Coaches that could be in trouble this season

The college football season is fast approaching. While some teams are in clear rebuilding mode, some teams are forever rebuilding. Or there are some that have plateaued or underachieved. That normally lands a coach in hot water. I have an opinion on who might be in trouble this year if their team can't catch a lucky break.

Mike London, Virginia- London came to Charlottesville with some impressive credentials after two years at Richmond. He had a 4-8 season his first year but orchestrated an 8-5 turnaround in his second season and won ACC coach of the year, which inflated fans and administrators' expectations. After taking a step back with another 4-8 season the heat is on London's Cavaliers squad to at least make a bowl game. If not London could find himself looking for another job.

Ron English, Eastern Michigan- It doesn't help when you inherit a hopeless situation. It also doesn't help when Sports Illustrated names you as one of the five worst coaches in college football. Two years ago it looked like the Eagles were poised to turn the corner after posting a 6-6 record. After last year's 2-10 record it looks like it was more of a fluke than legit. With Northern Illinois going to a BCS bowl last year, Eastern Michigan needs some dramatic improvement for English to keep his job. That's a steep hill to climb.

Lane Kiffin, USC- This is an obvious choice and everyone knows why. After being hailed as a national championship contender last season and thought of as the team to end the SEC's championship dominance the Trojans failed miserably, finishing at 7-6. Kiffin is more bluster than sideline genius, but he did get a vote of confidence from athletic director Pat Haden. Doesn't make Kiffin secure but the Trojans better be in the Rose Bowl conversation in November and December.    

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa- Even though Ferentz has been at Iowa for 14 years, this is a what have you done for me lately business. Ferentz has twice dragged the Hawkeyes out of mediocrity and into national prominence. He's also been named Big Ten coach of the year three times.  If the Hawkeyes lose to another MAC team or two, and if they finish below .500 in conference play in what appears to be a less-than-stellar Big Ten, it might finally make fiscal sense to get Ferentz out of town. The Hawkeyes were 4-8 last season and finished with six straight losses to end the season.

June Jones, SMU- This might be a little unfair since the Mustangs still haven't fully recovered from the 'death penalty' levied by the NCAA. After his success at Hawaii I'm pretty sure the administrators at SMU were looking forward to seven win seasons and mediocrity. They want to be a BCS buster/playoff contender. I think Jones is secure at SMU but you never know.

Gary Pinkel, Missouri- This also might be unfair since Pinkel will now be judged on what he does in the SEC than for his full body of work. He made the Tigers nationally relevant and achieved a No.1 ranking at one point in 2007 when they finished at No.4. The Tigers suffered some injuries to their main playmakers last season derailed their potent offense but were just a few plays from being bowl eligible. If things don't turn around soon, he might be out as head coach of Missouri. However, no one should ever doubt the amazing job he has done at Missouri.   

Robert Griffin III fined $10,000 for wearing 'Operation Patience' t-shirt

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III has ran afoul of the NFL's apparel police once again.

Griffin was fined $10,000 by the NFL for wearing unauthorized apparel during warmups prior to their Monday night preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Players are prohibited from wearing unauthorized apparel during the period on game days when they are visible to the stadium and television audiences, including pregame warmups.

Griffin III was wearing an 'Operation Patience' t-shirt made by Adidas. Nike is the league's official apparel maker which makes wearing Adidas apparel a no-no. This is the second time Griffin III has been fined $10,000 by the league for wearing Adidas apparel.

Even though it seems petty for the NFL to fine Griffin III that much for wearing Adidas gear, they can't have one of the league's young marquee players pimping other apparel other than what the league sponsors.

I also understand that Adidas sponsors Griffin III so they need him to market their apparel whenever possible.

L.J. Rose is granted a waiver to play immediately at Houston

University of Houston sophomore guard L.J. Rose will be eligible to compete for the Cougars during the 2013-14 season after the NCAA recently granted his waiver request.

Rose will have three years of eligibility remaining with the start of the 2013-14 season. He and his Houston teammates return to classes for the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 26.

“We are extremely grateful that the NCAA has granted L.J.’s request. Family is so important, and this gives everyone in L.J.’s family the best opportunity to watch him play,” head coach James Dickey said. “We look forward to the start of the 2013-14 season with L.J. as a member of our program.”

Four members of the 2013-14 Houston Men’s Basketball team were ranked among the nation’s top 100 prospects by ESPN. Sophomore guard Danuel House was ranked No. 15 in 2012, while redshirt freshman guard Danrad Knowles was listed at No. 56 in 2012. Rose came in at No. 63 in 2012, and junior forward TaShawn Thomas stood at No. 92 in 2011.

