A Leader’s Diversion – College Football Preview

Every leader needs a diversion, a healthy distraction.  This allows them to get away and be placed in a replenishing, non-performance environment.  The diversion provides perspective.

I’ll give you a peek into my life.  One of my distractions is college football.  With the season beginning Thursday evening, the following are my predictions as well as my leadership thoughts and things I will be monitoring this upcoming season:

1. I’ll start with opening weekend, Virginia Tech will defeat Boise St.  Too much size on both sides of the line of scrimmage as Ryan Williams enters the Heisman race.
2. September 11th.  FSU vs Oklahoma, Miami vs Ohio St., Penn St vs. Alabama. I’ve already told my wife “I’m busy.”
3. The Year Of The Quarterback – Ryan Mallet, Terrelle Pryor, Kellen Moore, Case Keenum, Jake Locker, Jacory Harris, Jerrod Johnson, Taylor Potts, Andy Dalton, Matt Barkley, Andrew Luck, and the one I think will be the best of the group, Christian Ponder.
4. 1st Year Starting QBs – Cameron Newton, Aaron Murray, John Brantley, Garrett Gilbert, and Landry Jones.  All will perform very well but Murray will struggle the most.
5. Les Miles will be coaching Michigan by January 1st.  “Have a great day.”
6. USC will cause havoc in the Pac 10.  With Ed Orgeron and Monte Kiffin, they have GREAT coaching on defense.  The team is still loaded with 4 and 5 star players.  Matt Barkley is entering his 2nd season.  Lost in all the theatrics, Lane Kiffin actually had Tennessee playing very well at times last season.  No one can communicate “us against the world” better than him…and this year he’s right.
7. MLB Dont’a Hightower of Alabama will be the most explosive and disruptive defensive player in the country.
8. The Auburn Tigers and Texas Tech Red Raiders are two teams to look out for that people aren’t talking about.  Tommy Tuberville has run a great camp and will build a powerhouse in Lubbock.
9. They will not be invited to the Downtown Athletic Club but the two best football players might well be WR Jonathan Baldwin of Pitt and RB DeMarco Murray of Oklahoma.
10. Speaking of the Heisman, the 5 players who will be invited are QB Christian Ponder of FSU, QB Andrew Luck of Stanford, RB Ryan Williams of VTU, QB Terrelle Pryor of Ohio St, and QB Ryan Mallett of Arkansas.  Ponder takes it home.
11. A 1-loss (to Alabama) Florida Gators will defeat the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship.
12. Florida then defeats Ohio State in the BCS Championship.
13. Notre Dame will always be entertaining but never a serious threat until they get speed on defense.  The best thing about weekends in South Bend is Granger Community Church.
14. ESPN College Gameday will still be the one show I have to DVR each week.
15. Nothing beats sitting on my sofa in front of the fireplace, eating my wife’s chili, and watching a SEC or Big 12 game on Saturday nights in the fall.

Well, that’s my leadership diversion for the next five months.  Tell us yours.  And if you want to throw in your college football predictions, feel free to do so.  

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