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They're the cream of the major championship crop, circa 2014 — the Athlon Major Championship Dream Team. Leading up to The Masters, we'll be unveiling Athlon Sports' 30 players to watch for majors season, with commentary on each from the Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee.
No. 28: Charl Schwartzel
Born: Aug. 31, 1984, Johannesburg, South Africa | Career PGA Tour Wins: 1 (9 on European Tour) | 2013 Wins (Worldwide): 1 | 2013 Earnings (PGA Tour): $2,256,723 (25th) | World Ranking: 16
Brandel Chamblee's Take
With his Masters title and his beautiful golf swing, one would expect Charl Schwartzel to contend more often, but his ball-striking stats contradict the aesthetics of his swing, which is why he has just two top 10s in majors, albeit one of them is a win. Still he has a knack for being just outside contention and close enough, often enough, to make one wonder when, or if, he will go on a run. If he's on the range, I can't help but watch him swing, and if he gets on the leaderboards more often in 2014 maybe his resume will be as pretty as that swing.
Major Championship Résumé
Starts: 28
Wins: 1
2013 Performance:
Masters - T25
U.S. Open - 14
British Open - T15
PGA Championship - Cut
Best Career Finishes:
Masters - 1 (2011)
U.S. Open - T9 (2011)
British Open - T14 (2010)
PGA Championship - T12 (2011)
Top-10 Finishes: 2
Top-25 Finishes: 11
Missed Cuts: 9
—Brandel Chamblee is lead analyst for the Golf Channel. Be sure to follow him @ChambleeBrandel on Twitter.
Athlon's 2014 Golf annual provides in-depth previews of this year's four majors, including the top 30 players to watch this season. One of these elite players, Dustin Johnson, also takes you tee to green with full-swing instruction and short game essentials. BUY IT NOW.
This is your daily link roundup of our favorite sports and entertainment posts on the web for March 6.
• Katherine Webb is trying modeling. If nothing else, she has attractive co-workers.
• Some guy who looks a lot like Tupac was at a basketball game last night.
• This is great: 2014 college football standings projections for the massive homer in your life.
• Watch a hockey player pick his teeth up off the ice. This is why it's the only sport that has team dentists.
• Nevada's 6-1 point guard threw down the windmill of the season.
• Proposed rules changes by Nick Saban, courtesy of Clay Travis.
• Is Tiger a quitter? Wojo says no. I happen to agree. But he might be facing an opponent he can't overcome.
• Swagged-out athletes of the '70s and '80s. I remember them well.
• This is interesting: Mike McQueary might have thrown an unnecessary touchdown pass for Penn State in 1995 simply to cover the spread.
• A putt-putt golfer recently rolled a perfect game. (An 18, for those who don't follow competitive putt-putt.)
• Ken Griffey Jr. was interviewed by Linda Cohn. It was...uncomfortable.
-- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at [email protected]
Becoming a March Madness hero has its perks.
For example, can you pronounce Farokhmanesh? Have you ever had such a hot hand you thought you might try courting Kate Upton in front of the entire world?
That's what it's like for three weeks during the NCAA Tournament for the unlikeliest of stars.
Northern Iowa's Ali Farokhmanesh hit four 3-pointers to upset Kansas in the second round in 2010, and for a brief time every college basketball fan could pronounce the name a player who had never even averaged 10 points per game in his career.
And just last year, Michigan's then-freshman Spike Albrecht briefly became a title game hero with 17 points against Louisville, a total he never exceeded before or since. Things were working out so much for Albrecht he tweeted to swimsuit model Kate Upton, who attended the game in a maize V-neck, "saw you at the game last night, thanks for coming out! Hope to see you again. :)"
Finding the next Farokhmanesh or Albrecht isn't easy, but we'll give it a try. Here are a handful of lesser-known players who could become household names for major contenders in the NCAA Tournament.
Gabe York, Arizona
York entered the starting lineup for three games late in the season and immediately gave the Wildcats a boost after their loss to Arizona State. York is a defensive liability, but he is a 3-point shooter on a team without many of them — York has made as many 3s (43) as leading scorer Nick Johnson in 12 fewer minutes per game.
Grant Gibbs, Creighton
Ethan Wragge and Jahenns Manigat have suddenly gone cold from 3, but here's Gibbs, shooting 7 of 9 in the last three games. The sixth-year senior is the classic glue guy who knows when to take a shot (60 percent from 2, 47.2 percent from 3) or when to pass (four assists per game).
Amile Jefferson, Duke
Remember Brian Zoubek? The Blue Devils center in 2010 helped Duke to the national title thanks to his offensive rebounding prowess. Jefferson isn't nearly as prolific (77 offensive boards) as the 7-1 Zoubek was (143), but he is Duke's top offensive rebounding threat this season. Jefferson had five offensive rebounds against Virginia, six against Pittsburgh and six against Syracuse this season.
Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
Here's the definition of an unlikely NCAA Tournament hero: Finney-Smith is on a loaded team but had slumped to make one 3-point shot in his last 23 attempts. So who gets the ball with an opportunity for a dagger against Vanderbilt? Finney-Smith. The Virginia Tech transfer also grabbed 10 or more rebounds five times this season.
Wayne Selden, Kansas
The Jayhawks will be led by Andrew Wiggins, Perry Ellis and Joel Embiid, but the five-star freshman Selden isn't a bad fourth option. He can finish around the rim, and he's plenty capable of hitting shots from deep. A secondary scorer on Kansas' record, he's managed to find a way to top 20 points three times.
Terry Rozier, Louisville
The freshman Rozier briefly started in place of an injured Chris Jones in an eye-opening stint at point guard this season. Rozier has returned to the bench, but he's still offering better than 20 minutes per game. He can be a bigger option at point guard (6-1) than the starter Jones (5-10).
Spike Albrecht, Michigan
Albrecht already has been the NCAA Tournament X-factor, when he scored 17 points out of nowhere against Louisville in the title game. A second explosion in the Tournament might not have the shock value of the first time, but it would still be surprising. A consistent contributor off the bench this season, Albrecht hasn't topped 10 points since the title game.
Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse
After the last two weeks, Syracuse perhaps should't be on a list of teams preparing to play for the title. A major reason has been a lack of inside scoring. If anyone on the roster is going to provide it, Christmas may be the guy since the Orange have few other options. He's shown flashes with 10 points against Pittsburgh and 14 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks against NC State.
Josh Hart, Villanova
Hart was briefly one of the nation's most productive freshmen during an eight-game stretch in December and January when he scored at least 10 points in each game. Hart slumped into Big East play, but he's showing signs of pulling out of it with 13 points against Marquette and eight rebounds against Butler in the last week.
London Perrantes, Virginia
The Cavaliers freshman point guard has been the key to Virginia's run to the ACC title and reason the Cavs may be dangerous in March. Not only has Perrantes, who averages 4.8 points per game, been hitting key 3-point shots in wins over Syracuse and Miami, he's become a more efficient point guard. He has a 5.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio during Virginia's win streak.
Darius Carter, Wichita State
Wichita State has its share of established names — Ron Baker, Cleanthony Early, Fred VanVleet and Tekele Cotton — but Carter may be one of the names that emerges in the Tournament. The 6-7 forward comes off the bench to offer 8.3 points per game, but he's averaging 18.3 points per 40 minutes, second only to Early's 22.9. His fresh legs will be an asset.
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
Wisconsin has its share of impact players — Sam Dekker, Josh Gasser, Frank Kaminsky, Traevon Jackson and Ben Brust. Of all them, the freshman Hayes may have the highest ceiling. The depth has allowed Hayes to grow into his role to the season where now he's a consistent threat anywhere inside the arc.
The Gamecocks are coming off of the best three-year run in program history.
South Carolina has posted three consecutive 11-win seasons — the only three 11-win seasons in school history. The year before that, it played in its only SEC Championship Game after winning its only East Division title since joining the conference in 1992.
Needless to say, Steve Spurrier has built a giant in Columbia. But despite all of the success his team has brought fans over the last half-decade, it still hasn't produced a championship. This program is nationally relevant for the first time in its long history and an SEC title is the only thing left for the Ol' Ball Coach to accomplish at South Carolina.
With a deep and talented depth chart returning to campus and a coaching staff that stayed intact, there is no reason why the Cocks can't be a major contender for a playoff spot in 2014.
|2014 Schedule
|Aug. 28
|Sept. 6
|Sept. 13
|Sept. 20
|Sept. 27
|Oct. 4
|Oct. 11
|Bye Week
|Oct. 18
|Oct. 25
|Nov. 1
|Nov. 8
|Bye Week
|Nov. 15
|Nov. 22
|Nov. 29
South Carolina 2014 Spring Preview
2013 Record: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)
Spring Practice Opens: March 4
Spring Game: April 12
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 6
Three Things to Watch in South Carolina's 2014 Spring Practice
Thompson's Time
Connor Shaw was one of the most underrated players to ever play in the SEC. His graduation leaves a gaping void under center and in the leadership department. The good news is Dylan Thompson has loads of experience and a big arm to stretch the field. His starting experience should help the redshirt senior assume the role as Commander-in-Chief of Spurrier's huddle. He will have plenty of talent on the outside to work with, as names like Pharoh Cooper, Shaq Roland, Nick Jones and Rory Anderson highlight the receiving corps. The offensive line also returns largely intact with only one starter gone from last year's unit. So if Thompson can settle into his role as "the guy" quickly this spring, there is no reason to think that this offense won't be one of the best in the SEC.
Rebuild the defensive line
The defensive side of the ball has much bigger voids to fill, especially along the line of scrimmage. There is no substitute for Jadeveon Clowney but having to find suitable replacements for first-team All-SEC tackle Kelcy Quarles and end Chaz Sutton makes the chore even more difficult. Spurrier has recruited at an extremely high level nationally and should have plenty of bodies lined up for playing time. This coaching staff just needs to figure out which players fit where this spring. Darius English, Gerald Dixon, J.T. Surratt and Phillip Dukes all return with experience but organizing the D-line depth chart has to be a priority for the Cocks' coaching staff this spring. What can JUCO defensive lineman Abu Lamin and converted linebacker Cedrick Cooper bring to the table?
Find cover corners
Victor Hampton was a second-team All-SEC pick and one of the most talented athletes on the roster a year ago. He and fellow starting cornerback Jimmy Legree have both departed Columbia, leaving Spurrier's defense lacking in outside covermen. This might be the biggest area of concern in spring camp because there are only four scholarship cornerbacks slated to participate. Rico McWilliams has two career starts and he is the most experienced player in the group by a wide margin. There will be reinforcements coming when the bulk of the heralded 2014 signing class gets to campus in the summer, but for the spring time, depth is a major issue on the outside. Finding players who can matchup outside with big wide receivers will be the focus, but keeping an already thin depth chart healthy will be equally important.
2014 Early Projected Win Range: 9-11
Spurrier is on a roll right now. He owns the Palmetto State in recruiting and on the field, he's won 33 games in three years and has his entire coaching staff back intact. Both specialists and 13 (of 22) starters return along with three consecutive top-20 recruiting classes. So while expectation levels are rightfully sky high, this roster also is capable of competing despite the loss of Clowney and Shaw. The schedule sets up nicely too. Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee will all come to Columbia while there is no Alabama or LSU and Johnny Manziel-less Texas A&M in crossover play from the West. Key second-half road trips to Auburn and Florida look like the toughest tests in the SEC for South Carolina. With this roster, this coach and this schedule, an SEC East title is well within reach.
The Bowl Championship Series is dead. But even the harshest of BCS detractors must acknowledge that the 16-year run was arguably the best era of college football in the history of the sport.
The era was highlighted by the advent of the BCS Championship Game, conference realignment and mega-dollar contracts for conferences, programs and coaches. But the elite athletes had a huge, if not the biggest, hand in the unprecedented growth of college football over the last two decades.
So Athlon Sports is looking back on the players that made the BCS Era great — conference-by-conference, position-by-position.
There certainly have been greats that graced the SEC stage during the BCS Era. Every program in this powerhouse league, at one time or another, has had an elite signal-caller — even Kentucky (Tim Couch, Andre Woodson) and Vanderbilt (Jay Cutler). But one name stands above the rest in the SEC when it comes to quarterback play and the BCS Era.
Note: Must have played at least one season between 1998-13 in the conference.
1. Tim Tebow, Florida (2006-09)
Stats: 9,285 yds, 88 TDs, 16 INTs, 66.4%, 2,947 yds, 57 TDs
Four years of huge statistics makes him the all-time SEC leader in total yards, total touchdowns (145), rushing touchdowns and passing efficiency (170.8). He won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 as well as the Davey O'Brien and Maxwell Awards when he set an NCAA record with 55 total touchdowns and 4,181 yards of total offense (since broken). He won the SEC Player of the Year, Manning and Maxwell Awards the following year in which he led Florida to its second national championship in three years. Tebow is one of only five players in SEC history to rush for 20 TDs in a season and his 57 career rushing touchdowns are an SEC record. He fell one game shy in 2009 of playing in — and likely winning — three national titles in four years. His speech following the loss to Ole Miss in '08 has been immortalized in Gator football lore and his cult following has only grown since leaving Gainesville.
2. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (2012-13)
Stats: 7,820 yds, 63 TDs, 22 INTs, 68.9%, 2,169 yds, 30 TDs
Manziel was one of the most unstoppable forces with the ball in his hands. He set the SEC single-season total offense record (5,116) by a large margin during his Heisman Trophy redshirt freshman campaign. His encore performance of 4,873 yards in his second season gives him the two most productive seasons in SEC history. He was a two-time, first-team All-SEC selection, won the Manning and Davey O'Brien Awards and earned two bowl MVP trophies in the Cotton and Chick-fil-A Bowls. In just two seasons, his 9,989 yards tied Eli Manning exactly for eighth all-time in league history for total offense and his 93 total touchdowns rank fifth all-time. He is the all-time SEC leader in completion percentage (68.9 percent) and is one of only two players in league history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season (Tim Couch). Six conference losses and some injuries slowed the end of his short career, but Manziel's excitement, improvisational skills, production and big-play ability are second to none in the storied history of SEC football. Few players ever burst onto the SEC scene quite like Johnny Manziel — despite the horrendous nickname — and few enjoyed the spotlight more.
3. AJ McCarron, Alabama (2010-13)
Stats: 9,019 yds, 77 TDs, 15 INTs, 66.9%, 3 rush TDs
He gets knocked for his vanilla offensive system, extraordinary head coach and talented supporting cast but McCarron is Alabama's greatest quarterback and is arguably the most successful player in SEC history this side of Tebow (who also had a great coach and elite supporting cast). He earned three BCS National Championships rings — two as the starting quarterback — and is the most prolific passer in school history. He earned BCS title game MVP honors as a sophomore before leading the nation in passing efficiency and winning another title as a junior (175.3). His 77-to-15 TD-to-INT ratio is one of the best in NCAA history as he finished as the No. 4-most efficient passer in SEC history (162.5). McCarron was a Heisman Trophy runner-up, the Maxwell and Unitas Award winner and finished 36-4 as a starter in his career — never missing a game in his four-year, 53-game career. Having Katherine Webb on the resume doesn't hurt either.
4. Cam Newton, Florida/Auburn (2008, '10)
Stats: 2,908 yds, 30 TDs, 7 INTs, 65.4%, 1,586 yds, 24 TDs
Newton's career is an intriguing one that could have been one of the greatest of all-time had he played more than just one season at Auburn. He was essentially kicked out of school, intertwined with a recruiting scandal and left early for the NFL. Yet, his one season in 2010 was one of the best in history. He single-handedly carried Auburn to a BCS title, won the Heisman Trophy as well as Davey O'Brien, Archie Manning, Maxwell, Walter Camp and AP Player of the Year honors. He set (since broken) the SEC's single-season record for total offense with 4,327 yards and is one of just five players ever to rush for 20 TDs in an SEC season. Had he played more than one season, Newton could have challenged Tebow as arguably the best player to play in the SEC during the BCS Era.
5. Aaron Murray, Georgia (2010-13)
Stats: 13,166 yds, 121 TDs, 41 INTs, 62.3%, 396 yds, 16 TDs
When it comes to statistics, no SEC player in history was more productive than Murray. He owns the SEC record for passing yards and touchdown passes. His 137 total touchdowns trail only Tebow and his 13,562 yards of total offense bested Tebow's record by a large margin (12,232). He is one of only three Georgia quarterbacks to beat Florida in three straight seasons and he posted at least 3,000 yards passing in four consecutive seasons. He is No. 1 all-time in SEC history with 921 completions and is No. 2 all-time with 1,478 attempts. He started 52 consecutive games, missing only the final two games of his senior season. His final record was 35-17 with two SEC East titles and the lack of a conference championship is the only missing piece to Murray's otherwise sterling resume.
