Coaching Carousel is fun to watch

The Crimson Tide won the national championship. I was on record numerous times last semester saying that Alabama was the best looking team in the country at times. I never actually counted them out at times, but I will concede that I was praying Florida would have made it.
I know the thoughts on all of your minds, why am I writing about college football when the Super Bowl, Vancouver Olympics, and March Madness are right around the corner?
Well everybody, there has been one incredible start to the offseason. One of the decade’s three best coaches Pete Carroll has left powerhouse USC to once again go to the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks didn’t give Jim Mora enough time to establish a program there, but Carroll is a west coast name that has much prestige. He should be able to breathe some life into a team that has seen better days. Seattle will not do much at the beginning, but they could challenge Arizona, if Kurt Warner does retire, for the NFC West title next season.
That leaves USC wide open at the head coaching position. Rookie Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin bolted for USC, where he might be given a little more leeway to annoy the rest of the league than he was in the SEC. However, the major question is that Kiffin brought some questionable recruits into Tennessee and then left, potentially creating a problematic situation there. USC is in trouble, as the Beavers, Ducks, and the Cardinal seem to be the new class of the Pac-10. On the other hand, Tennessee continues to slide, falling far behind their SEC East rivals.
Texas Tech had one interesting bowl season, seeing a coaching scandal under Mike Leach that enveloped the sport for a few days before the New Year. Accused of mistreating a student suffering under a concussion, Leach was fired with cause and now Texas Tech has hired Auburn flame-out Tommy Tuberville. One thing’s for certain, Tech will still put up tons of points every game. However, can a former SEC coach succeed in a much different Big 12? Too bad for them, but Texas and Nebraska will rule that conference next year.
Notre Dame will still be horrible, even though Charlie Weis has left. Brian Kelly is picking up a seemingly cursed program, leaving Cincinnati out to dry. The Bearcats then stole Central Michigan’s coach, fresh off recent Chippewa success due to Dan LeFevour. All three teams will not see the success they had this year – or in Notre Dame’s case, the lack of a winning record AGAIN.
Urban Meyer is incredibly sick, or so we thought. He announced his resignation, then said it was just an indefinite leave of absence, and now he’s silently back to work almost every day of the week. It seems like Steve Addazio won’t get his head coaching audition after all.
However, with Dan Mullen leaving last year, Charlie Strong this year, and the loss of the most talented class of seniors to ever play college football (plus the juniors going to the draft), will Florida even matter next year? Their recruiting class actually gets better by the day despite the tiny bit of insecurity from Meyer’s undefined status. With Tebow’s graduation, Florida should still win the SEC East and could challenge nationally.
At any rate, the SEC will win a fifth national championship in a row. Alabama is the nod to win it, but an underrated Florida team and the rest of the SEC West could throw some serious monkey wrenches into a repeat national championship.
Boise State is going to be scary next year. I wouldn’t put it past the Broncos to run the table and wind up opposite the Crimson Tide in the National Championship game next year.

Finale Turns Out Less Than Stellar

Newsworthy:
• TCU is the team that was robbed this year. Alabama deserved a spot in the BCS National Championship game; there is no doubt about that. However, one must beg the question of why does Texas deserve to be there? Not only was the Big 12 predominantly weaker this year (through no fault of their own), but Texas nearly handed victories to both Texas A&M and Nebraska in these last two weeks. Star QB Colt McCoy had a lackluster performance and nearly guided his team to defeat. Their only wins this year that mattered were against a ranked Oklahoma team (only ranked due to preseason rankings), Oklahoma State, and now Nebraska. TCU beat BYU, Utah, Air Force, and Clemson. All in blowout fashion except for Clemson. TCU deserves it, not Mack Brown and the Longhorns.
• Tim Tebow is one of the many ending a marvelous college career this season. Colt McCoy is as well, but Tebow sticks out due to his polarizing self. Even though the individual does not polarize, his mere existence is enough to annoy some who try to find fault with his athletic ability and overall niceties. He will be missed throughout college football, but most by the Gator Nation.
• Oregon makes the Rose Bowl. I said early on that the loss to Boise was a fluke, and I was right. The Rose Bowl-bound Ducks finished the season strong with thrilling victories over conference opposition in Arizona and Oregon State.
Bowl Projections:
• Citi BCS National Championship (Jan. 7)
o Alabama versus Texas
o Alabama beats Texas because they’re better at everything. Texas will be outmatched and outplayed. Their only chance at victory is if Alabama beats themselves. Ingram needs to come up big in Pasadena to ensure victory.
• Allstate Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1)
o Florida versus Cincinnati
o Florida will wake up. Cincinnati will keep playing like they do. However, Tony Pike and the Bearcats will have trouble against a fast SEC defense like Florida. A major question will be the status of Carlos Dunlap. His play is the key in New Orleans.
• Rose Bowl (Jan. 1)
o Oregon versus Ohio State
o The Ducks won’t have any trouble against Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes. Oregon will run all over Ohio State, and the Big Ten’s woes continue against major non-conference foes.
• FedEx Orange Bowl (Jan. 5)
o Georgia Tech versus Iowa
o ACC Champs Georgia Tech’s high powered triple option offense should be familiar to the brutal slugfests Iowa has experience in the Big Ten. However, if Ricky Stanzi is back, can he be enough to offset Iowa’s miserable defense? Tech should win.
• Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 4)
o TCU versus Boise State
o The most unlikely of rematches will happen in Arizona. TCU ruined Boise’s blemish-free season in 2008. Who will lose in this battle of unbeatens? Boise State will not be able to keep up with Andy Dalton and TCU. The Horned Frogs take their first steps towards an undefeated 2010 with a strong performance here.
Best Non-BCS games:
• Emerald Nuts Bowl (Dec. 26)
o USC versus Boston College
o It’s amazing that a team can fall so far down the bowl chain with Boston College, as they were right behind Clemson in the ACC Atlantic. USC is having an off year, but this is not the Boston College of Matt Ryan’s day. Trojans win big in San Francisco.
• AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Jan. 2)
o Arkansas versus East Carolina
o The C-USA champs will have their hands full with Arkansas and prolific passer Ryan Mallett. One-time Michigan player has been stellar this year with a less than desired supporting cast. Expect a shootout here, as East Carolina can pile on the points as well. Arkansas squeaks by here in Memphis.
• Brut Sun Bowl (Dec. 31)
o Stanford versus Oklahoma
o Toby Gerhardt and the Cardinal will crush Oklahoma. The Sooners have only won against mediocre opponents this year. The Sooners will definitely feel the heat in El Paso, as the Sun Bowl should be a great place for Gerhardt to raise his draft stock.