Projecting the Super Conferences

Conference realignment is a fun topic. It's essentially the best soap opera going in sports. Where will your new team end up? And, if the four super conferences is the future, you better hope that your team ends up in one of them. If not, well, kiss a national championship goodbye. The likely playoff scenario would have the four winners of the conferences to face-off in a small tournament. It's not ideal, but it still beat the BCS.

Here's a look at what those conferences may look like. I have eliminated both the Big 12 and the Big East. It seems that those power conferences are the most likely to disappear. Unfortunately, not every team makes the cut, so it may be one hell of an ugly process in real life.

ACC

Boston College-Existing Member

Clemson-Existing Member

Connecticut-Good sports, and a market that reaches from New York to Boston.

Duke-Existing Member

Florida State-Existing Member

Georgia Tech-Existing Member

Kansas-A good market for the ACC, grabbing Kansas City. Plus, another solid team for basketball.

Kansas State-See above.

Maryland-Existing Member

Miami-Existing Member

North Carolina-Existing Member

North Carolina State-Existing Member

Rutgers-The conference would get a good piece of New York by bringing Rutgers in.

Virginia-Existing Member

Virginia Tech-Existing Member

Wake Forest-Existing Member

Big Ten(16)

Illinois-Existing Member

Indiana-Existing Member

Iowa-Existing Member

Iowa State-Would be a good fit, considering they already have built-in rivalries

Michigan-Existing Member

Michigan State-Existing Member

Minnesota-Existing Member

Nebraska-Existing Member

Notre Dame-The Irish will hold out as long as possible, but if needed to join a conference the Big Ten is the best fit.

Northwestern-Existing Member

Ohio State-Existing Member

Penn State-Existing Member

Pittsburgh-Long rumored to go to the Big Ten, Pitt would fit in well geographically, and has rivals already in the conference.

Purdue-Existing Member

Syracuse-Good academics, solid sports and a connection to New York make Syracuse very attractive to the Big Ten

Wisconsin-Existing Member

SEC

Alabama-Existing Member

Arkansas-Existing Member

Auburn-Existing Member

Florida-Existing Member

Georgia -Existing Member

Kentucky-Existing Member

Louisville-Works geographically, and already has rivals in the conference. Would help the conference boost the basketball too.

LSU-Existing Member

Mississippi-Existing Member

Mississippi State-Existing Member

South Carolina -Existing Member

TCU-Great Texas markets, fertile recruiting ground, and solid athletics.

Tennessee-Existing Member

Texas A&M-Joining in 2012, the Aggies will be the 13th team in the SEC.

Vanderbilt-Existing Member

West Virginia-Solid sports, great fan base, and alum hotbeds in Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. Plus, it's close enough to the South.

Pac 16

Arizona-Existing Member

Arizona State-Existing Member

California-Existing Member

Colorado-Existing Member

Missouri-Rumored to possibly go SEC, though a better fit would be the Pac 12.

Oklahoma-The rumors are there, and probably a done deal when the Sooners truly believe the Big 12 is dead.

Oklahoma State-Will go wherever big brother, Oklahoma goes.

Oregon-Existing Member

Oregon State-Existing Member

Stanford-Existing Member

Texas-The big money school may resist this, but a move to the west could be a genius move from an economic standpoint.

UCLA-Existing Member

USC-Existing Member

Utah-Existing Member

Washington-Existing Member

Washington State-Existing Member

Outside Looking In

Baylor-Solid sports, but did no favors in possibly creating an enemy in the SEC

Boise State-What is there beyond football? A geographical nightmare as well.

BYU-Draws good crowds, but may be stuck without a home if the Pac 12 gets the Big 12 schools.

Cincinnati-Perfect example of a boarder-line team. Decent market and athletics, but doesn't bring much more than that.

South Florida-Could sneak in somewhere, but seems to have Conference USA written all over it.

Texas Tech-In the middle of nowhere, and is behind many of the larger Texas schools.

WVU Moves up in the Polls

Following a 34-13 win over Marshall, West Virginia has moved up in the AP Poll, and finally debuts in the Coaches.

The Mountaineers went from 24 to 19th in the AP Poll. They also debut at number 24 in the Coaches.

WVU isn't the only Big East team ranked. After beating Notre Dame at South Bend, South Florida gets into the mix, coming in at number 22 in the AP. The Bulls aren't ranked in the Coaches, but are receiving the second-most votes of any non-ranked team.

The Mountaineers return to action on Saturday, hosting Norfolk State.

IT'S GAMEWEEK! WEEK TWO PRIMER

Matchup: West Virginia vs Norfolk State

When: Saturday, 1:00p, ROOT Sports

Line: N/A

WVU Players to Watch:

Geno Smith, QB: 249 yards, 2 TD's

Stedman Bailey, WR: 5 rec, 76 yards, 1 TD

Tavon Austin, WR: 3 rec, 32 yards, 100 yard TD return

Bruce Irvin, DE: 3 tackles, 1 sack

Norfolk State Players to Watch:

Chris Walley, QB: 255 yards, 2 TD's

Reggie Garrett, WR: 7 rec, 74 yards

Corwin Hammond, LB: 9 tackles, 2 TFL

Storylines:

How about a full game? The Mountaineers may be 1-0, but they haven't even played 60 minutes. The weather report says potential rain on Saturday, but it's the lightning to watch out for. I wouldn't worry too much, considering last Sunday was the first time WVU ever had a suspended game. And, we're talking over 100 years.

