Other than OU, what teams/story-lines interest you in 2012?

[8timechamps]

This isn't a "what is your second favorite team" thread, it's more about what other teams will you have an interest in how they do in 2012?

One of the stories I'm going to keep an eye on is Stanford. There's no question Harbaugh took that program to the top. I remember 5 or 6 years ago, watching the closing moments of the Stanford upset of USC (at the Colosseum)...when I think Harbaugh was in his first year as HC. It was a HUGE upset at the time. Prior to that, Stanford was kind of a PAC doormat team.

The Cardinal lost a ton of offensive production to the NFL, and I'm not sure they have the athletes to reload at all those positions. Moreover, I'm not convinced that Shaw is the guy that can carry the torch. In almost every game I watched last year, he literally looked as if he was just watching Luck play, and if Luck was talking to him, he seemed like a bystander. Maybe that hands-off approach was perfect for Luck, but those kind of players are few and far between. This year, he'll have to step up and show what he's got.

It'll be interesting.


So, what programs/players/story-lines have your attention for the upcoming season?

[yermom]

i think it will be funny to watch the new SEC teams

and Wazzou

[8timechamps]

Oh, and I'll be following both A&M and Mizzou, just to see how they fare.

[Seamus]

i think it will be funny to watch the new SEC teams

and Wazzou

Pretty much this ^^^

I'd love for some unknown QB to step up on the Palouse and rip that conference for about 5,500 yards. I'd laugh my arse off.

[Salt City Sooner]

Missouri, specifically their offense. Nobody in the SEC runs a full blown spread quite the way they do & I'm interested to see how the league adjusts to it without having a month to prepare for it. I know 2 of them were against the Orgeron trainwreck at Ole Miss, but FWIW, Pinkel's 4-1 vs. the SEC @ Mizzou.

[MamaMia]

As long as we are in the hunt, I pay attention to all wins and losses. the BCS standings. After a few games, I look at the BCS standings and the schedules of the teams that are on top who may serve as a threat. I then try to form a hypothesis based on certain factors in an effort to see how that will impact OU.

[SicEmBaylor]

I'm pretty pumped to see the debut season of Aggie's 100-years of fail in the SEC.

[S.PadreIsl.Sooner]

I'm pretty pumped to see the debut season of Aggie's 100-years of fail in the SEC.

Indeed. This will match their previous years of fail, thus giving them a "set".

[olevetonahill]

Ima watch Mike Leach and Hope and Pray they end up in a Bowl game against TT and then Mikes Boys tear em a new one

[Jason White's Third Knee]

My second favorite team is Illinois, but I live in champaign... And they aren't very good. I really wanted them to hire leach.

[Jason White's Third Knee]

And what everyone else said plus tOSU. Will urban take then to the promise land or will they implode under all the weight?

[Curly Bill]

Like lots of others here have said I'm curious exactly how much Mizzu and aTm will be suckage in the SEC? How Leach will do, how bad will UTerus be once again, and will there start to be rumblings about getting rid of Mack?

[SunnySooner]

My second favorite team is Illinois, but I live in champaign... And they aren't very good. I really wanted them to hire leach.

Yeah, I never understood why they ALWAYS seem to suck so much--good school, nice facilities from what I've seen, and a fairly rabid fanbase, seems like whenever I run across them at home, they be a bunch peeps in the stands. Weird.

And agree with all the above, should be another year of drama, upsets, heartbreak, triumph and arrests. As usual. No wonder we love it so much!

[Curly Bill]

I forgot this: How will BV do at Clemson? I'm gladder than most he got RUNN OFT from here, but I predict this year will be a bit of a honeymoon scenario for him at Clemson.

[olevetonahill]

I forgot this: How will BV do at Clemson? I'm gladder than most he got RUNN OFT from here, but I predict this year will be a bit of a honeymoon scenario for him at Clemson.
Wouldnt it be weird if His D took em to the MNC game ?:welcoming:

[Petro-Sooner]

TCU since I'm new to ftw and them joining the conference Also Washington state with leach there

[yermom]

And what everyone else said plus tOSU. Will urban take then to the promise land or will they implode under all the weight?

i had totally forgotten about Meyer going there

[badger]

There were a billion coaching changes in the offseason. It will be interesting to see how the "quick fix" schemes work. Because that's what those schools want, right? Everyone pays millions to a big name to "fix this now" and win championships, bowls and butts in seats?

I shouldn't laugh too hard at the fallacy of such thinking. We're doing that with our men's basketball program.

[Curly Bill]

Wouldnt it be weird if His D took em to the MNC game ?:welcoming:

I'd die of shock!

[olevetonahill]

I'd die of shock!

:welcoming:

[King Crimson]

the ongoing Colorado drama always interests me. the Pac doesn't excite me much but it's been over 10 years since CU won the Big XII in 01 (thanks to Chris Simms). Hawkins was hilarious minus his fluky win over us...for this observer. Embree says all the right things but they are still pretty bad I'm afraid.

