Former USC standout Kenechi Udeze to retire

Hello Football Fiends-

Minnesota Vikining and former USC Trojan DE Kenechi Udeze announced his retirement today. Udeze was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2008 and missed the 2008-09 season while he sought treatment for his cancer.

Udeze felt well enough to work out and attend the mini camps in the spring. He was expected to report to training camp for the Vikings on July 31st.

Udeze made a statement earlier today:

“… I am well. Unfortunately, however, I have decided to retire due to certain side effects from my pre-transplant treatment. I would like to thank the Wilf family and the Minnesota Vikings organization for their support. I would also like to thank my fans, friends and family for supporting me through everything. Last but not least, I would like to thank all of the medical professionals and staff in Minnesota who worked tirelessly to give me a second chance at life. God bless.”

Udeze was the Viking’s first round draft pick in 2004.  At USC from 2001-2003 Udeze had 135 tackles with 51 of them for a loss, 28 sacks, 14 forced fumbles,3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 5 pass deflections, and 2 blocked kicks.

I wish Kenechi the best of luck in his continued fight against and recovery from leukemia. Fight On Kenechi!

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Be a part of Gridiron Goddess. net’s newest feature!

Hey Football Fiends!

This season I am launching a feature called Love Em or Hate Em.  It is just what it says it is. Two football fans will pair off on each article. One will write about how they Love Team X and why. The other will write about how they Hate Team X and why. And we will all read and be amused, or so I hope.

First up are:

Love Em or Hate Em: Notre Dame

and

Love Em or Hate Em: Auburn

The Notre Dame and Auburn writers are hard at work on their 500-600 word pieces now and I’ll post them as soon as they are ready.

Do you have a team – College or NFL — that you feel particularly strongly about — either love or hate?  Drop me an email and I’ll get you on the Love Em or Hate Em schedule.

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Walker Sports: 2009 Big East Preview

Hey Football Fiends!

I’ve once again teamed up with Walker Sports to bring you the best college football previews online.

2009 Big East Preview

College football is inching ever so closer and here at Walker-Sports we are continuing our college football previews. We’ve gone through the ACC, which is always near and dear to our hearts and we like hanging on the East Coast so much we figured why not talk some Big East today.

Thanks to the reorganization of the BCS conferences earlier this decade, the Big East is bigger and more exciting than ever. Unfortunately for the teams in the Big East, they are the wild west of football with no dominate power and anyone can win on any given Saturday. Granted the Big East as a football conference will never be as powerful as it is as a basketball conference. But that being said, it is just as exciting.

Pittsburgh Panthers: Dave Wannstedt is entering the fifth year of tenure at Pitt, and he is hoping all of his efforts will pay off this year. During his time in Pittsburgh Wannstedt has done a great job of acquiring talent, but his players have not been able to perform on the field. That being said, last season the Panthers got to nine wins and reached the Sun Bowl. The 2009 Pittsburgh Panthers are looking to build on last year’s success.

On offense the Panthers lost LeSean McCoy to the NFL and with that they lost a good chunk of their offensive production. At the quarterback position, Pittsburgh has a couple options with incumbent starter Bill Stull and 2007 start Pat Bostick. Stull will get the nod as the starting quarterback, but Wannstedt will not hesitate to pull the plug on him and give Bostick a chance.

The Pitt Panthers have a light out of conference schedule that will allow the Panthers to rack up some easy wins. Getting to the top of the Big East will be difficult, for Pittsburgh but they should have enough talent on their squad to navigate the choppy waters.

South Florida Bulls: The Bulls are the greatest underachieving team the Big East has ever seen. Once again South Florida is prepared to do battle in the 2009 season with some familiar faces. Matt Grothe is under center at quarterback for his final campaign. Despite having some great stats over the course of his career, Grothe will not see his tenor complete if he fails to bring home a BCS Game win. Grothe will have some help from his defense which is once again anchored by George Selvie who is a senior and a returning All American. All together the South Florida defensive line features 75 combined starts.