The spotlight will be on the offensive line, especially after that shambolic performance against Marshall. The run game was nonexistent, and Geno Smith was constantly on the run. It's one thing to have some struggles against a pretty solid Marshall defense. However, there will be no excuse if they struggle against an FCS opponent. This group is going to have to step up this season.

Running back by Committee? Maybe. However, both Andrew Buie and Trey Johnson are banged UP, so Vernard Roberts and Dustin Garrison should get plenty of opportunities. Buie didn't do much to distance himself from the rest of the bunch against Marshall. Roberts and Garrison were used sparingly, and Johnson was hurt. There is no doubt that this is STILL anyone's job. It will be interesting to see if the fullbacks are given more looks this weekend...especially on short yardage situations.

Fix those Flaws, especially on Special Teams. Marshall had too much open space on kick returns, a problem that the Mountaineers have been dealing with for years. The unit gave up a punt return TD to the Herd, and large chucks of yards. It will be interesting to see if there is an adjustment or two to the strategy.

Let's Realign the Conferences...Part Four, The Stadium Capacity Strategy

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be.

Part 4: Stadium Size!

Enough with stadium diversity, it's time to line up the big boys with the big boys. I really have nothing else to say about this...it's pretty self-explanatory.

The Big Dog Conference: Now, this is a conference. All giant stadiums, and all solid programs. This is a dream conference fro college football fans everywhere.

Michigan (109,901)

Penn State (107,282)

Ohio State (102,329)

Tennessee (102,037)

Alabama (101,821)

Texas (100,119)

USC (93,607)

Georgia (92,746)

LSU (92,542)

UCLA (92,542)

Florida (88,548)

Auburn (87,451)

The Medium Dog Conference: This is a pretty damn good conference as well. A lot of national championships can be found with this group. Pretty dirty too.

Texas A&M (83,002)

Florida State (82,300)

Oklahoma (82,112)

Nebraska (81,067)

Notre Dame (80,795)

Wisconsin (80,321)

Clemson (80,301)

South Carolina (80,250)

Arkansas (76,000)

California (75,662)

Miami (75,504)

Michigan State (75,005)

The Pro-Stadium Conference: Yes, there's a reason why Tulane, Temple, and USF are this high on the list. The pro stadiums give the squads a bit of a boost in conference realignment, even though they should be nowhere near this.

Washington (72,500)

Arizona State (71,706)

UAB (71,594)

Missouri (71,004)

Iowa (70,585)

San Diego State (70,561)

Rice (70,000)

Tulane (69,703)

Temple (68,532)

Kentucky (67,606)

Virginia Tech (66,233)

USF (65,857)

The Rival Conference: Some good rivalries remain intact here. Pitt-WVU, UNC-NC STATE-UVA, Texas Tech-Oklahoma State, Purdue-Illinois, BYU-Ole Miss...well, maybe not that one.

Pittsburgh (65,050)

BYU (63,725)

Purdue (62,500)

Memphis (62,380)

Virginia (61,500)

Illinois (60,600)

Mississippi (60,580)

Texas Tech (60,454)

Oklahoma State (60,218)

West Virginia (60,000)

North Carolina (60,000)

NC State (57,583)

The Basketball Conference: Some solid basketball programs here, including numerous former National Champs. Now, all we need is Larry Eustachy and some Natty Ice.

Louisville (56,000)

Arizona (56,000)

Mississippi State (55,082)

Iowa State (55,000)

Georgia Tech (55,000)

Oregon (53,800)

Colorado (53,750)

Air Force (52,480)

Rutgers (52,454)

Indiana (52,180)

UTEP (52,000)

Maryland (51,500)

The One with the Trip to Hawaii Conference: Looks like tuition at Syracuse just skyrocketed.

Minnesota (50,805)

Kansas (50,300)

Kansas State (50,071)

Baylor (50,000)

East Carolina (50,000)

Hawaii (50,000)

Stanford (50,000)

Northwestern (49,256)

Syracuse (49,250)

TCU (46,000)

Oregon State (45,674)

UCF (45,301)

The All-American Travel Conference: We are going New England, Southwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northwest, Midwest...basically everywhere but the Southeast.

Utah (45,017)

Boston College (44,500)

New Mexico (42,000)

Vanderbilt (41,448)

Fresno State (41,031)

Army (40,000)

Connecticut (40,000)

Marshall (38,019)

UNLV (36,800)

Southern Miss (36,000)

Tulsa (35,542)

Washington State (35,117)

The Pathetic AQ School Conference: Cincy, Duke, and Wake should all be booted from AQ status. You can't even have a 40,000+ seat stadium? Pathetic!

Cincinnati (35,097)

Navy (35,000)

Colorado State (34,400)

Duke (33,941)

Boise (33,500)

Wyoming (32,580)

SMU (32,000)

Houston (32,000)

Wake Forest (31,500)

Louisiana-Lafayette (31,000)

Middle Tennessee State (31,000)

Arkansas State (30,964)

The Safety School Conference: So, you can't get into that reach school? Well, here are all your backups...all in one conference.

North Texas (30,850)

Louisiana Tech (30,600)

San Jose State (30,456)

Louisiana-Monroe (30,427)

New Mexico State (30,343)

Utah State (30,257)

Western Michigan (30,200)

Eastern Michigan (30,200)

Central Michigan (30,199)

Akron (30,000)

Troy (30,000)

Nevada (29,993)

The MAC Conference? Yeah, pretty much.

