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Show 6 - DIXIE WEDNESDAY, SPORTS SUN NOVEMBER 12,; his coach cost job cast Quarterbacks BY TIM STEPHENS MCT Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer. Auburn's Tommy Tuberville. UCF's George O'Leary. These three coaches share much in common. They've all been honored as national coach of the year. They've all won conference championships. They've all orchestrated historic achievements at their respective schools. They've all landed huge contracts designed to keep them in place for years. Yet all three coaches landed on the hot seat this season largely because of something they all do not have this fall: a decent quarterback. They are three examples of how the lack of a high-profi- le competent, experienced can quickly bum all the funds in the coaching bank signal- -caller of goodwill. game. Less than a year removed from playing in the SEC Championship Game as East Division champion, Fulmer-wilcoach his final game at Tennessee against Kentucky on Nov. 29. Tuberville on Nov. 29 will carry an unprecedented winning streak into his game with rival Alabama. He entered this season having led Auburn to the most SEC wins six-ga- since 2000, including a 13-- 0 overall record in 2004. However, a brutal offense has him catching serious heat and could cause Auburn to pony up the $6 million buyout required to send him packing. switch to the An didn't pan out, led spread Tuberville to fire first-yeoffensive coordinator Tony Franklin at midseason and has Auburn (5-likely in line for its first losing record since ar Will a few too many lead to three buy- three-and-ou- ts outs? In Fulmers case, we know the answer. Tennessee announced last week that it would pay the coach in its history $6 million to go away. He'll finish the season, though it's clear from Saturday's 13-- 7 home loss to horrid Wyoming that Fulmer is already done. Tennessee ranks last or in the SEC in every offensive category. Of the 1 19 second-win-ninge- st next-to-la- st teams counted, Division the Vols rank 1 1 1th in passing efficiency, 115th in scoring and 1 16th in total offense. New quarterbacks Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens have combined to complete less than 50 percent of their A passes. Between them, they have seven touchdown passes. It's no wonder the Vols (3-won't be playing in a bowl 5) 1999. New quarterbacks Kodi Bums and Chris Todd have combined to account for only 1,600 yards passing and the Tigers rank 100th in total offense, 102nd in scoring and 108th in passing efficiency. O'Leary probably would happily take those numbers at UCF, where it would cost $5 million to buy him out The school might not have that kind of cash, but it hasn't stopped many fans from wishing. A year removed from their first conference title, the have the worst Knights (2-offense in Division They 6th in passing efficien1 cy, 1 16th in scoring, 17th in n conversions and rank 1 1 third-dow- dead last in total offense. O'Leary's game of musical chairs with inexperienced quarterbacks Rob Calabrese and Michael Greco has left both looking Every snap is a game of ugly roulette defined by sacks, awkward passes, stumbles, fumbles and goofs. So did these coaches suddenly forget how to win? Doubtful. Is it the quarterbacks' fault? Maybe. But coaches also bear the respond. sibility of having put unprepared players in positions to fail. How does O'Leary, in his fifth year, end up so thin at the most important position on the field? And isn't that simply inexcusable at a place like Tennessee or Auburn, led by veteran entrenched coaches? Perhaps Bums at Auburn and Calabrese at UCF will some day develop into But one wonders if their coaches will be around to see it or if they'll be forced to join Fulmer. CHAMPS Rashard Johnson and Julio Jones: Johnson intercepted three passes, returning one for a touchdown and ending LSUs overtime possession with another, to be the defen1 sive star in Alabama's freshwin at LSU. Jones, a man receiver, caught seven passes for 128 yards. His grab in overtime set up the Crimson Tide's winning 27-2- 24-ya- rd TD. Daniel Murray and Shorn Green: Murray, the Iowa kicker, made a 3 1 yard field goa' -- with one second left to lift tire Hawkeyes to a 3 upset of previously unbeaten Penn State. It was his first made field goal since opening week. Green ran for 1 17 yards and 24-2- two touchdowns. Fie has topped 100 yards rushing in 10 consecutive games. Daniel Dykes and Jimmy Smith: The Colorado defenders stopped Iowa State's Alexander Robinson on the line on the