SB Nation - Dan LeFevour

The Future of Matt Hasselbeck is the Future of the Seattle Seahawks, Pt. 3

John Morgan — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:59:19 -0000

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

In which Seattle signs Jason Campbell to outperform Matt Hasselbeck and maybe he does.

I hope Mike Holmgren signs with Cleveland. I have selfish interest, namely Seattle not re-signing Holmgren, but I have more noble interests as well. Cleveland has one of the youngest, most talented offensive lines in the NFL. It starts Joe Thomas at left tackle, Eric Steinbach at left guard and Alex Mack at center. Right guard Hank Fraley and right tackle John St. Clair are interchangeable organizational soldier types. It doesn't have great skill position talent, but that's where Holmgren shines. He finds scheme appropriate players that can excel behind a dominant offensive line. Holmgren is also an expert at developing young quarterbacks.

Why start with a tangent? In this scenario, Seattle ditches Matt Hasselbeck and signs free agent Jason Campbell. Tim Ruskell is out and his departure hints at a potential rebuild, but if Seattle can win some down the stretch, and especially if Seattle can win some down the stretch because of its Ruskell built defense, the Seahawks might adapt certain Ruskell ideals even without Ruskell.

Ruskell was risk adverse. He had a narrow definition of "his guy". His aversion to risk may have served him well, but his narrow definition did not. Consider Deon Butler. Ruskell traded into the third round to select Butler because Butler was "his guy". Butler dripped Ruskell: Four-year starter at a major conference powerhouse, undersized but fast, coachable, hard working and quietly productive. Ruskell conflated "his guy" with risk aversion and overpaid for a risky player. Despite his track record and accolades, Butler could bust because he is overmatched by NFL competition.

Ruskell spent big to get his guy, but his guy was never less risky than Juaquin Iglesias, Mike Thomas, Brian Hartline, Louis Murphy, Austin Collie or Johnny Knox - the six receivers selected after Butler. And only Iglesias has underperformed Butler. Ruskell projected his internal bias on the players he drafted. It rarely conflicted with his risk aversion, but when it did, it often spelled failure.

Campbell is a prime target for any risk adverse general manager. His connections to Auburn's unbeaten season might have spoken to Ruskell's personal bias, but his standing as a young, established NFL quarterback speaks to rational roster construction. Campbell has the tools of an NFL quarterback - arm strength, size, mobility - and those tools are NFL tested. He has adapted to multiple playbooks and played near league average football on some very poorly constructed offenses. As we've seen in Chicago and Denver, the quarterback may be the center and most essential part of any NFL offense, but it is not more important than the other ten men that take the field.

This Plan Might Be Enacted Thus:

Seattle trades or cuts Hasselbeck. It wishes him well, gives lip service to rebuilding and is satisfied to see him sign with Cleveland. Hasselbeck joins muscle milk buddy Brady Quinn and assumes the Trent Dilfer role.

Walter Jones retires.

Seattle cuts Patrick Kerney, Deion Branch and Seneca Wallace.

That gives the Seahawks money to burn. Seattle signs Campbell to a frontloaded contract with a third-year buyout clause. Campbell is playing through the last year of his rookie contract and though he's rich, he's not quarterback rich. Seattle buys maneuverability and Campbell's services by stacking his 2010 salary with zeroes.

Seattle could still be a player in free agency after signing Campbell. It will attempt to fill holes and free itself to draft best available talent throughout the draft.

Signing Campbell and cutting dead weight frees Seattle to make a big splash in the NFL draft. It has money to afford another early first round prospect and the picks to trade up. It could take a centerpiece player on defense like Ndamukong Suh. By releasing Hasselbeck and signing Campbell, the burden falls off the offense. Seattle buys itself time. If Campbell struggles in Seattle's still wrecked 2010 offense, he's young and can be released. Campbell has a bad reputation. He hasn't earned Seahawks fan loyalty and we are unlikely to experience the same kind of revulsion and outrage watching him battered to bones as we do watching Hasselbeck torn asunder.

Campbell is signed as a stopgap+. The Seahawks compliment the signing with a project quarterback selected sometime in 2010's epic quarterback draft. A looming correction to the onerous rookie pay scale is encouraging players to declare, and while the draft lacks a Matt Ryan or Peyton Manning, it might be the deepest quarterback draft in modern history. Colt McCoy, Zac Robinson, Sean Canfield, Ryan Mallett, Dan LeFevour, Pat Devlin and Tony Pike will all likely fall deep into the second day. Seattle will have an established starter for 2010 to test its system and offense, and a talented young quarterback developing behind the scenes.

How it works: Seattle successfully moves into the top of the draft and selects a once in a generation defensive talent. That helps push Seattle's cheap, young and talented, but by no means dominant, defense from potential to production. The team is not a contender again in 2010, but it's close.

Campbell outperforms Hasselbeck. He's younger and healthier and continues to play like a league average quarterback. Campbell could also breakout. Seattle is set for either possibility. It builds its offense towards the future by continuing Ruskell's habit of drafting late and mid-round offensive talent and seeing who shakes out. The major rebuild will wait until next offseason. 2010 is about seeing what they have and what they need, something a diminished Hasselbeck has made difficult to impossible this season.

The young defense provides excitement and gives the team a direction and identity. Campbell's arm opens the run game and Seattle executes the grind and smother attack Jim Mora and Greg Knapp seek. The team takes a flier on another young back (or two) and someone sticks, filling out a balanced and productive if unspectacular committee of backs. It's Ground Chuck all over again.

How it fails: Seattle cuts Hasselbeck but doesn't sign Campbell, or Seattle retains Hasselbeck and projects to have one of the worst offenses in football in 2010, or Seattle signs Campbell but Campbell performs no better than Hasselbeck and Seattle's young quarterback is prematurely forced into action. The meat of this is that Seattle does not spend enough on its offense and that offense again undermines the defense.

Contrarily, the defense never steps up. It continues to stifle the run but still cannot stop the pass. Seattle's defensive savior is a rookie and like Aaron Curry, more potential than player. The defense is average, but no better and as the offense putters towards the bottom of the league, the not-good-enough defense shoulders the consequences. Seattle changes the face of its failures but not its failures and what little can be salvaged from Ruskell's roster is older, more expensive and closer to free agency. Campbell is signed to stave off a full rebuild and does. He plays two seasons of league average football and is cleared when Seattle must clean house in 2012.

