Oregon vows more uniform chaos to come

Oregon Ducks football is an enigma. To some, the Ducks are among the upper crust of the Pac10 elite. To others, Oregon is the team responsible for the Nike-ification of college sports… and thus a blight on football.

Regardless of how you feel about the Ducks, one thing is certain: Oregon will continue to trick up its uniform with more colors, accents, and doo-dads courtesy of Nike.

Bud Withers: Mike, since your game last week wasn’t on TV, as you pointed out, did you guys wear the black helmets, or are those still in the box?

Mike Bellotti: We did, we wore ‘em. We wore the black helmets and the black uniforms. Too bad you didn’t get a chance to see it, it looked awesome.

Withers: Huh, OK. Are these things, these innovations, just gonna keep on coming, or is there a limit to this?

Bellotti: No, they’re gonna keep on coming. You know, our tradition is innovation. So that’s become the buzzword, and I think the new uniforms are the lightest ever made, they’re reinforced in the shoulders, because of the lightness, to allow them to be usable over a longer period of time. The uniform we unveiled [this past Saturday] was sort of a special uniform. I think we’ll have this set for one more year, and then we’ll go into production for some new — y’know, a whole revamping for 2010. And now we have four helmets to choose from.

Withers: Can you explain what the process is? Does someone from Nike come to you and say, “Here’s the latest thing we’re looking at,” and then you screen them or something?

Bellotti: Yeah. We actually, uh – y’know, this was kind of a surprise to everyone. This was more of a one-shot deal that Nike wanted to do, and we had a chance to have input to it. And this was not with our players – this was just me as a coach. And we, I said some certain things, suggested this and that, and they came back with a prototype, and we said, “Yeah, that’s awesome, let’s go with it.” But when we go to the full uniform line, we involve our players. There’s a group right now, of younger players, freshmen and sophomores, who are meeting with the design people at Nike on a regular basis to kind of put ideas together for our future uniforms. And that’s a combination of color ideas, style ideas, just the whole look. And that will be the geneis, or – the next wave.

Withers: And your sense, I think, in the past has been that this is important to the players, correct?

Bellotti: Yeah – well – yeah, I think it’s imp… – they, they love having some ownership in it. They love having some creative input. The reality is that they’re helping to design what they’re gonna wear, sort of like picking your own clothes. The other thing is that it does appeal to other people out there. And even if it doesn’t [appeal] to some, they’re talkin’ about it.

So… not only is Oregon going to unveil yet another completely new uniform design this year, they’re ramping up with even more options for the future seasons. GRRRREEEAAAAATTTTT!!!!!!!

Is there a method to all this madness? Yes, because — believe it or not — a large number of recruits pick and/or eliminate schools based on the way their uniforms look.

“With a few schools, I would just look at their uniforms and be like, I don’t think I could see myself playing there,” said Ohio State senior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.

…

“They were the first people to send me a letter,” Jenkins said, “and I looked at it and said, ‘I can’t go there, I don’t like their uniforms.’”

…

“I heard a guy say on my team,” said Illinois quarterback Juice Williams, “that he didn’t pick a school because they didn’t have names on the back of their jerseys.”

…

“They’re definitely not the flashiest ones I’ve ever seen,” said Penn State senior receiver Deon Butler, who grew up admiring the green and orange swagger of the Miami Hurricanes’ jerseys. “But I like that fact. You don’t have to put a lot onto for it to say something. You can say plain white helmet and blue stripe, and people know who you’re talking about. Plain black shoes and white socks, and people know who you’re talking about.

“It means something, and I take pride in that. It’s one of the few uniforms that means so much to so many people.”

…

Over the years, it’s become more and more important for the athletes, and I think they’re more visual and design savvy than previous generations,” said Van Horne, who has been with Nike for 18 years.

As long as the kids care, and the kids pick the schools and win the games and determine whether coaches succeed or fail, then everyone cares.

“Kids are kids,” Under Armour’s Jones said. “When you ask them what the key factor was in picking their school, they don’t want to say uniforms. They want to lead with academics and coaching and playing time, but in the back of their mind, you better believe it’s, ‘What are they wearing?’ That’s what catches a kid’s eye on TV.”

In other words, while Penn State uses its uniform to represent tradition and team unity, Oregon uses its uniform to represent a little flash… a little sizzle… a little personality. And, its working. Much to my chagrin, the Ducks have vastly improved their recruiting classes every since moving to the Nike redesigns in the mid-90s, coincidence or not.