Rose, who was one of the nation’s top prep players out of Westbury Christian, competed at Baylor during the 2012-13 season. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard played in 33 games for a team that won the NIT championship. He posted career highs with 14 points, 12 assists, three rebounds and two steals in a win against Hardin-Simmons in mid-January and dished out five assists in 16 minutes at Big 12 rival Iowa State in early February.

Rose, who is a Houston native, was ranked among the nation’s top-75 players by Scout.com, ESPN, MaxPreps.com and Rivals.com. As a senior in 2011-12, he led the Wildcats to the TAPPS 4A state championship game, scoring 17 points on the way to All-Tournament honors.

Before attending Westbury Christian, Rose competed for his first three high school seasons at Second Baptist School. There, he earned All-District 4 and Class 4A All-State honors as a freshman and again as a sophomore.

He also owns international experience on his resume. Rose was a member of the U16 National Team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Argentina.

The Rose family is no stranger to the Houston program. His father, Lynden, lettered for the Cougars’ Phi Slama Jama teams from 1980 to 1982 and was a sixth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982. His father also served on the UH Board of Regents from 2004 to 2009, while his uncle, Cecile Rose, scored more than 1,200 points in 114 games from 1974 to 1978.

This team has the potential to be good, but if leading scorer Joseph Young hadn't transferred to Oregon, the Cougars might've been a dangerous team to play in the new American Athletic Conference.    

Saints cut former No. 2 pick, Jason Smith

The New Orleans Saints released offensive tackle Jason Smith on Wednesday, coach Sean Payton announced.

That means the second pick in the 2009 NFL Draft is currently on the market. Smith was drafted by the St. Louis Rams after Matthew Stafford.

Smith came to the Saints after spending last season with the New York Jets as a backup and blocking tight end. He was brought in by the Saints to compete with for the starting left tackle job. Instead the Saints opted to go with Charles Brown and Terron Armstead.

There is a possibility that Smith will be picked up somewhere down the line, but you have to wonder why three teams have given up on him so quickly.

"It Girl" of the week: Kimmi Kennedy

The "It Girl" of the week is Kimmi Kennedy

Ex- Rams GM, Billy Devaney, doesn't think too much of the Raiders' Alex Barron

Once upon a time, Billy Devaney was the general manager of the St. Louis Rams. The team compiled a 10-38 record during his tenure (2008-2011) and because of that performance he was fired.

Devaney is now one of the contributors on ESPN's NFL Insiders show. Earlier today on the show Devaney explained that he didn't think much of Oakland Raiders offensive tackle Alex Barron.

Barron was drafted by the previous GM in St. Louis and Devaney traded him away because he didn't believe that Barron had the heart to play football. He didn't stop there and said that Barron only played football for the money. 

“He’s got the skill to play. He does not have the heart to play football. He does not like anything about the game except getting paid,” Devaney said of Barron, who is currently the starting left tackle for the Raiders.

Memo to Devaney, that's why we have jobs so that we can get paid. I'm not defending Barron because the guy is blessed with a special skill set that many of us don't have. But maybe the guy knows he has a family to feed and really doesn't care to play but he knows he can earn a large paycheck to do so. Maybe he's just that bad. I don't know.

I know I go to work to get paid, not necessarily because I love my job. On the other hand many of us out here dream or have dreamed of playing any professional sport. I know it has to burn some fans up inside knowing that someone is playing just to get paid and not because he wants to help his team win or just loves the game.

Ex-Michigan receiver David Terrell facing a drug related felony charge

Former Michigan wide receiver David Terrell is facing a drug related felony charge in Chicago.

 ESPN.com reports Terrell was arrested Friday after police received a call of people smoking marijuana in a building. Authorities say Terrell and two others were observed with cannabis and “materials to package and distribute narcotics” in plain view.

Terrell is also facing a misdemeanor count of battery on a police officer after resisting arrest.

After being caught with marijuana and "cannabis scales" on Friday, Terrell resisted arrest. The report explains how he "struck the hand of an officer" during the incident, and another officer reportedly had to be taken to the hospital after Terrell's attempt to resist arrest.

Terrell was a first round draft pick (number 8 overall) by the Bears in the 2001 NFL draft. He played four seasons with the Bears and one with the Broncos. He finished his NFL career with 128 receptions and nine touchdowns.

It's a shame that he wasn't able to match the production he had at Michigan.