The 2010 NFL draft is still 51 weeks away, and yes, a whole lot will change during the 2009 college football season. But millions of us are obsessed with the NFL draft, so with the 2009 draft now behind us, let's take a very early look ahead at potential No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, as well as the other top players in the Class of 2010.
USC landed a one-two hog punch this off-season when the Trojans got transfers Damian Williams and Mitch Mustain from the University of Arkansas.
But the Trojans' pork will have to be served cold. While Mustain waits on the bench for a chance to compete against Mark Sanchez for the starting job in 2008, wide receiver Damian Williams will be sitting on the sidelines until John David Booty is in the NFL.
Williams, who injured his shoulder at Arkansas then tore his labrum in his first practice as a Trojan will undergo his second surgery of the off-season, meaning that he won't even be practicing with the team whilst he sits out the requisite one-year period for transfer students.
Luckily, Trojan wide receiver Jamere Holland will only have to sit out a month after injuring his hamstring lifting weights.
This one's been whispered about for a few days but is now semi-official. Broyles announced his plans to step down as Arkansas' Athletic Director before a meeting room packed with friends like football coach Houston Nutt, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the school's basketball and track coaches.
There has been a push of late to nudge Broyles out of the athletic department after the whole Springdale Five situation went national and the upper management at Arkansas was made to look equal parts arrogant, callous and incapable of fulfilling promises and obligations. That's very one-sided of course but two of the main players have left in quarterback Mitch Mustain and receiver Damian Williams.
There is talk that Broyles will remain at Arkansas in some sort of advisory position but for several days now whispers had increased about people within the school bureaucracy pushing for his departure.
Broyles famously had run-ins with former basketball coach Nolan Richardson, did not retain Lou Holtz as a football coach past 1983 and most recently presided over the Springdale Five mess.
Broyles' coaching legacy is far more secure. He led the Razorbacks to a national championship in 1964 and was cordial with both Alabama coach Bear Bryant and USC coach John McKay during their epic tenures through the 1960's and 1970's. He coached the Hogs from 1958 until 1976 and compiled a 144-58-5 record and just two losing seasons.
Nothing's been formally announced, but signs seem to indicate that ballyhooed former Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain is strongly considering transferring to USC.
He visits USC this week and has already been briefed in specifics what his situation will be like.
Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain arrives shortly and there won't be any misunderstandings, especially after he is on the verge of transferring after one season.
"We've laid it out to him," a source said. "Plain and simple. We aren't sugarcoating anything."
Doesn't sound like USC is making any promises or guarantees.
With that out of the way, we should soon see whether or not he ends up in Los Angeles. I'm guessing both parties learned a few lessons from his Arkansas experience and the consequences of unfulfilled guarantees. Mustain's former high school and Arkansas teammate Damian Williams also recently transferred to USC.
As a transfer he would have to sit a year before regaining eligibility as a redshirt sophomore in 2008. At that point John David Booty will have graduated and his competition will be redshirt junior Mark Sanchez and this year's recruit Aaron Corp who would be a redshirt freshman or a true sophomore.
Continuing our moment of idle speculation here, this interesting trivia should be noted: if Mustain indeed transfers to USC, the Trojans will have signed each of the last four Parade Magazine All America Players of the Year. They are tailback Joe McKnight (who shares the award this year with Notre Dame-bound quarterback Jimmy Clausen), Mustain, quarterback Mark Sanchez and offensive lineman Jeff Byers.
Mustain famously ran for a touchdown after completing a 41-yard pass against USC in his first collegiate appearance last year.
USC landed a one-two hog punch this off-season when the Trojans got transfers Damian Williams and Mitch Mustain from the University of Arkansas.
