SB Nation - Texas Longhorns

Alabama vs Texas: 1973 Cotton Bowl

kleph — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:03:30 -0000

In the long history of the Alabama and Texas football programs, the two teams have met just eight times on the gridiron. Roll Bama Roll is looking back on each of these contests. Today we revisit the epic 1973 Cotton Bowl.

The 1973 Cotton Bowl was the last meeting between two coaching legends who had dominated the previous decade college football and then reinvented themselves to continue their winning ways.

Darrell K Royal and Paul W. Bryant were longtime friends and colleagues with an abiding respect for each others skills as coaches. Bryant once claimed he spent $10,000 a year in phone calls to Texas to talk shop with the Longhorn head coach. On occasion, they had been sideline rivals as well.

The coaches had rebuilt the proud Texas and Alabama football programs and then guided them to an impressive collection of conference titles and national championships during the 1960s. But as the decade waned, so did the fortunes of the two teams and the men that led them.

Between 1965 and 1967, four-loss seasons became the hallmark of Royal's Longhorns. A 7-10 loss to arch-rival Texas A&M (coached by Bryant protégé, Gene Stallings) to close the 1967 season brought the situation to a head.

Darrell Royal and the wishbone offense.

Surveying his program Royal identified the team's anemic offensive production as the cause of the problem - the Longhorns only generated only 18.6 points per game in 1967 - and started searching for solutions.

The answer was provided by Texas' offensive coordinator, Emory Bellard - a three-man back-field triple option offense, better known as "the wishbone." Royal unveiled it at the start of the 1968 season and promptly collected a tie against Rice and a loss to Texas Tech.

Then things clicked into place. From the third game of the season until the final game of the 1970 season, Texas didn't lose a single contest and rolled up a pair of National Championships along the way.

It was about this time that Bryant began to look for ways to break the malaise that seemed to have a death grip on his program in Tuscaloosa. Losses had begun to pop up more often than normal until the Crimson Tide racked up a mediocre 6-5-1 record in 1970 garnished with a second straight loss to arch-rival Auburn.

Bryant found himself at the impasse Royal had reached three years prior. And the effectiveness of Royal’s solution was hammered home for Bryant when he faced Oklahoma in the 1970 Bluebonnet Bowl. The Sooners had adopted a version of the wishbone to counter its conference rival and brought it to Houston against Alabama. The game ended in a tie but it started Bryant thinking.

So, in the spring of 1971, Bryant flew to Austin to learn the intricacies of the offense from Royal. The Texas coach was not simply accommodating, he promised to be available by phone whenever Bryant might have a question in the future. That summer, Bryant brought Royal's staff to Tuscaloosa for a coaching clinic then locked the two groups in a hotel to get a crash course on how the wishbone worked.

Bryant unveiled his new strategy against USC on Sept. 10 1971 and stunned the unprepared Trojans. The 17-10 victory was the first of eleven the Crimson Tide amassed that season, the lone loss being to Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

Royal used the wishbone to fuel a high-powered running game based on options, fakes and inside blocking schemes. Bryant liked how it forced the secondary into man coverage which he could exploit with the passing game.

"With the wishbone you get what you want automatically," he said. "I don’t give a hoot what they do, I know what we’re going to do. We’re going to walk out there and read ‘em and go."

Things had gone well for all of 1972 as Alabama rolled up win after win all the way up to the Iron Bowl when they were stunned by Auburn 17-16. The loss put them out of the national championship picture and into the Cotton Bowl - against the master of the wishbone offense himself, Darrell Royal.

The Longhorns had a similarly frustrating season, winning every game except for an embarrassing shutout loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. They finished the season by trouncing Texas A&M 38-3 then headed up I-35 to Dallas.

More than 70,000 spectators packed into Cotton Bowl Stadium on a partly cloudy and chilly afternoon to see which of the two legendary coaches would be adding to their legend that day. At first it looked like Bryant would walk away with an easy victory.

Texas’ quarterback, Alan Lowry, was suffering from tonsillitis and almost didn’t play. His start was unsurprisingly shaky. Alabama’s Steve Wade grabbed an errant pass by the ailing quarterback and, seven plays later a 50-yard field goal put the Crimson Tide on the scoreboard.

The teams traded punts but then Wade snagged another Lowry pass and returned it 42 yards to the Texas 31. On the next play Alabama’s Wilbur Jackson took a pitchout and scampered untouched into the end zone. Just more than ten minutes had elapsed in the game and Alabama was up 10-0.

A 24-yard field goal put the Longhorns on the scoreboard at the start of the second quarter and Alabama matched it with a 30-yarder at the end of the period. The teams went into the locker room at the half with Alabama up 13-3.

UT's Terry Melancon about to steal the ball
from Alabama's Wayne Wheeler.

After the intermission things began to go the Longhorns way. A short punt by Alabama gave Texas good field position and Royal dialed up the running game. Longhorn tailback Roosevelt Leaks was the workhorse in a 15-play, 59-yard drive that ended with Lowry scoring on a three-yard run.

With the ball on the Texas 34-yard line in the fourth quarter Alabama’s quarterback Terry Davis went for broke and tried to connect with wide receiver Wayne Wheeler in the end zone to put the game away. Texas’ Terry Melancon grabbed it instead and downed it for a touchback.

With 7:42 left in the game the Longhorn offense went into high gear. Two passes got them to the Alabama 42-yard line and two running plays advanced it eight yards further.

Then, on third and two, Lowry took the snap, hid the ball on his hip and ran the bootleg play to the left. He cut sharply at the sideline and stayed dangerously close the white border the whole 34 yards to the end zone (so close that some later claimed he stepped out of the bounds at the 10 yard line).

