College Articles

For the last few weeks, all the talk in the entertainment world has been on the Oscar's: What's the best picture? Who's the best actor? How much work has Sandra Bullock had done on her face? Sunday night we got all the answers. [aarontorres]

But with the Academy Awards now behind us, a new awards season is set to begin, this one, with a one person committee (put together by me), ready to name college basketball's greatest achievements during the 2010 season.

The selections weren't easy, and actually quite taxing at times. But after a lot of late hours in front of the projector, some under the table politicking, and a whole lot of palm greasing, we've got our winners.

That's right, the Academy has spoken, and they're ready to present the 1st Annual AT Awards for College Basketball Excellence.

(Important note: Aaron will be at the Big East Tournament Wednesday, tweeting all his thoughts live as they happen. Add him on Twitter by clicking here or going to Twitter.com/Aaron_Torres)

Best Director: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse

I've touched on this before, but it's worth repeating: Boeheim has really done a miraculous job this year. Especially when everyone left his team for dead after they lost their top three scorers from a year ago.

And while most coaches would have preached patience with his "inexperienced," squad, Boeheim insisted from day one that this year's team would be better than the last. Riiiiiiiight coach. Whatever you say.

Boeheim proved us all wrong though, taking a group of seemingly disjointed parts - Some role players here (Andy Rautins, Rick Jackson), a freshman there (Brandon Triche), a redshirt (Scoop Jardine) and transfer (Wes Johnson)- threw them in a bowl, stirred, baked at 400 degrees and ended up with one of the favorites to win a National Championship. Even Rachel Ray is impressed with the old coach's improvisational skills.

More importantly, I think this underlies a really important point that college basketball coaches don't get enough credit for: Their ability to adapt and adjust, as their teams turn over year after year.

Think about it. When college football and baseball coaches get their stars on campus, they're guaranteed three years with them. College coaches in every other sport get their players for four years (For example, I don't know how many women's tennis have left college early for the pros in recent years, but I can't imagine it's many). Professional teams may get the better part of two decades with their best players. College basketball coaches only get eight months in some cases.

Guys like Boeheim, Roy Williams, John Calipari and Ben Howland, never get the credit they deserve for making over their rosters, changing their coaching styles, and adapting to a new group every 12 months.

Either way, we're not here to talk about the past or the future, but the present. And despite some doubts, Boeheim has proven once again what a phenomenal coach he is. Enjoy this AT Award coach, it likely won't be the only hardware you bring home this March.

Best Costume: Bruce Pearl and his Orange Blazer, Tennessee

The easiest award the Academy will be giving out all evening.

Worst Costume: Bobby Knight's hat, on Saturday's College Gameday

Please tell me that someone besides me caught Knight on College Gameday Saturday evening. If you didn't, let me put it to you this way: The old coach was wearing some bizarre, 1920's, Great Gatsby looking sports hat, that made him look somewhere between 104 and 127-years-old. Honestly, the thing was so hideous and outdated, I wasn't sure if Knight should be giving out a basketball opinion or holding newspapers in his hand and screaming "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" Three days later I'm still not sure.

After borrowing the hat, Jay Bilas summed it up even better than I did, saying, "I thought I was playing the back nine at (Famous British Golf Course) Carnoustie."

Bravo Jay, Bravo. As a matter of fact, you just won your own AT Award, for Comedic Short. Congrats!

Worst Costume Part II: Bob Huggins, West Virginia

With so much ugly attire, it was impossible to hand out just one AT Award in this category. And even though I've touched on this subject before (most notably in my January Jerk List), it bears repeating: West Virginia coach Bob Huggins needs a fashion makeover. In a hurry.

You know what Huggins reminds me of as he strolls the sidelines in his goofy black warm-up suit, looking like an out of work aerobics instructor? He reminds me of a guy going through a bad divorce, that's given up on ever trying to be presentable in public again. All he needs is a little stubble, and he'll have the look down pat. Come on coach, smile! She'll call you this weekend! I promise.

As I've mentioned before, my bigger concern with Huggins clothing choice is what kind of precedent it may set in the future. Honestly, what's next for him? A mustard stained tee? A Hawaiian shirt and lei? Sunglasses, a wife beater and gold chain? At this point, I'm convinced Huggins is going to show up to a game one of these days without any pants on. When it happens, don't say I didn't warn you.

Either way, here's an AT Award coach. Now quick, go sell it on eBay for some loose change. Maybe you can buy a shirt and tie with the money.

Best Ensemble Cast: Portland

I know you don't know much about Portland, so let me give you a quick briefing. The other day I was doing some research and stumbled across their roster, and I've got to tell you, it's one goofy list. I haven't seen a group this mismatched since being forced to watch He's Just Not That Into You a few days ago (Ok, I can't lie, nobody forced me to watch it. But the bigger question is this: Who thought we'd see the day when "E," from Entourage would be co-starring alongside real actors like Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck? That'd be like Willie Mays Hays playing in the same outfield as Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Bonds. Or something like that.).

Anyway, here's Portland's roster, go ahead and take a quick look. We'll wait. No seriously.

Since I'm sure none of you actually clicked over, let me give you a rundown of what you missed:

- The Pilots starting point guard is Nik Raivio, brother of former Gonzaga great (and I use that term loosely), Derek Raivio. Fortunately for Nik, he's actually got some skin pigment, something his brother was sorely lacking during his four years in Spokane.

- Their starting power forward (Robin Smeulders) was born in Germany and sounds more like a lingerie model than basketball player. Although I don't know many lingerie models who could drop 12 and six per game in the WCC.

- They've got two Canadians on their roster, one of which was born in Sarajevo. Just a fun fact. Feel free to throw it around at your next family gathering, I don't mind.

- They've got a backup point guard named Taishi Ito, who was born in Japan. I also remember him pitching for the Dodgers at some point, but can't seem to confirm it.

- Luke Sikma, son of former NBA great Jack Sikma is a backup.

- And finally, their second leading scorer is a 5'9 guard from Phoenix. Well I guess that's not too weird, but the rest definitely is.

The Academy has spoken, and it's time to give this team, and their coach, Eric Revino an Award for their ensemble cast. Unfortunately, after they lost in the West Coast Conference Tournament late Sunday night, it may be the only honor they get from here on out. Enjoy!

Best Horror Performance: UConn coach Jim Calhoun in Saturday's game at South Florida

Did anyone see UConn's loss at South Florida Saturday afternoon, or was I the only one who subjected myself to it? (Seriously, UConn's season has been like the SAW movies, just when you think you've seen it all, they come out with another, more horrifying version.)

Either way, I've got to give Jim Calhoun a little credit. After another lackluster first half performance that was set to leave UConn fans having nightmares for weeks to come, Calhoun decided he'd finally seen enough. With 15 or so minutes left in the second half, he pulled all five starters, three of which- Jerome Dyson, Gavin Edwards and Stanley Robinson- didn't return for the rest of the game.

And you know what? It worked!