6. Eli Manning, Ole Miss (2000-03)
Stats: 10,119 yds, 81 TDs, 35 INTs, 60.8%, 5 rush TDs
The third and final Manning to play quarterback in the SEC elevated Ole Miss to its highest levels of success during the BCS Era. He claimed the Unitas and Maxwell Awards, along with SEC Player of the Year honors and finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 2003. He owns the Ole Miss single-season records for yards (3,600) and touchdowns (31) and is eighth all-time in SEC history with over 10,000 yards passing. He is clearly one of this generation's greatest talents and of all the other greats to play in the SEC, Manning might have had the least talented supporting cast. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.
7. David Greene, Georgia (2001-04)
Stats: 11,528 yds, 72 TDs, 32 INTs, 59.0%, 5 rush TDs
Greene helped restore the winning ways in Athens and it started in his first season as the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2001. He led the Dawgs to their first SEC title in two decades as a sophomore and was named an All-SEC passer in each of his upperclass seasons. He left school as the NCAA's all-time winningest quarterback with 42 wins in his career. He was the SEC's all-time leading passer until Murray broke his record in 2013.
8. Tim Couch, Kentucky (1996-98)
Stats: 8,435 yds, 74 TDs, 35 INTs, 4 rush TDs
The consensus All-American and No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft brags two of the top four passing seasons in SEC history. He and Manziel are the only two players to top 4,000 yards passing in any season and his 4,275 yards in his junior season in the first year of the BCS system are still an SEC single-season record. His 37 touchdown passes in 1997 are tied for third all-time and his 36 scoring strikes the following year are tied for fifth.
9. Rex Grossman, Florida (2000-02)
Stats: 9,164 yds, 77 TDs, 36 INTs, 61.0%, 6 rush TDs
Grossman was a consensus All-American, SEC Player of the Year, AP Player of the Year nationally and finished second in the Heisman voting in 2001. His 3,896 yards passing in 2001 are a Florida school record and sit at No. 3 all-time in SEC history (Couch, Manziel). His 77 TD passes in just three years are ninth all-time and he was a first-round pick of the Bears in 2003. He led the Gators to two BCS bowls and his 146.8 passer rating is 10th all-time in SEC history.
10. Chris Leak, Florida (2003-06)
Stats: 11,213 yds, 88 TDs, 42 INTs, 61.4%, 137 yds, 13 TDs
Leak is third all-time in SEC history for passing yards and was the all-time leader in completions (895) until Murray came along. He started as a freshman and set SEC freshman passing records before three consecutive seasons with at least 2,600 yards and 20 TDs. As a senior he earned BCS Championship Game MVP honors after dismantling the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2006 title game. Florida won 37 games and went to four bowl games during his time in Gainesville. Leak won't ever be confused with the most talented to ever play the game but his resume is as complete as any in the history of the sport.
Just missed the cut:
11. Andre Woodson, Kentucky (2004-07)
Stats: 9,360 yds, 79 TDs, 25 INTs, 61.9%, 5 rush TDs
From 1985-2005, Kentucky went to three bowl games. Woodson led the Wildcats to bowl wins in 2006 and '07 while setting several SEC single-season records in the process. He is the only SEC quarterback to ever throw 40 touchdown passes in a season (40) and his 79 career TD passes rank seventh all-time in league history. Woodson is one of four SEC quarterbacks with two seasons of at least 3,500 yards (Manziel, Couch, Ryan Mallett). Woodson owns the SEC record for consecutive attempts without an interception at 325.
12. Jason Campbell, Auburn (2001-04)
Stats: 7,299 yds, 45 TDs, 24 INTs, 64.6%, 307 yds, 9 TDs
He never threw for 3,000 yards but Campbell was extremely efficient and led his team to an SEC championship and unbeaten season as a senior in 2004. He won SEC Player of the Year and SEC title game MVP honors and finished seventh in the Heisman voting after 2,700 yards passing and 23 total touchdowns.
13. Greg McElroy, Alabama (2007-10)
Stats: 5,691 yds, 39 TDs, 10 INTs, 71 yds, 2 TDs
Signing with Nick Saban's first class, McElroy and his elite football IQ was a huge part of returning Alabama to the mountain top in 2009. He led the Tide to their first national championship since 1992 with an excellent 2,508-yard, 17-TD, 4-INT season and SEC title game MVP award as a junior. He came back and set the school record with 2,987 yards as a senior before getting drafted by the Jets.
14. Tee Martin, Tennessee (1996-99)
Stats: 4,592 yds, 32 TDs, 16 INTs, 55.4%, 614 yds, 16 TDs
Peyton Manning is the greatest Tennessee quarterback of all-time but Martin did what Manning couldn't when he led the Vols to the first national championship of the BCS Era. Martin set the NCAA record for consecutive completions at 24 during that historic run at the SEC and BCS titles. Martin led Tennessee to another BCS bowl as a senior and finished 8-0 as a starter against Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Kentucky.
15. Connor Shaw, South Carolina (2010-13)
Stats: 6,074 yds, 56 TDs, 16 INTs, 65.6%, 1,683 yds, 17 TDs
His passing numbers will never be confused with either of Manning boys, but Shaw presided over the greatest era of Gamecocks football. He led three straight 11-win seasons in Columbia — the only three 11-win seasons in school history — and did it with elite toughness and efficiency. His career passer rating of 155.9 is sixth all-time in SEC history and his 56-to-16 TD-to-INT ratio is among the best in SEC history. He also ran the ball at least 130 times in each of his three seasons as the starter. Simply put, he was a winner — a school-record 27 of them overall, all 17 at home and three in a row over Clemson.
16. Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt (2002-05)
Stats: 8,697 yds, 59 TDs, 36 INTs, 57.2%, 1,256 yds, 17 TDs
Cutler played on three straight two-win teams before leading Vanderbilt to five wins and earning SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors as a senior. He is the Dores' all-time leading passer in most every category and is clearly the most physically talented player to ever quarterback the program. He was a first-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
17. Ryan Mallet, Michigan/Arkansas (2007, 2009-10)
Stats: 8,385 yds, 69 TDs, 24 INTs, 57.8%, 7 rush TDs
Mallett is one of only four SEC signal-callers in history with two 3,500-yard seasons on his resume. He set an Arkansas record with 3,624 yards passing in his first season in the SEC and then broke his own record with 3,869 the following year. His 32 TD passes in 2010 are a school record as well while his passer rating of 158.1 is fifth all-time in SEC history behind only Tebow, Manziel, Danny Wuerffel and McCarron. The Hogs went 18-8 during his span, earned their only BCS bowl berth of the era while posting 10 wins (2010) for only the second time since 1989.
18. Matthew Stafford, Georgia (2006-08)
Stats: 7,731 yds, 51 TDs, 33 INTs, 57.1%, 213 yds, 6 TDs
From a talent standpoint, few players in SEC history can match the raw physical ability of Stafford. He struggled as a freshman but eventually improved greatly over his three seasons, eventually throwing for 3,459 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior. Georgia won 30 games in three years with Stafford on the team and he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.
19. Casey Clausen, Tennessee (2000-03)
Stats: 9,707 yds, 75 TDs, 31 INTs, 61.0%, 6 rush TDs
The eldest of three Clausen brothers to play college football, Casey entered the starting lineup for Tennessee as a freshman against Alabama. He went on to start 44 of 47 games, finishing with a 34-10 record overall. He posted two seasons with at least 2,900 yards passing and trails only Peyton Manning in the Tennessee record books in this category.
20. Matt Mauck, LSU (2001-03)
Stats: 3,831 yds, 37 TDs, 18 INTs, 58.6%, 345 yds, 5 TDs
He didn't have big stats but he came up big when it mattered the most. He entered the 2001 SEC title game against Tennessee after starter Rohan Davey got hurt and led LSU to its first SEC title since 1988. He then helped LSU claim the BCS National Championship in 2003, the Tigers' first national title since 1958. He threw for 2,825 yards and 28 scores on 64 percent passing that historic season. Mauck also had streaks of 17 straight completions (5th all-time in SEC history) and 16 straight (9th all-time) in the '03 season.
Best of the rest:
21. Nick Marshall, Auburn (2013-present): 1,976 yds, 14 TDs, 6 INTs, 59.4%, 1,068 yds, 12 TDs
22. Matt Jones, Arkansas (2001-04): 5,857 yds, 53 TDs, 30 INTs, 55.2%, 2,535 yds, 24 TDs
23. D.J. Shockley, Georgia (2002-05): 3,555 yds, 34 TDs, 9 INTs, 643 yds, 7 TDs
24. Jared Lorenzen, Kentucky (2000-03): 10,354 yds, 78 TDs, 41 INTs, 56.9%, 283 yds, 12 TDs
25. Erik Ainge, Tennessee (2004-07): 8,700 yds, 72 TDs, 35 INTs, 60.6%, Rush TD
26. Rohan Davey, LSU (1998-2001): 4,415 yds, 29 TDs, 15 INTs, 59.8%, 77 yds
27. Matt Flynn, LSU (2004-07): 3,096 yds, 31 TDs, 13 INTs, 56.1%, 340 yds, 5 TDs
28. JaMarcus Russell, LSU (2004-06): 6,625 yds, 52 TDs, 21 INTs, 61.9%, 79 yds, 4 TDs
29. Bo Wallace, Ole Miss (2012-present): 6,340 yds, 40 TDs, 27 INTs, 64.3%, 745 yds, 14 TDs
30. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas (2008-12): 7,765 yds, 52 TDs, 26 INTs, 62.6%, 4 rush TDs
Things started with a bang for Michigan in 2013. Devin Gardner carried his team to victory with a Heisman Trophy-esque performance against archrival Notre Dame en route to a 5-0 start to the season.
Then the wheels fell off the Wolverines' offense.
Gardner turned the ball over too much, the offense never really got on track and Michigan lost five of its last six games. The Maize and Blue were held below 200 yards of offense on three separate occasions and held to negative rushing yards twice.
The same offense that rolled up a record 751 yards against Indiana.
Needless to say, consistency was a major issue and changes needed to be made to the 87th-rated offense. Not only will Michigan now be playing in a tougher Big Ten Division but they will be doing so with a new name calling plays on the offense.
|2014 Schedule
|Aug. 30
|Appalachian St
|Sept. 6
|Sept. 13
|Sept. 20
|Sept. 27
|Oct. 4
|Oct. 11
|Oct. 18
|Bye Week
|Oct. 25
|Nov. 1
|Nov. 8
|Nov. 15
|Bye Week
|Nov. 22
|Nov. 29
Michigan 2014 Spring Preview
2013 Record: 7-6 (3-5 Big Ten)
Spring Practice Opens: Feb. 25
Spring Game: April 5
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 8
Three Things to Watch in Michigan's 2014 Spring Practice
Doug Nussmeier, meet Devin Gardner
Hoke hired former Alabama offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier in early January. The timing was strange and the way Al Borges was put out to pasture was equally bizarre. But Hoke got his guy and Wolverines fans will be anxious to see how Coach Nuss works with embattled but extremely talented quarterback Devin Gardner. Gardner at one point last year was leading the world in turnovers but also set a Michigan single-game record with 584 yards of total offense. Protecting the football and working on becoming a more efficient passer will be the focus of the new offensive duo in Ann Arbor. There were a lot things wrong with the Michigan offense last year but it begins and ends with Gardner's play. Of course, if Hoke can provide some sort of running game for his QB, that might help…
Rebuild the line and develop a workhorse
Taylor Lewan is gone. So is Michael Schofield. So the best two players are gone from an offensive line that finished 102nd in the nation in rushing and 109th in sacks allowed. The quickest way to ensure success for Gardner in the passing game is to provide balance on the ground. To do that, Nussmeier will have to reverse a very disturbing trend in Ann Arbor. Michigan's rushing offense has gone from 238.5 yards per game in 2010 to 221.8 in '11, 183.8 in '12 and just 125.7 yards per game last year. Replacing those stars up front on the O-line and developing a true workhorse (paging Derrick Green) has to be atop the offensive priority list for the new coordinator. Additionally, figuring out a way to maximize Gardner's athletic ability in space could help to open up more traditional running lanes for Green.
Find a go-to weapon on the outside
With a defense ranked in the upper half of the Big Ten and returning eight starters, the focus all spring should stay on the offense. Devin Funchess can be a dangerous weapon in open space but record-setting wideout Jeremy Gallon is gone and dependable target Jake Butt is out with a torn ACL. So other than Funchess at tight end, Michigan won't have any player returning this spring with more than 15 catches on their resume. Amara Darboh will return to the field after missing all of 2013 and Jehu Chesson and Dennis Norfleet have limited experience. Finding a go-to target on the outside would also go a long way in helping to improve Gardner's production in the pocket.
2014 Early Projected Win Range: 7-9
Despite entering a tougher division in 2014 with a new coordinator calling plays, Michigan fans should have plenty of optimism heading into the spring. Gardner can be a special player when things are going well and Hoke has easily the second-best roster in the Big Ten this season (as usual). Is there a lot of work to be done on the offense? Certainly, but with a manageable early schedule and key swing games coming at home late in the year (Indiana, Maryland), Michigan should find a way to improve on the seven wins from a year ago. Should Nussmeier find a workhorse back and stabilize the offensive line, 10 wins is well within reach.
The first two years of the Rich Rodriguez era at Arizona have produced the exact same results. In both 2012 and '13 the Wildcats have gone 8-5 overall, finished fourth in the Pac-12 South Division with a 4-5 mark and ended the season on a high by winning their bowl game.
If RichRod and his team want to make it three-for-three in Tucson, it will have to be with a lot of new faces stepping up. The Wildcats return just 12 starters, six on each side of the ball, as they are practically starting over on offense and also must replace several key defenders.
There are a bevy of redshirt freshman and JUCO transfers coming in who will vie for the available openings and other spots on the depth chart, which only makes this spring practice period even more critical for Rodriguez and his staff.
Arizona Wildcats 2014 Spring Preview
2013 Record: 8-5 (4-5 Pac-12)
Spring Practice Opens: March 8
Spring Game: April 12
Returning Starters
Offense: 6
Defense: 6
Three Things to Watch in Arizona's 2014 Spring Practice
|2014 Schedule
|Aug. 29
|Sept. 4
|Sept. 13
|Sept. 20
|Oct. 2
|Oct. 11
|Oct. 25
|Nov. 1
|Nov. 8
|Nov. 15
|Nov. 22
|Nov. 28
1. Quarterback competition. In his one and only year as the starter, B.J. Denker produced nearly 3,500 yards of total offense and 29 (16 pass, 13 rush) total touchdowns. Now that he's graduated, Rich Rodriguez must identify his new starting quarterback from a group of options that didn't take a single snap for Arizona last season. Jesse Scroggins and Anu Solomon both were part of the team, the former a junior college transfer who did not play in 2013 while the latter sat out as a redshirt freshman. Both were highly touted dual threat quarterback prospects coming out of high school and appear well suited to run Rodriguez' spread offense. They will be joined in the quarterback competition by Texas transfer Connor Brewer and junior college transfer Jerrard Randall, who started his college career at LSU. It's entirely too early to tell who the leader is at this point and while there may be some degree of clarity by the time the spring game rolls around, Rodriguez has already said he fully expects this battle to continue into the fall.
2. Starting over in the backfield. Entering spring, the quarterback and running back situations are very similar, and that's not necessarily a good thing. As important as Denker was to Arizona's success last season, a bigger loss was when Ka'Deem Carey decided to forego his senior year to enter the NFL Draft. An All-American who put together back-to-back 1,800-yard rushing seasons and scored 44 total touchdowns in that span, Carey's jump to the pros leaves the Wildcats with one player who had more than 100 yards on the ground in 2013. Jared Baker is the leading returning rusher (127 yards), but he won't be back on the practice field until the fall at the earliest as he's recovering from a torn ACL. Rodriguez won't lack for options to carry the ball this spring, with redshirt freshmen Pierre Cormier, Zach Green and Myles Smith available as well as true freshman Jonathan Haden, who enrolled in January. Cormier is probably the slight leader in the clubhouse at this point, but with Baker expected to return in the fall along with incoming freshman Nick Wilson, don't be surprised if the backfield remains a fluid situation leading up to the Aug. 29 season opener against UNLV.
3. More progress on defense? In Rodriguez' first year at Arizona, the Wildcats' defense couldn't stop anyone. Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel's unit finished 102nd or worse nationally in total, scoring, rushing and passing defense in 2012. It then took a huge leap forward last fall, coming in at 39th in the nation in scoring defense and ranking no worse than 70th in the other three major categories. From a points allowed standpoint alone, Arizona went from 35.3 per game in 2012 to 24.2 last season. If this defense is going to replicate that success in 2014, it will have to do so without the services of its top two tacklers (linebackers Jake Fischer and Marquis Flowers), sack leader (defensive end Sione Tuihalamaka) and a three-year starting cornerback (Shaquille Richardson). Linebacker Scooby Wright and safety Jared Tevis, who each picked up Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 recognition last season, return, but replacing the aforementioned five starters will be no easy task. Just like on offense, a host of redshirts and JUCO transfers are coming in to hopefully fill these holes and round out the defensive depth chart. Included in this group is tackle Jeff Worthy, who started his college career at Boise State before transferring to Santa Ana (Calif.) College.
