Run, Reggie, Run

Bush (above) pictured with the Heisman Trophy in 2005.

Well, it's official. The 2005 Heisman Trophy no longer belongs to one of the most electrifying players in college football history, Reggie Bush. The NCAA and Heisman Trust made quite clear to the national media, USC, and Bush himself, that he hopped a clearly marked boundary in the world of prep and collegiate athletes: accepting extra benefits from agents and "handlers".

An eight month official NCAA investigation concluded this past week, with the final statement that Bush's award for being the best player in the country will be nullified in the record books. Though he will be able to keep his own trophy, USC will give back their's and also remove all mementos and images pertaining to Bush on campus. Over his tenure in Southern California, Bush and his family allegedly accepted up to $100,000 dollars worth of limousine rides, high price vacations, and paid rent from handlers; all under the table and all violations as well. These efforts were in attempt to woo the San Diego product to sign with their agencies before he left for the NFL. Once Bush took the money, he gave up his status as an amateur, and became a paid professional.

In the end, though, Reggie has "outrun" the NCAA, just as he did to hapless defenders back in college. He and his family still did not have to pay a cent for most expenses throughout his collegiate career, and now he is making millions in the NFL. The folks who will really take the hit from the situation's fallout are the USC athletic program, and all others across the country who might have, at one time or another, paid an athlete. USC had to vacate all wins from their 2004 and 2005 (Years Bush was playing), including their 04 BCS Championship. All of a sudden now, the issue with professional agents from the NFL in the college football landscape has been thrust to the forefront of the sports world. It seems like every day we hear of a new player or school under official investigation for rule infractions, almost always concerning agents and handlers.

This past Monday, former Florida standout offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey was accused that he accepted around $100,000 from an agent before the Gators' appearance in the Sugar Bowl. Though Pouncey ferverently denied ever being in contact with an agent, photo evidence from a nightclub proved otherwise. Maurkice and his brother Mike, another Florida lineman and NFL talent, were shot hanging with an agent's alleged "runner" (a person who gets close to an athlete while in high school/college and tries to coax them to their employer's company through gifts and other expendables). Florida is now in danger of losing their Sugar Bowl victory from last year. Does that sound familiar USC? It is illegal if a college athlete performs in a sporting event after being paid or given extravagant gifts from an agent. Whether or not the school knows this happened, it must suffer the consequences the ineligible athlete created.

Continuing the recent string of NCAA probes, a group of players was questioned about their attendance of a lavish South Beach party earlier in the summer hosted by a NFL player agent. North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little both were in attendance, as well as South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders and Alabama defensive end Marcel Dareus. The NCAA was eager to know about who paid for the players' transportation to Miami, as well as who picked up the check for their hotel and food. Unless something unprecedented happens, we could see all four of these players begin next year suspended.

Agents and runners in the college game are an infection. Plain and simple. Alabama coach Nick Saban put it best when questioned about the situation his own player, Dareus, is in, saying how these handlers bring about an "entrapment of young people at a very difficult time in their lives." It will be almost impossible for the NCAA by themselves to stop agents in the college ranks. As long as there is money, and players willing to take it, this corruption will continue. If the NFL got involved with controlling their own envoys more rigorously we might not hear as many stories related to illegal player benefits anymore. Former NFL executive Joe Mendes is a counselor employed by SEC schools who works with players and their families on how to avoid falling into trouble with agents and runners. Even if more programs like Mendes's were held throughout the country, you couldn't ensure that players will make the right decision. Its tough to do that when money is offered to you after you've seen so little for so long.

-John Stoller

College Football Countdown: Quarterback 'Diaper Dandies'

As we continue to examine the top up-and-coming college football teams to look out for this fall in our "College Football Countdown Team Spotlight" series, the crew at NextGenSports.net will bring you information on the top freshmen to look out for not only this year, but throughout their college careers. 

The series will be broken down into positions, and for our first edition, Edgar Walker will discuss the top 10 quarterbacks in the incoming class. A highlight video will be included with each player if available. Remember that these are the 10 players who will make the most impact over their college careers, not necessarily a ranking of how good they are. Multiple QBs are unfortunate enough to be behind other top recruits or already-established signal callers on their team's depth charts.

#10: James Franklin, Missouri-

Right when you take a look at him, you'll instantly think Franklin (left) knows what he's doing. With a 6-foot-3, 215 pound frame, the Lake Dallas HS (Texas) product has great size and has a nice feel for the QB position to go along with it. He runs a 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds and can make a whole lot of something out of nothing if his passing options break down. In addition to the foot speed, he's got a big arm, which will be perfect for the Big 12. After drawing interest from Baylor, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, LSU and Nebraska, Franklin picked Mizzou in the March after his junior season.

