O5 OOC tight ones for Sept 19

 GA Tech(ACC) D was impressive  against the Noles last week and should contain UCF(AAC) QB Dillon Gabriel. If GT finds a way to prevent kicks from being blocked, they 'll win a nailbiter 24-22.

Is there enough "Tiger" in the tank with ex -Auburn QB , Malik Willis  leading Liberty in a matchup against WKU(CUSA)? Ex Terp QB Pagrome struggled against Louisville last week. LU 20 WKU 17.

Will a defense show up in the SMU(AAC) /North Texas (CUSA) matchup. Buechele will lead SMU to a 38-35 win over Jason Bean and the not so Mean Green. Both QBs will toss at least three TD passes.

I couldn't ignore this matchup of former Southwest Conference rivals Baylor(Big12) and Houston(AAC)  meeting for the first time since 1995 . Plus, Aranda(Baylor) and Holgorsen(HU) were members of Mike Leach's staff at Texas Tech in 2000. Brewer will toss two TD passes for Bayor in in 21-16 win over the Cougars, who will need to develop a strong rushing attack.

Sept 20

BAY/HOU was canceled. I was wrong big time on UCF who obliterated the GT D 49-21. No D showed up  as the Mustangs ran wild across the not so Mean Green. SMU 65 -NT 35. I got the winner the 35 right.. Willis played a solid game at QB and  the Flames rushing attack was in gear in a 30-24 win over WKU. 2-1 for the weekend.

Special shout-out to the Marshall fans. Herd 17 Appy 7

Will the Sunbelt shine against B12 on Sept 12? Or others?

Three Sunbelt team will get close but not get a cigar against the Big 12 on Saturday. Coastal Carolina upset Kansas last season but Les Miles won't let that occur again. Pooka Williams will rush for 150 plus  in a KU win. ULL will give Iowa St (Big 12) a difficult time and lose a close one. Purdy's arm will win the day for ISU. Arkansas St will have a tough time containing Skylar Thomphson of Kansas St .

However, the non B12 matchups will  result in some wins. App St hosts an improving Charlotte(CUSA) squad in a matchup that may cement a growing regional rivalry. App St won 56-41 last season, but this game will be lower scoring.  App St DBs will make some big plays in a 23-19 win. South Alabama will upset Tulane(AAC) behind the Trotter to Tolbert connection.

Texas St played ok in a loss to SMU last week but will fall to UTSA(CUSA) in a nailbiter .

ULM faces an Army squad that rolled MTSU 42-0 last week. Warhawks will score some points but  will not have enough D  to muster a victory.

sEPT 13, 2020

I'm here to eat crow. Those three Sunbelt teams, CCU, ULL, and Ark St  had a great games in knocking off Big 12 squads. South Bama crumbled in the final 20 minutes and lost to Tulane 27-24. T. Spears rushed for 105 yards on eleven carries for the Green Wave.

I was correct on App St, UTSA,  and Army, but TX St forced OT before losing, and I thought Coach Traylor of UTSA was going to blow a gasket on the sidelines. UTSA RB, Sincere McCormick, rushed for 197 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.

Sept 14, 2020

 ULL Ragin' Cajuns in first college football rankings since 1943 They're ranked 19 in this week's AP Top 25.

1a independents squeeze lime in the corona

 My blog from 2016 with information on Independents has grown long and unwieldy. https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2016/06/o5-geography-matters-martial-re-alignemt.html 

Army and BYU matchup for the first time on the football field on 9/19/20. Army has added a few Sunbelt matchups and also has a game with Tulane (AAC).  Liberty U has peppered it's schedule with ACC, CUSA, and Sunbelt opponents.

Notre Dame has joined the ACC for football for this season no matter how they parse the wording.

I can only wonder how  about future football re-alignment and how Independent treat the upcoming hoops season.

Aug 26

Tom Holmoe, the BYU AD who quickly adjusted the Cougars 2020 schedule, played DB for the 49ers in the 1980s, coached for Bill Walsh at Stanford, and later George Seifert for the 1994/95 SB champ Niners.

Sept 1

 Is ODU going to  leave 1a after canceling it's 2020 season while the rest of the CUSA plays. Is Liberty U a candidate to replace them in the CUSA?