The Future of Matt Hasselbeck is the Future of the Seattle Seahawks, Pt. 2

John Morgan — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:26:51 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

John Carlson, Justin Forsett, Deon Butler and Max Unger form the existing core of offensive talent that Seattle can build around. Chris Spencer, Rob Sims and Sean Locklear could be retained too. If Seattle begins its move towards the offense of the future, McBow and Sparkly New Skill Position Player will join this core in 2010.

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There is no third-year wide receiver rule and no single path a quarterback takes to competence. The Seattle Seahawks could employ any strategy this offseason and still not start a competent quarterback in 2010, 2011 and 2012. If it sticks with Matt Hasselbeck, it will commit itself to Hasselbeck's decline phase, starting him in his age 35, 36 and 37 year-old seasons. For perspective, a quarterback performs at 83.2% of total capacity at 34, but historically, that capacity drops to 76.8, 69.9 and 62.9% from 35 to 37. The Seahawks could attempt to offset that decline through building a better team.

Whoever drafts Hasselbeck's replacement, whoever that replacement is, and however that replacement is integrated into the offense, the Seahawks will most likely decline as a passing offense in 2010. Old quarterbacks lose ability in chunks. Young quarterbacks gain ability in leaps. The two cross paths sometime around an old quarterback's age 36 season and a young quarterback's age 24 season.

Hasselbeck will turn 35 next season. Seattle can retain him through the end of his contract while simultaneously adding the quarterback of the future. Hasselbeck would be the presumed starter and presumably better than his young replacement, help transition Seattle towards its future, and potentially resurrect his own career, should he desire.

That's why I dub this the "Graceful Exit Plan." Seattle could draft a quarterback in the top ten, but is less likely to with Hasselbeck under contract and costing $10 million against the cap. In the last ten drafts, two quarterbacks have been selected in the top ten five times. In the last twenty drafts, two quarterbacks have been selected in the top ten ten times. It's difficult to project a draft so early in the process, but it is likely Jimmy Clausen will join Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow, Tony Pike, Dan LeFevour and Sean Canfield atop this year's quarterback class.

Clausen is the most likely top-ten pick. The impact of keeping Hasselbeck is that Seattle is unlikely to select a quarterback within the top ten, and therefore we will assume Clausen is unlikely, Bradford could likewise be unlikely, but the remaining five will be available. The remaining five represent the most likely pool of replacements for Hasselbeck.

Canfield's age is not publically listed, Rotoworld lists him at 108, but he is a senior now and graduated from high school early to attend spring drills. It's most likely that Canfield is 22, and like most of the rest of his class, will be a 23 to 24 year-old rookie.

It's ridiculous to discuss a quarterback prospect's upside. Every legitimate prospect is capable of making Canton or selling Cadillacs in five years. Likewise, the age guidelines presented by Pro Football Reference evidence that quarterback development is initially about experience. The greatest single delta is between age 21 and age 22, when a quarterback jumps 22.2%, and the second greatest is between 22 and 23, when a quarterback jumps 18.5%. Most 22 year old quarterbacks are rookies. All 21 year old quarterbacks rookies. After the sophomore sprint growth is more gradual.

The Plan Might Be Enacted Thus:

Hasselbeck is a lame duck. The media loves to pick on such situations and tease out whatever controversy possible. The ownership, management and Hasselbeck must agree to bury the subject and unite behind a common plan. That starts the day after the draft, when the team provides a unified front: Hasselbeck is the starter, but his drafted replacement, the future.

If Greg Knapp is still Seattle's offensive coordinator, Seattle's pick will most reflect his personal preferences in a quarterback. Tim Ruskell has deferred to his coaching staff, sometimes smartly, and sometimes, like when re-signing Shaun Alexander, stupidly. It will reflect Knapp's system and Ruskell's eye for talent. Let's quickly vet potential candidates.

Knapp Approved:

McCoy

Tebow

LeFevour

Canfield

Ruskell Approved:

McCoy

Tebow

Tebow could fall off Knapp's list and Canfield appear on Ruskell's. The most likely candidate is McCoy. He fits Knapp's system and passes Ruskell's standards. Tebow is the second most likely candidate and then maybe Canfield. I'll run with Tebow and McCoy, because the two are similar types and would be built around in a similar fashion.

We'll assume Seattle's spends its first overall pick on McBow. Seattle would not likely spend additional early picks on the offensive line. Knapp would protect the quarterback by moving the pocket, establishing the run and extending the short passing attack. It would want a top receiver to pair with T.J. Houshmandzadeh, replace or eventually replace Nate Burleson (2010 is voidable), grow with McBow and one day power the McSeaBow's offense. Or, should that talent be unavailable, an elite running back prospect to lead Seattle's developing committee of backs.

Knapp likes speed and Ruskell likes polish. The two might settle on Brandon LaFell. Many players are faster than Lafell, but few are more polished. Lafell does not satisfy Knapp's desire for speed, but he can be a deep threat. He's a big player, known for his blocking ability, that passes Ruskell's standards and can fit within Knapp's system.

If Seattle retains or re-signs Burleson, or postpones its need at wide receiver, it could address its defense or add a running back. The one thing it will not likely do is invest heavily into its offensive line. Another GM might.

Seattle will face a difficult free agency before it reaches the draft. Retaining Hasselbeck means a major chunk of its salary cap is invested into a player very unlikely to contribute to its future. It could cut Patrick Kerney and Walter Jones, either, but it would be hard pressed to retain all three. It must cut someone or be dragged down by sunk cost.

That period will determine who Seattle targets in the draft, but skill position and defense should populate their prime targets.

How it Works: Seattle's coaching staff and executives buy themselves a stay of execution. Emphasis is on the future and Seattle's existing offense is culled for talent. One of Chris Spencer and Rob Sims will join Deon Butler, Max Unger, Justin Forsett, John Carlson, McBow and Sparkly New Skill Position Player to form Seattle's offensive core going forward.

McBow starts for most of the preseason and subs if Hasselbeck is injured or grossly ineffective. Hasselbeck endures his victory lap with statesman-like aplomb and tutors his young understudy, to whatever undetermined effect. Seattle is not a true contender in 2010, but it could contend for the NFC West. The defense gels and Seattle's young offense shows flashes.

