USA Coaches POLL 2009

[knapplc]

we will drop out only if we have games that are the score of 47-24 again like with WMU, that still makes me mad thinking we gave up that many points to Western Michigan. wow.

Really? You're worked up over giving up 17 points, plus a garbage time TD, to a bowl team when we replaced an entire coaching staff, installed new schemes and had just come off a 5-7 season? And you're still bothered by that?

 

You'd think there would be bigger and better things to worry about. But to each their own, I guess.

[Husker B]

For real. We won by 23 points.

 

New season starts tomorrow. Let it go.

[redout22]

Nice. 23 is a very good start. Glad we are in front of ND

[HuskerJen]

The biggest surprise, in my opinion, is Mississippi at preseason #10. Talk about over-rated.

[Scarlet Overkill]

I think this poll just about looks accurate in my head, according to what I know. Time will tell if Mississippi lives up to their hype, but for now I'll agree with it. I'd probably also get Kansas in the 21-25 range, possibly swapping spots with ND. Losing to Syracuse (and thank you, Syracuse, for the gift!) is still in the back of my mind with them.

[Quinn10ND]

ND fan here, posting for the first time. I loved rooting against NU in the 90s, but also loved watching them and especially respected Osborne and NU's history. Still do. I've read this site for a long time and have always found it to be one of the few reasonable sports sites around, ND places included.

 

Anyway, to the poll. Am I the only one who thinks that Penn State being in the preseason Top 10 is way too much? They only have, I believe, 9 returning starters. They lost their 3 top WRs, best defensive lineman, among others.

[knapplc]

ND fan here, posting for the first time. I loved rooting against NU in the 90s, but also loved watching them and especially respected Osborne and NU's history. Still do. I've read this site for a long time and have always found it to be one of the few reasonable sports sites around, ND places included.

 

Anyway, to the poll. Am I the only one who thinks that Penn State being in the preseason Top 10 is way too much? They only have, I believe, 9 returning starters. They lost their 3 top WRs, best defensive lineman, among others.

Wow! A North Dakota fan! Go Bison, yeah?

 

OK, just kidding.

 

I get where you're coming from about Penn State. But they have a good set of replacements coming in, so it's not a terrible spot for them.

 

Bottom line, outside of Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and USC (and maybe not even USC) everyone has enough questions at this point in the season that this is just a huge mess.

[VA Husker2]

Not to bad to start off with!

 

Rank Team (first-place votes) 2008 record Points Final 2008 rank

1. Florida (53) 13-1 1,466 1

2. Texas (4) 12-1 1,386 3

3. Oklahoma (1) 12-2 1,358 5

4. Southern California (1) 12-1 1,321 2

5. Alabama 12-2 1,134 6

6. Ohio State 10-3 1,126 11

7. Virginia Tech 10-4 1,020 14

8. Penn State 11-2 988 8

9. LSU 8-5 917 NR

10. Mississippi 9-4 889 15

11. Oklahoma State 9-4 861 18

12. California 9-4 711 25

13. Georgia 10-3 707 10

14. Oregon 10-3 694 9

15. Georgia Tech 9-4 559 22

16. Boise State 12-1 542 13

17. TCU 11-2 461 7

18. Utah 13-0 404 4

19. Florida State 9-4 371 23

20. North Carolina 8-5 293 NR

21. Iowa 9-4 257 20

22. Nebraska 9-4 236 NR

23. Notre Dame 7-6 194 NR

24. Brigham Young 10-3 178 21

25. Oregon State 9-4 165 19

 

 

Very, very nice

 

and the poll is interesting too

[shyndy]

LSU goes from unranked to number 9?

 

I'm kinda getting tired of all the SEC bias.

[Apathy]

KU isn't there and ND is 23rd...what a surprise

 

I remember watching the Notre Dame bowl game against Hawaii and after ND killed Hawaii I remember ESPN talking all highly that ND is back and to watch out against Clausen too.

