Last year, the Big 12 was a flutter with big time scoring led by big time spread offenses. This year, it’s more of a sputtering of offense here and there. Sure, there have been big scores but it’s mainly been in the form of blowouts. Shootouts are rare this year as we’re seeing scores like last week’s 10-7 barn burner in Lincoln. Where did the offense go? Did the defense show back up? A couple of factors help lead into why we are seeing such a down turn in offense this year.
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The Crib Sheet returns! Now that we’ve finally shaken off basketball, congrats North Carolina, we can start focusing on college baseball. Psyche! We’re still talking football. This last week saw some interesting cruft float by. Springs practices are going on and we’re starting to get some news trickle out about who’s doing well and who’s tanking. But more on that later. Here’s what else that happened in the past week:
- Rugby is making its presence known in college football with the Texas Longhorn’s punter Justin Tucker. Last year he tried some rugby styled punts and it proved successful. So this year they are asking him and the rest of the punters to try it again both right and left footed. It’s a little dizzying indeed, but it’s great to see some innovation come out of a kicking meme that’s been around forever. Now all Tucker needs is some knocked out teeth to fully bring the rugby pain.
- Tim Griffin reports that a top quarterback recruit from the Wichita area, Blake Bell, has committed to Oklahoma. This stings a little more because he’s right in K-State’s backyard. Oklahoma is the mean machine in the Big 12 so why not go there.
- The New York Times has a piece about Army’s new football coach Rich Ellerson. Apparently his orders are to win now. Seems easy, right? I watched Army play Navy last Thanksgiving and their camoflague uniforms were tight. That’s the only reason I’m rooting this guy to succeed. It sounds kinda gay so don’t tell Rich.
- Chase Daniels looks good as a coach. He was hanging out at the Mizzou practices helping out the new offensive coordinator, Dave Yost. He’s not really gonna make it in the NFL so coaching would be the next best thing for Chase. Just don’t teach them how to eat boogers.
- The Texas Longhorns assistant coaches feel like champions today. They pocketed an extra bonus for the Big 12 Championship, even though technically Oklahoma won the title. Apparently the athletic director talked the school president into the pay. Mack Brown didn’t dip into his bonus. They are sounding a lot like Utah when it comes to titles and championships and such.
We kicked off the off season with our first Mascot Monday here at the KCCGD and now we’re continuing the trend with our first edition of the Crib Sheet. Yup, it’s a weekly news round up of college football with our own little Jamaican Jerk style spice tossed on top. Much like how a good number of student-atheletes need a crib sheet to get by the student part, well lay out what you need to know for college football news wise. Chances are you’ll get better news elsewhere, but you won’t walk away from it with a minty fresh feeling like you would hitting up the Sheet. So buckle up because here we go:
- Notre Dame quelled the rumors that John Gruden will be the new had coach. Charlie Weiss just save his behind whooping Hawaii, why would they go with anyone else. Weiss has one more year and Gruden is still NFL, maybe even for the Chiefs.
- Kansas names Kerry Locklin as their new D-Line coach. He replaces Joe Bob Clemens as Joe Bob comes back home to K-State. Hopefully it was part of some ellaborate, Bill Snyder led, recon mission to sniff out the Jayhawks scheme so the Wildcats can notch a win in forever against the Hawks.
- Michigan hires Greg Robinson as the new Defensive Coordinator. Whoah, so Syracuse dumps him after the Kansas City Chiefs dump him, and now Rich Rodrieguez wants him? I say take him. Let’s hope the tradition of losing carries over to the Wolverines just enough to keep them mediocre.
- Washington had to report a recruiting violation to the PAC 10. Steve Sarkisian is off to a big start by breaking some rules. Looks like the Huskies are not shaking off the Neuheisel stigma anytime soon.
- Tim Griffin tells us that the Big 12 North is cherry picking the hell out of Texas for recruits. Tell us something we don’t know, Tim. Sheezuz.
- Recruiting sucks for the Big 10 this year. Apparently 2 schools can claim five star recruits (Ohio State and Michigan duh). Is this the beginning of the end? Chances are the Big 10 tanking will break the stranglehold on the Rose Bowl.
- In the “Oh my God, he can still get a job” department: Ron Prince is rummored as being in the running for the Offensive Coordinator for Miami o’ Florida. Great, so he can coach down a talented quarterback and jack up some trick plays for the Hurricanes? I’m sold.
- Finally, Former Missouri Quarterback Chase Daniel is a superstar at ESPN. Source indicate he will also film a commercial with Pittsburgh Steelers quaterback Ben Roethlisburger. Chase will play Ben’s younger, less talented brother while they take turns throwing a football at the back of Stuart Scott’s head. Who will knock out the glass eye first? Tune in and find out.
Welp that’s it for round one of the Crib Sheet. Well be back every Wednesday to spit up nuggets of news we chowed down on from previous week. Until then, eat your vitamins and say your prayers, brotha. Yup, the Yeti’s filling his time by watching a lil wrasslin’ Sunday by way of the Royal Rumble. Hey, you gotta pass the time in the off season somewho. As Ric Flair would say, “WHOOOOOOOO!”
College Sports, Kansas City style