Touchdown Pass

55-yard scramble

#9: Bryan Bennett, Oregon-

While he's rated a bit lower on several recruiting sites, I'd like to bump Bennett up from the 15-25 range to the top 10. With Jermaine Masoli being kicked off the team, the Ducks' QB spot is up for grabs, and Bennett could win it with a strong summer. Another 6'3" guy, Bennett bests Franklin's 40 time, as he clocks in with a 4.6-second time. While he's got the invaluable speed for Oregon's offense, the Encino (CA) native sees the field very well and with some strong receivers, he could blow up the stat sheet both in the air and on the ground. With 25 passing touchdowns and only 5 interceptions last season in a very tough league, Bennett should be up to the challenges the Pac-10 throws at him.

Game Highlights (58-0 win)

#8: Barry Brunetti, West Virginia-

Brunetti is an interesting case. I've seen him ranked in the top 5 of some QB rankings, and as low as the mid-thirties in others. You can say what you want about his size (barely 6 feet), but you have to agree that he has all the tools to be a great college quarterback. A big-time threat both on the ground and in the air, Brunetti could be the second coming of Pat White for the Mountaineers. The main difference is that Brunetti is a much, much better passer. Scary, huh? He's built a bit like a running back, which helps him avoid injuries and break off big runs in the open field. He should be a force to be reckoned with in Morgantown for the next four years.

Highlight Reel

#7: Scotty Young, Texas Tech-

If you just take a look at his high school stats from the last two seasons, you can tell that Young was a prospect whose scouting report Mike Leach salivated all over before he was terminated in Lubbock. With 8,962 passing yards, 129 touchdowns and only 24 interceptions in his junior and senior seasons, the former Ryan High School QB looks like the heir apparent to Taylor Potts. With one year of Potts left, the Red Raiders may redshirt Young to preserve his four years of eligibility and have him learn the prolific system for a year before taking over the starting job. And just for what it's worth, he runs a 4.8-second 40-yard dash. 

Highlight Reel

#6: Paul Jones, Penn State-

Jones' toughest competition in college may have already started, as rising sophomore Kevin Newsome and fellow blue-chip prospect Robert Bolden are both gunning for the Nittany Lions' starting spot with Jones this season. Coming in at a nice 6'3" and 226 pounds, Jones has the size and build of an NFL quarterback and the big arm that comes with it. Boasting what could be the biggest arm of the class and great accuracy to boot, the only knock on Jones is that he's not much of a dual threat. The pass-only quarterback is a dying breed among major college programs, but Jones should be good enough to overcome that hurdle.

Highlight Reel

#5: Brett Nottingham, Stanford-

Nottingham is a bit like Tim Tebow as a quarterback, but I have this peculiar suspicion that ESPN won't say the name "Nottingham" over 1,000 times in a telecast like they did with the former Heisman winner. He's 6'4" and possesses great passing accuracy. Also a Divison 1 baseball prospect, Nottingham is a top-notch athlete, as his 4.7-second time in the forty would suggest. After committing to UCLA during the Fall, the Monte Vista High School (CA) product changed his mind in January, after deciding that his athletic pedigree and 3.9 GPA would be better suited in Palo Alto than Westwood.

6 TDs in One Game

Season Highlights

#4: Devin Gardner, Michigan-

Devin Gardner is the ultimate dual-threat quarterback. Not only can he run the ball better and faster than most of the running backs in the class (4.5-second forty time), Gardner's as legitimate of a passer as they come. With a tall 6'4" frame, instant comparisons to Terrelle Pryor emerge. Gardner is a great leader on the field and has a great feel for passing the football. He'll undoubtedly face some tough competition from Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson for the starting job, but it's possible he could feature in a custom-made formation or just be the outright starter on a Michigan offense that gets much scarier with Gardner behind center.

Playoff Highlights

Rushing Mix

Junior Season Highlights

#3: Connor Wood, Texas-

Why is it that the rich just keep getting richer? After graduating campus legend Colt McCoy, the Longhorns add a blue chip recruit in Wood to battle rising sophomore Garrett Gilbert for the starting spot. Wood has the ability to win the job, as he combines great physical gifts with a ton of maturity, both of which are always evident on the field at all times. While being 6'4" and over 210 pounds may suggest that he's a slow, immobile pocket passer, Wood has great scrambling ability and can keep a defense guessing.

