixteen-team conference get them?

The Wimple believes this has become the critical issue driving expansion, now that it is settled that humongous TV contracts will follow BCS conferences that are at least 12 teams large. For example, there is no way Texas and OU will join USC in a conference that gets only one measley autobid to the big January bowls. That's just too many big fish in the pond-- who cares how big the pond.

And if the PAC16 gets two bids, guaranteed, you can mark it down: the Big10-11-12-14-whatever will get two, too. And the SEC. Whatever they have to do to match (or, preferrably, one-up) the new behemoth of the west, they'll do.

So the real issue now is: what do they have to do to secure two autobids to the BCS? If 16 teams is the threshold, then something is going to have to give. Once the Big10 and SEC lure a combined nine teams into their vortexes, there simply won't be enough previously-BCS teams left to keep five member conferences in the cartel, let alone six. Some combination of the Big 12, Big East, and ACC will form one straggling two-bid super conference, and maybe there will be a seat at the table for a one-bid Mountain West--hopefully.

If 14 teams is the threshold, however, perhaps the resulting carnage won't be utterly revolutionary, but will be more like hyper-evolutionary. The ACC or Big East would likely be able to absorb either the remnants of the other, or perhaps the Big12 north. Maybe the Mountain West could combine with the Big12 north and form a 14-team super conference with two autobids. This is a vastly preferrably result, not just for the current bubble conference (MWC), but for the resulting bubble conference (Big 12 remains, plus ACC and Big East remains). This also would mean the cartel would really have grown: which probably would keep Congress out of the mess-- another preferrable result.

Why Boise and the MWC are better apart

2010-06-03T13:31:00.004-05:00

The Wimple has advocated a ten-team MWC (Boise being the 10th) for years– but today admits the fault of that advocacy. Boise being in the WAC for as long as possible before joining the MWC is a brilliant move, even if the brilliance results from an unintended result. While Boise and the MWC champ are in different conferences, both can (and frequently do) go undefeated, and in years like 2009, both can land a BCS berth. This is an unqualified good, for both teams, conferences, and indeed, for all of college football.

However, when Boise is a MWC-member, the chances of a MWC team going undefeated shrink substantially. From TCU’s perspective, running the Utah-BYU-AFA guantlet every year is hard enough. So hard, in fact, that only twice have the Horned Frogs done it unscathed. TCU has run the Utah-BYU-AFA-Boise gauntlet each of the last two seasons, and emerged 3-1 from it both times.

The Wimple thinks that the addition of Boise State to the MWC is a good idea only if a one-loss MWC champion is guaranteed a BCS berth.
Why the condition? Because one-loss champs are probably the best the conference is going to get, much more often than not, if the Big Three (plus Air Force) turns into the Big Four (plus Air Force).

So, here's to Boise State's present addition to the conference, effective 2011. May the Broncos and the Horned Frogs each win a BCS berth in 2010, as prelude to the change. And may the MWC win an autobid, beginning 2012.

The decade's most dominant programs

2010-05-26T20:39:00.005-05:00

Last in this series about the most dominant teams from 2000 to 2009 are the top ten. There is a qualitative difference in this group, compared to the others in the posts below. Here, bad years are those during which a team falls out of the top 40 in the Dominance Ranking-- and for the Texas, Boise, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech, "bad" means below the top 20 (there are only three such years between them!).

Of these ten programs, only Boise State, Virginia Tech, and Georgia lack a first-place finish in the Dominance Ranking any year this decade, and only Georgia lacks also a runner-up finish (its highest finish was sixth, in 2002).

1. Texas- 7.50
2. Boise State- 9.90
3. Oklahoma- 10.20
4. Virginia Tech- 10.70
5. Florida- 14.90
6. USC- 17.80
7. Ohio State- 20.40
8. TCU- 21.90
9. LSU- 22.00
10. Georgia- 24.60
Finally, here is a Google spreadsheet of the entire decade's Dominance Rankings, year-by year.

The Decade's Pretty-Dang-Dominants

2010-05-24T07:00:00.003-05:00

Here is a list of stout programs, when measured in a wide scale. Some of them are coasting on laurels earned during President Bush's first term (Miami, Florida State, Nebraska, Michigan), while others have felt their oats recently (Clemson, Alabama, West Virginia). The mid-decade strongmen were Texas Tech, Auburn, and Louisville.

Very remarkably, two of the teams on this part of the Dominance Ranking have not played D-1A football for all of the decade. South Florida and Connecticut have eight and nine years of top-level experience to their names, respectively, and only three years ranked lower than 40th between them.

11., Miami (FL), 25.70
12., Utah, 26.60
13., Boston College, 28.60
14., Clemson, 30.10
15., Florida St., 30.40
16., Texas Tech, 31.00
17., Michigan, 32.50
18., West Virginia, 33.20
19., Alabama, 33.60
20., Auburn, 34.40
21., Penn St., 34.90
22., Iowa, 35.00
23., South Florida, 35.22
24., Tennessee, 35.60
25., Oregon, 36.10
26., Connecticut, 36.25
27., Louisville, 38.30
28., Nebraska, 38.60
29., Oregon St., 38.80
30., Pittsburgh, 39.90

2009 Attendance relative to enrollment

2010-05-19T13:07:00.005-05:00

Developing the Wimple's notion that college football attendance figures ought to be filtered through the lens of enrollment size, here're 2009's attendance ranks, as percentages of each school's enrollment.

A few notes:

(1) Those schools that averaged 100% of capacity are listed below, and fit into a blessed and separate category, perhaps called Those Who May Charge More For Football Tickets.

(2) Of the eight D-1A schools with enrollments smaller than 10k (Tulsa, Navy, Army, Air Force, Rice, Wake Forest, La.-Monroe, and TCU) only Rice and La-Monroe failed to make the top eight in these attendance rankings. Rice is 32nd, and La-Monroe is all the way down at 61st. So having a small enrollment doesn't guarantee a high ranking; outdrawing one's enrollment by three or four times does.

Here're the top 10. (11 through 120 are after the jump)
[school, percentage of enrollment at an average home game]
1. Air Force 792.36%
2. Navy 721.09%
3. Notre Dame 688.61%
4. Army 623.96%
5. Tulsa 540.26%
6. Wake Forest 465.46%
7. TCU 439.13%
8. Clemson 388.35%
9. LSU 368.12%
10. Tennessee 366.03%
11. Nebraska 364.35%
12. Auburn 350.56%
13. Arkansas 328.04%
14. Alabama 319.41%
15. Mississippi 317.83%
16. Miami (FL) 312.84%
17. Mississippi St. 289.19%
18. Oklahoma 283.24%
19. Vanderbilt 279.81%
20. Stanford 270.49%
21. Georgia 265.86%
22. South Carolina 264.63%
23. Oregon 261.52%
24. Michigan 261.39%
25. Oklahoma St. 257.88%
26. Kentucky 255.78%
27. Georgia Tech 254.22%
28. USC 253.97%
29. Baylor 245.83%
30. Virginia 242.55%
31. Penn St. 238.69%

32. Rice 235.69%
33. Iowa 230.89%
34. Tulane 225.53%
35. Kansas St. 216.80%
36. Virginia Tech 215.47%
37. Missouri 207.97%
38. North Carolina 201.19%
39. Ohio St. 200.24%
40. SMU 199.64%
41. Syracuse 198.81%
42. Texas 198.40%
43. Duke 195.54%
44. BYU 194.92%
45. Pittsburgh 193.91%
46. West Virginia 191.71%
47. Southern Miss. 191.25%
48. Wisconsin 190.29%
49. Florida St. 189.97%
50. Florida 182.44%
51. North Carolina St. 181.25%
52. Hawaii 178.02%
53. Louisiana Tech 177.16%
54. Boise St. 173.12%
55. Kansas 171.90%
59. UCLA 167.76%
57. Texas Tech 167.22%
58. California 165.92%
59. Colorado 165.88%
60. Iowa St. 165.49%
61. La.-Monroe 165.35%
62. Louisville 164.39%
63. Utah 160.06%
64. Michigan St. 158.69%
65. Texas A&M 157.69%
66. Fresno St. 156.18%
67. Wyoming 156.00%
68. South Fla. 153.39%
69. East Carolina 150.82%
70. Washington 149.99%
71. Northwestern 147.71%
72. Arizona 146.23%
73. Arkansas St. 145.52%
74. Illinois 143.50%
75. Oregon St. 141.24%
76. UTEP 138.07%
77. Connecticut 133.36%
78. Memphis 128.98%
79. Purdue 127.11%
80. Marshall 123.53%
81. Washington St. 123.45%
82. Maryland 120.14%
83. La.-Lafayette 114.09%
84. Idaho 107.82%
85. Nevada 103.78%
86. Minnesota 99.85%
87. Indiana 98.79%
88. New Mexico 98.68%
89. UAB 97.72%
90. Colorado St. 94.57%
91. Rutgers 93.60%
92. New Mexico St. 89.25%
93. Boston College 88.42%
94. Ohio 87.82%
95. Western Mich. 86.23%
96. Cincinnati 85.61%
97. San Diego St. 83.62%
98. Middle Tenn. 81.46%
99. UNLV 78.35%
100. Miami (OH) 74.28%
101. Central Mich. 72.03%
102. Arizona St. 71.34%
103. UCF 70.98%
104. Toledo 69.78%
105. Houston 68.22%
106. Western Ky. 68.09%
107. Utah St. 63.72%
108. Akron 63.48%
109. Kent St. 63.45%
110. Troy 62.25%
111. Bowling Green 61.38%
112. Northern Ill. 58.82%
113. Fla. Atlantic 56.98%
114. Buffalo 56.61%
115. Ball St. 53.31%
116. North Texas 50.35%
117. San Jose St. 49.84%
118. Temple 47.08%
119. FIU 25.22%
120. Eastern Mich. 21.83%
Those schools who max out their gameday capacity: South Florida, Oregon, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ohio State, Michigan, Boise State, Florida, Minnesota, Wake Forest, Kansas, Utah, BYU, LSU, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and Georgia.

The Decade's Decently Dominant

2010-05-18T13:50:00.003-05:00

Here's the all-decade teams, rated 31-65 in the Dominance Ranking.

(rank, team, average Dominance Rank, 2000-2009)
31. Southern Miss. 40.20
32. Northern Ill. 40.60
33. Georgia Tech 41.10
34. California 41.60
35. Wisconsin 42.40
36. Fresno St. 44.10
37. Kansas St. 44.30
38. Cincinnati 44.80
39. Arkansas 45.40
40. Air Force 45.80
41. Brigham Young 46.20
42. Purdue 47.60
43. Missouri 47.70
44. Bowling Green 50.20
45. Toledo 50.50
46. Arizona St. 51.70
46. Minnesota 51.70
48. Maryland 52.10
49. South Carolina 52.70
50. Hawaii 53.10
51. Oklahoma St. 53.30
52. Notre Dame 53.50
53. North Carolina St. 54.00
54. Troy 54.38
55. Navy 54.40
56. Michigan St. 55.30
57. Mississippi 55.90
58. Texas A&M 57.90
59. UCLA 58.00
60. Virginia 58.30
61. Middle Tenn. 59.70
62. Rutgers 61.00
63. Tulsa 61.60
64. Memphis 61.80
65. UCF 62.50

Among these middle-of-the-packers, one can find teams that have managed to string together several really great seasons in a row, like BYU's last four years, Cincinnati's last threeand Kansas State's early decade seasons. However, in each of those team's cases-- and with all of the teams shown here-- there are some real duds in the mix, too. BYU in 2001-2003 was just awful, ranking as low as 91st (2002). Kansas State and Cincinnati have lower lows than BYUs (94th, 107th, respectively).

So it goes for most of the list: for these teams, the good years were the exception, even if there were a few of them. Bowling Green had four top-20 finishes to start the decade, fell below 100 in '06, and has yet to climb above 65th since. Maryland finished in the top 10 three years running to start the decade, but ranked 109th last year, and is itching to get rid of its coach. Rutgers, Ole Miss, Memphis, Minnesota, Fresno State, and Cal all have similar, if less stark, runs.

The decade's once-in-a-while dominants

2010-05-14T17:36:00.006-05:00

Here're the occasionally-dominant teams of the last decade: those averaging 66th through 95th in the Dominance Ranking.

(average ranking, all-decade-rank, team)
62.80, 66, Marshall
62.80, 66, Miami (OH)
63.70, 68, Wake Forest
64.60, 69, New Mexico
65.20, 70, Washington St.
65.30, 71, Western Michigan
65.40, 72, East Carolina
65.60, 73, Kansas
67.10, 74, Nevada
69.30, 75, Colorado St.
69.60, 76, Houston
70.90, 77, Arizona
71.70, 78, Kentucky
73.00, 79, Ohio
73.20, 80, Central Mich.
73.20, 80, Colorado
73.70, 82, North Carolina
74.20, 83, UAB
74.70, 84, Northwestern
74.70, 84, Washington
75.60, 86, Illinois
76.20, 87, UTEP
76.70, 88, Louisiana Tech
77.60, 89, Iowa St.
78.60, 90, Akron
79.00, 91, Stanford
80.40, 92, Ball St.
81.90, 93, Syracuse
82.10, 94, Vanderbilt
84.75, 95, Florida Atlantic

Among these usually-yawning football has-beens' decade, one can find a smattering of genuinely good years: Central Michigan's break-through season last year, and Kansas's two years before it are probably best among them. (The Jayhawks finished the year ranked #1 in dominance, the first team in this decade survey with that on its resume.) But even these teams' occasionally stellar years fall on an otherwise-very-drab backdrop. The good years are the exception, not the rule.

For example, Miami of Ohio went 8-4 in 2004, tallying a #6 dominance ranking that season. The rest of the decade? Miamo (OH) averages just over a 69th rank, with 113th and 114th ranks in '08 and '09 nearly expunging the memory of its heyday earlier in the decade.

The same dreary story holds true for Kansas and Central Michigan, and every other team in this quartile of the all-decade list. Each team listed above has at least one triple-digit rank in the decade; most have more. In fact, the average best rank for these low-achievers is 27th-- not even in the top 25.

The Decade's Least Dominant Teams

2010-05-13T13:34:00.008-05:00

The Wimple has been chewing on the Dominance Ranking numbers the last few days, and unveils below the least dominant teams, statistically speaking, form 2000 through 2009. The Dominance Ranking, in case you missed it, is the sum of a team's national rank in scoring offense and scoring defense. The Wimple averaged all of the D-1A teams' Dominance Ranking for the last decade; here are the bottom 25:

(rank, ten-year average, team)
96., 85.0, Kent St.
97., 85.3, Rice
98., 85.8, Miss. St.
99., 85.9, San Jose St.
100., 86.8, UNLV
101., 87.0, North Texas
102., 88.2, Tulane
103., 88.3, Wyoming
104., 90.2, Arkansas St.
105., 90.5, Temple
106., 90.7, Indiana
107., 91.8, San Diego St.
108., 92.1, New Mexico St.
109., 93.5, SMU
110., 93.7, La.-Lafayette
111., 93.8, Buffalo
112., 96.0, La.-Monroe
113., 96.9, Utah St.
114., 98.7, Idaho
115., 100.2, Eastern Mich.
116., 100.3, Army
117., 103.3, Duke
118., 103.4, Baylor
119., 105.5, Florida Int'l*
120., 113.0, Western Kentucky.*

Among these bottom-dwellers, there have been a few bright spots, now and then, chief among them Temple's bowl run last year. Buffalo wasn't bad in '08, and Mississippi State and UNLV were likewise OK in 2000, as was Tulane in '02 and Kent State in '04. But otherwise, the aughts were hopeless and hapless for these 25 teams.

Interestingly, there are teams from every conference (even from the "mighty" SEC) in this ignominous list except the Pac-10 or Big East. Sadly for the Sun Belt conference, all but one of its members turn up in this post. There's a reason y'all always get mentioned, if at all, last.

*less than 10-year average, because these teams haven't played D-1A football fully ten years.

2008 Final Dominance Ranking

2010-05-12T09:12:00.005-05:00

Spreadsheets and Blogger don't get along easily, so if we find a better way to post this, we'll fix this and the '09 ranking post below. Meanwhile, here's the 2008 final Dominance Rankings.

1 Florida
2 Alabama
3 Virginia Tech
4 Boise St.
4 Southern California
6 Boston College
7 Penn St.
8 TCU
9 Texas
10 Cincinnati
11 Ball St.
12 Utah
13 East Carolina
14 Iowa
15 Ohio St.
16 Mississippi
17 Florida St.
17 California
19 Arizona
20 Oklahoma
20 Rutgers
22 Troy
23 Clemson
24 BYU
25 South Fla.
(#26 through 120 in the comment below.)

TCU spring report

2010-05-06T09:41:00.007-05:00

TCU held spring drills from a position it hadn’t since early 2006: front runner. The Frogs are commentators’ unanimous choice to win the Mountain West– with the more insightful conference watchers hedging their bets slightly because of the roady to Salt Lake City in November. Do these expectations align well with the Horned Frogs’ lineup on the field? Very much so. And TCU’s strength stems first from its experiences and depth along both lines.

The Frogs return four starts to the offensive line. Marcus Cannon moves to LT, Kyle Dooley, Jake Kirkpatrick, and Josh Vernon (pushed hard by Blaize Foltz) return at LG, C, and RG, respectively. (those four shown left, next to the only departed starter, big #70, Marshall Newhouse.) Filling Cannon’s shoes at RT will be Jeff Olson and/or Zach Roth, with James Dunbar backing up whoever fails to win that starting nod. Barring injury or academic issue, that will be the Frogs’ only question on offense going into fall practice.

Masticate on that a minute; TCU has 10 of 11 starting spots on offense well decided, going into fall drills. And this is a year after the Frogs broke nearly every school offensive record. Yes, TCU ought to field a frightening offense in 2010.

What do the other positions on offense look like?

Dalton leads the pack, for the fourth year running. His backup is the winner of the ongoing competition between Yogi Gallegos (right) and Casey Pachall. Pachall’s got the arm and speed and hype; but Gallegos has proven spunky, has a semester’s on Pachall with the playbook, and simply won’t cede the fight for backup snaps.

Dalton has an embarrassment of riches around him. On the ground, he’ll be handing off to returners Matthew Tucker and Ed Wesley (left), and new faces Waymon James and Andre Dean. (Dwight Smith’s injury takes him out of the rotation until further notice.) No team in the conference (country?) will have fresher runningbacks late in the game than TCU. Look for Wesley to line up in the slot, filling the Ryan Christian role to overflowing. Tucker and Dean run through blockers; Wesley and James run around them. Formation-wise, the Frogs are tooling more with the pistol. They’ve used it before, but it has appeared more often this spring. All the better, thinks the Wimple, to give more touches to the Gang of Four at tailback.

In the air, Dalton and the offensive coordinators have to figure out how to get a new WR into the rotation, joining Antoine Hicks and Curtis Clay outside, Jimmy Young and Jeremy Kerley inside, and Bart Johnson, Jonathan Jones, and Skye Dawson behind them. The new face? Redshirt freshman Josh Boyce, who lit up the defense all spring. In other news, Young’s move inside was an eye-opener this spring; he welcomed the move, because it shows the NFL another side of his talent. Add TEs Evan Frosch, Logan Brock, and Corey Fuller, and the real mystery this year on offense is how the heck Dalton & Co. will spread the ball to so many playmakers.

On defense, TCU looks on paper like it may lose some of its punch. However, it looked that way coming into 2009, and the Frogs rose up to clinch a second consecutive national top ranking for defense. So: count the Frogs out of contention for the top spot at your peril.

Along the line, just like their offensive compadres across the trench, rising seniors abound. Clarence Leatch, Kelly Griffin, Cory Grant, and Wayne Daniels will be an all-senior line. (Grant, Griffin, and Daniels are suffocating some poor UNLV Rebel, left.) Likely no single one of them will match new Indianapolis Colt Jerry Hughes’s production, the four of them will make the conference’s most formidable defensive front. Again. (Junior Ross Forrest or redshirt freshman Stansley Maponga may start ahead of Leatch. This is one of the defensive questions that is yet unsettled going into fall.)

Behind Griffin and Grant are three young tackles who have risen to battle for the #2 spots, in a yet-unsettled order: junior Jeremy Coleman, sophomore D. J. Yendrey, and early-enrolled true freshman David Johnson.

The second would-be difficult departure for TCU is Daryl Washington’s, at linebacker. Tanner Brock (#35, left) is tasked with replacing the athlete (now an Arizona Cardinal). Kenny Cain is pushing for that job as well, but to date it appears to be Brock’s to lose. Brock joins returning standout Tank Carder in the youngest linebacking corps at TCU in several years.

The final holes to fill this offseason at TCU are in the secondary. Four year starting corners Rafael Priest and Nick Sanders were ably backed up last year by Greg McCoy and Jason Teague, who may outperform their elders this season. McCoy (right) had a monstrous spring, snagging passes right and left. Both McCoy and Teague started at least once last season. The only questions at corner were their backups; Malcolm Williams has moved over to be one of them, and done very well.

At safety, the master communicator and least-trumpeted star of the show, Tejay Johnson, returns, grooming a protégé in Jurrell Thompson, who impressed this spring. Ibiloye, Luttrell, and Jones all will see a lot of PT in 2010, but exactly which of them, with Thompson, will start and which will backup remains uncertain.

NEW MEXICO spring report

2010-05-05T09:44:00.005-05:00

New Mexico went into spring drills with a mission to find a way to stop the bleeding. And, perhaps to the mild surprise of MWC fans everywhere, it may have found it. It starts on the defense, which was utterly hapless in 2009, ranking in the triple digits for total defense, scoring defense, and pass efficiency defense– despite the nation’s leading tackler prowling the middle of the field. It may be fair to ask how this unit could not improve.

The improvement begins up front, where highly touted transfer tackle Reggie Ellis (right), who followed Coach Locksley from Illinois to Albuquerque enters the gameday lineup, next to all-MWC end Jonathan Rainey and (probably) true freshman Calvin Smith, perhaps the conference’s biggest recruiting coup of the 2010 class. The other end, Jaymar Latchison, returns as well. Look for the Lobos to feature a dramatically upgraded pass rush.

Which dramatic upgrade will take loads of pressure off the linebackers, led by Carmen Messina (left), who was perhaps the team’s lone really bright spot in 2009. Messina tallied 163 tackles last year, half of them solo. Messina is the only returning starting LB for the Lobos; Joe Stoner played his way into a starting slot this spring, while the third spot remains open.

The Lobos’ strength on the line also will help their secondary, which has nowhere to go but up, compared to last year. And up they’ll go, with Bubba Forrest at full health (he didn’t practice this spring), and a raft of new athletes to up the competitiveness of the group. A. J. Butler, and Carmeiris Stewart (formerly at RB and WR), and several incoming freshmen can’t help but improve the performance of the defense’s third level.

Also working to help the defense will be a much-improved (compared to its near-useless 2009 incarnation) offense. New Mexico tallied triple-digit national ranks in rushing, scoring, and total offense last season. On this side of the trench, there’s nowhere to go but up, as well. Unlike the defense, however, the growth on offense is generated behind the line. Quarterback B. R. Holbrook (right) all but seized the starting role. Coach Locksley appeared unwilling to name Holbrook the starter only because he’d promised signees Tarean Austin and (all-name candidate) Stump Godfrey a fair chance at it. Neither Austin nor Godfrey enrolled early, however, and they’re clearly going to start well behind Holbrook come August. Brad Gruner and Tate Smith both were injured by the end of spring, leaving Holbrook most of the first-team snaps. Holbrook shone under center, and appears poised to lead a dramatically more effective passing attack. One of Holbrook’s better targets, Michael Scarlett, went down in the spring game, and his injury and status remain undisclosed. But TE Lucas Reed and WRs Myles Daugherty and Chris Hernandez will haul in the passes.

Lobo watchers have more reason to be excited about their team’s improvement on the ground. Demond Dennis and Kasey Carrier (left)made waves this spring, breaking long runs behind the stout line play of tackle Byron Bell. Dennis moved passed Wright into the #2 spot on the chart. LT Bell is the new leader of the line, which replaces three seniors on the right, including all-MWC and NFL-draftee center Erik Cook. Their replacements all saw significant playing time in ‘09, and showed well in the spring.