The score put Texas ahead for good 17-13.

Still, Alabama staged a furious drive to regain the lead marching 47 yards down the field to the Texas 43 yard line before they were forced to turn over the ball on downs. Texas prevailed against Alabama once again.

It proved to be the final time the two coaches faced each other as Royal stepped down as coach of the Longhorns in 1976 with a 184-60-5 record – as well as a perfect 4-0 against Bryant. He remained the schools athletics director until 1980.

The next season, the wishbone was the key to one of the best offenses in Crimson Tide history. Alabama outscored opponents 477-113 on their way to an 11-1 record and the national championship. And the offense was still in place in 1978 and 1979 when the Crimson Tide claimed two more titles – the final ones under Bryant.

What Big 10 Expansion Could Mean For BYU

Layton — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:14:37 -0000

The Big 10 (really 11, but who's counting?) came out with word recently that they're seriously looking into expanding the league to 12 teams, even as soon as 2011. And while we think about the prospects, let me put a quick end to the excitement you're feeling on behalf of Bronco and Co.: BYU would not be invited to join that league, the Big 12 or the Pac-10 as a result of the Big 10 expanding. However, that doesn't mean the Cougars won't be seriously affected by what may happen after next season. Here's why 1) BYU won't be invited, and 2) why they may be feeling the brunt of such actions by the already big Big 10.

Before I examine the reasons of leaving BYU out, here's what the expected plan is: when the Big 10 (11) expands to 12, Missouri jumps ship and joins the Big 10, or Notre Dame flees its independent status and joins. The latter is less likely as Notre Dame enjoys being able to play anybody, at any time of the season, and not splitting any possible earnings. A "conference" schedule's not really their style.

As for BYU...

1. As an avid college football fan, and obvious BYU fan, I'd love nothing more than to see some of the Baylor's, Arkansas's, and Colorado's, be relegated to mid-major status, and have BYU (or other "worthy" teams) take their place much like what happens in England's Premier League (yes, that's a soccer reference). Without question there are few teams in the power conferences that should be demoted (Baylor, Colorado and Texas Tech, first and foremost).

Unfortunately, relegating these teams, or expanding conferences, doesn't open the door for BYU to join them; TCU and Utah? Perhaps, but not BYU. Though the Cougars have tradition, high-powered offenses and a national following, they're still the odd man out in these scenarios. Why? For starters, they can't compete on a national recruiting stage with Utah or TCU, not to mention Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio St., etc. I know they get the likes of Jake Heaps, Kyle Van Noy, Zac Stout and others, absolutely terrific talent, but they're more scheme players (maybe with the exception of Heaps) than superior athletes with speed and strength. As long as the program focuses their attention on players who will live by the Honor Code (which I whole-heartedly support and agree with), they will be left with mostly second-tier talent.

As for Utah and TCU...

TCU absolutely makes the most sense of joining a BCS conference when you consider recruiting demographic, geographic positioning and natural rivalries (Texas, Oklahoma, etc.). They've been one of the most consistent (and winning) teams over the last decade, and with this year's success, they're a very sexy pick to join. The only thing that may hold them back is a very fickle fan base and a terrible basketball program.

Next up, after TCU, would have to be Utah. With their success in 2004 and 2008, great recruiting channels, a known basketball program, and a very zealous fan base, they've got all the ingredients to make an impact and land the coveted spot. The only thing holding them back might be their lack of sustained success/history, and the fact they play in Utah (it's kinda out of the way...just sayin').

In any event, with either of those teams leaving the MWC, BYU suffers big time. All of the sudden the MWC becomes an average league at best. The best hope is to expand the MWC very, very soon by adding Boise St., Houston, Tulsa, Nevada, and Fresno St., and dump a couple cellar-dwellers, and then get an automatic BCS bid (by addition or elimination). If the MWC were to obtain such a bid, TCU, Utah nor BYU would have any inclination to leave the conference for greener pastures because they'd be feeding where the cows are fat and happy, and this whole argument becomes unimportant, much like the climate talks in Copenhagen.

Poll

What's the best scenario for BYU?

Alabama attorneys petition court to attend national championship

Joel — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:47:57 -0000

So what do you do if you're an Alabama fan who's a defense attorney with a trial scheduled to begin the first week of January, just when your beloved Crimson Tide are scheduled to play the Texas Longhorns for the National Championship? You pick up the phone and call your colleague to offer to draft up an agreed order to reschedule the trial, right?

So what do you do if you're an Auburn fan who's a plaintiff's attorney and you get such a request? You say no, of course.

You can guess what happens next. The Alabama defense attorney goes to the court and yells, "ROLL TIDE!"

[Note by Joel, 12/17/09 6:27 AM EST ] I've removed the embed of the motion based on reports it was causing some crashes, but you can read the whole thing by clicking this link:

Motion to attend national championship game

Let's take a line-by-line look at this beauty:

MOTION TO CONTINUE

Stop right there for a second. Since when do Alabama fans ask for permission to continue anything? They continue to count, sua sponte, dubious national championships, and they continue to tattoo their meaty backs with images of Bear Bryant. In fact, if I had only one wish for Alabama fans, it would be that they do not under any circumstances "continue" anything, thank you very much.

1. This case was set for trial several months ago before certain monumental events occurred that were beyond the anticipation of the attorneys and the clients.

Way to ramp up the rhetoric right out of the gate, Counselor Terry. You are advised to save the podium-pounding for the jury, sir. Terrence Cody may be monument-sized, but that's as much as I'll give you.

