New Years Day Bowl Breakdown

Due to all of the Holiday activities, I apologize that I was not able to breakdown the New Year's Eve Bowls. If you follow me on Twitter (@BiloFootball) You will have seen that my picks were Clemson in the Meineke Bowl (a loss), UCF in the Liberty Bowl (a win), Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl (A win), and Florida State in the Chik-Fil-A (winning).

New Year's Day is one of my favorite days of the year, with the Rose Bowl being my absolute favorite bowl year after year. Let's take a quick look at what's going on tomorrow, and who my picks are.

Ticket City Bowl
12PM EST

Texas Tech (7-5) vs.Northwestern (7-5)

Take the over when it comes to this game, but even then, this would be far from a favorite game of mine, and this would be one of the 14 bowls that I would cut from the lineup. It's the first ever date for this bowl, and both teams struggled off and on all season.
Northwestern struggled at the end of the season, as they lost 3 of their final 4 games if the year. QB Dan Persa is always dangerous as he passed for 258 yards per game in 2010. He passed for 15 TDs and ran for 9 more. Jeremy Ebert will be his number one target.
Tech won 3 of their last 4 games in 2010 and scored 99 points in their final 2 games. Taylor Potts passes for just under 280 yards per game and has tossed 31 TDs against just 9 picks.
I Pick: Texas Tech...Tech is on a better run than the Wildcats, and this will basically be a Tech heavy crowd.

Outback Bowl
1PM EST

Penn State (7-5) vs. Florida (7-5)
I am still trying to figure out exactly why these two teams are playing on NYD while Florida State and South Carolina were playing on NYE. That being said, I obviously don't believe that either one of these teams deserve this game. Strange to that this will be Urban Meyer's swan song, while Figurehead Paterno will be back next season at 84. Of course we all know that Joe has not coached this team in years.
I Pick: Florida...Urban will not lose his finale in what will be a virtual Gator home game.

Capital One Bowl
1PM EST

Alabama (9-3) vs. Michigan State (11-1)
This will be a terrific bowl game, and will be one of my most anticipated games of the season. Everytime Nick Saban takes a team onto the field, you know that you are in line to see the best that the Crimson Tide has to offer. Bama had a disappointing season coming off of the 2009 title, but they are stilla force to be reckoned with.
The Spartans are the feel good story of the 2010 season. Coach Mark Dantonio suffered a heart attack early in the season, and he has come back at full health. His team played for him every single week, and gave every game their all, so a NYD game is well deserved by the Spartans. Don Treadwell, who was the interim HC while Dantonio was out, was just named the new HC at Miami (Ohio) today, so this will be a great opportunity for an awesome send off.
I Pick: Michigan State...They are playing their best football in years, and even though these two teams are similar in almost every way, MSU will have an emotional edge.

Gator Bowl
1:30PM EST

Michigan (7-5) vs. Mississippi State (8-4)
Would have saved this bowl for more deserving teams with better records, but it's intriguing anyway. One Coach has his job secured (Dan Mullen) while the other is sitting on pins and needles (Rich Rodriguez). Denard Robinson had better be healthy, because backup Tate Forcier has been ruled academically ineligible and was sent back to Ann Arbor. Mississippi State will play ground control football with big back Vic Ballard, while Robinson will try to spread the field for Michigan.
I Pick: Mississippi State...just a gut feeling on this one.

Rose Bowl
5PM EST

TCU (12-0) vs. Wisconsin (11-1)
This will be a true war in Pasadena. My favorite bowl game pretty much got it right this season with this matchup. TCU is looking to settle in as a national power, while Wisconsin is a national power looking to knock the pesky non-AQ team off of their perch. Here is the kicker...TCU is the favorite. Gotta love what this game represents.
I Pick: TCU...More to prove and will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after losing the Fiesta Bowl last season. The Frog defense is one of the best that I have ever seen.

Fiesta Bowl
8:30PM EST

Connecticut (8-4) vs. Oklahoma (11-2)
Not much to say about this one, as I don't see any way for the Huskies to pull this one out. Oklahoma is already a 17 point favorite, and I think that that's a gift. I am very fond of the UConn program, but this one's a bit out of their league, and nobody in Hartford believes in all reality that they can win here, so ticket sales were horrid. You can get a ticket to this BCS game for around $25 right now.
I Pick: Oklahoma...and it won't be close.

As the Carousel Spins...New Years Eve Episode

     Happy New Year to all of our readers!!! We hope that all of you have a phenomenal 2011, and a very special thanks to you all for making our 2010 season such a success. Let's take a look at what went down in the daytime drama on the spinning carousel...because there was some seriously weird shit going down today...
          Here's the crazy stuff, part one. Brand new Pittsburgh HC Mike Haywood was arrested in South Bend today at the home of a woman that he shares a child with for domestic assault. There is a custody battle that is involved reportedly. He is still sitting in jail tonight, and there is no word out of Pittsburgh as to how Panthers AD Steve Pederson will handle the issue.
     Here's the crazy stuff, part two. Charlie Weis will reportedly leave his post as Kansas City Chiefs OC to take the same post under Will Muschamp at Florida. Ever hear of a guy leaving an NFL post to take the same gig as a coordinator at a college? I sure haven't. Several sources are reporting this story.
     I reported yesterday that former Colorado OC Eric Kiesau was interested in joining the staff at Boise State, but according to Footballscoop.com, he will join Jeff Tedford's staff at California as the new WR Coach.
     Congrats to Michigan State OC Don Treadwell, as he has been named as the new HC at Miami (Ohio). Treadwell had been named as a candidate for every MAC opening this season, and lands a good one. Treadwell had been interim HC when Mark Dantonio was out after his heart attack at Michigan State. No news yet as to who will replace Treadwell, but I'll make a suggestion as I did on Twitter today. O Line Coach Dan Rousher should be the guy. He was OC at Northern Illinois under Novak and joined Dantonio at Cincinnati.This move should be a no brainer.
     Legendary Northwest Missouri State HC Mel Tjeerdsma has indeed retired, and will be replaced by DC Scott Bostwick.
     There was not a lot of college coaching movement today, but there were the two major bombshells that ran the day. As the Carousel Spins will return Monday night. Once again, have a Happy New Year from the Bilo College Football Report. Have a great night, and please be safe out there. Remember, don't drink and drive. We want everyone to have a healthy, prosperous, and safe 2011.

     

Tressel "Punishment" Enforcement...

You all probably know where I will go with the whole Tressel deal that went down today where he announced that the Tat 5 would all come back in 2011 to serve their suspensions because they promised to do so....
I do not have time to properly attack this topic tonight, but my barrels are loaded and I am going to blast on this bullshit coming up early next week. I am also loaded for bear against the BCS, the Sugar Bowl, and the NCAA at large. Stay tuned early next week, because a dark cloud is coming, and I am riding it in furious style.
Check back on Tuesday for my uncensored unleashed fury and all that comes with it...