Sept 6-Wow, Army demolished MTSU 42-0. They rushed for 340 yards with S.McCoy scoring three TDs.

Sept 13- Army handled ULM. Perhaps they're in the national title hunt ?

Sept 22-  Willis, a transfer from Auburn, played a solid game at QB, and  the Liberty Flames' rushing attack was in gear in a 30-24 win over WKU. FIU (CUSA) is next up for Liberty. Army has a tough one against Cincy (AAC), and BYU plays Troy of the sunbelt , which is an improving conference.

Oct 11: BYU and Liberty are undefeated. Cougars(4-0) beat UTSA , and the Flames(3-0) beat ULM 40-7.

Oct 20:  BYU(5-0) should handle TX St(Sunbelt) behind QB Zach Wilson and Liberty(5-0) will need a huge game from Willis and a lot of O to get by S.Miss(CUSA). Army (5-1) will handle Mercer(1-AA). Army's only loss was to a solid Cincy (AAC) team.

Oct 25. I sound like a broken record raving about  Willis, the transfer from Auburn, who rushed for 97 yards and 1 TD, and passed for 345 yards and 6 TDs in a 56-35 win over USM. Army and BYU won their games easily.

 

Pacific Northwest hoops chatter in the summer of 2020

Gonzaga center Filip Petrusev signed with Mega Bemax, a pro team in Serbia. He led the Zags in scoring (17.5 points) and rebounding (7.9 boards) in 2019/20 and was WCC Player of the Year I've read some articles claiming that it's not that big of a loss. I call bullsh^t on those opinions.

The Zags are in Spokane which is over 200 miles from Seattle, but Portland U is  right in the heart of the mess.

If the current civil unrest persists, a few members of the WAC, particularly Chicago St and Seattle U may not be cool places to play.

In the Pac12 Wash St is far away from Seattle but UW is nearby. Both Oregon schools are about 90 minutes by automobile from Portland.

In the NBA, the Trailblazers are in the Orlando , Fla bubble for the finish of the 2019/20season, but could be affected for the start of the 2020//21 season.

july 30, 2020

Maybe Seattle is waking up and it will be safe for UW to play sports.: "Defunding the police is a radical experiment that will hurt the vulnerable.” This is what some callers to the Seattle City Council meeting said, and also 20K of signatures have been collected to Stop the defunding.

Aug 1

WAC shortened the eligibility period from four years to two years for transitioning teams to participate in tournaments. This allows California Baptist to be eligible for the 2021 tournaments at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Dixie State and Tarleton State will be eligible in 2023.

Aug 4

The Russell Rule received a blessing from it's namesake Bill Russell. WCC members will be required to include a minority among the pool of final candidates for every athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach opening within their athletic departments.

Aug 13, 2020

 The Pac-12 will consider a return to  hoops play after Jan. 1, 2021. If they play it will probably be conference only games.

Aug 14, 2020

WAC: Men's and women's basketball and men's will be postponed through the end of October pending Board discussion on winter athletics competition.

 

Aug 19, 2020

And now more mixed signals as the pre-season top-two teams Gonzaga and Baylor make an agreement to schedule a game for 2020-21 season.

Feb 3 2021

#tarletonst 's only WAC win is against Utah Valley. Cal Baptist is 3-3 in  conference  play.

Feb 4, 2021

For now, Grand Canyon (6-0 WAC) with new coach #BryceDrew has supplanted NMST(0-2 WAC) as top dog in the conference.  So far they haven't missed Dan Majerle.

Sept, 10, 2021

An interesting bi-product of the Big 12's football move to bring in BYU could change WCC hoops. BYU football may be able to join the B12 as soon as 2022  since it is an independent for football that plays the rest of its sports in the WCC. If/when BYU leaves WCC hoops, will they recruit from the WAC to remain at  10 teams? Perhaps, they'll pursue Seattle U.

Oct 6, 2021

 New Mexico St , whose favored by many to win the WAC despite Grand Canyon winning the WAC 2021 title has a nicer travel schedule with the new Texas teams in the conference this season.

