If you took the College football landscape ten years ago, and saw who were the top team at the times, you wouldn't believe what happen in the next ten years could of happen. The haves and kings of College football looking like paupers?. The powers of the 90's reduced to has beens?. Teams that shook the halls of the opposing teams locker room with fear. We got to play them?. No, No, please not them. Now looked a pond as.. fresh meat?.

Oh how the mightly have fallen. I speak of..

Florida State.
Miami.
Nebraska.
Michigan

And yes....

Notre Dame.

How could of this happen?, coaching, yes, bad recruiting?, yes, bad decisions by the AD?, yes, all of the above, of course. So lets take a look at each of these teams, why they got bad and what is needed to do to get them back to superower status. Starting who I believe will be the last to be there and then climbing up the ladder.

Florida State.

FSU big problem is deeper then most people think. First you have Bobby Bowden. Now don't get me wrong. The winningest coach in Div 1A history, ( hell with this FBS stuff) is being dogged by second winningest coach in JoePa, is the real reason Florida State was ranked for all those years. Starting the 1970's FSU was starting to get ranked year in and year out, because of the players Coach Bowden recruited. His offenses could run with the some of the NFL teams at that time period. After semi-ruling part of the 1990's and making the ACC is redheaded Step-child. Something went wrong. Was it the coaching, the recruits?, was it because FSU was being out recruited by the other schools?. Did the rest of the ACC ( minus those three teams coming out of the Big East) all the sudden get better?. And now is it the top school in the state of Florida happens to be wearing Orange and Blue and plays in Gainesville?. Is bobby just too too long in the tooth to be coaching?, who knows. But FSU has taken steps to address this. Jimbo Fisher is the head coach in waiting, and this makes recruiting easier, especially when some blue chip kids knows his coach is not going to Drop over dead or just retire to the pressbox with the arts and wine crowd. But until Bobby does join the Arts and Wine crowd at Doak, don't except FSU to be a Superpower anytime soon, they have the longest road.

Notre Dame.

Oh what happen here. No one knows, and most of the College football world could careless. But this Train wreak known as the Irish is slowly building the pieces to once again get on top of the College Football world. Notre Dame will always be Notre Dame. But can Charlie Weis get his recruits to buy into what he is preaching?. Ever since Lou Holtz left, Notre Dame hasn't been the same. deep down they become what everyone in College Football should of excepted from a small town University, a punching bag. But a man name Knute made sure everyone heard of the Fighting Irish, and it lives on today with NBC renewing it contract once again to show the world the lack of power thats become Notre Dame Football. Can the little tuna wake up the echos? He is in his fourth year, he doesn't have any of Ty Willinghams players. I say it's possible, maybe Notre Dame will reach the top 10 in 2010, but deep down don't hold your breath.

Nebraska

Michigan and Nebraska are interchangable at this point. But deep down Nebraska got a longer distance to go. Bo Pelini right now has to get this team up and running, and he the type of man to do it. The offensive is in place to score points and win games, but Bo got to rebuild the blackshirt defense. That will at lease take a good year to do so. Callahan really screw up that defense. On top of that the Former AD, Steve Peterson, made one of the worse decisions by firing coach Frank Solich, because he doesn't want Nebraska to give up the Big 12 to the Texas' and Oklahoma's of the world. Well his decision is what start them not only being second to Texas and Oklahoma, but also teams like Kansas and Missouri. With the change of AD and coach, I see Bo Pelini having the Huskers in the Top 25 once again by 2009, and in years to come being a Top 10 team.

Michigan.

Now, I might sound bias on this( being a Buckeyes Fan) But Rich Rod is building something in Ann Arbor. thing is ..what?. He brings his spread offense to the 1/2 of the tradition of three yards and a could of dust. But deep down, he got three years to beat Ohio State or he out of there. Can he do it. First he got to get the recruits to run his offense and run it right. So this means he got to have a defense that is going to make sure Michigan's offense can run Rich Rods offense 60 percent of the game. That means a lot of three and outs. he has the defense to do just that. I say Michigan will be in the Top 10 by 2010, just in time to watch Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor run all over his team.

