Less than 48 hours after reading ESPN’s Heisman Watch in which they tab Barkley as a potential candidate should USC beat Ohio State, I stop by SI.com and am met with the following front page image:

So, not only is the true freshman Matt Barkley apparently in the running for the Heisman Trophy after one ho-hum game against San Jose State, now he is being compared to perhaps the greatest quarterback in the history of the sport.

Here is a taste of the article from Stewart Mandel, whose opinions I usually respect:

That’s when it hits you. He reminds you of someone. Not any quarterback you’ve covered in college, not any quarterback playing today, but a similarly shaped quarterback who, as a 13-year-old, you watched on your parents’ television as he calmly led his team downfield for a game-winning Super Bowl drive.

It’s like you’re looking out at a young Joe Montana.

The hyperbole is mind-boggling.

As I wrote earlier this week, I have no personal vendetta against Matt Barkley, nor do I begrudge him any success that he has this season or in the future; and make no mistake, he will have lots of success and very possibly even win a Heisman Trophy during his time at USC. As Mandel writes in the SI piece, Barkley has great size, an outstanding arm, and a confidence level that belies his young age.

But Joe Montana? Once again, I will reiterate, can we wait until the guy actually does something at the collegiate level before we anoint him with such ludicrous accolades and comparisons?

Keep in mind, Barkley completed only 54.7% of his passes as a high school senior and threw 18 INTs against 23 TDs. His team, famed high school sports powerhouse Mater Dei, went 8-4 and lost in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

If Barkley is potentially the best college player in America as a freshman, and comparable to an NFL Hall of Famer, shouldn’t he have been able to lead his team to a title while in high school? He never did.

Football is the ultimate team sport, so perhaps that’s unfair to expect. But 54.7% and 23:18? Barkley was far better as a junior when he threw 35 TDs against 9 INTs and completed 63% of his passes. He was also named Gatorade High School Player of the Year. But where was the consistency? If he is at a pro level already, as Mandel’s article quotes one of Barkley’s tutors as saying, what accounted for his significant drop as a senior?

I know that people are now going to think I’m on some Matt Barkley crusade and hate the kid. I don’t. I’m not a big fan of his cockiness, but whatever. He is who he is, and that confidence/arrogance/cockiness will probably make him an S.C. legend some day.

But 2009 is a great year for veteran QBs in college football, and Matt Barkley does not deserve this level of attention. Among the many who do:

• Tim Tebow, perhaps the greatest player in college football history, is a senior. 
• Colt McCoy, perhaps the greatest QB in the storied tradition of Texas football, is a senior. 
• Sam Bradford, a record-setting former Heisman winner, came back to school. 
• Jevan Snead had to transfer from McCoy’s shadow to find his fit at Ole Miss and now may challenge Bradford as the top QB selected in next year’s draft. 
• A lightning fast sophomore named Robert Griffin is making Baylor relevant for the first time since J.J. Joe was under center. 

I could go on.

These are the players, the ones who have achieved something significant as collegians, who deserve the attention being heaped on Barkley.

If he leads USC to a road win over Ohio State and plays great, fine. He’ll finally have something worth hyping. As it is, I’d rather hear about the great QBs in college football who have done something…not a true freshman who had a subpar senior season in high school and who has nothing but a win over San Jose State under his belt.

I’ve changed my mind about this weekend’s game though. I’m not rooting against Barkley when he goes into the Horseshoe. I’ll watch objectively. If he’s everything he’s being made out to be, he’ll go 20-25 for 250 yards, 3 scores, and the Trojans will win a tough one on the road. He still won’t be worth mentioning in the same breath as Tebow-McCoy-Bradford, but at least there will be a little bit of legitimacy to all the overblown (to this point) hype.

And since it has become clear that such hype and hyperbole is inevitable, I’d rather it be somewhat warranted. There certainly won’t be any way to escape it.

Either way though…the next Joe Montana? He hasn’t even proven yet that he’s the next Tim Tebow or the next Colt McCoy or, hell, even the next Robert Griffin. Until he can enter those conversations, how about we wait just a minute before comparing him to Hall of Famers.

(Photo Art by Midwest Sports Fans.)