Hickory High...I mean UConn's backups, played the team's most inspired basketball of the season. They played excellent defense, dove for loose balls, and (gasp!) actually ran a halfcourt offense. In the process they cut a 14 point lead down to two in the closing minutes, before ultimately losing.

While the game still ended with another defeat, the message was sent. Also, Calhoun has already gone on the record and said that the five players who finished the game Saturday will be on the court for the Huskies Big East Tournament opener Tuesday afternoon against St. John's. Good for him.

Congratulations to coach Calhoun for taking a stand against his uninspired seniors. Sure, his team probably won't make the NCAA Tournament, but a point was proven. And an AT Award was won in the process.

Best Foreign Performance: Elias Harris, Gonzaga

For those of you who might not know his story, Sports Illustrated did an awesome piece on how the German born Harris ended up at Gonzaga. It's really good stuff. And having watched him play extensively last night, I see why the NBA scouts love him: He's got length, athleticism and can hit a nice mid-range jumper. Not to mention he's got a killer accent that's likely a huge hit with the ladies.

Also garnering a handful of votes in this category was Villanova freshman center Mouphtaou Yarou.

Not so much for his game, the guy is still painfully raw. Like he should have to run sprints every time he tries to dribble the ball raw.

Nope, Yarou makes this list because quite honestly, he presents maybe the only chance I'll ever get in my career to write about an athlete from the African country of Benin. Oh, and also, the guy speaks five languages, making him the only multi-lingual player on this list. Except for the whole Portland roster of course.

Best Performance By Someone Who May Be Seconds Away From Committing A Violent Crime: DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

Forget the points and rebounds, my favorite part of Cousins game is the emotional fragility he plays with, not only on a minute-to-minute basis, but on a second-to-second one as well.

Go ahead and watch Kentucky some time, you can't miss it. Everything will be going well, the Wildcats will be cruising along, and then bam, a call goes against Cousins, and he gets this weird look on his face, half "I'm gonna shank you in the parking lot after the game," half a kid whose Playstation privileges just got taken away.

It's priceless, and may be my favorite thing about following Kentucky basketball this year. And it's earned Cousins an AT Award. I just hope he doesn't beat me over the head with it.

Best Bizarre Team Bonding Experience: Michigan State

Anyone catch the announcers during the Michigan State-Michigan game mention how after a recent losing streak, the Spartans decided to have a "sleepover," at the Breslin Center to help team bonding? It's true.

Apparently, senior Draymond Green came up with the idea in late February, with the team getting together for some X-Box and ping-pong, and Coach Tom Izzo even choosing to sleep at center court in a sleeping bag (There was no confirmation of the rumor I leaked, that the team roasted marshmallows over a garbage pale fire, however. More on that as details emerge).

And since the sleepover, things seem to have gotten better for Michigan State, as they've now won their last three games. They also won the program's first AT Award.

Best Closing Performance: Duke

What is the world coming to, when I, Aaron Torres, breathlessly fawn over Duke like this? Seriously AT, get it together! You're better than this!

But seriously, how can you not appreciate this team after their performance at North Carolina Saturday night? Nobody plays harder on defense. They've got great guards. Servicable big men. They make their foul shots. Limit their mistakes. Basically, they're everything that we all wish our team could be, but almost never are.

So while I hate to do it, Duke gets their own AT Award. And if they can somehow avoid Kansas come NCAA Tournament time, this may not be the trophy coming their way in the next four weeks.

(Love the article? Hate it? Did Aaron miss some awards? Let him know by commenting below or e-mailing him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Also, for all Aaron's thoughts on all things sports, please follow him on Twitter, by clicking here, or adding him @Aaron_Torres) [aarontorres2]

The old saying, "Time heals all wounds," has never been more true than this college basketball season. [aarontorres]

Back in December I whined and moaned to anyone who would listen (mainly my dog, who then licked himself and went back to sleep), that this was the least inspiring group of teams, coaches and players that I could ever remember watching in college basketball. And it still might be.

But with Championship Week upon us and Selection Sunday only nine days away, I'm still more than ready to throw myself into March Madness. The teams, the upsets, the 5'9 3-point shooting white guys, everything. Bring it on.

Before we get to the NCAA Tournament though, there's still a lot to be decided, and a lot of questions that need answering.

Here are 20 of those most pressing questions:
1. How Mentally Tough Is Kentucky?

All year we've been waiting for Kentucky to slip up, and while they've had their moments of weakness, for the most part, they've beaten everybody they're supposed to. Which is the sign of any championship team.

But now, the pressure is different. It's one loss and you're done. And for all the talk about Kentucky being a freshman heavy team, people forget that they didn't make the NCAA Tournament last year, and lost in Round 1 the year before. Meaning that, forget the freshman, NO ONE on this roster knows what it takes to be successful in March.

Which raises the question: What happens when some upstart won't back down in the second round? What happens when a team from the Big XII or Big East punches back in the Sweet 16? The window for this Kentucky team is 2010, and 2010 alone. The truth is, this group isn't going to get another chance next year.

Either way, all the important questions will be answered in time. For now though, winning the SEC Tournament would be a good start.

2. Does Duke Want to Prove to Everyone How Great They Can Be?

It's one of my favorite spring time traditions, right up there with pitchers and catchers reporting and moving our clocks forward. It's America overrating Duke, and then watching them fall on their face come tournament time. Honestly, it should be its own national holiday (Kidding of course).

Only this year it's different. Like Pavlov's dog, through sheer muscle memory, we've been trained not to believe in the Coach K hype machine. We just weren't going to get sucked in this year, like last year, and the year before that.

And even as the wins continued to pile up and Duke forced its way into the discussion for a No. 1 seed, we as a nation have remained divided about them, like we're arguing over health care or something. Is Duke once again overrated or is 2010 different? Are they a bunch of un-athletic stiffs, or a group that can actually beat the best of the best?

Personally, I've seen them a whole lot this year (Seriously, every game is on TV, how could you miss them?) and quite frankly think they're really good. They've got great guards, competent post play, and nobody defends for 40 minutes better than they do. But just because I'm buying it, doesn't mean everyone else is.

Even though Duke may be 25-5 as I write this, their real season starts Saturday against North Carolina and continues into ACC Tournament play. If they dominate like they should, I believe they should get the fourth No. 1 seed. If they stumble, and lose to someone their not supposed to, all the "Duke is overrated AGAIN," chatter will begin.

The ball is in their court.

3. Are Evan Turner's Teammates Ready for the Bright Lights?

I don't do this often, but I've got a confession to make, I was wrong. There I said it. Hell has officially frozen over, pigs are officially flying, and John Mayer is officially apologetic about calling Jessica Simpson sexual napalm. Ok, maybe not the last one.

Anyway, last week, in my artcile the "40 Most Valuable College Basketball Players of 2010," I said this about Ohio State superstar Evan Turner:

There's only one guy who can single-handedly carry his team to the Final Four... That's Evan Turner.

Well, since I wrote that, I've watched Ohio State very closely, and boyyyyyyy was I wrong. Big time.