WYOMING spring report

2010-05-04T09:28:00.006-05:00

Wyoming's spring drills concluded a couple weeks ago, featuring a new sight in the thawing Laramie snow: smiles from Coach Christensen. The contrast with last year's spring couldn't be starker. "It was a real good day... We did a good job throwing the ball down the field... I like the way the defense is playing... I think they're doing a trememdous job of working extremely hard... and playing physical," reported the coach after the first scrimmage. After the second scrimmage, the coach said his team was playing "like a real football team out there."

Austyn Carta-Samuels's (right) completion percentage hit 70 percent in one scrimmage; Dax Crum's hit 60 percent. The young replacements on the offensive line (which lost three seniors) appear to have the potential to outperform the '09 line. Josh Leonard, a true sophemore now taking the first-team snaps at right tackle, has impressed the coaches. Clayton Kirven will start at left tackle. Freshmen Thomas Vonashek, Skyler Hinton, and junior Nick Puetz seem to be high on the depth chart for the line.

That new line will be blocking for Alvester Alexander (left)again, who proved the most durable of the team's runningbacks in the spring. True freshman Nehemie Kankolongo early enrolled, but quickly had a spring-ending injury; Darius Terry also didn't make it to the final scrimmage. Both are expected back in the fall, but neither is expected to oust Alexander from the top spot.

At the all-important receiver position, returners Zach Bolger, (right) David Leonard, and Chris McNiell have raised their game, giving JUCO transfers Mazi Ogbonna and DeJay Lester more competition for starting snaps than they may have counted on. This warms 'Poke watchers hearts, and not just because the returning three accounted for more than half of the Cowboys' receptions and yards. Dave Christensen's pass-happy spread requires sure-handed receivers, and in 2009, the Cowboys appeared to have only one or two of those-- Leonard and Bolger.

Josh Biezuns and Gabe Knapton have thrived as converted defensive ends; they tallied tackles like candy on halloween in the team scrimmages. Their switched positions (each from linebacker) are part of Wyoming's move from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3, which the coaches say uses easier schemes, and will allow the Cowboys to keep their best defensive athletes on the field more. The starting line (probably Biezuns, Stover, Purcell, Knapton, though Stover and Purcell both didn't practice this spring, while rehabbing injuries) must replace one of the MWC's great defensive lines, which was an all-senior, all-multi-year starting group.

With Biezuns and Knapton (left) moved, exactly who'll join Ghalai Muhammed in the linebacking corps this fall is more fluid. Devyn Harris is probably one of the other starters. Wyoming's secondary will be one of the conference's best. If they go largely injury-free, corners (and brothers) Marcell and Tashaun Gipson, and safeties Shamiel Gary likely will join safety Chris Prosinski on the all-MWC list in 2010.

How to play be a 1st round NFL pick

2010-05-03T13:24:00.001-05:00

TCU's 2010 schedule, analyzed

2010-05-03T12:39:00.001-05:00

While not the gold-plated gift-wrapped schedule given the Horned Frogs in 2009, TCU does have a favorable schedule in 2010. (See it in the table on the sidebar.)

The Frogs stick to the tried-and-true formula for non-conference games: one cartel semi-heavy-weight, one Big12 team, SMU, and one creampuff. The semi-heavy-weight cartel team is the opener, at JerryWorld, in Oregon State. The location takes a lot of the punch out of this matchup; the crowd, jet-lag, and general comfort level will be thoroughly friendly for the Frogs.

The creampuff is largely an unknown 2A team; these games are unfair, and good for little more than injuries and concession sales. The Wimple wishes TCU would add North Texas instead of a 2A team. The level of competition would hardly be different, and an all-1A schedule appeals to the computers. Oh well.

Baylor is the Big12 team on the schedule, for the third time in four years. The Bears come to Fort Worth again, and likely will leave just as shut-out as last time. Yes, Robert Griffin is a dynamic quarterback. No, he hasn’t played a defense like TCU’s before, and yes, doofus Baylor fans will supply all the bulletin board material needed to motivate the Frogs. This will be fun.

Finally SMU. This year– the first year in memory– the Mustangs don’t double the “creampuff” category. In fact, the Frogs may face a decent test in their Friday night roady to Dallas to face the Mustangs. The spread still probably will be in the double digits: perhaps half of last season’s ridiculous 40-point bet. But SMU showed a new and encouraging intensity in last year’s tilt, and have added confidence and a little success to their mojo since then. The Wimple doesn’t see SMU pulling off a 2005-esque upset this year, but he is glad the 2011 game is in Fort Worth.

Conference play– and the Frogs’ first foray outside the Metroplex this season– begins in Fort Collins at week 5. Colorado State won’t be a gimme at Sonny Lubick stadium this season. If the Frogs take bad injury luck north again, like they did in 2008, this could be uncomfortably close. Next come three MWC top-halfers to Fort Worth. Wyoming brings their now-confident spread to ACS first, followed by BYU’s not-so-new quarterback, and then Air Force’s triple option. TCU cashes in a lot of schedule grace with these three coming at or after the halfway-point in the season, and all at home.

By this point the Frogs probably will be 8-0, having played without a bye, and almost a month at home. The next two roadtrips will be a challenge. First it’s a late game in Las Vegas, which TCU will win handily. UNLV may be playing harder in 2010, but it will be in the midst of a thorough identity change, and out for the count before halftime. The team will return to Fort Worth sometime in the wee hours of Sunday, with the season’s toughest game looming. Week 10 (November 6, again) features the Frogs’ return to Salt Lake City to face the Utes. This year the game starts at 1:30 in the afternoon, and TCU (hopefully) will have the senior quarterback. Again the possibility of a BCS berth (or something larger) may hang on the outcome of this match. It may be the biggest Mountain West game of the year, or longer.

The Frogs host San Diego State in week 11, and then enjoy their only bye of the year, before finishing against a much improved New Mexico in Albuquerque.

TCU ought to be favored in every game this year, except maybe the grudge match in Salt Lake City. TCU hasn’t won in Rice-Eccles at least since its entry into the Mountain West. This will be TCU’s first day game there since then, and if injuries don’t significantly alter the two-deep beforehand, TCU will have the more experienced team at nearly every position.

So the schedule doesn’t hinder the Frogs; given TCU’s unprecedented pre-season poll position (#6 in ESPN’s post-spring lineup), any ceiling on the 2010 Frogs will be self-imposed. If the Horned Frogs show 2009-like intensity consistently in 2010, the purple-clad Fort Worth crew may force a rewrite of the BCS rules come bowl season.

'09 final Dominance Ranking

2010-05-01T23:04:00.004-05:00

In a sense, there is only one statistic that matters: wins and losses. But the Wimple proposed, in December, an interesting proxy for that stat-- the sum of a team's national scoring offense and scoring defense ranks-- called the Dominance Ranking. Here is the final 2009 top 25, ranked by dominance:
rank, team (scoring defense, scoring offense, sum)
1. TCU (6, 5, 11)
2. Florida (4, 10, 14)
3. Boise St. (14, 1, 15)
3. Texas (12, 3, 15)
5. Alabama (2, 22, 24)
6. Central Mich. (17, 13, 30)
7. Virginia Tech (9, 24, 33)
8. Oklahoma (7, 29, 36)
9. BYU (29, 11, 40)
9. Pittsburgh (19, 21, 40)
11. Air Force (10, 36, 46)
12. Cincinnati (44, 4, 48)
12. Texas Tech (41, 7, 48)
14. Clemson (25, 28, 53)
15. Mississippi (15, 39, 54)
15. Ohio St. (5, 49, 54)
17. Penn St. (3, 52, 55)
18. Utah (23, 34, 57)
19. Wisconsin (33, 25, 58)
20. Oregon (51, 8, 59)
21. Arkansas (58, 9, 67)
22. Miami (37, 31, 68)
22. Rutgers (16, 52, 68)
24. Georgia Tech (56, 15, 71)
25. Middle Tenn. (49, 23, 72)
26. Connecticut (48, 27, 75)
26. Navy (18, 57, 75)
28. Nebraska (1, 75, 76)
29. Temple (39, 39, 78)
30. Stanford (69, 11, 80)
30. Southern Miss. (62, 18, 80)
32. Tennessee (38, 43, 81)
33. Oregon St. (57, 26, 83)
33. South Fla. (19, 64, 83)
35. Northern Ill. (30, 54, 84)
(36-120 in the comment below)

Three things jump out from this list: (1) the only losses among the top five teams came to each other; (2) Central Michigan may have been greatly underrated; and (3) the Mountain West has four of the top 17-- the best showing of any conference.

Look for periodic rankings by dominance in 2010.

NFL drafts 13 MWC players

2010-05-01T16:07:00.007-05:00

13 players from the MWC were selected in the '10 NFL draft, including six from Utah, setting a MWC team record.
Utah: Koa Misi (2nd, Miami), Zane Beadles (2nd, Denver), Robert Johnson (5th, Tennessee), David Reed (5th, Baltimore), Stephenson Sylvester (5th, Pittsburgh), and R.J. Stanford (7th, Carolina).
TCU: Jerry Hughes (1st, Indianapolis), Daryl Washington (2nd, Arizona) and Marshall Newhouse (5th, Green Bay).
BYU: Dennis Pitta (4th, Baltimore).
Colorado State: Shelley Smith (6th, Houston).
New Mexico: Erik Cook (7th, Washington).
UNLV: Joe Hawley (7th, Atlanta).

NFL teams drafted 16 MWC players in '09, seven '08, nine in '07, twelve in '06, 17 in '05, eight in '04.

COLORADO STATE spring report

2010-05-01T13:58:00.005-05:00

The Rams had many weeks to stew in the stink created by the nine-game losing streak they endured to finish 2009. It'll be up to a slew of new offensive starters to reverse the luck over Fort Collins in 2010.

Up front, CSU graduated four linemen, and put all four into NFL camps. Only tackles Paul Madsen, Mark Starr, and guard Jake Gdowski started any games last year, and one backup, Ryan Griffith, played in a few games at the other tackle spot. So the guns up front will be young and inexperienced. Tyler McDermott (Jr., 6-2, 274) (right) appears to be the coaches' first choice at center, though he flubbed too many snaps during the spring to nail down the first spot on the 2-deep. Weston Richburg (Fr., 6-4, 278) is pressing.

Finding the starting five up front may be the Rams' biggest issue this fall, however, because the other big offensive questions appear to have been settled, more or less, in the spring. For the first time in Steve Fairchild's tenure, it appears he has more than one year's signal-called lined up under center. Early-enrolled true freshman Pete Thomas (left) wound up taking the first-team snaps for most of the last practices in April, ahead of redshirted freshman Nico Ranieri. Both of the freshmen showed well enough that Coach Fairchild didn't let disgruntled and disparaging remarks make it to the press this spring, like he has his first two years. The two young QBs have enconsed themselved deeply enough atop the depth chart that senior Jon Eastman transferred to a 2A school, and T.J. Borcky resumed play at WR.

Speaking of wide receivers, the Rams must replace the most prolific duo at that position that they've had in a long time. The lineup to replace Rashaun Greer and Dion Morton (who took with them 41% of the team's '09 catches and 48% of its receiving yards) appears to be T.J. Borcky (jr., 6-4, 204), Lou Greenwood (soph., 6-0, 183), Marquise Law (soph., 6-4, 193), Byron Steele (soph., 6-3, 207), Jyrone Hickman (sr., 6-3, 199) and Tyson Liggett (sr., 5-9, 186). Those five make a talented group, but like so much of the 2010 offense, untested.

There's genuine reason for optimism for the Rams on the ground: returners Leonard Mason and John Mosure have not kept ahead of freshman Chris Nwoke and transfer Raymond Carter (right) at runningback. There's suddenly tremendous depth in the backfield in Fort Collins; if the young line ahead of it can exceed last year's push, the Rams may feature a balanced attack, and return to their '08 form.

On defense there is less turmoil with the depthchart. DEs Zach Tiedgen and Cory Macon didn't practice, but expect to start in the fall. Their absence gave converted lineman Adam Seymore and Broderick Sargent a spring to take their first college snaps up front. Look for Wyittier, Miller, and Macon to start this fall, with Nuku Latu advancing to the top spot at DT to replace James Morehead.

At linebacker, Ram fans can't wait to see Ricky Brewer back from a one year suspension. He showed well this spring, while youngster Mychal Sisson played about half of the spring before his scheduled shoulder surgery. The two should anchor the defense in 2010. Davis Burl played well in Sisson's absence.

In the secondary, Ivory Herd (left) hopes to follow Elijah-Blu Smith's path to being a fixture in the Rams' defense. Herd started in injured Klay Kubiak's place for about half of 2009; Smith was thrown into the mix in 2008 because of injuries, as well.

BYU spring report

2010-04-14T14:20:00.003-05:00

The Cougars faced a progression of spring questions in the last month.
Will Max Hall's backup, Riley Nelson, or returned missionary James Lark, or early-enrolled super-recruit Jake Heaps seize the starting role at QB? There is not a clear answer to that question, except that Nelson and Heaps do appear to have edged past Lark in the competition. By all accounts Nelson (spring 11 on 11 stats: 29-of-51 for 389 yards and 5 TDs) and Heaps (spring 11 on 11 stats: 62-of-105 for 774 yards and 7 TDs) are contending to start, while Lark (spring 11 on 11 stats: James Lark 27-of-46 for 253 yards and no TDs) is contending for the backup role. All three were given the same number of snaps with the first team; apparently Heaps is the least inclined to run with the ball-- making him the philosophical heir to Hall and Beck before him. This battle continues into fall drills.

Who will snap the QB the ball? 2009 starting center R. J. Willig graduated, and the spring competition to replace him was less successful than Cougar fans hoped. Terence Brown leads for the starting role, but he was sloppy with snaps often enough to unsettle the BYU faithful.

Will new TEs figure prominently in 2010? All-star TEs Dennis Pitta and Andrew George graduated, taking with them fully one third of BYU's 2009 receptions and receiving yards. BYU watchers expect WRs O'Neill Chambers, McKay Jacobsen (pictured), Luke Ashworth, and Ross Apo to pick up most of that slack, while new TEs work their way into the gameplan.

The defensive questions cover most of the field-- six of the front seven 2009 starters graduated.
Will the D-line backups morph into solid starters? For the second year running, BYU must replace all (or most of) one of its lines. It was offense in 2009, and that project went better than expected. 2010 will feature a new starting d-line. Backups Matt Putnam ('10 junior), Romney Fuga ('10 junior) and Vic S'oto ('10 senior) showed well in the spring, and will be joined in the fall by returned missionary Eathyn Manumaleuna, and a quartet of freshmen.

Who'll man the open linebacker spots? There're three of them open for 2010, in the fruit-basket turnover on defense that has upended the Cougar two-deep. Hotshot early-enrolled prospect Kyle Van Noy showed well, once he showed up. His absence, punishment for the ever-vague "violation of team rules" raised eyebrows early in the spring. Aveni Leung-Wai has the edge for a starting spot by smart play in the spring; as does Brandon Ogletree. Recruits Austen Jorgensen and Zac Stout will be in the mix in the fall, as will zenior Shane Hunter.

Who replaces safety Scott Johnson? Johnson was the brain of the Cougar defense, and his replacement has yet to come to the fore. Andrew Rich practiced little this spring; top prospect Shiloah Te'o was dismissed from the team. Junior Steven Thomas and redshirt freshmen Jray Galeai and Travis Uale will press Rich for the starting spot this fall.

[updated] UNLV spring report

2010-02-27T12:22:00.010-06:00

Due to the wholesale change in coaching staff this offseason, ushering in new schemes, UNLV is probably more profitably studied not for what will be different in 2010, but what will be the same. Remember, outgoing head coach Mike Sanford was the offensive guru who learned the spread at the feet of Urban Meyer, but couldn't make it work in Las Vegas. Incoming coach Bobby Hauck is a defensive guy, who prefers to keep the ball (a) on the ground, (b) as long as possible, and (c) to take it away from the other team as often as possible. Flashy? Not really; but Hauck would rather line up the ws then wows, even though both have been lacking in Las Vegas for longer than the Wimple dares remember.

But first Hauck and his coaches (predominantly fellows who followed him from Montana) had to line up athletes for this year's freshman class. They worked the Nevada schools diligently, signing eleven Nevada players, including local star Taylor Spencer, and also four Texans, including Houston speedster Tim Cornett and D/FW quarterback Taylor Barnhill. Because no freshman stood out this spring, the first fall question will be: which of these freshmen may see playing time in 2010? TE recruits Jordan Sparkman and Anthony Vidal hope to see the field more than they might have under Sanford's spread; Hauck's new OC Rob Phenicie like to use tight ends to bolster his ground game. Which bodes well, as well, for incoming freshmen Vandrell Sullivan, Dionza Bradford, and Tim Cornett, each of whom ran the ball in high school. Of the three, only Sullivan is early enrolled (?). C. J. Cox still leads the depth chart after spring ball, ahead of Brandon Randle and Channing Trotter.

The second gnawing question in Las Vegas this fall will be: Can UNLV's new coaches develop defensive players? Sanford's crew's inability to do so resulted in their ouster. They bequeath to the new staff a senior-heavy defensive roster. If Kraig Paulson (the DC) can get the team to perform at even just a slightly better level, UNLV may be the MWC's surprise of 2010. Paulson likes LBs Starr Fuimaono, Ronnie Paolo, senior Calvin Randleman (right), DT Isaako Aaitui, and safety Alex De Giacomo. They'll be the core returners in 2010. Hauck says the team needs more athletes on defense, however. Multi-year starter DT Malo Tuamua may be done for his career, having torn his ACL at the end of spring. JUCO Transfer Nate Holloway may press Ramsey Feagai for first-team snaps, if he can get into better football shape by fall drills.

Finally, the Rebels are trying to master a different style of ball; the tight ends and runningbacks love it-- they get to tote the rock a lot more than they would have under Sanford's spread. That C.J. Cox tops the depthchart going into fall might trouble Rebel watchers, however. Trotter appeared to have more oomph last season than Cox, and sophemore Bradley Randle just hasn't performed to match the hype that attended his signing last year.

Senior Omar Clayton and Junior Mike Clausen seem to be adjusting well to the new schemes; they have (so far) maintained the top two spots on the depthchart at QB. Michael Johnson (right) has emerged opposite Phillip Payne as a go-to wideout.

[updated] UTAH spring report

2010-02-17T19:39:00.012-06:00

When Utah's spring got underway the second week of March, the Utes primary questions were on the defense, at all three levels. See James Durrant's writeup at the Utah Rivals site for many more details. Second-year line coach John Pease hoped to get his players back to the production Utah fans grew used to under Gary Anderson's tutelege, and to answer to this offseason's first question: who will replace DT Kenape Eliapo and DE Koa Misi? At tackle, Neil A'asa appeard to get ahead of Lei Talamaivao and James Aiono; Trevor Reilly leads at end.

There's fruitbasket turnover occuring at linebacker in SLC this offseason, as the Utes graduated one of the conference's best-ever LB corps. So the second question in Salt Lake City was: Will Utah find a linebacking corps this spring? Replacing Mike Wright, Stevenson Sylvester, and Kepa Gaison won't fall to inexperienced players. DC Kalani Sitake, who coaches the linebackers, thinks his team is in better position going into 2010 than it was going into 2009. Projected starter Nai Fotu is out for the year with a torn ACL, J.J. Williams (pictured) and Boo Anderson may have won themselves starting spots with a strong spring. Chad Manis, Chaz Walker, Jamel King, and Matt Martinez were are in the mix for the third spot. Four-star recruit VJ Fehoko doesn't join the team until fall.

In the secondary, Coach Whittingham replaced J.D. Williams, who joined Bobby Hauck's staff at UNLV, by moving his TE coach, Jay Hill, to cornerback. Hill gets one starter back, Brandon Burton. Conroy Black is pushing Lamar Chapman gets the first-team snaps at the other end. In between them are two question marks, making the last defensive question for the Utes: Will the new safeties save the secondary? Only Justin Taplin-Ross (pictured) nailed down a starting spot this spring. Early-enrolled Damian Payne practiced much of the spring with the first team, rotating with redshirt freshman Chris Washington.

On offense, the questions were less pressing to start the spring, owing to a much fuller roster of returners. However, returning starter and phenom Jordan Wynn went down on the first play of the spring game, and there're rumblings his injury was more serious than the Whittingham has let on. Fortunately for the Utes, senior Terrance Cain (pictured) took over and was brilliant, as was redshirt freshman Griff Robles. It appears the Utes' attack is not dependent on Wynn.

Fully four starters return on the o-line, leaving a battle (and the first offensive question) only at left tackle: who will replace all-MWC Zane Beadles? Caleb Shlauderaff moves over from guard into that spot this spring, and that move may be permanent if the Utes can't find a better tackle. Walter Watts will take Shladeraff's spot next to center. Percy Taumoelau is also in the mix at left tackle.

Matt Asiata was granted a medical redshirt, but didn't practicing this spring. Eddie Wide and Sausan Shakerin had the show largely to themselves, and put on a good one.

At wideout, the story is much different. David Reed, Aiona Key, and John Peel took just over half the team's receptions and even more of the team's receiving yards with them to graduation. Only Jerome Brooks returns, having had over 17 receptions for more than 154 yards in 2009. DeVonte Christopher, Shaky Smithson, and Luke Matthews return with Brooks, all having caught passes last season, and all hoping to answer the question Who'll be Jordan Wynn's go-to receivers? They were pushed hard for first team snaps by walk-on Griffin McNabb (pictured), who who shone late in the spring, and was the go-to receiver in the spring game. The team's three receiver recruits don't enroll until the fall.

[updated] SAN DIEGO STATE spring report

2010-02-06T14:16:00.007-06:00

No team in the conference is as close to dramatic improvement as is San Diego State. It returns all of its coaches, its best weapons (QB Ryan Lindley and both of his go-to receivers), it has a wealth of runningbacks, and a burgeoning defense. The Aztecs are precisely one viable running threat away from the promised land. But the way to the promised land (which is defined these days in San Diego as bowl eligibility) is blocked until SDSU improves its push up front. Thus the Aztecs's first spring question: which of the five new o-linemen will improve the abysmal push up front the team has manufactured since... since at least as long as anyone at the Wimple can remember?

Impressively sized Juan Bolanos (6-7, 340), Riley Gauld (6-5, 299), and Joe Unga (6-6, 305)transfer in from junior colleges, but none of them participated in spring drills. True freshmen Zack Dilley and Garrett Corbett join the team in August. These new fellows join returning starters Tommie Draheim (LT), Trask Iosefa (C), and Nik embernate (RG), and backups Mike Matamua, Erik Quinones, Damian Shankle, and Emilio Rivera in OC and o-line coach Al Borges's search for the Aztecs' stoutest front five. Atypically, there are no o-linemen in the class ahead of the five signed this week, because Hoke's team did not enroll a single lineman last year, due to their unwillingness to sign a player at those positions without proper evaluation.

The skinny out of spring drills is that the o-line is still a big problem, waiting for the big transferring JUCO players to improve it.

Once it has a better line in place, San Diego State can begin sorting its many runningbacks, including hyped recruit and early-enrolled true freshman Ronnie Hillman. The team must answer the question who will be 2010's workhorse backs, and hoped to have the answer by the end of spring drills. Hillman (pictured) competed with veterans Brandon Sullivan, Davon Brown, Anthony Miller, and Walter Kazee. Kazee was limited in spring drills, but expects to be back in full form by August, when Dwayne Garrett, Adam Muema, and Deonte Williams join the fracas. Somebody among those eight runningbacks will capitalize on better o-line play, if he gets it, and keep opposing defenses honest for the first time in Ryan Lindley's career (and many quarterbacks before him, it can be said...). Hillman appears to be playing up to his billing.

