Coaching Carousel

With most of the 20 open head coaching positions filled in college football, I decided now would be a good time to review some of the changes. Of course, there's still some schools out there that could be added to this list. I'll try to update this list as more new coaches are hired.

1. Army

• Out - Stan Brock
• In - ?

Army has begun a national search for their next head coach. I think Brock did about as good as possible at West Point. I'm not so sure the next coach here will have any more success.

2. Auburn

• Out- Tommy Tuberville
• In - Gene Chizik

I have no idea what Auburn is doing here. They whiffed one one former defensive coordinator, so they panicked and went after the crappier one.


3. Ball St.

• Out - Brady Hoke
• In - ?

The Cardinals lose Hoke to San Diego St. As Hoke enjoys the much nicer weather, Ball St. will begin the search for a new coach who will face impossible expectations in Muncie. I look for BSU to tap the 1-aa ranks for this position.


4. Bowling Green

• Out - Gregg Brandon
• In - Dave Clawson

I really think Bowling Green jumped the gun when they let Brandon go. Fortunately for mes, Brandon is a top choice to replace Dan Mullen as Florida's offensive coordinator. Clawson backs his way into this job after helping to get Phil Fulmer fired at Tennessee.


5. Clemson

• Out - Tommy Bowden
• In - Dabo Swinney

The Tigers have already improved tremendously under Swinney. Their second half performance this season earned Swinney the job. We'll see how well he recruits and coaches for an entire season.


6. Eastern Michigan

• Out - Jeff Genyk
• In - ?

Wouldn't this be a good spot for Ty Willingham? I know he went winless last season, but if Chizik can get a job in the SEC, Willingham should be able to get a job anywhere.


7. Iowa st.

• Out - Gene Chizik
• In - ?

Auburn really did Iowa St. a favor. Not only do they get rid of an under producing coach, but they don't have to pay him any money. Look for a coordinator from another Big XII team to take this job. Kevin Wilson, maybe?


8. Kansas St.

• Out - Ron Prince
• In - Bill Snyder

I believe Prince should have been given at least one more year at K-State. However, Snyder did build this program into a national power way back when. He might be too old to do the same again. I guess we'll find out.


9. Miami(OH)

• Out - Shane Montgomery
• In - ?

I don't really know who the Redhawks will target for this job. Perhaps a 1-aa coach or even a Big Eleven assistant. Whoever they tabbed, he's got his work cut out for him.


10. Mississippi St.

• Out - Sylvester Croom
• In - Dan Mullen

I wish Dan Mullen nothing but the best in Starkville. However, I must say he really screwed us with the timing of this announcement. Damn him and Mississippi St.!


11. New Mexico

• Out - Rocky Long
• In - Mike Locksley

Locksley might be one of the better game planners in the nation right now. New Mexico does have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball. So this seems like a good fit.


12. New Mexico St.

• Out - Hal Mumme
• In - ?

The Aggies are going to be awful next season. Both Chris Jackson and Chase Holbrook will be gone. I feel sorry for whoever gets this job. It may be the worst job available this season.


13. Purdue

• Out - Joe Tiller
• In - Danny Hope

Hope is replacing a legend at Purdue. Fortunately this decision was made at the beginning of the offseason. That should relieve a little bit of the pressure. Just a little.


14. San Diego St.

• Out - Chuck Long
• In - Brady Hoke

The Aztecs were quite possibly the worst team in division 1 football this season. Kudos to them for going out and getting one of the hottest coaching prospects this off season in Brady Hoke. Hoke should find the weather and scenery much more to his liking in San Diego.


15. Syracuse

• Out - Greg Robinson
• In - Doug Marrone

This is a switch that should have been made last season in my opinion. I think the Orange whiffed on Robinson's replacement though. Turner Gill or Skip Holtz would have been better options than Marrone.


16. Tennessee

• Out - Phil Fulmer
• In - Lane Kiffin

Is it just me, or did the SEC coaching ranks get a lot worse this offseason?


17. Toledo

• Out - Tom Amstutz
• In - Tim Beckman

Beckman put up some pretty impressive numbers for Oklahoma St. over the past few seasons. At least he's taking over a team that managed to beat Michigan in the Big House last season.


18. Utah St.

• Out - Brent Guy
• In - Gary Andersen

Andersen remains in the same state as he leaves the Utes to take over a horrible Utah St. football program. Andersen may very well be the guy that can finally turn things around for the Aggies.


19.Washington

• Out - Tyrone Willingham
• In - Steve Sarkisian

I think the Trojans' defensive coordinator would be a better coaching candidate than Sarkisian. However, this is a good move for Sarkisian. He's taking over a Washington football team with little expectations, that I believe will be a lot better next season.


20. Wyoming

• Out - Joe Glenn
• In - Dave Christensen

Christensen is another top flight Big XII coordinator leaving to take on a head coaching challenge. The Cowboys were competitive towards the end of the season, including beating Tennessee in Knoxville. However, word was getting around that Glenn wasn't even recruiting anymore. That's a big no-no in college football.

Weekly Picks

Last Week - 58-8

Overall - 118-22


No, those numbers aren't typos, and yes, I am that damn good!

I would like to make the vow now that I will NEVER again pick Army or Syracuse no matter what the circumstances are. I don't know what I was thinking picking those ass pinatas to win their respective games. I also would like to apologize to New Hampshire and Akron for degrading your programs by making those selections. I am terribly sorry.

On to my Week 3 picks!

(Note: I have done away with that god-awful table. I will now highlight and enlarge the team I predict to win.)

