Thankfully, Randy Shannon was hired as the new football coach for the Miami Hurricanes. I couldn't be happier and in reality, I just don't know if Leach's personality would have meshed well with those at Miami who want them competing for a national championship every year. I just hope that this doesn't mean that Alabama will now come calling now that Rodriguez decided to stay put at West Virginia. I haven't seen Leach on any sort of list, but Leach runs a similar system to Rodriguez. Well see.
LAJ's Don Williams reports that defensive coordinator, Lyle Setencich may not return next season. Apparently Lyle's wife suffered a brain bleed, which is similar to a stroke, in July of 2005. I never knew this about Lyle, my thoughts go out to his family.
This would not be the post to discuss whether Setencich did enough this year to keep his job, but we will do so later.
In the same notebook, Don reports that Gabe Hall may try for a 6th year of eligibility.
In what's been a a really quiet Heisman race, the Heisman winner will be announced tonight at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN. I don't think there's any doubt that Troy Smith will win the Heisman, he's the best player on the best team. Personally, I wouldn't mind giving a little love to Hawaii's quarterback, Clint Brannon, who has put up incredible numbers even for Texas Tech standards. Brannon has passed for 4,990 yards 53 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. That's pretty incredible. I had the previous note about B.J. Symons and his year in 2003, so for comparison purposes, 5,833 yards, 52 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. Obviously, Brannon's interceptions sets him apart from Symons in this particular case, but it does cause one to marvel at that season that Symons had.
Michigan coach, Lloyd Carr believes, that there will be a playoff someday. I would love to see that happen, but part of me believes that what makes college football great is the fact that every game means so stinking much each week. I don't know if some of the importance of a game would be taken away, but my gut tells me it wouldn't. Look at the NFL, every game seems so vital and important, each and every week until your team is out of the race. Having a playoff would probably add more excitement because instead of having 5 teams jockey for a championship game you've got 25 or 30 teams who feel like they are deserving of a playoff spot.
As far as a schedule is concerned, we'll start breaking down the Insight Bowl game this next week, position by position.