Paladins Need to Drop their Bad Wildcat Habit

What started as a nightmare has turned into a potentially glorious season for Furman football. For only the second time in the last seven years, the Paladins will play games in November that count for something more than pride.

With their Homecoming win over 20th-ranked Samford, the Southern Conference frontrunner, Furman moved itself into position to potentially win the conference title. It was a win that no one would have anticipated as late as October 18, and it demonstrated the marked improvement of almost every area of this very young team.

Every area except the offensive game plan, which still includes the Wildcat. Furman needs some help from other teams to earn their first conference crown since 2004. They can do a lot to help themselves by losing the Wildcat.

In their usual display of school apathy, the Furman student body cleared Paladin stadium as soon as the Homecoming winners were announced on Saturday. They could do everyone a favor by taking that momentum-killer formation out the gate with them.

Plenty of people will point to the fact that the Wildcat has had some success this season for Furman. They scored one touchdown out of the formation, and actually completed a pass from it as well. The problem is not that the Wildcat is never successful at making positive yards. The problem is that its success is mitigated by the way that it kills the rhythm of the offense under quarterback Reese Hannon.

The ever-ambiguous "eye test" says that Hannon is at his best when he is in the game and running the offense. At LSU, where the Paladins used their "supplemental" offense very sparingly, Hannon looked incredible at ease and effective against a superior opponent. In spite of some good play against Georgia Southern and Samford, Hannon seemed off when exiting and re-entering the game.

The offense was absolutely stagnant for the majority of the second half last Saturday. Hannon looked completely out of sync and uncomfortable dropping back to pass on third down after running quarterback Richard Hayes III and tailback Hank McCloud were stopped for short gains on spread option plays.

This didn't cost the team in the game, thanks to stellar efforts by the defense. But eventually, it will. If Reese Hannon is the quarterback for this team, then he needs to be the quarterback. Let him win or lose the game running the offense that is suited for him. If he's ineffective or cannot get the job done, then use the Wildcat.

It doesn't seem to be as much of a problem if the Wildcat is used selectively, perhaps even on first down rather than second down. But it makes no sense to randomly run the starting quarterback to the sidelines in the middle of a series. It also doesn't help that Hannon is the only quarterback who is any real threat to throw the football. And Furman certainly can't afford to keep Hannon on the field in some decoy role, considering that he has missed time with injuries twice this season.

Here's the thing:  Furman has produced big plays on both sides of the ball in wins over Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Samford. They've also needed sustained drives at times in all of those games, and Reese Hannon is the man that produced those against all of those teams and against LSU. That's the long-term formula for winning offense and keeping a vastly improved defense rested.

If they plan to beat a much-improved Western Carolina team and the energy-draining, clock-consuming triple option of Wofford, they're going to do it with solid play from the starting quarterback. It's time to cut the cord for Reese Hannon, and let him be the quarterback/leader for the Paladin offense.

The Wildcat is a spare offense and should be used like a spare tire:  Only in the most critical and necessary situations. If Furman wants to make the most of their late season surge, they'll get it out of Paladin Stadium faster than the students.

Win in Charleston Was a "Must" for Bruce Fowler

When Furman and The Citadel renewed the longest rivalry in Southern Conference history last Saturday, much was at stake for both teams. As much as the Bulldogs needed the victory, the stakes were much higher for the men from the Upstate.

And you can double that for Paladin head coach Bruce Fowler.

Oh, Furman wasn't going to "Kiffin" him or anything, and fire him by the Bell Tower right after he rolled back onto campus. But that doesn't change the fact that Fowler has to be looking over his shoulder by now, especially when he is a blocked field goal away from being 0-3 against the Big South.

While Furman is not Southern Cal, their fans and boosters occasionally suffer from what one might call "88 Syndrome". It's the same disease that is sometimes found in heavily orange sections of Pickens County, where it is known as "81 Syndrome". During the days of Dick Sheridan and that eventual National Championship in 1988, the Paladin faithful became a little curmudgeonly and a bit spoiled.

So the calls for the end of Bruce Fowler's tenure have started to rumble, even at a school like Furman. But Saturday's win might quiet them, at least a little.

The problem is that to many fans think these are still the days of Sheridan, the man who coached Fowler as a player and truly began the Furman football tradition in the late 1970s. Just get the smartest players you can find, get them in the weight room, play disciplined football and you can overcome the obvious obstacles that Furman faces in enrollment, recruiting, volume of fan base, etc. I mean, it worked in 1985 and 1988 and 2001, right?

But these are not the days of Sheridan. Everyone is in the weight room, studying film, and executing on offense at a maximum level. All-time Furman greats like Stanford Jennings or Chas Fox, or even Louis Ivory and Ingle Martin, don't often slip through the recruiting cracks these days. Bruce Fowler is a throwback to Sheridan, but he's still learning to operate in a vastly different era.