As the Carousel Spins...Thursday Episode

     Welcome back for another dose of the Spinning Carousel. There was quite a bit of movement today in the coaching ranks leading into New Years Weekend, so let's say what went down in today's drama...
     Maryland AD Kevin Anderson (Douche of the Week) is back on again with his love interest Mike Leach to replace the fired (unjustly) Ralph Friedgen. Several sources confirmed that Leach was on campus today interviewing for the job, and Leach did not deny it. If Leach was indeed scamming for this job when Friedgen was still employed, then his name fits the bill.
     Justin Frye had just joined the staff at North Texas, and is already jumping ship. Frye will leave Denton to go to work on Steve Addazio's new staff at Temple.
     Jerry Kill has filled out his entire staff now at Minnesota. He didn't have to reach to far to find his assistants as he brought most of his staff with him from Northern Illinois. Brian Anderson was brought in to cover Offense QC. Nate Griffin has been brought in from D2 Truman State to be the Defense QC. Griffin coached the D Line at Truman State. Jay Sawvel will coach the DBs, while Adam Clark will serve as recruiting coordinator.
     OC and Assistant HC Brent Pease has left Boise State to join the staff at Indiana. Pease has been the man at Boise, and will have some solid talent to work with on Kevin Wilson's staff at IU.
     Speaking of Boise State, former Colorado OC Eric Keisau will apprently join the Bronco staff as WR Coach. There is no news as of yet as to who may replace Pease as OC. Stay tuned. It was also announced that Director of Football Operations Viliami Tuivai has left the staff.
     Dan Mullen has a new contract at Mississippi State that will pay him $2.4 Million per season, which is still only good enough to rank somewhere in the middle of SEC coaches. There is a buyout, but it's laughable and won't stop anyone with resources from trying to poach him away from the Bulldogs. It's a good attempt by MSU to keep him, however.
     RB/SB Coach Chris Beatty and TE Coach Dave McMichael have been let go at West Virginia. Why won't Bill Stewart just go kamakaze and bail out too? I question a man's sense of self worth when someone hires your replacement and you just stick around and do nothing about it. Man up and resign Bill. It's for your own good, and it'll save your dignity.
     The LB Coach spot is open at Nebraska,  and Bo Pelini is interested in Tulane LB Coach Doug Colman. Colman is a former Husker LB himself.
      The Elon exodus continues, as Pete Lembo has brought 3 more Phoenix assistants with him to Ball State in OC Rich Skrosky, O Line Coach John Strollo, and WR Coach Keith Gaither. No news on candidates for the Elon job, and I am looking hard for information. The Cardinals also announced that they are retaining WR Coach Joey Lynch.
     It was confirmed today that BYU OC Robert Anae has resigned. Rumors have him joining Leach if he takes the Maryland job. Other stories reported today reflect total dysfunction in the BYU offensive staff. Anae was not allowed on the field during games during the Max Hall tenure because they could not get along. Anae has been portrayed as abrasive and as a real shit stirring ass whipe that cannot creat cohesiveness on a staff as the OC. Hope that he gets it together, as Bronco Mendenhall seems to have had no other choice but to force him out. Word also is out that he would call plays in games that the team never even practiced.
     As was reported earlier, Stanford DC Vic Fangio is the top candidate to replace Chuck Bullough as DC at UCLA. Rick Neuheisel continues to claim that he is making progress with staff changes, but has not even asked Stanford to permission to speak with Fangio, and has not decided on keeping or ditching NOrm Chow and the Pistol Offense. But...he's making...progress...more Neuheisel idiotic rhetoric. Best double talker in the west.
     Tennessee-Martin has hired Memphis CB Coach Lytrell Pollard as the new DC for the Skyhawks. Good move for in-state recruiting purposes.
More news later...
    
    
    
    
    
   

As the Carousel Spins...Wednesday Episode

     Here a little late tonight to give you the spin from the coaching carousel. Let's take a look at the swirling moves and rumors of the day....
     It would seem that new HC Mark Hudspeth is making several moves at UL-Lafayette. He has spoken to Central Michigan QB Coach Jay Johnson about becoming the OC. Johnson has yet to accept. Former Vanderbilt DL Coach Mike Pelton has gone to ULL as DL Coach. He has also hired David Saunders away from Ole Miss to become the CB Coach.
     According to Footballscoop.com, John Shoop is one of the two finalists for the Miami (Ohio) job at this point. The other finalist is unnamed in the report.
    Indiana State OL Coach Mike Simmonds is on the move to North Texas to fill the same position for new HC Dan McCarney.
     Richmond DL Coach Chad Wilt will go to Ball State to join Pete Lembo's new staff. His position on the defense has not been specified.
     Rich Rodriguez will likely still be a candidate for the Maryland job replacing Ralph friedgen, but if they move before this weekend, Gus Malzahn appears to be the other target that they are shooting for. Malzahn was offered the Vanderbilt job, but turned it down. June Jones interviewed but has removed his name from consideration. Strange that he would have even gone through with the interview.
     Former Ball State RB Coach Eddie Faulkner has accepted the same position at Northern Illinois. Kevin Kane has been hired from Wisconsin to be the new TE/FB Coach.
     Bobby Kennedy has formally left Texas and has joined Jon Embree's staff at Colorado as the new WR Coach. His departure from Texas was inevitable.
     Rick Neuheisel has added another candidate for the open DC job at UCLA, with Florida safeties coach Chuck Heater added to the mix. Randy Shannon and Thom Kaumeyer are also being considered.
     In major D2 coaching news, legendary Northwest Missouri State HC Mel Tjeerdsma is apparently calling it quits as coach of the Bearcats. Tjeerdsma is a legend at the D2 level, as Northwest is perrenially one of the best programs on the D2 level.

More tomorrow...
    
    
    
 

Update

Reports are swirling that Maryland is indeed targeting Michigan HC Rich Rodriguez to become their next HC. As I reported weeks ago, it appears that Rodriguez is out in Michigan one way or the other anyway, so this would actually not be a bad grab for the Terps. Rodriguez and Friedgen make my two most ridiculous coach "firings" in America, even though Michigan has not made it official. This is a perfect example of jumping before you get pushed in the case of Rich Rod.
More news later...

As the Carousel Spins...Tuesday Episode

     The general pace of the coaching carousel has slowed down to a crawl during the Holidays, but I expect some bombs next week as the bowl season comes to a close. Situations at Michigan, Maryland, and Stanford all appear to be in flux at this time, and those situations could set the domino effect rolling. Let's take a look at today's drama.
      Pete Lembo has made a move at Ball State by announcing that his DC at Elon, Jay Bateman, is coming with him as DC for the Cardinals. No other major announcements have been made regarding staff, but I would not be shocked to see several Elon assistants making the move. There is very little available info on the Elon opening at this time.
     ESPN's Joe Schad is reporting that Jacksonville Jaguras DB Coach Thom Kaumeyer is a candidate for the DC job at UCLA. This was actually reported several days ago, and in fact he was one of 4 candidates for the job, and the candidates included former Miami HC Randy Shannon.
     Footballscoop.com is reporting that Maryland is on the cusp of hiring a major coach that is coaching this season, meaning that Mike Leach is not that guy, which as I said yesterday, is a major disaster bearing who it is that they do hire. No word or rumor on who that may be, and I am digging for info on this move.
     Klayton Adams has been moved up from O-Line Coach to OC at Sacramento State today. The Hornets have been undergoing major staff movements since the season ended. The Hornets had a very nice offensive season at times, but the defense was somewhat of a mess.
     UC-Davis has made a move as they have hired former NOrthern Colorado O-Line Coach Brad Beddel to coach the O-Line for the Aggies. Beddel was let go when there was a change at Northern Colorado with the HC job, which has still not been filled.

More news tonight in a bonus edition of "As the Carousel Spins"...

Bowl Breakdown-Part 4

Armed Forces Bowl
December 30, 12PM
ESPN

SMU (7-6) vs. Army (6-6)
This game will be played at Ford Field, SMU's home stadium. This is the first back to back bowl appearance for the Mustangs since the Pony Excess days of the 80's. Army has not been bowling in 14 years, and has not won a bowl since the 1986 Peach Bowl. This is the meeting of two teams trying to surge into the national consciousness at the same time.
The Mustangs have not won more than 2 games in a row all season long, and they come in having been the loser of the C-USA title game. The one major issue holding SMU back is consistency. You cannot look at the schedule all season and see any real trends. They are a team that plays down to their competition, and plays up to people that they should lose to. QB Kyle Padron has been solid this seaosn, as he has passed for 3526 yards with 29 TDs against 12 picks. He averages 271 yards per game.
If Zach Line isn't running the ball, than nobody is. Line has rushed for 1362 yards on the season with 10 TDs, but the next highest total on the team is Chris Butler with 173 yards. The only other player to rush for a score is Padron with 4.
Aldrick Robinson and Cole Beasley have both gone for over 1000 yards receiving (Robinson has 1225 yards and 13 scores, while Beasley has 1036 yards and 6 scores). Darius Johnson is a solid 3rd option with 693 yards and 5 scores.
SMU is 1-4 against 2010 bowl teams this season.
Army has made it back to what was there perennial place back in the golden era of colege football. The proverbial joke of a team has regained dignity under Rich Ellerson. Ellerson has brought the grind back to Army football and has created an environment where bowling feels like a right of the program.
Ellerson has maintained the triple option as the meat and potatoes of the offense, with sophomore Trent Steelman completing his 2nd season as the starter at QB. Steelman has passed for 965 yards and has rushed for 579 yards. He scored 18 times combined in 2010, so he is the central focus of this offense.
Jared Hassin rushed for 921 yards and 9 scores, but considering that the Cadets run the triple option, and that there are no 1000 yard rushers, that bodes ill for Army.
Army has keyed on defense the last two seasons, but the scoring defense was a bit off this season. Josh McNary is still a star at DE, and leads the team in TFLs and sacks. SMU will likely double team him on the edge using creative blocking schemes using h-backs and motion men.
I Pick: SMU...More offense, more firepower in general.

