Top Ten Milkshakes

I thought this would be fun. Milkshake is really a misnomer, as any good milkshake is made with ice cream, but ice cream, of course, is made with First McDonalds Franchise Recalls Fast-Food Giants Beginningsmilk.  So I guess it comes out in the wash.

This list, like so many here at CFTT, is subjective.  Since I have only lived in Arkansas and Texas, well, my milkshake consumption is limited.  Nevertheless, I have an idea of what MY top ten milkshakes are.  So, here goes.

10.  McDonald’s
The restaurant that started the hamburger craze also started the milkshake craze, I suppose.  They do have good milkshakes and they are nice to have on a hot day.

9.  Wendy’s
Few fast food restaurants have the thickness in their shake as the Wendy’s Frosty™.  It really is a creamy soft serve ice cream.  Dave Thomas would be proud.

8.  Jack in the Box
Try their oreo cookie ice cream shake.  Enough said.

7.  Whataburger
A Texas hamburger institution, and they have a great chocolate shake too.

6.  Seattle’s Best Coffee
They announce that they have the “world’s best coffee shake,” and I believe it too.  I’ve never tried anyone else’s, but SBC’s is pretty good.  They use real ice cream.

5.  Dairy Queen
I grew up being treated at DQ.  Great soft serve ice cream, and they are the first place that I realized could mix flavors.  I gained 5 pounds that week.  Peanut butter and chocolate together, wow!

4.  Fuddruckers
At least in our town, they use real Blue Belle ice cream to make their shakes and malts.

3.  Braum’s
Based out of Oklahoma, they have some of the best ice cream around.  A former boss also swore by their milk.  Oh, and they do make a good milkshake using that premium ice cream.

2.  Pappa’s Burger
One of the waitresses recommended a oreo-peanut butter milkshake and I tried it.  It was awesome.  She knew what she was talking about.

1.  Purple Cow
Based out of Central Arkansas (we have a few in the DFW area), they simply have a great milkshake.  I had a peanut butter-chocolate (are you seeing a pattern) and it was outstanding.  I couldn’t even slurp up the peanut butter with my straw as it was so thick.

Where do you get your favorite milkshakes from?

No Comments | Filed under 2009, Top Ten Lists

Top Ten Football Movies

OK, I admit it, the title was a little bit of a tease.  I have an idea for the spring here at CFTT, and I need your help.  I want to create the top ten football movies of all time list.  Now, I know that is a daunting task, but I believe in my friends and readers at CFTT.Premiere Of Weinstein Companys The Longshots - Arrivals

I have started by brainstorming as many movies as I possibly could.  I got help from my friend Lee Cochenour of Celebrity Book Signings and my friend at the Chili’s on University Drive in Fort Worth.

I will start by compiling a list, as many as I can come up with.  Then, we will vote on the movies.  Then, I will seed the movies for a tournament based on the number of votes each movie received.  We will then pair off the movies in a tournament format narrowing it down to the final two where one movie will be declared the top football movie of all time.

During the process, we will identify the top ten movies.

I had help compiling the list from these sites:  www.bostonbaseball.com and www.sportsinmovies.com.

Here are the movies thus far.

  1. The Express
  2. Jerry Maguire
  3. North Dallas Forty
  4. Leatherheads
  5. Semi Tough
  6. Brian’s Song
  7. Gridioron Gang
  8. The Football Factory
  9. Little Giants
  10. Gameplan
  11. Angels in the Endzone
  12. We Are Marshall
  13. Paper Lion
  14. Jim Thorpe, All American
  15. Knute Rockne, All American
  16. Necessary Roughness
  17. Varsity Blues
  18. Any Given Sunday
  19. Friday Night Lights
  20. Remember the Titans
  21. Facing the Giants
  22. Air Bud: Golden Receiver
  23. All The Right Moves
  24. The Best of Times
  25. Code Breakers
  26. Comebacks
  27. Everybody’s All-American
  28. Rudy
  29. The Longest Yard (original)
  30. Invincible
  31. Wildcats
  32. The Replacements
  33. The Junction Boys
  34. Radio
  35. Heaven Can Wait
  36. Something Can Wait
  37. The All-American
  38. Crazylegs
  39. Footsteps
  40. Full Ride
  41. Fumbleheads
  42. Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon
  43. Glory Days
  44. Gus
  45. Halfback of Notre Dame
  46. Hometown Legend
  47. Johnny Be Good
  48. The Longshots
  49. Lucas
  50. The Program
  51. Quarterback Princess
  52. Saturday’s Hero
  53. School Ties
  54. Second String
  55. The Slaughter Rule
  56. That’s My Boy
  57. Two for the Money
  58. The Waterboy
  59. The Longest Yard (new)

If I missed a movie you think should be considered, send me an email, or respond in the comments.  Thanks.