Buffalo (29,013)

Toledo (26,248)

Northern Illinois (25,500)

Kent (25,000)

Miami (OH) (24,286)

Ohio (24,000)

Bowling Green (23,724)

FIU (23,500)

Ball State (22,500)

Western Kentucky (22,000)

FAU (20,450)

Idaho (16,000)

Part 1 can be found here.

Part 2 can be found here.

Part 3 can be found here.

WVU is the Big East Favorite

So much for easing into the job. It will be a trial by fire for Dana Holgorsen after WVU was piked to win the conference. Honestly, it would be a trial by fire even if WVU wasn't. There's always pressure in Morgantown to win, especially with the way things went down for Holgorsen to be in the position he is in at this time. The drama-filled offseason ends with the start of camp this month, and there's no doubt the first-year head coach is looking to put the Summer behind him.

The enthusiasm surrounding this Mountaineer team is very high. The offense will be led by one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country, Geno Smith. The junior is also a darkhorse pick for the Heisman. The defense is anchored by a strong line, but will have some questions in the linebacking unit. However, the trust in Defensive Coordinator, Jeff Casteel gives Mountaineer fans faith that it won't be an issue.

The schedule is interesting. LSU and Pittsburgh are at home, but road games at Maryland, Syracuse, and South Florida will make things difficult for WVU to run the table. This is a team that has been 9-4 for three straight years. That number should increase this season if the Holgorsen offense catches on quickly. However, there is no lock of winning the league, especially having to play in Tampa, possibly for the BCS bid. WVU doesn't exactly have the best track record at South Florida.

Regardless of the media prediction, WVU is a perennial favorite in the conference. Consistent play has given the school that reputation. However, the Mountaineers haven't been to a BCS game since 2008, and the natives are getting restless. Will this be the season? Or are there just too many questions surrounding the new head coach and system? One things for sure...WVU will beat Marshall.

2011 BIG EAST FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL (first place votes in parentheses)

1. West Virginia 188(21)

2. Pittsburgh 162(2)

3. USF 151(1)

4. Syracuse 98

5. Cincinnati 96

6. Connecticut 76

7. Louisville 60

8. Rutgers 33

-courtesy of bigeast.org

Anthony Leonard to the Patriots

It looks like Anthony Leonard will be taking his talents to the greatest team on the face of the Earth, the New England Patriots (no bias here). The former Mountaineer linebacker will be thrown into the fire of a very crowded unit in Foxboro.

Leonard had a solid final year in Morgantown, finishing with 70 total tackles, eight for loss. He has good size for the inside, but quickness eludes him. Leonard's best chance to shine is on kick coverage, with an outside shot of being a primary backup. However, this is the New England Patriots. This is the team that takes the "Never Will Be's" and turns them into respectable players. So, anything is possible.

Best of luck to Leonard, and being a Mountaineer Alum and and Pat's fan, I sincerely hope he makes this squad.

Buffalo Bills to Sign Sidney Glover

According to buffalosbillsdraft.com, Sidney Glover is heading to Buffalo. This is a good spot for the former Mountaineer safety. The Bills have some free agency issues at the safety position, and could always use help on special teams.

Glover was a productive safety during his time in Morgantown. He has good size and hands. He's not the fastest guy on the field, so he will have to make up for it with improved acceleration. Glover showed he could help against the run, and ended up with four sacks and eight tackles for loss in 2010. His technique needs work, but could easily step right in on kick coverage.

Don't expect Glover to be starting in 2011 for Buffalo, but he does have a very good chance to make this roster. Plus, the Bills have had some good success with former Mountaineers in the past.

Undrafted Free Agents Getting Ready for the Call

With the NFL season just days away from finally beginning, one group of former Mountaineers are collectivly breathing a sigh of relief. Typically undrafted free agents would be deep into OTA's, and spending or saving their signing bonuses. Sure, the bonuses are much smaller than those of first rounders, but at least its financial security. While drafted players have essentially been supported by their respective agents and waiting for camps to open, the undrafted players have been out in the real world, trying to make a buck or two, waiting for football to start. And now the NFL is back, and a whole bunch of movin' and shakin' is about to go down.

There's reports that have undrafted free agent signings beginning as early as today. This means Noel Devine, Sidney Glover, Scooter Berry, and Jock Sanders will be waiting intently by the phone.

Devine is an outstanding talent. He was a lock to be drafted, but injuries hampered his production in his Senior season. Devine will find it tough to be an every-down back in the NFL, but his quickness and pure speed can make him valuable in the right system. He has good hands too, and could be used as a return man. Durability will be his biggest issue in the NFL.
Possible Locations: Cleveland, St Louis, Carolina

Sanders will be more limited in the NFL due to his size, and the position he plays. At just 5'6", Sanders isn't the prototypical receiver size, but the dude has talent. He could be a dynamic return man, and may find himself in the backfield. If given the chance Sanders could prove his value.
Possible Locations: New York Giants, Pittsburgh, San Fransisco

Glover was a productive safety during his time in Morgantown. He has good size, fair speed, and good hands. Glover showed he could help against the run, and also had eight tackles for loss. His technique probably needs work, but could find a job in special teams, while maturing.
Possible Locations: Buffalo, Indianapolis, Denver

Berry converted from fullback to the defensive line, and prospered under Jeff Casteel. He's very good against the run, and has the athleticism to get after the quarterback. Could use a few more pounds to truly be a solid DT.
Possible Locations: Buffalo, Oakland, Washington

Best of luck to all of these players, and the former Mountaineers that were already drafted. Yes, it looks like the NFL is just about back.

