Vol Wide Receiver, Robert Meachem says connection and family are the glue for this year’s UT team.

By: Robert Meachem, #1 in the nation in Receiving yards
Exclusive to EGC

I really started believing in myself at the Orange and White game. That probably set me apart from where I’ve been in a long time. I ran to the sidelines after that last touchdown I got. My mom was kind of sitting behind the bench, and she just smiled and I knew I was on my way to being great again. I’ve seen her smile and tell me “ya’ll did good”, but I haven’t really seen her smile like that in a long time. When I saw that same smile that she gave me when I was younger, I knew that I was doing good.

People ask what makes me so much better this year. For one I gave all of my strength to God. And I just asked him to give me great confidence and just to be able to believe in myself, and that all of my brothers - my football family are behind me 110%. Then I just go out there and have fun. Some of us were talking and we asked ourselves if you aren’t going to practice 110%, then why practice? So you’ve got to make a game like practice, and you’ve got to make practice like a game.”

The fans are always asking us about the “connection” between me and Eric. As far as receivers and quarterbacks go, you have to be on the same page. It may seem that he’s not throwing the ball my way a lot, but teams blitz the weak side of the field, and I’m on the weak side. You have to be on the same page as your quarterback and know what he’s thinking. When he sees something different, then you have to see something different. Because if you aren’t on the same page than it won’t work. And the score will show it.

We talk a lot during practice. If he throws a bad ball, I probably know why he’s throwing a bad ball. And he’ll come back and tell me “you should’ve done this, or you should’ve done that”, and I will see it his way. And then I’ll tell him what I saw. If he throws a great ball, but I didn’t run the route like he may have wanted it run, then hell comeback and tell me. We’ll sit down and watch film together. He’ll tell me what he sees as quarterback, and I’ll tell him what I see from the cornerback, and we will try and adjust it from there. This summer we watched a lot of film together to get on the same page. It’s harder now that classes have started.

Do you remember the year that Auburn was so great? And everybody was trying to figure out how they were so great. Well, the reason they were so great is that they bonded with each other, they had a family atmosphere. And now with us everything is more family. We bleed, we sweat and we cry together. We joke on each other all together. Everything we do, we do together. We just have a bond together.”

I think Aaron Sears, Jayson Swain, Jonathan Wade, and Marvin Mitchell, those guys just added a lot to the program this year. They want to make sure that we do a lot of things together. And Turk McBride, he was a great spokesman, he always had something to say. Like saying “Oh you don’t want to hang out, are you better than the team?” And when you hear stuff like that you are like, “OK, I am going with the team.” And now we have all bonded. And coaches and everybody have started to see this, and make sure that we stick together and everything.”

The fans need to remember that nobody is perfect, but we’re going to play hard. Everyday we give it all we’ve got. All day everyday. And as far as me, I am blessed and I’m out there having fun. Fans - we love you and we appreciate all you’ve done for us because with out the fans… at times its hard.

NCAA Football Hard Hits

Like us...you are probably gearing up for another great Saturday. Here is a video that will ease that craving...but viewers be warned...it might knock you into next week!

Coaches Roll With the Punches

Oh my, how the winds of change can blow so quickly across the landscape of NCAA Football. This time last week, North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato was fielding scalding questions from the media and firing back at them with such high-pitched retorts as, “What’s wrong with having dreams?!” (I can’t put enough exclamation points on that to emphasize how much he emphasized that.)

Why was he being so defensive? He had just lost to Southern Mississippi…ugly…a week after losing at home to Akron. These two losses, and probably his attire, had finally gotten on the nerve of some Wolfpack fans.

Well this week, he couldn’t be riding any higher. He came up with a huge win over Boston College, pulling a victory from the jaws of defeat. Now, he is seemingly back in the good graces of ‘Pack fans. Even those who left the game early.

This goes to show you a couple of things. First, Amato can still produce a winning season this year. Second, he deserves to gloat a little this week. But third, he better keep it going.

And that goes for most of the coaches out there. Winning is what counts these days and without it not much else matters.

At a big-time program, you may be able to get by with losing two, maybe three games a season if you’ve been there forever (Bobby Bowden) or you’re brand new and have promise (Urban Meyer). But more than two seasons in a row and your seat will heat up no matter who or where you are (Larry Coker).

At the programs on the rise, and these vary from newly rising (Rutgers) to five years in and rising (Louisville) you can afford to let a few more slip, but again, you can’t let that happen too many years in a row.

Point being, at a major university, you better start winning, producing, or packing. Unless you’re at the University of North Carolina.

Tomorrow however, we’ll have one of those rare coaches who almost literally, can do no wrong. There are a few around and that status changes, fast. Charlie Weis is in that category. He led Notre Dame back to the top of the heap in NCAA Football last year and is showing no signs of slowing down this year. Stop by and get some insight under the golden dome Friday.

DUELING BLOGGERS: Arizona St vs. Oregon

A personal note from this week's dueling bloggers:

First off, we should say that we are the first guest dueling bloggers who write on the same site. So the general superficial contentiousness between bloggers from Miami and Florida State or Texas and Ohio State doesn’t quite exist here. Instead, we dislike each other on a purely personal level. Now, we could have done a straightforward dueling blogger analysis of the Oregon-ASU game, but what fun would that be? Instead, we’re going to analyze the game by doling out cheap shots and relating the teams to something all college football fans care oh so much about: cartoon characters. Okay, so cartoons and football go together like peanut butter and…well, football, but you get the idea. At the very least this should make you smirk and perhaps break into a brief chuckle, possibly even give a little insight into the game, particularly for those of you who don’t get to see much Pac-10 football (but don’t hold your breath on the insightful part).

Arizona State Devils as Southpark Characters

By: GUEST BLOGGER Brian FROM THE PACTEN APOSTLE

If the Arizona State Sun Devils were played by South Park characters, the casting would look something like this:

Chef as Dirk Koetter
The advice man. Can really carry a tune and sings a great song, but the people listening don’t really know what it means. Opting to start Rudy instead of Sam Keller seemed a way to rally his team, but now Carpenter’s thrown six picks in his last two games and the Sun Devils are returning to their old underachieving ways, not moving forward. They haven’t beaten Cal or USC in the last five seasons and have only won 2 of 19 games against ranked opponents under Coach Chef. He needs a statement game, especially after getting destroyed by Cal, and beating undefeated Oregon would definitely make a statement. Plus, duck is delicious.

Who or whatever kills Kenny as Rudy Carpenter
Someone is always blamed for killing Kenny, yet no one ever gets arrested or has to stand trial. Rudy ran one Sam Keller straight outta Dodge, as evidently Tempe wasn’t big enough for the two of ‘em. Coach Chef seemingly had no problem with this and the story has largely been forgotten since Keller enrolled at Nebraska. Rudy was expected to have another big season, and to some degree he has. Only three quarterbacks have thrown more touchdown passes, yet he has already thrown four times as many picks as he did all of last year, and that’s in only half as many attempts. He can’t afford to duplicate that effort he had against Cal again this season.

