The 2009 SEC Championship: Of Sugar, Roses and Inner Peace
By Drew Moss-special to Football Reporters Online
 
Photo: Tim Tebow with his 2007 Heisman. Does he get to win another one?? (by Dr. Bill Chachkes)

Judging by his spiritual eye black (consult your nearest Good Book for John 16:33), Florida Gators southpaw phenom Tim Tebow has an inner fortitude usually reserved for monks and wise men. 
 
After yesterday's heartbreaking 32-13 pasting at the hands of Nick Saban's methodical, mechanical Alabama Crimson Tide, he's going to need it.
 
Previously ranked #1 Florida will have to settle for a bridesmaid's Sugar Bowl matchup with Big East comeback kids Cincinnati in New Orleans on New Year's Day, while Saban's well- oiled, fine tuned "big red machine" gears up for it's shot at the BCS Championship on January 7th in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA vs. Heisman hopeful Colt McCoy the #2 ranked Texas Longhorns, who eked out an ugly 13-12 win over Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship.
 
Tebow may very well have the All-American profile, the off-season integrity, the matinee looks and the gridiron goods to back it all up, but Saturday night's SEC Championship belonged to Saban, his stubborn, disciplined defense and his offensive playmakers. 
 
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy matched Tebow and then quickly bested him, with a highly efficient 12-18 passing performance for 239 yards and a touchdown.  But perhaps most telling was McElroy's high wire sideline hustle for a first down with 8:30 remaining in the first half.  It was an athletic, determined and tone setting play that sent the Tide's - and Saban's - overall message:  Alabama was not to be denied.
 
"We had a meeting (last offseason and told the players) everything you do, every time you go to work, every time we lift weights, it's not to be as good as the guy you're playing against, it's to be as good as the guy you have to beat to be the champions," Saban said.
In yesterday's SEC Championship, that proverbial "guy" was Tebow and the Gators.
 
A chance to play for the National Championship was not all that may have brought Tebow to post-game tears.  His 4th Quarter coffin closing pick combined with Alabama running back Mark Ingram's big day in a big spot (28 rushes for 113 yards and three touchdowns) did everything to hurt Tebow's chances at snagging his second Heisman Trophy - and everything to help Ingram's chances for a first.
 
Not that he's thinking about it.  Saban would never have it and Ingram seems to know it.
 
"Coach Saban has a philosophy of hard work and discipline," Ingram said. "And you can't have self-indulgent behavior.  It's about doing everything you can, every chance you have, to make the team better."
 
On Thursday night January 7th in Pasadena, while Tebow's already done "sugarcoating" and meditating on his very bright future; Saban, McElroy, Ingram and the Tide will forget about getting better - they will be looking to be the best.

Does Jake Locker Return For One More Year?
(photo via Wikimedia Commons)
By Nick Haswell –Contributing Writer-Northwest Football Reporters Online

If last Saturday’s game versus California was Jake Locker’s last game as a Washington Husky, then he turned in quite the finale as a collegiate athlete. Locker completed 19 of 23 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. For good measure, he added 77 yards rushing and another two touchdowns. Locker displayed an NFL ready arm and athletic ability on several occasions on Saturday. His first pass of the game was a beautiful 40 yard touchdown on a post pattern to Jermaine Kearse. Early in the third quarter, Locker connected with Devin Aguilar for a 21 yard touchdown that was perfectly delivered on Aguilar’s back shoulder on a fade pattern. And then, Locker showed his great athletic ability on his 19 yard touchdown run in the second quarter in which he outraced the Cal defense down the sideline once he turned the corner on a designed draw play.

Based on his early season production and his performance in his past two games, one can see why Jake Locker is held in such high regard by NFL scouts and personnel people. But he also is far from a finished product. Although he did greatly improve his accuracy from his first two seasons, Locker still only completed just over 58% of his passes in 2009. His decision making was a little inconsistent during the season, especially during the middle of the 2009 season. His 11 interceptions were second most in the Pac 10, only trailing USC true freshman Matt Barkley (12). All being said, Locker still has a bright future as an NFL signal caller. Whether his NFL career begins in 2010 or 2011 remains to be seen. Let’s take a look at the pros of Locker deciding of returning for his senior season at Washington versus the pros of him declaring himself eligible for the 2010 NFL Draft:

Pros for Returning to UW
1. Locker has the opportunity to learn for another year under Steve Sarkisian’s pro-style offense. Sarkisian has coached NFL quarterbacks in Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, John David Booty, and Mark Sanchez while at USC and can provide Locker a better opportunity to succeed when he reaches the NFL under Sarkisian’s tutelage.
2. He will get another year of game experience at UW, which would be much more beneficial to him to be an NFL ready starter at QB. At this time, Locker is still raw as a quarterback, and I do not see him being ready to start right away as a quarterback in the NFL.
3. Locker will be able to finish what he started in turning around the Husky football program. Locker came into the Husky program and was immediately labeled the “Savior” of the Husky football program. The Huskies have not reached a bowl game since 2002, and Locker was expected to lead the team back to one. He has yet too. If he should return, he would have a great opportunity to lead the Huskies back to a bowl game in 2010 after the Huskies 5-7 season in 2009.
4. He would be a leading candidate for the 2010 Heisman Trophy.
5. Although, he could be a top draft pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, he could cement his status as a number one NFL prospect in 2011 by returning to UW and having an outstanding season in 2010.
Pros to Leaving for the NFL
1. Money, money, money. Last year’s number one pick, Matthew Stafford, signed a six year contract where he will receive about $12 million per season, with $41.7 million guaranteed. Number 17 overall pick, Josh Freeman, signed a five year contract that will pay him more than $7 million per season, with $10.245 million of it guaranteed. There’s no reason to believe that Locker would not be picked somewhere in the range of 1 to 17 overall and could earn a similar contract.
2. Locker is a NFL talent and will be drafted in the first round. Why should he chance that by returning for another season and possibly getting injured? Look at what happened to Sam Bradford. Had he came out in 2009, he possibly could have been the top pick. Now, for the 2010 NFL Draft, he is still a first round draft pick, but he put draft stock in jeopardy by returning and getting injured.
Jake Locker has until January 15 to declare for the 2010 NFL Draft. It will be interesting to see what Locker decides to do in the next six weeks.

Strong to take the Helm at Louisville

John Kelly
Football Reporters Online
Senior Writer
Midwest/Northeast Correspondent

A source close to the Louisville coaching search, said the school is on the brink of hiring and naming Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong as its new head coach
A meeting has been called on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET, for the personnel committee of the Louisville Athletic Association Board of Directors board to approve the hiring of Strong,
On Sunday, Strong and Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich conducted an interview in Gainesville. Louisville expects to introduce him on Wednesday.
Louisville is replacing Steve Kragthorpe, who was fired after three seasons. The Cardinals had come off an Orange Bowl berth prior to his first season.

Gator chomp gets rolled by Tide. Alabama wins SEC for first time since 1992.
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
Alabama 32 Florida 13
All season long this was the match up everyone wanted. No other team in the conference looked like they would compete so the best were at it Saturday in Atlanta. There were story lines like the next to last game in the career of AT&Tebow. Could Mark Ingram make his case for the Heisman? Would Greg McElroy start quick or work from behind? Which one of these defenses would step up when it mattered most? There could be a host of other questions but these were the burning ones. AT&Tebow has had a collegiate career that will be talked about for years to come. He has built so much respect from his peers that it appeared like he was almost untouchable. In the SEC championship game Alabama made sure he was touched plenty. He had been able to dodge every bullet and come out a winner for so long he knew no other way. That was until he lined up against an Alabama team that was playing for so much more than an SEC or BCS title. They were playing to be kings of the mountain again. They were playing for a coach that took this job with one thing in mind. That was to bring this program back to national prominence and to another national championship. Anything less would be complete failure for a coach some don’t like but can’t help respect. Coach Nick Saban took a lot of heat when he left Baton Rouge for the southern hospitality of Alabama. This was one that the Tide have been working on since the last one in 1992. So Tebow did his best to keep his team in the game but a drive in the first quarter stalled and ended in a field goal. When he hit David Nelson from 23 yards to make it 12-10 that was just answered by Ingram a minute later when he ran in from three. That scoring run would be all the Tide would need and Tebow would fall short on his last try in this conference of champions. He would finish 20-35 for 247 yards with an interception as well as the touchdown pass. He would finish the way he did not plan when he decided to come back for his senior year to get this SEC title as well as the BCS trophy. Now it’s on to the NFL and see if he can find a place among the big boys of the sport he loves so much. Mark Ingram came into the season well known by the SEC but still had questions to answer. What he did Saturday was put his stake in that Heisman argument running for 113 yards on 28 carries. He did his most damage where it hurt the Gators the most, in the red zone. He would have touchdown runs of seven, three and one yard. He kept the Gator defense off balance all day, as they could not contain him. He ran left and right as well as off-tackle. He gave his quarterback the time to throw the football and make his own case too. McElroy had never lost a start before this one and he put on an MVP performance going 12-18 for 239 yards and no interceptions. He needed to start quickly with Ingram running the ball well to be effective. So with his running game giving him 251 yards he was able to hurt Florida. He hit his receivers when he needed and was accurate in doing so. His timely passing and determination gave him the MVP and maybe a bright future to look forward to. The last question was about defense and Alabama flat out shut down the bite of the Gators. They were held to 13 first downs and 88 yards rushing. Bama held the ball for almost 40 minutes and the Florida offense was just 4-11 on third down conversions. When the Gators were trying to threaten Javier Arenas picked Tebow off and the game was done. It was as dominating a performance as you could get in this epic. Two teams on a collision course from opening day, and now only one was left standing. So it is the Tide of Alabama that moves on the BCS game against Colt McCoy and the Longhorns. It will be a game, but in the end I have to stick by what I have said all year, the SEC is king of the college football world and when it’s all said and done the Tide of Alabama will sit on top as BCS champions.