Let's Realign the Conferences, Part Two: Alphabetical Order

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be.

Here is part two of many to come. Part one can be found here.

This is a pretty simple strategy; just line them up by name. No thought put into it at all...well, other than trying to decide what name to use (ie Mississippi vs Ole Miss). Let's just say the travel cost could get a little out of control.

1. This is an interesting collection. A few SEC and PAC-12 schools highlight the group, but watch-out for Air Force. The Academy could be the wildcard in this conference. Travel could be worse, though West Point to Arizona possibly twice-a-year would be fun.

Air Force

Akron
Alabama
Arizona
Arizona State
Arkansas
Arkansas State

Army
Auburn

Ball State

Baylor

2. It's a battle of East vs West in this conference. Nothng like a trip for California to Boston in December to spice things up. The closest trip for Clemson? Cincinnati. Ouch.

Boise State

Boston College

Bowling Green

BYU

Buffalo

California

Central Michigan

Cincinnati

Clemson

Colorado

Colorado State

Connecticut

3. Well, someone was going to be stuck with Hawaii. I'm not sure the Warriors would be able to afford this conference. Numerous trips to the East Coast could prove quite costly. Florida, FSU, Georgia, and Tech actually make this conference quite competitive.

Duke

East Carolina

Eastern Michigan

Florida

Florida Atlantic

Florida International

Florida State

Fresno State

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Hawaii

Houston

4. What a boring conference. It's like taking the most lame teams from their respective conferences and throwing them together. This is a basketball conference.

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Kent State

Kentucky

Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Monroe

Louisiana Tech

5. Now, this is a conference. Traditional programs, mixed with emerging schools. Many of these colleges have BCS experience, and lots of promise for the future. Obviously I'm talking about Memphis and Miami (OH).

Louisville

LSU

Marshall

Maryland

Memphis

Miami

MIami (OH)

MIchigan

MIchigan State

Middle Tennessee

Minnesota

Mississippi State

6. This actually looks like a traditional Notre Dame schedule. Lots of "who cares" teams, a few solid programs, and Navy. Now, only if Purdue had snuck in.

Missouri

Navy

NC State

Nebraska

Nevada

New Mexico

New Mexico State

North Carolina

North Texas

Northern Illinois

Northwestern

Notre Dame

7. Another pretty tough group. Could be one of the deepest with 10 out of the 12 from BCS conferences. Good luck to Rice and Ohio...they will need it.

Ohio

Ohio State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Ole Miss

Oregon

Oregon State

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Purdue

Rice

Rutgers

8. Talk about some travel. California to Florida to New York to everywhere in between. Actually, it's quite a nice group of traditional programs. Nice to see Texas and Stanford in together, considering the two schools are top-5 in overall NCAA championships in all sports.

San Diego State

San Jose State

SMU

South Carolina

South Florida

Southern Miss

Stanford

Syracuse

TCU

Temple

Tennessee

Texas

9. Let the bragging rights begin between California and Texas. This is a also a very dirty conference, with the likes of USC, UCF, Toledo, and Texas TEch in the mix. Who am I kidding? They all cheat.

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Toledo

Troy
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
UCF

UCLA

USC
Utah
Utah State

10. Well, WVU and Virginia Tech would be rivals again. Other than that, not much to talk about. Lots of travel, and lots of subpar programs.

UTEP

Vanderbilt
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
Washington
Washington State
West Virginia
Western Kentucky
Western Michigan
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Big East Fantasy RB Rankings

We continue our look at the most valuable fantasy players in the Big East. This time we check out the tailbacks that could be the difference between fantasy domination and being dominated in a not-so fantastic way.

Zeus Level:

Ray Graham (Pitt): He burst onto the scene last year, and never looked back. Graham will now be the primary back, so his numbers should get much better. He can catch out of the backfield, and also found the endzone fairly consistently. If Graham can hold onto the football, look for him to be a great producer.
Pros: Speed, Maneuverability, Offensive Line
Cons: Size, Fumble-Prone
2010 Stats: 1135 Total Yards, 24 Rec, 10 Total TDs

Solid Early Round Value:

Isaiah Pead (Cincinnati): He is in a perfect offense for putting up super numbers. Pead ended up with 1,000 yards, and also caught 29 passes...excellent for PPR leagues. His numbers should go up even more, as Cincy gets more used to Butch Jones' offense.
Pros: Speed, Moves, Pass Catching
Cons: Durability, Low TD Numbers
2010 Stats: 1219 Total Yards, 29 Rec, 7 Total TDs

Middle Round Value:

Antwon Bailey (Syracuse): The Mighty Mite is ready to take the reins in the dome. He had a productive season as a backup, and should improve in 2011. Bailey is a true duel-threat, putting up some of the best reception numbers as a RB in the Big East. Can he carry the load as the number one? We'll find out soon enough.
Pros: Speed, Big Play Ability, Pass Catching
Cons: Size, Power, Untested as a starter
2010 Stats: 860 Total Yards, 35 Rec, 5 Total TDs

Possible Late Round Steal:

Ryan Clarke (West Virginia): The bruiser is a TD machine in the redzone. Unfortunately, he is also a fumble machine. There will also be a big question about how he is used in Dana Holgorsen's new system.