Miami.

If I was a betting man, the team out of the mightly that has fallen, to return to superpower status would be the Canes. Randy Shannon is building something special down in south Florida, he is winning the recruiting war in that part of the state. The swagger is slowly coming back to Miami. He getting his recruits in, his coaching staff is slowly getting their chops in place, and knows the talent they have on the team. I say Miami will be in the Top 25 this year at the end of the season, and the top 15 in 2009. After 2010, watchout anything is possible.

Now you never would of thought this would of happen, but just think about where these teams where 10 years ago, and where they are now. Just leads me to say..

Oh how the mightly have fallen.

Thats my call from the sidelines...

Notre Dame will never return to what they once were until they join a conference. The old crap of "the only championship worth playing for is the national championship" just doesn't sell anymore, and it shouldn't.

You could have added Penn state to that mix as well. Its hard to say how long it will take for these programs to rise.. but for the most part they will. I think the one with the longest toughest ride is Nebraska.. inspite of its history.. if you were a recruit.. would you want to live in nebraska for 4 years.. or live in Fla, Ga, Texas, Calf, ect. The real power in college football is going to move south or way west. Players dont want to live in the real cold.. which is a part of why many northern schools now struggle. and if you can chose between fla, calif girls vs nebraska huskys where you gonna go.

The author is damn near illiterate. There are a bunch of typos and misplaced words in the article. I don't place too much credence in his "analysis".

Has the author ever heard the word cyclical? These things go in cycles.


LSU had eight of eleven losing seasons before Saban.

Oklahoma sucked for years before hiring Stoops.

Texas was mediocre at best under John Mackovic and others until recently.

Southern Cal was mediocre for years until hiring The Poodle. ND had a thirteen year unbeaten streak against Southern Cal in the Eighties/Nineties.


The traditional powers will rebound at some time in the near future.

Yes, providing they got the right coach. ND is still ujproven. Fl ST is in the same position as Penn ST is in. Neither is going to fire their coaches because it damages their very own legacy. Bobby, I think, is waiting on JoePa to retire and he isnt going anywhere until that happens. Miami and Nebraska, I think he is right but I think it might take another year. Michigan, I think is going to be the most interesting. I wondering how that offense is going to go over in the big 10.

TerryD Wrote:The author is damn near illiterate. There are a bunch of typos and misplaced words in the article. I don't place too much credence in his "analysis".

Has the author ever heard the word cyclical? These things go in cycles.


LSU had eight of eleven losing seasons before Saban.

Oklahoma sucked for years before hiring Stoops.

Texas was mediocre at best under John Mackovic and others until recently.

Southern Cal was mediocre for years until hiring The Poodle. ND had a thirteen year unbeaten streak against Southern Cal in the Eighties/Nineties.


The traditional powers will rebound at some time in the near future.

I have news for you, good grammer has never won a football game!

SO#1 Wrote:If you took the College football landscape ten years ago, and saw who were the top team at the times, you wouldn't believe what happen in the next ten years could of happen. The haves and kings of College football looking like paupers?. The powers of the 90's reduced to has beens?. Teams that shook the halls of the opposing teams locker room with fear. We got to play them?. No, No, please not them. Now looked a pond as.. fresh meat?.

Oh how the mightly have fallen. I speak of..

Florida State.
Miami.
Nebraska.
Michigan

And yes....

Notre Dame.

How could of this happen?, coaching, yes, bad recruiting?, yes, bad decisions by the AD?, yes, all of the above, of course. So lets take a look at each of these teams, why they got bad and what is needed to do to get them back to superower status. Starting who I believe will be the last to be there and then climbing up the ladder.

Florida State.