First off, I want to congratulate Sam Bradford on winning the Heisman Trophy. He put up some of the most ridiculous numbers college football has ever seen this year, and led the Oklahoma Sooners to five straight 60-point outings to close out the season. That is remarkable.

And I want to congratulate the Oklahoma Sooners on becoming Big 12 Champs and being selected to play the Florida Gators in the BCS National Championship game. The Sooners are on quite a roll right now and the Oklahoma-Florida matchup to determine the champion should be exciting.

But what the hell did the University of Texas do to become the toilet of college football in 2008? All they did was go 11-1, beat Oklahoma, and have a QB set the NCAA record for completion percentage. With all that said, let’s count the ways that Texas has been shit on this season:

1 — Despite having an identical 11-1 record with Oklahoma, and owning the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Sooners, Texas was left home during the Big 12 Championship while Oklahoma played Missouri.

2 — Again, despite having the same record as Oklahoma and beating them, Texas experienced their one loss a few weeks later in the season and fell behind Oklahoma in the polls and BCS standings. This is what gave Oklahoma the right to play in the Big 12 Championship game and make it to the BCS National Championship game…despite the ugly fact that a team with an identical record, and that they lost to, will have to watch the championship game from home.

3 — Colt McCoy was sensational in his head-to-head matchup against Sam Bradford. He made the plays to win his school’s biggest game of the year. Sam Bradford did not. The #1 and #2 vote-getters in the Heisman balloting met on the same field, and the the guy who lost and played worse ended up winning the award for Most Oustanding Player in America.

If I were a Texas fan, I’d be feeling a little salty right now. If I were an Oklahoma fan, I’d be thanking my lucky stars that the 2008 Sooners somehow defied the most basic logic that is supposed to govern sports: nothing is more important than what happens on the field.

Oh wait — this is college football we are talking about, the sport where logic is nowhere to be found.

I am having a hard time coming up with a more egregious set of circumstances to end a season and determine a national champion than what has happened this year. And if the Illogical Quagmire of 2008 cannot galvanize change and inspire a movement towards a playoff, I’m not sure what will. If you have the same record as another team, but you beat them on the field of play, you should take priority and be rewarded. That did not happen this year, and Texas got royally screwed because of it.

And if choosing the winner of an individual honor requires the splitting of hairs, as this year’s Heisman Trophy voting clearly did (based on the fact that the difference between #1 and #3 was smaller than the typical difference between #1 and #2), then beating the other candidate head-to-head should carry some pretty serious weight. Obviously it did not in this case, as Sam Bradford came out ahead of Colt McCoy.

And here’s the really sad thing: I know a lot of people are reading this and chomping at the bit to get the comments and tell me I’m an idiot for arguing about Texas and ignoring Texas Tech. Well guess what? That is even more proof for my point!

Texas Tech beat Texas who beat Oklahoma who beat Texas Tech. And yet, the big argument at the end of the season was between Texas and Oklahoma, with Texas Tech all but forgotten. Sure, Oklahoma wiped the floor with Texas Tech. And I would rank them 3rd out of those three on my own personal ballot. But who cares!? Does the old saying, “That’s why they play games” mean anything in college football?

Apparently not.

Not only was Texas Tech shut out of the Big 12 championship game, shut out of the BCS, and shut out of even getting an invite to the Heisman ceremony (despite having the #4 and #5 vote-getters in Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree), but they weren’t even in the conversation! How ridiculous is that?

Unfortunately, that is college football.

I love college football. I grew up going to games every Saturday, and I love nothing more than watching, debating, and reading about college football all Fall long. But I love college basketball more, and for one extremely important reason: champions are determined on the court, and not through media politicking or in a computer.

Oklahoma had a historic season in many ways in 2008. One feat that should definitely go down in the record books is that they recorded the first loss in the history of college football that, apparently, was not a loss.

In the absence of a playoff, when two teams with identical records do not play eachother, subjective opinions must be solicited to attempt to determine who is better. This has always been a part of college football, and there is no way around it to a certain degree. But when teams play eachother on the field, that game has to mean something. In this case, Oklahoma may as well have just won that game 45-35 instead of what actually happened. Oklahoma was treated like a 12-0 team, while Texas was dealt the fate of a team that went 10-2 and lost to the Sooners.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget about Texas Tech.