Story lines for 2012: can they ever stop anyone? UT transfer Connor Wood, highly recruited....lots of stars...couldn't beat out Gilbert, Ash, or McCoy II. Is he the answer? as bad as CU has been at the QB spot for a decade, hard to imagine he's not a step up. Losing best O player, WR Paul Richardson was a big blow in Spring Ball. ACL. out for the season.

Schedule more favorable than last year's brutal one....but bowl eligible would be reasonable goal for Colorado fans imo.

that's whats here local.

[deweydw]

I am intersted to see what the Pokes will do. Losing two key players took them from being in the top 5 to barely rounding out the top 25 preseason poll. Is that drop justified? Will be interesting to find out.

I asked this question to a co worker. And he metioned QB Cody Green transfered from Nebbish to Tulsa. Says he has a good arm. Should be an intersting team to watch.

[BoulderSooner79]

The teams switching conferences will be interesting. TCU and WVU of course, because we play them, but how they do overall coming from weaker conferences. I actually hope aTm and MU do okay in the SEC and upset a few teams over there. Gotta watch Wazzou under Leach.

[TheUnnamedSooner]

I'm interested in seeing if Washington continues to improve. They seem to improve a little each year since they got rid of Willingham. For some weird reason, I've adopted them as one of my favorites several years ago. It was really fun traveling up there.

Will Boise continue to win with a new QB?

Will KU make any noise with their changes?

Florida and texas continue sucking?

[OULenexaman]

I'm watching the BIG 10....Penn State was cruising along nicely last year then BOOM!!! What becomes of Wisconson?? Will Michigan continue to rise from the ashes?? Will the Nebbish take a stand? And I gotta see how Slippery Rock does this year.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Slippery Rock, I tell you Slippery Rock!

Do they still announce that at OU Games?

[stoopified]

NONE

[soonerboy_odanorth]

Da**it. I hate to even remotely admit it.... but the Pokes have my attention. I keep hearing "reload" talk from them. And my head is screaming "YOU DON'T LOSE FOUR OF FIVE STARTERS FROM YOUR O-LINE AND START A FRESHMAN QB AND LOSE YOUR BEST SKILL PLAYER AND HAVE NEAR THE SUCCESS YOU HAD THE YEAR BEFORE!"

IF they prove me (and I assume "us") wrong, then good on them, and oh by the way... we're doing something wrong. Because when OU has been in that identical position things haven't been real rosey.... 2005.... 2009.

Then I am just regurgitating... Want to see Mizzou and aTm and how they perform. Part of me wants to see them succeed so the SEC gets a little seed of doubt planted that they aren't all that superior to other conferences. (i.e. our middle-feeders go in and whup some butts that will make me smile a little.) Then again, I hate Mizzou for starting the train wreck of re-alignment, and I want to see aTm take some medicine for being the biggest bunch of cry-baby whiny-assed pu**ies in the history of CFB.

Are reports of the demise of the state of Florida greatly exaggerated? FSU... perpetually overrated. Florida... can't get out of their own way with Muschump at the helm. Miami... do they still grow any talent in South Florida? Cause there doesn't appear to be in Coral Gables.

Can Nebraska ever be better than middle again? I actually hope so. But on that same Big10leven note... the rise of Michigan. Brady Hoke is the real deal. Michigan is my sleeper pick to play for the NC this year. (Though most "way too early" polls have them top 10.) And, Michigan v. tOSU w/ Urban. It's going to be a monster game this year no matter how you slice it.

What bizzarro-world thing will Les Miles and LSU come up with this year?

USC... are they ever going to feel any pain from the sanctions? Or is their "punishment" just smoke and mirrors, and they have more than enough wiggle room to keep rolling.

Oregon lost some serious players from last year's team. Do they reload... or will Eugene find out things aren't quite that easy?

BLEEPING BOISE STATE! They have HUGE losses in personnel from last year. Do they take one on the chin while they rebuild.. or has that da** Chris Peterson made a deal with the devil. I want to see them suffer. Here's hoping....

[8timechamps]

the ongoing Colorado drama always interests me. the Pac doesn't excite me much but it's been over 10 years since CU won the Big XII in 01 (thanks to Chris Simms). Hawkins was hilarious minus his fluky win over us...for this observer. Embree says all the right things but they are still pretty bad I'm afraid.

Story lines for 2012: can they ever stop anyone? UT transfer Connor Wood, highly recruited....lots of stars...couldn't beat out Gilbert, Ash, or McCoy II. Is he the answer? as bad as CU has been at the QB spot for a decade, hard to imagine he's not a step up. Losing best O player, WR Paul Richardson was a big blow in Spring Ball. ACL. out for the season.

Schedule more favorable than last year's brutal one....but bowl eligible would be reasonable goal for Colorado fans imo.

that's whats here local.

