Ross, Dooley high on Bradford, Tebow

Bobby Ross knows a thing or two about the NFL draft. After all, he spent nearly nine years as an NFL head coach with the San Diego Chargers and the Detroit Lions.

He knows exactly what NFL head coaches and front office personnel are going through right now as the start of the 2010 NFL draft is just less than a week away. Ross suspects that most teams have all the draft-eligible players rated by now and are getting into mock drafts to prepare for any possible scenarios that could come up starting with Thursday’s first round.

Ross, however, believes teams in the market for a quarterback have a bit more work to do. With the top quarterbacks available in the draft seemingly neck-and-neck on most teams boards, Ross said there are a lot of great things about each quarterback that teams should be looking at.

The two that have caught the coaching legend’s eye, however, are former Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

Tebow has drawn a wide range of criticism for his style of play, and there has been much speculation about his chances for success at the pro level. If Ross was still running an NFL team, however, he wouldn’t hesitate to draft the national championship quarterback.

“I would still be very, very high on a guy like Tebow for his intangibles,” Ross said during a phone interview from his Richmond, Va., home last week. “I know everybody’s talking about his release and that type of thing, but that type of guy, his leadership and his contribution to team and all of those things are factors and did weigh in heavily with us (in San Diego and Detroit).

“Character was a huge factor, and he has all of that. I think, what he doesn’t have now, he’ll develop on his own. I would rate him very high in that area, too.”

Tebow has worked on his throwing motion, which is said by many NFL experts to be so low that it would be easy for defenders to knock the ball out of his hand. During his pro day last month, Tebow put his new throwing motion on display, showing that he has made improvements in that area.

Ross said that what sets Tebow apart and makes him worth a high pick is his commitment to making the necessary changes in his game that will put him in position to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.

“There are some that are contributors. He commits,” Ross said. “There’s a difference. I think he has that commitment, and I think that’s very important.

“I’m a huge fan of his. I really am. There’s been very few that have come along that are like him. Because he’s got a couple of mechanics that need to be corrected, hell, all of them have something, you know? Everybody has something.”

Former University of Georgia head coach Vince Dooley agrees. Dooley had a chance to see Tebow throughout his college career as Georgia and Florida play in one of the most storied college football rivalry games each year.

Dooley also got to watch former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford — currently with Detroit after being picked No. 1 overall by the Lions in last year’s draft — and offered a contrasting view of the two quarterbacks.

Dooley said Stafford was more prepared for the NFL because of his physical abilities, but Tebow’s intangibles should cause the NFL teams looking for a quarterback to take pause.

“In the case of Tebow, some question his ability to throw the ball and whether he has a strong arm to throw the ball like a prototype, like Stafford. There’s no question about (Tebow’s) intangibles,” Dooley said. “His delivery is questioned, and there are those kinds of questions out there. But that’s why he may be totally passed up by one and then taken by somebody else that really believes in his intangibles and that he can overcome some of the mechanical shortcomings.”

Ross and Dooley said Tebow’s level of first-year production in the NFL relies on several factors.

“He’ll have to get with the right coach and the right team, and I think that it might marry that way,” Dooley said. “Maybe, on paper, some will ask some questions about him being drafted high, but those that really know him will go ahead and do it despite the fact that, on paper, he might not be the model of who is a first-round quarterback draft choice.”

Bradford is another quarterback who caught the eye of Ross, who coached at Maryland, Georgia Tech and Army before retiring in 2006. Ross had a chance to see Bradford play in person while the Oklahoma quarterback was healthy. Bradford, who is said to be the favorite as this draft’s No. 1 overall pick, struggled with a shoulder injury for much of last season.

Ross, however, said Bradford is clearly the best quarterback available in the draft if he’s healthy.

“One of the most accurate passers I’ve ever seen,” Ross said. “If you had to say anything, he was truly a pro-type quarterback. A classic pro. Big, tall, good arm, live arm, had a good degree of mobility, but the thing that really impressed you about him was his accuracy.

“He usually got the ball to the receiver on the run. To me, that was a key factor, to get someone that accurate. All of them are accurate, but this guy was really accurate.”

