Pro Day Rewind: That's A Wrap

We wrap up the Pro Day season with a week that, while it had fewer workouts, also contained one of the biggest of the year—USC’s Pro Day.

I was fortunate enough to attend two last week—USC’s outstanding workout as well as the sometimes overlooked, but no less important, Hawaii Pro Day, which was held in Carson, California.

But before we talk about the big dogs and my Los Angeles trip, let’s talk about some of the other schools and workouts.

TUESDAY

UCLA: Head Coach Rick Neuheisel is a long way from stealing any luster from the Bruins’ crosstown rivals. There aren’t too many players who will go in the NFL Draft and even then, they're not likely to go early.

Running back Kahlil Bell is one player who hopes to crack the second day. Bell stood on most of his Combine numbers, though he ran the 40 and jumped both the vertical and broad jumps. He ran a 4.75 and a 4.76, jumped a 32 inch vertical and a 9’5” broad. He looked solid in position drills, and that may get him onto a team. From there, he’s going to have to put his nose down and earn his spot. I think he could stick as a backup, but that may also be his ceiling.

Defensive tackle Bringham Hartwell didn’t get any all-star invites or an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, but he didn’t let that stop him from putting his best foot forward. Hartwell benched 225 pounds 36 times, one short of the top amount benched by a lineman at the Combine. He also ran the 40 in 5.14 seconds. Like Bell, Hartwell has a long way to go to get picked up in the Draft.

Unfortunately, Bruin quarterback Ben Olson was unable to workout due to a foot injury. Their other quarterback, Patrick Cowan, is still recovering from ACL surgery and only did position drills where he threw passes.

WEDNESDAY

USC: On Wednesday, I was happy to be one of the credentialed media attending USC’s Pro Day. It was the second year in a row I have been at USC for this event and as always, it was a well-run and exciting day. As you can imagine, it was heavily attended by NFL personnel, including Saints coach Sean Payton who, with his defensive staff, took a hard look at ‘The Triplets’ – Rey Maualuga, Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing. Also present was 49ers head coach Mike Singletary, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz (who was fresh off a trip to Georgia where he watched Matthew Stafford on Tuesday), Vikings coach Brad Childress and multiple members of teams like Arizona, Carolina and Seattle. Very few teams were absent though some, like Denver, did not make the trip.

The workouts we all witnessed were impressive across the board. Not only for the potential four first round picks – quarterback Mark Sanchez joined the aforementioned Triplets – but also folks like Safety Kevin Ellison, wide receiver Patrick Turner and oft-forgotten, but still solid linebacker Kaluka Maiava.

Still, any discussion about USC starts with Sanchez. After the excellent performances Matthew Stafford put on at Georgia’s Pro Day and for the Lions on March 31st, Sanchez had to have a fantastic day to remain in the conversation for top quarterback in the 2009 Draft.

He did not disappoint. Sanchez threw upwards of 80 passes over about 45 minutes, the majority of which were scripted. However, at the end of his workout he took requests from the Detroit Lions to throw a few different ways. The former Trojan responded beautifully and without hesitation. Sanchez threw long passes, short passes, passes on the run, passes with a three-step drop, a five-step drop, against the wind, with the wind, and across the wind. He threw with perfect accuracy, tremendous velocity, and with a sense of purpose that was palpable as you watched his workout.

Of course, you cannot put to rest the one big question mark about Sanchez at a Pro Day, and that’s experience. Still, after having seen him in person and watching tons of tape, I have become less and less worried that the experience (or lack thereof) is a huge problem. Sanchez has all the tools and the intangibles (leadership, personality and work ethic) to be a success in the NFL. Is he better than Stafford? It's debatable. But I think he could develop into a fantastic quarterback and given that he had dinner with Jacksonville quarterback coach Mike Shula and was closely watched by everyone during his workout, I’m not the only one. In the right system, or with a team who can bring him along slowly (for instance, if he sat behind David Garrard for a year), the sky is the limit for him.

The other story on Wednesday was the outstanding workouts by the linebacking trio of Cushing, Matthews and Maualuga. Of the three, perhaps the biggest impression was made by Matthews.

Matthews has had to fight his way through his college career. Starting as a walk-on, he eventually became an important part of the USC team, especially on special teams. But as of the Pro Day, we can stop focusing on the walk-on story and start discussing his NFL prospects, which looks to be bright.

Matthews looked great in drills, showing good smoothness and fluidity as well as solid ball skills. He caught the ball nicely in drills and overall had a great workout. He added a 4.57 in the 40 to his day and that's not too shabby. In an interview with Matthews, he told me he was on his way to a workout with Atlanta on Saturday, then flying to meet with Denver, Cleveland and Tennessee.

Cushing also had an outstanding day. Cushing, to me, is a safe pick...a guy whose versatility and consistency could make him a contributor from day one on any defense. Cushing looked explosive and quick in his position drills, though he was a tad stiff in the hips at times. He made some great catches as well, including an eye-popping effort during which he had to fully extend his body to make a great catch, then landed and ran out the rest of the drill without missing a beat.

