BCS, shmee-C-S...

The BCS is a mess. Kansas beat Virginia Tech in lastnight's Orange Bowl; West Virginia upset Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl the day before. Neither is eligible for the national title, even though both title-game participants lost to lower-ranked teams in the regular season.

To alleviate these (and other) difficulties, the Wimple hereby endorses a modest playoff. A 16-team marathon isn't necessary; a field of eight will do. Conference champions only, please-- Notre Dame can play if it has one or no losses, and is ranked higher than four other conferences' champions (which is a silly stipulation, considering how adoringly the press slobbers whenever the Domers are over .500). One more tweak-- keep the BCS rankings, but return strength-of-schedule to them. This would remove the incentive to go Buckeye, and schedule a bevy of 2-A teams before hitting one's conference schedule. An increase in LSU-Virginia Tech style matchups in September would be awesome.

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. Thus the entrance fee for top-tier post-season bowls would be a tough schedule and a conference championship.

And in a year like this one, where upsets never end, we would have at least a rational basis on which to proclaim one national champion: head-to-head results.

Wimple Awards - 2007

MVP: Chase Ortiz--Although he was for years the Frogs' lesser touted defensive end, in '07 Chase Ortiz anchored TCU's defense in what was supposed to be the year of Tommy Blake and BCS busting, but what became instead a scramble merely for bowl eligibility. Ortiz consistently pressured offenses despite constant double teams, tallying 9 sacks and over 16 tackles-for-loss; he is the only player to make the first-team all-MWC squad in '05, '06' and '07. Perhaps more importantly, he made room to grow for the litany of new starters and second stringers who played in tandem to his right; he delivered clutch plays from the season's opener to its finale, securing the Frogs' third straight bowl victory-- three wins among so many in which he has had much to do. No one player among TCU's graduating seniors will be missed more in '08.

Offensive Players of the Year: Blake Schlueter, Ervin Dickerson--TCU's offense largely returned veterans to the field in 2007, except at quarterback. Two of these vets performed unfailingly well for that greenie-- center Schlueter and wide-out Dickerson-- and eased the transition from Ballard's era to Dalton's. Schlueter's leadership at the line was neither new nor unexpected; he is the most underrated center in college football today. Dickerson emerged largely from the background as Dalton's top target in '07, his final year at TCU.


Defensive Players of the Year: David Hawthorne, Jason Phillips-- TCU's defense features an embarrassment of riches; isolating one or two of them for this feature is almost silly. However, the Frogs' starting linebackers have been so consistent, and so good, that they warrant mention here. Phillips 87 tackles led the team; Hawthorne had 84-- while splitting time with another defensive standout, Robert Henson (who had 66 tackles himself!).












Special Teams Player of the Year: Brian Bonner--this senior not only had the team's third-highest tackle total, but for the second year in a row, Brian Bonner was the MWC's most dangerous punt returner. He captained the defense, and dominated special teams.




Outstanding Freshman: Andy Dalton--Dalton proved durable, capable, and when his backfield performed adequately, spectacular. The freshman showed his feet in the second half of the season.

Most Excited to See in '08: Jimmy Young, Stephen Hodge, Robert Henson, Daryl Washington

Photos: Keith Robinson

TCU 20, Houston 13

In a microcosm for the season, TCU edged Houston at the 2007 Texas Bowl, despite injuries in the backfield. Starting tailback Aaron Brown did not play; bruiser Joe Turner left the game in the first half with an ankle injury.

Seniors Ervin Dickerson, Brian Bonner, and Chase Ortiz gave stand-out performances. Andy Dalton showed flashes both of brilliance and of inexperience, at times eluding and at other times succombing to a tough pass rush.

The Frogs gave back two touchdowns because of penalties, and nearly had to test their mettle in overtime, after allowing Houston to drive nearly the whole field in the final minutes.

Chase Ortiz closed the book on the season, however, sacking the Cougars' quarterback and securing the Frogs' third straight post-season victory.

Photos: Keith Robinson