Steven M. Sipple: 3 thoughts to consider three times
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Someone once told me good things tend to come in threes.
With that in mind, here are three sets of three to ponder.
* The projected top three football teams in the Big 12 in 2008. Yes, I know it’s early for this. But hey, Texas began spring practice Friday (Nebraska starts March 26).
1. Oklahoma. For once Bob Stoops has stability at quarterback. “Big Game Bob” (can we still call him that?) has guided the Sooners to five Big 12 crowns since 2000 with five different starting quarterbacks. Sam Bradford led the nation in pass efficiency last season as a freshman, just ahead of some guy named Tim Tebow. Bradford will operate this coming season behind perhaps the best offensive line in the nation.
Three key Sooners departed early for the NFL Draft: linebacker Curtis Lofton, wide receiver Malcolm Kelly and defensive back Reggie Smith. And yes, the secondary will need to step up after underachieving last season. Look for OU to respond well from another bowl embarrassment and capture its third (there’s that number again) straight Big 12 championship.
2. Missouri. With due respect to Joe Ganz, is there a more fiery quarterback in the league — heck, the nation — than Chase Daniel? He’s become the face of the Missouri program and will again contend for Heisman Trophy honors, along with teammate Jeremy Maclin. The surprise in Mizzou’s rise to prominence is a suddenly formidable defense. Leading tackler Sean Weatherspoon returns, along with an entire crew of linebackers.
Funny, but I don’t hear Gary Pinkel jokes much anymore.
3. Texas Tech. Yeah, yeah, I know. Tech will do its usual dance of putting up huge passing numbers and then finishing 8-5 and 7-6 or whatever. Defense wins championships! Granted, this crew doesn’t play much defense, but Leach is an offensive wizard, and he has arguably the most exciting player in the nation in wide receiver Michael Crabtree, my early pick for the Heisman.
Mike Leach has never had this much talent. Eighteen starters return. Don’t look now, but Nebraska heads to Lubbock on Oct. 11. Should be a nice little test for the Pelini brothers.
* Three logical candidates in (very) early speculation for Tom Osborne’s successor as Nebraska athletic director, in order:
1. Paul Meyers. The former Nebraska All-American outfielder (1986) works hard to stay out of the media limelight. He covets a low profile. But Meyers, a Husker associate athletic director in charge of development (fundraising), is a key player in the NU athletic department behind the scenes. Perhaps most important, Meyers, an Omaha native, has close relationships with many of Nebraska’s most prominent boosters, most notably Howard Hawks.
2. Marc Boehm. He’s another guy who keeps a low profile. Always friendly and approachable, Boehm — the executive associate AD at NU — likely would be a popular choice among many media members in part because of his easygoing nature even in tense times, and heaven knows we’ve had our share of tense times of late.
3. Bob Burton. Burton, an NU associate AD, would be considered a long shot. He’s another low-profile guy. Come to think of it, I’ve always preferred the idea of a low-profile athletic director. Quick, name the athletic director at Missouri, or Notre Dame, or Texas Tech. Get the picture?
* Three Big 12 coaches that Doc Sadler will continually out-smart:
1. Frank Martin, Kansas State. He’s beginning to look overmatched. It’s wonderful that Martin can lure incredibly gifted players (Michael Beasley and Bill Walker, for instance) to Manhattan, Kan. But it’d be nice if Martin could get his team to play with more discipline defensively. The Wildcats’ lapses and wild risk-taking on defense doomed them against Nebraska and again Monday in a loss to Texas that has put KSU precariously close to being left out of the Big Dance.
Remember, pundits said before the season that Martin’s first try being a Division I head coach would be either spectacular or disastrous. The latter is beginning to look likely.
2. Mark Turgeon, Texas A&M. Sure, Texas A&M is getting lousy play from its point guards. But too many other Aggies are underachieving (Josh Carter and Joseph Jones, to name two), and A&M’s also in danger of being left out of the NCAA field after reaching the Sweet 16 last season.
3. Pat Knight, Texas Tech. Nice guy. Love his brutal honesty. But the Big 12 is no place for young fellows trying to learn the ropes against seasoned vets like Sadler.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
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