NFF Chalk Talk
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November 20, 2008 Volume 2, Issue 13 Archie Manning Highlights NFF Table of Contents NFF Chalk Talk Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter Event * NFF Chalk Talk NFF chairman Archie Manning * Between the Hashes n-Campus Salute for LSU's * Top 25 attracted more than 100 guests to Dallas' Billy Cannon Set for This Renaissance Hotel last week for the * Player Anatomy Saturday * CFI Q&A O second event sponsored by the NFF's * Heisman Watch Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter. 2008 College Football Hall of Fame The event, emceed by Dallas * BCS Busters inductee Billy Cannon will be honored * Small School Top 10 broadcasting personality Scott Murray this weekend at LSU with an On- * Generation Next and sponsored by The Big Game, was * Game of the Week Campus Salute, as the Tigers take on attended by the likes of College Football * Senior Spotlights Ole Miss this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET Hall of Fame inductees Lee Roy Jordan * Weekend Guide on CBS. (Alabama), Dave Parks (Texas Tech) * NFF Student of and Jim Ray Smith (Baylor). NFL.com's the Month The only player in LSU's storied football Gil Brandt, Football Writers Association * AS Game News history to have his number retired, of America (FWAA) Executive Director * Nagurski Finalists Cannon clinched the 1959 Heisman Steve Richardson, Davey O'Brien * Davey O’Brien Trophy with a punt return against Ole National Quarterback Award Executive Match-ups Miss on Halloween night that has Director Danielle Moorman, and the * Mackey Finalist simply become known as "The Run". Dallas Morning News' Bobbi The leader of the Tigers' 1958 National Roquemore were also in attendance as Photo Credit Championship team, Cannon rushed for well as representatives from the Big 12, 1,867 yards and 19 touchdowns and Conference USA, the Southland * Collegiate Images amassed 965 yards in punt/kick returns Conference, the AT&T Cotton Bowl, * SEC Sports Media during his career. He received TCU, and an array of area high school * College Press Box unanimous First Team All-America coaches and administrators. * OU Athletics honors and placed third in Heisman Department voting in 1958 en route to earning * Texas Tech Mark Ball, athletics director for the consensus First Team All-America Wylie Independent School District, was Athletics laurels and winning both the Heisman * Brian Westerholt, named the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas' and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Sports on Film president and announced plans to hold Award the following season. He resides * OSU Athletics the chapter's first-ever scholar-athlete * Jaren Wilkey/BYU in Baton Rouge, La. banquet in April 2009. * University of Utah * University of Florida * University of College Football Insiders: Houston Publisher & Co-Founder: Daniel Mogollon [email protected] * Harvard Athletic Co-Founder: Rick Serritella Executive Editor: Ross Mandel Communications EVP/Head of Scouting: John Murphy Scouting Director: Matt Miller * Rogers Adams, Delaware St. Senior Writers: Ralph Mancini, Josh Buchanan; Staff Writers: John Sears, John Garrett, Christopher Mogollon, Matt Pike, Brian Vornberg, J.J. Pesavanto Between the Hashes: The Road to Miami A CLEAR PATH A LOT OF HELP Ironically, the National Weather THREE PROGRAMS CONTROL Center makes its home on the IF THIS LOGIC holds true, expect their destiny – Alabama, Texas campus of the University of a long lasting cold front out in Tech and Florida. A trip to Oklahoma. Nevertheless, don’t Austin when it comes to the Norman awaits the Red Raiders expect the Storm Prediction BCS. The Longhorns need this Saturday and a December 6 Center to inform us if Sam Oklahoma to win in Lubbock to playdate is on Bradford is even have a chance. They also the docket for prepared to play need the Sooners to win in the Crimson the role of jet Stillwater, because if they are Tide and the stream this left tied with Texas Tech alone, Gators. It’s far Saturday. This the Red Raiders advance via from a day at much we do know their head-to-head win the beach for – Bob Stoops is 60-2 (assuming Tech handles these three at home since Baylor). BCS teams, but taking over the they are in the Sooners. Could it be that the 10-1 ‘Horns driver’s seat. are already frozen out? The At this point in A LITTLE HELP only chance UT has is if the the season voters step back and decide what else can IF BOOMER SOONER that the Longhorns have had a you ask