Recipe for disaster
Not much has changed in the Polls since the fall practice started. Here is a new Top 25 to keep you busy. In the following top 25 capsules, each team’s camp issues and worst-case scenarios are presented as a ‘Recipe for disaster’ and then we add our own spin on it.
1. USC: Sort out the tailback situation. Develop a new set of receivers after the loss of Dewayne Jarrett and Steve Smith. Recipe for disaster: A Sept. 15 loss at Nebraska. John David Booty doesn’t improve as a senior. Jim Harbaugh was right and Carroll bolts for the NFL. LWS: Honestly, they are plug and play. Overconfidence might be a problem. Or Les Miles is really smart and these guys are pussys.
2. LSU: Buy, trade or steal for quarterback depth. If Matt Flynn goes down, the Tigers could be in big trouble. Recipe for disaster: Les Miles gets his “wish” and plays USC in the BCS title game. The Trojans wouldn’t have any motivation at all. LWS: Les Miles mental gymnastics will be LSU’s weakest link.
3. Michigan: The defense must re-discover its mojo. Were those last two games a preview of ‘07 or an anomaly of ‘06? Recipe for disaster: Are you kidding? Another loss to Ohio State. LWS: Big 10 teams are slothlike, SEC speed kills…bitches
4. West Virginia: You don’t know Mike Dent. Hopefully, you won’t know Mike Dent. He is the guy replacing the Dan Mozes, the All-American center. Centers are supposed to be anonymous. Recipe for disaster: Steve Slaton has more wrist problems (he had offseason surgery). His fumbles arguably cost the Mountaineers the Louisville game. LWS Comment: Playing a “Big Boy” Conference team will be disaster for the Eers.
5. Wisconsin: We keep saying it doesn’t matter who the Whiskey quarterback is. Senior Tyler Donovan will battle dual-threat Allan Evridge (a Kansas State transfer) next month. Either way, tailback P.J. Hill and tight end Travis Beckum will have their backs. Recipe for disaster: A hiccup before the runner-take-all game against Michigan on Nov. 10 at home. LWS: See Michigan
6. Virginia Tech: The Hokies have to realize they’re playing not just for a championship but for the entire university. Recipe for disaster: Injuries among the linebackers. After USC, Virginia Tech’s are the best. LWS: there is a good reason that Beam is 10-34 against top 25 teams. He gets a chance to prove it early in the season as the Hokies show the world why they once were a Big East team. Once a BE team, always a BE team.
7. Florida: Tim Tebow inexperienced? The kid had a sore throwing arm in the spring, he was throwing so much in the offseason. Like last year, two QBs will play this season. One of Urban Meyer’s biggest fall tasks is to develop a backup quarterback. Recipe for disaster: Tebow isn’t the superstar he is projected to be and more of a burden falls on the defense. LWS: See LSU; Gator boards are reporting that Tebow sucks; Herban ain’t that smart during a game. Remember the timeout fiasco during the SECCG? We do…fondly
8. Texas: Everything else in place except the secondary, which finished 99th nationally last season. Recipe for disaster: Colt McCoy’s right shoulder is re-injured. You saw at Kansas State what happened when he was knocked out of the game. LWS: See LSU, Coaching decisions are a problem
9. Louisville: Former Miami bad boy linebacker Willie Williams has resurfaced. Louisville has a history, having taken Miami’s Nate Harris and molded him into the team’s leading tackler. Recipe for disaster: Brian Brohm gets injured. Again. He seems to make it a habit. LWS: Cards MVP Bobby Petrino went to the NFL. Kracklefart learns that the BE,as weak as it is, ain’t Tulsa.
10. Oklahoma: It’s never a good thing when you’re looking to get snaps for three quarterbacks who have thrown a total of two collegiate passes. Recipe for disaster: Bob Stoops is in the same quandary he was after the spring. None of the quarterbacks — junior Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford nor freshman Keith Nichol — distinguish themselves. LWS: Know where I can get a good deal on a car?
11. Auburn: This is a year for the Tigers to surprise. Five of the first six are at home. Never bet against DC Will Muschamp and OC Al Borges. And Tommy T can coach a little, too. Recipe for disaster: An unsettled situation at linebacker doesn’t clear itself up in August. LWS: Brandon Cox seems like he is a real fucking candy. RTR and Thumbobia
12. Cal: The opener against Tennessee is the barometer. A revenge game at home kicking off the season cannot be lost. Watch cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson, who got torched last season in Knoxville. Recipe for disaster: A loss at home to USC. How many know the Bears shared the Pac-10 with the Trojans last year? LWS: The Vols will drop a deuce on the liberal atheist Pac 10 version of the Chicago Cubs. The bigger question: When the Vols shit on Cal, does this make Les Miles smart?
