We'll start at Texas, where the biggest question mark of the spring is who will replace Jamaal Charles? Charles led the Big 12 in rushing in 2007 on the strength of a fantastic second half of the season. Three backs will fight it out over the starting running back gig in 2008.
Sophomore Vondrell McGee will get first shot at the starting job after serving as Charles' understudy a year ago. When Charles was having consistency problems at midseason in 2007, McGee actually got more playing time, specifically on short-yardage and goal-line plays. He gained 297 yards overall and scored eight touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman Fozzy Whittaker and McGee share the same, low-to-the-ground build. Both resemble miniature linebackers.
Whereas McGee prefers the I-formation, Whittaker is more comfortable running out of the shotgun. That's how he made his yardage at Pearland High School, where he finished with the sixth-best rushing total in Class 5A history.
The third member of the committee is Chris Ogbonnaya, a well-known offensive commodity. The Longhorns often turned to Ogbonnaya on third-down situations last fall because he was as adept at running pass routes as he was at picking up the blitz. He caught 21 passes a year ago. To prepare for this season, the fifth-year senior dropped 12 pounds to improve his speed. He's now at 215.
We'll look elsewhere in the Big 12 after the jump.
Sunday College Football Hangover is a (hopefully) regular feature from a groggy FanHouse writer recovering from 16+ hours of watching as much college football as humanly possible. The Big Story
What else but perhaps the greatest upset in college football (sports?) history. As our own Ryan Ferguson wrote, Appalachian State is a very good lower division football team. They're the defending I-AA national champs, in fact. But Michigan's loss is absolutely inexcuseable and mind-bending in its implications.
A I-AA team beat Michigan. This shakes the foundation of my comprehension of the world to such a vastly greater extent than any upset, sighting, conspiracy theory, apparition, miracle or act of nature I could possibly cite. This is frogs raining from heaven. This is physically impossible
Indeed. I don't know whether this is a good or a bad thing for the sport. On one hand, we have a celebration of the underdog and further proof of why style and scheme matters so much in college football. The NFL is a robotic operation with 32 teams all doing the same thing over and over again with people paying them hand over fist to see it. College football's got soul, though, and it's expressed in Appalachian State's defensive effort and utilization of overlooked athletes.
On the other hand, this is clearly the story of the season. How does college football come down from this? There is simply nothing that can happen in the next 14 or so weeks that will come close to matching this upset. Nothing. USC could lose nine times and yet the event everyone will first recall from this season is Appalachian State's upset of Michigan.
It's the year of the Houdini act for college football stars. Our most recent "now you see him, now you don't" star is TCU's defensive terror, Tommy Blake. We're happy to report Blake is back in camp.
"This was a lot of different things," [TCU coach Gary] Patterson said. "I gave him a little time to work things out and now we'll have to play it by ear. He had good practices up to the point he left, and we'll go from here."
It sounds like Blake is still a flight threat as TCU plays it by ear. He joins Oregon State receiver Sammie Stroughter and Nebraska tailback Marlon Lucky (hospitalized in the summer) as mysterious departures from their teams. All appear to be returning to form. I appear to be returning to scratching my head.
No one is really sure what the 54,288 fans that were in attendance learned by watching Saturday's mismatch. It showed that Nebraska has some playmakers, not only at quarterback, but also at wide receiver, running back and various places among the first-team defense. It also could provide evidence of a lack of depth, given the White team's inability to compete. But little was decided on Saturday, including the quarterback race.
"You just can't make determinations too soon," Callahan said. "We let everything play out and we finalize as we move along. I think, by and large, by the time it gets to that point, I think most people know exactly where we're at as an offense and basically who's going to be the starter. It really kind of takes care of itself as you go through the normal progression of things."
So, we'll wait until the fall to hear more about that. Nebraska also saw two starters go down with injuries in the game. Running back Marlon Lucky apparently injured his MCL and right tackle Lydon Murtha injured his ankle on the game's first series. Both players are awaiting the results of MRIs.
Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky appears to be bouncing back from the curious medical emergency that he was hospitalized for in February. This is good news for the Huskers' backfield, but even better news for the junior-to-be. Bill Callahan sees a lot of positives in Lucky's play this spring.
"I couldn't be more pleased with his efforts and focus and concentration," he said. "He's really done a terrific job, and it's good to see him doing really well."
Coaches still aren't talking about the incident that led to Lucky's hospital stay and Marlon has declined interview requests so far this spring. While his coaches and teammates avoid discussing the problem head on, given their quotes, one has to wonder whether he might have been dealing with some depression.
Exhibit A:
"I hope the crowd sees a more energetic, more smiling Marlon," said [Randy] Jordan, the Huskers' running backs coach. "We talk about it all the time, that the biggest thing is to enjoy the ride. Don't be in such a hurry to get to the end of the road. Enjoy the journey. So I hope that they see a Marlon that's going to go out and play hard, and I hope they see that in all of our guys."
Exhibit B:
"I see a difference in him on the field," I-back Cody Glenn said. "When he's out here, he's more happy, he's having fun. When we're in the meeting rooms, he's joking, it seems like. I guess he's put everything in perspective. He just seems real happy right now."
Whatever might have caused his distress, the important thing is that Lucky seems to be feeling better. With the departure of Brandon Jackson and injuries to Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson, the starting job should belong to Lucky in 2007. With his health and a more positive outlook, he now appears ready to grasp this role.