Defensively, the Aztecs return a boatload of starters at all levels. Early-enrolled DE Perry Jackson, a very highly rated JUCO transfer, is competing on the line. Competition among the LBs and DBs will be high, as the coaches settle on replacements for all-MWC LB Jerry Milling and CB Davion Mauldin. Starting and backup Aztec back graduated or left the team this offseason, as well. DC Rocky Long has a full score of players competing for these spots, however. Expect no dropoff, but improvement, as the team answers its last spring question: who'll step up in the back eight on defense?

Andrew Preston (pictured) moved from linebacker to the hybrid LB-S "Aztec" back this spring; he loves the new position. "You get to fly around and get to play the whole field," said Preston. The team focused on man coverage from its cornerbacks. Admittedly, covering Brown and Sampson (and Dominique Sandifer, and newcomer Osborne Nicholas) isn't easy, but there's worry that its secondary isn't getting the job done. They shut down the offense during the spring game however, and drew praise from Coach Hoke.

[updated] AIR FORCE spring report

2010-02-06T13:10:00.005-06:00

The Air Force Falcons were the first in the MWC to break out the pads for spring drills this year, getting underway in balmy mid-February in Colorado Springs (average February high: 44). Troy Calhoun replaced one coach on each side of the ball, but the transitions should have been relatively easy, as neither departed coach was exclusively responsible for the team's schemes.

AFA returns every player from 2009 that carried the ball- an astonishing fact, given the Falcons' reliance on its ground game to move the ball. It seems therefore a given that coach Calhoun will be focusing not ballcarriers this spring, but on both lines, where the Falcons are practically holding an open tryout for starters. The entire 2009 starting o-line graduated, as did two of the three d-linemen.

So the first, and biggest, spring question at the Academy this year was: will backups Chase Darden, A.J. Wallerstein, Michael Hester, Tyler Schonsheck, and Blake Dowd cut the mustard up front for the offense? Similarly, will Wylie Wikstrom (DE) and Ryan Gardner (DT) nail down the starting snaps this month?

Some Academy watchers think that the complete turnover on the o-line will not be as disruptive as a similar event would be at another school. That none of the '09 backups were freshmen may indicate that the new starts will bring significant experience to their starts in 2010. Whether or not that is true, the jury is out on the beef up front until September.

Until then, it looks like four of the five spots up front on offense are filled: LT Jason Kons (freshman 6-4, 250), C Michael Hester (sophomore, 6-3, 240), RG A. J. Wallerstein (sophomore, 6-4, 285) and RT Chase Darden (junior, 6-3, 255). The left guard spot may go to Tyler Schonsheck (junior, 6-1, 265), but his competition with Nick Jackson (freshman, 6-4, 270) is ongoing. Look for the Academy's o-line recruits Jacob Ehm (6-6, 245), Joe Frank (6-4, 290), Drew Kerber (6-3, 280), Tristian Turknett (6-2, 287), Jake Welch (6-3, 290), and Charlie Zemko (6-3, 250) as backups, at most, in 2010. More likely, given the youth ahead of them on the two-deep, they'll not surface in games for another year.

On defense, Ryan Gardner and Wylie Wikstrom do appear to have secured the top spots on the chart at DT and DE. Both had exemplary springs. Elsewhere, only S Chris Thomas and LB John Falgout leave large holes in the team's production, to be filled by younger players. Phil Ofili and Brian Corcoran may replace Thomas and Falgout. Reports out of spring were very positive about the Falcons' secondary, though the lineup to replace Thomas remains unsettled.

The surprise out of spring is how strong quarterback Connor Dietz showed-- so much so that one cannot say Tim Jefferson is the clear starter going into fall drills. This kind of competition has to be good for the Academy, however, and may surpass the emergence of a starting o-line (which may be largely complete) as the top story for the team this August.

The 2010 schedule, recently out, features a blockbuster conference showdown in week two against BYU, in Colorado Springs. This is precisely the kind of battle that plays well in the Falcons' hands; they'll throw their experienced, difficult ground attack and speedy defense at the Cougar's new starting quarterback and defensive line. Bronco Mendenhall has to be sweating those matchups already. An upset in week two may signal another year in which the Academy muscles its way into the league's top three.

MWC Review

2010-01-30T09:02:00.007-06:00

Before signing day arrives, and the inevitable collective dive into the measurements, SAT scores, and possible position switches for thousands of yet-untested true freshmen, let's peruse the 2009 season with a wide lense. It was a pretty good year for the Mountain West-- although less successful than the blockbusting '08 season. The last three seasons the conference has gone .947 (18-1) against 2A foes; .629 (34-20) against non-cartel 1A teams; and .520 (26-24) against the cartel. In '09 the MWC fared slightly better than average against 2A and non-cartel 1A teams, (6-0 for 1.000, 12-7 for .632) and slightly worse against the cartel (7-9 for .435). The Mountain West had at least two teams in every poll this season (a first), and three teams ranked in all but four of the season's 16 poll weeks (previous record in '08: only five weeks without three ranked teams). And until TCU's lain egg at the Fiesta Bowl, it appeared the conference would sweep its five bowl games.

Coaching continuity had a lot to do with the conference's sustained success. For the second year running, the MWC had a BCS team without losing its BCS coach. Despite overtures from Tennessee, Notre Dame, USC, Kansas, and Cincinnati, the Mountain West keeps Gary Patterson and Kyle Whittingham (and Troy Calhoun) for another year. The situation is nearly the same with coordinators-- only Air Force lost a coordinator to poaching. (UNLV's turnover not included, obviously.) CSU fired its OC, and UNLV has an entirely new crew, but otherwise the staffs are unchanged at the tops in the conference.

The only new kid on the block is UNLV's Bobby Hauck, and his team of coordinators, most of whom followed Hauck from Montana State. Hauck poached JD Williams from Utah (cornerbacks) to be his assistant head coach, pass defense, and secondary coach; Brent Myers from Louisville will coach tight ends-- an emphasis in Hauck's run-heavy offenses. The rest of his staff followed Hauck from Montana State: Rob Phenicie (OC); Kraig Paulson (DC); Ty Gregorak (LB, recruiting coordinator) Chad Germer (o-line); Dominic Daste (RB); Michael Gray (DT); Mike Gerber (strength and conditioning).

How about the rookies? Dave Christensen leads these coaches going away, having led his Wyoming Cowboys not just out of a projected last-place finish, but to their first bowl (and bowl win) since '04. The first-year head coach had the sagacity to deemphasize the pass (his forte) and rely on the Cowboys less-dead running game, with true freshmen playmakers to boot. Christensen's returning crew is large, young, and optimistic. Brady Hoke appears to have his San Diego State Aztecs turned around, although his team lost a couple it shouldn't have. Whether Hoke can generate a running game in San Diego remains his biggest worry-- and the lack of one his team's Achilles heel.

Which leaves New Mexico's Mike Locksley, who probably has about half a season to show some wins, or else. The wheels came off in Albuquerque this season, and unless the Lobos show drastic improvement right off the bat in 2010, they'll be begging Rocky Long to come back by Columbus Day.

The shape of the league-- the Big Three atop, AFA leading the rest of the pack-- remained unchanged in 2009. Oddly, the league standings were perfectly transitive. TCU beat everybody; BYU lost only to TCU; Utah lost only to TCU and BYU; AFA lost only to the Big Three; Wyoming lost only to the Big Three and AFA; etc. Maybe AFA narrowed the distance between it and the Big Three (losing to TCU and Utah by a combined six points), but the better analysis that AFA neither gained nor lost ground. In '07, remember, the Academy took second place in the league.

The MWC's surprises, in rough order of magnitude, were these:
(1) Colorado State cratered, finishing 0-9 in conference after starting 3-0, including its first win in Boulder in over a decade.
(2) Wyoming wins bowl eligibility in its Year One of the spread-- albeit a run-heavy adaptation of Dave Christensen's attack.
(3) New Mexico's Year One of the spread features no wins and less offense until its eleventh game, against wheels-off CSU. The punch (alleged)? Later reports indicate it may not be as surprising as Lobo fans wish.
(4) BYU, with a 80% retooled offensive line, out-slugged Oklahoma in a defensive battle only a couple hours' drive from Norman.
(5) BYU gets out-slugged in a offensive embarrassment by Florida State, in Provo.
(6) ESPN Gameday comes to two Mountain West conference games, as well as the AFA-Army game.
(7) TCU loses its bowl, but remains ranked in the top 10.
(8) BYU's defense was faster than Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
(9) TCU likely will start 2010 ranked in the top ten, and below another non-cartel team.

The Mountain West's best 2009 moments:
(1) BYU topping OU;
(2) Colorado State beating Colorado;
(2) Wyoming beating Fresno State in double overtime in the New Mexico Bowl;
(3) ESPN Gameday at TCU;
(4) ESPN Gameday at BYU;
(5) Troy Calhoun turning down the top job at Tennessee

The MWC's reasons for optimism about 2010:
(1) TCU's returning seniors;
(2) the impossibility that AFA could have worse injury luck than last year;
(3) Jordan Wynn and Austyn Carta-Samuels were only freshmen;
(4) the bullseye for media attention is on Boise State's back
(5) Whittingham, Patterson, and Calhoun all return, with nearly idental staffs
(6) Pete Thomas (CSU QB) early enrolled;
(7) Harvey Unga, Jeremy Kerley, Vincent Brown returned for their senior years, and Matt Asiata and DeMarco Sampson won medical redshirts and sixth years of eligibility;
(8) New Mexico is .500 (in its last two games).

More seats at the polls in 2009

2010-01-16T12:32:00.002-06:00

In the run-up to this season, the Wimple noted that the non-cartel teams were, on average, appearing in the polls more often than they had in the past. That trend continued in 2009. Using only the AP poll for the data set, an average week of the 2009 season had 20.5 ranked cartel teams, and 4.5 ranked non-cartel teams- a slight increase over the then-record breaking '08 season.

2009-- 72, 4.500
2008-- 73, 4.294
2007-- 30, 1.875
2006-- 28, 1.750
2005-- 37 (23 without Louisville, a tweeny in '05), 2.313 (1.438)
2004-- 57, 3.563
2003-- 48, 2.824
2002-- 33, 1.833
2001-- 44, 2.588
2000-- 37, 2.176
1999-- 47, 2.765
1998-- 22, 1.375
1997-- 29, 1.611
1996-- 41, 2.278
1995-- 5, 0.294
1994-- 33, 1.941
1993-- 21, 1.235
1992-- 10, 0.588

2009 Wimple Awards

2010-01-09T16:27:00.020-06:00

The third annual Wimple Awards:

The 2009 Purple Wimple Players of the Year: Daryl Washington, Jerry Hughes
On a team full of playmakers, Daryl Washington and Jerry Hughes proved the most consistent big-play threats in purple. Washington stepped into the daunting shoes of Robert Henson, filled them, and then some. Washington was one of the emotional leaders of the team, as well as one of the defense's best performers. In 2009 the senior averaged over eight tackles per game, and never tallied less than five-- and in those three in which he only got five, at least one was for a loss. Washington played big in big games: his career best game was at Clemson, where he not only tallied 13 stops, but chased down C. J. Spiller in a footrace, bringing down the ACC Player of the Year and turning what would have been a touchdown into a field goal. Washington made ten and nine tackles at BYU and at Air Force, respectively, making him the Frogs' most valuable performer away from Amon Carter Stadium, as well as in it. Jerry Hughes's numbers themselves say much of the story: 58 tackles (21 of them for a loss); 13 sacks; seven (officially) QB hurries; two forced fumbles. Elite defenders rack up totals like that, and of those, only the best do it more than once. Hughes did it twice, despite being the number one threat on opposing offensive-coordinators' minds all off-season. For his effort he brought home the hardware in 2009, winning the Ted Henricks award, as well as his second consecutive spot as as first-team consensus All-American. (This year he was a the unanimous pick.) Hughes and Washington have played every year on special teams. Few Frogs have as obvious and as bright a future in the NFL as these two have; their years at TCU-- even when not starting-- were brilliant. Like Jason Phillips last year, and Chase Ortiz the year before, it will be hard to imagine the TCU team-- especially the defense-- without these defenders prowling in the middle of it and camping out in the opponents' backfields, making them look slow and stupid.

Offensive Player of the Year: Andy Dalton
The Wimple made the point last year, when awarding the quarterback with this same award, that no single player accounted for the Frogs' increase in productivity between '07 and '08 than Dalton. It is a singular delight, then, to note that this continues to be true. No single Frog accounts for more of the difference between the offense's record-setting '08 season, and its substantially more impressive (and record-setting) '09 output than Andy Dalton. With over 500 more yards, and 12 more touchdowns than last season, the junior had the best single season any TCU quarterback has had since at least the leather helmet era, if not ever. Dalton threw more touchdowns in 2009 (23) than he threw the previous two years combined, and threw only eight interceptions. Raw production aside, Dalton proved more durable than in the past, quicker and more dangerous as a running threat, and smarter than the defenses he faced. Against Clemson, he executed the Slice relentlessly, running for almost 70 yards in the second half, keeping TCU's scoring drives alive. Against Utah, Dalton completely negated the Utes' exotic blitzes, reading and passing over them repeatedly, and quickly! Dalton's increased production and smart performance was the most valuable component in TCU's best ever offensive year. His return in 2010 makes TCU a viable contender for the crystal trophy.

Defensive Player of the Year: Raphael Priest
The senior cornerback was one of the steadiest performers on the team, let alone in the secondary, which was marked by unexpected turmoil all season. How often did this fleet athlete lock down receivers sent to steal a deep pass? Priest's fourth starting campaign was perhaps his best. Priest started all but one game in the regular season--the only missed start of his career--and likely will continue football professionally this fall.

Special Teams Player of the Year: Jeremy Kerley
Few players can take not receiving the ball as a compliment, but Jeremy Kerley is not like most players. Opposing teams kicked away from him all year, and when forced to punt his way, tried to punt out of bounds. It's hard to blame them: when Kerley fielded a punt or kickoff, he was electric. Twice Kerley returned kicks for touchdowns, both times igniting the Frogs' then-sluggish teammates. Kerley's touchdown return against Colorado State (watch it here and weep for other teams' special teams) is a lesson in agility, vision, and speed. It won ESPN's best play of the year, and should have.

Senior of the Year: Marshall Newhouse
Like Herbert Taylor before him, Marshall Newhouse began playing as a true freshman at TCU, at right tackle, and migrated to left tackle to replace a graduating senior. Chase Ortiz called Newhouse the most talented o-lineman at TCU, and after four years, the Wimple will brook no dissent on the issue. Newhouse has proven Taylor's equal in talent and, just as importantly, durability. The senior started or played in every TCU game since 2006. Last year, Marshall Newhouse anchored (with then-senior Blake Shlueter) an o-line that topped its best year in almost a decade, registering over 220 ground yards per game and over 33 points per game. Newhouse, the only starting senior on the line in 2009, led the group that bested both of those marks. The line allowed the fewest sacks (12) since joining the MWC, at least.

Freshman of the Year: Ed Wesley, Matthew Tucker
Behind the best o-line in at least a decade, these two runningbacks burst on the scene and have left Frog watchers wondering how the three incoming bluechip runningbacks will fit into the backfield. Ed Wesley was not only unheralded as a recruit, but was considered a poor choice by the few commentators who took any notice of him at all coming out of high school. Word filtered out during his redshirt year, however, that he was elusive and difficult for the Frogs' tremendous defense to stop. Thankfully he ran into the face of other teams' defenses in 2009, and relentlessly. Wesley averaged over six yards per carry, splitting snaps with Turner and Tucker. He also racked up 170 aerial yards, making Wesley one of the Frogs most versatile and dangerous weapons.
True freshman Matt Tucker had considerably more hype to live up to as a recruit to TCU, and did so in spades. Too talented for the coaches to redshirt him, Tucker made waves from his first practice in August. By season's open, the freshman had worked his way to second in the Frogs' three-back ground attack. By the postseason, Tucker had amassed 6.4 ypc, with slightly more touches than Wesley, and twice as many touchdowns (8).

Can't Wait to See Next Year: Dwight Smith, Casey Pachall, Stansley Maponga, David Johnson, James Dunbar.

TCU wraps up, upset, but set up.

2010-01-09T12:46:00.011-06:00

So the Frogs didn't turn into princes upon invitation to a BCS bowl, and indeed the Wimple's forecast that any one loss in 2010 would feel like a letdown proved true. But good news accompanies even the truth of this prediction. How far fell the Frogs after that loss? TCU went to Glendale ranked #3 by the press, and #4 by the BCS. AP and the coaches put TCU in their final ballots at #6 (there is no final BCS poll).

How did the Frogs get to so high a ranking? By spreading the ball around. It began in Virginia, where TCU's three-headed backfield and utterly dominant o-line tallied 154 yards, keeping TCU in possession of the ball almost 35 minutes. They tallied 212 a week later against Texas State, and Dalton joined the fun against Clemson a week later. When the trio only managed 128 yards in the face of Clemson's impressive d-line, the junior signal-caller galloped for 100 himself, 68 of those in the second half. Still working with a partially concealed playbook against SMU, Dalton rode the SMU pony to a conference-high 160 efficiency rating. Turner, Wesley, and Tucker tallied 196 yards. Following a bitter-cold close call at Air Force, TCU upped the intensity of its ground game against Colorado State. Against the Rams, 14 Frogs toted the rock, for 278 yards and three touchdowns.

Those six games clearly were tune-ups for TCU, which blew the dust off of long-unused pages of its playbook for the tilt in Provo, where the Frogs dominated BYU in all three phases, for all sixty minutes. The steam-roll had only begun: Colorado State was the first of six conference opponents to give up more than 40 points to TCU; the other five came in a row: UNLV, San Diego State, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Of those five, only Utah scored more than 12, and only New Mexico held the Frogs to less than 326 rushing yards. TCU sold out its first conference game since its Southwest Conference days, (breaking its home record) when Utah and ESPN Gameday came to town. The Frogs rode the Mountain West all the way to 3rd in both human polls, and 4th in the BCS, and a record-setting bowl bid. Never before had a BCS bowl chosen a non-cartel team over a cartel-team; Boise State matched that record with a remarkable one of its own: never before had a second non-cartel team secured a BCS berth in one season. Their excitement about that unprecedented chance to bowl for big money carried into their outstanding Fiesta Bowl win over the Frogs.

TCU's 2009 senior class is small, but talented. Four of them (Washington, Hughes, Newhouse, and Gresham) are invited to the NFL Combine, and three will play in senior all-star games. Probably six or seven will be on NFL rosters next season (Washinigton and Hughes will be TCU's highest-picked draftees in years). It was the Frogs' juniors that carried the greatest load this year. Dalton, Cannon, Kirkpatrick, Vernon, Kerley, Young, Clay, Johnson on offense; Griffin, Grant, Daniels, Luttrell, Johnson, Ibiloye, Teague, and Jones on defense. Next season these juniors (then seniors) will cap the most talented team to wear purple in decades, perhaps ever.

TCU has finished seven of the last ten seasons ranked, but never maintained anything close to that strength in the polls across an offseason. After finishing 21/18th in 2000, TCU debuted 2001 unranked. After finished 23/22nd in 2002, TCU began the next year at 25th. After a 25/23rd finish in '03, TCU began 2004 unranked. After finished 2005 ranked 11/9th, TCU began the next season ranked 22nd. The exception is that TCU took a 22/21st finish in 2006 to a 22nd ranked beginning to 2007. The Frogs began 2008 --/44th, and finished 7/7th, only to debut 2009 ten spots lower at 17/17th. 2009 concluded with TCU 6/6th.

Incredibly, early-preseason polls rank TCU the same: sixth. A similar ranking in August would herald a new paradigm in college football. Boise and TCU likely will begin the 2010 season ranked in the top ten-- the first two non-cartel teams to achieve that kind of confidence and recognition among voters. While several non-cartel teams have clawed their way into the national title discussion by year-end, none have ever begun the year in that conversation. Boise certainly will do so in 2010, and TCU might.

The 2010 seniors clearly will be the most talented class to graduate from TCU since the 1950s, if not longer. They will be just the first such class, however. In a few weeks Gary Patterson's crew will close the second jaw-dropping class of recruits in as many years. The remarkable truth is that Patterson has created much more than a flash in the pan success in Fort Worth. He has set up the Frogs to succeed repeatedly on a once-unthinkably-high level. That players like Tanner Brock, Jason Teague, Greg McCoy, Blaize Foltz, Matt Tucker, Curtis Clay, Zach Roth, D.J. Yendry, Braylon Broughton, Andre Dean, Waymon James, and Casey Pachall didn't start this season is a revealing tribute to the quality of TCU's upperclassmen.

In sum, with the talent returning and enrolling (including early-enrolled Dwight Smith, called the best runningback to come from east Texas in a generation), a top-ten pre-season rank, and continuity on the staff, TCU is set up perfectly for a run at the sport's holy grail. It'll be decided in Glendale in 2010, and for the first time since our grandparents were young, it is not unreasonable to consider the Frogs in the running for it. It's crystal, football-shaped, and until 2010, had been reserved only for the privileged few. Next year, that club may have to expand like nobody could have imagined just a year or two ago.

Boise State 17, TCU 10

2010-01-07T17:05:00.007-06:00

Outcoached.

TCU hasn't had to swallow that pill in a long time. But Boise State administered a terrific dose of the medicine in the Fiesta Bowl, first in defending TCU's rush attack quirkily enough to scare the Frogs' young OCs away from the run, and second in faking a punt (pictured) to keep the Bronco's only touchdown drive alive. Those changes, with terrific play by Boise's secondary (snagging three Dalton passes) made just enough difference to give Boise State the win.

While Boise sustained drives better than TCU (converting 40% of its third- and fourth-downs, compared to TCU's dismal eight percent), both teams punted eight times. Boise held the ball a full ten minutes longer than TCU, and ran eight more plays, but engineered exactly no more points from them than TCU did. TCU passed for 30 yards more than BSU, and scored on a pass play. Boise ran for 40 yards more than TCU, and scored on a run play. Both teams had 12 passing first downs, 3 or 4 rushing first downs, and one penalty first down. Neither quarterback had a typical day; Moore was pressured most of the night, and Dalton threw three interceptions, one of which was returned (accounting for all of the difference in the score), and the last killed TCU's attempt to tie the game in the final two minutes.

In the end, Boise's defense was the x-factor. They outplayed TCU's offense so effectively the Frogs could not win, despite their own defense's very good showing. Hughes, Washington, Carder-- all the usual suspects-- were typically terrific.

Much has been-- and should be-- said about TCU's abandoning the run. Matthew Tucker was given just one carry; Ed Wesley only two. Credit Boise's surprise use of a 3-3 and 3-2 front: it scared TCU's young offensive coordinators away from the Frogs' bread and butter, keeping potent purple playmakers off the field. In 2010, the Frogs' stable of runningbacks will be even more audacious than this season: Waymon James, Andre Dean, and Dwight Smith join Tucker and Wesley. Perhaps TCU will be more faithful to its roots, and roster, next season.

AIR FORCE wraps up, topped out?

2010-01-01T12:45:00.007-06:00

What does an all-senior offensive line, a returning QB, two tailbacks, and a smash-mouth defense get these days for a service academy? Air Force took these assets into 2009, and emerged with its third straight bowl bid, and only bowl win of the decade, topping Houston (convincingly) in a chilly Armed Forces Bowl, and tallying its third eight-or-better win season in a row. QB Tim Jefferson completed long passes to returning WRs Kevin Fogler (pictured) and Jonathan Warzeka, adding hope to Falcon fans' expectations of a fourth bowl and second post-season win in 2010. More importantly, Jefferson's aerial prowess (10-14 for 161 yards) forced Houston to give the servicemen room on the ground to do what they do best: run. Jared Tew and Asher Clark ('10 sr. and jr., respectively) took 60% of AFA's ground snaps in the game, for 75% of its ground yards, and 80% of its touchdowns.

This summary was about what AFA watchers expected to see all year from the Falcons, but injuries hobbled Jefferson and Clark for much of the season. Sophomore Connor Dietz and junior Jared Tew stepped into the QB and RB slots effectively enough to keep the Academy's post-season run going, but the team standouts came from the defense. DBs Reggie Rembert, Anthony Wright, and Chris Thomas plagued offenses all season, in front of another great defensive front for the Academy.

