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Chat Reel: SI's Ivan Maisel
Alabama, Wisconsin look like title contenders
Players aren't even back on campus yet, but who cares? It's never too early to talk college football. Sports Illustrated senior writer Ivan Maisel joined CNNSI.com users on July 20 to discuss the prospects of Nebraska, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame and more. A transcript follows.
CNNSI.com Host: Welcome to our offseason college football chat with Sports Illustrated's Ivan Maisel. Thanks for joining us, Ivan.
Ivan Maisel: Howdy, folks. Five weeks to kickoff.
CNNSI.com Host: Let's get started with the questions.
From Lance: How do you feel Alabama's team as a whole and the Tide's chances at a 13th national championship?
Ivan Maisel: It's very good. The swagger is back. That said, the Tide won a lot of "one-play" games last season. I'm curious about the defensive line this fall. Will Kenny Smith be healthy?
From Kenny: How well do you think Drew Henson will do now that he is finally the starting quarterback at Michigan? Do the Wolverines have any shot at a national championship or is the defense too suspect?
Ivan Maisel: Well, if Drew can pull himself away from following the Cincinnati Reds, he'll do great. The defense concerns me, more up front than the secondary, obviously. But let's hear it for Lloyd Carr and his new contract. Things look awfully stable in Ann Arbor.
From CactusBlue: It seems like the preseason rankings are top-heavy with teams from the east and midwest; could anybody from out west break out and make some noise nationally?
Ivan Maisel: Did you see the Pac-10 last season?
From Darien: Does USC have a legitimate shot at winning the Pac-10 this year?
Ivan Maisel: Yes. But I would like to see one Paul Hackett team meet expectations. Just one.
From MichHusker: Who do you think is the most overhyped team this preseason?
Ivan Maisel: Any team that has Michael Vick playing for it. Other than that, I think Nebraska and Florida State deserve the attention they're getting. I don't notice anyone else getting a whole lot of pub.
From Patrick: What about Notre Dame? We students have heard anything from 9-2 to 2-9. Could we be without a coach four games into the season?
Ivan Maisel: Yes, if Bob Davie gets run over by a runaway equipment cart. Other than that, you'll have a coach. There's quiet confidence in South Bend. The Irish feel like they're flying under the radar because no one is ranking them. We'll sure find out soon enough. I think they'll win eight.
From John: C'mon, Ivan. Penn State is young, but the Nittany Lions are as solid as they always are. Why aren't they ranked in your preseason poll?
Ivan Maisel: Did I do a preseason poll? I don't think I did. The magazine's poll will be out in two weeks. Hang on. Be patient.
From Matt: Can the Gators find the receivers to make their offense go? Barring crucial injuries, that may be their only question mark. Why are they not ranked higher?
Ivan Maisel: Well, they lost three in a row, for one thing. For another, Jesse Palmer hasn't done it yet. And they don't have proven receivers either, as you point out. Three pretty good reasons.
From CardinalAlum: What's the latest on Stanford's QB situation? Is Joe Borchard going to play baseball?
Ivan Maisel: We're all waiting to hear. Unlike schools on the semester system, Borchard and Stanford are on the quarter system. School won't start before the season does, so there's no deadline unless Tyrone Willingham sets one. If Borchard returns, Stanford will be in the running to repeat as Pac-10 champ. Otherwise, no go.
From Chris: Who do you think will come out on top at QB for Texas? How do you see the Longhorns' season shaping up, and does the weak schedule hurt them?
Ivan Maisel: I hope Major Applewhite gets a chance to win his job, a genuine chance. I don't write off any kid who fights as hard as he does. I don't think the weak schedule hurts them. Is it true that Texas vetoed Hawaii's entry into the Big 12? Just kidding. Anyway, if the freshmen receivers produce, the Horns will do well.
From UK Dave: What do you think of the offseason QB surprises at Miami and Kentucky?
Ivan Maisel: Intrigued by Miami's, stunned by Kentucky's. I think Hal Mumme, regardless of his reasons, handled it very poorly. He should have come out and said something as soon as he made up his mind. He shouldn't have waited for Jared Lorenzen's grades to come out. Sure puts a lot of heat on Lorenzen, doesn't it?
From Guest: Why is Nebraska ranked so high when the Huskers lost so much on defense?
Ivan Maisel: The offense is intact. The defensive line is intact. The secondary has good players to replace the Browns, Mike and Ralph. The only real untested positions are the outside linebackers.