How it Fails: If Seattle cannot sooth Hasselbeck but feels compelled to retain him, it will struggle to keep the media hounds at bay. Management accepts 2010 as a season spent towards its future, but the media exploits the fanbase's impatience, growing dissatisfaction and entitlement, and not so subtly splits the franchise between Hasselbeck and management; The past and the future; winning and the losing it takes to win again.

McBow struggles in the preseason and is stuck behind Mike Teel or Seneca Wallace on Seattle's depth chart. The offense, built to be cheap and good, versus expensive and dominating, like the Seahawks of yore, is cheap and bad. The defense does not pick up the slack. The Seahawks spiral towards their third straight losing season, a little older, and further wedged between a full rebuild and mediocrity.

Friday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:05:38 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

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Considering there are 13 games on today, we'll do a double-shot of watch notes this weekend.

• Rutgers junior Anthony Davis is emerging as perhaps the second-best tackle prospect in the nation after Oklahoma State's Russell Okung. Davis has a body that is NFL ready and he is at times dominant. Davis can struggle against speed rushers, but he's an elite run-blocking tackle.

Also in the Rutgers/Lousville game, keep an eye on Scarlet Knight cornerback Devin McCourty. The senior is slightly undersized, but he has great athleticism. He's really come on as the season has progressed and may be a solid mid-round talent.

• Auburn's run offense is one of the best in the nation, so today could be a showcase day for Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain. The leader of the Crimson Tide defense has the task of tracking down the Tiger's Ben Tate, a talented mid-round prospect. If you watch this game today, watch how McClain leads his defense and how he gets off blocks.

Auburn has its own stellar junior middle linebacker in Josh Bynes. He leads the team in tackles with 84 to go along with seven pass breakups, four tackles for a loss and a sack. Bynes is a physical run defender and a good 3-4 middle linebacker prospect.

• Everyone talks about Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh, and justly so, but don't sleep on redshirt sophomore Jared Crick. The defensive tackle has 14 tackles for a loss, nine sacks and two fumble recoveries this season. He's big at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds and should only get stronger. If he enters the draft, don't be shocked if he's taken in the first 75 picks.

• Sleeper alert: Ohio wide receiver Taylor Price is an athletic freak. He reportedly runs the 40-yard dash in the mid-4.3 range and has good size at 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds. On the year, Price has 48 receptions for 639 yards and five touchdowns.

• Illinois might be having a disappointing season, but that's not because of the play of guard Jon Asamoah. The senior is a good telephone booth blocker and has good footwork. He's kind of a tweener tackle/guard kind of lineman, but he'll offer a team solid late-round depth.

• As mentioned here last week, Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour is starting to put together a phenomenal season. On the season, he's completing 70 percent of his passes with 2,627 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Look for him to have another stellar day today against a weak Northern Illinois defense.

LeFevour on unbelievable run

Mocking Dan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:15:08 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

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Yes, it's against Mid-American Conference competition, but Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour is beginning to assert himself as one of the top players in the nation.

Over the last two games he's a ridiculous 49 for 59 passing for 605 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. He's had five more touchdowns running the ball.

On the season, he's completing 70 percent of his passes with 2,627 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions.

LeFevour is a mobile quarterback coming from a spread offense, but he has solid NFL tools. He puts good velocity on his passes and can throw really well on the move. He plays with a lot of toughness and played well earlier this season against Michigan State.

LeFevour is emerging as a solid mid-round prospect in the draft. At the very least he could be a solid backup.

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:40:59 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

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• Clearly the top matchup of the day is one between Oklahoma and Texas. Quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy will be the main attraction, but watch Sooners left tackle Trent Williams. He's had some struggles moving from the right side this season and will be tested by Texas' Sergio Kindle.

Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks is one of the top junior cornerbacks in the nation. He gets overshadowed some by fellow junior Joe Haden. Today he could go head-to-head with Texas senior Jordan Shipley.

• Today could be the day Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen really gets the attention of NFL evaluators. Against USC last season Clausen struggled in the face of pressure. If he plays poised, shows good pocket presence and has completes a high percentage of passes, there's no reason to think Clausen shouldn't challenge Bradford or Jake Locker as the top quarterback among scouts.

If USC's Everson Griffen matches up against Notre Dame's Sam Young, the matchup will be a good one. Young is fairly underrated and has really good size and strength. Griffen is a good all-around pass rusher who has a chance to show what he can do against an NFL-sized left tackle.

• No one is talking about it, but one of best one-on-one contest to watch today is in in the Kentucky/Auburn game. Wildcats middle linebacker Micah Johnson is strong against the run. For the Tigers, running back Ben Tate is one of the most underrated running backs in the nation. Both are third or fourth round talents.

• Going against Georgia's A.J. Green, arguably the best receiver in the country, Vanderbilt cornerback Myron Lewis can boost his stock today. Lewis is a good all-around cornerback, but he doesn't have true No. 1 shutdown skills. He can prove otherwise today.

• Florida has one of the best defensive lines in the country. So today could be a long day for Arkansas senior guard Mitch Petrus. He's one of the better guards in the nation, but gets by mostly on heart and effort. The Gators will be his biggest test of the season.

• Minnesota wide reciever Eric Decker is having a fantastic year. In six games, he has 46 receptions for 689 yards. Penn State sophomore D'Anton Lynn is turning into a shutdown cornerback. Lynn is 6-foot-1, so Decker could be challenged big time today.

• Quarterbacks will be the name of the game in the Central Michigan/Western Michigan contest. Some like Central's Dan LeFevour, who is athletic and mobile. Others prefer Western's Tim Hiller, who is a pure pocket passer. Both have been inconsistent this season and look like third rounders, at best.

• Prediction: Today is the day Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead begins to turn his season around. The Rebels play a listless UAB team and Snead could get back on the first-round radar.

Mid-Major College Football Week 2: Rocks, Papers, Scissors

umass09 — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:18:09 -0000

Rocks: Brandon West, RB, Western Michigan

The Broncos suffered a tough loss to Indiana this past Saturday 23-19. The offense was decent, but Brandon West averaged 2.4 yards per carry and finished with 36 yards on the ground. West didn't even find the end zone and against a team like the Hoosiers who rank 7th in the Big 10 in total defense, the Broncos should have had more success on the ground.