So… fear not Duck fans (and potential recruits), if you don’t like what Oregon is wearing… just wait a week or two – it’s bound to change.

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The NCAA 10: Top Coaches Who Could Play

The old saying goes, “those who can’t do, teach.” 

 

Is that true when it comes to college football coaches?

 

I was surprised to learn that of the 119 Division I (or FBS, if you’d rather) head coaches there are only six who never played college football.

 

They are: David Cutcliffe (Duke), Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech), Mark Mangino (Kansas), Mike Leach (Texas Tech), Charlie Weis (Notre Dame) and George O’Leary (Central Florida).  Although, if you give him enough time I think O’Leary might be able to come up with a little playing experience for the old resume, if needed.

 

It makes sense that there would be a fair number who either never played, or at best road the pine.  However, what I found was that there were also plenty who could play and who had some stellar college (and a few NFL) careers.  How they rank (as collegiate players) is as follows:

 

10. Mike Gundy, QB, Oklahoma State (Head Coach: Oklahoma State)

 

Gundy was a 4-year starter for the Cowboys and in 1988 (back when he was just 21, and not quite a “man”) he helped lead OSU to a 10-2 mark and a Holiday Bowl thumping of Wyoming, 62-14.  In that Junior campaign he was second in the nation in QB efficiency at 158.2, behind only Washington State’s Timm Rosenbach and ahead of Heisman finalists: USC’s Rodney Peete and UCLA’s Troy Aikman.  He was 153-236 for 2,163 yards, 19 TDs and 12 Ints. 

 

Granted, he was given the gift of handing off to the likes of Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders (who won the Heisman in 1988) but he graduated as the all-time leader in passing at both Oklahoma State and in Big 8 history.

 

9. Frank Solich, FB, Nebraska (Head Coach: Ohio)

 

Known as “fearless Frankie” while with the Cornhuskers, Solich was an All Big 8 selection in 1965 and the first Nebraska player to rush for over 200 yards in a single game.  He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated that year, and was later inducted into the Husker Hall of Fame.

 

8. Stan Brock, OT, Colorado (Head Coach: Army)

 

Brock was a Sporting News All-American in 1979 for the Buffaloes, on his way to becoming a first round draft pick (#12 overall) of the New Orleans Saints.  He would parlay that into a long and successful 16-year NFL career.

 

7. Sylvester Croom, C, Alabama (Head Coach: Mississippi State)

 

As captain, he helped Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide to three SEC titles (as well as a National Title in 1973) and was an All-American center in 1974.

 

6. Rick Neuheisel, QB, UCLA (Head Coach: UCLA)

 

In 1983, his senior year with the Bruins, Neuheisel was fifth in the nation in QB efficiency at 142.5 (just ahead of UNLV’s Randall Cunningham and behind the nation’s leader, BYU’s Steve Young).  He was 163-236 for 1,947 yards, 9 TDs and 10 Ints, while leading UCLA to a 7-4-1 mark and garnering Rose Bowl MVP honors, beating #4 Illinois 45-9.

 

5. Turner Gill, QB, Nebraska (Head Coach: Buffalo)

 

Gill led the Cornhuskers to an amazing 28-2 record as a starting QB.  He finished #4 in the Heisman balloting in 1983 to his Nebraska teammate, RB Mike Rozier, on their way to a #1 ranking and a heartbreaking 31-30 loss to Miami for the National Championship.  It was Gill’s pass, on a two-point conversion to win the game, that was deflected with just seconds remaining.

 

SIDE NOTE: What Gill has already accomplished  with the Buffalo football program has been nothing short of miraculous.  He didn’t land the coveted Nebraska gig last year, but he should be on plenty of short lists this time around. K-State, UW, are you listening?

 

4. Jim Harbaugh, QB, Michigan (Head Coach: Stanford)

 

As a Junior in 1985, Harbaugh led Michigan to a 10-1-1 mark and led the nation in QB efficiency at 163.7.  He was 139-212 for 1,913 yards, 18 TDs and 6 Ints.  He then followed that up with a senior campaign in 1986 that would see him finish third in the Heisman voting (behind winner QB Vinny Testaverde of Miami and just ahead of Oklahoma LB Brian Bosworth).  He would also end up second in the nation in QB rating at 157.0 while leading the Wolverines to an 11-2 mark and the Rose Bowl.

