Finally, a playoff system for College Football.  Everyone may be cheering, but is it enough?  It is a commonly known fact that the complaining will begin for teams ranked five through eight once the top four are selected for the playoffs.

This past season it was clear who the top four teams were so it would have been an easy selection.  The questions will arise when there are more than four legitimate championship contenders.  Everything comes down to money.  The amount of money for the bowl games compared to the playoff and bowl game combination is a major difference.

What the average fan forgets to realize is the amount of time that the playoff system would take.  Teams that are in the later bowls miss class time as it is.  So an eight or ten team playoff is out of the question because it would take too long and the athletes would miss too much class time.

Personally I think a six team playoff would be the best option.  The one and two seeds would get a first week bye and three would play six and four would play five.  The winner of those will play one and two.  This would create a total of five games which would make it perfect for the big game to be on New Years Day which every college football fan wants.

The National Championship being on a Monday at 8:30pm is a waste of time.  If they moved it to New Years Day at 6:00pm like the Super Bowl then I firmly believe there would be a large increase in viewers.  It is early enough where viewers don’t have to be worried about being up super late and getting to work and school early the next morning.

The five games that would come from the six team playoff would be the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and finally the National Championship.  This way those major bowl games hold an even larger importance then they did without the playoff system.

Another positive for the six team playoff is that there is less chance of discrepancy from the number six team compared to the number seven team in relation to the number four team compared to the number five team.

No matter what there will be complaining from the teams that just miss the cut, but if there is a way to minimize the complaints it would be by increasing the number of teams in the playoff without making it too many where it becomes an inconvenience to the student athletes.

Regardless, it is about time a playoff system will take over and it is certainly a step in the right direction.  I can see some changes being made after the first few seasons to improve the system but at least every fan can be relieved that the BCS era is arguably over.

It may only be April, and it is still just 2012, but talk is already buzzing surrounding the incoming freshmen class and their potential to transform college football in 2013. Yes, we are still waiting for both the good and bad 2012 will bring, but why not give it some hype before the season rolls around?

Whether or not these athletes can contribute to their first college football season will most likely depend on what happens in 2012 and who rounds up the top 25 and who takes home a national championship. But either way, any team can use someone with lots of speed, agility, common sense and expertise in the game.

Who couldn’t use someone like Ricky Seals-Jones out of Texas, a 215-pound wide receiver out of Texas, who is both threatening in his 6’2” frame and fast on the field? And what would any team not see in Eric Vanderdoes, a 6’4” 285-pound defensive end who can stop an attacking offense within seconds?

What most of these recruits possess is an extra dose of speed and a constant eye out for swift plays that will easily be shown daily on ESPN’s Top 10. Nowadays, college football is just a stop-start game; when will we get these unbelievable plays that keep cameras rolling and remain in our memories forever?

Linebacker Matt Thomas out of Florida is a pass-rushing machine, and then there’s Robert Nkemdiche, the number one prospect, who at 6’5” and 270 pounds is as fast as he is unstoppable. Can they give the fans what they want: shock, force, and less commercials?

Looks like 2013 is the year we get it all.

Every year, the SEC is the hot commodity of preseason college football talk. There is always something going on at Florida, an incredibly talented quarterback has been drafted to the NFL, and one of them just won the BCS championship game.

But this year’s talk has taken a new turn, and it is a bit unexpected.

The USC Trojans, accurately described as one of the “hidden gems” of the 2012 preseason, has been chosen as the top team by many an online sports site, and it could perhaps be because of Matt Barkley’s return, and Stanford and Oregon losing a lot of talent to the NFL.

And remember what I said the other day: a new season is a clean slate, and just because they lost to Stanford in triple-overtime on October 29 does not mean they will face the same embarrassment again in 2012.

If Su’A Cravens commits to USC on June 6, who knows what could happen? Cravens, a 6-1, 210-lb. safety, is rumored to be leaning toward the Trojans; going elsewhere would come as a surprise. But he could add some serious agility and knowledge to the game, the defense especially. The Barkley-Cravens duo could potentially be unstoppable.

Isn’t it just a little refreshing, though, that the spring chatter this year is leaning toward a non-SEC team? I would have to think everyone gets tired constantly hearing talk about Alabama and LSU, especially since they were both in the BCS championship game last season – oh what an exciting change of pace (obviously not – it’s like Kentucky winning the men’s basketball title this year.)