Paper: Ricky Bustle, HC, Louisiana-Lafayette

Although it could be easy to give this to Kevin Sumlin, of Houston or Butch Jones at Central Michigan, there has to be some recognition for the Sun Belt conference and Louisiana-Lafayette Rajin Cajuns. Ricky Bustle led his team to a 17-15 win over Big 12 foe, Kansas State Wildcats on the road. They were down early on, but then jumped out to a 14-3 lead at half. Late in the fourth quarter, KSU came back to go up 15-14 and then with less then a minute left, the ULL, kicked the game-winning field goal to solidify a 17-15 victory of KSU.

Scissors: Tie between Case Keenum, QB, Houston and Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan

Both quarterbacks took their teams into hostile environments and came away with huge wins.

Keenum brought the Cougars into Stillwater, OK and won by double digits 45-35 over the Cowboys. He went 32-46, 366 passing yards and three touchdowns. Keenum also added 16 yards on the ground and one rushing touchdown. This was the first time in over 20 years that the Cougars have beat a Top 5 team.

LeFevour narrowly escaped a victory in East Lansing as Central Michigan beat Michigan State 29-27. Similar numbers to Keenum, LeFevour went 33-46, 328 yards through the air and three touchdowns. He brought his team within one point with under a minute left in the game with an 11-yard touchdown pass which led to the successful onside kick and game-winning field goal. He also became the Mid American Conference all-time leader in total offense.

Week 1: A tough week for the MAC

Jerry Burnes — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:45:09 -0000

Tyler Sheehan posted one of the bright spots in Week 1 of the NCAA season for the Mid-American Conference.

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Overview: The MAC had a tough go around in Week 1, going 3-10 overall and 0-4 versus the Big Ten. Winners were Buffalo, Bowling Green and Kent State; all MAC East teams. The three wins were not terribly impressive, however, it was good to see teams like Temple and Ohio in competitive games, especially Ohio versus Connecticut. Wisconsin beat themselves more in the second half than NIU did, but a 28-20 loss still looks good for the conference.

The High Point: Bowling Green trouncing Troy 31-14. Troy is tough opponent traditionally and usually makes bowl games with no problem. The game was close, 14-14 heading into the fourth quarter, until the Falcons tacked on 17 points. One of the potential stud MAC quarterbacks Tyler Sheehan was 32-for-44 passing for 339 yards and two scores. He did throw one pick. Freddie Barnes grabbed 15 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Willie Geter posted 49 yards on nine carries. Great win for BGSU to start of their season.

The Low Point: Ball State losing to North Texas 20-10. For this, let's compare last year's records: Ball State was 12-2, North Texas, 1-11. Redshirt freshman Kelly Page was as advertised when he ran with the ball (7-53) but was 15-for-34 throwing for just 140 yards, no scores and one interception. MiQuale Lewis carried the ball 15 times for 103 yards and a touchdown. The defense was the biggest letdown, as it allowed 296 rushing yards and 216 passing yards (Ball State had 169 and 140 respectively). The Cardinals really missed their opportunities. North Texas had nine penalties for 81 yards compared to 4-30. Turnovers were even but NT held the ball for over 37 minutes.

By The Numbers: 30. That's how many points were put up by the top four of the top five offenses in the MAC this week. Central Michigan scored six against Arizona, Western Michigan scored seven on Michigan, Ball State scored 10 and Akron scored seven on Penn State. I didn't have high scoring thoughts for the Zips but thought Ball State would roll, the Chips to score at 20 (lost 19-6) and Tim Hiller to get in a shootout in Ann Arbor. Hiller has the best excuse, his team has no defense so he was throwing a lot (38 times). He also apparently doesn't have an offensive line to stop Brandon Graham.

Biggest Hole To Fill: Northern Illinois had the top-ranked MAC defense last year and second most improved defense next to Navy in 2008. What helped the Huskies do that was a consistant pass rush of either Larry English, or the guy benefiting from the double teaming of Larry English. Against Wisconsin, the Huskies had no pass rush. In this case, hardly any of a pass defense. I thought I'd be more worried about Dan LeFevour's mediocre 18-for-31, 108 but once he hits MAC play he'll be back in form. NIU needs to address this quickly especailly with Purdue (52 points against Toledo), Tim Hiller and Toledo's passing attack on the horizon before the mid-point of the season.

Making A Statement: The MAC East showed up to play. Temple lost via last second field goal to Villanova, Bowling Green won decisively, Kent State shutout Coastal Carolina (as they should have), Buffalo won, Ohio played close and Akron faced a title contendor, so we'll let them off. The West faced tougher opponents but will be marred by Miami-OH's 42-0 loss to Kentucky, Ball State's shame, a lack of offense from its stud quarterbacks and a disappointing debut for Ron English. The West should be thankful Wisconsin broke down, as that game was on its way to ugly after a 28-6 score after three quarters.

This Week: Things don't look too much better in Week 2. It starts with a favorable matchup for Toledo against Colorado at the Glass Bowl. They have a chance to win. NIU should rout Western Illinois. Eastern Michigan draws Northwestern, Central takes on Michigan State, Western heads to Indiana and Akron duels with Morgan State, which might be comparable to a high school team after seeing Penn State. Ball State has New Hampshire and Ohio draws North Texas in two games with huge question marks after they was BSU and NT played last week. Now it gets ugly: Buffalo draws Pittsburgh but are at home so they can prove something here. Kent State travels to Boston College. Bowling Green takes on No. 25 Missouri who routed Illinois. Finally, Miami (Ohio) travels to No. 12 Boise State on the Smurf Turf.

Prediction Time: Toledo falls to Colorado; NIU wins big; EMU falls; Central loses again, Western beat Indiana; Akron rolls; Ball State wins; Ohio wins; Buffalo loses; Kent State loses pretty bad; Bowlling Green runs out of gas and falls hard; and Miami take a whipping.

Week's Record: 5-7

Poll

Which team was the biggest disappointment in Week 1?

Central Michigan

3 votes

Western Michigan

5 votes

Ball State

19 votes

Miami (Ohio)

1 votes

Northern Illinois

3 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

3 months ago: Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels, left, talks to quarterback Tom Brandstater during a break in the action at a NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Denver on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/ Ed Andrieski )

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It's a regular season Football Tuesday, friends. What could be better? Welcome to another edition of ST&NO. I didn't watch a lot of Week 4 preseason football this week, because, let's face it, most of those games feature very little play by regulars. I did get into college football though, and I did put together some thoughts toward a season preview. Without further ado, let's jump right into it. Ready......... BEGIN!!!

