Rondo vs. Humphries and The Role of Fights in the NBA

As many of you saw last night, Rajon Rondo and Kris Humphries got into a shoving match that spilled into the stands when Humphries dragged Rondo backwards. The fight started after Humphries fouled Kevin Garnett and Rondo took exception to it and shoved Humphries in the chest, Humphries retaliated and, well, you know the rest. Both Rondo and Humphries will be suspended, with Rondo earning the longer of the two since he started it, but the real point I want to make here is that these flare-ups are GOOD for the NBA.

A writer once made a comment that the NBA today has gotten too friendly. The players work together to make super teams (i.e. Nets, Heat, Lakers) and there is no real fire anymore with the exception of a few players (Garnett being the most obvious example). This, the writer argued, was taking away a part of the game, a part of the game that made the NBA in the 80s and 90s so good.

Here are some videos of a couple of those altercations:

Even the great Larry Bird got into it with Dr. J:

And you know what? It's good for the game, it adds passion to a league that can get very old, very quickly. The NBA (and every league for that matter) does well when there are rivalries, and the more intense the better. The NBA has been moving towards a more rivalry based league recently and that is great for the league and even better for fans. The Knicks-Nets rivalry is shaping up to be a good one, as is Thunder-Spurs and (in my opinion) the best one is Heat-Celtics. The Heat have the best player in the league and the Celtics took them to the brink in last year's playoffs, plus there is the added element of Ray Allen leaving Boston to go to South Beach and the subsequent cold shoulder given to him by Garnett and Rondo. That extra fire, the hard fouls, the jabs in the media add something special to every game they play, whether its a regular season matchup or Game 7 of the Conference Finals. Those Bulls-Knicks series in the 90s were the stuff of legend and it was because of the intensity that was involved. I hope that that intensity is matched in the coming games and when it does, I'll be sitting right there on the couch, popcorn ready to go.

Running with the '96 Bulls

The 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls are the greatest team of all time. There really is no question on this one. The Bulls became the first team ever to win 70 games when they went 72-10. That is 88% win percentage. This is absolutely incredible. Regular season they went 39-2 at home and only lost 4 divisional games all year. The Bulls lost 1 game over the months of December and January.

Chicago had three 1st team defensive players in Rodman, Pippen, and obviously Michael Jordan. This was the first time 3 players from the same team made a 1st team together. On top of being a 1st team defensive player Rodman led the league in rebounds. Jordan won his 8th straight scoring title further showing he was an unstoppable force.

In the playoffs the Bulls went 15-3 including two series sweeps in their quest for the title beating the Seattle Supersonics 4-2. The Bulls never lost a home game throughout the entire playoffs. Michael Jordan completed the trilogy winning Regular Season MVP, All-Star MVP, and NBA Finals MVP. Jordan averaged a remarkable 30.4 PPG in the regular season and then 30.7 PPG in the playoffs. To contradict the argument that the Bulls were all Jordan keep in mind that they had 3 different players lead the team in rebounds, points, and assists. They had great athletes, talent, and not to mention the Zen Master himself. Oh yeah...and Michael Jordan, the greatest closer of all time.

The 1977 Canadiens: The Greatest Team Ever

The 1977 Montreal Canadiens are regarded as the greatest team in NHL history and I think they should be regarded as the greatest team in professional sports. The '77 Canadiens finished with 132 points a record of 60-8-12. Eight losses. Eight. That's ridiculous. The 132 points still stand as a record for most points in a season and that number may never be reached again. The next closest team to Montreal that year had 112 points, (a ten win differential). They also hold the record for the longest unbeaten streak at 34 games and the largest goal differential in NHL history at a whopping 216 goals.

Led by coach Scotty Bowman, the team was loaded with talent. Eight players scored over 20 goals including Steve Shutt who lit the lamp 60 times that season. Guy LaFleur scored 56 goals and tallied EIGHTY assists to finish the year with 136 points. Defenseman Larry Robinson had a plus minus rating of +120. The defense was just as good, allowing 2.12 goals per game. Goaltender Ken Dryden went 41-6-8 and recorded 10 shutouts and the backup Michael Larocque was sterling as well, finishing with a record of 19-2-4 and four shutouts. In short, the Canadiens were stacked.

In the playoffs the Canadiens went 12-2. Winning their playoff series 4-0 (over the St. Louis Blues), 4-2 (over the New York Islanders) and they swept rivals Boston 4-0 by a combined score of 16-6. The Canadiens were Stanley Cup Champions and deservedly so.

But what separates Montreal from other great teams like the '72 Dolphins or the '96 Bulls? The simple answer is dominance in a sport that doesn't have much of it. Just look at the playoffs this year; the #8 seed LA Kings ended up winning the Stanley Cup against the #6 seed from the East the New Jersey Devils. The Canadiens were the dominant team in the regular season and proved it. The team set multiple records and won multiple awards that season. Guy LaFleur won the Hart Trophy (MVP), Conn Smythe (MVP), Art Ross (points leader). The teams two goaltenders split the Vezina Trophy (best goalie) and Montreal sent 4 players to the All-Star game.

When it comes down to it, the 1977 Canadiens are a more dominant team than any other team in the modern era.

