10 Questions for Football Season

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http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...160425/-1/State

Ten questions to mull for college football

By Tony Barnhart

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta | The ACC preseason meetings kick off a week from today. Players report to camp shortly after that. The first game's just 46 days away. Time to get serious and ponder these pressing questions as we approach the 2006 college football season.

1. Are you telling me the BCS has changed again?

Yep. There will be five BCS bowls this season instead of the usual four. The Fiesta and Rose will be held on Jan. 1, the Orange on Jan. 2, the Sugar on Jan. 3. A fifth game - for the BCS championship - will be played in the new stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 8. Remember, this is not a "plus-one," where the two best teams from the four BCS bowls advance. We'll have to wait at least four more years for that.

2. Is Notre Dame really that good?

After their team went 9-3 with tough losses to Southern Cal and Ohio State last fall, Fighting Irish fans are convinced quarterback Brady Quinn will take them all the way this time around. Our friends at The Sporting News have put Notre Dame at No. 1. We respectfully disagree. The offense will be top-notch again with Charlie Weis calling the plays. But the defense, which returns nine starters, has to get better. The secondary needs more athleticism. The linebackers are average. Frankly, Notre Dame will be fortunate to win at Georgia Tech on Sept. 2 and should be an underdog when it goes to USC in November.

3. Who are the five coaches who need to show significant improvement - right now?

- Dennis Franchione, Texas A&M. Franchione was hired to close the gap in the Big 12 South between the Aggies and Texas and Oklahoma. It hasn't happened. A&M is 0-6 against the benchmark programs under Franchione,.

- Rich Brooks, Kentucky. Four SEC wins in three seasons - two vs. Vanderbilt, two vs. Mississippi State - isn't going to cut it.

- Larry Coker, Miami. It's ridiculous he's even on this list. In five seasons, Coker is 53-9 with a national championship. But when you lose your bowl game 40-3 and you're at Miami, ridiculous things happen.

- Lloyd Carr, Michigan. The Wolverines were 7-5 last year and lost to Ohio State for the third time in four seasons. Now the Buckeyes are No. 1 in the preseason, which is never good for the coach at Michigan..

- Chuck Amato, N.C. State. Just 6-10 in ACC play since quarterback Philip Rivers left and 23-25 in six seasons in a league that's getting tougher by the minute. Amato has everything he needs in terms of facilities and budgets. It's time to produce a contender.

4. Is Clemson good enough to win the ACC Atlantic Division?

On paper, yes. The Tigers, who return 17 starters, are better than Florida State, which returns only 10. But the world is not ready to jump on the Clemson bandwagon until Will Proctor proves he can be an adequate quarterback and Clemson proves it can avoid the inexplicable bad loss after a big win. We'll find out early if the Tigers are ready for prime time; they have back-to-back road games at Boston College (Sept. 9) and FSU (Sept. 16).

5. Who's the early leader for the Heisman Trophy?

Notre Dame's Quinn and Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson start the season as co-favorites until somebody does something dramatic and plays their way into the race (think Ted Ginn. Jr. of Ohio State or Kenny Irons of Auburn).

6. Can Texas repeat as national champion - even without Vince Young?

Ask us again on Sept. 9. That's when the Longhorns, who return 14 starters, host Ohio State. Win that one and find a way to beat Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 7 and Texas could be playing on Jan. 8 for a second straight title. .

7. Why is West Virginia in everybody's preseason top 5?

First off, they all remember how the Mountaineers ripped through Georgia for a half in the Sugar Bowl. And the guys who did most of the damage - quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton - are both back. Second, there's the schedule - or lack of it. A Nov. 2 trip to Louisville looks like the only potential stumbling block.

8. Who's going to bounce back in a very big way?

You have to like Oklahoma, which played for the championship, then fell back to 8-4 in 2005. Peterson is healthy and ready to make a Heisman run. If the offensive line comes through, Bob Stoops & Co. should challenge Texas for the Big 12 crown.

9. When the season's over, whose fans are going to be the most disappointed?

We're going with LSU's. After the Tigers humiliated Miami 40-3 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, their fans immediately starting thinking national championship. Here's the reality: A major quarterback controversy looms after Matt Flynn's brilliant bowl showing when an injured JaMarcus Russell couldn't go. And superstar recruit Ryan Perrilloux is still waiting in the wings. The top two running backs are both coming off knee injuries. The schedule includes road trips to Auburn, Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas (in Little Rock).

10. Is there a team that could come out of nowhere and get in the BCS mix?

Take a long, hard look at Iowa. The Hawkeyes have been a fashionable choice to contend the last few years but always found a way to stumble out of the gate. With Drew Tate back for his third year at quarterback, Iowa just might avoid its past problems. Ohio State comes to Iowa City on Sept. 30. The only tough road game is at Michigan (Oct. 21).

[WarTim 3,456]

Barnhart, for the most part, is a good read. He usually calls 'em like he sees 'em. Thanks for posting.