Add in the fact that the Paladins are carrying 44 true or redshirt freshmen on their roster and have only a sophomore quarterback with any game experience. Starter Reese Hannon spent time on the bench Saturday night with his second injury in four games. It's pretty hard to cut him loose to do all that he can do.

The good news last Saturday is that the young players stepped up big-time on Saturday night, including Hannon's true freshman backup QB Duncan Fletcher. It's one more indicator that Fowler's group is growing up a little, and nothing builds confidence than winning games.

Last season, Furman could not close out games, even when they had a lead. In their last two contests, they've held off a charge from their opponents and finished the task to even their record at 2-2.

Fowler's team needs to go at least 5-6 this year. With the win over the Bulldogs and a struggling Elon team coming to town this Saturday, they are giving themselves an opportunity to get there. No one considers that a satisfactory record, and certainly it's nowhere close to anyone's expectations for the program. But it's realistic progress for a team and a coach that are building in a brand new era.

The fans need to show some patience here, and enjoy the progress that this experience-challenged team is making. After all, this is not 1988, and Bruce Fowler needs the time to build a new era of Paladin football.

Furman Still Trying to Exorcise 2012 Demons

A lot of factors went into the Southern Conference disaster last Saturday on opening weekend. It's a little early to say that the Big South has passed the SoCon--it's week one, after all--but it certainly does not bode well for the remainder of the season.

South Carolina SoCon teams went 0-2 against their "little brother" conference, and they are pretty embarrassed about it. The Citadel took it on the chin to a school in their own town, as Charleston Southern pulled a huge upset. Furman at least had to drive an hour to take their beating, losing 28-21 to Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, NC.

It stung even that much more because the Bulldogs are coached by former Paladin assistant and all-around good guy Carroll McCray. But I'm sure it was all the more than sweet for him.

The most obvious truth that came out of that game was that Furman looked very 2012 in its performance. Very, very 2012.

Once again, the Paladins had the lead at halftime. Once again, they failed to hold that lead beyond the third quarter, and absolutely collapsed late in the game. They couldn't move the ball, much less stop the Bulldogs from moving it.

Let us assume that the offense deserves a bit of a break, as it unexpectedly started true freshman Dillon Woodruff in place of second-year starter Reese Hannon (abominable strain). The offensive line did not have its best night, and there was some mediocre work by the running backs on pass protection. The team looked very "vanilla" and inconsistent overall in producing only 213 yards and 7 first downs.

Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that this will all change with Hannon's return against Coastal Carolina (another Big South foe). The defense is another story, and there doesn't appear to be a savior on the horizon.

For two and a half quarters, they were fast, tough, and aggressive. They pressured the quarterback and stuffed the run. A core of young linebackers, led by Cory Magwood's 18 stops, look to have a very bright future. Unfortunately, the future doesn't help them get rid of those demons in 2013.

Receivers still ran wild and free through the secondary, particularly in the second half. The defensive backs played well off the line of scrimmage, yet still managed to let Bulldog receivers run right through the middle for receptions of 54 and 49 yards, both in third and long situations.

Speaking of third down, Furman has to learn how to play beyond the first two snaps if they hope to have any success. The Bulldogs ran 82 total plays, largely because of converting 10-20 third and fourth down attempts. Most of those were conversions of more than six yards. While the talent looks good, at least up front, they are young and thin. The move of Gary Wilkins from linebacker to defensive end made this obvious.

In 2012, the Furman offense came out of the gate firing in almost every game, including a stellar first half performance against Clemson in Hannon's first start. But they obviously pared down the playbook to accommodate Hannon's inexperience, and opponents had them figured out by the third quarter. That has to change in order to keep the chains moving and give some rest to a defense that does not have a ton of experienced depth on the front seven.

The defense wore down once again on Saturday as the offense staggered towards the finish line. Again, Hannon's return should help a lot. But there is no Jerodis Williams or Colin Anderson on which to depend, and the new guys will have to step up to allow the offense to be more diverse. The coaching staff will have to trust whoever the quarterback is, and will have to install more halftime adjustments on both sides of the ball to keep opponents off-balance.

It is only one game, the first for a young defense and a true freshman QB. But if the Paladins hope to improve sooner rather than later, they have to learn how to finish as well as they start. That means the young players have to grow up in a hurry, and the coaching staff has to push them--and trust them--to do that, particularly in the second half of games.

The Paladins need to start this Saturday. Otherwise, Furman will be 0-2 against the Big South, and the same demons that haunted them in 2012 might hang around one more season.

SoCon Desperate for Furman, Citadel to Step Up

Nothing in the state of South Carolina will ever touch the intensity of the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry, particularly in the current era where both schools are nationally prominent. In the late 80s and early 90s, Furman-Citadel was about as close as you could get to a small school equivalent.