AFTER A CLOSE ACC FINISH, GEORGIA TECH’S HEADED TO THE ORANGE BOWL

By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region and
William Queen
Contributing Writer
 
Winning a 39-34 thriller over Atlantic champs Clemson, the Yellow Jackets are enjoying their first conference title in 19 years and their first BCS bid in school history. This game was perhaps a little too close for comfort, as Georgia Tech just simply didn’t have an answer for versatile phenomenon CJ Spiller. Receiving the ACC player of the year award, the Yellow Jackets knew coming in that it wouldn’t be easy slowing Spiller down. With 20 carries for 233 yards and four touchdowns, Spiller may have had the best performance of his career Saturday night vs. the Yellow Jackets. Scoring in every quarter of the game, Spiller had 65,000 fans wondering just how he did it. It seemed that every time Georgia Tech would methodically drive down the field, Spiller would have an answer. First drive of the game, Spiller scored on a three-yard run. Then, scoring three straight times (one touchdown and two field goals), Georgia Tech looked to be running away with the game. However, Spiller answered at the last possible second with a 41-yard run with just under three minutes left in the half. At the start of the third quarter, I was paying most of my attention to the kicker. Because while Spiller was exciting and suspenseful to watch, Georgia Tech kicker Scott Blair had scored 10 of their 16 points thus far and was secretly proving to be a valuable weapon. However, quarter back Josh Nesbitt managed to convert those field goals into touchdowns, accounting for both a rushing and passing score in the third quarter. Up by 13 heading into the fourth, Clemson made its last, desperate attempt at pulling off the game. And given the ball with 1:20 to go, and given freshman quarterback Kyle Parker’s success this year, they had a shot. A holding penalty and a string of incompletions later the Tigers were forced into a clutch fourth and two situation. In then end, defensive end Derrick Morgan showed the nation why he’s considered one of the best linemen in the country, tackling Parker for no gain.  Looking ahead, Georgia Tech will be facing off against Iowa in the Orange Bowl, a very intriguing match-up if you ask me. Earlier in the season, Iowa was one of the undefeated “BCS buster” teams and looked to make a run at the national championship. But after back-to-back Big ten losses vs. Northwestern and Ohio State, Iowa’s very fortunate to be sitting where they are now. And really, looking back on their schedule, Iowa’s only signature win all season was Penn State. So, considering that most of Iowa’s wins were thrilling comebacks, I think this will be perhaps the biggest test for the Hawkeye’s thus far. Allowing only 15 points per game, Iowa has a very tough defense. But then again, they allowed 42 points to 83rd ranked offense Indiana and the only team they shut-out is the 98th ranked offense in Minnesota. Looking in on rush defense, Iowa is the 32nd ranked rush defense and has played a few tough running games in Wisconsin and Ohio State. However, no Wisconsin or Ohio State running attack would match up even close to the magnitude of Georgia Tech’s. Ranked second in the nation in rushing yards; this will be the match-up of the game.
Some quick stats; Iowa averages 23 PPG and allows 15 PPG, as Georgia Tech averages 35 PPG and allows 24 PPG. For a prediction, I say Georgia Tech pulls out a exhilarating 27-24 win in OT.