Glass-half-empty people may focus on AFA's inability in '09 to cover any of the distance between it and the MWC's big three, but the Wimple is the half-glass-full type, and prefers to note how the Academy hasn't lost any distance to those three, either. And that's saying something, considering how steadily AFA battled injuries this season, and how much the MWC's top teams have improved in the last few years. AFA took Navy and Utah to overtime (losing both tilts) and played TCU to the wire in a blizzard-like game in Colorado Springs, perhaps covering the memory of its lopsided defeat in '08 with its manly showing in '09. For a second year, AFA finished fourth in the conference, beating all of its teams except Utah, TCU, and BYU.

Does the outlook brighten for 2010, or have the Falcons reached the highest altitude? There seems ready room for improvement in the Falcons' OOC performance, perhaps generating a top-25 ranking. AFA played Minnesota close, and missed its first victory over Navy in years by a missed field goal; they almost got a second victory over Utah and TCU in three years, as well. Jefferson, Clark, Dietz, Tew, Fogler, Warzeka, Rembert, and Wright all return; the Academy's skill and speed positions are well-stocked. Jefferson's connections with his wideouts in the bowl fund optimism that the Academy can manage a more balanced attack in 2010-- and a balanced pass-run option attack would be frightening to opposing defenses indeed. But... (how rarely to college teams avoid that rejoinder!)

But both lines lose seniors in droves. Four o-linemen graduate, including all-MWC Nick Charles and Peter Lusk; two of the three d-linemen played their last this week, including all-MWC noseguard Ben Garland. Both AFA inside LBs graduate as well. Replacing these interior starters will be coach Calhoun's biggest worry this offseason, and any dropoff in production from the new personel up front will make merely maintaining course in 2010 a program success. That no freshmen appeared on the late-season two-deep on either line may indicate the Falcons have depth enough to make this transition less painfully than in the past-- but that will remain a hopeful guess until the first whistle in September.

KDFW33's "Purple Reign"

2009-12-30T08:26:00.001-06:00

SMU wraps up, winning.

2009-12-27T14:41:00.014-06:00

Take a good look at it: to the right is a shot of SMU players triumphantly hoisting a bowl trophy. Players from the Hilltop haven't had a chance to do such a thing since they were state employees, paid from the governor's office, with generous contributions from the school's boosters. Craig James remains the most famous of that infamous lot, still taking potshots at TCU from his plush digs at ESPN.

But the kids you see at right are not anybody's employees; they're June Jones's latest devotees, and they put a stunning exclamation mark on the '09 season in the Hawaii Bowl. Sure Nevada had nearly the worst pass defense in the nation, but unlike other porous defenses on SMU's schedule (UAB, Tulane, Washington State, Rice, UTEP all ranked in the bottom 20), Nevada had a decent offense that was favored to keep SMU's aerial circus off the field, even without 2/3 of its 1,000-yards-each trio. But Jones and his freshman phenom Kyle Padron put the bowl practices-- a luxury not afforded the Ponies in a generation-- to good use. "I think I've grown a lot in these last few weeks," Padron said. "Any time you can get extra practice in with the coaches we have, it's going to help in the long run."

And in the short run, Mr. Padron.

SMU's true freshman gunslinger (pictured) racked up stats remeniscent of Colt Brennan, in Brennan's Hawaii stomping grounds: 460 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions. The Ponies' defense turned in its best performance of the year, holding Nevada to 10 points, 177 yards in the air and 137 on the ground. The 35 point margin of victory was the Mustangs' first comfortable win of the year-- of the last few years-- and nearly equalled the sum of the margins of victory in SMU's seven other wins this year. Add it all up, and everything about the game points to better things ahead in Dallas. Only graduating center Mitch Enright is older than a sophomore on SMU's 09 o-line two-deep; likewise only one d-linemen on the two-deep is older than a sophomore as well, junior nose-tackle Chris Parham. Senior WR Emmanuel Sanders graduates, and junior RB Shawnbrey McNeal has left early for the NFL, but the rest of the offense is scheduled for 2010. LB Chase Kennemer and two DBs graduate as well.

With McNeal (pictured) gone pro, SMU will be auditioning for a go-to runningback. McNeal handled 63% of the team's carries in '09, for over 83% of the team's ground yards. True freshmen Darryl Fields and Kevin Pope join a sparse backfield this summer.

In short, the crew that improved the school's rushing attack from 119th to 100th, scoring offense from 93rd to 55th, rush defense from 116th to 88th, pass defense from 119th to 46th, and scoring defense from 115th to 90th, returns in 2010. Likely SMU won't be threatening TCU's stranglehold on the Iron Skillet in 2010, but expect another round of improvement across the board-- and perhaps a different take on that Skillet in 2011.

Here're KDFW33's three-part look at SMU's '09 season.

SAN DIEGO STATE wraps up, solidifying.

2009-12-26T21:57:00.005-06:00

Of course the Aztec faithful-- however many of those are left-- hope that the San Diego State is doing more than just solidifying; they see a program that's rising out of the conference cellar. Ryan Lindley led the offense that passed for 30 more yards and 4 more points (on average) in '09 than it got in '08, and he did so behind an anemic line and without the advantage of a viable run game. The '09 Aztecs didn't net 1,000 yards on the ground total, and in their eight losses averaged only 71 yards. In their four wins, SDSU averaged 95-- which is still frighteningly low.

So will SDSU's ground game improve? The answer lies in recruiting. Coach Hoke signed no offensive linemen in his (admittedly hastily-assembled) first class last year, and must replace two seniors on its line, RT Peter Nelson and LG Ikaika Aken-Moleta. Hoke and his staff have taken to building the team's lines with gusto, signing two JUCO linemen this month, and garnering four OL commits from high school seniors so far. Hoke hopes JUCO transfers Juan Bolanos and Riley Gauld will compete for starting spots, and that freshmen Emmanuel Beavers and Zach Dilley will press for PT, as well. SDSU's recruiting focus on linemen has to bring a smile to returning RBs Brandon Sullivan, Walter Kazee, Davon Brown, and incoming freshman Ronnie Hillman's faces. Kazee generated what little buzz the Aztecs had on the ground in 2009; Hillman was perhaps Hoke's most touted recruit last year; he finally enrolled for spring 2010. Any increased vigor in SDSU's rush attack counts double, because it frees the Aztecs' already-formidable passing game to grow.

And SDSU will continue to do that well. Ryan Lindley will be a third-year starter in '10, with a deep corps of receivers to whom to throw; if Vincent Brown is among them (and he's telling recruits he'll be back in '10), instead of in the NFL, SDSU won't have to find a franchise receiver. Replacing, or behind, Brown, is a long list of returning and new players, with Dominique Sandifer, Alston Umuloa, D. J. Shields, Osmond Nicholas, Marvin Jones, David Lamar, and Jay Waddell all vying for Lindley's attention. [update: Brown will return, as will DeMarco Sampson, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility. Together these two had 43% of SDSU's catches in '09, for 52% of the team's receiving yards. Their return is a huge bonus for Brady Hoke's rebuilding project on the Mesa.]

Hoke's DC, Rocky Long, brought a drastically different set of schemes for the defense in '09, and prompted a 33-place rise in the national rush defense standings, a 48-place rise in pass defense, and a 15-place rise in scoring defense. While the team must replace a starting corner, safety, and Aztec back, as well as two of the three LB spots on D, Rocky Long's cupboard is brimming with young talent to run his speedy schemes. 2009's bumper crop of freshmen DBs and LBs have a year of Long's tutelage under their belts, and they're joined by a second large group of incomers this fall. Their continued improvement is the second most important element in SDSU's revival. Fortunately, Long is a proven talent at developing players, and his magic has already been in evidence on the Mesa.

Long's d-line may see changes in personel, but not because of graduation. All three d-linemen return, but Hoke's first four-star recruit is JUCO transfer DE Perry Jackson, who will compete for starting snaps this spring.

More amorphously, Hoke seems to have succeeded in changing the culture in the SDSU program. He's convinced high school players previously committed to UNLV and Nevada to become Aztecs instead; he's sold prep seniors on the idea that they are starting a tradition of San Diego players staying in San Diego for college.

UTAH wraps up, roaring.

2009-12-25T19:40:00.008-06:00

Guest-blogger, and die-hard Ute fan Jack contributed to this report.

Ten-win seasons do not grow on trees in most places, but perhaps it's time to consider Salt Lake City as fertile ground for ten-win seasons. Utah's dismantling of Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl made 2009 the program's fifth such season, and '08-'09 its first back-to-back 10-win seasons.

In some ways, Utah's season didn't get underway until the second half of the eighth game of 2009, when Wyoming was threatening to hand the Utes their second loss of the year, and Kyle Whittingham pulled the redshirt off of Jordan Wynn. The 18 year old provided a spark for the offense, going 9-14 with one touchdown in his first collegiate game and win. Wynn finished the season as a starter, going 3-2, including the come-from-behind tie against BYU, which ended in a loss in overtime, triggering commentary from the other starting QB in that game.

While Wynn is the best story for the '09 Utes, Utah's backfield is a similar story, and nearly as good. Franchise back Matt Asiata suffered a season-ending knee-injury early in game four, leaving smaller runners Eddie Wide, Sausan Shakerin, and Shaky Smithson to man the run game. Wide ('10 senior) stepped up in a big way, topping 1,000 yards by year end. Shakerin and Smithson ('10 senior) were effective change-of-pace backs. Asiata may return in 2010, if granted the medical redshirt. Shakerin ('10 soph) will be joined by redshirt Beau Burton and true freshman Princeton Collins as the backup RBs.

The Utes started only one senior on the o-line in '09, all-American Zane Beadles. The Utes' steady recruiting at OL is paying off, and the strong front that maintained the Utes' national top-50 rushing attack in '09 may improve it in 2010. Whittingham insists that the line will not be blocking ahead of a quarterback battle this offseason, despite Terrence Cain's better stats as a signalcaller. (139.4 v. 130.7 QB rating; Cain ran roughly twice as often as Wynn, for slightly more ypc.)

The 2010 signal caller will be throwing to a largely turned-over corps of wideouts. Three of the Utes' top four receivers graduate, taking half of 2009's catches and receiving yards with them. There'll be room on the two-deep for several of the full nine receivers Utah has enrolled in the '09 and '10 classes.

On defense, the situation is nearly reversed. Six of eight 2009 starters off the line were seniors, including standout LBs Stevenson Sylvester and S Robert Johnson. The '09 seniors (DE Misi, LBs Sylvester, Wright, Gaison, CB Sanford, Ss Johnson and Dale) took Utah's pass defense from 22nd in '08 to ninth in '09. Look for a return to something like 22nd in 2010. Over the last two or three years, the Utes have recruited better than any team in the conferece (except perhaps TCU), so expect considerable foment on the two-deep in spring and fall as younger players vie for starting spots in the defense. While Utah returns some of its most talented young players on the line, including DE Christian Cox and DTs David Kruger, Sealver Siliga, and JUCO transfer James Aiono (who redshirted in 2009), it is unclear who will rise to the top of the chart behind them at LB and in the secondary.

COLORADO STATE wraps up, looking up.

2009-12-23T16:05:00.007-06:00

Looking up because it fell all the way to the bottom of the conference in 2009-- a surprising drop for a team that finished with the MWC's second-best passing attack in '08, a rare all-returning offensive line, and an even rarer upset of rival Colorado to open 2009. The Rams were riding high after three games; and then came the middle, meaty part of their schedule: BYU, Idaho, Utah, and TCU, three of them roadtrips. In under a month 3-0 became 3-4, and the bleeding never stopped. Unlike last year, CSU's quarterback play never gelled, and also unlike last year, no running Ram proved able to carry the team from the backfield.

Leonard Mason (pictured)-- the best emerging runningback on the team-- was injured against TCU. John Mosure's decent rushing performance against SDSU in the last third of the schedule was totally overshadowed by the Aztecs' brilliant passing game. Mason's return against AFA the next week wasn't enough to match the Falcons' option attack. CSU's odd loss at UNLV, in which the Rams beat the Rebels in every statistical category except points, closed postseason possibilities for CSU, and by the time lowly New Mexico topped Colorado State by two points for CSU's eighth loss of the season, the prize was a share of last place. Wyoming finished off the Rams' season with a humiliating come-from-behind win, launching CSU's hated rivals to their first bowl in half a decade. Had Steve Fairchild's magic fled with the talent-rich seniors that graduated after his first season in Fort Collins?

Probably not, although Fairchild's success (or failure) as a player developer is going to be on open display in 2010. His staff must grow up an offensive line this offseason, replacing seniors LT Cole Pemberton, LG (and all-MWC) Shelley Smith, C Tim Walter, and RGs Adrian Martinez and Scott Benedict. Their replacements, perhaps some combination of (L-R) Ryan Griffith, Jake Gdowski, Tyler McDermott, Mark Starr, and a younger guard, will have nearly no starts between them, and a new quarterback to hold a pocket for. How Fairchild's staff develops the six 2010 redshirt freshmen and sophomore linemen likely will effect their tenure in Fort Collins more than any other effort they make.

And just who might that new QB be? Backups Jon Eastman, Klay Kubiak, and redshirted Nico Ranieri will compete with early-enrolling blue chip Pete Thomas, who headlines the Rams' 2010 class. Because Eastman had ample time to impress, and didn't, Thomas (and to a lesser extent, Ranieri and true freshman Tyler Shreve) will arrive facing very high expectations.

Sadly, that yet-unknown starting QB won't get to throw to Dion Morton and Rashaun Greer, who depart taking 41% of the team's catches, and 48% of its receiving yards with them. Returning speester Tyson Ligget and FB Zac Pauga will play a large part of that effort (accounting for 23% of the team's catches and 19% of its receiving yards in '09). CSU must develop some go-to threats in the air, especially when breaking in so many new linemen and a QB.

On defense, the picture is almost 180 degrees opposite. The rushing defense continued its upward trajectory, led up front by second-year Ty Whittier, James Morehead, Guy Miller, and Cory Macon. They spearheaded a 26-place jump nationally in rushing defense (a 33 ypg improvement), and return in 2010. Sophomore Mychal Sisson led a young LB corps that gets Ricky Brewer back in 2010. Sisson led the team in tackles, TFLs, and sacks. Sophomore safety Elijah-Blu Smith and senior CB Nick Oppenneer led the secondary, which must improve in 2010 if CSU will go bowling again. The returner-heavy defense must carry the 2010 Rams while its offense finds its feet.

Fairchild and his staff will bring in a large class of recruits, heavy on linemen and DBs. Look for QBs Bobby Borcky and Tyler Shreve at other positions in a year or two.

BYU wraps up, pleased (believe it or not).

2009-12-23T07:40:00.005-06:00

The Wimple welcomes guest blogger and BYU-fan Jake, to wrap up the 2009 Cougars and preview next season in Provo.

It’s funny how two seasons can progress so similarly and yet feel so differently. This was certainly the story of BYU football in 2008 and 2009. Although BYU went 10-2 in each of these two regular seasons, fans generally received the 2009 campaign much more favorably, helped by the Cougars beating their archrival and winning their bowl.

The Cougars started off the season with an explosion, pulling off a huge upset of then-#3 Oklahoma and jumping into the top 10, triggering discussion of the Cougars sneaking into the national title game. Two weeks later, that discussion ended as abruptly as it had begun as Florida State steamrolled the Cougars in Provo. BYU won its next four games and had regained some confidence heading into the College Gameday showdown with the Horned Frogs. That confidence was quickly shattered as TCU dominated the game from start to finish. After the TCU loss, it looked as though the season could slip away from BYU. However, the Cougars regrouped, the defense played its best football of the season down the stretch, and BYU ended the season on a four-game winning streak, including a dramatic overtime win over archrival Utah and a dominating beatdown of Oregon State in the Cougars' fifth straight Las Vegas Bowl.

Perhaps the most positive surprise for the BYU offense in 2009 was the play of the offensive line. The line returned only one starter (LT Matt Reynolds), and any semblance of depth was largely eradicated by injuries during fall camp (the Cougars traveled only seven offensive linemen to the season opener against Oklahoma). But the line gelled quickly, fueled by the contributions of new starters like Nick Alletto, Terence Brown and Braden Hansen. They powered a BYU offense that averaged 437 yards and over 34 points per game and allowed less than two sacks per game. They are a bright spot for BYU’s offense next year, which must replace the great majority of its passing production.

Much of the credit for BYU’s offensive production rests with Max Hall, who graduates with the school record for most wins by a starting QB. After starting the season with ten interceptions in its first five games, Hall threw just four INTs in the last seven, went over 300 yards eight times during the season, and wrote a new chapter in BYU football lore with his game-winning touchdown pass to Andrew George in overtime. A primary question for BYU in 2010 is who will replace Hall. Many question whether backup Riley Nelson's propensity to tuck the football and run is a good fit for BYU’s typically sit-in-the-pocket-and-throw offense. Jake Heaps (pictured) is BYU’s biggest recruiting get in several years—rated by some services the #1 high school quarterback in the country, and MVP of Nike’s prestigious Elite 11 quarterback camp. Perhaps the most intriguing returning missionaries are the two at the quarterback spot, Jason Munns and James Lark. Cougar fans seems to agree that Munns had the better shot at the starting position, but missing spring practice gives Nelson or Heaps the chance to secure the early #1 spot.

At running back, Harvey Unga turned in his third straight 1000 yard season—a first for BYU football. Whether he'll depart early for the NFL will greatly colort BYU’s offseason. Graduating FB Manase Tonga provided crucial lead run-blocking and pass protection and scored seven touchdowns. His departure will certainly be felt in the 2010 offense. Sophomore J.J. DiLuigi provided a quicker change of pace to Unga, getting 250 yards both on the ground and through the air and scoring seven touchdowns. Bryan Kariya impressed as Unga’s replacement against Oklahoma; his workload decreased as Unga came back to action. The offensive line and receiving corps return most of their players, which should ease the transition for the new starting QB. Even if Unga doesn’t return, DiLuigi and Kariya will provide valuable experience in the backfield. '10 sophs Jo Jo Pili and Anthony Heimuli will battle to replace Tonga at fullback.

The strength of BYU’s passing attack was largely built on Hall’s connection with his two senior tight ends, All-American Dennis Pitta and backup Andrew George. The two combined for 83 catches, 1,146 yards and 12 touchdowns, and were the first teammates to earn first- and second-team all-MWC honors in the same season. Their production will be missed, but expect returning WRs O’Neil Chambers, McKay Jacobson, Luke Ashworth, Spencer Hafoka, Brett Thompson to fill much of the lack. Don’t be surprised to see BYU utilize a tight end much less next season, and certainly many fewer two-TE sets (expect to see more of a two-wide, one split tight end and one H-back/receiver set next year, similar to what BYU largely ran in 2005 and 2006).

Who'll be the next great BYU tight end? Braden Brown's move from TE to tackle looks as though it may be permanent. Likewise, highly-touted TE recruit Richard Wilson spent some time this year practicing at linebacker. Redshirt freshman Mike Muehlmann to be in the mix next season, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wilson switched back to the offensive side of the ball. Returning missionary Austin Holt received offers from several cartel schools and will try to get immediate playing time at TE as well.

Jaime Hill’s second year of calling the plays as defensive coordinator was an improvement over last year's, although BYU’s defensive line performance was a bit of a mixed bag. First-team all-conference DE Jan Jorgensen battled all year for the MWC career lead in sacks. Brett Denney did well at the other end, recording 41 tackles and 2.5 sacks. DT Russell Tialavea struggled with conditioning coming into the season and with injuries during the season, and never truly seemed himself. Tialavea’s struggles allowed sophomore DT Romney Fuga to shine, as he recorded 38 tackles in his backup role. Jorgensen and Denney both depart, as do three starting linebackers. From the current roster, look for sophomore Matt Putnam, redshirt freshman Jordan Richardson, and freshman Mason Higham to be the main competitors for the starting DE spots. Both Tialavea and Fuga return to man the DT position. DT Eathyn Manumaleuna, best known for his block of the potential game-winning field goal in the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl against UCLA, returns from a mission and will push Russell Tialavea and Romney Fuga for playing time.

The linebacking corps generally provided solid run support but often struggled against mobile quarterbacks and in pass protection. Coleby Clawson (best known for ending Sam Bradford's college career) led the group with five sacks and seven TFLs, and Jordan Pendleton, speedy if slightly undersized, playing his first year in the position. Matt Bauman and Shawn Doman were multi-year starters whose experience will be missed next season.

That three of BYU’s four starters in the secondary this year earned at least honorable mention all-conference honors speaks volumes to the coaching job done by Hill and company, and made the secondary perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the BYU season. JUCO transfer Brian Logan, one of the smallest players in FBS, recorded three interceptions and was an exceptional open-field tackler, earning an all-MWC honorable mention. Brandon Bradley, was generally more of a run-stopping corner due to his position on the short side of the field. S Scott Johnson (also honorable mention all-MWC) moved from his cornerback position last season, recording three interceptions and serving as the field general in the secondary. S Andrew Rich led the team with four interceptions and earned a reputation as a heavy hitter across the middle, earning him second-team all-MWC honors. In the secondary, all starters except Scott Johnson return, and this should actually be a strength of the BYU defense in 2010. To replace Johnson, highly-touted freshman Craig Bills is an easy choice—he intercepted two passes in spot duty this year and was basically groomed to fill Johnson’s shoes throughout the season. However, there is a chance that Bills will leave on a mission next year, and there has been some talk that CB Brandon Bradley might be moved to the safety spot, as the Cougars have more depth at corner than at safety.

Bronco Mendenhall will signing perhaps the best recruiting class ever at BYU. Scout counts 21 verbal commits rated at three stars or higher—in recent memory, the highest similar count for BYU in one season has been twelve. Scout ranks the class thirteenth nationally. Heaps is certainly the jewel of the class. His importance to this recruiting class cannot be overstated, not only because he is a big name, but because he has taken it upon himself to get other highly-rated players to join him at BYU. His efforts helped land four-star California linebacker Zac Stout over offers from Nebraska and several PAC-10 schools, as well as wide receiver Ross Apo, a Dallas-area standout who had previously committed to Texas. Other highlights include DEs Bronson Kaufusi (nationally 11th-ranked) and Kona Schwenke. Graham Rowley played both OL and DL; Tayo Fabuluje, who plays high school ball with Ross Apo, committed to BYU over offers from Arkansas and Arizona State. Running backs Drew Phillips, A.J. Moore, and Algernon Brown are the types of athletes BYU rarely gets. Another notable is LB Kyle Van Noy, who signed with the Cougars's last class, but won't join the team until 2010. Many Cougar fans expect him to immediately compete to start.

BYU’s four nonconference games next year are against Washington (home), Nevada (home), Florida State (away) and Utah State (away). The Washington game just became a lot more interesting with Jake Locker returning. The Nevada game should be a home win as the Wolf Pack lose much of their offensive firepower from this season. Florida State may be an unknown quantity with a new head coach, but Tallahassee will be an incredibly tough place to play for a new BYU quarterback. Utah State is improving but still just doesn’t have the talent to keep up with the Cougars.

In conference play, the Cougars’ 2009 blessing becomes their 2010 curse—2009 home games against Air Force, TCU and Utah become road games in 2010, along with Colorado State, who nearly knocked off the Cougars in Fort Collins in 2008. The de facto bottom half of the conference—Wyoming, San Diego State, UNLV and New Mexico—all come to Provo. A few of these games (i.e. most if not all of the home games) might be easy wins, and none of them will be entirely out of the Cougars’ reach. But playing at TCU and Utah is never easy, and the difficulty is compounded when breaking in a new QB.

If I had to make a (somewhat conservative) prediction at this point, I would say the Cougars go 8-4 in 2010, with losses to Washington, Florida State, TCU and Utah. This is the most rebuilding BYU has had to do in one year since 2007—but in that year, the Cougars went undefeated in conference and won 11 games. In other words, I would be more surprised if BYU won fewer than 8 games in 2010 than if they won more.

NEW MEXICO wraps up, hitting bottom. [updated]

2009-12-22T15:10:00.008-06:00

It's hard to find the silver lining in this car wreck; New Mexico had about as bad a season as possible. Even worse, nobody expected it. But Locksley's recruiting magic may have dampened the effect of the Lobos' off-the-field woes, and let's face it: there's only one direction Locksley can pull (or, dare we say it, punch?) his team after the tailspin in Albuquerque this year: up.

