In many ways Urban Meyer’s fingerprints have been everywhere in the news. He became head coach of the Ohio State University football team last November after leaving his job as head coach of the University of Florida following the 2010 season. His most notable NFL product of late is former Gators’ quarterback Tim Tebow has been blowing up in the media and creating buzz in social network conversation while taking the Denver Broncos as far as the AFC Divisional Playoff Round. However, it’s another former signal caller of Urban Meyer’s that has pretty much been flying under the radar until just recently. Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers, former QB for Urban Meyer at the University of Utah, has quietly had himself a very nice season as he and the 49ers under coach Jim Harbaugh went 13-3 in the regular season. The 49ers survived a last minute showdown and beat the New Orleans Saints to advance to the NFC Championship game. Last Sunday they lost in dramatic fashion at home to the New York Giants for a spot in the Super Bowl at Indianapolis and now look forward to next season.

This was a surprising turnaround season for a team that went just 6-10 last season and fell one win away from a shot at its first Super Bowl appearance in 18 years. Most of the credit for such a huge turnaround is given to rookie head coach Jim Harbaugh, former Stanford head coach, and his decision to keep 7th year quarterback, and Number 1 overall pick in the 2005 Draft, Alex Smith after having six disappointing seasons for the 49ers. No doubt that much of the 49ers success is credited to their top-flight defense led by defensive end Justin Smith and linebacker Patrick Willis as well as their running game spearheaded by Frank Gore, but not much credit is given to Alex Smith for the fact that he is not putting up anything close to Drew Brees-like numbers. Before the Jim Harbaugh takeover, Smith didn’t have much consistency in his coaching as he had six different offensive coordinators in all six seasons as well as having both former head coaches with defensive backgrounds.

It can be argued that he was a “born-again” rookie this season for many reasons. The first reason is that he has a new coach in Jim Harbaugh who is a more offensive minded coach being that he, too, was once a quarterback in the NFL for 14 seasons. The second reason is that with a new coach, as well as offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Smith is learning a new system that is similar to the West Coast Offense that legendary 49ers’ coach Bill Walsh ran during the Golden Era in San Francisco that won them five Super Bowl Championships. The third reason is the new mentality that Smith has taken on in that he isn’t the same timid guy that he used to be; Smith has admitted that he really doesn’t care what others think of him, his stats, and his play on the field. All he, and the rest of the 49ers, believe in is “the team, the team, the team” and it is shown by the fact that every player seems to be focused on winning rather then personal accolades. This all has given Alex Smith a new swagger that he never really had in the NFL and he seems to be having fun winning as he has been cool and relaxed much like former 49ers Super Bowl legend QB “Joe Cool” Montana was under Bill Walsh. Smith tied for first this season for the most fourth quarter comebacks with five, including the 49ers comeback against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs.

The change in Alex Smith’s performance can be seen in his stats from the 2011 season as well as his performance in the 49ers playoff win over the Saints when he led a comeback in the 4th quarter. Smith had a career year this season by throwing an average of 195 yards per game, 17 touchdowns, rushing for 2 touchdowns, 60% completion rate, 90.7 passer rating, and a low 5 interceptions all in 16 starts. His stats are obviously nowhere near that of the NFL elite quarterbacks but playing on a balanced offensive attack that enforces the run first mentality does not require Smith to attempt very many passes. However, Smith has been efficient and a 17 to 5 ratio of TDs to Interceptions show that he has been very smart about his passing attempts which explains the solid 90.7 passer rating. He seemed to have taken a step back recently as his performance in the NFC Championship game didn’t go as well as 49ers fans would have liked, but he really only had one target to throw to in Vernon Davis as the 49ers’ receivers were held in check.