My head is starting to hurt just writing this, because it is such a sad and ridiculous circle of idiocy. The only thing standing between college football and a playoff is excuses. College basketball does it. The other college football divisions do it. And somehow, a better method simply has to be implemented to determine champions.

One of the most popular arguments bandied about in opposition of a playoff is that a playoff would lessen the importance of the regular season, that what makes college football different is that a game in October is just as meaningful as a game in January. Well to all of the people who make that argument, I present the 2008 college football season as the quintessential counter-argument that you simply cannot refute.

How meaningful is the college football regular season when Texas can beat Oklahoma, yet Oklahoma goes to the Big 12 championship, the national championship, and the Oklahoma QB beats out the Texas QB for the Heisman?

How meaningful is the college football regular season when Texas Tech can beat Texas, and their arguments are not even taken seriously, for the most part because they do not have the same prestige as Texas and Oklahoma?

It doesn’t seem all that meaningful to me. Not after this season.

What do you think?

So congratulations to Oklahoma. 2008 truly has been the Year of the Sooners, because somehow Oklahoma was able to defy sports logic and completely erase the typical consequences of losing. And this is not a knock on Oklahoma, their coaches, or their players — they have an amazing team. And it is hard to argue that they are not deserving of a spot in the championship game. The problem is that it is not hard to argue for Texas or Texas Tech either.

So the knock is not on Oklahoma, but rather on the idiotic system of college football over which the Sooners have no control.

I just hope that 2008 was a step backwards that can ultimately lead to a giant leap forward — in the form of a playoff. All of this illogical BS has gone on for far too long in college football and it is time for what happens on the field to matter more than what happens on a ballot.

Discussion Questions for Comments Section:

1. Do you think that Texas and Texas Tech got screwed in 2008?
2. Do you want to see a playoff in college football? Why or why not?

Looking forward to everyone’s responses on this topic. And let’s just hope that one of these days, logic can actually become a part of college football.

He gave a very nice and heartfelt speech in which he thanked “everyone in his life.” He becomes the second straight sophomore to win the trophy, joining Tim Tebow from last season. They are the only two sophomores to ever win the Heisman Trophy.

Sam Bradford is a member of the Cherokee Indian tribe. I did not realize that until earlier today.

What do you think of Sam Bradford winning the Heisman Trophy?

Okay, so here is how the voting broke down:

Sam Bradford – 1,726 votes

Colt McCoy – 1,604 votes

Tim Tebow – 1,575 votes

Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree, Shonn Greene, and Pat White rounded out the top 7.

Interestingly, Tim Tebow received the most first place votes, but still finished in third place.

Here is the statistical breakdown from the 2008 season for Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford and his two closest competitors, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow:

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma:

• QB Rating: 186.29
• Passing Yards: 4,464
• Passing Touchdowns: 48
• Completion: 68.3%
• Yards Per Attempt: 10.10
• Interceptions: 6
• Rushing Yards: 65
• Rushing TDs: 5

Colt McCoy, Texas:

• QB Rating: 179.2
• Passing Yards: 3,445
• Passing Touchdowns: 32
• Completion: 77.6%
• Yards Per Attempt: 9.19
• Interceptions: 7
• Rushing Yards: 576
• Rushing TDs: 10

Tim Tebow, Florida:

• QB Rating: 176.74
• Passing Yards: 2,515
• Passing Touchdowns: 28
• Completion: 64.9%
• Yards Per Attempt: 9.4
• Interceptions: 2
• Rushing Yards: 564
• Rushing TDs: 12

Interesting historical note: The only other time that the margin between the first and third place finisher was close was back in 2001. That season, Eric Crouch of Nebraska won the Heisman Trophy, while Rex Grossman of Florida and Ken Dorsey of Miami finished second and third, respectively.

