NFL Helmet Green Dots?

Has anyone noticed the green dot on the back of the QBs helmets this year? (*see photo*) I started noticing them during the Hall of Fame Game (Saint vs. Steelers), but up until last nights Green Bay vs. Jacksonville game did I hear the reason.

Apparently this year, only one offensive player can have helmet communications on the field at a time. This green dot is easily identifiable by the referees and umpires. I don't know what the consequence is for breaking this rule, but I imagine it would fall under the "Illegal Substitution" rule and cost them 5 penalty yards.

Now, on those teams who wish to have more than one player on the field with a "communication-enabled" helmet, the personnel must change to a regular helmet. There will be some jumbling around on those teams who use trick plays with 2 QBs.


Did you know: The earpiece in which the QB receives the play call in is turned off when the play clock reaches 15 seconds!


Photo courtesy of NOLA.com "Everything New Orleans"

NCAA Football Pre-Season Top 10

Here is how the AP has stacked out the Pre-season top 10:

1. Southern Cal (USC)
2. Louisiana State (LSU)
3. West Virginia (WVU)
4. Texas
5. Michigan
6. Florida
7. Wisconsin
8. Oklahoma
9. Virginia Tech
10. Louisville

Looking into these rankings, West Virginia seems a little high on the list to me. With 2 Heisman trophy candidates, Pat White & Steve Slayton, the is no doubt that the offense is spectacular. But how will their defense hold up? Their defense was ranked 62nd last year in total defense. I haven't seen too many upgrades on that side of the ball to show improvement from last year. The teams in the Big East have gotten stronger in the off-season, and we will see if USF pummels the Mountaineers again.

Virginia Tech's defense gets them into these discussions every year. With the #1 defense returning, let's hope their offense can keep them in the BCS hunt.

Brian Brohm is the reason for Louisville being in the top 10. As a leading Heisman hopeful, the team will feed off of his leadership this year. If he can stay healthy, the Cardinals should be a lock for a BCS bowl.

To Start or Not To Start?

Romeo Crennel is in an interesting position right now over who should lead the Browns this year at QB. We all know the Brady Quinn is the future of the franchise, but has his holdout held back his progress enough to warrant not starting him? To delve into this topic, we first need some backgroud info.

Cleveland's QB Depth Chart (*as of right now*)

1. Charlie Frye (3rd yr)
2. Derek Anderson (3rd yr)
3. Brady Quinn (Rookie)

Charlie Frye is the incumbent starter right now, but is he really the man to lead the Browns on towards the playoffs? Frye has good skills all-around, but is prone to make mistakes in coverage reads. He has a career TD/Int ratio of 0.63 and a career passer rating of 72.2. He has the advantage of experience in the system, but his upside doesn't seem to bright. He doesn't have enough talent to carry the team on his shoulders.

Derek Anderson is penciled in as the #2 QB right now, but that will change based on Quinn's progress. He has been in the league for 3 years, but has only attempted 117 passes. His talents on the field haven't been tested too much yet, so no one knows what to expect. He can make all of the throws necessary, but hasn't be in long enough to be evaluated.

Brady Quinn is the franchise QB to be. His holdout has cost him valuable time working with the team in camp, but everyone knows his abilities. There is little doubt the Quinn can handle the week to week pressures of a starting QB, but when does he receive the reigns to the offense.

The Browns are in arguably the toughest division in the NFL. Charlie Frye will not do any better than Brady Quinn will in the win category this year. Why not accelerate Quinn's education by putting him into the starting role right away. Eventually the Browns will lose a few games, there will be all sorts of chatter around town to start Quinn, why not just get it out of the way. If Quinn doesn't have a stellar year, he gets the experience and you chalk the season up to an educational year and start fresh next season. But if Quinn wins games, Crennel will look like a genius. This debate can go on and on, but I believe Quinn should get the starting job for week 1.

NCAA moving kickoffs to 30 yard-line.

One of the new rule changes for this year in College football is that the kickoffs have moved from the 35 yard-line, back to the 30 yard-line. This will hopefully promote more runback opportunities during each game and eliminate many of the touchbacks. As a fan, watching a kick return is one of the most chilling plays in football. 22 guys are charging full speed at one another, all but 1 are looking to destroy an opposing player.

There are advoactes for and against this rule change. Some cite that this only increases the risk for injury to players. Kickoff returns are arguably the most physically demanding play on a football field. Others favoring the change are looking forward to better starting field position for the offense and an anticipated increase in scoring.

Despite what happens, the return game should be more fun to watch this year. Bring out all of your speed-burners!

Rivals.com -->> click here to read a full article on rule changes.

2007 NCAA Football Schedule Excel Sheet

I found this file on the net and thought it would be good to share with everyone. The file is in excel format and includes all Division I schools, and it is separated by conferences at the bottom. Let me know if there are any problems with the sheet.

2007 NCAA Football Schedule Excel Sheet