Stan as Zach Miller
The calming influence. Whenever you need him, you know he’s there. The safety blanket for Rudy and possibly the best tight end in the country, he’s a mismatch for every linebacker and safety who tries to cover him. Gets overshadowed by louder teammates at times, but he leads the team in receptions and has his head on straight. Unsubstantiated reports indicate he may also vomit uncontrollably before talking to girls he likes.

Tweek as The Sun Devil Pass Rush
Never know what they are going to do. They were all over the place in the first three games with constant pressure on the quarterback, and then couldn’t muster much of anything against Cal’s injury riddled offensive line. They probably came off their caffeine high. They still lead the country in sacks and will be looking to put pressure on Dennis Dixon and force him into more mistakes than he made against the Sooners. They have their work cut out for them, as only Utah has allowed fewer sacks than the Ducks. Get the cappuccino maker ready, the Sun Devils may need a little extra boost to get their hands in Dixon’s face.

Butters as Ryan Torain
Came out of nowhere to be a crucial part of the team. No one was expecting him to be this effective, now he has to start every week. Who doesn’t want to see a couple games revolve around Torain? He absolutely shredded Cal’s defense for almost 200 yards, and only Oregon and Stanford have worse run defenses than Cal. That bodes well for the Sun Devils and hopefully Torain can keep the Duck defense off balance and give Carpenter time to find his receivers.

Thankfully this game isn’t being played in California, otherwise you’d have to pick the Ducks (Koetter is 0-11 in Ca.). But this one is in Tempe, and now that they don’t have to share their stadium with the lowly Cardinals, they must get better just by reverse osmosis. And they can’t lose to every ranked team they play this year again, can they? If they do, Koetter better hope he leaves Tempe in better shape than Chef left South Park. Oregon has a whole lot of offense, but ASU does too. The Sun Devils just needs a little help from their defense in shutting down the spread option of OC Gary Crowton. In the end, Arizona State takes it, because they have to, 34-27. Besides, it’s a pantsless duck versus one of Satan’s pitchfork-carrying spawns. How can ASU not come out on top?

Oregon Coach & Players as Cartoon Characters

By: GUEST BLOGGER Mike FROM THE PACTEN APOSTLE

Head Coach Mike Belotti- Donald Duck
It’s fitting that the Ducks’ head man be compared to the greatest duck cartoon of all time. Donald Duck was once one of the gems of the cartoon world, perhaps even more popular than Mickey Mouse. Yet in recent years, he has been relegated to obscurity, passed up by the modern and sophisticated cartoons of today. The same is true of Belotti- once considered by many to be the top coach in the game, now seemingly not as cool as the Carrolls, Stoops, Meyers and Tressels of the coaching world. Poor Duck.

Dennis Dixon- The Roadrunner
Dixon is fast, elusive, and creative with the ball. Plus, you never know when he might bust out his ACME cannon, the one attached to his shoulder. Not to mention the fact that just when you think Dixon is finally stopped, he gets some timely help from the cartoon creators (who, during the Oklahoma game, happened to be wearing striped shirts). After awhile, opposing fans start to sympathize with Wile E (the other team). Can’t they just stop the damned roadrunner, one time, please?

Jonathan Stewart- Tigger
Stewart bounces a lot. Off tacklers, through the hole, even in and out of the huddle, he has a little hop to his step. Fast as a tiger and powerful too, the guy never runs out of energy. As Tigger is everyone’s favorite Winnie the Pooh character, so too is Stewart everyone’s favorite Oregon Duck. But the most wonderful thing about Stewart? It’s that he’s the only one.

The Wide Receivers- The Power Puff Girls
I’m not calling the Ducks’ receivers a bunch of girls in skirts or anything. I’m just saying that they are a group of talented receivers who seem to posses an array of skills- size, speed and strength. They are unassuming to the general public, but you don’t want to mess with them. And let’s be honest- the skirts might actually look better than those things the Ducks call uniforms.

Defense- Scooby Doo
The Ducks defense gets the job done- somehow. Despite the fact that their plans are seemingly foiled, that it often looks like they are wandering around aimlessly, and that they sometimes seem scared of the very offenses they are trying to stop, they manage to luck into winning games and making key defensive stops. Maybe it’s just that the offense (Velma) is constantly bailing them out. But whatever they’re doing, it works. Not to mention, I’m sure those big guys on defense are constantly looking for food when they should be watching film or working out.

With a cast like this, how can Oregon lose on Saturday? Sure, ASU has Rudy Carpenter. But Carpenter is no match for Scooby Doo and the power puff girls. And really, has the roadrunner ever lost? Chalk this one up for Donald Duck and the gang: Oregon 38, ASU 17.

Jumping into the Fire: Dan Hawkins blogs exclusive to EGC

By: Dan Hawkins

Football is a great microcosm of life and it’s a great preparation of young people for life. You have to # 1 not be afraid of a challenge. You have to be able to appreciate being in the fire and what that brings to your life. There’s a certain vibrancy there.

If we’re afraid to take risks, if we’re afraid of challenge, if we’re afraid of failure, we’ll never truly be all that we can be. I always say that we know this “big boy” football. We know that wins and losses matter; we know that. But how you go about the day to day operation is dramatically different than that.

If I’m a banker and my #1 goal is to make money then I’m missing the point. You have to take stock in the process over the product. You invest yourself emotionally in the process. You know that process is a soul-searching every day of how do we get better, how do we chase excellence, not being afraid of perfection, understanding that we can only get stronger through our mistakes. If we’re so afraid to make a mistake and so afraid to fail, we will never truly grow. It’s much like when you lift weights you’re actually tearing muscle fiber and allowing blood to infuse in there so that muscle can grow. That experience we have in life allows us to grow and that fear of failure keeps so many people from accomplishing the things they can accomplish because the reality is the real true failure is not allowing yourself to jump in the fire.

As we went down to Georgia, it was not about Georgia, it was not about winning the game. It was about chasing perfection and getting better and allowing our emotions and our thoughts to be in a positive light regarding the opportunity in the event. And so many people have said “Well how do you keep it going when you’re 0-3?” “How do you keep it going when you’re 0-4?” Well unfortunately they haven’t seen the other side of the coin. I’ve been where you’re 4-0 and it’s the same exact process. Your marriage doesn’t continue to stay good. You’re not continually a good parent. All those things need reinventing, reworking, fine-tuning and so is the same with a football program.

I was asked at the half-time at the Georgia game if I was happy that we were up 10-0 and I said, “No, I was not.” We should have been up 17-0 or 21-0. It’s not about the score; it’s not about the opponent; it’s not about your record. It’s saying, “Do I have the maturity and the guts and the where-with-all every single day to maximize who I am and continue to judge myself against myself despite the outside influences and opinions?” So many people would think you’re trying to prove something to the world. Well we’re not. We’re trying to prove something to ourselves.