Asked if he had to rate the quarterbacks as if he was in a position to draft them, Ross with no hesitation named Bradford, then Tebow, then Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. Ross didn’t get much of a chance to see McCoy, but Ross said he got the impression that McCoy is a top-flight competitor.

McCoy was injured early in the national title game against Alabama and wasn’t able to return to the game.

Championship weekend preview

The 2009 regular season is culminating with several intriguing match-ups on championship weekend, and all of the questions will be answered. Which team will prevail in the SEC championship game? Which Oregon school will win the Pac-10 and go to the Rose Bowl? Can Nebraska pull of the upset over Texas? The Legends weighed in on a roundtable discussion.

Who goes to the Rose Bowl?

John Robinson: I think Oregon has played just a bit better all year. And with Masoli, the quarterback for Oregon, you can’t find the ball. It is incredible the coaching job done at Oregon State. They don’t bring in highly wanted guys, but they certainly bring guys who can play.

Mike Riley is an excellent QB coach and his players have flourished under him. I was up there with those Civil War battles. And Oregon is a finesse teams and if Oregon State can force fumbles and create their opportunity, they could win.

Don James: I was really impressed with the Pac-10 with 5 teams in most top 25 polls who have to play everybody. On another note, I wanted to compliment Boise State playing through that weather vs. Nevada. I have been very impressed with that team and how well they are coached.

What does Nebraska do well that could help win the Big 12?

Fisher DeBerry: Defensively they are pretty good, but offensively they are just solid. I think they will be ready and we will just have to wait and see. I think all and all I have to say their defense is pretty good. I was impressed with Texas and offensively they are a darn good football team. I was also impressed with A&M’s growth this season.

Who will win the ACC Championship game?

Vince Dooley: I don’t know how good Clemson is on offense. I said early in the year Georgia Tech was only average on defense. They had no answer for Georgia, and I think they caught Georgia on and all time emotional high and Georgia Tech couldn’t keep up with them. Who knows what Paul Johnson will do versus Clemson.

I think both teams will be ready to play. And Georgia’s offensive line finally played like they were capable of doing and shut down Tech on the inside. I think the line of scrimmage is the key to the game.

I think Clemson can get the penetration on Tech.

Legends: No upset for Bama or Florida

Do you think Auburn can upset Alabama?

Pat Dye: Alabama’s playing Auburn Saturday, but I don’t think that will affect the game in Atlanta.  Auburn’s in the same category as Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina. If Auburn is going to beat Alabama they’d have to help them a lot and Alabama hasn’t been helping anybody.  They don’t get many penalties and they do what they’re supposed to do to be a great football team.  I still think Alabama’s the best and they’re going to play to find out.

Who should be No. 1? Alabama or Florida?

Vince Dooley: You can argue strongly for both of those teams.  The thing FSU has been doing is scoring but I don’t think they’re going to score a lot against Florida.  They’ve given up a lot so I don’t think it’s going to be much of a test.  Trying to pick who is one and who is two, the only thing I think is the difference is that Tebow is still there and as long as he’s there I’m going to pick Florida.  The other kid (McElroy) is a little inconsistent.  That might be the difference.

Do you expect an upset this weekend?

Don James: I don’t think there’s any question who we think are the best but we have to remember these are all big rivalry games.  We’ve seen over the years what can happen in big rival games.  I’d take Florida, Alabama, and Texas to win but Florida State, Auburn, and Texas A&M are going to come in there flying.

Why has Texas dropped in your eyes?

Gene Stallings: I’ve watched them on the television and it seems that they’ve abandoned the running game.  I don’t know what they’re going to do against a good football team.  Unless their running game picks up I don’t think they have much chance to win it all.

Longhorns should be wary of Texas A&M

Listen to part one of the Coaches vs. Computers podcast this week featuring BCS pollster Richard Billingsley and former Georgia head coach Vince Dooley. The Legends Channel roundtable features a conversation about rivalry weekend.

• Dooley says that rivalry games are dangerous for the favored team.
• Dooley says Florida and Alabama will be ready because they have so much riding on the game.
• Billingsley says that Texas could be upset by Texas A&M because there has been no major upsets this year.
• Billingsley says the Pittsburgh-West Virginia outcome could greatly affect Cincinnati’s strength of schedule.

Click here to listen:

Barnhart asks Legends about Alabama

Tony Barnhart from CBS Sports joined the Legends Poll on the weekly conference and asked some burning college football questions.