Over a year ago, fans would boo at the sight of Smith on the field and this season it was as if a new guy was in there leading the team through the playoffs. He gave fans a glimpse of hopes for future offensive production in the NFC Divisional Playoff game as he stepped up and led the 49ers to a fourth quarter comeback twice going 80+ yards on his final two drives. The first drive was fueled by a big run by Frank Gore that put the 49ers in field goal range. On 3rd and 7 with the ball 28 yards from the end zone, Smith ran “QB 9”, a play designed for Smith to run behind a block from Joe Staley for the go ahead score. With over two minutes to go Drew Brees led a drive capped off by a huge touchdown to tight end Jimmy Graham to put the Saints ahead 32-29. Smith stayed cool as he led the 49ers to another go-ahead drive as he completed five passes. He threw a perfect strike to tight end Vernon Davis with 14 seconds left in the game that put San Francisco into a euphoric state as they witnessed what is referred to as “The Catch III”. Smith finished the game with 3 TD throws, a rushing TD, no interceptions, and a ton of fan support as this 7th year rookie had a whole fan base excited about the future of the 49ers. His contract is up after this season and it is safe to say that he will most likely be back in San Francisco next year looking to build off of his 2011 successes.

Getting to know Austin Doan a Junior Offensive tackle of Romeo High School.

How would you describe your playing style?
Hard, Aggressive, Ruthless and Intense

Who’s your favorite pro athletes?
Ndamukong Suh, Calvin Johnson, Jake Long and Ben Roethlisberger

What’s your favorite pre-game song to get hyped to?
ACDC – Thanderstruck

Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?
My dad, because he is always helping me and supporting me know matter what the case is.

What are your long term football goals? (college, pro, coach, etc…)
College and Coach

What other sports did you play growing up?
Basketball, Baseball, and Hockey

What are your top 3 keys to success as a student-athlete?
(training, practice, film review, etc.)
Training, practice, and discipline

Check out Austin’s profile and video on SportsForce

Ready or not here he comes. As starting quarterback, yes I said quarterback, for the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow is 4-1. Whether you are a Te-believer or not, the simple fact is that he is winning. It’s not pure skill or some sort of a specific game plan that is helping him win. It could be the help from a higher power. It could be just a benefit from Tebowing. Or it could just be the fact that he is just a winner with a massive amount of will to win.

It’s just right that Tim has his own thing in Tebowing because he has definitely established his own niche in quarterbacking. I’ll say right now that Tebow is no Manning, Brady, or Montana. He doesn’t consistently throw for over 300 yards. He doesn’t throw about 2 TDs every week (in fact he had no passing touchdowns in his 17-13 win over he Jets in Week 11). His style defies nearly all stereotypes of a franchise quarterback, but his style so far has given him the same results as expected of a franchise QB. He came from an option-style offense in Florida and there were, and still are, many who don’t believe he has the tools to be a successful quarterback at the pro level. Without a snap under center, with an awkward throwing motion, with a flock of nonbelievers on his back, this guy has showed that winning doesn’t always have to be pretty as long as your team wins. With his 95-yard game-winning drive over the New York Jets, Tim Tebow showed what he is capable of in leading an offense. On his game-winning drive, Tebow said, “That’s why I wanted to be a quarterback since I was six years old, watching guys like John Elway and Steve Young have game-winning drives”.

So with every success he has from here on, you can still clutch onto that feeling of disbelief you may have, or you can just sit back and see what he is doing for the sport. He shows football players and fans that you don’t always have to fit the mold to be successful. Former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin says that people “put so much on skill and not enough on will”, and this exactly what Tebow has brought to the table. So for all those quarterbacks who aren’t the pro-style quarterbacks who play from under center, there is still hope and Tebow is paving the way.

Take it from the man himself: “just find a way. Keep believing. Because it’s never gonna be good… believe in the people around you and keep fighting, because you’re gonna get knocked down. But it’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up. “

Zach Moran Sport: Football Position: WR/OLB/CB Height/Weight: 6’2”/ 195 lbs Class: 2012 School: Horizon High School – San Diego, CA

Senior Receiver Zach Moran caught 10 passes for a total of 352 yards and 4 TDs last Friday night.  Moran averaged 35.2 per reception and his 4 scoring receptions helped drive Horizon to a victory over Bishop’s.  His performance against Bishop’s broke a section record for receiving yards, previously held by Lincoln’s Victor Dean who had 329 yards in 2009.  Horizon’s victory was their 3^rd of the season and they look to keep up the good work against Santa Fe Christian on this Friday.

