Free Bagel wrote:How did the rest of Missouri outside of Daniels/Macklin fare in terms of returning/losing players?
We're returning 10 of 11 players from a defense that really improved over the course of last year. On offense, we lost a bit more. Our starting tackle (Tyler Luellen) and center graduated (Adam Spieker), as did Will Franklin (very good WR), Martin Rucker (star TE) and Tony Temple (very good running back). We'll be just as explosive on offense, though, because we've still got Chase Coffman at TE, a lot of solid receivers behind Maclin and, of course, Chase Daniel under center. Derrick Washington is also a budding star at RB and Jimmy Jackson played well last year when he got the chance at well, so we're OK in the backfield. The offensive line is a bit of an issue but I've heard good things about the guys stepping in for Luellen and Spieker.
Missouri should win the Big 12 North this year fairly easily (Kansas will come back down to Earth), and while the National Title talk is probably a little much, it's cool to at least be mentioned as a possible championship team.
Nebraska fans- you guys excited to have Bo Pelini in charge? I don't even know when the last time we won in Lincoln was so that game scares the heck out of me. I would think that Pelini could turn that defense around but you guys were just so god awful defensively last year. I'm sure a lot of that was crappy coaching though (Callahan and Cosgrove, there's a reason they are both gone). I think NU will be competitive and may make a bowl game but 6 or 7 wins is probably the maximum for this season. Do you guys feel the same way?
"Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
-Joe Theismann (pronounced theese-MAN, not rhyming with Heisman)
Free Bagel wrote:How did the rest of Missouri outside of Daniels/Macklin fare in terms of returning/losing players?
We're returning 10 of 11 players from a defense that really improved over the course of last year. On offense, we lost a bit more. Our starting tackle (Tyler Luellen) and center graduated (Adam Spieker), as did Will Franklin (very good WR), Martin Rucker (star TE) and Tony Temple (very good running back). We'll be just as explosive on offense, though, because we've still got Chase Coffman at TE, a lot of solid receivers behind Maclin and, of course, Chase Daniel under center. Derrick Washington is also a budding star at RB and Jimmy Jackson played well last year when he got the chance at well, so we're OK in the backfield. The offensive line is a bit of an issue but I've heard good things about the guys stepping in for Luellen and Spieker.
Missouri should win the Big 12 North this year fairly easily (Kansas will come back down to Earth), and while the National Title talk is probably a little much, it's cool to at least be mentioned as a possible championship team.
Nebraska fans- you guys excited to have Bo Pelini in charge? I don't even know when the last time we won in Lincoln was so that game scares the heck out of me. I would think that Pelini could turn that defense around but you guys were just so god awful defensively last year. I'm sure a lot of that was crappy coaching though (Callahan and Cosgrove, there's a reason they are both gone). I think NU will be competitive and may make a bowl game but 6 or 7 wins is probably the maximum for this season. Do you guys feel the same way?
That is why Daniels is not in my top 5. He lost two offensive lineman, running back, WR, and TE. That is a lot on offense to say he will not only reproduce his numbers, but improve on them. He may move up during the season, but right now I have him on the outside. Also, my second 5 are not in any order, I have them all about equal, just outside the top 5.
IN regards to Stafford, I think the reason the yards and TD's are lower than the others is because of the running backs you mentioned. The Georgia offense was more about running the ball and not Stafford throwing it. Also, he did not have the greatest receiving threats on that team. I think Stafford has a lot of talent and looked better as the year went on. As a Florida fan I hope I am way off and he has a terrible year, but I think he is going to have a solid year.
sportsaddict wrote:We're returning 10 of 11 players from a defense that really improved over the course of last year. On offense, we lost a bit more. Our starting tackle (Tyler Luellen) and center graduated (Adam Spieker), as did Will Franklin (very good WR), Martin Rucker (star TE) and Tony Temple (very good running back). We'll be just as explosive on offense, though, because we've still got Chase Coffman at TE, a lot of solid receivers behind Maclin and, of course, Chase Daniel under center. Derrick Washington is also a budding star at RB and Jimmy Jackson played well last year when he got the chance at well, so we're OK in the backfield. The offensive line is a bit of an issue but I've heard good things about the guys stepping in for Luellen and Spieker.