I know those ideals sometimes sound kind of corny in today’s world but I’m very serious about that. We have a team of really great kids that have been through a lot and persevered. We have an entirely new organization from strength coach, trainer, academic people, AD, coaches, President, Chancellor, and those things take time to weave a web of interconnectedness. And our kids are battling, our coaches are battling, and everybody is staying positive and we’re continuing to find ways to improve. We’re really investing in that process. I have been through this in many different situations and in many different places before and have 100% confidence that if you’re willing to take a chance, to take a risk, and not be afraid to fail and have the guts to measure yourself against yourself on a daily basis you know you in the end will be everything you’re capable of being. You’ll have that magnificent, glorious, maximal experience in life, in marriage, in football, in school. I just have ultimate confidence in that.

So we went down to Georgia to express ourselves, to sing our song, to do our dance, to throw ourselves in the fire and we know there are lots of critics, cynics, scoffers and doubters but that’s not what matters. What matters is that person in the mirror and can we look that person in the eye and say hey I was willing to jump in the fire and live with it and learn and grow.

When I looked into Bernard Jackson’s eyes in the locker room after the game, I saw the sparkle. He’s just a kid that has been beat down and deep down inside there’s a vibrant soul and a vibrant life. Last Saturday we became a vehicle for that. That look in his eyes said I’m here and I’m not going away. That was… that’s awesome! That’s awesome for the football game and that’s awesome particularly in his life.

'Bama Boomer Will See Better Days

Well, this time last week I wrote about a kicker at an SEC school in the state of Alabama. This week, I have to write about a kicker at an SEC school in the state of Alabama. I have to apologize a little because kickers really shouldn’t take up this much space on one blog, but Alabama’s Leigh Tiffin needs me.

I’m not going to sugar coat this, Tiffin cost Alabama the game. And I hate to say things like that. Games are not played in a vacuum and any number of plays can change the outcome. But Tiffin missed three field goals and an extra point. The last two were in overtime periods.

His teammates, his coaches, friends, family, they probably are telling him it’s not all on his shoulders. And they should. But the fact remains that he left 10 points on the field in a one point game.

After his second missed field goal Alabama coach Mike Shula might have considered replacing Tiffin. After his third missed field goal Shula, should have replaced him. With another kicker, with anybody! Because it had nothing to do with ability, this was all mental.

The mental fight did not end yesterday. It did not end Sunday. And it may not end until the next game. It may not end then. But the great thing about sports is that he’s got another game. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it’s not the end of the world. That old cliché is still true.

I’m not trying to add to Tiffin’s pain. The dude is going to have a rough week. Let’s keep this whole thing in perspective. And I for one would like to see no one ever mention this game to him again, after this blog of course. No TV coverage should zoom in on him (and his family if they’re in the crowd because, if a player’s family is in the crowd we have to get them on TV, and preferably get someone up there to interview them because...that is never uncomfortable for anyone) every time they mention field goals, or extra points. Of course, we know they’ll talk about it. It will be brought up. Probably a lot.

But keep your head up big guy. And keep your head up ‘Bama fans. You’ve got one heck of a young quarterback down there in John Parker Wilson and you’ll have some big games this year. Yeah, this one hurts. But go easy on the kid because you know you’ll need him again. Probably soon.

NCAA Football Pageantry

NCAA Football Video

Stoops' Troops Ready to Move On

Separation Saturday, Showdown Saturday, Saturday Saturday…call it whatever you want but last weekend was one of the most highly anticipated and hyped weekends in NCAA Football in over a decade. The games are over but there are still ripples in the NCAA Football water from the separations and showdowns.

Probably the most talked about incident left Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma Sooners on the wrong side of human-related-instant-replay error. The Pac-10 officiating crew has been suspended for one game for botching the possession call on the late-game onsides kick. Even with instant replay, there are going to be mistakes.

In college football, one play, one game, one loss can change the course of a season for a team. And while there is certainly a lot of football left to be played, Stoops has every right in the world to feel like this one game suspension doesn’t quite make amends.

To his credit, Stoops is ready to move on. That is a good thing for all concerned. Both teams need to move on, and the officials deserve to move on too. Did they make a mistake? Yes. Are they the first crew to miss a call? No. Will they be the last? Nope.

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As if we needed it, Wheaties has once again let us know how huge NCAA Football is these days. Georgia, Notre Dame and Michigan all get the breakfast treatment and are recognized as pillars of the NCAA Football community. Special edition Wheaties boxes will be on sale with each of these three teams staring you in the face as you scarf down the breakfast of champions.

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If you haven’t already; voice your opinion on the new clock rules. I’ve brought this up before but I’m reminded of why I do each Saturday when I’m waiting for play to resume. Coaches are being vocal on the subject as well. Let’s just be thankful that rules can be dropped just as fast as they were added.

2005 NCAA Football Highlights

NCAA Football has already produced some great games, plays, and highlights but here's a look at some specatular moments from 2005.

Need a laugh?

For all of you NCAA Football fans that need a laugh here is a very funny old post from December on the Hey Jenny Slater blog, comparing football teams to Simpsons characters. Disclaimer: It’s meant to a joke so don't be upset if you disagree with which character your school is linked to. The blogger, Doug, is a Georgia fan.

Leave a comment to let us know which character you think best represents your school.

2005 NCAA Football Highlights Video

NCAA Football has already produced exciting games, plays and highlights in 2006... but check out this video with tremendous moments from 2005. I promise you won't be disappointed! More breath-taking videos to come....

Pure Bliss for Auburn

The lonesome kicker. Sometimes he's not even referred to as a football player. After last year's LSU/Auburn game a lot of blame rested squarely on the shoulders of place kicker John Vaughn. He missed five field goals in the Tigers over time loss to...the Tigers. Things weren't looking much better when he missed a chip shot in the first half of this Saturday's game.

But let's leave Vaughn out of this. You know he's heard enough about last year's game and besides, Auburn won this time. But there was a kicker who played a huge role in Saturday's win, punter Kody Bliss.

And I would personally like to thank my man John, an avid Every Game Counts fan, for giving me the heads up on that, not too long after the game was over. I can't say it any better than John did in his e-mail entitled, Every INCH Counts (nice):

"Especially in a defensive battle like Auburn's 7-3 win over LSU...Auburn's Punter Kody Bliss came up HUGE."

He's exactly right. When you've got a defense like Auburn (or LSU for that matter) the punter can be one of your best weapons. It changes game planning when you control field position like that and you don't look at punting as a bad play.

Take a look at Bliss' stats from the game, again, courtesy of John:

From the Auburn 13 Kody Bliss punt 50 yards to the LSU 37, Chevis Jackson return 7 yards to the LSU 44.