 

3. Pat Fitzgerald, LB, Northwestern (Head Coach: Northwestern)

 

One of the most decorated defensive players in college football history, Fitzgerald was a consensus All-American in 1995 and 1996, as well as a two-time Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year for the Wildcats, on his way to winning both the Bronco Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik trophies – twice. He was recently inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame

 

2. Chuck Long, QB, Iowa (Head Coach: San Diego State)

 

As a 4-year starter, Long put up huge numbers as a Hawkeye QB, finishing second in the nation in QB rating his sophomore year (160.4), seventh his junior year (147.1) and topping it off with finishing third his senior year (153.0).  And after finishing seventh for the Heisman in his junior campaign, his senior season of 1985 would see him finish second in the closest Heisman voting ever (1509-1464 to Auburn RB Bo Jackson).

 

That season he threw for 231-351 for 2,978 yards, 26 TDs and 15 Ints. He was a consensus All-American and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

 

And perhaps as no surprise to anyone, the only head coach currently toting around a certain stiff-armed piece of hardware (actually he gave it to the University to display), the #1 Coach Who Could Play…

 

STEVE SPURRIER, QB, FLORIDA (Head Coach: South Carolina)

 

Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986, the winner of the 1966 Heisman Trophy (over Purdue QB Bob Griese), led the Gators to a 9-2 mark and an Orange Bowl win, 27-12, over Georgia Tech.  He was third in the nation in completions per game (the standard prior to QB rating) and finished 179-291 for 2,012 yards, 16 TDs and 8 Ints.

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

Jeff Tedford, QB, Fresno State (Head Coach: California)

 

Tedford finished eighth in nation in QB rating (136.4) in 1982, while leading the Bulldogs to 11-1 mark.

 

Howard Schnellenberger, TE, Kentucky (Head Coach: FAU)

 

Schnellenberger was a consensus All-American selection in 1955 for the Wildcats.

 

Shane Montgomery, QB, NC State (Head Coach: Miami (OH))

 

Montgomery was MVP of both the 1988 Peach Bowl and 1989 Copper Bowl.

 

Mark Richt, QB, Miami (Head Coach: Georgia)

 

Sandwiched between Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar, he only got in as a starter when Kelly went down in 1982.

 

 

Miscellaneous Items of Note:

 

Not-so-surprising, there are five former Alabama players (Bobby Bowden-Florida State, Neil Callaway-UAB, Mike Riley-Oregon State, Sylvester Croom-Mississippi State and Dabo Swinney-Clemson)…somewhat surprising, there are three former UC-Davis players (Mike Bellotti-Oregon, Dan Hawkins-Colorado, Chris Petersen-Boise State)…kind of interesting, the Sun Belt Conference is loaded with former talent, from Schellenberger to: FIU’s Mario Cristobal (All Big East OT at Miami); Middle Tennessee’s Rick Stockstill (Florida State QB); North Texas’ Todd Dodge (Texas QB); Troy’s Larry Blakeney (Auburn QB); Louisiana-Monroe’s Charlie Weatherbie (Oklahoma State QB); and Louisiana-Lafayette’s Rickey Bustle (Clemson WR)…who knew?…and if you’re thinking of some top assistants or coordinators who had talent and could be landing top spots soon, scratch off Ryan Leaf (yikes) and look no further than USC’s Steve Sarkisian.  The former BYU QB led the nation in efficiency in 1996 at 173.6 (ahead of Heisman winner Danny Wuerrfel and Peyton Manning)…or perhaps former Kansas great and NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Nolan Cromwell, who is now with Texas A&M…or Georgia’s Mike Bobo…or Pitt’s Matt Cavanaugh…

 

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The REAL Coaches’ Poll: Top 25 College Football Coaches Rankings (Week Nine)

By now, most of you know what the poll is about.  But for those of you who are new to the REAL Coaches’ Poll “experience,” this is how it works.

Much like the other college football polls, the coaches are ranked according to their performance for the current season.  No consideration is given to previous seasons.

A coach moves up the poll by beating other ranked coaches or ranked opponents, and the strength of the win is considered.  A coach moves down in the poll by losing, and more consideration is given to a loss to another ranked coach or a ranked opponent.

Every week the reader comments left from the previous poll are also considered.  So tell me if you agree or disagree.  I listen!

There you have it.  Enjoy the REAL Coaches’ Poll (Week Nine).

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