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THE PIG IS IN THE AIR!
Marc Lawrence’s 2003 College Football Power Plays
By Marc Lawrence • www.PLAYBOOK.com
Thanks to our 2003 PLAYBOOK FOOOTBALL HANDICAPPERS’ YEARBOOK magazine, hot of the presses and on sale now at newsstands across the country, our freshly windexed crystal ball looks into the prospects of each of the 117 Division 1-A football teams for the upcoming campaign. Journey with us for a date with history as we examine the BEST and the WORST situations and games surrounding each team this season. We’ve penciled in the games of interest, and the parameters surrounding those games. Get your scorecards ready as we look to make a little extra bacon this college football season as we take a look inside the BIG EAST for 2003…
BIG EAST
Staying alive. A good old Bee Gees tune for sure, and the theme that permeates the BIG EAST CONFERENCE today as shoulder-shrugging Commissioner Mike Tranghese does his best Betsy Ross act in trying to keep the league’s 12-year old banner waving. In the meantime, the focus shifts from the front office to the playing field where many questions are begging for answers. Will Miami Florida, Boston College, Syracuse and/or Virginia Tech be able to fully focus on games at hand rather than a possible forthcoming afterlife in the ACC? Does the rest of the conference really care or are they ready to kick some BEAST butt? Answers to follow shortly.
BOSTON COLLEGE
After averaging eight wins per season the last four years, Tom O’Brien will put his coaching mettle to the test in 2003. The loss of three-year starting quarterback Brian St. Pierre, in addition to three of his five starting offensive linemen, will the Eagles scrambling for replacements early on. Considering each of their first five opponents were .500 or better last year, we’ll know by the end of September whether or not O’Brien’s restocking measures will be enough to land a fifth straight bowl bid. What we know going in is that Boston College has been murder at home under O’Brien’s tutelage. That should serve them well again this year.
PLAY ON: vs West Virginia
MIAMI FLORIDA
A mere late-yellow flag away from back-to-back national championships last year, the Hurricanes have been the biggest feeders of talent to the NFL this decade, having witnessed 13 players selected in the 1st round of the draft since 2000. The truth of the matter is Larry Coker’s crew last year was no where near as good as was his first edition. If you think different, don’t, as last year’s squad allowed 130 total points at home as opposed to the same 17 points surrendered by 2001’s champs. This year they must replace the entire defensive line, a difficult task for most teams but not the nation’s winningest program over the L4Y. The return of RB Frank Gore means Willis McGahee’s departure won’t be hurtful. The loss of QB Ken Dorsey (38-2 as a starter) may be another matter.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Boston College
PITTSBURGH
You need to go back to when Dan Marino was a senior at Pittsburgh to find the last time a Panthers football team won nine games in the same season. On the heels of their most successful season in two decades, Pitt is chomping at the bit in hopes of landing a 4th straight bowl bid in 2003, and understandably so. The four losses on last year’s ledger were by a combined total of just 24 points, meaning that Walt Harris’s troops are just 28 points away from otherwise riding a 19-game win streak. Senior QB Rod Rutherford who tossed for 2,783 yards and 22 TD’s last season keys the attack. His main target is sophomore sensation Larry Fitzgerald, a future NFLer, who shined as a freshman in 2002. Don’t discount their chances in 2003.
PLAY ON: as Favs vs Notre Dame
RUTGERS
New Jersey native, and for Miami Florida defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, is slowly building a football foundation at Rutgers. After three straight strong recruiting classes, the Scarlet Knights are on their way up. Immediate signs of improvement are seen on the defense where they’ve made steadied progress. The season opens with four games against four sub .500 foes. That’s a blessing for a team that has averaged 12.5 PPG under their current coach. The main goal this season will be to shake a 22-game losing skein inside the conference. Should that happen it would be like a major happening at Tony Soprano’s place. Bada bing!
PLAY AGAINST: vs Army
SYRACUSE
Oh my. After being applauded for a valiant 10-win season in 2001, the Orangemen were put through the blender last year, losing twice as many games as they won. Along the way head coach Paul Pasqualoni was forced to play five true freshmen, the most ever in his tenure at Syracuse. To make matters word the 24 returning lettermen represents the smallest contingent among all Division 1-A teams in 2003. It got so bad that a 16 game win skein against Temple came to a grinding halt. The top priority will be mending a defense that surrendered 500 > yards on seven different occasions last year. Suddenly Pasqualoni’s 56-26 mark against other Big East teams doesn’t look as rosy. Revenge figures to be the operative word for the ‘Cuse this year.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Virginia Tech
TEMPLE
While wallowing in the throes of a mandated Big East Conference divorce, the Owls continue to battle for respect the old fashioned way – by earning it. In his five-year tenure with Temple head coach Bobby Wallace has done a nice job, winning twice as many games as they had achieved the previous five years prior to his arrival. A 3-4 finish last year has the Owls eager to take the field in 2003 as they hope to change the minds of the Big East abolitionists between now and D-day. Returning quarterback junior Mike McGann tossed three touchdowns in this year’s cherry-and-white spring game as a new enthusiasm begins to prevail. Taking to the highway in three of their first four games should only help to toughen this team up by season’s end. They’ll ring the register more often than not this year. Cha-ching!
