McCARTHY OBVIOUSLY PISSED

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy held his pre-camp press conference Saturday in Green Bay. The first ten minutes went by without a single question unrelated to that Favre guy.

Obviously, this is the big story surrounding the Packers. However, he's not on the football team, and there's no guarantee he'll ever be again. It's not quite like asking a coach about a player who is holding out, or a guy who is injured and trying to get healthy before camp starts.

Reporters want to know what's going on with Favre. Perhaps they should try asking him. Then again, unless it's a neutered environment with a buddy in the media, Favre's not likely talking.

Not surprisingly, McCarthy seemed a bit perturbed by this. Hard to blame him.

"Well, it has gone on so long for me personally I can't really recall if I was surprised," McCarthy said. "But the way it has gone has been disappointing, I'll say that. You can say that is a surprise."

When asked to expound on that, McCarthy said: "I don't think this is necessary, why we're here today and just the course it has gone."

Also, McCarthy said the June 20th conversation he had with Favre, in which the quarterback said he was told the team was moving on and didn't want him back, wasn't quite as definitive as Favre described.

..."It's not like Brett Favre called me up and I said, 'No way you can't come back.' That wasn't the case."

Surely, no one in the Packers organization wanted this. At the same time, after watching Favre hold them over a barrel for three straight years with this retire-or-not-retire stuff, they can't be terribly surprised.

With Favre apparently threatening to report to camp, the Packers are in an interesting bind.

What do you do?

ESPN's Michael Smith made an idiot of himself on SportsCenter, saying that he didn't think the Packers could trade Favre. Of course, he didn't bother to lay out a way to make "Favre on the roster" work, and only a complete buffoon would think the Packers are going to release Favre knowing he wants to play for the Vikings.

It's really easy to say that the Packers can't trade Favre, but they've committed to Aaron Rodgers, and they're committed to keeping their word. I find it hard to believe anyone could fault the Packers for that with a straight face, but it seems many are setting themselves up to do just that.

HOW MUCH IS SHERMAN TO BLAME?

Longtime readers of this blog know how much a fan I have not been of Mike Sherman.

His reign in Green Bay got off to a promising start, but between Michael Vick, Fourth and 26, Randy Moss, Mike McKenzie, and Javon Walker, there wasn't much that Sherman handled well, either as a coach or a general manager.

I believe we're quickly learning that Sherman also didn't handle the quarterback position very well. Brett Favre should have been in the prime of his career during Sherman's tenure. Instead, his numbers largely plateaued before the big-time regression in 2005 (29 picks and mostly bad decision-making).

What's happened since Mike McCarthy took over? A supposedly aging Favre posted the highest completion percentage and highest average yards per attempt of his career in 2007, while posting his lowest interception percentage since 2000.

Amazing what you can coax out of a guy like Favre when you actually coach him, right?

With that in mind, I've long before come to the conclusion that Sherman didn't bother to coach Favre. We go back to 2005 for this:

You have failed, miserably, to rein in Brett Favre. I know his reputation is that of the "old gunslinger". But Favre is at his best when his coaches are keeping him somewhat under control. The Packers are losing right now, in large part, because Favre has made a bad habit out of throwing uncatchable deep balls that get intercepted. He's back to 1993 form, where he constantly made bad decisions and was often bailed out by butter-fingered defensive backs. It's something he can work himself out of, but he won't do it under this coaching staff. This coaching staff has made it clear that they're not going to try to get Favre under more control. At least, they haven't yet. And it's Week 16. You'd think they would have done it by now.

So, yeah. McCarthy did something that Sherman was either unable or unwilling to do. It's a big part of why Sherman lost his job after this miserable 2005 season, but how much of a role does it play now?

If you believe what I'm saying, that Sherman didn't do his job, could Favre simply be tired of coaching? Is it possible that Brett is done with McCarthy getting in his grill whenever he throws a pick in practice? Did last year take so much out of Favre that he refuses to prepare and study that hard again?

One obvious response that debunks this theory is "Think about where he wants to go". While I don't think a ton of Brad Childress as a head coach just yet, one thing I don't think he's going to do is let Favre play the "WTF? Chuck it deep" offense Sherman had him running in 2005. It doesn't fit the Vikings' personnel or Childress' personality. Same goes for Jon Gruden and Tampa Bay. Gruden would stare a hole right through Favre if he threw picks like the ones he threw in 2005.

So while there might not be much going on here, I still do believe that Sherman's lax style, which runs in direct contrast to what McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson have been known for, had a terribly negative influence on Favre. And Favre's comfort in that style has led to much angst with Thompson.

And remember one more thing. When the reports of Favre's return began to surface, I was the first one to tell you that Aaron Rodgers was the Packers' starter. You probably thought I was nuts.

