Pitt’s Tony Dorsett, 1976 winner of the Heisman Trophy.  Courtsey of SI’s Vault:

Eric Berry’s 13-year-old younger brother, Evan, has already verbally committed to play for Tennessee.  He’ll be a freshman in high school this fall.  He’ll go to college in the fall of 2013.

I wonder who will be coaching the Vols by then?

Here are my ‘surprise’ teams for 2009 (in no particular order):

Illinois–Juice Williams throwing to Arrelious Benn, Jeff Cumberland and Jarred Fayson means that Illinois should have the most explosive offense in the Big Ten this year and one of the best passing attacks in college football.  If Juice cuts his interceptions in half, I think this team wins at least 9.

Clemson–Always an attractive team on paper.  They are strong along both lines and have two of the fastest players in college football in C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford.  If Willie Korn can get his act together at quarterback, this could be a very good team and should win the ACC.

Alabama–I know it seems odd to have a team that won 12 games last year in this spot.  But I don’t think Bama is getting the respect it deserves due to it having only 4 starters coming back on offense.  But I think the Tide will upgrade at quarterback with Greg McElroy and maintain a strong running game with Mark Ingram and the addition of frosh Trent Richardson (who should be a great goal-line back).   And don’t forget a saltier Julio Jones at wide receiver.  This team is a national title contender in my book, especially with such a great defense.

Arkansas–Bobby Petrino is an offensive genius and it is only a matter of time before it shows in Fayetteville.  He has strong-armed Ryan Mallet to work with and some playmakers in Michael Smith, D.J. Williams and Joe Adams as well.  They could be this year’s Ole Miss. 

Auburn–Wherever Gus Malzahn has gone, he’s done wonders his first year.  Auburn should be as stout as ever defensively, so a significant improvement on offense should make the Tigers a bowl team once more.  I think they’ll score an upset or two and get to 8 or 9 wins. 

Michigan–Rich Rodriguez didn’t suddenly forget how to coach.  I think this team has a decent chance to start out 6-1 or even 7-0.  By the time it gets to the teeth of its schedule, it should have a lot of confidence and be able to hold its own against the better Big Ten teams.  By the end of the year, this will be a good team and will be set up for a very good season in 2010. 

Baylor–With Robert Griffin at QB, Joe Pawelek at LB and an improved roster–plus the nation’s most underrated coach in Art Briles–this program looks to be on the upswing.  I foresee a bowl bid for the Bears in 2009.

Stanford–I think this will be the Pac-10′s surprise team in 2009.  I think Andrew Luck is going to end up as one of the best quarterbacks in the conference.  The Cardinal have an excellent power running game going with Toby Gerhart and a hard-nosed defense.   Jim Harbaugh will have Stanford back in a bowl.

Others to watch:  UNLV, San Jose State, Miami (Fl.), Colorado

…from our friends over at Football Talent Advisors.  As we’ve been saying a long time, the best way to gauge speed accurately is to utilize track marks instead of 40 times.   And the best way to verify–or discredit–40 times is to also use track marks as a cross reference.  As FTA notes:

Players that run 11.5 in the 100 can’t  legitimately run 4.4, 4.5, or even 4.6 in the 40…the recruiting sites should learn this!

Don’t hold your breath.  Recruiting sites peddle 40 times like a drug dealer on a street corner.  They’ll say anything to make you buy their product. 

I’d say that if you don’t see an electronically timed 10.60 or better in the 100m (or a sub-21.50 200m or at least a 24-foot long jump) on a player’s resume, then you could pretty much discount the report that he has run a legitimate 4.3 or better in the 40-yard dash.  There will always be a couple exceptions–some athletes don’t have access to proper track coaching or facilities, some play center field in baseball instead–but as a general rule, track marks more accurately reflect true speed.

As noted in this story on Yahoo:

During a visit to Reggie Bush’s(notes) house in Los Angeles, there was a certain piece of memorabilia that caught the eye of All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson.

“I found myself walking up the steps, and I looked down right at this big Heisman Trophy just sitting in this real nice case,” Peterson said Friday during a break from his football camp. “I was like, ‘Awww!’ I wanted to ask him where Matt Leinart was so I could go over there and take mine. But it’s all good. It is what it is.”

Nearly five years later, Peterson still covets the two trophies he was denied by the Trojans.

“When I look back, I had an outstanding career,” Peterson said. “There were some things that – a national championship, I didn’t accomplish that. I fell short. I had the opportunity my freshman year, and I don’t even want to talk about that.

“I definitely wanted to win the Heisman Trophy, and that didn’t work out. There was definitely a lot that I wanted to accomplish, but unfortunately I didn’t do it.”