FSU big problem is deeper then most people think. First you have Bobby Bowden. Now don't get me wrong. The winningest coach in Div 1A history, ( hell with this FBS stuff) is being dogged by second winningest coach in JoePa, is the real reason Florida State was ranked for all those years. Starting the 1970's FSU was starting to get ranked year in and year out, because of the players Coach Bowden recruited. His offenses could run with the some of the NFL teams at that time period. After semi-ruling part of the 1990's and making the ACC is redheaded Step-child. Something went wrong. Was it the coaching, the recruits?, was it because FSU was being out recruited by the other schools?. Did the rest of the ACC ( minus those three teams coming out of the Big East) all the sudden get better?. And now is it the top school in the state of Florida happens to be wearing Orange and Blue and plays in Gainesville?. Is bobby just too too long in the tooth to be coaching?, who knows. But FSU has taken steps to address this. Jimbo Fisher is the head coach in waiting, and this makes recruiting easier, especially when some blue chip kids knows his coach is not going to Drop over dead or just retire to the pressbox with the arts and wine crowd. But until Bobby does join the Arts and Wine crowd at Doak, don't except FSU to be a Superpower anytime soon, they have the longest road.

Notre Dame.

Oh what happen here. No one knows, and most of the College football world could careless. But this Train wreak known as the Irish is slowly building the pieces to once again get on top of the College Football world. Notre Dame will always be Notre Dame. But can Charlie Weis get his recruits to buy into what he is preaching?. Ever since Lou Holtz left, Notre Dame hasn't been the same. deep down they become what everyone in College Football should of excepted from a small town University, a punching bag. But a man name Knute made sure everyone heard of the Fighting Irish, and it lives on today with NBC renewing it contract once again to show the world the lack of power thats become Notre Dame Football. Can the little tuna wake up the echos? He is in his fourth year, he doesn't have any of Ty Willinghams players. I say it's possible, maybe Notre Dame will reach the top 10 in 2010, but deep down don't hold your breath.

Nebraska

Michigan and Nebraska are interchangable at this point. But deep down Nebraska got a longer distance to go. Bo Pelini right now has to get this team up and running, and he the type of man to do it. The offensive is in place to score points and win games, but Bo got to rebuild the blackshirt defense. That will at lease take a good year to do so. Callahan really screw up that defense. On top of that the Former AD, Steve Peterson, made one of the worse decisions by firing coach Frank Solich, because he doesn't want Nebraska to give up the Big 12 to the Texas' and Oklahoma's of the world. Well his decision is what start them not only being second to Texas and Oklahoma, but also teams like Kansas and Missouri. With the change of AD and coach, I see Bo Pelini having the Huskers in the Top 25 once again by 2009, and in years to come being a Top 10 team.

Michigan.

Now, I might sound bias on this( being a Buckeyes Fan) But Rich Rod is building something in Ann Arbor. thing is ..what?. He brings his spread offense to the 1/2 of the tradition of three yards and a could of dust. But deep down, he got three years to beat Ohio State or he out of there. Can he do it. First he got to get the recruits to run his offense and run it right. So this means he got to have a defense that is going to make sure Michigan's offense can run Rich Rods offense 60 percent of the game. That means a lot of three and outs. he has the defense to do just that. I say Michigan will be in the Top 10 by 2010, just in time to watch Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor run all over his team.

Miami.

If I was a betting man, the team out of the mightly that has fallen, to return to superpower status would be the Canes. Randy Shannon is building something special down in south Florida, he is winning the recruiting war in that part of the state. The swagger is slowly coming back to Miami. He getting his recruits in, his coaching staff is slowly getting their chops in place, and knows the talent they have on the team. I say Miami will be in the Top 25 this year at the end of the season, and the top 15 in 2009. After 2010, watchout anything is possible.

Now you never would of thought this would of happen, but just think about where these teams where 10 years ago, and where they are now. Just leads me to say..

Oh how the mightly have fallen.

Thats my call from the sidelines...

I'm not sure how Michigan is on the list. They have been relevant the past 5 years where Notre Dame, PSU, and Nebraska hasn't. PSU had the one run 2 or 3 years ago where they has faced FSU in the Orange Bowl. Those traditional powers will be back.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... if Pellini thinks he can simply return to the option and return to "The Nebraska of Old", he's in for a rude awakening.