From the Auburn 22 Kody Bliss punt 61 yards to the LSU 17, Chevis Jackson return 12 yards to the LSU 29.

From the Auburn 15 Kody Bliss punt 62 yards to the LSU 23, downed.

From the LSU 39 Kody Bliss punt 31 yards to the LSU 8, out-of-bounds.

From the Auburn 47 Kody Bliss punt 34 yards to the LSU 19, fair catch by Chevis Jackson.

From the Auburn 29 (with 1:32 left in game) Kody Bliss punt 51 yards to the LSU 20, fair catch by Chevis Jackson.

Look at those numbers! Bliss was flipping the field on the boys from Baton Rouge and the War Eagle defense did the rest. In a classic game like this, you usually hate to see the game decided by a kicker. But somehow, I don't think Auburn minded too much.

A Family Affair: Clemson's Tommy Bowden Blogs about the Tiger versus Seminole Rivalry

By: Tommy Bowden

This is always a hectic week for the Bowden family, although it is not as hectic as it was for the first Bowden Bowl in 1999. Any time you have the first of anything it will bring a lot of attention and that was the case for our game in 1999, the first time father and son have ever coached against each other in Division I history.

We had the New York Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times cover that game. The game brought media to our campus who had not been here since Clemson won the National Championship in 1981.

The game was nationally televised by ESPN and over 86,000 fans jammed into Death Valley, a number that will probably always be the record crowd here because they have a different fire marshal now.

I even remember doing a teleconference with about 25 writers 10 days prior to the game. That was odd and I really didn't like doing it just two days before we were to play Maryland, but we did win that game. When I finished that teleconference my mother did one. I think she talked longer than I did, in fact I know she did.

Daddy beat us 17-14, but it was the perfect ending for my mother. It didn't deprive Florida State at a shot at the national championship, and it gave our program credibility. That was the closest Florida State came to losing in their national championship season of 1999. Daddy won his 300th game as a head coach that day against me. Then last year I won my 50th against him. Odd how those things happen sometimes.

The next year there was a big game also because both of us were in the top 10 in the nation entering the game, but Florida State beat us 54-7.

The father vs. son angle has died down since that first game. In fact, when I did a teleconference this past Sunday, no one asked me about coaching against my dad. It didn't occur to me until after the teleconference was over.

We have won two of the last three so I would like to think it’s turning into a good rivalry. It should be one of the best rivalries in the country based on the tradition and fan interest of the two schools.

It’s a trying but exhilarating day for all of us in the family because going in someone has to lose. It is the worst day of the year for my mother because either her son (Jeff, offensive coordinator at Florida State) and husband are going to lose or another son is going to lose. There was a point last year when she wasn't going to come to the game. But she did make the trip after all.

We won the game 35-14, but Florida State went on to win the ACC Championship. So we both had something to brag about at the family summer vacation.

NCAA Football Forecast: The Perfect Storm

When scanning the NCAA Football schedule this year, I circled certain games on certain weekends that were not to be missed. The first weekend there were a few, but the first weekend is the first weekend so that really takes care of itself. Last weekend, there were some nice games floating around. In particular Ohio State/Texas and Georgia/South Carolina were highlighted. They were good for about a half.

But circling games became irrelevant for this weekend because I just circled the whole darn thing. Are you kidding me?! Three weeks in and we’re faced with the perfect storm!

This weekend is an NCAA Football fan’s dream. No, it’s actually a nightmare.

If you’ll look to the right, we’ve taken the liberty of spotlighting some of the top games this weekend; let us know which you’re looking forward to the most. But let me share a little nugget with you that I just made myself aware of…Miami/Louisville, LSU/Auburn, and Michigan/Notre Dame? They’re on at the same freaking time!

That’s the perfect storm my friends. No way out of it and no way to beat it. Unless you can pull off rigging three TVs in the same room to watch them all. Which is, awesome. And if you do this, send me the pictures of your set up, I love seeing this pulled off.

But at 3:30 pm, the viewing for me will start in this order.

LSU/ Auburn. SEC, two teams good enough to make a run all the way. And well, it’s the SEC. The real shame is we could have two of the best teams in the nation come from the SEC and not get a shot at a national championship. But that’s a ways off.

Louisville/Miami. This was a tough one to choose over the battle in South Bend, but Louisville is just plain fun to watch. Bobby Petrino has really got them on the cusp of something special and a statement win over Miami would be huge.

Michigan/Notre Dame. It’s actually getting almost hard to enjoy looking forward to Notre Dame because of the tremendous hype they’re receiving. That’s not their fault though. This should give us a better insight in to just how good the Irish will be this year. And Michigan/Notre Dame is a classic

Past that, you’ve got to go with Florida/Tennessee over Nebraska/USC. The powerhouse rivalry is compelling, but I don’t think it will be that way for long. USC looked very good in dismantling Arkansas but this will be a step up in competition.

Of course, there are other games on, but these are the big boys. Let me know if I’ve missed one.

DUELING BLOGGERS: USC vs. Nebraska

ESPN College Gameday is headed to LA for the #1 USC- #19 Nebraska game this Saturday. Our dueling bloggers give us 3 Keys for their team's success in this weekend's game. Is there anything you'd add to their list? This is sure to be a big game but across the country intense match-ups fill this week's schedule. Don't forget to check back in on Friday for Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden's post.

USC: 3 Keys to Winning the Nebraska game...

By: GUEST BLOGGER FROM USC TROJAN FOOTBALL

1. JD Booty continuing to play within himself.
Booty did a great job in the Arkansas game by going with what was working, being patient and allowing the game to come to him and open up. Quite an impressive performance for his first start and being on the road. Some SC fans are saying that he's the man now and all the pre-season worries were merit-less. I'm not ready to sign off on the guy just yet. You've gotta face some adversity and come out of it to really show your character. Booty hasn't done that yet. Being in the friendly confines of the Coliseum surely will be to his benefit but Nebraska has better athletes and will get a better rush on the passer than Arkansas did. How he deals with that will be yet another big test for the young signal caller. If Nebraska gets pressure on him and he starts to press and force throws we could see a few turnovers out of him... which ain't gonna fly under Coach Carroll. There was one throw in particular during the Arkansas game that concerned me in this regard. Booty was under pressure, the defender had his hands on him and he was going down for a 10 yard loss or so, and he just flung the ball to the sideline... into the arms of Chris McFoy. It was a completion for about a 3 yard loss or so, but if the defender were in a different position (Booty was in no position to even see who he was throwing to) that ball would've been picked and returned for a TD. He can't panic under pressure and make throws like that. Against Arkansas maybe you can get away with that but not against some of the better defenses out there.