1. You have to love the MSM echo chamber. A couple of these guys get to saying something, and next thing you know, the (mostly uneducated) opinion of a few becomes FACT. The funniest example to me was the 2006 Draft. The evening before the big day, the Texans, who had been assumed by everybody in the media to be preparing to draft Reggie Bush first overall, announced that they had agreed to terms with Mario Williams, and would be picking the Defensive End first the next day.

The Texans got brutally hammered by the instant analysis, as you'd expect. This must be about money, the punditry said. Charley Casserly must be cheap and/or out of his mind. Why would Bob McNair even let him run this draft, when he knew he was being let go? Was Casserly trying to sabotage the team on his way out?

After one year, it was ACCEPTED FACT that the Texans had screwed up. Williams struggled a bit, like young defensive linemen usually do, and Bush showed some flashes, especially in a playoff game against the Bears. The Texans screwed up, and they should serve as a lesson to other teams who are blessed have the first overall pick, and who don't want to screw it up themselves.

A funny thing happened in 2007, though. Mario Williams turned into (and continues to be) the best Defensive End in the NFL, and Reggie Bush proved to to be an injury-prone, part-time player. You haven't heard any mea culpas from Len Pasquarelli or John Clayton, in the aftermath of this. They were sure, and they had it DEAD WRONG, and there's no acknowledgment of that fact, whatsoever. I personally think that makes them cowards, and I remember it as an example of how not to behave, when I get something wrong, which I do from time to time (but far less often than they do.)

Remember when Bill Belichick stuck with Tom Brady for the playoffs, even when Drew Bledsoe got healthy back in 2001? He got killed, until Brady won their first Super Bowl against the mighty St. Louis Rams. This happens all the time.

Fast-forward to 2009. Clayton projects that the Broncos will go 3-13 this season, and be the second worst team in the NFL, behind Detroit. Unless a New York Mets-like spate of injuries befalls the team, he is DEAD WRONG. If I am wrong, and he is right, I will man up to it publically, like I always do, but that's not going to happen. The 2009 Denver Broncos are a competitive football team, I am sure of it.

I fancy myself, among other things, to be something of a football philosopher. The following beliefs dominate my thinking about the game.

a. The most important determinant in winning or losing football games is turnovers. The second most important determinant is field position. (Turnovers get the edge, because they usually afford the opponent excellent field position, in addiiton to the ball.)

b. Successful offensive teams must be able to pass the ball in the first half to get leads in games, and run the ball in the second half to protect leads. The ability to throw is of foremost importance, though.

c. Successful defensive teams must understand item b. and be prepared to act accordingly.

d. Scoring area offense and defense are always the difference between average teams and excellent teams. At the end of the day, your offense needs to score more points than your defense allows.

This 2009 Denver Broncos team has been put together brilliantly, and it adheres very closely to the philosophy which I just laid out. Consider the following facts about the Broncos, as presently constructed:

a. Kyle Orton has a pretty good history of protecting the football, where the previous Quarterback had a history of giving the ball to the defense a lot.

b. The Broncos, in the preseason, at least, showed better punt and kick coverage outcomes than we've seen in years, the one long Devin Hester return notwithstanding.

c. Alphonso Smith didn't get to return a lot of kicks, but he looked explosive every time he touched the ball, and that's something to be excited about. We know Eddie Royal can make plays in the return game, as well.

d. This team will pass the ball very well, regardless of who is doing the throwing. The offensive line is outstanding in pass protection, and there is no better group of players catching the ball (between WR, TE, and RB) in the NFL. Trust me, the ball is going to move through the air, and a lot of teams who rely heavily on rushing the passer are going to struggle to contain the Broncos, when their guys don't get close to Orton.

e. I believe the Broncos are going to run the ball very effectively as well. We didn't get to see Knowshon Moreno much in the preseason, but he looked tremendous when we did. Peyton Hillis and Correll Buckhalter are also capable runners, and Lamont Jordan at least used to be one.

f. The defense, which was one of the worst in NFL history last season, is much improved, against both run and pass. I particularly like the physicality I see from the front 5 in the running game, and Elvis Dumervil's ability to get pressure off the offense's left edge. Robert Ayers has been steadily improving too, and it won't be long before he starts on the left side of the defense. The secondary is older, obviously, but has shown a very nice ability to cover on the outside. If we see a lot of Wesley Woodyard in for Andra Davis in second-and-long situations, this can be an above-average defense, against both run and pass.

g. The scoring-area performance is the wild card. This is an 8-8 team with average performance there, and a better team with better performance. I believe that scoring area defense will be excellent, and that scoring area offense will be above average, and improve as the season goes on.

This is an 11-5 football team, and it's one that is only going to improve as it adds more quality talent in the next few years. I put my money where my mouth is too, donating $11 to the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure, on John Bena's wife's behalf. Please do the same thing, if you can, by donating $1 for every win you think the Broncos will get this season. Things have to break right for that to happen, sure, but I think they will. Forget last season, this is a totally different thing.

"Professor" John Clayton thinks that so much roster turnover is bad, but when you were terrible on one side of the ball, it's actually really good. I personally like having 8 new starters on defense, from last season. And remember, there's only 1-2 new starters on offense, depending on how RB works out. And, by the way, Clayton couldn't be a professor at The College of Wig Design and Basket Weaving. Knowledge doesn't come with looking like a complete nerd, I'm sorry. He is going to be proven wrong again, and all anybody in the MSM will say is "They came out of nowhere. Who could have possibly seen it coming?"

2. Wow, 11-5, huh? I actually went through the entire NFL schedule, and picked it game by game for all teams. It satsified my accountant's need to have the total wins equal the total losses, and it seemed more scientific than just throwing a high-level WAG (accountant-speak for Wild-Ass Guess) at each record. The following is my prediction for team records.

As I indicated, I did this game-by-game, with no thought given to what final records should end up being. For example, I thought Green Bay might have the best record in the NFC, but their schedule played out to 11-5, the way I figured it. I feel like I have the Jets, Bengals, and 49ers somewhat too low, but that's how it came out.