2. Since the setting of this case, one of the two great college football teams in this State has reached levels on a national scale that have not been enjoyed by any team in this State in 17 years next preceding the date hereof.

Wise move, here, Mr. Terry. You can't be certain whether the judge, his clerk, his secretary, or his bailiff might be an Auburn fan, and any of them can hurt you.

3. Currently, one of the two great teams in this State are playing for a national championship and has enjoyed an undefeated season and clinched the SEC Title Game.

Add "clinching a game" to Alabama's record of achievements. And "grammar" to the record of wrongs. What? It's already there? Okay, then. Proceed.

4. Most of the attorneys representing all of the named Defendants have tickets and reservations to be in Pasadena on the 6th day of January, 2010, which date would conflict with the trial date as travel times and schedules for the game overlap the trial as currently set.

And?

5. In fact, the Honorable Jim Lloyd has children that live in the area and is scheduled to be with them in California to celebrate the game and the Tide's success.

. . . And? . . .

6. Attempts to resolve this conflict directly with the Plaintiffs has been unfruitful as the reply has been that they are for the other great team in this State who did not make the playoffs. Unfortunately, that response remains short-sighted as they may one day find themselves in the same position that the Defendant attorneys are in and, unfortunately, the BSC Title Game is no longer scheduled on January 1st, but has been moved to January 7th.

Judge: The stenographer shall please bold that grammar entry in the record of wrongs. Playoffs? BSC Title Game? Really? And you call yourselves fans. You're nothing but richy rich band-wagoners, you. And that last sentence about the dates? I have no idea, either. Morons. Richy rich band-wagoning morons.

7. In checking with your Honor's Office, it was determined that there are potential quick dates available during March, the only known conflict being that Jim Lloyd has recently been elected President of the Birmingham Bar and must attend a conference on March 10-12. Other than that, the Defendants can be ready to be first out during any available week for trial during the month of February, March, or April and believe that there would be no harm, considering the magnitude of this event and its impact on this State, and the fact such an event only comes infrequently during a person's lifetime and is an achievement of such a magnitude that all involved in this litigation should want everyone to fully participate in this achievement.

It's a monumental magnitude of a magnitude, I'm telling you! And Jim has a conference for two days in March because he's the big woopteedo in Birmingham, but other than that he's completely and utterly free from February through April. Beck and call, 24-7, Your Honor. Just not January 7, because this magnitudinal monument comes only once in a person's lifetime, unlike litigation, which, you know, normal everyday people go through all the time. Um . . . THE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE!

8. It is also understood that many of the witness involved are trying to acquire tickets to the game and/or scheduled to be at the game in Pasadena on January 7th and certainly any juror selected to participate will likely be preoccupied and not able to devote their full attention to the case before them during the week of January 4, 2010, and therefore, the parties would be prejudiced by the distraction caused by such a major event of such significant importance to so many people in this State.

STENOGRAPHER! Make that grammar entry bold, underlined, italicized, and ALL CAPS. No wonder he can't get the plaintiff to agree to a continuance -- he can't even get his verbs to agree with his subjects. And really, does he think that jurors aren't already Slingboxing their way through multi-day trials already? Will they be so swooned for an entire week by the prospect of watching their football team play for it all for three and a half hours that they can't concentrate on disseminating justice? Okay, never mind. That was actually a good point.

9. ROLL TIDE!! ( although my secretary is for the other great team of this State, she feels that I need to attend this championship game!); and may the Longhorns be defeated.

Points for bravado here. Although to be consistent, it really should have been "ROLLS TIDE!!"

College Football Rivalries Extend Into the Courtroom; It's As It Should Be

T Kyle King — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:00:22 -0000

It should go without saying that two of my great loves in life are football and the law, so I am particularly fond of intersections between the two.

There was a time when the leaves of absence I annually filed with the courts in which I had cases pending carved out the days immediately before and after the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and gave as the reason for my unavailability the fact that I would be "traveling to Jacksonville, Florida, for the purpose of watching the Georgia Bulldogs win a football game." I believe University of Georgia alumni who spend significant amounts of time in courtrooms are "trial attorneys," on account of the offending last five letters of "litigator."

Consequently, I was pleased to read Holly's recent posting regarding a motion for continuance filed by Alabama fans and opposed by Auburn fans with respect to a trial in the Yellowhammer State which conflicts with the national championship game.

Were I the judge in this case, I would rule in favor of the Crimson Tide faithful before gazing down upon the Tiger fans from the bench and saying, "I hold you in contempt." If the partisans of the Plainsmen expressed incredulity that I had determined them to be so out of order as to be sanctioned, I would clarify: "Oh, no, I don't mean you're in contempt of court. I just don't like you Auburn people!"

For what it's worth, I'm sure that fans of Alabama's national championship game opponent would be just fine with this motion.

Go 'Dawgs!

Idle Musing About Big Ten Expansion

Oops Pow Surprise — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:26:49 -0000

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

Is this really the best we can do? Really? (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

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Okay, so even though expansion is probably a go--probably--none of this talk is going to be relevant for at least a year and probably much longer. Is that going to stop us? Has it ever?

Notre Dame's not going to happen. Why? Because there's likely far too large a disconnect between each side's perception of Notre Dame's value to the conference. Both the school and the conference probably think "they need us more than we need them," and only the conference would be right. Jim Delaney would likely want no part of such a radioactively bitchy athletic department and fanbase.

I get why Pitt's a natural fit for the conference and everything, but doesn't it seem like they're almost too good a fit? By that I mean their inclusion doesn't bring anything to the table except a "12th for the sake of 12." The footprint doesn't grow at all and there aren't any markets that come into play; would that even be a net positive in terms of BTN money per school? And that's not even taking into consideration the looming nightmare of crafting divisions. So yeah, might happen, but we'd prefer something a little more beneficial than the Wannstache and his minions.

