In the eyes of the college football world both LSU and Florida both possess the talent to make a run at the SEC Title for the 2006 season. But for coaches Les Miles and Urban Meyer, there is one question that I am sure they are getting sick of answering; who will be the starting QB for the upcoming season?

That question is a little easier for Meyer to answer; right now it is Chris Leak. This will be Leak’s second year as the Gators full time starter, but his struggles with the spread-option offense last season have raised the question if incoming freshman QB Tim Tebow should get the starting nod.

After watching a few Gators games last year I did notice that Leak did not look all that comfortable running the spread option but fans have to remember that he went from a Spurrier style air it out attack to almost the complete opposite with the option attack. Let the guy learn the offense a little. He had a career year as far as completion percentage and threw the least interceptions in his career. Andre Caldwell, Dallas Baker and Jemalle Cornelius will return to full strength this year and it will only help Leak’s passing numbers.

Yes, Tebow seems to fit the mold for this offense but he is still a true freshman. Tebow will get his reps this season but it is up to the coaches to mold the offensive game plan around the talent they control. For the Gators to be successful this year Leak needs to be relaxed and not worried about making a mistake that could cause him to be pulled.

Les Miles has a little tougher decision to make. Does he go with Junior JaMarcus Russell who started most of last year, does he turn to Junior Matt Flynn who played in the Peach Bowl romp against Miami, or does he go with 2004’s #1 QB recruit Ryan Perrilloux? This will make for good competition come fall camp as each will be pushing for the starting job but again Miles needs to make a decision.

Right now he is saying that Russell is his starting QB but nothing is etched in stone right now. That is all good if he is playing coy with the media, but he should be upfront with the team. I have not seen enough of Flynn to really have an opinon on the matter, but he did have a great Peach Bowl. I see nothing wrong with the competition going on at these two schools but when the season starts a clear-cut starter needs to be named. There is enough pressure on the quarterbacks during the game; they don’t need the added worry of making one mistake and getting pulled.

• The WAC Media and Coaches voted in their pre-season polls and both had very similar results, Boise State is the favorite followed by Fresno State.  Trailing the Broncos and Bulldogs are Nevada, Hawaii, Louisiana Tech, San Jose State, Utah State, Idaho, and New Mexico State.
• The WAC announced the formation of WAC.tv an online site offering users the chance to order and view WAC Football games online.  This announcement came on the heels of an announcement that the WAC will not provide content for ESPNU after ESPN refused to up the amount of the WAC TV contract.
• WAC Commissioner Karl Benson also stated that the WAC is not presently looking to expand.  There had been rumors that the WAC might add another member, either from the Big Sky, or non-football schools Utah Valley State or Denver.  Benson told media members “I think we’re entering, finally, a period of stability. I think that’s a positive. We don’t anticipate that there is anything looming out there.” (Source: Idaho Statesman)

(Arkansas)

2005 SEC Freshman of the Year, Darren McFadden, underwent surgery on a dislocated toe yesterday morning following a bar fight outside a club in Little Rock. McFadden, who became the seventh freshman to rush for over a thousand yards in SEC history, dislocated his toe at a pre-dawn fight in front of Palace the Club, according to USA Today via AP. McFadden had a pin placed in his left big toe following the incident.

Arkansas camp starts Thursday with full practice starting Saturday.

“We are all disappointed that Darren won’t be able to join us for the start of fall camp. I know that no one is more disappointed with what has happened than Darren. While we are still gathering details about how the injury came about, our first priority is to help him with his recovery.” Razorback head coach Houston Nutt said in a statement yesterday.

The Razorbacks open against three time BCS finalist Southern Cal on September 2nd in the Hogs hardest out of conference game on their schedule this season.

The server that hosts this blog is in California, where it has been burtally hot. They are fighting rolling blackout and had a generator fire at the server’s home today. We know that ITB has been off-line off and on the last couple days. Rest assured that we are not going anywhere and hopefully our hosts will get some much needed cooling down.

Thanks.

Can Sanchez and Booty pick up after a rocky start

Who will be the new boy in Troy? The biggest pair of shoes to fill this year has to be those of Matt Leinart. They are so big that two people might have to do it. John David Booty and Mark Sanchez will compete for the starting job for the upcoming season. Most feel that Booty will begin the season as starter even with the lingering back issues, but Sanchez has a lot of potential and is younger so I would not be surprised if Sanchez gets inserted if Booty struggles.

Although I can safely say they won’t come near Leinart’s numbers, not just because they won’t be as good, but don’t forget all world Reggie Bush is gone and so is LenDale White. The Trojans return Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith, but without consistent production from a RB, whoever the QB is will have a more difficult time than in year’s past.

When it is all said and done, I would not want to be the USC QB this year. How can you top a guy that has a Heisman, 3 Pac 10 titles, 2 National Titles, over 10,000 passing yards, and 99 touchdowns? Simple answer, you don’t. You just hope you play well enough not to be noticed.