Once again South Florida has the horses to be a contender in the Big East and on the national scene. The problem is South Florida always finds a way to shoot themselves in the foot, and collapse coming down the stretch. I find it hard to believe the Bulls will have the mental discipline to stay focus for the whole season and finish what they started.

West Virginia Mountaineers: Bill Stewart nearly stirred his high powered offense into the ditch last season, but thanks to Pat White and Noel Devine the Mountaineers were able to overcome a sluggish start and finish with a 9 win season. This year there is no Pat White, but Stewart will look to open up his offense some more by increasing his teams passing production,

Truth is told West Virginia still has some talented athletes roaming around Morgantown. The key to their season will be getting off to a strong start. With early season games against Liberty, ECU, at Syracuse, Marshall and UConn. This means WVU has the chance to jump out to a 6-1 start depending on a few games against Colorado and Auburn. If West Virginia can keep their heads straight for the opening half of their schedule, they could end up making a push for the Big East Championship.

Cincinnati Bearcats: Last year the Bearcats experienced a breakout season that earned them a Big East Championship and a trip to the Orange Bowl. In 2009, Cincinnati has an outside chance of repeating that feat once again. The Bearcats experienced heavy losses on defense. It was those losses that have caused them to drop so far on our list.

Despite their losses on defense, the Bearcats cannot be counted out of the race for the Big East because of the talent they have on offense. Tony Pike is a seasoned quarterback who has a slew of weapons on the outside. The Bearcats success will be based what Pike and company can get done on offense. It would be in Cincinnati’s interest to take on a Big 12 mentality and try to outgun every opponent they face because a defensive battle will not end well for them.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: The Scarlet Knights are returning 13 starters from last year’s squad. That’s a unit that won seven straight games coming down the stretch, including a school record third consecutive bowl game. Despite being ranked fifth in the Big East in this poll, Rutgers will still figure to factor into the overall picture. The key will play at the quarterback position. If Rutgers can find consistent play from senior Domenic Natale they could find themselves sniffing for a Big East championship when West Virginia comes to town.

Connecticut Huskies: It’s pretty obvious the Huskies lost some serious firepower on offense last season, everyone knows that. The interesting part will be how UConn handles the transition to their new offensive scheme in 2009. Like so many other teams across the NCAA the Huskies are looking to run a no huddle spread formation. This means they want to speed up the pace of things and try to open up some more scoring opportunities. When it’s all said and done, the Huskies have some talent on their squad. They will most likely win six games and make a bowl game, but it is doubtful they factor into the overall Big East race.

Louisville Cardinals: The arrival of Steve Kragthrope has done anything for the Louisville Cardinals. Since his arrival in 2007, The Cardinals have gone 11-13. This season will be all about Kragthrope and what he can do to transform his stagnant offense. Kragthrope has named himself offensive coordinator this year, and in many ways his reputation and his job are on the line. Last season Louisville went 5-7, chances are they are going to end up around that same mark in 2009. If the Cardinals are lucky they will reach the six win mark.

Syracuse Orange: Doug Marrone has come in to restore some hope to the Syracuse Orange program. Unfortunately for Marrone, the Orange fan base running rapid with aspirations of greatness, many of which exceed the reality of the situation. Much like UConn, and WVU, Syracuse will employ a spread offense. The Orange version of the spread won’t like be high power but it could prove to be deadly if the boys are able to grasp the nuances of the scheme early in the season. This is a transition year for Syracuse, but I can assure you thinks will be looking up for them. Marrone will experience some growing pains, but things are on the up and up for the Orange.

Happy Birthday to GridironGoddess.net! (er, belatedly)

Football Fiends!

I missed the actual day, which was July 16th, so happy belated birthday to GridironGoddess.net. The past 2 years have been a lot of fun and I look forward to many many more here on my little corner of the interweb.