 Jan. 13: vs. Tarleton

Jan. 15: vs. Abilene Christian

Jan. 20: @ Sam Houston State

Jan. 22: @ Stephen F. Austin

In OOC play they face  Washington St  of the Pac 12  this season. 

Feb 8, 2022

I don't think anyone saw this quick of a turnaround for Zona after Tommy Lloyd was named its head coach last April after serving as an assistant coach at Gonzaga(WCC) for the last 22 seasons. Zona upset UCLA a few days ago and is #4  overall.

Feb 11, 2022

I caught some Pac 12 action last night. Zona beat Wazzoo. Oregon beat Stanford. Man, I hate the color scheme of the Ducks hardwood. 

Zags better keep their eyes on USF, Bill Russel's old school. The Dons beat Pepperdine 105-61 in WCC action.

Pre-season 2020 Other 5 football notes

Yes, the proliferation of transfers is dizzying, but this one caught me off guard. Two-year starting QB Isaiah Green leaves Marshall for the transfer portal.

Former UNLV starting quarterback Armani Rogers will play  at Ohio and is a grad transfer so he's eligible for 2020.

Ricky Slade , Penn St RB, is headed to ODU  to play for HC Rick Rahne who  an assistant coach at PSU.

Maybe a bad sign for the O5 football future.: Michael Alford, the Central Michigan AD , is  taking the job of CEO of Seminole Boosters, Inc., at Florida State.

July 20:

Former WAC rivals, Wyoming (MWC) and Arizona (PAC12) announced a  home-and-home series starting in 2033.

Wyoming lost to Zona 13-12 when they  last met in 1977.  Zona leads the all-time series 12-10.

July 23, 2020

Grisham, the Governor of New Mexico asked New Mexico, which competes in the MWC,to suspend contact sports. The Lobos  lost its Sept. 12 game with USC(PAC12).  In addition to their conference slate, the Lobos are scheduled to play Idaho St, Miss St(SEC), and New Mexico State as non-conference opponents. NMST also received the "suspend" letter.

July 30, 2020

Ball State(MAC) replaced Iowa(B10) on Iowa St(Big 12) schedule and had an open slot because its game at Michigan(B10) was canceled by the B10.

ISU won the only previous meeting between the two schools in 1998.

Aug 6

AAC 8 +4  ,starts Sept 19, MWC 8+2 , starts Sept 26. Sunbelt 8+4  , starts Aug 29

Aug 9

MAC cancels 2020 football season. Will its best players transfer ASAP?

Aug 10, 2020

ODU of the CUSA cancels its season and so does MWC.

Aug 14, 2020

FIU(CUSA) delayed it's start til Sept 16. Sunbelt and AAC haven't had much to say lately.

Aug 15

There's going to be a lot of last minute shopping for opponents now.  Tulane(AAC) needs a new opponent for its opener since Southeastern Louisiana, a Southland Conference member had it's season canceled by the conference.

aug 21, 2020

Chris Robison , the FAU Owls' starting quarterback the last two seasons. who was recently named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, was removed from the team's roster and no reason was given publicly.

aug 23

WKU (CUSA) added 1a independents ,Liberty and BYU, to it s 2020 schedule.

aug 31 

South Florida(AAC) will play Notre dame on Sept. 19. The game will be part of a three-game series in which the Bulls get one home game in Tampa, Florida.

Sept  3, 2020 

Mike Collins, ULM DC, resigns 10 days before season-opener vs. Army. Basically because his tank is empty.

Sept 4, 2020

Desmond Trotter threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns and Jalen Tolbert had 169 yards receiving and two TD receptions for South Bama (Sunbelt) in a 32-21 win over USM(CUSA) . UAB(CUSA) beat Central Arkansas(1AA). 

Sept 6

SMU(AAC) looked shaky  yesterday for about 3/4 of the games yesterday against Texas St (Sunbelt) but held on for a 31-24 win. TJ MDaniel rushed for 130 yards  for the Mustangs. BTW, Jeremiah Haydel made a great one-handed TD reception for the Bearcats early in the second quarter. In another AAC /Sunbelt matchup Brady White threw four TD passes to lead Memphis to a 37-24 win over Arkansas St.

Three CUSA teams, Marshall, UNT, and UTEP beat 1AA teams , but UTEP had some problems with SF Austin in a 24-14 win.