PLAY ON: as Dogs vs Pittsburgh
VIRGINIA TECH
One of only seven teams to appear in 10 consecutive bowl games, the Hokies parlayed an 8-0 start into another 10-win season behind head coach Frank Beamer in 2002. Fast starts have been the norm with this program of late, as VPI is 29-1 SU and 21-8 ATS in their first five game of the season since 1996. On the flip side, the Hokies are a disappointing 15-26 from Game Six on out. Sixteen returning starters, including star RB Keith Jones,
coupled with a schedule filled with an abundance of cupcakes, practically insures another 10-win effort in 2003. And if form holds true it will be best to either get on ‘em early – or fade ‘em late.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Boston College
WEST VIRGINIA
After tripling 2001’s three-victory effort last year, WVU inked head coach Rich Rodriguez to a nice, new seven-year extension. And, from our perspective, rightfully so. Rodriguez has brought the Mountaineers football program back to respectability in two short years. He’s down it through hard work by improving the ground game, on both sides of the ball. Gone is star running back Avon Cobourne, holder of every rushing mark in the school’s history books. In his place will be RB Quincy Wilson, a bigger and faster version of the Avon man. Fisher gained over 900 yards himself last season while carrying the ball at an eye opening 6.4 YPR. It will be difficult living up to last year’s senior laden squad and their accomplishments, especially if Wilson doesn’t find some immediate help.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Pittsburgh
EDITOR’S NOTE: Marc Lawrence publishes the 248-page PLAYBOOK FOOTBALL HANDICAPPERS’ YEARBOOK magazine, sold on newsstands nationwide. The 2003 edition examines the 32 NFL teams and 117 Division 1-A college teams in depth. To obtain a copy visit www.PLAYBOOK.com or call 1-800-PLAYBOOK.
Marc Lawrence’s 2003 College Football Power Plays
By Marc Lawrence • www.PLAYBOOK.com
Thanks to our 2003 PLAYBOOK FOOOTBALL HANDICAPPERS’ YEARBOOK magazine, hot of the presses and on sale now at newsstands across the country, our freshly windexed crystal ball looks into the prospects of each of the 117 Division 1-A football teams for the upcoming campaign. Journey with us for a date with history as we examine the BEST and the WORST situations and games surrounding each team this season. We’ve penciled in the games of interest, and the parameters surrounding those games. Get your scorecards ready as we look to make a little extra bacon this college football season as we take a look inside the BIG EAST for 2003…
BIG EAST
Staying alive. A good old Bee Gees tune for sure, and the theme that permeates the BIG EAST CONFERENCE today as shoulder-shrugging Commissioner Mike Tranghese does his best Betsy Ross act in trying to keep the league’s 12-year old banner waving. In the meantime, the focus shifts from the front office to the playing field where many questions are begging for answers. Will Miami Florida, Boston College, Syracuse and/or Virginia Tech be able to fully focus on games at hand rather than a possible forthcoming afterlife in the ACC? Does the rest of the conference really care or are they ready to kick some BEAST butt? Answers to follow shortly.
BOSTON COLLEGE
After averaging eight wins per season the last four years, Tom O’Brien will put his coaching mettle to the test in 2003. The loss of three-year starting quarterback Brian St. Pierre, in addition to three of his five starting offensive linemen, will the Eagles scrambling for replacements early on. Considering each of their first five opponents were .500 or better last year, we’ll know by the end of September whether or not O’Brien’s restocking measures will be enough to land a fifth straight bowl bid. What we know going in is that Boston College has been murder at home under O’Brien’s tutelage. That should serve them well again this year.