2014 Early Projected Win Range: 6-8
Rich Rodriguez and his coaching staff have their work cut out for him this spring. Topping the to do list is finding a quarterback and determining the pecking order in the backfield. While neither of these situations will be completely settled until fall camp, the wide receiving corps should be plenty deep, especially with the return of Austin Hill (above, right), a 2012 first-team All-Pac-12 honoree who missed all of last season after injuring his knee. The offensive line also appears in good shape with four returning starters. The defense made significant improvement in 2013, but now must replace several key contributors.
Schedule-wise, the only thing that changes this season is Nevada replaces FCS member Northern Arizona. Rodriguez has put together back-to-back 8-5 showings in his first two years at Arizona. With all of the uncertainty on this roster, especially at quarterback and running back, a third such finish this fall would be impressive.
After a 24-0 record to Urban Meyer's tenure at Ohio State, the Buckeyes closed 2013 on a two-game losing streak. Despite the sour end to last year, Ohio State is still in great shape. Meyer continues to reel in elite talent, and quarterback Braxton Miller turned down the NFL for one more season in Columbus.
With Miller back on campus, Ohio State's offense will be one of the best in the nation. Running back Carlos Hyde will be missed, but Ezekiel Elliott and Dontre Wilson should be a potent one-two combination. The biggest question mark on offense is a line that returns just one starter. Meyer is still searching for the right combination on defense after finishing seventh in the Big Ten in yards allowed in 2013. Chris Ash was hired to coordinate the defense with Luke Fickell, while Larry Johnson Sr. comes to Ohio State from Penn State to coach the defensive line.
The Big Ten East Division is shaping up to be a battle between Ohio State and Michigan State for the top spot. Will the Buckeyes take the next step under Meyer and win the Big Ten title in 2014?
Ohio State Buckeyes 2014 Spring Preview
2013 Record: 12-2 (8-0)
Spring Practice Opens: March 4
Spring Game: April 12
Returning Starters
Offense: 5
Defense: 7
Four Things to Watch in Ohio State's 2014 Spring Practice
|2014 Schedule
|Aug. 30
|Sept. 6
|Sept. 13
|Sept. 27
|Oct. 4
|Oct. 18
|Oct. 25
|Nov. 1
|Nov. 8
|Nov. 15
|Nov. 22
|Nov. 29
1. The backup quarterbacks: When healthy, there's no debate Braxton Miller is Ohio State's No. 1 quarterback. But the senior will miss spring practice due to offseason shoulder surgery, leaving Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett, Stephen Collier and Luke Morgan as the options vying for the backup role. There's not much experience in that foursome, as Morgan is an invited walk-on, Collier is a true freshman that enrolled in time to compete in spring practice, Barrett was the No. 137 prospect in the 247Sports Composite last year and Jones played in three games last season and attempted two passes. Jones and Barrett are working as the top two quarterbacks in spring practice, and it's important both passers get comfortable with the first-team offense. Miller should be 100 percent in fall practice, but after he accumulated 171 rushing attempts last year, the Buckeyes need to have their backup prepared. This is a big spring for Barrett and Jones to prove they are capable of leading the offense should Miller miss any snaps in 2014.
2. Figuring out the supporting cast: The running back and receiving corps aren't positions of weakness, but Meyer needs to sort out his options in both units. At running back, Ezekiel Elliott and Dontre Wilson are slated to replace Carlos Hyde. Elliott may not match Hyde's 1,521 yards from last season, but he should receive the bulk of the attempts. Wilson is suited for an all-purpose role, and coordinator Tom Herman needs to get the ball to him more in 2014. The Buckeyes also have Rod Smith, Warren Ball and Bri'onte Dunn fighting for carries. Can Herman and Meyer develop a pecking order here? At receiver, the Buckeyes are still searching for the right mix. Corey Brown is gone after leading the team with 63 receptions last season, leaving Devin Smith and tight end Jeff Heuerman as the top options. Evan Spencer is also in the mix after catching 26 passes last year. There's no shortage of talent here, including Jalin Marshall, Michael Thomas, talented incoming freshman Johnnie Dixon, Corey Smith, Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Greene and James Clark. Which players will emerge as starters or potential go-to options for Miller? With backup quarterbacks taking reps this spring, it may be tough to get a read on this group.
3. Rebuilding the offensive line: The Buckeyes had one of the best offensive lines in the nation last year. Fast forward to 2014 and this group is facing a rebuilding project. Taylor Decker is the only returning starter from last season and will likely flip from right tackle to the left side. Pat Elflein made one start in 2013 and is penciled in at one of the guard spots. The other three positions are up for grabs. Redshirt freshman Billy Price and Jacoby Boren appear set to battle to start at center, while Darryl Baldwin could be the answer at right tackle if he holds off talented redshirt freshman Evan Lisle. Helping Elflein at guard could be a couple of different names, potentially converted defensive lineman Joel Hale. Replacing four starters in the trenches is no easy task. How long will it take this unit to find the right mix?
4. Fixing the defense: No, the defense wasn't completely awful last year. However, it wasn't quite up to the standard most expect in Columbus. Despite having a first-team All-Big Ten cornerback in Bradley Roby, the Buckeyes ranked 83rd nationally in pass efficiency defense and allowed 20 passing scores (conference-only games). The back seven should receive most of the attention in the spring, as the line could be the best in the nation in 2014. Ryan Shazier's early departure to the NFL added to the uncertainty at linebacker. Joshua Perry and Curtis Grant are back as returning starters, while redshirt freshman Darron Lee opened spring with the No. 1 unit. The name to watch at linebacker is true freshman Raekwon McMillan – the No. 22 recruit in the 247Sports Composite. In the secondary, the coaching staff is counting on Doran Grant to take his game to the next level after earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors last year. Cam Burrows shifted from cornerback to safety and should be a major contributor there in 2014. Plenty of question marks litter the back seven. However, there's no shortage of talent at the coaching staff's disposal.
2014 Early Projected Win Range: 10-12
Take a look at Ohio State's schedule. See many losses there? The Buckeyes will miss production from Shazier and Roby on defense, but there's enough talent to figure things out as the season progresses. As long as Miller stays healthy, Ohio State can simply outscore every team on its schedule – with one exception. The Nov. 8 road date at Michigan State is a revenge game for the Buckeyes and a matchup that should decide the East Division. If Ohio State wins at Michigan State and takes the Big Ten Championship, this team should be in college football's playoff.
When Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez finally broke from a strut to admire his home run and into a trot around the bases, his showboat pace was slowed by the history he dragged alongside.
Last June, Atlanta lefty Paul Maholm hit Gomez's knee with a pitch and left a bruise Gomez remembered long after the welt's mosaic faded. Gomez got his payback on Sept. 25 by catapulting Maholm's pitch deep into Turner Field's seats. Gomez spat spite at Maholm as he rounded the bases and headed home, focusing his glare so intently on the lefty that he didn't see who came to greet him. Because Gomez wouldn't walk the line, Braves catcher Brian McCann met him on the basepath. About 10 feet from the plate, McCann made a stand against Gomez. Baseball's sacred, though shifty, code of conduct had been breached, and McCann was there to make sure the Brewers' center fielder didn't sidestep justice.
"I did what I felt any catcher would do in that situation," McCann told reporters the next day. "I stand by what I did. I'm sticking up for this team. That's part of baseball."
Described by players and managers as a necessary part of the game, a revealing part of the game within the game, and also a "macho" part of the game, baseball's unwritten code can also be a nebulous part of the game, as hard for fans to interpret as it is for players to articulate. The code governs how to play and how to police, as McCann did. Transgressions vary. Players know one when they see one.
The 2013 season offered a range of examples, from conflicts to comeuppance to the chlorinated. An exchange of beanballs led to a dugout-clearing brawl between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. L.A. later celebrated a playoff berth by plunging and romping, uninvited, in Chase Field's pool, irking Arizona. Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig rankled opponents (and some teammates) with his exuberance, typified by his finger-pointing tribute to a triple in the playoffs. Boston pitcher Ryan Dempster captured a communal acrimony when he hit the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (below) in August with a purpose pitch. Rodriguez read the pitch as a vigilante response to his appeal of a 211-game PED suspension. There were 28 batters hit in just 19 games between rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. In the weeks before McCann blocked Gomez, Atlanta had two dugout-clearing brouhahas sparked by opponents' homer-watching etiquette. McCann jawed with Miami pitcher Jose Fernandez about admiring his first career home run, educating the kid on the code in his self-deputized roles:
Judge. Jury. Catcher.
"The showing up part is one that's really interesting to me because everybody's got their own perception of what 'showing up' is," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon says. "For me, a lot of that has to do with the manager and maybe the leaders within that team. If they feel somebody has gone overboard (they) call them on it. … But it's just a part of the culture in all sports. It's generational. Hey, afros and high socks and everything changes, man, so just live with it."
"It's a macho game," says Dirk Hayhurst, a former big-league pitcher who is now a bestselling author of The Bullpen Gospels and Bigger Than the Game. "It can be hard to explain. … It's like, 'I don't want people to think that we can be messed with, so we'll do this frontier justice thing. That will show them we're men, just in case the 25 other men over there didn't realize they were playing men. We're not going to stand for it.' It does sound kind of ludicrous."
The Dodgers dealt with the nuances of the code as Puig tested patience with his polarizing, pyrotechnic displays. During the playoffs, veteran Carlos Beltran, then with the opposing Cardinals, said Puig "must think he's still playing somewhere else" and had yet to learn "to act with more calm." Displays like Puig's proved cultural as much as generational. One player's celebration is another's affront. Some see joy where others see immaturity. Tolerance is different from age group to age group, culture to culture, and even franchise to franchise. The line, several players say, is crossed when a player's showmanship "shows up" the opposing team.
Puig's theatrics toed the line.
Gomez chiding Maholm crossed it.
"Absolutely there's an ESPN factor," says Gary Bennett, a former catcher who spent 13 years in the majors. "Getting the highlights. Dressing things up. It has changed how you police things. On a 3-0 pitch, if a young player tried to kill the ball (20 years ago), a veteran might put a pitch in his ribs. Now they can swing out of their shoes. The thing I learned is you had to find that line between enthusiasm and 'showing someone up.' That can be personal. You let them have their moment, but you don't let them embarrass your pitcher."
On June 11, Arizona righty Ian Kennedy popped Puig's nose with a questionable pitch. L.A. starter Zack Greinke hit catcher Miguel Montero in what was later described as "an apple for apple" answer. Kennedy responded by pelting Greinke.
The code ran amok. Both teams stormed the field. A fracas ensued.
"Somebody knocks you on your fanny, you get a good clean lick, you take your number and get them back cleanly," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson says. "Nobody is trying to hurt anybody, ever. It's just good competition. They lick me, I lick them. And in the end sometimes it just comes down to who is standing, whether that's physical or mental. Last year, we weren't standing at the end."
Utilityman Skip Schumaker saw how the beanbrawl galvanized the Dodgers. L.A. won 55 of its next 74 games, climbing from 7.5 games back in the NL West to 13.5 ahead.
"When we cleared with Arizona that was the start of our serious run," Schumaker says. "It does a lot for bringing a team together. You're fighting for one another; you see who wants to fight with you.
"Not everyone gets it. But if you know how to do it right, you can show a lot about the kind of teammate you are."
Initial penalties from the brawl included suspensions of eight players or coaches for a combined 24 games, 10 for Kennedy.
The game's increased likelihood of suspension has influenced the code, sometimes as a deterrent and sometimes by prolonging bitterness until a suspension doesn't sting. Monitoring strike zones has caused a more subtle change. Two former catchers say years ago umpires would have schooled a young player like Puig. They describe how an irritated ump could expand the strike zone to send a message. QuesTec ended that. Advances in technology, suspensions, and salaries have turned the code from a binary decision — take a lick, give a lick — into calculus.
It's foolish "to enforce morality with a 91 mph fastball," Hayhurst says.
Tony La Russa, a National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee in 2014, always said such decisions made him queasy, but he had firm policies. La Russa insists that he never fired first. Any retaliation was going to be below the shoulders and be signaled by the manager. He didn't want pitchers freelancing, and he'd rather have hitters furious at the manager than distrustful of a teammate. And, the target would be the best player. Big apple for apple. During the Cardinals' frisky exchanges with Milwaukee in the La Russa era, Ryan Braun came to know the drill, literally. "That would stop everything. Tony wanted to end it," a Cardinals player says. Other teams that respond similarly shift the onus from an individual to an entire club and "put that concern in their dugout, not ours," Bennett says.
The code can be complex and contradictory. Hayhurst explains: "If you get caught stealing signs, you get drilled. If you peek back at the signs, you get drilled. If you figure out signs from the dugout, that's good detective work." Hard slides can earn a plunk, or praise. Context matters. The score does, too. Admonishing a player for celebrating a homer is far different than retaliating for a teammate getting hit, but both illustrate tenets of the code: A club will do what it takes to show it will not be embarrassed and that it cannot be intimidated.
"There (are) rules that we all understand," Gibson says. "Situations call for it, and you want to do the right thing. You want to be a good teammate and a solid player. And the ones who don't (understand it) don't stay around."
In the days after his run-in with McCann, Gomez apologized, expressing on Twitter that he "should have done better to control myself." He acknowledged his code break and sought to avoid further injury or insult. The code's cascade effect had McCann protect his pitcher, Gomez's teammates protect him, and the Braves rush to protect their catcher. Yelling became pushing — and Gomez never did touch home plate.
By rule, the run counted.
By code, so did McCann's point.
—Written by Derrick Goold for Athlon Sports. This is just one of the features that can be found in Athlon Sports' 2014 MLB Preview magazine, which is available on newsstands and online now. Starting with 21 unique covers to choose from, Athlon covers the diamond and circles the bases with enough in-depth preseason analysis, predictions and other information to satisfy fans of the national pastime from the Bronx to the Bay and everywhere in between. Order your copy now!
Even while winning 79 PGA Tour events and 14 majors, Tiger Woods has suffered an alarming litany of injuries, to the point that we have to wonder whether he'll ever be truly healthy again. On the occasion of his latest malady (back spasms that have forced his withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he's the eight-time champion), we present a breakdown of many (but not all) of the well-known injuries that have befallen Woods — and this doesn't include anything that may or may not have happened to his face on that fateful Thanksgiving night in 2009. Not to mention the injuries to his pride, reputation and self-esteem.
—Written by Michael Bradley for Athlon Sports. This is just one of the features that can be found in Athlon Sports' 2014 MLB Preview magazine, which is available on newsstands and online now. Starting with 21 unique covers to choose from, Athlon covers the diamond and circles the bases with enough in-depth preseason analysis, predictions and other information to satisfy fans of the national pastime from the Bronx to the Bay and everywhere in between. Order your copy now!
This is your daily link roundup of our favorite sports and entertainment posts on the web for March 5.
• Lent has begun, but here's one last look back at Mardi Gras, courtesy of actress/model Melissa Bolona.
• Kentucky's been so bad lately that a seven-point win over Alabama causes fans to break out the dance moves.
• This Stony Brook fan wasn't going to let his moment in the spotlight go to waste. Gotta support the team.
• Sarasota officials apparently feel a need to remind Orioles fans not to drink from the toilet.
• Peyton Manning looks weird with a goatee.
• Relief pitcher/noted flake Brian Wilson opened his outing with a knuckleball.
• Watch a high school hockey player get destroyed, from the safety of your desk.
• Also from hockey: There's some strange satisfaction in watching a ref get accidentally decked, even if he doesn't deserve it.
• Kenny Dobbs fancies himself the world's best dunker. Here's behind the scenes footage of Dobbs dunking over a dude who's on fire.
• A lot of credit for Wichita State's undefeated season goes to Fred VanVleet's stepdad.
• This chart from Mandatory provides the ultimate sports fan breakdown.
• Russell Westbrook achieved a triple-double in only 21 minutes of action. That's impressive.
-- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at [email protected]
Welcome to the Athlon Rookie Report, where each week David Smith will evaluate the deepest crop of new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series talent since 2006. The Report will include twice-monthly rankings, in-depth analysis, Q&A sessions with the drivers, and more.
Following the race last Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, rookie Parker Kligerman, driver of the No. 30 Swan Racing Toyota Camry sits down with David for an extended interview. What follows is an edited transcript their chat.
You're a rookie in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. I'm sure because of this your wallet is becoming a little fatter. Have there been any celebratory purchases thus far?
I've always been someone who has been really modest. I've been fortunate enough to be paid to drive race cars since I was 18. I've always been on one-year (contracts), so it's one of those things that could always be gone tomorrow. Therefore, I've never really bought anything, outside of a car. I've thought about some things I might look into, but I don't think the rookie season is the right time. The offseason after the rookie season might be the right time.
Then what's the ideal purchase? Something like the obligatory McMansion on Lake Norman? A sick sports car? A cryogenic therapy chamber?