for? is able to defeat the better season than either tidal wave coming Oklahoma or Texas Tech. After Win and out of Lubbock, all, their lone loss (assuming you’re in – the four prettiest conventional wisdom says they defeat Texas A & M) came words in all of sports. In the they’ll take the lead in the Big in the final seconds in Lubbock. past, the BCS has brought 12 South race. Technically they election controversy befitting would create a three-way tie Even then, who can say if that the Sunshine State. There was atop the standings between would be enough? undefeated Auburn left out in themselves, the Red Raiders 2004 and both Oklahoma and and the Longhorns heading The only other team with a Nebraska advancing despite into the final week of the fighting chance is the USC not winning their conference. season. How does the Big 12 Trojans. They need the most Kind of like winning a plan to settle that tempest? The help of all, but it’s rather presidential election without team with the highest BCS simple. If Missouri wins the winning your party’s primary – ranking is declared the South Big 12 Championship game, it something we as a nation representative. Seriously. would in all likelihood knock thankfully have not seen yet. the Big 12 out of the BCS Currently, Texas leads Championship game – no If the Red Raiders win out and Oklahoma in the BCS Texas Tech, no Oklahoma, no play the winner of the SEC standings, but what will Texas. It would also behoove Championship game, the BCS happen if the Sooners knock off the Men of Troy to win the Pac- will be flak and fuss free – no the No. 2 team in the country 10 Title, which is also out of “hanging chad” if you will. Of and a very good Oklahoma St. their hands. Not only do they course, the current could shift team (No. 12 in the BCS)? The need to win out, but Oregon St. at any time and, as the natives expectation is that those two must drop one of their final of Miami can tell you, chaos wins would be enough to sway two games (at Arizona, home can strike at moment’s notice voters and impress the for Oregon). and disrupt the college football computers’ radar, vaulting the atmosphere. Sooners into the top two. See you in Miami… Top 25: Week Twelve 5. Oklahoma Sooners (4) Record: 9-1 (5-1) 1. Texas Tech (1) Coaches Poll: 5 Record: 10-0 (6-0) Associated Press: 5 Coaches Poll: 2 Last Week: BYE Associated Press: 2 Junior tailback Chris Brown is Last Week: BYE coming on strong for the Sooners, averaging 110 It’s time for the defense to step out of the yards per game and eight yards per carry over shadows — linebacker Brian Duncan has 74 Oklahoma’s last four contests (six scores). tackles, safety Darcel McBath six interceptions Up Next: 11/22: vs. Texas Tech; 11/29: @ OSU and defensive end Brandon Williams 10 sacks. Up Next: 11/22: @ Oklahoma; 11/29: vs. Baylor 2. Alabama Crimson Tide (2) Record: 11-0 (7-0) Coaches Poll: 1 Associated Press: 1 Last Week: Won Mississippi St. 32-7 It was all about the special teams – a blocked punt for a safety started the scoring before Javier Arenas took over, returning one punt to the two- yard line and another all the way to paydirt. Up Next: 11/22: BYE; 11/29: vs. Auburn 6. Southern Cal Trojans (6) Record: 9-1 (7-1) 3. Texas Longhorns (3) Coaches Poll: 6 Record: 10-1 (6-1) Associated Press: 6 Coaches Poll: 4 Last Week: Won @ Stanford 45-17 Associated Press: 4 You want vintage USC offense? On Last Week: Won @ Kansas 35-7 third and 13 from their own seven-yard line, The ‘Horns defense held a Kansas offense — one Stafon Johnson broke off a 43-yard run. On the that had reached 30 points in nine of their first 10 following play, Mark Sanchez connected with games and had scored no fewer than 21 points in Stanley Havili for 50-yard scoring strike. any game this season — to a single touchdown. Up Next: 11/22: BYE; 11/29: vs. Notre Dame Up Next: 11/22: BYE; 11/27: vs. Texas A & M 7. Penn St. Nittany Lions (7) 4. Florida Gators (5) Record: 10-1 (6-1) Record: 9-1 (7-1) Coaches Poll: 8 Coaches Poll: 3 Associated Press: 7 Associated Press: 3 Last Week: Won vs. Indiana 34-7 Last Week: Won vs. South Carolina 56-6 Can you say Iowa hangover? Penn St. took a 10-7 Can’t say for sure if the Florida Gators are the lead into the locker room before opening it up in best team in the country, but they can’t be doing the second half. Wide out Derrick Williams wonders for CBS’ ratings. More often than not, scored through the air and on the ground. Urban Meyer’s club pulls away early. Up Next: 11/22: vs. Michigan St. (Final Game) Up Next: 11/22: vs.