13. UCLA: Karl Dorrell needs to go to shells and shorts in August. Twenty starters are back. Why risk injury? Recipe for disaster: Neither Ben Olson nor Pat Cowan become top-notch Pac-10 quarterbacks. Both are OK, but not great. Olson has been named the starter but Cowan is waiting in the wings.LWS: One more overhyped Pac-10 team
14. Tennessee: A great Tennessee tradition is in danger. Phil Fulmer is short of game-breaking receivers. He wants to use his running backs more as pass catchers to compensate. Recipe for disaster: A 6-6 season. Not likely to happen but Fulmer would really feel the heat then. LWS: Ainge gets hurt and Vols must play Crompton. Remember Dan Kendra at FSU? Kendra = Crompton.
15. Ohio State: Back away from yourselves, Buckeye Nation. A top-heavy Big Ten will doom you to third place, or worse. Recipe for disaster: If TB Beanie Wells doesn’t have a breakout season, something is wrong. There’s enough pressure on the defense already. LWS: See Michigan and Wisconsin
16. Arkansas: The best thing that can happen is that the Razorbacks get back on the field. Unfortunately, no amount of fall practice can make QB Casey Dick better. Recipe for disaster: An 8-5 season and a new AD for Houston Nutt. LWS: Big East fans believe that D-Mac would ride the pine in the Big East.
17. TCU: This year’s designated mid-major could see its major bowl chances evaporate in the second week at Texas. Recipe for disaster: The defense isn’t up to Gary Patterson standards. His defenses have allowed no more than 2.8 yards per carry in seven of the last eight seasons. LWS: Would dominate the Big East’s best and would take a huge dump on a burning couch
18. Rutgers: The world can’t wait to see 6-foot-6, 350-pound right guard Anthony Davis, perhaps the best recruit in Rutgers history. Recipe for disaster: Quarterback Mike Teel doesn’t improve, even just a bit, to support Heisman candidate Ray Rice. LWS: Just another overhyped Big East team. Thanks ESPN for Thursday night football.
19. Boise State: The Broncos won’t win 13 again, but 10 wins with their schedule would be admirable. Recipe for disaster: Chris Petersen goes conservative and doesn’t call a Statue of Liberty all season. LWS: Honestly? Who gives a rat’s ass?
20. Georgia: Dawgs have to get their minds back on football. Matthew Stafford can lift a keg, but can he lift Georgia to the SEC title? Recipe for disaster: The task of replacing six starters in the front seven proves to be too much. LWS: Stafford is fat and they have a running back named Blumpkin. What is a blumpkin? Google it
21. South Carolina: Does it amaze anyone else than in Year 4 of Spur Dog, the Gamecocks are still winning with defense? TB Cory Boyd must have a big senior season. Recipe for disaster: The offensive line doesn’t push back. It was dominated in the spring by the D. LWS: Toughest road schedule, Spurrier has a bunch of thugs on the team.
22. Texas A&M: This year’s surprise team in the Big 12 is some slight defensive improvements away from winning the South Division. Recipe for disaster: The defense plays more like the unit that gave up 45 to Cal in the bowl game and than the group that held Texas to seven.LWS: No fucking clue nor do I care
23. BYU: Who cares if John Beck is gone? The Cougars are back in the national spotlight and get Utah and TCU at home. Recipe for disaster: There’s a lot of revenge waiting out there to smack down nine new starters. Quarterback Max Hall who hasn’t taken a snap since high school in 2003. LWS: The model that Big East teams were built on, weak schedule and no depth.
24. Notre Dame: Three quarterbacks head into August trying to win the coveted title of Charlie Weis’ Whipping Boy. Brady Quinn didn’t do too bad in that role. Recipe for disaster: Jimmy Clausen’s elbow surgery keeps him from playing as a freshman. That leaves only two years before he turns pro (he thinks). LWS: WTF are the irish doing in this list? Mercy fucking???
