CATS RUN INTO A BUZZ SAW, MORE COACHING MOVES & MY WILDCARD PICKS FOR SATURDAY
For the first time this season Bill Snyder's Kansas State Wildcats looked like they were completely out-manned by an opponent. The Arkansas Razorbacks won tonight's Cotton Bowl 29-16. It wasn't like Arkansas ran the Cats out of the building, they had maybe 75-more yards of total offense, but it was when they made their plays that made the difference in this game. That & three terrible drops by K-State receivers. In a 20-minute span, the Cats gave up a Joe Adams 51-yard punt return for a score, dropped 3 passes, committed 3 penalties, surrendered 2 sacks & a fumble by Colin Klein that dug such a hole for K-State, there was no getting out of it. Just when it appeared the Hogs were going to go up 20-0, K-State DT Raphael Guidry blocked the PAT & it was returned for 2-points. The Cats took the ensuing kickoff & scored right before half to close within 10-points. They came out of the locker room & QB Klein scored on a keeper to make it 19-16 Arkansas. Then Arkansas took over & the outcome was never in doubt again. The Hogs finish 11-2, their two losses to LSU & Alabama. The Big-12 finishes the bowl season 6-2 to lead all conferences, the SEC finishes 6-3, but will win the BCS title game for the sixth consecutive year.
Another day, another seven coaching stories to tell you about. Mike Tice was promoted to offensive coordinator for the Chicago bears, replacing Mike Martz, who resigned on Wednesday. Tice was the offensive line coach & was formerly the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings but has never been a coordinator.
Speaking of coordinators, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic reported in their Friday edition Todd Haley will be in town to interview with head coach Ken Whisenhunt. Haley was the Cardinals offensive coordinator the year they went to the Super Bowl. They currently have Mike Miller running their offense, but Whisenhunt is said to favor Haley if a deal can be struck.
Todd Haley & Ken Whisenhunt in 2008
The Chiefs are said to be interested in interviewing former Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, who was fired in November after 7-year with Jacksonville. Don't see this going anywhere. Del Rio has always run a defensive scheme that is completely different from the one Kansas City employs, it would be a major step backward.
But I do have unhappy news, at least I feel that way, because the Chiefs have obtained permission from the St. Louis Rams to interview Josh McDaniels for the head coaching job, aarrrggghhh. He will also speak to New England on Sunday. The Rams will not let him be interviewed for a lateral move, like an offensive coordinator's spot, but if new England or K.C. hired him as O-coordinator and assistant head coach, the Rams would release him from the last year of his contract.
St. Louis is very close to locking up Jeff Fisher as their new head coach. Miami is offering more money, but the Rams are a better fit(Sam Bradford, higher draft picks & huge salary cap surplus). look for an announcement early next week.
Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian said he declined an interview with the Rams last Tuesday. He has no intention of leaving the Northwest or college football at this time.
The Raiders are set to name Reggie McKenzie as their new general manager. The former Packer director of player personnel & Green Bay linebacker from the 80's could cause a riff with head coach Hue Jackson. He's been making noise about having a "say" in choosing the GM & other talent decisions. Clearly he had absolutely no input in the hiring of McKenzie & if he's told to sit down & shut up regarding player personnel, he might just say enough to get himself fired, Hue has difficulty holding his tongue.
In a very sad story, Pittsburgh Steelers running back coach Kirby Wilson suffered burns over 30-50% of his body in an overnight house fire. He is in stable condition, but is in a medically induced coma. Wilson was home alone at the time of the fire in his Pittsburgh townhouse.
For all the negative talk the heavyweights of college football like to sling around about programs like Boise State, it's comical to see two of the giants slug it out over the services of a Boise coach. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease has interviewed for both Florida(replacing Charlie Weis) & Alabama. he has second meetings with Florida today & Bama on Tuesday after the BCS title game.
Four-star wide receiver Darius White will transfer from Texas to Mizzou immediately. White was high school friends with QB James Franklin as well as two other Tigers from the Lone Star State. White will sit out the entire 2012 season before returning for the 2013 & '14 seasons with Mizzou.
