Fight On!! Sanchez making his mark.

The Pete Carroll era at USC lasted from 2001 through 2009, during which the program enjoyed a period of dominance that it had not experienced since the 70's.  From 2002-2008, USC posted an 82-9 overall record (6-1 in bowl games) which included 2 national championships, 2 Orange Bowls, 4 Rose Bowls and a "Top 5" final ranking in all seven seasons.  The Men of Troy were on the map and from the look of things, they would be staying for a while (well, things changed when NCAA sanctions hit, Carroll fled to the NFL; but let's save that for another day).

The starting quarterbacks during this period were Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, John David Booty and Mark Sanchez.  Palmer, Leinart and Sanchez were all drafted in the first round of their respective drafts; Palmer being drafted 1st overall in 2003.  With Sanchez just having completed his second NFL season, would it be fair to ask whether he's the best quarterback out of USC in the Pete Carroll era?

Sanchez was 14-2 as a starter & 2009 Rose Bowl MVP

Unlike Palmer and Leinart, who both starred in multiple seasons, Sanchez only started one season during which he led USC to a 12-1 finish and a Rose Bowl win over Penn State.  A Thursday night loss to Oregon State in Corvallis, OR, derailed any hopes the Trojans had of playing for a national title that year.

In the days following the 2009 Rose Bowl, Sanchez declared for the NFL draft; a move that wasn't exactly welcomed by Pete Carroll, who publicly criticized Sanchez for the decision.  I think Carroll must have known that without Sanchez, USC was headed for a rebuilding year.  They finished the season 9-4, so Carroll was onto something after all.

Sanchez was drafted 5th overall by the New York Jets, and started all but one game in his rookie season.  He led the Jets to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and their first playoff win (Against the Palmer-led Bengals) since the 2004 season.  The Jets played in their first AFC title game since the 1998 season.  In his second season, he led the Jets back to the AFC title game, only to fall short against Pittsburgh.  All in all, Sanchez has played in (6) and won more playoff games (4) than Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart combined.

Palmer & Leinart were both Heisman Trophy winners at USC

Carson Palmer led Cincinatti to two AFC North division titles in 2005 and 2009, but the Bengals came up empty in the ensuing wildcard games.  In the 2005 playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh, he suffered a late hit to his knee, and his absence derailed any momentum the Bengals had picked up, costing them the game.  In his most recent playoff game, the Bengals lost to the Jets, leaving Palmer's playoff record at 0-2.

Leinart, who could gone 1st overall in the 2005 NFL draft, opted to stay in school and almost led USC to their third consecutive national title.  He was drafted 10th overall in 2006 by the Arizona Cardinals and saw plenty of action during his first two seasons.  However, following an injury during his second season, he never regained his starting job; having to make do as Kurt Warner's backup during Arizona's run to the Super Bowl in 2008, as well as the 2009 playoffs.

Palmer might not even be at Cincinatti next season, and who knows if Matt Leinart will ever get another start, let alone make another roster.  Their futures are uncertain, but we do know that Mark Sanchez is only getting better.  Slowly but surely, he is being tasked with more than just "managing the game".  He has led the Jets to wins against tough teams, both in the regular season and in the playoffs.

So having seen the evidence that has been presented, I think it might be safe to say (albeit prematurely) that Mark Sanchez is indeed the best quarterback out of USC during the Pete Carroll era.

Rose Bowl revisited: The curious case of Andy Dalton

TCU's win over Wisconsin saw them become the first non AQ (automatic qualifier) school to win the Rose Bowl, joining Utah who won the 2005 Fiesta Bowl and the 2009 Sugar Bowl.  No redemption could have been greater, especially after Ohio State president Gordon Gee dissed them and compared their schedule to the "Little Sisters of the Poor".

Tank Carder made what proved to be the biggest play in the Horned Frogs season, when he batted down a pass on two point conversion attempt, that would have surely sent the game into overtime.  That was just one of the many plays that he made for TCU.  He was no doubt the man about town that day.

While Carder's efforts could have earned him the game MVP, and rightfully so, that honor deservedly went to Quarterback Andy Dalton.  A four year starter, Dalton seemed nothing like the player from last year's Fiesta Bowl.  In that 17-10 loss to Boise State, he was picked off 3 times in what was agreeably one of the worst games of his career.

Dalton scoring on a quarterback keeper in the first half

In this trip, following another stellar showing in the regular season, he saved his best game for last.  He passed for a touchdown, ran for another and helped TCU control the game long enough to pull off the historic win.

His 42-7 record makes the him the school's career leader for wins by a starting quarterback.  What makes this even more impressive, are the names on that list; Sammy Baugh and Davey O'Brien.  Should Andy Dalton be considered the best quarterback to have played for TCU?

Slingin' Sammy Baugh was a two time All-American in 1935 and 1936.  He went on to a 16 year career in the NFL, all with the Washington Redskins.  The Sammy Baugh trophy, awarded to the nation's top passer, is named in his honor.  He was enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. 



Baugh & O'Brien were legends at TCU and in college football too.

Davey O'Brien won the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award and Heisman Trophy; becoming the first player to win all three awards in the same season.  In that same season, 1938, he led TCU to an undefeated season and a national championship.  Some of the records he set still stand to this day.  The Davey O' Brien Award, which is awarded to the nation's best quarterback, is named in his honor.

There has been many a legend that has passed through Forth Worth; Larry Brown (a three time Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys), LaDainian Tomlinson (Doak Walker Award winner who led the nation in rushing in both 1999 & 2000), Dutch Meyer (played for TCU and coached them to National Championships in both 1935 & 1938)...... this list could go on.

