PHIL SANDLIN / Associated Press
Florida's Tim Tebow may not have the passing fundamentals NFL scouts like to see, but his coach thinks he's just fine.
College Football Report
1. No Tebow makeover
When Tim Tebow takes the field today for what seems like his eighth season as Florida's starting quarterback, you'll again see the flawed passing fundamentals that have NFL scouts questioning his future at the next level. And that's just fine with Gators coach Urban Meyer, who said Tebow "better not be overhauled . . . enhanced, yes, but it's going to be Tim Tebow." How about these career numbers for the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner: 41 games, 67 touchdown passes, 43 rushing TDs?
2. The next USC guy
Pete Carroll raised more than a few eyebrows when he awarded Southern California's starting quarterback job to true freshman Matt Barkley when he had a more experienced QB in Aaron Corp. But with Corp being nagged by a cracked fibula in the preseason, Carroll wanted to give Barkley - last year's national No. 1 top recruit - time to get acclimated for today's opener against San Jose State. The coach admitted, however, in the Orange County Register, "I don't know what's going to happen. If I did, it'd be easy."
3. USC isn't the only team . . .
. . . Where a new quarterback will cause some anxious moments for his team's fan base. Fifth-year senior Joe Cox, making only his second career start, replaces overall No. 1 NFL draft choice Matthew Stafford at Georgia. Sophomore Blaine Gabbert takes over for perennial Heisman contender Chase Daniel at Missouri. And senior Greg McElroy, who went 63-1 in his four years of high school in Texas, finally gets his shot in place of John Parker Wilson at Alabama.
4. Gotta move
While some new quarterbacks waited for their chance, Texas' John Chiles felt as if he didn't have the time. After two seasons as Colt McCoy's backup, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Chiles asked for and was granted a move to wide receiver and will be part of the rotation for tonight's opener. "He had a really good camp; I feel very confident that he's going to have an outstanding year," Longhorns offensive coordinator Greg Davis said.
5. Hot and hotter seats
The facts are these for Notre Dame: 21 years removed from its last national championship (longest stretch in school history), no ranking for two full seasons. To say that fifth-year coach Charlie Weis and junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen are under intense pressure is to say the sky is blue. These 2008 stats for Clausen indicate how far the Fighting Irish will go this season: 17 touchdown passes, seven interceptions in seven victories; eight TDs and 10 picks in six defeats.
6. Slip-sliding away?
Poor Rich Rodriguez. The Michigan coach can't seem to stay out of the headlines. This week's fun found a report in the Detroit Free Press quoting unidentified players as saying the coaches regularly exceeded the 20-hour weekly limit set by the NCAA for supervised practices, and then a story stating Rodriguez was business partners with a banned Clemson booster in a failed real-estate venture that led to a $3.9 million lawsuit. Rodriguez denied he exceeded the time limit rule, called the latter matter "ongoing" and insisted the issues are not a distraction.
7. Not Jags' year
There were stunned reactions at Boston College upon hearing the news that former head coach Jeff Jagodzinski was fired as offensive coordinator at Tampa Bay before he could even start his first season. BC fired Jagodzinski after he interviewed for the head coaching job with the New York Jets. Athletic director Gene DeFilippo, who had warned Jagodzinski he would be terminated if he took the Jets interview, said of this latest news: "It's unfortunate. All of us at BC wish Jags and his family the very best."
8. Good starts
Two neutral-site games today match Alabama and Virginia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff in Atlanta, and Oklahoma and BYU in the first college game at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas. (If a punt hits the new scoreboard, the down gets replayed, same as in the NFL.) Both sites are in the first year of a five-year deal to host their respective games. While there was no word on how much Jerry Jones was paying the Sooners or Cougars, the Crimson Tide and Hokies will make $2.3 million each from their Georgia Dome duel.
9. Sportsmanship? What's that?
Don't expect to see the players from Georgia and Oklahoma State lining up to shake hands before today's game. The American Football Coaches Association had requested that players and coaches exchange handshakes at this weekend's openers as a gesture of sportsmanship. But Cowboys coach Mike Gundy expressed concern that scores of fired-up players converging on the field face-to-face might lead to a brawl, and he decided to take a pass on the AFCA's call.
It certainly didn't help much Thursday night at Boise State. The Broncs and Oregon shook hands before the game but a brawl nearly ensued afterward after Oregon's LeGarrette Blount cold-cocked Boise's Byron Hout after he taunted the Duck as they exited the field.
10. Not an easy opener