I will give everyone time to check out the movies (not literally) and decide which ones they like.  Next week, we will begin collecting votes for the movies.  The following week I will announce votes, etc.  and begin pairing off movies for the tournament.

2 Comments | Filed under 2009, Polls, Top Ten Lists

Top Ten Moments in College Football in 2008

It was another stellar sesaon in college football.  There were plenty of controversy, passion, and upsets to really keep the college football fan watching the game.  It might be even better if we had a true “post season,” but we had plenty of moments to keep things going.

1.  Alabama crushes Clemson
I don’t know if this game was a sign of things to come or not, but the Crimson Tide who was a paltry 6-6 the year before absolutely beat down the Clemson Tigers who was ranked number 9 in the preseason rankings.  The loss would eventually lead to the dismissal of Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden (see below).  ‘Bama’s win would lead to the Sugar Bowl.

2.  USC routs Ohio State
I think we were all waiting for this early season match-up of the two football behomoths.  Ohio State was fresh off of another loss in the BCS Title Game, and USC had what was considered one of the best defenses in a while.  Note even close.  It didn’t help the Buckeyes that “Beanie” Wells was hurt, but most people would have said that it didn’t matter.

3.  Oregon State upsets USC
It happens every year, or at least it seems like it does.  USC dominates, but

USC v Oregon State

they slip up against someone in the Pac-10 Conference.  The Beavers were rebuilding their front seven on defense and had gotten whipped by Penn Stae in Happy Valley.  The Beavers used a freshman running back by the name of Jacquizz to jump out to a big lead in Corvallis and hold off the Trojans for the first real shocking upset of the year.

4.  Texas Tech beats Texas on Crabtree touchdown catch
It is probably one of the more memorable plays of the year.  I can still hear Brent Musberger making the call, “Touchdown, Red Raiders, with a second to go!”  Graham Harrell to Micahel Crabtree.  How many times have they done that?  This time, it was to beat the number one team in the country.

5.  Toledo upsest Michigan in the “Big House”
Last year it was Appalachian State.  The first game of the year this year was Utah.  And, if that wasn’t enough, the Wolverines have lessened any intimdation factor it has at home with a loss to Toledo.  Coach Rod has a lot of work to do.

6.  Tommy Bowdon is fired (uh, resigned?)  mid-season
It was bound to happen.  Things just weren’t going very well at Clemson this season.  They started the season ranked number 9, and they were sporting expectations of an ACC Championship and BCS Bowl.  First they got whipped by Alabama, and it seemed to go down hill from there.  The mid-season firing definitely raised some eyebrows.

7.  Tommy Tuberville fires Tony Franklin in mid-season and then resigns at the end of the year
Well, the mid-season thing worked so well for Clemson that Auburn head

Georgia Tech v Auburn

coach Tommy Tuberville decided to relieve Offensive Coordinator Tony Franklin of his duties early.  The “spread” thing just wasn’t working that well.  At the end of the year, Tuberville decided the whole thing wasn’t working that well.  Auburn missed the post-season and that was enough to inspire him to move on.

8.  Syracuse upsets Notre Dame and Buffalo upsets Ball State
These two upsets also “shook the earth” (see below, Utah).  It has been a tough tenure for Syracuse coach Greg Robinson, but he got a parting gift from his players as they knocked off Notre Dame late in the season.  Nevertheless, Notre Dame was able to improve on last year’s bowless season by making it to the Hawaii Bowl.  Buffalo was among the worst programs in NCAA Division I football when head coach Turner Gill arrived.  Just a few years later, the Bulls upset undefeated Ball State in the MAC Championship Game to win the title.