During those years, both games often occurred on the same Saturday in November. The Greenville News had a section on the sports page entitled "Braggin' Rights", where they would drown the front page in orange and garnet. From 1988-1992, they had a section called "Braggin' Rights Too", where they offered more coverage than ever to Furman and The Citadel.

In those five meetings, the Southern Conference title was on the line three times, with playoff births at stake four times. Both teams were ranked number one in the nation during these years. If the conference hopes to continue as a football power, they desperately need both teams to step back up to that level.

The ongoing carnage of the departures to FBS, the SoCon is counting on East Tennessee State, Mercer, and VMI to fill the void. That's two schools that didn't have football until 2013, one school that lost its football program, and three schools that have exactly zero conference titles and one playoff appearance in the last 30 years.

The Citadel has invested in significant facilities upgrades, and Coach Kevin Higgins has returned them to the triple option offense that led to their success in the early 90s. After last year's 7-4 campaign that included wins over scholarship-heavy Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, the Bulldogs have a chance to make a lot more noise in 2013.

It is a mystery to me why the Bulldogs were picked 4th in the preseason coach's poll and 5th in the media poll, unless it involves the heightened expectations at Samford and Chattanooga. I would not be at all stunned if the Bulldogs ended up with the second slot at the end of the season. Hopefully, that record will be enough to get them into the FCS playoffs.

Chalking up another round of wins at ASU, Georgia Southern or both would certainly help.

Furman is engaged in its own significant facilities upgrade. After a promising start to Bruce Fowler's tenure in 2011, Furman slid to 3-8 last season. Part of this can be attributed to the NCAA's peculiar--but not surprising--decision to deny Chris Forcier an extra year of eligibility. It can also be attributed to starting a freshman quarterback, and having a defense that regularly collapsed in the second half.

Will completing this project help Furman get back to the top?

Furman led in practically every game last season but couldn't close the deal. It remains to be seen if true sophomore Reese Hannon can learn to finish as well as he started. Much will also depend on how quickly the 13 defensive signees from last year's recruiting class can contribute.

While they found a gem in Hannon, the Paladins lost over 3000 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns (including kick returns) with the departure of WR Will King, TE Colin Anderson, and all-world/all-everything Jerodis Williams. (Side note:  Both Anderson and Williams are currently fighting for roster spots with the Minnesota Vikings).

There is cautious optimism that the Paladins can start climbing back up the ladder this year, although they are not expected to challenge for a conference title or playoff berth. But one thing is certain:  Coach Bruce Fowler knows Furman, knows the SoCon, and knows how to win. In the chaotic atmosphere of the changing of the SoCon guard, anything can happen. At the very least, Paladin fans are hoping that a renewed commitment to the football program will pay off sooner rather than later.

The Southern Conference is hoping for the same thing, kind of a "Back to the Future" deal with both of these schools. With the "big boys" (in their minds at least) leaving, someone needs to step up to keep the conference in the two and three-bid range in football. Chattanooga and Samford have yet to prove that they can be consistent. If Furman and The Citadel cannot step it up, then Wofford may be the only hope.

And Mike Ayers can't coach forever.  Can he?

DJ Swearinger's Hit: Get Used to It

Following his hit on Miami tight end Dustin Keller on Sunday, I am quite sure that many will be calling into question the character of former South Carolina Gamecock DJ Swearinger. Most of them will be wearing orange overalls, but still...

Swearinger, fighting for a roster spot on the Houston Texans, ended the season, and perhaps the career, of Miami Dolphins' tight end Dustin Keller during a preseason game on Sunday. Swearinger denies doing anything intentional, and blames the new NFL rules on tackling and head shots for his tackling technique.

No need to set the DVR for that interview. You'll hear that story a lot in the next few years.

The NFL has declared that defensive players will always be held responsible for helmet-to-helmet shots, no matter how the ball carrier or receiver changes position. That sets up a situation where players have only one choice when tackling: Go low.

If you go for the legs, there is little chance that an adjustment by the receiver will result in a blow to the head. So the smart defender is going to target the area where there is a maximum opportunity to make the tackle while minimizing the chance for penalties. Not to mention the inevitable follow-up fine and suspension.

Clearly, Swearinger is no Holy Roller, and is a far cry from the defensive version of Tim Tebow in the Character Dept. (At least on the field). But this hit was not dirty; and what he said after the fact is not an excuse. It's a reason, regardless of when and where he decided to implement it. Keller's teammates and others can complain all they want, but this is going to be a common scene on Sunday afternoons.

And more players will get hauled off on a stretcher because of it.

We all understand the rules about launching, head-hunting, etc. But the league has taken those rules to a whole new level in its effort to hold defensive players solely responsible for head trauma. Worse yet, that escalation is filtering down to the NCAA, and has even made its presence felt in the Southern Conference.