 

Please ND beat a poor Hawaii team and ND played terrible the whole season. Clausen wasn't a great QB and wasn't Clausen pulled out sometime during the season like half way thru it or something like that?

 

ND won't last long in the top 25

[knapplc]

Nevada could beat Notre Dame.

[huKSer]

I am shocked that KU is not in the top 25

 

And this is the same #23 ND team that lost to Syracuse

Since Spurrier can't put Duke at #25 anymore, he switch his vote to ND

[Quinn10ND]

KU isn't there and ND is 23rd...what a surprise

 

I remember watching the Notre Dame bowl game against Hawaii and after ND killed Hawaii I remember ESPN talking all highly that ND is back and to watch out against Clausen too.

 

Please ND beat a poor Hawaii team and ND played terrible the whole season. Clausen wasn't a great QB and wasn't Clausen pulled out sometime during the season like half way thru it or something like that?

 

ND won't last long in the top 25

 

 

I didn't want to talk about ND, but just to clear up your Clausen perception. He completed 62% of his passes, threw for over 3,000 yards and 25 TDs. He had an INT problem (17), but he was just a true sophomore. I saw every minute of last season (what can I say? I can be a glutton for punishment) and he was never pulled. He was pulled in 2007, his freshman year, but that was because of elbow issues.

 

Alabama went 7-6, including a home loss to UL-Monroe in 2007, and then went 12-0 in the 2008 regular season. Will ND do that? No, and Weis is no Saban. But a team can improve a lot from one year to the next. All but 6 TDs scored by ND in 2008 were by true freshmen and true sophomores.

[Scarlet Overkill]

You're alright to talk about ND. I've seen their schedule and understand why they are getting some pub. However, I'll stand by what I said before by putting ND at 26, and add KU to the mix. ND still must prove it like the rest of the top 25.

 

Regarding the QB situation at ND in 2007. It wasn't ND's record that made me think maybe Weis wasn't a great college coach, it was his handling of the QB situation. I think he did Clausen a big disservice that year. From my outsider perception, I wasn't aware he, and everyone else, was pulled due to injury. I thought it was due to performance. In which case, it's not going to improve if a guy has to constantly look over his shoulder for a replacement during games. Just my .02.

[Quinn10ND]

You're alright to talk about ND. I've seen their schedule and understand why they are getting some pub. However, I'll stand by what I said before by putting ND at 26, and add KU to the mix. ND still must prove it like the rest of the top 25.

 

Regarding the QB situation at ND in 2007. It wasn't ND's record that made me think maybe Weis wasn't a great college coach, it was his handling of the QB situation. I think he did Clausen a big disservice that year. From my outsider perception, I wasn't aware he, and everyone else, was pulled due to injury. I thought it was due to performance. In which case, it's not going to improve if a guy has to constantly look over his shoulder for a replacement during games. Just my .02.

 

 

I agree with what you said. If ND was out and KU was in, I'd understand that. I'm just saying that one shouldn't automatically expect ND this year to be like it was last year. I have no issue with anyone voting ND outside the Top 25.

 

Your comments about Weis and the QB situation was spot on. Weis had the luxury of an unquestioned starter and leader for 2005 and 2006, and also, those teams were steady and there was no roster turnover. In 2007, there was, and he failed 100% at handling it. He did have to deal with some terrible recruiting from 04/05, but no excuses for his many coaching errors. I recall him giving an equal shot to 4 QBs during that spring. Then settling on a QB who could not complete a forward pass in the opener. Then went to Clausen after the first game. Clausen, still recovering from elbow surgery, was thrown to the wolves at Penn State and Michigan. he got banged up and was pulled to prevent further injury (if he had played in the USC game, he may not be alive today). Clausen was re-inserted against the soft portion of the schedule at the end the year, but was not 100%. It was like the bad news bears.

 

Ugh, sorry. Nightmares.