#6-NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS

The 6th place team in the Big Ten this year figures to be the Northwestern Wildcats. Coming off a surprising 2008 campaign, the Wildcats and head coach Pat Fitzgerald look to return to a January bowl game for the first time in over a decade.

Depending on the health of end Corey Wootton, the Wildcats could have a dominating defense. Wootton, who injured his knee during the Alamo Bowl, tallied ten sacks during his junior campaign and will be in for a big senior season if he regains his form. The front line will need him to be healthy. While the defense does return eight starters, two of the losses are on the line.

There were times last year when Northwestern had to survive without quarterback C.J. Bacher and running back Tyrell Sutton, both of whom struggled with injuries. Now they have to live without those two for an entire season. Mike Kafka proved to be a capable quarterback who could make plays with his feet, but his passing and decision making was erratic. His experience last year cannot hurt, but he must turn into a leader of the offense and keep the mistakes to a minimum. It would also be beneficial if Kafka did not lead the team in rushing or feel the need to scramble as often as he did last season. Stephen Simmons, who ran for 178 yards on 62 carries as a sophomore last year is the most experienced running back, but redshirt freshman Alex Daniel and sophomore Jeravin Matthews could see some carries as well.

Another weak non-conference schedule has the Wildcats looking at a 8-4 season (4-0, 4-4). Expect Northwestern to win one game they shouldn't, perhaps at Michigan State.

#7-MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

By Mr. Thursday Night

Our 7th place team in the Big Ten this year is the Michigan Wolverines. Year 2 of the Rich-rod experiement begins after one of the worst seasons in the history of the program. As we go to press today, Michigan is being investigated for NCAA practice violations. Apparently Rich-rod had his boys spending 12 hours a day on the field or in the weight room.

Everybody is back on the offensive side of the ball, except part-time starting quarterback Steven Threet. The influx of talent on the recruiting trail will also give the team a few more options that actually fit in the system. In the meantime, quarterback Nick Sheridan is not going to blow anybody away, but if he can keep the mistakes to a minimum, Michigan will win some games. The Wolverines have to be able to run the ball and that falls on Brandon Minor and Michael Shaw. The offensive line was mixed and matched last year, but everybody is back and once the staff finds the right combination, the ground game should flourish.

On defense, the Wolverines have to move on without most of their stars from a year ago. However, linebacker Obi Ezeh is back after leading the team in tackles last season and end Brandon Graham tallied an incredible 20 tackles-for-loss and ten sacks. Those two are a good nucleus to build around, but Coach Rodriguez needs to find some youngsters who are ready to fill in some of the voids all over the defense.

Michigan's schedule is reasonable, especially with a non-conference slate loaded with cupcakes. Look for the Maze & Blue to have a 4-0 nonconference record, 3-5 during Big 10 play, 7-6 oveall.

#8-WISCONSIN BADGERS

By Mr. Thursday Night

Things headed south quickly in Madtown last season. The Badgers started quickly but ended up 7-6 which included a bowl game beatdown at hands of Florida St.

Part of the problem was the inconsistent play of quarterback Dustin Sherer. Sherer ended up splitting time with the now departed Allan Evridge, but neither of them performed very well. Sherer will likely be the starter again this season and every year of experience should help with his decision making. The other option is redshirt freshman Curt Phillips, a dual-threat signal caller, who was very impressive in the fall. But this is Wisconsin football we are talking about. The quarterback does not have to make plays. The quarterback has to get the ball to a running back; in this case John Clay.

The Wisconsin defense was also disappointing last season and now they have to survive without most of their front line. Tackles Jason Chapman and Mike Newkirk are gone and so is end Matt Shaughnessy. For a team that ranked tenth in the conference in sacks per game, finding a pass rush might be very difficult. The situation is no better for the linebackers. Jaevery McFadden is the only returning starter.

As usual, the non-conference schedule for the Badgers is weak. I foresee a 4-0 non-coference, 3-5 conference and 7-6 overall record, good for 8th in the Big Ten this fall.