Yes, I'm 60 and miss the ACC

I'm remain miffed that the Terps moved to the Big 10 in 2014. Yes, we've made a few more Dances by being a B10 member, but I miss the old Tobacco Road days when fans of the Maryland and Virginia   would complain about the Greensboro-area  control of ACC Hoops.

I recall Jim O"Brien , Len Elmore , Tom McMillen etc from the days of less televised games . How about  Coach Lefty Driesell  stating boldly that MD was the UCLA of the East?

This week I've been fascinated the ACCN show aired on ESPN and caught myself wondering why are they talking about Pitt and Syracuse.

Yes, I keep up with current Sports news  and go to BTN to catch the latest on my Terps.

Anyone recall Mick Jagger's tune "old habits die hard" ?

July 8, 2020

However, I don't miss Dean Smith's, the former UNC HC,  four corners offense.

July 14, 2020

While reading Loose Balls, a book about the ABA, I was surprised to learn that Bones Mckinney,  a former Wake Forest Head Coach and former announcer of ACC games on Raycom Sports , had a stint as HC of the Carolina Cougars of the ABA.He was okay in the booth and didn't irk Terps fans . We directed our anger at Billy Packer, who rarely had a kind word for MD and UVA. BTW, Billy son Mark is a co-anchor on the ACCN.

July 21, 2020

Mark Packer, ACCN co-host, sounded like his dad Billy yesterday when he was  praising Dean Smith's four corners offense , particularly when Phil Ford was the UNC point guard. We Terps' fans would scream at the TV, Ford is carrying the ball and taking a half dozen steps. In other words, Ford should have been whistled for traveling.

July 22, 2020

Terps had a great trio of guards, John Lucas, Brad Davis, and Mo Howard, in the 1970s, who went on to so-so NBA careers.

Aug 20, 2020

 C J Spiller,  the 2009 ACC POY for Clemson and a decent NFL player, is joining the Clemson football staff. He's from Lake Butler, FLA and will be a plus for recruiting in football-rich Florida.

sept 5, 2020

Ernie Graham, a kid from Baltimore,had a 44-point performance in a 124-110 Terps win over N.C. State in December, 1978.  EG was erratic at times in his college career  but often came through in big games and later had a brief NBA career.

sept 19, 2020

NC HHS will allow two family members per player to attend live football games up to 350 people. Fred Demarest, spokesman for NC St' athletics department. “We will be giving 250 to our player parents and providing 100 for Wake Forest.” 

Sept 20

 Those fans saw  a he!! of a game . NC St 45 WF 42. Deacons O  didn't miss Newman.

Sept 30

Last night I bumped into a guy from my old Belair-Edison neighborhood in Baltimore, and he started telling soccer stories, particularly about his one season playing for MD, and a loss to Clemson 1-0 in 1973 ACC title game.

Oct 27

Virginia at the bottom of the ACC, and Terps got crushed by Northwestern in B10 play. Tua's brother threw three picks against NW. Terps/UVA used to be the ACC  regular season final game in a border war matchup. 

Jan 3, 2021

Despite an 0-7 bowl record, I still miss the Terps being in the ACC. I watched snippets of the Kentucky win over NC St yesterday, and  the announcer's chatter about UK football records started me thinking about how Jerry Claiborne left his job as the MD HC to return "home" to UK in 1982. Also how cool it was when Bear's Bama team made a rare trip to College Park , MD in 1974 and beat his former  Asst coach Claiborne 21-16. The loss wasn't cool but the we rarely got visits from the football powerhouses.

Feb 16, 2021

M.J. Walker scored 17 points for Florida State(12-3, 8-2 ACC)  in an 81-60 rout of  Virginia(15-4, 11-2 ACC). It was the Cavs largest ACC defeat since losing  65-41 at UNC on Feb. 18, 2017. VA Tech sits in third place with an  8-3 conference record.

March 9, 2021

3/9/74: Brutal  Terps OT loss to NC St in the ACCT final that prompted the NCaa to expand the Dance from 32-48 teams since it was one ticket per conference then. 

The Wolfpack had David Thompson, Tom Burleson, Monte Towe and Phil Spence and beat UCLA for the national title.