9.  Myron Rolle wins a Rhodes Scholarship and then plays in the Maryland game
Florida State Safety Myron Rolle is not just a smart guy, he is a brilliant guy.  On the day of November 22, 2008, Rolle interviewed for and won a Rhodes Scholarship, and then he received a police escort to Byrd Stadium to help his team beat Maryland.  He had a long day, and he deserved the next day off.  This only happens once in every other generation.  We should enjoy Myron’s success on and off the field.  He has a tough choice to make after school:  the NFL, or Oxford.

10.  Utah upsets Alabama in the Sugar Bowl
My original list did not include this, but it is well worth the inclusion.  Utah, the original BCS Buster, knocked out Alabama on Friday night January 2, 2009 for one of the most “ground shaking” upsets of the year.  The Utes, who is not a flashy team, plays very “blue collar” like.  Take away a punt return by Alabama in the second half and the score is 31-10.  There will be arguments for Utah to be national champions.

2 Comments | Filed under 2008 Archives, Top Ten Lists

Top Ten Bowl Games for 2008-2009

As you know from last year, this is not really a ranking of the bowl games.  I am more interested in possible sponsors this year for bowls and maybe a few suggestions for games.  It seems that several of the games are sponsored by banks and websites.  Of course, as you know, half of the games have already been played.

1.  The Peet’s Coffee Bowl
The game could be played in Berkley, California at Cal’s Memorial Stadium Berkley is where Peet’s began, and Peet’s is the best coffee on the shelf.  This bowl game would feature a team from the Pacific 10 Conference and the Western Athletic Conference.

2.  The ESPN.com Bowl
The “mouse ears” as Randy Galloway refers to them already runs  several bowls ( I think 7) so why not go all out and have a bowl sponsored by their website.  It would be great.  It could feature teams from the Big East and the Big Ten since the game would be played in  at Rentschler Field in East Hartford near the ESPN headquarters of Bristol, CT.

3.  The ING Penny Bowl
Several bowls have the backing of financial institutions, but none would be more confusing than a bowl sponsored by ING.  Do you remember the commercials where the guy looking for the rest of the word, but it’s just ing?  They have some of the best deals for online banking, helping you save pennies.  There you have it.  The teams that play in the game can be the highest ranked teams with lions for their mascot.  The game would be played in Denver, CO where one of ING’s affiliates are located.  The match-up would pit a team from the Western Athletic Conference against a Mountain West Conference team.

4.  The Wal-Mart Retail Bowl

Wal-Mart is the retail standard bearer.  Everybody measures themselves based on Wal-Mart.  Their brand is well known, and they could have a great bowl game.  This bowl would be played at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, AR just down the road from Wal-Mart’s headquarters in Bentonville.  Playing in the game would be teams from the Conference USA and the Sun Belt.

5.  The Collegefootballtopten.com Bowl
Hey, I might as well have a bowl game.  It seems websites get in the act every year.  And while we are at it, I think I want my bowl game to be played at the new Cowboys Stadium.  I really don’t care who plays in the game, but I’ll take a Mountain West Conference team and a Big 12 Conference team.

6.  The Cracker Barrel Apple Butter Bowl
Cracker Barrels are all over the country, and they have the best apple butter around, at least when you add it to their biscuits.  Since there is no real big stadium in Lebanon, TN where Cracker Barrel has its headquarters, they could play the game at Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium in Murfeesboro.  Teams from the Sun Belt Conference will play a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

7.  The Panera Bread Bowl
Sponsored by Panera Bread of St. Louis, the Bread Bowl would be played in St. Louis at the Edward Jones Dome featuring teams from the Mid American Conference and the Big Ten.

8.  The Starbucks Seattle Bowl
I know, I know, we already have a game sponsored by a coffee, but Starbucks is an institution.  It has the brand power behind it already.  And, it is a great opportunity to have a bowl game in Seattle.  The game would be played in Seattle’s Husky Stadium, and it will feature anyone willing to travel to Seattle in December.

9.  The Idaho Potato Humanitarian Bowl
This bowl can be held in Boise at the famous “blue turf,” we just want to replace the sponsor with the potato growers in idaho.  Idaho is, you know, the home of the best potatoes in the world.

10.  The Riceland Foods Rice Bowl
This bowl can be played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, AR.  The game would feature teams from the Sun Belt and the Conference USA.