Then again, so did I. Sometimes, you get lucky.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: PAC 10

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

1. USC
2. Oregon
3. California
4. Arizona State
5. Arizona
6. UCLA
7. Oregon State
8. Washington
9. Stanford
10. Washington State

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN THE PAC-10
Serious losses at Cal, Oregon. The job of chasing down USC atop the league certainly became more difficult for the two next-best teams in the league. There's no question that Jeff Tedford still has a talented team in Berkeley, but the Bears are going to have to make due without leading rusher Justin Forsett (1,546 yards, 15 TD), along with the top five pass receivers. That list includes DeSean Jackson and Lavelle Hawkins, who combined for 127 catches a year ago. They doubled as Cal's top punt and kickoff returners, respectively. Nate Longshore is back under center, and everyone is high on sophomore RB Jahvid Best (pictured), who averaged 7.6 yards per carry in spot duty last year. Meanwhile, Mike Bellotti doesn't have it much easier. QB Dennis Dixon and RB Jonathan Stewart, who combined for almost 4,500 yards from scrimmage and 40 touchdowns last year, have both moved on. There is talent abound at both positions (including impressive-looking sophomore QB Nathan Costa (among seven candidates in the spring) and senior RB Jeremiah Johnson, but the Ducks have to find a way to integrate the new starters quickly, as Washington, Purdue (away), and Boise State are among their first four games.

No one schedules better. More schedule whining here. When I wrote up this idea, I was astounded to see how much better the Pac-10 was at non-conference scheduling when compared to everyone else in the country. Even the league's worst programs in recent years (Arizona, Washington, and Stanford) have done a pretty good job. Arizona plays solid mid-major Toledo and travels to New Mexico. Washington gets BYU, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame (!) at home. Stanford hits the road for TCU and Notre Dame. That's not bad. The only Pac-10 team to play a I-AA (er, FCS) opponent is Arizona State (Northern Arizona), and they make up for that by hosting possible preseason #1 Georgia September 20. Other marquee matchups include Ohio State-USC, California-Maryland, Oregon-Purdue, Oregon State-Penn State, and Tennessee-UCLA. Other leagues should be ashamed of their scheduling, especially considering they have an extra non-conference game (the Pac-10 plays a nine-game league schedule, meaning teams only have three NC games to schedule).

The hot seat returns for Ty Willingham. He never seemed to get off it at Notre Dame, and now he has to deal with it at Washington. Willingham (pictured) took over a mess of a program when Keith Gilbertson got fired, and while he's made some progress in three years, a step back in 2007 leaves his future in doubt. A promising 2-0 start was quickly shot to hell by six straight losses, including four at home. Willingham is 11-25 at UW, and he probably needs a bowl appearance to feel good about things. That will be a problem, thanks to that aforementioned non-conference gauntlet, along with five road games in league play. While the seat is hot for Arizona's Mike Stoops, he is probably in better shape. The hiring of Sonny Dykes to coordinate the offense worked out last year, and ten starters return. Among them is senior QB Willie Tuitama, who's been through quite a bit in his first three years. Leading rusher Nicholas Grigsby and 1,000-yard receiver Mike Thomas are both back, along with four offensive line starters. If Stoops can make something of a depleted defense that was abused in Pac-10 play last year, the Wildcats should go bowling for the first time since 1998.

Rick Neuheisel returns to coaching. I'm sure Washington fans will welcome him back to Seattle with open arms on November 15. Well, open arms and middle fingers, that is. Neuheisel, who caused a few problems at Washington in his last college head-coaching gig, is now at UCLA, where success might not be immediate, but it's probably imminent. If nothing else, Neuheisel has two of the top coordinators in the game. He got Norm Chow back to college football to run his offense, and DeWayne Walker sticks around to handle the defense after coaching the Bruins in their bowl game. Last year's team was jam-packed with experience, so there is some building to do, but it won't take long to get this program going strong. USC now has competition in Los Angeles, though Neuheisel has some work to do before people start confusing him for Pete Carroll.

USC reloads on offense. The league champs (again) and Rose Bowl champs (again) have never had any serious problems replacing star players. Matt Leinart stepped in for Carson Palmer. John David Booty followed their act. Chauncey Washington got some serious help over the last two years filling in for Reggie Bush and LenDale White. This year, they're going to do it again. Booty is gone, giving way to Mark Sanchez, who will be shadowed by Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain. Washington leaves, but Stafon Johnson and Joe McKnight (pictured) lead the charge to be the Trojans' feature back. While leading receiver Fred Davis, a tight end, is gone, the top wideouts all return for Sanchez. Where Carroll's recruiting magic better have worked is along the offensive line, where only LG Jeff Byers returns from last year. Of course, the Trojans return enough great players to field the league's best defense, and if that happens, Sanchez can go ahead and play with a blindfold on and it probably won't keep USC from winning nine or ten games again.