Update: Sam Bradford has won the Heisman Trophy over Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow

Tonight, one college football player will have their name permanently etched alongside the all-time greats. For Sam Bradford or Colt McCoy, winning the Heisman Trophy forever place their name on the greatest individual list of players in the history of college football. For Tim Tebow, winning a second Heisman Trophy would place him in one of the most exclusive clubs in all of sports: 2-time Heisman Trophy winners. Currently, only Archie Griffin is a member. Tim Tebow could become the second.

In all of my years following college football and the Heisman Trophy, I can remember few that were this up in the air. Literally any of these three guys could be announced the winner and it would not surprise me in the slightest. I remember the 1989 race was pretty open. Andre Ware of Houston ended up beating out Anthony Thompson of Indiana, primarily because the Hoosiers choked against Purdue and finished 5-6. But this race has three legitimate candidates.

Let’s run through a quick 2008 Heisman Trophy Preview:

• Who: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma; Colt McCoy, Texas; Tim Tebow, Florida
• What: 2008 Heisman Trophy Presentation
• When: December 13 at 8:00 ET on ESPN
• Where: Downtown Athletic Club, New York
• Why: Because it’s presented every year, and it is the single most prestigious individual honor in sport.

A quick statistical comparison between the three candidates:

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma:

• QB Rating: 186.29
• Passing Yards: 4,464
• Passing Touchdowns: 48
• Completion: 68.3%
• Yards Per Attempt: 10.10
• Interceptions: 6
• Rushing Yards: 65
• Rushing TDs: 5

Colt McCoy, Texas:

• QB Rating: 179.2
• Passing Yards: 3,445
• Passing Touchdowns: 32
• Completion: 77.6%
• Yards Per Attempt: 9.19
• Interceptions: 7
• Rushing Yards: 576
• Rushing TDs: 10

Tim Tebow, Florida:

• QB Rating: 176.74
• Passing Yards: 2,515
• Passing Touchdowns: 28
• Completion: 64.9%
• Yards Per Attempt: 9.4
• Interceptions: 2
• Rushing Yards: 564
• Rushing TDs: 12

As you can see from comparing the stats, no one stands out so far above the pack that the decision is easy. Sure, Sam Bradford has plenty more yards and TDs, but he does not have the rushing that McCoy and Tebow bring to the table. And Colt McCoy broke Daunte Culpepper’s Division I record for completion percentage. You can stare at the stats all day long and I don’t think it makes the decision any more clear.

Let’s take a quick rundown and see how the “experts” are picking:

Ivan Maisel, ESPN: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

Pat Forde, ESPN: Colt McCoy, Texas

Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Tim Tebow, Florida

Beano Cook, ESPN: Tim Tebow, Florida

Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN: Colt McCoy, Texas

Stewart Mandel, SI.com: Tim Tebow, Florida

(Update: Just caught this on SI.com. They actually reveal the official Heisman ballots of the voters who write for SI. Pretty interesting. Based on this tiny sample, looks like it’s a two-man race between Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy.)

I just realized there is really no point in doing this. These guys don’t know any more than you or I do about who will win, or who deserves it to win. This year’s Heisman Trophy will come down to how each individual voter defines “most outstanding”.

For me, I give the slight edge to Colt McCoy. He does not have the superstar talent around him that Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow have, and has been forced to do more on his own. He set the NCAA record for completion percentage, and if Texas had finished undefeated McCoy would be a shoe-in. Well, it was only a dropped INT by a Texas DB that prevented them from beating Texas Tech. Colt McCoy did everything he could in that game. And in the head-to-head matchup between McCoy and Bradford, McCoy lifted his team to victory.

So my vote goes to Colt McCoy. Who does your vote go to?

Use the comments to defend your selection and argue for you candidate. And for the record, I think it stinks that Graham Harrell didn’t get an invite to New York. Whether he had a legit chance to win or not, he should have been there. His team had one loss in the same conference as McCoy and Bradford and his stats were incredible. He got jobbed.

Texas Tech comes into Saturday night’s matchup (at 8:00 ET on ABC) with an 10-0 record, a #2 ranking, and off of back-to-back wins over top 10 teams Texas and Oklahoma State. The Oklahoma Sooners will defend their home turf Saturday with a 9-1 record, a #5 ranking, and a loss to Texas (in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl) as their only blemish of the year.