There you have it.  There are suggestions, but mostly additions.  Enjoy the rest of the bowl season.


2 Comments | Filed under 2008 Archives, Top Ten Lists

Update: Top Ten Returning QB’s

I thought I would do an update of the Top Ten Returning QB’s article I wrote earlier in the year.  How are some of those QB’s doing anyway?  Have you ever heard of Nate Davis?

Texas Tech v Oklahoma

1.  Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
Sam was spectacular Saturday night against Texas Tech, and, well, has been all year.  Remember, he has one more game left with Oklahoma State before he plays in post-season play.
Numbers: 193.76 QB Rating, 68.2%, 3,710 and 42 touchdowns, 6 INT’s and a 193.76 rating.

2.  Tim Tebow, Florida
Tebow started slow, but he and Florida cranked it up after Ole Miss.  Tebow also hasn’t had to worry as much about running the ball as Florida has found other ways to run it.  He is, however, still a threat.
Numbers:
175.19 QB Rating, 65.8%, 2,114 yards passing, 427 yards rushing, 22 passing TD’s and 11 rushing TD’s.

3.  Todd Reesing, Kansas
Kansas has struggled after their Orange Bowl year.  The Jayhawks will make another bowl, but it won’t be as pretty.
Numbers: 144.99 QB Rating, 64.8%, 3,200 yards, 24 TD’s, and 10 INT’s

4.  Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic
I expected more from Florida Atlantic this year, but then Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger found himself a marked man after talking like Texas wasn’t very physical.  The Longhorns whipped them in the first game, and they were never the same.
Numbers: 123.30 QB Rating, 54% 2,529 yards passing, 17 TD’s and 13 INT’s.

5.  Nate Davis, Ball State

Eastern Michigan v Ball State

Davis just helped Ball State to a perfect 12-0 record and the MAC West Division Championship. David Letterman will be very proud.  I wonder if Davis will end up doing a “Tonight’s Top Ten” on Letterman.
Numbers: 168.98 QB Rating, 67.2%, 2822 yards passing, 24 TD’s and 7 INT’s.

6.  Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
A dream season for the Red Raiders in spite of the loss to Oklahoma.  Texas Tech has a legitimate shot at a BCS bowl game.  Harrell and his receiver, Michael Crabtree, are possible Heisman Trophy finalists.
Numbers: 164.96 QB Rating, 70.5%, 4,438 yards passing, 39 TD’s and 6 INT’s.

7.  Chase Daniel, Missouri
The Tigers were number two in the country before losing at home to Oklahoma State.  Then, they went to Austin and lost, but have been winning ever since.  We all know that Chase was playing well.
Numbers: 171.18 QB Rating, 76.5%, 3,592 yards passing, 30 TD’s and 11 INT’s.

8.  Trevor Vitatoe, UTEP
Vittatoe is a poduct of Euless Trinity High School in Texas and he has just been a great QB for UTEP.  Unfortunately, the Miners haven’t matched his play.
Numbers: 149.08 QB Rating, 59.2%, 2,961 yards passing, 31 TD’s and 6 INT’s.

9.  Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
Nevada gave Boise State everything that it wanted and some more Saturday before bowing out to Boise’s perfect season.  Kaepernick runs Chris Ault’s Pistol really well, and he still young.
Numbers: 128.03 QB Rating, 54.4%, 2,082 yards passing, 1,087 yards rushing, 15 passing TD’s and 4 INT’s, 16 rushing TD’s

10.  Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State
Robinson has led Oklahoma State to one of its best seasons in years, and a win Saturday against Oklahoma would mean 10 wins.
Numbers: 178.02 QB Rating, 67.2%, 2,481 yards passing, 21 TD’s, 7 INT’s and 418 yards rushing.

2 Comments | Filed under 2008 Archives, Top Ten Lists

Top Ten Offseason Stories: Part 2

Continued from Part 1

5.  June Jones signs with SMU–After leading Hawaii to the greatest season in history, and launching the Warriors all the way to the BCS promised land, a rout at the hands of Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, the Run and Shoot Guru himself was lured away by the SMU Alumni who were willing to Pony Up the cash.  Jones inherits a fairly talented, but downtrodden program which he will make a contender in the Conference USA.  Jones, after moving to SMU, moved Katy, TX QB commit Bo Levi Mitchell to Dallas as well (from a commit to Hawaii), and he, subsequently, went on to be named the starter for the opener against Rice.  June Cometh.