Saw an amusing moment from the Under Armour High School All-Star game Thursday night. Five-star safety recruit Landon Collins, of New Orleans, was asked on camera after the game, who he intended to sign his letter of intent with. With his entire family present, he said "It's a tough decision, but I gotta say Roll Tide Roll." His mother, sitting right next to him looked like she had just eaten a lemon. No poker face on mom. When a mic was shoved in her face she said her son "should've committed to LSU, LSU Tigers, #1." She was even wearing purple & gold. If looks could kill, her son was a dead man.
Nine more college underclassmen declared for the NFL Draft on Friday. A reader requested I put their approximate value, round-wise, on each prospect who has declared his intention to move to the next level. I'll do that next week & the week after before the January 15th deadline.
Last year about this time Hall of Famer Warren Moon began expressing his support for Auburn QB Cam Newton as he began the NFL combine & draft preparation. He stuck by Newton & fought a number of battles within the media Moon thought were unfair toward the Heisman Trophy winner. Moon has this season's prospect he'll be stumping for, Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. On Friday, Moon spoke out about Blackmon's future. "He's a beast isn't he? He's like Dez Bryant with all his brain cells" Moon said, "He's not the knucklehead Dez Bryant has turned out to be in Dallas." Jeez Warren, don't sugar-coat it, how do you really feel? I'm not at odds with Moon, I think he's 100% correct, Bryant is a knucklehead who may never achieve the greatness he's capable of because football isn't that important to him. Blackmon has the Jerry Rice, Larry Fitzgerald-type work ethic that separates him from every other wide receiving prospect in this draft.
Please remember if any NFL playoff game goes into overtime, the rules have changed. They are as follows:
if the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdown on their initial possession, the game is over. If they kick a field goal, their opponent will also get a possession. If they don't score on that possession, the game is over. If both kick field goals, we go to sudden death overtime like it's always been. If the coin toss winner doesn't score on their initial possession, we go to sudden death overtime as well.
Cincinnati at Houston 3:30PM CT NBC
The Texans first playoff game in franchise history. The Bengals haven't won a playoff game since 1990. Houston will start rookie T.J. Yates, their 3rd string quarterback. Cincinnati will start rookie Andy Dalton, their starter since opening day. I like Houston just by a hair in this one, better defense, running game with Arian Foster & the return of all-pro WR Andre Johnson. Terrific matchup of two of the leagues' better defensive coordinators, Cincy's Mike Zimmer & Houston's Wade Phillips. The Texans won an earlier meeting in Cincinnati by one point on a Yates TD pass on the last play of the game.
Houston 20 Cincinnati 16
Detroit at New Orleans 7PM CT NBC
The Lions haven't won a road playoff game since 1957. The Saints were my preseason Super Bowl pick, no time to bail on them now. Expect a lot of points as both QB's have really been hot. New Orleans 41 Detroit 27
Another day, another seven coaching stories to tell you about. Mike Tice was promoted to offensive coordinator for the Chicago bears, replacing Mike Martz, who resigned on Wednesday. Tice was the offensive line coach & was formerly the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings but has never been a coordinator.
Speaking of coordinators, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic reported in their Friday edition Todd Haley will be in town to interview with head coach Ken Whisenhunt. Haley was the Cardinals offensive coordinator the year they went to the Super Bowl. They currently have Mike Miller running their offense, but Whisenhunt is said to favor Haley if a deal can be struck.
Todd Haley & Ken Whisenhunt in 2008
The Chiefs are said to be interested in interviewing former Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, who was fired in November after 7-year with Jacksonville. Don't see this going anywhere. Del Rio has always run a defensive scheme that is completely different from the one Kansas City employs, it would be a major step backward.
But I do have unhappy news, at least I feel that way, because the Chiefs have obtained permission from the St. Louis Rams to interview Josh McDaniels for the head coaching job, aarrrggghhh. He will also speak to New England on Sunday. The Rams will not let him be interviewed for a lateral move, like an offensive coordinator's spot, but if new England or K.C. hired him as O-coordinator and assistant head coach, the Rams would release him from the last year of his contract.
St. Louis is very close to locking up Jeff Fisher as their new head coach. Miami is offering more money, but the Rams are a better fit(Sam Bradford, higher draft picks & huge salary cap surplus). look for an announcement early next week.
Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian said he declined an interview with the Rams last Tuesday. He has no intention of leaving the Northwest or college football at this time.