Terps had John Lucas, Tom McMillen, Len Elmore, Mo Howard, Tom Roy, and Owen Brown.

 Lefty Driesell rejected an NIT bid, but UM Eastern Shore (MEAC) won a game in the NIT in 1974.

April 6, 2021

No surprise that UNC stayed in house and promoted Hubert Davis  to replace Roy Williams. They stayed in house when Dean Smith retired and were erratic between Smith and Williams. Bill Guthridge (1997–2000)  then Matt Doherty (2000–2003).

April 22,2021

Terps hired Danny Manning, ex Wake Forest HC, yesterday for an assistant coach position, and I kept thinking it was an intra-conference move. One day I'll accept MD is in the Big 10.

June 3 , 2021

Scheyer to replace Coach K in 2022. K got the wins .However the notion that Duke was/is "above it all" and an honorable program continues to rile me. K is a nasty piece of work who's been given a lot passes by the media. Signed an ACC Terp fan😉

Sept 14, 2021

Shaky weekend for ACC football. Jax St (1aa) beat the Noles. Miami barely survived APP St (Sunbelt).

Against the P5: Pitt beat Tenn(SEC) and UVA beat ILL(B10) but Cuse lost to Rutgers(B10) and NCST lost to Miss St (SEC)

BC  was cruising against UMass, an Independent that's headed to 1AA or no football, and gave up 28 points in the second half in a 45-28 win.

Dec 4, 2021

When the Terps hired Turgeon, a Midwesterner with a Big 12 and MVC background, in 2011 I was skeptical. MD moved to the B10 in 2014. He's been solid overall with some ups and downs in ten years so I was a bit surprised to hear that he's out as the HC, and Danny Manning is the HC for the remainder of this season. Terps are 5-3 this season. 

Dec 30, 2021

I'm 62 and was stunned when I turned on the Pinstripe Bowl and the Terps blowing out VTech(ACC). Baby Tua had a solid game, and we ran a punt back for a TD. Brent Fry, the new VT HC in 2022 faces a daunting task, and he's keeping JC Price, the interim HC, who looked like a deer in the headlights yesterday, on his staff. 

Who knows maybe S.Carolina can snap the SEC losing streak and beat UNC(ACC) today?

 BTW, Clemson(ACC) beat Iowa St last night. 

May 8, 2022

A few years ago Maryland football agreed to a two-game series with Charlotte(CUSA) with games to be played in 2022 and 2023. No matchup history of these two teams.

I started thinking about the 1977 hoops Dance when UNC(ACC) lost to Marquette in the Final, and UNCC(as Charlotte was known) lost to UNLV in the consolation game. Cornbread Maxwell was  the big name for Charlotte who represented the SunBelt.

May 31, 2022

The undefeated Terps won the 2022 national lacrosse title defeating Cornell 9-7. It's their second national title as a Big 10 member. 4 NCAA T Titles– 1973, 1975, 2017, 2022

In men's baseball MD is hosting a regional for the first time and, of course, the NCAA includes an ACC team, Wake Forest.

#2 Wake Forest (40-17-1) vs. #3 UConn (46-13)

#1 Maryland (45-12) vs. #4 LIU (37-19)

July 17, 2022

I was scanning sports stories about the Chicago area and found a recent obit on Nick Trifunovich who went on to play at NC St for coach Press Maravich, a fellow Serb. He stayed at NC St when Press left for LSU to coach his son Pete in 1966.

Trif was one of four Serbian kids born in displaced persons(WW2) camps on the East Chicago-Washington HC varsity team in 1964. He attended St. George Serbian Orthodox Church.

 

AAC 2020 pigskin and hoops memos

NCAA rejected former basketball coach Kevin Ollie’s appeal over UConn violations. Here's one violation that appears to be petty when you see all other big time scandals in college sports: improper pickup games at which student managers kept statistics for coaches. This occurred before UConn left the AAC for the Big East in hoops.

Some NBA mock drafts have JAMES WISEMAN who played in a few games for Memphis going first overall to the Golden State Warriors. And his Memphis teammate Precious Achuwa going to the Spurs as the 11th overall pick.