The New Jersey native also ran a 4.70 in the 40, though I saw some times from scouts at 4.68 and a 4.75. In speaking with Cushing, I was also impressed with his decision to head back home and his reasoning that he wanted to go back to work with his high school coach whom he said, “…really made me the player I am today”.

While I think Maualuga might have more playmaking upside and Matthews more untapped potential, Cushing will enter the NFL as an impact player immediately, an outstanding linebacker I would not be shocked to see in Pro Bowls shortly.

The final linebacker of the trio was Maualuga. Maualuga pulled a muscle at the Combine during his first 40 and was unable to do any position drills in Indianapolis. That was very much on his mind Wednesday as he ran his 40 yard dash after he did all the other drills. He told me that he wanted to make sure scouts and coaches saw everything he couldn’t show them in Indianapolis.

Maualuga may not have had the dynamic day Matthews and Cush did, but that doesn’t mean he performed badly. While he looked a little stiff at times, I thought he had a very solid workout.

By the way, that 40 clocked in at a 4.69 according to my stopwatch and looked very respectable next to his 4.43 shuttle and 7.22 three-cone. There were some concerns that while rehabbing Maualuga might gain some weight, which is really all about questions people (mostly media) have about his attitude and work ethic.

I say just because the guy moves to the beat of his own drummer doesn't mean he can't march. Maualuga can flat out play. In my opinion, he's a guy who will need to adjust in the Pros—go less for the big play and more for the basics during his initial year in the league. It will be a few years before teams turn him loose, which is similar to another standout USC defensive player from back in the day by the name of Junior Seau.

Seau used to make huge plays at USC...and whiffed on them at times as well. I'm not saying El Rey is Seau, but he could be and if Seau could adjust, so could Maualuga. In the right system (perhaps one involving Mike Singletary?) I think he could develop into a monster. Maualuga mentioned visiting with Atlanta and having several other teams on tap for visits and workouts.

All three of the linebackers should go in the first round and with Sanchez, April 25th could be a huge day for USC.

Other players of note: Safety Kevin Ellison has been battling the perception he isn’t quick enough to be a safety at the next level and that he might have to convert to linebacker. That may still be some teams’ perception, but several scouts I heard talking about him felt his 4.70 in the 40 along with a 4.15 short shuttle, 7.32 cone, and solid position workout will keep him at the safety spot. With the Triplets at linebacker getting all the glory, it’s easy to forget Kaluka Maiava, but teams shouldn’t. Maiava had a solid positional workout, showing his athleticism and range, as well as running a 4.68. Finally, wide receiver Patrick Turner had an outstanding workout, shagging balls for Sanchez and improving his draft stock considerably. Turner, who started off by running a 4.63 in the 40, made some very nice catches, including a great one at the sideline where he tiptoed along the line to make sure he completed the catch in bounds. He ran good routes and while he may not be a high draft pick, he will find a home and get a chance to catch on in camp. I think Turner could become a very solid receiver going forward.

Overall, it was yet another in a long line of well-attended, well-executed, and successful Pro Days for USC.

Thursday

Hawaii: The second stop in this week’s Pro Day tour was down in Carson, California for the University of Hawaii’s workout. While not the size of USC's, the day was still a well-attended, well-run event with several players whom scouts were keenly interested in.

Held at the Home Depot Center, Hawaii’s Pro Day was attended by about 30 scouts from teams such as Carolina, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Seattle and both New York teams.

It was held at two different locations on the Home Depot Center property. The timing and workout portion was held on a small, side field covered in Field Turf with a small tent set up for lifting weights. The positional drills were held a short distance away on a field also used, so the signs said, for David Beckham’s soccer camp.

We started out in a small meeting room where UH head coach Greg McMackin and associate head coach Rich Miano showed the scouts some highlight videos featuring the various players who would soon be working out. After that, the players’ heights and weights were recorded and we adjourned outside for the vertical, broad jump, and timing drills.

Defensive lineman David Veikune was certainly one of the main attractions for scouts on Thursday. While he stood on most of the results of his Combine performance, he did re-run the 40-yard dash. He ran a 4.80/4.81 in the 40, with 10-yard and 20-yard splits of 1.64/1.71 and 2.82/2.78 respectively.

Veikune also did positional drills and since there is some question as to just where he will fit in at the pro level, he drilled as an outside linebacker and worked some coverage as well. The scouts wanted to take a hard look at his footwork which was another reason he worked out as a linebacker.

Veikune may have to make the switch to a linebacker, especially if he ends up in a 3-4 scheme. What he showed on Thursday had scouts saying he could indeed make the switch.
Scouts and teams are just going to try to find a way to get this playmaker on the field because on tape, all Veikune does is make plays. He’ll need to learn how to work out of a two-point stance, work in coverage and other things, but he’s smart enough and a hard enough worker to get the job done and still cause havoc in the backfield when they need him to.