Highlight Reel

#2: Philip Sims, Alabama-

As for the rich getting richer, this is just flat out unfair. After winning the BCS Championship last season and returning most of their weapons this year, the Crimson Tide land the consensus #2 quarterback in this class. The all-time leader in passing yards in Virginia high school history, Sims is the complete package. He's built like a linebacker and can throw the ball like a young Peyton Manning. The only knock on the Chesapeake (VA) native is that he doesn't scramble as well as people might like for a guy who runs a 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds. Regardless, he'll be a stud once Greg McElroy graduates.
Highlight Reel

#1: Jake Heaps, BYU- 
Now for what everyone's been waiting for. The top quarterback (right) in this freshman class, a guy who's been there from the start and hasn't lost his place in the process, is going to....BYU? Heaps is a polished quarterback already, and can make any pass, no matter the degree of difficulty, look like a pass any QB could complete. His accuracy is unheralded and he has outstanding poise under center. With questions lingering about when he'll complete his Mormon mission and whether a freshman will be ready to step into the veteran-friendly BYU offense and succeed, Heaps does have his doubters. Despite these questions, Heaps is just too good not to succeed as a Cougar. 2009 Highlights

Best of the Rest:

-Jesse Scroggins, USC

-Blake Bell, Oklahoma

-Tyler Bray, Tennessee

-Zach Lee, LSU

-Robert Bolden, Penn State


-Edgar Walker

College Football Countdown Team Spotlight: Pittsburgh Panthers

With the 2010 college football season fast approaching, here at NextGen Sports we will do a weekly series: College Football Countdown. This family of articles will eclipse anything from possible breakout players, predictions, and previews for up and coming teams.

Pittsburgh Panthers

2009 Record: 10-3

Highest Ranking/Final Ranking: 8/15

Bowl: Meineke Car Care Bowl, won 19-17

The Panthers finished second in the Big East last year, surprising much of the college football world considering they flied fairly under the radar in 2008. Coach Dave Wannstedt's team might have made an appearance in a BCS Bowl Game if not for a heartbreaking regular season finale loss versus Cincinnati. This season, even in a strengthened Big East, we see the Panthers coming first in the conference and finishing 2010 with a top ten ranking.

It all starts with Pitt's explosive offense. Lead by two of the highest pedigree and most explosive players in the NCAA, tailback Dion Lewis (left) and wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, the Panthers should have no trouble scoring. Lewis is just coming off one of the most productive freshman seasons in Big East history, and should be in contention to win the Heisman trophy this upcoming year. Baldwin is seen by many to be a future top 15 NFL draft pick, and with good reason. Standing at 6'6", with a 4.4 forty yard dash time, he is a physical freak. Look for Baldwin to be utilized in the offense as much as possible this year, and carry on a strong tradition of Pittsburgh wide receivers (Antonio Bryant, Larry Fitzgerald). Though not a huge part of the offense last year, sophomore quarterback Tino Sunseri is ready to take the reigns of this high powered Panthers attack. Sunseri is a talented dual threat signal caller, that won't have to do all that much considering the incredible talent surrounding him. Protecting Sunseri is 2009 All-Big East left tackle Jason Pinkston, a powerful senior who neutralized some of the conference's top pass rushers last year.

The Panther's defense has one of the best 1-2 pass rush duos in college football. Jabaal Sheard (right) and Greg Romeus terrorized quarterbacks last year, combining for 13.5 sacks and 85 tackles. Romeus was the Big East's co-defensive player of the year in 2009, and is projected as a future first round draft pick. At 6'6" and 270 pounds, he is almost impossible to contain, and this season should be an All-American. Though Romeus gets most of the attention, it would be a danger to not count for Jabaal Sheard. Though not as big as his pass rushing mate, Sheard relies more on his speed to reach the quarterback. Both of the defensive unit's top tacklers return in linebacker Max Gruder and safety Dom DiCicco. The Panthers did lose both of their starting cornerbacks from last season, but the pass rush should be able to make up for a fairly susceptible secondary.

Coach Dave Wannstedt this year has the most talented squad of players yet in his 5 year regime. Barring bad luck from injury to key players, this Pitt team should be a force. With three of the very best players in the nation at their positions (Lewis, Baldwin, Romeus), and most of the offense returning from last year, this should be a fun team to watch. Key match ups for the upcoming year include a home game versus Miami September 23rd, and a trip to South Bend to face Notre Dame October 9th.

-John Stoller

Conferences, the Future

As I sit down to write this article, I can confidently assert that the future of college sports looks much brighter today than as of yesterday. The six major conferences, consisting of the ACC, Big East, SEC, Big 10, Big 12 and Pac 10 all remain in tact. Yes, certain teams have changed conferences, but the overall landscape is stable, thanks to one school in particular, the University of Texas Longhorns (pictured above).