From Kristen: Illinois has experienced a dramatic resurgence, walloping Virginia in last year's bowl game. What are the Illini's chances of returning to the Rose Bowl for the first time in more than 15 years?
Ivan Maisel: What chance they had diminished somewhat when Brandon Lloyd, their best wide receiver, broke his foot last week stepping off a curb. As omens go, sell Illinois. Sell, sell, sell. Seriously, few teams that make a dramatic leap one year make another dramatic leap the next. Illinois went 4-4 in the Big Ten last season. They might win five. I don't see them winning six. In the league, I mean, not overall.
From Bobby: With new head coach Chuck Amato at N.C. State, the Wolfpack now has the highest-paid coaching staff in college football. It appears as though the powers-that-be at N.C. State have made a commitment to bring Wolfpack football back into the national spotlight. How big of an impact will Amato have and how fast can we expect some improvement?
Ivan Maisel: Back into the national spotlight? When were they ... oh, never mind. I'm trying to get a rise out of you. Any coaching transition is difficult. I would think this one will be typical. A new head coach -- that is, a first-time head coach -- defensive-oriented, taking over a team that struggled on defense. Don't expect miracles.
From Robert: The question on everyone's minds in Louisiana is how good are the LSU Tigers going to be this year? Under new coach Nick Saban and a new system will they have a chance to compete for the SEC title, and should fans expect a bowl game?
Ivan Maisel: LSU is one of the most interesting teams this season. No one has ever been sure over the last two seasons whether LSU was not very good or the players merely underperformed. There has been a talent drain out of Louisiana in recent years. If Saban can plug that, watch out. A bowl is possible, because the SEC West is full of ifs, after Alabama.
From Richard: Given the number of quality teams in the Big Ten, do you think there is any way that a Big Ten team can make it to the Orange Bowl?
Ivan Maisel: Sure. Same way that an SEC team has made it for the last couple of years.
From Guest: Can Georgia seriously contend with Florida State, Alabama and Nebraska for a national championship?
Ivan Maisel: No. I don't think Georgia will be that good. I do think the Bulldogs are good enough to win the SEC East, but unless the defense matures and Quincy Carter gets some help from the receivers, who can no longer blame inexperience as their problem, they won't contend.
From Guest: Is Wisconsin a serious national championship contender?
Ivan Maisel: Yes, say I, with the zeal of a convert. I dogged the Badgers for two straight years. I'm done dogging them. We were sitting around the office this very morning, discussing how Barry Alvarez has gotten religion and gone out and recruited some speed. Go figure. Wisconsin with a speedy tailback and good wideouts? They'll be tough.
From Guest: Will Virginia ever force George Welsh to retire? I have seen many college coaches, and his coaching was the worst last year.
Ivan Maisel: I guess winning seven games year after year isn't good enough for you? It will be interesting, now that the tide has swung so hard toward Blacksburg, to see how Virginia responds.
From Bonzai: What do you think about Arnaz Battle at Notre Dame?
Ivan Maisel: Offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers told me the other day he believes Battle will be ready to do some damage this fall. The start of the schedule is unfair to any young quarterback, much less one at Notre Dame. But Battle has no choice but to respond.
From jbg: What kind of year do you think Ohio State will have?
Ivan Maisel: They'll climb a couple of rungs back up the ladder after last season's slide. Steve Bellisari has got to learn from his mistakes last season. That was a rudderless team. Will some leaders step up?
From Ivan: Who are your top three preseason Heisman frontrunners?
Ivan Maisel: Let's go out on a limb here. I hear Virginia Tech has a pretty good quarterback. After Michael Vick, I'll watch Marques Tuiasosopo at Washington and LaDainian Tomlinson, the TCU running back, early. The great thing about the Heisman, however, is that I try to let someone win it on the field, not by the amount of chatting we do. Why is it that college football is obsessed with this? We don't pick baseball MVPs in March? Oh, well, guess it beats watching Major League Soccer.
From SoonerFan: Are we any closer to a playoff system, in your opinion, or has the BCS placated everyone for the foreseeable future?
Ivan Maisel: Gawd, someone had to bring it up. Well, I don't think we're any closer. The powers that be are happy. We in college football live in an oligarchy, where the few commissioners control all the money and make all the decisions. Get used to the BCS. That's what we have for a while.
CNNSI.com Host: That's all we have time for today. Thanks for joining us, Ivan.
Ivan Maisel: Thanks. Great questions, folks. We'll do it again in mid-August.
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