Another player scouts were itching to see was cornerback Ryan Mouton. Mouton had pulled a hamstring at the Combine and was hoping to make an impression this time out.

He began his day on a very high note with an outstanding 11-foot broad jump. He chose to stand on his bench and vertical from the Combine and got set to run the 40.

Unfortunately, he pulled up lame again in the 40 on Pro Day. Mouton said later he felt it at about the 20-yard mark and was clearly in pain when he crossed the finish line. Still, he ran an impressive 40 time (especially considering). Various scouts had him at anywhere from 4.42 to 4.48. I had him timed at 4.46.

And he did that while clearly pulling up in the last leg. Imagine how he might have timed had it not happened.

The injury looked worse than it turned out to be, as he sat in the corner of the practice area for some time. Still, he was out for the day and there were more than a few disappointed scouts and that tells me he was—and likely still is—very much on the radars of several teams. In fact, he already has a meeting with Jacksonville according to the Honolulu Advertiser.

Several other players are worth talking about as well. Defensive lineman Josh Leonard benched a fantastic 41 times, ran a 4.97 in the 40, had a 31 1/2 vertical and looked solid in drills. Another Leonard, linebacker Adam Leonard, had a so-so 40, but that was due, in part, to some bad starts.

As I saw in San Jose State with corner Coye Francies, once you stumble a few times, it can get in your head. It certainly affected Leonard and probably contributed to his slower than expected 40 time. But his film and other drills will keep him hopping and he will have the chance to show his stuff at team visits and private workouts. He looked good in position drills, so while the 40 time might drop him, how far is a subject for debate.

Finally, I want to talk about long snapper Jake Ingram. That’s right, I’m writing about a long snapper, and I loved what I saw in Ingram.

Ingram was a guy the staff talked about during the film session as a perfectionist and a hard worker—the first guy at practice and the last one to leave. The tenacity and hard work paid off as Ingram did every drill he could, ran a 4.90/4.86 in the 40, showed a 30 1/2 vertical, a 9'9" broad jump, benched 18 times and ran a 4.59 short shuttle.

I wasn't the only one impressed. I saw Bengals special teams coach Darrin Simmons talking at length, and a lot of it was shop talk. Of course, a snapper has to do more than snap the ball so teams will take a long look at a guy like Ingram to make sure he can cover and block. Ingram looked good whenever he was asked to do something and came off as personable and as a nose-to-the-grindstone type of guy.

It's not often I spend much time talking about long snappers, but Ingram had a very solid day.

And so ended another road trip and the final Pro Day. Now the hard part comes for analysts and scouts— to take every scrap of info from Pro Days, the Combine, and tons of game film then rank where each and every player goes on their big boards.

Photo Credit: Long Photography, College Press Box (USC)

Hawai'i Bowl: Hawaii vs. Notre Dame

By J.J. PESAVENTO

December 24 * 8:00 PM * ESPN

Quarterback Jimmy Clausen will look to lead the Fighting Irish to their first bowl victory since 1994. Clausen has seen his numbers improve in 2008 after spending most of last season as a mugging victim at the hands of opposing defenses. With freshman sensation Michael Floyd out, his primary targets will be receivers Golden Tate, David Grimes and Kyle Rudolph. Notre Dame doesn't run the ball very well, but when they do look for Armando Allen to get the bulk of the carries. The defense has left something to be desired for much of the season even with standouts like linebacker Maurice Crum Jr. and safety David Bruton and that will hurt them against Hawaii. Hawaii got off to a mediocre 3-4 start in 2008, but quarterback Greg Alexander has been hot the last six games, leading the Warriors to a 4-2 finish. The Notre Dame defense will have to concern themselves with a number of receivers in Greg Salas, Michael Washington, Malcolm Lane and Aaron Bain. On the rare occasions Hawaii does run the ball, Dan Libre will get the call. However, if Kealoha Pilares is healthy, he will be a big factor, lining up at both receiver and running back. Senior defensive back Keao Monteilh, defensive lineman David Veikune and linebacker Solomon Elimimian will be the key players on the Hawaii defense.

Inside the Numbers – Pass, Run & Catch:

Hawaii Warriors (7-6, 5-3)

Pass: Greg Alexander – 1,634 yards, 12 TDs
Run: Daniel Libre – 431 yards, 6 TDs
Catch: Greg Salas – 50-755-3 TDs

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-6)

Pass: Jimmy Clausen – 2,771 yards, 20 TDs
Run: Armando Allen – 576 yards, 3 TDs
Catch: Golden Tate – 52-903-7 TDs

A Football Fan’s Four-Pack…

By JOHN GARRETT

Army vs. Navy (December 6, 12:00, CBS): In one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, Army and Navy will battle for the 109th time in front of a sold-out crowd that will include President George W. Bush at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Black Knights (3-8) and Midshipmen (7-4) will feature two of the most prolific rushing offenses in the nation when they fight for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, which is presented annually to the winner of the football competition among the three major service academies – Army, Navy and Air Force. Navy leads the nation averaging 292 yards per game on the ground, while Army will feature the country’s ninth-best run-attack with an average of 254 yards per contest