Notre Dame / Navy(AAC) football game is being moved from Dublin ,Ireland to Annapolis, MD at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. It will the first time the rivalry game will be played in this venue.

I'm curious as to how Jeff Scott, former  Clemson OC, does in his first season as the USF HC .

June 6, 2020

Oklahoma’s Ryan Jones is fifth P5 transfer added by East Carolina this spring, but not all of the transfers have been regular starters. Jones, a native of Charlotte, NC, played LB  the last two seasons , but he's joining the Pirates to play in a WR/TE role; a position that he was originally recruited for by OU.

June 7, 2020

Here's one possible reason James Madison football didn't  move up to 1A and join the AAC:  It didn't want to be erratic in the way  Old Dominion(CUSA) has been since moving up to 1A. Plus moving from the CAA to AAC in hoops would've been a huge move.

June 10, 2020

I saved a list from a print newspaper of interesting non -conference battles in 2020. This one could be a barn-burner. Cincy (AAC) visits Nebraska (B10) on 9/26/20.  Nebraska beat Cincy in 1906 for 1-0 series edge. JD Spielman, Nebraska's leading wide receiver from the 2019 season will enter the transfer portal. He's been dealing with a "personal health matter" , whatever that means. Cincy will need to fill the void of Michael Warren III moving on to the NFL.

June 13 2020

Memphis(AAC) and Mississippi State(SEC) have added more future matchups. Miss St has won 12 in a row and leads the series 27-10.  Memphis won at 45-35 at Miss St in 1993 under Coach Chuck Stobart and were in the CUSA Conference. Jackie Sherill was the Miss St HC.

Isaac Bruce  was a WR on that Memphis St squad and went on to a long NFL career with the Rams. 

june 18, 2020

 Fran Dunphy, who retired from coaching hoops at Temple in 2019, is back working for the school as acting AD  after Patrick Kraft left the post to become the new AD at BC.

June 28, 2020

Syracuse(ACC)  visits Independent UConn for a football game in in 2022. In 2012 they were  members of the Big East, but Cuse moved to the ACC, and UConn became a part of the AAC in 2013.

July 8, 2020

 Ruffin McNeal, who was the HC of East Carolina from 2010-15 during its move from the CUSA to the AAC, has been hired as a special Asst at NC St.

July 15, 2020

 I found this in a article about starting Tulsa safety Cristian Williams ,who was  popped for  a DUI and suspended In bringing back Head Coach Montgomery for a sixth season,  Tulsa made it clear that it’s a bowl game or bust in 2020.  I haven't read of a change in that thinking since the pandemic started.

July 16, 2020

Moussa Cisse, a power forward regarded as a potential first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, committed to Memphis . Last season he moved from NYC to Memphis to play high school ball. Did Coach Hardaway keep his distance. Is this another possible "Wiseman" scandal?

July 18, 2020

Army and Navy(AAC) ADs: ‘If there’s only one game we’re going to play, it’s the Army-Navy game’. This needed to be said.

Oct 9, 2020

 The investigation  of Gregg Marshall's Wichita State(AAC) basketball  program, which started after seven players transferred out is nearly over. He's been accused of shoving some players, particularly Shaq Morris, and of not being a nice guy around campus. I bet he survives for this season but faces a huge hurdle in recruiting.

Nov 18, 2020

Gregg Marshall resigned from Wichita St and agreed to a settlement of $7.75 million to be paid over the next six years. Assistant coach Isaac Brown will be the interim HC.

Nov 19, 2020

 Wiseman from Memphis of the AAC goes 2nd overall to GSW in the NBA draft. Edwards from Georgia(SEC) went 1st.

Jan 21, 2022

I started this blog mentioning Kevin Olie, former UConn hoops coach when they were in the AAC, and yesterday an arbitrator awarded him 11M from UConn for improper firing. His membership in the American Association of University Professors union was a factor in the decision.

May 7, 2022

I pulled up this old blog when I saw that Wichita State(AAC) fired its athletic director Darron Boatright. My initial reaction was it must be tied in some way to the sloppy way hoops Coach Marshall left there in 2020. However , most of the chatter is about how Boatright was slow to get on the NIL "fundraising" train. Funny world.