Content courtesy of our friends at 619Sports.net

Dons Down Falcons By One Yard, 13-7 by Dan McLellan

The Torrey Pines Falcons varsity football team could not quite follow in the footsteps of their little brothers for Friday night’s 619 Preps Game of the Week. The Falcons’ JV team took out the visiting Cathedral Catholic Dons 13-10 on a final play field goal. The varsity team had an opportunity for another buzzer beater, but fell one yard short for the second time in the game and lost 13-7.

The fifth-ranked Dons (2-0) and sixth-ranked Falcons (1-1)  head coaches drew up similar game plans, pounding the ball on the ground as much as possible.

RB Tony Johnson, a junior, led The Dons’ ground assault and got them on the board first with a 2-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.

It look like the Falcons would quickly answer. QB Andrew Perkins and RB Andrew Fargo, both seniors,  led Torrey Pines on a nice drive with multiple third-down conversions. The duo took the ball all the way down to the 7-yard line, but it was all for naught. At the conclusion of a 16 yard run, Fargo fumbled on the 1-yard line and the Falcons failed to cash in on their first opportunity to score.

It then became a battle of field position until late in the second quarter when Perkins and Fargo, who rushed for 84 yards on 21 carries, finally got the Falcons’ offense in gear again. RB David Bagby, a senior, finished the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run to knot up the score 7-7 at the half.

The Falcons offense then sputtered in the second half and only got off 11 plays prior to their final possession.

The Dons’ offense caused their own problems by frequently drawing flags. QB Garrett Bogart, however,  found ways to spit the hook by completing some nice passes to continue drives while Johnson was effective on the ground. Together they moved the ball just enough. Kicker Christian Fanning, a junior, was good on a field goal attempt in both the third and fourth quarters from 26 and 30 yards to give the Dons a 13-7 lead.

Fanning had an opportunity to put the game out of reach with less than two minutes to go, but the ball was badly snapped and the play resulted in a 33 yard loss. The Falcons took over on downs on Cathedral’s 46-yard line with a 1:54 to go in the game.

Perkins was poised to pull out a victory for the Falcons, but the clock was running out and Torrey quickly burned through their two remaining time outs. The Falcons got close. A pass interference penalty gave Torrey Pines a first-and-10 from on the 11 yard-line. However, there was less a minute remaining.

The game was placed into Fargo’s hands, on third-and-4 from the Cathedral 5-yard line. Fargo ran for four yards and then fumbled for the second fumble of the night on the 1-yard line. This time, however, the Falcons recovered when senior OL David Lederer fell on the ball.

The clock continued to tick. With less than 10 seconds remaining in the game Perkins had to get a play off in a hurry. The Dons defense brought a hard rush and LB Lucas Zender sacked Perkins for the final play of the game to secure a 13-7 victory.

Scott Ashby, the Falcons head coach, had a mixed message when he addressed his disappointed players after the game. Ashby was very complimentary of the Dons’ players for playing up to their highest ability and toward his players for the heart they showed.  Ashby, however was critical of his Falcons for not playing up to their potential.

“This one is over,” Ashby said as he told his players to turn the page.

Overall both teams played well at times, but they need to dramatically reduce mistakes if they are going to be powerhouse teams in their respective conferences when league play starts in a few weeks.

National Signing Day for college football has come and past now and we hope you enjoyed all of the excitement of it as much as we did. While this day may only be for college football, we feel that National Signing Day is relevant to all college-bound student athletes. This day marks a time when kids are living out their dreams and aspirations of playing at the college level. So whether you have committed to a school by now or not, the significance of this day has inspired us to give you a few helpful tips as you start reaching the end of the recruiting process.