Perfectville, Population. '72 Dolphins

14-0-0

A record, that in 2012, would easily make sure you’ve locked up a playoff berth, a first round bye, and winning your division. But back in 1972, 14-0 meant you went undefeated and won the Super Bowl. I can make this argument in one statement alone, only 4 teams have finished with an undefeated regular season record, ’34 and ’42 Bears, the 2007 Patriots, and the 1972 Dolphins, only one of the four went undefeated through the playoffs and won a Super Bowl.

And as I type, somewhere Mercury Morris is smiling, popping champagne, holding onto one record that has a good chance of not being broken for a long time. Many will argue the fact that even in the ‘70’s, the Dolphins played one of the weakest regular season schedules of that time, in three of their 14 regular season games, they won by a margin of 4 points or less, but also had three games where they shut up opponents, one of which was a 52-0 shellacking of the New England Patriots.

In the end, the Dolphins would go 17-0, defeating the Browns, Steelers, and eventually the Redskins to win the Super Bowl (Suck it Ned). The fact is, you can cross any sports lines, from baseball, to cricket, to lacrosse, to soccer, and you won’t find this kind of perfect season. A time where the NFL was hard hitting, where the game wasn’t a pebble’s throw away from flag football. Though some would look at the 17 game schedule in the 70’s and the 18 game schedule in today’s game, and with first glance it would be easy to win 18 games compared to the 82 games in an NBA season, or the 82 games of the NHL grind.

But this is the era of smash mouth, good old football Americano.

So let’s look at the 1972 Dolphins statistics from their undefeated season.

Mercury Morris, and Larry Csonka became the first team mates to rush for 1,000 yards each, in one season. This helped them become number 1 in offense that season.

The pair of runners Morris and Csonka averaged 200 yards on the ground a game.

The defense only allowed 171 points, making them the number 1 defense in the league that year.

But this was an era unlike football today, where Quarterbacks are overprotected, Wide Receivers are guarded, and sometimes the slightest wave of a hand is called for interference. In 1972, the idea that the NFL would turn into Flag Football would have never been imagined, or realized. This 1972 Dolphins team became one of the few undefeated teams through the regular season, and the only undefeated team when it boiled down to win or go home time. You can look at the other great champions, but they were beaten, at least a few times.

I can rattle on and on about how great they were, but I’d much rather prefer Mercury Morris take it off my hands. Here is an ESPN Clip. Skip forward to, :55 for Mercury finishing this conversation.

Alright folks, this is Doctor Rob, signing off. Hope you all have a wonderful Football Sunday. I’ll leave you with this little ‘snid-bit’.

“Don't call me when you're in my town, call me when you're on my block”- Mercury Morris on the 2007 Patriots bid for perfection.

Games of the Week

New feature here at Danger Zone Sports where we break down the best games of the coming week (all rankings are according to Danger Zone Sports' Top 25).

(3) Florida State vs. (8) Clemson-This Saturday night matchup could very well decide who represents the ACC in Miami for the Orange Bowl; or, as in the case of the Seminoles, this could determine if they finish the year undefeated and find themselves in the BCS National Championship Game. The main battle of this game will be between the stifling Seminoles defense against the explosive offense of the Tigers. I give the edge to Florida State's D which is loaded with playmakers. Projected Winner: Florida State




(5) Oklahoma vs. (16) Kansas State-It's time to find out if the Wildcats are for real and this is the perfect game to do just that. Oklahoma has Big 12 and national aspirations and must fend off the upstart Wildcats if they want to keep those hopes alive. Kansas State has impressed so far this season, including a 52-13 beatdown of Miami. As for Oklahoma, they have crushed their opponents thus far, but those opponents were UTEP and Florida A&M. However,coming off the bye week and being at home I like the Sooners. Projected Winner: Oklahoma




(11) Notre Dame vs. (19) Michigan-Notre Dame has burst onto the scene this year after exceeding expectations and winning their first three games of the season. The Irish's trademark win was last weekend as they went into Michigan State and put together an outstanding defensive performance and held the Spartans to 3 points. Michigan on the other hand has not looked particularly strong this year, getting manhandled by Alabama and sliding by Air Force. But the Wolverines still have QB Denard Robinson who has made a habit of shredding the Irish defense for his entire college career. Despite Robinson's potential to have a monster game I like the Irish and their defense to keep up their stellar 2012 performance. Projected Winner: Notre Dame

(4) Oregon vs. (22) Arizona- A battle of Pac-12 undefeated squads will give both teams the chance to assert their dominance in the conference. Oregon still has their breakneck offense and it doesn't look like it's going to slow down anytime soon. Arizona has a stellar offense of their own, brought in by new coach Rich Rodriguez, as they showed when they outscored Oklahoma State. The Ducks have been more impressive this year, have more speed, more talent, and are at home. I'm taking the Ducks. Projected Winner: Oregon

Top 25: Week 4

Week 4 of the Top 25 sees two familiar SEC rivals take the top two spots.