Here's the thing:  The problem with these changes is that football isn't intended to be completely safe. In an effort to avoid litigation--and perhaps legislation--Roger Goodell and the NFL are fundamentally changing the game. And it's not all for the better.

What happens if more knees get popped like Keller's did? Furthermore, what happens when defensive players start getting concussions from taking a kneecap to the head? Catching the full force of a kicking leg or knee could surely cause some head trauma.

I will not be at all shocked if the league mandates a "strike zone," much as they do in baseball, where a defender can actually hit and tackle. This will be nearly impossible for defensive players, especially since the most recent collective bargaining agreement severely limits their practice time for tackling.

Football to this point has been the Roman Coliseum of sports gatherings. It is brutal, violent and inherently dangerous when played as it was intended. The players know that before they engage in it even on the Midget level.

Nevertheless, this is the "new" football, full of flags and rules and regulations to keep it from being played with that original intent. It may be safer and less likely to involve lawyers, but it's just not football. You cannot make something safe out of something that is inherently dangerous.

DJ Swearinger's words and actions in a meaningless preseason game may not seem significant. But it may actually signal an even greater change in the way the game is played and legislated.

Get used to it. More guys will lose a knee in the new NFL, at least until Roger Goodell finds a way to put "tackle flags" on the players.

And don't think for a minute that he won't do it.

SoCon Becomes the Big East--Only Worse

We should have seen it coming. That's what Southern Conference fans are saying right now. It's too bad that the conference leadership isn't saying the same thing, and that they weren't paying attention prior to the crash.

There are two kinds of car accidents. The first is the one where you get blindsided, where the unexpected happens. A tire blows out, the brakes fail, or the car stalls on the railroad tracks. You can't see any of that coming, unless you're watching an old Abbot and Costello movie.

Then there's the second kind. You pull out without looking. You weren't paying attention. You saw the flashing lights and safety bars come down across the tracks, but you decided to weave through them before the train arrived. If you get hit in those circumstances, you've only got one person to blame.

Southern Conference commishioner John Iamarino sounds like an idealist caught off-guard by the freight train when he talks about the demise of the Southern Conference. Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, College of Charleston, Davidson, and Elon just ran him over like Denzel Washington in that ridiculous Unstoppable movie.

But Iamarino has no one to blame for himself, because he had plenty of warning that this train was coming. He simply chose to keep driving in spite of the flashing lights. This was no blindside. This was inevitable, and he did little or nothing to prepare for impact.

Georgia Southern and Appalachian State have talked for years about moving to the FBS. In fact, this has been the goal of our "friends" from Statesboro for more than 20 years, from the time they entered the SoCon. It wasn't new, and it wasn't news. The train was coming.

Davidson has talked for several years about getting into a stronger basketball league. If those three dominoes topple, then it would be inevitable that others would fall. So there really is no case for being surprised by College of Charleston or Elon.

Iamarino seemed to believe that geography, academic commitment and tradition would save the SoCon. In other words, he seemed to be mentally on a beach in Maui while his conference was turning into downtown Detroit.

If those things couldn't preserve the Big East or the Big 12 or the Big 10 as we know it, then why would we be foolish enough to think they would save the Southern Conference? No league values tradition more than the Big 10, and even they've abandoned that idealism. Could the FCS really be immune to the big money-grab?

The Commissioner and his people should have seen it, but they just weren't looking. If the departures were inevitable, he needed to spend his time scouring the southeast to pull in schools and athletic departments that could match what was leaving.

Instead, the SoCon is left with East Tennessee State and VMI, both of whom previously departed the conference. ETSU doesn't have a football team (yet) and they've never had a real football stadium. Just ask anyone who ever played in the "Mini-Dome".

VMI hasn't had a winning season in football in 32 years.

Mercer is a formidable candidate, but they are entering their first season of football and have yet to clearly define when they will begin scholarship football. There is now talk of UNC-Asheville as a basketball power to replace Davidson. Really? Are they even in the same neighborhood?

At the least, Iamarino should be booking a flight to Nashville and showing up at Belmont's door with flowers, nylons and a box of chocolates. This isn't about dignity anymore, but about survival.

The Commish can talk all he wants to about idealism in college athletics, but it doesn't change the fact that he's living in a Fool's Paradise. It's just no longer a reality, and perhaps it never was.

The train that hit the SoCon has been coming down the tracks for a long time, and Iamarino wasn't looking. He couldn't stop it, but he surely could've taken steps to minimize the damage. Instead, he chose to ignore the warnings.

Now, he is left to clean up the mess of the accident, and he has no one but himself to blame. But the rest of the schools and their fans are the ones who will suffer.

Where Does the Southern Conference Go Now?