If you have signed:

Congrats! After all the time you have spent enduring the recruiting process, you have finally found the right fit for you! You deserve time to celebrate with family and friends and take it easy, but don’t get off track too much.

Just because you have finished the recruiting process does not mean that you can just sit around and take it easy until the day you leave for college. You need to keep working on those skills, improve your game and keep trying to better yourself. Exercise regularly and play your given sports recreationally to keep you skills at tip-top level.

Also, don’t slack off on academics now just because you are committed to a school. Just because you have signed a letter of intent or are committed to a school does not mean they cannot revoke your scholarships. If you become ineligible to play, whether academically or for another reason, they can and will take away your right to play in college. So make sure to keep up with your school work and make time to study.

If you have not signed yet:

No worries yet; choosing a college that is the right fit for you in both athletics and other realms is a long process. You should never commit to a school until you know for sure that it is the one for you.

At this time, you should definitely have a good grasp on which schools you are seriously considering though. You also should have visited these top schools by now and should be working on a pros-cons list for each one. This will help put into perspective which schools have the essentials that you are looking for. If a school does not have one of your most important aspects you are looking for, you should not settle with that one.

Also, like the advice we just gave to your peers that have already signed, you need to stay on top of your game both athletically and academically. While the recruiting process is long and strenuous, you need to make time for the aspects that let you join this process in the first place. If you don’t keep up both athletically and academically, schools may pull their offers and you could be left with nothing.

Most importantly, for both those who have signed or have not yet, you should take time to enjoy this momentous period of your life. This whole recruiting process is a time you will never experience again. Take the time to reflect on this and make the most out of it.

Sport: Football Position: Runningback/ Linebacker Height: 5′9″ Class: 2011 School: Oceanside High School Oceanside, CA

Oceanside senior, Noah Tarrant scored six touchdowns in the Pirates win over Mission Hills helping them to their seventh straight San Diego CIF Division II Title. Noah scored on a 19 yard pass from quarterback Tofi Paopao and on runs of 2, 12, 1, 18 and 2. Noah rushed for 134 yards overall on 24 carries.
To view Noah’s complete SportsForce profile click here - http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/noah-tarrant-football-2011

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Sport: Football Position: Quarterback Height: 6′1″ Class: 2012 School: Madison High School San Diego, CA

Madison quarterback, Chase Knox threw for three touch downs and rushed for one in the playoff quarterfinal game against Imperial. Chase threw touchdowns for 8, 65 and 9 yards and also scored on a 13-yard rush to give Madison the 52-14 and roll to their seventh win in a row.

To view Chase’s complete SportsForce profile click here - http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/chase-knox-football-2012

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Content courtesy of our friends at 619Sports.net

The only thing constant in life is change. Or maybe just the fact that things may never change for the San Diego State football team.

Stop if you’ve heard this one before: the Aztecs play their hearts out in a game in which they have a chance to make a huge leap forward in their program’s history. They run up and down the field, make magical, highlight-reel plays, set records, scare the daylights out of a top team, and…well, you’ve heard this one before.

So you know how it ends. They lose.

On a rainy Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium, SDSU (once again) did everything but beat the Utah Utes, a team that just a couple of weeks ago was the undefeated fifth-ranked team in the country.

A win, and the Aztecs themselves may have been ranked come Monday morning for the first time in 15 years. Instead they fell, 38-34, the result leaving the Red and Black faithful wondering what they usually are forced to wonder after games like these…What if? How come? When are we ever? Why us?

So SDSU is 7-4 with one regular season game remaining in a season in which so may strides have been made, but also a season that — put simply — could have been so much more astonishingly remarkable and amazing.

They lost to Utah despite sweeping down the field on their opening possession of the game and scoring for a 7-0 lead just 1:59 into the contest. They lost despite scoring on three more possessions in the first half, breezing downfield with ease on drives that covered 98, 79 and 84 yards. They led, 20-3, and then again by 17 points, 27-10.