1. Alabama (Last Week: 1) (Record: 3-0)-Steamrolled Arkansas 52-0

2. LSU (3) (3-0)-Crushed Idaho 63-14

3. Florida State (4) (3-0)-Dominated conference foe Wake Forest 52-0

4. Oregon (6) (3-0)-Beat Tennessee Tech 63-14 and leapfrogged idle Oklahoma

5. Oklahoma (5) (2-0)-Idle

6. Georgia (7) (3-0)-Ran by Florida Atlantic 56-20

7. South Carolina (8) (3-0)-Easily defeated UAB 49-6

8. Clemson (10) (3-0)-With the return of Sammy Watkins the Tigers got a whole lot more dangerous

9. West Virginia (11) (2-0)-Beat JMU 42-12.

10. Texas (12) (3-0)-Destroyed Ole Miss 66-31 in the Grove.

11. Notre Dame (18) (3-0)- A win against a top 10 team on the road and the Irish skyrocket in the polls.

12. Ohio State (14) (3-0)-Just got by Cal 35-28

13. Stanford (22) (3-0)-Impressive win against USC (where have we heard that before?)

14. TCU (19) (2-0)-Won their first Big 12 contest against Kansas 20-6

15. USC (2) (2-1)-Another season ruined by Stanford

16. Kansas State (16) (3-0)-Sure they're undefeated but only beating North Texas by 14 doesn't move you up in the polls

17. Michigan State (9) (2-1)-Looked very beatable against the Irish

18. Louisville (17) (3-0)-Remained undefeated but are still looking for a signature win.

19. Michigan (15) (2-1)-Didn't lose but I'm hesitant to move them up until they beat a good team.

20. Florida (24) (3-0)-Beat Tennessee (that used to be a bigger deal)

21. UCLA (25) (3-0)-Still undefeated after disposing of Houston 37-6

22. Arizona (20) (3-0)-Beat South Carolina State 56-0 (yay!)

23. Virginia Tech (13) (2-1)-Lost to Pitt. Ouch.

24. Boise State (NR) (1-1)-Face BYU this week in the battle of the mid-majors

25. Nebraska (NR) (2-1)-Defeated Arkansas State 42-13

Dropped Out: BYU, Tennessee
Next 5 In: Oregon State, Mississippi State, BYU, Tennessee, Northwestern
Biggest Rise: Stanford (22 to 13)
Biggest Fall: USC (2 to 15)

Top 25: Week 3

Our 3rd installment of the Top 25 sees a new team take the top spot.

1. Alabama (Last week: 2)-Crushed Western Kentucky and has looked stronger this season than former #1 USC.

2. USC (1)- Struggled with Syracuse for the majority of Saturday before pulling away in the 4th quarter.

3. LSU (3)-Smashed a solid Washington squad 41-3

4. Florida State (4)-Dominated Savannah State in a shortened and then suspended game 55-0

5. Oklahoma (5)-Crushed Florida A&M 69-13

6. Oregon (6)-Another dominating performance from the Ducks 42-25

7. Georgia (7)-Welcomed Missouri into the SEC with a 41-20 victory on the road.

8. South Carolina (9)-Defeated in-state rival East Carolina with ease 48-10.

9. Michigan State (10)-Moved into the top 10 with a 41-7 victory over Central Michigan.

10. Clemson (11)-Blew by Ball State 52-27. And the scary part is that Sammy Watkins comes back this week.

11. West Virginia (12)-Idle last week.

12. Texas Longhorns (13)-Shutout New Mexico 45-0

13. Virginia Tech (16)-Move up after dominating a weaker opponent, unlike some other teams

14. Ohio State (17)-Defeated a solid Central Florida team 31-16

15. Michigan (15)-Stay steady after struggling with Air Force

16. Kansas State (20)-Defeated Miami 52-13

17. Louisville (22)-Took care of business against Missouri State 35-7

18. Notre Dame (21)-Remained undefeated with a close 20-17 defeat of Purdue

19. TCU (unranked)-Opened the season with a 56-0 beatdown of Grambling State

20. Arizona (unranked)-Easily defeated Oklahoma State 59-38

21. Tennessee (unranked)-The Vols smacked Georgia State 51-13

22. Stanford (23)-Exploded for a 50-13 drubbing of Duke

23. BYU-(unranked)-Dominated Weber State to move to 2-0

24. Florida (unranked)-Welcomed Texas A&M to the SEC with a 20-17 defeat

25. UCLA (unranked)-rewarded for an impressive 36-30 defeat of Nebraska

Dropped Out: Arkansas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Washington, Boise State
Next 5 In: Boise State, Nebraska, UVA, Mississippi State, Arkansas
Biggest Rise: TCU (unranked to 19)
Biggest Fall: Arkansas (down from 8 to unranked)

10 Stadiums I Want to See a Game In

With the season in full swing, I think it's a good time to publish a list of stadiums I would like to spend a glorious Saturday taking in one of our finest American traditions; college football.

1. Tiger Stadium- LSU, capacity 92,542-If Tiger Stadium isn't the craziest gameday experience in the country I would be shocked. It's over 90,000 insane SEC fans and at night, when a full day of tailgating has taken place, the place goes wild. The stadium noise regularly registers as an earthquake at a nearby research center. Tiger Stadium is regularly found atop stadium power ranking lists, and with good reason. I'm pretty sure it's so loud, it un-mutes your TV.

2. Autzen Stadium- University of Oregon, capacity: 54,000-A relatively new top stadium, Autzen Stadium houses the fastest offense on turf and the craziest fans west of the Mississippi. The stadium was built to amplify noise and on game day you can tell. The atmosphere must be as crazy as those uniforms.