(Laughs) You know, a house isn't something I'd purchase. I'm 23 and single and I've thought, "What's the point of doing that?" The purchase would be a sports car. I'm huge into cars. I write for Jalopnik, which is one of the most-viewed car web sites in the world right now. I'm just a big time car guy, so collecting sports cars, especially classic sports cars, would be my hobby. Not expensive ones, but I love old Porsches, old British sports cars. I'd love to find an old Toyota GT. There's a couple that aren't really expensive, but after a while they'd add up. That'd be my hobby, but it's something that would need to wait for at least a year.
You mentioned being a contributing writer for Jalopnik. You do those pieces yourself?
Yes. I write them all myself. They get checked for grammatical errors and such. They have a great group over there and they help me look smarter than I actually am. The hardest part is coming up with new ideas every two weeks or so. With how hectic our schedule can be, it kind of comes last in order of importance, because it is a side thing. But I do enjoy it.
You know – worst-case scenario – when you run out of ideas, you could just always do a Q&A.
You mean like this one?
Might be a good idea.
Let's talk racing: It seems as if, in your climb to the Cup Series, your equipment became, let's say "less desirable," the higher you climbed. You had championship-worthy stuff in ARCA, good, but not necessarily great equipment in Trucks, had a brand name team (Kyle Busch Motorsports) that seemed to have a lot of struggles in Nationwide, and now you're with Swan Racing, which is a relatively new team to the sport, still finding its footing. Have you made the climb even more daunting than it should be on purpose?
I would not have done this on purpose (laughs). Back when I was at Penske, I only got a few opportunities to actually drive for Penske. My first race out (a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway in 2009), I got a pole. It was another two years until I got in Penske stuff again. So it was sporadic. Those are the only races I think there are things I could have done better, that could have forwarded my career in another way. Everything else I've been in I felt I extracted the most from that equipment and when I left the team, it was in a better position (than when I arrived). I took opportunities along the way to move up the ranks in situations that were less than desirable because it was an opportunity to move up and eventually help get you to the Sprint Cup level.
Following the Budweiser Duel races in Daytona, you cited some caution trends in the post-race press conference and mentioned that you knew statisticians would say you were wrong. This isn't a question. I just want this on the record that I was sitting in the press box at the time and acted completely civil. Didn't flip any tables or anything.
(Laughs) Who was I talking about?
Oh, I don't know. Could have been anybody. Do you believe in "caution trends?" As in "a caution always comes out on lap 100" kind of thing?
I don't. What I do see is that a race is like a classroom in a school. Every classroom has a personality, right? In some, all the kids in the first few days decide they're going to work really hard, they like the teacher and they work really well together. Then there's classrooms where it's just crazy and they don't like the teacher and there's a bunch of clowns in the classroom and before you know it, it's a comedy show. Races are like that. You can tell within the first 50 laps whether a race is going to be crazy or calm and single-file. If you see a lot of crazy moves and guys pushing the issue right off the bat, you think you're in for a race that's going to have a lot of cautions. I know it's not statistical, but I see that. Do I think there's going to be a caution on lap 101 every time? No. You've proven that with numbers, but I do apply what personality I see early on from a race into how I attack that race.
NASCAR this Week: Busch's double duty and team's needing a boost
When you were in the Truck Series, you put a tremendous emphasis on average finish, which you felt unlocked a path to title contention. What about this year in Cup with this Chase format? Is there any number or metric to which you'll be paying close attention?
For sure. For Swan Racing, we have to base ourselves off the old points system. Are we saying we need to go into this season and a win a race? No. It would be a large achievement to do that. We have a points position that serves as a big jump for our organization and its partners and puts us in a higher echelon of teams, somewhere around 16th- to 25th-place, somewhere I feel is one of the tightest spots in the Sprint Cup Series. All those teams are similarly funded and have the same number of employees. Some might get help from bigger teams. Our team finished 33rd in owner points last year. Our goal is to be in the top 25 (in 2014). So we look at the average finish that got teams into the top 25 in points last year and weigh the fact that this year we'll see the same 40 teams run each race and figure that a 23rd-place average would put us somewhere between 22nd and 24th in points. We aim to be in the top 25. We know the goals and what it takes to get those goals and that's what we stick to.
Do you feel that you're the most underrated rookie in this year's crop?
I thought last year I had the best debut. A lot of (the drivers in this year's crop) made their Cup debut last year. I think some noticed that — those educated about our industry noticed that. I hope most people can understand that I haven't always been in the best situations and still been able to get really good results out of them. To say "underrated" … no. I think a lot of people just make their own assumptions and might not really know what to think. That's a long answer. Is that all right?
I'd say that's a reasonable answer.
OK, good!
David Smith is the founder of Motorsports Analytics LLC and the creator of NASCAR statistics for projection, analysis and scouting. Follow him on Twitter at @DavidSmithMA.
Photos by Swan Racing
The ACC Coastal has been one of the most unpredictable divisions in college football over the last couple of seasons. Miami was expected to be a consistent conference title contender when it joined the ACC, but the Hurricanes have yet to play in the championship game. Expect much of the same from the Coastal in 2014, as Miami, North Carolina, Duke, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh are all expected to contend for the division title.
Al Golden came to Miami after resurrecting Temple from college football's cellar to a bowl team in 2009. However, the results have been harder to come by in Coral Gables. The Hurricanes are just 13-11 in ACC play over the last three seasons, and all four of their losses came by at least 18 points.
Golden has recruited talent to Coral Gables, but now it's time for the Hurricanes to take the next step and win the Coastal Division.
Miami Hurricanes 2014 Spring Preview
2013 Record: 9-4 (5-3 ACC)
Spring Practice Opens: March 1
Spring Game: April 12
Returning Starters
Offense: 5
Defense: 7
Five Things to Watch in Miami's 2014 Spring Practice
|2014 Schedule
|Sept. 1
|Sept. 6
|Florida A&M
|Sept. 13
|Sept. 20
|Sept. 27
|Oct. 4
|Oct. 11
|Oct. 23
|Nov. 1
|Nov. 15
|Nov. 22
|Nov. 29
1. The quarterback battle: Stephen Morris earned third-team All-ACC honors last season and finished with 3,028 yards and 21 scores. Although losing a proven quarterback is never a good thing, Morris was inconsistent at times and the Hurricanes have four intriguing options vying for time this spring. Ryan Williams has played in nine games since transferring to Miami and threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns in a backup role last year. He enters spring as the frontrunner, but sophomore Gray Crow, redshirt freshman Kevin Olsen and true freshman Brad Kaaya are in the mix. Kaaya won't arrive until the summer, so he will have some ground to make up in the fall. Olsen ranked as the No. 6 quarterback by Athlon Sports in the 2013 signing class and spent last season learning the ropes behind Morris. While the winner of this job needs to have a good year to propel Miami into Coastal Division contention, there is a strong supporting cast in place to ease their transition into the starting lineup.
2. Replacing two starters on the offensive line: With Ereck Flowers, Shane McDermott and Jon Feliciano returning, Miami should have one of the top offensive lines in the ACC next year. However, there are two vacancies to fill in the spring. Guard Brandon Linder departed after earning second-team All-ACC honors last season, while tackle Seantrel Henderson expired his eligibility after 2013. This unit's depth took a hit when Malcolm Bunche decided to transfer to UCLA. Can line coach Art Kehoe find the right answers this spring? Incoming freshman KC McDermott could be an answer at one spot, while redshirt freshman Sunny Odogwu is another name to watch in preseason workouts. Sophomores Danny Isidora and Taylor Gadbois gained experience last season and will push for starting jobs in the spring. Trevor Darling will enroll early this spring and should provide valuable depth this spring.
3. Who steps up at running back?: In the fall, this position won't be a concern for Miami. Duke Johnson is sidelined this spring due to a leg injury, while touted freshman Joseph Yearby is also out. Dallas Crawford finished second on the team with 558 yards last season but is expected to move to defensive back. With Crawford playing defense, Gus Edwards and Walter Tucker are the top two options at running back. This position isn't necessarily a concern, but the spring is a good opportunity for Edwards and Tucker to get comfortable working with the No. 1 offense in case Johnson or Yearby is sidelined during the year.
4. Fixing the defense: It's a large storyline, but the defense has several issues and it's easier to group them into one. Coordinator Mark D'Onofrio is under fire for the performance of the defense over the last few years, as Miami finished 12th in the ACC (conference-only games) in points allowed in 2013. The Hurricanes also allowed 5.8 yards per play, which ranked 12th in the conference. That's the bad news. The good news for D'Onofrio? Seven starters are back, including likely All-ACC selections in end Anthony Chickillo, linebacker Denzel Perryman and cornerback Tracy Howard. The depth seems to have improved thanks to recruiting, so there is hope for some growth by the defense in 2014. The additions of Calvin Heurtelou and Michael Wyche from the junior college ranks will bolster the available bodies on the line, and a full season from safety Deon Bush should help the secondary. Getting results on third down also has to be a priority for D'Onofrio. The Hurricanes were 90th nationally on third down conversions, which ranked last in the ACC. Another problem for Miami was the pass rush. After registering only 12 sacks in conference games, the Hurricanes have to push that number closer to 20 in 2014. Is the biggest problem with this unit experience or talent? Or is depth the biggest issue?
5. Finding a punter: Go ahead and laugh because we mentioned the punter. However, Pat O'Donnell was one of the best in the nation last year, averaging 47.1 yards per kick. Sophomore Aaron Martinez, redshirt freshman Grant Coffman and senior Ricky Carroll are the three options on the spring roster vying for time. Will Golden and this staff find the right answer to replace O'Donnell?
2014 Early Projected Win Range: 7-9
The Coastal Division is there for the taking for Miami. The Hurricanes have the pieces to win the Coastal, but a questionable defense and an uncertain quarterback situation could hold this team back in 2014. Golden has assembled the No. 2 roster in the ACC. Assuming running back Duke Johnson returns at full strength, and the defense shows slight improvement, Miami should be the favorite in this division. The schedule isn't too taxing, but a non-conference date at Nebraska will be tough, and the Hurricanes won't be favored to beat Florida State on Nov. 15. Miami has increased its win total in each of the last three years. Will that continue in 2014?
It was a tale of two halves for North Carolina last season. Larry Fedora's team lost five of its first six games, including a disheartening 55-31 home loss to East Carolina and 0-3 start in ACC play. From late October until the end of the season, however, the Tar Heels lost just one game, a 27-25 thrilling contest to Coastal Division champion Duke in the regular-season finale. Carolina then closed 2013 out on the right note, soundly defeating Cincinnati 39-17 in the Belk Bowl to put the finishing touches on an impressive turnaround.
Now entering Fedora's third season and with a total of 14 starters returning, expectations are on the rise in Chapel Hill. Fedora's calling card has been his up-tempo, spread offense and the 2014 version has the potential to be one of the nation's most explosive units. That said, whether or not the Tar Heels can contend for the top spot in the Atlantic this fall will likely come down to the improvement shown on the other side of the ball.
North Carolina Tar Heels 2014 Spring Preview
2013 Record: 7-6 (4-4 ACC)
Spring Practice Opens: March 5
Spring Game: April 12
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 7
Four Things to Watch in North Carolina's 2014 Spring Practice
|2014 Schedule
|Aug. 30
|Sept. 6
|Sept. 20
|Sept. 27
|Oct. 4
|Oct. 11
|Oct. 18
|Oct. 25
|Nov. 1
|Nov. 15
|Nov. 20
|Nov. 29
1. There's a new OC in town. For the first time in five seasons, Larry Fedora had to find a new offensive coordinator after Blake Anderson, whose ties with Fedora go back to Southern Miss, accepted the head coaching job at Arkansas State in December. To replace Anderson, Fedora hired Seth Littrell, Indiana's co-offensive coordinator the past two seasons. Littrell's official title is assistant head coach for offense and he also will oversee the tight ends, something he did at Indiana as well as Arizona, where he coached from 2009-11. While in Bloomington, Littrell paired with Kevin Johns to help the Hoosiers post some of the biggest offensive numbers in program history. Last season, Indiana finished ninth in the country in total offense while setting numerous school single-season records, including ones for total yards, points, passing touchdowns and first downs. The Hoosiers also were just one of three teams (Baylor, Florida State) in the nation to average more than 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing per game in 2013. The Tar Heels' offense isn't exactly "broken," as they finished 49th in the country in yards and 28th through the air last season, but that doesn't mean there's not room for improvement either. Carolina was just 84th in rushing offense last season. It will be interesting to see how Littrell's philosophies and ideas mesh with Fedora's own and the personnel this spring.
2. Restocking the offensive line. Just like last year, one of the busiest position coaches during spring practice figures to be offensive line coach Chris Kapilovich. After the 2012 season, North Carolina lost three standout offensive linemen, including first-round NFL Draft pick, guard Jonathan Cooper, and now Kapilovich's newest challenge will be replacing a pair of All-ACC honorees in left tackle James Hurst (first team) and center Russell Bodine (honorable mention). The cupboard isn't exactly bare, not with guards Caleb Peterson and Landon Turner and tackle John Heck, each of whom started at least 12 games last season, returning. While this trio forms a solid foundation that Kapilovich can build around, it doesn't change the fact that one way or the other the Tar Heels will have two new faces along the offensive line in 2014 and these "rookies" could be inserted into arguably the most important positions up front – left tackle and center. Among the newcomers expected to vie for these spots is redshirt freshman R.J. Prince and incoming freshmen Josh Allen, Jared Cohen and Bentley Spain. Of these Spain is definitely a name to watch as the highly regarded (No. 115 in the 247Sports Composite) in-state prospect from Charlotte enrolled early so he could participate in spring practice.
3. Quarterback battle. Despite being one of the few quarterbacks in the ACC that returns with any starting experience, there is no guarantee that Marquise Williams will get the call for the Aug. 30 season opener against Liberty. Even though Williams helped spark his team to a strong finish last fall, the junior finds himself in a battle this spring with sophomore Kanler Coker and redshirt freshman Mitch Trubisky. Williams made a total of five starts last season, finishing 2013 with 1,698 yards passing and 15 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 536 yards and six touchdowns and caught two passes for 52 yards and a score. Williams clearly has the playing experience edge over Coker and Trubisky, but the latter was one of the top prospects of last year's signing class and could wind up being Williams' main competition. Whomever ends up under center for the Tar Heels won't lack for weapons even with the departure of first-team All-ACC tight end Eric Ebron. The backfield includes returnees T.J. Logan (533 yards rushing, 4 TDs), Romar Morris (296, 5) and Khris Francis (236, 1) and will add one-time Notre Dame commit Elijah Hood, a top-10 running back prospect according to 247 Sports, Rivals and Scout. At wide receiver, Quinshad Davis is back after earning Honorable Mention All-ACC recognition in 2013, along with freshman All-American return specialist Ryan Switzer and wideouts Bug Howard and T.J. Thorpe.
4. Continued progress with the 4-2-5. This is Year 3 for the unique 4-2-5 defensive scheme employed by coordinators Vic Koenning (Associate Head Coach for Defense/Safeties) and Ron West (co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) and, hopefully, the unit will continue to make strides. During last season's 1-5 start, the Tar Heels' defense gave up at least 27 points in all but one game and surrendered more than 550 yards of offense twice. Over the final seven games, the damage on the scoreboard was limited to 19.1 points per game and the most yards the defense gave up in a single game were 461 in the two-point loss to Duke. This side of the ball has lost some key players, notably first-team All-ACC defensive end Kareem Martin and secondary stalwarts Tre Boston and Jabari Price. However, seven starters and a host of key contributors return along with some additional reinforcements for the defensive line in the form of several redshirt freshmen and a pair of intriguing, incoming prospects. The linebackers could be pretty deep and the secondary boasts some talent and experience of its own. There appear to be plenty of pieces for Koenning, West and the rest of the defensive staff to work with and the spring will allow them to get a head start on putting the complicated puzzle that is the 4-2-5 together.
2014 Early Projected Win Range: 7-9
North Carolina saved its best for last in 2013, winning six of its final seven games, including the Belk Bowl over Cincinnati, to finish 7-6. While the Tar Heels have some questions to address on offense and plenty of room for improvement on defense, they should at least get off to a better start this fall. Instead of opening against South Carolina, Larry Fedora's team welcomes Liberty to Chapel Hill. You also know Fedora won't have to worry about a lack of motivation for the rematch with East Carolina on the road.
North Carolina opens ACC play at Clemson and by hosting Virginia Tech and also has Notre Dame on the schedule this season. However, scoring points shouldn't be that hard for this offense and if the defense continues to improve with another season's worth of experience in the 4-2-5 under its belt, there is no reason the Tar Heels can't match last season's win total before the postseason comes around. In fact, if both the offense and defense take that next step this fall, then Fedora and company could find themselves contending for the top spot in the Coastal Division and a chance to play for the conference championship in December.
The Bowl Championship Series is dead. But even the harshest of BCS detractors must acknowledge that the 16-year run was arguably the best era of college football in the history of the sport.
The era was highlighted by the advent of the BCS Championship Game, conference realignment and mega-dollar contracts for conferences, programs and coaches. But the elite athletes had a huge, if not the biggest, hand in the unprecedented growth of college football over the last two decades.