They lost despite quarterback Ryan Lindley passing for a career-high 528 yards, the fourth-most ever in Aztec history. Their two spectacular wide receivers, Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson, combined for 20 catches, 338 yards and three touchdowns, yet it wasn’t enough.

Brown’s third TD of the game was one of the best plays you’d ever see a receiver make. Lindley, scrambling out of the pocket at his own 10-yard-line, threw the ball up for grabs towards Brown at the SDSU 40. Two Utah defenders were there to intercept, but Brown leaped above both of them, tipped the ball over their heads to himself and raced toward the end zone, out-running three pursuers to the goal line to complete a 90-yard touchdown that gave the Aztecs a 34-24 lead in the third quarter.

Yet, they still lost.

“In the end, we didn’t do enough for the full 60 minutes,” said Coach Brady Hoke, who has done so much to awaken this previously moribund football program yet is still searching for a way to get his team over the hump.

They won’t get there until a whole bunch of the following stuff stops happening. Utah scored on a 57-yard TD pass, beating a broken coverage, and it scored on a hail-mary 47-yard TD pass on the final play of the first half when five Aztec defenders couldn’t keep the ball from finding its way into the hands of Utes tight end Kendrick Moeai.

DeMarco Sampson reaches out to try and reel in a one-handed catch (619 Sports photo/Danny Heilprin)

In the fourth quarter, SDSU punter Brian Stahovich dropped a perfectly good snap from center, picked it up and then had his kick blocked, with Utah recovering at the 3-yard-line. Four plays later, running back Eddie Wide swept into the end zone to give the Utes their first lead of the game, 38-34, with 10:25 remaining.

Winging downfield twice on Lindley’s arm, the Aztecs still had chances to win, but both drives ended in Utah interceptions. The three SDSU turnovers in the game — plus the blocked punt — were ultimately the difference. As well as the Aztecs played, they still made key mistakes. Utah, which improved to 9-2 with the win, did not turnover the ball once.

One tough loss like this would be hard enough. But all of the Aztecs’ losses this season have been like this. They lost, 27-24, at Missouri when they allowed a 68-yard, game-winning TD pass in the final minute — the play only occurring because officials missed a blatant block-in-the-back that wiped out two Aztec defenders and cleared the way for the Tigers’ T.J. Moe to race down the sidelines.

They lost, 24-21, at BYU in part because a clear Cougars’ fumble was not called on the field nor overturned by a replay-booth full of BYU officials (supporters). They lost, 40-35, at third-ranked TCU despite jumping to a 14-0 lead and then, later, rallying for three late TD’s in the fourth-quarter.

Now this one. Four losses this season by a total of 15 points. And, just for good measure, there was a bit of controversy to deal with here as well. On the final, fateful Lindley interception — with Brown open in the end zone to perhaps win it, Utah’s Derrick Shelby delivered a forearm shiv to the face of Lindley as he let the pass go.

The illegal blow, called in football games every Saturday and Sunday of every season, sent Lindley’s throw wobbling off target, allowing Utah’s Brian Blecken to pick if off. Of course, no call was made.

For SDSU, considering where it has been, there is nothing wrong with 7-4, and perhaps an 8-4 finish if the Aztecs can beat UNLV — which they should — next weekend. One more chance for glory would await after that, in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 against Navy.

Frustratingly, though, this season could have been so much more. But, at least for now, they’re still the Aztecs.

–Courtesy of our friends at 619Sports.net

Sport: Football Position: Quarterback Height: 6′4″ Class: 2011 School: La Costa Canyon Carlsbad, CA

Mavericks Senior Garrett Krstich threw the game winning touchdown in a back and forth battle with top rival Torrey Pines. Garrett connected with Nick Fraustro with less than two minutes left in the game to score the touchdown that would put the Mavericks over the Falcons, 24-21 and secure the win. Garrett played outstanding throughout the entire game completing 25 of 27 passes for 277 yards.
To view Garretts’s complete SportsForce profile and video click here - http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/gkrstich

Video and scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com