3. Bryant-Denny Stadium-Alabama, capacity 101,821-The home to the country's most successful team, the Crimson Tide, does everything by the book, great fans, no-nonsense uniforms, and a raucous atmosphere all in the Deep South. Definitely one of the best game day experiences that could possibly be had.




4. Michigan Stadium- Michigan, capacity 109,901-The biggest stadium in the country, the Big House earns the name. The place is always packed and until 2011, not a single night game had been played there, which is pretty cool if you ask me. Put that on top of the player's entrance of jumping up and hitting the Big Blue Club banner and you got yourself an awesome Saturday afternoon.

5. Notre Dame Stadium- Notre Dame, capacity 80,795-College football is centered around tradition and so is Notre Dame football. The Fighting Irish are the classic team and are immensely popular with the fan base and just like in "Rudy", imagine how sweet coming out of that tunnel must be.

6. Doak Campbell Stadium- Florida State, capacity 82,300--The field of the Seminoles is packed with crazy fans screaming out the famous war chant and busting out the tomahawk chop. Plus, the flaming spear of Chief Oscella is beyond cool. The atmosphere before kickoff has got to be electric.

7. Lane Stadium- Virginia Tech, capacity 65,632-The Hokies call Lane Stadium home, and the fan support at Lane Stadium is incredible. Fireworks go off after every score and the team enters to Metallica's Enter Sandman, and if you don't get pumped up watching that, you're probably a communist.

8. Ohio Stadium- Ohio State, capacity 102,329-The Horseshoe is a great looking stadium, and the on-field product usually matches up. Dotting the i at halftime is a great tradition and college football is better with tradition.

9. Bronco Stadium-Boise State, capacity 37,000-the smallest stadium to make the list, I just want to see a game on that crazy blue turf. That would be a unique experience to be certain.

10. Memorial Stadium-Nebraska, capacity 81,091--The home to the Huskers, Memorial Stadium has seen a sell out for over 300 consecutive Saturdays. People from Nebraska love their football and on game-day the stadium is the third most populous "city" in the entire state. If I have to spend a Saturday in Nebraska, I'm going to make sure it's at Memorial Stadium.

Top 25 Week 2

Week 2 of our Top 25:

1. USC Trojans (Last week: 1)- Maintain their top ranking after taking care of business versus Hawaii 49-10.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (4)-after their 41-14 destruction of Michigan they belong at #2

3. LSU Tigers (t-2)-Took care of business against North Texas 41-14.

4. Florida State (5)- A 66 point win solidifies their top 5 ranking.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (t-2)-Struggled with UTEP, only managing to win 24-7

6. Oregon Ducks (7)-The Ducks offense was in full effect in their 54-37 victory

7. Georgia Bulldogs (8)-Dominated Buffalo 45-23

8. Arkansas Razorbacks (11)-Easily defeated Jacksonville State 49-24

9. South Carolina Gamecocks (9)- Struggled with Vanderbilt but pulled the win out 17-13

10. Michigan State Spartans (t-12)-Strong performance against top 25 team Boise State

11. Clemson Tigers (t-12)-Defeated Auburn despite missing Sammy Watkins

12. West Virginia Mountaineers (t-14)-Blew out Marshall 69-34

13. Texas Longhorns (t-14)-Beat Wyoming 37-17

14. Wisconsin Badgers (10)-struggling with Northern Iowa does not keep you in the top 10.

15. Michigan Wolverines (6)-Embarrassed on national TV by Alabama 41-14

16. Virginia Tech Hokies (17)-Stepped up and won a tough OT game against Georgia Tech

17. Ohio State (16)-Defeated Miami (Ohio) 56-10 (shocker)

18. Oklahoma State (18)-84-0 win over Savannah State

19. Nebraska Huskers (21)-Easily beat Southern Miss 49-20

20. Kansas State Wildcats (24)-Crushed Missouri State 51-9

21. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (23)- Dominated Navy 50-10

22. Louisville Cardinals (25)-Took care of in-state rival Kentucky 32-14

23. Stanford Cardinal (20)-Beat San Jose State by 3. Where art thou Andrew Luck?

24. Washington Huskies (NR)-Defeated San Diego State 21-12

25. Boise State (19)-Hung tough with Michigan State but couldn't put a full game together

Dropped out: Florida
Next 5 in: Florida, TCU, Virginia, BYU, Auburn
Biggest Rise: Kansas State (up 4)
Biggest Drop: Michigan (down 9) 

Top 25

Danger Zone's official Top 25 rankings (collaboration between two of our writers). We'll pick up with the conference previews for the next few days to get you all ready for the upcoming season. And as always, feel free to tell us how wrong we are in the comments.