Nebraska running back Kenny Wilson suffered a broken femur in what has to be one of college football's freakiest accidents. Wilson somehow managed to fracture the largest bone in his body while moving a television on Monday. This is clearly a story that raises more questions than answers, but details unfortunately remain unclear at this time (how big was this TV?). Nebraska coach Bill Callahan's only briefly addressed the injury with the media on Wednesday:
"Our hearts go out to Kenny as he tries to rehab from a real tough injury," Callahan said. "This is a real tough circumstance for him. Just when he's seemingly feeling better, this is a tremendous setback for him personally."
Wilson has since undergone surgery to repair his femur and will miss the 2007 season. This is not the first setback for Wilson who was also hospitalized for complications from an infection following off-season knee surgery. The 6-0, 220-pound Wilson had arrived on campus as one of the Husker's most highly-touted recruits after earning junior-college All-American honors at Butler County Community College in Kansas. In 2006 he finished fourth on the team with 335 yards rushing and four touchdowns, while playing behind Brandon Jackson, Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn.
It is surprising to think that a television could get the best of Wilson given that he was virtually impossible to bring down during Nebraska's fall practices.
Fans Are: Sanguine, like every other spring, but anxious to see if the Huskers can take the next step in 2007.
Expectations: Win the Big 12 North. Beat USC or Texas. Contend for a BCS Bowl.
Questions:
1. What's going on at the running back position?
No one really knows right now, and what in the world happened to all of the depth? Brandon Jackson parlayed a strong second half in 2006 into an early exit for the NFL. Marlon Lucky was hospitalized for a curious medical emergency in February and both Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson continue to recover from injuries. Lucky and Glenn should be available for the spring, but it might be August before things really clear up.
Whoever wins the job (and stays healthy) should get a lot of work. Nebraska RBs have combined to account for an average of 403 carries over the past two seasons. If Lucky and Glenn are both available, the Huskers will have a nice 1-2 punch. Without Lucky or Glenn, the picture is less clear. Sophomore Major Culbert, a safety in 2006 will start the spring at RB and early enrollee Marcus Mendoza will also get a look.
it took more than good chance for the condition of Nebraska tailback Marlon Lucky to improve; it took about a week in the hospital.
Nonetheless, the freshman running back from Southern California has been released from the hospital after a secretive weeklong sojourn in Lincoln.
Cornhusker coach Bill Callahan told reporters that Lucky will return to classes and hopefully join the team for Spring workouts--though no one is talking about the nature of Lucky's hospitalization.
All we get from Lincoln are statements like, "I know Marlon's teammates are excited to have him back."
And in the end, that Lucky is better and in good condition is all that matters.
Nebraska tailback Marlon Lucky was hospitalized earlier this week, and nobody knew why. His parents made sure we knew it was not caused by the consumption of alcohol or "illicit drugs" but that was all we knew.
Well as of Wednesday, the Omaha World-Herald is reporting that, at the very least, Lucky is doing better. "Marlon's condition continues to improve," the family told the paper in a prepared statement before continuing, ""We would like to make it clear that Marlon's medical emergency did not come about as a result of the use of alcohol or any illicit drugs."
Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan, who visited Lucky in the hospital added, "Marlon knows that he has the full support of our football team, coaches and entire athletic department. We want to thank everyone for respecting the privacy of Marlon and his family."
Most of the Huskers Nation and college football in general is just hoping that Lucky will get better so he can build on the great start he had to his career in Lincoln.
Lucky was hospitalized Sunday night after police were called to his residence that evening at 11:30.
Lucky, 20, was admitted to BryanLGH West hospital on Sunday evening for "undisclosed medical reasons," according to the Nebraska Athletic Department. A release said the department would have no further comment.
Jordan Picou, an NU offensive lineman who was returning early Monday evening to the two-room apartment the two shared, said hospital personnel would not allow him to see Lucky, but added, "he's cool right now. They're just making sure his organs are OK."
Police and firefighters were dispatched at 8 p.m. to Lucky's home near Capitol Beach Lake, west of downtown. Deputy Fire Chief Pat Borer said a fire engine was at the residence about 20 minutes, and an ambulance was involved for about an hour, which he said was typical when patients are transported to a hospital.
Here's hoping the kid's alright.
I'm going to sound like the guy at the AP Wire for a moment here with necessary filler: Lucky is a sophomore tailback at Nebraska who was second on the team with 728 yards. He scored six touchdowns on the year and is expected to be the Huskers' lead back thanks to the unexpected early NFL departure of junior Brandon Jackson who led the Huskers last year with 989 yards and eight touchdowns.
We've already checked in on the quarterbacks, so why not delve into what's new with the running backs of the Big 12.
It's the year of the Houdini act for college football stars. Our most recent "now you see him, now you don't" star is TCU's defensive terror, Tommy Blake. We're happy to report 
The Red team - made up of the offensive and defensive first-teamers - cruised to a 38-0 "win" over the White team (comprised of the 2nd string and worse) in Nebraska's spring game on Saturday
Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky appears to be 
Nebraska running back Kenny Wilson suffered a broken femur in what has to be one of college football's freakiest accidents. Wilson somehow managed to 
it took more than good chance for the condition of Nebraska tailback Marlon Lucky to improve; it took about a week in the hospital.