So Athlon Sports is looking back on the players that made the BCS Era great — conference-by-conference, position-by-position.
The ACC has seen some elite signal-callers come through the ranks over the last 16 years. One went on to win a Big Ten title, more than a few were first-round picks and one is the reigning Heisman Trophy and BCS national championship winner. Unfortunately, two of the BCS' greats in Michael Vick and Ken Dorsey don't qualify because Virginia Tech and Miami weren't in the ACC during their collegiate careers.
Note: Must have played at least one season between 1998-13 in the conference.
1. Chris Weinke, Florida State (1997-00)
Stats: 9,839 yds, 79 TDs, 32 INTs, 58.7%, 2 rush TDs
There was little left unaccomplished in Weinke's college career. He led his stacked Florida State squad to an undefeated BCS national title in 1999 over Virginia Tech before returning to win the Heisman Trophy as well as the Sammy Baugh, Johnny Unitas and Davey O'Brien awards the next season. His team lost two games over that span and one was the 2000 BCS title game against Oklahoma. He is still the ACC's all-time leader in yards per pass attempt (8.9) and was the conference's all-time most efficient passer with a 151.15 rating until Tajh Boyd (and possibly Jameis Winston) came along.
2. Philip Rivers, NC State (2000-03)
Stats: 13,484 yds, 95 TDs, 34 INTs, 63.5%, 98 yds, 17 TDs
The most productive passer in ACC history, Rivers owns the ACC record for completions (1,087), attempts (1,711), passing yards, total yards and set the record for passing touchdowns and total touchdowns (since broken). He won ACC Player of the Year honors in 2003 and finished seventh in the Heisman balloting. That year he led the nation in completion percent (72.0, an ACC record at the time) and set the ACC single-season passing yards record (since broken). His 18 career 300-yard games were an ACC record (broken). Rivers also is a member of the historic 2004 NFL Draft class that includes fellow quarterbacks Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.
3. Jameis Winston, Florida State (2013-present)
Stats: 4,057 yds, 40 TDs, 10 INTs, 66.9%, 219 yds, 4 TDs
No player, especially no freshman, has ever posted a season like Winston in college football history much less in the ACC. His 184.8 passer rating was an ACC record (and would be No. 1 for a career as well), he set an NCAA freshman and all-time ACC single-season record with 40 touchdown passes and his 4,057 yards are fourth all-time in ACC history. Winston won the Heisman Trophy, the BCS national championship, the ACC Player of the Year, the Davey O'Brien and Walter Camp awards as well. He has yet to lose a game on the gridiron and is poised to make another run at all of the above accolades as a sophomore.
4. Russell Wilson, NC State/Wisconsin (2008-11)
Stats: 11,720 yds, 109 TDs, 30 INTs, 60.9%, 1,421 yds, 23 TDs
Not many players own school records for two different programs but Wilson excelled in both the ACC and Big Ten and his overall career must be taken into account when measuring his greatness. The Super Bowl champion posted the single greatest season by a Wisconsin quarterback in history en route to a league crown and near national title berth. He owns the NCAA record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass (38) and the single-season mark for passing efficiency at 191.8. In just three years in the ACC, Wilson finished eighth all-time in total offense (9,628), third in total offense per game (267.5 ypg), third in ACC history with 93 total touchdowns and set the ACC record with 379 consecutive passes without an interception. Imagine if he had stayed his final season in Raleigh.
5. Tajh Boyd, Clemson (2009-13)
Stats: 11,904 yds, 107 TDs, 39 INTs, 64.3%, 1,165 yds, 26 TDs
In just three full seasons as the starter, Boyd set every major Clemson passing record and is the ACC's all-time leader in total touchdowns (133) and touchdown passes (107). He is No. 2 all-time in yards, won 2012 ACC Player of the Year honors, led Clemson back to an ACC championship in '11 and finished as the league's most efficient passer in history with a QB rating of 155.2 (topping Weinke). Clemson went 32-8 over his final three years — all three of which he topped 3,800 yards and 33 TD passes. Boyd produced three of the top seven seasons in regards to total offense in league history. His 20 career 300-yard games broke Rivers' previous ACC record of 18.
6. Matt Ryan, Boston College (2004-07)
Stats: 9,313 yds, 56 TDs, 37 INTs, 60.0%, 39 yds, 11 TDs
Ryan did more for Boston College than any player since Doug Flutie. He won the ACC Player of the Year and led the Eagles to the ACC title game. He was seventh in the Heisman ballot and won the Johnny Unitas and Archie Manning Awards before beginning his elite career in the NFL. Ryan owns the ACC single-season record for passing yards (4,507), completions (388) and attempts (654), all of which were set in 2007, and is second all-time with his 4,509 yards of total offense that year as well. From a raw talent standpoint, few players on this list are better quarterbacks than Matty-Ice.
7. Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech (1996-99)
Stats: 8,882 yds, 65 TDs, 39 INTs, 61.7%, 1,758 yds, 18 TDs
One of the most dynamic players in league history, Hamilton led the Jackets to three straight winning seasons, three straight bowl games and only Tech's third 10-win season since 1956. Hamilton won ACC Player of the Year honors, was a consensus All-American, finished second in the Heisman voting and won the Davey O'Brien Award in 1999. He threw for 3,060 yards and 29 scores while running for 734 and eight touchdowns in his final season. The two-time, first-team All-ACC pick is third all-time in total offense and he currently stands as the ACC's No. 5 most efficient passer with a rating of 148.19.
8. Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech (2007-10)
Stats: 7,017 yds, 44 TDs, 20 INTs, 57.2%, 2,196 yds, 23 TDs
From a production and success standpoint, its impossible to argue with Tyrod Taylor. He is fourteenth all-time in ACC history for total offense with 9,213 yards. He set and then broke Virginia Tech's single-season total offense record in his junior and then senior seasons, leading the ACC in passing both years. Tech won three ACC championships and 42 games total during Taylor's time in Blacksburg, including two titles and two Orange Bowl berths with him under center. He is also fourth all-time in rushing yards by any ACC quarterback.
9. Matt Schaub, Virginia (2000-03)
Stats: 7,502 yds, 56 TDs, 26 INTs, 67.0%, 58 yds, 5 TDs
As a junior, Schaub was the best player in the ACC when he threw for 2,976 yards, 28 touchdowns, only seven interceptions and completed 68.9 percent of his passes. He was named ACC Player of the Year. His career 67.0 percent completion rate is the all-time ACC benchmark and he is the 10th-rated passer in ACC history (138.35).
10. Woodrow Dantzler, Clemson (1998-01)
Stats: 5,634 yds, 36 TDs, 23 INTs, 58.0%, 2,761 yds, 27 TDs
One of the truly remarkable athletes to play quarterback, Dantzler was ahead of his time as a true dual threat. He owns the ACC's single-game (220) and single-season (1,061) rushing records by a quarterback and has two of only three 1,000-yard rushing seasons by an ACC quarterback. His 2,761 yards rushing are second all-time among all ACC QBs and his 68 total touchdowns rank 13th all-time in league history. Clemson went from a three-win team his freshman season to three straight bowls in his final three.
Just missed the cut:
11. Bryan Randall, Virginia Tech (2001-04)
Stats: 6,508 yds, 48 TDs, 31 INTs, 58.8%, 1,526 yds, 11 TDs
He only played one year in the ACC, but Randall was a star in his new league. Randall was named ACC Player of the Year in 2004 as he lead Tech to the ACC crown in its first season. He won 28 games as a starter in three seasons and helped transition the Hokies from Big East play into a string of eight consecutive 10-win teams in the ACC. The only losses Tech sustained during his final year were to No. 1 national champ USC, unbeaten Auburn in the Sugar Bowl and a one-point upset to NC State.
12. Scott McBrien, West Virginia/Maryland (2000, '02-03)
Stats: 5,924 yds, 37 TDs, 19 INTs, 543 yds, 13 TDs
After one year at West Virginia, McBrien transferred to Maryland and sat out the 2001 season. He started every game after that for two Terps teams that went 21-6 and won both the Gator and Peach Bowls. He helped win Maryland's first and only ACC title since 1985. He is the 10th-most efficient passer in ACC history as well as the No. 3 left-handed passer in the conference record books.
13. Riley Skinner, Wake Forest (2006-09)
Stats: 9,762 yds, 60 TDs, 37 INTs, 66.9%, 161 yds, 4 TDs
Skinner could have played just his freshman season and gone down in history as one of the greatest Demon Deacons of all-time. The ACC Freshman of the Year quarterbacked Wake Forest to its only title during the BCS Era, only BCS bowl berth and first title of any kind since 1970. He is fifth all-time in ACC history in total yards (9,923) and set the ACC single-season record with a 72.4 percent completion rate in 2007. Skinner is fifth all-time in passing yards, 12th all-time with 60 passing touchdowns and second all-time with 903 completions.
14. EJ Manuel, Florida State (2008-12)
Stats: 7,741 yds, 47 TDs, 28 INTs, 66.9%, 827 yds, 11 TDs
Only two players in NCAA history have started and won four bowl games during their college career and Manuel is one of them (Pat White). The elite recruit led the Noles back to an ACC championship as a senior, the school's first since 2005, and is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in ACC history. His career 66.9 percent completion rate trails only Schaub as the ACC's top mark all-time and his 150.13 passer rating trails only Winston, Boyd and Weinke all-time among all ACC signal-callers. Manuel was a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
15. Joshua Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (2007-10)
Stats: 3,276 yds, 20 TDs, 16 INTs, 42.9%, 2,806 yds, 35 TDs
The ACC's all-time leading rusher by a quarterback topped 6,000 yards of total offense running Paul Johnson's triple option attack. Nesbitt led the Jackets to their first outright ACC title since 1990 and has one of only three 1,000-yard rushing seasons by an ACC quarterback in history (Dantzler). His 18 rushing TDs that season are tied for fourth all-time by any player in any one season in ACC history (Ryan Williams, 21).
16. Bryn Renner, North Carolina (2010-13)
Stats: 8,221 yds, 64 TDs, 25 INTs, 66.5%, 4 rush TDs
Renner entered the starting lineup as a sophomore and proceeded to produce back-to-back 3,000-yard, 25-TD seasons for the Tar Heels. He set all the major school passing records in his first year (3,086 yds, 26 TDs) and then broke them all in his junior year (3,356, 28). Had he not been hurt during his senior season, his career stats would be among the league's best. His 64 TD passes are ninth all-time in ACC history.
17. Mike Glennon, NC State (2009-12)
Stats: 7,411 yds, 63 TDs, 31 INTs, 60.4%, 3 rush TDs
The 6-foot-6 monster posted one of the best two-year runs at QB the ACC has ever seen. After forcing Russell Wilson to transfer in a round about way, Glennon produced back-to-back seasons with 31 touchdown passes and over 7,000 yards passing. Despite starting just two years, he is ninth all-time with 63 TD passes and he is one of just five ACC players ever to top 4,000 yards passing in a season (Ryan, Rivers, Weinke, Winston).
18. Darian Durant, North Carolina (2001-04)
Stats: 8,754 yds, 68 TDs, 38 INTs, 60.5%, 875 yds, 11 TDs
When he left Chapel Hill, Durant had 51 school records under his belt. Most of them have been broken since and North Carolina didn't win a ton of games (going to only two bowl games during his career). He is eighth all-time in ACC history in total offense (No. 1 at UNC) and is seventh all-time in total touchdowns with 79 (UNC record). He is sixth all-time in ACC history with 68 scoring strikes.
19. Thaddeus Lewis, Duke (2006-09)
Stats: 10,065 yds, 67 TDs, 40 INTs, 58.1%, 9 rush TDs
Lewis has the numbers and the longevity and has to be given some credit for helping to rebuild an ACC doormat. Duke increased its win total in each of Lewis' four seasons and he finished third all-time in passing yards (Rivers, Boyd), seventh all-time in TD passes, second in attempts (1,510), fourth in completions (877) and once went 206 passes without an INT (sixth-best in ACC history). His 76 total touchdowns are ninth all-time as well.
20. Sean Renfree, Duke (2009-12)
Stats: 9,465 yds, 51 TDs, 40 INTs, 64.7%, 9 rush TDs
Biding his time behind Lewis, Renfree stepped in and started for three full seasons, eventually leading Duke back to a bowl game for the first time since 1994. He had three straight seasons with at least 2,800 yards passing, including two seasons in excess of 3,100 yards. He started 36 games over his final three seasons.
Best of the rest:
21. Christian Ponder, Florida State
22. T.J. Yates, North Carolina
23. Tevin Washington, Georgia Tech
24. Chris Rix, Florida State
25. Reggie Ball, Georgia Tech
Most college football fans generally consider Signing Day the official start of a new season, but spring practice is the first time all 128 FBS teams will hit the field in preparation for the upcoming year. Of course, it's hard to glean much from spring practice. However, there's excitement for every team as spring practice starts, especially at places like Florida State, Alabama, Auburn, Oregon and Ohio State where a national championship is within reach this season.
With spring practice underway across the nation, teams are looking to address a handful of issues, including finding new playmakers, answering questions at quarterback or filling voids in the trenches.
To preview spring practice, Athlon is taking a look at some of the top storylines to watch. As we mentioned above, it's not guaranteed answers will be found, especially as the freshmen are slated to arrive this summer. However, there are plenty of question marks that could be answered by late April.
College Football's Top 25 Storylines for Spring Practice
The quarterbacks:
AJ McCarron's place among SEC quarterbacks, as well as his candidacy as it related to All-American recognition and the Heisman Trophy was heavily debated throughout his senior campaign. Regardless of where anyone thinks McCarron belongs in those discussions, no one can dispute that he threw for nearly 10,000 yards in his career (9,019) and finished with 74 passing touchdowns and 15 interceptions. So while McCarron may not have had the talent of Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, he was a key piece of Alabama's success over the last three seasons. Now, a wide-open quarterback battle is set to begin this spring and will carry into the fall with the arrival of Florida State transfer Jacob Coker. Blake Sims was listed as McCarron's backup last season and has attempted 39 passes over the last two years. But Sims is considered a longshot to win the starting job, as Coker is considered the favorite to claim the top spot when he arrives this summer. Coker and Sims won't be the only quarterbacks battling for time in the spring, as Parker McLeod, Alec Morris, Cooper Bateman and incoming freshman David Cornwell are set to stake their claim for the job. Cornwell was the No. 79 prospect in the 247Sports Composite but is recovering from a knee injury suffered in the fall. While Coker is considered the favorite, can Sims or one of the other quarterbacks make a strong push for the No. 1 spot before fall practice? Or will Alabama head into the fall with a wide-open quarterback derby once again?
Florida State
Restocking at defensive tackle:
With 13 starters returning, the Seminoles are in good shape to defend their national championship. Repeating as college football's national champion won't be easy, but Florida State has no shortage of talent waiting to step onto the field. New coordinator Charles Kelly should ensure there's little drop in production on defense, but there's a big concern at defensive tackle. Timmy Jernigan was one of the nation's best last season, and he bolted early for the NFL. Additionally, Jacobbi McDaniel and Demonte McAllister expired their eligibility. With Jernigan, McDaniel and McAllister gone, the depth is thin at tackle. Nile Lawrence-Stample is the top returner on the interior, with Desmond Hollin, Justin Shanks, Eddie Goldman and Keith Bryant battling for snaps this spring. The Seminoles will add more talent to the mix in the fall when Adam Torres, Arthur Williams, Derrick Nnadi, Fredrick Jones and Demarcus Christmas arrive for their freshman season. Not all of the incoming freshmen will compete for time, but some could be needed for depth in 2014. Finding answers at defensive tackle is even more critical when you consider the losses at linebacker (Telvin Smith and Christian Jones), along with active defensive backs Lamarcus Joyner and Terrence Brooks.
Can Trevor Knight build off his Sugar Bowl performance?:
With 16 starters returning, and momentum from the Sugar Bowl win against Alabama in place, Oklahoma is considered a slight favorite over Baylor for the Big 12 title in 2014. The Sooners return most of their core from last season, and Knight's performance in the bowl has provided plenty of optimism that Oklahoma is ready to contend for a playoff spot. Knight gashed Alabama's defense for 348 yards and four touchdowns – easily his best performance of 2013. Should we expect to see similar numbers in 2014? Or was that just an aberration? With Blake Bell moving to tight end, it's clear Knight has the starting job. Now it's time for the sophomore to take the next step in his development, which will be a challenge with Jalen Saunders and Lacoltan Bester gone at receiver.
Notre Dame
The return of Everett Golson
After guiding the Fighting Irish to an appearance in the national championship as a redshirt freshman, Golson missed all of 2013 due to academic issues. With Tommy Rees expiring his eligibility, Golson's return comes at the perfect time for Notre Dame. And even though he was away from college football for the fall semester, Golson didn't necessarily sit on the sidelines. Instead, he worked with quarterback guru George Whitfield. Golson drew praise from coach Brian Kelly this spring for his increased awareness in the offense. Golson is clearly an upgrade at quarterback over Rees, and Kelly needs to get him acclimated to the offense and his supporting cast this spring. If Golson continues to improve, Notre Dame's offense will help alleviate some of the concerns on defense from losing a couple of key players, including end Stephon Tuitt and tackle Louis Nix III.
