Each week during the off-season we will be doing this feature that will simply be called “This Week In College Football”. We will cover the biggest news and stories of the past week and give some opinions and analysis. Let’s not waste any more time, let’s talk college football.
The Lunatic Fringe
Every fan-base has them. That fan that you are embarrassed to be seen cheering for your team, that fan that has crazy outspoken views. The kind of guy that wants Chip Kelley’s head because he couldn’t win the National Championship game. Well, there is this dude jackass that claims to be an Alabama Crimson Tide fan that took a poison, Spike 80DF, and applied it thoroughly to the trees at Toomer’s Corner at Auburn. Not only did he commit this crime but Paul Finebaum, also known as the Jerry Springer of College Football, allowed him to come on his radio show several weeks ago and tell the world about it. The most saddening thing about this crime is that it was perpetrated by a 62 year old grown ass man. It was not a drunken frat prank by some dudes who haven’t learned how to manage their liquor intake yet, it was a premeditated act by a member of the lunatic fringe. A lot of us live and die with our football teams on Saturday during the fall but we don’t go and commit crimes against our rivals like this loser did. Why? Because while we live and die with our football team we also have what is referred to as “common sense” and “decency”. This guy asshole represents everything that is wrong with society and the “me” attitude that personifies some people. There are a lot of great people out there but this person douchebag is the one that will get the press. Alabama doesn’t want to be connected with this act and has started a facebook page called Tide for Toomer’s. Right now it looks like they’ve raised $32,000. While this isn’t the end of the world, poisoning any part of the environment could have harmful effects for years. Besides the eventual killing of the historic trees, it could have bigger implications. Hopefully this guy gets the book thrown at him to make him an example of what not to do. This is not what college football is all about.
OOH YEAH!
The “Macho Man” Tom Savage is transferring to Arizona. Oh wait…you mean he’s not related to Randy Savage? Well, we are covering it anyway because it’s college football! Earlier this off-season former Michigan starter Tate Foricer chose Al Golden and Miami (Fl). This week former Rutgers starter Tom Savage decided to take his talents to Arizona. Savage will have to sit out this year before he “snaps into” the Pac-12 in 2012. Arizona is looking for Savage to come in and immediately compete for a starting spot in 2012. As a freshman Savage had a strong campaign completing 149 of 285 for 2211 yards with 14 TD and 7 INT. But he hit the sophomore slump and battled through injuries in 2011 as he was 43 of 83 for 521 with 2 TD and 3 INT and was replaced at starting QB. If your team needs a QB there are still a couple of transfers out there that haven’t found a home yet. Most notably Ryan Mossakowski and Logan Gray.
SAUNDERS IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE DRAFT
The saga of former South Carolina TE Weslye Saunders finally took a turn for the better this week. We had previously discussed that he would possibly not be eiligble for the NFL draft after sitting out last year and then being dismissed from the Gamecocks squad. Saunders was cleared on Monday and will be taking part in the combine as well as the draft. Saunders is clearly a talented guy who has next level talent if he can turn his attitude around. If Aaron Hernandez can make it in the NFL (and I’m not talking about talent here people) then I’m pretty sure Wesyle can too. Good luck, young fella.
AUBURN HAS MORE TROUBLE THAN JUST TREES
Some conspiracy theorists would tell you that Auburn releasing the information about the Toomer’s trees was to soften the blow about another recruiting scandal/allegation. This blogger isn’t close enough to the situation to make that statement but it is an interesting coincidence at the least since the actual attack on the trees was done in January. OK, here’s the situation (cue Fresh Prince music)…the NCAA was apparently in Louisiana this week to interview several folks about the recruitment of Trovon Reed and Greg Robinson. It’s all about cash money, iphones, Trooper Taylor and Auburn football. You can read about it here and form your own opinion but when there is as much smoke as there has been at Auburn that usually means there is fire.
ASSISTANT COACH SHUFFLE
Mark Richt has done it again. Despite going 6-7 last year and being at the lowest point of his head coaching career he once again connected with a 2-out home run. Last week he named UAB OL Coach Will Friend to his staff (while not a huge hire it should be an upgrade from Stacy Searles, who despite his reputation brought nothing to the UGA OL over the last several years). This week Richt and Todd Grantham dipped into the NFL and grabbed long-time Washington Redskins assistant Kirk Olivadotti to re-place Warren Belin. Olivadotti has been with the Skins since 2000 and was their linebacker coach from 2007-2009 before moving to a defensive assistant last year. His father coached with Grantham as a part of the Houston Texans staff. It’s interesting how Richt can get someone who has been with his team for ten years to come coach for him despite being on the hot-seat with no job security to offer.
Another interesting hire is that of another hot-seat coach UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel. Neuheisel has hired Jim Mastro, who was previously RB’s coach at Nevada for 11 years under Chris Ault. Mastro is brought in to help UCLA with the pistol offense that they adopted last year and he will be coaching F-Backs and TEs. Looks like a good hire to me.
This Week In College Football Archives:
February 13th: Clowney, Forcier, Janzen and Washaun
February 6th: National Signing Day, QB Transfers, Weslye Saunders and Uga VIII
January 30th: Iowa, Recruiting, Paul Johnson, Will Muschamp and Herschel
January 23rd: Coaching Changes, Recruiting, Oversigning, Forcier
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