PLAY ON: vs West Virginia
MIAMI FLORIDA
A mere late-yellow flag away from back-to-back national championships last year, the Hurricanes have been the biggest feeders of talent to the NFL this decade, having witnessed 13 players selected in the 1st round of the draft since 2000. The truth of the matter is Larry Coker’s crew last year was no where near as good as was his first edition. If you think different, don’t, as last year’s squad allowed 130 total points at home as opposed to the same 17 points surrendered by 2001’s champs. This year they must replace the entire defensive line, a difficult task for most teams but not the nation’s winningest program over the L4Y. The return of RB Frank Gore means Willis McGahee’s departure won’t be hurtful. The loss of QB Ken Dorsey (38-2 as a starter) may be another matter.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Boston College
PITTSBURGH
You need to go back to when Dan Marino was a senior at Pittsburgh to find the last time a Panthers football team won nine games in the same season. On the heels of their most successful season in two decades, Pitt is chomping at the bit in hopes of landing a 4th straight bowl bid in 2003, and understandably so. The four losses on last year’s ledger were by a combined total of just 24 points, meaning that Walt Harris’s troops are just 28 points away from otherwise riding a 19-game win streak. Senior QB Rod Rutherford who tossed for 2,783 yards and 22 TD’s last season keys the attack. His main target is sophomore sensation Larry Fitzgerald, a future NFLer, who shined as a freshman in 2002. Don’t discount their chances in 2003.
PLAY ON: as Favs vs Notre Dame
RUTGERS
New Jersey native, and for Miami Florida defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, is slowly building a football foundation at Rutgers. After three straight strong recruiting classes, the Scarlet Knights are on their way up. Immediate signs of improvement are seen on the defense where they’ve made steadied progress. The season opens with four games against four sub .500 foes. That’s a blessing for a team that has averaged 12.5 PPG under their current coach. The main goal this season will be to shake a 22-game losing skein inside the conference. Should that happen it would be like a major happening at Tony Soprano’s place. Bada bing!
PLAY AGAINST: vs Army
SYRACUSE
Oh my. After being applauded for a valiant 10-win season in 2001, the Orangemen were put through the blender last year, losing twice as many games as they won. Along the way head coach Paul Pasqualoni was forced to play five true freshmen, the most ever in his tenure at Syracuse. To make matters word the 24 returning lettermen represents the smallest contingent among all Division 1-A teams in 2003. It got so bad that a 16 game win skein against Temple came to a grinding halt. The top priority will be mending a defense that surrendered 500 > yards on seven different occasions last year. Suddenly Pasqualoni’s 56-26 mark against other Big East teams doesn’t look as rosy. Revenge figures to be the operative word for the ‘Cuse this year.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Virginia Tech
TEMPLE
While wallowing in the throes of a mandated Big East Conference divorce, the Owls continue to battle for respect the old fashioned way – by earning it. In his five-year tenure with Temple head coach Bobby Wallace has done a nice job, winning twice as many games as they had achieved the previous five years prior to his arrival. A 3-4 finish last year has the Owls eager to take the field in 2003 as they hope to change the minds of the Big East abolitionists between now and D-day. Returning quarterback junior Mike McGann tossed three touchdowns in this year’s cherry-and-white spring game as a new enthusiasm begins to prevail. Taking to the highway in three of their first four games should only help to toughen this team up by season’s end. They’ll ring the register more often than not this year. Cha-ching!
PLAY ON: as Dogs vs Pittsburgh
VIRGINIA TECH
One of only seven teams to appear in 10 consecutive bowl games, the Hokies parlayed an 8-0 start into another 10-win season behind head coach Frank Beamer in 2002. Fast starts have been the norm with this program of late, as VPI is 29-1 SU and 21-8 ATS in their first five game of the season since 1996. On the flip side, the Hokies are a disappointing 15-26 from Game Six on out. Sixteen returning starters, including star RB Keith Jones,
coupled with a schedule filled with an abundance of cupcakes, practically insures another 10-win effort in 2003. And if form holds true it will be best to either get on ‘em early – or fade ‘em late.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Boston College
WEST VIRGINIA
After tripling 2001’s three-victory effort last year, WVU inked head coach Rich Rodriguez to a nice, new seven-year extension. And, from our perspective, rightfully so. Rodriguez has brought the Mountaineers football program back to respectability in two short years. He’s down it through hard work by improving the ground game, on both sides of the ball. Gone is star running back Avon Cobourne, holder of every rushing mark in the school’s history books. In his place will be RB Quincy Wilson, a bigger and faster version of the Avon man. Fisher gained over 900 yards himself last season while carrying the ball at an eye opening 6.4 YPR. It will be difficult living up to last year’s senior laden squad and their accomplishments, especially if Wilson doesn’t find some immediate help.
PLAY AGAINST: vs Pittsburgh
EDITOR’S NOTE: Marc Lawrence publishes the 248-page PLAYBOOK FOOTBALL HANDICAPPERS’ YEARBOOK magazine, sold on newsstands nationwide. The 2003 edition examines the 32 NFL teams and 117 Division 1-A college teams in depth. To obtain a copy visit www.PLAYBOOK.com or call 1-800-PLAYBOOK.