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Have no fear Mitch Mustain, you may have a career yet…

Hey Football Fiends,

Check out this article about former USC (and New England Patriots) back up QB Matt Cassel.  Cassel is a career backup who is now about to get his chance to show everything he learned while sitting behind  Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC  and Superbowl winning QB Tom Brady at New England.

When Brady went down last season with injury, Cassel got a chance to show off his skills.  During the off season Kansas City came calling. Cassel has not officially been made the starter at KC, but with a $15 million salary for this season and the franchise tag, that announcement can’t be too far off.

Career Backup Cassel Gets His Shot as a Kansas City Chief

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Top Prep QB commits to USC

Hey Football Fiends!

USC has scored another top prospect off the ESPNU 150 Watch list with Lakewood (CA) High’s Jesse Scroggins.  Scroggins commited to USC on Thursday. Other schools he was considering include Florida and Tennesseee.

Scroggins will enter USC in the Fall of 2010 and vie for the QB job with current Freshman Matt Barkely.

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Harem of the Goddess: Byron with the 2009 SEC Preview

Hey Football Fiends!

For the 3rd year in a row my Vol pal Byron is here to provide us with an SEC Preview. So without further ado, I’m turning the reigns over to Bryon Earnheart for the day:

2009 SEC Preview

by Byron Earnheart (one Vol fan who has not yet drank the Kiffin Kool-Aid)

Well college football fans, the time of the year we’ve been looking forward to is drawing nigh.  That’s right, it’s college football time!!  I don’t know about you all, but it couldn’t get here soon enough!  When I’m finding myself actually caring about baseball, I know I’ve been without my football for way too long.  Sadly, golf isn’t even doing it for me anymore…I just need my fix.  I need my Bloody Marys and my “Game Day” and my nachos and my BBQ sandwich and my Miller High Life and my couch and my wife to put up with me lounging on the couch all Saturday.  It’s time sports fans…it’s time.

Since the last SEC preview, I’ve found myself in a bit of a different situation…I got married.  Now, thankfully, she likes football and is somewhat conversational on the subject.  She knows enough about the BCS to pull for the teams for which we need pulling.  She got as excited as I did last year during that TX Tech/Texas game…not that we had anything to gain…but WHAT A GAME!  Every once in awhile, I have to explain to her some rule or why a coach would call a certain play at a certain time in the game, but that’s understandable…and, at least, she puts up with me sitting around hollering at the TV.

So, with the marriage as a theme, I’d like to go through the SEC with some quick-hit thoughts.

Something Ole: Well, not quite “something old…”, but you get the gist.  I’ll say more on this later, but if there’s a team in the SEC (not named Florida) who has the opportunity to excel this year, it’s Ole Miss.  That’s right…Ole Miss.  Great, proven QB…decent coach (my personal opinion of Houston Nutt aside)…favorable schedule…probably a top 15 national ranking.  “Wait”, you may be saying “what about LSU and Alabama?!  Saban is one season away from curing cancer and completely reinventing Western Civilization!”  Well, all of that may be true…but he and Miles both have unproven and young QB’s (not a good thing in this league usually) AND they have to go to Oxford to play.  While Oxford is not as intimidating as Tuscaloosa or Baton Rouge, it’s still a road game…and Ole Miss does not have to travel to those aforementioned sights this year.  So, in my opinion, the West is Ole Miss’ to lose.  Will they choke?  Probably so at some point along the way…it’s almost inevitable in this league.  That said…at this stage of the year…it’s their division to lose.

Something New: 3 new coaches are in the SEC now…not to mention the 2 “new” coaches last year (Both Nutt and Petrino seemed to come into situations that were not their making…so, they’re still new to me).  Lane Kiffin, USC’s offensive coordinator when they ruled the world, is at UT and is writing checks that I HOPE his butt can cash.  Dan Mullen is at Mississippi State now hoping to “spread” some of the special sauce that he and Urban Meyer have cooked up over the years.  Gene Chizik joins the SEC at Auburn after he managed to completely stink up Iowa State.  This had to be the most bone-headed hire in the history of the SEC (and I am counting Ed Orgeron in this!), which leads me to my next point…