#9-MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS

By Mr. Thursday Night

Picked to finish 9th in the Big Ten this year is the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers endured their annual second half of the season collapse again last year, highlighted by a 55-0 beatdown by Iowa in the last Gopher game ever at the Metrodome.

This season Minnesota enters a beautiful new outdoor stadium with expectations sky high. QB Adam Weber and WR Eric Decker both return. Running back Duane Bennett looked like a breakout candidate until a torn ACL ended his season in the second week last year. Now fully recovered, the redshirt sophomore is ready to pick up where he left off.

The defense as usual will be a problem for the rodents. The new defensive coordinator is Kevin Cosgrove, who marks the Gophers' third defensive coordinator in as many seasons. Three starters return to the defensive backfield, and they'll be joined by Wisconsin transfer Kim Royston.

The non-conference schedule is decent with games against Air Force, Cal and Syracuse. I've got the Gophers pegged at 2-6 in conference, 5-7 overall.

#10-PURDUE BOILERMAKERS

The Gold and Black of West Lafayette (birthplace of Axl Rose) head into 2009 looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2008 campaign. Gone are legendary head coach Joe Tiller and QB Curtis Painter. Danny Hope takes over for the Boilermakers and I think it's safe to say the only hope in West Lafayette this fall will be Danny.

End Ryan Kerrigan did a fine job getting into the backfield as a sophomore and Purdue will have to rely on him to consistently disrupt the opposing offense. They also need tackle Mike Neal to use his experience and help the rest of the young line do a better job of stopping the run. Having Chris Carlino and Joe Holland, and possibly Jason Werner if he can stay healthy, back in the middle of the defense should make things a little better for the run defense. The best unit on the defense last year was the secondary. Free safety Torri Williams is a superstar in waiting and corners Brandon King and David Pender are quality players.

The only good news on the offensive side of the ball is the return of four starting linemen. Quarterback Curtis Painter is gone and so are his three best receivers in Greg Orton, Desmond Tardy and Brandon Whittington. And even running back Kory Sheets, who tallied 1,131 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground has run out of eligibility. That leaves a whole slew of holes to fill. Joey Elliott is the most experienced quarterback, but Caleb Terbush is an interesting option who took advantage of Elliott’s shoulder injury in the spring and did a decent job filling in for him. It is still Elliott’s job to lose, but Terbush will give him a good push in the fall. Receiver Aaron Valentin and Keith Smith are the likely candidates to be the team’s top receiver. Valentin came on strong at the end of last season, but the senior has still only caught 11 passes during his collegiate career at Purdue.

I expect Purude to go 2-2 in non-conference play, 2-6 in the Big 10 to finish with an identical record as 2008, 4-8, good for 10th in the Big 10.

THE DEBUT OF MR. X!

Mr. Exhibition is up in your ass to bring you two stone cold, led pipe locks tonight.

New England -7 vs Cincinnati

Philadelphia -3 vs Indianapolis

Take these winnings and buy your ghey lover a nice new purse.

#11-INDIANA HOOSIERS

By Mr. Thursday Night

The Indiana Hoosiers are our pick to finish in 11th place in the Big Ten during the 2009 season. Coming off a disappointing 3-9 season, the Hoosiers will look to rebound and return to the bowl season.

Quarterback Kellen Lewis, who gave Iowa many problems over the years is gone. The pistol offense will be lead by QB Ben Chappell. If Chappell flops, the Hoosiers will be in for another long season.

The Indiana defense features two NFL quality defensive ends in Jammie Kirlwe and Greg Middleton. As a whole, the defense at Indiana figures to be better than in has been in at least 5 years.

The schedule for the Hoosiers isn’t that difficult. While they did go 1-9 against FCS opponents last year (being blown out in 8 of them), there are some winnable games on the docket this season. I’ve got the Hoosiers going 3-9 overall, 1-7 in the Big Ten, good for last in the conference.