Well, some might say "good riddance" to the latest defectors from the Southern Conference. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are now leaving for the joys of Tuesday night football, sparing all of us the "joy" of taking our life into our own hands as we drive through Statesboro.

It's a huge blow for the SoCon, along with the loss of the College of Charleston to the Colonial Athletic Association. ASU and GSU have nine national championships between them, and College of Charleston has represented the league exceptionally in basketball and baseball. It really hurts the profile of the conference on a national level.

Now, the question is this:  What can the SoCon do to get that profile back on top, both as a I-AA (sorry...FCS) football power and as a "mid-major" in other sports?

The obvious response is to add teams. But who should they add?

Everyone knows the standard criteria that every conference should consider when adding member schools:  Academic compatibility, athletic commitment, facilities, and geography (media markets, recruiting regions, and--at least in FCS--proximity).

But two other criteria need to be considered:  Endowment and graduate programs.

Endowment doesn't indicate the amount of $$$ that schools will have to spend on athletics. But it is an indicator of the alumni commitment and the ability of the school to raise money. This means potential for paying to hire/retain coaches, build better facilities, and add or improve sports.

Grad programs may seem to be the oddball in the discussion (Furman has few, Wofford still has none). Make no mistake, these programs are the new cash cow in higher education. Again, they don't mean that athletic departments will directly benefit. But it does mean that the institution has revenue streams that will allow them to designate money towards athletics.

With all these in mind, who are the candidates and who should the Southern Conference wine and dine?

1.  Mercer University

-Est. Endowment:   213 million

-Est. Enrollment:  4500 undergraduate, 3800 graduate

This is An Affair to Remember for a revamped Southern Conference. The Bears should be the #1 candidate for the Southern Conference, as they open their first season of football in 2013.

It's a geographic fit, picking a Georgia school to replace a Georgia school. They have multiple campuses, including graduate programs and a medical school in Atlanta. They have an established basketball program and begin football under Bobby Lamb. As a former SoCon Player of the Year and head coach at Furman, Lamb is familiar with all the expectations of the conference.

There is no question about Mercer's academic history or reputation, and there doesn't appear to be any sign of downgrading. With a growing alumni base, a share of the Greater Atlanta market and tremendous potential, Mercer is easily the cream of this crop...and Lamb's trips back to Greenville should be, well, intriguing.


2.  Gardner-Webb University

-Est. Endowment:  48 million

-Est. Enrollment:  2700 undergraduate, 1600 graduate

The Bulldogs' growth in the last 20 years is nothing less than impressive. A look around the campus reveals brand new facilities all around, including relatively new, extremely attractive football and basketball facilities. The alumni base is growing, particularly as the University continues to add graduate programs. It is absolutely a natural geographic fit, 40 miles west of Charlotte and less than two hours' drive for Furman, Wofford, Western Carolina, and Davidson.

The problem is that Gardner-Webb's athletic history, fundraising possibilities, and media market offer absolutely nothing. Directions to the school are, "Go to the cow pasture, and take a left!" There is very little nearby to entice fans, and the school does not have a great athletic tradition on which to build.

Gardner-Webb may end up in the SoCon some day, but it should be as a result of expansion after more viable candidates are pursued.


3.  Presbyterian College

No.

I'll just let you read the numbers from this link. (Okay, so it's Wikipedia...even there, they don't look like a good candidate).


4.  Coastal Carolina

-Est. Endowment:  23.5 million

-Est. Enrollment:  8360

Here's the good:  Coastal Carolina has a demonstrated commitment to athletics. Even as a new football program, they've been to the FCS playoffs several times and boast several NFL players. They've also been to the NCAA tournament in basketball and baseball (probably their strongest sport). It would give the SoCon a strong presence along the coast to replace College of Charleston. Their facilities are terrific, and they show a solid commitment to getting better. Their baseball program would be a welcome addition to an already strong conference. (College baseball may not be big business everywhere, but it is in South Carolina).

Here's the bad:  Coastal's academic reputation is not the best, and several school presidents seem opposed to their inclusion. Their endowment isn't great, nor is their pool upon which to draw donors, since the school is relatively new. However, with additional graduate programs and a growing alumni base, that may be destined to change.

Coastal may not be making any of the top 10 lists in US News, other than the one for party schools. But it's certainly no worse academically than Georgia Southern or other potential candidate East Tennessee State, and their profile is steadily improving. SoCon school presidents might have to swallow their pride (snobbery?) in order to get this up-and-coming program into the fold.


5. William and Mary

-Est. Endowment: 644 million

-Est. Enrollment: 6171 undergraduates, 2087 graduates

This makes sense on so many levels that they are almost as good a fit as Mercer. The only negative is that travel to Eastern Virginia is a headache, but the return may be worth the investment.