Super Senior: Collin Mooney, FB, Army

Star of Tomorrow: Ricky Dobbs, QB, Navy

USC @ UCLA (December 6, 4:30, ABC): For the 37th time, the battle between these Pac-10 rivals will have a Rose Bowl berth on the line. No. 6 USC (10-1, 7-1 in Pac-10 play) is searching for its fourth straight and 33rd overall entrance to the Rose Bowl, while UCLA (4-7, 3-5 in Pac-10 play) would love nothing more than to repeat the stunning performance that upset the Trojans in 2006 – the last time USC traveled to Pasadena for the rivalry – which knocked the Men of Troy out of the BCS Championship Game. But keep in mind that USC has won eight straight games, which has guaranteed them at least a share of the Pac-10 title for the seventh straight time. A win over the Bruins would extend its NCAA record streaks of BCS bowl berths and 11-win seasons to seven consecutive.

Super Senior: Patrick Turner, WR, USC

Star of Tomorrow: Brian Price, DT, UCLA

Arizona St. @ Arizona (December 6, 8:00, FSN): The Wildcats and Sun Devils will meet for the 82nd time in a rivalry that dates back to 1899. Arizona State (5-6, 4-4 in Pac-10 play), which won 20-17 in Tempe last year, has won five of the last six contests although four of the last seven games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Arizona (6-5, 4-4 in Pac-10 play) will have to contend with a Sun Devil defense that tied an NCAA record with four defensive touchdowns last week – its fourth game in a row with a defensive score – and one that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters. At stake in the Duel in the Desert is the Territorial Cup, the oldest rivalry trophy in the NCAA.

Super Senior: Rudy Carpenter, QB, Arizona State

Star of Tomorrow: Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona

Cincinnati @ Hawaii (December 6, 11:30, ESPN2): Coming off of their first Big East championship, the No. 13 Bearcats (10-2, 6-1 in Big East play) are tied for the highest ranking in school history and will make their first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game. Hawaii (7-5, 5-3 in WAC play) secured a bowl berth for the third straight year and sixth in the last seven years after a 24-10 victory over Washington State last Saturday. The Warriors accepted a bid to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl for the fifth time since 2002. Both teams will be a bit unfamiliar with each other considering the last time Hawaii played a Big East opponent was when they took on Boston College in 1992.

Super Senior: David Veikune, DL, Hawaii

Star of Tomorrow: Mardy Gilyard, WR, UC

Photo Credit: College Press Box (USC)

Pac-10 Preview - Week Fourteen

By ANDREW GARDA - PAC-10 INSIDER

#24 Oregon at #16 Oregon State

The Civil War is rejoined for the 112th time, as the two rivals clash in Corvallis with a ton on the line. Regardless of circumstance both teams play for pride, but for the Oregon State Beavers there is more at stake than that – the Pac-10 Conference. It would be OSU’s first Rose Bowl appearance in 44 years.

The Beavers had a rough start to the season, dropping their first two contests, including a drubbing to their would be Rose Bowl opponent Penn State. But the team turned it around and has been on a tear. Much of their success has been due to the spectacular play of freshman running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who will not be available for this game. It will be a challenge to overcome his loss. His older brother, wide receiver James, was able to step in as a replacement tailback last week to the tune of 102 yards and a touchdown. Handing him the ball should be quarterback Lyle Moevao, who missed last week with a shoulder injury. James Rodgers was key in last season’s double overtime victory at Oregon.

The Ducks’ offense isn’t too shabby, with their two-headed backfield of Jeremiah Johnson and LeGarrette Blount Oregon. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is coming off of the best game of his career, a 298-yard, two-touchdown performance versus the Arizona Wildcats.

Either offense is capable of putting up some points and it will be up to the defenses to step up. The team that is able to make plays on defense side of the ball will likely be on the winning side of this battle.

Notre Dame @ #5 USC

Once upon a time, this was one of THE biggest rivalries in college football. This is the 80th meeting between the two teams and while a long list of critical, hard-fought and exciting games can be compiled with Notre Dame struggling so badly and USC’s recent domination – the game has certainly lost some of its luster. Charlie Weiss’ team has had a rough season coming off a horrid loss to Syracuse at home last week.

Mark Sanchez, who threw for four touchdowns in last year’s meeting, is healthy and playing solid ball. The run game has been firing on all cylinders again, led by Stafon Johnson (115 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week). With USC it’s just as likely that CJ Gable or one of the other backs in the stable might break free for a big game.

USC’s defense is dominant – arguably the best in college football. Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who has played well for stretches this season, will need to be mistake-free again against a USC defense that excels at bringing heat and forcing turnovers. Only able to muster 41 yards on the ground against the Orange, the Irish will struggle to have a balanced offense against USC.