Something Borrowed: Time and Trouble.  I get the distinct impression that teams now are just borrowing trouble from some of these hires.  Gene Chizik…really?  Why do I get the feeling this has got “Ron Zook” written all over it…maybe even worse.  In the interest of fairness, I’ll throw my beloved Vols here as well.  If Kiffin doesn’t work out, we’re screwed.  Bad.  And when you think about it, that’s two solid programs with a great deal of history that’ve gotten kicked in the nether regions over a dumb hire.   (Gridiron Goddess says: Gee sort of like USC in the 1990s) All of this being said, if they pay off…they’ll pay off huge.  It’s sort of like getting in on a good stock.  If it takes off, you’re a flippin’ genius.  If not, then the bank is coming for your home and Little Junior is not going to college.

Now, why do I care about this in a Preview column?  Because that’s what the fans of these schools with new coaches are watching for.  We want to see improvement.  Most UT fans (the reasonable ones who a) actually went there and b) don’t have “Rocky Top” as car horn or doorbell) aren’t expecting a 12-1 season.  But, perception is on trial this year for at least 5 teams in the league.  We really have no idea what 4-5 teams are going to look like once they step out on the field.  The Court of Public Football Opinion, Southeastern District, is cruel.  Fans are going to want to see improvement.  They’ll want to see close games.  They’ll want to see their teams “in” games that they should not even be in.  We all want what Florida has, what Alabama is building, and what LSU is probably losing…but it can’t happen to everyone…so, someone is borrowing trouble!

Something Blue: So, I’m going to go ahead and spoil the fun and pick Florida and Ole Miss in Atlanta…and you have no idea how much that crawls under my skin.  I hate these two teams passionately.  Why?  I just do.  And what team has a more crystal clear path to the National Championship than Florida?  Let’s review…their ENTIRE D is coming back; they have Tim Tebow who rivals Chuck Norris in freakish talents, and an easy schedule.  Sure, they have LSU in Baton Rouge but, trust me on this, LSU’s Def. Coordinator wouldn’t know what to do with Florida’s offense if he was handed the playbook and given a month to study.  Sure, it’ll be a tight game for 3 quarters but Chavis will start giving the receivers nice 8 yard cushions.  It’ll be so nice to watch another defense implode on itself and not have the accompanying arm pains and shortness of breath.  So, with all of that…Gators, yet again, it’s all you.

So, here, in my predicted order of finish by division, is the SEC.

WEST:

1) Ole Miss:  I think I’ve explained my reasoning above for this.  I just like a team that’s got a great QB, good depth, able D, good coaching, and a favorable schedule.  Now, they may choke.  But at this point in the year, I just can’t bring myself to say they can’t win the West.

2) Alabama:  Yes, I know Nick Saban is God’s gift to mankind in the South and is the reincarnation of Bear Bryant.  But without a proven QB, even the Bear didn’t win every game.  I like everything about this team but the Ole Miss game and the young QB.

3) Arkansas: Bobby Petrino has proven he can win games, in my opinion, when he’s got the QB.  Mallet is that type of QB if you watched any of his Michigan games.  He’s got the skills (to pay the bills…sorry, couldn’t help it!).  There are some questions on Defense…like are they any good…but, I think the offense could save the team a few times.

4) LSU: I’ve just seen John Chavis’ defenses crumble too many times in the presence of teams that can pass the ball to get too excited.  In addition, Jarrett Lee did nothing to impress me.  I’m going to go out on a limb here…a REALLY big limb…and say that 2009 could be the beginning of the downward slide of LSU.

5) Mississippi State:  As this is my 2^nd favorite team in the league, I’m pumped about this year.  This is one of those teams that have to show improvement.  Perception is the name of the game here.  Mullen should bring a great deal of excitement to the team, and, coupled with a punishing RB (pending his DUI situation) and very serviceable D…it might be a decent year…look for them to sneak in the bowl picture.