Both teams have offenses that are pretty much ridiculous. Texas Tech, powered by the lethal combo of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, is #1 in the nation in passing yards per game with 438.6, and they are #2 in overall offense. Oklahoma is led by superstar sophomore Sam Bradford and is #4 in total offense and #3 in passing offense. Holy crap I am getting excited for this game.

If the over-under is anything less 100, take the over.

What are the keys to victory? I’ll run down a few in the preview and then offer up a prediction. But first, chime in with your prediction:

Texas Tech-Oklahoma Preview: Keys to victory for Texas Tech

1 — Emotion and Mindset

For two straight weeks, Texas Tech has played “the biggest game in school history” and they have won both of them. The Texas game was a knock down, drag out fight that they were able to pull out by the skin of their teeth with an incredible touchdown pass from Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree in the final seconds. It is the kind of play a team makes when they are that season’s “darling of destiny.” (Case in point: think about Tennessee in 1998 and how they won a game on a phantom pass interference and another when Clint Stoerner fumbled while attempting to run out the clock. Some teams just get all the breaks for an entire season.)

Texas Tech needed no breaks against Oklahoma State, however. They thoroughly whooped the Cowboys, who failed to get Dez Bryant enough play-making opportunities. Now, the Red Raiders are 10-0 and have spent a two weeks since the Texas win listening to everyone tell them they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not to mention, they have played with a very high level of emotion and concentration for two consecutive weeks.

Can they maintain it? That is the key question. Norman will be a hostile environment and Oklahoma usually jumps out to early leads with their high-octane offense. If Texas Tech gets down, they can’t panic or lose their emotion. Emotion and mindset have been a strength of Texas Tech all year. It needs to be again.

2 — Pressure Sam Bradford to force turnovers

In Oklahoma’s lone loss this year, Sam Bradford was picked off twice by Texas. He has only been picked off four times in their other 9 games. Texas fell behind early but was able to come back because of timely special teams plays and turnovers. Sam Bradford has been spectacular through nearly two seasons, but has shown a propensity to lose his poise late in games or when Oklahoma is down. Texas Tech needs to capitalize on this and get to him every chance they can.

3 — Establish a ground game

Texas Tech is known for its aerial assault, but Texas won because they stayed committed to running the football. Colt McCoy threw 35 passes and as a team they ran it 35 times. Texas Tech doesn’t need such an even split (McCoy ran it 14 times himself, while Harrell won’t do that), but they do need to try to control the ball, especially late if they have a lead. The top two running backs for Texas Tech average over 5 yards per carry. The Red Raiders will rack up points behind the superb ability of Graham Harrell in leading the spread, but they can salt away a victory by pounding a struggling Oklahoma defense with the run.

Texas Tech-Oklahoma Preview: Keys to victory for Oklahoma

1 — Special frieking teams

Oklahoma has been plagued by special teams breakdowns all season long. They had Texas dead to rights with a 14-3 lead and all of the momentum before Jordan Shipley gave the Longhorns a glimmer of hope with a kickoff return for a TD. Oklahoma scored on the very next possession and could have been up 21-3. Instead, it was 21-10, and Texas got it back to 21-20 before the half. The Sooners dominated the first half in every way, but led by only one at the break. Take away the special teams failure and the game could have had a drastically different outcome.

Oklahoma almost always jumps out and has their offense clicking early. Texas Tech’s D has played well this year, but the offenses in the Big 12 this year, and Oklahoma specifically, have proven they could rack up points with 15 defenders on the field. If Oklahoma gets up early at home, they need to maintain their lead. If a special teams play can spark a struggling Red Raiders team, it could be deja vu all over again for Oklahoma in a big game at home.

2 — Sam Bradford needs to be better than Graham Harrell

In each of the key Big 12 games this year, the quarterback who has played better has been on the winning team. Colt McCoy outdueled Sam Bradford in Dallas, and Texas won. Graham Harrell made one more play that Colt McCoy in Lubbock, and Texas Tech won. Graham Harrell was better than Zack Robinson, Colt McCoy was better than Chase Daniel, and so on it goes.