Barnhart: Obviously they are a great defensive team but what are Florida’s offensive issues?

Vince Dooley: Obviously they are not as good as last year and the QB has taken on the role. And we have said all along ‘how long until he gets hurt?’ He keeps pounding the ball and they still win. They then use the fast guys to try and run by people once they wear them down pounding the ball. I think it will be interesting to see them play Alabama, but as long as Tebow is there they will compete and win.

Pat Dye: I really don’t think they are quite as good as Alabama on defense. Miss St. moved the ball against Florida and couldn’t at all versus Florida. Alabama, if they get to where they can do what they did Saturday stretching the field with the deep pass on top of the unstoppable run game is hard to beat. But I don’t think Florida can beat them.

Barnhart: Talk to me about Alabama’s Defense.

Gene Stallings: You never see a receiver wide open. They pressure you and blitz you, but they still have the coverage so they can really hurt people. They have a kicker who can kick it just about anywhere and the best punt returner on top of a Heisman candidate at running back. I worry about the quarterback with his lack of experience. Our ‘92 team stayed healthy but this year they have only lost a few.

Dye: Maybe Florida can put pressure on McElroy, but Alabama will be tough to beat if they can get the play action working and throw the deep ball. And Alabama only got two penalties Saturday. I think it will be a great game, but I think Alabama will win.

Mailbag: Dooley talks memorable games

Everyone talks about all the great games (1980 Florida, ‘78 Tech, ‘76 Bama) and great plays like the Shoestring play at Vandy. Any vivid memories from games that people don’t talk about? For example, what was it like taking the Dawgs to VMI in 1966?

–  Aaron

Well to start with, 1966 was a generation ago. However, it was special to those that remember since it was the first SEC Championship that I was associated with that took place in my 3rd year at Georgia. I recall that the game against VMI, which was played at Roanoke and maybe was given a promotion name of “The Harvest Bowl”, was not the best experience that the team had that year. I recall that VMI took the opening kickoff, drove for a touchdown, missed the extra point, and the 6-0 lead lasted exactly 9.4 seconds. That was the amount of time it took Kent Lawrence to return their kickoff for a touchdown, which (after the extra point) put us up 7-6. We won the game easily, despite the fact that the lighting was not too good in the stadium which probably helped us on certain plays since the ball was hard to find. I also remember the locker room being less than adequate, and on a cool night in October, it was tough on the team taking a shower with no hot water. Suffice it is to say, that was the last Harvest Bowl that we ever played in. While talking about a generation ago I should add to the special highlights the flea-flicker, which we called it at the time, was the play that upset Alabama, the national champions, in the first game of 1965. That play is better described today as a “hook and lateral” from Kirby Moore to Pat Hodgson to Bob Taylor. Come to think of it, that play didn’t win the game but put us in position to win the game with a two-point play from Moore to Hodgson in a victory 18-17.

– Vince Dooley

Mailbag: Dooley says Tebow is vulnerable

Do you think that Tim Tebow can win the Heisman again this year?

– John, Jacksonville, Fla.

I’m not sure. If Tebow keeps on like he’s done before, he’s gotten hurt, and if he keeps on he’ll probably get hurt again. But he’s absolutely amazing to me.  He’ll find a way to take a team down the field when he needs to win despite everything. He’s got to be considered because he is one of the best player in the country.

– Vince Dooley

Roundtable: Dissecting the top-3

On this week’s conference call, the Legends discussed the rationale for ranking Florida, Alabama and Texas in the No. 1 – No. 3 spots. RC Slocum broke down Texas and others chimed in on the LSU-Florida game. Terry Donahue is one of the voters who likes Alabama in the top spot.

Slocum: Texas is winning every week and you have to give them some credit for that, but they’re just inconsistent.  Early on (in the season) I thought they weren’t playing very well on defense and I worried about their special teams. But the other day they won the game on special teams and defense. So, we’ll find out this week.  They’re playing Oklahoma in the biggest test they’ve had.  It appears to me that Colt McCoy is turning the ball over.  He’s playing like he did the year before last — just kind of an average guy.  Last year he was the difference in their team.  This year he’s had a less than spectacular start.

