The BCS goes back to the alliance days which was a power grab and a money grab by certain conferences and it hasn't changed in its intent," Jackson said. "To add another game, will it resolve controversy over who's who and what's what? I really truly doubt it."

The Pac-10 and the Big Ten didn't start the fire.

They were plenty happy before the Bowl Alliance (or whatever it was called back then) came along.  They were less happy after it.  And they're a little less happy now with the BCS.  Here's guessing they'd be content with things going back to the way they were before the other conferences changed the composition of the game.  It was a bad move then and heading towards a playoff is an even worse move now.

Does anyone really think 12-team conferences are good for college football?  How about conference title games?  Schedules are finite.  College football simply cannot play a 16-week season like the NFL.  Flying in the face of logic, most of the same conferences that pushed us into this Alliance/BCS reality are also the conferences carrying twelve members.

It's obvious that round-robin play (or something close to it) is superior to split divisions (see SEC, Big 12, ACC) and possible repeat matchups in conference title games.  Can a team truly be its league champion if it hasn't faced all its league opponents?  Do you follow?

The major conferences most associated with sensible conference play (Pac-10, Big Ten, Big East) are the same ones treated as the villains in all of this, Big East excluded.  Amazing.  We had it right, once ...

Hate the Heisman Trophy all you want, but you won't see "Favre for NFL MVP" carved pumpkins anytime soon.

Happy belated Halloween

(Via: Ryan for Heisman, the best candidacy blog I've seen since Leinart4Heisman)

Via FanHouse

Al Groh, being an ex-NFL coach, likes to hand out game balls after each game. A fairly popular football tradition that can be found down to the high school level. When the UVA compliance department heard about the handing out of game balls, they decided that it must stop.

"It's not specifically in the rule book that you can't give out a game ball," UVa compliance director Steve Flippen said, "but there are a lot more interpretations than there are rules and that's one of the interpretations of the extra-benefits rule.

"At the end of the year, if a team had a player of the year and awarded him a game ball, that would be OK, but not on a game-by-game basis."

That's right, the seemingly innocuous tradition of giving a player a game ball after a game is an extra-benefit under the interpretation of NCAA rules that cannot be tolerated. Waiting until the end of the year, however, is fine.

So not only did Virginia football stop handing out game balls, they had to take back all the balls already handed out this year.

Counting down College Football Resource's preseason top 25 teams.

***

(15) - UCLA

Briefly: You know the talking points - 20 returning starters, beat USC, blah blah blah.  This is a solid team that has improved at an agonizingly slow rate since hiring Karl Dorrell.  DeWayne Walker is a rare competent defensive coordinator in Westwood which makes this team a legitimate contender in the Pac-10 when you can combine that with the available talent.  Ben Olson is potentially a phenom although he's working with some pedestrian receivers and tight ends.  Membership in the Pac-10 dictates that an unexpected loss or two will strike all but the best teams, so count on one of those this year.  Running back depth is scary and something of a major concern.  It's too bad they lose frosh Raymond Carter to injury, he would have added good pop to that group.  Defensive tackle Brian Price is still in NCAA limbo and that situation looks grim as well.

Phil Steele Says:  After 3 years of having small senior classes, Dorrell has his most experienced and talented team with a large 2007 senior class.  He has 10 starters back on offense and with new OC Norvell calling the shots, should have one of the most improved ppg's in the NCAA.  The D went from a weakness to a strength last year allowing over 2 TD's per game less and also had 10 starters back in '07.  UCLA could be favored in their first 11 games this year which could set up a titanic struggle vs USC in the season finale.

Preseason Consensus: No. 13 (tie) nationally, No. 2 Pac-10

(14) - Auburn

Briefly:  Last season was a disappointment for the Tigers who scored some big wins but clearly weren't as good as advertised (preseason No. 4).  Quarterback Brandon Cox dealth with a boatload of injuries and other issues but looks healthier this time around.  The stable of backs is exciting but the receivers look subpar and the defense is unsettled and a bit young.  There's speed to burn but it also makes them a smallish group vulnerable to swift and powerful run attacks like the massacre against Arkansas last year.  All that said, Tommy Tuberville clearly figured something out in the last few seasons about winning in the SEC and can cover for a lot of the Tigers' deficiencies.