Victor Anderson (Louisville): Here is the wildcard from the conference. Anderson rushed for 1,000 yards in 2008. Since then, injuries and ineffectiveness has sidelined his career. However, Anderson will be the leading man, and will need to find that Freshman form to prove he is worth starting in fantasy.

Projects:

Demetris Murray (USF): He is the leading returning rusher for USF, posting over 500 yards in 2010. He will be in a battle though, with a pair of talented transfers. Many say its his job to lose.

Darrell Scott (USF): Once upon a time, Darrell Scott was a five star recruit for Colorado. Now, he is in his first year at USF. This is one to watch though. If Scott has an opportunity to show what made him a top recruit, he may never leave the field.

D.J. Shoemate (UConn): UConn's top returning rusher had just 115 yards last year. It may be better to stay away from Husky RBs this year.

Savon Huggins (Rutgers): Some are calling this true freshman the next best thing. A late round pick in a keeper league is where he will land.

Jeremy Wright (Louisville): Should put up nice numbers even as a backup. But, could really take off if Anderson goes down again.

Let's Realign the Conferences, Part One: The Geographical Strategy

People love complaining about the conference structure in college football. Sure, there are some strange combinations, and long roadtrips, but it could be worse. And I'm here to show you how worse(or awesome) it could be. Here is part one of many to come.

Northeast Conference: This was an easy one to put together. Some nice rivalries would be renewed, and it would be loaded with tradition.

Army
Boston College
Buffalo
Connecticut
Maryland
Massachusetts (2012)
Navy
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Syracuse
Temple
West Virginia

ACC Conference: Might as well keep the name. The majority of these teams are already in the same conference now, so it would be a pretty smooth transition.

Clemson
Duke
East Carolina
Georgia
Georgia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
South Carolina
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

Floribama Conference: This would be one hell of an exciting conference. Athletes Galore! The recruiting would be cut-throat, and I mean that literally. There could be coaches shanking other coaches.

Alabama
Alabama-Birmingham
Auburn
Central Florida
Florida
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Florida State
Miami
South Alabama (2012)
South Florida
Troy

Delta Conference: Another fun recruiting battle would come from this southern conference. Not sure if there would be better action on the field or in the parking lot.

Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
LSU
Louisiana Tech
Memphis
Middle Tennessee State
Miss State
Ole Miss
Southern Miss
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

Texarkanas Conference: This might actually be my favorite. Who doesn't want to see all of the Texas teams together? And, starting in 2012 you could fill out an entire Texas conference with the addition of UTSA and Texas State.

Arkansas
Arkansas State
Baylor
Houston
North Texas
SMU
Rice
TCU
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
UTEP

SouthWestish Conference: A purely geographic find here. This might be the lamest conference. Not much to digest. So...let's just move on.

Air Force
Arizona
Arizona State
BYU
Colorado
Colorado State
New Mexico
New Mexico State
Nevada
UNLV
Utah
Utah State


Left Coast Conference: This one is straight-up Liberal. We take every school on the coast, and mash them together. Should be fun recruiting grounds, with much less hate than the southeast.

California
Fresno
Hawaii
Oregon
Oregon State
San Diego State
San Jose State
Stanford
UCLA
USC
Washington
Washington State

Tornado Ally Conference: I actually think this is a very competitive conference. Lots of chalk, and of course, Boise State could finally prove themselves.

Boise State
Idaho
Iowa
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Wyoming
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Tulsa

Lake Michigan Conference: Well, these schools will save some coin on travel, but not too strong at all. Michigan, Michigan State or Notre Dame will win every year until the end of time.

Ball State
Central Michigan
Eastern Kentucky
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Michigan State
Northern Illinois
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Purdue
Western Michigan
Wisconsin

YougotstuckwithMarshall Conference: Well someone had to be stuck with the armpit of college athletics. Cheating would be out of control in this conference.

Akron
Bowling Green
Cincinnati
Kent State
Kentucky
Louisville
Marshall
Miami (OH)
Ohio
Ohio State
Toledo
Western Kentucky

The Hell with Four!

So, a question I get quite often is "Chris, what would be your playoff format in college football?" "Is it a plus-one?" "How about eight teams?" "Should it be 16?" Actually, I disagree with all of these. My ideal format would send 20 teams to the postseason, with every conference being represented.

20 teams? Am I nuts? Not really...at least not on this topic. It's not overkill to have that many teams make the playoffs...actually it represents about 17-percent of the entire division (the 68-team basketball tournament represents about 19-percent, with no true complaints other than a handful of teams complaining they didn't get in), and would have at least one representative from every conference(like in college basketball as well).

Here's how it would work...example being the 2010 season's standings/rankings

11 Automatic Bids-Conference Champs

ACC: Virginia Tech
Big East: Connecticut
Big 10: Wisconsin
Big Twelve: Oklahoma
Pac-10: Oregon
SEC: Auburn
Conference USA: Central Florida
MAC: Miami (OH)
Sun Belt: FIU (They beat Troy)
Mountain West: TCU
WAC: Nevada

9 At-Large Bids: Stanford, Ohio State, Arkansas, Michigan State, Boise State, LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Alabama

There would be four brackets with three teams ranked 1, 2, and 3. There would also be one play-in game in each bracket, with the winner taking on the 1-seed. For example, the play-in game would be FIU v Missouri for a chance to play Oregon.