Pinstripe Bowl
December 29, 3:30PM EST
ESPN

Kansas State (7-5) vs. Syracuse (7-5)
This marks another game with two resurgent participants in the mix. Kansas State missed the bowl season last season, and Syracuse has been missing it for a while now. Both began a turnaround that could be a lasting thing.
The Wildcats were not exactly a force in Big 12 play, having gone 3-5 in conference play. QB play has not been a high mark again this season, and until K-State can find a solid signal caller, they have maxed out. Carson Coffman is the first choice at starter, having passed for 1832 yards and 12 TDs, but also has 7 picks to go along with low scoring production. Daniel Thomas is the offensive leader of this club, having rushed for 1471 yards and 16 TDs this season.
Aubrey Quarles is the only real receiving threat as he has 47 grabs for 685 yards and 5 TDs. K-State is a mixed bag on defense, so they have to maintain possession on offense to keep the defense off of the field.
Syracuse is a very similar team to Kansas State in almost every way. The Orangemen have turned a corner this season, and are still building towards the future under HC Doug Marrone. Ryan Nassib has begun to develop at QB and passed for 174 yards per game in 2010. Not great, but solid. He had a 2-1 TD/INT ratio (16 TDs to 8 picks). He held onto the job all season.
Delone Carter had a solid season at RB with 1010 yards and scored 7 times this season. He is a nice compliment to the change of pace game when the Orangemen need to wear down the clock.
Defensively, Syracuse held teams to 16 points or less 7 times in 2010, so the defense is pacing the team, and the offense is doing just enought to get by.
I Pick: Syracuse...It's an in-state game for Cuse, and they seem to have consitencies that Kansas State lacks at this point.

Music City Bowl
December 29, 6:30PM EST
ESPN

Tennessee (6-6) vs. North Carolina (7-5)
This is a bowl game that I'll be honest with you about. Tennessee does not deserve this spot, and North Carolina barely does. Not going to be one of my favorite bowls to concern myself with. Both teams thrived more on off-field drama than that going on between the endzones this season.
Tennessee cannot decide between Tyler Bray and Matt Sims at QB, but Tyler Bray would be a better bet to start at this point. Neither player is a world beater.  Bray averages 192 yards per game on the season with 14 TDs.
Tauren Poole is the only real run game option for the Vols with 944 yards and 11 scores, but they don't brag a 1000 yards rusher.
Denarius Moore is the main deep threat with 912 yards and 9 scores. He averages just over 21 yards every time that he touches the ball.
TJ Yates had a huge season at QB for UNC. He averages 265 yards per game with 3184 yards on the season. He has, however, only passed for 18 TDs against 8 picks. Not great for a 3000 yard passer.
The rushing game is not great for the Tar Heels. Johnny White has only 677 yards on the season as the rushing leader. He has 7 TDs.
Dwight Jones is the primary receiver, but is not a spectacular game changer, and this game really lacks a game changer on either side.
I Pick: North Carolina...Someone has to win and it may as well be them.

Holiday Bowl
December 29, 10:00PM EST
ESPN

Nebraska (10-3) vs. Washington (6-6)
This is one of the "Who Cares" bowls of 2010. If we all remember back in September, The Huskers crushed the Huskies in Seattle. I am going to cut this preview way short and state that Nebraska will repeat September's performance on the new stage in San Diego. This game is not worth breaking down.
I Pick: Nebraska...don't stay up late for this guaranteed blowout.

FCS Final QB Matchups

The FCS Title Game will be on January 7th. Today, I begin my breakdown series where I compare Delaware and Eastern Washington by position leading into the final. Today I start at the QB position.

FCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
JANUARY 7TH
DELAWARE BLUE HENS vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES

QB COMPARISON

Delaware: Pat Devlin has had a spectacular season for the Blue Hens. Devlin, an FBS transfer, has been a solid leader at UD, and despite being banged up at times, has posted 216 yards per game. He picks up 8 yards per completion, so with the rushing of Andrew Pierce, Devlin sets up the offense on every completion for first down conversion success. He has completed just over 68% of his passes this season and has compiled 2812 yards on the season through the air. Devlin has also averaged 11 TD passes for every pick (22 TDs and only 2 picks on the season). This will be the final collegiate game for Devlin, who transferred to Delaware out of Penn State. If injury hits, Trevor Sasek is the backup. He has completed 20 of 32 passes for 199 yards and 1 TD this season in relief of Devlin. He is the likely starter in 2011, as he is only a freshman.

Eastern Washington:  The Eagles also boast an FBS transfer at QB in SMU transfer Bo Levi Mitchell. Mitchell tossed 4 TD passes in the semi-final win over Villanova. He has passed for just over 228 yards per game on the season. He averages just a shade under 7 yards per pass completion, and Taiwan Jones puts the final touches on drives on the ground. Mitchell completes 58.7% of his passes and has piled up 3194 yards passing with 34 TDs and 14 picks on the season. His INT numbers are higher due to a higher volume of pass attempts, with 462 in 2010. Mitchell is a junior this season, and has one more shot at winning the title. There is no set backup at the position, as both Nick Gauthier and Anthony Vitto have very limited experience. No matter, as Mithcell will be back in the saddle in 2011.

Edge Goes To: Mitchell, EWU...Mithcell gets the edge, as with the injury to Jones at RB during the semi-final, Mitchell was the man against Villanova. He is a beast in big games, and has seriuos skill. There is not much seperating the two, but Devlin is not the gunslinger that Mitchell can be. Both great QBs on great teams, but one gets the edge on pure tenacity.

Coming tomorrow, the RB comparison...

As the Carousel Spins...Monday Episode

     Everything has remained fairly quiet the last couple of days, as nobody wants to fire or hire during the Christmas Holiday. There have been some developments, however, so let's take a look at the few things that have gone down.
     Ralph Friedgen is still out at Maryland. This was a completely classless move in my opinion, as Friedgen was one of Maryland's own, and he has taken the Terps to 7 bowls in 10 seasons. Let's be honest. Maryland is never going to be any better than that. Maryland has not been a dominant program in going on 60 years, and it was a short lived period at that. Expectations seem to be out of whack here. Mike Leach was supposed to be hired immediately after the announcement, but he has held out, and now the firing looks even more ridiculous, and even if Leach does hire on, it ends up looking like Maryland got played. If Leach does not accept the job, this move ends up being a disaster.
     Steve Addazio is the new HC at Temple. Addazio took a lot of blame from the Florida faithful for the failings of the 2010 season, but it was not really his fault. Addazio can also be credited for the recruiting that won 2 national titles at Florida with his recruiting successes.
     Former Texas Tech DC James Willis is officially the new DC at Florida. There were several names that had been floated around for this job, and being that Tech has never been a defensive force, one has to wonder about this move. Stay tuned.
     Rumors continue to circle like a storm around Stanford HC Jim Harbaugh. The San Francisco 49ers have now fired HC Mike Singletary. There is a natural Bay Area progression to go from Stanford to the Niners. The Niners firing of Singletary comes as no surprise, nor does the timing, as the Niners seem to want to make an overture before Michigan does. Harbaugh also could stay at Stanford. Again, stay tuned.
     James Franklin has made another staff move at Vanderbilt by announcing that he will retain O-Line coach Herb Hand. Hand has years of experience, so this would be a solid move for the Commodore program.
     I reported on Twitter that a source had confirmed that Colorado High School Coach Dave Logan had become the top target at Northern Colorado, and that the job was his if he wanted it. Apparently, he doesn't want the job, as he has reportedly turned it down after heavy consideration.
     There is a new OC at Stephen F. Austin, as Shannon Dawson has moved on to West Virginia. The Lumberjacks have hired Texas A&M OC Mike Nesbitt for the job. Interesting move for Nesbitt moving from the Big 12 to the Southland. This should still be a good fit for SFA.
     Brother Bill Oliver has been hired by Jacksonville State HC Jack Crowe as a defensive consultant. He will not be a full time coach.
     Wingate HC Joe Reicht is the latest candidate at Gardner-Webb. Chuck Amato is already a candidate for this job.
    

Back To Work

Happy Monday Everyone,
We are back from the Christmas weekend and I hope that everyone had an excellent weekend. Lots of stuff coming up in the next few days as we are now in the home stretch towards the end of the season.
I will be posting our Monday episode of "As the Carousel Spins" today, and will also be continuing the Bowl Breakdown series.
I will also be starting the process of breaking down what looks to be an awesome FCS Finals matchup between Eastern Washington and Delaware, starting today with the QB position.
Finally, I'll continue with the Bowl breakdowns heading into the New Years Day football fiesta, because New Years Day should still be the final day of the football season, and any non-traditional bowl should be outlawed after New Years Eve.
Once again, I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and has an excellent final week to the year 2010.