If Ohio State makes the Final Four, it will be in large part because of Turner, but he won't have done it alone. William Buford is a big-time player. Jon Diebler can hit shots from anywhere inside 40 feet. Dallas Lauderdale plays harder than the last towel waiver on the bench. And David Lighty does a little bit of everything.

And what I  noticed in the last few games, America is going to get to know by the end of the Big 10 Tournament: Ohio State is a really good team.

Which raises a question. The focus has solely been on Turner all year, and probably rightfully so. But for a group who's flown under the radar as a whole all year, what's going to happen when all the focus is on them. When they're expected to make big shots, rather than defer to Turner.

Are they ready for the bright lights?

4. Does Anyone In The Pac-10 Even Care Anymore?

Way back in the day (like 2009 for example), one of my favorite college basketball traditions was staying up late on Thursday night's to watch the Pac-10 Game of the Week. Seriously, what better way to wind down a tough week (well, I guess there was still technically Friday, although nobody ever actually does anything on Friday's, do they?), than hanging out with Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo, Chase Budinger and my basketball playing West Coast homies.

Unfortunately, because the Pac-10 has been so abysmal this year, I just couldn't watch very much in 2010. It was like a horror movie that you could take 10 minutes of before having to change the channel. Honestly, I was so disgusted one time, that I almost switched to Grey's Anatomy over watching another UCLA-Oregon snoozer. Almost. (Ok, that's a lie, I never even came close. Despite what you may have heard. But seriously, what does it say about the state of Pac-10 basketball that we're even having this discussion. This would never have happened if Tim Floyd was allowed to pay for players)

Either way,the whole thing completely turned me off to Pac-10 basketball, and I was pretty sure that the teams themselves had given up too. Except all of a sudden Cal has won three games in a row, and Washington too. Arizona State has won three of four. Which most likely means that the way this season is going, we're headed for all three losing in the first round of the Pac-10 Tournament.

If anything though, Pac-10 basketball has at least been entertaining this year. Then again, some would say that watching a person fall down a flight of stairs is entertaining too. That doesn't mean it's a good thing.

5. Will Anyone Emerge From the Quagmire in the Middle of the Big XII?

We know Kansas is the best team in the Big XII, and Kansas State isn't far behind. But after that? I'd argue Texas A&M. Some might say Baylor. Others Texas. Hell, Oklahoma State just beat Kansas a week ago. How about Missouri?

The point is, there's quality, but because the Big XII has been so good, none has been able to separate themselves. Well with all the teams gathering next week in Kansas City, they might be able to once and for all.

Now the questions can start to fly, in a good way. Will any of those teams be able to overtake Kansas? Will any get some momentum heading towards the NCAA Tournament? One way or another we'll find out. And I guarantee there won't be a better conference tournament anywhere.

6. Speaking of Kansas State, Can They Get Over the Mental Hump of Not Beating Kansas...Again?

Look, I love what Frank Martin has done in Manhattan, KS. Seriously, I've been to the town of Manhattan. The fact that he can get good basketball players to go there (without kidnapping or drugging them), is one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

But you've got to think that in the back of their heads, after all the good they've had this year, they're still pretty bummed they weren't able to beat Kansas...Again.

Honestly, how much sweeter would an already sweet season be, if they could win a Big XII title and beat their biggest rivals in the process?

Big enough for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? I think so.

7. Can Syracuse Survive the Next Four Weeks With A Seven Player Rotation?

To any Syracuse fan who may be reading this, please understand, I'm not knocking your team. Quite the opposite, I love them. They are my single favorite story of the year in college basketball, just narrowly edging the Rick Pitino sex scandal. They play the game the way it's supposed to be played. Everyone likes each other. Just being able to follow them has made this season about seven percent more enjoyable for me.

But as someone who has watched them closely, I also know that Jim Boeheim doesn't choose to only play seven players, circumstance forces him to. His bench is shorter than Verne Troyer.

What happens in March when Arinze Onuaku gets into foul trouble? Or when Wes Johnson loses his touch? What if he team goes cold? I hate to be a party pooper, but somebody had to ask.

Ultimately though, this team ran through the Big East regular season, which is no easy feat. And if they can do the same in the conference tournament, they'll be ready for anything in the NCAA's.

That's a big if though.

8. As For the Big East Tournament, Does Anyone Want To Earn An NCAA Bid The Old Fashioned Way?

Any "Glass is half full," Big East fan will tell you that what makes the league so great is that "On any night, anyone can beat anyone." And that's cute, it really is.

Except I watch these teams all the time, and they're just not that good. Last year, when the Big East was the clear top dog, you had good teams losing to better ones. This year it seems like more often than not, you've got average teams beating mediocre one's.

Now that's not to say that there isn't talent at UConn, Louisville, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, whoever. UConn's beaten Villanova and West Virginia, Cincinnati beat Vanderbilt and Louisville beat Syracuse. These teams can clearly play. And on any given night they can beat anyone. Unforutantley, on others, they're tougher to watch than a marathon of My Name Is Earl on TBS.

But again, all of them still have the talent to make a run in the Big East Tournament, and earn an NCAA Tournament bid the old fashioned way. Of course, from what we've seen, is there any reason to believe that any of them will?

9. Speaking of UConn, Might The "Curse of Aaron Torres," Finally Come to An End In 2010?

The "Curse of Aaron Torres," ranks up there with the Lock Ness Monster, Big Foot and John Calipari's hair as one of the great unanswered mysteries in modern historical folklore. All the thing needs is it's own hour long TLC special.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about (and why would you), "The Curse of Aaron Torres," started back in 2006, and is going strong until this day. I've gone to three Big East Tournaments in the last four years, and seen UConn lose three times in a row, each more excrutiating than the last. I was even in the Garden for all six overtimes against Syracuse last year. I wish I was kidding.

And this year, once again, one of my buddies has convinced me to again go the Big East Tournament. I don't know which session I'll be going to or who will be playing, just that I am definitely going next Wednesday (Promotional Plug: I'll be tweeting all day from the Garden, make sure to follow me on Twitter @Aaron_Torres).

It's yet to be determined if UConn will even still be in the tournament at that point. All I do know, is that if they are playing, put money on the other team. A lot of it.

10. How Do Austin Freeman's Diabetes Effect Georgetown Going Forward:

For those of you who might not know, earlier this week, Georgetown's leading scorer Austin Freeman announced that he'd been diagnosed with diabetes. He'll be ok health wise, and in time will be able to return to playing basketball. Which is what's most important.

In basketball terms though, Georgetown can't win without him, they just can't.

Like Syracuse they aren't a deep team, and rely on their starting five more than anyone. Greg Monroe and Chris Wright can hold them over for a game or two, Jason Clark can provide some spot offense, and as a team they can pick up their defense. But in terms of everything, Freeman is truly irreplaceable.

A week ago, I thought Georgetown might be a Final Four team. They better learn to live without Freeman, or their NCAA Tournament stay might be just one game.