1. USC Trojans
T-2. LSU Tigers
T-2. Oklahoma Sooners
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
5. Florida State Seminoles
6. Michigan Wolverines
7. Oregon Ducks
8. Georgia Bulldogs
9. South Carolina Gamecocks
10. Wisconsin Badgers
11. Arkansas Razorbacks
T-12. Clemson Tigers
T-12. Michigan State Spartans
T-14. Texas Longhorns
T-14. West Virginia Mountaineers
16. Ohio State Buckeyes
17. Virginia Tech Hokies
18. Oklahoma State Cowboys
19. Boise State Broncos
20. Stanford Cardinal
21. Nebraska Huskers
22. Florida Gators
23. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
24. Kansas State Wildcats
25. Louisville Cardinals

Just missed the cut: TCU, NC State, , Washington, Virginia, Texas A&M

Two-A-Days: The ACC

   Atlantic

1. Florida State—The national title contending Seminoles will rely on a suffocating defense to achieve their dreams of raising the crystal football in Miami. The defense returns nine starters from a year ago in which the unit ranked 4^th nationally in total yards and points per game. Defensive end Brandon Jenkins returns after a stellar 2011 in which he racked up 41 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss, and eight sacks. Alongside Jenkins will be end Bjoern Werner and five tackles who boast starting experience from a year ago. The linebacking corps also returns two starters, and the secondary is one of the strongest in the nation and will terrorize opponents passing games all season. Let’s review: the Seminoles defense is terrifying and will dominate the conference yet again. On offense, dual-threat quarterback EJ Manuel returns for his senior season and will look to improve on his 2,666 yard, 18 touchdown performance in 2011. In the backfield, the duties will be split between senior Chris Thompson and Devonta Freeman, both of whom have breakaway speed. This team is loaded on both sides of the ball, and even returns their All-American kicker. The Seminoles should be on the short list for national title contenders. Final Prediction: (12-0, 8-0, BCS National Championship) 

2.   Clemson—The Tigers are fielding one of their strongest teams in years, unfortunately for them, so is Florida State. But there is still hope with the return of playmaking wideout Sammy Watkins (1,219 yards, 12 touchdowns) to go along with quarterback Tajh Boyd (3,828 yards, 33 touchdowns) and senior running back Andre Ellington (1,178 yards, 11 touchdowns). In short, the Tigers’ offense will be outstanding and is one of the most explosive in the country. The other side of the ball is undergoing a face lift with the hiring of Brett Venables who is simplifying the scheme and that should help the Tiger’s unit, which struggled mightily last season despite having outstanding athletes. Clemson’s season comes down to two games; September 22^nd at Florida State and October 20^th when they host Coastal favorite Virginia Tech. If the Tigers can escape Tallahassee with a win, the Hokies game is very winnable and it could be the Tigers instead of the Seminoles on top of the conference.  Final Prediction: (10-2, 7-1, Orange Bowl)

3.   NC State—After an excellent eight-win 2011, the Wolfpack are hungry for more. Quarterback Mike Glennon is back after throwing for 3,054 yards and 31 touchdowns last season. If the Wolfpack want to have any chance in the competitive Atlantic division, the line must improve after allowing 38 sacks last season and anchoring a rushing attack that finished 109^th nationally. David Amerson set an ACC record with 13 interceptions last season and heads up a secondary that returns all four starters which should help compensate for a linebacker corps that lost all three starters (one to graduation, one to the NFL, and one to NCAA suspension). The Wolfpack are an excellent squad and could end up with ten wins if they get a few breaks along the way.  Final Prediction (9-3, 5-3, Russell Athletic Bowl)

4.   Maryland—Head coach Randy Edsall will have to rebound from an embarrassing 2011 in which the Terps won two games after winning eight in 2010 under former coach Ralph Friedgen. The Terrapins will now also have to replace both of their starting quarterbacks from a year ago as Danny O’Brien is now the starter at Wisconsin and CJ Brown suffered a torn ACL. Under center this season will be true freshman Perry Hills who came to college park as a highly touted recruit, time to see if he can match the expectations. Hills will be throwing to a solid receiving corps, Maryland’s definite strength, that is headlined by senior Kevin Dorsey (45 catches, 573 yards) and stud freshman and five-star recruit Stefon Diggs who will also return kicks and punts. On defense, Joe Vellano (94 tackles, 7.5 for a loss) will lead the defensive line after garnering All-American honors last season. Defensive end AJ Francis is also a force in the middle and will help the Terrapins stay in games, a feat they struggled with in 2011. Final Prediction:  (5-7, 2-6, no bowl)

5.   Wake Forest—Tanner Price threw for over 3,000 yards last season and is the key returner for the Demon Deacons. Price also threw 20 touchdowns against 6 interceptions and will look to keep that excellent ratio going. The rest of the offense is question mark however, with the return of only two experienced players on the offensive line. Running back Josh Harris will have to regain his 2010 form if he wants to remain the starter after a rocky 2011. Defensively, the Demon Deacons’ strength will be the secondary which returns three excellent starters and will allow the front seven to focus on the run and improve the defense as a whole. This team is still far behind the top of the conference and will need a group of unknowns to step up if they want to achieve the success of the squad that made the Orange Bowl in 2007.  Final Prediction: (4-8. 2-6, no bowl)

6.   Boston College—The worst team in the conference by a decent margin, the Eagles will now have to deal with installing a new running game, after star running back Montel Harris was kicked off the team. Junior quarterback Chase Rettig (1,960 yards, 12 touchdowns) hopes to take another step forward and could be the key to a decent season, something that has been missing in recent years. The Eagles also lost loads on defense with the departure of Luke Kuechly (2x All-American), graduation of top lineman Brian Holloway and top cover corner Donnie Fletcher. In short, the Eagles are too inexperienced to make any real noise and will struggle to win one conference game. Final Prediction: (2-10, 0-8)