25. (tie) Nebraska/Missouri: One coach will win the Big 12 North. The other will be under fire. Missouri’s Gary Pinkel must find a defense. Nebraska’s Bill Callahan must find a way over the hump. After playing in the Big 12 title game last season, it would be nice if Callahan could win it this year. Recipe for disaster: Kansas State wins the division.
See 4-25 of Dennis Dodd’s Top 25 Teams
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Why all the hate towards Les Miles? Because he’s fired up for the season? Because he doesn’t give a fuck about “billboard material”? At least you don’t have to read between the lines with him, he says what’s on his mind.
You act like the guy is eating paste in the corner, and he’s 22-4 in two seasons. Spurrier gets away with the same bullshit that Les pulls, and South Carolina ain’t florida. Meanwhile I see nothing about other questionable coaches; Rich Rodriguez’ 3-3-5 defense, which Darren McFadden would run all over – after which he would go to the WVU sideline and give Slaton, White, and Devine that bucake that they so richly deserve.
Don’t think it is hate. He is certainly smarter than O and Meyer. check comment 14 on this link.
http://www.fanblogs.com/tennessee/005783.php
what is a bucake?
Spurrier gets away with that shit because he’s got 6 SECC and 1 NC. Les Miles has none and none.
Don’t get me wrong, though. I like Miles and LSU should win the SEC this year.
Game of he year will not be LSU VT. It will be LSU and Fluffer
I think the Broncos should get their own poll. They can be number one over there, and the rest of football can just ignore their weak ass WAC shit.
I cant wait for the Hawaii/Boise St. game! SEC football has too much hitting, I love the finesse of WAC “football.”
Honestly I think LSU is overrated. Saban’s players are gone and Jimbo Fisher is gone. Les “Big Hat to Compensate for Little Penis” Miles has never showed anyone he can coach. But that’s just my opinion.
22-4 bitches.
Thanks for bringing up the LSU Tennessee game from 2005.
Dave Kulmann sucks and hates puppies more than Michael Vick. What nobody knew at that time was that the whole team was on IV’s at half time and was physically and emotionally exhausted after hurricane Katrina. I would love to see what Saban, Spurrier, Richt, or Meyer would have done in the same situation and context.
If Spurrier has another independence bowl year, will you still consider him an elite coach? It’s a different SEC than when he was winning all the time. If he does anything remotely good with Garcia I will consider him a genius.
It’s easy to be overrated when you’re #2 — but to what degree?
Three points on your completely assanine comment about Saban’s players / Staff
1) Miles has a better record than Saban did with Saban’s players.
2) Bo Pelini is a better DC than Will Muschamp.
3) Miles has proven himself to be a better recruiter on paper than Saban was, judging from the recruiting services. Whether those players actually live up to expectations is another question.
Nobody is disputing Miles record. Just some odd behavior
Actually, he was disputing his record as a coach. I love that he called the media out on the PAC-10 / strength of schedule, and that he cusses. The guy is honest and I like that, but that’s just me.
Speaking of odd behavior, how about Fulmer turning in the Tide? How about Herban Meyer just allowing everything without any discipline? Saban being a liar and a complete and utter asshole? Mack Brown and Tubberville lobbying for their teams to make it to the national championship?
If the world was full of Lloyd Carrs, it would be a pretty fucking boring but classy place. And a TE would win the heisman every year.
And Jerrell Powe still can’t read
I’m not disputing his record as coach, I’m stating my opinion.
“Miles has a better record than Saban did with Saban’s players.”
Saban won a national championship with his players.
“Bo Pelini is a better DC than Will Muschamp.”
Then why did a red shirt freshman Crompton perform well for his first significant action, connecting on two long touchdown passes to Robert Meachem? I hate Crompton BTW.
And there’s really no excuse for letting a huge lead like that slip away in 2005. Especially to Rick Clausen.
As for your comments on Spurrier I couldn’t agree more. I hate the guy. Lately my blog has been a bash Spurrier session. I live in Columbia and I’ll admit the Lame and/or Shame Cocks fans aren’t really happy with him after the “dumb down the school comments.” Of course I’m there to remind them that Louser Holtz went to better bowl games with 2 victories nonetheless his first 3 years there.
Auburn will surprise people and beat UGA in the SECCG getting a shot at the title.
UGA is clearly the best team in the SEC East.
Otherwise the top 25 is pretty good.
Yes Roy, clearly the best ever. That OL/DL depth is mind boggling
UGA goes 1-4 in the SEC East this year…