Slow Day

Sorry for the lack of new posting today. Prepping for the Christmas weekend.
Steve Addazio is apprently the new HC at Temple, and not the new OL Coach at Texas according to reports all over the media. As soon as I have more on this I'll post it. I will not be posting regularly for the rest of this week and through the weekend. I will be cranking back up to full speed next week, so stay tuned.
Have a great night everyone, and enjoy the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl. I will be tweeting throughout the game, so follow me on Twitter at @BiloFootball throughout tonight's Boise State/Utah clash, as I will be at the game live.

As the Carousel Spins-Tuesday Episode

Here is the latest daytime drama from the coaching carousel. Let's see what's spinning on this Tuesday afternoon...

     According to Chip Brown of orangebloods.com, Mack Brown has hired former Florida OC Steve Addazio to become the new OL Coach at Texas. Addazio would be involved in recruiting as he was at Florida, but would not be a play caller for the Horns.
     James Franklin has brought on former Miami assistant Wesley McGriff to become the new DB Coach at Vanderbilt. It has also been reported that John Donovan will be the new OC for the Commodores. Donovan was brought over from Maryland. It also appears that Ricky Rahne will leave the staff at Kansas State to join Franklin at Vandy.
     Notre Dame OC Charlie Molnar is the second conformed interview for Temple according to sources. Kirk Ciarrocca has received several hits as searches for us, and we reported his name yesterday.
     Darrell Hazell has brought Ohio State Defensive QC Coach Marcus Freeman to Kent State as LB Coach. Hazell also said that he never watched any film of Kent State before accepting the job. Sounds like a guy who just wanted to be a HC and didn't care where. Dangerous mentality. good luck with that.
     Ryan Nielson of Tennessee-Martin is the new DL Coach at Northern Illinois for Dan Doeren.
     New Mexico HC Mike Locksley has promoted George Barlow to be the new DC for the Lobos. Doug Mallory left for Indiana to join new HC Kevin Wilson as Co-DC.
     Stephen F. Austin OC Shannon Dawson has left to take an unspecified job at West Virginia according to reports. He will join the Mountaineers after the bowl game. Dawson leaves the Lumberjacks after SFA QB Jeremy Moses was named our All-Bilo QB of the Year.
     Utah State CB Coach Corey Raymond has joined the staff of Kevin Wilson at Indiana. His position has not been specified at this time. Purdue LB Coach Mark Hagin will coach the D Line and Special teams for Indiana as well.
     Bronco Mendenhall is making staff changes on the offensive side of the ball at BYU despite the shelling that the Cougars dropped on UTEP in the NEw Mexico Bowl. He has told all offensive staff to seek jobs elsewhere while he decides which direction he intends to go in with the shuffling of staff.
     OL Coach John McDonnell and Rb Coach Sedrick Irvin have been let go by HC Larry Porter at Memphis. No replacements have been made.
     Bill Miller has accepted the position of LB Coach at  Minnesota. Dan Berezowitz, Tony Sorentino, and Jordan Gigli have been let go from the prior staff. Daryl Agpalsa and Jesse Nelson have been retained.

More next time on "As the Carousel Spins"...
    
    

Bowl Breakdown-Part 3

Military Bowl
December 29, 2:30 EST
ESPN

East Carolina (6-6) vs. Maryland (8-4)

East Carolina was an enigmatic team in 2010, which is exactly what I had them pegged to be back in August. They had some very nice wins, and some highly questionable losses in Ruffin McNeal's first season at the helm, but due to a bowl glut, here they are.
Dominique Davis was a huge find at QB, as he ran the spread to perfection at times, passing for 3687 yards and 36 TDs. He did toss 14 picks as well, but when you pass as much as ECU does, your bound to do that. Davis was an unheralded transfer from Boston College, but he sure was a find. Jonathon Williams was a nice supporting piece at RB, rushing for 846 yards and 10 TDs on the season. Lance Lewis and Dwayne Harris were the biggest beneficiaries of the passing game, as Harris caught 93 passes for 1055 yards and 10 TDs, while Lewis hauled in 78 grabs for 979 yards and 13 TDs.
LB Dustin Lineback is the team leader in tackles with 111, but don't expect much defense from the Pirates, as they gave up 30+ points 9 times in 2010.
Maryland is coming into this game with a skeletal looking staff. OC James Franklin left for Vanderbilt, and has taken several key assistants with him, and now it appears that Ralph Friedgen is out of a job as well. It will be safe to assume that Maryland will not be focused or well prepared coming into this game, as the strife will have to take a toll.
QB Danny O'Brien had a decent/solid season, but was not phenominal in any way. O'Brien passed for 188 yards per game, and had 21 TDs to just 6 picks. They do not boast a star at RB, as Davin Meggett leads the team in rushing at just 52 yards per game. DJ Adams leads the team with just 7 rushing scores. Torrey Smith is the lone star receiver, as he has 1045 yards receiving and 12 scores on the season.
Maryland has a solid, if unspectacular defense, as they have held opponents to 21 points or under 5 times, but gave up 30+ points in their final regular season games against Florida State and NC State.
I Pick: East Carolina...to many distractions for the Terps to overcome here.

Texas Bowl
December 29, 6PM EST
ESPN

Illinois (6-6) vs. Baylor (7-5)

In a normal world, Illinois would not be playing in a bowl game, and Ron Zook would be headed out the door, but this is FBS football, where a glut of bowls rewards medicority like nobody's business.
The Illini stumble into this game having lost 3 of 4, with the only win in that period coming against Northwestern at Wrigley Field. Do not expect a strong passing game for Illinois, as Nathan Scheelhaase only goes for 131 yards per game. He has tossed 17 TDs this season, but also has 8 picks. He is the second leading rusher on the team with 806 yards on the season with 4 scores.
Mikel Leshoure is the main rushing threat, and he can run. Leshoure has 1522 yards and 14 scores on the season, and he averages just over 6 yards whenever he touches the ball.
When Scheelhaase does throw the football, AJ Jenkins is the likely target. Jenkins has 694 yards receiving and 7 TDs this season.
The defense is iffy at best. LB Martez Wilson is a tackle machine, but the Illini do a poor job of getting to the QB, with Wilson leading the team with 4 sacks. With the lack of pressure, the Illini also only force just under 1 pick per game. Illinois has held teams to under 21 points 4 times this season, but gave up 67 points to Michigan, and another 38 to Minnesota, and Illinois lost both games.
Baylor has not been bowling in a while. They are struggling, however, limping into the bowl game having lost 3 straight  after a 7-2 start, and they happened to come against 3 of the 4 ranked teams that the Bears played in 2010. That means that Baylor is not all the way back to prosperity yet.
Robert Griffin is the star for the BEars, and if Illinois shuts him down, it's game over. Griffin passed for 3195 yards and 21 TDs this season, but does have 8 picks, which is not horrible. He added 591 more yards on the ground with 8 more scores on the season. Jay Finley has the benefit of everyone watching Griffin, which has resulted in a breakout year for him Finley rshed for 1155 yards and 11 scores on the season, and takes some pressure off of Griffin. Without Griffin running as a distraction, it becomes easy to pile up on Finley.
Kendall Wright and Josh gordon have combined for 102 catches for 1489 yards and 13 scores on the season.
In the three closing losses, the Bears gave up 40 points or more in every game, and did so 6 times in 2010. There are defensive lapses for the Bears, but when the Bears take on lesser opponents, they have held teams to 10 points or less 4 times.
I Pick: Baylor...More star power in Griffin, and the Bears get up for teams that aren't as good as they are record-wise.

