It Knocked Me Off My Feet: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, a Review

I recently completed reading Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight. Shoe Dog is a memoir that details Knight's life and the formation of Nike. I really enjoyed learning about all of the challenges and the process that Knight went through to create Nike. As someone with an MBA, the business side was really interesting to me, and I loved reading about how Knight communicated with everyone and built relationships with his employees, partners, and even athletes. Relationship Building is a huge key to any successful business, and it's clear that is something that Knight excelled at. It's hard to believe that the idea for the giant corporation that we know today came from a Graduate School assignment. His "Crazy Idea" was one that he believed in. He worked hard at making it successful, and he never gave up on it...no matter who didn't believe in him or what challenges got in his way.

This is going to be a bit of a different book review from what most of you are used to. You see, I began reading this book at the same time as a friend as we formed our own "book club". As I was reading the book, I would take quick shorthand notes on each year (basically chapters in Shoe Dog) that I wanted to make sure I mentioned when we had our book club discussions. You'll see some quick abbreviations, "haha"s, "lol"s, and even emojis...that's what happens when you keep your notes on your iPhone. When I finished reading the book, I decided why not just share all of my notes in a blog, so here we are!

I have my notes laid out year by year, so let's get started!

Part One

1962

• Crazy how different times were with being able to travel
• How was he able to schedule the meeting with the company that easily without even giving a business name?!
• Why would he not have gone home right after the meeting?

1963

• CPA & MBA? Feel like that’s rare
• Who was the Carter at end of chapter?

1964

• Coaches could practice differently back then haha
• He had a partner?!
• Why did he need $1k when Coach was a partner?
• $6.95-$3.33 = $3.62 profit
• On $3k order, why asking for more cash?! What about what they made & partner??
• Snuck on to military planes
• He stole Sarah from that guy!
• Why did it take so long for the next shipment to arrive?
• It seems like he’s doing a lot of work to have a partner. Getting no help.

1965

• Only making $3.62 a shoe & giving this guy $1.75-$2?!
• Complaining about shoe shipments being late - he should’ve had some kind of better contract or something with them
• Now he mentions Bowerman’s wife paying the initial $500

1966

• His management style of Johnson is wild lol
• Retail store & doesn’t even go?!
• Lying to Onitsuka about east coast locations. Never could happen today with the internet.

1967

• Just moved Johnson to East Coast!
• Hired Woodell. 4 employees now. 2nd retail in Eugene. Almost seems to be expanding too quickly.

1968

• Shouldn’t he have noticed from looking at the books that Parks & Woodell weren’t cashing their checks?
• Parks has rats, a monkey, & goose?!
• After engagement Penny’s mom says, “you SoB” 

1969

• $2 a pair commission but earlier said only making $3.62 per shoe?
• I did not know that Puma & Adidas were run by German brothers

1970

• 3-year deal, doesn't get it vetted by a lawyer?
• New Japanese trading company
• Onitsuka planning to break!

1971

• Kitami blowing up bank loans.
• Stole Kitami document.
• Onitsuka wants to buy Blue Ribbon.
• Why is he worried about non-compete in the contract if Kitami doesn’t care about the contract?
• Can he sue the other companies if it’s a foreign contract?
• Johnson named Nike!!! This guy should be rich.
• Cale bought stock. Is he the guy from Hawaii?
• I did not think Sole was American, but PK says embarrassed Americans.
• Tennis shoe named Wimbledon, no trademark issue?
• Thought couldn’t do track shoes?
• Ladies just stepping over Penny in the bathroom floor?!
• Next to last page - “know chemical releasing agents” sentence does not make sense.

1972

• Onitsuka trying to bully Blue Ribbon into selling.
• Did they not inspect the Nikes before the show? Wonder if they were just sent directly there.
• Got Nike used by some Portland Trailblazers quickly.
• Page 204 “and not a drop to drink”? Talking about Neco drinks?
• Bork went to work for Kitami. What a bi-otch.
• Who was Iwano?
• F*** Kitami. I can’t believe he asked for Bowerman.
• What a speech by Knight to the team.
• Who is this Hollister guy now running the store?
• I have never heard of these athletes getting kidnapped at the Olympics in 1972. That is wild.
• Why did Bowerman get in trouble for calling marines?
• The whole Oregon team is wearing Nikes!
• Called OSU the Bucktooths 

1973

• Pre went back to college. This was still when only amateurs were in Olympics, right?
• Switching Johnson. Treats him so poorly lol.
• Losing $57K doesn’t seem *that* terrible
• I like this Strasser guy.
• “Downplayed his intelligence, rather than risk alienating people” I feel like I do that.
• Dick Harter & Dick Enright 
• Pigeon poop falling on Woodell in the office!
• $4.8M sales in 1973. Grew 50%.
• He left Penny in the hospital to go to a game

1974

• How did they find out about Fujimoto (spy)?
• Johnson almost blew it talking about the trial.
• They won!
• I wouldn’t have signed if Kitami didn’t have the check.
• Never thought about how fluctuating exchange rates could change that stuff.
• Moving Johnson back East 
• Connors won in Nikes then backed out on the deal.

