Meyer says Florida will ‘load up’ on Bama running game

Florida head coach Urban Meyer and former West Virginia head coach Don Nehlen join Tim Brando on the SN Radio Network to discuss the SEC championship game.

• Meyer said one of the first calls he made when he was hired at Bowling Green was Don Nehlen.
• Nehlen said the Legends Poll voters believe the SEC Championship may decide the national championship.
• Meyer said the SEC is as tough as ever. He said the teams are knocking each other off.
• Nehlen asked Meyer if Florida can stop the running game of Alabama. Meyer said that McElroy has improved at quarterback and agreed the key is to stop Ingram and the running game.

Take Florida, Texas, Georgia Tech

Count Dick MacPherson among the many counting down the seconds until Saturday’s Florida-Alabama showdown. But if the former Syracuse coach had his way, fans would have to wait a little longer for the SEC’s division winners to meet.

Say, 38 days from now. In Pasadena, California.

Click on the image below to read the full story in SN Today

	Legends Poll
November 30, 2009 – Week 13

Legends answer Mr. College Football’s questions

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

Barnhart: I would like to ask you about TCU, they look like a very fast, athletic team. What are your impressions?

LaVell Edwards: I think in the first place they are outstandingly coached. I knew they were going to be good on defense, but their quarterback has come a long way. I think he has made the difference; he can run the ball and throw it. They are a very, very solid football team and could stand up with anybody in the country.

Terry Donahue: I had not yet seen them play in person, but only on our DVDs. But I was really impressed with them. They can run everywhere on defense. And offensively the quarterback is very good and just knows how to play. They have a lot of dimensionality to their offense. It’s hard for defenses to find the ball and they have a great kicking game.

Barnhart: What do you like about Georgia Tech?

Pat Dye: Nobody has stopped them. I thought that defensively they are about average. And I wouldn’t have given Georgia any chance against Georgia Tech, but after Saturday verses Auburn they fought the hell out of Auburn. I don’t know, but if they don’t have some new defensive schemes they won’t be able to stop Tech. The Tech quarterback is starting to throw the ball a little better now.

Barnhart: Can Cincinnati play the power game vs. TCU?

Don Nehlen: Offensively this guy (Brian Kelly) is amazing. The big question is they have a week off with Pitt and Illinois left. Their problem defensively is they are small and can’t stop the run. I think they will have trouble with Pitt. It will be interesting, but I think they are more of a # 9 or # 10 team, not in the top 5.

Billingsley: BCS needs more informed voters

• Billingsley says his poll reflects more toward the human polls.
• The guys discuss the difference between the computer polls and the Legends Poll.
• Billingsley says the Legends Poll is the best human ranking he’s ever seen.
• Billingsley says a computer can analyze strength of schedule better than a human voter.
• Nehlen hopes the Legends Poll will be part of the BCS formula one day.

Rich Rodriguez’s main focus on final top-25 vote

Former West Virginia head coach Don Nehlen and Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez — also a former West Virginia head coach — joined Tim Brando on the Sporting News Radio network on Football Friday.

• Nehlen said Rodriguez was a good high school athlete, but they didn’t give him a scholarship right away.
• Rodriguez said Nehlen approached him during a stretching routine to offer him a scholarship.
• Brando says the Legends Poll is more credible than any other poll.
• Nehlen says he has much more time to study college football and vote now that he’s retired.
• Rodriguez says he doesn’t have time to think about his vote.

It’s time to see where Texas fits

We know it’s coming, but it doesn’t make the wait any easier: Florida vs. Alabama in the SEC championship game. Does any other game matter — including the BCS national title game?

“I don’t think the BCS championship game,” said Former Ohio State and Legends Poll voter John Cooper, “can be any better than that.”

Click on the image below to read the full story in SN Today

	Legends Poll
October 12, 2009 – Week 6

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.

LSU in for a long night

College football’s fourth-ranked team checks in at No. 66 in the nation in rushing, No. 86 in passing efficiency and No. 99 in total offense.

No wonder the Legends don’t give LSU a chance Saturday against Florida — even at night in Death Valley, where top-five Tiger teams rarely tumble.

Click on the image below to read the full story in SN Today

	Legends Poll
October 5, 2009

* Editor’s note: Dye and Nehlen’s Top-10 are incorrect in Sporting News Today. For their full ballots: click here.

Legends Rapid Fire Q & A – Week 4

1. How do you explain all the highly ranked teams losing – in some cases badly? Are there just fewer good teams this year?

Bill Mallory – Parity is spreading. More teams are stepping up.

Don Nehlen – Nobody can really explain it. Florida, Texas and Alabama are on top. Everybody else is at a lower level.

Fisher DeBerry – Parity that the average fan doesn’t see.

John Ralston – Underdogs are getting more motivated every week.

2. Most pleasant surprise team this past weekend?

Bill Mallory – Oregon really stepped up and played lights out against Cal.

Don Nehlen – South Florida looked awfully good in completely demolishing Florida State, especially with a freshman quarterback.

Fisher DeBerry – Oregon was a big surprise to me.

John Ralston – Mississippi State could have won that game with LSU. They are really improved

3. Most disappointing team this past weekend?

Bill Mallory – Penn State. I thought they would be the best team in the Big Ten this year.

Don Nehlen – Florida State. A yo-yo team.

Fisher DeBerry – Ole Miss. It looks like they were overrated big time.

John Ralston – Cal. Oregon stopped Best. Cal couldn’t run at all.

4. Who do you like better right now – USC or Cal? (The two play this weekend)

Bill Mallory – USC – the quarterback is improving.

Don Nehlen – I’m going out on a limb. I’ll take Cal.

Fisher DeBerry – USC, no question.

5. Who do you like better – Penn State or Ohio State?

Bill Mallory – Ohio State – their defense is real good and Pryor is getting better.

Don Nehlen – Ohio State – they’re better up front.

Fisher DeBerry – Ohio State – although neither has beaten any great competition.

6. Is VA Tech the class of the ACC?

Bill Mallory – yes, they just locked their jaws and took Miami apart.

Don Nehlen – it looks like it. The rest of the league looks mediocre or poor.

Fisher DeBerry – no question.

7. What do you make of the job Brian Kelly is doing at Cincinnati?

Bill Mallory – he’s a good football coach. He’s gotten some good athletes there; they’re a big strong physical team.

Don Nehlen – he’s doing a great job – especially in recruiting.

8. Who do you like to win Miami vs Oklahoma?

Bill Mallory – Oklahoma. They’re playing pretty well, even with the new quarterback.

Don Nehlen – Oklahoma should win if Miami’s injured players are not back; otherwise it’s a real tussle.

Tide gain ground on No. 1 Gators

Florida is No. 1. Alabama is No. 2. Texas is No. 3.

And Then?

“Everybody else is on a lower level,” former West Virginia Coach Don Nehlen said.

Another wild weekend brought a shakeup Sunday in the second Legends Poll of the fall. Boise State cracked the top five, Cal tumbled 18 spots…

Click on image below to read full story in SN Today

	Legends Poll
September 28, 2009 – Week 4

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