Alamo Bowl
December 29, 9:15PM EST
ESPN

Arizona (7-5) vs. Oklahoma State (10-2)

Arizona was a better team than theiir record would suggest. They were a very tough out all season long. What hurt them badly was an injury to starting QB Nick Foles which took the Wildcats out of rythm and made them change their gameplan dramatically at times.
Arizona lost 4 straight games coming into the bowl, including a loss to arch rival Arizona State, who isn't even going bowling.
Despite his injury issues, Foles still passed for 2911 yards on the season with 19 TDs and 7 picks. Matt Scott came on in relief, but he is more a scrambler than a passer, and only avergaed 110 yards per game with 4 TDs.
Another issue was the Keola Antonin and Nic Grigsby together only generated 98 yards rushing per game on the season, which puts a bunch of pressure on the QB. They did generate 15 TDs together.
Juron Criner is the guy getting the ball in the receiving game. You know that coming in. He has 74 catches for 1197 yards and 10 TDs. Nobody else comes close to his production.
The defense can get the job done at times, but self destructs at others. The Wildcats held teams to 24 points or less 7 times, but gave up 27 points or more in every other contest. In those games, the Cats went 1-5. The Cats only scored 30+ points 4 times this season, which means that the defense had better sharpen up, and that's going to be tough against the OSU offensive circus.
The Cowboys come in having won 4 of 5. They deserved a better bowl than this. They scored 30+ points 11 out of 12 games in 2010. The big question is can they keep it going with OC Dana Holgorsen having left to be coach in waiting at West Virginia? My bet says yes.
It starts at QBwith Brandon Weeden, who has been a maniac this season with 4037 yards and 32 TDs to go against 13 picks. Then you have a beast of a back in Kendall Hunter, who has rushed for another 1516 yards and 16 scores on the season, averaging 126 yards per game on the ground. Add Justin Blackmon, who despite missing a game due to suspension, has caught102 passes for 1665 yards and 18 TDs, you have a true 3 ring circus on offense. Josh Cooper also has 61catches for 683 yards as a secondary receiver.
The key will be defense for OSU. They have held 5 teams to under 20 points this season, but against ranked opponents gave up 35, 51, and 47 to Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.LB Orie Lemon has 119 tackles this season, and will have to be a center piece to making the Cowboy defense grind. OSU does not pressure the QB very well, with only 12 sacks on the season, but OSU has generated 16 picks in 12 games.
I Pick: Oklahoma State...too much firepower for the inconsistent and bumbling Wildcats to stop.

As the Carousel Spins...Monday Episode

     The Carousel is starting to slow down some with many of the openings across thecountry starting to fill up. Two new HCs will be named today, with a third in the works. There will still be movement after the bowl games, with one job that will come open that will stir up much controversy. There have been expected moves, some unexpected moves, and some moves that just make no damned sense. Let's catch up with our daytime coaching drama, AS the Carousel Spins...
     It seems like new HC Jerry Kill is bringing just about his entire staff to Minnesota from Northern Illinois. QB Coach Jim Zombrowski and RB Coach Rob Reeves have now joined Kill in Minneapolis. He has brought both coordinators and many other assistants to the Gophers already.
    Jeff Tedford isn't going anywahere at California, but he should be on a short leash in 2011. He is currently working on replacing his O-Line Coach and his WR Coach. Word has it that he is interested in speaking to Idaho OL Coach Dan Finn.
     Rick Neuheisel began what was an expected series of staff moves at UCLA when he axed DC Chuck Bullough and WR Coach Reggie Moore on Saturday. He is telling LA media outlets that he is not finished yet, and is still working on assesments of the current staff, and nobody is safe there. THe only question that most people, including myself, have is what the hell is taking so long to make these decisions? These coaches have families, and there are other opportunities. Let them go so that they can find other gigs before they are all gone.
     Frank Spaziani has received a new contract extension of 2 years that carries him through 2015. Spaziani has done a nice job in his 2 years coming off of the insanity that was the Jeff Jagodzinski disaster. Spaziani is a BC guy, and people there love the guy, and he has done a good job, so he is being rewarded. Listen up Maryland and West Virginia...
     Tennessee DC Justin Wilcox met with Texas HC Mack Brown in Austin over the weekend, but came away without accepting any offer, and it is not known if one was made. You would have to assume that an offer was made, as Brown is not hiding who his top candidate really is.
     Ball State has made it official and has hired Elon HC Pete Lembo to run the program. Lembo is a solid coach, but I just cannot help but wonder why BSU did not look at some other coaches from the FCS ranks that have had more recent solid successes. Lembo was introduced in Muncie this morning, and we had reported this hire over the weekend.
     Kent State has a presser scheduled for this afternoon, where it has been reported that they will name Ohio State assistant Darrell Hazell as their new HC. Huh? Wow...not sure about this one. Kent State needed someone with more splash than this, and it just enforces the image of not wanting to do what it takes to get over the top. Again, there were stronger assistants on the market who were more well known, and there wwere some incredible FCS options out there that were not even tapped. Hope they prove me wrong, but I am guessing not.
     With James Franklin having left Maryland to take the Vanderbilt HC job, He is continuing to raid the Maryland staff, and it has to be assumed at this point that Ralph Friedgen is saying nothing about it at this point.More on that in a moment. RB Coach John Donovan and ST Coach Charles Bankins are the latest defectors to leave the Terps for the Commodores, and the defections have been easy as Sunday morning.
     Speaking of Maryland, no announcement has come down about an agreement with Mike Leach, but it is widely assumed that the deal is done, and Ralph Friedgen is telling sources that he is done, and not by choice. It is also unkown if he has given his blessing to the defectors going to Vandy or not. This is a classless move by the school towards a Maryland guy that has put Maryland football on the map in the last decade. Besides a couple of bad seasons, Maryland has had some serious success under Friedgen, and to bounce him now is a disgrace. If Terp fan thinks that LEach will make you a national contender, think again. As good as he was at Texas Tech, they were no better than a third tier program in the Big 12, and lived in the shadow of Oklahoma and Texas. Expect no better in Maryland, where 8 win seasons and second tier bowls are the norm, and that's a huge step up from where this program was before Friedgen.
     Al Golden has done the right thing in Miami, and has retained OL Coach and current interim HC Jeff Stoutland, OLB Coch and former Cane Michael Barrow, and WR Coach Aubrey Hill, who will also retain his job as recruiting coordinator. Smart move Golden.
     I spoke of another candidate at Temple over the weekend. ONe of our best sources brought another name to me over the weekend that has not been reported anywhere else to this point, and that is Rutgers Co-OC Kirk Ciarrocca. He has coached at both Penn and Delaware, and knows the area obviously very well, giving him an in in the Philadelphia, Eastern Pennsylvania recruiting market. He spent 6 seasons at Delaware as OC and QB Coach, and the Hens went 52-26 with three FCS Championship Game appearances during his stint in Newark. UD also won the CAA title in 2003 and in 2004 during his stint. Penn had a record of 15-4 during his time there, and he coached the WRs during his stint with the Quakers. Better still, he began his coaching career at Temple.
More later today as the carousel spins...
    

Classless Move, Maryland

In what is not a surprise at this point, several outlets are reporting that Maryland HC Ralph Friedgen has indeed been forced out at Maryland, and they are set to name Mike Leach the new HC in just days. This report is coming out of ESPN, Orangebloods.com, and the Baltimore Sun. Friedgen had just completed a season in which he had elevated the team from a 2-10 record in 2009 to an 8-4 record in 2010.
This move rings as classless and opportunistic by the Terps. I'll fire more off on this topic on Monday.

Coming Up

It's going to be a busy month. On Monday, I will continue my Bowl Breakdown Series. Also look for my first look at the FCS Championship tilt between Eastern Washington and Delaware. Look for my continued series "As the Carousel Spins" as I take a daily look at all of the daytime drama that is the coaching carousel.
Send me a message on Twitter if you will be at the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas Wednesday, as I will be there for the Utah/Boise State clash. @BiloFootball
Look for the All-Bilo FBS teams in January, and also look for all of our All-Bilo continued coverage for the FCS. I will also break down several All-Star teams by conference and class.
Also look for my team by team season reviews starting January 10th.
Starting on January 2nd, come on over to http://www.bilobasketball.blogspot.com/ as I will start to drive heavy into the college basketball scene.
Starting in March, just as we are winding down the NCAA Basketball season, look for an expansion of our Bilo Football line, as we dive into the pro game with Bilo Football Pro, which will cover the NFL, CFL, and Arena Football League.
And, of course, starting in May, we will begin to start our college football coverage in earnest for the 2011 season. That being said, I am pleased to announce that we will expand our coverage in FCS football, and will expand entirely into the D2 ranks.

Stay tuned for more announcements and information when it becomes available, and thanks for visiting the site, and for all of your continued support. Now, let's go watch some FOOTBALL!!!!

Delaware Joins the FCS Finals Fun

The Delaware Blue Hens rushed out to an early 10-0 lead, and never looked back, as the Hens defeated Georgia Southern 27-10 to earn the final spot in the FCS title game in Frisco, Texas on Januaray 7th. Their opponent will be Eastern Washington, who will be making their first trip to the title game.
Andrew Pierce rushed for 186 yards on the day for Delaware, and Pat Devlin tossed two TD passes to seal the deal.
Jerrick McKinnion rushed for 101 yards on the day in the loss for GSU, who finishes at 9-5. QB Jaybo Shaw was shut down in the option attack, as he was held to just 10 yards on 14 carries by the Delaware defense. Shaw also tossed a pick.
Tune in on Monday, as I break down the FCS championship game.