Coastal

1.   Virginia Tech—The Hokies had a gut-wrenching 2011, losing in the ACC title game in embarrassing fashion and then getting their heart ripped out in the Sugar Bowl after what looked like a touchdown catch was ruled incomplete. 2012 is a new day for the Hokies however, and they should remain on top of the ACC Coastal. Quarterback Logan Thomas (3,013 yards, 19 passing TDs, 15 rushing TDs) returns and showed steady improvement throughout last season and should continue that upswing. Replacing eight starters, including David Wilson (to the New York Giants) and Danny Coale (Cowboys), will be difficult but the Hokies cupboard is full as usual. On defense, eight starters return and look to capture the suffocating defense of old. Returning the entire defensive line should help, especially since they led the ACC with 41 sacks last season. The linebackers and secondary have a bit of an injury problem, but if they stay healthy the Hokies will undoubtedly remain the class of the ACC Coastal. Final Prediction: (10-2, 6-2, Chik-fil-A Bowl)

2.  Virginia—The Cavaliers made one of the best hires in recent memory by bringing in head coach Mike London in 2010. London has revitalized the program and will continue their ascension in 2012. Mike Rocco looks to have a firm grip of the starting job but must stay focused and avoid mistakes or London could quickly make the change to David Watford, as he did at times in 2011. Perry Jones (915 yards, 5 touchdowns) is solid and will be the go-to option out of the backfield. Defensively in 2011, the Cavs are led by fifth-year senior linebacker Steve Greer who racked up a team-leading 103 tackles in 2011. The secondary is a question mark however and will be tested throughout the year. With an improved offense, the Cavaliers could find themselves in the thick of another division title hunt and will most certainly find themselves in another bowl game. Final Prediction: (9-3, 6-2, Sun Bowl)

3.  North Carolina—The Tar Heels hired Larry Fedora away from Southern Mississippi after last season and hope that he can bring his mid-major success to Chapel Hill. Quarterback Bryn Renner (3.086 yards, 26 touchdowns) will lead the Tar Heels offense. Along with Renner will be sophomore running back Giovani Bernard who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a true freshman. Erik Highsmith (51 receptions) will lead the receiving corps and will be counted on as a third down threat. On defense, the Tar Heels are installing a new 4-2-5 scheme that will look to confuse opposing offenses with unconventional sets and blitzes. The Tar Heels have had outstanding defenses in years past, but the team is lacking on the star power from years before, but if Fedora can get his new scheme to stick and Renner can continue his torrid pace, the Tar Heels will find themselves in the thick of the Coastal race.  Final Prediction: (8-4, 5-3, Belk Bowl)

4.  Georgia Tech—Paul Johnson’s spread option offense gives teams fits as they try to prepare for it on a week to week basis. Playmaker Orwin Smith racked up 615 yards on only 60 carries last season and will look to continue his torrid pace in 2012. 2011’s starting quarterback Tevin Washington is back as well but must improve his decision making after failing to throw a touchdown in the Yellow Jackets’ last seven games. Former UVA head coach Al Groh leads the defense into the third year of his 3-4 scheme which should improve now that Groh has been able to lock down players that fir into the scheme. The Yellow Jackets are still a year or two away from returning to their ACC title heights but Johnson is an excellent coach and could return them to the postseason sooner than originally thought. Final Prediction: (6-6, 4-4, Music City Bowl)

5.  Miami—The Hurricanes are far removed from their glory days when they were consistent national title contenders. Currently, the team is led by quarterback Stephen Morris, who had a decent 2011 but must make a recovery from a back surgery that kept him out of spring practice. The team must also rebound from the loss of over half of their receiving yards from 2011, three starters from the offensive line, and the team’s leading rusher from last season as well. The defense is a bit stronger, especially sophomore Denzel Perryman (69 tackles, 6.5 for a loss) who was second on the team in tackles as a true freshman. The defense must also replace All-American safety Ray-Ray Armstrong who was kicked off the team in July after repeated violations of team rules. The Hurricanes are a few years away from returning to their former glory and with the emergence of Virginia Tech and UVA, it could be even longer. Final Prediction: (4-8, 2-6, no bowl)

6.  Duke—The Blue Devils, a consistent punch line in the ACC, have been steadily improving under head coach David Cutcliffe. Sean Renfree (2,891 yards, 13 touchdowns) is an excellent quarterback and will help the Blue Devils compete in more games than ever before. The offensive line has also improved and will give Renfree more time to pass and should also be the key to an improved rushing attack. On defense, the Blue Devils must rebound from the loss of All-ACC safety Matt Daniels to graduation. The secondary is still strong though with the return of starters Russ Cockrell and Walt Canty. The Blue Devils are improved from recent years and are not even the worst team in the conference anymore. Cutlcliffe is slowly building the program and improvement should continue into the future. Final Prediction: (3-9, 1-7, no bowl)

ACC Title Game: Florida State vs. Virginia Tech--The Seminoles defense will prove to be too much for the inexperienced defense and EJ Manuel will lead the 'Noles over the Hokies and back to the national title game. Winner: Florida State

