Line of Scrimmage: Combine questions have a need for speed

Football Betting Lines

02/22/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Class was back in session for prospective graduates into the football profession when the world's most celebrated college job fair, the NFL Scouting Combine, got underway Wednesday, even though this year's two most prominent applicants planned to play hooky from a few courses.

But while the unsurprising decisions of quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III to decline from taking part in throwing drills deducts some of the drama from an event that's transformed itself into an offseason staple for fans and draft nicks in recent years, the extensive uncertainty that surrounds the 326 other players who are showcasing their abilities in Indianapolis in the coming days ensures there'll be more than enough intrigue to keep onlookers' attention.

With the two marquee quarterbacks and top candidates for this year's No. 1 overall draft pick limiting their schedule in preparation for their forthcoming pro days, the Combine's spotlight now falls on an interesting wide receiver pool that's as chock full of mystery as high-end talent.

Teams in search of a young pass-catcher with size will have a wealth of promising options available for their perusal because the wideout group is loaded with tantalizing big-bodied prospects. Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, South Carolina's Alshon Jeffrey, Rutgers' Mohamed Sanu and Wisconsin's Nick Toon are among a deluge of receivers weighing 215 pounds or above, with Blackmon the lone member of that lot believed to measure under 6-foot-2.

With so many similarly built alternatives at the position, how each performs in Sunday's 40-yard dash will likely have a significant say in where they're taken in April's draft. And perhaps no one has as much riding on the race as Jeffery, considered a first-round lock entering this past season before showing up out of shape and displaying questionable separation skills during a very disappointing junior campaign with the Gamecocks.

Floyd will be coming in with much to prove as well following a up-and-down collegiate career plagued by injuries, but the former Golden Domer's most important test may be the one that takes place away from the field. With three alcohol-related arrests at Notre Dame and a reputation for being a bit soft, how the 22-year-old handles himself in pre-draft interviews might have the biggest impact on his stock.

The two-time Biletnikoff Award-winner Blackmon's credentials should help combat a possible slip caused by a poor time in the 40-yard dash, but the dynamic All-American could be in danger of dropping out of the top 10 if he runs closer to the 4.6 range than a 4.45. A slow clocking also would create an opening for Kendall Wright, Griffin's former Baylor teammate who's fully expected to burn up the track at Lucas Oil Stadium, to potentially be the first receiver taken in April.

For the defensive hopefuls, the day to watch will be Monday, when the linemen and linebacker groups have their auditions. A 2011 season that produced more yards via the air than any other in NFL history by a cavernous margin has furthered an already pressing need to find and develop effective pass rushers, giving those prospects who can demonstrate explosive qualities in that area the best opportunity to make an impression.

With this also being an era in which multiple defenses are en vogue, players who can exhibit the capability of serving as both a down end in a 4-3 alignment and an outside linebacker in a 3-4 will put themselves in demand. South Carolina's Melvin Ingram, Southern Cal's Nick Perry and 2011 NCAA sack leader Whitney Mercilus of Illinois all starred as disruptive ends in 4-3 fronts, but each would rocket up draft boards by acing the agility drills designed to evaluate one's viability as a standup rusher.

Conversely, Alabama's Courtney Upshaw flourished coming off the edge in Nick Saban's 3-4 scheme, but would surely boost his status by showing the requisite bulk and strength to hold up against the run as a lineman.

With that brief guide to this year's Combine now complete, it's now time to turn the attention to everyone's favorite offseason subject -- the draft. Though conducting a first-round mock prior to free agency is in reality a pointless exercise, here's a stab at the first 10 picks:

1) Indianapolis Colts: Luck

2) Washington Redskins (trade with St. Louis Rams): Griffin

3) Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4) Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

6) Rams (trade with Redskins): Blackmon

7) Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

8/9) Carolina Panthers: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

8/9) Miami Dolphins: Ingram

10: Buffalo Bills: Upshaw

EXTRA POINTS

*The first major free agent move of this offseason may wind up as being one of the more curious ones. Kansas City's signing of Oakland castoff Stanford Routt on Monday was a rather obvious indication that the Chiefs deem wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to be a higher priority than Brandon Carr, who could be the most sought-after cornerback of this year's class when he presumably hits the market. But with ample cap space and minus an abundance of pressing needs, the team appeared to have the financial flexibility to bring both key contributors back and bolster a title run in a wide-open AFC West. Though certainly a starting-caliber talent, Routt is three years older than Carr (29 to 26) and led all cornerbacks with 17 penalties this past season.

