AND then there were two. When BYU’s LaVell Edwards recently announced that he would retire after this season, it left college football with just two living legends: Penn State’s Joe Paterno and Florida State’s Bobby Bowden. No other programs are known for their head coaches.
Where have you gone Bear, Bo and Woody?
“I’ve always had a theory that assistant coaches win games and head coaches lose games,” said Paterno. “So if you want to ask me about how many losing games we’ve had, I can tell you where I’ve screwed up.”
If his assistants can get him seven wins this season – not a given considering that the Nittany Lions are rebuilding and the schedule is a nightmare – Paterno will pass Bear Bryant as the winningest coach in Division I-A history.
Paterno takes his 317 wins and a young defense into today’s Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium against Southern Cal. The Nittany Lions, who must replace the first two picks in the NFL Draft, Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington, not to mention long time defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky who retired (secondary coach Tom Bradley takes over), also play at Ohio State and Michigan in addition to home games against Purdue, Illinois and Michigan State.
Only three times in 34 seasons (1966, 1984, 1988) has Paterno won fewer than seven games. Before asking him about Bear’s record, make certain your chin strap is buckled.
“If it happens, it happens, but it’s not going to be anything I am going to spend any time thinking about,” said Paterno, who recently signed an extension through 2005. “I’ve never been a guy that has been particularly goal-oriented in the sense of how many you win. For me to be worried about winning seven when I just want us to improve is a waste of my time.”
Paterno begins his 35th season as Penn State’s head coach today and we look ahead to the 2000 season.
QUIZ: Which team has the nation’s longest win streak?
ZEBRAS: There are two significant rules changes for this season. Offensive teams can no longer make substitutions and then run up to the line of scrimmage for a quick snap. First offense is a five-yard penalty. Subsequent infractions will cost you 15. Defensive players within a yard of the line of scrimmage can’t make abrupt movements in an attempt to bait offensive players into false starts. Penalty? &&&&
AIRING IT OUT: Playing for BYU means no caffeine, alcohol or premarital sex. But if it’s frequent flier miles you crave, the Cougars will log 10,874 air miles because of games at FSU, Virginia, Air Force and Syracuse.
GET SHORTY: The smallest player in Division I-A is Navy fullback Cee Harris, a 5-3 fullback who could pave the way for Tulsa’s 5-7 tailback Terrence Smalls or Miami of Ohio tailback Steve Little, who’s a towering 5-10.
STATS ALL FOLKS: In addition to JoePa needing seven wins to pass Bryant, look at these numbers. FSU QB Chris Weinke has not thrown an interception in his last 237 attempts . . . Wisconsin is the only Big Ten team to have won consecutive Rose Bowls, winning the last two . . . Kansas State punt returner David Allen needs 172 yards to break Vanderbilt’s Lee Nalley’s NCAA record of 1,695 yards set in 1949 . . . So much for Student Body Right; it’s been 18 years since Southern Cal has had a back rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.
QUOTE OF THE PRESEASON: After Texas pulled out of a game against Hawaii, citing the high cost of the trip, Rainbow Warriors coach June Jones groused, “I’ve never known a Texan to back down from a fight before.” Shortly thereafter, the Hula Bowl rescinded an offer to Texas coach Mack Brown to coach in the postseason all-star game.
QUIZ ANSWER: The Thundering Herd of Marshall has won 18 straight. But QB Chad Pennington now wears the green and white of the Jets and Marshall’s second and third games are at Michigan State and at North Carolina.
TAKE FIVE
Five coaches on the hot seat John Cooper, Ohio St. – Another 6-6 season and Buckeye fans will demand a change. They have never embraced the Tennessean and he’s 2-9-1 against Michigan.
Bob Davie, Notre Dame – Irish are coming off their first losing season (5-7) since Gerry Faust went 5-6 in 1986. And, there’s a new AD in South Bend, Kevin White, who didn’t hire Davie.
Lou Holtz, South Carolina – While Holtz went 0-11 in his first season, South Carolina’s rival, Clemson, went 6-6 under first-year coach Tommy Bowden.
Terry Shea, Rutgers – The Scarlet Knights have won one game over the last two seasons and eight over the last four. AD Bob Mulcahy, who didn’t hire Shea, has given him one more year.
Carl Torbush, North Carolina – He was all but fired until the Tar Heels won the season finale against rival N.C. State and the players appealed to AD Dick Baddour for a stay of execution. No more stays.
Five shoes to fill
DE Nathaniel Adibi, Virginia Tech – Corey Moore made Tech fans forget about Cornell Brown. Adibi, a 6-4 220-pound redshirt freshmen, will need time to make them forget the Lombardi and Nagurski winner.
RB Michael Bennett, Wisconsin – RB Don Dayne won the Heisman Trophy and the 5-10, 247-pound bowling ball led a punishing ground attack. Bennett, a 6-foot, 205-pound speedster, pushes the Badgers.
K Brett Cimorelli, FSU – Remember Wide Right I & II? The Seminoles do. K Sebastian Janikowski solved that problem which now falls to Cimorelli, a true freshman.
QB George Godsey, Georgia Tech – QB Joe Hamilton finished second in the Heisman voting and returned Tech to respectability. Godsey, a junior, threw just 13 passes last season; Tech opens at Virginia Tech.
LB Eric Sturdifen, Penn St. – With superstar Lavar Arrington playing for the Redskins, Sturdifen a 6-2, 227-pound senior, takes over for Paterno at Linebacker U.
12-STEP PROGRAM
The 10 regular-season games and two conference title games that will shape the season.
Today: USC vs Penn St. in East Rutherford – Penn State’s win over Arizona in last year’s Kickoff Classic exposed the Pac 10. Round two?
Sept. 16: Florida at Tennessee – The Gators have won six of the last seven.
Sept. 30: Wisconsin at Michigan – Wolverines handed the Badgers their only loss in 1998 and one of two last year.
Oct. 7: Texas vs Oklahoma in Dallas – For the first time in years, the game will be more important that the Texas State Fair.
Oct. 7: Tennessee at Georgia – Losses to Gators and Bulldogs ends the Vols national title hopes early.
Oct. 7: FSU at Miami – The Hurricanes think they’re national title contenders but they haven’t beaten FSU since 1994.
Oct. 28: Georgia vs Florida in Jacksonville – Georgia coach Jim Donnan is 1-7 vs Florida and Tennessee.
Nov. 4: Virginia Tech at Miami – Butch Davis has never beaten Tech and never won a Big East crown.
Nov. 11: Nebraska at Kansas St. – The winner goes to the Big XII title game
Nov. 18: Florida at FSU – The Seminoles’ most serious challenge to an undefeated season.
Nov. 25: Big XII and SEC championship games – Winners (Texas and Georgia) probably meet in Orange Bowl.