BEST OF THE REST
If Arizona State gets it done against Georgia, look out. The Sun Devils are deep and talented at the skill positions. While they're still a bit smallish up front on defense, they could be a darkhorse threat to win the league. Five returnees in the Oregon State secondary have combined for 98 career starts. The bad news? That's pretty much it for experience on defense. Re-energizing a passing attack that flat-out stunk last year has to be a priority for the Beavers' offensive coaches. While Jim Harbaugh led Stanford to a world-shocking win over USC last year, the Cardinal did still manage to finish 4-8, and they lost to one of the worst Notre Dame teams any of us will ever see. Don't be shocked if Michigan transfer Jason Forcier gets a shot at unseating incumbent starter Tavita Pritchard if the latter struggles early. Welcome to big-time college football, Paul Wulff. The former Eastern Washington coach takes over at Washington State this year. His program lost eight scholarships because of another bad APR. Legal problems have taken a few other guys away. Only 36 letterwinners return from a 2007 team that underachieved and ended up 5-7. Wulff will need time to fix up his alma mater.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Rudy Carpenter, QB, Arizona State
Defensive Player of the Year: Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
Coach of the Year: Mike Bellotti, Oregon
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mike Stoops, Arizona, and Tyrone Willingham, Washington
Best Non-Conference Game: Ohio State at USC, September 13
Worst Non-Conference Game: Northern Arizona at Arizona State, August 30

THE MILITARY TAKES AFTER POLITICIANS

Thanks to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, we bring you an update on the saga of former Army S Caleb Campbell.

Campbell was taken by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. While past pro prospects from the service academies were forced to serve a military commitment before being cleared to play pro football, Campbell was going to benefit from a new rule.

In the past, athletes from West Point were required to serve five years of active duty in the military before they could begin their professional careers, but military rules have changed, and cadets with the ability to play sports professionally are now allowed to do so while helping out with recruiting efforts for two years.

However, in a surprising and poorly-timed flip-flop akin to a political campaign, Campbell has been informed that he will not be allowed to play for the Lions this season. Or next.

In a letter to Lions president Matt Millen dated Wednesday, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan P. Liba wrote that Campbell has been ordered to give up professional football for "full-time traditional military duties."

Liba wrote that 2nd Lt. Campbell may ask to be released from his active duty obligations in May 2010.

Liba said Campbell was allowed to enter the draft "in good faith."

If I'm Millen, I'm livid about this.

Yes, Campbell was a seventh-round pick, and he was probably a better bet to make the practice squad than he was to be a significant player for the Lions this season. That's not the point here.

The point is that the military allowed Campbell to enter the draft, allowed the Lions to choose him, and then pulled the rug out from under both.

As a result, a player who could have taken Campbell's roster spot through the minicamps and organized practices earlier this summer is instead unemployed. Not only that, but the Lions, who invested many hours into preparing Campbell for his first NFL training camp, are now short a safety at a time where it could be difficult to find one of NFL caliber.

Frankly, the Lions should be allowed to seek financial restitution from the military, in the amount of whatever it costs to sign a player for Campbell's spot on the roster.

Just because the military is a part of our government doesn't mean they have to act like the snakes who run our government.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: MOUNTAIN WEST

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

1. BYU
2. TCU
3. Utah
4. New Mexico
5. Wyoming
6. UNLV
7. Air Force
8. Colorado State
9. San Diego State

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN MOUNTAIN WEST
BYU = BCS? Head coach Bronco Mendenhall has coined the phrase "Quest for Perfection" to describe the upcoming season. They've won ten in a row since a loss to Tulsa in their third game of 2007. Efficient, accurate QB Max Hall now has 13 starts under his belt. The top rusher and top four receivers return. Things are setting up well in Provo. Hall (right) threw 26 touchdowns a year ago, and he gets to throw to Austin Collie, Dennis Pitta, and Michael Reed again. Harvey Unga returns as feature back after compiling over 1,800 yards from scrimmage last year. Mendenhall does have to patch together a defense, but he gets to build it around athletic DE Jan Jorgensen, who picked up 14 sacks last year. MLB David Dixon is the only returning starter who doesn't play on the defensive line. Guys like Scott Johnson, Brandon Howard, and G Pittman aren't experienced corners, but they're plenty talented to handle starting assignments.

Utah looks to rebound from injury-riddled season. Starting QB Brian Johnson (right) missed significant time and was probably never 100 percent. Starting RB Matt Asiata broke his leg in the season opener. Leading receiver Brent Casteel blew out his knee in the Utes' second game. As a result, it took quite some time for Utah's offense to find its footing. By the time it finally did, the Utes were staring up from a 1-3 hole. They finished by winning eight of their last nine, including a Poinsettia Bowl win over Navy. With that in mind, Johnson, Asiata, and Casteel are all going to be healthy. Add to that RB Darrell Mack (also pictured), who stepped in and ran for over 1,200 yards, and WR Brandon Godfrey, who caught 50 passes and is Utah's leading returning receiver. Oh, and Kyle Whittingham still has guys like DEs Koa Misi and Paul Kruger, along with OLB Stevenson Sylvester, on the defense. While this is likely to be a very good team again, their top-end players don't quite match up to BYU's.