Cincinnati is right out.

Missouri still intrigues me, although "Big Ten West" would scarcely be better at football than "Big Twelve North." Not a dig on Missouri, but just saying--all the post-1955 greatness (and about 90% of the pre-) is on the other side of Lake Michigan. It's likely in Missouri's best interests to at least entertain some overtures from the Big Ten, though; Missouri fans have been feeling far more disrespect from the Big 12 than any school should get from its conference (passed up for ISU? Seriously?), and if nothing else they should use the opportunity to strengthen their standing within the Big Roman Numerals. Otherwise, that BTN revenue sharing looks better and better.

Iowa State would immediately diminish the Big Ten's standing in every single aspect. They don't even belong in Division I, much less the Big Ten. No. No no no.

Any other Big 12 North schools would probably not have much reciprocal interest; they're too far away geographically and pretty well entrenched in that old Big 8 family.

As for Texas, yes, they were on the conference's radar, but there's no damn way they'd share their TV money. They're the king of the Big XII, and it'd be moronic for them to pass up any aspect of their relationship with the conference. Delaney would love to have them. And I'd love to be able to dunk on a 12-foot rim.

Syracuse and Rutgers are candidates for roughly the same reason: New York Money. Granted, they're both fine institutions with solid academic reputations, but let's be honest, the Big Ten wants to get on television screens in the Big Apple. It's quite reminiscent of when the NHL took a franchise from Winnipeg to Phoenix, since the Phoenix market is several times larger than Winnipeg. That, I assure you, has not worked out very well. You can't plop something foreign down in a major market and just expect people to pony up money. So if Syracuse or Rutgers joins and Delany tries to pressure cable companies in New York to buy into the BTN, guess what? It's probably not going to happen, and we're going to look remarkably stupid for thinking it would.

Of course, the best option--still and always--is Cornell.

Could Big Ten Expansion Force the SEC to Bring In a New School?

T Kyle King — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:15:09 -0000

Big Ten expansion talk is all the rage, even here in SEC country, and, while the Notre Dame Fighting Irish remain atop the list despite being obviously unattainable and the Pittsburgh Panthers make the most sense, much attention is being paid to the apparently interested Missouri Tigers, with respect to whom Big Ten aficionados not only have an idea, they have a plan.

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that happens. Short of the Golden Domers climbing down from their high horse (which isn’t going to happen now that the arrival of Brian Kelly has ensured Notre Dame’s inevitable return to ~~relevance~~ ~~competence~~ dominance), conference expansion is a zero-sum game; if the Big Ten increases from eleven teams to twelve by poaching Mizzou, the Big 12 decreases from twelve teams to eleven. The Big 12 is going to need a new team.

Maybe it’s just the traditionalist in me, but it seems to me that there can be only one choice for Big 12 expansion should Missouri bolt for browner pastures. The Arkansas Razorbacks have a longstanding rivalry with the Texas Longhorns, currently have a series going with the Texas A&M Aggies, and have deep Southwest Conference roots. Turnabout is fair play, so a Big Ten that includes Missouri could mean a Southeastern Conference sans Arkansas.

If the first domino falls, the line could topple all the way to the SEC’s doorstep, raising the question . . . where would the SEC turn if it had to replace the Hogs? The options, it would seem, are these, in no particular order:

Louisville Cardinals: U. of L. shares an in-state rivalry with the Kentucky Wildcats and just hired longtime SEC defensive coordinator Charlie Strong. The ‘Ville would bolster the league’s basketball reputation but the Cardinals have been only intermittently good at football. Still, as a current member of an automatic BCS-qualifying conference, Louisville would have to get a look, although it’s too bad the Cards would be brought in to replace Arkansas, because a series between Bobby "Pignocchio" Petrino’s current and former schools would be fun to watch.

South Florida Bulls: I’m not saying they deserve it, but any number of SEC coaches would love another annual opportunity to travel to the recruiting hotbed of the Sunshine State. Tampa is an attractive market and USF has been consistently respectable (albeit no more than that) since making the jump to the Big East. You’d have to think the Florida Gators would scream and howl at having to add an in-state conference rival to their existing slate, though. This brings us to . . .

Florida St. Seminoles: Let’s not mince words here. If you were an SEC football fan in 1991, you thought Bobby Bowden ducked the SEC in order to pad FSU’s schedule with ACC games. It’s time to atone for that gutless decision now that the Jimbo Fisher era is underway. This would make great sense for the Gators, whose season-ender against the ‘Noles would count as a conference game, although it likely would increase the pressure on the Saurians to schedule the Miami Hurricanes more frequently. Regular trips to Tallahassee by the Georgia Bulldogs would please the conspiracy theorists among the Red and Black fan base, who would wonder regularly whether Mark Richt would just stay put once he got back to his old stomping grounds. While we’re on the subject of in-state out-of-conference rivals, I suppose I should mention . . .

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: I would be 100 per cent opposed to this idea, but you’d have to admit it makes sense. The Engineers played in the SEC for many years and were a part of some of the league’s great rivalries at one time. The Ramblin’ Wreck left the conference at the tail end of the Bobby Dodd era and had their efforts to rejoin the league rebuffed, so both sides might be lukewarm on a reconciliation. After both of this year’s ACC division champions fell to middling SEC East outfits that came into their battles for local bragging rights sporting 6-5 ledgers, it’s doubtful whether the Orange Bowl-bound Golden Tornado would want to trade a shot at a big-money bowl in the soft ACC for a lower spot in the league pecking order. In theory, Georgia Tech could enjoy home town advantage in an SEC championship game, but, honestly, that’s not much of a risk.

