Sunday, November 21, 2004
Football Saturday on Sunday
(First section originally posted at 3:25 p.m. on Saturday, November 20)
Just came back from watching my former team, Occidental, upset Willamette in the first round of the NCAA III playoffs in Eagle Rock, 28-14. The biggest series came at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Occidental interecepted a pass at near their own goal line, but the offense proceeded to fumble the ball! Oxy held on four downs, the air went out of the Willamette baloon.
As I write this, Wisconsin is not taking advantage of the favor that Ohio State has provided them with the latter's victory over Michigan. Come on Badgers!
Stop reading this and go watch some great football!
-----------------
Argh!
As of late Sunday!
Now what do I do with those extra RB tickets? Well, I think I can sell two of them next door to the Maize and Blue house (no, really, they painted it maize and blue with a white trim years ago).
I can only hope that SC does not go into the tank. I NEED Cal. Saying, or typing, that hurts me except for the fact that I am now totally pro Pac-10 since the Badgers have gone into an exhibit at the Great Lakes Aquarium. At least I got some good video of the urchins when I was there last June.
The second worst possible scenario is having SC win out and Cal blowing the make up game a la UCLA v. Miami a few years back. Had Wisconsin beaten Iowa, I would have predicted a Cal tank aginst Southern Miss. Thankfully, Southern Miss is coming off a bad loss at at the hands of a bad TCU team and it still has to play UAB. Cal should blow these people out.
But what happens if Cal's head coach leaves for Florida before that? With the apparent hiring of Spurrier at the eastern S.C., Florida needs to find a hot coach. Tedford fits the bill.
Of course it is in Tedford's best interest to to clamp down on all of this talk until after this weekend's SC-ND game.
Let's assume for a minute that SC loses this week but still beats UCLA. Cal will be in the top three and will go to the Fiesta Bowl to play Utah if there is any justice in the world. What if Tedford swings a deal to keep Zook as titular OC at Florida? The anti-Zook forces are feeling a bit chagrined as of late, and the man is very popular with the players and RECRUITS! The last thing Florida needs is Zook landing at South Carolina and taking some key state of Florida recruits with him. Even if Cal wins and finishes at #4, I just don't see things changing much in my scenario.
Of course, I'd love to see Tedford out of the Pac-10 recruiting wars. But let's be honest, he would make a TON more money at pro-football Florida than he ever could at pro-Title IX Cal.
------------------
Then there is UNLV
Now who should UNLV hire?
I have to tip my hat to J-Rob. Although his last couple of years were not great, the team is no longer a joke. His upgrading of the facilities for football has made this job a true diamond in the rough situation for anyone who can recruit on the West coast and can bring a decent track record and a brand of exciting football to THE excitement town.
Answer: Bob Toledo
Now the other rumor is Mike Sandford, and no offense to him as I think he is a darn good coach, UNLV needs a name of someone who has shown that he has won at a high level. Toledo's record is not perfect. But he is not J-Rob in retiremnt mode in his second stint at USC. Everything I have heard is that Toledo wants an another chance to win, but he realizes that a mid-major is his stepping stone back to a major team (perhaps TX A&M, but I am getting ahead of myself). I just don't see him taking the Al Borges option (whom he should have given more control to, but that is another story).
Now what should he do for his staff?
I am partial to Bob Moran at Pasadena C.C. as O.C., but I am not sure that he would be a good fit right away. Toledo needs to realize that he needs a true O.C. who he can influence but not control. Toledo needs to be an H.C. Folks like Pete Carol are rare in college football today, and by his actions at UCLA, Toledo has shown he is not quite that type of dual coach.
So, let Moran coach receivers.
Hire Gary Bernardi as O.C. and Tackles-T.E. coach. They worked well together in Westwood, and Gary KNOWS recruiting in the west.
Keep Steve Johns as Recruitng Coordinator and linebacker coach.
Hire Ron Smeltzer from a local L.V. high school who also has serious pro coaching on his resume.
Hire Harry Justvig away from Dixie College in St. George, UT (given the location, need I say more?) and put him where you need him. His resume is impressive.
As for the rest of the staff, I have a bunch of brilliant ideas including hiring me. But the only one I would put above me is Chris Caminiti at Occidental. Now if that blows you away, he has a ring from the Patriots of last year after spending two years as Director of Football Operations and general coach/scout/go-to-guy. Actually, Chris should be the first hire since he spent a year at UNLV as a GA a few years back under Robinson.
Gee... Do you think I know all of these guys?
I could fill out the staff of who ever they hire with perfect fits for the school including most, if not all, of the current staff. But, every HC needs his own guys... I think that the above mentioned men WOULD BE his loyal own guys.