W and M is a former member of the Southern Conference. They offer access to recruiting in the Central/Tidewater/Northern Virginia area, not to mention those media markets. Their endowment and alumni base is solid, and they have a strong commitment to athletics (especially football). Not to mention they boast Mike Tomlin as an alum.

Yes, it's a long ride to Williamsburg. But if schools could make the trip in the 60s, then it shouldn't be a problem now. And you can take a side trip to Busch Gardens while you're at it.


6. East Tennessee State

-Est. Endowment:  97 million

-Est. Enrollment: 10,259 undergraduate, 2589 graduate

Well, Johnson City Community College may want to come back to the SoCon!

That's not an inaccurate assessment of ETSU from its previous stint in the league, but that may all be changing. The addition of numerous graduate programs, including a medical school, has elevated the school's academic profile. It's not Harvard, but it's no longer Harvard on the Hill, either.

The Bucs have a long-standing basketball tradition, and they are returning to the football field as well. Fortunately for all involved, they won't be playing in the Mini-Dome, a facility that resembles a design from an exercise yard at a state penitentiary. (In fact, I'm pretty sure the playing surface wasn't even that good). A new stadium and a new program give the Bucs some appeal.

I'm still not sold on ETSU. The Tri-cities area is beautiful and growing, but the Vols still rule the roost. It's not fertile ground for recruiting or media, and their loyalty is not stellar (they already left the conference once). Its academic reputation will be a question mark for some SoCon schools. But once again, it's not any worse than Georgia Southern.

So what are the top picks for the SoCon, from one independent blogger's perspective?

Top-Shelf:  Mercer, William and Mary

Good Buy on Special:  Coastal Carolina, ETSU

Happy Hour Only:  Gardner-Webb

Cheap Stuff You Bought in College:  PC

Furman Should Go Out on a Limb with their Next Basketball Hire

Once again, Furman basketball is jumping on the coaching carousel.

After a rather forgettable 85-131 record over his career, Furman coach Jeff Jackson is stepping down. His career concluded with a horrible 7-24 this past season. Any hope for the season snapped on February 2, when the Paladins blew an 18-point second half lead to The Citadel.

Yes, that's right. 18-point lead. Against The Citadel. Still lost.

After that, the Paladins lost their last ten regular season games. In fact, they barely showed up prior to an upset win over Samford in the Southern Conference tournament. As much as I hate it for Jackson and his family, this ending looked more and more inevitable with every dismal performance.

Jackson is a brilliant man, a good basketball mind, and a mediocre promoter for a sport that hasn't had any enthusiasm in Greenville for years. This is not the 1970s, and a basketball coach at Furman has to be a promoter if there is going to be any development in the program. Students and fans have very little reason to show up, other than the unlimited food that comes with your ticket.

Yes, that's correct. Furman is so desperate to draw fans that they give away concessions in order to put people in the seats. That's a pretty good indication that the next basketball coach needs to have "showmanship" on their resume.

And that's exactly why Furman should hire Bruce Pearl.

Okay, so Pearl brings with him just a bit of baggage. As in a U-Haul full of it. If Furman hires him, they must allow sanctions levied against Pearl in 2011 to come along with him. This means that Pearl cannot recruit unless the athletic department decides to challenge the NCAA's rulings.

Well, so what? Pearl can recruit through his assistants. He can send game tape from his NCAA appearances with Milwaukee-Wisconsin and Tennessee. And after all, it would only be for one season. The only problem is that the restrictions may also keep the Paladins from participating in the NCAA tournament.

Once again, so what? Furman hasn't played in the NCAAs since 1980, and they're nowhere close to changing that right now. And, so what if he leaves after one or two seasons for a bigger program? That could be one or two better seasons than Furman has seen in decades.

The biggest thing that Bruce Pearl would bring is excitement and enthusiasm, something lacking since before the infamous Rich Cantafio Fiasco in the 1990s. He would bring fast-paced, high energy basketball to Timmons Arena. I can already see the sweat soaking through that purple sports coat.

Imagine the press conferences. Imagine the energy that he could generate in a student body that's lukewarm when their teams are winning. Can you imagine Pearl cooperating with energetic women's coach Jackie Smith Carson, as he did with Pat Summit at UT?

Obviously, there are plenty of potential issues with this. But it would be hard to imagine a more exciting, headline-grabbing, attention-getting and energy-generating hire than Pearl.

I clearly know that there is almost no chance for this to even be considered, even if it was possible. But at least it's "outside the box" for the typically conservative athletic department at Furman.

After 33 years of futility, maybe outside the box is exactly where Furman basketball needs to go. They won't go there with Pearl, but perhaps they'll go there with someone else. Unless the Paladins are willing to get a little unconventional, the only empty box around campus will be Timmons Arena.