2. The USC O-Line has to have a good day.
This goes hand in hand with the first point. Booty needs time to throw and the Nebraska defensive rush should provide a big challenge. If i'm not mistaken they led the nation in sacks last year. The USC OL is a strength of this team but Nebraska will still provide a test. Furthermore the SC OL needs to open up holes for the young running back corps. It doesn't appear that Chauncey Washington is going to be available (and even if so he likely won't be 100%) so that means that there'll be a lot of true freshmen running the ball. It looks like it'll be another game of tailback by committee for the SC offense. If the SC OL has a good day then SC should be able to put up a lot of points. The SC WR's and TE corps are simply too talented and athletic to be contained all day if the QB has time to put the ball in their hands.

3. Forcing Nebraska to be one-dimensional
The D needs to take away the run or the pass (likely the run). Nebraska can throw for 350 yards if we take away their ability to run. Don't believe me? Look at some of the ASU games of the past few years (particularly when Andrew Walter was throwin the rock for the Sun Devils). They had great passing stats but you'd look at the score and see an SC blowout. The reason? ASU couldn't stop SC on D and they couldn't run the ball to save their lives. If SC can take away the run (easier said than done as Nebraska has a few talented runners) and force them to be one-dimensional, it'll be game over. Senior QB Zac Taylor is a nice qb but he's also not very mobile. If SC knows that they're going to have to pass to move the chains then it's blitz time and thats the last situation Callahan wants to see the Cornhuskers facing. What i think is going to end up happening is Nebraska will be forced to throw a lot of underneath stuff to move the ball. The question is will they be patient enough to make that plan work or will they take some shots down the field and test the waters (most teams don't test SC with deep throws as they tend to keep their safeties deep and play cautious against the big play). If you ask me we'll see a lot of dink and dunk type passes and we'll see Nebraska methodically moving the ball down the field. Taylor's going to have to be efficient and accurate vs. the SC D. This is one of those 'our program is BACK!' type games for Nebraska so there's a lot on the line (and i anticipate a lot of Nebraska fans will be traveling west for this game as their fanbase is second to none). It's also the opening home game for SC so there's going to be quite and atmosphere there. Should be fun. Ultimately i think SC wins, but it should be a good game. Its always good to see two storied programs lock horns like these two will on Saturday.

Nebraska: Three Keys to Win the Game

By: GUEST BLOGGER FROM CORN NATION

1. Hit that Quarterback!
The biggest key for Nebraska will be to get some hits on John David Booty early in the game. Nebraska's Blackshirt defense must keep him from getting in a rhythm. Nebraska's secondary had little depth before we lost outstanding cover corner Zack Bowman during preseason, and it got worse when we lost another speed corner, Isaiah Fluellen, for the season. If Booty is allowed time, it will be a long night for Husker fans.

2. Control the Tempo
Nebraska's offense needs to control the tempo of this game. That means being able to run the ball successfully. We need a lot of short third down plays. It means mixing in the short and intermediate passing game. Key to this will be the Nebraska offensive line play against USC's front four. If USC's defensive front neutralizes Nebraska's offensive line, it means USC linebackers will be roaming free to kill the intermediate passing game.

Nebraska has a lot of experienced receivers, will play four tight ends and four running backs. This gives us an advantage in being able to throw a lot of different sets and formations against the Trojans to keep them guessing. Nebraska must maintain forward movement and ball control. Husker fans need to rejoice at four yard gains, whether they be by run or pass. If Nebraska's offense can keep the short yardage game going, big plays will come.

3. Luck
Let's face some facts. Nebraska is going on the road to play the #2 team in the nation at night. USC is a team that doesn't turn the ball over very often. Their special teams play is very good. Their defense is good at takeaways. They are a well-coached team that makes very few mistakes. Add all of this up, and we need some good old fashioned luck.

Luck comes in the form of a referee making a pass interference call at a key moment in the game. It comes in the form of a bad snap on a punt or field goal. Maybe it's in a fumble caused by Nebraska's Jay Moore putting a bone-crushing hit on John David Booty while he's dropping back to pass - with our other defensive end, Adam Carriker, taking it the distance for a defensive touchdown. (Who doesn't want to see that?)

Coaches would never admit it, but you don't win national titles without a little luck involved, and the same can be said for a lot of big games. Good old-fashioned luck is always filed under the "good teams find a way to win" folder by coaches. USC has had plenty of good luck over the past few years. It wouldn't ruin some grand eternal plan if they suddenly found a spot of bad luck on Saturday night, would it? I didn't think so.

Toughest Tough Guys are Remembered and Honored the week of 9/11

By: GUEST BLOGGER Chris Gunderman FORMER NAVY INSIDER

Rob Caldwell, linebacker for the United States Naval Academy is the toughest guy in college football. I know in today’s world of chat rooms, blogs, and sports radio everything is debatable. I’m sure if you ask twenty people the same question you’ll get at least eighteen different answers, but that’s only because those twenty people don’t know Rob.

When it comes to football and the Naval Academy I might be a little biased, having played football for two years before moving on. Football by definition is a gritty sport. Players bang their heads against one another over and over again everyday not to mention that every player plays hurting if not hurt. No one makes it through a season without getting banged up, and it’s impossible to fully heal until after the season is over.

While physically more challenging than the typical university, any person who works at it can pass the academy’s physical tests. What’s tough about the Academy is that it drains you. Besides rigorous classes there’s guard duty in the middle of night and other military requirements before, during and after all those classes. When a student graduates from the Naval Academy they haven’t proven that they’re physically superior than any other college student, but frankly, they’ve proven they’re mentally tougher.

Rob Caldwell plays the linebacker position the way it was meant to be played, with utter reckless abandon. Last year he not only looked the part, with a nose that was broken during the summer and usually started gushing blood after the first series of every game, but his fearless style produced 140 tackles last season. Rob is rabid on the field trying to destroy the ball carrier or anyone who gets in his way. Between the normal rigors of D1A football, the drain of the Naval Academy, and the crazy style of his play, there is no doubt that Rob Caldwell is the toughest tough guy out there.

With September 11, 2001 an inescapable memory for most Americans and millions of people around the globe this week, pay a little attention, feel a ton of pride and share huge respect for Rob and every other Naval, Army and Air Force Academy player this week. They represent the best of what college football has to offer and each deserves our sincerest thanks.

Upon Further Review, College Football Rules

Saturdays or Sundays? NCAA Football or NFL? Where would you rather get your football fix? I’m writing this after spending the weekend watching both. However, I was in the state of North Carolina so I’m still trying to figure out if what I saw actually was football. But the question remains, if you had to choose, college or pro, is one actually better than the other?

Football in whatever form you can get it is great. Between the whistles, the game is pretty much the same. Blocking, tackling, passing, catching. The basics go back to high school two-a-days. So if the actual game is more or less the same, what makes the difference is very subjective. Here are some areas where the two games differ:

Overtime. College wins in this area big time. I don’t care if it takes two or three overtime periods to get a winner, just don’t let my fate be determined by a coin flip. And be real, that’s what the NFL is doing with that “sudden death.”

