The Long Snapper (5/12/10)
When Terrence Mitchell dropped FSU during the recruiting process, USF fans starting licking their lips. Mitchell was the top target for many and could be considered the jewel of the class. He possesses the talent and skills to make an immediate impact and he may be doing it at more than one sport. Mitchell is the Florida high school state champion in the long jump after soaring 23 feet, 3 inches to take the 3A crown. Not only can Mitchell jump, but he can run. Fast. Mitchell finished third in the 100-meter dash, behind champion Mike Bellamy who just about everyone is recruiting (and if they aren’t, they should be). Bulls’ signee Mark Joyce also had a good showing, finishing third in the 110-meter hurdles. Hurdle competitors have always impressed me. I can’t run very fast as it is, let alone attempt to jump over things at the same time. That’s just too much coordination.
Two coaches who may have gotten the raw end of the deal are now working together. Omaha Nighthawks’ head coach Jeff Jagodzinski has hired former USF defensive coordinator Joe Tresey to be his defensive backs coach. Jagodzinski was briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the franchise started its slide to the bottom of the NFL. And Tresey got caught in the middle of Leavittgate causing him to be out of a job when Skip Holtz came in. Now both are together in the UFL. Oh yeah, that’s where the Nighthawks play. The UFL. As we all know, upstart football leagues always last so expect Jagodzinski and Tresey to be with Omaha for many years to come.
Ole Miss is shooting itself back to the 1970s this fall and will be starting a guy at quarterback who looks better suited to be an extra in Dazed and Confused 2: Rebels Without a Cause. Despite his resemblance to something that fell out of a decade lost, Nathan Stanley has come a long way. He’ll tell you that. In a number of different ways. Stanley wasn’t supposed to be the starter in 2010. That was supposed to be Jevan Snead. Snead’s 20 interceptions in 2009 meant he was returning to quarterback the Rebels for one more season. That’s what we thought. Snead thought different and is now trying to win a roster spot with the Buccaneers. So the job is Randall “Pink” Floyd’s Stanley’s. And he’s come a long way. And progressed. And established himself.
People still seem to be wondering if Paul Johnson and Georgia Tech can win using the triple option. It’s curious considering the Yellow Jackets won the ACC title and played in the Orange Bowl last season. Their offense struggled against Iowa in that game and the Jackets ended up on the losing end, but they still got there with an offense that is reminiscent of the good old days (I don’t know exactly when the good old days were, I’m still holding on to the belief that I’m too young to have good old days just yet). I enjoy watching the triple option. Wait a minute, no I don’t. I don’t enjoy it. I don’t like it one bit. Actually, those last four sentences sum up my feelings toward it. One-fourth of the time, I do enjoy it. The rest of the time, no thank you. To me it’s the Barry Sanders of offensive schemes. A carry for two yards, a one-yard loss, a three-yard gain, and then a 76-yard explosion for a touchdown. It definitely can work. Georgia Tech is winning games. That’s the goal. But Jackets’ games aren’t exactly can’t miss.
The List: My schedule for this evening.
1. Preparing for the Montreal Canadiens game.
2. Watching the Montreal Canadiens game.
3. the results of the Montreal Canadiens game (hopefully something good will fill in the blank).
The Sixth Man: Florida got back a big part of its offense and defense for next season with the return of Alex Tyus. Although his numbers dipped last season, Tyus is still a valuable part of the Gator basketball team. Always take as many big men as you can get. With Tyus returning, Florida returns its entire lineup minus the much maligned Dan Werner. Of course, now everyone expects 2010-2011 to be an improvement on last season. Just a tournament appearance isn’t enough. It’s second round or bust and if the Gators can improve their discipline on the court, that shouldn’t be out of the question.