That this year began with 0-3, against Texas A&M, Tulsa, and Air Force, wasn't completely surprising; that New Mexico couldn't manage an offensive touchdown until almost halftime in its third game (AFA) was. The Lobos returning depth at QB and O-line was bizarrely meaningless, and newcomers Demond Dennis and James Wright at runningback seemed totally lost. Worry turned to panic when lowly New Mexico State rallied to beat the Lobos in week 4, and by 0-5 a week later, the crap hit the fan. Mike Locksley punched, or didn't, an assistant coach, triggering a ten-day suspension.

Credit the Lobos, however: they kept fighting (their opponents, that is). At 0-9, New Mexico scared the bejeebers out of BYU, and were it not for otherworldly bad luck at field goals (two hit the uprights, a third blocked), would have ended the skid at nine losses. Said skid ended a week later at ten, when New Mexico ran all over Colorado State (its only successful rushing game, and not coincidentally, its ownly successful game at all) for the Lobos' sole win.

Rushing is the primary ill plaguing the team. A full seven teams held New Mexico under 100 yards on the ground (well under; the Lobos' average output in those games: 53 net yards rushing!). In its four other losses, New Mexico managed just over 140 yards rushing, on average. With such low production, losing three starting linemen isn't necessarily a blow, although C Erik Cook is the '09 all-MWC first-team center, and will be missed. All three graduating linemen have experienced backups, perhaps a hopeful sign for more potency on the ground in 2010. All of New Mexico's runningbacks return-- and freshmen Kasey Carrier and Demond Dennis improved as the season wore on. As in '09, these fellows will have more to do with their team's success than any other unit.

Elsewhere on offense the team was young; only three seniors were on the two-deep at WR, TE, FB, and QB. WR Michael Scarlett will be the go-to receiver in '10. Sophomore B.R. Holbrook appears to lead the battle to replace Donovan Porterie under center, but because he played in several games this season without sparking any improvement, he's not going to cement that starting role without besting any freshman that joins the team in the fall. That uncluttered depthchart may aid Locksley in luring a decent QB recruit to don the cherry and white. (Tarean Austin, in Florida, is the prime target.)

On defense, tackle-monster Carmen Messina returns, as do both corners and 3/4 of the starters on the line; clearly they need more from the offense to succeed. They do get more depth, regardless, as DT transfers Ugo Udzomina and Reggie Ellis that followed Locksley from Illinois have finished sitting out the mandatory year. The Lobos bring in several freshmen DBs who may contribute early. To date Locksley's crew tops only UNLV in the conference in number of recruits committed so far (eight). Lobo fans are high on Locksley's recruiting, however, and expect the schematic 180 that threw their team for such a loop in 2009 to resolve itself much more favorably in 2010.

UNLV wraps up disappointed; now what?

2009-12-21T19:06:00.009-06:00

Bobby Hauck-- the new coach, that's what. The Rebels suffered long with Mike Sanford, and after a promising haul of JUCO defensive backs failed to produce the necessary uptick in defensive stoutness, they cut him off. Offensive coordinator Todd Berry left for the head spot at Louisiana-Monroe.

Sanford's Rebels did manage to stay out of the conference's basement for the second consecutive year, beating New Mexico, Colorado State, and San Diego State. UNLV also finally topped Hawaii in a nail-biter, but lost to Oregon State in another nailbiter. But the defining game for the '09 Rebs, if it can be called that, came with then 0-3 Nevada, which racked up 772 yards total, and 42 points in the second half, bludgeoning UNLV 63-28 by the final whistle. The Rebels didn't come out of shock until visiting soft New Mexico, beating the hapless Lobos to avoid last place in the conference. After its annual spanking by TCU, the Rebels beat another MWC team (CSU), flirted briefly with bowl eligibility before Air Force laid wood on them in Colorado Springs, and the university fired Sanford, who coached the finale-- a win-- against SDSU.

Offensively, the Rebels regressed slightly, scoring about a point less per game in '09 than they did in '08. Clayton was less efficient at QB, and Wolfe less productive at WR. More importantly, the team got no boost from its running game. Again. (2008: 121 ypg; 2009: 126) Hyped runningback Bradley Randle could not meet the (admittedly heavy) expectations that greeted his enrollment at UNLV, and neither Channing Trotter and C.J. Cox could pick up the slack. These players labored behind an line that, despite experience, just couldn't open holes for the ground game.

They all got little help from the defense, which was bad in '08 (110th rushing D, 111th passing), and even worse in '09 (113th, 108th). The heralded trio of JUCO defensive backs: Alex DeGiacomo, Warren Zeigler, and Kenny Brown yielded only one starter by season's end (DeGiacomo).

By mid 2009, it was clear to even his biggest fans (the Wimple admits to being one of them) that Sanford's staff could not develop talent. So now UNLV turns the reins over to Bobby Hauck, who'll take a turn pursuing that evanescent mirage: a program capable of turning Sin City's purported appeal with recruits into wins on the field. He doesn't take the helm of an empty cupboard, although he will have to tackle 2010 recruiting almost from scratch: only three players have maintained commitments to UNLV so far. (SDSU has poached several of the others.) [update: by the last week of recruiting before signing day, Houck and his staff have amassed 20 commits, headlined by RB Dionza Bradford and WR Kurt Davis.]

UNLV started only one senior on its O-line and two on its D-line, including all-conference tackle Martin Teveseu. Turning the returners into winners in the trenches would make UNLV a bowling team overnight, because its skill players are plentiful. Channing Trotter proved a capable back, given a push in front. Cox and Randle are not untalented backups. QBs Omar Clayton and Mike Clausen still make the conference's most dangerous tandem. LBs Starr Fuimaono is an NFL talent who'll be the senior leader of the defense. In short, it's with UNLV's returners that hope lies for a revival in Las Vegas, if the new coaches can develop them beyond what the former coaches could do.

WYOMING wraps up, winning (!?!)

2009-12-20T15:25:00.013-06:00

Five months ago, the Wimple was unsparing in its criticism of Wyoming, and recommended to Cowboy fans to gird their loins and focus on next season. 2009 was going to be painful, said he, because Wyoming couldn't, and for a few months more, wouldn't run Dave Christensen's spread offense very well at all. Today, seven wins later, it appears that the 'Pokes are a fair stretch further down the road to competence than the Wimple expected them to be at season's end.

That road has been a rocky one, however. Christensen acknowledged the Wyoming was an underdog in every game it had against a D-1A opponent. Once he settled on Austyn Carta-Samuels as QB after a three-game audition between the true freshman and JUCO transfer Robert Benjamin, and moved to a run-first version of his up-tempo spread, Christensen's Cowboys improved. Carta-Samuels endured a frustrating shut-out at Colorado before leading the team to three straight victories, including two over conference foes UNLV and New Mexico, keeping Wyoming out of the MWC's cellar, mocking most pre-season polls. After a three-game skid to the conference heavyweights, the freshman led a remarkable come from behind win at San Diego. The 'Pokes scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to recapture .500 and a chance to go bowling. TCU's whooping of Wyoming may have deflated a less spunky team, but these Cowboys rallied to beat Colorado State in the final regular season game, clinching bowl eligibility for the first time in any of the team member's college careers.

Wyoming got its signature win as a Christmas present, knocking off Fresno State in double overtime in the surprisingly exciting New Mexico Bowl-- making the second takedown of the WAC's Bulldogs by a Mountain West underdog in Albuquerque in as many years. The game's highlight (sadly not included in the ESPN's highlights, but embedded in full, below) came in the first overtime, when Fresno State had Wyoming on the ropes, with a first-and-goal at the one. Four times they ran it up the gut, and four times the brown-and-gold denied them the endzone. Wyoming's missed field goal made that effort statistically irrelevant, but consider that four-and-out the senior-laden d-line's gift to the program this season. It paved the way to the bowl win, which the 'Pokes haven't savored since President Bush was popular, and gives the team that much more leverage going into 2010. Ironically, the d-line will be the team's biggest question mark next season.

Starting with the defense, which garnered plaudits in the pre-season, and came through big for the Cowboys when it had to. Number one: it's filled with young guys at LB and in the secondary. Wyoming will return all seven late-season starters off the line, including the Gipson brothers ('10 juniors) at corner, safety Shamiel Gray ('10 sophomore), and tackle-monsters Chris Prosinski (S, '10 senior), Gabe Knapton (LB, '10 junior), and Brian Hendricks (LB, '10 junior). Proskinski, Knapton, and Hendricks all finished in the national top 20 for tackles this season. Wyoming's back seven in 2010 will be the team's strength.

The big news for the Cowboys was up front however, where the trio John Fletcher (pictured), Fred Givens, and Mitch Unrein turned in a third (fourth?) and final year as starters. Fletcher is the team's sole all-MWC first teamer, and it's entirely unclear who'll replace these gents' pass rush in 2010. Backup end Mike Neuhaus also graduates; two true freshman played this season some. A trio of D-line recruits will join the fray this fall, but the three front spots are the Cowboys' biggest unknown for 2010. The contenders appear to be Purcell, Willis, and Felker.

And then there's the offense. It's just as young. RBs Alvester Alexander ('10 sophomore) and Brandon Stewart ('10 junior), and QB Austyn Carta-Samuels ('10 sophomore) accounted for over 84% of the Cowboys' rushing yards this season. In fact, as Coach Christensen realized his team just wasn't going to pass its way into the post season this year, he relied even more on this trio to run their way to a 13th game. They proved up to the task, and will be joined by the team's best rated recruit, Canadian Nehemie Kankolongo, in the fall. Wyoming's backfield is in good shape.

But what of the passing game? That's what Christensen does, and tried mightily to get his Cowboys to do for most of 2009. Wyoming's lack of reliable receivers turned the team into a run-first offense by the end of the season, and sent Christensen to junior colleges for more hands; Wyoming signed three JUCO wideouts this week. Anthony Amos, DeJay Lester, and Mazi Ogbonna enroll this January, joining four of this season's top six pass catchers for the 2010 lineup. This season juniors David Leonard, Zach Bolger, and Travis Burkhalter led the team in catches. TE Orlando Arnold and WR Greg Bolling graduate, but Chris McNiel ('10 sophomore) was also in the top six and returns. TEs Tooley ('10 RSFr) and incoming T.J. Smith will contribute. If those nine can give grow with Carta-Samuels into a viable passing threat, Wyoming will be a dangerous foe.

Standing in their way, however, is the offensive line. This group had to undergo the biggest transition with the new offense in '09, and performed... about as expected, which is to say, not very well. They paved an inconsistent way for the 75th best rushing game in the country this year, down from 33rd last season. Their calling card must become pass blocking, however, which would be a new addition to their card collection. This season Wyoming's pass offense was 103rd nationally, which was up from 114th. To date, Christensen hasn't coaxed many linemen to Laramie; one JUCO (Nick Puetz) joins the team in January. Another joins in the fall, and one redshirted this season. How Wyoming replaces seniors C Russ Arnold and G Zack Kennedy and T Ryan Otterson is almost as open a question as its replacements for d-line seniors.

Repeat All-American

2009-12-18T16:50:00.004-06:00

In honor of Jerry Hughes' second consecutive season as a consensus (at least!) first-team All-American, comes this trivia question: Who was the last Horned Frog to repeat as a first-team All-American?

Why an 8-team playoff is the best kind

2009-12-18T14:24:00.004-06:00

Almost a year ago, the Wimple endorsed an eight-team playoff for the top eight ranked conference champions in D-1A, instead of a plus-one or 12- or 16-team playoff. The reasoning for preferring this system over any others remains as prescient today as it was when Kansas and Missouri were hot topics:

Even though Kansas and Missouri wouldn't have made it into this proposed playoff, the argument against their inclusion is strong: they didn't win their conference! West Virginia would have made the cut.

In a world with this kind of playoff (which is, admittedly, a fantasy of the highest order) the BCS/non-BCS distinction would lose most of its meaning, because in most years two of the five non-BCS conferences would suddenly have a guaranteed place at the table. This would re-incentivise geographically-defined conferences, because all conferences would be created (nearly) equal in the post-season.

On-the-field performance is the only real metric we have for to measure sports teams. Allowing only conference champions to participate in a playoff would enthrone on-the-field performance as the ultimate arbiter between post-season haves and have-nots. Do you want a berth in CFB's playoff? Win your conference.

Is your conference too hard? I think of Texas Tech, Connecticut, Oregon State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Georgia, Clemson... These are just some of many teams from privileged conferences that sniff occasionally at a title crown, but never seem to get themselves together enough to snatch it away from the entrenched elites in their respective conferences. What hope for them in a champions-only playoff?

There's an easy answer; so easy it's reducible to one word. Move.

The SunBelt would faint with joy to include Mississippi State and Clemson; Oregon State to the WAC? Texas Tech to the Mountain West (not necessarily a downward move for the Red Raiders...)? Why not? An evening-out of the D-1A conferences would be the best thing that could possibly happen to college football, and allowing only conference champions into an eight-team playoff would be the best way to prompt that change.

Besides: if winning the conference is the ticket to the playoff, there's no devaulation of the regular season to worry about. Conference championship games would be even more important, and best of all, the BCS crystal trophy would actually mean that awful line that's said about it when given: from the eleven BCS conferences...

TCU v. Boise, in the stats

2009-12-16T18:32:00.006-06:00

Statistically, Boise State is one very impressive football team. A few particulars:

This team is very young. Only one senior is listed as starting on the team's official depth chart: all-American punt returner and CB Kyle Wilson. (Boise listed 13 in its '08 Poinsettia guide.) Only two freshmen are starters: WR Kirby Moore, and LB J.C. Percy. Compare TCU: six starting seniors: LT Marshall Newhouse, TB Joe Turner, DE Jerry Hughes, LB Daryl Washington, and CBs Nick Sanders and Raphael Priest; one starting freshman: TB Matthew Tucker.

Young, however, does not mean inexperienced. Fully 18 starters played TCU in last year's bowlgame. Four were starting o-linemen last season, as were three starting d-linemen. That continuity up front has really paid off for Boise's offense, which ranks first nationally in sacks allowed (improving four spots) and has the nation's 20th best rushing attack (a 19-place improvement). The Bronocs accomplished this facing an average 88th best rush defense. (All stats available here.) Compare TCU: fifth in sacks allowed and rushing offense, facing an average 74th best rush defense.

Boise broke in three new starting wideouts, and fell from the 12th best passing offense to the 30th best, nationally. The sum total of these changes in the way the team produces yards and points has been a net gain for the broncos, however: Boise has added over four points to its per-game average, while facing an average 75th best pass defenses. Compare TCU: 67th best passing offense, fourth best scoring offense, facing an average 57th best pass defense.

Last year's defensive front was probably better, registering tenth best in sacks made and 15th best rushing defense. In '09, the returner-heavy front fell to 40th best rushing defense, and 72nd in sacks made, while facing an average 58th best rushing attacks. Behind the four-man defensive front on the blue turf are two linebackers and five defensive backs, like TCU uses. Both corners and two safeties are returning starters, as is one of the linebackers. The bottom line: Boise fell from third to 16th best in scoring defense. Compare TCU: third in rushing D, sixth in scoring D, 21st in sacks made, facing an average 75th best rushing offense.

All of these returners take a back seat in accolades, however, to their second-year starting sophomore quarterback, Kellen Moore, who leads the nation in efficiency, while facing an average 75th best pass defense. His efforts, behind a very good line has been is the key to the Bronco's nation-leading average of over 44 points per game. Moore has garnered several spots on all-American team this season. That line is surprisingly small-- averaging just over 285 lbs. Compare TCU: starting beefeaters average 32 pounds heavier, Andy Dalton is fourth in efficiency, facing an average 57th best pass defense; TCU is fourth in scoring offense at almost 41 points per game.

So what's the takeaway? TCU's offensive production is just a whisker behind Boise's, but in the face of significantly stiffer defenses, while the Bronco's defense lags slightly behind TCU's, in the face of significantly better offenses. Or, in order words, one must concede the Fiesta Bowl's point: these teams are pretty well matched.

r-e-s-p-e-c-t look like this:

2009-12-15T20:06:00.002-06:00

An article from ESPN's Brad Edwards gives some specifics:
"With its highest-ranked team being fourth this season (TCU) and sixth last season (Utah), the league has performed better in this area than every other conference but the SEC and Big 12. And with three teams being ranked in the final Top 25 each of the two seasons, the Mountain West is as good as the ACC and better than the Big East"

Numbers: BCS payouts to non-cartel conferences

2009-12-08T16:12:00.006-06:00

In their revolting glory, here are the revenue rules for the cartel (from page 13 of the BCS Media Guide, emphases added):

A total of approximately $1.8 million will be paid to ... Division I-AA... Also, independent institutions Army and Navy each will receive $100,000 for making their teams available to play in BCS games if selected.

Nine percent of the net revenues from the arrangement, which was approximately $9.6 million in 2008-09, is guaranteed in aggregate to Conference USA, the Mid- American, Mountain West, Sun Belt, and Western Athletic Conferences for their participation in the arrangement. When a team from one of those five conferences plays in a BCS bowl game, the conferences will receive an additional nine percent of net revenues. When more than one team from those conferences play in the BCS bowl games, those conferences will receive an additional $4.5 million for each additional team.

Notre Dame is guaranteed 1/66th of the net revenues after expenses, or approximately $1.3 million. ... The share to each conference with an annual automatic berth in the BCS ... is approximately $18.3 million. When a second team from one of those conferences qualifies to play in one of the games, that conference will receive an additional $4.5 million.

In a nutshell, that says the five cartel-outsider conference are treated as one conference, and in years without a BCS buster, they together share about half of what a single cartel conference gets. In one-buster years, they share about two thirds of a single cartel conference's share.

The wrinkle in this year's BCS money drama is Boise State, which is the second non-cartel team to win a BCS berth-- a new thing under the (Glendale) sun. Using last season's revenue numbers, that translates into 18% + $4.5 million to be split among the five non-cartel conferences, or 21.03% of the net cartel revenue, or $31.169 million. That's about one and one-sixth of a single BCS conference's share of the pile.

The Wimple does not know how the five non-cartel conferences share that dough.

Poinsettia II (a.k.a. '10 Fiesta)

2009-12-07T11:23:00.011-06:00

Lately the Wimple has eschewed link lists, but conveying the consensus is important now.
Here's SI's Cory McCartney, ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski, Yahoo's Matt Hinton and Holly Anderson (who quotes others), BCSGuru's guru, CFN's Fiutak & Cirminiello, CBS's Dennis Dodd, the Washington Post's John Feinstein, the Trentonian's Matthew Osborne, RealClearSports's Matthew Sanderson, all saying TCU-Boise is a slap in their respective faces. Thank you very much, BCS. You've managed to relegate the outsiders to the outside, even when they pluck off two berths in your playpen. And now you'll pay them both half the announced payout, and send them home without giving either one of them a chance to prove itself on your grand stage.

Shame on you. Really.

With contrary sentiments, here's SI's Stewart Mandel; and, um... anybody else? A Phoenix newspaper likes the matchup-- especially after Iowa fans (suckers!) sold out the bowl prior to selection Sunday. SI's Andy Staples has moved from calling it the "Separate But Equal Bowl" to a great game that should be the national semifinal. The Wimple heartily agrees.

Oh well. Here's Mark May and Lou "Thkippy" Holtz on the matchup:

...and here're Ivan Maisel and Pat Forde, both of whom go on record preferring TCU over Texas for the title game berth:

2009 All-MWC Frogs

2009-12-05T10:43:00.003-06:00

Offensive Player of the Year: Andy Dalton.
Defensive Player of the Year: Jerry Hughes.*
Special Teams Player of the Year: Jeremy Kerley.
Coach of the Year: Gary Patterson.

First Team: Andy Dalton ('08 HM), Marshall Newhouse ('08 2nd Team), Marcus Cannon ('08 HM), Jeremy Kerley (KR)('08 1st Team), Jerry Hughes ('08 1st Team), Daryl Washington, Raphael Priest ('08 2nd Team), Nick Sanders.

Second Team: Joe Turner, Jake Kirkpatrick, Wayne Daniels, Cory Grant, Tank Carder, Teejay Johnson.

Honorable Mention: Evan Frosch, Antoine Hicks, Jeremy Kerley (WR), Ed Wesley, Jimmy Young.*

*for the second year

Ranking by Dominance- TCU #1

2009-12-03T17:17:00.003-06:00

From the Wimple's Missing Statistics Department comes another remarkable view of college football: the Dominance Ranking.

The NCAA provides dozens of nifty rankings, including two that capture the essence of football in its rawest terms: scoring offense and scoring defense. Does it not stand to reason that those teams falling highest in both rankings ought to be considered the most dominant? Why, yes it does. And so, as a public service, the Wimple has added together the ranks of the first 55 teams on both lists, and ranked the results.

Tellingly, the top six schools, ranked by dominance, happen to be the only remaining undefeated teams in the nation: TCU, Florida, Texas, Boise State, Cincinnati, and Alabama. This should surprise nobody-- defeating a football team about scoring more, and really about little else. The best teams at doing that, and preventing other teams from doing so, simply must be considered the most dominant in the land.

Here are the top 25, with each team's scoring offense and scoring defense ranks added together:

1 (10) TCU
2 (11) Florida
3 (12) Texas
4 (19) Boise State
5 (25) Cincinnati
6 (27) Alabama
7 (30) Central Michigan
8 (37) Pittsburgh
8 (37) Oklahoma
10 (38) Virginia Tech
11 (45) Clemson
12 (46) Texas Tech
13 (47) Penn State
14 (48) BYU
15 (51) Oregon
16 (54) Miss.
17 (59) Oregon State
19 (61) Tennessee
19 (61) Air Force
21 (62) Northern Ill.
22 (65) Miami
23 (67) Georgia Tech
23 (67) Rutgers
25 (70) Utah

Frog D about six inches shy of first place

2009-11-30T17:26:00.005-06:00

It has to be the closest three teams have ever come to a tie for best total defense in a season; Florida tops the list at 233.08 yards allowed per game, on average. TCU is second, allowing about six inches more than the Gators. Alabama is third, allowing a full two feet and eight inches more than TCU, on average. For the record, Slohio State and Texas each allow about 30 yards more than the three leaders.

Flabama still has to play itself in the SEC title game, perhaps breaking the logjam at the top.
[update: Florida got routed by Alabama, giving up 490 yards in the title game, and now averages 252.8 yards per game this season. Alabama gave up 335 yards, and now averages 241.7 yards per game. Texas now averages just over 251, good for about third place, behind #1 TCU and #2 Alabama. TCU has a decent shot at a second consecutive #1 finish in total defense.]

TCU 51, New Mexico 10

2009-11-29T01:16:00.014-06:00

While it's true the game wasn't over before it started, TCU demolished New Mexico, apparently without trying too hard. The Lobos recovered two Horned Frog fumbles, and forced the purple and white to punt seven times. But in the end, it was still a coronation for the conference champs, and an emphatic one at that. TCU out-ran New Mexico 4.5 ypc to 0.3; out-passed UNM 9.5 ypc to 3.6; and threw no interceptions to UNM's four- two of those for TDs.

Dalton and the offense alternated between spectacular and uninspiring. In one first-half five-and-a-half minute stretch, Joe Turner ran for a TD, and Dalton threw TD passes to Bart Johnson and (twice) to Antoine Hicks. The Frogs let up on the gas after that, scoring only 7 more offensive points.

TCU's run defense showed its might early and often, holding the Lobos to only ten yards on the ground. Kelly Griffin nearly intercepted Donovan Porterie (see photo), and Jerry Hughes tallied his 11th sack of the season (technically 11.5th). Daryl Washington and Tank Carder combined for 21 tackles, five of them for losses, and interception and a pass break-up. Washington and Raphael Priest each had pick-sixes on consecutive UNM drives in the fourth quarter.

photos: Keith Robinson

An open letter to non-cartel coach voters: put TCU #1

2009-11-25T17:04:00.006-06:00

Dear non-BCS coach-voters in the USAToday Coaches' Poll:

Few observers in the sport see more clearly than you do how the BCS cartel handicaps your teams, and all of the D-1A non-cartel teams (the so-called "non-AQ" teams). But more than seeing the damage, you all have a unique opportunity to weaken the damaging divide between the BCS cartel's haves and have-nots. You have a vote in the polls-- a say in how college football's best pie gets divided among its teams and conferences.