Rivalries. College wins again, hands down. I know there are good rivalries in the NFL, but nothing compares to the Iron Bowl, the Red River Shootout, the South’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party…and those are just the ones with cool nicknames. Bottom line, these games happen one day a year and the other 364 are spent talking about it.

Pageantry. The undergrads have it. Pep bands, student sections, and small family reunions at the tailgate. These are part of college football weekends and can be attempted to be reproduced on the pro level but the feeling just isn’t the same.

Replay. If you ask me, take it out all together. Neither has made it work perfectly. Each week you see calls made incorrectly even with the benefit of instant replay. If I had to go with one, the NFL does it better.

See? Not everything going on in the college game is better. But for my money, the amateurs still have that little something extra. The certain element that you can’t define, but you know when you see it. And you feel it on those Saturday afternoons.

I did not hit on everything, and there is room left for more. So if there’s something you feel makes one better, let me know.

I’d like to thank Mack Brown for stopping by last week to give us some insight. He was pretty dead-on in his predictions for what his team needed to succeed. Even though his Longhorns outgained Ohio State on the ground, turnovers and big plays were the difference in the game.

There will be more guests stopping by this week with insight and commentary so check back daily. We're off and running now and this week is packed with top-notch matchups!

Texas Coach Mack Brown Blogs about the 3 Things that will Determine a Longhorns Win against the Buckeyes: exclusive to Every Game Counts

By: Mack Brown

It’s deja vu. Last year at this time we faced number one ranked Ohio State but in their territory. The Buckeyes had won 39 straight non-conference games and we were going into the horse shoe which without a doubt is one of the most daunting places ever to play the college game. We played hard but not well. We had three explosive plays but when it was over the game became an instant classic.

By the end of the season they were playing so well that many fans thought they could’ve and would’ve won the national championship if it wasn’t for the game against the Longhorns. Now we’re ranked number 1 and 2 again facing each other in our own Darrell Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and it’s conceivable that if both teams play their best on Saturday, the game will immediately become an “instant classic” literally overnight.

There’s a tremendous risk/reward ratio in playing such a difficult non-conference game like this great match-up. When it was scheduled twelve or thirteen years ago there was no way to have known just how challenging an opponent Ohio State would be. But people ask me all the time if I knew what I know now would I schedule them again. Honestly I don’t know for sure. What I do know is that winning that game last year gave us the confidence to make the run for the national championship. I know games like this are good for college football and if other schools would schedule them I would too. The risk, it’s real tough for the team that loses!

When you open your season with a softer opponent there’s risk too. Your team hasn’t been tested and sometimes that can lead to tensions and uncharacteristic on field mistakes. A few years back Auburn had an easier schedule and it just happened that there were three undefeated teams that season and it worked against them. Today strength of schedule isn’t as important in the rankings. So would I schedule a match-up like this? If the teams were rewarded for tough non-conference games like this one- yea I’d do it because it’s really good for NCAA Football.

I was trying to figure out how I will feel Saturday compared to last year at this time but it’s hard to know because the circumstances are so different. Last year we really hung in and overcame adversity. Toughness has become the trademark of this team. But this season we have a very different team personality.

So you’re probably wondering how you’ll know if the Longhorns will win? There’s a formula that’s foolproof for me. I look at three things: 1) are we out rushing our opponent? 2) are we making more explosive plays? (Explosive plays for Texas are runs of 12 or more yards and passes of 16 or more.) 3) are we making fewer turnovers- protecting the ball? When you’re watching me on the field you might see me looking at a little card in my hand. I’m keeping score – how many big plays? Turnovers? At half time I’ll ask for our rushing stats. When we’ve won explosive plays and turnovers our record is 50 and 0. When we’ve lost both against an opponent in a single game we’ve lost every time.

The game planning is over and I don’t need to motivate this team. My job now is to settle them down so they can relax, have fun and focus when we need to focus. They can laugh and dance in the locker room but to win we need to balance being confident and focused.

More Clock Means Less Football

We are on the verge of the second week of this year’s college football season and the second week with “the new clock rules” in place.

The game clock now starts when the ball is put in play after first downs and on change of possession. Previously it was started on the snap. Also, the clock now starts when the ball is kicked off as opposed to when it is caught. Oh, and the kicking tee was shortened this year.

Was that one just thrown in for kicks (pun fully intended)? The idea is to reduce the amount of deep end zone touchbacks. But why not just move the spot of kick back, make the kicker kick from a stand-still position, add ten yards to each side of the field, or just have him throw it down there?

All of these implementations are aimed at reducing the game times by what, five or ten minutes, 30 at the most? (Officially it was an average of 17 minutes.) But do we as fans really want games that last only two-and-a-half hours? Some fans drive longer than that to the game. When did anyone have a problem with too much college football?

There has already been considerable backlash from coaches and fans. Change is usually accompanied by backlash, especially when it wears a headset and stands on the sidelines. But this time the change is trying to fix something that was not broken.

Games are still going to run long. Iowa State and Toledo had a triple over time game in week one. Maybe an extra minute or two during the game would have allowed it to end in regulation.

Not to mention that these new rules reduce the chance of a late game comeback. Texas’ national championship last year? May not have happened with these current rules.

The result so far is less plays, less time, more confusion and more frustration. We can’t judge these rules solely on week one. And we’ll probably get used to less football. But do we really want to?

DUELING BLOGGERS: Texas vs. Ohio St.

Today's weekly NCAA Football dueling bloggers feature fans from the #1 Buckeyes and #2 Longhorns getting personal about their favorite teams. One of these teams will walk away with shattered hopes of an undefeated season and possible National Championship. Let us know what you think about the dueling bloggers' score predictions and the outcome of the game. And don't forget to vote in the poll!

It's here! It's here! Finally, it's here!

By: GUEST BLOGGER FROM BURNT ORANGE NATION

As with last year, the months of offseason hype have all led us toward this Saturday, on which two of the nation's top national title contenders will square off for the right to be BCS Title Game bound. There's a lot that's similar to last year, but there's plenty that's changed. What can we expect in this year's huge showdown?

When Ohio State Has The Ball The perceived team strength for the Buckeyes, as they return 8 starters from the unit that caught the nation’s eye with a waxing of the usually stout Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense. In all seriousness, though, the preseason Buckeye knob-slobbing is pretty much encapsulated in that one sentence. Troy Smith and Ted Ginn, Jr. went nuts against Notre Dame. 8 of the 11 offensive starters from that game return. Therefore: Ohio State will be very good on offense.

Let’s try to take a more critical look at the Buckeyes, though. First things first: Troy Smith. One of the stories we’re being force fed ad infinitum is Troy Smith 2006::Vince Young 2005. They’re both African American, they’re both solid runners, and they both ended their junior campaigns with strong finishes. But how well do they compare? To the mats with the numbers! A look at their season’s prior to championship (VY) or forthcoming championship (TS).

