Arizona, Florida could be surprise teams “T
is what the greatest thing about sports is. You play to win the game. Hello? You PLAY to WIN the GAME.”
Sixteen years after Herm Edwards delivered that classic rant as coach of the New York Jets and 10 years removed from his last coaching gig with the Kansas
City Chiefs, the
64-year-old will return to the sidelines at Arizona
State as one of 21 new FBS coaches this season.
Other notable old faces in new places include
Scott Frost (Nebraska), Chip Kelly (UCLA), Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M), Dan Mullen (Florida), Joe Moorhead (Mississippi State) and Kevin Sumlin (Arizona).
Las Vegas oddsmakers aren’t expecting much this year from Edwards’ Sun Devils, who have a win total of 4½ at the Westgate sports book. But several other new coaches who play to win the game appear poised for big years.
Raising Arizona
Sumlin, who went 31-20 the last four seasons at Texas A&M, isn’t the best new coach. But he might end up with the most wins this year after taking over a Wildcats team led by quarterback Khalil Tate, the fourth choice (12-1) to win the Heisman Trophy.
“Arizona’s a really live ‘dog in the Pac-12 South,” Gold Sheet handicapper Bruce Marshall said. “I’m stepping out on a limb a little bit because I’m not sure I like Sumlin that much, but the schedule breaks incredibly well for them.
“Almost all of their tough games are at home. They have one tough road game at Utah, but they won’t see Stanford or Washington until the Pac-12 title game.”
Vegas Insider handicapper Brian Edwards also is high on Arizona, which returns most of its key players.
“They have a chance to be really good. If Tate is healthy all year, I’d say Arizona will be the toughest challenger for USC,” said Edwards (Brianedwardssports.com). “Looking at their schedule, there are eight wins I’m confident in and three swing games: USC and Oregon at home and at Washington State. And they get two weeks to prepare for Washington State.
“I won’t be shocked if Arizona wins nine.”
Arizona’s win total is 7½ (Over minus 150) and it’s 12-1 to win the Pac-12 title.
Mississippi State stacked
Edwards and Marshall also expect Mississippi State to thrive under Moorhead. The former Penn State offensive coordinator inherits a loaded team from Mullen that won nine games last season and returns 17 starters, including quarterback Nick Fitzgerald.
Edwards (@vegasbedwards) likes the Bulldogs to go over their win total of 8 (Over minus 120).
“With Moorhead, Penn State had a huge jump in offensive production and now he’s got a team that went 9-4 last year and could’ve easily beaten Alabama,” he said. “They’ve got a chance to have a really special season.”
Gator aid
Marshall and Westgate sports book manager Ed Salmons expect Mullen to be the new coach to make the biggest impact this season.
Mullen was Urban Meyer’s offensive coordinator when the Gators won two national titles with quarterback Tim Tebow. Mullen then left after the 2008 season and led Mississippi State to the No. 1 ranking in the nation in 2014.
“Mullen coached with Meyer at Florida, so he’s familiar with it,” Salmons said. “They have so much talent, but they’ve been so inept on offense — other than the year Will Grier was there — since the Tebow years.
“There’s no reason why that team can’t score. Outside of Georgia, Florida is more than capable of beating anyone in the (Southeastern Conference) East.”
The Gators are coming off only their second losing season (4-7) in the last 38 years. Florida’s win total is 8 this year and it’s 20-1 to win the SEC title.
“Florida should never be that bad,” said Marshall (Goldsheet. com). “Mullen’s the real deal and he could close the gap on Georgia immediately.”
Edwards, a lifelong Gators fan, said he loves Florida’s overall roster and noted that it has the SEC’S easiest schedule. But he has no faith in Florida’s quarterbacks.
“Maybe Mullen can do some quarterback whispering,” he said.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.