Phil Steele Says:  This year the schedule gets tougher with SEC road games vs Florida, Arkansas, LSU and UGA.  They have just 5 starters back on offense and must replace their top RB and WR.  OC Borges says they were less aggressive in '06 due to injuries to Cox and Irons and the offense will be more freewheeling this year, but they also have the least experienced O-line since Tuberville arrived.  The D does have 7 starters back and allowed just 13.9 ppg in '06.  A big question is the special teams unit which suffers some significant losses.  Auburn has just 12 scholarship seniors this year.  The Tigers should be bowl eligible once again but unlike the last 3 years, don't figure to be prime contenders in the SEC West.

Preseason Consensus:  No. 17 nationally, No. 2 SEC West

(13) - Arkansas

Briefly:  When I was putting this together a few weeks back, Arkansas was jumping all over my list.  That up-and-down movement mirrored the Razorbacks' turbulent year.  At present, I feel the offseason stuff won't get to this team as most of the disgruntled figures are no longer with the team.  Last year Arkansas snuck up on people and that won't happen this time around.  Everyone knows they're one-dimensional on offense but they still find ways to get things done in the defense-heavy SEC.  The defense was always average at best in the SEC and took some hits with NFL departures but its still a decent unit.  Fundamentally this is a solid if unspectacular football team with a transcendant figure in McFadden which makes me think they'll overachieve.  If you look at the teams with those kinds of players (Bush, Young), they're always near the top of the rankings once the player has his breakout year.  Arkansas doesn't possess the overall talent of a Texas or USC, but they can be much more competitive than we feel they should be thanks to McFadden's Final Ride.

Phil Steele Says:  Arkansas did suffer some turmoil in the offseason and QB Mustain, WR Williams and OC Malzahn have all moved on.  This year they have 6 starters back on offense and have the best RB's in the country and should come close to 2006's 28.9 ppg.  The D has 6 starters back but must replace 4 of their top 6 tacklers.  They allowed 18.3 ppg which was their best since '99 and figure to still be tough.  The Hogs outgained SEC foes by 54.9 ypg (2nd best) and it was their highest final ranking (#15) S/'89.  Arkansas will have another successful season, but probably will not match 2006's final ranking.

Preseason Consensus:  No. 22 nationally, No. 3 SEC West

(12) - Miami

Briefly:  We all know what's happened to this program.  They've been on steady decline for several years and eventually terminated coach Larry Coker.  Much like Florida State, the Hurricane defense remained outstanding but offensive woes could never be shaken.  Hiring Randy Shannon was curious with his defensive background and I'm not a huge fan of new OC Patrick Nix, but the offense could still be much improved.  The 'Canes have a productive tailback in sophomore Javarris James and freshman Graig Cooper could be as good or better.  They should be much more dynamic on the ground this year and create opportunities for an average offensive line and ho-hum quarterback Kirby Freeman.  I may have them ranked a bit higher than most folks but the defense is so good that this team could soar with anything resembling a legitimate offense.

Phil Steele Says:  This year the Hurricanes have 16 starters which is the most for them since 1996 as they have not had more than 13 since their 2001 National Title season.  Ten true frosh played last year and combined for an ACC high 35 starts.  Their offense only averaged 19.6 ppg, their lowest since 1979 (17.4) and should be much stronger with 9 starters back.  The D set a school record allowing just 67.8 ypg rushing.  They have allowed the fewest defensive TD's in the NCAA the last 8 years (165, Okla is #2 177).  Despite having to face Okla, Fla St, VT and BC all on the road, the Hurricanes are one of the top teams in the ACC and could have their first double-digit win season since 2003.

Preseason Consensus:  Unranked (No. 26), No. 3 ACC Coastal

(11) - Ohio State

Briefly:  Troy Smith?  Gone.  Ted Ginn, Anthony Gonzalez & Antonio Pittman?  Gone.  But maybe that's alright.  Ohio State won some games with their offense last year but it's not really how I see Jim Tressel comfortably winning ball games.  The defense is solid as always and the bruising (and speedy) Chris Wells could be the best Buckeye tailback since Eddie George.  This team isn't a national title contender, but they're still among the nation's elite and should revert to a more familiar style of football.

