Magazine companies exploit this time of the year by releasing all of their preseason magazines with predictions and depth charts, etc. - but frankly, they're released so early that there are too many things that happen between the day they hit the stands and the day the pads go on for them to be really accurate. And for the real hardcores - they could write a better/more depth/accurate article of their own team.
Here are the things that I think are worthy of note since the last post....
- Would-be SOPH linebacker, Michael Richardson, will not return on the roster due to his injury - but he will stay on as an assistant football coach. He last played in the Sam Houston game but felt neck pain and it was determined he suffered cervical spine injury and had to undergo surgery
- S/CB Floyd Raven and CB Deshazor Everett were arrested last month after a fight on Northgate. They have been suspended from the team with the extent of their punishment unknown.
- We have added UTSA to our 2016 & 2019 home schedules
- The home & home games against Southern Cal in 2015 & 2016 were dropped from the schedule. There was some confusion in regards to the home & home with Oregon in 2018 (in Eugene) & 2019 (at Kyle Field), but it has been clarified that the Oregon series is still on the books. I've been really looking forward to a possible trip to Autzen Stadium so I'm glad it is still in play.
- Even though they couldn't figure out a way to continue the Lone Star State Showdown because their schedule is completely full until 2018, the longhorns managed to find a way to add an annual 4-game series with Notre Dame starting in 2015.
- Big 12 coaches and ADs are really pitting themselves against the SEC with this incredible thought that the Big 12 is a deeper conference than the SEC. Bob Stoops made some comments about how the bottom of the Big 12 was better than the bottom of the SEC and now tech's AD has made a similar comment.
They like to point to the fact that 9 of the 10 teams in the conference made a bowl game last year (because most of them were 6-6). Just because you have a bunch of mediocre teams who can all beat each other with no one distinguishing themselves from the rest doesn't mean you have a deeper conference.
The bottom half of the Big 12 went 5-20 against the top half....and three of those wins were over Baylor, who had a losing record in conference play. The Big 12 has 4 mediocre teams and 6 really bad teams. - Freshman are on campus and have started summer school. Outside of Kohl Stewart, who was drafted by the Twins with the #4 overall draft pick in the MLB draft (and signed for $4.54M), there aren't any players that I have heard won't make it onto campus for the fall.
- It's pretty unanimous across all media sources that Johnny isn't going to be a repeat winner of the Heisman. The biggest thing they point to is the fact that all the teams now have film on him.
Because after 6 or 8 games last year they didn't have film on him. And OU didn't have any film on him. And he hasn't been working to make improvements. And he has no film on any of the defenses. And no opponents have film on the new sexy favorites, Braxton Miller or Teddy Bridgewater.
Personally, I don't expect him to repeat as winner, but it won't be because he is no longer the best player in the country. I love that the naysayers are out - because if there is one thing we've learned about Johnny, it's that he hears the criticism and it drives him.
- Bama has been thinking about us for 9 months. They are coming for revenge. Bring it.
Kickoff has been announced at 2pm on September 14th. Kyle Field is going to be E-L-E-C-T-R-I-C. - President Bowen Loftin announced yesterday that he will be stepping down from his position in January after 3 years at the helm of our university. He will remain on the faculty in the school of engineering as a tenured professor. Even though his time has been short, we could not have asked for a better leader and visionary for the school.