Ohio State
Starting over on the offensive line:
Going into the 2013 season, the Buckeyes had one of the best offensive lines in the nation. What a difference a year makes. Ohio State is essentially starting over in the trenches with only one starter returning as the team is set to open spring practice on March 4. The list of departed players is heavy on all-conference performers, with center Corey Linsley, guard Andrew Norwell and tackle Jack Mewhort all taking home first-team honors last year. Guard Marcus Hall didn't earn a first or second-team mention, but he garnered an honorable mention spot for the all-conference team. Ohio State recruits as well as any team in the nation, so talent won't be an issue. However, it may take some time for the line to jell and develop consistency. Taylor Decker is the unit's only returning starter and is expected to shift from right to left tackle this spring. Replacing Decker on the right side could be senior Darryl Baldwin, and guard Pat Elflein should be a starter at one of the guard spots. But who replaces Linsley at center? Will that be Jacoby Boren? Could converted defensive lineman Joel Hale earn a spot? Ohio State should have a spot among the top-10 teams in the nation in 2014. However, the Buckeyes won't finish ahead of Michigan State in their division unless the line quickly emerges as a strength.
First look at the new faces on defense:
An underrated part of Baylor's Big 12 championship last season was the defense. The Bears held opponents to 4.8 yards per play in 2013 after allowing 6.3 in 2012. Coordinator Phil Bennett has a busy spring ahead if he wants his defense to improve off of those totals in 2014. Only four starters return from last year's unit, and All-Big 12 performers in safety Ahmad Dixon, linebacker Eddie Lackey and end Chris McAllister have expired their eligibility. Baylor's recruiting has improved under Art Briles, and there's talent waiting to step onto the field. Defensive end Shawn Oakman is a name to remember after recording 33 tackles last year, while help is also in the way in the form of three junior college transfers this spring. Will this unit continue to build off the improvement showcased last season? Or will all of the new faces create a transition year in 2014?
Starting over on offense:
After a 4-8 mark last season, Will Muschamp enters 2014 on the hot seat. The Gators' defense held up their end of the bargain last year, as they allowed just 308.6 yards per game. But the offense was simply dreadful. It's hard to find many positives on this unit after 2013, as Florida barely averaged over 300 yards per game in SEC action (312.5) and managed just 4.7 yards per play. Muschamp fired coordinator Brent Pease and line coach Tim Davis and brought Kurt Roper from Duke to call the plays, while former Kentucky and USC assistant Mike Summers will coach the line. The staff moves were clearly necessary, and Muschamp appears to have made the right hires. But the bigger problem for the Gators is with the personnel. Is quarterback Jeff Driskel ready to take the next step in his development? Or will incoming freshman Will Grier push for the job? At running back, Kelvin Taylor is a future star. However, the offensive line is a concern. The Gators still lack proven options at receiver, but Andre Debose is back in the mix after missing all of last season with a knee injury. There's no question Florida should be solid on defense next year. But Muschamp's future in Gainesville will hinge on how far the offense develops this offseason.
Concerns at defensive tackle:
With quarterback Marcus Mariota and eight other starters returning on offense, the Ducks will be one of the Pac-12's most prolific offenses once again in 2014. However, the defense – which has been underrated nationally at times – enters spring with question marks. New coordinator Don Pellum will be replacing veteran Nick Aliotti as the Ducks' play-caller on defense, and five starters return from a unit that held opponents to 4.9 yards per play last year. This will be Pellum's first opportunity to coordinate the defense, but he is familiar with the personnel and keeps continuity in place for Oregon. Pellum's biggest concern is on the line, where the Ducks must replace Wade Keliikipi, Taylor Hart and Ricky Heimuli. Alex Balducci was listed as Keliikipi's backup last season, and he should take on a major role in the line in 2014. Outside of Balducci, the Ducks need more from Sam Kamp at the position, and there could be some shuffling of bodies this spring to anchor the interior. Arik Armstead, Stetzon Bair and DeForest Buckner have the size to play tackle and should see plenty of snaps in 2014. Another name to watch is junior college recruit Tui Talia. Where will he factor into the mix? If Oregon finds the right mix up front, this team will be in the mix for a playoff spot in Helfrich's second season in Eugene.
Finding the right answers on defense:
When you first glance at the stat sheet from 2013, the numbers aren't pretty for Auburn. The Tigers allowed 466.6 yards and 29.6 points per game through nine SEC contests. However, a deeper look at the numbers suggests this defense made stops when it had to. Auburn led the SEC in fewest third-down conversions allowed and ranked second in the conference in red zone defense. Timely stops are a good sign, but the Tigers still need to be better on this side of the ball in 2014. Thanks to outstanding 2014 recruiting class, Auburn has improved its depth and talent on this side of the ball. But there are holes to fill with end Dee Ford, tackle Nosa Eguae, linebacker Jake Holland, cornerback Chris Davis and safeties Ryan White and Ryan Smith expiring their eligibility. Ford and Eguae will be missed on the line, but there appears to be a wave of new standout linemen waiting in the wings with Carl Lawson, Montravius Adams and Elijah Daniel set to play major snaps in 2014. At linebacker, Kris Frost is poised for a big season after finishing 2013 with seven tackles in the national championship game against Florida State. The secondary can lean on Jonathon Mincy at cornerback and Jermaine Whitehead at safety. But more depth is needed in the defensive backfield, which could open the door for junior college recruit Derrick Moncrief to play right away at safety. Ellis Johnson is one of the SEC's top defensive coordinators, and the veteran assistant will be busy this spring as he looks to keep Auburn's defense on a positive trajectory.
Texas A&M
Finding answers on defense:
There's really no way to sugarcoat the numbers in a positive way on defense for Texas A&M last season. The Aggies struggled mightily on this side of the ball and were bailed out by an explosive offense. But with quarterback Johnny Manziel off to the NFL, it's unlikely Texas A&M will average 44.2 points per game again. Considering the offense is expected to slightly regress, the defense has to do its part to keep Texas A&M in contention for nine wins once again. There's certainly no shortage of talent in College Station, but Sumlin and coordinator Mark Snyder will have a lineup that features a lot of youth (much like this unit had in 2013) in 2014. Incoming freshman Myles Garrett is a potential difference maker in the trenches, but can he play major snaps as a true freshman? The good news for Snyder is eight starters are back, including linebacker Darian Claiborne, tackle Isaiah Golden, cornerback Deshazor Everett and end Julien Obioha. Claiborne and Golden were suspended after an off-the-field incident in February. It's uncertain how the arrest will affect either player heading into the upcoming season. The Aggies don't have to be a shutdown defense in 2014, but there has to be progress to help cover for the losses on offense.
Jeremy Pruitt's first chance to work with the defense:
After one very successful year at Florida State, Pruitt left Tallahassee for a chance to call the defensive signals at Georgia. Pruitt is no stranger to the SEC, as he spent six seasons at Alabama prior to his one-year stint with the Seminoles. Even though Aaron Murray departs at quarterback, the Bulldogs are in good shape on offense with Todd Gurley returning at running back, along with new signal-caller Hutson Mason. But for Georgia to return to the SEC title game, it has to find some answers on defense. Youth was a factor in the struggles last season, with the Bulldogs allowing 31.8 points per game in SEC contests. With 10 starters back and another year for the young players to develop, Georgia's defense is poised to make significant progress on the stat sheet. Now it's up to Pruitt to take this defense to the next level. This spring is all about Pruitt putting his stamp on a defense and making the necessary changes after a disappointing effort last year.
Looking for improvement on defense:
Sure, there's a quarterback battle set to take place in Coral Gables this spring, but most of the attention for the coaching staff should be on the defense. The Hurricanes ranked 13th in the ACC in total defense last season, which came one year after finishing last in the conference. The numbers weren't pretty for Al Golden's defense, which allowed 6.2 yards per play in ACC-only games and gave up 32.8 points per game in eight conference contests. For a team that has the No. 2 ranked roster in the ACC, the ongoing defensive struggles are a mystery. While the numbers from last year are ugly, there's hope for improvement with seven starters returning, while another solid recruiting class will help with overall depth. Each level of the defense has a potential impact player, starting with Anthony Chickillo at defensive end, Denzel Perryman at linebacker and Tracy Howard at cornerback. But can coordinator Mark D'Onofrio develop or find more difference makers on defense this spring?
Starting over on offense:
The Tigers have been a model of consistency under Les Miles, winning at least 10 games in seven out of the last nine years. Even though LSU has played in only one BCS bowl in the last six seasons, this program is still one of the best in the SEC. After rebuilding a defense that featured only three returning starters last year, the focus for Miles turns to the offense. Six starters are back from a unit that made significant progress in 2013. First-year coordinator Cam Cameron helped the Tigers average over six yards per play for the first time since 2006. But Cameron will have his hands full this spring as LSU has to replace quarterback Zach Mettenberger, running back Jeremy Hill, guard Trai Turner and receivers Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry. Anthony Jennings started the Outback Bowl with Mettenberger out due to a knee injury and completed 7 of 19 passes for 82 yards against the Hawkeyes. Jennings is the frontrunner to replace Mettenberger, but true freshman Brandon Harris and redshirt freshman Hayden Rettig will have a chance to win the job. Top recruit Leonard Fournette should be the answer at running back, and the New Orleans native will have no trouble finding running room behind one of the SEC's best offensive lines. Outside of finding a new starting quarterback, replacing Landry and Beckham is the top spring priority for Miles. Last season, Landry and Beckham combined for 136 of LSU's 205 receptions. There's not much in the way of proven talent at receiver, which opens the door for incoming recruit Malachi Dupre and redshirt freshman Avery Peterson to play significant snaps in 2014. This spring is LSU's first opportunity to start the rebuilding effort on offense and reload for another run at the SEC title.
Filling voids at quarterback and running back:
Chris Petersen's first spring as Washington's head coach is already clouded with some mystery. Cyler Miles was expected to be the Huskies' starting quarterback in 2014, but he was suspended after an off-the-field incident. It's uncertain when Miles might return to the team, leaving sophomore Jeff Lindquist, redshirt freshman Troy Williams and incoming freshman K.J. Carta-Samuels as the three candidates vying for time this offseason. Carta-Samuels won't arrive until the summer, so it's Lindquist and Williams for the top two spots – for now. Bishop Sankey will be missed at running back, but there's a handful of options ready to take the top spot on the depth chart. Dwayne Washington was impressive in limited time last season, and Jesse Callier and Deontae Cooper have battled back from knee injuries to play a key role in the backfield. Will Washington emerge as the No. 1 back? Or will the Huskies use a committee approach? Petersen and coordinator Jonathan Smith will start to answer those questions when practice opens on March 4.
Arizona State
Rebuilding the defense:
It's a good thing the Sun Devils return seven starters on offense this year. With only two starters returning on defense, Arizona State will be involved in plenty of shootouts in 2014. Of course, that's easier to do when you return a quarterback like Taylor Kelly, as well as skill players in the form of running back D.J. Foster and receiver Jaelen Strong. But coach Todd Graham and new co-defensive coordinator Keith Patterson will have their hands full rebuilding a defense that ranked fifth in the Pac-12 (conference-only games) in points allowed (26.9 ppg). The list of departures is heavy, starting with defensive linemen Davon Coleman, Gannon Conway and Will Sutton, continuing into the linebacking corps with Carl Bradford and Chris Young, while the secondary loses cornerbacks Robert Nelson and Osahon Irabor, and safety Alden Darby must be replaced. Each level of the defense needs to be retooled, and Graham dipped into the junior college ranks for immediate help. Linemen Edmond Boateng and Dalvon Stuckey should factor into the mix right away, and linebacker Darrius Caldwell and cornerback Kweishi Brown will be expected to do the same. Expect the Sun Devils to find the right answers as the season progresses, but this defense will receive some extra attention from Graham and Patterson this spring with a ton of fresh faces stepping into new roles.
Developing an offensive line:
Yes, Michigan needs more consistency from quarterback Devin Gardner, and the rushing attack has to give Gardner more help, but the biggest question mark for coach Brady Hoke this spring is clearly the offensive line. This unit struggled with consistency last season, and the Wolverines recorded just 2.5 yards per carry in Big Ten action. Making matters worse is the line loses tackles Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield - easily the top two players on the unit in 2013. There is talent returning in the trenches, as Michigan reeled in back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes from 2012-13. The entire starting five is up for grabs. It's time for players like Graham Glasgow, Kyle Kalis and Kyle Bosch to emerge as the leaders for the offensive line.
North Carolina
Replacements on the offensive line:
The top spot in the Coastal Division is expected to be up for grabs once again next year. The Tar Heels finished 2013 by winning six out of their final seven games, and with seven starters back on both sides of the ball, Larry Fedora's team is positioned for a run at the division title. Marquise Williams will have to compete with Mitch Trubisky for the starting quarterback job, but the promising junior is expected to win the No. 1 spot. The Tar Heels are loaded with talent at the skill positions, including receiver Quinshad Davis and running back T.J. Logan. If there's a concern on offense, it's a line that loses two standout players in left tackle James Hurst and center Russell Bodine. Guards Caleb Peterson and Landon Turner and tackle Jon Heck provide a solid foundation, but left tackle and center are arguably the two most-important positions on the line. Can Fedora and new coordinator Seth Littrell find answers in the spring? One name to watch is incoming freshman Bentley Spain – the No. 115 prospect in the 247Sports Composite – who enrolled early to compete this spring.
New faces on defense:
The defending SEC East champs return only nine starters from last year's team. However, there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, and Missouri still has enough talent to challenge for the division crown. New quarterback Maty Mauk was impressive last season, while the skill positions are set with Russell Hansbrough and Marcus Murphy returning at running back, along with Dorial Green-Beckham and Bud Sasser at receiver. The offense will face a transition period, but there is little reason to be concerned about this unit. The defense figures to get the most attention from coach Gary Pinkel and coordinator Dave Steckel this spring. The Tigers are losing a handful of key players, including ends Michael Sam and Kony Ealy and cornerback E.J. Gaines. The line may not miss a beat assuming Markus Golden and Shane Ray continue to play at a high level. Replacing Gaines won't be easy, but sophomores Aarion Penton (16 tackles) and John Gibson (14 tackles) played their share of snaps in 2013. Missouri may take a step back on defense next season with a handful of key performers departing. However, the drop-off may not be as great as some may suspect with a solid core of talent still in place in Columbia.
Who replaces guard Xavier Su'a-Filo?:
Sacks allowed aren't necessarily the best indicator of offensive line success or failure, but UCLA gave up 29 in nine Pac-12 contests last year. The Bruins also managed only 3.9 yards per carry, which ranked seventh in the Pac-12. Needless to say, there is room for this unit to improve. That task is complicated by the departure of guard Xavier Su'a-Filo to the NFL Draft. Jim Mora has recruited plenty of talent to Los Angeles over the last few seasons, and some of that youth got involved in the trenches last year, as Alex Redmond started all 13 games at guard, while Scott Quessenberry and Caleb Benenoch combined for 15 starts as true freshmen. With Redmond, Quessenberry and Benenoch having another offseason to work with the coaching staff and weight room, this trio should be even better in 2014. UCLA's line will be bolstered by the addition of Miami transfer Malcolm Bunche and four-star recruit Kolton Miller in this year's signing class. Replacing Su'a-Filo is no easy assignment, and he was one of the top guards in the nation last year. Kenny Lacy was listed as the backup at guard last season, but the coaching staff could shuffle some players around this spring. Keeping quarterback Brett Hundley healthy is priority No. 1 for UCLA in 2014. Finding a replacement for Su'a-Filo and the right mix on the line will go a long way to keeping Hundley in the mix to win the Heisman.
Finding answers on offense:
In what seems to be an ongoing question mark, the Longhorns enter spring practice looking for answers on offense. Texas has not ranked higher than sixth in the Big 12 in scoring in each of the last four years and averaged only 5.1 yards per play in conference action in 2013. New coach Charlie Strong and co-offensive coordinators Shawn Watson and Joe Wickline will be looking for solutions this spring, starting under center where David Ash returns after missing most of last year with a concussion. Ash will face competition from Tyrone Swoopes this spring, while touted freshman Jerrod Heard arrives this summer. In addition to finding a quarterback, Texas has to replace three starters on the line, while receiver Mike Davis departs after averaging 14.3 yards per catch last season. Wickline has a strong track record of developing offensive linemen, and with a strong backfield returning, Texas can lean on the ground until the passing attack stabilizes. However, for the Longhorns to be a factor in the Big 12 title picture, a quarterback needs to step up before the season opener.