Sam Bradford’s statistics are incredible. But the one whisper I continuously hear from people who watch the Big 12 closely is that Sam Bradford, while he has the prototypical body and arm of an NFL quarterback, lacks the moxie and winning ability of Colt McCoy and Graham Harrell. This game will be Sam Bradford’s chance to prove that he is a legit Heisman contender and that he can lead a team to victory in a hue game. He failed against Texas, but Oklahoma needs him to be better than the de facto Heisman front-runner right now, Graham Harrell. And part of Sam Bradford being able to do this will be the ability of his offensive line to protect him adequately.

3 — Bob Stoops needs to be better than Mike Leach

Last week, Texas Tech kicked the snot out of Oklahoma State because Mike Leach had his team mentally, emotionally, and tactically more prepared to play than Mike Gundy did. Oklahoma State inexplicably did not use Dez Bryant correctly, and their defense had no answer for Texas Tech. The defense part is not so egregious, because no defense can stop Texas Tech.

But no defense has been able to stop Oklahoma either. And while Texas Tech possesses one of the better defense’s Oklahoma has faced all year, they shouldn’t be able to contain Sam Bradford and the balanced attack of the Sooners — if Bob Stoops doesn’t screw it up, that is. His offense has been superb all year, but coaches sometimes outthink themselves and try to do “special” things in big games. I think this is what has made Mike Leach such a great coach: Texas Tech does what it does and it doesn’t seem to change from the preseason to regular season. They just execute and understand their identity.

Bob Stoops, however, does not have the reputation of a great big game coach; and I think part of the reason why is that he makes the same mistake other coaches make by not staying committed to doing the things they do well. Stoops and the Oklahoma coaches need to let Sam Bradford run the show and not outthink themselves. You know that Mike Leach will do so for Graham Harrell, which is why Graham Harrell has been so good in key spots.

Texas Tech-Oklahoma Prediction

I was really leaning towards picking Oklahoma when I began writing this. They are at home, Texas Tech has to be emotionally drained from the last two weeks, and Oklahoma’s offense is, overall, every bit as good as Texas Tech’s.

But there are two key differences between Texas Tech and Oklahoma: Graham Harrell-Mike Leach and Sam Bradford-Bob Stoops.

Graham Harrell has proven that he is clutch this season, and that he is the type of zone where he believes that he can make every play. Sam Bradford couldn’t do this in his biggest test of the season against Texas. And despite Bob Stoops longer and more decorated coaching resume, I actually trust Mike Leach more in a big game to have his team ready to play, and to not lose its identity. Bob Stoops and Sam Bradford can change my mind with a win Saturday night, but I’m not ready to bank my credibility as a prognosticator on it.

The Sooners are favored by somewhere around 6, but I’m taking the Red Raiders outright (and, like I said, the over if it’s anywhere under 100).

Texas Tech 56 – Oklahoma 52 in an another 2008 Big 12 instant classic.

[tags]texas tech red raiders, oklahoma sooners, college football, big 12[/tags]

Go to the Sports Agent Corner page to view past editions, and feel free to send an email to the Sports Agent Corner if there is a specific question you would like Gary to address in future weeks. You can also respond in the comments section and I’ll be sure that Gary sees your responses.)

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MSF: “Superagent” Leigh Steinberg was arrested last week for public intox. As a fellow sports agent, when you see a story like that about another agent with such a high profile, what is your reaction?

Gary Glick: Honestly, I don’t give much thought to that. All of us have a drink or two at times and it sort of falls into the category of “there but for the grace of God go I.” If it was a more serious charge of DWI, or domestic violence, or a charge relating to drug use it would be a big concern.

MSF: There is a lot of uncertainty right now regarding the future of the NFL’s relationship with the NFLPA due to the impending expiration of the CBA. Do you foresee an uncapped year? If so, what are the ramifications for the NFL?

Gary Glick: It would be difficult to imagine the NFL allowing things to proceed to the point of an uncapped year. That would have the potential of allowing players to essentially name their price and put football contracts up there with baseball contracts. I really do not foresee an uncapped year.

MSF: How is the NFLPA currently operating without a “true” leader after the passing of Gene Upshaw? Who do you think, or better yet, who do you want to see take over as NFLPA president?

