This is an interesting read from ESPN's Mark Schlabach in his article "What's hot (and not) for 2010". It's worth a look, even if I don't agree with everything he says.
OK so what were some of the highlights?
Hot List
8. Mark Herzlich's return: The Boston College senior was one of college football's most feared linebackers in 2008. The 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year missed all of last season while battling Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Doctors told Herzlich he would never run again. We're betting he's even better than before.
There's no-body that isn't happy to see Herzlich playing football again. His recently diagnosed fractured foot doesn't sound too serious.
15. Contact via Twitter: Players love it. Most coaches hate it. From 80-year-old Bobby Bowden to Terrelle Pryor, college football figures are all over Twitter. Boise State's Chris Petersen and New Mexico State's DeWayne Walker have banned their players from using the medium. Other coaches have embraced it to sell their programs.
Who doesn't love Twitter? You get updates as fast as news happens. Just be careful what you tweet players!
19. Triple option: Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson used his trademark triple-option spread offense to lead the Yellow Jackets to an ACC championship in 2009. Navy, his former school, used the offense to win 10 games last season.
Hey a shout out to an ACC Team! Maybe there's hope for Schlabach yet. The Triple Option is the best thing to hit Georgia Tech football since the 1990 National Championship.
Not List
4. RichRod: Rich Rodriguez enters the 2010 season firmly on the hot seat after an 8-16 record in his first two seasons as Michigan's coach. Worse, Michigan and West Virginia, his former school, are under NCAA investigation for violations allegedly committed under his watch.
No shocker here. It's pretty much now or never for Rodriguez.
6. Season openers: Once again, most of the sport's heavyweights will open the season against cream puffs. Penn State hosts Youngstown State. FSU plays Samford. Georgia Tech plays South Carolina State. Miami opens against Florida A&M. Thank goodness for the "Jersey Shore" marathon.
3 out of 4 teams listed are from the ACC? Are ACC teams the only ones playing weak teams to open the 2010 season?
Never mind that the next week Florida State goes to Oklahoma, Georgia Tech heads to Kansas, and Miami plays at Ohio State. I think these teams are afforded an easy start.
12. ACC: The league is going to be better, but it won't be great until Florida State and Miami return to prominence. The ACC still hasn't had two of its teams play in BCS bowl games in the same season.
Just look at what Schlabach puts in his hot list at #12. It would be nice if FSU and Miami were great, but this statement is completely wrong.
If a Georgia Tech, UNC, Virginia Tech, Clemson or any other ACC team becomes a consistent top 5 team the league would be just fine. The conference is bigger than Florida State and Miami.
I've always heard Schlabach was an SEC guy, as he takes multiple shots at the ACC in this one. He did go to school at Georgia after all. You decide if there are some subtle jabs at the ACC.
OK so what were some of the highlights?
Hot List
8. Mark Herzlich's return: The Boston College senior was one of college football's most feared linebackers in 2008. The 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year missed all of last season while battling Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Doctors told Herzlich he would never run again. We're betting he's even better than before.
There's no-body that isn't happy to see Herzlich playing football again. His recently diagnosed fractured foot doesn't sound too serious.
15. Contact via Twitter: Players love it. Most coaches hate it. From 80-year-old Bobby Bowden to Terrelle Pryor, college football figures are all over Twitter. Boise State's Chris Petersen and New Mexico State's DeWayne Walker have banned their players from using the medium. Other coaches have embraced it to sell their programs.
Who doesn't love Twitter? You get updates as fast as news happens. Just be careful what you tweet players!
19. Triple option: Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson used his trademark triple-option spread offense to lead the Yellow Jackets to an ACC championship in 2009. Navy, his former school, used the offense to win 10 games last season.
Hey a shout out to an ACC Team! Maybe there's hope for Schlabach yet. The Triple Option is the best thing to hit Georgia Tech football since the 1990 National Championship.
Not List
4. RichRod: Rich Rodriguez enters the 2010 season firmly on the hot seat after an 8-16 record in his first two seasons as Michigan's coach. Worse, Michigan and West Virginia, his former school, are under NCAA investigation for violations allegedly committed under his watch.
No shocker here. It's pretty much now or never for Rodriguez.
6. Season openers: Once again, most of the sport's heavyweights will open the season against cream puffs. Penn State hosts Youngstown State. FSU plays Samford. Georgia Tech plays South Carolina State. Miami opens against Florida A&M. Thank goodness for the "Jersey Shore" marathon.
3 out of 4 teams listed are from the ACC? Are ACC teams the only ones playing weak teams to open the 2010 season?
Never mind that the next week Florida State goes to Oklahoma, Georgia Tech heads to Kansas, and Miami plays at Ohio State. I think these teams are afforded an easy start.
12. ACC: The league is going to be better, but it won't be great until Florida State and Miami return to prominence. The ACC still hasn't had two of its teams play in BCS bowl games in the same season.
Just look at what Schlabach puts in his hot list at #12. It would be nice if FSU and Miami were great, but this statement is completely wrong.
If a Georgia Tech, UNC, Virginia Tech, Clemson or any other ACC team becomes a consistent top 5 team the league would be just fine. The conference is bigger than Florida State and Miami.