11. What's Going On With Villanova?

Look, I can't blame Villanova for losing at Syracuse last Saturday night. It's like I said at the time, the way the Orange played that night, no one in college basketball would have beaten them. Hell, I'm pretty sure a few NBA teams would have lost too (I'm looking at you, New Jersey Nets!).

At the same time though, that one loss doesn't explain away poor performances against UConn, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in the last few weeks either.

The truth is, this team just isn't rebounding or defending like a championship caliber team right now, something- that despite their deficencies- they were doing earlier in the year.

Like so many other questions on this list, Villanova needs to find an answer during Championship Week...Or else.

12. Does Anyone Really Like Pittsburgh Going Forward?

Because I don't. Despite wins against Syracuse, Villanova and West Virginia.

No matter how you feel about them though, make sure you read this article on their senior guard Jermaine Dixon. Touching stuff.

13. How Good Is The Atlantic 10?

I've got to admit, I'm smitten by Richmond. Temple, not so much. I could take or leave Xavier. Rhode Island? If history tells us anything, the Washington Generals are a safer bet.

Regardless, with those four teams plus Charlotte, St. Louis and Dayton duking it out for what will like be four NCAA spots, the Atlantic 10 Tournament will be nothing, if not entertaining.

Besides, it's not like you needed an excuse to go to Atlantic City? Did you?

14. How Good Is New Mexico?

To answer your question (or was it mine?), really good.

If they win the Moutain West Tournament, they should be looking at no worse than a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.


15. How Worthy Are This Year's Mid Majors?

I think by now I've made my point pretty clear: I'm not a big fan of the middle of the pack teams in the ACC, Big East or Pac-10. Get me some Listerine, because I just threw up in my mouth thinking about them.

Either way, with those teams struggling, it's opened the door for St. Mary's, Northern Iowa, Siena and others to steal at large bids to the NCAA Tournament.

Now, are those schools more worthy than a 12 loss Big East team, or 10 loss Pac-10 team? I'm really not sure, and quite honestly I'm not sure the NCAA Tournament Committee is either.

But at the very least, they did beat everyone on their schedule that they were supposed to, which is more than Washington, Cincinnati or Florida State can say. So why not give them a shot?

16. Speaking of St. Mary's, Did They Learn From Last Year?

For those of you who might not remember last season, St. Mary's ended their season with a 26-6 record, and three of those losses coming without their best player, guard Patty Mills. When they lost to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference finals, many, including myself, thought they'd get into the NCAA Tournament, especially since half their losses were without their best player. But much like me on Prom Night, the Gaels were left out in the cold the night of the Big Dance.

In 2010, it's a similar story for the Gaels. They're 24-5 and 11-3 in conference play. They enter the West Coast Conference tournament squarely on the bubble, with a potential third matchup with big, bad Gonzaga standing in their way.

Personally, I think they should be in the NCAA's this year even if they don't beat Gonzaga. Then again, I thought the same thing last year too.

Hopefully, this time around, they're smart, and don't leave it up to chance.

17. Who Will Be This Year's Overzealous Media Darling?

We all know the team.

Something just isn't right with them all season long, something you just can't quite put your finger on. They finish up the regular season poorly, and limp into their conference tournament with their tail between their legs, like your dog after he decorates your couch cushions with urine. We call them "underachieving," and "overrated."

Then they win their first conference tournament game. And beat somebody really good in the second round. By the time they end the conference tournament by falling just short in the final, we've all gotten a little too excited and pegged them as "the team nobody wants to play," and a "Darkhorse Final Four candidate."

Then Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament hits, they fall flat on their face, and are done by the end of the first day. And we feel like idiots. It happens every year, and there's nothing you or I can do.

So who's it going to be this year? Georgia Tech? Texas? Mississippi State? Cal?

Stay tuned to find out.

18. Will Bruce Pearl Continue To Wear His Orange Blazer?

Really, more than just Championship Week, this might be one of the most 20 burning questions in all of America right now.

Either way, the legend of the Orange Blazer has taken on mythic proportions, as the blazer has helped lead Tennessee to upsets of then No. 1 Kansas and then No. 2 Kentucky. Sure Scottie Hopson, Wayne Chism and Pearl himself might have had something to do with those wins. But really, the blazer did most of the work.

Now the question is, does the blazer have any magic left for Championship Week?

19. What's Purdue Going To Do Without Robbie Hummel?

Poor Purdue. Ten days ago they were cruising through the Big 10, looking like they were not only going to wrap up a conference championship, but make a run at the National Championship too. Then their second leading scorer, rebounder and unquestioned leader goes down with a torn ACL. Ouch.

More than just Purdue though, it shows you how fragile a season can be. Not only does everyone have to be on the same page. Not only does everyone need to know their role and execute it. Not only does everyone need to stay out of trouble off the court and avoid bickering on it. But you've got to avoid freak circumstance and injuries like Hummel's as well.

To Purdue fans I'm sorry and only wish you the best going forward. Without sounding like a stupid cliche (which I will anyway), I really hope that despite Hummel's injury, Purdue can somehow turn this into a new beginning, rather than just the end.

20. Can Anyone Beat Kansas?

You didn't think I was going to get through this whole article without mentioning the Jayhawks did you?

They're deep. They're talented. They're experienced. They're well coached.

But none of what they've done so far means anything if they don't close things out over the next four weeks.

It starts Saturday at Missouri and runs through April 5 in Indianapolis.

Rock, chalk, Jayhawk?

Just one of the many questions we'll be asking over the next few weeks.  [aarontorres2]

The buzz around the St. Louis Rams and former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford is building. [blatanthomerism]

ESPN's Adam Schefter, who's one of the best when he's focusing on the NFL, says he's "willing to take all bets" that Bradford will be the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft. His Worldwide Leader colleague John Clayton is contending that economics make Bradford the clear front-runner to go first. And Daniel Jeremiah of MoveThe Sticks.com notes that Bradford's weigh-in at the NFL combine certainly helped his stock.

Frankly, I find this news pretty distressing.

Don't get me wrong: I'm thrilled that that the best quarterback in OU history is getting his props. As the first overall pick, Slingin' Sam would make more money than he'd ever need.

In terms of his future as a pro quarterback, though... It's bad, bad news.

Let's consider the pros and cons of quarterbacking the Rams circa 2010, a team that won one game last season.

Pros would have to include Steven Jackson. A workhorse like Jackson in the backfield can take some heat off of the quarterback.

Also, pressure -- or more like lack thereof -- is a plus. Having won a total of six games in the last three seasons, how can St. Louis really get any worse? Plus, fans in the Lou are generally a good-natured bunch. The onus to win now just isn't there. Definitely a better a situation than going somewhere like D.C. or Philly.

The cons? That would be everything else. Most notably:

• The Rams' receiving corps consists of a bunch of guys who would be fortunate to be classified as "complementary" on a decent team. At least Matthew Stafford had a stud wideout to work with this season; Donnie Avery is no Calvin Johnson.
  