BYU Continues Historical Beatdown of UTEP

New Mexico Bowl
The BYU Cougars have now won 25 of their last 26 meetings against UTEP, as the Cougars raced out to a 31-10 lead at the half to bury UTEP 52-24 in the first bowl game of the season. BYU finishes the season at 7-6, UTEP at 6-7. There is also some speculation that this could have been Mike Price's final game as HC at UTEP.
Jake Heaps passed for 264 yards and 4 TDs, and the Cougars offense paced the day, and basically did anything they wanted to do all day long, as JJ DiLuigi, Joshua Quezeda, and Bryan Kariya all rushed for TDs. Luigi rushed for 98 yards and Quezeda added another 97.
Cody Hoffman was Heap's favorite target as he grabbed 8 catches for 137 yards and 3 of Heap's TDs.
The Cougar defense held the Miners to -12 yards rushing on the day, and Miner QB Trevor Vittatoe tossed 3 picks on the day. He did manage to toss all 3 of UTEP's TDs on the day. Donald Buckram, who was a bust due to injury all season, was held to 10 yards on 6 carries. Star WR Kris Adams had only 3 catches all day for the MIners, but they all went for TDs.
This was the first meeting between the former WAC opponents in 12 years.

As the Carousel Spins...Saturday Episode

A look at the moving and shaking going on in the coaching ranks of FBS and FCS College Football for a Saturday.

     The great coaching purge of 2010 has hit UCLA, as Rick Neuheisel has fired DC Chuck Bullough and WR Coach Reggie Moore. It is widely thought that the blood letting won't end there, with Norm Chow's status highly speculated upon. My opinion...dump him.
     Doug Mallory has been hired by HC Kevin Wilson to become co-DC at Indiana. Wilson has named another co-DC, and that news will come later. Wilson is building his defensive staff before working on the offensive side.
     Tim Kish has been promoted from LB Coach to DC at Arizona by HC Mike Stoops. This is a solid move, and Arizona should see a seemless transition to the new defense.
     In the stupid move of the day, sources close to the Maryland football team are reporting that Friedgen is out after the bowl game. I am not sure how you justify firing a coach when he goes from 2-10 to 8-4, and how you can justify hiring baggage laden Mike Leach to replace him.
     Rutgers HC Greg Schiano has hired Pittsburgh DB Coach Jeff Hafley to an unspecified position on the staff. More Rutgers news later in regards to the Temple job.
     Speaking of Temple, the leading candidates right now are OC Matt Rhule, Former Florida OC Steve Addazio, Arizona Cardinals Assistant John McNulty, and a surprise candidate may be involved, which we will speak on tomorrow.
     Troy is in conversations to add Charleston Southern WR Coach Patrick Nix to the staff. Nix has Alabama routes, and is a former Auburn player.
     Dan McCarney continues to be a mover at North Texas, as he has brought on Western Michigan Assistant HC Mike Grant as Rb Coach.
   

Eastern Washington Earns FCS Final Slot

The Eagles of Eastern Washington forced 6 Villanova turnovers, and the defending champs have been dethroned, as EWU held off a late rally attempt by the Wildcats to win 41-31 on the Red Turf in Cheyney, Washington. The Wildcats will now play the winner of tomorrow's Delaware-Gerogia Southern match on January 7th in Frisco, Texas in what will be their first ever finals appearance.
More news on this game tomorrow, and a full breakdown on Monday.

As the Carousel Spins...Friday Episode

    The news is a bit strange on this rainy Friday in Las Vegas. Word is coming from one spot in particular that has me scratching my head, and is quite frankly very insulting to a coach who did a ton to turn his fortunes around in 2010. Let's take a look at what flew out of the spinning carousel today...
     According to ESPN's Joe Schad, Maryland is considering asking Ralph Friedgen to retire and accept a buyout after the bowl game. The Terps have just completed an 8-4 season, a year after they had flamed out at 2-10. I had picked them to basically finish at 2-10 again this year, so they finished way above my expectations, and Friedgen has earned his right to stay on. According to ESPN, the leading candidate to replace Friedgen if a move were made would be Mike Leach.
     Kevin Daft has been let go as WR Coach at California. Jeff tedford needed a scapegoat, and Daft was an easy target. Daft is a former QB out of UC-Davis.
     Former Bowling Green HC Gregg Brandon will interview for the New Mexico OC job. That job was vacated when Darrell Dickey was let go, again, as a scapegoat to cover for the failings of HC Mike Locksley.
     Al Golden is bringing Jethro Franklin and Paul Williams with him to Miami. Both worked for Golden at Temple, and are not sticking around as part of any new regime.
     Contrary to televised reports, Ball State has not made a hire. It was reported that Pete Lembo of Elon was the choice, and still may be, but they do not have an agreement at this time with anyone.
     West Virginia AD Oliver Luck stated that the university did not think that they could win the BCS title with Bill Stewart as HC, and that is why Dana Holgorsen was brought in as coach in waiting, despite WVU finishing with an 8-4 record this season. The question is that if you believe in the guy so little, why not just part ways now. If I were Bill Stewart, I'd just save some dignity and give the finger to WVU.
      The finalists for the Howard HC job are Bowie State HC Greg "Flea" Harrell, and Dunbar HS HC Craig Jefferies.
Stay tuned tomorrow for more "As the Carousel Spins" episode action.
    

Response To Bill Hancock

Bill Hancock, Director of the B(c)S, hates the plans that Mark Cuban is making, If you have not yet heard, the enthusiastic owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and dot com billionaire, has offered to personally finance a new college football championship tournament. The concept is brilliant. It would kill the BCS, which is even more brilliant.
Bill Hancock stated that it's a terrible idea, and went further in another article to claim that college football ought to be run be people in the business of higher education...this is my response to that pile of crap, and it is currently posted in the comment thread on yahoo sports in asscoiation with the article...

What else was this clown going to say? The Cuban plan makes perfect sense. I'll make a bet. Mark Cuban rounds up 100 fans spanning every FBS conference. They come up with a plan that masters the BCS plan, and probably will come in under budget with a better system, and the whole thing takes about a week to accomplish, and most people would be pretty excited about the results. And here is the kicker...the Bowl Games would be implemented into the plan!!! Win-win. We get a playoff system, the bowls remain intact (some of them, anyway) and everyone goes to bed happy on New Years Night. What a freaking deal.



And get this...Bill Hancock thinks that college football ought to be left to the handling of people in higher education!!! I have never heard anything so hyterically funny in all of my life. Sure...why not...let's let a bunch of elitist snobs run college football into the ground while proudly thumping their chests and downing another bottle of brandy while they screw the already broken and corrupted system up even more, all the while bragging about how they have helped create a masterpiece. Give me a break.


But seriously...Hancock needs to go on the stand up tour. Dude is a riot.

As the Carousel Spins...Thursday Episode

     Hello once again, my fellow college football freaks. Welcome to another episode of "As the Carousel Spins". There are a few items to get to today, so let's take a look at where our college coaches are spinning to, and where they are stopping on this fine late Thursday afternoon.
     Several sources are now reporting that Vanderbilt has finally come to an agreement with James Franklin to become their new HC. The negotiations were stalled over money and assistants, and the terms have not been released, but it is finally a done deal.
     The leading candidate at Ball State now appears to be Elon HC Pete Lembo. The Phoenix is coming off of a disappointing 6-5 season under Lembo. That being said, why not look at Beau Baldwin from Eastern Washington, Rob Ash from Montana State, Danny Rocco at Liberty, or Tony Samuel at Southeast Missouri State. Samuel even has FBS coaching experience as an assistant at Nebraska and as HC at New Mexico State.
     West Virginia assistants Jeff Mullen and Dave Johnson are out at WVU after the bowl game. Mullen is a spare part after the hiring of Dana Holgorsen.
     Joe Salave'a is the official hire for D-Line Coach at Arizona. Salave'a spent last seaosn in the same position at San Jose State and is a former Wildcat player, and a damn good one at that.
     Larry Coker has promoted Polo Gutierrez from grad assistant to RB Coach at Texas-San Antonio. UTSA joins the WAC in 2012, if it still exists.
     Rick Minter will be co-DC at Kentucky, according to HC Joker Phillips. He will likely share duties with Steve Brown.
     Anthony Weaver is the new LB Coach at North Texas. Dan McCarney is slowly building his staff.
      Matt Canada will be the new OC at Northern Illinois. Canada comes over from Indiana, where he served as QB Coach to Ben Chappell this season. Canada was also the OC at IU under Bill Lynch, who was fired.
     Add OC Matt Rhule to the list of people interested in the Temple job. Rhule has yet to follow Al Golden to Miami, but it unkown if he has an offer to do so.
     The DC job at Columbia opened up today. No details on the move, or as to who is in line for the job as of yet.

More spin from the carousel later...