It would not be far fetched to say that Andy Dalton has more than secured his legend at TCU.  By the time the program has its next great quarterback, we might have a college football playoff in place.  Now that might be far fetched.

 



Leaders, legends....LOSERS!!!

In case anyone was even paying attention, the Big Ten opened the New Year by going 0-5 in their respective bowl games.  It could be 0-6 if you want to count Nebraska, judging by the way they played against Washington; a team who they routed 56-21 in Seattle, earlier in the season.  The Cornhuskers aren't officially in the Big Ten, but they might as well be.

Let's look at how it all went down.

1. Texas Tech 45, Northwestern 38: The Red Raiders jumped to a big lead and were able to withstand a late rally by the Wildcats.
2. Alabama 49, Michigan State 7: This game was effectively over when the Tide went up 28-0 at the half; thanks to a 21 point second quarter.  Mark Ingram and Julio Jones put on quite a show in what could possibly be their final collegiate game.  And Nick Saban, way to stick it to you former employers.
3. Florida 37, Penn State 24: The Nittany Lions held a 24-20 lead going into the final period, but Florida put up 17 points including Ahmad Black's interception return for a touchdown to seal the game.  Urban Meyer got to sign off on a winning note.
4. Mississippi State 52, Michigan 14: The Wolverines led 14-10 at one point in this game.  Fortunately for Miss St, Michigan didn't have a defense; and that explains where the 42 unanswered points came from.  This pretty much was the final nail in Rich Rodriguez' coffin.
5. TCU 21, Wisconsin 19: In their first ever Rose Bowl (something that Brent Musburger didn't fail to point out every other minute), the Horned Frogs did enough to hold off the Badgers.  First, they stopped Wisconsin on a 2 point conversion attempt that would have tied the game, then recovered the ensuing onside kick; winning the Granddaddy of them all for every little school out there.

Just based on these results, would it be fair to say that the Big Ten is overrated?  I'll let you decide.

Maybe now they'll understand.

In the wake of the Bedlam showdown last Saturday, I'm sure some Oklahoma State fans haven't quite yet come to terms with the outcome.  It's not hard to understand why.  They were flying high and their star couldn't have shone any brighter; picking up landmark wins against Texas Tech, Kansas State and Texas.  It had also been forever and a day since they last went undefeated on the road in conference play.  Meanwhile Oklahoma had faltered along the way, with losses to Mizzou and Texas A&M.


This certainly had to be the year; they had vanquished Texas and the only thing standing between them and a Big 12 Title game, was Oklahoma.  All the pieces seemed to fit.  Playing at home against a team, whose struggles on the road have been well documented; and a prime time television audience to sweeten the deal.  Just about every analyst out there had picked Oklahoma State to win; you can thank Lee Corso for that (by the way, he says, "you're welcome!!").


When all was said and done, the result was another Oklahoma win and this is maybe why, if possible, you should tell Lee Corso to never pick your team.  As an OU fan, I've witnessed it enough times to know that there's not a lot of good that comes out of him wearing the mascot head of your school.  That being said, believe it or not Cowboy fans, but in some weird, twisted way, Oklahoma fans can kind of relate to how you were feeling after Saturday night.  I know it sounds crazy, but just stay with me and I'll take you on a trip down memory lane.


In 2001, #3 ranked Oklahoma headed into that Bedlam showdown, needing a win to book their place in the Big 12 Title game in Dallas (the irony).  They were the defending national champions and, despite a loss to Nebraksa (more irony), there were still in a good position to play in the Rose Bowl (the site of that year's championship game).  Oklahoma was riding a 19 game win streak in Norman and were hosting a 3-7 Oklahoma State team.  How hard could it be, right??  Not to say that they underestimated OSU; but c'mon, a 3-7 team coming to your backyard?


If only games were won on paper.  Even though Oklahoma scored early, they didn't have much going for them.  Oklahoma State sacked quarterback Nate Hybl about 7 times (maybe more), intercepted him 3 times (including a late desperation heave to seal the game) and shut down running back Quentin Griffin; in the process, they held Oklahoma to negative yardage in rushing.  In the meantime, the Cowboys were slowly but surely chipping away at the lead.


Then in the 4th quarter, with about 1:43 (or something like that) left in the game, Josh Fields threw a fade to the corner of the end zone, that was caught by receiver Rashaun Woods for a touchdown, giving OSU their first lead of the game.  I could have sworn I heard a pin drop in Owen Field at that moment.  With that touchdown, everything was gone!!  A shot at a Big 12 title, a trip to the Rose Bowl to defend their national title.  It was gone!!  Out the window.  I couldn't begin to tell you how much that really hurt.  It did.  


In Austin however, Texas players and fans were celebrating like they had just reclaimed the Alamo.  They had just clinched the south division title, courtesy of Oklahoma State, and an outside chance to play in the national championship game.  All they had to do was win the Big 12 title and hope for some weird scenarios to take place.  Well, Texas lost to Colorado in that game, but that's not the point I'm trying to make.


Back to Bedlam.  Even though Oklahoma has been to three other national championship games (they lost all three, but that's not the point either), that 2001 Bedlam loss was one that was just a little too hard to swallow.  In some ways, it was "the one that got away".  There are certain things in sports that you can never quite understand, until they happen to you.  And until Oklahoma State was in the same position, on the brink of something special, even historic, only to have it taken from you right under your nose, you'd never quite understand.  Maybe now you will.