• The quarterbacks coach's best career accomplishment appears to be his work with Jon Kitna and the Barcelona Dragons.

• The offensive line ranked 26th in the league. Tough for a quarterback to do much developing when he's getting his ass handed to him routinely.

Sadly, this sounds a lot like the Texans around the time they drafted David Carr or the Browns when they picked Tim Couch No. 1. [blatanthomerism2]

The student body at Ole Miss voted yesterday to pick a new mascot as Col. Reb is no longer a politically correct mascot.  We will not dive into if this was the right course of action but we here at LOHD would like to offer some suggestion and ask you to weigh in too. [leftoverhotdog]

You could always go with Magnolia, the state tree. Then the actual on the field mascot could be a big Magnolia tree, wearing a Ole Miss floppy hat or something similar.

How about the Ole Miss Milk Man, as Mississippi’s state drink is milk. This could be portrayed by a student dressed in the old school white milk man uniform. He could deliver Milk to the student section every time Ole Miss scores a touchdown.

Another option would be the Ole Miss Delta’s, or Ole Miss River Boats, this would incorporate the Mississippi River. I know they are trying to get away from the Old South look, but what about the Ole Miss Scarlett’s. This would play towards the perceived notion that Ole Miss Coed’s are super hot, and still pay homage to the Old South way of life in Mississippi. (and yes they are hot for the record)

They could always settle for the Ole Miss Tigers, as it seems the SEC West prefers for their teams to be Tigers.  How about the Ole Miss Bulldogs, then each year at the egg bowl, MSU and Ole Miss could play for a wooden bulldog. This might get confusion at first but people would eventually figure it out.

Probably my favorite would be the Ole Miss Mud-Cats after the large catfish that roams the Mississippi rivers and swamps.

If anybody else has any idea of what should be the new Ole Miss mascot, please let us know by commenting ........ [leftoverhotdog2]

The combine kicks off this week, the draft is now less than two months away and here at ITB we kicked off our draft podcasting with Eric Galko of NFL House and Optimum Scouting Department just a day ago. Everyone has started posting their mock drafts and starting to attempt to speculate on where teams will draft the elite college talent of the year. We're going to hold off until the combine is complete before dropping our first mock draft on you suckers but we will let you in on our 2010 Ten Best Prospects for this upcoming draft. [inthebleachers]

This is not our mock draft or draft projections, this is simply our ranking of the Top Ten Players in the 2010 NFL draft.

We'll go bottom up and folks, yes I am prepared for the hate mail and negative comments, as your favorite prospect is likely missing from my rankings.

#10 Derrick Morgan

The first of the four Yellow Jackets to be taken in the top two rounds Morgan proved his mettle in a season where he lost his three running mates to the 2009 draft. Morgan was one of two bright spots on the Georgia Tech defense as he showed off his wide array of pass rushing moves when facing double teams, slide protection and being chipped with a back. He uses his hands well, has a high motor and possesses the athleticism to excell at the next level.

Morgan is more polished than Jason Pierre-Paul and other defensive end prospects in this year's draft and while the draft is low on true defensive end talent Morgan is a top end player capable of impacting the game from the start.

#9 Bruce Campbell

The Maryland offensive tackle was a guy that I liked a lot entering the 2009 season but his star has sort of cooled at the Terrapins were absolutely atrocious moving the football through the air or the ground. However, after looking into Maryland's issues it is pretty clear there is more to their woes than Campbell's play. He is still the most athletic offensive lineman prospect in the draft and his size and speed combo are rare for a tackle.

At 6'7" he's got the height and corresponding wingspan that makes coaches, evaluators and fans drool his major question marks revolve around his inexperience. Here at ITB we see Campbell as a true brute that you want on your team even if he is forced to play right tackle early in his career while he gets acclimated to the game speed after only starting 17 games at Maryland.

#8 Joe Haden

Its very rare that you'll find a better tackling cornerback under 5'11" as Haden has proven himself quite capable of making plays near or at the line of scrimmage. The corner is great in the money spot for the defensive backfield; lockdown corner, as he has the speed, agility and technique to shadow receivers.

Like his former teammate Percy Harvin, Haden may be diminutive in terms of height but he is stronger than most folks anticipate and he has a knack for fighting for the football and often coming down with the rock. He was solid on an island for the Gators as we was faced up with the SEC's best receiving talent. Haden will likely measure around 5'10" at the combine but with his speed and strength combination will keep him in that top 10 draft range as he can instantly affect a defenses confidence on the outside.

#7 CJ Spiller

Personally I think Jonathan Dwyer is a better pure running back but CJ Spiller is one of two players who can wear the "most explosive player" crown in the 2010 draft. The guy is built in that Reggie Bush mold, capable of hitting a home run every time he touches the football. He brings a Devin Hester/Bush type quality to the board instantly with his return ability in both the punt and kickoff facet and Spiller is capable of lining up all over the offense to exploit a defenses weaknesses.

He's a terrible mismatch for linebackers running the wheel route out of the backfield, he presents quickness problems for safeties when he aligns in the slot and for teams blitzing the speedy Spiller is a devil catching screen and swing passes. The kid is a weapon and he's shown he is capable of carrying a heavy load.

#6 Dez Bryant

This is the second guy with a shot at the "most explosive player" moniker as Dez is an absolute lightning rod on the field. He's a durable wide receiver that was forced to sit out the end of his junior campaign because of the NCAA's ridiculous rule enforcement policies. The kid stands at 6'2" 215 lbs but is a brute when it comes to his punishing physical style. He uses his body well against defensive backs, makes catches in traffic and when there's a jumpball Dez is the only one coming down with it.

Bryant is also a dynamic return man who, like Spiller, has the ability to go the distance on any given play. Needs to polish his route running skills from his simplistic college offensive scheme but having the second half of the season to hone his skills should show Bryant to be further along in his route running ability.

#5 Russell Okung

Bruce Campbell is the most athletic lineman on the offensive side of the ball but Russell Okung is the best prospect at the tackle position in this years draft. Okung gave up zero sacks during his senior season with the Cowboys and proved himself to be equally adept at run and pass blocking. He's got the size and athleticism to be a starter from day one on the next level and the experience to challenge for a left tackle spot early in his career.

He is not the physical brute that guys like Ryan Clady were early but he's got an air of refinement surrounding his skillset that gets coaches excited. Okung is a four year starter with over 45 starts under his belt so he has seen the best of what the Big XII has had to offer. He was successful against guys like Sergio Kindle, Brian Orakpo and Oklahoma's myriad of beast defensive linemen.

#4 Gerald McCoy

In any given year Gerald McCoy would be the best prospect and have the scouts drooling over a player that possesses his size and speed combination. He is a guy that can play both the nose and the 3-technique in a 4-3 scheme as well as the defensive end position in certain scenarios. His athleticism coupled with his understanding of leverage makes him near impossible to block and throwing in his pass rushing moves makes McCoy equally successful against the run and the pass.