By the way, the Broncos five losses are to the Patriots, Giants, and Raiders at home, and the Chargers and Eagles on the road. I know a lot of people will groan at the thought of losing to Oakland at home, but let's face it, the Broncos annually lose a game they have no business losing, and I had a feeling that that would be the one. I think they can beat Baltimore and Pittsburgh, because they protect the QB, and will be strong defensively against the run. It's about matchups, in those cases. Really, I believe that the Broncos can beat any team on their schedule if they execute, and consistently do the things you need to do to win football games.

At a league-wide level, give me Pittsburgh and Indianapolis as AFC Wild Cards, and Philadelphia and Minnesota in the NFC. I'll take the Eagles to beat the Titans in the Super Bowl, as things stand today. Of course, I speculated all of this, but I think I put more time into it than most MSMers did, and I feel pretty good about the results, for the most part.

3. Some random college football thoughts, from the opening weekend:

a. Notre Dame is a lot better than I thought they were. They have a lot of speed on defense, now, and I think they're primed for a big season. Of course, as we know, anybody who ever worked under Bill Belichick is doomed to failure, but expect Charlie Weis' seat to cool considerably, because the Irish should be in a BCS bowl game this year.

b. How about BYU, beating Oklahoma? People will point to the Bradford injury, and they have a point, but the Cougar defense was fast and physical, and they won the game. BYU may have a shot to play in the National Championship game, if you look at their fairly-strong schedule, and consider the credibility that Utah gave the Mountain West Conference last season.

c. Greg Paulus is a good QB for Syracuse. He may even emerge as a decent NFL prospect, though I am not ready to call him that yet. Remember, the Packers looked at him this offseason, before he decided to go to grad school at Syracuse.

d. Florida is still definitely the team to beat, and only Alabama looks like they have a chance of doing it, in the SEC. They wouldn't see each other until the SEC Championship game, which would be a rematch of a pretty tense, close game from last December, if it happened.

e. I'd like to see USC's restocked defense against a real team. Since there aren't any on their schedule until they play California the first weeknd in October, and there are none after that, Ohio State will have to do, this weekend.

f. Big up the Naval Academy for going toe-to-toe with the Buckeyes in Columbus, which is a really tough place to play. I expect the Midshipmen to have a nice year, and play in a solid bowl game. Their QB, Ricky Dobbs, might be the best one they've ever had.

g. I don't mind beating up on ESPN from time to time, but I do give them a lot of credit for being progressive with gender roles on their broadcast teams. I watched a lot of the Syracuse-Minnesota game on Saturday, because I was curious about Paulus, and Pam Ward did a fantastic job on play-by-play. She and Ray Bentley make a very nice team, and really, they should be on some better games, instead of the terrible Mike Patrick and the just-OK Craig James.

ESPN also has Doris Burke as an analyst for men's college and pro basketball, which is even more progressive. She does a great job too, and she really knows the game, having been a coach in the past. Despite the sort of chauvinistic slant of sports media over the years, it's good to see women who have something to contribute being given the chance to do so. Here at MHR, we get outstanding contributions from women like Colorado Kitten, mhrsgirl, batgirl, Silverblood, and others, and it's great to see that happening in the broadcast media, as well.

h. I'm with SI.com's Stewart Mandel on one thing at least:

Only one weekend in, and I already want to pound my head into a wall every time I hear that Kenny Chesney snippet. Why, ESPN? Why?

I think Kenny Chesney totally sucks anyway, but usually I can just choose not to listen to him. Now, ESPN/ABC is forcing him on me. I hate this song already, like Bill Simmons quickly came to hate "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon over a recent weekend in Vegas. You see that, Kenny? I compared your awful song to the vacuous, peppy nonsense they play in casinos to keep people smiling and playing. I'll just need to have a steady supply of minimal-damage things on hand to throw on Saturdays, I guess. Sigh. Why can't these producer types just let football be FOOTBALL? I tell you, the best telecasts are the standard Sunday afternoon NFL games on CBS, where they just have a football game.

4. Having watched a bunch of college football on Saturday, I had occasion to see several future professional QBs play. It got me thinking that there were a lot of guys playing college football right now who can be first or second round picks in the NFL Draft, and challenge for starting jobs. You always hear that all of the spread-out schemes that are being used nowadays dilute the ranks, but I really disagree. I think that kids are getting better coaching at younger ages, and it's resulting in a lot of them maximizing their natural ability. Consider the following list:

a. Sam Bradford Oklahoma Junior 2010 Draft - The leader in the clubhouse right now to be the first pick in the 2010 Draft, if his shoulder injury isn't too serious. (As of Monday night, it sounds like it isn't, in the long-term sense.) Bradford is tall and very accurate, and has an average NFL arm. I like him, but don't love him, personally.

b. Jevan Snead Ole Miss 4th year Junior 2010 Draft - Snead flashes outstanding ability as a passer, and is a pretty good athlete. He's not as experienced as the other big name guys, because this will only be his second season as a starter. (He backed up Colt McCoy at Texas as a freshman.) Snead has all the tools you look for, and somebody will draft him very high. He looked rusty on Sunday, but you can see the nice ball he throws.

c. Tim Tebow Florida Senior 2010 Draft - Tim Tebow is almost certainly going to finish up his career being known as the greatest player in college football history. A lot of MSMers say he can't play QB in the NFL. They are wrong, and I am 100% sure that time is going to prove me right. Unlike most unconventional QBs who think they're going to change the QB position in the NFL, (think Vince Young or Michael Vick,) Tebow is humble enough to let the QB position in the NFL change him. Tebow has better arm strength than any of these 2010 guys, except Snead, and he's a huge threat on the ground, as everybody knows. He is the best short yardage runner I have ever seen, and is just different than any other QB to play the game in the modern era. The downside of Tebow is a slowness in his delivery, but that's coachable, and it's being worked on by his new QB coach, Scott Loeffler. Scouts are going to come around to this, and realize that Tebow is very similar to Donovan McNabb, when he was coming out of Syracuse 10 years ago. He is from a college-only system, and needs NFL coaching, but has all the tools. The MSM will still say that he should be an H-Back, which nobody even uses in the NFL, but they're wrong. Tebow is going to be a first round pick, and he'll win championships in the NFL, because a winner is a winner.