Clemson Tigers: Admittedly, I’m biased, but this option makes the most sense to me. The Country Gentlemen are comfortably within the SEC’s geographic footprint and share longstanding rivalries with the ‘Dawgs and the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Fort Hill Felines also share a common heritage with several other SEC schools which would make league games intriguing: Walter Riggs and John Heisman established strong ties between Clemson and the Auburn Tigers; the Alabama Crimson Tide have produced numerous coaches for the Orange and Purple, including Frank Howard, Danny Ford, and current skipper Dabo Swinney; Charley Pell landed both Clemson and Florida on probation; the LSU Tigers could host the Country Gentlemen in Death Valley before traveling to face them in Death Valley. Culturally, the Tiger faithful are a much more comfortable fit with the rabid fans of the Southeastern Conference than with the Big Ten wannabes of the Atlantic Coast Conference and an SEC association certainly wouldn’t hurt the proud Clemson baseball program. Should we be willing to trade the Razorbacks for the Tigers? Ken Hatfield certainly was, and he was an Arkansas alum.

If it were up to me, the Big Ten would add Missouri, the Big 12 would add Arkansas, the SEC would add Clemson, and the ACC would . . . actually, I don’t care what the ACC does. I say let’s ship the Hogs back to their old stomping grounds, move the Tennessee Volunteers over from the SEC East to the SEC West (where the Vols properly belong, given their natural rivalries with Alabama and Auburn), add Clemson to the SEC East, and have at it.

Go ‘Dawgs!

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Wednesday (12/16/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:39:15 -0000

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and some fun distractions. Today we're being brought to you by Victoria Bitter Gold in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

The big news everywhere seems to be B11 expansion. Almost every article I found of fellow BE football members want their team considered. That does say something about the state of our conference, regardless of your or my personal opinions. Plenty inside about that. I've also got something special planned for around 1pm today. So make sure to check back then. Tips, suggestions and requests would be greatly appreciated. Here we go...

What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Report for Wednesday - WVMETRONEWS.COM

2009 CFN All-Big East Team & Top 30 Players - Scout.com

Big East better watch out for Big Ten expansion - ESPN

Big Ten to explore possibility of expansion in next 12 to 18 months - ESPN

Expanding to 12 teams could hurt Big Ten in BCS, pocketbook - SI.com

Time is right to explore Big Ten expansion - ESPN

College Football Live Extra: Dec. 15th - ESPN Video
ESPN Video: Should the Big Ten expand?

Momentum seems to be on side of Big Ten expansion -- chicagotribune.com
"Joe Paterno's strong comments at the Big Ten meetings in May were "catalytic," according to a league source. Paterno's criticism that the league "goes into hiding for six weeks" between the regular season and the BCS bowls prompted some to re-examine their views on a league title game."

Mountaineers in the NFL - WVIllustrated.com

What's On Tap:

UCF vs. South Florida - SI.com
Tonight at 7 from the Sun Dome in Tampa on ESPN 360. The Bulls are giving 8.5.

Oral Roberts vs. Louisville - SI.com
Tonight at 7 on ESPN 360 from Freedom Hall. No line given. Can ORU pull the upset for their recently departed patriarch?

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. UAB Blazers - ESPN
Tonight at 7 from Birmingham. Cinci is favored by 1.5. No TV that I can find.

Video of Interest:

Thanks to WVIllustrated.

Video of (Dis)Interest:

An appetizer for later today.

Cool Toy Gallery of the Week:

Hey!!! It's not all T&A around here...sometimes.

via coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is a gorgeous Aussie actress. Say G'Day to Nicky Whelan. The link leads to a message board posting. The gallery is at the top if it's slow loading for you.

via img249.imageshack.us

This seems to be her. I say close enough.

Victoria Bitter Gold image via www.jankvollmer.de

Fans Need Better Scheduling, Not A College Football Playoff System

Jon Johnston — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:06:11 -0000

More photos » by Evan Vucci - AP

A rare picture of Joe Barton not waving his arms around wildly.

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I was walking through the mall this past week, doing my Christmas shopping, when a young woman came up to me trying to give me a pamphlet supporting world peace. As I took it, I told her

"You know, it's always easy to advocate for something you know is never going to happen. Besides, I'm against world peace.", I said.

"Really?"

"No, not really..... But I am against a college football playoff."

With that, she punched me in the face.

Okay maybe it didn't really happen that way (I do my Christmas shopping online), but with the vast majority of college football fans screaming for a playoff, it's not so improbable to get socked in the nose for something so seemingly inconsequential.

World peace and a college football playoff have something in common - everyone is for them, but no one knows how to get there. The details are pretty difficult, but that doesn't stop people from coming up with unworkable solutions.

Playoff solutions abound. They're as cheap as t-shirts, but the problem is that most leave out the logistics. They concentrate on having four, eight or 16 teams and how those would fit into the existing schedule. Those that deal with logistics typically recognize the fact that the bowls have way too much clout to be thrown away, so they incorporate them into their playoff system.

That, as they say, is the crux of the problem. Including the bowls would require cold-weather teams to play consecutive weekends away from home, giving an inherent advantage to warm-weather teams. No cold-weather team would stand a shot at a national title. If you're a fan of a cold-weather team and you advocate this kind of system, I have to believe you're not considering the details.

A better system would be the same one used by the NFL and non-FBS colleges use based on home field advantage. That would mean teams like Texas, Alabama, Florida, and USC could come to Columbus, Ann Arbor, Happy Valley, or Lincoln and play in the snow at the end of the year.

