Archive for July, 2014
How Is Auburn Handling the National Championship Hype Heading into 2014?
In the race for a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff, history is not on Auburn's side.
After all, Auburn has not had back-to-back 10-win seasons since 1988 and 1989.
In seasons following trips to the SEC Championship Game, the program's highest regular-season win total is nine.
Also, the Tigers have lost two or more games the last five seasons in which they opened inside the Top 10 of the preseason AP poll.
But even though recent program ...
Joe Bergeron Reportedly Dismissed from Texas Football Team for Rule Violations
The apparent culture change within the University of Texas football program continued Friday as yet another player was ousted from the team.
According to Chip Brown of HornsDigest.com, new Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong dismissed senior running back Joe Bergeron due to unspecified rule violations:
Brown later reported on two more players dismissed from the program (subscription required):
ESPN's Max Olson also reports that "according to one source close to the situation, as many as five more Texas ...
Top 5 Storylines to Watch for at 2014 Big Ten Media Days
Just a short walk from Lake Michigan, only an 8-iron or so from some of the best shopping on the planet, the best and brightest in the Big Ten will meet to celebrate another year of college football.
The Chicago Hilton will play host to Big Ten media days on Monday, July 28, and Tuesday, July 29, one of the last stops before fall camp officially begins. Before we get to the actual football, however, we ...
Kansas State Basketball: How Dustin Yoder Endured to Make It on D1 Coach Staff
How much are your dreams worth to you?
For most people, their pursuit of their childhood dreams are put to bed when the cost becomes too high. For most, they concede chasing a fantasy for the security of a steady job, consistent income and the chance to raise a family.
Not Dustin Yoder.
For the Kansas State video coordinator, the cost of health problems, poverty and uncertainly haven't deterred him from chasing his lifelong dream of becoming a ...
Ranking the Most Complete Players for the 2014-15 College Basketball Season
It's hard to find a truly "complete" player in college basketball anymore. Not that it was ever easy, to be honest. After all, Larry Bird was never a tremendous athlete and Michael Jordan shot 16.4 percent from three-point range in his first four NBA seasons.
Among the players today, big men want to be shooters and aren't interested in scrapping under the board. Small men are happy to chase rebounds, but may neglect work on their ...
Gonzaga Basketball: Why the Bulldogs Can Be a Surprise Contender in 2014
Gonzaga won't be mentioned in preseason national championship talk.
Not with Kentucky, which added three top recruits to an already stacked roster. Not with Duke, which ushered in Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones to an already potent lineup. And not with Arizona, which replaced Nick Johnson with Stanley Johnson.
Don't sleep on Gonzaga, though. Even if there are a bunch of teams favored ahead of the Bulldogs, who are listed at 25-1, according to OddShark (via Bovada).
The Bulldogs ...
Michigan Basketball Recruiting: Sales Pitches for Top 2015 Targets
The Michigan basketball program has seen quite the revival under head coach John Beilein, as he has elevated the program to great heights, with the team getting to the 2013 NCAA title game as his obvious signature moment. Beilein should have no trouble keeping up that momentum as he gets set to make his mark on the recruiting trail once again. With the 2015 recruiting class probably at the forefront of his mind, Beilein is ...
UNC Basketball: Grading Tar Heels’ Targets at 2014 Nike Peach Jam
UNC basketball lives by its recruiting prowess, and that means keeping a close eye on events such as the 2014 Nike Peach Jam. The championships of the Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) played out in South Carolina last weekend, and a healthy supply of the stars who were on hand are on the radar of Roy Williams and his assistants for their 2015 and 2016 recruiting classes.
Of course, some of those potential Tar Heels fared ...
Michigan State Basketball: Tom Izzo’s Potential Sales Pitches to Top Recruits
Under an encouraged Tom Izzo, the Michigan State Spartans will enter the 2014-15 season with high hopes. But their 2015-16 team will be much more talented, with a solid recruiting class coupled with two talented transfers becoming eligible to play. If Izzo can secure one last top-flight recruit for 2015, Sparty will be even more loaded.
In order to do so, he must devise some effective sales pitches to his targets.
Among the remaining top recruits on ...
The Player Most Responsible for Each Great College Basketball Coach’s Legacy
They say the first million dollars is the hardest, and the same should be said for the first 100 wins for a great college basketball coach.
Sure, legends like Roy Williams, John Calipari and Mike Krzyzewski have no trouble landing top recruits and winning 30 games per year now, but what about back when they first started?
What if Coach K wasn't able to sign Johnny Dawkins? Where would Billy Donovan be today without Udonis Haslem? How ...