COACH K-8/12 EVENING LOCKS

MLB
3* Cards RL -155
2* Mariners -130, Rangers -125, Twins RL (+110), WSox/Mariners over 7.5 (+100), Royals/Twins under 9 (+100)
1* BoSox RL -140, Braves RL -125, Rockies RL -135
0.5* Marlins/Cards/BoSox/Rockies/Braves parlay +413

COACH K-8/12

MLB 3* Orioles -130
2* Mets/DBags over 9.5 (-105)
1* Rays -120, O's/A's under 10.5 (-105)

COACH K-8/11

MLB
4* Indians -120
3* Rays -115
2* Cubs -125, Giants +125, Marlins -130, Rockies RL -115, Indians/Rangers under 9 (+100), Padres/Brewers over 9 (+100)
1* Twins RL (-115), WSox/M's under 8.5 (+100), A's/O's over 10 (-120), Royals/Twins over 9.5 (-110), Twins/Rockies/Braves parlay +235

COACH K RETURNS!!-8/10

MLB
2* BoSox/Tigers over 9.5 (-120)
1* A's +150, Astros/Marlins over 9 (-105), Cards/Reds under 8.5 (+100), Marlins/WSox parlay +185
Leans: Rays, Giants, Rockies, Jays, DBags

AFC South Preview
Training Camp Preview
Dr. Donovan

Houston Texans


Will this be the year? - The Texans have been close without the cigar for the last 2 years now. Although they play in one of the toughest divisions, this team has the talent on offense and has been steadily getting better on defense each year. They should be more concerned with the health of their players at this point. QB Matt Schaub, RB Steve Slaton, WRs Andre Johnson and TE Owen Daniels and all five starting lineman are all in place from last year, and should be even better this year if they can stay healthy.

Indianapolis Colts

Will new coaches ruin a good thing? - With Dungy gone, along with OC Tom Moore, can the Colts sustain their offensive power that has bolted them into the top of the NFL or will these changes in leadership create an obstacle? Most people say that on any team this would be an issue but with Peyton Manning still at the helm, the Colts wont miss a beat.

How many carries will RB Donald Brown garner? - The Colts drafted the veratile and pass-catching RB to complement Joseph Addai and, quite possibly, start over him in the future. Addai has had an up and down career as the starter and needs a huge camp to hold off the talented rookie 1st rounder. Brown was one of my sleepers in this draft and Bill Polian showed once again why he is the best talent evaluator of the NFL.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Who is going to help the human bowling ball? - MJD is in line for a larger workload with Fred Taylor out of the picture, but it will be interesting to see if he can and will carry a full load or some unnamed counterpart will be his sidekick. Is he worth a top 5 pick in fantasy this year?

The big uglies up front - The Jaguars front five is very interesting to me this year. 9th overall pick OT, Eugene Monroe will compete with longtime Eagle Tra Thomas on the left side, while Arizona Cats 2nd rounder Eben Britton will push Tony Pashos at RT. The Jaguars will be young on the line but they have definitely improved and we all know it all starts up front!

Tennessee Titans

Will the loss of DT Albert Haynesworth alter last years surprise defense?- Albert Haynesworth was the brick wall that made the Titans defense tough as nails. With his departure, will the safeties and LBs be able to play as aggressive as last year? We will see how important a good DT really is.

Will TE Jared Cook prove me a genius? - Okay, so maybe this story isn't as interesting to others as it is me but 3rd round rookie TE Jared Cook has me glued to my seat to see how good he really is. Even though Bo Scaife and Algae Crumpler are currently in the #1 and #2 spots on the roster, look for this guy to come in and make a splash right away. Don't say I didn't warn you either.

#1-TIM DWIGHT

Number one one our list of great Iowa Hawkeye football players since 1990 is none other than Iowa City's own, Tim Dwight.