[Key: YPG=Yards Per Game / YPR=Yards Per Rush / YPA=Yards Per Attempt]

Vince Young and Troy Smith

Year	Rush YPG	YPR	Rush TD	Pass YPG	Comp. %	YPA	TD-INT
VY ‘04	89.9	6.5	14	142.2	59.2%	7.4	12-11
TS ‘05	55.5	4.5	11	207.5	62.4	9.6	16-4

Ho ho. This is interesting. Troy Smith was quite a bit ahead of Mr. Young in the passing department in the above comparison, but we’ve left off one very important fact: Troy Smith was a junior in 2005, while Vince Young was a sophomore in 2004. Maybe we ought to look at Vince Young’s junior line:

Vince Young 2005

Year	Rush YPG	YPR	Rush TD	Pass YPG	Comp. %	YPA	TD-INT
VY ‘05	80.8	6.8	12	233.5	65.2%	9.34	26-10

When you compare junior season to junior season, Troy Smith’s advantages disappear. Young remains the significantly superior runner, while entirely closing the gap in the passing numbers.

This begs one obvious, critical question: how much improvement can one reasonably expect to see between one’s junior and senior season? I quickly glanced at Matt Leinart’s numbers as a reference – while he maintained his excellent junior numbers, he did not improve upon them. Drew Brees – the same. I thought Kordell Stewart might be a decent comp, but his passing statistics weren’t that strong in his junior campaign.

There’s no way to know (without doing an exhaustive study on it) how much Smith can reasonably expect to improve, but it’ll be hard to do a whole lot more than he did as an accomplished junior. Add in the fact that he lost his best receiver, Santonio Holmes, to the NFL, and there’s further reason to wonder whether the passing attack can be expected to take a step forward.

Ted Ginn, Jr. will get some preseason Heisman hype because when he touches the ball, he’s a threat to score. His shortest touchdown of the year in 2005 went for 42 yards. The problem, widely reported, is that Ginn has a consistency problem. He’s been known to run lousy routes, and is better known for disappearing when his team needs him most. Texas may not remember Ginn from last year’s game much, and for good reason. He caught two passes for 9 yards. Is he really a “go to” receiver? My hunch is that his big play abilities are maximized when he’s got another big-time receiver (like Holmes) opposite him. Can Anthony Gonzalez be that guy? He’s not bad, but he’s definitely not Holmes.

This brings us to the running game, which will feature the sometimes underrated Antonio Pittman and freshman super-recruit Chris Wells. Pittman, a junior, rushed for 1360 yards last season (5.5 per attempt) and 7 touchdowns. Wells was Rivals #3 overall recruit in 2005.

The strength in the running game gives Ohio State balance, something you must have against a defense as physically talented as Texas’. If Smith is passing the ball well, the Buckeyes can have success, but if he struggles at all, Ohio State’s in big, big trouble. The Texas defense will probably play the Buckeyes much the way they did USC in the Rose Bowl – limiting explosive plays and forcing Troy Smith to take what Chizik gives him. If he’s unwilling, or unable, it’s sayonara for OSU.

The first week of the season was pretty much good news all around on the offensive side of the ball for Ohio State. Smith looked sharp and crisp, Ginn was bursting behind outmatched defensive backs, and the running game was more than just effective. The Buckeyes punished Northern Illinois when they had the ball, and at least for one week, the preseason hype surrounding this offense was justified.

The question remains, though, how this unit will fare against a much tougher unit. It's one thing to torch an outmatched unit. How effective is the unit, though, when faced with (what I believe is) the nation's best defense? Will the Buckeyes be able to run the ball? Texas run defense, which I expect to be better than last season's, looked good against North Texas. If the running game doesn't develop, can Troy Smith take the offense on his back? Will Texas' top cornerback, Tarrell Brown, escape his Monday morning arrest and be on the field to harass Ted Ginn? These are the questions that will make or break the Buckeye attack on Saturday.

When Texas Has The Ball Well, that McCoy kid ain't too bad, huh? Colt wowed me the first time I saw him throw in the fall scrimmage, and wowed me again in the season opener. He's not even in Vince Young's neighborhood - don't get me wrong - but the big worries about the Texas offense were whether a freshman could be effective at all. McCoy is more than just effective. He's heady, poised, accurate, and further developed than any freshman (redshirt or otherwise) that I've ever seen - certainly at Texas, anyway.

The key to the Texas attack, though - no question about it - will be Jamaal Charles' and Selvin Young's ability to rush the football. If Ohio State can stuff the run, it's too much to ask of McCoy to be the lone ranger on offense. You can ask that of Vince Young. You cannot of Colt McCoy.

Fortunately for this Texas optimist, I can't say that I think there's a better tailback in the nation than Jamaal Charles. Without Charles, I'd be wary of Texas' chances. With him, I think we're favorites. He's simply one of the most talented and impressive runners I've seen since... well, maybe since Emmit Smith. Call me a fool, but he looks that good to me.

The other source of optimism, of course, is the 9 gaping holes left in the Ohio State defense when most of the unit bolted for the NFL. Watching their season opening performance, there were holes all over the field for the scrappy Garret Wolfe to exploit (which he did). If the Buckeyes don't tighten things up this Saturday, they'll find themselves in a shootout. And I don't know that you're going to beat this Texas defense trying to out-shoot 'em. It's too good a unit.

The Prediction (Caveat Emptor): Overtime, baby! The only thing I’m sure of is that it will be close and competitive. An above average offense takes the field against an above average defense. A green offense tries to score on a green defense. The script for a classic is there, but last year’s thriller will be hard to match in terms of drama. The only other thing I’m absolutely sure of is that I’ll be there, screaming my lungs out. But I said it in the spring, and I’m sticking with it now. Texas has enough offense to score on the new Buckeye defense, and only a fool would bet against Gene Chizik (29 straight wins as defensive coordinator) at this point. Texas wakes up on September 10th the new #1 team in the nation, thanks to a 30-24 win.

It’s All About the Quarterbacks. I Hope.

By: GUEST BLOGGER JD Arney FROM AROUND THE OVAL

In 2005 the Texas Longhorns beat the Ohio State Buckeyes on the strength of an athletic, experienced quarterback.

In 2005 the Ohio State Buckeyes lost to the Texas Longhorns largely because they gave playing time to an inexperienced quarterback who wasn't up to the task of playing in such a monumentally huge game.

Now Troy Smith might not be Vince Young, and Colt McCoy might not be Justin Zwick, but I think it's clear that there's still some significant parallels between last year and this year. At least I’m hoping so.

Much has been made of the Buckeyes graduating nine defensive starters from last season, but quite frankly if I were a Texas fan I’d be more worried about sending out a green quarterback in the biggest game of the year, with only the experience of playing North Texas under his belt.

