Mark Kiszla, Denver Post: A tough piece on Gary Barnett's future at Colorado. Here are two million reasons why he won't be back.
Paul Finebaum, Mobile Register: Alabama looks better today than it did a week ago, but don't consider a victory over South Carolina the start of a championship run.
David Locke, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: No longer can Notre Dame claim it has a unique spot in college football.
Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: He takes an in-depth (and humorous) look at the opponents of Iowa State and Iowa (subscription, so story is in comments tab).
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Ohio State and Army: Two Different Forces
Mike Hlas
Cedar Rapids Gazette
The schools that host the football teams of Iowa State and Iowa this weekend aren’t exactly kindred spirits.
All right, Army and Ohio State both have multiple winners of the Heisman Trophy. Army has three and OSU five (six if you count Archie Griffin twice).
The Buckeyes have five recognized national championship teams, Army four.
Both teams are coached by someone who has won a national title. Ohio State’s Jim Tressel did it at OSU three seasons ago. Army’s Bobby Ross won a share of the championship in 1990 when he coached Georgia Tech.
But the differences between the two football programs are striking, and not just because Ohio State is a Top 10 team and Army is close to the Bottom 10. Such as:
Mission statements:
Army: To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of duty, honor and country, and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.
Ohio State: To not have an unbought seat in their 105,000-seat stadium, so their football program can generate about $50 million this season.
First-round NFL draft picks since 1995:
Ohio State: Joey Galloway, Korey Stringer, Craig Powell, Rickey Dudley, Eddie George, Terry Glenn, Orlando Pace, Shawn Springs, David Boston, Antoine Winfield, Andy Katzenmoyer, Ahmed Plummer, Nate Clements, Ryan Pickett, Chris Gamble, Will Smith, Michael Jenkins.
Army: None.
Famous alumni:
Army: Ulysses S. Grant. Dwight Eisenhower. Douglas MacArthur. George Patton.
Ohio State: Patricia Heaton of ‘‘Everybody Loves Raymond.’’ Roy Plunkett, the inventor of Teflon. Kerry Kramp, president and CEO of Buffets, Inc. Kirk Herbstreit.
Main rival:
Ohio State: Michigan.
Army: Navy.
No. 2 rival:
Army: Air Force.
Ohio State: Maurice Clarett.
A Cadet/Buckeye is:
Army: A cadet is someone who is training to be an officer.
Ohio State: A buckeye is a small, shiny, dark brown nut.
Questions for recruits:
Army: Were you a class president in high school? Were you an Eagle Scout? Were you a member of National Honor Society?
Ohio State: How much weight can you bench? How fast can you run the 40? You know we can’t control the hundreds of boosters who may try to give players money on the sly, don’t you?
Corporate sponsor:
Ohio State: Nike.
Army: The United States.
Last 9-loss season:
Army: 2004.
Ohio State: Never.
Information about their quarterbacks:
Army: Zac Dahman is a systems engineering major. He is taking 18 credit hours of classes this semester. He begins a five-year military commitment after he graduates next June and becomes commissioned as an officer.
Ohio State: Troy Smith is a communication major. He enjoys video games and shopping. Justin Zwick’s hobbies are golf, skeet shooting, playing cards and video games.
Things their players learn about at school:
Ohio State: Blitzes, bombs, bullet passes, ground attacks, aerial assaults.
Army: War.
mike.hlas@gazettecommunications.com
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