Colorado State changes coaches. Sonny Lubick did great things in Fort Collins. He won 108 games in 15 years, led the Rams to nine bowl games, and he also won or shared six conference championships, most recently in 2002. Lubick struggled to get this program going in recent years, however. The Rams have won just sven games over two years, haven't won a bowl game since the 2001 New Orleans Bowl, and the administration convinced Lubick to retire after last season. Enter Steve Fairchild, a former CSU QB and most recently the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Fairchild has quite a task in front of him, and making it tougher is the fact that the Rams return just 12 starters. In a way, this is a good thing, as Fairchild has no reason not to conduct a competition for most, if not all, starting positions. The offensive coaches took an unusual step to helping the new QBs out. They've programmed their passing plays into Madden 08 for the PlayStation 2, and the four candidates take turns playing it every day. Fairchild was a good hire, but this rebuild is going to take a while.

Wyoming tries to bounce back. The Cowboys' 2007 collapse was capped by coach Joe Glenn's embarrassing one-finger salute toward the Utah sideline after an onside kick. Glenn had guaranteed a win over Utah, and the Utes apparently decided a 43-0 lead wasn't enough. Your mileage may vary on the Utes' decision to onside, but you can't justify Glenn's inability to control his emotions. A 4-1 start crumbled away in a 1-6 finish. After the loss to Utah, Wyoming got blown out by BYU and upset by Colorado State. The talent exists for Glenn to engineer a turnaround. Junior QB Karsten Sween, senior RB Devin Moore (pictured), and junior WR Greg Bolling lead the offense, which sports all five starters from last year on the offensive line. Three junior linemen (Mitch Unrein, Fred Givens, and John Fletcher) and senior LB Ward Dobbs are the best players on defense. Glenn expects seniors Michael Ray and Quincy Rogers to provide stability in the secondary.

Air Force tries to follow a great year. Troy Calhoun maxed out the talents of his players a year ago, leading them to a nine-win season that included wins over Mountain West powers TCU and Utah. The Falcons have to find a way to follow up on that this year, and it is going to be potentially tougher than last year was for Calhoun. To do it again, he and his staff are going to have to max out the talents of 14 new starters, including a new QB, new RBs, and new receivers. Defensively, Air Force has to find new starting corners and replace most of its LB depth. The biggest loss is that of QB Shaun Carney, who totaled over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and directed the offense to nearly 30 points per game, increasing production by nearly a touchdown per game from a year earlier.

BEST OF THE REST
Gary Patterson has won at least ten games four times in seven years at TCU, and this team has the talent to make it five out of eight. An uncharacteristically leaky defense should be healthier, and the Horned Frogs have plenty of experience on offense. Quick: Name the only Mountain West school to be bowl-eligible each of the last seven years. You probably got it wrong, as it's not likely you'd guess New Mexico. The Lobos snapped a 46-year bowl win drought last year with a 23-0 win over Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl, and Rocky Long hopes his young team can find a way to get back to the postseason this year. No seat is hotter than that of Mike Sanford at UNLV. The Rebels have won just six games in three years, though things are looking up this season. Omar Clayton and Travis Dixon are locked in a solid QB competition heading into fall camp. Sanford finally has some experienced receivers and runners to operate his spread offense. It's up to those players to stay healthy, and the defense to improve quicker than it has been. Losing a starting QB isn't something that is going to lead to higher expectations when your team is coming off a 4-8 season. San Diego State has to replace Kevin O'Connell, along with leading receivers Brett Swain and Chaz Schilens. Of course, a defense that allowed a staggering 34 points per game is going to have to come around for Chuck Long if his team is to climb into the upper division of this league.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Max Hall, QB, BYU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jan Jorgensen, DE, BYU
Coach of the Year: Gary Patterson, TCU
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mike Sanford, UNLV
Best Non-Conference Game: Utah at Michigan, August 30
Worst Non-Conference Game: Stephen F. Austin at TCU, September 6

DO NOT SPEAK TO THIS MAN

On the surface, this all appears to be kind of silly.

The Green Bay Packers, in the midst of one of the biggest quandaries in their long history, have decided to go on the offensive. The reasoning, method, and timing are all questionable, but their target is clear.

It's the Vikings.

Green Bay filed a tampering charge against the Vikings recently, claiming that offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has had "inappropriate contact" (football related, we think) with Brett Favre.

Favre is retired, but he is still the property of the Packers, as he retired with years left on his contract. Therefore, any contact Favre has with officials from another team about the prospects of joining that team are considered against the rules.

Though it's unclear what the Packers have for evidence, they are probably alleging that Bevell and Favre, known to be good friends ever since Bevell was Favre's position coach in Green Bay, discussed the chances of Favre playing in Minnesota. The Packers' allegation, according to one report, goes so far as to claim the Vikings are the reason for Favre's sudden interest in a comeback.

Look: Favre and Bevell are friends. I would hate for NFL rules to restrict their ability to talk to each other, especially as Favre goes through a difficult time in his professional career. That said, I also understand why the league so greatly frowns on this stuff.

A few hot-button questions that I can answer:

1. Why does this rule apply to retired players? Because Favre is under contract. If you allowed teams to contact retired players from other teams, you'd have disgruntled players retiring to facilitate their own free agency. That would be a really bad thing.

2. What can happen to the Vikings? If the NFL finds them guilty, the organization could face fines or a loss of one or more draft picks.