Pittsburgh Places Cortez Allen in the Driver's Seat

No one seems to have a clue what the Pittsburgh Steelers are doing during the offseason. Least of all the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The commentators just keep saying, "This is what the Steelers do" and "You have to trust their front office." Well, that trust is eroding in a hurry this offseason. The Steelers have released James Harrison, re-signed octogenarian linebacker Larry Foote, and let Mike Wallace walk. Emmanuel Sanders looks to be headed for New England. And they let up-and-coming cornerback Keenan Lewis sign with New Orleans for what amounts to a bag of peanuts and some type of fermented chicken drink.

Thus enters Cortez Allen.

The two-year corner from The Citadel is about to become the lead dog in the Pittsburgh Steeler secondary. Oh, it doesn't mean that he is suddenly the most important player, not with the likes of Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Troy Polumalu still skulking around. But he's pretty darn close.

And the Steelers' success in 2013 may hinge on him more than any of the previously mentioned big dogs.

Allen obviously made a huge impression on the Steelers and their coaching staff over the last two years, or they never would have allowed Lewis to walk. In just three starts in 2012, Allen had 10 passes defended, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles to go with 55 tackles. (This also includes time on special teams and in nickel/dime packages).

But his most impressive performance came in a game where his statistics were not spectacular.

He was spectacular against the Super Bowl champion Ravens in a December contest at Baltimore. Yes, he got beat a couple of times, but it took long-ball master Joe Flacco a lot of shots before he finally connected. Flacco was 1 for 6 going deep on him, and that's pretty impressive.

Allen ran stride for stride with Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin for most of the game. And don't think that Steeler head man Mike Tomlin, a former defensive backs coach, didn't notice.

This season, a large part of the Steelers success (or potential lack thereof) will depend on Allen. If he stays healthy, he could be the hinge that swings Pittsburgh above the .500 mark. Not only that, but he could suddenly become an "honorable mention" candidate among the current and former greats in the Steeler secondary.

And "honorable mention" among that group is pretty darn good, especially for a Southern Conference star out of The Citadel. Here's to hoping that Cortez Allen can develop into one of the great draft bargains of all-time.

Because if he doesn't, Pittsburgh will find themselves sitting at home again come January 2014.

Another Big 10 (plus 2) Farce Cuts Out the FCS

Well, praise the Lord for Barry Alvarez!

The Citadel and Furman and Wofford can all fall prostrate before him and shout in adoration, "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!" Because that's exactly what Alvarez thinks of FCS opponents for his Conference of the 1%, otherwise known as the Big 10. He and his fellows athletic directors have declared that they will no longer play FCS opponents.

We'll ignore the fact that the ADs were playing video of the AppSt/Michigan game while they made this decision. Barry has saved us from the embarrassment of watching our little guys from around South Carolina from having to play the "mighty" Big 10 teams.

Thank you, Big 10, for solving a problem that wasn't a problem. Unfortunately, it could become a big problem FCS schools just trying to make budget, particularly FCS schools that are near and dear to the Palmetto State.

Small schools have been playing "money ball" against big schools for decades. The objective is a nice, fat paycheck. Mix in the occasional upset and it's not a terrible system.

Yet, writers and pundits are suddenly concerned that someone is going to get "hurt" in one of these games. I don't know of a single instance of an FCS player losing a limb or severing an artery just because their opponent had Buckeyes on the back of the helmet.

I've argued on the air on ESPN Spartanburg about these FCS schools "prostituting" themselves in this way, and I still don't get it. It gives these smaller schools a chance to play in a setting and on a level of which they normally just dream. It offers them an opportunity to play David in the Goliath passion play and see if their best may just be good enough against a big-time program.

Here's the thing:  Some fans and bloggers believe this will mean better regular-season match-ups for Big 10 schools. I dare you to check in two years for the replacement schools for these FCS games. You won't be seeing Texas or 'Bama or Southern Cal. But I'm betting you'll see a lot of Marshall and Toledo and Middle Tennessee State.

They may be FBS (artist formerly known as Division I), but does anyone think MAC Conference USA teams are that much better than Wofford or The Citadel or Furman?

There is legitimate concern around the Southern Conference that other conferences may follow suit, although this is not set in stone. Southeastern Conference schools have plenty of tough games in their own league, and certainly don't need to ramp up the schedule. Unlike the Big 10, they play real football. The ACC might be more likely, especially since they've been embarrassed more than once against the FCS. But that could create some scheduling nightmares and end some long-standing connections.

Besides, the SEC seems content with their "SoCon Challenge" each year. Here at home, both Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier support the idea of continuing to play "home grown" FCS opponents. Death Valley was full last season for Clemson-Furman, so this seems like a positive arrangement (although Spurrier might prefer to leave off the option teams in the future).

Still, it could all change very quickly. There is even some rumblings that the NCAA may try to ban games between FCS and FBS. (And we all know that things can only get better when the NCAA gets involved).