4.  Interesting Coaching Changes–Every year coaching changes happen.  Many happen before the bowl season, therefore, they are not technically offseason.  However, the consequences are felt throughout the offseason as the new staff comes in to their first Spring practices, first recruiting class, etc.  Some of the more interesting hires this year are Houston Nutt from Arkansas to Ole Miss, Rick Neuheisel to UCLA, Paul Johsnon from Navy to Georgia Tech, Bobby Petrino from Atlanta (NFL) to Arkansas, Art Briles from Houston to Baylor, June Jones (see Above) and Rich Rodriguez from West Virginia to Michigan (see Below).

3.  Terrelle Pryor signs with Ohio State–Every year it seems as some kid is the coveted prize of the recruiting world.  Pryor seemed to be wined and dined by the programs and fans who wanted him to sign with their school.  A photo even surfaced of Pryor at a Michigan basketball game talking with Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez.  Pryor delayed his signing, he remained uncommitted, until after he finished his basketball season which went deep because his team won the state championship.  Pryor considered Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State where his father lobbied for him to play.  In the end, the Buckeyes won the prize.  Think Vince Young, only bigger.  Buckeye fans are thinking National Title!

2.  Ryan Perrilloux dismissed from LSU–The highly recruited QB who waited his turn at LSU struggled with off the field probelms.  No need to rehash all of that.  Head Coach Les Miles gave him several opportunities to remain on the team.  Perrilloux showed his abilities last season leading LSU to a win over Tennessee in the SEC Championship game with starting QB Matt Flynn injured.  Without Perrilloux, the Tigers go from defending national champions with a proven QB to defending national champions with no proven QB.

1.  Rich Rodriguez to Michigan and Saga–Rodriguez bailed on the Mountaineer fans.  At least that is how they feel about it.  Rodriguez, a West Virginia Alum, was poised to stay for many years in Morgantown and lead them to the elusive national title.  However, when it was all over, Rodriguez took the Michigan job feeling as if he had been cheated by his employers.  The Hawaii athletic director apologized to fans when June Jones left, no such action from the West Virginia AD.  He and WVU sued Rodriguez for the $4 Million buy out in his contract which Rodriguez claimed was void due to an oral agreement between he and the AD to take out the clause.  Of course, we know, contracts don’t mean anything.  Meanwhile, in Ann Arbor, Rodriguez wasn’t a hit with every player.  QB Ryan Mallet decided to transfer to Arkansas to play in Spread Offense that doesn’t need the QB to run the option like in Rich Rod’s offense.  And, Michigan lineman Justin Boren transferred saying that the “family values” have left under Rich Rod.  And that was only Spring!

1 Comment | Filed under 2008 Archives, Top Ten Lists

Top Ten 2008 Offseason Stories: Part 1

Last year I started a Top Ten Offseason Stories segment.  There were two parts, and this year I will split the segment in to two posts as well.  The first post will contain numbers 6 through 10 while the second post will contain numbers 1 through 5.

10.  Tim Tebow Mission Trip–The Legend of Tim Tebow grows which each passing year.  Tebow won the Heisman Trophy in his first year as a starter, and now, there are reports that Tebow took a mission trip during the Spring.  Mission trips are nothing new for the Tebow family, his parents are missionaries.  However, it seems Tebow has convinced his head coach, Urban Meyer, to take a mission trip too.  Tebow just seems too good to be true.

9.  Josh Jarboe dismissed from OU Scholarship–After making a dramatic decision to sign his Letter of Intent with Oklahoma, the Georgia native recruit was dismissed for a video of a freestyle rap that surfaced on YouTube.  At first, the Sooners dismissed the significance, but after outcry from some in the media, decided that to remove Jarboe’s scholarship.  Jarboe had been arrested in the spring for a carrying a weapon on his high school campus.  Jarboe has since enrolled at Troy.

8.  Plus One Playoff Considered–And was rejected by BCS officials.  Nevertheless, a “plus one” was considered.  Despite being considered, the system was turned down and has left many upset about the evil while others are content.