Offensive Player of the Year: Sammy Watkins, WR/KR, Clemson

Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State

Two A Days: The Big East

1. Louisville—The unquestioned class of the weakened Big East, Louisville is also ready to make steps on the national scale as well. Sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (2,129 yards, 14 TDs) is a stud prospect and will lead the Cardinals offense through the weak Big East. Bridgewater will be targeting a trio of talented receivers led by fellow sophomore Eli Rogers (451 yards, 41 catches). On defense the Cardinals ranked 10^th nationally against the run, but must replace their leading tackler from a season ago. Leading the current crop of defenders will be defensive tackle Roy Philion who racked up 35 tackles in 2011. Final Prediction: (11-1, 8-0, Fiesta Bowl)

2. Pittsburgh—Pittsburgh quarterback Tino Sunseri was sacked 60 times last season—an FBS high—and was also very mistake prone, throwing 10 interceptions to his 11 touchdowns. This season Sunseri must make better decisions and hope the line has been shored up for the Panthers to make any significant process. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald (11 sacks) leads a revamped defense that returns only five starters and is making the transition to the 4-3. Donald is a force in the middle of the field and will be counted on by new coach Paul Chryst to lead the unit. Final Prediction: (8-4, 5-2, Russel Athletic Bowl)

3. Rutgers—With coach Greg Schiano now leading the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, the Scarlet Knights are in a bit of a flux. The starting QB job was split between two players last season and there is no clear cut starter yet. Jawan Jamison (897 rushing yards) provides some stability for the Knights. The defense, however, is another story. Khaseem Greene was named co-Defensive Player of the Year after recording 141 tackles last season. To complement Greene, the Scarlet Knights have six other starters returning and field the conference’s best secondary. Final Prediction: (9-3, 5-2, Belk Bowl)

4. South Florida—BJ Daniels is entering his fourth and final season as the Bull’s starting QB and hopes to make an impact in his last year. In 2011 Daniels threw for 2,604 yards and 13 touchdowns, in addition to over 600 yards on the ground. Daniels also has the core of his receivers coming back, a luxury he has not had since his first year under center for the Bulls. A strong linebacking corps leads the Bull’s defense, headed by Sam Barrington (72 tackles, 6.5 for a loss). The secondary is also loaded with experience and should help the Bulls in close games, an area in which they struggled in 2011.  Final Prediction: (7-5, 4-3, Compass Bowl)

5. Syracuse—With the worst defense in the Big East last season, the Orange struggled to stay in games, 2012 will be a bit better however, as the inexperience that dragged the defense down last year is replaced by young players who cut their teeth in game action. Senior Shamarko Thomas is the heart of the secondary and will also be relied on to lead the defense as a whole. On offense the Orange senior wideout Alec Lemon, who set a school record in 2011 for reception, will provide key experience for the unit that is also in a rebuilding phase. Final Prediction: (6-6, 3-4, Pinstripe Bowl)

6. Cincinnati-It seems like the Bearcats must replace everyone of note on offense, including their leading rusher, quarterback, and receiver from a year ago. The running back duties will be split by George Winn (40 carries, 219 yards) and two sophomores. The Bearcats are also lacking on defensive depth, with the exception of safety Drew Frey (73 tackles) who is a sixth year senior and leader on the field. If the team can compensate for the noted lack of depth with excellent starters, 2012 could be better than expected. Final Prediction: (6-6, 2-5, Beef O’ Brady’s Bowl)

7. UConn—The Huskies are in a difficult spot in 2012. The offense must replace or should replace nearly every player, with the exception of freshman All-American tailback Lyle McCombs (1,151 rushing yards). The Huskies remedied their issues by bringing in high numbers of transfers, from both junior college and D-1, but will struggle to gain any traction in the Big East. On the other side of the ball, eight starters return, led by corner Blidi Wreh-Wilson (real name there, folks) who missed a significant chunk of 2011 due to injuries. The Huskies still have a ways to go to match their success under Randy Edsall in which they reached the Orange Bowl. Final Prediction: (3-8, 1-6, no bowl)

8. Temple—An outstanding 2011, left the Owls flying high in their last season in the MAC. Unfortunately for them, the Big East is quite a bit stronger than the MAC. In addition to the improved competition, the backbone of their high powered running attack is gone, with the graduation of four of the five starters from a year ago. The leading rusher from a year ago, Bernard Pierce, now plays for the Ravens. Replacing Pierce will be a combination of Matt Brown (961 yards) and Boston College transfer Montel Harris.  The defense is also missing 4 all-conference performers from last season and will struggle to replace the talent. In short, the Owls can be competitive in the Big East, but 2012 is not the time. Final Predicition: (2-9, 1-6, no bowl)

Offensive Player of the Year: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh

Two A Days: The Mountain West

1. Boise State- Replacing the FBS’ all-time leader in wins, Kellen Moore, won’t be easy for the Broncos; neither will replacing running back Doug Martin, wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker, and four other starters from an 11-win squad from last season. Stepping up to fill Moore’s shoes will be junior Joe Southwick who threw for 198 yards and a touchdown last season in mop-up duty. Aiding Southwick’s transition will be wideout Matt Miller who hauled in 8 touchdowns and 647 yards last season. Perhaps the biggest hole to fill will be on defense where only two starters return. Luckily for the Broncos, their recent success has had a huge impact on recruiting and there are plenty of viable options to replace what is missing. (Final Prediction: 11-1, 8-0, Maaco Bowl)