3. Will this change the Packers strategy in this drama? Probably not. It would never have made sense to release Favre, even if you thought he would only go to the Lions. There's no reason to trade Favre until you get a stronger hint that he'll apply for reinstatement.

4. Is there any way Favre could end up with the Vikings? Not by trade. Ted Thompson would never do that. However, I do think it's possible that Favre will not apply for reinstatement until Week Six. If that happens, the Packers could very easily cut him instead of dealing with the BS and the distractions. Even if he signs with the Vikings, he's going to be at least two weeks away from jumping in as the starting QB.

Ah, soap operas. So much more fun involving sports.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: MID-AMERICAN

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

EAST DIVISION
1. Miami (Ohio)
2. Bowling Green
3. Buffalo
4. Temple
5. Kent State
6. Ohio
7. Akron

WEST DIVISION
1. Ball State
2. Central Michigan
3. Western Michigan
4. Toledo
5. Northern Illinois
6. Eastern Michigan

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN MID-AMERICAN
Temple and Buffalo. There's no better way to describe this storyline than by simply saying "Temple and Buffalo". By themselves, and without any attached context, this means nothing to most of you. Temple hasn't had a winning season for 17 years. They haven't even won more than four games in a season since 1990. On its surface, a four-win season isn't anything special. But for Temple, who endured a myriad of injuries, started a slew of freshmen, and started 0-5, a 4-8 finish is something to build on. The Owls are the only Division I-A team to return all 11 starters on each side of the ball. A bowl game is not out of sight, believe it or not. The same could be said for Buffalo. The Bulls don't have 22 starters back, but they do have 18. They won five MAC games a year ago, matching their total from the previous four years combined. The Bulls have a senior QB in Drew Willy (pictured) who has started 28 games over three years. Coach Turner Gill appeared to be a favorite for the Nebraska job (his alma mater) before deciding to stay in Buffalo. He should reap the benefits of his decision this year, as the Bulls have the tools to at least be bowl-eligible, and they'll challenge Miami and Bowling Green for the league title.

LeFevour fever. A 1-3 start, featuring blowout losses to Kansas, Purdue, and North Dakota State (!), left the Chippewas reeling under first-year coach Butch Jones. CMU rallied, winning five of six, claiming the West Division title, and blowing by Miami in the MAC title game. Despite a porous defense, the Chips gave Purdue all they could handle in the Motor City Bowl thanks to QB Dan LeFevour (right), who is the latest in a long line of elite MAC QBs. He threw for 300 or more yards in four games, topped 3,600 yards passing, and chipped in over 1,100 yards on the ground. LeFevour's 46 total TDs included 19 scores on the ground, placing him only behind Tim Tebow among Division I-A quarterbacks. LeFevour has already started 26 games, and he's mastered the Chippewas' spread offense. Expect more big numbers this year, as CMU returns all their top skill-position players and four starters on the offensive line.

QB experience all over the MAC. While many of the MAC's 13 teams struggled to generate a consistent passing game last year, they'll all have a great opportunity to improve in 2008. 12 of the league's 13 teams return their starting quarterback from 2007. Among them are West Division stars LeFevour and Nate Davis (Ball State). Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) disappointed coaches with some of his decision-making, but he returns for another season. Toledo's Aaron Opelt needs to stay healthy. Tyler Sheehan (Bowling Green) should become an Omar Jacobs-like star this year. Willy and Adam DiMichele (Temple) both have the chance to continue their teams' respective surges. Daniel Raudabaugh (Miami) may have to fend off a freshman (Clay Belton) to even keep his job. Ohio is the only team that has to replace last year's starter.

Ball State's offense should continue to shine. Off their first winning season since 1996, the Cardinals have the goods to make the leap atop the MAC West this season. QB Nate Davis has room to improve (completion percentage around 57), but he takes care of the football (nine picks in over 700 career attempts). He's the triggerman for an offense that is as formidable as any in this league. Ball State gets all eleven starters back, including 100-catch WR Dante Love, a TE in Darius Hill who scored 11 times last year. The Cardinals need to get more consistency out of the running game (held under 100 yards in four of their last six regular-season games), and they're banking on the idea that seven returning starters will bolster a defense that was flat-out abused against the run (204 yards per game, including over 200 yards in six of 13 games). Phil Steele wants to point out that the Cardinals were plus-17 in turnover ratio last year, meaning they're likely in for a less fortunate season, too. That said, they're ready to make the leap, and this year might be their best chance.

MAC woes continue. Despite some on-field success and more exciting offenses, the MAC continues to struggle against the big boys. In 2007, the MAC went 5-37 against teams from BCS conferences, but didn't win a single game against a BCS team that finished with a winning record. They also went 0-3 in bowl games, including Bowling Green's 63-7 waxing at the hands of Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl. This year doesn't look good, with such doozies as Miami at Michigan, Miami at Cincinnati, Temple at Penn State, Bowling Green at Pittsburgh, Ohio at Ohio State, Akron at Wisconsin, Boston College at Kent State, Central Michigan at Georgia, etc. Good luck, MAC. Hopefully, your improved football teams can spring an upset or two.