7.  Coaches Visit Middle East–Five very prominent coaches including Georgia coach Mark Richt and Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis paid a visit to the Middle East to visit our soldiers, and they even got to meet the Commander In Chief when they returned.  The Coaches Tour was a great experience for both the coaches and the soldiers.

6.  Howard Schnellenberger calls out Texas–Schnellenberger has always coached with a swagger, but he just gave Texas incentive to not overlook Florida Atlantic.  Of course, he tried to back off his words, but it might be Texas who is hitting FAU in the mouth.

To Be Continued

1 Comment | Filed under 2008 Archives, Top Ten Lists

Top Ten Reasons TCU’s Offense Will Be Explosive

I have a hunch.  Call it a hunch because it may not be worth much.  I have a hunch that we will see TCU light it up on offense this year.  Not only that, but I have a hunch that Andy Dalton will pass for 3000 yards.  It’s just a hunch.  I have no real empirical evidence.  The Horned Frogs have always been fairly balanced in the Gary Patterson era, but a little more to the run (See Hobbs, Tomlinson, and Merrill).  Dalton is a good passer, and while we won’t accuse TCU of running a Spread Offense, we just might see it be much more explosive this year.  Therefore, I offer my Top Ten Reasons TCU’s Offense Will Be (More) Explosive in 2008.

10.  Blake Schlueter–For the Frogs, it all starts up front.  Don’t underestimate his importance.  He is the QB of the Offensive Line which returns 4 starters.  He makes all the calls.  And, he is the first guy to touch the ball.  Have you seen this guy?  I wouldn’t want him to be upset with me.

9.  Aaron Brown–If Brown is healthy, he has the ability to have over 1500 all purpose yards.  As a

Keith Robinson Photography

Keith Robinson Photography

Sophomore he had 1256 yards.  Brown is not just a great back on the edge, he is a great receiver out of the backfield.  All you have to do with Brown is get him the ball in space and he can make plays.  I can envision Brown lining up in the slot with Joseph Turner in the backfield along with And Dalton.  Who would the defense focus on?

8.  Young Receivers–The receivers are young, but they are fast.  They also are carrying a little bit of a swagger into fall practice.  These receivers did play last year even though they were not starters.  Walter Bryant, Jimmy Young, and Jeremy Kerley will be looking to make a big impact.  Also pay attention to Bart Johnson, John Brown and Antoine Hicks.

7.  Marshall Newhouse–If Dalton is to pass for 3000 yards, it will be up to Newhouse to keep him upright.  Newhouse led TCU in Knockdowns last year.  He also will be Dalton’s first line of defense at the Left Tackle spot.

6.  Jason Phillips–If I practiced against a Jason Phillips led defense in practice every day, I’d probably get better too, and faster.  There is another plus too.  The TCU defense has the ability to get lots of turnovers.  In fact, in the Spring practices, the defense focused on that (see Dave Campbell’s Texas Football).  If they aren’t getting turnovers, then they will surely be getting stops giving the TCU offense plenty of opportunities.

5.  Randy Galloway–What other sports journalist could inspire that kind of success?  Galloway is a legend.  If Coach Patterson needs tips, all he has to do is call Galloway and he will lend him a hand.  He is always thinking about ways to improve each local team with his brilliant mind.  Who else would I list, Dale Hanson?

4.  Marcus Jackson–During the Gary Patterson era, TCU has always needed a second QB.  First it was Tye Gunn, then it was Brandon Hassell, and then it was Jeff Ballard.  Jackson doesn’t just represent that good second QB, but he also represents a change of pace.  Jackson is a better runner, and TCU can line up and run the option with him in the game.  Jackson has also been a fairly accurate passer.

3.  Shae Reagan–At 6-4 261 lbs., Reagan provides a big target for Dalton and Jackson.  If Reagan can remain healthy, he should be a mismatch in almost every situation.  Reagan has a TCU high of 19 yards per catch.

2.  Coach Mike Schultz–Coach Schultz has been a great Offensive Coordinator for TCU.  His offenses have been among the best in TCU history.  Coach Schultz offenses do not remain ineffective, and Schultz seems to have the players to work with to make this year’s offense explosive.