You know this isn't going to happen. The current bowl system has too much power, and those warm-weather places have made too much money over the past 50-100 years to give it up easily. Keep in mind that university presidents love taking their families, their entourage, on paid vacations to places like San Diego, so there is little incentive to change the current system.

My other problem with the constant screaming about a playoff is that fan anger is being misplaced. The BCS has become too easy a target, the big boogeyman that symbolizes all that's wrong with college football.

Yet there is another issue that is much more sinister and much easier to fix.

Five teams ended up undefeated at the end of this season. Five. Those teams didn't end up undefeated because the BCS arranged their schedules. It's because teams like Texas didn't play anyone of substance during the non-conference. Texas played the school of the deaf, the blind, the Long John Silver Impersonators and a group of Asian girls that really wanted to play lacrosse, but were forced into football prostitution because they needed the money. Oklahoma played a tough non-conference schedule and it cost them dearly. Given the outcomes between those teams, what incentive is there for anyone to schedule tough games?

The BCS could demand that strength of schedule play a more meaningful role in determining who gets into the big games and who doesn't. Look back on this season and ask yourself how many weekends you wondered where the big games were. Now realize that this problem will only get worse as college football try to make up for recessionary budget shortfalls. Powerhouse teams will schedule more patsies in order to ensure home game receipts, while body bag teams look for big payouts to keep their programs solvent. The result is more lousy college football. A playoff won't change that.

What's unfortunate is scheduling wouldn't be too difficult to fix, yet no one is screaming for the change. It's more convenient for pundits and politicians to rail against the big, bad boogeyman BCS. Why would they advocate for an easy fix that would make college football better when they have the potential of losing their platform?

The BCS isn't going away any time soon unless the government legislates a college football playoff system. And even they won't do that. They'll do what everyone else does - leave out the details, the logistics, and we'll end up with a solution put together by bureaucrats who want to make everyone happy.

In the mean time, the BCS could tweak their system to make college football better, but they're too busy worrying about public relations. When next season rolls around and fans will get treated to more body bag games. With some pressure, that could be fixed, but not if everyone keeps focusing on a problem that can't be solved.

Alabama vs Texas: 1965 Orange Bowl

kleph — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:00:18 -0000

In the long history of the Alabama and Texas football programs, the two teams have met just eight times on the gridiron. This week Roll Bama Roll is looking back on each of these contests. Today we revisit the 1965 Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.

Just five years after their last meeting, Texas and Alabama squared up against each other in the 1965 Orange Bowl – a game that matched up two of the nation's most storied football programs at the peak of their powers.

By 1964, Alabama's legendary head coach Paul W. Bryant had succeeded in building a foundation of a winning program in Tuscaloosa and has begun working on earnest on his legacy. In 1961, Alabama team earned the SEC and National Championships after rolling undefeated through the regular season. They then capped the achievement with a 10-3 victory over Arkansas in the 1962 Sugar Bowl.

The following season, a young firebrand from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania joined the team and started lighting up the offense. It wasn't long before folks around the SEC knew the name Joe Namath although folks in Alabama just called him "Joe Willie."

Yet regaining the peak attained in 1961 eluded the program. Three losses over the span of the next 22 games kept the Crimson Tide from re-achieving such lofty heights in 1962 and 1963 but hopes were high as the 1964 season got rolling.

Joe Namath and Coach Bryant in 1964.

Through the first month of the season, everything seemed to be going according to plan as Alabama rolled up the wins. But things turned grim on Oct. 10 in a game against NC State in Tuscaloosa.

Midway through the second quarter, Namath was flushed from the pocket with no open receivers. He scrambled toward the sideline and started to cut upfield... then simply collapsed in a heap, completely untouched.

Namath had slipped on the turf, twisted his right knee and suffered ligament and cartilage damage. Backup Steve Sloan took over the starter slot for the rest of the season although Namath was put back in when a key game was on the line - pulling out victories against Georgia Tech and Auburn.

Although he was still a dangerous passing threat, Namath was clearly limited due to the injury and always in considerable pain.

"He moves like a human now," Bryant said. "He did move like a cat."

But Alabama kept on winning and climbing up the polls. By mid-November they were ranked No. 2 behind Notre Dame. When the Irish were upset by USC 20-17 in Los Angeles on Nov. 28 both the Associated Press and UPI selected Alabama as the 1964 National Champions.

In Austin, the season had been more bittersweet. In 1963 Darrell Royal had led the Longhorns to an undefeated season and Texas's first National Championship - an achievement they sealed in the Cotton Bowl with a defeat of No. 2 Navy led by Roger Staubach. The Longhorns undertook their 1964 campaign with a No. 1 ranking and dreams of a repeat.

That all came crashing to the ground on Oct. 17 when a failed two point conversion allowed visiting conference rival Arkansas to edge them 14-13 . The Longhorns dropped precipitously in the rankings and out of the national championship picture.

So on New Year’s Day 1965, the Longhorns arrived at Miami Orange Bowl Stadium with a 9-1 record, a No. 3 ranking and a determination to decorate Alabama's national championship punchbowl.

Not only were the stakes high, the audience was huge. In addition to the more than 80,000 in attendance the game was being televised by NBC on prime time - making it the first night bowl game in history and giving it one of the largest television audiences ever for a college football matchup.

Alabama's Sloan started the game since Namath had re-injured his knee in the practices leading up to the bowl game. He was not expected to play.

Texas' Ernie Koy had a school record 133 yards in 24 carries.

Texas struck first and struck hard. With 23 seconds left in the first quarter, the Longhorns called for a power sweep and tailback Ernie Koy ripped off a 79-yard touchdown run.