Things are cyclical. Who remembers that Pete Carroll was not a universal choice when replacing Paul Hackett? Or that Texas hired a coach from North Carolina with a 69-56-1 record? Convesely, a lot of experts were convinced that Dennis Franchione was the real deal, too.

Each of the four you mentioned have specific issues:

Florida State: Bowden's perceived lack of interest in hard nosed recruiting (see also= "Paterno, Joe")...

Miami: The combination of a move away from the low-end recruiting of Johnson/Erickson and a tougher schedule...

Nebraska: That the Big 8 was a lot easier than the Big 12...

Michigan (and they really haven't fallen that far): Jim Tressel.

Notre Dame: 1) that the school doesn't recruit outside the lines as the usual NCAA suspects do, and that 2) the parochial recruiting base it once had has been eroded by other schools.

There are probably better examples of schools which have seen its football fortunes struggle downward (and I'll just speak of I-A...)

1. SMU (for those who remember)
2. Syracuse
3. Arkansas
4. Colorado
5. Washington
6. Marshall
7. Texas A&M
8. Kansas State

DFW HOYA Wrote:Things are cyclical. Who remembers that Pete Carroll was not a universal choice when replacing Paul Hackett? Or that Texas hired a coach from North Carolina with a 69-56-1 record? Convesely, a lot of experts were convinced that Dennis Franchione was the real deal, too.

Each of the four you mentioned have specific issues:

Florida State: Bowden's perceived lack of interest in hard nosed recruiting (see also= "Paterno, Joe")...

Miami: The combination of a move away from the low-end recruiting of Johnson/Erickson and a tougher schedule...

Nebraska: That the Big 8 was a lot easier than the Big 12...

Michigan (and they really haven't fallen that far): Jim Tressel.

Notre Dame: 1) that the school doesn't recruit outside the lines as the usual NCAA suspects do, and that 2) the parochial recruiting base it once had has been eroded by other schools.

There are probably better examples of schools which have seen its football fortunes struggle downward (and I'll just speak of I-A...)

1. SMU (for those who remember)
2. Syracuse
3. Arkansas
4. Colorado
5. Washington
6. Marshall
7. Texas A&M
8. Kansas State

with florida st it's not bowden's recruiting he's still the best closer in college football and has regular top 5 recruiting classes. it's more of a combination of lack of discipline in the program, terrible coaching, and highly touted recruits not making it on campus or getting kicked out before they contribute.

as far as miami they've had a few overrated classes the past couple of years and a lot of their top end recruits, especially at qb, haven't panned out. to me randy shannon has to prove he can be a head coach, i didn't see anything last year that proved he can.

both programs used to stockpile talent, but with everyone recruiting florida nowadays, along with the scholarship limits, and with the rise of other schools in florida it's a lot harder to slow play the second tier kids when they have other options, which has hurt their depth tremendously especially when the high ranked kids don't pan out. before there was not much of a drop off in talent from the first string and second string you can't really say that anymore.

As much as I hate to defend Michigan, I think Penn State would make more sense on the list. Michigan's relatively bad record in bowls and against Ohio State the last couple years not withstanding, they do have several Big Ten championships and haven't at any point dropped down nearly as far as the rest of the teams have.

I think all the teams on the list will rise back up, although not all to their former height. Notre Dame has too much going for it to not get back up to BCS level eventually (whether or not that will be under their current coach remains to be seen).

Nebraska has a state absolutely dedicated to their team, but given the addition of the Texas schools and relative rise of Missouri and Kansas, I would be surprised if we ever see them as good for long stretches in the Big 12 as they were in the Big 8.

Florida State and Miami are in football rich areas and will become powerhouses in the ACC (again for FSU). There is more competition for those recruits now though and the other teams in the ACC have improved (both by addition and internal improvement) and are not going to allow a domination by one school like we saw in the past.

Michigan has tremendous name recognition and will certainly eventually return to their old perceived level (although it's important to note, that doesn't necessarily mean championships, Bo never had one).