From Pac-10.org

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Three-time defending Pac-10 champion USC has been picked to win the 2006 Pacific-10 Conference football title in a preseason poll of West Coast media members who regularly cover the league. It marks the fourth consecutive year the Trojans have been the choice to win the title, but it differs from the last two years when USC was a unanimous pick to win the title. USC garnered 18 of 29 first-place votes in the poll, but CALIFORNIA, OREGON and ARIZONA STATE also received first-place support. USC has won the last three Pac-10 titles and has two National Championships and a national runner-up finish in the last three years. The Trojans fashioned a 12-1 mark last season, with the only loss coming in a classic battle against Texas in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl. The media poll has correctly selected the Conference Champion in 23 of 45 previous polls, including the last six years in a row. Following are the results of the preseason media poll (points 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses):

1. USC (18) 276
2. California (7) 247
3. Oregon (3) 229
4. Arizona State (1) 204
5. UCLA 145
6. Arizona 133
7. Oregon State 125
8. Washington State 96
9. Stanford 90
10. Washington 50

POLL NOTES: Preseason media poll has correctly picked the Conference champion 23 of 45 times and has been very accurate of late in correctly identifying the Conference champ the last six years in a row and six of the last seven. . . . While USC was a unanimous pick to win the Pac-10 the last two seasons, this year’s poll with four team registering first-place votes is more typical. Prior to the last two years of unanimous support for the Trojans, at least four team received first-place votes in four of the previous five years. . . . USC topping the media poll for four straight years is the most for one institution since WASHINGTON was picked four straight years from 1990-93. The Huskies won the crown in three of those four years. . . . The rebuilding work of coach Mike Stoops at ARIZONA is being noted. Despite finishing no higher than eighth in the Conference standings the last five years, the media panel placed the Wildcats sixth in the poll. That is the highest UA has been picked in the poll since 1999, when the Cats were actually picked to win the league title coming off a 12-1 season in 1998.

The conference also signed a six year deal with FSN to continue showing Pac-10 football, 18 games a year, along with new media rights and archived games on Fox College Sports.

As the start of fall practice hangs in the air like a hazy August day, things are starting to heat up on the field as well.

As you know, conferences have started to have their media days, the Pac-10 has theirs today.

Lots of activity from Chapel Hill, as the Tar Heels get ready for the 2006 season. The Raleigh News and Observer says that Junior DE Khalif Mitchell will take a year away from school and address some personal issues. Mitchell was slated to start this year, but did not enroll in classes.

Also, RB Antwain Carey has left the team to pursue a track career and walk-on RB R. J. Waters has transferred to Norfolk State to get more carries.

Possible trouble in Ole Miss. Starting QB Brent Schaffer is not academically eligible yet. The Tennessean in a note piece about the SEC, reports that the transfer from Tennessee is waiting for two grades from classes taken at a community college in California. (Tony Barnhart has some good Q and A about the SEC in that column too.)

Notre Dame has scored Thomas Bemenderfer from Northwestern, that according to the South Bend Tribune The tackle did not play last season and after sitting out this season, will still have three years left of eligibility. Rotoworld had him as a reserve this year with the Wildcats.

Auburn CB, and possible NFL prospect, Montavis Pitts has transferred to Jacksonville State. Being a I-AA school, he can play this year.

Those of you hoping that Laura Quinn may leave A.J. Hawk and come to you can now drown your sorrows. The couple tied the knot in Green Bay Monday, according to the South Bend Tribune.

Finally in the ACC, watch for a battle at UNC for the QB job. The Charlotte Observer reports that Cam Sexton and Joe Dailey are “neck and neck” for the job. UNC Head Coach John Bunting hints that they even may do the two quarterback system. (Never a good idea, IMHO)

WR Ryan Moore may have his suspension lifted before the season and despite not taking any contract drills yet, RB Tyrone Moss is expected to start the season opener.

NMSU Head Coach Hal Mumme

Just came across this newsclip from KDBC out of El Paso and thought I would share it with our readers, as it seems that we have been getting a lot of visits from folks in search of information on Shana Leaupepe. During a press conference a few days ago, NMSU Coach Hal Mumme, the former University of Kentucky head coach that is now in his second season with the Aggies, took a few minutes to fondly recall visiting with the Leaupepe family during a recruiting visit in American Samoa this past offseason.

As you will recall, Shana Leaupepe was tragically killed in a drive by shooting on July 8th. Leaupepe, after sitting out last season as a redshirt, was expected to challenge for the starting insidle linebacker position for the Aggies. He was just 21-years old.

As Dr. Sak enjoys some much needed rest, Charlie Swager and I dissect the Sun Belt this week for your listening pleasure.

The audio on my end at times sounds a bit like an AM radio station in a thunderstorm, just think of it as nostalga. ( )

Week 4:Sun Belt

Don’t forget you can subscribe using the buttons on the left, if you haven’t already and drop us a note at inthebleachers AT gmail dot com with any questions or comments.

Does Young’s replacement stand a chance

Vince Young was known in many parts of Texas as Superman. His performances in the 2005 and 2006 Rose Bowls are none other than legendary. He helped Longhorn fans forget the years past where they played second fiddle to Oklahoma in the Big 12 and his late touchdown run in the National Title game gets played over and over on ESPN.

So who gets the unfortunate opportunity to follow up on all of this? Well even that is a little hazy right now but most people believe that youngster Colt McCoy will be the man starting for the Longhorns this fall. McCoy, who has yet to throw a collegian pass, will be thrust into the spotlight early with a September 9th meeting with Ohio State. Regrettably, a loss in that game will bring some heat and some comparisons to Young’s game the previous year in Columbus.

McCoy will have a quality running back in Jamaal Charles to help him out but Longhorn fans need to take it easy on this young man because Superman only comes around once in a lifetime.