*Routt, incidentally, made $10 million in 2011 in the first year of a bloated $54.5 million pact he received from the Raiders last February, one of several head-scratching maneuvers made by the late Al Davis that placed the Silver and Black in their present state of cap peril. With Oakland still on the hook for $5 million in guaranteed money, he's set to pocket $11 million this season with this new deal, and that previous bad contract may also have played a part in the Chiefs' expected decision to choose Bowe over Carr as their franchise player. The salary tender for cornerbacks is $10.6 million in 2012, compared to $9.4 million for wide receivers.

*Prior to Routt's signing, the Chiefs had nearly $50.2 million of space under this season's projected cap according to our friends at the South Florida Sun- Sentinel (you can view the chart here: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/sfl-nfl-salary-cap- teams-2012,0,5969798.htmlstory ). That's second only to Cincinnati's $59 million in available funds, with Denver ($48.5 million), Tampa Bay ($48.1 million), Jacksonville ($46.4 million) and Washington ($41.3) also in position to be big spenders in free agency. The Raiders ($15.6 million) are one of four teams presently over the cap along with Pittsburgh ($27.4 million), Carolina ($5.2 million over) and the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants ($1.7 million), with Detroit ($712,000 under) and the New York Jets ($2.3 million under) also lacking much operating room at the moment.

*Speaking of the Steelers, there's been a lot of speculation about Ben Roethlisberger's perceived unhappiness over the team's parting with offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. The bigger story may be how Big Ben reacts if Pittsburgh loses top receiver Mike Wallace due to its perilous cap situation, as the restricted free agent would be well worth the first-round compensation a contender would have to surrender to sign him away. There's a good chance the Steelers wouldn't be able to match a lucrative competing offer, and franchising Wallace isn't an option either without substantially paring down the payroll.

*ESPN's removal of Ron Jaworski from the "Monday Night Football" broadcast booth isn't overly surprising, especially if the rumors that the World Wide Leader is keeping a seat open in the hopes that Peyton Manning calls it a career are accurate, as the more bombastic Jon Gruden's over-the-top approach is more in line with the network's preferences. Still, it's another example of how the league or its partners cater more to the casual, fantasy-centric fan than the hardcore loyalists who favor insightful and intelligent analysis.

*Quote of the Week: "Hue Jackson was hired by the Bengals last week, but you could say he's been working for them since last October." -- National Football Post's Dan Pompei in reference to Jackson's one-sided trade with Cincinnati for declining quarterback Carson Palmer while then the Raiders' head coach.

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2007 online football betting Preview

My fellow Americans, as tempting as it may be to don the coat and HD-ready tie in order to deliver this State of the Game address before the cameras, I know better. As Brad Paisley sings on his latest album, "I'm so much cooler online."

The ideas for this annual essay to kick off the MySportsbook.com college football betting preview flowed like frat-house beer, which is to say they were cheap and spilled all over the floor. The 2007 season will be better than 2007, if only because there will be more of it. A year ago, the NCAA Football Rules Committee made two rule changes in the interest of speeding up the game. These changes went over like Kobe burgers at a vegan banquet.

To its credit, the rules committee rectified its mistakes. This season the clock once again will start when a kickoff is received, rather than when it is kicked, and the clock will not start so quickly on a change of possession.

However, kickoffs have been moved back five yards, to the 30, which will force more returns. (Thus forcing the clock to run. Clever, huh?) Special teams might decide a lot of games, because coaching strategy will come straight out of another new Paisley lyric (almost), I'd like to check you for kicks.

Paisley sings with a twang, which is why he's appropriate for this college football season. The sun coming up over the 2007 college football betting lines season rises from the south. It's a Southern football world. As the Southeastern Conference begins its 75th year, the power shift is noticeable.

Eight-figure budgets, glamorous settings -- and that's just for the head coaches. The SEC has four coaches who have won national championships -- the greatest aggregation of coaching know-how since Eddie Robinson dined alone.

