College Football

From MKRob Sports

The University of Miami and head football coach Randy Shannon has come to an agreement on a four-year contract extension.

“This is an important contract for us,” President Donna Shalala told USA Today Wednesday night. “We believe that Randy Shannon will get us back to where we belong, competing for a national championship year after year.”

The Hurricanes, who went 9-4 in 2009, last won the national title in 2001.

Shannon, 44, took over in 2007 and has led Miami to two bowls. Last fall, the Hurricanes defeated three top-25 teams and played in the Champs Sports Bowl.

“We are very proud of the positive steps our football program has taken under the leadership of Coach Shannon,” Miami athletics director Kirby Hocutt said in a news release. “With a commitment to excellence in the classroom, in the community, and in competition, we are well on our way, once again, to the top of the college football world.”

Salary numbers were not released.

“There’s no other place I’d rather be than coaching Hurricanes football,” Shannon said in the release. “I’m excited about the momentum we continue to build.”

Miami’s team also has been recognized for a strong performance in the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR), which combines graduation and retention numbers. Under Shannon, the team has been in the top 10% of major college programs. “Randy has done it all,” said Shalala.

The NFL Draft is now merely hours away and with it comes great debate and spirited discussions regarding the unfolding team scenarios of the night.

If you love the draft, draft analysis and debate, join XI as we head over to MKRob Sports where there will be plenty to talk about, regarding tonights Top 32 picks.

• Event: MKRob Sports 2010 NFL Draft Live Blog & Chat
• Date: April 22, 2010
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Location: MKRob Sports www.mkrob.com/chat/

Be there!

And be sure to check out MKRob’s 2010 NFL Draft Predictions HERE.

Image source

MKRob Sports

Florida International University running back Kendall Berry, 22, was stabbed to death on the university campus Thursday night, the school said in a statement.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kendall’s family,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg. “We are here to support them and our entire university community as all of us come to terms with this tragedy.”

Berry was a running back for the team.

“The FIU family is shocked and saddened by the death of one of our students, Kendall Berry, who was stabbed on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus Thursday evening, March 25,” the statement said.

Police are looking for suspects in this killing. At this time, police believe there is no immediate threat to the university community, according to the statement.

It seems Notre Dame may be having a change of heart regarding their independence from college football and the NCAA. The consideration to give up their football independence came directly from Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick who was warned of potential “seismic change” in the conference alignment as a result of the programs shift in strategy. The business of college football is different than it was in 1999, when Notre Dame was its own conference and didn’t need a conference for support.

“I believe we’re at a point right now where the changes could be relatively small or they could be seismic. The landscape could look completely different. What I have to do along with Father Jenkins is try and figure out where those pieces are falling and how the landscape is changing.” Swarbrick said.

Change is on the horizon for the Fighting Irish as they test the waters of possibly moving to the Big Ten; the question however, is what those changes would mean for Notre Dame, and whether a change needs to be made sooner rather than later.

Here’s the bottom line…Notre Dame isn’t exactly in the upper echelon of college football’s elite as they’ve been accustomed to throughout their history. Since 1999 Notre Dame has seen one Bowl win in Hawaii, made questionable coaching decisions tarnishing their brand. Will the move cause them to lose their identity as the independent standard bearer of college football…yes…but is it worth it…definitely! They currently enjoy the benefit of owning a TV deal with NBC, however, they could stand to benefit substantially financially by joining the Big Ten and the inevitable boon that would open up. The networks that would come knocking include ESPN or better, so the possibilities are endless. And not to mention their portion of any conference championship earnings from the BCS and Bowl payouts they would also be eligible for.

However, joining the Big Ten wouldn’t just benefit their pockets, it will without a doubt improve their on the field performance as well. Notre Dame is an institution that prides itself on academic excellence. Because of that standard, their academic requirements were raised for potential players aspiring to play for the Fighting Irish to a higher grade point average than the other colleges in the NCAA. Entering into a conference would immediately lower that standard, as potential players only need the minimum grade point average to qualify for a team. So let’s see…TV deal, Big Ten competition and teams who carry their own brand and strong fan base, all equal eager and ultimately more talented recruits with dreams of primetime games on national television. Firing Charlie Weis was the first step in a different direction that the Irish seem poised to enter into within the next year or two. The Big Ten stands to profit financially from expanding the league’s current members and so does Notre Dame.

“You could invent a scenario that would force our hand. It’s not hard to do. We just have to pay attention and stay on top of the game and talk to people.” Swarbrick concludes.

It’s my opinion that the scenario has already been created, all Notre Dame has to do is take full advantage and leave their independence behind.