6) Auburn: Crash and burned, huh Mav?  I just can’t find anything good to say about this team, I’m sorry.  I don’t hate the Tigers.  I just can’t find any reason to put them ahead of anyone in the division.  Gene Chizik?  Really?  That’s who you thought could do a better job than Tuberville?  Last year, Kodi Burns didn’t know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt.  It was embarrassing.  So, has it gotten better now that you got the Chizik?  The only good thing I can say, seriously, about Auburn, is that acquiring Gus Malzahn will probably save their butts some.  But if he doesn’t have the tools (and Burns did NOTHING to prove that he has the skills), it won’t matter.

EAST:

1) Florida:  Ok, save me the energy here…does anyone really argue this?  We can argue it if you want to…but you’re wrong.  This team reminds me of stacking your team on NCAA Football on PlayStation, turning it to JV level, and start getting top 5 recruiting classes each year…it’s almost not fun to watch.  And, TRUST ME…this praise is not because I like the Gators.  I hate them passionately!  But they’re really freaking good.

2) Tennessee:  Now, before this gets attacked, let me just say that UT, UGA, and South Carolina (maybe even Vandy) could make a bid here.  Neither of these teams have great QB’s, some have better D’s, some have more favorable schedules.  This really is a testament to how far down the East will be this year.  That said, I am going with my biases here.  While I trust UT’s QB about like I’d trust Simon Cowell to break a smile and say something positive (Dang, my wife’s got me watching American Idol…I’m sorry!).  Crompton just…I can’t even type his name without feeling the bile rise up.  However, the offense is supposedly easier to understand (It’d better be…God knows he shorted enough 5 yard passes last year.  Confusing stuff, I know!!).  The D should be good, and some good RB depth should give us a fighting chance.

3) Georgia: Again, not much difference here in UGA and UT.  Good depth, probably a more suspect D…unproven QB.  But UGA is one of the best coached teams in the league.  They lost a TON of talent though that they can’t easily replace coming out of the gate.  They have the talent…but it’ll take time to develop.

4) South Carolina:  Well, it looks like Garcia’s finally been paroled and allowed to play football again.  I know that was a cheap shot…but given all the crap that Satan…I mean…Spurrier’s dealt over the years, payback’s a mother!  Their D should be fairly solid, however.  I’m very impressed with Norwood as a LB.  He’s probably one of the most underrated players in the league.

5) Vanderbilt: Coming off the bowl win was HUGE for this program.  They always have a fairly decent D but lacking in the skill spots on offense.  Well, this year, they’re bringing back the team leaders in passing and rushing and 2/3 of the leaders in receiving.  Look for them to make some splash…possibly another bowl bid.  Also, as I said above, don’t count them out to be higher than this.  Last year, this team gave Mississippi State and Georgia all either team wanted.  While I’m not a big believer in “moral losses” since you still lose the game…Vandy’s the kind of team with the kind of talent that can slip up on most any team at any time.

6) Kentucky: I sort of miss those few years where Kentucky was good.  Now, I just don’t see it.  I will say that they had a heck of bowl game.  They’ll win games.  They won’t get creamed in every game they play.  A small running game and an average QB won’t move you up this list too much, I’m afraid.  Lost some key defensive players, as well.

So, that’s the year in preview.  I see Ole Miss and Florida going to Nashville with Florida beating them senseless.  Revenge is a tough pill to swallow.  Then, Florida will probably take on the winner of the Texas/Oklahoma game for the national title.  Who will it be?  I don’t care enough about the Big 12 to even begin to guess that.  Both of those teams are good and it’ll probably be a great game either way.

I wish everyone’s team good luck!

The Sports Diva Nation: 2009 Big Ten Preview

Hello Football Fiends!

My friend Cherie from The Sports Diva Nation is one kick ass sports fan. The only downside? She’s an Ohio State fan. But hey, we can’t all be perfect, right?

Gridiron Goddess has partnered with The Sports Diva Nation to bring you the 2009 Big Ten Preview.