Phil Steele Says:  Last year's squad had 17 seniors while this year's has just 4 that have seen significant playing time.  The Bucks return just 5 starters on offense and will come nowhere near 2006's 34.6 ppg (best S/'98).  The D is always solid.  Last year they returned just 2 starters and allowed 12.8 ppg, (even after yielding 80 in the final 2) their best S/'98.  This year they have 6 starters back on D.  OSU benefitted from +9 in TO's and some ypp factors will be working against them (pg 299).  They outgained B10 foes by a league best 149.3 ypg winning those by an avg of 26.6 ppg.  Despite having to face Penn St and Mich on the road, one of my 8 sets of power rankings calls for Ohio State to go 12-0 so they are again Big 10 and National Title contenders.

Preseason Consensus:  No. 11 nationally, No. 3 Big Ten
***
Previously at College Football Resource:

CFR's 2007 Top 25 Countdown: 16-20
CFR's 2007 Top 25 Countdown: 21-25 

Earlier this week I did my best to discern notable "artists and mechanics" from the 2007 crop of college football players and coaches.  The concept was developed by Sun Sports TV's Whit Watson.  It's his baby, so I invited him to respond.

He has now done so, and you can find it at his blog: Artists and Mechanics 2007 (Chapter 1)

Notable excerpts:

While CFR likes to take the theory national, pondering the Artist vs. Mechanic tendencies of, for example, Pete Carroll and Jimmy Clausen, I know where my bread is buttered. Thankfully, so does Brian, and that's why he put up a list of Florida football personalities for me to break down. There was also the tantalizing offer to assign some of my fellow Sun Sports personalities into the "Artist" or "Mechanic" camp.

Create fresh content for two blogs at once, and possibly rip Mike Bianchi in the process? Is today Christmas?

Heh.  We're always happy to deliver presents early.

Randy Shannon: Mechanic. I've met the coach a few times, including our interview for "In My Own Words" this summer, and he strikes me as a by-the-book dude. While he's an exceptional recruiter -- a skill that screams Artist -- his attention to discipline, doing the little things correctly, and hammering the details betrays him as a Mechanic. If you spend some time learning about his background, how he lost several family members under tragic circumstances and escaped the violent streets of Liberty City in Miami as the first member of his family to graduate from college, his Mechanic tendencies start to make sense. When faced with life-or-death choices, as Shannon surely was in his youth, adhering to a self-imposed set of rules can be a powerful tool for survival. Randy Shannon's meticulous nature got him out of the projects and into the head coaching job at Miami. He's the Mechanic's Mechanic. Is that what the Hurricane football program needed? The administration at UM is banking on it.

There certainly has never been a Miami coach quite like Shannon.

Jimbo Fisher, Rick Trickett: I group these two new assistants at Florida State together because, as the post at CFR asks, "are there any Artists among FSU's new coaches?" I would say "yes" to both, simply because the perception of these two men in particular is that of "guru," and gurus are wheelhouse Artists. Both Fisher and Trickett may indeed be inventive and/or process-oriented in the manner of a Mechanic, but that's not why they were hired -- they were hired to make a splashy statement to Florida State fans, boosters, and players that the Seminoles are serious. Their reputation precedes them. They bring cache' and credibility to the FSU football program. They're rock stars in the world of assistant coaches. Thus, Artists.

This was very surprising.  They strike me as the farthest thing from artists (Fisher rarely gets more descriptive about his offense other than to say it's "multiple"), but the exact reason they're in Tallahassee logically is rooted in a demand for artistic freedom lacking under the previous coaches.

Tim Tebow: I thought long and hard about this one, and I'm going with Artist. Anybody who can execute the jump-pass in a critical SEC matchup against LSU cannot be anything else. One of Urban Meyer's biggest concerns about Tebow this year will be keeping him healthy -- not because of any weakness in Florida's offensive line, which happens to be one of the best and most experienced in the Southeastern Conference -- but because Tebow is a linebacker in a quarterback's body. The young man simply likes to hit people. He's all about the experience, which is part of the definition of Artist. He's just a football player, the highest compliment a head coach can bestow. It's interesting that the Gator coaching staff has spent a lot of time working with Tebow on his throwing motion this summer. They're trying to work a little Mechanic into him. But ask yourself this -- if you had to compare the kid to any quarterback in the NFL right now, who's the first guy that comes to mind?

Right. Brett Favre. Not based on skill, yet, but based on sheer love of the game. Tebow and Favre both play football as if they were on an empty sandlot, two-hand touch, gotta be home before it gets dark and Mom yells at us. Artists.