Dwight arrived on campus in 1994 as one of the most anticipated recruits in Iowa history. Choosing Iowa over Stanford, Dwight made an immediate impact at RB, WR and on special teams.

Dwight was a factor in many of the greatest plays in Hawkeye history including his TD return at Penn St, his punt return TD at Michigan as the first half clock expired and his touchdown on his last career punt return at home against Minnesota.

Dwight finished his college career with Big Ten records for punt return yardage (1,102) and punts returned for touchdowns. Dwight also holds University of Iowa football records for career receiving yards (2,271) and career receiving touchdowns (21). In 1997, was a consensus All-American and finished seventh for the Heisman Trophy as a senior.

A 4th round pick of the Atlanta Falcons, Dwight scored a kick return TD in the Super Bowl. Shortly there after, Dwight was dealt to Atlanta in the Michael Vick, L. Tomlinson deal. After 4 successful seasons in San Diego, Dwight made brief stops in New England, Oakland and with the Jets before retiring.

Tim Dwight is the standard of which all future Hawkeyes will be measured. Never before had Iowa fans had such an electrifying football player on their side. I am of the opinion that a picture of Dwight should be painted on the water tower just outside Kinnick Stadium. Perhaps legendary broadcaster Wayne Larivee sums it up best: "Superman wears number 6, and he plays for the Iowa Hawkeyes!"

NFC EAST PREVIEW

Training Camp Preview
Dr. Donovan

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

Who are the team leaders again?? Not only is Tony Romo feeling the heat this year to get this team over the hump, questions also surround RB Marion Barber with stud RB Felix Jones waiting for his chance to shine as a starter. Also, can Roy Williams be a legit #1 with this team? Last year he was never really a factor after getting traded to the Cowgirls.

After another underachieving season last year, the Cowboys are still picked to go to the Super bowl every year. This means huge expectations and Jerry Jones wont be so lenient this year if the Cowboys don't go deep into the playoffs. Can this be the year they breakout or will we see a fire sale in Dallas after the season?

New York Giants

Who is going to catch the ball? Plaxico Burress shot his butt off the team, and Amani Toomer is no longer on the team. That leaves Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Hakeem Nicks, Sinorice Moss, and Mario Manningham fighting for a #1 spot. It should be an interesting camp competition and don't be surprised if the rookie Hicks or Steve Smith comes out on top.

Who is Brandon Jacobs' handcuff? Brandon Jacobs had a solid year last year but had help from Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw to take the load off and he still broke down towards the end of the year. Will Ahmad Bradshaw, last year's #3, be that guy or will rookie Andre Brown earn that spot?

Philadelphia Eagles

Longtime DC Jim Johnson unfortunately lost his battle with cancer and the Eagles lost a legendary DC and a huge part of the Eagles family. Sean McDermott, the 35-year old defensive assistant, has been elevated to DC and must quickly move to make the defense his own. McDermott is the longest tenured Philly assistant and was the heir apparent, but he's never called plays; which is Johnson's forte. Brian Dawkins also went to the Broncos. With the loss of their 2 biggest defensive leader's, can the Eagles D compete in a high powered offensive division?

The good news is Brian Westbrook's recovery from surgery is ahead of schedule, but realistically he won't see the field much until the start of the season. Are rookie LeSean McCoy and veteren Lorenzo Booker capable of shouldering the load this year? Its not a question "if" Westbrook breaks down but "when".

Washington Redskins

If there was an alternative to Jason Campbell, the Redskins pursued him this offseason. Daniel Snyder went after ets rookie, Mark Sanchez, and he also tried to trade for Jay Cutler. This looks to be Campbell's last chance at showing he's a starter in the NFL and this is an enormous training camp for Campbell's NFL future.

Stopping the running game is a must if you want to be competitive. With the additions of mammoth DT Albert Haynesworth and pass-rushing rookie OLB Brian Orakpo, the Redskins may be last years Tennessee Titans on defense. Will it be enough in, what some would call, the toughest division in the NFL?