ADN

Gonna be a disaster, and Texas will win the Big 12 again easy...

I hope you are wrong about that.

Nope....I think it's a pretty safe bet ....

Thursday, August 3

1. When Oklahoma quarterbck Rhett Bomar got busted for underage drinking while attending a Hornets game in Oklahoma City, you had to wonder why he didn't understand that he lived in a fishbowl. Now that he has been run off by OU for being overpaid at a summer job, an NCAA violation, wonder no longer. Bomar just isn't that smart.

2. If you remember the bad old days of Oklahoma probation, you had to marvel at the zero-tolerance reactions to Bomar and teammate J.D. Quinn (also kicked off) by OU president David Boren, athletic director Joe Castiglione and coach Bob Stoops. If Barry Switzer were dead, he'd be rolling over in his grave.

3. Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton has taken up yoga and started riding his bike the three miles from apartment to campus, seeking one more edge in making this a great senior season. All well and good, but coach John L. Smith will be happy if Stanton's brain is more flexible. Smith wants Stanton to stop forcing throws and let the offense live to play another down.

With stars like USC's Dwayne Jarrett, Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr., Notre Dame's Jeff Samardzija and Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson returning to terrorize defensive backs, wide receivers will shine in 2006. Here are the preseason rankings for the nation's top returning wide receivers.


1. Dwayne Jarrett, USC, JR, 6-4, 210
Without Matt Leinart at the helm and Reggie Bush drawing attention, it's unreasonable to expect Jarrett to match his 2005 production (91 catches, 1,274 yards and 16 touchdowns). Regardless, no receiver in college football boasts Jarrett's combination of elite physical tools and dynamic playmaking ability.


2. Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State, JR, 6-0, 181
Ginn failed to live up to the hype last season, but his 167 receiving yards against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl were a preview of things to come. After spending the offseason polishing his route-running skills, expect Ginn to emerge as one of the early Heisman Trophy favorites in 2006.


3. Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame, SR, 6-4, 214
Samardzija more than makes up for what he lacks in elite speed with size, instincts and savvy. He burst onto the national stage with 1,249 yards and 15 touchdowns on 77 receptions in 2005. With Brady Quinn returning at quarterback for the Irish, there's no telling what type of numbers Samardzija will post as a senior this fall.


4. Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech, JR, 6-4, 226
Johnson is arguably the most physically gifted wide receiver in college football today. With a secondary receiver to draw attention and a quarterback capable of completing more than 48 percent of his attempts, Johnson could easily produce Jarrett-like numbers. Unfortunately, Johnson's supporting cast is atrocious.


5. Sidney Rice, South Carolina, SO, 6-4, 198
Rice exploded onto the national scene with 70 catches for 1,143 yards and 13 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman last season. With another offseason of conditioning under his belt and a full year to digest coach Steve Spurrier's scheme, Rice could emerge as the nation's premier receiving threat in 2006.


6. Jason Hill, Washington State, SR, 6-1, 211
After seriously considering leaving school early for the 2006 NFL draft, Hill made the wise decision to return to Washington State for his senior year. Now that RB Jerome Harrison has moved on to the NFL, QB Alex Brink will count even more on Hill, the nation's third-leading receiver in 2005.


7. Steve Breaston, Michigan, SR, 6-1, 196
Breaston took a step backwards as a receiver last season, but part of the problem was a lingering shoulder injury that prevented him from playing at full speed much of the time. Breaston is healthy now, and with wide receiver Jason Avant having graduated and moved on to the NFL, expect Breaston to play a far bigger role for the Wolverines this fall. Breaston also remains one of the most dangerous return specialists in the nation.


8. Derrick Williams, Penn State, SO, 6-0, 191
Williams ranked among the most influential freshmen in college football last season, despite suffering a season-ending broken arm against Michigan. He can impact the game in so many different ways, including as a receiver, runner, return specialist and occasionally as a defensive back. Four of Williams' 57 touches went for scores in 2005. Williams' arm has mended, and with a year of experience under his belt, coach Joe Paterno is expecting even more from his sensational sophomore this fall.