The guy is an instant upgrade athletically from most defensive linemen as he is impressively put together. He can get the quarterback so he'll be at his best as an interior rushing lineman but his athleticism will let him rush from the nose or end position if teams try to alter looks. I like his versatilityand more importantly his relentless motor and pursuit of the football.

#3 Rolando McClain

No, you won't see McClain rated up here by anyone else and I realize that I'm alone in this respect but in watching McClain I truly feel as though a team is getting the next Ray Lewis type player. The man is a quarterback on the defensive side of the football and his film study was well documented as he would audible with the offense to put his team in position. As it is widely documented here at ITB I am a full fledged, card carrying, actively practicing Nick Saban-ite. If Lord Saban can entrust his defensive machine to McClain than there is something special there.

Yes, McClain has his knocks in terms of top end speed, ability to play man to man and questions on his overall athleticism but here I'm sold on the 6'4" 255 lbs inside backer from Bama. He won't go as high as top ten in the draft but he's going to be a major player for a team whose defense needs help at the inside linebacker position. He's the best linebacker prospect the college game has seen in quite some time.

#2 Eric Berry

The most complete defensive back in the draft. Not just safeties but corner as well. Berry has the ability to play man to man coverage, step down in the box to be a force against the run and covers over the top better than anyone else in the draft. It is not always wise to bestow lofty expectations or comparisons but Berry truly has exhibited the strongest elements of both the late Sean Taylor's and Ed Reed's game.

He's a physical, brutal hitter and when he gets a shot on a receiver or running back he'll gladly unleash. The kid also a ball hawk, getting his hands on interceptions and fumbles and has the added ability to turn turnovers into touchdowns. He is capable of being a blitzer, an elite deep defender and will make a ton of tackles.

#1 Ndamukong Suh

Since Suh's absolute destruction of Mizzou and his overall bashing of the Big XII capped by his abuse of Colt McCoy he's sat atop the ITB pro prospect board. He is a force and there isn't much to be said about Suh that wasn't noted in our Thoughts on the Heisman Finalists article from December. The man is a bully on the line and he is capable of playing just about every position on the defensive line. He has outstanding athleticism and a knack for fighting through double and at times triple teams.

Suh's versatility are going to only serve to further his stance as the most dynamic player and his confidence in his ability is truly outstanding. He's participating in all events at the combine and he's looking to showcase his athleticism for the entire NFL. The team that drafts Suh is going to get a hard working lineman determined to succeed and who isn't afraid of the hype or hard work that comes with being a top five draft pick. [inthebleachers2]

Turn on ESPN any night and you will hear "expert" analysis on college basketball.  These analysts repeat many phrases over the year.  They talk about how certain teams rebound well, some teams shoot the three well, and quirky teams seem to do all the little things.  What they always seem to come back to, when doing general analysis, is how hard it is to win on the road.  In particular, this talk reaches a fever pitch during conference season.  The question remains, is it really that hard to win on the road in conference? [stadiumdrives]

Our eyes tell us yes.  We watch our favorite team lose to a less talented team on the road, and everything we've heard on the analyst's shows rings true.  We lose a bet when a sub-par team holds serve at home against a quality team.  We're continually bombarded by talk of road victories being very hard to come by, but we have to be careful when listening to our eyes some times.

The bottom line: is it all true?  Well, fortunately we can look at the numbers and make a reasonable argument one way or another.  To do this, we'll look at the conference home records of the six major (BCS) conferences for the 2009-2010 season (through 02/17).  Here are the home winning percentages, by conference, for the season thus far.

Conf	Home W	Home L	Home Win %
ACC	48	21	69.57%
Big East	67	37	64.42%
Big 10	42	31	57.53%
Big 12	44	22	66.67%
PAC 10	44	19	69.84%
SEC	44	20	68.75%

In this case, the statistics tell all.  Looking at the home win percentages we see that five of the six major conferences are right at, or above, 65% in home winning percentage.  This says in a college season that sees about 8 conference games at home, the average team can expect to go 5-3 or 6-2 in these contests.  That's a pretty solid figure, and it says that it is truly difficult to win on the road.

It is interesting that the Big Ten stands out with the 58% home winning percentage.  What does this say about the Big Ten?  Well, the teams are, on average, pretty evenly matched.  In addition, watching one Big Ten game is like watching every Big Ten game all season.  The pace of play in Big Ten games is typically slow, grind-it-out type play.  Case in point, Wisconsin-Minnesota is on in the background and the score is 14-8 with 12 minutes to go in the first half.  If that held up, there would be a 47-27 finish.  Yes, I know that's a ridiculous leap to make, but most of the Big Ten games you see are played in the low to mid 60's.  This results in games that are close at the end, allowing a road team to make a couple of key shots, or get a couple of key stops, and escape with a victory.

The analysts seem to be right this time.  In the major six NCAA basketball conferences, the home teams have a combined 65.8% win percentage at home in conference.  With over 400 games played, we can assume this is a significant statistical figure.  If you bet the home team to win every conference match up you could expect to win two of every three bets you make.  More importantly, what this really tells us is that when your team goes on the road an secures a win in January and February it should be a cause for celebration, no matter the opponent. [stadiumdrives2]

The NCAA Rules Committee, who apparently hates football the way it is and is committed to making it worse every year, has yet another wonderful addition to the game we love. (HT to Senator Blutarsky for commenting on this early this morning.)

In order to allow officials' imperfect, snap judgments to more fully impact the outcome of a game and in order to take another measure of emotion out of the game, the Rules Committee wants to penalize unsportsmanlike conduct as a live ball foul. For example, a player diving across the goal line when no one is near him will now be penalized from the spot of the foul. (Assuming no one is too close to him, and the official has a good angle, and it's inappropriate according to his sensibilities at the moment and myriad other unspoken, unwritten factors.) [leftoverhotdog]

I was going to write a detailed post about how this will lead to the unintended consequence of officials playing an even larger part in who wins a game. (See LSU @ Georgia 2009). I was also going to wonder if there is some pressing problem that needs to be addressed, but this has been done already.

In response to former Oregon Coach and Committee Chair Mike Belotti's comment: "This is just another step in maintaining our game's image and reflecting the ideals of the NCAA overall."

Cocknfire at Team Speed Kills retorts:

First of all -- this is just another step in maintaining the game's image as seen by 50-plus-year-olds, Mr. Bellotti. You do not get to define the game for everyone else, whether you believe you do or not.

GamecockMan at Garnet and Black Attack echoes my concerns:

Paging Mike [Belotti]: your officials have not handled these [sportsmanship] rules well, and that, for me, is precisely the problem with this proposal and with celebration penalties as they already exist. Look, I'm all for limiting taunting. Acts that could provoke violence on the field unquestionably need to be regulated. However, the grey area comes in when we start talking about "excessive individual acts." What is such a thing? I'm not exactly sure, and the inconsistency with which officials throw flags on it makes me think that they're not so sure, either.