Washington State @ Hawaii

With two wins under their belt, the Cougars can at least take solace in the fact that they end their season in the gorgeous state of Hawaii. Coming off a tight win over in-state rival Washington, could Washington State forge a short win streak to finish out their otherwise miserable season.

Junior quarterback Kevin Lopina has yet to throw a touchdown, but has no problem finding members of opposing teams (11 interceptions). He has to take care of the ball better and find a way to get it to talented receivers Brandon Gibson and Jeshua Anderson.

Hawaii quarterback Inoke Funaki has had a rough season himself, taking over for Colt Brennan with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 6-12. While Wazzu doesn’t have much to play for, a seventh win for Hawaii could have bowl implications.

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USC)

Missouri is Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week

DALLAS (FWAA) - With their 36-28 win over Kansas, the Missouri Tigers (11-1) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Nov. 24.
Chase Daniel completed 40-of-49 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers won the Big 12's North Division.

With the win, the Tigers handed Kansas its first loss of the season and then earned the school's first No. 1 ranking since 1960.

"The best thing about tonight is the win," said Daniel. "The bottom line is, we got the win. I don't care what happens; I hope we are No. 1, but all of that stuff doesn't matter."

Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Nov. 24 included:

• Hawaii (11-0): Colt Brennan threw for 495 yards and five touchdown as the Warriors won their first outright WAC title with a 39-27 win over Boise State.

• West Virginia (10-1): Pat White rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass in the Mountaineers' 66-21 rout of Connecticut.

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the third season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Select members of the FWAA board of directors decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2007 college football season, the FWAA has named the Tostitos Bowl National Team of the Week. This is the final selection for the 2007 season.

No. 11 Hawaii enjoying being the nation's only unbeaten team

By JAYMES SONG
AP Sports Writer

HONOLULU (AP) - Solomon Elimimian is savoring Hawaii's success - and it shows.

The leading tackler for the unbeaten and 11th-ranked Warriors is already wearing out his T-shirt that says, ``2007 Western Athletic Conference champions.''

When asked how long he had worn the green, wrinkled shirt, Elimimian said, ``like two days.'' It looked closer to two weeks, but Elimimian wasn't taking it off.

``It feels good to be WAC champs outright for the first time ever,'' said Elimimian, who was the WAC defensive player of the week Monday after making 14 tackles in Hawaii's 39-27 win over Boise State on Friday night.

With the victory, the Warriors (11-0, 8-0) denied the Broncos (10-2, 7-1) a sixth straight conference championship and remained the nation's only unbeaten team. Hawaii needs a victory over Washington (4-8) on Saturday to finish 12-0 and earn a BCS berth.

``It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders and now there's all this energy and new life,'' said quarterback Colt Brennan, who threw for 495 yards and five touchdown passes and received offensive player of the week honors.

If the Warriors can get past the Huskies, the Sugar Bowl is their most likely postseason destination.

``What Boise State was able to do last year, Hawaii is on the cusp of doing that this year,'' WAC commissioner Karl Benson said. ``It demonstrates the strength at the top of the WAC.''

The Warriors moved up three spots to 12th in the latest Bowl Championship Series standings. That's where they'll need to finish, at minimum, on Sunday to secure an automatic bid to the BCS.

Benson said he's ``confident and convinced'' Hawaii would get an invitation to college football's biggest stage if it finishes undefeated. He said the Warriors were ``undervalued,'' in the polls earlier in the season when they faced several lackluster opponents, including two Division I-AA teams and the bottom of the WAC.

But last week's win, ``really validated how good Hawaii is,'' he said.

Warriors coach June Jones said it's difficult to go undefeated on any level and noted the success of his team over the past two years. Hawaii finished 11-3 last year and has won 21 of 22.

``The three losses last year were by 18 points. That says a lot. The kids are believing in each other,'' he said.

The No. 12 ranking is the best in school history for Hawaii. The Warriors' 12-game winning streak is the longest in the nation and goes back to their victory over Arizona State in the Hawaii Bowl.

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

CFI: THE POST GAME REPORT

WEEK 13 - PART I

OHIO ST. VERSUS WEST VIRGINA

Yes, that could be your National Championship game. With Arizona St. and LSU going down and Missouri playing Kansas later today, the Buckeyes and Mountaineers figure to be two and three in the upcoming BCS Rankings. The number one team (either Kansas or Missouri) will likely play the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game next week, which means the Youngstown (Ohio) boy could put the Ohio St. Buckeyes in the Championship game for a second straight season. To complete the circle, OSU headman Jim Tressel coached at Youngstown St. before taking the job in Columbus.

RUN DARREN, RUN

Darren McFadden made a final statement on his Heisman campaign with his 206 yards and three touchdowns against the No. 1 team in the country. The junior tailback lined up as the Razorbacks’ quarterback for much of the day and was 3-of-6 passing for 34 yards and another touchdown, as he connected with his fullback Peyton Hillis from 24 yards out with less than six minutes remaining in the game to give the Hogs a 28-21 lead. McFadden finishes the season with 1,725 yards and 15 touchdowns…not too shabby. He is deserving of winning the Heisman as well as becoming the top overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft should he decide to declare.