BEST OF THE REST
I mentioned the potential QB controversy at Miami, as Belton tries to snatch some snaps away from Raudabaugh, who struggled mightily at times last year. Whoever gets the job has talent to throw to, led by sophomore Eugene Harris and junior Dustin Woods. The RedHawks will battle Bowling Green for the East Division title again. Sheehan (right) is an accurate thrower in an offense that demands accuracy. The Falcons' spread attack does rely on the ability to run the ball and keep the offense diverse, and they didn't do such a good job of that last year, averaging 40 pass attempts per game (50 or more in four of their first five games). Kent State won their opener at Iowa State last year, started 2-1, and finished the season 3-9 thanks to a scattershot passing game and a secondary that seemed to get worse throughout the season. To improve, it would be super if they could stay healthy at QB, where four different players started games last year. Frank Solich seems to have the offense tuned up at Ohio, as the Bobcats topped 30 points a game last year. A defense that allowed 30 or more points in five of six losses sunk their bowl hopes. Solich hopes senior LB Michael Brown will lead an improvement. A rebuilding process is underway at Akron, where the Zips will play in the Rubber Bowl for the last time this year. Coach JD Brookhart seeks improvement from QB Chris Jacquemain, who leads a passing game that has to get something positive going without leading receiver Jabari Arthur. There are too many losses on defense for the Zips to be much of an East Division factor. If Hiller doesn't watch out, sophomore Drew Burdi might wrestle the QB job away from him at Western Michigan. He has a top target in Jamarko Simmons to go along with the emerging Schneider Julien. The Broncos are another team that needs to show improvement on defense. A late-season upset at Iowa last year may help propel WMU to the bowl picture. Tom Amstutz has hit a bump in the road at Toledo for the first time. Injuries have ravaged the QB position, and now they have to deal with the loss of leading rusher Jalen Parmele. Amstutz knows the run defense has to improve after finishing last in the MAC (215 yards per game allowed), and his team also has to survive a brutal schedule (at Arizona, vs. Fresno State, at Michigan in non-conference play). Jerry Kill comes from a successful Southern Illinois program to take over at Northern Illinois. The cupboard isn't bare with the departure of Joe Novak, as the Huskies have a staggering 21 starters back. If Kill can guide this team through the first five games (four on the road) without their confidence taking a hit, they could be a surprise team. The seat is warming quickly for Jeff Genyk at Eastern Michigan. Genyk is very optimistic about the upcoming year, but the odds of EMU earning their first postseason trip since 1987 are not good. If they're going to build a winner, expect it to be done with an improved offense. QB Andy Schmitt needs to stay healthy and improve his consistency. If he doesn't, sophomore Kyle McMahon has the edge in mobility and may steal the job.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois
Coach of the Year: Turner Gill, Buffalo
Coach on the Hot Seat: Jeff Genyk, Eastern Michigan
Best Non-Conference Game: UTEP at Buffalo, August 28
Worst Non-Conference Game: Northeastern at Ball State, August 28

BRETT FAVRE SPEAKS, SHOULDN'T HAVE

For the sake of Brett Favre, let's hope he's inhaled some fumes from that tractor of his.

Everyone in Wisconsin appreciates what Favre did for the Green Bay Packers. Even Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy. Favre refuses to understand this, instead evidently choosing to believe that Thompson especially has been trying to push him out the door since 2005.

After requesting his release last week, Favre has given an interview to Packers shareholder Greta Van Susteren of Fox News. In the interview, Favre shows signs of senility, apparently believing the Packers are stupid.

...while Favre said the Packers asked him for a list of teams to which he would accept a trade, he wants to be released to make sure he ends up on a competitive club.

Wait. You want to pick your team, but only on your terms?

Screw that!

The Packers are responsible for one thing here, and that's not Brett Lorenzo Favre. It's the Green Bay Packers.

And in this instance, what's best for Brett isn't what's best for the Packers.

Favre wants a release because he "didn't feel welcome". Typical BS athlete whining.

The truth is that Brett Favre decided he didn't want to play football anymore. He did this on his own, 44 days after a crushing end to the season that was largely his fault (see right). No one pushed him to retire. To the contrary, the Packers made it clear that they wanted him back.

Favre wanted out. He got out. He could have come back in March, but backed out.

Now, it's too late.

Aaron Rodgers is starting. Favre gets to take part in an open competition for the job in a best-case scenario in Green Bay, and he doesn't feel he should have to do that.

Understandable, but it means Favre has to go elsewhere.

With that in mind, does he really think the Packers are going to release him so he can sign with the Vikings or Bears? Instead, his best option is to find teams that are interested in him, narrow down the list to the most competitive franchises, and work out a deal.

It's the most amicable way out of Green Bay, which was what agent Bus Cook said they wanted. Instead, Favre, Cook, and their inner circle seem to have brokered the most acrimonious situation possible. They allowed this to go public, basically forced the Packers to respond in public, and have now seen this issue reel out of control.

This is July. Nothing happens in July. They had to know this would happen.