Spencer Hall, at the always excellent Everyday Should Be Saturday, notes:

Teams should control how the game is played on the field, and the referee should be a pleasant afterthought. More rules yield more thinking by officials, and no more so than when they are asked to evaluate the very subjective issue of content. If you think this isn't the bitterest of sports comedies now, wait until you give very white SEC officials the authority to revoke a score based on the behavior of VERY EXCITED 18-22 year old predominantly black football players. His braids were provoking the other team, coach. I had to throw the flag.

Matt Hinton, at the indispensable Dr. Saturday, concludes:

No individual expression during the culmination of months and years of hard work, or we'll take your touchdown away. With the money at stake in the game today, it was inevitable, but there's no turning back now for the amateur version of the No Fun League.

It's at this time every year that I am left asking myself, why is the NCAA Rules Committee filled with people who don't like NCAA Football? [leftoverhotdog2]

Can you only imagine this:

Said Athletic Director Bill Chaves:

"There is no doubt that one of Boise State's claims to fame has been their blue turf, and like it or dislike it, it has certainly brought them a tremendous amount of notoriety," Chaves said. "In a similar vein we have a tremendous opportunity at Eastern to do the same by differentiating ourselves with the red turf while providing a superior playing surface."

And get this - they want the field ready to go for the 2010 season.  I, for one, can't wait to see this finished project and only imagine what it would like in Lincoln.  Since the NCAA doesn't have any restrictions on playing surfaces yet, I'm guessing this little adventure might open their eyes. [doubleextrapoint2]

With just a week left until the biggest off the field day in college football, National Signing Day, things have really ramped up on the recruiting end of things. This is when the multimillion dollar business that is college football recruiting makes their money as their predictions, stars and rankings take center-stage for the moment. [inthebleachers]

Friend of In The Bleachers Lauren Goddard has written a solid article denoting things that every recruiting enthusiast should keep in mind when they're agonizing ove the decisions of these 17 and 18 year old guys. Another ITB buddy Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, a twitter must follow, also had some wise words in a tweet:

People who follow recruiting so closely are just setting themselves up for anger. 17-18 year old males are fickle. Waste of time and energy.

While I'm not going to bash the recruiting-nicks, it is big business for a reason and since I'm not rolling in dough who am I to discount what others take interest in. I follow recruiting a bit, stick to the fringes and like every other fan out there I get a little smile when my team gets a kid that might make a legitimate impact.

That being said as Rucker and Goddard both pointed out, the kids are fickle. A kid who might be committed to a program for the summer before signing day can easily be swayed after a couple official or unofficial visits to another campus. There are plenty of reasons for these swaps, ego plays a tremendous role, players love to fawned over and of course plenty of fans will mention the illegal happenings angle that I'm not one to harp on unsubstantiated claims.

There are truly three angles that play a varying degree of importance in each recruits decision to pack up and head to a university. Each of these has multiple facets to them so we'll do our job here at ITB and break down how location, university itself and the scheme play a role in a recruits decision.

Read more for what goes into recruiting...

Before we get into each of the aspects we'll do what every coach has to be able to gauge early on; who is the decider. For a few recruits it is their ego, they think of themselves and what will make them happiest in terms of girls, parties and the like. However, generally, there's another person helping fuel the decision. Girlfriends, Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents, Uncles or high school coaches are the likely choice. When a coach gets a bead on who is making the decisions he can then proceed to look for what is the most important to the kid and to his "decider."

Location & University
Working Together to Secure Recruits

We'll hit on these first two together as they often go hand in hand.

The most obvious facet of location's role in decision making is a player's desire to play within a close proximity to his home. If the player wants to play in front of his hometown supporters, sick grandmother or his surrate family then a cross country school will likely be out of the question. We've seen kids transfer back home because of these reasons and so proximity is a serious issue when looking at a school.

On the flipside of this coin are kids that want to OR don't mind getting away. Guys from Florida that go to Ohio State or kids from California that come east to play. It takes a strong kid to pack up his goods, ship out from Arizona and enroll at Georgia. There's a different way of life, a different set of rules and no mothers or fathers there to keep you grounded and on the straight and narrow.

Wrapping up location we'll see how the location and university itself go into a recruits decision; enjoyment of the locale. Weather, co-eds, campus, bars, parties and the overall fun all come into play here. Kids from the south aren't gung-ho to head up north, play in snow and wear parkas. Kids from the west aren't lining up to head down to the swamps of the south and suffocate in the humidity. Beach goers aren't falling in love with programs that are landlocked.

While it might just be sweater weather or "football weather" to the fans these kids have to practice in it everyday, when a kid hates the cold spending 8 months out of the year in snow and wind is a depressing hell.

Yes, make all the Kiffin jokes you'd like; girls do matter. When guys go on their official visits they meet women, not set up by the university, rather girls met at parties et cetera. Hotter, more interesting girls, means another way to entice a 17 year old kid into becoming a part of your class. No folks don't want to discuss it and there isn't much more to go into; its not all like "He Got Game" but the idea that having gorgeous, entertaining co-eds mean nothing is a fallacy.

There are 120 schools playing FBS level football for the time being and if location has narrowed your choice down quite a bit then what step comes next? Clearly looking at the academics and the university should play a fairly significant role. Rare is the case that a football player enrolls at a college without ever experiencing the campus life. Here location and the university do a delegate dance where the institution's atmosphere combine with the location to have a synergistic effect on recruits.

However, universities aren't just about campus life when it comes to decision time; they're also about school. Two schools of thought here; can a recruit get into a certain school and does the recruit have a certain academic desire. The NCAA has a sliding scale for admissions, this means the higher your high school GPA the lower your required SAT/ACT score is to be greenlit play. This scale works with the NCAA course requirements to justify an athlete passing through the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Some schools; Stanford, Vanderbilt, Northwestern and Duke for example, take this sliding scale as a "suggestion" before erecting their own, substantially more stringent baseline for the admission of football players. The biggest thing to remember here is every school plays by the NCAA standards, there is no avoiding those, but each school is free to enforce tougher acceptance requirements.

The problem here lies with figuring out if a kid can get through admissions. While every school is not as strict as the Stanford's of the world schools such as Florida, Oklahoma and USC do have their limits. At this point the decision becomes prep school in an attempt to reach an acceptable standard, or enrolling in a lesser institution. Not to name names but schools in the Big East, C-USA and the MAC have shown a propensity for scooping up academic risks that other universities passed over.

Academic struggles are a well documented mess but there is a positive, a flipside to the kids clawing their way into school; the guys picking a school for their academic programs. Whether it is an aspiring engineer defensive tackle who picks the Ramblin' Wreck, an aspiring journalist quarterback who opts for UNC or a business school wide receiver who opts for Northwestern; these guys are the largely undervalued recruits. A kid who chooses a school not just because they like the institution but because they have a purpose for attending beyond "getting a degree" and playing football.