Penn State will improve to. They are in a football rich state, which they should dominate in recruiting with the right coaching staff. Never even really being in contention for Pryor speaks volumes in my mind (I know he had them on the list until the end, but that seemed more for his dad than for his own interest).

Michigan fell?

Michigan has averaged basically 10 wins per season over the last 11 years.

Michigan has won at least 8 games per year (much harder to do in the 11 game seasons) every year except one since 1985 (snuck in one 7 win season).

Believe Michigan has gone bowling every year since the 1975 season.

Michigan hasn't had a losing season since 1967!

Dang...I wish my team could "fall" like that!

ND has the hardest road I beleive. lose a couple of games and the seasons over at least when your in a conference you might have a division to play for. The florida schools are good a little better recruiting and a little better play calling in a talent rich area an your back. Nebraska is in a bad spot they fell and the teams in there division recomitted to playing football at the same time everyone in that division is trying to win now. well except Iowa st.

the limited schollies are the biggest thing.. its hard for the elite to just reload now. when they carried 100+ they locked up not only all the talent and depth they needed but kept others at a lower level. that being said the difference still stands.. they will be up alot and down some.. where the next group of 15 will be up n down about 1/2 of the time. then the rest have to work for a few years to have 1 or 2 real good ones. that isnt going to change. There are some schools because of location and size that have a real shot at moving up the ladder.. I would put USF of BE(man I hate to say that) and UCF of Cusa on that list. yes USF fans, they are in different places on that ladder..but both have the same built in advantages... Some Texas schools probably fit that profile as well...while some other schools just have natural road blocks in front of them that are hard to overcome.. smaller schools, smaller citys, smaller markets.. less $$ potential.

hawghiggs Wrote:ND has the hardest road I beleive. lose a couple of games and the seasons over at least when your in a conference you might have a division to play for. The florida schools are good a little better recruiting and a little better play calling in a talent rich area an your back. Nebraska is in a bad spot they fell and the teams in there division recomitted to playing football at the same time everyone in that division is trying to win now. well except Iowa st.

With ND having much easier schedules in the future, with only 4 true road games per year...I think ND will have an easier road to secure 8-9 win seasons or more very soon.

goodknightfl Wrote:the limited schollies are the biggest thing.. its hard for the elite to just reload now. when they carried 100+ they locked up not only all the talent and depth they needed but kept others at a lower level. that being said the difference still stands.. they will be up alot and down some.. where the next group of 15 will be up n down about 1/2 of the time. then the rest have to work for a few years to have 1 or 2 real good ones. that isnt going to change. There are some schools because of location and size that have a real shot at moving up the ladder.. I would put USF of BE(man I hate to say that) and UCF of Cusa on that list. yes USF fans, they are in different places on that ladder..but both have the same built in advantages... Some Texas schools probably fit that profile as well...while some other schools just have natural road blocks in front of them that are hard to overcome.. smaller schools, smaller citys, smaller markets.. less $$ potential.

I agree whole heartedly. Reputations and fanbases from earlier times can sustain teams (Michigan and Notre Dame being the best examples). If you want to see the future though look to demographics (in more things than sports). The decline in the MAC (never a major conference, but once much more than it is now) and the rise in Florida schools speak directly to this fact.

I've got FSU as a darkhorse national title candidate...the "longest road back" stuff is a bunch of nonsense...Jimbo Fisher will have the offense rolling in no time, and the D never really went south this decade (thanks to Mickey Andrews)

Miami will have a tough year this year, but thats only due to experience...Randy Shannon has already started the process of re-stocking the talent, and Miami will be back to form soon, probably not like '01, but definately a top 20 team

Notre Dame will look like they're back this year, but its all because of a weak schedule...ND still has a ways to go IMO, and needs to get some talent on D

Nebraska and Michigan will have the longest road to get back to the top IMO...I think Michigan will get worse before they get better, and it will take awhile for Nebraska to get where they want to be