It got worse for the Crimson Tide before they got any better. When Alabama missed a field goal in the second quarter Texas made them pay. Longhorn quarterback James Hudson quickly completed a 69-yard scoring pass to George Sauer to put Texas up 14-0.

Then, with ten minutes left in the half, Bryant had enough and put his star quarterback in. Namath was wearing soccer shoes to ensure his cleats wouldn't catch in the turf and injure his damaged knee even more.

He proceeded to lead the Crimson Tide on a 14-play, 97-yard drive that culminated in a seven-yard toss to halfback Wayne Trimble that put Alabama on the scoreboard at last.

The Longhorns attempted a field goal when their next drive faltered only to see Creed Gilmer burst through and block it. David Ray recovered the ball and made it all of three yards toward the end zone before fumbling. Texas recovered.

On the next play the Crimson Tide succeeded in sacking Hudson for a loss but a holding penalty by the secondary gave the Longhorns the first down on the Alabama 13-yard line. A few plays later Koy ran the ball in from the one and Texas was up 21-7 and the game went into the intermission.

After halftime, Alabama‘s defense seemed to have shaken off its lethargy and stepped up to stymie the Longhorn offense.Over the next 30 minutes of play Texas would only manage four first downs and never made it out of their own territory on any possession.

Digging the Crimson Tide out of the two touchdown hole was on Namath’s shoulders. He responded with 9-play, 63-yard drive that finished with a 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver Ray Perkins.

As the fourth quarter began, Alabama was driving down the field again but this time the Longhorn defense stiffened and they had to settle for a field goal. The score was now 21-17 and the clock was becoming hostile.

Namath's 225 passing yards earned him game MVP.

Then, suddenly, fate seemed to smile on the Crimson Tide. The Longhorns fumbled the ball giving Alabama possession on their 34-yard-line. A run and two completions gave Alabama a first down at the Texas six-yard-line.

Three times Namath handed the ball off to fullback Steve Bowman and three times the Longhorn defense held. On fourth down, with the ball mere inches from the goal line Namath called for a quarterback sneak.

With 6-3, 204 lb center Gaylon McCollough leading the way, Namath plunged into the pile. Texas left tackle Frank Bedrick and All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis were there to meet them.

McCullough later said he knew it was a touchdown because "he was lying right on top of me and I was in the end zone."

The officials saw it differently and put the ball on the very edge of the goal line and gave Texas possession.

It was the last gasp for the Tide as their next possession ended with an interception and the last petered out with series of incompletions. Texas carried off the win and stymied Alabama's attempt to cap the national championship with a perfect season.

Namath's 255-yards and two touchdowns were enough to name him the game MVP but it was cold comfort in light of the outcome. As Alabama left the field, Namath told his coach that the officials were wrong and that he had scored on the play.

"If you can't jam it in from there without leaving any doubt," Bryant told him. "You don't deserve to win."

Former LSU commit Davis Pledges To Texas

GhostofBigRoy — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:00:25 -0000

Instant Analysis

Back at the first Junior Day in February, Skyline receiver Mike bore the ignominious distinction of being one of the few players not to receive a Texas offer at the event. Some speculated that Davis left unhappy and feeling disrespected about the slight. By the end of February, he had committed to LSU ($) over offers from national programs like Florida, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Stanford, and California, citing his comfort level with the program and the coaches recruiting him. However, several weeks ago, Davis re-opened his commitment.

Upon hearing that Davis was once again taking visits, the Texas coaching staff got into contact with him again and expressed their interest, led by Metroplex recruiter Bruce Chambers. Davis also communicated with Orangebloods, leading him to become the infamous "mystery recruit" until his announcement that he would visit Texas. It's not clear when Davis received his offer, though it probably happened over the phone, but he reportedly was a silent commit for some time before making it to Austin to meet with the coaching staff and make his decision official. Davis says that he will not take any other visits, per Mack Brown's policy, and will sign his letter of intent on National Signing Day.

There are several possible explanations for why Davis decided that he no longer wanted to become an LSU Tiger. Since he has been a silent commit for several weeks, it's not likely that the loss of recruiting coordinator Larry Porter to Memphis and the resignation last week of wide receivers coach DJ McCarthy, who is under investigation for making improper phone calls to a recruit, though Davis may have known of that investigation prior to his decision to re-open his recruitment. McCarthy's departure was not the only major change in the LSU program, as recruiting coordinator Larry Porter left for the Memphis head coaching position at the end of November.

The more likely reason is that Davis did not like the usage ($) of freshman Ruben Randle this season, saying that there was "something wrong" with his number of touches and felt that LSU was underutilizing all of their receivers, which, Davis said, "worries me a bit." In addition, the use of speedy freshman Russell Shepard fell short of expectations and the offense as a whole underperformed considerably, ranking near the bottom of the country in total offense.

Given the depth chart at Texas, any expectations for early playing time are probably even more slim for Davis than they would be at LSU, but Marquise Goodwin's opportunity to play this season after proving himself in fall camp no doubt influenced Davis and may continue to help the Longhorns in recruiting at the position in the future by slowing down any attempts at negative recruiting by rival programs.

All told, Davis' decision to re-open his commitment, which led to contact from the Texas staff, and his subsequent commitment, perfectly illustrates the late momentum Texas is building as the final stretch approaches before Signing Day. It's been years since Texas has had this much going well at the end fo the recruiting process and there are still a handful of players on the board still considering donning burnt orange in college.

