Lindy's

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050523/COLUMNISTS0604/505230337/1113/sports

It's out! The first football magazine of the year (NFL Draft previews don't count) is out, which means the new season is in its embryonic stage.

It won't be born for another 100 days, but publications like "Lindy's Southeastern 2005 Football" can help the time pass quickly.

Used to be you couldn't get a football magazine until July. It gets a little earlier each year, and why not? Spring practice is over and the college depth charts are formed, if not finalized.

I have made it an annual ritual to spend a couple of hours with the year's first football magazine the first chance I get. As usual, it was well worth it this time.

On the cover is the phrase "Urban Renewal," referring, of course, to Urban Meyer, Florida's new football coach. OK, now that everybody has used that phrase at least once, can we move on?

Lindy's has the Gators ranked fourth, behind Southern Cal, Texas and Michigan. Florida State is eighth and Miami 12th. Among 119 Division 1 teams, USF is 79th and UCF, coming off the only winless season in the nation, is 101st. FAU, which went 9-3 last season, is ranked a lowly 113th. And FIU, joining FAU in a move to the Sun Belt Conference, is 119th and last.

Steve Spurrier is huge in the magazine and rightfully so, having added a whole new competitive element to the SEC. South Carolina's new coach is at the top of a long list of prominent names taking over new jobs. It includes Meyer, Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, Dave Wannstedt at Pittsburgh, Tyrone Willingham at Washington and Ron Zook at Illinois.

The other major conferences will join the Big Ten in the use of replays this season. And when an SEC game is not televised, the home team has to spend about $21,000 to hire someone to produce the game on a pay-per-view basis so there are replays.

I never realized this at the time. But according to a story on Page 64, Auburn went undefeated last season because it had God on its side.

Southern Cal, everybody's No. 1, will be the 11th team to go for a third straight national championship. The first 10 teams all failed, including a 1966 Alabama team that followed two straight titles with a 10-0 season -- and was voted third.

The Trojans, who have won 22 straight, have 17 starters returning including Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. None of the other 10 teams had the same quarterback throughout their bids for a threepeat.

New bowl games include the Ponsettia Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 22 and the Meineke Car Care Bowl at Charlotte on New Year's Eve. But there will never be another Poulan WeedEater Bowl.

Florida's Chris Leak is the second-ranked quarterback, behind only Leinart and ahead of Texas' Vince Young.

USF's Andre Hall ranks 23rd among running backs.

FSU has the No. 1 safety in Pat Watkins and the No. 3 cornerback in Antonio Cromartie, yet the Seminoles' secondary is ranked only eighth.

Believe it or not, the only team in the nation that didn't give up more than 21 points in any game last season was Penn State.

Tennessee had 12 players cited or arrested over a 13-month period.

FAU's first three games -- at Kansas, Oklahoma State, at Minnesota.

My favorite names -- Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Oklahoma cornerback Chijioke Onyenegecha, and Nebraska recruit Ndamukong Suh.

Spurrier's last four games -- at Tennssee, at Arkansas, Florida, Clemson.

[Jim Johnson]

Thanks for the synopsis of the magazine, CTB...

Believe it or not, the only team in the nation that didn't give up more than 21 points in any game last season was Penn State.

Penn State returns all 11 startes on that defense as well.  They will be a solid wall.

USF will be lucky to score 10 points against them.

The only saving grace for us against Penn State is this: As good as their defense was, their offense was as bad.  If you never allow 21 points and still go 4-7 (2-6), your offense has to suck. In their 6 Conference losses, they scored 3, 7, 10, 13, 4, 10, & 7 points.

[bulls96go]

and our major problem last year was defense

review army game if you still have doubts

[NAM37]

and our major problem last year was defense

review army game if you still have doubts

Personally, I think a more accurate was to look at was that our ONLY bright spot last year was Hall.

[Velcro]

The Defense was bad, for sure, but 3 and outs tend to tire out a defense... sustaining drives, even if they don't result in a score, give the defense rest and increase their level of play.  You can spread the defensive blame to both sides of the ball.

[Cubanbull]

We got outscored

77-44 in 1st quarter

89-54 in 2nd quarter

100-56 in 3rd quarter

We actually outscored people in 4rth quater 103-72

Our offense was BETTER than the year before vs !A

2004 Rush 4.64 per play Pass 6.11 per play

2003 Rush 2.88 per play Pass 5.21 ypp

Yet our Defense ALLOWED:

2004 Rush 4.20 ypp  Pass 8.67 Ypp

2003 Rush 3.00 Ypp Pass 5.74 YPP

So while our offense was not great it was better than 2003, it was our DEFENSE that sucked and they were awful even before they got tired.

[Cubanbull]

By the way BOTH opening drives vs Memphis and Pitt were for TDS

Memphis 11 plays 81 yds 5:11 min

Pitt 11 plays 79 yds 4:35 min

The offense had not even taken the field yet.

[ChiTownBull]

i agree if the offense plays better it will help the D....if by nothing else keeping them off the field.  It would be nice to see us eat some clock with a RB as good as hall.

the D only has one way to go from last yr and that it up....how much they improve will tell us a lot about our season next yr.

we need to get back to 2001 and 2002 form on D

can it be done??

[smazza]

it will all unravel at happy valley for my beloved bulls