Yeh Tebow was more vexing than one would assume at first glance.  Everyone has both an artists and a mechanic within them, but Tebow's chameleon act strikes me as something rare and perhaps transcendant.  It would explain why he's already a God in Gainesville.

Myron Rolle: Another tough one. His "renaissance man" reputation is well-earned. Rolle is an excellent student, having played his high school football at the Hun School in New Jersey (average SAT score: 1200), where he earned just about every academic honor you can imagine. In fact, he enters the 2007 football season as an athletic sophomore but very nearly an academic senior -- he's three hours shy of completing enough classes to finish his junior year. FSU's bio page calls Rolle "one of the most academically advanced players in college football history," and it's hard to argue otherwise.

But despite all that, despite his dream of becoming a Rhodes scholar and a doctor, despite the fact that he played the lead role in "Fiddler On The Roof" as a high school senior, I'm going with Mechanic, and here's why: do you have any idea how hard it is to maintain that level of academic excellence and play as a starter on a Division I football team? His time management skills have got to be legendary. Spring football, summer workouts, preseason two-a-days, travel to and from games during the season -- and he's still an honor roll guy? That's impressive. It requires exacting attention to detail, self-discipline, and diligence. His days must be scheduled to the minute. Mechanic.

I'm sold.

And today's wild card:

Mike Bianchi: Artist. As I have written here before, I love the fact that Mikey always sides with the righteous underdog in his columns. His favorite quote: "The job of the sports columnist is to watch the battle from the mountaintop and then ride down and bayonet the wounded." Tilting at windmills is a favorite hobby of Artists.

And me? As much as I'd love to think of myself as an Artist, I have to face reality: Mechanic. I'm all about the research. For me, live television is easy once you know you've done the homework. I'm very much a "measure twice, cut once" kind of guy. One of my personal favorite quotes came from the late Ronald Reagan, who liked to say, "trust, but verify." And by the way, it took me three days to write this entry.

Hilarious quote from Bianchi.  I gotta memorize that one.

My sincere thanks once again to Whit Watson for devoting some of his limited time to this exchange.  I love sending praise his way but Whit truly deserves it.  The guy is one of the more capable television personalities and a legitimate thinker who is also gracious with his time.  Be sure and check out his regularly updated blog and also watch him on Sun Sports if you're living in or near Florida.

***
Previously at College Football Resource:

Artists and Mechanics
Artists and Mechanics 2006
Whit's Response: Artists and Mechanics
Artists and Mechanics 2007

Counting down College Football Resource's preseason top 25 teams.

As always, this is a "power" ranking reflecting team quality over expectations relative to schedule.  I assembled this list a few weeks ago and am not intellectually bound to it as the on-field and off-field events of the season will obviously dictate future rankings.  Frankly it's difficult to rank teams beyond the top 10-15.  There are many many teams who are within range of these rankings, so fear not neglected fan.  Enjoy.
***
(25) - Wisconsin

Briefly: We've seen this formula before - run the ball, stop the run, limit turnovers.  Ohio State is now on the schedule and Michigan more or less had its way with the Badgers last year.  Where's the beef?

Phil Steele Says: The Badgers (last year) had 29.2 ppg, their 2nd best total in the last 6 years.  This year they have 9 returning starters but must replace QB Stocco and franchise LT Thomas.  The D was the key to their success, allowing a paltry 253 ypg and 12.1 ppg.  They have 7 starters back on the stop unit.  This year, NW is replaced with Ohio St on the schedule.  This is the Badgers' best team in the last 3 years and despite 3 tough road games, they are a Big 10 and National Title contender.

Preseason Consensus: No. 8 nationally, No. 2 Big Ten

(24) - Florida State

Briefly: New assistant coaches, new attitude, improving defense.  It will take a while to return to top 10 form but for once this team's made some adjustments.  Mickey Andrews always has a great defense but this team won't get better until its offense does.

Phil Steele Says:  This year they have 14 returning starters tying for the most veteran group that Bowden has had since their National Title in 1999!  After not having averaged below 30 ppg since 1981, they have averaged just 25.2, 28.9 and 26.5 ppg the last 3 years.  With 6 starters back, I look for them to top 30 ppg.  The defense has 8 starters back from a group that allowed just 291 ypg last year and figures to be one of the ACC's best.  FSU does only have five home games and must play Clemson, BC VT and Florida on the road as well as Bama at a neutral site.  Despite their worst ever ACC record last year (3-5), they still outgained ACC foes by 42 ypg (3rd best!).  Last year's team had just 9 scholarship seniors and this year's has 18.  Seventeen true frosh played in '06 (most in NCAA!).  Bowden has assembled a killer schedule but I rate the 'Noles a National Title contender.