1975

• Drained all the money & paid workers in cash.
• Couldn’t pay the $1M & asked for another $1M!
• Fraud?!
• How is Bowerman not in on this fraud meeting.
• Ito paid off the debt & said F off to the bank.

Part Two

1975

• Thought the guy was Shorter? Who is Hayward?

1976

• I didn’t think about how people didn’t wear tennis shoes everywhere back then.
• Change from Blue Ribbon to Nike.
• Shoe cream in a Mao Tai?!
• Cool that he went back to Manila to stay in MacArthur’s Suite
• Bowerman senile?
• Get money back from Shorter since he switched shoes?
• Weight nickname for Woodell.
• Four Factor is a great nickname.
• Page 301 “get shut? of our...”

1977

• Air Soles
• The coach held out for money after saying it was up to the “team”.
• Frank McGuire & South Carolina w a Shoutout!
• Did Lute Olson want money too?
• Didn’t believe in advertising  *eye-roll*
• Page 317. Halfway down. That’s capitalized when shouldn’t be.
• Kept smashing the phone 

1978

• Page 326 - we’re in 1978, but says tracking 1979 sales?
• Hired Nelson with no style & worst dresser to run apparel 

1979

• Told senator Hatfield to "wait" when he asked how to help?!
• Half-ton of upper management 
• How could Chang ask a guy when he's getting out of a wheelchair?

1980

• I don’t understand the American selling price reset. Wouldn’t that make his competitors have to pay?
• Knight goes against advisors & wants $22 per share.
• Went public same week at Apple for same price, $22 per share.
• I don’t understand why Kuhn, Loeb was making an offer.
• Which one was Cale again?
• Knight worth $178 million!!

Night

• Friends with Bill Gates & Warren Buffet.
• What a night for that movie theater with them & Knight.
• Big gap between when he wrote Night chapter & when it came out. Talks about LY sales as 2006 & the book came out in 2016.
• LeBron James giving him a watch is cool.
• Crazy that Phil was so close with the athletes.
• Didn’t know his son Matthew had died
• The basketball arena at the University of Oregon is named after him
• Tiger calling first is pretty cool.
• “It’s never just business”
• Gave their invention to competitors
• I want to go to Johnson’s book place.
• Tried to buy the Clippers but got into it with Sterling 
• Knight ore sunglasses everywhere 
• William Knight was his dad?
• Who was Iwano?

Obviously, there were things lift out of the book, and there were a few loopholes and holes in certain stories that were filled in, but overall, I thought Shoe Dog was a great memoir.

I want to get a big shoutout to my friend, Brett, who started the book club with me, but STILL HASN'T FINISHED THE BOOK!

Sidenote: I read the hardback version of the book, so notes with page numbers or references refer to that version.

Comment and let me know your thoughts on the book, other book recommendations, and what you are reading now!

Twitter: @K_Mart10

Instagram: @kmthomas10

TikTok: @K_Mart10

2019 College Football Preseason Top 10

A lot of you guys don't follow me on twitter (@K_Mart10), but I did a preseason top 10 countdown leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season. I've finally gotten around to consolidating the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Clemson: the defending Champs have the chance to be the best offense ever & score 100 TD’s. Lawrence, Etienne, Higgins, Ross...the list goes on & on. OL returns 4 starters as well. DL will reload, not rebuild, & secondary should be really good. Big worry is LB play. Lots of unknowns there. If you haven’t seen Isaiah Simmons play, you need to. Will be a top-15 pick. Want to say they won’t go undefeated because it’s so damn hard to do it, but don’t see a lot of places they could slip up. Tigers might go back 2 back. #RunItBack #No1Clemson

No. 2 Alabama: Tua & Jeudy make up one of the best QB-WR combos in the nation. The recent injuries on defense scare me, but Saban will figure it out for the Crimson Tide. #No2Alabama

No. 3 Georgia: I think this is the season that QB Jake Fromm takes a huge step forward. RB Swift is one of the best in the country, but the WR corps worries me. Defense is DEEP & will be nasty. Think the Bulldogs win the East, but can they beat Alabama? #No3Georgia