As mentioned in the immediate reaction to the news, Skyline has been a difficult school to recruit for the Longhorns recently, with the prevailing rumor being that the coaching staff doesn't care for Texas all that much for unknown reasons. With Christian Scott already enrolled and Mike Davis now prepared to become a Longhorn, Mack Brown and company may finally be making inroads into the talented program, which features possible 2011 targets Franklin Shannon and Anthony Wallace, with Wallace likely being one of the top targets on the board because of his ability to play either linebacker or defensive end and excel as a blitzer and/or edge rusher.

As Texas continues to secure talent in the Metroplex, Skyline may be one of the last dominoes to fall and if it does become a pipeline program, the recruiting machine that is Texas football could move from juggernaut to unstoppable behemoth. And that should strike fear into the hearts of Big 12 coaches across the conference, particularly the artist formerly known as Big Game Bob, whose program has failed to lure as many DFW prospects north of the Red River in recent years.

For all the talk about the larger implications of Davis' decision, those won't be felt until a later time if they are even felt at all. For now, perspective is necessary on just what his addition means to the program. Obviously, the major storyline is the large number of wide receiver commits in the class, as Davis joins Chris Jones and John Harris as the pure receivers in the class, with Darius Terrell a candidate for the flex tight end position and DeMarco Cobbs an athlete who will probably have an opportunity on the offensive side of the ball when he arrives.

If Cobbs ends up at safety or linebacker and Terrell is truly a flex tight end, that significantly decreases the actual number and when combined with the likely defections of a receiver or two during the offseason, it leaves the Longhorns at a manageable number and with room for Darius White. Since White projects as an outside receiver, the addition of a guy pegged for the slot or flanker position probably won't impact his decision and he's such an elite talent that the Longhorns have to find room for him as long they have a scholarship available.

Basically, the current depth at the position ensures that if there are any injuries, transfers, or out-and-out busts in the group, it won't significantly cripple production at the position -- Texas should have an elite receiving corps for years to come, making the jobs of Garrett Gilbert and Connor Wood that much easier.

Instant Scouting Report

It's still not clear why the Longhorns didn't originally offer Davis at the first Junior Day, or what exactly changed with their evaluation of Davis during and after his senior season. Likewise, it's difficult to determine when exactly Davis re-established contact with the Texas coaching staff, so it seems unlikely that his three touchdown, 263-yard performance against Adrian White and DeSoto in the playoffs had any impact on his eventual offer. Regardless, the production has always been there for Davis and it may be that the coaching staff came to regret their early decision not to offer him.

Though Davis is not an extremely highly-ranked player at this position (18th at receiver by Rivals), he does bring several outstanding attributes to the Texas program. Foremost among them is his route running, as he runs extremely crisp routes and uses his excellent initial burst to create separation out of his breaks. Variously listed at between 6-0 and 6-1, Davis is a deep threat because of his route-running ability -- he simply eats up a defender's cushion extremely quickly. If a quarterback does happen to underthrow the pass, Davis has the body control to adjust to the ball in the air and make a play on it, using his strong hands to secure the football.

The comparison for Davis in the class is Chris Jones, as both players are major threats in the screen game and can break long plays, while both are outstanding deep threats given their respective heights and can catch the ball in traffic. Both players reach top speed extremely quickly, though Davis doesn't quite have the elite top-end speed that Jones possesses.

Like Jones, the concern with Davis is that he needs to develop the strength and ability to beat press coverage -- though he burned Adrian White in the first half of the DeSoto-Skyline playoff game this season when White was giving him a big cushion, when the DeSoto corner walked up to the line of scrimmage and began to jam him, Davis was much less productive in the second half. Though the general consensus is that beating press coverage will be a problem. IT's Jeff Howe thinks that facing cornerbacks with the speed to take away his cushion and then run with him down field may be a bigger obstacle to overcome ($) than just beating a jam at the line. However, Davis does still have a thin upper body and though he has bulked up considerably since his junior season, he needs to add strength.

The major difference between Jones and Davis is that where the Daingerfield star likes to get upfield as quickly as possible after catches, Davis has better shake in his hips to juke defenders, but is also much more likely to slow down in his attempts to avoid tacklers and is more likely to allow defenders trailing the play to catch him from behind. Ball security could also be an issue for Davis in college, as he often doesn't properly secure the football and tends to carry it in one hand like Deion Sanders used to do after interceptions, or otherwise doesn't maintain the necessary three points of contact, carrying the ball away from his body.

The addition of Davis allows the coaching staff options with Jones and Davis on the strong side of the field, as they both have the ability to play the flanker and slot positions and can be put wherever they are most comfortable and most effective. At this point, it's hard to say which player is better suited for which position, but Davis is clearly the more refined of the two as a route runner, which perhaps makes the slot a better position for him.

Overall, Davis is not quite an elite prospect like Darius White because he lacks the top-end speed and ability as a return man, but he is a highly-polished receiver who needs only to spend some time in the weight room and maximize his explosiveness to contribute at the collegiate level. Of all the receivers currently committed in the class, Davis may be the most ready to step onto the field as a freshman and contribute, although the depth chart probably precludes that opportunity with a so many players in front of him.

Much like Goodwin this season, Davis would have to surpass players like Brock Fitzhenry, DeSean Hales, and possibly DJ Monroe or even Goodwin himself to crack the rotation. In all likelihood, that rotation will consist of Malcolm Williams, James Kirkendoll, John Chiles, Brandon Collins, Goodwin, Monroe, and possibly Greg Timmons -- that's seven players in front of Davis. However, even if Davis doesn't see the field often in 2010, there is a strong chance that he will be an impact player in the Texas offense before his career on the 40 Acres ends. And that makes him a great addition to an already excellent class.