South Carolina
Rebuilding the defensive line:
Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward and line coach Deke Adams will have their hands full this spring. The Gamecocks lose three key performers from last year's defensive line, including ends Jadeveon Clowney and Chaz Sutton and tackle Kelcy Quarles. Clowney and Quarles were both first-team All-SEC selections, and Sutton registered three sacks last season. South Carolina isn't hurting for options in the trenches, but it's hard to replace the talent that Clowney, Sutton and Quarles are taking to the NFL. Darius English has flashed potential in a backup role over the last two years and was listed as the backup to Clowney in 2013. Gerald Dixon and Mason Harris are slated to battle to replace Sutton, while J.T. Surratt will anchor the middle with Quarles departing. Other names to watch include Gerald Dixon Jr. and Kelsey Griffin at tackle, along with incoming junior college recruit Jhaustin Thomas. Dante Sawyer was expected to push for time in the fall, but the Georgia product will instead go to junior college. As we mentioned earlier, there's certainly talent and potential here. However, it's unrealistic to expect the same caliber of play of last year's group. With matchups against Texas A&M and Georgia in the first few weeks of the season next year, this defensive line will be tested early in 2014.
Adjusting to the new 3-4 defense:
Replacing quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is no easy task, but Will Gardner has potential and played well in limited action last year. While the quarterback situation is something to watch, Bobby Petrino should push the right buttons on offense. With Petrino back on the sidelines in Louisville, the focus of spring practice should shift to the defense. The Cardinals led the nation against the run last season and finished second in points allowed. However, only four starters return from last year's unit, and there's a transition period as new coordinator Todd Grantham shifts the personnel to a 3-4 scheme. Lorenzo Mauldin is expected to be an All-ACC performer, and the senior will move from end to linebacker this spring. Other personnel moves are anticipated, especially as Louisville looks for replacements at safety with the departure of Hakeem Smith and Calvin Pryor. Charlie Strong isn't leaving the cupboard bare on defense, but it may take some time for the players to adjust to a new 3-4 approach.
Improving the passing attack:
The Badgers lose several key pieces from the defense, but the passing offense is expected to receive the most attention from coach Gary Andersen this spring. In eight Big Ten games last year, Wisconsin averaged only 201.9 yards per game and tossed nine picks to just 13 touchdowns. Joel Stave started all 13 games last season, but he will face competition from Tanner McEvoy, who is slated to return under center after spending time at safety in 2013. In addition to McEvoy, Bart Houston and incoming freshman D.J. Gillins are expected to get an extended look under center in the preseason. The Badgers' passing concerns don't stop at quarterback. Receiver Jared Abbrederis and tight end Jacob Pedersen have expired their eligibility, leaving the cupboard a little thin in proven options in the receiving corps. This spring presents a huge opportunity for players like Jordan Fredrick, Alex Erickson, Kenzel Doe and Robert Wheelwright to make an impression at receiver.
New starters at quarterback and running back:
Considering Rich Rodriguez's track record of developing quarterbacks and finding standouts at running back, there's not too much concern in Tucson over the new faces stepping in on offense. Quarterback B.J. Denker departs after recording 3,465 total yards last season, while running back Ka'Deem Carey left early for the NFL after another standout year. There's no clear answer at either position as spring practice opens on March 3 for the Wildcats. At quarterback, Texas transfer Connor Brewer, redshirt freshman Anu Solomon and junior college transfers Jesse Scroggins and Jerrard Randall are considered the frontrunners to replace Denker. The picture remains muddy at running back, as Jared Baker (127 yards) is the top statistical returner, but redshirt freshmen Pierre Cormier, Zach Green, Myles Smith and true freshmen Jonathan Haden and Nick Wilson will all have a chance to compete for carries. Baker is recovering from a torn ACL and is not expected to participate in spring practice. Cormier is a slight favorite to handle the bulk of the carries in 2014, but the Wildcats could use a committee approach. Can Rodriguez and his staff narrow the competition or find a starter at both positions this spring?
Virginia Tech
Finding a spark on offense:
The final numbers for Virginia Tech's offense weren't pretty last season. The Hokies finished 13th in the ACC in total offense and averaged just five yards per play. Under first-year coordinator Scot Loeffler, Virginia Tech managed just 28 points in its final two games and scored under 20 points seven times in 2013. This unit enters spring practice with a myriad of question marks, starting under center where Logan Thomas expired his eligibility after the Sun Bowl loss to UCLA. Mark Leal is the favorite to replace Thomas, but he has just 48 pass attempts in his career. Leal needs to prove he has control of the No. 1 spot this spring, while Loeffler has to provide the senior with more help in the supporting cast. The Hokies averaged just 3.2 yards per carry last season, while inconsistency was a concern in the receiving corps and on the offensive line. Virginia Tech will be fine on defense, but it's hard to see improvement off last year's 8-5 mark without significant growth on offense.
Ole Miss went 6-18 overall and 1-15 in the SEC the two years prior to Hugh Freeze taking over as head coach in Oxford.
While Freeze has two losing records in conference play in two years, there is little doubt that he was clearly the right guy for the job. Ole Miss has posted back-to-back winning seasons capped by bowl wins. More importantly, Freeze has totally revamped Ole Miss recruiting and has a roster returning in 2014 that could be the best Rebels' fans have seen in years.
Questions still remain about the rosters, in particular along the offensive line, but the biggest hurdles are those swirling in the dangerous waters of the SEC West. In a division with Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M, can Ole Miss compete for an SEC championship?
That's something the Rebs haven't won since 1963.
|2014 Schedule
|Aug. 28
|Sept. 6
|Sept. 13
|Sept. 20
|Bye Week
|Sept. 27
|Oct. 4
|Oct. 11
|Oct. 18
|Oct. 25
|Nov. 1
|Nov. 8
|Nov. 15
|Bye Week
|Nov. 22
|Nov. 29
Ole Miss Rebels 2014 Spring Preview
2013 Record: 8-5 (3-5 SEC)
Spring Practice Opens: March 3
Spring Game: April 5
Returning Starters
Offense: 5
Defense: 9
Three Things to Watch in Ole Miss' 2014 Spring Practice
Develop the offensive line
Playing in the treacherous SEC requires an excellent offensive line. Protecting the quarterback and running the football are even more important against the elite SEC defensive lines. With the loss three full time starters and a key reserve, the offensive line is going to be a major area of concern for Freeze and company this spring. Five-star prospect Laremy Tunsil more than acquitted himself a year ago as a true freshman and fans will look for him to take another step in his development, along with the return of All-SEC-type guard Aaron Morris from his season-ending injury. These two playing at the top of their game this fall is a great place to start. However, other names like Justin Bell (13 starts) need to step into leadership roles to stabilize an offensive line that was 98th in the nation a year ago in allowing sacks. Shoring up the front line is a great way to protect one of the better returning quarterbacks in the conference in Bo Wallace.
Find experience and leadership
There aren't many glaring holes on this depth chart other than the offensive line. Would Freeze like to find a workhorse back? Would he like to develop depth in his front seven? Certainly, but he isn't hurting for options at either position, so finding experienced field generals who can lead by example appears to be one of the most important goals of the spring. Jeff Scott and Donte Moncrief, for example, were two veteran leaders on the offense who are no longer around. Replacing their production shouldn't be difficult with a host of talented players returning to Oxford. However, with five junior college transfers and a handful of redshirt freshmen working their way into the rotation, developing a pecking order on the practice field should be a focus of the staff. Laquon Treadwell, Tunsil, Tony Conner and Channing Ward have elite raw physical talent and upside but this team will go only as far as their leadership and maturity takes them. Speaking of maturity…
Stay focused on and off the field
Both Nkemdiche brothers, Denzel and Robert, have dealt with serious off-the-field issues as have a variety of other members of the Ole Miss roster. Spring practice is a time of learning, development and camaraderie, especially for a roster as young and talented as the one in Oxford. Freeze's staff needs to be sure his players understand the goal/opportunity at hand for 2014. Winning an SEC title is difficult enough without off the field distractions dragging a team down the standings. The '14 season could be a special one for the Rebels if things fall right in Oxford, but the margin for error is razor thin. The tiniest issues — be it injuries, arrests or immaturity — can derail a championship run in this conference, especially for a team like Ole Miss that won't be favored against the big boys on its schedule.
2014 Early Projected Win Range: 7-9
Ole Miss is certainly trending in the right direction. Freeze returns 14 of 22 starters, including his quarterback and the majority of his defense. The highly touted freshmen class of 2013 not only lived up to the hype but could develop into one of the great collections of talent ever signed in Oxford. There are few holes on this depth chart other than offensive line. Should leadership develop, a trip to the SEC title game in Atlanta isn't out of the question. However, the schedule is absolutely brutal with Boise State in the non-conference and a typical run of nasty road SEC games (LSU, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Arkansas) is intertwined with monumental home showdowns against the last two SEC champions in Alabama and Auburn. After improving from seven to eight wins in his first two seasons, improvement to nine or ten seems like a tall order but isn't out of the question should Colonel Reb pull and upset or two.
Beware of bid thieves.
For weeks, basketball fans been watching the NCAA Tournament bubble, hoping their teams can win the games they should and maybe score an upset or two.
But an NCAA Tournament bid isn't always in the hands of the bubble teams. In just about every season, a team that has no business playing in the Big Dance will make a run at a conference title by grabbing an automatic bid at the 11th hour.
These are those teams, the spoilers. Bubble teams should watch with trepidation.
Bid thieves are not teams already on the bubble that could play its way in like Nebraska, Minnesota or a host of teams in the SEC. Instead, these are teams that are conference tournament champions or bust.
They are either major conference teams capable of making a run in the league tournaments or they are teams in leagues that would be receive only one bid if the regular season champion wins out.
For example, if any team other than Wichita State wins the Missouri Valley tournament, the MVC will be a two-bid league and one bubble team will be out of luck. The same is true if a team like Georgia wins the SEC Tournament or Utah wins the Pac-12.
Here are the teams that could spoil the next two weeks for bubble teams.
Boise State
The Broncos this season returned five starters from a team that reached the NCAA Tournament, but they need the Mountain West Tournament to return. Derrick Marks and Anthony Drmic still give Boise State the backcourt to make the Broncos contenders. If Boise State can put together a consistent defensive effort for a weekend, the Broncos can play the role of spoiler.
The Bulldogs have shocked the SEC Tournament before, albeit under strange circumstances. In 2008, Georgia won the SEC Tournament by winning two games in one day at Georgia Tech after a tornado damaged the Georgia Dome. The SEC Tournament is back in Atlanta, and this year's Georgia team is much better than the last-place team that won in 2008. If someone knocks off Florida, a Georgia team that's 10-6 in the SEC would have as good a chance to win as any team.
Eliminated from NCAA Tournament contention thanks to an eight-game losing streak in January, Illinois is starting to heat up. The backcourt of Rayvonte Rice and Tracy Abrams led Illinois to three consecutive wins over Minnesota, Nebraska and Michigan State in the last two weeks. And don't doubt a John Groce team in a tournament setting: This is a coach who has a Maui Invitational title, a Sweet 16 appearance and an upset of Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament on his ledger.
Green Bay will be one of the most dangerous mid-majors in the field, but what if the Phoenix lose in the Horizon League Tournament? Green Bay doesn't have a great at-large profile at No. 51 in the RPI and a strength of schedule barely inside the top 150. Still, given the state of the bubble, the selection committee might look favorably on a 24-5 team that beat Virginia and lost by three to Wisconsin. Why Milwaukee as the spoiler for Green Bay instead of Horizon No. 2 Cleveland State? Milwaukee defeated Green Bay 73-63 on the road and lost in overtime in the first meeting. With Jordan Aaron back from suspension, Milwaukee will be more dangerous than a typical No. 5 seed in the Horizon.
Northern Iowa
If Wichita State wins the league tournament, the Missouri Valley will be a one-bid league. The Shockers have shown few signs of weakness in league play, so any upset would be a long shot. Indiana State is the No. 2 seed in the Arch Madness and the consensus No. 2 team. Still, the Sycamores are limping into the postseason with three consecutive loses, including a 71-69 loss to third-place Northern Iowa. The Panthers won five of their last six.
Ole Miss
The Rebels aren't nearly the complete team they were last season when they won the SEC Tournament. But this team still has Marshall Henderson chucking 3-pointers against an SEC full of teams susceptible to losing games they shouldn't.
San Francisco
Gonzaga and BYU both could be at-large bids out of the West Coast Conference, making San Francisco the team with the most to gain in the league tournament. Portland is the only team to defeat both Gonzaga and BYU this season, but San Francisco has been the more consistent team during the season. The Dons enter the WCC Tournament on a hot streak with five consecutive wins.
Seton Hall
Bubble teams in the Big East already want nothing to do with Seton Hall. The Pirates have six conference wins this season, four of which coming on regular season sweeps of Georgetown and Xavier. Seton Hall also defeated Providence on the road in overtime on Dec. 31. The Pirates might not be able to win the Big East Tournament, but they might not have to in order to knock teams out of the NCAA field.
Texas Tech
The Big 12 was a grind this season, especially during the month or so when Texas Tech was of the toughest outs in the bottom tier of the league. The Red Raiders defeated Baylor, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma and took Kansas to the buzzer this season. This is a well-coached team under Tubby Smith with an under-appreciated forward in Jaye Crockett, and few teams in the Big 12 should be considered invincible.
The Runnin' Rebels have a roster that should be better than 19-10 and needing the Mountain West Tournament to get into the field. This has been a disappointing season, but the Rebels have homecourt advantage. The Mountain West is not a strong conference this season, so the tournament isn't the grind it was a year ago. If UNLV can beat New Mexico or San Diego State, the Rebels can win in Vegas.
Larry Krystkowiak should be a Pac-12 coach of the year candidate as Utah approaches the 20-win mark and flirts with a winning conference record in his third season. Keep in mind, this is a program that won six games total in 2011-12. The Utes have one of the stronger defensive teams in the league and a duo of Jordan Loveridge and Delon Wright that has kept them competitive all year. Utah has defeated UCLA, Colorado and Arizona State this season and took Oregon, the Buffaloes and Arizona to overtime.
West Virginia
Like Texas Tech, West Virginia enjoyed a few weeks as one of the more dangerous teams in the Big 12. The Mountaineers defeated Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Iowa State during a five-game stretch from Jan. 28-Feb. 10. The Mountaineers' backcourt of Juwan Staten and Eron Harris can keep up with anyone in the league.
Clemson and Georgia are set to meet in the season opener for both teams next season (Aug. 30), but the Tigers will be shorthanded for the meeting in Athens.
Coach Dabo Swinney announced in his pre-spring press conference four players are suspended for that game due to a violation of team rules. Guard David Beasley, tackle Shaq Anthony, cornerback Garry Peters and defensive end Corey Crawford will all miss the non-conference matchup against Georgia.
And these aren't minor losses for Clemson. Peters recorded 28 tackles last season, Anthony and Beasley combined for 11 starts on the offensive line, while Crawford registered 52 tackles and three sacks in 2013.
While the suspensions are bad news for Swinney and the Tigers, this team has all offseason to prepare for that game without the four players.
David Beasley, Shaq Anthony, Garry Peters and Corey Crawford will miss the opener against UGA. "Violation of team rule."— Greg Wallace (@gc_wallace) March 4, 2014
They're the cream of the major championship crop, circa 2014 — the Athlon Major Championship Dream Team. Leading up to The Masters, we'll be unveiling Athlon Sports' 30 players to watch for majors season, with commentary on each from the Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee.
No. 29: Harris English
Born: July 23, 1989, Valdosta, Ga. | Career PGA Tour Wins: 2 | 2013 Wins (Worldwide): 1 | 2013 Earnings (PGA Tour): $2,201,167 (27th) | World Ranking: 36
Brandel Chamblee's Take
Harris English was only the third amateur ever to win on the Web.com Tour, and in his rookie year on the PGA Tour in 2012, he made 22 of 27 cuts. He continued to improve in 2013, notching his first win in Memphis and then adding another win at Mayakoba late in the year (part of the wrap-around 2014 schedule). He has length off the tee and the ability to do some things better than anyone on Tour, leading in smash factor (finding the middle of the face) and putts from 15-25 feet. Those two are a pretty powerful combination, and why as I write this I think his 36th world ranking is the lowest he will be for some time.
Major Championship Résumé
Starts: 3
Wins: 0
2013 Performance:
Masters - DNP
U.S. Open - DNP
British Open - T15
PGA Championship - T61
Best Career Finishes:
Masters - n/a
U.S. Open - n/a
British Open - T15 (2013)
PGA Championship - T61 (2013)
Top-10 Finishes: 0
Top-25 Finishes: 1
Missed Cuts: 0
—Brandel Chamblee is lead analyst for the Golf Channel. Be sure to follow him @ChambleeBrandel on Twitter.
Athlon's 2014 Golf annual provides in-depth previews of this year's four majors, including the top 30 players to watch this season. One of these elite players, Dustin Johnson, also takes you tee to green with full-swing instruction and short game essentials. BUY IT NOW.
A rule proposal limiting how fast offenses can snap the ball has received plenty of criticism from coaches. Arizona's Rich Rodriguez has been one of the outspoken coaches against the rule, which forces teams to wait 10 seconds on the play clock before they can snap the ball.
And recently, Rodriguez and the Arizona staff took to the video world to continue their criticism of the potential rule change. Check out this video, which features some clips from the movie Speed (we hope you didn't watch Speed 2 though), as well as Rodriguez getting his point across about the 10-second rule.