Still, I would have to think a lot of people would have high hopes for the Trojans, especially since they may possibly be a machine next year, and maybe they will finally get their shot against an SEC team in the BCS title game.

It is just time for something new.

After twelve straight seasons with at least nine wins, since his arrival at Texas in 1998, the last two seasons have fallen short of expectations in Austin for Mack Brown. 

The major culprit which has caused the sudden skid has been the production (or lack thereof) from the offense.  The same spread attack that vaulted former QBs Vince Young and Colt McCoy into college stars and NFL draft picks has shown exactly how one-dimensional their new quarterbacks have been.

David Ash and Case McCoy (younger brother of Colt) have experienced highs and lows as the signal callers for Texas, and their inconsistency has placed a heavy burden on the athletic Longhorn defense, leading to a very unspectacular 13-12 record in the last two seasons.

The great part of the spread offense is that it can be high-tempo and virtually unstoppable if you have the athletes and a quarterback who is a significant threat to both run and throw for big yardage.  The weakness of this offensive scheme is that if you have a quarterback who can’t win games with his legs, you’re in big trouble–just ask Florida fans post-Tebow and Auburn post-Cam Newton.

The good news for Texas fans is the Longhorns now appear to be running a more conventional offense, similar to the one that co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite ran when he ran the offense from under center.

Last week’s spring game showed a more traditional running game with the quarterback under center and out of the pistol sets, allowing Texas’ stable of talented running backs to head downhill immediately, instead of waiting for the ball in the slower-developing spread attack.  This throw back running game is what put Ricky Williams and Cedric Benson at the pinnacle of college football.

It’s also what allowed the Texas quarterbacks to run a balanced attack, despite their ability to rush the football.  Expect to see David Ash, who appears to have the inside track at the starter at QB this fall, to flourish in this offense.  A better offense will mean you can expect the ‘Horns to compete for another Big 12 title and get back where Mack Brown is used to being–winning 10 or more games in one season, rather than two.

Photo courtesy of Hoopthoughts.blogspot.com

In SI.com’s recent 2012 Mock Draft by Don Banks, college football fans see a lot of usual suspects.  Even if you’re not college football fan, you’ll notice that eight players he projects played in the BCS Title game that featured a rematch of LSU and Alabama.

You also see the top three Heisman candidates projected in the top 5.  In this edition of CSF, we take a look at Banks’ top 5 projected picks and we go Magic 8-ball on you to determine whether or not these players will make an immediate impact in the NFL.

1.  Indianapolis Colts:  Andrew Luck/QB Stanford: Unless the Colts feel they can win with two quarterbacks hijacking over $50 million in salary cap, at some point before March 8th, Peyton Manning will sign with a different team for the 2012 season.  This opens the door for Luck to see action immediately this fall.

Will he prove his worth in years 1 and 2?

Jeff’s Magic 8 Ball Answer:  Ask again later. I know, I know…not much of an answer, but sometimes, the Magic 8-Ball is vague, and in the case of the Colts, so is their immediate future.  The Colts showed last season that they are in shambles.  They hope to catch lightning in a bottle twice, with their second correct choice of a 1st round QB.  While Luck is a great player, it will take at least two drafts or a shift in philosophy (owner Jim Irsay has never been one to go after star free agents), and Luck will likely run into the same issues that St. Louis Rams QB Sam Bradford is facing–with no weapons around him, it doesn’t matter how talented your quarterback is.

2.  Cleveland Browns:  Robert Griffin III/QB Baylor: In Banks’ mock draft, he sees the the Browns trading up with the Rams, and more importantly, he sees them selecting a bigger, faster, more athletic version of their current QB Colt McCoy.  McCoy has done a serviceable job in his first two years for a really bad team, but unless he takes a huge step forward in year three, expect RG3 to be the starter this fall.

Will he prove his worth in years 1 and 2?

Jeff’s Magic 8-Ball Answer:  Outlook not so good. RG3′s speed and athleticism are unparalleled, but he doesn’t have the size of Cam Newton.  He’s bigger than Michael Vick and is more of a pass-first QB, but let’s be honest–Griffin’s running ability is a big part of his game.  His speed and elusiveness will what puts him on Sportscenter’s top plays, but it could be what puts him out of football.  As with the Colts, the Browns (or any other team that drafts RG3) have more needs than just the quarterback position, and the lack of weapons will lead to a lot of hits on a star QB.

