Early this season, Western Illinois’ Don Patterson stepped down. I can’t fault him for the decision, as he’s battled tonsillar cancer in the past and is still feeling the effects, despite being cancer-free as of his last check-up.

Western Illinois coach Don Patterson (left) after Wisconsin's 35-10 win. Image: Newscom

However, two schools have already fired their coaches.

In Conference USA, Memphis fired head coach Tommy West after a disappointing season. West has made his voice heard, saying that the schools either needs to put more money into the football program or just bury it, shutting it down completely. West will stay until the end of the season, but this has to have a major effect on the team. They already have a losing season in the making, and this will only make matters worse.

The other school to give their coach the boot? Western Kentucky. ESPN has called the Hilltoppers’ season “horrific,” and I’ll agree with that assessment. This Sun Conference team is 0-9, which is making experts question whether this team is truly ready to be playing with the big boys. They’ve only been a FBS for a few years now, but are statistically last or nearly last in almost every category. David Elson will also be staying for the rest of the season, but is gone afterward.

So, we’ve now seen three casualties in 2009. Are there more to come before the end of the year and in early 2010? I’m sure some coaches will find themselves in the same boat soon.

Post from: EveryJoe

College Coaches are Already Being Fired

Undefeated:

• Alabama
• Boise State
• Cincinnati
• Florida
• Iowa
• Kansas
• South Florida
• TCU
• Texas

Winless

• Ball State
• Eastern Michigan
• Florida Atlantic
• Miami (OH)
• New Mexico
• Rice
• Western Kentucky

Really, I think the big surprises here are that there are no major surprises. Few people would have put Iowa on the undefeated list when predicting records at this point in the season, considering that they played Penn State, but once again, the boys at Happy Valley choked.

I guess South Florida on the list is a little surprising too. They haven’t had a totally easy season. Cincinnati has (sorry, I know ya’ll love ‘em, but I’m not sure they aren’t totally overrated). Next week, they play one another, so that will end for one team.

WR Mardy Gilyard has been important for the Bearcats so far this season. Can they continue to charge ahead as they meet harder opponents on the field? Image: Newscom

I’m hoping that Cincinnati proves they deserve to be ranked so high, but I don’t think South Florida will just roll over.

As for the winless list…well…let’s just say that Michigan is happy to not be on it.

Post from: EveryJoe

2009 Midseason Undefeated and Winless

Image: sxc.hu

Today, Rivals.com started their 2009 countdown, looking at all 120 teams. We won’t get to see number 1 (cough Florida cough) until mid-August, but today they announced numbers 116 – 120. In other words, the worst five teams in college football. Who’s on that list?

1. North Texas
2. Idaho
3. Western Kentucky
4. Eastern Michigan
5. Tulane

Personally, getting a horrible ranking like that would make me want to work harder to prove them wrong if I was a player on one of those teams. Still, it’s a little deflating to hear that you’re expected to be bad. Really bad.

Good luck to all the teams and players listed as the worst of the worst. I hope you prove them all wrong. Just remember…someone had to be #120…

Post from: EveryJoe

Rivals Names the 5 Worst NCAA-F Teams

Most Exciting Game

Slim pickings. Gonzaga v. Western Kentucky was dynamite though. Mendez-Valdez and Slaughter hit some tough shots but at the finish the defense was just scattered as all hell, allowing Demetri Goodson to essentially take a h-o-r-s-e shot for the win. Jeremy Pargo, the cat I thought was running the ball up the court there at the end, causing me to wrongly shout ‘freakin Pargo’, was feeling it a little in the second half. Pargo hasn’t played that good, well, all year.

Most Surprising Game

Purdue v. Washington. Purdue is about as interesting to watch play hoops as listening to Andy Rooney babble on about the history of erasable pens is. That saying about how offense wins games but defense wins championships could not better identify what Matt Painter is stressing with his Boilermakers.  They get after it. They have to, their offense is weak.  Although the second half defense they played against Washington was pitiful.  But for the most part I didn’t think JaJuan Johnson would be as Kevin Garnetty as he was. Johnson v. Thabeet will be something intriguing to watch for in the upcoming Sweet 16 matchup.

Best Individual Performance

I could argue that JaJuan’s 22 points, 6 boards, and 4 swats was the finest, or that Travis Walton’s (MSU) career high 18 points, 6′6 Terrence Williams’ 24 points and 15 boards, Sherron Collins’ 25 (11-19 fg), Nic Wise’s 21 (10-10 ft) and 8 feeds, Sam Young’s 32 points-8 boards and 3 rejections, Blake Griffin’s “quiet” 33 and 17, Ty Lawson’s 23 and 6 helpers, Matt Bouldin’s 20 points-8 boards and 6 feeds, Orlando Mendez-Valdez’s 25 and 7 assists, or Jon Scheyer’s heady save was the ultimate best.

But I won’t.

It’s Cole Aldrich.

The sophomore deserves the honor for his truly anti-Ostertag like TRIPLE-DOUBLE (13 points, 20 boards, and 10 blocks).

Would you like some Aldrich with that? (Image: Newscom)

Worst Moment

Buzz Williams acting like a mad man on drugs. Or more accurately, a mother ostrich.

You decide.

The runner-up Worst Moment would be the refs who repeatedly bent over to appease Blake Griffin on Saturday. I will leave it at that.

Game I Cared Most About

Well, besides the Michigan v. Oklahoma game, which was essentially taken over by the refs, I hoped Texas would punt Duke far far away. That didn’t happen, but Paulus only played two minutes and Singler made a really athletic play, so I guess that was refreshing enough to keep me from trolling on the Duke message boards for at least another night.

A Prediction For The Sweet 16

I will be glued to the T.V.

Post from: EveryJoe

Round 2 Wrap