football

Based on cumulative record of opponents*, ESPN blogger Brian Bennett claims ND's 2010 schedule was the toughest. In comparison, he ranks Michigan's 15th, which is third in the B10 behind Illinois (10th) and PSU (14th). Also interesting, tri-champions MSU, OSU and Wisky come in at 44th, 55th and 70th, respectively.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/35185/re-evaluating-notre-da...

* I have not gone back to check Bennett's calculations, but it appears he may be including only FBS opponents. If that is true, it might explain why ND comes out on top.

The usual suspects are near the top. Alabama's Nick Saban gets $5.9 million. Texas's Mack Brown makes $5.2 million, and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops grabs $4.4 million. Urban Meyer is walking away from a $4 million salary, and Rich Rod is at $2.5 million.

The big shocker to me comes in the ACC, as USA Today got a hold of Wake Forest's (private) figure. Brace yourself, Jim Grobe was paid $2.9 million in 2010. Not bad for a coach that had a nine-game losing streak this year and finished 3-9.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2010-coaches-contracts-table.htm

... along with Denard's picture on Rivals' home page.

http://www.rivals.com/

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1162976

The latest FEI ratings (as of 12/4 games) are out. Expect a revamped bowl matchup thing on the front page tomorrow.

Also, amidst a discussion on Virginia Tech's high ranking despite losing to an FCS team, Brian Fremeau noted Michigan's similar upset was more of a bad beat.

When Appalachian State defeated Michigan in 2007, the Wolverines' 9-3 record in its other 12 games confirmed our end-of-year suspicions about both teams. It was an historic upset at the time of the game, but it was more of a garden-variety upset in retrospect. Appalachian State was likely the equivalent of a top 75 or top 60 FBS team that season. An upset of a team ranked around 20th is certainly an upset, but not one that merits bewilderment.

Link:  http://michigan.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=338&mid=139873494&sid=883&tid...

According to the Inside The Fort on Rivals, Shawn Conway is going to attend GRCC for a year, and then transfer to Michigan.  I found this quite interesting as I work at GRCC.  The football program here is pretty good, and is headed by former longtime Muskegon coach Tony Annese.

Now, I know the transfer part is a big hurdle for JUCO kids, but according to the post, GRCC offers several classes that Michigan will accept.  So, hopefully this won't be the last we hear from Shawn Conway.  Good luck to him!

For those without a Rivals subscription, here is the key part:

GRCC is the only community college in Michigan that fields a football team, and it apparently is one of the few that has a chance of placing students into universities like Michigan’s.

(Mods: if this is too much paywalled info, please do what you must)

This is an effort to use a different part of everyone's brain ....  but still talk football !

With Urban Meyer leaving a lot is being said that the Florida job is the best job in America.  I think "best" in pushing it  ... but certainly an upper level team in the SEC (as well as nationally).  Meyer was 65 - 15 in 6 seasons at Florida (2 MNCs).  As they start naming potential replacements ... I started thinking about who are the top 3 college coaches  - right now ?

If you look at each BCS conference the top coach may be:

Big East - none   /   ACC  -  Frank Beamer   /   SEC  -  was Meyer ? (god -  not Saban)   /  B10  -  tressel (ugh)   /   Big 12  -  Stoops   /   PAC 10  -  Kelly or Harbaugh (neither have a long track record)   Outside of the BCS conferences  -  it has to be Chris Petersen. 

So my top 3 right now .. probably (not in order)  Beamer, Stoops & Petersen.

Beamer teams don't beat themselves  / Stoops has delivered consistency (save last year) & Petersen has taken a nothing program to one that is discussed nationaly the last 3 - 4 years.

Who do you see as the top 3 college head coaches working today and why ?

Go Blue !