If you ask Carlos Rodriguez why there are more Cuban players entering the major leagues than ever before, his answer is quick, humorous and right on time.
"There are 68 million reasons," he says.
Rodriguez, Tampa Bay's director of Latin American scouting, is referring to the six-year, $68 million contract the White Sox bestowed in late October upon first baseman Jose Abreu. It was the largest deal in club history, and it serves as the latest example of how eager MLB clubs are to collect the talent on the island that sits 90 miles off the coast of Florida.
The Sox hope Abreu joins the collection of recent defectors who have made significant contributions to major-league teams in the past couple years. Aroldis Chapman and his 100-mph fastball have transformed the Reds' bullpen. Yoenis Cespedes is a power-hitting fixture in the middle of the Oakland lineup. And who can forget the performance last year of Yasiel Puig, who energized the Dodgers with his power, aggressiveness and flamboyant personality? Those three aren't the only Cuban players in the bigs right now. In fact, Abreu joins Alexei Ramirez and Dayan Viciedo on the White Sox roster. But his arrival in the United States demonstrates just how much teams covet players from Cuba and how those performers want to find a way to reach the U.S. to play ball at the highest level.
"When there is an economic incentive and an opportunity cost of not coming over, the risk-reward is higher," Rodriguez says. "People are finding more creative ways of getting out, and there is a bigger network of people helping out."
For decades, Cuban players have made significant contributions to MLB teams, dating back to Minnie Minoso from 1949-63 (and a couple P.R. stunt appearances later on) but also including Tony Perez, Luis Tiant and Tony Oliva. Because of dictator Fidel Castro's edict that no one could leave the island without permission, many great players — particularly in the 1970s and '80s — never reached the majors. Two of the most famous are Omar Linares and German Mesa, who were considered All-Star quality talents who couldn't escape Castro's clutches.
There was always something of a mythical status accorded the Cuban player, who could be viewed during certain international competitions but rarely seen in his natural habitat. Because of that legend, Cuban players might be held in higher esteem than their counterparts from other Latin American countries.
That has helped MLB teams develop considerable affection for players from the island — and vice versa. Last summer, even the Phillies, for whom big-money foreign players have been anathema, signed pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to a six-year, $50 million deal. Although the money figure has dropped due to Gonzalez's injury problems, the Phillies expect the righty to be a part of their rotation in 2014. With each subsequent player, the money seems to grow. Chapman received $30.25 million from the Reds. The A's bestowed $36 mil on Cespedes, and Puig's contract is worth $42 million. After never giving an international player a contract of more than $2 million, the Phillies went all in for Gonzalez. A couple months later, Abreu's deal rocked the majors.
"Any time Cuban players made it to the U.S. as veterans from their professional league, there was always an interest in signing them," Cardinals assistant GM Michael Girsch says. "It was a trickle in previous years, but now it has opened up, and we're signing them."
The flow could increase considerably in coming years, thanks to a variety of factors. One is the growing number of people trying to broker deals to sneak ballplayers off the island to safe nations. These "brokers" (some call them smugglers; others refer to them as traffickers) hold onto the men until agents sign deals to represent the players and bring them to the U.S., where they can be evaluated. The brokers make money, and there may even be some funds heading back to Cuban officials who conveniently look elsewhere as players are leaving the island.
"Are they letting it happen?" asks Cincinnati senior director of scouting Chris Buckley. "Maybe some money is going back to the Cuban government. We've heard all types of things. It's a little suspicious."
In order to make that cash flow more official, Cuba announced in late September that it would allow players to sign with other countries' professional leagues. That was strictly prohibited under Fidel Castro, but his brother Raul, has a different view of the impact of big-dollar contracts on the socialist experience, especially if some of that dough makes its way to Havana. There are some issues to be worked out with the U.S. regarding tax dollars' flowing back to Cuba, a transaction that would be in violation of America's strict ban on commercial dealings with Cuba. That is something of a technicality, and it would be surprising if some system weren't created to overcome the issue.
"People are trying to get a piece of the pie," Rodriguez says. "Before, maybe the money wasn't as big an incentive."
Anybody who watched Puig play during the 2013 season shouldn't have been surprised at all by his hard-driving style. That's how they play ball in Cuba. "The Cuban players are traditionally known as ultra-aggressive and playing very hard," Rodriguez says. "They are intimidating and brash and play an alpha style of baseball. They are definitely very brash and confident. They feel that if they can compete in Cuba, they can play anywhere in the world."
The young outfielder tried to stretch singles into doubles, went after every fly ball with abandon and could be fooled — sometimes badly — by off-speed pitches. It didn't matter to Puig if he failed; he was going to keep moving forward at 100 mph, sliding into home after a walk-off dinger and refusing to acknowledge the accomplishments of those who went before him, as Puig did when he snubbed former Diamondbacks great Luis Gonzalez.
There's an old saying that explains why Dominican players are such free swingers: "You don't walk off the island." In other words, playing small ball isn't going to get you noticed. That's no different in Cuba, even though it's tougher to get off that island than it is to reach the majors from the D.R.
When Cuba competes in international competitions, it does so to win. That's a by-product of Castro's desire to prove to the world that his country's socialism produces greatness, the old Soviet-style system of rewards for performance and a bunker mentality of sorts that comes from being isolated from much of the world.
"The Cuban hitters go up there swinging," Buckley says. "The pitchers are very aggressive and have no problems throwing at a hitter. Of course, let's see how that translates to big-league play."
Before that can be considered, the player has to become eligible to play. First, he has to escape the island and the close scrutiny of the government. The breakaways aren't quite as dramatic as they once were, but it still isn't easy. Recruiters and other intermediaries bring players to other countries, usually Mexico or a Caribbean land, to establish residency. And there are always concerns among those who leave about how family members who remain in Cuba will be treated. The next step is obtaining clearance from the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control. Because the U.S. has an embargo in place against Cuba, the defecting players are almost looked at as "products" of the island. The OFAC — a Division of the Department of the Treasury — "…administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes..." It isn't a particularly onerous process, but it does take some time. The final hurdle is say-so from Major League Baseball. Once all of that is taken care of, it's time to find out if the guy can play.
"When they are cleared, we can evaluate them in a more controlled setting," Rodriguez says. "We can see them take batting practice and do other things."
Those assessments are vital with Cuban players. Yes, they fare well in international competition. And the stars stand out in domestic leagues, too. Making the jump to the majors isn't as easy as getting from the island to the United States. After all the wrangling that goes into defecting and getting signed, there is the small issue of whether the player in question is any good. It may be beneficial to stage formal workouts for the prospects, but determining whether they can play still requires some faith, rather than an analysis of considerable amounts of data. No matter how highly touted the level of competition in the Cuban leagues might be, it still isn't close to big-league quality.
"Some of the pitching there is at the high (class) A ball or Double-A levels," Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin says. "Only occasionally do they run into quality pitching.
"We talk about how hitting is down in the major leagues because there are so many pitchers with power arms. The players coming over here from Cuba and Japan are in for rude awakenings, because they will be seeing quality pitching every day. It's a big adjustment. Players like Puig and Cespedes are very talented guys, but you have to be careful."
The good thing about acquiring a Cuban player is that the relative cost is low. Those who saw the contract the White Sox gave to Abreu might laugh at that statement, but it's true. Yes, the money can be high, but there are no other penalties. Teams don't lose draft picks for signing Cuban players. And they don't have to surrender top prospects as they do when making deadline trades. So, there is nothing on top of the contracts — which can be admittedly high — when it comes to importing Cuban talent. For instance, when the Reds acquired pitcher Mat Latos from the Padres after the 2011 season, they had to part with righty Edinson Volquez and three top minor leaguers. "That's a high cost," Buckley says. Chapman's six-year, $30.25 million contract wasn't cheap, but that was the flamethrower's only price.
"When you sign someone like Chapman, it's just money, a lot of money, but we're in the business of evaluating talent," Buckley says. "We should be able to tell."
When a player makes it through the clearinghouse process, is deemed talented enough to warrant a major-league contract and actually proves he can play, there is still one final component that can make the transition from Cuba to MLB daunting. Because the island is so backward, the U.S. lifestyle can be a huge shock. Just walking into a supermarket can be a transformative experience.
Putting these naïve players into a professional setting, with all of the outside influences and media attention, can create some serious problems.
"They have to learn the laws and our way of life," Rodriguez says. "You have to have people monitoring what they do 24/7. Most of the players who come over here never drove a car before. It's a real adjustment period.
"They have to learn everything — how to deal with fans and media and even how to order food."
That they can learn. Skills like throwing 100-mph cheese and hitting for power and average aren't so easily acquired.
And are worth the price.
—Written by Michael Bradley for Athlon Sports. This is just one of the features that can be found in Athlon Sports' 2014 MLB Preview magazine, which is available on newsstands and online now. Starting with 21 unique covers to choose from, Athlon covers the diamond and circles the bases with enough in-depth preseason analysis, predictions and other information to satisfy fans of the national pastime from the Bronx to the Bay and everywhere in between. Order your copy now!
Crunch time is here.
Conference tournaments are starting this week in 13 league. But with most of those tournaments featuring a winner-take-all for an NCAA bid, the bubble watch is taking place in the final week of the regular season for the major conferences.
The Big East, Atlantic 10 and Pac-12 have perhaps the most important bubble games of the week while other teams are simply trying to work on some resume maintenance, as you might call it.
Here are the key midweek games and a look at the field and bubble teams for the rest of the week.
Key Games with NCAA Tournament Implications This Week
Iowa State at Baylor (Tuesday, 7 p.m., ESPN2)
The Bears have probably recovered from their 2-8 start in Big 12 play with wins over Kansas State and Oklahoma State. A game against Iowa State, coming off a loss to Kansas State on Saturday, is another chance to build the resume.
Creighton at Georgetown (Tuesday, 7 p.m., Fox Sports 1)
The Bluejays are looking to recover from a loss to Xavier on Saturday, but this game is more important for Georgetown. The Hoyas are on a 1-3 slide, with all three losses on the road. If John Thompson III's team is going to make it to the field, beating Creighton or Villanova would be a good start.
Marquette at Providence (Tuesday, 9 p.m., ESPN)
Buzz Williams' team is on the fringes despite a disastrous start to the season. The Eagles may need to beat Providence and St. John's, otherwise, it's Big East Tournament or bust. The Friars have their own work to do to prove they can beat someone other than DePaul, Butler and Seton Hall.
Florida State at Boston College (Tuesday, 9 p.m., ESPNU)
The Seminoles may be a long shot, but they need to win this game to set up the really important game against struggling Syracuse to end the season.
Arizona State at Oregon (Tuesday, 11 p.m., Fox Sports 1)
The Sun Devils and Ducks have similar RPI and strength of schedule rankings, but Arizona State has the strong resume with six top 50 wins. Oregon, meanwhile, is looking to build momentum after its best of the season at UCLA on Saturday.
Louisville at SMU (Wednesday, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
The Mustangs may be safe as long as they don't lose early in the American Tournament. SMU finishes with Louisville at home and Memphis on the road.
Nebraska at Indiana (Wednesday, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network)
A 60-49 loss to Illinois a week ago puts more pressure on Nebraska to win its final two games in Bloomington and at home against Wisconsin. The Hoosiers have quietly pulled themselves together in February with back-to-back wins over Iowa and Ohio State, but a home loss to a bubble team is not a great way to get attention.
Ole Miss at Arkansas (Wednesday, 8 p.m., ESPN3.com)
The Razorbacks may be in the field with seven wins in the last eight games. They just need to avoid the home upset to Marshall Henderson and the Rebels.
Texas A&M at Missouri (Wednesday, 8 p.m., ESPN3.com)
With road losses to Alabama and Georgia in the last two weeks, Missouri needs this game to set up a meaningful matchup at Tennessee on Saturday.
Colorado at Stanford (Wednesday, 9 p.m., ESPN2)
The Buffaloes are 6-6 without Spencer Dinwiddie and finish with road trips to the Bay Area schools, both of which are in NCAA at-large contention. A huge opportunity for Tad Boyle's team.
Dayton at Saint Louis (Wednesday, 9 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
The Flyers are still in contention after Saturday's win over UMass. Finishing against a slumping Saint Louis team on the road and at home against Richmond will be critical for a team just barely in the RPI top 50.
St. Joseph's at George Washington (Wednesday, 9 p.m., Comcast SportsNet)
The Colonials have slumped against NCAA contenders in the last month with losses to Dayton, VCU, UMass and Saint Louis. St. Joe's, meanwhile, is on a six-game winning streak.
Arizona at Oregon State (Wednesday, 11 p.m., Fox Sports 1)
The Wildcats will look to protect their No. 1 seed with a trip to the Oregon schools this week. Both of Arizona's losses this season have come on the road.
Utah at Cal (Wednesday, 11 p.m., ESPNU)
Cal is 3-4 since the win over Arizona on Feb. 1. The Bears finish with two tough but winnable home games against Utah and Colorado.
Villanova at Xavier (Thursday, 7 p.m., Fox Sports 1)
The Musketeers followed up an upset of Creighton on Saturday by losing its second game of the season to Seton Hall. And that's why Xavier is on the bubble.
Iowa at Michigan State (Thursday, 9 p.m., ESPN)
Whose fortunes are sinking faster? Iowa has lost three of four, and Michigan State is 4-6 since starting 18-1 overall.
NCAA Tournament Projections and Bubble Watch
Feeling good: Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia
Bubble in: Pittsburgh
Bubble out: None
American (5)
Feeling good: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Memphis
Bubble in: SMU
Bubble out: None
Atlantic 10 (6)
Feeling good: Saint Louis, UMass, VCU
Bubble in: Dayton, George Washington, St. Joseph's
Bubble out: Richmond
Big 12 (7)
Feeling good: Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas
Bubble in: Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma State
Bubble out: West Virginia
Big East (3)
Feeling good: Creighton, Villanova
Bubble in: Xavier
Bubble out: Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's
Big Ten (6)
Feeling good: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin
Bubble in: Minnesota
Bubble out: Indiana, Nebraska
Mountain West (2)
Feeling good: New Mexico, San Diego State
Bubble in: None
Bubble out: Boise State
Pac-12 (6)
Feeling good: Arizona, UCLA
Bubble in: Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford
Bubble out: None
Feeling good: Florida, Kentucky
Bubble in: Arkansas, Missouri
Bubble out: LSU, Tennessee
West Coast (2)
Feeling good: None
Bubble in: BYU, Gonzaga
Bubble out: None
Favorites in one-bid leagues (22)
America East: Vermont
Atlantic Sun: Florida Gulf Coast
Big Sky: Weber State
Big South: High Point
Big West: UC Irvine
Colonial: Delaware
Conference USA: Southern Miss
Horizon: Green Bay
Ivy: Harvard
MAAC: Iona
MAC: Toledo
MEAC: North Carolina Central
Missouri Valley: Wichita State*
Northeast: Robert Morris
Ohio Valley: Belmont
Patriot: Boston University
Southern: Davidson
Southland: Stephen F. Austin
Summit: North Dakota State
Sun Belt: Georgia State
SWAC: Texas Southern
WAC: New Mexico State
*Wichita State would be an at-large if the Shockers lose in the MVC tournament
Kurt Busch has a busy Memorial Day weekend planned. The 2004 NASCAR Cup champ announced on Tuesday that he will attempt "The Double" by running IndyCar's Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, May 25.
"I enjoyed the era of drivers racing different cars and testing themselves in other series," Busch said. "It is tough to do now for a variety of factors, but when the opportunity is there, I want to do it.
"It's literally a dream come true. To go to the famous Brickyard with the iconic Andretti name, it doesn't get much cooler or better than that."
Busch, in his first season driving for Stewart-Haas Racing on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit, will pilot an Andretti Autosport Honda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Andretti fields full-time IndyCar efforts for Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, 2012 series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and Carlos Munoz.
His NASCAR manufacturer, General Motors, had to sign off on his racing for another car company.
Busch will be the first driver to attempt the feat since 2004, when Robby Gordon ran both races. Gordon, John Andretti and Busch's NASCAR co-owner, Tony Stewart, are the only three drivers to have pulled "The Double." Stewart, who in 2001 finished sixth at Indianapolis and third in Charlotte, is the only driver to have completed all 1,100 miles.
"It's great having Tony as the co-owner of my NASCAR team as, in the weeks leading up to the month of May, it gives me a chance to talk with him about his personal experiences with "The Double" — to anticipate what's next and have things checked off the list so that I'm mentally and physically prepared for the challenge," said Busch.
Although Busch, who has 24 career Cup victories including the 2010 Coca-Cola 600, has yet to start an IndyCar event, he obtained his license in the series last year when an Indy 500 bid first became a possibility.
While sponsorship has not been announced for the IndyCar ride, Busch is dedicating the effort to members of the U.S. military. His girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, is the president of the Armed Forces Foundation, which supports injured troops and military families.
Follow Matt Taliaferro on Twitter: @MattTaliaferro