1.  Andy Dalton–Dalton set all kinds of records for TCU freshmen, and he is poised to become even better.  He had over 2400 yards passing, and became increasingly effective as a passer later in the season.  Many of the INT’s Dalton suffered were during the first half of the season, and Dalton had a great game at Stanford when he passed for 344 yards, 2 TD’s and 0 INT’s.  If TCU’s offense is to be explosive, Dalton will have to be the catalyst.

No Comments | Filed under 2008 Archives, North Texas, Top Ten Lists

More Top Ten Lists

I wish I could think of all good top ten lists, but I cannot.  I found a couple of good ones from the BleacherReport.com.

First up is The 10 Most Hated College Football Programs in the Country by Corey Gautreaux.  Is your favorite team on the list?

Second is Ten Out-of-Conference College Football Series that Need to Happen written by Justin GoarTexas vs. Arkansas is number 10.  It will happen again this fall in Austin.  Petrino vs. Muschamp.

No Comments | Filed under 2008 Archives, Top Ten Lists

Top Ten Returning QB’s

While compiling this list, I constructed a rating system for returning QB’s.  I pulled out my trusty Phil Steele magazine and crunched the numbers.  This list is skewed in that it does not take into account the QB’s running ability hurting QB’s such as Pat White or others who play in a very run dominated offensive system.  That being said, it is interesting to note that a few good running QB’s ended up on this list.  A dual QB is only as good as his ability to pass.  My system took into account total yards passing, QB efficiency, yard per attempt, TD’s and INT’s.  Because I didn’t want the fact a QB passed for 4000 yards to be too much of a weight, I averaged those stats with QB efficiency.  Basically, you had to be really good in all of these areas to make the list.  The need for a dangerous QB becomes more important with each year.  An offense really needs more than just a “bus driver” to win championships.

1.  Sam Bradford, Oklahoma–Sooner fans should be happy.  This time last year OU didn’t know who would start, now Bradford has become a phenom.  He is big and strong with a rocket arm.  This year we might see him run the ball some from the Spread.  He led the nation in efficiency last year as a Redshirt Freshman.  When Bradford struggled, the Sooners lost.

2.  Tim Tebow, Florida–Tebow won the Heisman with his famous 20 TD’s and 20 TD passes mark.  His efficicency was slightly below Bradford’s as the two rated the same in my system.

3.  Todd Reesing, Kansas–Do you think that Kansas might be good again?  If they are, they can thank Todd Reesing.  Reesing is undersized and very ungalmorous on the field, but he gets results.  Kansas runs what I call the Blue Collar version of the Spread Offense, and Reesing is the catalyst.

4.  Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic–Who is the second best QB in Florida?  Rusty Smith.  He is also the fourth best returning QB.  Look for a FAU game this fall and see what others have seen.  Smith and FAU absolutely throttled Memphis in the New Orleans Bowl.  Who’s their coach?  Howard Schnellenberger who has a national championship to his credit.

5.  Nate Davis, Ball State–I didn’t seen this one coming.  I didn’t even know the Ball State threw the ball.  But Davis’ numbers are good across the board.  Davis had 3667 yards passing, 30 TD’s and only 5 INT’s.  Don’t know anything about him?  Me neither.  I gues we can find out more.

6.  Graham Harrell, Texas Tech–Harrell was last year’s CFTT Offensive Player of the Year.  He threw for 5705 yards and 48 TD’s.  It does help when you can throw the ball to Michael Crabtree.  He may pass for 5000 yards again unless Texas Tech finds a running game.

7.  Chase Daniel, Missouri–The pride of Southlake Carroll High School in Southlake, TX was a Heisman finalist last year.  Daniel burst on the scene two years ago when everyone thought Mizzou had a big chore replacing Brad Smith.  Never mind.  Daniel will do just fine, thank you.

8.  Trevor Vittatoe, UTEP–That’s the University of Texas El Paso for those who don’t know the initials.  They are the Miners.  Vittatoe had very good numbers as a Freshman for the Miners, and he should only get better.

9.  Colin Kaepernick, Nevada–Kaepernick was a sensation for the Wolfpack in his first year starting.  His best stat, only 3 INT’s in 247 passes.  He finished the season with a 150.8 efficiency rating.

10.  Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State–Lost in the fiasco involing head coach Mike Gundy’s rant was the fact that Robinson was living up to his potential and making plays for the Cowboys.  Robinson will be the clear cut starter this year and should see his stats improve even more.

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