PUC Chronicle

Issue date: 2/12/07 Section: Sports

Brandon Thomas

It was an interesting signing day for college football. USC and Florida scored big with their highly sought-after top picks while Notre Dame dropped the ball with their incoming freshman class.
USC is sure to sit stoutly atop the BSC rankings next season. They brought in Joe McNight, a stud running back from River Ridge, La. He is ranked number one in ESPN's Top 150. This guy is going to come in and compete with Marc Taylor for a starting job next season and with his talent and versatility it may not be a contest.
This is without mentioning their fireballer freshman quarterback Mark Sanchez, who has not seen the field due to the fine play of junior quarterback John David Booty. Pete Caroll is surely licking his chops as he prepares his squad for a national championship run next season.
Florida also grabbed a couple wide receivers - Brandon Paul out of Tallahassee, Fla. and Markish Jones of Spartanburg, S.C. These additions will add to the deep threat of their brilliant pass-oriented offense. The monstrous 6'3" 229 pound quarterback Tim Tebow will be the likely replacement under center for Chris Leak.
Notre Dame's defensive unit was beaten down in the Sugar Bowl by LSU in a 41-14 caning and torched by Michigan earlier in the season. This did not stop Charlie Weiss from completely neglecting to sign any groundbreaking defensive players. Chris Little out of Jeffersonville, Ga. is hardly sufficient for what they need on defense. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen from Westlake Village, Cal. has great potential, but will be put on the hot seat early as the freshman replacement of seasoned quarterback Brady Quinn.
Ron Zook is reviving the Illinois program after it was drowned by current Bear's offensively-challenged offensive coordinator Ron Turner. Illinois was a surprise team on signing day snatching defensive end Martez Wilson of Chicago and wide reciever Arrelious Benn from Washington D.C. both ranked within the top 20 of ESPN's top 150 players. With returning quarterback Juice Williams, Illinois is in a great position to be found in a Bowl Game come January.
Steve Spurrier also made away well by addressing his wide receiver and running back needs.

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