No matter what some people are saying, this really isn't about these schools "prostituting" themselves or safety or fair competition or better games for season ticket holders. This is, as always, about one thing:  Money.

The Big 10 believes that it would be more profitable for them to leave FCS opponents off the schedule, and they may well be right (particularly if they have another Mountaineer Fiasco on their hands). But this is also about an ongoing desire of the BCS-level conferences to keep their money and not share it with anyone, least of all FCS.

And that's okay. FCS will be fine and continue to play a more pure brand of football that is designed for the last remaining bastion of true student-athletes in the nation. It would just be nice if people like Alvarez and his Big 10 brethren would drop the charade and just speak the truth. They may not know how many teams they have in their conference, but they know that they want every one of their schools to keep every dollar available.

That's fine. At least our FCS teams know how to count. We'd rather play real football teams in the SEC anyway.

Is SEC Worse; Or Is Everyone Else Just Better?

Gleeful sports pundits and haters are slobbering all over themselves this bowl season because the SEC is a "mediocre" 3-3 so far. I think Walt Deptula from 104.9 The Drive is having to take sleeping pills just to counter his euphoria over being "right" about the SEC.

Like many of us, they're just tired of it. This is part of the problem when major sports networks cut deals with teams or conferences. ESPN has become the de facto cheerleaders for Alabama and its brethren. Not that I blame them, since the Southeastern Conference is the major cash cow of choice.

But a lot of people are tired of it, particularly every other fan base from every other conference in America. They're tired of the "SEC" chants, tired of the arrogance, tired of the excessive rabidity and superiority that oozes from all things SEC.

Any fan from Florida to the Delta to the Bluegrass has every reason to feel this way (even if Kentucky waits until basketball season to show it). Even the folks in College Station, Texas have some braggin' rights, with "Johnny Football" carrying his Heisman Trophy all the way home from New York, via Tuscaloosa.

The Southeastern Conference is unquestionably the dominant one of the last decade. They just care more about football than everyone else, and it shows. And it makes those of us who cheer for football teams outside of the Bizzaro World sick to keep hearing about it.

So SEC lovers, please pardon the pundits and Clemson/Northwestern/Louisville fans if they gloat back at you a little. They're enjoying the role in proving that you're just not as good as you thought you were.

Or are you?

Well, not exactly. The SEC isn't as good as it has been in years past. But the issue is more the elevation of other teams than the decline of the SEC. And it's not talent level or coaching that has caught the conference slippin' this bowl season.

Take a look at Louisville. Head Coach Charlie Strong is an SEC "lifer" as a coordinator. He recruits their territory. He speaks the language and knows what it takes to build a program on the level of his former conference. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Louisville is a big school that is investing major money in the athletic program.

Take a look at Clemson. It's a smaller school but it has an SEC-level fan base, at least when it comes to football. Dabo Swinney is an Alabama guy who is at least as smart as Les Miles, which is not much of an accomplishment. Miles has won a National Title by becoming the "Mad Hatter" and recruiting great players.

Dabo Swinney is the best cheerleader on the Clemson sideline. But he's smart enough to know who he is. He recruits as well--or better--than anyone in the SEC. And he's persuaded the athletic department to invest in two coordinators to do the coaching. If it works for LSU, then why not for Clemson?

Watching the conference's wins by Georgia and South Carolina revealed that many other schools are recruiting offensive speed to counter all that defensive speed. Jadeveon Clowney's hit aside, the Michigan Wolverines were up to the task on offense. Nebraska couldn't stop a Southern Conference school, much less an SEC school. But they had the velocity to put up serious offensive numbers against Georgia.

The one place where other schools are clearly superior is at quarterback. You go to the SEC if your a running back, offensive lineman or defensive player. You go anywhere but the SEC to play QB. Teddy Bridgewater and Tajh Boyd are the best quarterbacks that this year's SEC never had.

But the greatest equalizer for the field vs. the SEC is arrogance. Florida and LSU thought they were going to just roll out their helmets and win their bowl games because they believed their opponents were inferior. They weren't. At some point, the players, fans, and coaches better recognize that college athletics do not stand still. They need to find a way to keep elevating their game instead of just sitting comfortably on top of the mountain, because every other team in America is trying to climb up to knock them off.

This is not a knock against Clemson or Louisville. It's a knock against the SEC. Mental and emotional preparation can be just as important as game film. Swinney and Strong had their teams masterfully prepared in every facet of the game. Miles and Will Muschamp failed at it. Miserably.

If you want to claim to be a dominant team or conference, then you better be ready to back it up against any opponent, in any setting. This bowl season, the SEC has proven that its own attitude is an obstacle to continuing dominance.

Arrogance has ruined many a person, organization, or team. SEC schools had better stop reading their press clippings and watching SportsCenter, or it could ruin their era of superiority.