Gary Glick: I had not had any direct dealings with Mr. Upshaw and to date, do not believe there has been the situation in which we have been able to see a positive or negative impact. I have not really noticed a difference yet. I continue to deal with those same individuals with whom I have always dealt. I believe at the time the heat of the CBA negotiations is turned up, we will see the difference. There are so many qualified individuals who would be qualified and who I believe could lead the next generation of the NFLPA. It would need to be an intelligent, former player. I have yet to hear any individuals being mentioned as strong candidates. I always thought Ray Farmer (the current Director of Pro Personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs) would be a perfect fit (I haven’t heard his or any other name being mentioned). But again, I deal with so many individuals directly or indirectly involved in the NFL that would be good for that position.

MSF: What are some recommendations you would give to the next NFLPA president.

Gary Glick: Somewhat consistently, the NFLPA (the NFL players’ union) is considered to be a weak union, at least relative to the other major sports. I believe its important for the next president to somehow quell that perception and to fight for stronger guaranteed contracts for players. Moreover, it would be good to see the union put up a stronger fight for players as well as former players without jeopardizing relations with the owners to the extent the fans are punished.

From an agent’s standpoint, Id like to see the NFLPA create a more equal footing for agents to compete. There is so much unregulated recruiting by agents who give players incentives to sign with that agency and rarely is anything done about it.

MSF: Let’s talk about some of the great football being played in your home state of Texas. UT-Texas Tech: What were your general impressions of the game? How does Graham Harrell compare to Colt McCoy as an NFL prospect? And how amazing is Michael Crabtree? What would you give up for a year to have Crabtree as a client?

Gary Glick: Generally, I can’t think of a college game I enjoyed watching as much as this one. Not only did it live up to the hype, it previewed 2 outstanding teams having outstanding seasons. From the previous seasons of following the Big 12 and watching Graham Harrell, I did not want to believe he was the “real deal”; but this year, I think he has proven that he is not only for real, but that he is more than just a “system” QB.

Previous QB’s at Texas Tech have had outstanding statistics, but could not make it in the NFL because their success in college was more of a result of the Texas Tech offensive system than it was because they were actual, legitimate NFL-caliber QB’s. Graham Harrell seems to be different. He makes good reads, has a very good pocket presence, never seems to panic, and picks up blitzes and executes as well as any QB in the country.

I believe Graham Harrell and Colt McCoy will probably be neck and neck in the NFL Draft and it will probably come down to the preference of an NFL team as well as the performance of each at the NFL Combine. Both are top quality QB’s who have really come on in their senior seasons.

As far as Crabtree, I can only say Wow! He has everything an NFL team could want: speed, good hands, strength, and ability to make yards after the catch. More than that, he appears to be a quality person off the field as well. I would definitely make sacrifices to have him as a client…I might even give up beer! He is the type of quality player on and off the field that an agent would be lucky to represent.

[tags]sports agent, nflpa[/tags]

Go to the Sports Agent Corner page to view past editions, and feel free to send an email to the Sports Agent Corner if there is a specific question you would like Gary to address in future weeks.)

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Midwest Sports Fans: From a scout’s perspective, projecting forward with respect to his potential NFL career, how good of an overall on- and off-field prospect is Colt McCoy?

Gary Glick: Honestly, I’m not as familiar with Colt McCoy as I should be because last year, I simply did not see him as that good of a QB. In fact, I have spoken with NFL Scouts who thought that Stephen McGee (Texas A&M) was a better Pro Prospect. Colt McCoy has really turned it around this year and looks to be not only a versatile QB who can pass and run the ball, he looks to be the leader of the team on Offense. From those persons with whom I’ve spoken, he seems to be a sincere player who is strong in his beliefs and convictions. I will be curious to watch the scouting reports and to see how far he moves up.

MSF: Colt McCoy recently stated that he is planning to return for his senior season. What are your thoughts on his decision, and players leaving school early in general?

Gary Glick: First, I am a big advocate of education and getting a degree. With that said, it’s easy enough and quite common for a player to return later and obtain their degree. Personally, I hardly EVER recommend a player leave school early. On the other hand, each player has his own individual needs and considerations. There are those that know they will be drafted and are in such a financial position they do not feel they have a choice. They may sacrifice the potential for a higher payday if they were to wait another season; however, in their mind, they may feel they have no choice and the temptation of a minimum salary of $310,000 when in financial trouble can be hard to resist; not to mention the risk of injury.