9. James Hardy, Indiana, SO, 6-6, 215
He flew somewhat under the radar as a freshman at Indiana last fall, but the Hoosiers have a genuine gridiron star in Hardy. At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, Hardy displays tremendous athleticism and hand-eye coordination for his size. He notched 893 yards and 10 touchdowns on 61 catches last season. With more experience and better savvy, Hardy should emerge as a nationwide household name in 2006.


10. Billy Pittman, Texas, JR, 6-0, 198
His 2005 numbers (34 catches for 750 yards and five touchdowns) might not stack up to the stats of some of the other players on this list, but underestimating Pittman's talent and impact is a mistake. A big play waiting to happen, Pittman used his track-star speed to exploit opposing defenses for five receptions of 60 or more yards last season. A more savvy version of Pittman could be scary in 2006.


The next best 15:
11. Todd Blythe, Iowa State, junior
12. Dorien Bryant, Purdue, junior
13. Steve Smith, USC, senior
14. DeSean Jackson, California, sophomore
15. Joel Filani, Texas Tech, senior
16. D'Juan Woods, Oklahoma State, senior
17. Andre Caldwell, Florida, senior
18. Chansi Stuckey, Clemson, senior
19. Dwayne Bowe, LSU, senior
20. Jarrett Hicks, Texas Tech, senior
21. Ryne Robinson, Miami (Ohio), senior
22. Paul Williams, Fresno State, senior
23. Limas Sweed, Texas, junior
24. Johnnie Lee Higgins, UTEP, senior
25. Mario Manningham, Michigan, sophomore



Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider. Listen to Todd break down the biggest games and give you all the scores on College GameDay on ESPN Radio every Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. ET. He is also a frequent contributor to ESPNU.

Vince Young, Matt Leinart and Michael Robinson are gone. So are Brodie Croyle and D.J. Shockley. But that doesn't mean there's a lack of talented quarterbacks in 2006. Here are the preseason rankings for the nation's top returning signal callers.


1. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame, SR, 6-4, 228
The light finally came on under first-year head coach Charlie Weis last season. Quinn completed nearly 65 percent of his passes for nearly 4,000 yards, while throwing 25 more touchdowns (32) than interceptions (seven). Another strong campaign as a senior could land Quinn the Heisman Trophy, not to mention the top spot in next year's NFL draft.


2. Brian Brohm, Louisville, JR, 6-4, 221
Prior to his torn ACL, Brohm completed 68.8 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Brohm's recovery is reportedly ahead of schedule. If that's true, the junior gives Louisville a legitimate chance of getting to a BCS bowl game this season.


3. Troy Smith, Ohio State, SR, 6-1, 209
Smith's impact is undeniable, as witnessed last season when he accounted for 27 total touchdowns (16 passing and 11 rushing). If he can remain healthy and out of trouble, Smith could emerge as college football's most explosive dual-threat quarterback in 2006.


4. Pat White, West Virginia, SO, 6-2, 191
If not OSU's Smith, then White is the next best candidate to earn "dual-threat quarterback of the year" honors this season. With more experience and improved accuracy, White could attain the 2,000-yard passing/1,000-yard rushing plateau as just a redshirt sophomore this year.


5. Drew Stanton, Michigan State, SR, 6-3, 223
In 2005, Stanton finally was able to stay healthy for an entire season. Now he must steady his season-long production in order to earn Heisman consideration and get his coach, John L. Smith, off the "hot seat."


6. Chad Henne, Michigan, JR, 6-2, 222
Last season, when RB Mike Hart and the Wolverines' offensive line were plagued with injuries, Henne showed that he wasn't a quarterback who can carry a team on his shoulders. With a healthier and more consistent supporting cast, though, Henne should be able to regain his 2004 form as a junior this fall.


7. Kyle Wright, Miami, JR, 6-4, 217
Wright experienced the usual highs and lows of a first-year starting quarterback in 2005. However, it became increasingly clear that he possesses the physical and mental tools to develop into a star before his career is over at Miami. Wright will be best served if his coaching staff burns the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl game film vs. LSU and focuses on the positives from other performances against Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Virginia.


8. Kevin Kolb, Houston, SR, 6-3, 222
Kolb has flown under the radar despite passing for 9,155 yards and 55 touchdowns in 36 starts the past three seasons. Cutting down on his interceptions from a year ago (15) should finally result in Kolb's earning the respect he deserves.