The play-in games would give us 16 teams, leaving four weeks of exciting entertainment. So, you are looking at a total of five weeks of playoff action. If it were this season Dec. 11th would have been the opening weekend, with Jan 11th being the championship. The NCAA could also cut the season down to eleven games, and even eliminate one of the bye weeks to make the schedule even shorter. The bottom line is that kids will be done before the spring semester begins. Though time shouldn't matter. Hell, college hockey players roll from October to April.

Like in college basketball, the games would be played on neutral fields, and could have names like the Rose or Fiesta. Plus, the teams that don't make the playoffs can still play in the Mickey Mouse Bowls.

Simple in theory, but would college presidents ever get on board? Doubtful. The money continues to roll in from the BCS structure, with no end in sight...especially with ESPN's connection.

The BCS does give college football an extremely competive regular season, but a playoff system wouldn't change that...in fact, it would only heighten it. And, who the hell doesn't want to fill out more brackets?

Big East Biletnikoff Watch List

ESPN's Big East Blog released the names of the conference's candidates for the Biletnikoff Award. The award is given annually to the nations best receiver. Let's take a look at the candidates.

Tavon Austin (West Virginia): The converted RB has taken quite a liking to his new position. Austin blew up in 2010 with 58 receptions and eight touchdowns. He is Geno Smith's favorite returning target, mostly lining up in the slot, but also shows plenty of poise from the outside. Look for Austin's numbers to even get better this season with Dana Holgorsen's passer-friendly system. It could be an epic year for Tavon.
2010 Stats: 58 Rec, 787 Yards, 8 TDs
Chance of Winning on a Scale of 1-10: 7.2

Van Chew (Syracuse): Obviously has the best name of anyone on the watch list. He "chewed" up yardage last year(see what I did there?), going for over 600 yards on 41 receptions. He also found the endzone five times, in what turned out to be a prolific 2010 year. Chew's numbers should improve with QB, Ryan Nassib steadily maturing. He doesn't get enough credit for his range, but stats don't lie. He averaged over 16 yards per catch.
2010 Stats: 41 Rec, 611 Yards, 5 Tds
Chance of Winning on a Scale of 1-10: 5.8

Mike Shanahan (Pitt): Ladies and Gentlemen, meet your new Pitt star receiver. Shanahan put up very respectable numbers in 2010. He benefited from Jon Baldwin being double-teamed, and now is the big man in Oakland. Look for Shanahan to be targeted much more in 2011, especially in the redzone, a place he only reached once last season. The stars are aligned for this kid to take over, but will his QB let him down?
2010 Stats: 43 Rec, 589 Yards, 1 TD
Chance of Winning on a Scale of 1-10: 6.5

D.J. Woods (Cincinnati): Woods benefited from key injuries in 2010 and ended up having a superb season. He went over 100 yards receiving three times, and finished with 10 total touchdowns. He did put the ball on the ground numerous times, but the talent is certainly there. Look for a 1,000-plus yard season for the speedy wideout in 2011, especially with his QB improving in Butch Jones' system.
2010 Stats: 57 Rec, 898 Yards, 10 Total TDs
Chance of Winning on a Scale of 1-10: 6.8

Michael Smith (UConn): Academically Ineligible for the 2011 season. Not sure why he is on the list.
2010 Stats: 46 Rec, 615 Yards, 2 TDs
Chance of Winning on a Scale of 1-10: 0.0

Mark Harrison (Rutgers): The dude was a scoring machine last year, with nine touchdowns, including four in one game. Harrison has essentially become the number one threat over Mohamed Sanu, but it is truly a solid one-two combination. Though that combination could harm his chances at winning this award if Sanu stays healthy, and becomes number one again. Either way, it should be another solid season for Harrison.
2010 Stats: 43 Rec, 829 Yards, 9 TDs
Chance of Winning on a Scale of 1-10: 6.5

Big East Mackey Award Watch List

The award watch lists continue to roll out. Today, The Mackey Award names were released. Here is a look at the four Big East candidates.

Ryan Griffin (UConn): He was third on the team in receiving last year with 31 receptions. Griffin could have an even bigger year this season with more consistency from the QB position. He's known for having very solid technique, which should help him get to the next level. If he wants to win this award, he will have to find the endzone a lot more.
2010 Stats: 31 Rec, 245 Yards, 1 TD

Josh Chichester (Louisville): He ended up having a fairly consistent season for the Cards. Chichester only totaled 22 receptions, but five went for touchdowns. The converted WR has shown lots of promise at the position, and could really break out in 2011.
2010 Stats: 22 Rec, 317 Yards, 5 TDs

D.C. Jefferson (Rutgers): A little surprising Jefferson made the list, though just about every team has a representative. Rutgers fans are still waiting to see the 6'6", 258lb manchild take over. He had only 10 receptions last season, and none past November 3rd. It will take a Herculean effort to pull down this award.
2010 Stats: 10 Rec, 166 Yards, 1 TD

Nick Provo (Syracuse): Just like everyone else on the Orange, Provo busted through in 2010. He ended the season with 33 receptions, with an average of 11 yards-per-catch. He's expected to have an even bigger role in 2011, especially with his QB quickly maturing. Just like Griffin, he will have to light up the endzone a bit more to be considered for the Mackey.
2010 Stats: 33 Rec, 365 Yards, 1 TD

Big East Bednarik Watch List

It's now time to take a look at the Big East players on the Bednarik Watch List. The award is for the best defensive player in the nation.

