You have to like Alabama's chances...

[Spence]

Of being here again next year. Saban seems to be up for it. You have to like that intensity in a coach.

[armchairqb]

Alabama has made the art of reloading talent seem like a walk in the park. AJ McCarron and TJ Yeldon are also back for 2013.

[Eric]

What a way to kick off 2013 though! Bama gets the rematch with Johnny Football in Week 2. Should be a lot of fun. Manziel is at another level, so seeing him compete against what is probably going to be the best defense in college football next year that early in the season will be a treat.

If Bama gets past A&M, it's smooth sailing from then on out. Their only opponents of note will be LSU and the SEC East champ. So I think it's highly likely. I'm sticking with Manziel in Kyle Field though to knock off the Tide. I have a feeling Manziel could be a thorn in Saban's side for the next three years.

[donovan]

What a way to kick off 2013 though! Bama gets the rematch with Johnny Football in Week 2. Should be a lot of fun. Manziel is at another level, so seeing him compete against what is probably going to be the best defense in college football next year that early in the season will be a treat.

If Bama gets past A&M, it's smooth sailing from then on out. Their only opponents of note will be LSU and the SEC East champ. So I think it's highly likely. I'm sticking with Manziel in Kyle Field though to knock off the Tide. I have a feeling Manziel could be a thorn in Saban's side for the next three years.

This will be a game where the linesman will determine who will win. Both teams had what seem to be the empyrean of offensive lines. This has the potential of the game of the season.

[billybud]

I was soooo wrong about the Bama--Notre Dame game...

I thought that Notre Dame could make it more of a defensive struggle...Alabama's front line and big RB's just bulldozed.

When the Bama tight end sauntered into Notre Dame's end zone off play action to receive a uncontested pass, the Irish defenders didn't even move to him...their eyes were zeroed in on the line awaiting a Mack truck coming through.

[billybud]

The good news for Noles...it looks like Alabama"s RB coach, Burton Burns, will be hired away to coach FSU RB's.....Not yet a done deal.

The paper reports "Apparently the two sides have agreed in principle and now it's just a matter of FSU coming up with enough of a salary to lock him down. "

[Eric]

I'm still having a hard time figuring out why Notre Dame got no push inside. Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix are going to be playing in the NFL eventually. And I realize most of Bama's o-line will be in the NFL as well, but you would have figured they would offset each other.

[Dossenator]

A&M loses their 3 top olineman from this years team I believe. 2 of them are projected to be top 10 picks in the NFL draft and the third not far behind. They will be good but not as good as this year. Manziel will have to run...not because he wants to...but for his life.

http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/01/08 ... eedID=3742

[donovan]

The good news for Noles...it looks like Alabama"s RB coach, Burton Burns, will be hired away to coach FSU RB's.....Not yet a done deal.

The paper reports "Apparently the two sides have agreed in principle and now it's just a matter of FSU coming up with enough of a salary to lock him down. "

One of my observations between what I will call large programs and mid size has to do with Assistant Coaches, almost more than players. The West Coast has some major programs, the PAC 12...maybe BYU...that is about it. A lot of midsize.....

When it comes to players, both the mid's and majors get a fair shake...The number one reasons players choose a school is to be close to home. So schools like Boise and Fresno, etc can get good players...players they hunt out. What they don't get is seasoned experience Assistants. Boise is not going to have anything but young assistants or ones ready to retire. Makes a difference. On the East Coast where you have a plethora of Majors, when an assistant of stature is they are all over it like a fat boy on cupcakes.

[Eric]

A&M loses their 3 top olineman from this years team I believe. 2 of them are projected to be top 10 picks in the NFL draft and the third not far behind. They will be good but not as good as this year. Manziel will have to run...not because he wants to...but for his life.

http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/01/08 ... eedID=3742

I think A&M will have some guys waiting in the wings. If there's one thing Manziel does magnificently, it's avoiding pressure.

On a side note, the new faces on the offensive line for Michigan is what is keeping them from getting any preseason hype. One preseason poll didn't have Michigan in the top 25. I think an early season loss to Notre Dame (the o-line won't gel by then) will probably keep them off the radar. I think that'll be good for them. I like the offensive line prospects we have though.

[Spence]

That is true. It is the asst. coaches that make it all work. The head coach is an administrator in the larger programs. In the smaller programs he is more of a micro manager. A nuts and bolts guy. Saban started at Toledo. So he has had a little of both. I think the really good coaches are the ones who can evolve into an administrator. One that is comfortable coaching both sides of the ball and one that takes a balanced approach to offense and defense as well as special teams. Pete Carroll was a good example as well.


Ohio has a huge coaching family tree. Miami University (Ohio) alone has produced; Earl Blaik, Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Bill Arnsparger, George Little, Weeb Ewbank, Sid Gillman, Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler, John Pont, Carmen Cozza, Bill Mallory, Jim Tressel, Joe Novak, Ron Zook, Dick Crum, Paul Dietzel, William Narduzzi, Randy Walker, John Harbaugh, Gary Moeller, Larry Smith, Dick Tomey, Sean Payton and Terry Hoeppner among others.

Others include:

Nick Saban- Graduate assistant at Ohio State. Head Coach at Toledo. Assistant coach under Bill Belichick with the Browns. Won BCS title at LSU and looks to repeat this January with Crimson Tide.

Pete Carroll – Secondary coach at Ohio State under Earl Bruce. They lost to USC in the 1980 Rose Bowl. Carroll has continued USC's winning ways against the Buckeyes besting the Bucks each of the past two years.

Dom Capers - Born in Cambridge, Ohio. Played college football at Mount Union in Ohio. Long time NFL head coach and coordinator started his coaching career at Kent State and Ohio State.