I don’t think Texas has the defense — ranking these teams I had Texas at No. 3. They don’t have a defense like Florida and Alabama, I don’t think they can run the ball like Florida and Alabama.

Donahue: The best teams I’ve seen so far are Florida and Alabama.  I’ve done (color commentary) Alabama twice and Alabama is a team to me with no apparent weaknesses.  They’ve got a whole lot of athleticism everywhere around their football team.  Their offensive line is very good, maybe not as good as Florida’s, but certainly good.  They’ve got a whole group of running backs they can throw at you.  The quarterback is better than I ever thought he would be after watching him in the opening game against Virginia Tech.  Greg McElroy is really playing well for them.  He’s good with the ball.

Florida’s offensive line is the most impressive line I’ve seen in a lot of years.  I’d have to go back to some of the great lines, you know, over the years to see a better one than Florida’s offensive line.  So those are the two best teams I’ve seen.

Slocum: I’m kind of curious about the LSU game.  I was impressed with LSU’s speed and everything and I’m curious about in the poll if you play Alabama who we all have as number two and you get beat 13-3, I don’t know why you drop so far.  You know, you play a team ranked ahead of them and you think the team ahead of them should win and they won by a fairly close margin so I didn’t mark them down much.  I think LSU is one of the better teams around.

Don James: Well, one thing is they didn’t play that well out here in Washington, you know.  They played a very average football team and struggled to win.  That was just the opener and we all know how openers are so we all know how openers are.

Bill Mallory: I think the big question with LSU is their offense.  I’m still not sure how good of an offense they really are.

Vince Dooley: I think the quarterback (Jordan Jefferson) is still inexperienced and that’s a problem with them.  I think they have great athletes and they’ve won a lot of close games which is part of winning I guess.  Despite the fact that they got beat 13-3 I thought Florida was a much, much stronger football team.  Everything was going for LSU in the ball game, but Florida still played well.

Slocum: When you play the No. 1 team in the nation and lose 13-3, you probably played pretty well.  They’re a one-loss team now, and I compare them to other one-loss teams.  Southern Cal lost to a Washington team that’s not very good.  So USC with one loss compared to losing to the No. 1 team in college football, I didn’t mark them down as far.

Dooley analyzes the Georgia-LSU mess

The Georgia-LSU game was a typical SEC battle at Sanford Stadium on Saturday. Sadly, the contest was marred by two phantom celebration penalties — one which led to the go-ahead LSU touchdown. The SEC has since admitted a mistake on the call againt AJ Green after his touchdown:

The excessive celebration penalty against Georgia’s A.J. Green late in Saturday’s game with LSU should not have been called, the SEC supervisor of officials has told CBSSports.com.

Rogers Redding, the SEC supervisor of officials, said Monday that after reviewing video of the play, “I’ve concluded that it was one that we probably should have let go.”

“We tell our guys not to go looking for this stuff but if it’s right in your face, you have to call it,” Redding said. “He (the SEC official) is beating himself up pretty bad over this one.”

Former Georgia head coach Vince Dooley and former Arkansas coach Frank Broyles joined us to discuss the outcome.

What did you think of the Georgia-LSU game?

Broyles: “LSU, I thought, did a great job defensive — the fact that there wasn’t a touchdown scored until late in the game. It was an unbelievable last three minutes of the game. The celebration penalty gave LSU a chance to win and they took advantage of it and did.”

Dooley: “LSU dominated the first half and only got six points. Georgia dominated the third quarter and half of the fourth, and only got seven points. Like Frank said, the final three minutes were outstanding. AJ Green made an incredible catch for the go-ahead touchdown.”

Did the celebration penalty cost Georgia the game?

Dooley: “It’s tough to say. Even with the celebration penalty, Georgia had too many people on one side and not enough on the other on the kickoff team. And it got scrambled. After the great sprinter for LSU (Trindon Holliday) returned the ball, Georgia got penalized another five yards. Then Scott made a heck of a run. Somebody hit him one yard behind the line of scrimmage and didn’t lock him up. He bounced off and scored. And that really stunned Georgia.”

What are your thoughts on LSU after this game?

Dooley: “I think LSU is really a talented. But you scratch your head watching them. I think if they had a better quarterback, they would really be good. He does some things really well and some other things not so well. They have still been able to win despite themselves.”

