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Rose Bowl Preview- Ohio State vs. Oregon

Rose Bowl Preview- Ohio State vs. Oregon
By Nick Haswell for Football Reporters Online

On September 4th, the Oregon Ducks were sitting with a 0-1 record after a decisive loss to the Boise State Broncos 19-8. LaGarrette Blount, a 1,000 yard rusher in 2008, was suspended for the season after his infamous punch to Boise State’s Byron Hout just after the game. New Head Coach Chip Kelly was facing adversity early in his head coaching career. On January 1st, the Oregon Ducks will be in Pasadena, California taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2010 Rose Bowl. What happened in the four months between September and January for the Oregon Ducks was nothing short of a story book season. The Ducks will be playing in just their fifth Rose Bowl and their first since the 1995 season.

After the season opening loss to Boise State, Oregon rattled off 10 wins in 11 games. Their only loss was to Stanford on November 7th 51-42. Four of their wins were against top 25 teams (Utah, Cal, USC, and Oregon State). Their win over Cal was when the Golden Bears were ranked number six in the nation at the time, and their victory over USC was when the Trojans were ranked number five. The Ducks won those two games by a combined score of 89-20.

Oregon enters the Rose Bowl with one of the highest powered offense in the country. They rank 25th in Total Offense with 424.7 yards per game, sixth in Rushing Offense with 236.1 yards per game, and seventh in scoring with 37.7 points per game. The offense starts with the exceptional play of Junior Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. He is the key to the Ducks spread offense. After a slow start, Masoli finished 2009 with 2066 yards passing, 15 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He also added 659 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. LaGarrette Blount’s suspension gave way to Redshirt Freshman’s LaMichael James’ emergence in the Duck backfield. James developed into a star by running for 1476 yards and 14 touchdowns, while gaining 6.9 yards per carry. Masoli’s two favorite targets through the air are receiver Jeff Maehl (686 yards and six touchdowns) and athletic Tight End Ed Dickson (551 yards and six touchdowns).

Oregon’s defense has been strong for most of the season. Their statistics are middle of the pack for the NCAA, but they rank third in the Pac 10 in total defense and pass defense. And while they rank fifth in rush defense in the Pac 10, they rank first in average yards per carry (3.4 yards per carry). Their 32 sacks also rank third in the Pac 10 and tied for 22nd in the nation. The Ducks are second in the Pac 10 with 13 interceptions. Led by speedy linebackers Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger, and their versatile safety TJ Ward, the Oregon defense is an underrated unit that could surprise everyone with their play versus Ohio State.

Just like with Oregon’s offense and Jeremiah Masoli, Ohio State’s offense revolves around Quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Pryor has struggled throwing the ball, completing just 55.8% of his passes for 1828 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. But Pryor also is the Buckeyes’ leading rusher with 707 yards and seven touchdowns. Pryor’s favorite target is sophomore receiver DeVier Posey (52 receptions, 727 yards, and seven touchdowns). Posey has caught almost twice as many passes as the second leaving receiver, Dane Sanzenbacher (27 receptions).

But the big reason Ohio State finished the 2009 season 10-2 is their defense. The Buckeyes rank fifth in the country in points per game given up (12.2), fifth in total defense (262. 5 yards per game), fifth in rush defense (83.4 yards per game, and 17th in pass defense (179.1 yards per game). Ohio State also ranks second in the FBS in interceptions with 23.

The 2010 Rose Bowl is a matchup between teams with different football philosophies and will be a clash of differing styles. Will Oregon’s fast-paced, no huddle offense be able to break through the rock solid Ohio State defense? Who will win the matchup between Oregon’s fast, aggressive defense and Ohio State’s conservative offense? Can Ohio State rebound from their past BCS Bowl failures? The Ducks speed and offense appear to be too much for Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Look for Oregon to get several big plays against the Buckeye defense and the Ohio State offense struggle versus the Duck speed on defense as the Ducks win 31-17.