Why cast your first place vote this week for a member of the cartel that plays a weaker schedule than TCU? Why cast your first place vote this week for a team less balanced than TCU, which is the only team in the NCAA featuring a top-5 offense and defense? (Florida comes closest next: it has a top-5 defense, but its offense is only 15th nationally!) Why cast your first place vote for a team that cries to momma about how unfair it is to be scrutinized by the press and other coaches, while TCU puts up, shuts up, and kicks butt week in and week out?

Your first place vote for TCU would not be an indefensible protest; some of the most prescient commentators on the sport have made powerful cases for TCU already. Here're Matt Hinton's and BCSGuru's, for example. Wyoming's players-- the only athletes in D-1A who've played both TCU and Texas-- say TCU is the better team. Utah's coach called this year's TCU team the best he's ever seen-- and he's seen some great ones.

In short, isn't it time to put the burden of proof on the cartel members for once? Why not cast your first place vote for TCU, and demand the BCS cartel show why an all-time great non-cartel team doesn't deserve to outrank opponents from within the cartel that are less balanced, play weaker schedules, and whine about it?

--Purple Wimple

November 25, 2009

Not just another day in Frog heaven

2009-11-23T16:07:00.009-06:00

When TCU takes the field Saturday, it will be well favored to beat New Mexico; to finish the regular season 12-0, giving this year's seniors the most wins of any class of Horned Frogs in history; to clinch a berth to its biggest bowl game since the '50s; and to take an honored place among the great teams of the 1930s that achieved this singular distinction: unbeaten in the regular season. All of that is grand, and worthy of much fanfare; but the Wimple offers another perspective on TCU's remarkable 2009 campaign.

When the Southwest Conference broke up in 1994, leaving TCU and three other weaklings to rot, its abandonment of the Horned Frogs was particularly poignant. Oldtimers well remembered when TCU was the giant among Texas schools during the Depression; not-so-old timers could recall TCU's decade-long duel in the '50s with UT for conference supremacy. But for a generation after TCU surrendered that war, letting two-squad play, limitless scholarships for state schools under the GI Bill, and rampant cheating in paying for recruits, all pass it by, the Horned Frogs were a bland and brand-less squad, losers on the gridiron. Its boosters succumbed to the "way it was" in the early '80s, paying their way to the conference championship in '84, before the hammer fell.

Several years ago, the Wimple recounted all of this in greater detail; this tale of decline reaches bottom with the "walking death penalty" given TCU in '85, and its conference's demise a decade later. Then came the revival-- labeled an "experiment" in that larger telling. Could a rule-abiding, privately-funded non-cartel football team thrive in Division 1-A ? Early returns were hopeful, but the program seemed unable to put the cap on its upswings. Dizzying flirtations with BCS bids ended unfruitfully in 2000 and 2003 with late-season road losses scaring off the cartel suitor-agents. An early-season loss in '05 kept them away until it was too late; another late-season road loss was excuse enough in '08, despite laxer eligibility rules that kept TCU technically (but not practically) in play through selection Sunday. The Wimple's history concluded:

The experiment seemed to have reached its logical limits: a team outside the BCS cartel and resources, committed to recruiting and graduating honest student athletes, could win most games, but not regularly, and not under pressure.

Indeed, TCU appeared good enough to flirt with the big-money bowls, high poll ranking, and NFL-bound talent. But fate never seemed to bless the Frogs' attempts to assemble all of the ingredients. But a TCU victory Saturday will render that sentence incomplete without the following caveat: until 2009. What the Frogs may accomplish in five days is no less than a reversal of almost 50 years' curse. TCU may rise above irrelevance on Saturday; above its nomad journey through the outcasts of Division 1-A; above a couple generations' acceptance as a has-been, a history lesson, a glint only in grandfathers' eyes. TCU again vies with Texas for supremacy in the Lone Star State, and in the nation.

What changed?

Dr. Saturday gives a hint:

"TCU ... is good at everything -- literally everything. The Frogs currently rank in the top 10 nationally in pretty much every conceivable facet of the game: Scoring Offense (No. 5), Total Offense (5), Scoring Defense (6), Total Defense (4), Rushing Offense (5), Pass Efficiency Offense (9), Rushing Defense (6), Passing Defense (3), Pass Efficiency Defense (5), First Downs Gained (7), First Downs Allowed (1), Third Down Defense, Kickoff Returns (1), Sacks Allowed (6), [and] Time of Possession (10)."

There's no doubt the '09 Frogs have added potent offense and special teams play to their portfolio, which has including nationally leading defense frequently since Gary Patterson's arrival in 1998. But the addition of (and better use of) top-talent on offense appears to have been the missing piece. With its new mojo holding the ball, TCU went to Clemson, Air Force, and BYU, and beat all three. In its last six games TCU has averaged over 523 yards per game, 300 of those on the ground. And all of this without a single 1,000-yard rusher or receiver!

Several changes among the coordinators may have prompted the outburst on the field. Rusty Burns has taught the receivers how to upgrade their blocking and route running. First-year playcallers Justin Fuente and Jarrett Anderson have opened the playbook a little. But the Frogs have amassed a frightful cast of weapons for these coaches to deploy in any formation. The talent upgrade that has been underway since about 2005 has begun to show up between the hashmarks. Every indication points to a further rise in the Frogs' on-field prowess.

Given a win Saturday, it will be time to re-cast the narrative of football in purple and white. Beating New Mexico will complete the Revival, and more than merely a new chapter in the history of TCU football: it will commence a new book entirely. That tome's title?

Juggernaut.

TCU 45, Wyoming 10

2009-11-21T15:45:00.015-06:00

It took a few minutes to get the machine going, but once started, the TCU offensive and defensive squads were relentless. Despite turning it over three times, the Horned Frogs rolled up almost 500 yards, 23 first downs, and 45 points in three quarters, while holding the Cowboys to 130 yards (98 of them on a touchdown fumble return), three first downs (all on one drive), and ten points.

Dalton was decent, completing only 52% of his passes, including one TD and one interception, but running 12 times for for 89 yards and four first downs. Matthew Tucker rushed for 133 yards, including 48 for a TD in the third quarter. One play after Wyoming ran a weird fumble back for six, Greg McCoy returned the favor, racing all the way down the sideline for an answering six.

The first team defense was sensational, holding all but one of Wyoming drives to three-and-out, or less, with Daryl Washington tallying eleven tackles. The second team defense let Wyoming drive into the redzone, but gave up no points.

With the win, the Frogs captured at least a share of the conference title, and reached 11-0 on the season for the first time in 71 years. A win next week against New Mexico would make the '09 seniors the winningest class in TCU history, and be the first time TCU ever won 12 games in the regular season.

Here're highlights:

In other news, New Mexico won its first game of the season today, and comes to Fort Worth for the Frogs' rubber match with BCS autobid eligibility. In short, TCU's road to the BCS looks something like this:

Only routine obstacles stand between the Frogs and their first prime-time bowl since the '50s.

25 years ago...

2009-11-16T05:09:00.006-06:00

... SMU and TCU both went to bowl games in the same season: TCU to the Independence Bowl, and SMU to the Aloha Bowl. Prior to '84, both teams bowled in the same season just twice. In 1948, both teams played January first bowls: TCU in the first Delta Bowl and SMU in the Cotton. The first time TCU and SMU bowled in the same year was after the famous 1935 Game of the Century, when SMU beat Sam Baugh and TCU, winning a bid to the Rose Bowl, and TCU settled for a Sugar Bowl berth.

When'll be the fourth time these stars align? 2009 (including early 2010, if the Frogs win out). SMU joined TCU in bowl eligibility with its come from behind win over UTEP Saturday.

TCU 55, Utah 28

2009-11-15T15:32:00.020-06:00

All week the Wimple has been at a loss to find a way sum up the game's significance. ESPN deigned to visit the campus; a conference game sold out; the Frogs' BCS ranking was the highest among the non-cartel teams ever; these (and a dozen more) facts pointed at the issue, but somehow fall short of describing it fully.

Perhaps a number will do the trick: 50,307. That's how many tickets TCU sold for this game.

That's over fifty thousand, should your common sense be arguing with you right now. And it's probably somewhere shy of actual attendance, considering how jammed the students (and alums still flashing student IDs at the gate) were on the east side.

No Southwest Conference game ever drew so many; no horde of tea-sippers from Austin, no mob of Arkansas hillbillies or uppity Mustangs, not even any grand gathering of Frog faithful in the good old days ever numbered so many as Saturday's throng, purple-clad almost to a one. The jubilation was well under way when the Wimples (including one fly-in from Alberta, Canada) squeezed in with the students about 90 minutes before kickoff. By the time the clock began counting down 60 minutes to gametime, there were easily more than 25,000 already in place. Many actual games have been seen by fewer fans than this week's warmups, even since the revival.

Coach P said his feet were off the ground by kickoff, it was so loud. The crowd was relatively football savvy, too. Clearly the team was enthused by all of it-- TCU blocked its first punt of the season, and generally was a step ahead of the Utes all night long. Utah tested the Frog secondary early and often, and could connect only a few times, though two consecutive completions midway through the second quarter totaled 90 yards and 6 points. Jordan Wynn was excellent, but totally overmatched. He'll lead a different animal in 2010.

Dalton was good, passing over (and quickly!) an endless litany of blitzes; he put the ball in the wrong place several times, but avoided costly errors, and punished the Utes early and often with good passes, decisions, and running. The Frogs won the battle in the trenches soundly. Turner, Wesley, Tucker, and Dalton combined for 40 carries, 315 yards, 3 running TDs, 0 sacks or QB hurries. Wesley and Tucker will cause many a nightmare for opposing defense coordinators; they were sensational Saturday. (now add to the mix Andre Dean, Waymon James, and maybe Dwight Smith... and weep for the good days ahead!)

In the air, the Frogs had slightly less yards than the Utes; but aside from the two-play 90-yard drive in the second, the Utes were generally one dimensional at best, and often no-dimensional. TCU's defense was simply hellacious, and the coaches didn't let up. Hughes was unrelenting, tallying eight tackles (2.5 of them for losses, and three on one drive), 1.5 sacks and three QB hurries. Tank Carder (who was all grins afterwards) got nine tackles, one for a loss, one INT, one PBU, and one QB hurry. Washington and Griffin was monstrous as well. When the Frogs finally put in their second team D, the Utes were done trying. They ran up the middle, for zero or less yards, giving back the ball, and letting the Frogs take a knee to end the pain.

And then the floodgates opened, for the first time since 1997, but for the totally opposite reason. The fans poured onto the field, and celebrated the victory (ostensibly with the team, but mostly with each other) and chanted "B-C-S" and sang the alma mater as rowdily as humanly possible.

here's ESPN's Saturday preview, filmed from the commons at TCU:

and highlights, via the mtn.:

and the YouTube highlights, from SuperFrog:

Frogs' new Nike duds

2009-11-10T17:04:00.003-06:00

TCU is among a handful of schools participating this weekend in a campaign by Nike, promoting supposedly innovative uniform technology.

The Wimple likes the blood-spurt red stripes on the helmet, in homage to the horned frog's famed defense against predators.

FWST reports the players are excited about wearing the gnarly new getup. If it stokes TCU's intensity on gameday, the Wimple approves.

Knock 'em dead, Froggies.

#4 Frogs get ESPN Gameday

2009-11-08T16:12:00.001-06:00

TCU 55, SDSU 12

2009-11-07T23:17:00.004-06:00

Gary Patterson couldn't have been more wrong. With almost-convincing earnestness, the old ball coach said of playing SDSU, "We are going to have to fight, claw, scratch and get everything we can to try and come back with one more point."

Fight, claw, scratch, and get everything they could the Frogs did; and for their efforts, they got not just one, but 43 more points. To nitpick, SDSU converted five third downs (the same number as TCU); and Brandon Sullivan had a pretty good day against the Frogs' defense, netting 75 yards on 17 carries.

But in the beginning, middle, and end, it was all TCU, all the time. The Frogs got points to finish nine of 13 drives, and never allowed SDSU into the red zone. Dalton's favorite target du jour was Ryan Christian (pictured), who caught three passes, two for TDs. Young, Hicks, and Kerley also caught multiple passes each. LBs Daryl Washington, Tank Carder, and Tanner Brock combined for 19 tackles (14 solo).

Ahead of them, Iowa lost at home to Northwestern, and Cincinnati barely beat Connecticut in a shootout in Cincy. Oregon, the strength of Boise's schedule, lost; Clemson, BYU, Utah, and Air Force, the strength of TCU's schedule, all won. Clemson's win over Florida State likely puts the Tigers comfortably into the polls and the ACC championship game.

Now comes the highlight game of the season: the rematch grudgematch with Utah, who's sporting a very new quarterback and significantly downgraded run defense. The Wimple does not expect this game to hinge on Ross Evans's prowess at field goal kicking.

Gameday Preview: SDSU

2009-11-07T11:03:00.004-06:00

The Frogs head to the west coast in a trip eerily similar to the ill-fated San Jose State trip in 2000, when the Frogs' long winning streak and BCS-hype came crashing to a halt in a rainy upset. The Aztecs of San Diego State hope history repeats itself today, and they have some weapons to deploy to that end.

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Lindley has been hot recently, averaging a 168.8 QB rating in the last three games. DeMarco Samson has stepped into injured WR Vincent Brown's shoes, averaging 9 catches for 130 yards in the same span.

But the Frogs are on a roll, and have not experienced a dropoff in performance on the road this season. Dalton has rated in the 170s each of his last three games; the Frogs' attack is vastly more balanced than the Aztecs'. While SDSU has made strides this season (its defense is now middling average, instead of ghastly bad) and will continue to make them next year, TCU's strides are behind them, and now the Frogs lead the pack. Look for TCU to extend its '09 winning streak to 10 games, setting up a big-time showdown next week in Fort Worth with the Utes.

TCU 37, SDSU 9

Rebutting libel: an open offer to Scott Nix

2009-11-06T13:33:00.011-06:00

Scott Nix libeled me on KillerFrogs yesterday, in Post #10 here. To protect the Purple Wimple's good name, I will summarize Nix's false statements here, (read them in full at the link above) and paste an email exchange he and I had in December 2008 as evidence of my civility, and his lack thereof.

Yesterday Nix claimed I lied in public (presumeably on KF.C) about him, and that I sent him disrespectful personal messages. I have never done either of those things, and in saying I had, Nix himself is the liar.

I therefore offer to reprint in this post any un-altered PMs that Nix received from me, should he wish to paste them into a comment below. Because I have never been irate or rude to Mr. Nix, I do not believe that he can respond in good faith to my offer. However, it stands in perpetuity. Through an acquaintence, Nix will receive this offer personally.

The email exchange:

On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 5:55 PM, [Purple Wimple] wrote:
Mr. Scott Nix, and whoever ***********@aol.com is:
Let's go through this line by line, because it's patently rediculous.
You say, "I am very tired of your smack. You are an obvious trouble maker with little else to do." Scott, if you're so tired of my smack, why did you email me and yell at me some more? Who's the one with little else to do?

You say, "You go on PM & lie about me...insinuating I'm shallow & a name caller." Scott, you have called me names. That makes you a name caller. Furthermore, you have called me names because I tried to use the word "Rivals" in a post. If that's not shallow, what is?

You say, "If the name "hack" offends you....tough." It is not the name hack which offends me. Dragging this little tiff into personal space and time by emailing me after banning me from you site does.

You say, "I offered to meet with you (in the past) to discuss the situation & you were not man enough to do so." I don't give a damn about however much of a man you think I am. A Christian man is concerned about three people's conception of his manhood: God's, his wife's, and his kids'. Show a little Christian forbearance here, and lay off the appeals to manhood. They're beneath us both.

You say, "I am a fair person." It would be fair of you to use my personal email that I gave to KillerFrogs (before you were involved, might I add) only for KillerFrogs business. But after you have cut me off of KF.C, you no longer have fair ownership of that private information. You are unfairly continuing this fight outside of KF.C.

You say, "Unfortunately you feel entitled." Entitled to what? To KF.C? Have I complained to you or to anyone about being cut off from KF.C? I did not email you, you emailed me!

You say, "Your opinion of me means nothing..." Then why in the Sam Hill did you email me? Why do you have a fan forum at all if its participants' opinions mean nothing to you? Maybe you should start a blog and disallow comments instead.

You say, "but for you to go on PM & try & smear me with lies is ridiculous." Point to one lie on PM from me. Show me the lie. Cut&Paste, man. There ain't one; I am not a liar.

You say, "Sorry this is not High School for you." I don't have any idea that what's supposed to mean. High school was long ago, and is far from me. I hope you can say the same.

You say further, "Unless you decide to totally change your act, I am asking you to not return to KFC." Scott, you're not asking anything of me. You banned me; you didn't ask permission to do so, you just did it. That's your decision.

You say, "If you come back...& there is one more sign of trouble from you....you will be banned permanently." Trouble from me? Pray tell, just what is troublesome about me? Be honest; am I causing trouble? Not a bit of it. I have asked on occasion for a clarification about this or that policy, and have gotten tirades and abuse from you at every turn. I have alluded to the existence of competition for KF.C, and gotten abuse from you. I have pointed out, subtley and with humor, when you suddenly became a fan of J/J and the service they provide. And for it you ban me. Now you email me at a personal address to which you do not have legitimate access, and continue the abuse and invective at me. Who's the troublemaker here?

You say, "I know people who know you at TCU & are surprised by your antics." I don't believe you. But if you wish to convince me, name some names. Who do you know at TCU that I do, and is surprised at my antics?

You say, "I would hope better from you." Allow me to return the sentiment.

You say, "It is only because of posters like you.....who try & stir up trouble between PM & KFC......that there are any problems." What trouble between PM and KFC have I stirred up, except that you take such delight in yelling at me, after banning me? I wasn't around for the KSU-CGP mess; I wasn't around for the Feisty-MatthewTucker rematch. I don't re-up with a new handle every week and spew garbage, which you pointedly allow others to do. It is true that I make reference to PM on KF.C, and vice versa. But other than you, who's offended?

Using the PM service on KF.C to lecture me about how I offend you is OK. BUt to use my personal email to do so is not. Please do not repeat the performance.

[Purple Wimple]

ESPN analyist favors TCU over UT

2009-11-05T15:16:00.001-06:00

TCU attendance, Part II

2009-11-03T17:24:00.006-06:00

In reply to the Wimple's analysis of attendance among the BCS's top 25, re-ranked by percentage of enrollment, come two counterarguments. The first: hypocrisy. If TCU wants to be treated like a Big Boy in college football, it had better fill its stadium like... like the Big Boys do.

Rebuttal: Hypocrisy? What is hypocritical about TCU saying, (loudly, one wishes), 'We out-draw Boise, Cincy, and in relation to the size of our school, every other successful program in the BCS except Notre Lame. We're not just doing the best we can, we're at the top of the heap!' Rather than hypocrisy, that would pour truth into the debate, which (as lamented regularly) would be novel indeed.

The second counterargument: if TCU wants to compare favorable with big programs, it can't rely on its small size as an excuse for low attendance.

Rebuttal: TCU isn't (or shouldn't be) arguing that it carries the same media sway, TV ratings, or fanbase as the big programs. What TCU is arguing is that the debate ought to be about the quality of the product on the field. TCU presents the best case argument that college football ought to be about... (hold on to your hats!) college football, not about TV ad revenue, rich contributors, and big fan bases bringing loads of money to a bowl city for a weekend.

But, alas; we all know that the actual games are just a footnote in the maelstrom that is college football in its macroeconomic fullness. So while ESPN lusts after Ohio State, no matter how dismal the Buckeyes actually play, fans of the game-- of the blocking and tackling happening between the whistles-- will continue to scour channel lineups for Versus, or the radio dial for KTCU. The Rose Bowl ain't letting in a genuinely good-- but small-- school this year.

C'est la vie. How's that #1 defense, Frogs? What? It's your fourth in the last decade? Who knew?

A word on TCU's (shockingly strong) attendance

2009-11-02T17:12:00.004-06:00

The NCAA publishes attendance stats that (surprise!) flatter the big cartel schools, at the expense of the non-cartel schools. How? By ordering the stats by how well a schools sells out its stadium.

But Division 1 college football is not played in small stadiums-- even if the host school is quite small. The perfect case in point is: TCU, with an enrollment under 9,000 (a stat that invariably surprises fans unfamiliar with the Horned Frogs). So the Wimple offers here a better way to rank attendance figures: by percentage of enrollment. This ordering of attendance stats gives a much better view of those schools that have fan support outside of their boistrous (and bored) student populations.

The Wimple trusts CBSsports.com's listing of each school's enrollment, and uses the NCAA's own per-game average attendance. Taking the current BCS top 25, here are the top attendance/enrollment schools in the nation:

1. Notre Dame's average game attendance is 708% of its enrollment.
2. TCU: 392%.
3. Alabama: 319%.
4. Miami: 317%.
5. Oklahoma: 313%.
6. Oregon: 310%.
7. LSU: 295%.
8. Georgia Tech: 295%.
9. Penn State: 261%.
10. USC: 253%.
11. Iowa: 243%.
12. Virgina Tech: 237%.
13. Boone Pickens: 232%.
14. Ohio State: 208%.
15. Texas: 204%.
16. Wisconsin: 193%.
17. Pittsburgh: 187%.
18. Cal enrolls: 184%.
19. Florida: 182%.
20. Boise State: 172%.
21. Utah: 156%.
22. Arizona: 140%.
23. South Florida: 117%.
24. Cincinnati: 90%.
25. Houston: 72%.

TCU 41, UNLV 0

2009-11-01T21:05:00.007-06:00

On the day TCU's offense racked up its highest totals in a couple years (578 yards-- the most since the beatdown of SDSU in '06), the defense again out-shone it. These guys smothered UNLV, holding them to 160 yards (40 of those came on a QB sneak-- the longest running play TCU has allowed all season). Without that long play, the Frogs allowed the Rebels only 2.7 ypc. The pass defense was even better: 1.8 ypa, for only 42 yards.

D.J.Yendrey, a true freshman, started in Cory Grant's place on the d-line. Yendrey is only the second true freshman ever to start at DT for Gary Patterson; he played next to the other ever to do so, Kelly Griffin, who started all 13 games in 2007.

Dalton and the boys on offense were efficient, but slow starting. After the obligatory first quarter fumble, they ran for over 8 ypc. and a touchdown, and hauled in 4 TD passes-- including one from Marcus Jackson to Billy Pizor; it was Pizor's first catch as a Horned Frog.

The effort was good enough to boost the Frogs to #4 in the coaches' poll, and to hold down the 6th spot in the BCS ranking. TCU remains the highest non-cartel team in the poll, by a slightly larger margin than last week (which is to say, now the Frogs have a dull-razor sharp lead over Boise, instead of a sharp-razor-sharp lead!).

Ahead comes the next conference roady; the parallels with the fateful 2000 trip to San Jose State are legion and menacing. Here's to ousting those demons.

highlights:

Gameday preview: UNLV

2009-10-31T10:11:00.004-05:00

The UNLV Rebels come to town trying to do something they were supposed to do frequently this year, and haven't: win multiple games in a row. This was the season the defense caught up with the offense, that Sanford would look like the slow-bake genius for hauling in a class of JUCO safeties and corners, that the d-line would finally reach its run-stopping potential.

Through the tough loss to Oregon State, the win over Hawaii, and the embarrassing loss at Wyoming, that train still looked like it was on the tracks, though wobbly at times. Then Nevada came to town, and blew the holy bejeebers out of the Rebels, who didn't recover until a trip to the very forgiving Lobos last week. Now this beleaguered squad comes to Fort Worth, where they have never won (and averaged 27-point losses!).