From MKRob Sports

Each February, hundreds of the very best college football players are invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., where executives, coaches, scouts and doctors from all 32 NFL teams conduct an intense, four-day job interview in advance of the NFL Draft. The 2010 NFL Combine begins Saturday, February 27th and ends Tuesday, March 2nd. I will be giving you guys daily updates on all these workouts throughout the day on Saturday all the way through Tuesday.

Here are the main players to watch at each position at the combine:

QB- Sam Bradford, Oklahoma RB- C.J. Spiller, Clemson WR- Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State TE- Aaron Hernandez, Florida T- Russell Okung, Oklahoma State G- Mike Iupati, Idaho C- Maurkice Pouncey, Florida DE- Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech DT- Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska MLB- Rolando McClain, Alabama OLB- Sergio Kindle, Texas CB- Joe Haden, Florida FS- Taylor Mays, USC SS- Eric Berry, Tennessee

Here is a brief breakdown of the measurable drills:

40-yard dash

The 40-yard dash is the marquee event at the combine. It’s kind of like the 100-meters at the Olympics: It’s all about speed, explosion and watching skilled athletes run great times. These athletes are timed at 10, 20 and 40-yard intervals. What the scouts are looking for is an explosion from a static start.

2008 NFL Combine- Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland Raiders: 4.27

Bench press

The bench press is a test of strength — 225 pounds, as many reps as the athlete can get. What the NFL scouts are also looking for is endurance. Anybody can do a max one time, but what the bench press tells the pro scouts is how often the athlete frequented his college weight room for the last 3-5 years.

Pre-2009 NFL Combine- Cedric Peerman, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: 26 reps

Vertical jump

The vertical jump is all about lower-body explosion and power. The athlete stands flat-footed and they measure his reach. It is important to accurately measure the reach, because the differential between the reach and the flag the athlete touches is his vertical jump measurement.

Pre-2009 NFL Combine- Jacob Lacey, CB, Indianapolis Colts: 41 inches

Broad jump

The broad jump is like being in gym class back in junior high school. Basically, it is testing an athlete’s lower-body explosion and lower-body strength. The athlete starts out with a stance balanced and then he explodes out as far as he can. It tests explosion and balance, because he has to land without moving.

2007 Georgia Tech Pro Day- Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions: 11′7″

3-cone drill

The 3 cone drill tests an athlete’s ability to change directions at a high speed. Three cones in an L-shape. He starts from the starting line, goes 5 yards to the first cone and back. Then, he turns, runs around the second cone, runs a weave around the third cone, which is the high point of the L, changes directions, comes back around that second cone and finishes.

Pre-2007 NFL Combine- Mike Richardson, CB, Kansas City Chiefs: 6.66

Shuttle run

The short shuttle is the first of the cone drills. It is known as the 5-10-5. What it tests is the athlete’s lateral quickness and explosion in short areas. The athlete starts in the three-point stance, explodse out 5 yards to his right, touches the line, goes back 10 yards to his left, left hand touches the line, pivot, and he turns 5 more yards and finishes.

Source

From: MKRob Sports

McEachern High School running back Rajaan Bennett, one of Vanderbilt’s top football recruits for 2010, was shot to death by his mother’s ex-boyfriend, according to police in Georgia. Bennett was the apparent victim of a murder-suicide after an incident at his home involving his mother’s ex-boyfriend Clifton Steager.

Police were called to the scene in Powder Springs, Ga., and heard shots fired. An official said inside the home were the bodies of Steager and Bennett. Bennett’s uncle, Taiwan Hunter, was wounded and underwent surgery. He was in serious condition Thursday afternoon. It was not clear what prompted the shooting.

Bennett was ranked 246^th best prospect by Rivals.com’s after rushing for 1,857 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was the first member of the Rivals 250 to ever sign with Vanderbilt. Bennett also had offers from Tennessee, Louisville, Wisconsin and Kentucky.

“You just want to move the clock back a day,” said Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson. “It’s just horrible to deal with.”

Johnson was upset as he addressed the media, fighting back tears at one point.

“We heard the news early this morning and it’s just hard to believe, to tell you the truth,” Johnson said. “He just seemed to be the ideal young man for Vanderbilt, for college football to tell you the truth…He was really a family person and if you could see him interacting with his mother and his brother and sisters, you knew he was trying to protect them in the end. We’re gonna miss him. I really don’t know what else to say.”

From MKRob Sports

Boston College didn’t take long to accept the Atlantic Coast Conference’s invitation to become the league’s 12th member after receiving the offer on Sunday morning.