Broyles: “They’ve had a hard time running the football all year long. Jefferson (the LSU quarterback) is a young man that has a lot of talent but he’s inexperienced really.”

What must Georgia change going forward?

Dooley: “Georgia’s got more problems on the offensive line than I had anticipated. They have most everybody back. They were very inexperienced last year, and I thought they’d be much better. There’s no question they don’t have the running back that can inspire an offensive line like they had last year.”

What’s your impression of the SEC so far?

Broyles: “The SEC’s got 4 undefeated teams. The western division has 3 with a 5-0 record and Mississippi with a 3-1 record. It’s really unusual because we start our conference games — for tv reasons — earlier than anybody else. We’ve already played two conference games in the first three weeks, which is really unusual.”

Legends Rapid Fire Q & A – Week 5

1. Which one-loss team are you most impressed with – VA Tech, USC, Ohio State, Penn State- or Miami?

Vince Dooley – VA Tech. Only have lost to AL.
Don Nehlen – USC. They seem to stub their toe once each season and beat everybody else.
Pat Dye – I like VA Tech over USC, because USC seems to play down to their competition.
Don James – Miami – they’ playing with lots of energy and disciplined swagger.

2. If Tebow plays, as expected, what do you expect to happen in LSU-Florida.

Vince Dooley – Florida beats LSU with Tebow. If LSU wins, they will be the all-time finalizer in college football. They’ve been doing that game after game. But I don’t see Tebow missing a beat.
Don Nehlen – don’t think LSU is that good offensively. Florida by more than a touchdown. Florida will win, regardless if Tebow plays.
Pat Dye – Florida wins if Tebow plays. They will probably cut down his running and try to pass the ball more. LSU is not a good place to try to break in a new quarterback.
Frank Broyles – don’t know if Tebow will run less. Florida’s plan is always to have the quarterback run, which gives them a one-man advantage on the defense. Florida will be less effective if they have to rely so much on the pass. LSU can’t consistently run the ball, and that will catch up with them against Florida.

3. Is Cincinnati a legit national title contender?
Vince Dooley – don’t know about the National Championship, but they can certainly be in the top 10.
Don Nehlen – I’m waiting to see what they do against West Virginia and South Florida.
Pat Dye – Heck no. Nice team, but not a National Championship team.
Frank Broyles – their schedule won’t let them get there unless they dominate.

4. If Boise is one of two unbeaten teams at end of regular season, think they deserve to play in the BCS final?
Vince Dooley – I’ll reserve judgment on Boise until the end of the season to see what happens to the other top teams.
Don Nehlen – I see them in a BCS game, but not the championship game.
Don James – No, their schedule is not deserving enough.
Frank Broyles – I’d want to see who else would be their competition. With Florida, Texas and Alabama in the mix, two would have to stumble for Boise to make it.

5. Who’s the player you’ve been most impressed with this season?
Vince Dooley – A J Green. He has great timing on the football, great competitiveness and hands, all in one package.
Don Nehlen – Jake Locker. He runs, throws and pulls an average team up a couple of notches.
Pat Dye – Rolando McClain. He is as good a defensive player as Tebow is an offensive player.

6. Who’s better – TCU or Houston?
Vince Dooley – TCU because they play defense and Houston doesn’t.
Pat Dye – TCU. They’re better than all those BCS busters, Cincinnati, Boise and BYU.
Frank Broyles – TCU. They’ve dominated their opponents defensively, which gives them a chance in every game. They’re in the top 5 or 10 in every defensive category.

7. Is Iowa the class of the big ten (despite near-loss vs Arkansas State)?
Vince Dooley – that remains to be seen, but it probably will be Ohio State.
Don Nehlen – no, Ohio State is the class of the Big 10.
Frank Broyles – I have great admiration for the Iowa coaching staff, but they don’t have the players Ohio State has.

8. What’s wrong with Cal?
Vince Dooley – they’re overrated and don’t live up to their hype.
Don Nehlen – that’s a good question. I’d like to know the answer.

9. What’s wrong with Illinois?
Vince Dooley – same answer as CAL.
Don Nehlen – Illinois can’t stop people. The quarterback has a great arm, but the team doesn’t make big plays.

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