In the end, Favre thinks he's owed free agency by the Packers. It's insane. Favre signed a ten-year contract seven years ago. He did it because he wanted to finish his career in Green Bay, and the Packers offered him a deal he couldn't pass up. Now, he wants out of that deal for convenience. He thinks the Packers should up and release a contracted player, setting him up to go wherever he wants without compensation.

As bad as we all think Kevin McHale is, at least he didn't release Kevin Garnett.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers continues to do something Favre was apparently allergic to. He's being a teammate and being "one of the guys". Despite the insistence of many Favre loyalists, who assume the veterans want Favre back, this behavior appears to be rubbing off on the other players, and Rodgers is getting some support.

Rodgers said he has received supportive calls and text messages from numerous teammates over the past couple of days, including offensive linemen Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton and wideout Greg Jennings. He also has shown his leadership skills by actively mentoring Brohm and Flynn, a stark contrast to the chilly reception he got from Favre after joining the team.

“I’ve been trying to be as open as I can possibly be,” Rodgers said. “I told both Brian and Matt from the start that if they have any questions, they should come to me and I’ll help them in any way I can. Because making them better is making our team better.”

Maybe Favre can try this "teammate" thing in his new locale.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: CONFERENCE USA

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

EAST DIVISION
1. Central Florida
2. Marshall
3. East Carolina
4. Memphis
5. Southern Mississippi
6. UAB

WEST DIVISION
1. Tulsa
2. SMU
3. Houston
4. Rice
5. UTEP
6. Tulane

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN CONFERENCE USA
June Jones to the Metroplex. There was probably no bigger coaching change in college football than this one. SMU's program has been a joke since the Death Penalty sanctions imposed by the NCAA a little more than 20 years ago. They haven't been to a bowl since 1984, and athletic director Steve Orsini finally had enough. He fired Phil Bennett after a 1-6 start to the 2007 season. Then, at the end of the year, he found a way to get June Jones to join his program from Hawai'i. Jones had probably accomplished all he could with the Warriors, thanks to a shoestring budget he was saddled with. At SMU, he'll make some $2 million per year, he has a relatively new on-campus football stadium, and he has a job in one of the richest recruiting bases in the country. So, yeah, this won't take long. Short-term, the prognosis is good. He's got some speed to work with at the skill positions, and he has a junior QB in Justin Willis who has already started 22 games. Shoring up a defense that allowed over 300 passing yards per game last year is the first priority.

Central Florida gets it done with defense. They're going to have to. The two rocks of the Knights' offense last year were RB Kevin Smith (2,567 yards, 30 total TD) and QB Kyle Israel (2,173 yards, 15 TD). Michael Greco, who transferred from NC State in 2005, seems to have the inside track on replacing Israel. Smith's old job is wide-open, with upwards of six players in line for a shot at it in the fall. Meanwhile, George O'Leary has no such problems on the other side of the ball. The Knights return nine starters on what could be Conference USA's top defense, including their top seven tacklers. Also back are the co-leaders in interceptions from a year ago, CBs Joe Burnett (right) and Johnell Neal. The experienced, talented secondary features four senior starters who have already combined to start an astounding 134 games at UCF. If the Knights can find a way to generate enough pass rush, the secondary will likely put up some great numbers.

Is Mark Snyder in trouble? Longtime head coach Bob Pruett retired in 2004, just as Marshall was up against some NCAA sanctions and a move to a tougher conference (leaving the MAC for Conference USA). A program used to bowl appearances, conference titles, and NFL-caliber talent (Chad Pennington, Byron Leftwich, Randy Moss, etc.) wasn't going to take well to rebuilding, but that was in the cards. Snyder is just 12-23 in three seasons, including 3-9 a year ago. However, things are looking up. Marshall returns 17 starters, 33 players on the roster who have started a game, and 41 total letterwinners back. The Herd need to replace a starting QB in Bernard Moore, but the coaches like redshirt freshman Mark Cann, who currently sits atop the depth chart. Improvement will be expected if Marshall is to win games this season, and a big part of that will be a defense that was destroyed last year. The Herd allowed 34 points per game, couldn't stop anyone running or passing the ball. Snyder's job security is in question, and results are needed this year, in all likelihood.

Where did all the runners go? A look at Conference USA shows a startling number of star RBs gone from last year. Marcus Thomas (UTEP), Anthony Aldridge (Houston), Matt Forte (Tulane), Chris Johnson (ECU), Smith (UCF), and Joseph Doss (Memphis) are all gone, and they take 9,686 yards and 104 rushing TDs (118 total) with them. And that's just the 2007 total. Needless to say, there are a ton of teams in Conference USA with top runners to replace, with UCF and Tulane the most hurt, as Smith and Forte each cleared 2,000 yards a year ago. Perhaps this is a nod to Southern Miss (Damion Fletcher) and Tulsa (Tarrion Adams), both of whom return 1,000-yard rushers from last season. Or maybe it's a sign that Conference USA will lean more toward air attacks this season than ever before.

