2007 College Football Subtle Changes
Each football season brings new changes to teams. A coaching staff change turned the Rice program around last season, from 1-10 in 2005 to a bowl game and a winning record in 2006. As a consequence, the Owls started a sizzling 9-3 against the spread last fall.
Other changes are often more subtle and it's essential for handicappers to be in tune for any kind of shift. Here are several to keep an eye on.
Florida: The defending champion Gators lost four-year starting QB Chris Leak and much of their defensive talent. However, sophomore QB Tim Tebow was an Urban Meyer recruit and brought in because he was suited for Meyer's Triple Option attack. Tebow often split time with Leak.
In addition, it may surprise you to learn that the Gator's are going to continue using two quarterbacks. Florida has 6-foot-5, 243-pound freshman QB Cameron Newton, a bruising runner who will supplant Tebow's roll with the offense. That is, Tebow will throw more, but Newton will get plenty of snaps and handoffs.
Meyer and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen like using two quarterbacks, admitting that the SEC is so physical you are better off with a pair of game-ready signal callers. The Gators also return four starters from an offensive line that was very strong. Senior Drew Miller started at guard last season but has moved to center.
UCLA: Can they catch coaching lightening in a bottle twice? Head Coach Karl Dorrell hired defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker a year ago and the 2006 Bruins defense went from being a joke to a dominant unit. UCLA allowed just 19.9 points and 2.8 yards per rush.
Now Dorrell has 10 starters back on offense and brings in a new offensive coordinator in Jay Norvell. Norvell spent the last three seasons as offensive coordinator at Nebraska, running Bill Callahan's West Coast attack. Norvell spent two seasons on the staff of the Oakland Raiders staff with Callahan. It took a couple of years for the Huskers to click offensively under Callahan and Norvell, but UCLA is hoping it can work a bit faster.
Hawaii: Can Hawaii win the national title? Well, no, at least not in football. But what's interesting about June Jones' team is the schedule. They bring back all the stars to their top-ranked offense in 2006, led by QB Colt Brennan (58 TDs, 12 picks).
After playing at Alabama, at Boise and at Oregon State in 2006, Hawaii plays just four road games in 2007, and faces Northern Colorado and Washington instead of 'Bama and Oregon State, while getting Boise at home. They have a shot at running the table.
Arkansas: Which direction do the Razorbacks go? All the time in college football programs explode with a surprising season. But can they keep it going, or fall apart? Arkansas was 4-7 in 2005 and 10-4 last season. They had eventual champion Florida on the ropes in the SEC title game, coming back from a 17-point deficit to take a 21-17 third-quarter lead then forcing the Gators to punt.
Everything changed on the next play. Freshman Reggie Fish fumbled the punt and Florida recovered for the TD. The Gators went on to win and later stun Ohio State for the national title. Arkansas, though, has had some turmoil. The offensive coordinator left, two touted skill-position players transferred, and the coach was humiliated with the public revelation of his cell-phone records and accusations of an improper relationship.
Former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn left for the same job at Tulsa and reflected recently, "To win an SEC championship and go to a BCS bowl -- that would have changed a lot at Arkansas." It will be interesting to see if the Razorbacks remain competitive, or slip.
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