The Fifth Down
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Ron Higgins becomes th January 2008 FWAA’s 65 president Vol. 46, No. 1 Ron Higgins of the Memphis Com- dent from The Commercial Appeal. mercial Appeal became the FWAA’s 65th Higgins got a jump start on his presi- Inside this issue: president during the association’s annual dency when he attended a board meet- meeting on Jan. 7, 2008, in New Or- ing of NCAA Football this past December leans. in New York City. And his first column President’s column 2 He is the second straight FWAA appears on Page 2 of this Fifth Down, president from Tennessee, succeeding where the new officers and board are Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News Senti- also listed. Freshman All-America nel. The son of a former LSU sports infor- 3 Higgins, 51, actually will be the latest mation director Ace Higgins, Higgins got team announced in a long line of distinguished sports writ- his start as a sports writer at age 8 when ers from the state of Tennessee who he wrote stories for the hometown Baton have served as FWAA president. The Rouge Advocate. Ron played basketball Georgia SID Claude others are Griffith; Raymond Johnson at Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas , as Felton honored with 4 (Nashville Tennessean in 1948), Tom a freshman. After averaging 20 points Bert McGrane Award Siler (Knoxville News Sentinel in 1954), and 12 rebounds as a power forward- Fred Russell (Nashville Banner in 1965) center, Higgins suffered a knee injury and Edgar Allen (Nashville Banner in and transferred back to his home state. Kansas’ Mark Mangino 1978). But Ron is the first FWAA presi- (Continued on page 8) named FWAA Coach 5 of the Year FWAA board approves dues increase LSU wins Grantland Rice Trophy as FWAA 6 national champion The FWAA Board, citing increased for the 2008 season. A letter will accom- benefits for membership in recent years, pany the renewal notices, which will go voted to move the dues to $50.00 annu- out in the spring. ally at its meeting on Jan. 5 in New Or- The Board also voted to provide lapel Nate Kerkhoff named leans. With benefits provided by Marriott, pins for all members in lieu of stand Volney Meece Scholar- 6 Hertz, Rivals and complimentary Phil alone membership cards. But each ship winner. Steele Magazines, not to mention the FWAA member will have a certificate of FWAA Directory, membership can membership, which will be the same as a amount to several hundred dollars sav- card, included in the 2008-09 FWAA Di- Navy’s Zerbin Singleton ings in any one year. rectory. wins FWAA Courage 7 The dues’ increase will go into effect Award Page 2 THE FIFTH DOWN President Ron Higgins Memphis Commercial Appeal President’s column First Vice President It is an honor Football Foundation’s CEO, Steve George Schroeder and a privilege Hatchell, and others are arranging a Col- Eugene Register-Guard serving as your lege Football Forum in May in Dallas Second Vice President president for the where discussion can continue. Tim Griffin next year. Also, the roundtable at the BCS Na- ESPN.com But I plan to do tional Championship Game in New Or- more than shake leans, arranged by Charles Bloom of the Chip Brown hands at public Southeastern Conference, was another The Dallas Morning News functions. I want boost to get the ball rolling. Members of Bob Clark to shake up the the FWAA, writers and sports information Eugene Register-Guard way our profes- directors met for and hour and a half to Buddy Davis sion is being discuss the current relationship between Ruston Daily Leader Bob Holt treated by the the media and coaches. Arkansas Democrat Gazette RON coaching estab- A middle ground must be found. I Steve Irvine lishment. understand coaches are paranoid about Birmingham News HIGGINS That’s why in the immediacy of the Internet. But they Michael Lewis the next 12 also must realize that if they want accu- Salt Lake Tribune months, starting with a meeting I had rate reporting, our eyes must see some- Matt Markey with the NCAA Football Committee in thing, like a scrimmage, and not be Toledo Blade December, I made it crystal clear that merely handed stats on what happened Brett McMurphy things have to change. in a scrimmage. Tampa Tribune Robbi Pickeral The committee seemed to be stunned Also, I plan to be at the BCS commis- Raleigh News & Observer by our increased lack of access to play- sioners’ meetings at the end of April in Carter Strickland ers and coaches. They were surprised to Miami, Fla. It is our belief that confer- Atlanta Journal-Constitution hear how media guides have morphed ences need to establish some standard Lenn Robbins into recruiting guides. In some of these media policies, and all conferences are New York Post guides, there may be 10 pages on a hiding behind the rationale that media Tom Kensler weight room and more