2009 Big Ten Preview

The Big Ten has gone through a bit of a rough patch in recent years. It has garnered nicknames like Slow 10 and Little 11. The last time they were able to hold their heads up high was on November 18, 2006. That was when Ohio State and Michigan entered THE GAME ranked #1 and #2. All was right with the world. But then it began. Michigan was embarrassed by USC in the Rose Bowl and Ohio State was “just too slow” for Florida in the national championship game. It did not help matters when #5 Michigan lost their home opener that next season to FCS (or DIV 1-AA) opponent Appalachian State. Then Ohio State backed their way into the national championship to lose to yet another SEC opponent LSU. And in the 2008-2009 season the Big Ten went 1-6 in bowl games. It hasn’t been pretty. There were some games that brought a little smile to Big Ten fans like Michigan over Florida (2008 Capital One Bowl), Penn State over Tennessee (Outback Bowl 2007), Wisconsin over Arkansas (Capital One Bowl 2007) and Iowa over South Carolina (Outback Bowl 2009). But that wasn’t enough.

And this upcoming season isn’t going to be any easier. If you look at the non-conference schedules of the teams in the Big Ten you may want to laugh. There are only a few games that can be called tough. The SEC may be able to get away with not scheduling tough because of how strong their conference is but the Big Ten can’t. Not right now. Until they can get back to being the mighty Big Ten they should look to schedule tougher teams than Montana State and Wofford. So how good is the Big Ten this year? Who knows. The state of the league rest on the shoulders of Ohio State when they face off against USC on September 12th. A win will help the Big Ten tremendously. A loss will just be deja vu. Now I’m sure you may be sick of the Big Ten so we will go through my preseason rankings quickly. Road games are very important when I look at how a team might fair in the upcoming season.

Preseason Rankings:
1.  Ohio State because I’m a Buckeye fan (I know that’s what you’re thinking). But seriously it is true when they say that Ohio State doesn’t rebuild, they reload. Most of their tough games are at home but that game on November 7th at Penn State is key. And we can’t forget about Michigan on November 21st. Michigan is still Michigan.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: USC Conference: @ Penn State

2.  Penn State because they will be good. Maybe great? If they do get past their not so cupcake road games (Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Michigan State) and tough home games against Iowa and Ohio State they could end up in the national championship. Of course they may have to hope for a Buckeye victory on September 12th for that to happen. No one outside of the Big Ten wants to see a remake of the 06-07 & 07-08 national championship games. Even if they are with a different team in the conference.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: Syracuse Conference: Ohio State

3.  Michigan State because Dantonio may have something here. If Michigan State wants to turn things around they need to have back to back 9 or more win seasons. They get their rivals Michigan and Penn State at home but have to travel to Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Purdue.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: @ Notre Dame Conference: Penn State

4.  Illinois because Ron Zook can recruit. He has the athletes now all he has to do is coach. Tough road games at Ohio State and Minnesota (their new stadium opens this year. Can’t hide in the dome anymore) won’t be easy.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: Missouri Conference: @ Ohio State

5.  Iowa because their road games are not going to be easy. Road games against Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State. The only team that won a bowl game last season probably deserves to be higher but their road schedule is just too tough.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: Arizona Conference: @ Penn State

6.  Wisconsin because I’m not a fan of their coach. The Badgers have declined year after year after year. Their coach is on the hot seat. Road games against Minnesota, Ohio State, Indiana and Northwestern. Penn State is off the schedule but they have tough home games against Michigan State and Iowa. If they win Coach Bielema’s seat gets cooler. If their season is worse than last years, will he be run out of town?
Games to Watch. Non-Conference:@ Hawaii Conference: @ Minnesota

7.  Michigan because you can’t do worse than 3-9, right? Rich-Rod SHOULD fair better in his second year at The Big House. The goal for this team should be to get back to a bowl game. That’s not the standards at Michigan but neither is going 3-9. Their road games are against Michigan State, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: Notre Dame Conference: Ohio State