d. Jimmy Clausen Notre Dame Junior 2010 Draft - It's kind of hard to imagine a Notre Dame QB who was a top recruit being under-the-radar, but Clausen really fits that description, due to the Irish being down in recent years. He is poised for a huge junior season, having gotten started Saturday against Nevada (15-18, 315 yards, 4 TDs.) Clausen has been coached by a pro coach, (don't forget that Charlie Weis is excellent as a QB coach) and he is the most ready to run a pro system of any of these guys. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Clausen ends up actually being the first pick in 2010, if he measures OK at the combine. He'll leave, and Weis won't try to stop him, because he has a really good backup in Dayne Crist, waiting for his own chance.

e. Colt McCoy Texas 5th-year Senior 2010 Draft - McCoy is accurate, athletic, and has had an excellent career at Texas. His arm is the weakest of this 5 man group, he's thinly built, and I personally like him the least. He will probably shake out with a Jake Plummer or Drew Brees-like grade, and be a late first or early second rounder. If he can maximize his talent, like Plummer and Brees did, some team will have something. McCoy could also easily end up being a career backup in the NFL, though, like Kellen Clemens or Patrick Ramsey.

f. Tim Hiller Western Michigan Senior 2010 Draft - I got to watch Hiller some on Saturday against Michigan, and while he is said to be well-regarded by scouts, I didn't love him, from what I saw. He has a strong arm, and good pocket awareness, but he didn't look like a playmaker to me. I will be keeping an eye on him, as the season progresses.

g. Dan Lefevour Central Michigan Senior 2010 Draft - A highly productive run-pass player from another directional Michigan school. I like his quickness, and his ability to throw the ball is solid. Lefevour may rise into the bottom of the first round, once he gets tested at the combine, because he's just behind Tebow as an athlete, and ahead of the rest of the 2010 guys.

h. Terrelle Pryor Ohio State Sophomore 2011 Draft - This guy is going to be the first pick in the 2011 Draft, and you can almost write it in ink now. He can throw it, and run it, and he's not a spread guy. He plays under center a lot at OSU, in a pro-ish scheme. There's never been a 6-6 guy who is so fast and fuid with the ball, and he can really fire it down the field, with both strength and accuracy.

i. Jake Locker Washington Junior 2011 Draft - Locker is another first round lock, if he waits until 2011. He's a junior, but he missed most of last season, so he'd probably be best served to do so. He has a fantastic arm, and excellent athleticism. He's also going to get excellent coaching from Steve Sarkisian, and I expect big things from him.

j. Ryan Mallett Arkansas Third-Year Sophomore 2011 Draft - Mallett started a lot of games as a freshman at Michigan, and transferred to Arkansas when Rich Rodriguez brought in his option offense. Mallett is 6-7 and 238 pounds, and is a prototype NFL thrower. Nobody thinks much of Bobby Petrino as a man in the NFL, but everybody remembers that he can coach the hell out of the QB position, though.

k. Matt Barkley USC Freshman 2012 Draft - Will probably be the first pick in 2012. Barkley is the first true freshman to start at QB for USC in more than 30 years, and he looks like the real deal already.

l. Dayne Crist Notre Dame Sophomore 2012 Draft - He played some snaps on Saturday, and completed both throws he attempted. He has all the ability, and will get the benefit of outstanding coaching from Weis. He's eventually a first round pick, after starting for 2 years once Clausen leaves.

m. John Brantley Florida Third-Year Sophomore 2012 Draft - Brantley is much more of a Pro-style prospect than Tebow, and he projects very well to the NFL. He'll have the same college system concerns, but he's a good-sized player who can throw the ball with strength and accuracy. After 2 years as a starter, he'll be well-regarded by NFL scouts.

That's 13 guys playing college football right now, and probably 10-11 will be first round picks in the next 3 years. Are there 13 current NFL starters who are on their way out during that time? You'd have to say the answer is yes, because the talent replenishes itself. You can make a case for some other guys emerging as prospects, like Zac Robinson, Jonathan Crompton, Jacory Harris, Christian Ponder, Greg Paulus, Greg McElroy, Kevin Riley, Aaron Murray, Zach Mettenberger, Tom Savage, and Tate Forcier too. There is plenty of talent on the way in the next 3 years.

5. Welcome back, Brandon Marshall. Now, don't screw it up. Really, it's pretty simple with Marshall at this point. He needs to swallow his pride, work hard, and produce at a high level on the field, while staying out of trouble off of it. It is the only way he is going to get what he wants, be it from the Broncos or another team. Since I am not the arbiter of what is right and wrong, I am happy with him if he plays well and helps the team win. Hopefully, he can do that, because he'll be a Bronco all year, that much is clear.

6. Speaking of people who have been alleged to assault their girlfriends, we should all remember that we weren't there when whatever happened, happened, between Shawne Merriman and Tila Tequila. If he's guilty, I hope justice is done, at both the NFL level, and the judicial level. We just can't know whether he is or not, until a judge and jury say so, so please resist the temptation to gloat or moralize about it. It will work itself out, with or without any of us paying attention to it. Remember that each of us would appreciate the presumption of innocence, until proven guilty, if we were accused of a crime.

The same obviously goes for RIchard Quinn, who got arrested Monday, and spent the night in jail.

7. Retired for John Elway

8. Really interesting stuff going on with Offensive Coordinators getting canned lately, on the eve of the season.

a. First, Chan Gailey got whacked in Kansas City. The surprise was that Todd Haley kept him from the previous staff in the first place, not that he got fired. Haley wants to call the plays, and now, it seems that he'll get a chance to do so. It's clear that Scott Pioli is in charge in Kansas City, so the timing of the decision strikes me as a little strange.

b. Jeff Jagodzinski being canned in Tampa Bay was also interesting. Have you ever heard of an Offensive Coordinator delegating the play-calling to a position coach (RB coach Steve Logan, who was his corrdinator at Boston College)? It's bizarre, almost like Jagodzinski thought he was the head coach. It's clear that Raheem Morris didn't quite know what he was getting with Jagodzinski, and he acted decisively to correct a mistake from the past. Morris and GM Mark Domenik, two young guys, have been getting beat up in the MSM for this, but correcting a mistake is always better than living with one to avoid criticism. It shows me that Morris has strength in his convictions, an essential character trait for success as a head coach. A LOT of people, in all professions, stick with mistakes rather than admitting making them, and cutting their losses, which is always the right thing to do. Now, Morris will just have to get better at interviewing assistants, but that comes with experience. I'm not particularly high on Tampa's chances this season, but I think they and Morris have a bright future, once they get some more talent in there.

