New Addition to AutzenZoo: An Overview of the Upcoming Season

I have some very exciting for AutzenZoo.com – we have a new contributing writer joining the team.  I asked Chuck to write a bio to introduce himself:

Hey here is some quick information on me. I have coached football for the better part of a decade and I once was a collegiate quarterback many years ago. I have been a fan of the game of football all of my life like many American males. College football holds a special place in my heart and I truly believe that across all levels it is the most exciting game played today. The NFL is of course the best of the best but Fall Saturdays have no equal…

The best thing about college football is everything outside of a final four. Unlike the NFL we will have a season without an “official” NCAA CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). The game is unique to different regions of the country, throughout many conferences, and even from Corvallis to Eugene. Texas schools are fast like California football, but continue up to the Midwest and in order to compete with the Wisconsins of the world you need to be big.

You may be a fan of the hometown team like the University of Iowa who regularly field a roster of around 75% home-grown student athletes, or maybe you enjoy a flashy and aggressive style of play like at the U of O.  The University of Oregon Ducks are a terrific show to watch on Saturdays (or maybe Sundays this season if the NFL can’t get along and Larry Scott gets the chance). Now Utah and Colorado come in to create the Pac-12.  It will be interesting to see how everyone does playing against a new mix.

This is without a doubt the slowest time of the year for us football fanatics. Throw in an NFL lockout and some bad press for the hometown Ducks and it makes for a slow and tough offseason. However I promise a great season of Pac – 12 football ahead of us. UCLA is making their way back up the ladder despite having a poor 2010 conference record they managed to run all over Texas in Austin last season and beat a tough Oregon State team late in the year. What will ASU do – sporting a new logo and with Erickson’s back against the wall, the Sun Devils could be a spoiler.

Washington State is getting closer every year. Trust me that may sound crazy but their cupboard isn’t looking so bare these days (Marquees Wilson should be an exciting player to watch). I would look for WSU to get a few teams this year.

This should make for a great season. With so many unique players, teams, and coaches we shouldn’t have any problem filling our Saturdays up with plenty of great gridiron action this fall.

Here are some Pac -12 non-conference games on my radar:

Oregon v. LSU : 9/03/11 : on ABC

Arizona @ Oklahoma State : 9/08/11 : on ESPN

Washington @ Nebraska : 9/17/11 : on ABC or ESPN

Arizona State v. Missouri : 9/09/11 : on ESPN

UCLA v. Texas : 9/17/11 : on ABC

USC @ Notre Dame : 10/22/11 : on ABC

Utah @ BYU : 9/17/11 : on ESPN2

Colorado @ Hawaii : 9/03/11 : on ESPN2

Welcome to AutzenZoo Chuck!!!