Have the Rebs any bright spots to focus on, during the coming beat down? Yes. D-end/ linebacker Jason Beauchamp and linebacker Starr Fuimaono are playing closer to 100% than they have in more than a month. Veterans right tackle Evan Marchal and left tackle Matt Murphy are better prepped to battle standout Frog DEs Jerry Hughes and Wayne Daniels than they were last year. And QB Omar Clayton is coming off one of his best performances, healthy and ready to search the Frog D for weaknesses. WR Ryan Wolfe (pictured) is at his- and the MWC's- best. Truth is, however, everybody has their best week against New Mexico, and worst against TCU. So, it remains to be seen if UNLV can find any more traction against the fearsome purple attack than the other teams that have failed to do so.

Look for a spirited first half, but a widening blowout at the hands of TCU's second and third teams. TCU 49, UNLV 17.

TCU 38, BYU 7

2009-10-26T11:11:00.014-05:00

It's hard to sum up as stupendous a performance as TCU's thrashing of BYU in Provo on Saturday. But perhaps this stat will do some of the job: Max Hall was sacked five times, by four different Horned Frog defensive linemen. That kind of domination in the trenches bodes very well for TCU's hopes to win out and spend Christmas and New Year's Eve preparing for their last game.

Superlatives: Andy Dalton was clearly the better quarterback on the field Saturday. Found receivers in tight spaces, sometimes while scrambling (the long conversion to Bart Johnson while running from a blitzer was a thing of beauty). The line gave him room, and time, too. New starter Blaise Foltz gelled well with the other big men up front. Johnson, Kerley, Young, and Hicks were superb catching the ball-- Young somehow got a toe in while turned around to haul in a long bomb from Dalton, with a safety breathing down his jersey; Hicks pulled in the highlight 75-yarder from Dalton in the third quarter; and Kerley... was Kerley. He caught what came his way, and dished it out, too (see below).

Also noteworthy: the playcalling.

Once again, it's clear the Frogs held back during the first half of the season, waiting to pounce on BYU with new and devastating plays. This time it didn't almost cost the Frogs a loss early on (CSU last season being the almost-loss in '08), but it paid off just as handsomely. The OCs snuck a double-reverse pass in on a first down in the second quarter that blew the top off the game. Jeremy Kerley, dropping further and further back, threw off his back foot 40 yards to Bart Johnson. The Frogs went up 14-0 a few plays later.

Now comes the significantly less glamorous task of not biffing one, namely in tougher-than-advertized trips to San Diego and Laramie. Home games against UNLV and New Mexico really shouldn't challenge the Frogs much.

(Note the conspicuous absence of the Utah game above: that'll be the highest-intensity night in Fort Worth this season.)

Meanwhile, TCU needs to get to work and discover how Harvey Unga, and last week Leonard Mason, were able to run all over the Frogs. There's not an all-conference back on the Frogs' remaining schedule, but TCU is certain to meet a good one in a bowl game, if they continue their winning ways.

And what else for the Cougars, who're spending this off-week watching what credibility they'd preserved from their big win on opening day swish down the proverbial toilet? Number 25 said it best, on his eye-black during the game: R.I.P. May you rest in peace, reputation as the MWC boss, echoes of a national championship, Heisman buzz for Max Hall, and resolve to redeem yourselves for last year's football sins. BYU must reinvent itself, and in the meantime, TCU skates further ahead.

Via con dios, Cougars. You'll need all the help you can get: TCU, Utah, Wyoming, SDSU, AFA, and CSU ain't waiting up for you. (UNM and UNLV might, though...)

Here're the highlights:

Next up:

2009-10-22T17:07:00.006-05:00

It's here: the season's great road conference test for the Frogs. With butterflies in their stomachs, your Wimple correspondents dutifully will pile into a (far too small) sedan in just a few hours, headed northwest for about 20 hours, whereupon they'll crash with some friends (and BYU alums).

Necessaries: purple facepaint? Check.

Ostensibly illegal TCU flag? Check.

Pants wide enough to sneak said ostensibly illegal flag into the stadium? Check.

Posters & markers with which to harangue the kewgies? Check.

Megaphone? Check.

Apologies to nearby fans who wish to enjoy the game in anything resembling peace and quiet? Check.

Further reports will be from the visitor's section, on left edge of the far endzone section (click on the photo for a much larger visualization). From those seats the Wimple saw Jeff Ballard's grand debut in '05. Here's to Andy Dalton's first truly great road triumph, Saturday night!

BYU gameday preview

2009-10-20T17:24:00.005-05:00

The Wimple goes to gameday format early this week, because the Wimples are driving to Provo for this one. TCU v. BYU isn't just another conference game: it has begun to feel like a rivalry. And only a few thousand TCU fans got tickets, the Wimple figures the Horned Frogs will need every screaming purple-painted supporter they can get. So, it's to the bleachers this weekend.

Since joining the conference, TCU and BYU have split the four decisions between them, one close and one blowout going to each team; both blowouts came in Fort Worth, while both close games were in Provo. The Wimples were in Provo for the first in the series, which still engenders controversy. Did Cory Rodgers cross the plane of the endzone before losing the football? (Gordon Monson, a SL-Tribune sports writer who stood at the goal line for that play thought so, see Gordon Monson, End of BYU Game Was No Photo Finish, Salt Lake Tribune, Sep. 27, 2005, p. C-1, article ID 10CFD8714B3CCCF0.) From the Wimples' seats were 110 yards away from the game's last play, but the day is fondly etched in the their memories. The weather was beautiful; the crowd was rowdy but dispersed with remarkable speed, tails tucked under. Jeff Ballard had his coming out party that day, leading the Frogs on five consecutive touchdown drives.

The 2006 rematch was as different as imaginable. TCU was high as a kite, having smothered Texas Tech in a touchdown-less grudge match two weeks before, for the nation-leading 13th straight win. BYU's John Beck converted ten third- or fourth-downs with clutch passes, building a 21-point lead before the game's finish. In 2007, first-year quarterbacks Max Hall and Andy Dalton battled to a close but second straight victory for BYU. Again, BYU beat the Frogs by converting seven third downs through the air, and also stopping the Frogs' rushing game.

TCU outmatched BYU thoroughly in '08, the second time in three years that a nation-leading winning streak ended in Fort Worth. This time it was BYU's eight-game streak that wouldn't become nine. The Frogs sacked Hall six times (Fonua gets one of them, pictured), and intercepted him twice (almost three times). Jeremy Kerley burst on the scene, running the Wild Frog for the first time in '08, with devastating effect. BYU eventually corralled Kerley, but too late. TCU's 26-point lead shortly after halftime was the largest lead either team had held in the series history.

The Cougars have bottled up the disappointment from that game, saving it for game prep this week. They have had a season of remarkable highs and lows, while TCU has quietly built an eight-game winning streak (stretching through last season's win against AFA). Max Hall and his backup run a little more this year; BYU has relied a lot more on its runningbacks generally, too. Hall is spreading the ball around better, and Dennis Pitta is making a good case for best tight end in the nation. The four new starters on the Cougar o-line have performed very well this season. Weak points? Max Hall was an interception machine until two games ago; and the Cougars have given up a lot more points thus far compared to last season. They're susceptible to a good ground game.

Meanwhile, the Frogs also rely on a multi-headed running game, and spread the ball around better, too. Some questioned this year's TCU d-line, and they have answered. Griffin, Grant, and Daniels are having a stellar year as the sideshow to Jerry Hughes's second monster season in a row. Weak points? The Frogs have fumbled away dozens of points, often slowing themselves in the first half of games. A quick start-- or a quick falter-- at BYU may be a game-decider.

More likely, however, the game will turn on the intensity with with each team plays. There's no doubt BYU will be hitting hard and running fast this Saturday; they've had this game circled for 53 weeks. TCU, on the other hand, hasn't taken truly ferocious intensity with them to the state of Utah since joining the conference-- and probably much longer. Unless the Frogs' out-muscling of Clemson in Death Valley, and out-lasting of Air Force in polar conditions mean this team has learned to generate its own superior intensity on the road, TCU will not beat BYU. Noise and cold the Frogs have beaten this year; but altitude and a revenge-minded squad? That's a new test that the Wimple has always maintained the Frogs will not best, although it will be a heart-crushingly close try. BYU 33, TCU 32.

TCU 44, Colorado State 6

2009-10-18T16:35:00.009-05:00

After a rocky start, wherein Leonard Mason sliced and diced the Frog D for 42 yards on seven carries before an injury, TCU put the screws to Colorado State and rolled off 44 unanswered points to set up the season's first Big Game.

Dalton was hot, passing over 65% for 2 TDs and no interceptions; but the Frogs did the real damage on the ground, where fourteen different players took turns toting the rock, scoring three TDs, and averaging 6.0 ypc. True freshman Skye Dawson made his debut as a ballcarrier, running a blazing option twice for 47 yards, and adding a new chapter to Bronco Mendenhall's (already large) book of Horned Frog Headaches. Kerley added another highlight reel performance, including his second punt return for a touchdown in three games.

After Mason's injury, the defense was superb. Colin Jones led the team with seven tackles; Hughes got three sacks (two in the official statistics); Sanders returned to the lineup; Daryl Washington brought the pain.

Now all eyes (including ESPN's Gameday) move to Provo, where the (#7 coaches, #8 BCS, #10 AP) Frogs face their biggest game since their last foray into the Beehive State. More on that in a couple days.

photo: Keith Robinson

Here're the highlights.

Hug your loved ones, the world's coming to a close.

2009-10-18T16:35:00.004-05:00

Word has filtered out that ESPN Gameday is going to the TCU-BYU game in a week.

And that world hunger has been solved.

CSU gameday preview

2009-10-16T16:45:00.003-05:00

The Frogs' second conference game comes against one of the four teams never to beat the Frogs in a conference game. Little suggests that will change Saturday.

CSU boasts the nation's most experienced line, all five of whom played TCU last season. Countering them, is a Frogs' defensive front that has proven itself nearly as fearsome as last season's seasoned four. The Rams could not generate a push against TCU last year for Gartrell Johnson, and will be no more successful this season for Leonard Mason and John Mosure. How's the Frogs' ground game? Very well, thank you. TCU averages 215 ypg, to CSU's 127. Maybe experience up front can be overplayed.

Colorado State has missed Gartrell Johnson, and while Leonard Mason progresses into running in fair replacement to Johnson, the Rams have a decent long passing game, and try to beat teams in the air. Here to, however, the Frogs are higher in the stack than the Rams. This season's Ram starting QB has been effective at replacing Billy Farris, who quietly led the second-most prolific passing attack in the conference. Grant Stucker is currently second to Max Hall among MWC QBs in passing yards. However, he's fifth in QB rating (Farris was one spot higher). TCU's Dalton rated fifth in the conference last season (Farris: fourth); this season he's second; who's fifth? Stucker.

How about defense? It's not close: TCU gives up half as many TDs and 130 ypg less than CSU. Las Vegas says TCU wins by about 22 points; it's hard to disagree.

TCU 20, Air Force 17

2009-10-10T14:44:00.014-05:00

It was ugly (similar in many ways to the Colorado State game last season) but still a W, and in any good season there are some squeakers. Chalk this up in that category for now, and in a few weeks we'll know if it was merely a hiccup, or the signal for worse things.

Dalton had a hard time finding receivers with warm enough fingers to catch balls; Jimmy Young proved the softest-handed, and finshed the night with six grabs and 113 yards. Andy also ran for crucial yards, again using the "slice" play. Joe Turner and Jeremy Kerley combined for three fumbles (AFA jumped on two of 'em, Turner's turnover coming at the AFA 7, stopping a 68 yard TCU drive).

The o-line was flat, allowing three sacks; Newhouse played but did not start for the second week in a row. Jerry Hughes got credit for all of one tackle.

On the bright side, Ross Evans was flawless, hitting 2 points after and 2 field goals. In the end, it was a mirror image of TCU's 2007 three point loss at AFA; this time TCU grounded the Falcons and flew away winners (after a de-icing delay at the airport).

photo: AP

Here're the highlights.

What we learned, week 6

2009-10-10T14:44:00.012-05:00

Air Force: 17-20 loss v. TCU. Gotta hand it to the Falcons here-- they played gutsy football, and were admirably unrelenting. TCU pushed them around pretty consistently until the last quarter, but AFA hung in there, clearly wanting it more. The Falcons, led by backup QB Connor Dietz, forced three turnovers, which kept the game close. Two of those came in the redzone, preventing TCU drives of 58 and 68 yards from turning into 14 points for the Frogs. But in the end, Air Force's lines were brilliant. AFA sacked Andy Dalton three times, and in conjunction with a remarkably inhospitable Mother Nature, demoralized the Horned Frogs. Key stat: AFA completed 7 of 18 passes, including one halfback pass for a TD. When AFA's passes keep a defense honest, its running game can excel. AFA ran for 287 yards, or 240 more than TCU's average allowed in the season's first four games.

BYU: 59-21 win at UNLV. It's still not the pass-first, pass-second, and pass-third BYU that we've all grown to know and love/hate, but it certainly was efficient. The Cougars ran well over half the time, garnering almost seven ypc. Hall didn't throw any interceptions, and completed 75% of his passes. The defense was stout and opportunistic, grabbing three UNLV passes and holding the Rebs for under three ypc. Key stat: seven Cougars grabbed multiple passes. BYU is on cruise control, looking world-class against the dregs of its schedule.

Colorado State: 17-24 loss v. Utah. This one has to hurt just a smidge more than an average conference loss. CSU gave up 14 points on turnovers and seven more on a 47-yard TD pass in the last 19 minutes of the game. In the end, it was a shootout and Utah has better horses than CSU for that kind of game. The Utes outgained CSU only 0.4 ypc on average; CSU didn't convert nearly as many third downs as Utah, but that may not have mattered were it not for the interceptions. Key stat: Leonard Mason has broken out; he ran for 130 yards on 24 carries against the Utes' formerly-fearsome rush defense. Colorado State, despite its three-game skid, is a rising threat in the conference. Expect another loss at TCU this week, before the win-loss column turns again toward the Rams' favor.

New Mexico: 37-13 loss at Wyoming. Well, maybe those breakthrough hopes that accompanied the Lobos solid performance against Texas Tech last week might have come with a force majeure clause; snow, ice, wind, and cold weather dogged New Mexico in Laramie, icing the southern team's ground game (UNM couldn't best 2 ypc). Add critical penalties (8 for 64 yards), and a couple interceptions, and suddenly New Mexico is staring at 0-6. Key stat: again the Lobos were abysmal on 3rd or 4th down, converting only 4 of 17. This week's performance, notwithstanding the elements, was the very picture of uninspired football. Coach L had better light a fire under his players in a hurry, or he'll become easier and easier to replace, much sooner than expected.

San Diego State: bye.

TCU: 20-17 win at Air Force. The Wimple acknowledges ignorance about how inclement (in this case extremely cold) weather affects football players and plays. It was 19 degrees, with a wind and drizzle at 5:30 PM gametime in Colorado Springs on Saturday. Add a sour week in practice previously, and probably TCU is lucky have escaped with a win and only a two-spot drop in the AP poll (the Frogs rose a spot in the coaches' poll). Key stat: TCU's o-line allowed three sacks. That hasn't happened since... since... (still checking). The Frogs need to bounce back into dominant form: for example, not allowing three sacks, and not fumbling in the red zone. If TCU indeed does bounce back, this win will end up looking like the CSU win last season. If not, it'll look like BYU's New Mexico win last season: prelude to the fall.

UNLV: 21-59 loss v. BYU. This is getting awfully repetitive: UNLV gave away the crown jewels, or the line of scrimmage, and lost by a ton. BYU outgained UNLV on average 4.4 more ypc., and held the ball ten more minutes than the Rebels. And that's not as bad as it's been for the Rebels this season! Hopes for a turnaround in Las Vegas under Coach Sanford have fled. Key stat: BYU scored 14 points off drives it began by intercepting the Rebels. This would have been a close game had those points gone to UNLV instead.

Utah: 24-17 win at Colorado State. Utah looked fairly flat for about 40 minutes, and then turned on its jets. Terrance Cain connected with David Reed for a 47-yard TD pass 4 minutes before the fourth quarter, and it was all Utah from then until the end. Robert Johnson picked off three Grant Stucker passes, ending each of CSU's remaining drives. Cain engineered touchdowns off two of those INTs, leading Utah to his most impressive victory this season. Key stat: Eddie Wide ran for just over 100 yards on 17 tries. The Utes may not miss Matt Asiata as much as they'd feared.

Wyoming: 37-13 win v. New Mexico. The Cowboys proved an inhospitable host to the Lobos, forcing New Mexico to play one-dimensionally. UNM couldn't manage 2 ypc, while Wyoming executed a very balanced attack. Carta-Samuels led the snowy show, passing adequately (only 50%, but 3 TDs, 0 INTs) but running well. He tallied 54 yards on 10 carries, while freshman Alvester Alexander and Brandon Stewart chugged for 128 yards on 29 carries, and 2 TDs. Key stat: again the Lobos were abysmal on 3rd or 4th down, converting only 4 of 17. Key stat: Wyoming converted almost half of its third and fourth downs (45%). Add stiff run defense, and it appears Wyoming has vacated the conference's basement about a year sooner than expected.

AFA gameday preview

2009-10-09T22:53:00.009-05:00

The Frogs begin conference play in chilly Colorado Springs, facing a depleted version of one of the trickiest offenses in the nation, and a much fuller-strength version of a national top defense. Air Force's triple-option ground attack was brought nigh unto perfection last season with Tim Jefferson, Asher Clarke, and a young offensive line. Almost the entire offense returned this year, but seems to be suffering a collective sophomore slump. The Academy's starting QB and TB have both been playing under subpar physical condition, while their best receiver is just beginning to take snaps again in practice, after breaking a leg during the summer. Emotionally, the cadets have got to be reeling from the narrow overtime miss last week against Navy, (and missing their best linebacker, injured in that game) and the brooding threat of facing the MWC's best team this week.

Were that the entire list of bad news about this game, the Frogs' prognosis would be very good indeed. But all is not peaches coming out of Fort Worth, either. Mother Nature seems to have adopted the Academy's mood following the loss to Navy, and has a frigid, windy, wet night in store. One very reliable source says the Frog players were unfocused this week, and practiced very poorly. There are some foes for which poor practices may not bode too ill, but AFA is a team that will exploit mistakes: they're +13 in turnovers so far this season (leading the nation on average average), and have scored five defensive TDs in that span. Offensively, the Frogs simply cannot afford to make mistakes.

Defensively, TCU faces the same imperative. AFA converts a slightly higher percentage of third downs than TCU (44% to 41%), but does so largely on the ground. TCU has the best rush-defense in the nation, but has not played an option-based attack this season. While expected ground leaders Tim Jefferson and Asher Clarke have been playing injured, Savier Stevens (pictured) has picked up some of the slack, and leads the Falcons' so far in ground yards. The Academy's star lineman, Nick Charles, is back on the field.

Is there good news to take some of the "trap" out of this conference opener? Much of it. Most of the defensive players for TCU have prepared for the AFA attack three or four times already. Only Tank Carder has less experience with it, among the starters (Carder has seen it twice). Dalton and the offense take to Colorado Springs the bitter memory of the '07 overtime loss, (the frustration of that loss is evident in the photo from it at left) and a vast store of experience acquired since then. If the Frogs will focus and be assignment sound, they'll keep the ball to themselves. On the flip side, Air Force has had difficulty scoring more than field goals; their offense hasn't found the endzone in its last two games. Little about the TCU defense suggests they'll rediscover it frequently this weekend. Surely they'll run plays TCU hasn't seen, but if the Frogs play to most of their potential, AFA's innovation simply won't matter.

And that's the big if. TCU has shown only glimpses of its potential this season. The Frogs must show a lot more of it today if they're going to keep this game uninteresting, and be able to leverage it into a rise in the polls. The Wimple sees the Frogs pull away after haltime tomorrow, and win unsatisfyingly by about two scores. Otherwise, it may come down to giving Ross Evans a chance to redeem his reputation for prowess at high-pressure field goals. Let's hope Evans (and all of Frogdom) is spared that ordeal. TCU 27, AFA 14.

For further reading: Spitblood; AP; Colorado Springs Gazette; KFC's David May; BleacherReport; SportingNews.

What we learned: week 5

2009-10-06T20:10:00.010-05:00

The Tally: 19-15 overall, 5-9 v. the cartel, 5-7 v. '08 bowl teams, 6-0 v. 2A teams.
(2008 tally: 23-10 overall, 7-5 v. the cartel, 6-5 v. '07 bowl teams, 5-1 v. 2A teams;
2007 tally: 14-16 overall, 5-9 v. the cartel, 2-13 v. '06 bowl teams, 3-0 v. 2A teams.)

Air Force: 13-16 OT loss at Navy. The hex continues-- AFA has dropped seven contests in a row to Navy, most of them by just a few points. As with all narrowly decided games, one could point to just one mistake (usually one of many) and say, "But for that error, the outcome would have been..." And how tempting, but incorrect. One cannot separate one mistake from all the others-- and from the opponent's mistakes, etc. So, for Air Force: its futility converting third downs (just three of 16), and kicking crucial field goals, and play calling, etc... it all haunts in Colorado Springs this week. And what worse time to haunt could there be? TCU comes calling in a few days. Tim Jefferson played some and sat out some, and Asher Clark again wasn't a ground-eating machine. Key stat: Jefferson and Clark combined for only 49 yards on 13 carries. AFA is a wounded bird, when it can least afford it.

BYU: 35-17 win v. Utah State. Question: when does BYU rush twice as many times as it passes? Answer: when Max Hall's TD:INT ratio is 1:1! Or perhaps that's just how it seemed Friday. It appears even Bronco Mendenhall sees the wisdom in the old football saying, "Three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of 'em are bad." Hall threw three TDs and two more INTs, but the Cougars' lines overpowered the Aggie lines. Harvey Unga ran all over the Aggies, tallying 118 in 21 carries. Utah State managed less than three ypc. Key stat: Luke Ashworth filled in for the injured McKay Jacobson very nicely, netting five catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. The cupboard in Provo is deep, and well stocked.

Colorado State: 29-31 loss at Idaho. Who would have told you, five weeks ago, that this post would include the second "loss at Idaho" for the conference? SDSU's loss was marginally excusable, as a bad habit. But Colorado State? Shelley Smith was back at LG; Grant Stucker had a pretty good game; his receivers were OK (19-35 for just under 300 yards and 4 TDs), his rushers decent (Mosure and Mason ran for 4.6 ypc). CSU's rush defense was good (2.1 ypc allowed). Pass defense was weak-- the top two Vandal receivers turned 18 catches into 282 yards and three TDs. Key stat: Idaho blocked a PAT and kept Leonard Mason inches away from the endzone in a two-point conversion attempt in the game's final minutes that would have evened the score. In the end, it appears CSU hasn't learned to take sufficient intensity with it to win close games on the road.

New Mexico: 28-48 loss at Texas Tech. This fifth loss for 2009 has genuinely redeeming features-- the first of the year. New Mexico held Tech to 7 points for 29:59; third-string runningback A.J. Butler ran for over 100 yards; the offense produced three TDs; UNM was +3 in turnovers. Maybe Mike Locksley has turned the ship around to face winning again. Key stat: ten different Lobos caught passes, six of them multiple times. The spread requires completed passes, and this is New Mexico's first showing that all of its players can do that.

San Diego State: 34-17 win v. New Mexico State. Don't look now, (and apparently nobody in San Diego is) but SDSU is developing a home winning streak. This makes three in a row, for still-dwindling crowds. Ryan Lindley didn't have much to do with it (26% completions); chalk this one up to the o-line (3.5 ypc) and defense: it forced five turnovers and held NMSU to less than 2 ypc. Key stat: Walter Kazee's debut: 22 carries, 101 yards. Brady Hoke has needed somebody to step up on the ground, and Kazee shows he's a winning card in Hoke's yet-too-small deck.