Yep. They lost Rucker, which was a big loss, and Temple, which was another big loss, but Pinkel has done some pretty good recruiting over the past several years and he has players to plug into the holes. This isn't your father's Missouri where they're one and done with good recruiting classes. They are a legitimate contender in the Big XII this year, although still nowhere near Texas and/or Oklahoma.
sportsaddict wrote:Missouri should win the Big 12 North this year fairly easily (Kansas will come back down to Earth), and while the National Title talk is probably a little much, it's cool to at least be mentioned as a possible championship team.
Missouri has to be the favorite, but I would certainly not count out Kansas. Their schedule is much harder this year but they have a good team and Mangino is a pretty darned good coach. That game is going to be a battle, and I certainly wouldn’t be counting on a win if I were Missouri. The good news for Missouri is they don’t play Oklahoma in the regular season, so they should be able to take the North.
sportsaddict wrote:Nebraska fans- you guys excited to have Bo Pelini in charge? I don't even know when the last time we won in Lincoln was so that game scares the heck out of me. I would think that Pelini could turn that defense around but you guys were just so god awful defensively last year. I'm sure a lot of that was crappy coaching though (Callahan and Cosgrove, there's a reason they are both gone). I think NU will be competitive and may make a bowl game but 6 or 7 wins is probably the maximum for this season. Do you guys feel the same way?
I’m excited about Bo, that’s for sure. About 90% of Nebraska’s problems over the past year or two can be directly attributed to crappy coaching, but replacing the crappy coaches doesn’t mean we’re back to the Nebraska of old right away. I give that a year or two more before that culture really kicks in, but there should be marked improvement this year, in the first game. I would certainly expect Nebraska to make a bowl game again, and at least seven wins, with maybe one upset thrown in for fun. It would take a near-miracle for Nebraska to compete for the North this year.
Perhaps Daniel will win the chase. Or White might.
Projecting an eventual winner of the Heisman Trophy, the most celebrated individual award in sports, is rarely easy - particularly in August.
That's especially the case this year, with the national leaders in passing, passing efficiency, receptions and kickoff returns back again this college football season.
So are some of the most productive running backs, all-purpose threats and the quarterbacks of several teams considered to be strong national championship contenders.
The most decorated defensive player in the country is back, too.
And so is Tebow, the '07 Heisman Trophy recipient.
That ensures a deep field and much debate over who could win the '08 Heisman.
Here's our updated list of this year's top-10 candidates. No bets please. This is strictly for entertainment purposes.
By Terry Bowden, Yahoo! Sports Aug 5, 10:47 am EDT
I have said before that winning the Heisman Trophy is more about being the right guy, at the right position, on the right team than it is about being the best player in college football. Every now and then, like last season, this happens to be the same person.
However, since there are 22 positions on a football team and the quarterback and running back are the only two who are going to realistically be considered, this is highly unlikely.
So let’s quit with all the niceties and cut to the chase. Tim Tebow is the incumbent on a legitimate national championship contender and is the best college football player in the country. This should garner him more press than anyone else and make him the most likely candidate to repeat.
Unfortunately for Tebow, unless the Gators can win the SEC championship and make it to the national title game, he will not win. The reason, as crazy as this sounds, is that Florida will be even better on offense than they were last year. By being better, I mean being more balanced with other players, especially a running back or two, being able to help carry the load. This will result in there being less of a need to utilize Tebow’s extraordinary talents as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks of all time. So their numbers will go up by allowing his numbers to go down. And, as his numbers go down, so do his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy.
Beanie Wells will win it easily. Ohio State will once again have no more than 1 loss and be playing in the national championship game. Wells will be the horse behind that free ride.
If someone with a name other than Wells or Tebow wins it I'll be very surprised...anything can happen though. Example: no one saw Dennis Dixon's being mentioned in the Heisman race before last season yet up until his injury he was a front runner.
I know crappy example but you know what I'm saying.
Cafe Home
Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy Basketball
Fantasy Hockey
by sportsaddict » Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:30 am 
: Beanie Wells