Just came back from watching my former team, Occidental, upset Willamette in the first round of the NCAA III playoffs in Eagle Rock, 28-14. The biggest series came at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Occidental interecepted a pass at near their own goal line, but the offense proceeded to fumble the ball! Oxy held on four downs, the air went out of the Willamette baloon.
As I write this, Wisconsin is not taking advantage of the favor that Ohio State has provided them with the latter's victory over Michigan. Come on Badgers!
Stop reading this and go watch some great football!
-----------------
Argh!
As of late Sunday!
Now what do I do with those extra RB tickets? Well, I think I can sell two of them next door to the Maize and Blue house (no, really, they painted it maize and blue with a white trim years ago).
I can only hope that SC does not go into the tank. I NEED Cal. Saying, or typing, that hurts me except for the fact that I am now totally pro Pac-10 since the Badgers have gone into an exhibit at the Great Lakes Aquarium. At least I got some good video of the urchins when I was there last June.
The second worst possible scenario is having SC win out and Cal blowing the make up game a la UCLA v. Miami a few years back. Had Wisconsin beaten Iowa, I would have predicted a Cal tank aginst Southern Miss. Thankfully, Southern Miss is coming off a bad loss at at the hands of a bad TCU team and it still has to play UAB. Cal should blow these people out.
But what happens if Cal's head coach leaves for Florida before that? With the apparent hiring of Spurrier at the eastern S.C., Florida needs to find a hot coach. Tedford fits the bill.
Of course it is in Tedford's best interest to to clamp down on all of this talk until after this weekend's SC-ND game.
Let's assume for a minute that SC loses this week but still beats UCLA. Cal will be in the top three and will go to the Fiesta Bowl to play Utah if there is any justice in the world. What if Tedford swings a deal to keep Zook as titular OC at Florida? The anti-Zook forces are feeling a bit chagrined as of late, and the man is very popular with the players and RECRUITS! The last thing Florida needs is Zook landing at South Carolina and taking some key state of Florida recruits with him. Even if Cal wins and finishes at #4, I just don't see things changing much in my scenario.
Of course, I'd love to see Tedford out of the Pac-10 recruiting wars. But let's be honest, he would make a TON more money at pro-football Florida than he ever could at pro-Title IX Cal.
------------------
Then there is UNLV
Now who should UNLV hire?
I have to tip my hat to J-Rob. Although his last couple of years were not great, the team is no longer a joke. His upgrading of the facilities for football has made this job a true diamond in the rough situation for anyone who can recruit on the West coast and can bring a decent track record and a brand of exciting football to THE excitement town.
Answer: Bob Toledo
Now the other rumor is Mike Sandford, and no offense to him as I think he is a darn good coach, UNLV needs a name of someone who has shown that he has won at a high level. Toledo's record is not perfect. But he is not J-Rob in retiremnt mode in his second stint at USC. Everything I have heard is that Toledo wants an another chance to win, but he realizes that a mid-major is his stepping stone back to a major team (perhaps TX A&M, but I am getting ahead of myself). I just don't see him taking the Al Borges option (whom he should have given more control to, but that is another story).
Now what should he do for his staff?
I am partial to Bob Moran at Pasadena C.C. as O.C., but I am not sure that he would be a good fit right away. Toledo needs to realize that he needs a true O.C. who he can influence but not control. Toledo needs to be an H.C. Folks like Pete Carol are rare in college football today, and by his actions at UCLA, Toledo has shown he is not quite that type of dual coach.
So, let Moran coach receivers.
Hire Gary Bernardi as O.C. and Tackles-T.E. coach. They worked well together in Westwood, and Gary KNOWS recruiting in the west.
Keep Steve Johns as Recruitng Coordinator and linebacker coach.
Hire Ron Smeltzer from a local L.V. high school who also has serious pro coaching on his resume.
Hire Harry Justvig away from Dixie College in St. George, UT (given the location, need I say more?) and put him where you need him. His resume is impressive.
As for the rest of the staff, I have a bunch of brilliant ideas including hiring me. But the only one I would put above me is Chris Caminiti at Occidental. Now if that blows you away, he has a ring from the Patriots of last year after spending two years as Director of Football Operations and general coach/scout/go-to-guy. Actually, Chris should be the first hire since he spent a year at UNLV as a GA a few years back under Robinson.
Gee... Do you think I know all of these guys?
I could fill out the staff of who ever they hire with perfect fits for the school including most, if not all, of the current staff. But, every HC needs his own guys... I think that the above mentioned men WOULD BE his loyal own guys.