Tulsa reloads. For the first time since 2004, Paul Smith will not be under center (or in the shotgun) for the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa has plenty of talent surrounding the new starter, who will be senior David Johnson. WRs Trae Johnson(right) and Charles Clay combined for 139 catches last year, and while Brennan Marion only caught 39 passes, he averaged a record 31.9 (!) yards per catch. Adams returns in the backfield, and he's a solid receiver. Johnson should be well-protected by a solid offensive line. The schedule is favorable, with only a home date against New Mexico posing any major issues among Tulsa's first five games. With that in mind, Johnson should be well-established before an October 11 game at SMU.

BEST OF THE REST
East Carolina should threaten for the top spot in the East, thanks to a strong defense and improved passing attack. However, replacing a key player like Johnson may be too much to ask for this offense. Believe it or not, Tommy West of Memphis is the longest-tenured head coach in the league. He's been there since 2001. If they can figure out the defensive issues that plagued them throughout the season, Memphis should also be a factor in the East. Southern Miss made the most controversial coaching change, letting Jeff Bower go after 17 seasons. Former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Larry Fedora gets the job, and he'll bring his no-huddle attack with him. Fletcher should benefit greatly in this offense. Neil Calloway fielded a thin football team last year, but the second-year UAB coach did it out of necessity. He flushed the bad apples out of the program, and now has quite the rebuilding project. The numbers indicate that this will be another rough year in Birmingham, but the Blazers will continue to improve gradually. New Houston coach Kevin Sumlin is highly-regarded and probably not long for this job. While he's there, expect the Cougars to continue with their high-flying offense. With Sumlin's background as a recruiter at schools like Oklahoma and Texas A&M, UH's profile on the national scene is likely to rise considerably. Rice was running the wishbone as recently as 2005. Now, the Owls have a passing attack that is top-notch, thanks to QB Chase Clement and WR Jarett Dillard. Expect Rice to return to bowl contention this year after a 3-9 season in David Bailiff's debut. If sophomore QB Trevor Vittatoe can build off a 31-touchdown freshman season, UTEP should improve off their 4-8 record from 2007. Much will also be decided by whether they can find a RB to replace Thomas, who was a huge part of the offense last year. No team in the league has to replace a player as important as Forte. Bob Toledo returns a ton of players from last year's team, but for Tulane to get any better in a tough division, all the skill-position players have to perform better in Forte's absence. That's probably too much to ask.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Tarrion Adams, RB, Tulsa
Defensive Player of the Year: Joe Burnett, CB, UCF
Coach of the Year: June Jones, SMU
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mark Snyder, Marshall
Best Non-Conference Game: South Florida at Central Florida, September 6
Worst Non-Conference Game: Central Arkansas at Tulsa, September 27

SMOKE LEAVING GIBBS

In a move that is designed to secure his long-term future in NASCAR, Tony Stewart has gotten out of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, effective at the end of the season. "Smoke", as they call him, has had his eye on team ownership for some time, it seems, and he's going to make the move next year to become an owner/driver.

Stewart's buying into Haas/CNC Racing to the tune of a 50 percent share. It's expected that the new team will be called Stewart Haas Racing, with Stewart driving one car and another driver - reportedly Ryan Newman - being brought in for the other. Stewart has apparently lined up some serious sponsors, including Office Depot (their deal with Carl Edwards is up and will apparently not be renewed). Possibly of even greater importance to Stewart will be his return to driving Chevrolet racecars.

Obviously, Stewart is not doing this to win a championship in 2009. He's doing it because of the long-term opportunities that come with team ownership. While Haas/CNC has struggled this year, there's no reason to believe they'll continue to with two big-name drivers. Stewart gives them immediate credibility. So would Newman.

Right now, neither Haas car is regularly qualifying for races, as both sit outside the top 35 in Sprint Cup owner points. Scott Riggs has been driving the 66 car this season, and he hasn't posted any finish higher than 16th. They're 36th in owner points, meaning Riggs has to make races on speed, as only the top 35 in owner points qualify automatically for each race. The other Haas car, number 70, is primarily driven by Johnny Sauter. That one is even worse off in owner points, ranked 44th, and Sauter's best finish is 28th. Jason Leffler, who is having a fine season in the Nationwide Series, will attempt to qualify the 70 for Saturday's race at Chicagoland.

This leads me to my big question.

While I don't expect Stewart or Newman to win championships right away, I do expect them to be in the top 35. That is going to put a lot of pressure on other drivers who are currently gaining automatic entry into the races.

Of those in the lower reaches of the top 35, I see guys like Regan Smith, Michael McDowell, and Reed Sorensen really having to step up their game next season. I don't think Sam Hornish will stay where he is (35th in owner points) for very much longer, though the season-long struggles of Penske Racing in general might hurt him in his effort to climb the standings.

Another team that will be under tremendous pressure will be the Pettys. Kyle Petty's 45 car is having a miserable year, no matter who drives it. They need to find a way to turn that around, because they aren't helping anything in the company by missing races, and they're in danger of doing that because Terry Labonte is running out of champion's provisionals to use.