Preseason Consensus: No. 19 (tie) nationally, No. 1 ACC Atlantic Division

(23) - Virginia Tech

Briefly: Fans around the country want to see this team do great things.  The Hokies play almost exactly like Wisconsin  There are some great athletes on defense and they'll try to beat you on the ground and in special teams.  It's safe and wins games but dynamic offenses come in handy when you need a bail-out.  Sean Glennon to date has been a subpar quarterback and there's little beyond Branden Ore with the running game.  I see some major offensive struggles ahead.

Phil Steele Says:  VT has 8 starters back on offense, their most since 2000 (40.3 ppg) and should easily top last year's 25.8 ppg (lowest S/'92).  Foster's defense allowed just 219 ypg (#1 in NCAA) and that was with 5 starters back.  This year 8 are returning!  VT does have to play LSU, Clemson and GTech on the road and also draws Florida St out of the Atlantic Division.  Despite the tough schedule, if they beat LSU on Sept. 8th, mark VT Down as prime National Title contender.

Preseason Consensus: No. 6 Nationally, No. 1 ACC Coastal Division

(22) - Iowa

Briefly: Iowa?!  Sure, why not.  Drew Tate was great at times but regressed and wore on people.  In steps sophomore Jake Christensen who is a little more of a pocket guy with some mobility and is more level-headed.  The defensive line could be special and for once there's a playmaker at receiver in Andy Brodell.  Assuming tailback Albert Young can stay healthy this is easily one of Ferentz's best Iowa squads and they should be among the top 25 again.  The schedule's as friendly as it was in 2002 as well (no Ohio State or Michigan).

Phil Steele Says: This year they must replace 5 starters on offense including QB Tate but their 23.8 ppg was their lowest total since 2000.  The D has 8 starters back.  If you read pg 312 you will see that their -11 in turnovers is a good sign for 2007 as was their 2 net close losses.  Both Ohio State and Michigan drop off the schedule this year.  After a rare losing season (6-7), the Hawkeyes look like a team capable of double digit wins.

Preseason Consensus: Unranked, No. 38 overall, No. 5 Big Ten.

(21) - Oregon State

Briefly:  This pick isn't looking so hot several weeks later.  The Beavers have lost wayward superstar receiver Sammie Stroughter indefinitely and 16 frosh either failed to qualify or were grayshirted and cannot enroll until January.  Their quarterback battle remains unsettled and instead of choosing a leader, they're apparently going to play both.  Ack.  All that said, this team should be competitive within the Pac-10, has playmakers in all three defensive units, has a great offensive line, runs the ball, throws the ball --- there's a lot to like, excluding those hideous new uniforms.

Phil Steele Says: This year the Beavers have 16 returning starters which is tied with last year for the most they've had since 1998.  They must replace QB Moore and TE Newton along with 1st Tm Pac-10 SS Sabby Piscitelli.  They most troubling factor is that OSU was +4 in net close wins last year and +8 in turnovers.  On the positive side, the D led the Pac-10 in sacks and the returning players accounted for 41 of the team's 47 sacks.  Riley should have his team in the post season once again.

Preseason Consensus: Unranked, No. 30 overall, No. 5 Pac-10.

I did this last year and with another year of college football it's worth another try as we head into the final week before the 2007-2008 college football season.

1. Artists and Mechanics 2006
2. Whit's Response: Artists and Mechanics 2006

See above for a full background of what follows.  In brief: Sun Sports TV's Whit Watson came up with an intuitive but rarely discussed concept called Artists and Mechanics.  He wrote about it, fleshed it out a bit and that's kind of how this internet thing works.

In short, I believe that the world is split into two groups: Artists and Mechanics. Some might call it right-brain and left-brain, but I think Artists and Mechanics is much more lyrical and descriptive. Artists tend to be big-picture types, unconcerned with mundane details. They're strong on the "why," but weaker on the "how." Process is irrelevant; experience is everything...

...A Mechanic, on the other hand, thrives on process. The "how" supercedes the "why." Details bring joy. Learning how to accomplish a new task is a thrill...