Embree isn't the guy that's going to turn it around for CU. I know everyone (CU fans) was excited because he was a CU guy, but I think they actually looked worse last year. We'll see how his recruits pan out, but I'm thinking he'll be gone in a couple of years.

Too bad too, because when CU is at least decent, college football gets more attention here.

[King Crimson]

Embree isn't the guy that's going to turn it around for CU. I know everyone (CU fans) was excited because he was a CU guy, but I think they actually looked worse last year. We'll see how his recruits pan out, but I'm thinking he'll be gone in a couple of years.

Too bad too, because when CU is at least decent, college football gets more attention here.

the Embree hire was pretty shrewd imo. it made the back to McCartney element of the CU fanbase (is there any other?) happy and bought CU AD some time by hitching his wagon to the Coach Mac forever alums. if Embree fails, Bohn can't be blamed by the self-same people who wanted (another) Mac guy to take CU back to the old days. don't forget, Barnett in 99 was a back to Mac hire, too. Nostalgia hires are almost always a bad idea. CU is in round 2 of it. Bohn is a salesman and a bit of a tool imo, but he did a nice job of taking the Hawkins albatross off his neck....not sure it was best for the future of CU football, though.

plus, Embree was cheap.

[OULenexaman]

Slippery Rock, I tell you Slippery Rock!

Do they still announce that at OU Games? Probably not.......but it was a staple in the 60's and 70's. I remember just waiting to hear a scoring update of Slippery Rock. Fun times.

[PalmettoSooner]

I forgot this: How will BV do at Clemson? I'm gladder than most he got RUNN OFT from here, but I predict this year will be a bit of a honeymoon scenario for him at Clemson.

I hate Clemson was a passion but if he struggles at Clemson against that weak conference then something is wrong.

[IslandSooner]

The RazorPiglets with no BOBBY P.

[goingoneight]

BV at Clemson could be a winning combination. They bring in good skill talent just about every year on offense. Problem for the rest of the ACC is they... didn't. Overall, at least. BV's defense won't face three to four Heisman contenders per year in his own division there. Buuut... Jared Zabransky and Cody Hawkins say hi... so, I'll actually watch someone besides OU this year.

[Soonerjeepman]

pokes...how they handle this yr

ksu, see if Klein can add throwing to his forte

missou/a'm how the sec handles them, lots of talk up here in KC about mu being a big bad sec member

Leach is always good for some laughs, (his comments)

[8timechamps]

the Embree hire was pretty shrewd imo. it made the back to McCartney element of the CU fanbase (is there any other?) happy and bought CU AD some time by hitching his wagon to the Coach Mac forever alums. if Embree fails, Bohn can't be blamed by the self-same people who wanted (another) Mac guy to take CU back to the old days. don't forget, Barnett in 99 was a back to Mac hire, too. Nostalgia hires are almost always a bad idea. CU is in round 2 of it. Bohn is a salesman and a bit of a tool imo, but he did a nice job of taking the Hawkins albatross off his neck....not sure it was best for the future of CU football, though.

plus, Embree was cheap.

Good point, and it did seem to revive some interest. One of the guys that works for me is a CU grad, and HUGE football fan (been to every home game since like 82). He was so depressed when they didn't hire McCartney. I told him that was a long, long shot, but he wanted to believe he was coming back.

Embree was a good hire for all the reasons you listed, and he appears to be a really good X's and O's guy, I just don't think he has the head coach mentality. Maybe that will change. Like I said, as a college football fan living in Colorado, it's much better when the Buffs are decent.

On a side note, going to Ft. Collins this weekend for a graduation...great town, horrible stadium.

[PalmettoSooner]

One of my 2012 story lines is :
Being here in the middle of SEC and ACC country.....rumors are flying that Clemson and FSU is trying to join the Big 12.

[Jason White's Third Knee]

My second favorite team is Illinois, but I live in champaign... And they aren't very good. I really wanted them to hire leach.

Yeah, I never understood why they ALWAYS seem to suck so much--good school, nice facilities from what I've seen, and a fairly rabid fanbase, seems like whenever I run across them at home, they be a bunch peeps in the stands. Weird.


Oh I can tell you why. The fans aren't rabid at all, especially for football. They sell a lot of shirts up here and there is a lot of school pride but it has little to do with sports. The fans generally hang their collective hats on the basketball team. "we're a basketball school!". I hear it all the time. No, Duke is a basketball school. Illinois is a tennis school. A golf school. Occasionally a gymnastics school. It's a funnel for rich Chicago kids and the academics are good. The sports here are mediocre and Illinois won't take the position that you have to pay for a great coach. They get second tier guys an hope for the best. I hoped they would go for Leech, Mangino, or someone that can do something with some skill players and no depth. That's what they have here. The O line is like Swiss cheese. Oh, and the facilities are mostly new but not grand. They are too intellectual to realize that I you build it, they will come.