As for Jagodzinski, he might be out of work for awhile. He left Boston College, on bad terms, because he wanted to get back into the NFL. Now, the NFL found him to be lacking as a coordinator, so where does he go? He could maybe be an NFL Tight Ends coach again, like was at Green Bay. More likely, he tries to get back into the college ranks after this season, and lands somewhere less prestigious than BC.

c. The most Jerry Springer-ish divorce comes from Buffalo, where Dick Jauron let Turk Schonert go this week. Schonert claims that Jauron wanted a Pop Warner offense, and handcuffed his ability to be successful, by limiting the number of formations and plays he could use. Going public with that stuff is juicy for the fans, but may get him black-balled for awhile in the NFL. Look for Schonert to possibly re-materialize in college next season.

9. This is going to sound contrarian, but I actually like the Raiders trading for Richard Seymour. Even at Silver and Black Pride, SBNation's Raiders blog, the opinions are wildly mixed.

Only 42% like it there, so why do I? I doubt anybody in Oakland is thinking really far ahead, because if Michael Lombardi is to be believed, only Al Davis does any thinking that counts there. The long-term is why I like the move, however. To get there, I will start with the here-and-now, though.

In the last 6 years, the Raiders have selected Robert Gallery (2nd), Michael Huff (7th), JaMarcus Russell (1st), Darren McFadden (4th), and Darrius Heyward-Bey (7th.) They paid huge money for these players, and have gotten minimal Return On Investment. Their salary structure dictates that they quit making Top 10 picks, because with a salary cap, (and with the small-market economic reality of Oakland, even absent a cap,) they can't build a team full of those high-priced guys.

Seymour comes to Oakland, with a chance to help them be more competitive than they've been in recent years. That would get them out of the Top 10 business, anyway. He'll personally be motivated to produce at a high level, because he's in a contract year. The Raiders can franchise him after the season, they could overpay to keep him, or they could let him walk, and get a pretty sure 3rd round compensatory pick for him.

As for the price Oakland paid, it sounds steep, but remember that you have to discount the pick one round per year of waiting for it. That makes it worth a 3rd rounder in today's dollars, and it also prevents the Raiders from having to exercise another high pick in 2011, if their efforts to improve fail.

So, you get a chance to be better this year and for the next few years, with at least a 3rd rounder coming back, for the price of a 3rd rounder today. That makes sense to me, for the Raiders. (Admittedly, it would make less sense for the Broncos.)

I like Oakland making a move to be better now, because they've sure been terrible and irrelevant for a long time now, and what they've been doing just hasn't been working.

That's all I've got for now, but I'll be working on Lighting Up The Scoreboard, to run on Friday night, for the Bengals game. Have a great week, friends, and let's get fired up for some regular season Broncos football.

2010 NFL Draft rankings: Quarterbacks

Mocking Dan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:07:27 -0000

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The quarterback class for the 2010 NFL Draft has the potential to be just as good as the stellar 2004 class. That class produced NFL starters Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Phillip Rivers and Matt Schaub.

There are clear talents in Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, Jevan Snead of Ole Miss and Colt McCoy of Texas. Those are the top three. Snead clearly has the best arm of the three but is the least proven. McCoy is the best athlete but is slightly undersized. That's why I like Bradford the best. His arm strength is good enough, he's smart and doesn't make many mistakes.

The rest of the class is filled with intrigue. Tim Tebow has great intangibles but needs to be more of a standard quarterback. Tim Hiller and Dan LeFevour have great production, but it comes in the Mid-American Conference.

Arguably the most interesting quarterback prospect going into the season is Tony Pike of Cincinnati. The biggest knock on him in the past as been his weight. Now that he's bulked up to 230 pounds, he could really rise in the rankings.

CB | FS | SS | OLB | MLB | DT | DE | OT | TE | WR | RB | G | C | QB

Arizona vs. Central Michigan Preview

joenewby4040 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:45:09 -0000

Lefevour will be a tough competitor

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CHIPPEWA OFFENSE

Central Michigan comes to Tucson on Saturday looking to get a big win against up and coming Arizona. The Chippewas return 7 offensive starters, including QB Dan Lefevour, and 10 defensive starters. Lefevour is a talented QB who can easily burn you in the air or on the ground with his great speed. The Chippewa rushing attack features a couple of rushers who can take the place of departing Ontario Snead and Justin Hoskins. They include Paris Cotton, Bryan Shroeder. Paris is the guy who can turn on the after-burners and Bryan is more of the power back. They will need to step it up this season to help protect their star QB in his play action schemes.

The Chippewas will have a plethora of receivers to go with their star QB. The Chippewas return Antonio Brown and Bryan Anderson. Anderson has gone 40 consecutive games with a reception, the longest active streak in the country. The Chippewas also will feature Jahleel Addae and Kito Poblah, who round out the receivers. There are plenty of guys who are fighting to get into the game and compete and word is they are deep at receiver.

(Anderson has the longest consecutive streak in the nation
for consecutive games with a pass reception)

CHIPPEWA DEFENSE

The Chippewa defense ranked 14th nationally last year in sack totals. The defense returns 10 starters from last season including beasts Sam Williams and Frank Zombo. Those guys combined for 15.5 sacks in 2008 and can put the pressure on any QB in the country. Zombo will move to DT this season from DE and should be able to plug the middle with his athleticism and quickness off the ball. Unfortunately for the Chippewa's, Zombo's move to the middle is more because of a lack of depth on the interior, and not because they have enough to move him there to help get more good players on the field.

(Zombo is a BEAST)

The Chippewa Linebackers return all three guys from last year. They are Nick Bellore, who has made over 100 tackles in 2 seasons of play and has started all 27 games since his debut as a freshman. Matt Berning will play in the middle linebacker spot while Tim Brazzell, the only senior of the three and will provide the defense with the leadership this season.

Now, to the defensive backs. Wow. These guys had a rough season last year. They ranked 118 out of 120 in all FBS teams last year. No matter what kind of points Lefevour could put up, the defensive would give it right back. That's tough on an offense who can't seem to play catch up all day long. From the looks of the team, there seems to be tons of guys vying for playing time in the secondary for Central Michigan. Unfortunately, the Chippewas have quantity and not quality in the secondary.