Leave it to Texas Tech coach Mike Leach to come up with a brutal assessment of the issues surrounding Kansas coach Mark Mangino and the allegations last week he has been both physically and mentally abusing his players.
Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins has launched an investigation into Mangino's actions after one of his players reported that the head coach poked him during a walk-through practice a couple weeks ago. Since then, several former players have come forth to discuss Mangino's alleged abusive behavior and sometimes mean-spirited verbal attacks.
Leach has never been guilty of playing the politically correct game and he certainly didn't disappoint during this week's Big 12 football coaches call when the subject turned to the storm Mangino is facing.
Case Keenum's late-game dramatics -- not to mention his Heisman Trophy consideration -- wilted under a brilliant Florida sun and an inspired Central Florida defense Saturday afternoon. Despite throwing two touchdowns in the closing minutes, Keenum and 13th-ranked Houston ran out of time in their 37-32 defeat to a band of merry Knights who clinched the program's first win over a nationally-ranked team.
"Whether it was making mistakes or them playing really hard ... they did a good job of covering down field and putting pressure on me," said Keenum, who had led Houston to consecutive victories over Southern Miss and Tulsa last week on last-minute scoring drives.
ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) -- Central Florida not only found a way to slow down Case Keenum and No. 13 Houston, the Knights didn't give the nation's most prolific passer a chance to pull off another improbable comeback.
Brett Hodges outplayed the Cougars quarterback and Brynn Harvey rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, leading UCF to a 37-32 upset that stopped a five-game winning streak Keenum had kept alive with a pair of last-minute rallies.
Harvey scored on runs of 1, 41 and 7 yards, the last set up by an interception that stopped Keenum's streak of consecutive passing attempts without a pick at 123. Hodges completed 21 of 25 passes for 241 yards and one TD.
Keenum threw for two TDs in the closing minutes, cutting into a 17-point deficit. He finished 33 of 56 for 377 yards and three scores. He had more than 500 yards in each of the previous two games.
If Central Florida's maligned pass defense is looking for motivation, well, here it is: The last time Case Keenum did not throw a touchdown pass was on Nov. 10, 2007, in a 56-7 defeat at Tulsa.
So it can be done.
Keenum's aerial show visits the Sunshine State on Saturday, when No. 12 Houston meets UCF in a key Conference USA showdown in Orlando. Better yet, it's also another great opportunity for Keenum, who has thrown for more than 1,000 yards in his past two games alone, to impress Heisman Trophy voters. That's if Keenum cares.
"I don't know what the Heisman voters are thinking," Keenum said.
"My goal right now is to beat UCF. My goal is not to win the Heisman or break records. Any individual award is a team award. If you're not being successful and winning games, those team accolades are not going to come your way."
Crazy as it sounded but a few weeks ago, there is a chance neither Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford will win the 2009 Heisman Trophy. Maybe that's a good thing. Their journey of inevitability has taken on some water surprisingly early this year.
When BYU's Coleby Clawson slammed Bradford to the turf causing a shoulder injury, Bradford's repeat hopes were finished. He has still yet to play a down since then. Last Saturday against Kentucky, Tebow also sustained a concussion injury while being driven to the ground. It is unclear whether he will play Saturday against LSU in Florida's first real test this season.
Meanwhile, Colt McCoy already has five interceptions although he completed 80 percent of his passes Saturday against UTEP as the Longhorns appear to have turned a corner offensively in pouring 64 points on the Miners.
HOUSTON -- Reclined way back with his feet kicked up on a table in the Houston Cougars' film room Tuesday and answering questions in a philosophical yet aloof way, Dana Holgorsen was channeling his inner Mike Leach without even realizing it.
The voice, the demeanor and delivery were all Leach -- albeit a younger, less clean-shaven Leach.
"I sat in the same room as him for many, many years," Holgorsen, the Cougars second-year offensive coordinator said when reminded of the similarity. "All of that stuff rubbed off, I guess."
HOUSTON -- It seems every football season there is the push to find the ultimate BCS buster.
And there have been some good ones to crash the "Members Only" party for the big boys of college football. The interesting thing is the club of little guys capable of breaking through has been even more exclusive than the club entry they seek.
Just So You Know ...Three of the largest venues in the country -- Michigan Stadium, Ohio Stadium and Neyland Stadium -- featured a game decided by four or fewer points in which the quarterback of the winning team was a cool freshman from Southern California with precocious poise. So if you're nervous about that first chemistry exam you'll be taking with 800 other students, ask the nerdy kid from Santa Ana to take it for you.
One day following Oklahoma State's back-to-reality loss to Houston, head coach Mike Gundy was a bit reflective Sunday on what his team has been through and what remains ahead.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys had been the media darlings of the offseason, making Sports Illustrated covers, starting the year in almost everyone's Top 10 preseason poll, and then last week they seemed to make good on all of the expectations with a convincing season-opening win over Georgia.
Playing with a false sense of defensive dominance and an obviously lofty No.5 ranking, the Oklahoma State Cowboys came crashing back to reality Saturday afternoon against University of Houston at their own Boone Pickens Stadium.
In a battle of two potent offenses, the Cougars prevailed 45-35 to move to 2-0 on the season. This was a huge loss for the Cowboys (1-1), who this week moved into the Top 5 for just the fifth time in school history and first time since 1985, following a rousing win over SEC foe Georgia.
Leave it to Texas Tech coach Mike Leach to come up with a brutal assessment of the issues surrounding Kansas coach Mark Mangino and the allegations last week he has been both physically and mentally abusing his players.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Good Knight, Case.
If Central Florida's maligned pass defense is looking for motivation, well, here it is: The last time 
Crazy as it sounded but a few weeks ago, there is a chance neither 
HOUSTON -- Reclined way back with his feet kicked up on a table in the Houston Cougars' film room Tuesday and answering questions in a philosophical yet aloof way, Dana Holgorsen was channeling his inner 
HOUSTON -- It seems every football season there is the push to find the ultimate BCS buster.
Just So You Know ...Three of the largest venues in the country -- Michigan Stadium, Ohio Stadium and Neyland Stadium -- featured a game decided by four or fewer points in which the quarterback of the winning team was a cool freshman from Southern California with precocious poise. So if you're nervous about that first chemistry exam you'll be taking with 800 other students, ask the nerdy kid from Santa Ana to take it for you.
One day following Oklahoma State's back-to-reality loss to Houston, head coach 
Playing with a false sense of defensive dominance and an obviously lofty No.5 ranking, the 