...Artists need Mechanics, and vice versa. One cannot survive without the other.

I saw it, loved it, responded and he was kind enough to respond back with his takes.  I looked at college football's big picture, and he nailed down the Florida schools and dabbled with SEC/ACC notables.

Time to try it again, as it's a new year and we have new names and faces to talk about.  I'm going to write this up and pass it along to Whit Watson and if he's got the time (he's a busy man right about now), he'll send us a reply to which I'll gladly reproduce on here.  Sound good?

***
There's no better way to start out than talking about the preseason favorite USC Trojans.  Although he's lauded for his aggressiveness and risk-taking, USC coach Pete Carroll is a mechanic.  The man is still in love with the NFL (nothing if not a mechanic's league) and conservative, let the defense win it football.  Notably, he's edged even further towards the mechanic camp in recent years, transforming the vision of the USC offense from Norm Chow's artist's interpretation to a more grinding pro style.

His right hand man in the new offense is Steve Sarkisian.  Although a Chow "disciple", Sarkisian speaks a lot about execution and mastery of an increasingly complex system.  Their system is now less about daydreams and "what could be" and more about NFL 101 and "what we're going to do".

Down in the Bayou, I've got a funny feeling that LSU coach Les Miles is a bit more of an artist than he lets on.  Behind that bravado and huff-puffing is a guy who 1)wears his hat real funny and 2)hired freaking Gary Crowton to run an SEC offense.  That takes some imagination.  His mind was also flexible enough to permit both a pass-happy and run-happy offense in separate years at Oklahoma State.  Dogma is the realm of mechanics and Miles doesn't strike me as a repeatedly dogmatic person.

I talked last year about Arkansas coach Houston Nutt being an artist - that hasn't changed.  Whit Watson has alluded to how pairing artists with mechanics can create a synergistic harmony.  Well, pairing artists with artists or mechanics with mechanics may be bad medicine.  I think that may have been part of the issue last year with former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn (artist!).  Malzahn liked his art one way (the forward pass), Nutt liked his the other way (run, run, run).  Thus: splittsville.

Malzahn's gone, but Arkansas has dusted off some old school tricks and made them modern with its Wildcat offense (now renamed WildHog).  Tell me that's not an artist at work?

New Alabama coach Nick Saban is an almost overbearing Mechanic.  Last year I said the 'Tide was too mechanical.  So what'd they do?  They went out and got another mechanic.  Here's hoping new offensive coordinator Major Applewhite is an artist to balance things out.

Now, for some players.

Leading Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFadden strikes me as an artist.  His game isn't all that fancy, but he's creative enough to play multiple roles as returnman, tailback and quarterback at the D-I level.  He drives a funky, tricked-out car.  And he wears dresses on the side.  Artist.

Out west, quarterback John David Booty is an artist.  His game isn't all that fancy, but here's a guy who ditched his senior year of high school at age 17 to compete for a starting quarterback job at a major program.  That's vision at work.  As a high school passer, he was magnificent in a gimmick offense.  Somehow he was able to transform himself from a shotgun/gunslinger into a pure pocket passer.  It's one of the most remarkable transformations I've ever seen and something that stumped guys like Brock Berlin, Brent Rawls, Josh Booty and so many others.  Kid's got some imagination.

Another signal caller worth mentioning is Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen.  He's a big-time mechanic.  He's been groomed since birth to be a quarterback and by the end of high school had all but mastered college-level mechanics and understanding of defenses.  He's very polished (which also means he has a low ceiling) and a ready-made product.  Artists tend to be more freewheeling and prone to mistakes whereas Clausen's had that tunnel-vision of a grinding mechanic.

At Michigan, one player who really stood out last year was linebacker/defensive end Shawn Crable.  His versatility alone speaks to artistic tendencies.  He plays decent in space and can run with tight ends and backs.  But he can also stuff the run and has a real knack for getting to the quarterback.  His game is imaginative and freewheeling.  Need more?  He was born in Buckeye country and was one of those rare high high high profile Ohio ballers to give serious thought to programs around the country before settling on hated rival Michigan.  Independence?  Check.  Creativity?  Check.  Artist.

Who else would you like to discuss?  Leave a comment below and let's get the conversation started.  Some wild cards: Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit (broadcaster or player), Mack Brown, Colt McCoy, Arrelious Benn, Andre Woodson, Pat White, DeSean Jackson, Frank Beamer.