“This morning, Boston College received an invitation to join the Atlantic Coast Conference and we have accepted it,” Boston College President Rev. William P. Leahy explained Sunday afternoon.

Boston College received the offer after getting overwhelming approval from current ACC members.

“This morning the conference’s Council of Presidents reached a unanimous agreement to officially offer membership in the Atlantic Coast Conference to Boston College,” said Barker. “This institution represents and shares the values for which the ACC has long been known,” said Clemson University President James F. Barker, chair of the Council of Presidents.

Leahy stated that academics, athletics and finances were all reasons that Boston College agreed to join the conference.

The ACC had previously invited Miami and Virginia Tech to join the conference from the Big East, beginning next year. After the NCAA denied a request for a football championship game with only 11 teams in the conference, the ACC was intent on finding another member.

Rumors of Notre Dame joining the ACC floated around, but were quickly dismissed.

The main purpose of expansion for the ACC is to create a 12-team football league that would give the conference a revenue-making football championship game, plus enhance the conference’s chances of gaining a second bid to the lucrative BCS bowl package.

Although serving as the country’s strongest and most storied basketball conference, the ACC has never been among the elite in college football. The conference’s only football perennial powerhouse, Florida State, joined the league 12 years ago in July, 1991.

The loss of B.C. would weaken the Big East even more. With the possibility of three teams exiting the conference, expect the Big East to look toward other schools, particularly in Conference USA, to fill the current voids left by the exodus.

For some people National Signing Day is bigger than Christmas. It’s the day commitments can officially sign National Letters of Intent to their school of choice.

College football has quickly become a big deal to me as opposed to one short year ago. So as the day goes by I’ll be updating this post with the many high school players who will be committing to top schools. Special attention being paid to the new loves of my life over at the University of Miami! So be sure to check back throughout the day with updates!

In the mean time feel free to check out MKRob’s 2010 National Signing Day Predictions which is a great read and looks to be remarkably on point.

Live Tracker Information provided by Scout.com

Keenan Allen – Safety (Northern Guilford – NC) – California Golden Bears

Jackson Jeffcoat – Defensive End (Plano West – TX) – Texas Longhorns

Marcus Lattimore – Running Back (Byrnes – SC) – South Carolina Gamecocks

Da’Rick Rogers – Wide Receiver (Calhoun – GA) – Tennessee Volunteers

Jordan Hicks – Outside Linebacker (Lakota West – OH) – Texas Longhorns

Lache Seastrunk – Running Back (Temple – TX) – Oregon Ducks

Corey Nelson – Outside Linebacker (Skyline – TX) – Oklahoma Sooners

Christian Jones – Outside Linebacker (Lake Howell – FL) – Florida State Seminoles

MKRob Pick

Shon Coleman – Offensive Tackle (Olive Branch – MS) – Auburn Tigers

Corey Lemonier – Defensive End (Hialeah Senior – FL) – Auburn Tigers

Ivan McCartney – Wide Receiver (Mirmar – FL) – West Virginia Mountaineers

MKRob Pick

Blake Lueders – Defensive End (Zionsville – IN) – Stanford Cardinals

Sean Parker – Safety (Narbonne – CA) – Washington Huskies

Seantrel Henderson – Offensive Tackle (Cretin Gerham Hall, MN) – USC Trojans

Christian Green – Wide Receiver (Tampa Catholic – FL) – Florida State

MKRob Pick

And congratulations to the Florida Gators for claiming the #1 spot (AGAIN) in this year’ recruiting rankings.

From Scout.com

The Florida Gators sat at the No. 1 spot on Scout’s Team Recruiting Rankings by the slimmest of margins heading into National Signing Day, holding a one-point lead over fellow recruiting power Texas.Not content to merely finish with the No. 1 recruiting class for 2010, Florida gave itself a little Signing Day insurance with commitments from players such as four-star wide receiver Adrian Coxson (6-foot-1, 195 pounds). That helped the Gators hold off a late surge from Oklahoma to run away with the nation’s top recruiting class.

The Class of 2010 was marked by coaching turnover at several of the nation’s traditional recruiting powers, including USC, Notre Dame, Florida State, Tennessee, and in a sense, Florida.

On to the best team in Florida…to me anyway.

I had an in-depth conversation with Michael about Miami’s 2010 recruiting class. Needless to say while I enjoy a night of football ranting and raving, this isn’t the most impressive group to put it nicely. There were plenty to compare them to and sadly since more experienced Canes fans are used to the best, this group doesn’t really fit the bill. In the end however, they’re Hurricanes now so here’s hoping they do great things.