MR. JACKSON IS NOT SORRY

"They came to hit tonight," Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter said after USC’s beating of Arizona St. "I think tonight, we were overmatched."

Ya think Carpenter had senior defensive end Lawrence Jackson (8 tackles, 5.5 TFLs) in mind when he made that statement?

Just as he did last season, Jackson is making a late push. His four sacks give him 9.5 on the season. When he recorded 10 sacks in his redshirt sophomore season, the assumption was that Jackson would have an All-American junior season and declare for NFL Draft. He turned in just four sacks last season, all four in two November games, so he returned for his senior season and until Thursday night, Jackson was having an underwhelming season, a microcosm for the Men of Troy.

Also joining the sack party were fellow senior Sedrick Ellis and true freshman Everson Griffen. Ellis now has 52 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks, tremendous numbers for an interior lineman. Ellis’ production has never been questioned. Griffen is the heir apparent at defensive end, a five-star recruit who will be on many preseason All-American lists next season. The Arizona native has 5.5 sacks on the season. As a schoolboy in 2006, Griffen rumbled for 1,251 yards and 20 touchdowns as a running back…and he’s 6’3”, 265 pounds. I want to meet the kid that tackled him!

ROSE BOWL BOUND?

With their win in Tempe, the Men of Toy could find themselves on their way to Pasadena. What do they need? A win next week against cross-town rival UCLA in the Coliseum, and an Oregon loss to either UCLA or Oregon St. The Bruins are not ones to help the Trojans, but they are capable of beating the Dennis Dixon-less Ducks at home, as are the Beavers in the “Civil War”. Ironically, UCLA and Oregon St. are the two teams that spoiled USC’s Championship run last season.

LET THEM PLAY

Anyone who has followed CFI’s Top 25 this season knows we are not the champions of the WAC and we would have loved to have seen Hawaii play some tougher competition this season (they came into the week with 119th strength of schedule out of 119). But, if they finish the season undefeated they deserve to play in a BCS Bowl. Why not? It is not as if they are lobbying to play in the Championship game and is it is, it appears the BCS conferences will struggle to fill the ten slots.

* Check Back on Monday for Part II

Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communication

Brennan-Led Hawaii Wins WAC Title

By JAYMES SONG
AP Sports Writer

HONOLULU (AP) - Unbeaten. Record-breaking. Western Athletic Conference champion. Maybe BCS bound. All apply to Colt Brennan and Hawaii. The Warriors' prolific passer threw five touchdowns to break the major college career record as No. 14 Hawaii beat No. 17 Boise State 39-27 Friday night to win its first outright WAC title.

Brennan finished 40-of-53 for 495 yards for the Warriors (11-0, 8-0), who set a school record with 12 straight wins and denied the Broncos (10-2, 7-1) a sixth straight conference championship.

``He was the best college football player in America last year and he still is this year,'' Warriors coach June Jones said. ``If he plays good next week and we win it, he should win the Heisman Trophy.''

The WAC heavyweights traded scores and the lead until Brennan erupted for three TD tosses in the third quarter to give the Warriors their largest lead, 39-27, heading into the final quarter.

``When your rolling like that against a Boise State team, you know things are good,'' Brennan said. ``We knew right then and there, we were in good shape.''

The quick-striking Warriors, who have won 21 of its last 22 games and lead the nation in scoring, ran out the clock with their rare running game to seal the win as the crowd chanted, ``BCS! BCS!''

Hawaii entered 15th in the Bowl Championship Series standings, needing to finish 12th or higher to secure an automatic bid to the BCS. A weak schedule has kept the Warriors from moving up the rankings, but a convincing win over last season's BCS busters should help them make a final push. A Sugar Bowl bid could be in the Warriors' future if they can complete a perfect season next week at home against Washington.

With the final seconds ticking off the clock, players and thousands of fans spilled onto the field and celebrated the Warriors' biggest win in school history.

Hawaii's Davone Bess had a school-record 14 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Jason Rivers had 12 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown while C.J. Hawthorne added five receptions for 111 yards and a TD.

But it was Brennan's night.

``It's the best feeling I've ever had. I'm speechless,'' said Brennan, who withdrew from the NFL draft to return for one more season.

Brennan has passed for 126 TDs in his three-year career at Hawaii, which beat Boise State for the first time in seven tries. Brennan broke the record, throwing his 122nd, in the first quarter.

His 6-yard TD pass to Grice-Mullen surpassed the mark set by former Brigham Young Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer in 1991. With the pass, Brennan also broke Detmer's record for most touchdowns responsible for with 136.

The sellout, green-clad, ti-leaf waving crowd at Aloha Stadium roared as Brennan was congratulated by teammates and officials removed the record-breaking ball. The touchdown pass tied the game at 7.