In the meantime, here are some possible questions for Mr. Whit Watson: You spoke last year about Urban Meyer, Bobby Bowden, Mickey Andrews, Jeff Bowden, Larry Coker, Chris Leak, George O'Leary, Jim Leavitt and Andre Hall.  With some new players and coaches emerging, how about these names: Randy Shannon, Jimbo Fisher, Rick Trickett (are there any artists among FSU's new coaches?!), Tim Tebow, Matt Grothe, Percy Harvin, Myron Rolle and Terry Bowden?

Also: How would you assess the great Tailgate Overtime show?  More artist or mechanic?  How about co-hosts Brady Ackerman and Terry Norvelle?  Or guests like Mike Bianchi or the myriad former Gators, Noles and Canes who make guest appearances?  Plus: wild cards.

My quick takes: Rolle is a tough-nosed defender, but I could see him dropping football tomorrow to follow some other pursuit.  He's a renaissance man and an artist in my book.  Shannon appears to be a big-time mechanic, same with Trickett.  Fisher strikes me as a mechanic, Grothe an artist (people keep comparing him to Joe Montana!), Harvin an artist, Tebow a great artist who is also a mechanic (keeps winning all the offseason hard-work awards).  Bowden's a bit of a renaissance man - surprisingly - went to Oxford and did law school and seemed surprised by the hours he's had to put in as a low-level assistant coach at Florida State.  Let's call him a closet artist.

And why the money argument doesn't fly with me when it comes to big-time programs: USC to play at Virginia in 2008 opener.

College football royalty is coming to Scott Stadium.

The University of Virginia will open the 2008 season at home against Southern California, The Times-Dispatch has learned.

Under coach Pete Carroll, the Trojans have won two national championships and 59 of their past 65 games.

Virginia will visit Southern Cal in 2010 to conclude the two-game series.  The schools never have met in football.

An official announcement from U.Va. is expected today.

Schools like USC, Ohio State and (gasp) Tennessee continue to find ways to hit the road and play legitimate opponents.

BONUS: audio about how the deal went down.  USC and Virginia are both clearly excited.  Look at USC's 2008 road schedule right now: Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame.  We need more of that in college football.

Maybe Pete Carroll will rip off several more championships in the coming years and render this entry moot, but consider:

After going on one of the more epic (short-term) runs in all of college football history, USC has now lost three of its last 14 games.  By itself that fact tells of a team playing at a high level of football.  But it's also a distinctive separation from USC's celebrated mini-run the last several years.

There were many reasons for USC's success these last few years but two were fairly critical: Pete Carroll ran the defense, Norm Chow ran the offense.  Carroll is simply one of the finest defensive minds anywhere and is the co-Godfather - along with Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin - of the 4-3/cover two/Tampa Two defense so vogue in professional football.  The guy knows how to run a great defense that stops the run, slows offenses down, plays fast and forces turnovers.

In a stroke of genius he hired Norm Chow to be his offensive coordinator in 2001.  I don't mean to lionize the man but he's one of college football's greatest offensive coordinators.  Combined, the two coaches assembled top ten units on both sides of the ball and made playing USC particularly vexing.

The two parted ways after the 2004 championship season and USC's offense went on a tear in 2005.  However, the formula had been changed and what was once an offense directed by an elite coach instead leaned on bright but young coaches who more closely associated with coach Carroll's ideas of how an offense should run.  Gone was a lot of the presnap motion, formation shifts, funky looks and unusual tendencies for a more mundane (yet complicated) pro-style offense.

It worked in 2005 when USC had an overwhelming talent edge with Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and LenDale White and 10 returning starters to its offense, but things have returned to the mean since.  In fact it appears as if the talent underachieved last year.  While the USC defense was able to return to dominance after a shaky 2005, the offense became more predictable and less able to control the trenches and dictate outcomes in obvious pass and run situations.

USC's offensive coaching hydra was unusual and perhaps telling of the eventual decline.  To this day I have no idea who did what among Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and Pete Carroll.  I hunch it was Carroll's effort to muddy the waters and shelter from criticism his young co-coordinators.  Kiffin's departure and Sarkisian's ascent clarifies the situation greatly but it is still Pete Carroll's offense and newspaper stories this spring told of an offensive scheme and approach nearly unchanged since last year.