9. Jordan Palmer, UTEP, SR, 6-5, 231
Palmer has been one of the key cogs in UTEP's remarkable turnaround under head coach Mike Price. Over the course of the past three seasons, he's thrown for 7,489 yards and 62 touchdowns. If he can recover from a fractured ankle suffered in the GMAC Bowl and eliminate some of the mistakes from a year ago (19 interceptions), Palmer will rank among the elite quarterbacks in the nation.


10. Drew Weatherford, Florida State, SO, 6-3, 218
Weatherford took his lumps as a first-year starter in 2005, but that experience should make him a better quarterback in the long haul. His biggest challenge is to improve on last season's touchdown-to-interception ratio of 18-to-18.

The next best 15:
11. Chris Leak, Florida, senior
12. Drew Tate, Iowa, senior
13. JaMarcus Russell, LSU, junior
14. Trent Edwards, Stanford, senior
15. Colt Brennan, Hawaii, junior-Note: He should be starring at Colorado but fell victim to the Famous Scandal. Good to see him over come the past.
16. John Beck, BYU, senior
17. Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State, sophomore
18. Matt Ryan, Boston College, junior
19. Tyler Palko, Pittsburgh, senior
20. Willie Tuitama, Arizona, sophomore
21. Sam Keller, Arizona State, senior
22. Zac Taylor, Nebraska, senior
23. Brandon Cox, Auburn, junior
24. Bret Meyer, Iowa State, junior
25. Rhett Bomar, Oklahoma, sophomore- Note: He's been kicked to the fucking curb.lol



Scouts, Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider. Listen to Todd break down the biggest games and give you all the scores on College GameDay on ESPN Radio every Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. ET. He is also a frequent contributor to ESPNU.

Four of the top five rushers from 2005 are gone. DeAngelo Williams, Jerome Harrison, Reggie Bush and Laurence Maroney are headed to the NFL. However, there will not be a shortage of talented rushers on Saturdays this fall. Here are the preseason rankings for the nation's top returning running backs.


1. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma, JR, 6-1, 215
Peterson's disappointing 2005 campaign was hardly a sophomore slump. While he was limited by injuries, inexperience along the offensive line and dismal quarterback play from first-year starter Rhett Bomar were the bigger factors that contributed to Peterson's reduced numbers. With a far more established supporting cast this fall, Peterson's production should mirror that of his freshman season in 2004, when he ran for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns.

He is all that Oklahoma has on offense, good luck buddy


2. Michael Bush, Louisville, SR, 6-2, 246
Bush rushed for 1,143 yards and 23 touchdowns on 205 carries as a junior in 2005, despite missing two games due to an ankle sprain. On top of his outstanding combination of size and speed as a runner, Bush is a weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. Few teams in the nation boast a better backfield than Louisville has in Bush and QB Brian Brohm.


3. Jamaal Charles, Texas, SO, 6-1, 195
Despite sharing time at the tailback position and missing time due to a nagging ankle injury, Charles rushed for 878 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2005, earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. It won't be as easy this time around without QB Vince Young demanding so much attention. However, Charles has a season of experience under his belt and -- perhaps more importantly -- an offseason of strength and conditioning to rely upon when the going gets tough late in games.


4. Steve Slaton, West Virginia, SO, 5-10, 185
Slaton began his freshman fall practice last year as West Virginia's fourth-team tailback behind Jason Colson, Pernell Williams and highly touted recruit Jason Gwaltney, who has transferred to Nassau Community College. By season's end, Slaton rushed for 1,128 yards, which was 625 more than those three combined. Slaton and dual-threat QB Pat White should become a record-smashing backfield tandem for the Mountaineers over the next few years.


5. Marshawn Lynch, Cal, JR, 5-11, 206
Lynch rushed for 1,246 yards as a first-year starter last season despite missing two games due to injury. He will still share some carries with Justin Forsett, who impressed with an average of 7.6 yards per carry as Lynch's backup and injury replacement. But as long as Lynch stays healthy and continues to progress, he should see twice as many carries this season, which could equate to 2,000-plus rushing yards.