2. Nevada-This season the Wolfpack moved from the Boise State dominated WAC, to the Boise State dominated Mountain West.  Quarterback Cody Fajardo (1,707 yards passing, 694 rushing, 17 touchdowns) will be the Wolfpack’s best shot to unseat the Broncos and usher in a new order for the Mountain West. On defense, 6 starters return, but the front seven is inexperienced as a unit and must step up if the Wolfpack want to capture the conference title in their first season. Leading the unit will be senior defensive back Duke Williams who notched 78 tackles last season, including 4.5 for a loss. Final Prediction:  (8-4, 6-2, Poinsettia Bowl)

3. Fresno State-Senior running back Robbie Rouse (1,549 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns) and junior  quarterback Derek Carr (3,544 yards, 26 touchdowns) lead a Bulldogs offense that will be on par with any conference opponent. Senior linebacker Travis Brown (85 tackles, 3 sacks) is also one of the conference’s best, and the return of safety Phillip Thomas who missed last year with a broken leg will help the defense adjust to a new 3-4 scheme. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they must make trips to Nevada and to the dreaded “smurf turf” of Boise State. These trips, in conjunction with new schemes on both sides of the ball means the Bulldogs will be playing for third. Final Prediction (8-4, 6-2, Independence Bowl)

4. Wyoming-The Cowboys hope sophomore quarterback Brett Smith can match his superb freshman campaign in which he racked up over 3,300 yards of total offense and accounted for 30 touchdowns. If Smith can keep his torrid pace up, the Cowboys could make some significant noise in 2012, and maybe even reach a bowl game for the first time in years. Alvester Alexander will complement Smith out of the backfield after picking up 695 rushing yards last season. On defense, the Cowboys are led by safety Luke Ruff who notched 102 tackles in 2011 and will be a leader on the unit. Final Prediction: (7-5, 5-3, New Mexico Bowl)

5. Air Force-The Falcons return just six starters and will struggle to rise above the middle of the conference. Senior linebacker Alex Means (77 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, 6 sacks) leads the team and will need to have another monster season for the Falcons to achieve success. On offense, the quarterback, running back, and leading receiver all must be replaced in addition to five other starters. Air Force is used to losing a high number of starters every year and will handle it better than most programs, especially under coach Troy Calhoun who stayed with the team despite offers from a number of larger schools. Final Prediction: (7-5, 5-3, Armed Forces Bowl)

6. Colorado State-Chris Nwoke had a breakout sophomore season in which he racked up 1,130 yards for the Rams, and with new coach Jim McElwain’s run-heavy offense, Nwoke will be counted on to match his output from 2011. The Rams also return all-conference center Weston Richburg to a solid line that should anchor the new offense. On defense, leading tackler Shaquil Barrett returns after leading the team with 99 tackles last season. Also returning to a strong linebacker unit is senior James Skelton who finished second on the team with 91 tackles and also added two forced fumbles. Final Prediction: (6-6, 4-4, no bowl)

7. Hawaii-The biggest change for the Warriors in 2012 will be the adaptation of an offense that includes a tight end, a position not seen at Hawaii since the late 90s. Leading the Warriors new offense (installed by new head coach Norm Chow) will be Billy Ray Stutzmann (nice name) who hauled in 910 yards last season and is one of the few returning stars. The defense is also in shaky shape, with only 4 starters returning from a year ago, and only 2 of the front seven. It is a definite rebuilding year for the Warriors who will be much stronger a few years down the road. Final Prediction (5-7, 3-5, no bowl)

8. San Diego State-The Aztecs return 15 starters, including 9 on offense, and should take a step forward in 2012. Senior corner Leon McFadden is already getting NFL looks and earned them with a 47 tackle, 2 interception, and 17 pass breakup 2011. McFadden leads a strong defense and an even stronger secondary that should be the team’s strength. On offense, the Aztecs will rely on Colin Lockett  (970 yards, 8 touchdowns) to ease the transition of new quarterback Ryan Katz (an Oregon State transfer). Final Prediction: (4-8, 2-6, no bowl)


9. New Mexico-Perhaps the most confusing coaching hire of the offseason was made by the Lobos as they hired former ESPN analyst Bob Davie to lead the program, despite Davie being out of coaching since the 90s. Quarterback BL Holbrook (1,490 yards, 4 TDs in 8 games) is one the few players on the team that can make an impact and will be counted on to lead the team or the Lobos could find themselves in the cellar of the league yet again. Final Prediction: (2-10, 1-7, no bowl)



10. UNLV-The Runnin’ Rebels should run from the competition this season, after a miserable 2011, 2012 doesn't look much better. Despite returning 12 starters (6 offense, 6 defense) the Rebels are still one of the worst teams in the conference. They will live up to their name however, with a strong ground game that returns five starters on the line plus tailback Tim Cornett (671 yards, 7 touchdowns) who has led the team in rushing the past two seasons. Defensively, the Rebels will count on John Lotulelei to help the defense improve from its abysmal level last season. Final Prediction:  (1-11, 0-8, no bowl)

Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Nwoke, RB, Colorado State
Defensive Player of the Year: Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State