North Carolina @ Rutgers
Kansas @ South Florida
California @ Maryland
UL-Lafayette @ Illinois
Southern Illinois @ Northwestern
Florida Atlantic @ Michigan St.
Montana St. @ Minnesota
Navy @ Duke
North Carolina St. @ Clemson
Temple @ Buffalo
Toledo @ Eastern Michigan
Iowa St. @ Iowa
Nevada @ Missouri
Washington St. @ Baylor
UAB @ Tennessee
Ball St. @ Akron
Central Michigan @ Ohio
Delaware St. @ Kent st.
East Carolina @ Tulane
Charleston Southern @ Miami(OH)
North Dakota St. @ Wyoming
Georgia @ South Carolina
Arkansas @ Texas
Oregon @ Purdue
Penn St. @ Syracuse
UCLA @ BYU
Michigan @ Notre Dame
Air Force @ Houston
Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech
Chattanooga @ Florida St.
Hawaii @ Oregon St.
Western Michigan @ Idaho
Auburn @ Mississippi St.
Western Kentucky @ Alabama
SMU @ Texas Tech
Middle Tennessee @ Kentucky
Samford @ Ole Miss
New Mexico St. @ Nebraska
Rice @ Vanderbilt
Memphis @ Marshall
Southern Miss @ Arkansas St.
Alabama A&M @ UL-Monroe
Stanford @ TCU
Alcorn St. @ Troy
Missouri St. @ Oklahoma St.
Virginia @ Connecticut
Oklahoma @ Washington
Ohio St. @ USC
North Texas @ LSU
Utah @ Utah St.
San Diego St. @ San Jose St.
Bowling Green @ Boise St.
Arizona @ New Mexico
UNLV @ Arizona St.
Wisconsin @ Fresno St.


Upset Alert: Look out for the OBC this week. His Gamecocks are looking to revenge that embarrassing defeat at the hands of Vandy last season. SOS has a habit of pulling off at least one upset a year, and we all know he owns Georgia. All that being said, I think the Dawgs have enough to get by SC, plus the Gamecocks still have to find a QB.

The pageantry that is college football- Top 10 CFB Intros

College football is built around tradition. The history of a certain program is often the deciding factor to get a recruit to commit to one program over another.

Every school has it's own certain tradition, especially as it pertains to the way the team enters the field. I have my personal favorite intros and you are about to be blessed by me sharing them with you.

Not included are newer pre-game intros like the ducking of automatic gunfire at USC games or dodging bodies of Michigan fans leaping from the top of the Big House.

Here are the best.

1.Clemson- Howard's Rock and The Hill. I feel that LSU should pay a little compensation to Clemson for everytime they use Death Valley to describe their home. Clemson's Death Valley is the original and it has a lot more tradition. I can't think of one school receiving so many commitments based on it's game day intro. Whenever a new recruit is interviewed he often say he came to Clemson to have the opportunity to touch Howard's Rock and run down The Hill.

2.Auburn- War Eagle. Every game before the players are introduced, an Auburn staff member comes out to midfield and releases an eagle. This eagle majestically soars over the crowd. It seems the bird is able to make a whole lap around the stadium without once flapping it's wings, making it all the more memorable. This sight is made even more special with the sound of thousands of crazed rednecks being worked up into a frenzy. It's SEC tradition at it's finest.

3.Nebraska- Tunnel Walk. Nebraska's tunnel walk is very simple. What makes it special is the fact that the Cornhuskers were the first school to utilize video on the jumbo tron to show the team making it's way to the field. This build up the anticipation and adds to the hysteria surround Memorial Stadium leading up to kick off, (at least it used to.)

4.Navy/Army- The March. Before every Navy or Army game the Midshipmen or Cadets march to their seats by making their way through the field. This gives the crowd a chance to show the respect that these young men and women deserve. This site is all the more special before the annual Army/Navy game as Cadets and Midshipmen cross the field at the same time.

5.Colorado- The Running of Ralphie. Colorado uses it's live mascot better than any other school in the nation. Before every game, Ralphie and his his team of 6 handlers race around the stadium. Sure sometimes the handlers get trampled and sometimes suffer life threatening injuries, but it is all worth it!

6.Ohio St.- Dotting the I. I don't like Ohio St. all that much so I'm a little biased when I say that I don't really see the big deal behind this. However, I am in the very small minority when it comes to this line of thinking. I might not understand it, but I can respect it. Dotting the I is a great tradition and is one of the many things that makes college football so great.

7.Florida- Heeeeeeeeerrrreee Come the Gators!. The Florida football intro blends a few aspects together that make it special. First, there is a video of Gators hunting pray in the Swamp. This is accompanied by the Jaws theme music. At the end of the video, the crowd hears a voice that say, "Welcome to the Swamp, where only Gators get out alive." This is met with wild cheers and the announcement of "Heeeeeeeeeerrrrrrreeee come the Gators!" The team then runs out onto the field through an F and over to their sideline. A-MA-ZING!

8.Florida St.- The Flaming Spear. No, this has nothing to do with Chief Osceola's sexual orientation. Before every game, the Chief rides onto the field on his trusty steed, Renegade, carrying a spear that is lit on fire. This fear is then thrust into the Seminole logo on mid-field. This symbolizes that you are on Seminole territory and you are trespassing. Unfortunately, these Seminoles are having trouble as of late protecting their territory.

9.Tennessee- Running Through the T. This intro would be a lot higher on the list if it wasn't accompanied by the worst combined sounds known to humanity. This of course, is the crap fest that Vols fans like to call Rocky Top. If, you're not sick of it at first, I promise you will be the 476th time you hear it midway through the second quarter.

10.Ole Miss- Looking at the Coeds.- I've always stated that Ole Miss has the best collection of hot females anywhere on this planet. What better time to take in these sights than at a hot-weather football game? If this had anything to do with the actual football game it might have been number 1 on the list.