Bruce Irvin (DE, WVU): The sack specialist blew onto the scene last year. Irvin totaled just 21 tackles, but 14 of them were sacks. He also forced two fumbles in his limited play. His biggest question will be can he play on every down, at a high level. If he can then watch out, it could be an epic season.
2010 Stats: 21 Tackles, 14 Sacks, 2 FF
Made-Up Odds: 50-1

Brandon Lindsey (DE/LB, Pitt): Lindsey was the model of efficiency on the d-line last season. He tallied 51 tackles, 16 for loss, and 10 of them being sacks. The big man moves so well on his feet that many mistake him for a linebacker, which he is actually turning into. If his transition to the more athletic, outside position goes smoothly then watch out for a big season.
2010 Stats: 51 Tackles, 10 Sacks, 16 TFL
Made-Up Odds: 75-1

Kendall Reyes (DT, UConn): The meat in the middle will look to have another influential season in Storrs. The big man finished with 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and anchored a solid rush defense. Look for Reyes to continue to improve his stats as he eyes the NFL.
2010 Stats: 39 Tackles, 2.5 Sacks, 2 INT
Made-Up Odds: 95-1

Keith Tandy (CB, WVU): He has improved remarkably over the past few seasons. Tandy has the ability to shut down a side, but still tends to give up a long ball now and again. He finished a stellar 2010 campaign with six picks, truly showing his ball-hawking ways. Expect Tandy to continue to gain in confidence, and also be a leader for the WVU secondary.
2010 Stats: 54 Tackles, 6 INTS, 1 FF
Made-Up Odds: 90-1

Big East Maxwell Watch List

ESPN's Big East Blog has released the names on the Maxwell and Bednarik Watch Lists from the conference. Let's take a look at the Maxwell.

Zach Collaros (QB, Cincinnati): He has the talent to be one of the more versatile QB's in the conference, if not the country. Took a bit of a step back in 2010 due to losing a ton of talent around him, including his three best receivers (two to injury, one to NFL). He also struggled to pin down the new offense that Butch Jones installed at Cincinnati. Look for a bounce-back year for the big signal-caller.
2010 Stats: 2,902 Yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
Made-up Odds: 100-1

Isaiah Pead (RB, Cincinnati): Coming off a solid year for the Bearcats. Pead rushed for over a 1,000 yards, while averaging a whopping 6.6 yards-per-carry. Touchdown numbers were a little low, so that number will have to improve. Expect Pead to put up even better total yards this season, and maybe a bigger role in the passing game.
2010 Stats: 1,219 Total Yards, 7 TD's, 6.6 YPC
Made-Up Odds: 200-1

Ray Graham (RB, Pitt): Took full advantage of his opportunity last season, rushing for over 900 yards in split duty. Graham averaged over six yards a touch, while totaling 10 touchdowns. He will now be the feature back, and could once again put up huge yards if he has the space. Expect teams to load the box, considering Pitt doesn't have a strong passing game.
2010 Stats: 1,135 Total Yards, 10 TD, 6.2 YPC
Made-Up Odds: 125-1

Geno Smith (QB, WVU): Many are calling for him to have a superior year, especially if he's able to pick up Dana Holrogsen's passer-friendly system. He had a breakout year in 2010, showing solid accuracy and great poise under pressure. There are durability questions, but so far has managed to be on the field when it matters. Geno will also have handle a lot of high expectations for the Mountaineers this year.
2010 Stats: 2,763 Yards, 24 TD, 7 INT
Made-up Odds: 75-1

Here is the full list courtesy of the National Football Post. We will take a look at the Bednarik Watch List tomorrow.

Rookie Training Camp Forecast

With more good news coming from the NFL/NFLPA talks, it seems like the right time to start thinking about WVU's newest pro class. Here's a closer look at some of the men trying to make the NFL in 2011.

Brandon Hogan (CB, 4th Round, Carolina): He wasn't just drafted for depth, Carolina believes this kid can make it. Hogan has very good instincts, but size may keep him from ever being outstanding. Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn will probably be the starting tandem, with Richard Marshall on the way out. Expect Hogan to be on Nickle and Dime coverage in year one, with the possibility of becoming an everyday starter in the future.

Robert Sands (FS, 5th Round, Cincinnati): He could be a steal, he could be a bust, or he could be worth a fifth round pick. Sure, you could say that about any draft pick, but many believed Sands had first or second round potential. Others believed his size(6'5", 221) isn't ideal for the Free Safety position in the NFL. He is going to have to prove it isn't an issue. His tackling, and blitzing is solid, but will need to improve his coverage. Expect Sands to be in the mix for a backup roll at FS, and could be on Special Teams Patrol as well.

J.T. Thomas (OLB, 6th Round, Chicago): Well, he's already won the Chicago fans with his awesome gesture earlier this year. However, it will take a lot more to win over the coaches. He's not the biggest or fastest, but shows good leadership and field sense. He will be asked to roll on special teams right away, and will challenge for a backup spot on the outside. Though Nick Roach and Brian Iwuh are both free agents, so anything is possible.