More Carousel News

     Ball State is closer to hiring a coach, but there is no news as to who it may be. The Cardinals have taken their sweet time picking a coach, but then again, it's not exactly the plum job of the bunch.
     Gardner-Webb has gotten a high profile coach that is interested in the job. Chuck Amato is tossing his hat into the ring to coach the Bulldogs. Mike Minter has entered his name as well.
     Rhett Lashlee has left Auburn as a grad assistant to become the OC at Samford under HC Pat Sullivan.

As the Carousel Spins...Wednesday Episode

There was more moving and shaking going on today in the college coaching world. Let's take a look at Wednesday's moves...


     It's being confirmed by several sources that Pittsburgh has moved and hired Mike Haywood from Miami (Ohio) as their new HC. Haywood took Miami from 1-11 in 2009 to 8-4 and the MAC title in 2010. is hiring makes all the sense in the world to me, as he also has recruited the eastern/midwest recruiting zones. He also fits another need as he is a minority, making the NCAA folks happy with a look towards diversity. Haywood can flat out coach, and he is the personality that could drive the Panthers to consistency that they have really never had.
     Haywood was, however, the Panthers' second choice, as Dana Holgorsen was their first. He jolted a shot at that job to go to West Virginia where he was hoisted upon Bill Stewart to take his job after the 2011 season, and that's exactly what will happen. Holgorsen will be paid very well by WVU. Many people in Morgantown would have liked to have seen Holgorsen take over immediately, as the Mountaineers have seen season ticket sales drop by 4,000 since Stewart took over for Rich Rodriguez.
     Northern Illinois interim HC Tom Matukewicz will be retained by new HC Dan Doeren after the bowl game it has been announced. Matukewicz will coach the Huskies against Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl.
     Temple DC Mark D'Onofrio will follow Al Golden to Miami afterall. It had been rumored that he might succeed Golden at Temple, bt that has fallen through. There is no news on who Temple is going after that can be verified right now, but several names are being tossed around.
     New Minnesota HC Jerry Kill will retain RB Coach Thomas Hammock. The rest of the staff has been let go at this point. It's possible that those former assistants can help out with the volunteer snow shovel job being sought by the Vikings to play at the Gophers new digs this week.

The Spin Continues

     The nutty world of coaching rumors continues to spin on its axis today. Texas HC Mack Brown is making a move to bring in Florida DC Teryl Austin, and Chip Brown has confirmed that Austin has accepted. Brown now is apparently targeting UCLA OC Norm Chow to replace Greg Davis. As a UCLA fan, I can only say to Mack, PLEASE TAKE HIM!!!!! I'll help him move, I'll do anything, just please get him the hell out of Westwood. And God help you if you  are dumb enough to hire him. Chow hasn't done a damn thing in half of a decade.
     Apparently, according to footballscoop.com, Dana Holgorsen will be traveling to West Virginia to become the coach in waiting to Bill Stewart. The only problem is that nobody told Bill Stewart, and rumors persist that the in waiting part of Holgorsen's title will last about 2 weeks. Stewart appears to be out one way or the other.
     More coaching drama later...

As the Carousel Turns...Tuesday Episode

The wheels are still spinning today. There is some new information to cover, some fact, some rumor. Let's take a look at it to see where we are today...

     With Malzahn officially out of the picture at Vanderbilt, they have now turned their full focus on choice number two in Maryland OC James Franklin. They likely will not have to throw near as much money at Franklin to get him to bolt the Terps, so maybe this is a better fit for the Commodores.
     Dan McCarney continues building his staff at North Texas, and his latest target appears to be Montana State DB Coach Justin Gaines. Montana State is coming off of a playoff birth and a shared Big Sky Title this season.
     North Carolina Central has their new head coach, and that would be Henry Frazier of Prairie View A&M. Frazier helped build a succesful program out of what had been one of the worst football programs in NCAA history into a major player in the SWAC. Heishma Northern has been named interim HC at Prairie View.
     Donovan Rose has been signed to a 3 year contract extension at Hampton. The Pirates were 6-5 this season, but did play solid football at times.
 More news later tonight...

RichRod Update

Keith Harding reports that Los Angeles AM 570 has stated that Rich Rodriguez will be out after the bowl game, whether or not they defeat Mississippi State, and that Jim Harbaugh will be the first in line to take the job. AM 570 is stating that the deal is done.

Spin On...Smart Reportedly To Leave Alabama

     ESPN is stating that Alabama DC Kirby Smart is apparently about to join fellow former Georgia Bulldog Will Muschamp at Florida. Muschamp is raiding other staffs big time, as he is still apparently bringing Major Applewhite from Texas.
     I am glad to hear that Applewhite is apprently leaving Texas, because nobody has been screwed more by Mack Brown than Major Applewhite, dating back to his playing days. And hell yes, I do believe that he was a better QB than Chris "Freaking Choke Job Big Game Flopper" Sims.

WAC's NEW Logo...From Twitter

Changes at Buffalo

HC Jeff Quinn is firing both QB Coach Greg Forest and WR Coach Juan Taylor, according to Tom Dienhart at Yahoo. More news as it flies off of the spinning carousel.

Coaching Spin

Update at Vanderbilt...Sources are now saying that the terms were not agreed upon with Gus Malzahn, and that he is not taking the job. If that is true, then James Franklin is next at bat. Stay tuned...

Northern Illinois Moves Fast, Miami Is Officially Golden, and The Carousel Spins On

Good morning football freaks,
     It's another day of "As the Carousel Turns". I have awoken this morning to news that Northern  Illinois has made a move, and it is official, that Wisconsin DC Dave Doeren has accepted the NIU job as HC, replacing Jerry Kill who moved on to Minnesota. Doeren was a name that was slow to develop in the carousel talk this month, but he picked up steam in the last week, and the MAC has added another potential slugger as a HC. This will be Doeren's first run as HC, as he has been an assistant since 1995 with stops at Wisconsin, Kansas, Montana, USC, and Drake. He began his coaching career at Drake in 1995, and is a Bulldog Alum. He served as the Badgers recruiting coordinator from 2005-07, and lately has been responsible for recruiting for the defense, where he has been succesful in most specifically Florida and Missouri.
     Word around the web and through other sources this morning states that Dana Holgorsen, Oklahoma State OC, could be on the move this week, but it's very possible that it will not be either as HC at Pitt, or as OC at Florida. That leaves opne the possibility that he may get mercenary and go within conference to take over the OC job at Texas, but that is pure speculation on my part. He would be extrememly well paid at UT. Let's see what kind of resistence that OSU and T. Boone Pickens put up as far as money to keep that from happening.
     San Jose State D Line Coach Joe Salave'a could be going home again. He has interviewed for the same position at Arizona, where was a player back in the day.
     Hugh Freeze is taking his time putting his staff together at Arkansas State. He has announced, however, that he is retaining Darren Hiller (O-Line), Maurice Harris (TE) and David Gunn (RB) from the previous staff.
     Word out of Nashville this morning is that there is no word yet on the official hiring of Gus Malzahn. It's not a done deal yet, as terms are still under discussion. James Franklin is still on standby as the #2 choice.
     Word out of Philadelphia is moving quickly that Temple will have an early focus on New Hampshire HC Sean McConnell. Hiring out of UNH worked out for Oregon with Chip Kelly, when they brought him on as OC. Another candidate that I will throw out there is current Harvard HC Tim Murphy. Murphy is an excellent coach with a solid program in Cambridge, where he has been there forever. He is not anchored there however, and would love a shot. Long time Villanova HC Andy Talley should also warrant a phone call. Sources have also confirmed that Liberty HC Danny Rocco will be on the radar. Syracuse DC Scott Shafer has been looking, and this job should attract interest in him as well.
    
Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Carousel Turns"!!!
   

Sources: Golden Offered Miami Job

SI.Com, and ESPN.Com are reporting that Temple HC Al Golden has an offer to become the new coach of the Hurricanes. The terms are not known, and it is not known as to whether or not Golden will accept or not.
ESPN is now reporting that he has indeed accepted the job. Here comes an even bigger culture change to South Florida.

SI.Com is also reporting that Vanderbilt will name their new HC this week. Auburn OC Gus Malzahn has an offer in hand to be the guy, and has not denied it. The other likely candidates at this point would be James Franklin of Maryland and Ken Niumatololo of Navy, with Franklin widely considered the front man if Malzahn says no.
The Washington Post is now stating that Malzahn is indeed the guy.

It appears that Major Applewhite may still very well follow Will Muschamp to Florida, but not Duane Akina. Muschamp is believed to be after Alabama DC Kirby Smart for the DC job.

