Football Columns

Ron Higgins

Tebow’s biggest thrills have come from making a difference in the lives of those around him

by Ron Higgins November 30, 2009 in Football,

We all get caught up in who wins and who loses every week in college football. There’s controversial officiating, questionable coaching decisions and off-the-field problems that sometimes overshadow the sport.

Then, someone comes along like University of Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow, who reminds us what athletics in general is supposed to be about.

It’s about competing as hard as possible, but at the end of the day, it’s the profound impact that a marquee athlete can… Continue Reading Brett McMurphy

Kansas safety Darrell Stuckey gets the most out of every day

by Brett McMurphy November 02, 2009 in Football,


Kansas senior Darrell Stuckey laughs when he remembers what he was thinking when he first arrived on the Lawrence, Kan., campus five years ago.

“When I first got here, I wasn’t going to do anything but football and school,” Stuckey said.

Stuckey said he had friends who went off to college and flunked out after one semester. He wasn’t going to make that same mistake.

“I was not going to get involved in anything until I figured out how to… Continue Reading Dennis Dodd

Gregory’s work ethic and community service habits were built on the farm

by Dennis Dodd October 05, 2009 in Football,

When Kurtis Gregory was notified he had been nominated for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, the first thing that came to mind was, well, Lowe’s.

“Do you know if a $1,000 gift card comes with that?” Missouri’s right guard asked. “I need to buy some tools.”

That’s Gregory, a son of the soil, country boy all the way and future baron of the family’s 1,500 acres near Blackburn, Mo.

“I just want to farm,” he said.

One day he will. For now, the Missouri… Continue Reading Steve Richardson

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy has designs on the perfect senior season and a national title

by Steve Richardson September 07, 2009 in Football,

Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy grew up dreaming about playing college football at Abilene Christian where his father, Brad, once was a safety. That seemed like an appropriate goal for a skinny kid who was an all-sports star in the small West Texas town of Tuscola.

But after attending University of Texas summer football camps while he was in high school, McCoy re-focused on the Longhorns. He had watched Ricky Williams and Chris Simms develop and finally Vince Young play in Austin. He… Continue Reading Blair Kerkhoff

SENIOR SEASON HAS REWARDS FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL STARS

by Blair Kerkhoff December 05, 2008 in Football,

Okay, so it gets a lot of airtime – on television and on the video screens inside the arenas during March Madness. But if I’m not buried in note-taking I pay attention.

“There are over 400,000 student-athletes and most will be going pro in something other than sports.”

The NCAA got even more clever with those PSAs in its latest campaign to underscore the relationship between academics and athletics, cracking funny with kids bargaining their… Continue Reading Dennis Dodd

Football Finalists All Agree…There’s Nothing Like a Senior Year

by Dennis Dodd October 31, 2008 in Football,

It’s not really complicated. Jim Laurinaitis loves college football.

The Ohio State linebacker is a fine student too, but it’s the questions about football that kept coming his way in the offseason. 

NFL types were almost incredulous that the Ohio State linebacker didn’t go pro after his junior season in 2007. Laurinaitis had won at least a share of three Big Ten titles, as well as the Nagurski (defensive player of the year) and Butkus (best linebacker) awards. There was little… Continue Reading

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