Earle Bruce - Successor to legendary Buckeye icon, Woody Hayes. Bruce played fullback at Ohio State but blew out his meniscus his freshman year, which ended up launching his career. Was 81-26-1 as head coach at Ohio State.

Larry Coker - OSU assistant in 1993 and '94, under John Cooper. Joined Butch Davis' staff at Miami staff in 1995 and was head coach from 2001 to '06, leading the Hurricanes to the 2001 national title.

Mark Dantonio - OSU assistant in 1983 and '84 (graduate assistant), under Earle Bruce; 2001 to '03, under Jim Tressel. Became head coach at Cincinnati, then Michigan State.

Lovie Smith - OSU assistant in1995 under John Cooper. Left to become an NFL assistant (Tampa Bay and St. Louis), then in 2004 became head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Urban Meyer- Born in Ashtabula, Ohio. Coached two years as an assistant at Ohio State. Head Coach at Bowling Green from 2001-2002. Florida's head-man is arguably the best recruiter in college football today.

Les Miles- Born in Elyria, Ohio, 1953. Bailed on the Buckeyes and played college ball at Michigan under Bo Schembechler. LSU's current head coach is often referred to as "The Hat."

Bob Stoops – Born in Youngstown, Ohio. Was an assistant coach at Kent State University in Ohio.

Kirk Ferentz - Iowa's head coach was an assistant under Bill Belichick in Cleveland.

Glen Mason- Mason played football at Ohio State and later served as an assistant coach. He was promoted to Offensive Coordinator of the Buckeyes and remained in that position through the 1985 season. Mason was head coach for Kent State University in 1986 and 1987 and later coached at Kansas and Minnesota. Mason was a finalist for the Buckeyes' head job but Jim Tressel beat him out.

Bo Pelini – Current Nebraska head coach was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio. Was named Bo after Cleveland Browns running back Bo Scott. Played free safety at Ohio State under Earl Bruce and John Cooper.

Jim Harbaugh - Brother of Ravens head coach, John Harbaugh. Jm was born in Toledo, Ohio .

Lou Holtz - Former Notre Dame legend, Holtz was an assistant at Ohio State in 1968 when the Buckeyes won the National Championship. Now he sputters away as a college football analyst for ESPN.

Don Shula – Born in Grand River, Ohio and grew up in Cleveland. Played college ball at John Carroll University in Ohio before signing with the Browns after his senior year.

Chuck Noll – Steelers Hall of Fame coach was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Played football at University of Dayton (Ohio) before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953.

W.W. "Woody" Hayes- Born in Clifton, Ohio, Hayes is the most famous coach in Ohio State Football history. Woody was Ara Parseghian's mentor at Miami University for two years while he was the head coach for the Redskins. Hayes played college ball at Denison University, just east of Columbus.

Paul Brown- Born in Norwalk, Ohio, Brown is considered the "father of the modern offense." Brown originally went to Ohio State to play quarterback but soon transferred to Miami. Became head coach for the Buckeyes in 1941 where he went 18-8-1. Brown was hired as head coach for the Cleveland professional football team and they took his name. Brown was fired by Art Modell and went to Cincinnati to become owner, GM and coach for the Bengals. The Brown family still owns the team to this day.

John Harbaugh- Current Ravens head coach and brother of Jim Harbaugh, was also born in Toledo, Ohio. Played defensive back at Miami University.

[Spence]

A&M loses their 3 top olineman from this years team I believe. 2 of them are projected to be top 10 picks in the NFL draft and the third not far behind. They will be good but not as good as this year. Manziel will have to run...not because he wants to...but for his life.

http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/01/08 ... eedID=3742

I think A&M will have some guys waiting in the wings. If there's one thing Manziel does magnificently, it's avoiding pressure.

On a side note, the new faces on the offensive line for Michigan is what is keeping them from getting any preseason hype. One preseason poll didn't have Michigan in the top 25. I think an early season loss to Notre Dame (the o-line won't gel by then) will probably keep them off the radar. I think that'll be good for them. I like the offensive line prospects we have though.

Michigan has a good class coming in.

[Dossenator]

No one was better at cultivating quality assistant coaches the Frank Broyles. There is a reason the award for the nations best assistant coach is called the Broyles Award. Broyles' coaching tree is staggering. The list of former players, and assistant coaches that went on to major success is incredible: Jimmy Johnson, Hayden Fry, Johnny Majors, Barry Switzer, Joe Gibbs, Pete Carrol, Monte Kiffen, Ken Hatfield, and soooo many others. Yes, Ark claims Pete Caroll. He was a graduate assistant at Arkansas on Lou Holtz staff.

Former Broyles assistants have gone on to win 5 college football NC's, 6 NFL super bowls, and 40 conference championships as head coaches.

Bret Bielema has put together a killer staff at Arkansas. Probably the best since the staffs of Lou Holtz or Broyles.

[Spence]

Holtz comes off the Woody Hayes tree. Pete Carroll then left Holtz and later worked for Earle Bruce at Ohio State. Earle said that Carroll back then was like a deer in the head lights when things didn't work out. He was a secondary coach for Earle. Lot of good coaches, though, are claimed by multiple schools and they are right because coaches move around. The bad ones aren't claimed by anyone.

I think the fact that Ohio - before the rust belt had very advanced high school football and the population to support it - and eight division one teams is what supported that system. Asst coaches from Ohio State would get their feet wet in the MAC and then move on. Or high school coaches would move to the college ranks and move on from there. Texas and California are similar with coaches and now Florida is has had its tree branch out.