With Greg Davis out at Texas, it seems as if Jim McElwain of Alabama is on the top of everyone's list to get the Texas OC job. No news on the DC search to replace Muschamp as of yet.

Rick Minter is apparently the new DC at Kentucky. Minter, the former Cincinnati HC, spent last season as DC at FCS Indiana State.

There is nothing new to report at Pittsburgh, with the exception that they have added Oklahoma OC Jay Norvell to the list of candidates. Norvell was absolutely horrid as an OC at UCLA, and has never been the main OC at Oklahoma, always having the "co" title. Not sure what anyone sees in the guy, and he is also a former defensive player. Think about it.

Sources are saying that North Carolina Central has interviewed Prairie View HC Henry Frazier.

Northern Arizona HC Jermoe Souers has agrred to a 3 year contract extension. It is not known if he was getting some looks from other programs.

Angelo Mirando will coach the Mississippi State receivers for the bowl, replacing Mark Hudspeth, who is the new HC at UL-Lafayaette. Defensive grad assistant Marcus Lovings has left to join Hudspeth as his D Line Coach. Marshall WR Coach Zach Johnson is an early candidate for MSU OC.

Speaking of UL-Lafayette, Mark Hudspeth has apprently hired Jacksonville State DC Greg Stewart for the DC job at ULL.

Dan McCarney has been busy at North Texas, and his latest hire is former Kansas QB Coach Nick Quartaro.

Bruce Fowler is the new HC at Furman. More on this hire later.

Former Akron HC JD Brookhart has landed as an assistant under Jon Embree at Colorado as the TE/ST Coach. He will also be passing game coodinator for the Buffaloes. Cal O-Line Coach Steve Marshall has also joined the Buffs.

OC Darrell Dickey and O-Line Coach Mike Degory are both out at New Mexico. Scapegoats, as the state would not buy out Mike Locksley, who really deserved to get canned.

Akron DC Curt Mallory has interviewed with Ball State, but there is very little info coing out of Muncie.

Florida Pulls a Shocker, Hires Muschamp

     Everyone thought that Florida would get a name. The name that they got did not match any speculation. The Gators surprised almost everyone today and hired Will Muschamp, the Texas DC, who was also the HC in waiting for the Longhorns under Mack Brown. Texas also has completed a 5-7 season that fell light years short of expectations in 2010.
     Speculation had begun with the resignation of Urban Meyer that a Meyer associate (Dan Mullen, Charlie Strong, or Kyle Whittingham) would be first up for the job. Speculation then began to grow a couple of days ago, as Tom Dienhart had reported that his people were giving him a feeling that the Gators would go away from the Meyer tree. There were no reasons given. Yesterday, Mullen said that he would be staying at Mississippi State, but that's what these guys always say.
     They would have made a play for Bobby Petrino, but he only used Florida as leverage and got a 7 year extension at Arkansas. The hot (and very stupid) rumor started circulating last night that Bob Stoops was on his way from Oklahoma. Bob Stoops was not going to Florida any more than I was last night.
     And so imagine all of our holiday surprise today, when Florida hires the one person that nobody thought was even on the list. No Florida fan that I follow on Twitter had even considered this today. It wasn't even a discussion line, and everyone thought that Muschamp had settled down for a long winter's nap (or heinous recruiting trip) as Texas had completed their season, with Muschamp checking off one more season on the calender until he was leading the burnt orange steers to (hopeful) victory.
     Of course we should have known something was in line when Jeremy Foley discussed HC experience to not be necessary. Truth was that he was being coy and leaving bread crumbs for all of us to follow. None of us did. He should have just painted a damned sign. Why all the secrecy? Why so serious, AD Foley?
     So now the question on everyone's lips will be"what do we know about this guy?" How hard did Mack Brown try to keep his coach in waiting around in Austin, or was he just another piece of the Texas purge after the sacking of the Longhorn Jedi Temple by the evil Sith Lords of the Big 12 South this season? Heads were rolling, and maybe Muschamp bailed when the getting was good, as this was an amazing opportunity.
     Muschamp is an SEC guy, having graduated from Georgia and having worked as an assistant at LSU. He has not, however, been a HC anywhere. Will he be prepared for the meat grinder that the SEC is and will be? Will he be able to retain the recruits that have already started shopping elsewhere for all of their football needs? Will he be able to satiate the call for blood in Gator Nation after a head scratching 7-5 season?
     Lots of questions will abound, but we'll start to get answers soon enough. He has until the dark period beginning on December 20th to reign in the wondering eyes of kids that have the attention span of an ice cube.
     Good luck HC Muschamp. You are going to need it.

Vanderbilt Makes an Offer 12/9 10PM PST

According to footballscoop.com, Gus Malzahn has been offered the job at Vanderbilt as of tonight. If Malzahn turns the job down, it will be offered to James Franklin. Apparently Vandy will not wait until after the weekend to meet with Ken Niumatololo of Navy.
More news as it becomes available on the Vanderbilt job.

Coaching Updates 12/9 9PM PST

UL-Lafayette
Just when you think that the list caps off, it is being reported that McNeese State HC Matt Viator interviewed.

Miami
Tommy Tuberville has spoken to AD Kirby Hocutt about the job.

Pittsburgh
Many sources state that Dana Holgorsen is the top target of AD Steve Pederson. Holgrosen is claiming that he has not been contacted. Pantherlair.com is reporting that a meeting has taken place.

Texas
The Austin Statesmen is reporting that Mack Brown is interested in either Nebraska DE Coach John Papuchis and Syracuse DL Coach Jimmy Brumbaugh.

Colorado
Jon Embree is interested in Arizona QB Coach Frank Scelfo for the same spot at Colorado. Scelfo would be the third member of the Arizona staff to be poached by Embree.

Ball State
Add Northern Iowa HC Mark Farley to the list.

Vanderbilt
Ken Niumatololo of Navy is now on the Vandy radar, and they will seek a meeting with him after the Army-Navy game. It had been reported that the job was between James Franklin and Greg Roman.

Kentucky
Former Cincinnati HC and current Indiana State DC Rick Minter has been approached by Joker Phillips in regards to the UK Co-DC job.

Furman
There are sources that are reporting that Bruce Fowler is the new HC at Furman. It has not been confirmed.

RichRod Thoughts 12/9 8:30PM

Here's the latest information. There has been no movement on Rich Rodriguez at Michigan. Last night I received a tip that his ouster was imminent, and according to sources today, I still believe that to be the case. As I had tweeted today, the conventional thought is that Andrew Luck will declare and that Harbaugh will make himself available to the open market.
First, I am not certain that Luck will declare. Luck is a very smart kid, and his father is very savvy. If Luck believes for a minute that there will be a lockout next season, he will not sit out a season when he could still be at Stanford playing another 13 games.
Also remember this...Stanford is trying to get some cash together for an extension for Harbaugh. If they can match any offer that Harbaugh would receive, he would not havea reason to leave. His recruiting class is barely behind Florida's, and is way out front of Michigan's for 2011. It would take a ton of guarantees to walk away from a situation such as that.
Getting back to the Rodriguez story...Let it be known that I am no way in favor of his firing. I have written on that topic before. I think that firing Rodriguez at this point would actually set Michigan back quite a bit. I also believe that Rodriguez has shown progress every season. Let me explain.
It is my philosophy that a new HC should get a 5 year deal. Year one expect nothing, as it an assessment period to figure out what you have and what you need.
Year two, expect an approach to a .500 record. A lower tier bowl or no bowl at all would be acceptable, as long as there is progress in the win total.
Year three, you go to a bowl, and approach 8 wins. Your first recruits are developing into substantial players.
Year 4 you are in range to compete for a conference title and a major bowl.
Year 5, you are in position to be a force in your conference and on the national stage.

If Rodriguez is indeed being pushed out, and all said I think that he is, it will be because there is a strong faction of the high roller doners who just do not like the man. He is loaded with simple southern charm, and some people involved think that he comes off as stupid. He is rebuilding the Michigan football culture from 1893 to the 21st century, where high octane offense has replaced the 3 yard and a cloud of dust image that the Big 10 has often been known for. That pisses some people off. He is reshaping what Michigan football is, and some folks can't handle it. If he does go, it will be these people that force Michigan's hand at the end of the day.

That being said, Rodriguez has basically matched my expectations at the end of season 3. He will have the Wolverines playing in a very nice bowl on Januray 1st, and the team has gotten better in each season. I think that the Wolverines are in line for big success in 2011, and if then he failed to produce, we have the termination conversation. Until then, I say keep Rich Rodriguez, and be happy that you have him, because you could have worse. Ask me...I am a lifelong UCLA fan.