6. Kenny Irons, Auburn, SR, 5-11, 202
Irons made a statement when he rushed for 1,259 of his 1,293 yards in Auburn's final 10 games of the 2005 season. With a fine combination of size and speed to go along with his punishing north-south running style, Irons should continue to grind through SEC defenses as a senior this fall.


7. Darren McFadden, Arkansas, SO, 6-2, 210
It didn't take long for this highly touted freshman to prove his billing as a first-rate ball carrier last season. McFadden rushed for 1,113 yards on just 176 carries (an impressive 6.3 yards per carry). With nine other returning starters on the Razorbacks' offense, McFadden should rank among the elite rushers in the nation. His versatility as a receiver should be on display in Arkansas' more wide-open offense.


8. Mike Hart, Michigan, JR, 5-9, 197
The Wolverines realized Hart's value to their offense when he was limited to just 150 carries during an injury-plagued sophomore season in 2005. Hart lacks ideal size, so it will be important for the Michigan coaching staff to monitor his carries and health closely. If Michigan can keep him involved in all 12 games this season, Hart could be in the Heisman Trophy running, and the Wolverines could be in the national championship hunt.


9. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern, SO, 5-9, 190
Sutton had a chip on his shoulder after being snubbed in recruiting by several powerhouse programs in the Midwest. After watching the elusive freshman bedazzle defenses to the tune of 1,870 yards of total offense last season, it's safe to say that Sutton got the last laugh. Next up for the sophomore is to prove his worth without veteran QB Bret Basanez in the backfield.


10. James Davis, Clemson, SO, 5-11, 210
Davis proved to be an offensive spark plug when healthy as a freshman last season. Clemson was undefeated in the five games that Davis finished with 15 or more carries; the team was 3-4 in the other seven contests. A full offseason of training should lead to a more durable Davis in 2005. With all five starting offensive linemen returning, Davis should put up monster numbers as the Tigers' offensive focal point.

The next best 15:
11. Kenneth Darby, Alabama, senior
12. Lorenzo Booker, Florida State, senior
13. Gary Russell, Minnesota, junior
14. Albert Young, Iowa, junior
15. Yvenson Bernard, Oregon State, junior
16. Brian Leonard (FB), Rutgers, senior
17. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois, senior
18. Tyrone Moss, Miami, senior
19. Darius Walker, Notre Dame, junior
20. Alley Broussard, LSU, senior
21. Lynell Hamilton, San Diego State, junior
22. Arian Foster, Tennessee, sophomore
23. Tony Hunt, Penn State, senior
24. Stevie Hicks, Iowa State, senior
25. Kyle Bell, Colorado State, junior

I can't wait to see Charles take teh field, that kid was great man...

All-Bad-Actor Team

Considering the number of college football players involved in off-the-field problems this offseason, coming up with a pretty good team made up of these athletes should be easy. It was. Here's our 29-man roster:

Offense
QB: Rhett Bomar, Oklahoma
RB: Ramonce Taylor, Texas
RB: Tyrone Moss, Miami
RB: Darren McFadden, Ark.
WR: Ryan Moore, Miami
WR: James Hardy, Indiana
WR: Dorien Bryant, Purdue
TE: Corey Logan, Ohio
OL: J.D. Quinn, Oklahoma
OL: Daniel Inman, Georgia
OL: Cornelius Lewis, FSU
OL: Michael Gates, Miss. St.
OL: Ian Smith, Georgia

Defense
DL: Raymond Henderson, Tenn.
DL: Charles Burns, Miss. St.
DL: Quinton Wesley, Miss. St.
DL: Jonathan Najm, Ark. St.
LB: Tray Blackmon, Auburn
LB: Kevin Sears, Auburn
LB: Juwan Simpson, Alabama
LB: Marvin Mitchell, Tenn.
LB: Matt Robinson, Iowa St.
CB: Derek Pegues, Miss. St.
CB: Tanard Jackson, Syracuse
S: Chris Keys, Alabama
S. Keith Fitzhugh, Miss. St.

Special Teams
K: Ryan Harrison, Air Force
P: Cody Freeby, Oklahoma
KR: Fred Rouse, Florida St.