Cardale is Our Man

Urban chose Cardale for a reason. I think Cardale is the right QB because he's got an arm that kills secondaries, he's tough to bring down, and his arm creates a great running. JT set Cardale up for success, Cardale set himself up for success by playing the way he did. 

During Cardales play last year he threw the ball as far as he could and the receivers ran underneath and caught the ball, often times running past the secondary. Last year it was Devin Smith but this year it's Mashall, Wilson, Smith, and Miller along with other receivers we don't know about. We have the WRs that can run for days and Cardale has the arm to make the journey. 

Cardale weighs 250 lb and is 6' 5" and is extremely hard to bring down. He may not be shifty but he can bull doze any defensive linemen. Last year during Alabama and Oregon, Cardale ran over seasoned and NFL lineman without batting an eye. 

Cardale became successful because he trusted his wide receivers. Cardale threw the ball down the field and his receivers caught them all. Because of that, defenses could not stack the line of scrimmage with anything more than linebackers and defensive lineman causing Elliot to run through holes and down teams throats.

I believe Cardales issue is trust. He doesn't trust his receivers. I don't think Braxton, Jalin, or Wilson should ever be a Wildcat this season. When anyone of these guys take the snap they know what the play is and they crowd the line of scrimmage. We win games by letting these guys run down the field and get open. We showed last year that was half of our success, the other half was Elliott. We desimated Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon without doing a lot of trick plays. We need to return to that. 

National Signing Day

There is a subtle satisfaction in being a part of the Big Ten. I know that everyone and their brothers like to raise the point, that it is very difficult for the Big Ten to be ranked highly in the recruiting classes, with the exception of Ohio State and Penn State this year (so far). I think that last nights Super Bowl win was actually a good thing for the Big Ten, as it showed a cold weather team achieving a great accomplishment. When is the last time a team from anywhere in the south won a Super Bowl? Who's the last team from the south to win a championship in college football? My point is this, the rhetoric surrounding the south is nearly impenetrably. It just cannot be done. However, the proof is written on the wall. The south has the players, but the north has the talent and skill. Urban Meyer beat three Heisman winners on his way to his third title, beating out the King of the SEC, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

It's not hard to justify the notion that the Big Ten is back. However, one look at recruiting news and it's littered with SEC teams finishing the year with top recruiting classes. But does it really matter. While it's too soon to say the SEC is done and over with, what is safe to say is that the ground has leveled off. No longer is Alabama or anyone in "that conference down there," the deepest, most dominant conference in the nation. The Big Ten is back. Just look at Harbaugh at Michigan. He was successful at Stanford, then became successful in the NFL. What other coach can say he was successful at both levels? Nick Saban? Not even he can claim that. Give Michigan a couple recruiting classes, and the focus will shift. The Big Ten may not litter the top 10 with recruits but their trophy rooms will be littered with Championship trophies, which is what counts.

The Brand That Will Never Die, Figuratively and Literally

As each day ends, we become further away from the Inaugural College Football Playoff and another bowl season. Now we step into recruiting and preseason predictions. The Big Ten did very well and the SEC West..... not so much. The media has yet to get over their love affair known as the SEC. Pundits, analysts, and the like love to say, next year's Title Game will be Ohio State and Alabama. The reason being, Saban does not stay down for long and he'll be hungry for another championship. I'm sure he felt that way after Oklahoma last Sugar Bowl. Burn!

I'm so tired of hearing about SEC recruiting classes when no one in that conference finished with a perfect season, nor with a bowl win (except the East). I've come to the conclusion that when seasons end for "that conference down there," and it wasn't successful, the spotlight is put on their recruiting. Good for them, they're still not champions.

My prediction for next year's Finals will be #1 Ohio State (of course), #2 Alabama, #3  TCU, #4 Oregon. Ohio State for obvious reasons. Alabama will not be held out of the rankings because of their divisions and coaches reputation. College football would lose its mind if "that conference down there" didn't make it into the playoffs. The Sugar Bowl proved to be as great as everyone thought it would be. The only better matchup would be Ohio State and Alabama for the Title. TCU will come back with a chip on their shoulder. The only problem here is that an undefeated conference championship team could beat them out if they don't go undefeated. So, perfect season for TCU is a must. Oregon will struggle but make it. Rich Rod in Arizona is good, but not great, so he'll win his division, but that's about it. 

Is The B1G Back?

NoThis past season brought a sense of accomplishment back into the Big Ten. Victories from Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State brought to the fore front something we always knew would happen, the Big Ten is dominate. This season is surely no indication of what next season could bring, but this years accomplishments could be preface for what's to come.

Wisconsin was destroyed in the Big Ten Championship by Ohio State. Wisconsin was thought to be overrated, but then proved their rate when they best Auburn. Baylor was crying the blues because they were left outside of the Final 4, only to lose to a Michigan State team. James Franklin began his era with a decent season capped off by a bowl win. Urban Meyer, against all odd, took on the best, then became the best. With the addage of Harbaugh to Michigan it's only a matter of time before the Big Ten is up a running.

The toughness of the SEC West was simply outran and out coached. The PAC 12 was proven once again to be a finesse league and the Big 12 was shown once again why the need a conference championship. This all is not news, but what it is, is a warning to the rest of college football, that "we are back."

Ohio State showed all of college football that recruiting class rankings are only a small piece of the puzzle. Great coaching and players who believe in themselves make up the other half of the equation. No longer can Alabama or the SEC claim that both rankings and coaching lay the ground work for champions, but instead players in general. Michigan State is notorious for not having highly ranked classes, but still they have beaten Stanford and Baylor in their last two bowl games.

How many teams know who their second and third string QBs are? How many of those second and third guys could step in and win a championship. Florida State had to do that for one game and nearly lost it. Oregon's came in after having a 4 TD lead on Florida St. Blake Sims and Coker were the men for Saban. My point is this, while everyone talked about the Virgina Tech effect, Ohio State was improving itself. There's no other way to describe it.

Harbaugh, Meyer, Dantanio, Franklin, Chryst, and Riley will become the magnificent 6 of college football. College football never heard of Hugh Freeze or Dan Mullen until this year. Which makes the point, the Big Ten has the coaches, all we need are the wins and Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nebraska are not far behind. The Big Ten is not far from dominance.