Brennan quickly added to his new record. His 123rd TD pass came on a 23-yard toss to Bess in the second quarter to give the Warriors a 19-13 lead. Brennan also had 1-yard scoring run.

Bess and Brennan also connected on a 22-yard scoring play early in the third quarter. It was their 39th scoring hookup, tying the NCAA record held by Louisiana Tech's Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards.

Brennan's fourth TD toss of the game, and 125th in his career, was a 7-yarder to Rivers that gave the Warriors a 32-27 lead. No. 5 was a 38-yarder to C.J. Hawthorne with 26 seconds left in the third quarter.

Brennan entered the game holding 24 other NCAA records, including the single-season record for TD passes of 58, which he set last year.

The Warriors took a 19-17 lead into the locker room. Brennan was 20-of-27 for 241 yards and two TDs in the half.

The Broncos' Ian Johnson also had a big first half, rushing for 75 yards and two TDs, including a 50-yarder that gave the Broncos a 7-0 lead. However, Johnson was held to just 11 yards and no scores in the second half.

Taylor Tharp was 22-of-36 for 231 yards for Boise State, which is now 52-4 in the WAC since joining the conference in 2001. They had won 17 straight WAC games, with their last loss coming in 2005 at Fresno State.

Boise State was 19th in the BCS standings and hoping to break into the big games for a second straight year. The team that wowed the college football world with its dramatic Fiesta Bowl victory last season will go back to playing in second-tier bowl games this year.

Boise State took a 27-26 lead midway through the third quarter on a 36-yard field goal by Kyle Brotzman, setup by Dallas Dobbs' interception.

The Broncos cut the Warriors lead to 26-24, on a 6-yard play-action pass from Tharp to Richie Brockel on fourth-and-1.

Hawaii quarterback Brennan returns to practice in wake of concussion

HONOLULU (AP) - After sitting out two days of practice following a concussion, Colt Brennan returned to the field Wednesday to take a few snaps, with Hawaii coach June Jones saying the quarterback has been cleared to play Friday at Nevada.

Doctors and trainers have determined Brennan is fine following the injury Saturday in a 37-30 victory over Fresno State, Jones said.

``If the game was today, I would say he would play,'' Jones said following practice.

Brennan took five snaps against the scout team.

He needs just one more touchdown pass to reach 122 and break the NCAA career record set by Brigham Young's Ty Detmer in 1991.

No. 13 Hawaii, 9-0 for the first time since 1925, will try to hold on to its perfect record when it faces unranked Nevada (5-4).

Brennan throws 6 TDs as No. 16 Hawaii beats New Mexico State 50-13

By JAYMES SONG
AP Sports Writer

HONOLULU (AP) - Colt Brennan is doing his part to keep Hawaii perfect.

The senior threw for 425 yards and six touchdowns as No. 16 Hawaii remained undefeated with a 50-13 victory over New Mexico State on Saturday night.

The six TD passes gave Brennan 119 for his career, two shy of tying the record held by Brigham Young's Ty Detmer, who played from 1988-91.

Brennan passed former Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang for second on the list. He entered the game in fifth place and quickly passed Florida's Danny Wuerffel (114) and Louisiana Tech's Tim Rattay (115).

The Warriors (8-0, 5-0 Western Athletic Conference) have won 18 of their last 19 games, a school-record 12 straight conference games and matched the best start since 1973, when Hawaii was an NCAA Division II team called the Rainbows.

Ryan Grice-Mullen had 13 receptions for a career-high 195 yards and three TDs, including an 11-yard score that gave the Warriors a 36-13 lead and moved Brennan past Chang on the career list.

Brennan, who was 29-for-46, was intercepted on the game's opening play by a lunging Davon House, then hit his next 10 passes in the quarter for 140 yards and two TDs.

The second scoring pass, a 20-yard rainbow to Grice-Mullen, put Hawaii up 13-0. Grice-Mullen also caught a short pass and sprinted untouched along the Aggies' sideline for a 42-yard score to give the Warriors a 23-0 lead.

Paul Young kicked a 34-yard field goal for New Mexico State just before halftime and also booted a 41-yarder to open the second half. But the Aggies (4-5, 1-3) would get no closer.

Davone Bess added seven catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns for Hawaii. His 12-yard TD catch in the fourth tied a school record with 38 career scores.

Jason Rivers extended his streak of receptions to 45 games, which leads the nation, on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Brennan that gave Hawaii a 6-0 lead. Dan Kelly's missed extra point was his first of the season. He also missed another in the third quarter.

Kelly had previously converted 50 straight, breaking Jason Elam's school record of 46.

The Aggies used a no-huddle offense all game, but was stymied by the Warriors' blitzing defense. New Mexico State threatened to score in the first quarter, but Adam Leonard intercepted a pass at the Hawaii 16.

Hawaii's defense also held the Aggies on fourth-and-4 from the Hawaii 7 late in the game.