TCU: 39-14 win v. SMU. The Horned Frogs began the game like an unranked, unmotivated, rainy-day squad, giving up the ball twice in the game's first ten minutes (although the first of those is forgivable: the ballcarrier was knocked out cold in the fumble-forcing tackle!) Senior Joe Turner rallied the troops, though, and the tables turned. SMU held the ball less than eight minutes in the second half, and let the Frogs' three-prong ground attack (Turner, Wesley, Tucker) get over 5 ypc. Dalton had his worst game, completing only 60% of his passes and an INT. He threw two TDs, however. Key stat: the Frogs won the field position battle consistently, starting only one drive behind their own 30 yard line, and six of 13 drives in SMU territory. Another key stat: safety Alex Ibiloye led the team in tackles, with eight. His step-up is a key to settling a secondary is still searching for its identity in the wake of personel losses this offseason.

UNLV: 23-68 loss at Nevada. Did anything go right Saturday in Reno? UNLV's alleged defense, which has been highly suspect (at best!) all year, went on strike for the second half against Nevada, giving up 42 points in 30 minutes. The Wolpack averaged over ten ypc. on the night, and despite four turnovers, failed to catch only three of 19 passes. Key stat: UNLV managed only 2.6 ypc. This was a one-sided shootout, and perhaps the lowest of many lows in Mike Sanford's tenous career in Las Vegas.

Utah: bye.

Wyoming: 30-28 win at Florida Atlantic. It is tempting to say Wyoming's ship is turning around-- winning with their new scheme is a critical step the Cowboys took Saturday. But prudence requires one mind the inconsistency that will certainly dog Wyoming this season, and perhaps next. But green shoots clearly were in evidence; Wyoming held the ball ten minutes longer than the Owls; they ran it well and often. But best is this week's Key stat: Cowboys caught twelve of Austyn Carta-Samuels first thirteen passes, and 17 of the remaining 25: verily a solid performance. This is more than a green shoot; it is notice to the MWC: Wyoming is already out of the MWC's basement (see UNLV), and will even be dangerous soon enough. Intermittently, for now, but there is hope in Laramie.

TCU 39, SMU 14

2009-10-06T07:06:00.007-05:00

Despite two turnovers, and playing over ten minutes on defense in the first frame, and only a five-point lead at halftime, TCU slowly roused itself and dominated SMU in the very rainy second half, scoring twice in third and fourth quarters each.

Jeremy Kerley was unstoppable, tacking up 175 return yards, including the Frogs' first punt-return for a touchdown in six years. He also caught four passes for 48 yards.

Ibiloye, Hughes, Washington, and Daniels had banner nights on D. The safety tallied eight solo tackles; the seniors combined for 13 tackles (four for losses), an interception, and 3.5 sacks; Daniels had two PBUs (the official stats miss one).

Even with a so-so (for him) night, Dalton still leads the conference, rated over 160. TCU tops the MWC in points-per-game (34.8).

Ryan Christian and Tanner Brock knocked themselves out, Christian's hit coming accidentally, and Brock's coming off a block with his (bare!) head during Kerley's 71-yard touchdown punt return, earning him ESPN lauds. Both left the field on their own legs.

Here're the highlights.

What we learned, week 4

2009-09-27T16:13:00.003-05:00

The Tally: 16-11 overall, 5-8 v. the cartel, 4-4 v. '08 bowl teams, 6-0 v. 2A teams.
(2008 tally: 20-6 overall, 7-3 v. the cartel, 5-2 v. '07 bowl teams, 5-1 v. 2A teams;
2007 tally: 13-13 overall, 5-8 v. the cartel, 2-10 v. '06 bowl teams, 3-0 v. 2A teams.)

Air Force: 26-14 win v. SDSU. Although not yet well tested, it appears Colorado Springs is not going to be an easy place for visitors to win games. SDSU held the Falcons' usual-gaudy ground game to a pedestrian 243 yards and no TDs (both of AFA's 6-point scores came on defense), and penalty-ridden (-75 yards on 9 flags). But AFA's defense won the day, holding the Aztecs to an embarrassing 1.6 ypc, and touchdown-less until late in the fourth quarter. Reggie Rembert showed his value, getting a pick-six, and Connor Dietz got 60 minutes' experience as a starter in place of Tim Jefferson. AFA continues to show it can win with big pieces missing. Key stat: Asher Clark had only five carries for 20 yards.

BYU: 42-23 win v. Colorado State. Ah, the uptick. Few things are more sure for established college football programs than the heart-warming win following a thoroughly bewildering loss. Florida State further added bewildering to the loss, losing for its first time to USF this week, while CSU provided the fodder for the recovery-win in Provo. Good defense provided the spark, getting two takeaways in the opening frame, and in the end, the bigger, stronger Cougars exhausted the Rams. An under-appreciated win over an under-appreciated program. Key stat: BYU converted 11 of 16 third downs. That's not quite driving at will, but it's close.

Colorado State: 23-42 loss at BYU. There're silver linings here: Grant Stucker had a pretty good day, passing 30-50 for 372 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 interceptions; short Tyson Liggett came from backup to Rashaun Greer to shining star, hauling in 11 passes for 156 yards and a score. But a slew of turnovers in the game's first minutes, and a weak showing from the ground game doomed- but without embarassment- the Rams in the end. Key stat: five CSU receivers grabbed three or more passes.

New Mexico: 17-20 loss v. New Mexico State. It feels like the wheels are falling (have fallen?) off in Albuquerque. When the Lobos' running game finally showed signs of life (6 ypc, but only 3.5 without Demond Dennis's 62-yard scamper), its defense gave its rival a better day on the ground (113 yards on 31 carries for Aggie Sean Smith). When the Lobos' passing game finally showed signs of life (first TD pass this year), UNM gave up a last-second game-winning toss to NM State. Key stat: New Mexico converted only three of 12 third downs. That's moribund, and sadly, familiar. And to top it off, Coach Locksley added dark clouds to the general heaviness by punching one of his assistants in the face. It may not be mathematically possible for things to get any worse, but there's little reason to expect improvement soon.

San Diego State: 14-26 loss at Air Force. It's a simple formula, really: go minus-six in turnover margin, and manage only 1.6 ypc, and you'll lose. Every dang time. This was no exception, and until SDSU protects the ball better and gets more push for its runners, it'll keep competing with New Mexico for a long list of last places. Key stat: you've already read 'em, and probably wept. Here's another: SDSU sold less than 10,000 season tickets this season. The Aztecs have killed whatever buzz hiring Brady Hoke created.

TCU: 14-10 win at Clemson. In the end, probably the best analysis of the Frogs' win in Death Valley was that the Frogs' better array of weapons slowly overwhelmed the Tigers' reliance on the very remarkable C. J. Spiller. TCU stopped Spiller just enough to keep Clemson's tally at ten points, and fielded just enough fresh legs and brilliance in the air to tally 14 points. The difference was most obvious in the one scoreless quarter-- the third. TCU out-gained Clemson 98 yards to eight, while holding the ball for over ten minutes. Clemson's d-line never recovered. Key stat: Dalton ran for 62 yards and three first downs in the second half. His "inverted veer," run off audibles, was the x-factor, similar to Jeremy Kerley's Wild Frog plays against BYU last year. Clemson couldn't stop it, and now Frog fans are clamoring to know what else TCU has up its sleeve for tight games.

UNLV: 27-30 loss at Wyoming. UNLV lost its second game this season (see Oregon State) more by turnovers than bad performances elsewhere. The Rebels slightly bested the Cowboys in nearly every other phase of the game; but UNLV fumbled away its first possession, leading to Wyoming's first field goal, and Tashaun Gipson snagged an otherwise-UNLV-touchdown at the Wyoming one yard line early in the second half. Gipson got another INT later the game, leading to a Wyoming field-goal. Key stat: UNLV gave up two field goals to Wyoming off turned-over drives, and lost six more with the goal-line interception, and lost by three points. That's living too close to the edge.

Utah: 30-14 win v. Louisville. Utah hasn't lost at home since... since at least 2007. The Utes continued their winning ways at Rice-Eccles with a characteristic win over a shaky Big East team: forcing turnovers, good rush defense, and some striking pass plays. Terrence Cain was ultra-efficient (over 77% completion), and Eddie Wide filled most of the gap created by Matt Asiata's season-ending knee injury. The Utes will face much tougher defenses in conference play, and won't be able to depend on Cain as successfully as they could against the Cardinals. Key stat: even without his longest carry (25 yards), Eddie Wide still averaged 5.8 ypc. He's not an every-down back, but he'll carry the Utes further than dismayed Ute fans give him credit for.

Wyoming: 30-27 win v. UNLV. Are these green shoots? Three passing touchdowns and no interceptions for Carta-Samuels? Or is that the happy coincidence of a beleaguered offense and and equally-beleaguered UNLV "defense"? Because UNLV slowed Hawaii's defense appreciably last week, one may be forgiven for thinking Wyoming's reconstruction is proceeding with some visible result. Don't expect consistency in Laramie, however, for another year. Away from it: perhaps yet another year. Key stat: true freshman Alvester Alexander led the Cowboys on the ground, netting only 42 yards. Minus his longest run (10 yards) he averaged less than three per carry. Passing attacks need viable rushing correlatives, kids. Wyoming won't really fly until it can grind out a tough yards on command (or something like unto it). Wyoming has done neither for a long, long time.

TCU 14, Clemson 10

2009-09-27T00:35:00.004-05:00

It wasn't particularly pretty (TCU failed to convert 8 of 14 third- or fourth-downs, including a third down with about 60 seconds left in the game, giving Clemson another opportunity to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat), but it was on the road, in the pouring rain, against a credible BCS foe with TCU-level talent, and it came on a day when four top-10 teams lost. So TCU will take it, and ride this win at Death Valley right up to the edge of the top ten.

Dalton (at left) was tremendous, running a designed QB sneak with devastating effectiveness (64 yards in the second half), and finding receivers through tight coverage. Ed Wesley, Matthew Tucker, and Joe Turner punished the tired Clemson D to start the fourth quarter (TCU held the ball more than 10 minutes in the third quarter), setting up a Dalton TD pass to Antoine Hicks with 28 rushing yards in three plays.

C. J. Spiller earned the unabashed love-fest that the ESPN announcers gave him, carrying Clemson on his shoulders (and injured turf toe), keeping the otherwise-overmatched Tigers in the game to the final seconds.

Having cleared this hurdle, the Frogs look to host SMU from their loftiest September ranking in generations, and have a chance to begin conference play both carrying the MWC banner, and doing so from the top ten. If Utah and BYU continue in their newfound winning ways, TCU likely will have two ranked opponents waiting in its conference schedule: a luxury Houston and Boise State cannot boast.

Here're the highlights.

What we learned, week 3

2009-09-20T00:22:00.005-05:00

The Tally: 14-10 overall, 3-8 v. the cartel, 3-4 v. '08 bowl teams, 6-0 v. 2A teams.
(2008 tally: 17-5 overall, 6-3 v. the cartel, 4-1 v. '07 bowl teams, 5-1 v. 2A teams;
2007 tally: 9-12 overall, 5-8 v. the cartel, 1-9 v. '06 bowl teams, 1-0 v. 2A teams.)

Air Force: 37-13 win at New Mexico. AFA is glad to have safety and kick returner Reggie Rembert back-- and hopes it hasn't lost Tim Jefferson for too long. Suddenly Coach Calhoun looks more than brilliant for practicing Asher Clark at QB in the spring; how the Falcons respond to a new signal caller, be it Clark or Connor Dietz, is the critical issue in the Academy's immediate future. In Albuquerque, so be sure, AFA outclassed its hosts from the first whistle, holding the ball almost twice as long as the Lobos, and forcing three turnovers. Key stat: newbie QB Dietz was 2-4 through the air, including a touchdown pass to Kevin Fogler. As long as Dietz successfully runs both dimensions of the Falcons' attack, Jefferson's absence won't derail the Falcon's third run to a bowl in three years.

BYU: 28-54 loss v. Florida State. Words don't fail a blogger often, but this one is simply inexplicable. The answer is not that Florida State woke up Saturday and decided to run the ball all over BYU; nor is it that BYU is slow, or untalented. More likely the answer lies somewhere in the Cougars' misperception that the Seminoles that nearly lost to Jacksonville State were coming to Provo. Instead, a hungry, physical team tribe of Seminoles showed up, and played with more intensity and mental sharpness than the Cougars, controlling the line of scrimmage and forcing five turnovers. Key stat: Florida State converted 13 of 15 third downs. That, my friends, is how you put Boise State back ahead in the race to the BCS.

Colorado State: 35-20 win v. Nevada. Don't look now, but Colorado State has put together its second complete team in as many years. While yet unwilling to pronounce the Rams old-fashioned good, the Wimple recognizes that CSU is the conference's only 3-0 team, and rides a six-game winning streak. Yesterday's win over Nevada featured a late lead so large that the Rams put in their second and third teams, against which the Wolfpack promptly scored twice. CSU scored once on a lateral to WR Dion Morton, who then tossed the ball to TE Eric Peitz. Key stat: CSU forced five turnovers. DC Larry Kerr said, "Our guys play with confidence. What we added today is the guys played smart. They didn't make dumb mistakes."

New Mexico: 13-37 loss at Air Force. The slide continues, although the Lobos did score their first offensive touchdown this season. AFA deliberately manhandled the bigger New Mexico: aside from James Wright's two long TD runs, New Mexico managed only 2.3 ypc. B. R. Holbrook played extensively, and performed lukewarmly, except for two interceptions. Key stat: New Mexico converted only three of 14 third or fourth downs. Until the Lobos can sustain drives, their season appears to be irredeemably in the tank, puddling as motivation for improvement in '10.

San Diego State: 20-34 loss at Idaho. San Diego State doesn't remember how to win on the road. They haven't done it in a few years, and now have given up their best chance to relearn in 2009. Air Force, Colorado State, Utah, and UNLV likely will be much ruder hosts than Idaho was. But their bigger problem may be in the trenches, where SDSU averaged only 2.4 ypc. Against Idaho. What'd they give up on the ground? 3.6 ypc. This team is just not physical enough, and will flounder until it becomes such. Add an early pick-six, and SDSU never recovered. Key stat: -85 yards on penalties. Sustaining drives has to begin somewhere, and not shooting oneself in the foot would be a good first step for the Aztecs.

TCU: 56-21 win v. Texas State. TCU played flat, but not too flat to win. At the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second, TCU kept Texas State from scoring for 12 consecutive plays in the red zone, but collapsed on the 13th. They'd never have been there had Andy Dalton not thrown a bad-decision interception, attempting to avoid a sack. Good rushing (and Bart Johnson) saved the day; TCU averaged 6.2 ypc. Johnson had a career-best 7 catches for 70 yards. Hughes and the defense were usually dominant, except for a persistent soft spot in the secondary that Texas State exploited. Key stat: Dalton completed 75% of his passes. He'll need to be in synch with his receivers in a week; Clemson will be a much tougher test.

UNLV: 34-33 win v. Hawaii. This one meant a lot, for recruiting, for town pride (UNLV has a high Hawaiian and Polynesian population), for a fledgling winning program, and for a defense that caved on the final drive last week. This week it stopped a relentless offense on its final drive, preserving a victory. The (formerly Rainbow-) Warriors drove at will most of the game, but the Rebels never panicked. The Clayton-Wolfe connection was vibrant; the run defense stout; the run-offense servicable (Trotter talled 68 yards on 15 carries); and despite two costly interceptions, the Rebels proved themselves superior. Key stat: Hawaii pounded UNLV's secondary for almost 500 yards. Unless UNLV can figure out how to stop a pass attack, it will sit at home for (another!) bowl season.

Utah: 24-31 loss at Oregon. Three words: first-year quarterback. Terrence Cain, who will do very well later this season and next year for the Utes, played like the first-year quarterback he is when challenged: inconsistently. He had a "dead spot" midway through the first half, missing 11 consecutive passes, while Oregon scored 21 points. He got his game back after halftime, but was too far behind to pull off the upset. Key stat: Duck runner LaMichael James broke off 152 yards on 27 carries against the once-mighty Ute rush defense.

Wyoming: 0-24 loss at Colorado. Wyoming is fulfilling the Wimple's very dire predictions of an offense-less season in 2009. After being shut out in Boulder, Coach Christensen jettisoned hopes of a JUCO-jumpstart, and announced he'll start the true freshman Austyn Carta-Samuels against UNLV this weekend. Carta-Samuels had been getting the majority of the snaps anyway, so this isn't too big a change. Key stat: only David Leonard caught more than two passes against the Buffs. Until his receivers brethren start hauling in more passes, the Wyoming blizzard game plan will keep floundering.

TCU 56, Texas State 21

2009-09-19T10:29:00.008-05:00

Despite a persistent lack of focus, the Frogs turned in a pretty good performance Saturday, knocking off one of the better 2A teams by a margin of five touchdowns. TCU played flat, giving up more points than they had to any team since the debacle in Norman early last season. Clearly the Horned Frogs have bigger things on their minds-- Clemson perhaps?

Dalton looked good, but for one bad decision throw, which was intercepted, starting one of Texas State's touchdown drives. Joe Turned had a career night, running for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Four other frogs ran for touchdowns. Bart Johnson hauled in seven passes for 70 yards; Jimmy Young had another touchdown catch. The o-line play was as often uninspiring as not.

Defensively, the Frogs were mistake-prone in the secondary. Colin Jones got playing time, but Luttrell started another game at safety. Hughes racked up three more sacks, and Tank Carder looked good at linebacker. Washington was everywhere, and the line was dominating again.

Last, but nowhere near least, Ross Evans made all eight extra points.

Here're the highlights.

It's what's for dinner

2009-09-19T10:28:00.004-05:00

At least SDSU and Utah have the excuse of a road game. But really, BYU: what was that you laid in Provo Saturday? Really, Boise State couldn't be happier.

What we learned: Week 2

2009-09-17T17:44:00.006-05:00

The OOC Tally: 11-6 overall, 3-5 v. the cartel, 2-2 v. '08 bowl teams, 5-0 v. 2A teams.
(2008 tally: 10-4 overall, 2-3 v. the cartel, 1-1 v. '07 bowl teams, 4-1 v. 2A teams;
2007 tally: 7-8 overall, 3-7 v. the cartel, 0-5 v. '06 bowl teams, 1-0 v. 2A teams.)

Air Force: 13-20 loss at Minnesota. The Falcons scared the bejeebers out of a larger Minnesota team, and lost in the face of a nearly flawless performance from Gopher QB Weber. The Falcons couldn't disrupt the Adam Weber-Eric Decker connection (10 receptions, 113 yards), including three key first down catches by Decker in the second half. AFA sunk its own boat when Minnesota returned a fumble for a touchdown late in the game. Key stat: AFA got zero touchdowns from 13 tries in the redzone.

BYU: 54-3 win at Tulane. Letdown? Who said anything about a letdown after the thriller at OU last week? Oh: the Wimple did? Well, not this week; not these Cougars. BYU got rolling slowly (the Cougars only led 3-0 starting the second quarter) but finished with 527 yards, giving up only 162. Probably the most important event of the day was another injury along BYU's offensive line. Braden Hansen (Jason Speredon's replacement) will miss up to a month rehabbing his ACL; sophomore Marco Thorson replaces him. Key stat: no one BYU receiver caught more than 3 passes, and eight receivers caught more than one.

Colorado State: 24-23 win v. Weber State. There may be no moral victories in football, but CSU came about as close as possible to giving one to Weber State. The 2A team converted 13 of 23 3rd and 4th downs, while CSU converted none; the 2A team held the ball fully sixteen minutes longer than CSU. How did Colorado State win? The Rams were +2 for turnovers, including a fumble recovery late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Key stat: 23 rush attempts for only 63 yards-- a measley 2.7 yards per carry. That's not going to cut it, and the Rams hope Shelley Smith's return (which is exactly when?) will be (a) soon, and (b) bolster that poor showing.

New Mexico: 10-44 loss v. Tulsa. It would be hard to imagine a worse start to this season than the Lobos particular version of 0-2. Fans had such high hopes for the many returners and new players. Instead they got another dose of ineffective quarterbacking from senior Donovan Porterie and young B. R. Holbrook. Demond Dennis looked very pedestrian at tailback, again. While Tulsa tore through the Lobos' D, the formerly proud New Mexico running game only managed 2.2 yards per carry. Key stat: zero offensive touchdowns in 2009. Still.

San Diego State: 35-19 win v. Southern Utah. That's more like it: Ryan Lindley, Vincent Brown, and Brandon Sullivan led the Aztecs to their first win under Brady Hoke. The offensive line was sharp, the defense swarming; next comes an incrementally more difficult test: doing the same on the road against a bottom-tier 1A team. Key stat: SDSU converted 8 of 14 third and fourth downs. Sustained drives cure a multitude of ills in football, and that medicine was sorely needed in San Diego.

TCU: 30-14 win at Virginia. The Frogs are not showing any more than they must so far, and didn't need to show much to beat the Cavaliers. Jerry Hughes was unstoppable, as were his three new starting brethren on the line (and their backups); after a slow start, Dalton was excellent, going 10-10 and four rushes for 28 yards to finish the game. Key stat: five different Frogs had seven or more rushes, and four had multiple receptions. That's spreading the ball around-- and not even showing off the new passing attack about which Frog fans have heard (but not seen) so much.

UNLV: 21-23 loss v. Jaquizz Rodgers. (OK, ok, "Oregon State.") As much as the Wimple loves UNLV, it appears to be time to narrow the eyes and admit that the Rebs' upgrade on defense failed. UNLV could not stop Jaquizz Rodgers. All Rodgers did was carry the ball 26 times for 166 yards and a TD, and catch it ten times for 65 more yards. And when it counted most-- up by one, third down, less than a minute left, the opponent deep in its own territory, the Rebs gave up a pass intereference penalty on that gave the aforementioned Mr. Rodgers the chance to get the Beavers into field goal range, which he promptly did. Key stat: backup QB Mike Clausen roared into the game after starter Omar Clayton nursed a hurt knee, and promptly led UNLV on two touchdown drives, taking the lead for the first time in the game. That said, the Wimple resigns from the Rebel fanclub until UNLV finds a run defense that can stop at least a Sunday school class.

Utah: 24-14 win at San Jose State. One expects a bumpy ride when breaking in a new QB, and Saturday was a stomach-turner for Ute fans. Utah didn't pull away until the fourth quarter, and may have lost Matt Asiata for a week or two in the process. Whether the offense has gelled enough to continue their nation-leading winning streak becomes a pointed question at Oregon this week. Key stat: SJSU managed only 1.0 yards per carry. Perhaps Koa M'isi's return was the spark the Ute D needed to reclamp opponents on the ground.

Wyoming: 10-41 loss v. Texas. It looked surprisingly even at halftime: Texas only up 13-10. But by then Colt McCoy and the Longhorns had adjusted to the altitude and reeled off the game's remaining 28 points. But green shoots abound in Wyoming. Eleven Cowboys caught passes; Carta-Samuels looked almost good as the backup true freshman. The defense, in a truly impossible situation, played manfully. Key stat: Wyoming complete 23 passes (out of 50). Improvement there is sure to happen, and will become lethal late this season.

TCU 30, Virginia 14

2009-09-14T20:39:00.004-05:00

TCU blasted Virginia for 56 minutes Saturday, scoring 30 points while pitching a shutout and giving up under 100 yards. The Cavs could not move the ball against the Frogs' first team defense, but managed two face-saving touchdowns in the last four minutes of the game. TCU moved the ball through the air and on the ground, and out-possessed Virginia by almost ten minutes. Returning starter Joe Turner, redshirt freshman Ed Wesley, and true freshman Matthew Tucker gained 154 yards on ten carries each; eight different receivers caught passes (half of them multiple passes) for 177 yards. Kerley, Young, and Turner scored touchdowns (Kerley's is pictured at left).

The defensive line had a very good day, tallying eight sacks, led by Jerry Hughes-- a one-man offense-wrecking machine. Hughes had a career best 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks; newcomer D.J. Yendrey pile-drove a Cavalier lineman into the QB for the day's most impressive sack. All told, the Frog D held Virginia to 57 yards rushing (and 65 negative yards); and 120 yards passing (all but 38 of those coming on the two last-minute TD passes).

The Horned Frogs looked very 2008, showing little, if any, of their upgraded passing attack. Look for more of the same in a week against 2A Texas State.

Here're the highlights.