The Raiders are set to name Reggie McKenzie as their new general manager. The former Packer director of player personnel & Green Bay linebacker from the 80's could cause a riff with head coach Hue Jackson. He's been making noise about having a "say" in choosing the GM & other talent decisions. Clearly he had absolutely no input in the hiring of McKenzie & if he's told to sit down & shut up regarding player personnel, he might just say enough to get himself fired, Hue has difficulty holding his tongue.
In a very sad story, Pittsburgh Steelers running back coach Kirby Wilson suffered burns over 30-50% of his body in an overnight house fire. He is in stable condition, but is in a medically induced coma. Wilson was home alone at the time of the fire in his Pittsburgh townhouse.
For all the negative talk the heavyweights of college football like to sling around about programs like Boise State, it's comical to see two of the giants slug it out over the services of a Boise coach. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease has interviewed for both Florida(replacing Charlie Weis) & Alabama. he has second meetings with Florida today & Bama on Tuesday after the BCS title game.
Four-star wide receiver Darius White will transfer from Texas to Mizzou immediately. White was high school friends with QB James Franklin as well as two other Tigers from the Lone Star State. White will sit out the entire 2012 season before returning for the 2013 & '14 seasons with Mizzou.
Saw an amusing moment from the Under Armour High School All-Star game Thursday night. Five-star safety recruit Landon Collins, of New Orleans, was asked on camera after the game, who he intended to sign his letter of intent with. With his entire family present, he said "It's a tough decision, but I gotta say Roll Tide Roll." His mother, sitting right next to him looked like she had just eaten a lemon. No poker face on mom. When a mic was shoved in her face she said her son "should've committed to LSU, LSU Tigers, #1." She was even wearing purple & gold. If looks could kill, her son was a dead man.
Nine more college underclassmen declared for the NFL Draft on Friday. A reader requested I put their approximate value, round-wise, on each prospect who has declared his intention to move to the next level. I'll do that next week & the week after before the January 15th deadline.
Last year about this time Hall of Famer Warren Moon began expressing his support for Auburn QB Cam Newton as he began the NFL combine & draft preparation. He stuck by Newton & fought a number of battles within the media Moon thought were unfair toward the Heisman Trophy winner. Moon has this season's prospect he'll be stumping for, Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. On Friday, Moon spoke out about Blackmon's future. "He's a beast isn't he? He's like Dez Bryant with all his brain cells" Moon said, "He's not the knucklehead Dez Bryant has turned out to be in Dallas." Jeez Warren, don't sugar-coat it, how do you really feel? I'm not at odds with Moon, I think he's 100% correct, Bryant is a knucklehead who may never achieve the greatness he's capable of because football isn't that important to him. Blackmon has the Jerry Rice, Larry Fitzgerald-type work ethic that separates him from every other wide receiving prospect in this draft.
Please remember if any NFL playoff game goes into overtime, the rules have changed. They are as follows:
if the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdown on their initial possession, the game is over. If they kick a field goal, their opponent will also get a possession. If they don't score on that possession, the game is over. If both kick field goals, we go to sudden death overtime like it's always been. If the coin toss winner doesn't score on their initial possession, we go to sudden death overtime as well.
Cincinnati at Houston 3:30PM CT NBC
The Texans first playoff game in franchise history. The Bengals haven't won a playoff game since 1990. Houston will start rookie T.J. Yates, their 3rd string quarterback. Cincinnati will start rookie Andy Dalton, their starter since opening day. I like Houston just by a hair in this one, better defense, running game with Arian Foster & the return of all-pro WR Andre Johnson. Terrific matchup of two of the leagues' better defensive coordinators, Cincy's Mike Zimmer & Houston's Wade Phillips. The Texans won an earlier meeting in Cincinnati by one point on a Yates TD pass on the last play of the game.
Houston 20 Cincinnati 16
Detroit at New Orleans 7PM CT NBC
The Lions haven't won a road playoff game since 1957. The Saints were my preseason Super Bowl pick, no time to bail on them now. Expect a lot of points as both QB's have really been hot. New Orleans 41 Detroit 27
Rich,
The more I think about Romeo as the HC, the more I dislike the idea. Nothing against him talent wise, but hiring him will cause more instability. He is 64. He might have three more years, then what? New head coach with new coordinators. Your thoughts.
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