This isn't an intent to slam the USC offense.  They were able to put up 30 points/game last year in spite of possession-eating clock rules, NFL departures, injuries and youth at the tailback position.  However, USC has "lost the initiative" to borrow a thought from my friend HeismanPundit.  They've settled for an offense more reliant upon talent to win the day than before and unlike previous years the talent hasn't delivered as often.  In fact, it took a Steve Smith bailout effort against Washington State from adding a third loss last year.  The bottom line is that a game's outcome more often becomes more reliant upon luck or a great individual performance instead of USC's own approach simply removing chance from the equation.

I mentioned Florida State up above because USC's trajectory might end up quite similar.  Florida State went on a run from 1987 until 1999 that saw them finish no further than fourth in the polls.  But they could only win two national championships during that time, missing out on the opportunity to establish their run as the greatest in college football history.  It was incredibly successful, yes, but not wholesale dominance.

As Pete Carroll and his defense is the constant, the rock for USC, Mickey Andrews and his defense are the rock for Florida State.  Both could be expected to produce at a high level with remarkably similar levels of talent on their sides of the ball.  But the difference-maker for each school would be on offense where these teams could elevate themselves as either almost good enough versus being a champion.

Florida State's "fast break" offense helped them earn their first championship in 1993 under quarterback Charlie Ward and several subsequent flirtations in the following years.  That eventually gave way to Mark Richt's more vertical offense.  That too would help them to a championship in 1999 after several near-titles the previous few years.

With Richt's departure the Florida State offense fell into decline and the team's fate is well evident today.  Mickey Andrews is still around and doing a hell of a job like always, but that great run ended when the decision was made to become more predictable and less aggressive on offense.

All of which takes me to my initial question, is USC going the way of Florida State?  I don't know, but last season's play suggests they've taken a turn away from dominance and innovation and are emphasizing maintenance instead.  Pete Carroll's still around to keep that defense humming (same as Andrews) but the other side of the ball might be hurting.  They may win another championship or two or place high in the polls like always, but that chance to be the undisputed face of an era is slipping away.

Was an opportunity lost when Chow departed in not hiring a coordinator who was more unpredictable?  Kiffin and Sarkisian clearly owed something to Carroll with their initial hirings (Sarkisian was plucked out of an obscure coaching job at a California JUCO and Kiffin is Carroll's Godson, hired away from a low level job with the NFL's Jaguars).  Things may have gotten too incestual much like the Jeff/Bobby Bowden situation at Florida State.

Again, I don't know.  I simply see some similarities (yay alliteration) between the two and scratch my head at that awful question for both: "what might have been?"

Final Count: 48 out-of-conference (OOC) games for all ACC teams in 2007.

Of those 48, we have 28 home games (.583), one neutral game (.021) and 19 road games (.396).

Games against BCS conference opponents (and Notre Dame): 22/48 (.458)

Of those games against BCS conference opponents, nine are at home (.409), 12 are on the road (.545) and 1 is neutral (.045).

The ACC has lined up seven games (.146) against teams that aren't in D-IA.

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Opponents by Conference:

Big East - 7 (Connecticut x 2, West Virginia, Rutgers, USF, Louisville, Pittsburgh)

Big 12 - 4 (Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Nebraska)

Big 10 - 1 (Northwestern)

Pac-10 - 0 (!!!)

Independents - 8 (Notre Dame x 3, Army x 3, Navy x 2)

Mountain West - 1 (Wyoming)

WAC - 0

Conference USA - 6 (East Carolina x 3, UAB, Marshall, UCF)

Sun Belt - 4 (FIU x 2, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee State)

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Shameful Non-DIA Opponents (7): Massachusetts, Furman, Villanova, James Madison, Wofford, William & Mary, Samford

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Games I like: Boston College/Notre Dame, Clemson/South Carolina, UNC/South Carolina, Florida State/Colorado, Florida State/Alabama, North Carolina State/Louisville, Florida State/Florida, Miami/Oklahoma, Miami/Texas A&M, Virginia/Pittsburgh, Wake Forest/Nebraska, Georgia Tech/Notre Dame, Georgia Tech/Georgia, Virginia Tech/LSU

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Per usual I'll add the actual OOC schedules below in my first comment/reply to this entry.

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2007 Out of Conference Schedules: Big Ten Edition
2007 Out of Conference Schedules: SEC Edition
2007 Out of Conference Schedules: Pac-10 Edition