October 15, 2007

Parity keeps football on an even keel

Frank Burlison

"Parity," as a catch-word, has been a part of the college basketball landscape since about the time I realized losing most of the hair on my head was about as inevitable as whatever hair remained turning a lot closer to a shade of "humbling gray" than its former "youthful blonde."

And that's been a while.

Parity can now officially be called a part of college football's lexicon.

If you didn't think so a few weeks ago, when nine Top 25-ranked teams were upset, or a week and a half ago, after the nation's overwhelming choice for preseason No. 1, USC, stumbled and bumbled its way to a loss at home against Stanford, then, surely, you must now.

In the aftermath of the Saturday night massacres of the teams formerly known as Nos. 1 and 2 in the country - LSU and California - it's getting closer and closer to the realm of possibility that we'll be watching the University South Florida Bulls playing for the national title on Jan. 8.

That's right. South Florida, not Florida, Florida State or Miami - South Florida.

And, unless Lloyd Carr and Michigan can finally figure out a way to beat them, the Ohio State Buckeyes - seemingly not nearly the team they were a year ago, at least talent-wise, when they got whacked by Florida in the BCS final - could be in New Orleans with the team from Tampa.

Welcome to the 21st century, college football coaches (and fans): Your basketball brethren have been here a while.

More college grids

Injuries are without question a part of the equation.

But, the current USC Trojans don't appear to be making the kind of week-to-week progress that was the trademark of Pete Carroll-coached USC teams.

If the marked improvement continues to sit this season out, 8-4 could be the best-possible scenario for the Trojans.

The Nebraska chancellor didn't mess around after that stinker the Huskies put up in Lincoln (down 38-0 at intermission against a mediocre Oklahoma State club before losing 45-14) Saturday, did he?

Let's see, with the athletic director (Steve Pederson) who hired him and then gave him a five-year contract extension getting the "don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out" speech Monday, do you think Bill Callahan is feeling real comfy about his job status?

And remember when we all marveled at how impressive then-No. 1 USC looked while overpowering the Huskers 49-31 a month ago in Lincoln?

Since then, Callahan's soon-to-be-former team has surrendered 40 or more points to three other opponents.

Do you think it was tough for Kentucky players to find girls to talk to or classmates to fetch them something to sip or chug in Lexington late Saturday night and early Sunday morning after the Wildcats knocked off LSU?

Everyone in town must have been in Blue Heaven over the weekend, with the football stunner coming a day after 23,000-plus showed up in Rupp Arena for the hoops Midnight Madness deal.

You might check out

(Thursday) South Florida at Rutgers ("With the game on ESPN, how many people will be getting their first real look at the newest No. 2-ranked team in the country?" I wrote, followed by raising my hand); (Saturday) Texas A&M at Nebraska (The Aggies' Dennis Franchione's future isn't exactly on firm ground, either; so this could be a bit of `Lame Duck Bowl'-kind of game), Florida at Kentucky (can the Lexington jails accommodate all the revelry if the Wildcats knock off the Gators? Twenty-two folks were hauled in after celebrating a bit too much Saturday), Cal at UCLA (What was coach Jeff Tedford thinking in not just kicking the tying field goal at the end of regulation? Chances to be No. 1 don't come along that often, folks), USC at Notre Dame ("mediocre" and "bad" hook up in South Bend) and Miami at Florida State (remember when this matchup used to mean something to football followers other than those in Miami and Tallahassee?).

High school gridders

As I suspected, Dominguez overwhelmed Gahr (49-0) Friday and Poly's running attack was too much for Millikan to overcome (28-14), although the Jackrabbits' turnovers kept things closer than I thought they would be.

The Dons are going to win a third consecutive CIF Southern Section title but Poly isn't likely to get beyond the first round of the Pac-5 playoffs unless the Jackrabbits find a way to come up with a passing attack (and stop coughing the ball up, naturally).

Prior to Los Alamitos' Sunset League opener with Edison at Orange Coast College Friday night, the Griffins' running attack pretty much began and ended with junior quarterback Clark Evans' powerful legs and quick feet.

But if senior Brantynn Washington continues to run as well as he did during that game-deciding drive (74 yards on three carries, including an 8-yard score) during the 13-9 win over the Chargers, Coach John Barnes' team will have a solid chance to win the league and win a Pac-5 playoff game.

Sophomore wide receiver Paul Richardson (who also plays in the secondary) made a couple of spectacular catches and runs for the Griffins, who play Fountain Valley Thursday night at Veterans Stadium.

Cool games of the week

(Friday) Millikan at Lakewood (I wouldn't be surprised if the Lancers win their final three regular-season games), Servite vs. Orange Lutheran at Cal State Fullerton (the winner probably finishes no worse than in second place in the Trinity League) and Esperanza vs. Newport Harbor at Valencia (the best Sunset League game of the week; the Aztecs are unbeaten, and the Sailors' only loss came courtesy Poly).

Basketball stuff

The 29th edition of the Press-Telegram's Best in the West debut will be published on Nov. 4, 10 days before the first day of the NCAA's early letter of intent signing period.

Anyone who follows the west coast high school basketball scene, as well as college recruiting, should be able to come up with a pretty good guess at the top half-dozen vote-getters - if not the exact order - in the poll of college coaches and other talent evaluators.

And be prepared to keep guessing until Nov. 4.

Freshman guard Greg Plater and junior wings Donovan Morris and Stephen Gilling were the most impressive players (at least on the offensive end of the floor) I watched during the Saturday and Sunday afternoon practice sessions in the Walter Pyramid for the Long Beach State team.

Gilling would get significant playing time and, possibly, lead Coach Dan Monson's team in scoring if not for the fact that he'll be seated in street clothes on the bench during home games while spending this season as a redshirt after his transfer from Colorado State.

I'm not sure this team will break double figures in the win column this season, but the development of players such as Plater (getting the left-handed guard out of Oregon last spring will ultimately prove to be a bit of a coup), redshirt freshman Darnell Porter (via Millikan) and sophomore center Andrew Fleming could alter that perception in a couple of months.

OK, per my promise last week of a comparison between Westchester High sophomore Dwayne Polee Jr. and his father (the 1980 and '81 L.A. City Player of the Year at Manual Arts:

The younger Polee, at about 6-foot-7, is approximately three inches taller than his father and is already a better jump shooter than his father was by the time he departed high school (he went a season at UNLV before closing his college career at Pepperdine).

But the elder Polee played with much, much more tenacity on defense.

UCLA coach Ben Howland went out of his way to praise the first weekend practice performances of junior forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Monday.

Mbah a Moute's jump shot - a clanky commodity most of last season - was retooled by the coaching staff in the spring, and Howland said that he shot well over the weekend.

The sixth annual Southern California Competition Clinic will be held Saturday 5-10 p.m. at Santa Monica City College.

For more information, contact Gerry Freitas at (408) 998-1327 or gerryfreitas@hotmail.com.