I like how when people bring up a team's schedule they focus on the two or three perinnial cellar dwellers. It's like a Big-12 school's fan dissing LSU because the SEC has Vandy, Kentucky and Miss State. :dis: In 1998-1999, Kenny Kelly and Scott Covington were the QB's. James Jackson and Edge James were the RB's. Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss were the two leading receivers. Dan Morgan, Ed Reed and Damoine Lewis were the notables on defense. They lost to VaTech, FSU and Syracuse. None of those players (except Edge) were the players that they are today. This was the first year Miami had all of their scholarships after the Erickson Era. In 1999-2000, Penn State was the #3 ranked team in the Nation. A win would have been an upset and Miami almost pulled it off. Against East Carolina (a week after the Penn State letdown), ECU staged a second half comeback. An interception, two fumbles and nearly 100 yards in penalties help ECU pull out the win. The very next week came a showdown against FSU. That would be #1 ranked and eventual National Champ FSU. They almost beat a Peter Warrick-less FSU. They would win out until they met VaTech. That would be Mike Vick-led VaTech who would eventually lose their only game of the year to FSU for the Nat'l Title. In 2000-2001, they lost to #15 Washington in Seattle. That was their only loss of the year as they were snubbed by the BCS (before strength of schedule was added) and denied a chance to play FSU, a team they defeated 27-24 earlier in year (wide right!). In 2001-2002, they won out after going through the same thing we're doing involving Saban and the Dolphins. No matter who the coach is next year, Nick Saban will get the credit of the Tigers win a Nat'l Championship again. The coaches and talent that won that year (and every year since) were put in place by Butch Davis. What they are now is a direct result of the work he put when they had trouble players and lost scholarships because of Erickson's lack of discipline. If you're not convinced that Davis is every bit as capable as Saban to run LSU, I don't know what to tell you.
I am NOT impressed with Butch Davis either. If all you need is a salesman why not hire the bad toupe sales guy.