8.  Minnesota because it takes time. Coach Brewster went from 1-11 to 7-6. A nice turn around but a bit disappointing. They lost their last 5 games. We will have to wait and see what Brewster will be able to do with this team in their new outdoor stadium.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: California Conference: Wisconsin

9.  Northwestern because I’ll have to see it to believe it. The Wildcats went 9-4 and 5-3 in the Big Ten last season. Although they don’t meet Ohio State or Michigan this season they do have tough road games against Michigan State, Iowa and Illinois.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: @ Syracuse Conference: Michigan State

10.  Purdue because they are rebuilding. New coach. Inexperienced QB and wide receivers. They don’t play Penn State and Iowa this year but home games against Ohio State and Michigan State won’t be simple.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: @ Oregon Conference: Northwestern

11.  Indiana because bye bye Kellen Lewis. Kellen Lewis moved from QB to wide receiver to off the team roster. He could have known as their best player. We will have to see how the offense fairs without him. They have a tough schedule with road games against Michigan, Iowa and Penn State.
Games to Watch. Non-Conference: @ Akron Conference: Purdue

A Gridiron Goddess call for non-sports related help

Football Fiends,

I need your help.

I am looking for anyone connected with Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey.   A fellow USC alum and brother of Chi Phi Fraternity  just suffered a serious spinal injury in an accident and can’t walk.

Chris needs to get into Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey right away. It is ranked one of the top ten rehab centers in the US. However, there is a waiting list that depends on if they have beds available.

You can read about Chris’ story here:  Chris Will Walk

Please pass this message along to anyone and everyone who may be able to help us help Chris.

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Walker Sports: ACC Coastal Division Preview

Hey Football Fiends!

Once again GridironGoddess.net has partnered with Walker Sports to bring you the best football previews around.  This week we’re tackling the ACC thanks to Walker Sports.

2009 ACC Costal Division Preview

College football season is just over 50 days away, and I cannot wait. While traditionally Saturday is a Rugby day in Walker-Sports land, even rugby takes a back seat to college football. Walker-Sports originates in ACC territory and lives and breathes ACC football, yes the conference is now 10 years removed from their glory days, but better days are coming, we hope. I’ll go out on a limb now and say no team finishes better than 6-2 in conference. In addition no team will be a true contender to the national title.

In spite of all that, the ACC is still the spot to be for Walker Sports. So saddle up, make yourself a pull pork sandwich, pour yourself a shot of Southern Comfort (or a glass of Merlot if you’re at a UVA game) and get ready to watch to some ACC football the way it was meant to be. Tough and gritty with a wide open race to the finish.

ACC Preseason Preview Costal Division

Virginia Tech Hokies: Once again, the Virginia Tech Hokies are the pride of the ACC; this should come as no surprise to anyone who watches this conference. The Hokies have won the last three consecutive ACC Championships and the 2009 campaign will see Virginia Tech continue their dominance. Once again the Hokies will find success with the strength of their defense. Bud Foster has been an absolute genius finding and molding talent in Blacksburg. Last year the Hokies had one of the top 10 defenses in the country. In 2009 they are returning the bulk of their defensive stars. The Hokies will be led by their defensive front four and their ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The question mark for the Hokies is their offense. Last season the Hokies ranked 99 in total offense. Virginia Tech split their quarterbacks playing time last season by platooning the traditional Sean Glennon and the athletic Tyrod Taylor both took snaps under center. This year, Glennon is gone and Taylor is the lone signal caller. Like every other athletic quarterback to go through Blacksburg in the last eight years, everyone expects Taylor to be the next Mike Vick. Let me tell you right now, that’s not happening, but that does not mean that Taylor is a talented quarterback. If Tyrod Taylor can become an efficient passer, it will go a long way to helping his cause. He already has the legs to be a threat running the ball, combine that with a dangerous running back in Darren Evans and the Hokies have a potentially dangerous backfield.

While it will not be pretty, Virginia Tech should not have a difficult time bringing home another ACC Championship.