Holbrook had success moving New Mexico State but the offense sputtered in the red zone. He was 37-for-52 for 328 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.

Holbrook's lone touchdown was a 19-yard pass to Wes Neiman in the third quarter.

Derek Dubois led the Aggies with eight catches for 106 yards in a game that featured about 1,000 yards of offense.

SOURCE: NCAAFOOTBALL; PHOTO CREDIT: COLLEGIATE IMAGES

CFI’S MID-MAJOR TOP 5

BY NEIL BISMAN
THE MID-MAJOR INSIDER

1. Hawaii (5-0, 2-0 WAC): The Warriors may be sporting an unblemished record and are currently ranked in the Top 25 but the jury is still out as to whether they will be this year’s Mid-Major Cinderella. The early slate has been rather weak but they are beating the competition thrown at them handedly, save for a wild 45-44 win at Louisiana Tech. The schedule is somewhat back-loaded as they close out at home against Boise State and the ever-improving Washington Huskies. If Hawaii is able to ride quarterback Colt Brennan’s arm to an undefeated record, then they should be able to crash the BCS party.
Next Game: Oct. 7th vs. Utah State

2. Boise State (3-1, 0-0 WAC): The early season offensive slump appears to be behind the Broncos and it could not come at a better time as they open up the conference slate this Sunday night against New Mexico State. While the win last week over Southern Mississippi doesn’t look as strong now with the Golden Eagles falling to Rice earlier this week, Boise State appears poised to make another run at a conference championship. This team must be careful not to look ahead to their season-ending showdown with Hawaii because if they play the football that they are capable of, the w inner of that contest will be crowned the champion of the WAC.
Next Game: Oct. 7th vs. New Mexico State

3. UCF (3-1, 1-0 Conference USA): As Kevin Smith goes, so go the UCF Knights. The sensational running back continues to pile up big numbers, having run for a career-high 223 yards in last weeks romp of Louisiana-Lafayette. UCF has a huge test coming up on October 13 when they travel to Tampa to take on South Florida and must avoid looking ahead. East Carolina is on the schedule for this week and please do not be fooled by their 2-3 record. The winner here is in first place in the Eastern Division.
Next Game: Oct. 6th at East Carolina

4. BYU (3-2, 2-0 Mountain West): The 3-2 record the Cougars are currently sporting may not look all that impressive until you look at not only whom they have played, but where they have played. Three of the first five games have taken place away from LaVell Edwards Stadium, with a fourth road game coming this Saturday against UNLV. Sophomore quarterback Max Hall has put up some pretty impressive numbers and should continue to get better as the season progresses. He showed a lot of poise in the early season losses to UCLA and Tulsa and the question must be asked, would the results have been different had those games taken place in November instead of September?
Next Game: Oct. 6th at UNLV

5. TCU (3-2, 1-1 Mountain West): The team that some pegged as this year’s “Boise State,” got off to a 1-2 start and shattered any dreams they may have had of a BCS berth. Couple that with the undisclosed illness suffered by defensive end Tommy Blake and a season that once looked so promising continues to look bleak. Fear not though Horned Frog faithful, the team can make some big waves over the next two weeks with road trips to Wyoming and Stanford. A win in those two games and the program is right back on track. A loss in one or both contests though and it might be time to start thinking about Horned Frogs basketball, whose future doesn’t look much brighter.
Next Game: Oct 6th at Wyoming

Just missed the cut: Tulsa, Southern Miss, Navy, Air Force, Ball State

Hawaii's Kajiyama nominated for FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award

DALLAS (FWAA) - Hawaii's Brian Kajiyama is the first nominee for the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award to be announced at the end of the 2007 season. Kajiyama, 30, is in his first season as a graduate assistant with the Warriors. A longtime Hawaii football fan, Kajiyama was born with cerebral palsy, but has accomplished more with the disability than many without the disability accomplish in a lifetime.

Kajiyama, who uses a wheelchair and speaks though a text-to-speech device, graduated with honors from Hawaii in 2003. He recently received his Masters of Education in guidance and counseling and is pursuing a PhD.

His work with the football program began after the dedicated fan became a regular attendee at practices. He later became a volunteer assistant, and in 2006 began handling the tedious duty of editing opponents' game film, making "cut-ups" for Hawaii's coaches. He was named a graduate assistant last spring, fulfilling a longtime dream.

As a graduate assistant, Kajiyama works with the defense, including preparing scouting reports and breaking down game film.

"People just see him as a kid out there in a wheelchair," Hawaii defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. "If they knew his effort and commitment, they'd see something else."

For the second straight year, the Football Writers Association of America and the FedEx Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the winner from all of the nominees. The winner of the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award will be announced in December and be presented with the trophy.

The Courage Award was created by ESPN The Magazine's senior writer Gene Wojciechowski, also a FWAA member. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship.

Previous winners of the FWAA's Courage Award are Clemson's Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis' Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State's Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo's William Bratton (2002).