EvilVodka1 Wrote:I've got FSU as a darkhorse national title candidate...the "longest road back" stuff is a bunch of nonsense...Jimbo Fisher will have the offense rolling in no time, and the D never really went south this decade (thanks to Mickey Andrews)

Miami will have a tough year this year, but thats only due to experience...Randy Shannon has already started the process of re-stocking the talent, and Miami will be back to form soon, probably not like '01, but definately a top 20 team

Notre Dame will look like they're back this year, but its all because of a weak schedule...ND still has a ways to go IMO, and needs to get some talent on D

Nebraska and Michigan will have the longest road to get back to the top IMO...I think Michigan will get worse before they get better, and it will take awhile for Nebraska to get where they want to be

Didnt FSU lose like half of their starters?

cuseroc Wrote:

EvilVodka1 Wrote:I've got FSU as a darkhorse national title candidate...the "longest road back" stuff is a bunch of nonsense...Jimbo Fisher will have the offense rolling in no time, and the D never really went south this decade (thanks to Mickey Andrews)

Miami will have a tough year this year, but thats only due to experience...Randy Shannon has already started the process of re-stocking the talent, and Miami will be back to form soon, probably not like '01, but definately a top 20 team

Notre Dame will look like they're back this year, but its all because of a weak schedule...ND still has a ways to go IMO, and needs to get some talent on D

Nebraska and Michigan will have the longest road to get back to the top IMO...I think Michigan will get worse before they get better, and it will take awhile for Nebraska to get where they want to be

Didnt FSU lose like half of their starters?

FSU returns 7 starters on offense and defense...they return a pretty nice D, and most importantly, they return key pieces at all the skill positions, including Drew Weatherford at QB (Sr.), Antone Smith at RB (Sr.), and Greg Carr at WR (Sr.)

If the offense line gels, and FSU can get the offense rolling, then they have a favorable schedule...Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Florida all come to Tallahassee...

I think what you're talking about though is the suspensions, and I think 10 players will miss the first 3 games, which are Western Carolina, Chattanooga, and Wake Forest

SO#1 Wrote:Nebraska

Michigan and Nebraska are interchangable at this point. But deep down Nebraska got a longer distance to go. Bo Pelini right now has to get this team up and running, and he the type of man to do it. The offensive is in place to score points and win games, but Bo got to rebuild the blackshirt defense. That will at lease take a good year to do so. Callahan really screw up that defense. On top of that the Former AD, Steve Peterson, made one of the worse decisions by firing coach Frank Solich, because he doesn't want Nebraska to give up the Big 12 to the Texas' and Oklahoma's of the world. Well his decision is what start them not only being second to Texas and Oklahoma, but also teams like Kansas and Missouri. With the change of AD and coach, I see Bo Pelini having the Huskers in the Top 25 once again by 2009, and in years to come being a Top 10 team.

The challenges to Nebraska are...

1. Recruiting/Defense

Callahan ripped apart Nebraska recruiting. Nebraska built their linemen and the recruiting strategy was fine with Solich.

This immediately changed with the hiring of Tom Osborne as current AD. Pelini will build upon Osborne's help.

2. New offense

Talk about problems. Nebraska hand-cuffed Solich so he could not change the offense. Pelini will not have these challenges. Callahan's methods will quickly be forgotten. Nebraska will return to a college game and more scoring.

Steve Peterson was a terrible hire for Nebraska. The engine was in place. All the Cornhuskers needed was a person to take over and run the ship. What they got was a person who wanted to ripped it apart and tried to piece it back together. He may have been everything to Pittsburgh but he was everything wrong with the patient Nebraska faithful.

So what did we learn about the firing of Frank Solich? Well, if Nebraska would have let Solich hire a new offensive coaching staff, keep the recruiting channels open, and evolve when needed, Nebraska would not have had this pain.

No one stays "the best" forever. Programs go up and down. That said, hiring Callahan (or firing Steve Logan and hiring John Thompson at ECU) and thinking the grass is greener is a perfect storm to hell.