Schematics
You're a Football Player

Regardless of academics, university life, weather or co-eds in the end these guys are still football players and often times the bottom line for their decisions is the football itself. Everyone speaks on the relationship between a player and their recruiting coach. Folks know names like Eddie Gran and Ed Orgeron; not because of their coaching prowess but because of they're ability to woo recruits. There's no doubt that a school's persistence comes into play but scheme is more than just getting along with or liking a coach; scheme fueled decisions fall into two categories: playing time and the system.

Playing time is a very recent phenomena as the days of whole classes redshirting and players emerging as juniors and seniors is long gone thanks to the influence of ESPN and the 85 scholarship rules. More games on TV coupled with less scholarships to give means good players are looking to go places where they can "get their shine on" as early as possible. Its tough for schools to stockpile talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Today's players want to play, play immediately and when the choice is playing special teams and as a back up for two seasons at Oklahoma vs playing the opener at their position at Oklahoma State often times the Cowboys will win out.

While the playing time battle is a recent occurence and has lead to the influx of "promised" freshman spots on special teams, the system plays a much larger role in determining what a player decides. The first round battle in the system decision comes from the position.

What position will the player be asked to play at School X vs School Y?

High school linebackers don't always want to become defensive ends. Quarterbacks don't want to move to corner. Tight Ends don't want to be Tackles. The most blatant example of this is the 2004 signing day swap of Pat White. White was committed to LSU as a wide receiver, however he flopped on LSU for Rich Rodriguez's spread attack in Morgantown and now is one of the greatest option quarterbacks of the last decade. The opposite was true for current South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Coming out of South Pointe High Gilmore was a dynamic high school quarterback but without any BCS level offers to play qb he opted for the Gamecocks' where he started at cornerback in 2009.

Position changes aren't the only problems with scheme as the actual playing philosophy must be taken into account. Spread options don't work for pro styled quarterbacks. Flexbone attacks don't fit big time wide receiver attacks. 3-3-5 defenses don't fit pass rush defensive ends. A player must decide which system is the right one for them, their playing style and their skillset.

Most recruits get this portion right from the beginning. Pro styled guys head to places like Alabama, USC, Georgia and Ohio State while spread styled recruits opt for Florida, Texas and Oregon. However, we've seen coaching changes affect scheme in a big way this season with two big name SEC performers coming to the conference after spending their early seasons outside of the league.

Ryan Mallett spent his first season filling in for Chad Henne in Lloyd Carr's pro styled offense. Enter Rich Rodriguez's spread and exit Mallett for the passing stylings of Bobby Petrino at Arkansas. Colin Peek, from a Georgia Tech legacy family, enrolled in Atlanta to play under Chan Gailey and his pro styled philosophy. Enter Paul Johnson's flexbone and exit Peek for the pro styled scheme brought on by Nick Saban's staff.

There you have it, the In The Bleachers in depth look at the most common factors associated with a recruits decision. In certain, specific cases, there are family legacies and traditions, a burning passion for an institution or other aspects that influence a recruits decision. However, this represents the most common players in a recruits decision. While everyone may not agree with weather, girls, playing time or parties playing a role in the decision the fact is THEY DO.

[inthebleachers2]

The questions swirled for a day.  How would Kentucky respond to being ranked #1?  It appeared that they didn't react too well to it, losing on the road to South Carolina by the score of 68-62 on Tuesday night.  Today the questions are still firing.  Did Kentucky overlook South Carolina?  Was the call from the President a distraction?  Is Devan Downey really that good? [stadiumdrives]

It did appear Kentucky overlooked the Gamecocks.  They didn't exactly play inspired basketball.  DeMarcus Cousins played a solid game, but overall the players seemed to be flat.

The call from the President is a non-issue to me.  It was just another act in the circus Coach Calipari has created of the Kentucky basketball program.  I'm in no way panning Cal for his promotional skills.  His ability to be a politician and marketing genius is nothing but good for UK basketball.  There's just a lot going on in that program.  There have been a million distractions coming at these players from the start of the year.  John Wall is being called a player of the year pick and a lock for the #1 pick in the 2010 NBA draft.  DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, and now Eric Bledsoe are all being rumored to have chances at being as high as lottery picks in that same draft.  A phone call from Barack Obama is just another act in the sideshow.  It's nothing these kids haven't gotten used to.

That brings us to the issue of Downey.  Is he good?  Hell yes he is.  The guy completely disrupts you on defense.  You almost can't guard him with one person because you're giving up either open jump shots or layups.  It bothers me that everyone is talking about how great of a game he played last night.  Yes, he scored 30 points in a game where his team only had 68.  He scored those buckets against good (and fresh) defenders throughout the game.

If you look at his stats, even in passing, it's hard to say he had a stellar game.  Downey shot 9-29 from the field and 10-11 from the free throw line.  He was 2-5 from the three point line but he needed almost 30 shots to get to the 30 point mark.  In addition, he only had 3 assists.  I give Downey all the credit in the world for hitting those acrobatic floaters and fadeaways (the and-one on the quick in bounds was tough) but how many bad shots did he take when he got driving lanes?  If it were not for Muldrow and Jefferson hitting the offensive glass the game would not have been close.

Now I do say this in total ignorance to South Carolina's game plan.  It is quite possible that Darrin Horn has instructed Downey to shoot any time he makes it to the lane.  If that is not the case, then SC's big men have at least done a good job of learning their point guard's tendencies.  South Carolina had 16 offensive rebounds last night, and if you watch the film closely you can see why.  It wasn't simply that UK's players weren't blocking out or that Carolina's big men were crashing the boards hard (they were), but about 80% of the offensive rebounds were a result of Downey penetrating, shooting a wild floater over a help defender, and then that defender's man getting an uncontested put back.

Kentucky never made an adjustment on this.  You obviously can't just let Downey shoot, but the adjustment should have been made on the penetration.  Once Downey clears his man you have the help defender come to pressure him.  At that point either the man guarding Downey has to get back to the help defender's man or you have to have a complete defensive rotation to make sure that man is screened out.  I understand Devan is quick and gets his shot up quickly in the lane, but UK has outstanding team speed on both ends of the floor.  They should have forced South Carolina to drive and kick more often.  SC shot 25% from behind the arc as a team.  They shot much better than that off offensive rebounds.  It is unacceptable that UK never made the adjustment to get more men on the boards on dribble penetration.

The final thought on the game is that South Carolina impressed me last night.  Not because I think they are a good team; they are not.  They didn't impress me because they beat a good UK team or because they beat the number one team in the nation.  Darrin Horn's squad impressed me last night because after leading for about 7 minutes of the second half they found themselves down by 5 with just under 10 minutes to go.  It is very hard for a team with lesser talent, and playing against a highly ranked team, to pull themselves back up when they have given up a lead in the second half of a game.  South Carolina showed me last night what Tennessee showed in their win over Kansas.  They have some guts, and on any given night they can push a team to the brink.  Carolina did not play very well last night, but Kentucky played awful.  That is why Kentucky ultimately lost the game.  But SC's ability to hang in there in that second half gave them a chance, and for that alone they should be applauded for at least one game. [stadiumdrives2]