than 100 pictures policies are “an institutional decision.” Denver Post of a head coach, but year-by-year results If the NFL and NBA have media poli- Phil Steele have been omitted. cies that work, why can’t college foot- Phil Steele Magazine Maureen Fulton I’m tired of being told “You can’t.” You ball? Why aren’t there set interview times Toledo Blade can’t talk to assistant coaches, you can’t during the week? Why aren’t all players Joseph Duarte talk to freshmen, you can’t watch the and coaches available? Why are locker Houston Chronicle scrimmage, and you can’t watch practice rooms closed after games? Malcolm Moran (unless you’re part of an ESPN all- The answer is simple. Coaches now Knight Foundation access crew that coaches love for re- make millions and they don’t care about Antonya English cruiting exposure). us. If they don’t respect the professional St. Petersburg Times And because we have been told “you advice of their own sports information Paul Strelow can’t,” the level of frustration between directors – and some of them don’t – The State (S.C.) Kyle Hightower reporters and coaches is at an all-time then they certainly don’t respect how we Orlando Sentinel high. handle our jobs. Bob Asmussen The post-game situation with Okla- Any coach who says, “I respect you Champaign News-Gazette homa State coach Mike Gundy this past guys (the media) and the job you do” is a football season is just an example of flat-out liar. Ex-Officio what could happen on every campus. If one coach says, “I’m closing scrim- Charles Bloom When I related that to the NCAA Football mages, you can’t talk to my assistants Southeastern Conference Committee, it certainly became very con- and my freshmen are off-limits” and that Joe Hornstein cerned. coach has a winning season, then other University of Central Florida Mike Finn Both Grant Teaff of the American coaches think that controlling media Atlantic Coast Conference Football Coaches Association and must have been a key to maintaining Wright Waters of the Sun Belt Confer- focus. ence approached me about their con- That’s why conferences have to step cerns after the meeting. And the National (Continued on page 8) Page 3 THE FIFTH DOWN FWAA names seventh annual Freshman All-America Team NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Football Writers Associa- 28 freshman All-America selections are true freshman. tion of America and AON Insurance announced their In addition, Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski seventh annual Freshman All-America Team during the was named the top first-year coach at his school. association's annual awards breakfast. The team and coach are selected by a group of writ- The team features teammates from Arizona State, ers led by FWAA 2007 president Mike Griffith of the Florida State and Texas Tech and was chosen from 104 Knoxville News Sentinel. Both true freshmen and red- players nominated. The Big East leads all conferences shirt freshmen were considered for the team and so with five players on the squad, while the ACC, Big 12 noted. and Pac-10 each boast four members. Fourteen of the FWAA Freshman All-America team OFFENSE DEFENSE Pos. Player, School Hometown Pos. Player, School Hometown QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Oklahoma City DL • Everson Griffen, USC Avondale, Ariz. RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia Belford, N.J. DL Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh Coral Springs, Fla. RB • LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh Harrisburg, Pa. DL • Ian Williams, Notre Dame Altamonte Springs, Fla. RB Harvey Unga, BYU Provo, Utah DL • Colby Whitlock, Texas Tech Noble, Okla. WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech Dallas, Texas LB • Greg Jones, Michigan State Cincinnati, Ohio WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri Kirkwood, Mo. LB Scott Lutrus, Connecticut Brookfield, Conn. TE James Casey, Rice Azle, Texas LB • Rolando McClain, Alabama Decatur, Ala. OL • Anthony Castonzo, Boston College Hawthorn Woods, DB • Eric Berry, Tennessee Fairburn, Ga. OL • Anthony Davis, Rutgers Piscataway, N.J. DB • Omar Bolden, Arizona State Ontario, Calif. OL • Rodney Hudson, Florida State Mobile, Ala. DB Alex Kube, Northern Illinois Cary, Ill. OL • Matt Murphy, UNLV Lake Forest, Calif. DB Tavious Polo, Florida Atlantic Fort Lauderdale, Fla. C Ryan McMahon, Florida State Rome, Ga. DB Deunta Williams, North Carolina Jacksonville, N.C. SPECIALISTS Pos. Player, School Hometown P Keenyn Crier, Arizona Spring, Texas K Thomas Weber, Arizona State Downey, Calif. KR • Max Suter, Syracuse Ruffs Dale, Pa. ATH • Antonio Brown, Central Michigan Miami, Fla. • Indicates true freshman FIRST-YEAR COACH OF THE YEAR Jeff Jagodzinski Boston College Page 4 THE FIFTH DOWN Georgia SID Claude Felton named winner of Bert McGrane Award NEW ORLEANS, La.