Chris Neild (DT, 7th Round, Washington): One of the most respected Mountaineers to come out, Neild is simply solid. He won't wow anyone with stats. He won't make highlight reels. He is just going to take up a ton of space, and allow the outside to open up. It will be an uphill battle to make Washington. The position is loaded, but who knows with Albert Haynesworth trolling around. Expect Neild to get picked up quickly if let go by Washington.

Undrafted:

Noel Devine (RB): Injuries slowed Devine down in his senior year, but don't expect him to disappear. He will need to find the best situation, and show he can get it done in special teams, as well as the offense. If Devine can stay healthy he will get an opportunity to show how explosive he can be.

Jock Sanders (WR): He has return specialist written all over him. But, can he also play the slot in the NFL? At 5'7" it may be tough, but Sanders will try to prove size doesn't mater. He has the talent to play the position, but will he be durable enough? That will be Jock's biggest question mark.

Scooter Berry (DT): Five years ago he was a college fullback. He will most likely head to an NFL camp as a Nose Tackle. He has a lot riding against him, but has shown the ability to continue to adapt. Don't count this kid out yet.

Taking a Look at The Heisman Odds

A few weeks back bodog released its list of Heisman candidates and their odds. Let's take a closer look at some of the contenders.

Sure Bet: Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford, 9-2): He has the best odds to win, because he is the surefire favorite. Expect him to comfortably win if he continues to progress as a quarterback, or equals last year's performance.
2010 Stats: 3,338 Yards, 32 TD, 8 INT

Second Sure Bet: Trent Richardson (RB, Alabama, 10-1): He finally gets the opportunity to show everyone why he was the number one RB recruit a few years back. He has been very solid in a secondary roll, and has shown what he can do as the man when Mark Ingram was injured. Expect him to get a lot of carries with a new QB in town.
2010 Stats: 700 Yards, 6.3 YPC, 10 Total TD

Bad Bet: Ryan Broyles (WR,Oklahoma, 15-1): You're throwing money away if you bet on Broyles. If he has a Hesiman-like year then his QB, Landry Jones is going to win. The only way for a wideout to win is if their QB is completely incompetent (Rod Rutherford? Reggie Ball?) which Jones is not.
2010 Stats: 131 REC, 1,622 Yards, 14 TD

Longshot Bet: Geno Smith (QB, WVU, 50-1): These are some good betting odds for someone coming off a solid year. The big question is, will he learn Dana Holgorsen's offense quickly? If he does, watch out...could put up monster numbers. He will also face many substandard defenses.
2010 Stats: 2,763 Yards, 24 TD, 7 INT

Long Shot Because of Where He Plays Bet: Kellen Moore (QB, BSU, 18-1): He has the numbers to win. He just doesn't have the attractiveness. The school and television schedule (only two games on ESPN) will hinder his chances.
2010 Stats: 3,845 Yards, 35 TD, 6 INT

Might Win Because His QB is a Drunk Bet: Marcus Lattimore (RB, SC, 7-1): The dude is an absolute tank. He ended up scoring 19 total touchdowns in his Freshman campaign. He also has a disaster of a QB in Stephen Garcia, so Marcus will be relied upon heavily. Durability may be an issue though.
2010 Stats: 1,197 Yards, 19 Total TD, 4.8 YPC

Here are a Few Others to Quickly Rule Out:

Michael Floyd (WR, ND, 40-1): QB issues...alcohol issues
Dayne Crist (QB, ND, 75-1): See above...minus the alcohol
EJ Manuel (QB, FSU, 50-1): First-Year starter...won't have two-in-a-row win
Darron Thomas (Oregon, 35-1): Overshadowed by his RB
Case Keenum (QB, Houston, 35-1): Coming off a severe injury
Matt Barkley (QB, USC, 45-1): Will lose votes due to his team's violations
Nick Foles (QB, Arizona, 45-1): Dude can barely throw.
Dan Persa (QB, Northwestern, 95-1): Come one, its Northwestern.
Russell Shepard (WR, LSU, 50-1): Matt Flynn isn't walking through that door.

Here We Go Again!

Yeah, I'm back. I knew I would be at some point. My first passion wasn't going to die easily. I know what you're probably thinking; Here we go again. How long before he disappears this time around? You're probably right. My success rate with maintaining a blog or blog posts is pretty pathetic....kind of like JD Drew's batting average. It's not that I don't enjoy writing, I just get bored or burned out...or maybe I do hate writing, and just haven't figured it out yet. Well, there's only one way to find out...have to start writing again.

I have been thinking of starting a new blog for about six months. The idea behind this one is to concentrate on one major subject matter. And, as you can probably tell from the blog design it will concentrate on my true passion; Unicorns. Who doesn't love a stallion with a horn? But, aside from those beautiful animals I will be writing primarily on WVU sports. Its my true passion, and a subject I don't get to talk about often. WVU-related questions don't exactly grow on trees in Maine. Hell, college football-related questions are rather sparse.

So, welcome to Flying Dub-V. The new blog by yours truly. I look forward to bringing you opinion on WVU, college sports, probably even some soccer, and maybe even sailing. A big thank you has to go to my family, friends, and listeners. If it wasn't for all you I would be drunk in a ditch somewhere...or maybe I would have a much better life...not sure.

And a big thanks to Epp, Whip, Schools, Matty and everyone else I have shared a blog with over the past seven years. Wish you all continued success.

-danks