College Football Thoughts

The 2008 college football season is off and running. Georgia, Florida, LSU, and Alabama have shown the country that the SEC is King. The Big 12, featuring Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, and Texas Tech, isn't far behind. BYU is looking like the 2008 version of Boise State. Despite their loss last night to Oregon State, I am sure USC will make some serious noise between now and January. This is information that you know. My thoughts today focus on some long time college football powers that have had some shaky performances over the past few years and how I think they can fix things to rise back to power. I am a staunch believer that all sports are better when traditional powers are competitive. Baseball is better when the Yankees are strong. The NBA is better when the Lakers and Celtics are on top. The NFL benefits from strong Cowboys, Packers, and Steelers teams. College football is no different. As USC has risen to dominance in the 21st Century, the sport has grown to new heights. And it would be even better if the following teams found their former glory. Let's start with Florida State. The Seminoles dominated the '90s but have had a hard time adjusting to the 21st Century since capturing the 1999 National Championship. Bobby Bowden has seemingly aged a thousand years since the '99 championship season and has watched his program fall into mediocrity. F.S.U. hired Jimbo Fisher to run the offense and is Bowden's heir to the Seminole Kingdom but I think when Bowden does finally call it quits that the people calling the shots in Tallahassee should send Fisher packing and hire Texas Tech coach Mike Leach. Leach has made Tech a legitimate contender with his explosive spread offense. With the resources available to him at Florida State, Leach would win a national championship. Next up is Penn State. Yes, Joe Paterno's troops are 4-0 and making noise in the Big 10 but Paterno is 83-years-old and doesn't have too many great seasons in his future. The Nittany Lions need to find a young leader who leads in the manner of Paterno but who also will lead Penn State's transition into the 21st Century style of football (which is currently beginning as Paterno's offense becomes more spread/passing oriented than smashmouth). The man to do this is none other than Oregon offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Kelly turned New Hampshire into a FCS powerhouse before moving to Eugene last season. Kelly is an east coast traditionalist with west coast offenisve ideas, a perfect fit in Happy Valley. Finally, I turn my powers towards Notre Dame. I love Charlie Weis as much as the next Patriots fan but he just can't get the Irish over the top. ND needs to find a coach who can recruit players who can play and get their school work completed. That is no easy task (as Weis and his predecessor Ty Willingham will tell you) but the man for the job is available if the powers in South Bend decide to become national championship contenders once again. The man I am talking about is Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin is young, he can coach an offense, he knows how to win on the college level (he coached under Carroll at USC) and will be looking for work because he refuses to bow down to Al Davis. Kiffin is the man to revive the holy ghosts in South Bend and he might even be able to convince his father, Monte, to coach his defense. A Kiffin-Kiffin team would have ND back in the BCS Championship picture in no time.