Steve Spurrier, Phil Fulmer, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer have given lie to the idea that a conference championship game is too daunting a hurdle on the road to No. 1. In six of the past 10 seasons, the national champions played and won a conference championship game -- three of the six (Tennessee, 1998; LSU, 2003; Florida, 2007) from the SEC.

2007 College Football Betting Preview

There will be more of the same this season, if the preseason prognostications are correct. Six SEC teams are in the preseason coaches' poll, more than from any other conference. Only one conference has talent so deep that a team with 15 returning starters, including the best quarterback in the league, from an eight-win season is considered an afterthought. That may speak more to Kentucky's losing legacy than to the wisdom of the predictions, but there you have it. And seriously, keep an eye on Wildcats QB Andre' Woodson.

The reach of the South extends all the way to No. 1. Take a look at the team that is a consensus pick to win the national championship. The quarterback is from Shreveport. The best wide receiver is from Nashville. The top recruit is from New Orleans.

So what's the campus doing in Los Angeles? Hey, it is the University of Southern California.

USC lost two Pacific-10 Conference games a year ago, the first time that had happened in five seasons, and university officials withstood the urge to form blue-ribbon panels to unearth the cause of such a disaster. Instead, the Trojans gathered themselves and routed Michigan, 32-18, in the Rose Bowl.

USC's losses at Oregon State and at UCLA last year should have given pause to those who question the Pac-10's football prowess (such as, without naming names, L.M. from Baton Rouge). The league only got deeper this season; Dennis Erickson is taking over an Arizona State team that never quite got out of its own way under his predecessor, Dirk Koetter.

Erickson will resume his quest to become the first coach to win a national championship at two schools. Both he and Spurrier, now in his third season at South Carolina, returned to college football at schools with lower profiles than where they won their titles.

That isn't the case for the third coach looking for the national championship double. You may have missed this, but NASA reported the astronauts on the space shuttle last spring made contact with what can only be described as beings from another galaxy.

The leader of the aliens said, "We come in peace," followed by, "So how do you think Nick Saban will do at Alabama?"

The public is reacting to the new Crimson Tide coach as if he is the Barry Bonds of college football -- beloved at home for what his fans believe he is going to do, hated on the road for his intimidating attitude and for what his detractors believe he did (bend NCAA recruiting rules). I made this comparison from the dais at a charity dinner in Mobile, Ala., last month, and the chill that washed over me didn't come from the air conditioning.

Saban will attempt to prove that he can remake in Tuscaloosa what he built in Baton Rouge, much like another member of the national championship fraternity. Bobby Bowden is attempting to remake at Florida State what he built at, um, Florida State. Bowden rebuilt his offensive staff, bringing in four new coaches led by Saban's former offensive coordinator, Jimbo Fisher, to jump-start an offense that has been dead for a couple of years.

Las Vegas Sports Lines

The Atlantic Coast Conference is expected to show new signs of life, too. That is said with no disrespect toward last season's champion, Wake Forest, which provided one of the best story lines of 2007. The Demon Deacons begin this season in their customary position, overshadowed by the Virginia Techs, Miamis and Florida States.

It's not that Wake will find it difficult to duplicate its success in 2007 as much as the feeling that success engendered. Surprising success is the narcotic of sport. It never feels quite so euphoric the next time. Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese has figured this out. He refers to 2007, when a league looked down upon by fans and foes alike took three undefeated teams into November, as "Cinderella."

The fairy tale may be over, but the Big East has four genuine Heisman Trophy candidates in Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm, West Virginia tailback Steve Slaton and quarterback Pat White, and Rutgers tailback Ray Rice. Rutgers, as did Wake Forest and, of course, Boise State, proved last season that the have-nots in college football occasionally have quite a lot.

The Broncos' rousing 43-42 overtime victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl has raised the profile of all schools in conferences that don't get automatic BCS bids. This season, TCU and Hawaii are the preseason favorites to burst through the BCS doors and earn an at-large bid. The Warriors return 14 starters from an 11-3 team, including quarterback Colt Brennan.

Brennan not only broke the single-season record with 58 touchdown passes in 2007, but he also led Division I-A in passing efficiency (186.0). The senior is expected to contend for the Heisman Trophy, and neither his success nor the rise of his team should come as any surprise in the 2007 season.

After all, Hawaii is the southernmost team in the country.

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Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.

The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.

MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.

A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.

A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.

Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.

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