game's final ning and knows what it'll take to turn around the program; for an they're negotiating with BCS the extension of for a are looking now Fox and and ABC deal. long-ter- Players. It surely can't hurt recruiting that the head coach has the president's ear. Or that Robinson got to shout "Go Beavers!" after his speech to introduce his sister, Michelle Obama, at the Democratic m other networks also might get a shot at owning the BCS. ff are looking they get what they any no mean it'll playoff for, time soon. Translation: Rich get richer, poor get poorer, (non-BCmiddle-clas- s gets and dumped on some more National Convention. Robinson will lean this year on former of victorplay to preserve a 4 yGraham Harrell: The Texas Tech QB completed 40 of 50 passes for 456 yards and six touchdowns in the No. 2 Red 28-2- 0 rout of Raiders' Oklahoma State. CHUMPS Tennessee: Wow, so much for playing inspired football in response to Phil Fulmer's forced resignation. The Volunteers gained only 219 yards in a 13-- 7 loss to Wyoming that dropped their record to 7 and ensured they 56-2- 3-- won't go to a bowl. Daryll Clark: Penn State's QB had enjoyed a phenomenal year in leading the Nittany Lions to a 0 start, but he just didn't have it Saturday in the 9-- loss to Iowa. Clark was only passing for 86 yards, and his interception late in the game set up Iowa's drive for a field goal. Minnesota: The Gophers have been a good story, going mark in 2007 to from a bowl eligible. But they being were a Saturday in a game-winni- w home loss to Michigan, e which snapped a losing streak by holding Minnesota to 188 total yards. BCS commissioners: Yes, 29-- 6 five-gam- the wishes of a majority fans get ignored again. No Barack wonder president-ele- playoff brother-in-la- w the president."This week's Barack ct Claitt, a senior guard who told the Associated Press after the election: "It's pretty coolhav ing a coach who is close to Obama is a supporter of a system.Hoops talk: President-ele- heavily Edgewater star Rickey ct First jjjg best There aren't many mon' Obama inherits some serious challenges when he officially takes over as the 44th president: Two wars, the worst economic crisis since the ese umental games this week, but teams have to some one-lo- ss uthanii watch out for upsets that could end their national-titl- e or BCS hopes (BCS ranking Great Depression, etc. . . . so you've heard the speeches, But from drill. the know you where we sit, he might not in parentheses): at Kansas No. 3 Texas (9-12:30 p.m.,FSN: This ), 1) even have the biggest chal- IV AS Du (6-4- could be a dangerous lenge in the Obama family. Craig His brother-in-laRobinson, is the new coach an Oregon State basketball program that is one of the road trip for the Longhorns. Kansas can score and still hopes of winning the Big of 'Art has 12 North. No. 6 USC ); Stanford at 7 p.m., Versus Last year, a stunning loss to Stanford probably cost the Trojans a berth in the national title game. USC is a longshot this time, but another upset UCLA's tried to Ben Howland? Oregon State last made a postseason tournament, the NIT, in 2005. Since then, the would finish them off. at Air No. 17 BYU (9-3:30 ); Force p.m., CBS has an still BYU College: (8-- 1) (5-5- out-recr- 1) (8-2- outside shot at becoming the team S first one-loto make a BCS bowl. They Beavers are a combined in Pac-1- 0 games. Robinson led Brown to a school-recor- d 19 victories last season before heading to the Pacific Northwest, so he knows win- 8-- 46 the S iillery worst in America What's fixing the economy compared to fixing a Beavers team that went 1 8 in the Pac-1- 0 last year? And what's the big deal about negotiating with Russia? Eh, you ever 0-- iiethei ss Acco 'Wide orKat ksew heme ClSJS ne an Fie mi nkibit an by 5 The The non-BC- need some help, but it's bnore jfrojec doable (C) 2008 McClatchy-Tribun-e Information Services Lion miret ieji Oriear "gup i nt! y f ny lousel Mejia ing, its rf il'i'i d at ort Bachelor Degrees Family, Consumer & Human Development Family Life Studies Interdisciplinary Studies Liberal Arts and Sciences Psychology Master Degrees Computer Science Elementary Education English-Technic- al Writing Family Human Development (Fall 2010) Family Science Ed & Ag Science Tech Health and Physical Education Instructional Technology in Education Psychology: School Counseling (Fall 2009 Secondary Education Secondary Education Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) Doctorate Degt ees Doctorate of Education (2010) Contact Us Jill Hunt 652-789- Today! 2 jilLhuntusu.edu |