Texas Tech Terminates Mike Leach

Texas Tech ousts Mike Leach

By John Kelly- Senior Writer-Midwest/Northeast Correspondent-Football Reporters Online
LUBBOCK, Texas- The Big 12 became the Gulag of College Football in 2009. The first general dishonorably discharged was Mark Mangino was. Today, another highly decorated general has been sent packing.
Mike Leach, the creator of the Air Raid offense, has been fired from Texas Tech.
Ted Liggett, Mike Leach’s attorney, received a letter of termination by the school this morning. Both sides were set to appear in a Lubbock, Texas courtroom for a hearing on the coach's suspension.
Liggett says the letter states, that “Mike Leach is terminated with cause effective immediately."
Texas Tech suspended Leach on Monday from the teams bowl game while they investigated allegations of mistreatment towards an injured player. The early verdict was not appealing to Leach.
Leach’s lawyer Ted Liggett said, "He's not thrilled."
The matter is not over in the mind of Liggett. He said he plans to come guns a blazing towards Texas Tech on Leach’s behalf “soon”.
"We can guarantee that the fight has just begun," he said.
Liggett claims he had evidence citing the school’s actions to suspend Leach were without merit. Liggett believed the school rushed their decision to save themselves.
"So they pulled the trigger," Liggett said. "They don't want that coming out."
The allegations were brought out Monday. Texas Tech Receiver Adam James, son of ESPN college football analyst Craig James, alleged that during practice he was confined to a small, dark space twice by Leach after being diagnosed with a concussion.
"We appreciate that the university conducted a fair and thorough investigation," said a statement from the James family. "From the family's point of view this has always been about the safety and well being of our son and of all the players on the team."
"We appreciate that the university conducted a fair and thorough investigation," said in a James family statement. "From the family's point of view this has always been about the safety and well being of our son and of all the players on the team."
Texas Tech officials had laid out their case to Leach in a letter. It included court papers filed in response to his motion for a restraining order to remove the suspension.
The letter stated guidelines that Leach was told to agree to pertaining towards the treatment of student-athletes. He did not sign that letter.
The stated guidelines were:
• "Decisions regarding whether an injury warrants suspension from practice and/or play will be determined by a physician without pressure from you or your staff."
• "There will be no retaliation against any student who has suffered an injury."
Despite all the allegations and quarrels with the administration Liggett said Leach was 100 percent committed to the program.
"Coach Leach has never, ever hidden his desire to coach the Texas Tech Red Raiders," Liggett said. "His accomplishments, his actions, his graduation rate all prove that."
Texas Tech faces off versus Michigan State Saturday in the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
Leach will likely have a press conference with the public soon. Liggett doesn’t know when it will take place or where Leach is but he said his client has a lot to get off his chest.
"It's pretty hard to keep him quiet," he said.
Liggett read Leach’s termination letter aloud to a packed courtroom and when he reached the part claiming Leach was fired the gallery stated their displeasure.
Numerous fans said they wouldn't be renewing their season tickets. Outside a motorist shouted outside his vehicle window, “Fire Meyers”.
Outside the court, after the firing had been announced, a motorist yelled out his vehicle window, "Fire Myers," referring to athletic director Gerald Myers.
Leach and Meyers have never been on the same page at Texas Tech. Before the 2009 season the university and him were at odds over negotiations for a contract extension and his interview about the Washington job.
In February, both sides came to an agreement as Leach and the school agreed to a five-year, $12.7 million deal, keeping him in Lubbock through 2013.
Sources say that after James sustained a concussion on Dec. 16, and was examined the following day he was told not to practice due to repercussions from the injury and an elevated heart rate.
Sources claimed Leach contacted the trainer and instructed him to move James "to the darkest place, to clean out the equipment and to make sure that he could not sit or lean. He was confined for three hours."
According to the source, Leach gave the trainer the same request two days later, to "put James in the darkest, tightest spot in an electrical closet, again, with a guard posted outside."
Dr. Michael Phy, a Texas Tech physician, examined James on Dec. 17, diagnosing him with a mild concussion and made his recommendations regarding the levels of treatment, according to a memo he wrote on Dec. 25. The memo claimed that no harm was done to James. The Jame’s family side didn’t see things that way.
Liggett told reporters James was secluded twice, and the circumstances were nowhere as grave as the James family perceived it.
He stated that James, “was placed in an equipment room as it was much cooler and darker" than the practice field and after the doctor examined him he returned to practice.
On that day Leggit claimed that, a trainer was posted outside the room and James received ice.
Leach said in affidavit during Tuesday’s court filing that he "would never intentionally harm or endanger a player" and that he was "forced into this situation without being afforded any process."
Ted Liggett, Mike Leach’s counsel said that he did nothing wrong in his treatment of his player with a "mild" concussion. Leach was seeking a court's help in allowing him to coach in Saturday's Valero Alamo Bowl.
Several former and current Texas Tech players defended their coach and sent emails criticizing receiver Adam Jame’s work ethic.
Former Texas Tech wide receiver Eric Morris was quoted in a CBSSports.com interview blasting James saying, he was "never known as a hard worker" and "seemed to have a negative attitude toward the football program the majority of the time."
Morris informed The Associated Press on Wednesday that these letters were written before the school suspended Leach and conducted their investigation. Morris and his teammates just wanted to show their support for coach Leach.
Morris said Leach told him before the incident was investigated that he would never abuse his players and demanded them to take responsibility for their actions.

"He told me he would never do anything," said Morris. "He was trying to hold someone accountable."
Leach taken the Red Raiders to new heights since arriving in Lubbock. In 2008 he led them to an 11-2 record, the best season in the program’s history. He also received Big 12 Coach of the Year as well in 2009.
He was quirky coach known for his bizarre comments during postgame and pregame interviews. He used to pirate jargon in his coaching style by motivating his players to “swing their swords” when playing on Saturdays.
He was known as the mad scientist who arrived in West Texas in 2000 and bringing a high-octane spread offense with him. Since putting on the headset in Lubbock, Texas Tech quarterbacks have led the nation in passing eight times. His innovative lab has been officially shut down.
In 10 seasons Leach won 84 games, surpassing his predecessor Spike Dykes as the winningest coach in Texas Tech history.
Before his days in Lubbock, Leach was Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator under Bob Stoops. He spent two years as an assistant at Kentucky and five years at Valdosta State in Georgia.
Unlike Bob Knight, Leach has raised the city’s and school’s attention during his tenure. "60 Minutes" and New York Times conducted feature stories about him.
Texas Tech has seen their coaches use bizarre antics on the gridiron and hardwood. Yet, the school would rather let known actions of one legend go and kick another one in the making to the curb without a reason.
 

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