3.  Minnesota Vikings:  Matt Kalil/OT USC: Banks sites the need to bolster the O-line over another speedy wideout.  As with most any offensive tackles taken high in the draft, expect Kalil to find the field immediately, and should the Vikings choose the talented tackle, he certainly has the ability to anchor an offensive line for a long time.

Will he prove his worth in years 1 and 2?

Jeff’s Magic 8-Ball Answer:  Without a doubt. Kalil is a force on the run and pass, and he will prove his worth right away.  In fact, Kalil’s departure from USC was one of the main reasons many experts thought that quarterback Matt Barkley would also leave this year for the NFL.  If Kalil is available, the Vikings don’t want to pass on dominant tackle that should make a few Pro-Bowl appearances by his third year in the league.

4.  St. Louis Rams:  Justin Blackmon/WR Oklahoma State: Assuming Banks is correct and the Rams trade their second pick to Cleveland, Blackmon would be an ideal pick.  Sam Bradford has been without an impact wide receiver since he got in the league two years ago.  Help could be on the way this fall for the tackling dummy, I mean quarterback for the Rams.  Bradford will still be running for his life behind a pourus offensive line, but at least he’ll have a stud to throw the ball to this season.

Will he prove his worth in years 1 and 2?

Jeff’s Magic 8-Ball Answer:  It is decidely so. Blackmon would have been a first rounder in last year’s draft, but he was only a sophomore.  And unlike fellow Okie State first round selection Dez Bryant, Blackmon isn’t a knucklehead and should be able to learn a playbook.  Any doubts as to whether Blackmon was a legit top 5 pick were put to rest in the Fiesta Bowl last month, when Blackmon absolutely went off, hauling in eight catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns.  Expect much of the same in the NFL.

5.  Tampa Bay Bucs:  Trent Richardson/RB Alabama: Banks believes the Bucs could benefit from another bruising back to complement LaGarrette Blount, and Richardson is easily the best running back in this draft.  At 224 lbs., he has the size to run between the tackles, but he also has the balance and speed to go along with it, qualities that allowed him to average over six yards a carry in the SEC, despite being the focal point of every defense he faced.

Will he prove his worth in years 1 and 2?

Jeff’s Magic 8-Ball Answer:  As I see it, yes. The fact that the Bucs already have a big, physical back in Blount means that the addition of Richardson will cut down on carries for each of the running backs, and they will see the same benefit that Alabama saw in Richardson’s first season with the Crimson Tide, when he split carries with Mark Ingram.  If a different team selects Richardson and he is forced to carry the ball 250-300 times, well…I’ll have to re-check the 8-Ball for an updated answer.

Click here to see Don Banks’ 2012 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 for his full first round projections and analysis, and check back later this week for my Magic 8-Ball impact predictions later this week.

Earlier this week, it was announced that quarterback Danny O’Brien was leaving the program.  O’Brien was the 24th player to leave the program since new head coach Randy Edsall took over just one year ago.  (photo courtesy of bcsfootball.net)

Many fans criticized the firing of former Terps’ coach Ralph Friedgen, who was fired after taking home ACC Coach of the Year honors after a solid 9-4 season a year ago.

Edsall has a much more disciplined approach than Friedgen, and that dictatorship approach appears to have not resonated well among the players–since the conclusion of the Terps’ dreadful 2-10 season in Edsall’s debut, O’Brien marked the 12th player to leave the program, since the season ended.

If the mass exodus continues, the Terps will have to hope they’ll have enough players to scrimmage by the end of spring camp.

Meanwhile, Maryland fans have to be scratching their heads and questioning the adminstration even more for the coaching change that has most likely set the program back at least 2-3 years–and that’s assuming that Edsall will turn things around.

Terps fans have Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson to thank for the plumet into college football obscurity.  It was Anderson who announced in November of 2010, that Friedgen would be on the Terps sidelines in 2011 to finish his contract.

The following month, however, Anderson announced that Friedgen was out.  Edsall took over, and it hasn’t been pretty.  Just ask the two dozen players who have jumped ship before things get even worse in College Park.