Let us rewind 24 hours. The Big 12 was in shambles. Nebraska had bolted to the Big 10, enticed by the conference's own network and the guaranteed $20-25 million the university would receive annually. Fellow North division opponent Colorado had already announced its intentions to join the Pac 10. Money seems to be the driving force behind the Buffaloes decision, yet statistics show that the Big 12 has a greater total revenue than the Pac 10. Yes, the distribution between teams in the Big 12 is unequal, with national powerhouses, such as Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State receiving the majority of the money. Furthermore, these national powerhouses who headline the Big 12 Conference were reviewing moves to Pac 10, as well. The University of Texas A&M was even considering moving to the football crazy SEC.

If this were to have occurred, with Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State, and others, the Pac 10 would have been drastically different. With more than 12 teams, the conference, as deemed by the NCAA, is eligible to create divisions. In ideal circumstances, the former Big 12 members would pair with Arizona, Arizona State, and perhaps USC to form the South Division. While, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, and California would headline the North Division. At the end of the football season, the winners of each division would play in the Pac 10 Championship Game, an entity that does not yet exist within the conference, to determine which team would play in the BCS Bowl Games.

Expectedly, this new super Pac 10 Conference creates more problems within the BCS. Imagine for a moment that the Pac 10 as well as the Big 10 expand drastically to accomodate for all Big 12 teams. Thus, the NCAA would now have only 5 major conferences. The BCS, in its current system, awards each major conference one BCS berth. Thus, the conference winners, as of now, account for 6 of the 10 teams in BCS Bowls. In the scenario with 5 conferences, rules would have to amended, and many analysts point to this possible conference expansion as a stepping stone to a playoff system. Certainly, fans nationwide would not be averse to such a system.

This morning, Big 12 Commissioner Don Beebe persuaded University of Texas and President Bill Powers to stay in the Big 12 Conference. With just 10 teams, two divisions and a conference title game would both be elements of the past. Beebe, however, promised a more lucrative TV deal, which would likely pay the Longhorns between $20-25 million per year. Unfortunately, the conference will likely not have its own network. Texas emerges as the culprit. The University already has a network dedicated to the Longhorns, and, as childish as it may appear, they are unwilling to remove themselves from the spotlight. Not all is bad for teams, such as Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa State. No, they will not receive revenue like the conferences elite, but they should generate double their current amount of revenue.

Complicated? Yes, but unfortunately, the fate of the Big 10 causes an entirely different headache. With the addition of Nebraska, the conference expands to 12 teams. (I know the conference signifies there should be 10 teams, but Penn State, the Big 10's 11th team, joined years after the conference was named). Two division and a conference championship game appear to be in the Big 10's future, but will the conference stop at 12 teams. Conference Commissioner Jim Delaney is keen on adding Notre Dame. In football, they are an independent, meaning they can play whoever they want, whenever they want. The Fighting Irish are not constrained to a conference schedule. already? To make matters trickier, Notre Dame is a member of the Big East in every other sport. Nevertheless, the possible move of Notre Dame to the Big 10 eliminates, in essence, the university's TV deal with NBC. In terms of money, the move to the Big 10 would be costly for the Fighting Irish. The swaying factor is travel. Notre Dame is located in South Bend, IN, which is miles away from the likes of USC or Boston College. The Big 10's schedule would allow Notre Dame to travel often via bus to games, which would eliminates the cost of long plane flights.

The Big 10 is also looking to tap into the New York and New Jersey markets. As a result, Commissioner Jim Delaney looks to Rutgers as a possible members. The Scarlet Knights currently are part of the Big East, but their presence in the Big 10 brings the intrigue of the country's #1 sports market, New York City. Rutgers is also the state university of New Jersey, bringing fans from across the state to the Big 10 Conference.

In addition, Syracuse appears to be on the conference's radar. Although not anymore a football power, university provides the Big 10 with the entire up state New York market. Moreover, the Orange are an elite basketball program, perhaps helping to eliminate the perception that the conference begins and ends with football. The most intriguing dynamic, however, is the Big East. If Syracuse leaves, the conference loses one of its founding universities. It is a power in basketball, as aforementioned, with a rich tradition in both lacrosse and football. If the Orange leave the Big East, some analysts predict the conference, in its entirety, could begin to crumble.

ESPN has reported that the University of Maryland may leave the ACC to join the Big 10, as well. I'm not questioning the validity of the report or the motive of switching to a richer, more prestigious conference, but as a Maryland resident, I find the entire notion difficult to fathom. Maryland, as an athletic program, is so intertwined with its rivalries against Duke, North Carolina, and Wake Forest in basketball, and many Maryland boosters would hate to leave potential classic tussles behind.

Last but not least, Boise State has left the WAC. They are joining the Mountain West Conference, which should shape up to be the premier "mid-major" conference in the country. The Broncos should be tested against fellow football-rich programs, such as Utah, BYU and TCU. Perhaps this plethora of elite football universities will make the NCAA consider expanding to 7 major conferences, with the BCS awarding 7 automatic bids.

-DR