Colt McCoy’s counterpart, Troy Smith, has made a nice college career out of huge performances in the biggest games. Just ask a Michigan fan. If history is any indication, Smith should come through against Texas.

As mentioned earlier, the Buckeyes defense will have nine new starters this season, but they still feature six seniors, and plenty of players with significant game experience. Schools like Ohio State might experience drops in talent, but the talent level rarely falls completely off the table. The defense will almost certainly be solid by the end of the season, but Buckeyes fans have to hope that it’ll just be good enough in Week 2.

Focusing on the positive, there’s no denying the offensive talent of the Buckeyes. The most intriguing matchup of the Ohio State / Texas game will probably be seeing the elite offense of Ohio State matching up with the elite defense of Texas. The Buckeyes have a ridiculous amount of speed on the offensive side of the ball, and while I haven’t seen many previews calling it this way, it wouldn’t surprise me to see this game end up a high scoring affair.

My prediction? Buckeyes 27 - Texas 24

JD Arney was born and bred in southern Ohio, attended Ohio State, and has rooted for the Buckeyes his entire life. He has a small shrine to Mike Nugent in his home, and thinks Charlie Bauman had it coming. You can read his thoughts on the Buckeyes at www.aroundtheoval.com.

Every Game Counts

If you love NCAA Football, you've got to watch this. The season is here!

Louisville Wins the Battle, Loses Bush

The Louisville Cardinals rolled past in-state rival Kentucky Sunday night but lost prolific running back Michael Bush in the process. Bush is out for the season with a broken leg and his career at Louisville could be over. He passed on the NFL last year to up his pro stock and help his team make a push for the national title.

Injuries are a part of the game but it really is a shame to see a guy like Bush cut down. I hate it for him because injury is an athlete’s worst nightmare. And I hate it for the fans because well, Bush is an absolute beast.

He could have made a strong push for the Heisman this year, after leading all of Division 1-A in scoring in 2005. But forget about awards and trophies for a second, he is just fun to watch, and so is this Cardinals team.

They still have plenty of weapons to pepper Papa Johns stadium with touchdowns this year, but quarterback Brain Brohm put it best when he said Bush is “irreplaceable.”

Here’s to a speedy and full recovery Mr. Bush.

Orange Through and Through: Our Exclusive Interview with Peyton Manning

In March of ‘97, Peyton Manning became the poster boy of college athletics when he chose to stay in school for one more year by passing up immediate millions and prestige. In ‘98 he was the #1 draft pick and has since become the poster boy for the NFL as well being named League MVP twice, breaking all kinds of records and receiving the NFL Man of the Year Award for his community efforts and contributions through his PeyBack Foundation. He continues to demonstrate his commitment to NCAA Football. During the past off-season, he spent hours in the Tennessee film room helping the current Vols coaching staff prepare for the season and donated $1,000,000 to enhance the college program he loves.

Every Game Counts: What in particular do you love about college football?
Peyton Manning: It’s hard to pick one particular aspect because I loved the entire football experience, especially gameday in Knoxville. And there’s the band and the fans forming the tunnel and I can’t forget the diehard fans coming in boats down the Tennessee river right there behind the stadium. It’s special to the fans but even more so for the team. Knoxville has such a great atmosphere and energy. It’s something special. There’s no way to really express how great a experience I had during my four years at Tennessee.

EGC: If you could revisit one day from your college years, what would it be and why?
PM: It’s hard to pick one day. My senior year in college was truly special and I intentionally took it very slow. During my first 3 years I felt like I was always in a hurry- running to class, running to practice. Once I decided to stay for my senior year I decided to slow it down- walk to class, walk to practice. I created a lot of life-long, lasting memories with teammates, coaches, other students and teachers, really the whole Tennessee family. I still have great memories of my senior year there at Tennessee.

EGC: Is there anything you wish you would have had more time to do while in college?
PM: There are things that if I left after my junior year I would have regretted. During my senior year, I got to know more students and spend more time with students and athletes. The summer before my senior year and even the Spring of my Junior year, I intentionally took the time to strengthen friendships and get to know people. I’m glad I took that last year to do that.

EGC: What's the one moment that lets you sleep well?
PM: I’m just proud to say that I enjoyed and experienced 4 years of the college student-athlete experience. I had a real positive experience as a student and an athlete. Some of my best friends are students that I didn’t play football with but I keep in touch with lots of the students and players. I was friends with coaches too. The Tennessee football program will always be a part of my life. It will continue to be a part of my life forever and I’m just proud of that.

EGC: What do you remember most about the Vol locker room?
PM: Obviously the locker room after game- the celebration of players and coaches, everyone coming in a circle together, and Coach Fulmer addressing the team. There was a song we’d all sing after wins. It was a great feeling with all the hard work put to good use for a good win. Obviously the Vol locker room meant it was a home game and with 100,000+ people in the stands celebrating, I’d always look forward to getting in there after the game to celebrate. It was always something to look forward to and I never took that for granted.

EGC: What was your favorite non-football hangout at Tennessee?
PM: There’s a great hamburger joint on the strip called Gus’s. It was always a great hang-out. I’d go with teammates and get a big cheeseburger and just hang out. They had lots of Tennessee memorabilia on walls at Gus’s and it was always a fun time to go out there with teammates and grab something to eat.

EGC: What does a student miss by not participating in the whole NCAA Football experience?
PM: Being a student-athlete gives you the best of both worlds. There’s just a great atmosphere academically and particularly in football. I really like the pageantry. It’s a very special experience and one I never took for granted. I’m glad I got to do it for four years. You know, there are a lot of students who’d like to play football, but not everyone can. It’s fun to come in as an athlete with 20-25 other freshmen in your recruiting class. You grow from boys to men together. You go through your early 20s together. You mature as a football player and as a person on and off the field. It’s your recruiting class that you’re in school with for 4 years.

EGC: Why should a student go to a game to support the team?
PM: You don’t need a recruiting pitch there. Tennessee has outstanding fan support. It’s a great atmosphere there on Saturdays. It’s just a positive, fun experience. But I will say that at other schools if the students aren’t supporting their team they’re missing something special. Somehow sitting through the rain and snow, singing the fight song and agonizing over every score binds you together for life in a very special way.

EGC: What inspired you to donate $1,000,000 to the football program at Tennessee? And why did you give so much after you’ve consistently given a lot in the past? Lots of athletes figure after they leave they’ve given enough to their school and most give little to nothing back.
PM: A million dollars is a lot of money. I would like the majority of the donation to be spent in the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex. That’s where the indoor football field, offices and dressing room are housed. It was one of the most salient memories of my official visit in 1994. The current dressing area is not up to SEC or Tennessee standards. Student-athletes choose schools with their eyes, and we need to provide that `WOW' for them in the complex.

Don’t forget to check in next Friday for our exclusive celebrity Coach blogs featuring reigning National Champion Head Coach Mack Brown. And don’t forget to weigh in with your comments!