Record: 9-3 Key Games: Alabama, NC State, at Ga. Tech

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: This is Paul Johnson’s second year at Georgia Tech, and he is to prove to the critics that last season’s stellar performance was not a fluke. The Yellow jackets ranked fourth in the nation in rushing last season, and with Jonathan Dwyer returning as the ACC’s leading rusher you can believe that Georgia Tech’s option attack will have them tops in the country once again. The ACC got a healthy dose of Georgia Tech’s rushing attack last season, and they will be better prepared for defending it this time around. The key the Yellow jackets success will be the nine returning starters, and their ability to keep things fresh by showing different fronts and schemes.

It won’t be easy and Georgia Tech, will be in a lot of close games but they have enough in the tank to hold off the rest of the Coastal Division.

Record: 8-4 Key Games: At Florida State, Virginia Tech

Miami Hurricanes: Don’t get too up in arms over this pick; in all honesty the third through the fifth spot in the Coastal

Division are all interchangeable with one another. So for the sake of argument, I’m giving the Hurricanes the nod as the third place team. Once again the Canes have changed their coordinators, with new offensive and defensive play callers in place. If nothing else the new coordinators have brought some new life and excitement to the Miami players. This could spell trouble for the rest of the ACC. While Miami has not always performed well on the field they still have some of the best athletes in the country. If they can get together on the same page, then the Hurricanes can make some noise in the weak ACC.

The key for Miami this season will be getting out to a strong start. With games against Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma to kick things off, the Canes must win two of those games if they want to stay afloat on the year.

Record: 7-5 Key Games: Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, South Florida

North Carolina Tar Heels: Butch Davis has his Tar Heels developing nicely and he is hoping this year his hard work will come to foliation on the field. The Tar Heels strength is their defense which returns an ACC leading 9 starters. North Carolina has one of the fastest defensive units in the country. Linebacker Zach Brown clocked a 4.26 40-Yard dash this spring and he is just one of the speeders lurking the Tar Heel defense.

Perhaps the most intriguing thing to watch this season will be the maturation of quarterback T.J. Yates. Two years ago Yates was the talk of campus when he lit up the field for over 2,600 yards passing and 14 touchdowns, both of which are North Carolina single season records. However, Yates ended his freshmen year early with a shoulder injury and he missed last season with a broken ankle. Yet, when healthy T.J. Yates is the catalyst to jumpstart a sluggish Tar Heels offense.

Record 6-6 Key Games: East Carolina, Virginia, at NC. State

Virginia Cavaliers: There was plenty of change in Charlottesville this offseason, and for Al Groh’s sake, he better hope they made enough key changes that will positively affect the Cavaliers play on the football field. Last year’s 5-7 campaign was simply embarrassing and it cost Mike Groh his job as Virginia’s offensive coordinator. Enter Greg Brandon and the spread attack, something new for the Virginia Cavaliers. UVA ranked 114^th in scoring last season, that will have to change with their new spread attack.

Virginia lacks the playmakers to truly make the spread offense run, but that does not mean they will fall on their face. The Cavaliers have two possible quarterbacks in Jameel Sewel and Vick Hall, two very talented and experienced quarterbacks who will thrive in the new scheme.

Record 6-6 Key Games: At Maryland, Boston College, Georgia Tech

Duke Blue Devils: David Cutcliffe is in year two of his tenure at Duke, and he is looking to make an even bigger splash in his second year. Last year the Blue Devils earned four victories which matched their combined mark from the previous four years. If the Blue Devils want to build on last year’s success they will need to up their offensive production. This will be easier said than done. Thad Davis returns as quarterback and he will need to get used to throwing the ball to some new faces, with last year’s leading receiver departing.

Duke is a well coached team under David Cutcliffe, and he will do everything he can to improve his team’s mark. Unfortunately for Cutcliffe he simply does not have the horses to compete just yet. It will be another year at the bottom for the Blue Devils.
Record: 3-9 Key Games: Wake Forest, At Virginia