On the other hand, as mentioned, I place a high degree of importance on finishing college. I believe it’s important to the player’s development and it’s important to the coaches. Further, a person only gets to live that “college life” one time. For those of us making a living day-to-day in the real world, the memories made in those four years of college (well, for some make that 5-7 years) can never be replaced. Players like Matt Leinert are willing to take the risk of sacrificing draft dollars to play out their senior season.
I admire Colt McCoy for that decision and hope it works for him. Although as an Aggie, Colt may be one player we would like to see leave early!

MSF: Have you been surprised at all by the divergence of the paths of Colt McCoy and Chase Daniel over the past few weeks?

Gary Glick: Absolutely. I was fortunate enough to have followed Chase Daniel’s career all the way back to high school at Southlake (in Dallas, TX). And I guess I was unfortunate enough to watch him on several occasions dismantle my former high school team (Lake Highlands) even when LH was a decent team. I’ve scouted Missouri and have watched as Chase Daniel has become a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. He is a team leader and although by NFL standards he is considered by many to be too small, he plays with a ton of heart. He reminds me of the QB version of Wes Welker.

On the other hand, Colt McCoy, until this season, did not look the same after being knocked out of the Texas A&M game a few seasons ago. Again, I will be curious to see how the scouts grade him but in my opinion, he is one of the better college QB’s I have seen this season (I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan and he may be better than some Pro QB’s as well…not to mention any names).

MSF: If you could choose any of the Big 12 QB’s for a client, who would it be and why? And where would Baylor freshman Robert Griffith fall in the hierarchy?

Gary Glick: It probably WOULD be Griffith, but he is only a Freshman so there’s time. Of the other QB’s, I would probably choose Sam Bradford at OU as he is in a Pro Style offense in a very tough conference and is incredibly successful. Additionally, OU seems to excel at the preparation of their players for the next level. Off the field, Bradford also has a good reputation. His size and ability seem to mesh well with the prototypical NFL QB’s.

MSF: You are a Texas A&M grad. What are three things Mike Sherman needs to do to get the program turned around?

Gary Glick: Touchy subject! I would say that recruiting is a huge first step. I know that Coach Sherman has made some good choices in the people he has surrounded himself with such as Tim Cassidy, an excellent recruiter of talent in the state of Texas. Next, and something I believe Coach Sherman has done, is surround himself with a good coaching staff. Finally, utilize the talent that he has. For this year, although it appears the talent level is lower than in years past, and the Win/Loss record is not terribly favorable, you would still like to see them play as they did in the first half of the Texas Tech game. They were scrappy and determined and looked for awhile like they might have a chance for an upset.

As I am an Aggie, I can speak for those I know when I say that the Aggie faithful are getting impatient. I do believe that Coach Sherman will turn it around once he has had an opportunity to institute his system with players he and his staff recruit.

MSF: What goes into recruiting an athlete from the point of his senior year in college through his signing with an NFL team?

Gary Glick: The answer is a little vague in that it differs from player to player. We are at a point at Synergy Sports where we get a number of players by word-of-mouth. On the other hand, there are a number of ways a player can be recruited.

Most schools now have what’s called “Player/Agent” week where agents registered with the secretary of state and with a particular school are invited to meet with the Seniors in a controlled environment. Of course, it’s ultimately the players’ choice as to whom they want to meet. After the meeting, an agent is allowed to communicate with a player through the school’s athletic compliance office. Once a relationship is established, the agent gets to know the player through this series of communications. The player can then sign a Representation Agreement with the agent after the last game of his season (that includes Bowl Games). That’s when the fun begins.

Generally the agent will fund the players’ training for the NFL Combine, the school’s Pro Day, etc. Some agents make repayment a part of the contract with the player. The ultimate goal is to put the player in the best position to get drafted or to be signed as an undrafted Free Agent.

[tags]sports agent, nfl, college football, colt mccoy[/tags]