No. 4 Oregon: I’m really high on this team. The QB Justin Herbert is a top-10 pick & a stud. The two-headed monster at RB of Verdell & Dye gives them balance. Cristobal has the Ducks heading in the right direction. #No4Oregon

No. 5 Oklahoma: Gonna he honest, I don’t know what to think about Jalen Hurts as the QB. However, I have no doubt that Lincoln Riley will figure out how to put up points. Would not be surprised if Fr Spencer Rattler gets a shot to run to the show at some point. #No5Oklahoma

No. 6 Texas: Ehlinger is a Heisman Darkhorse & he has some really good WRs to throw too. The defense scares be, and we’ll find out a lot Week 2 vs. LSU. I still think the Longhorns might be a year away from a serious CFP run. #No6Texas

No. 7 Ohio State: Ryan Day is good, & so is Justin Fields. J.K. Dobbins is a stud, & Chase Young leads a strong defense. I believe the Buckeyes win the Big Ten. #No7OhioState

No. 8 Notre Dame: QB Ian Book is back to lead Brian Kelly’s offense & should be better in year 2 at the helm. They’ve got 2 really good DEs in Okwara & Kareem, & Gilman at Safety is a beast. Fighting Irish could make another playoff run if things fall right. #No8NotreDame

No. 9 Texas A&M: I really, really like QB Kellen Mond. The offense should be lethal behind him & a breakout year from the young RB Corbin. This team has big time potential in Jimbo Fisher’s 2nd year, but the schedule is brutal for Aggies. #No9aTm

No. 10 Michigan: Harbaugh has an experienced QB with Patterson, & the defense will be sneaky good. Is this the season he can beat Ohio State? I don’t think so, but the Wolverines are still in for a good season. #No10Michigan

*Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10*

2018 College Football Preseason Top 10

A lot of you guys don't follow me on twitter (@K_Mart10), but I did a preseason top 10 countdown leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season on 9/1. I've consolidated the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Alabama

• Hurts, Tua it doesn’t matter. The Tide are still on top until someone knocks them off. Their defense will be nasty as always. Should be another CFP appearance for Alabama. #No1Alabama

No. 2 Clemson

• Defense will be nasty, led by the best D-Line in the country. QB Kelly Bryant should have an even better year with upgraded weapons (i.e. Tee Higgins), but watch out for Trevor Lawrence. Tigers should be in for another special season & CFP appearance. #No2Clemson

No. 3 Georgia

• QB Jake Fromm is only going to get better, & RB D’Andre Swift is going to be a superstar with Heisman potential. Defense has to replace 6 starters, but Dawgs have a lot of young guys ready to fill that void. Should be another special season. #No3Georgia

No. 4 Ohio State

• Haskins at QB is going to be a player, & the RB duo of Dobbins & Weber is among the best in the nation. D-Line is NASTY. Buckeyes have holes to fill at LB & in the secondary, but they have some guys in those spots that are stars in the making. #No4OhioState

No. 5 Washington

• Return a bunch of talent on Defense, including ALL 5 starters from the secondary. Murphy & Rapp are 2 really good players back there. Offense should be good behind QB Jake Browning & RB Myles Gaskin. Huskies have a shot to make the playoff. #No5Washington

No. 6 Wisconsin

• RB Taylor, QB Hornibrook, & a STUD O-Line make this Badger team very formidable. The Big 10 is tough this year, but I think they’ve got a real shot to make the playoff if a few things go their way. #No6Wisconsin

No. 7 Auburn

• I think this can be a really good squad with Stidham at QB & a nasty defense. The issue is they play the 4th-toughest schedule in the country. I think the Tigers start out 0-1, but still have a really good season. #No7Auburn

No. 8 Penn State

• QB Trace McSorley is an absolute gamer. Nittany Lions return their best O-Line in years, they just need a few guys to step up on Defense. #No8PennState

No. 9 Oklahoma

• Defense is still suspect for the Sooners, but the trio of QB Kyler Murray, RB Rodney Anderson, & WR Hollywood Brown will be fun to watch in year 2 of the Lincoln Riley regime. The road to the Big 12 still runs through Norman. #BoomerSooner #No9Oklahoma

No. 10 West Virginia

• BIG fan of QB Will Grier. Defense needs to improve from last season (I think they will), but they just need to be serviceable. Need another playmaker to stop up on offense, but Grier & WR David Sills V can carry them to a lot of Ws. #No10WVU

*Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10*

2016 College Football Preseason Top-10

A lot of you guys don't follow me on twitter (@K_Mart10), but I did a preseason top 10 countdown for the last week and a half leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season (last Saturday). I've consolidated the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Alabama

• More of legacy pick than anything. Stacked at OL & RB, so mediocre QB play should be enough.
• Tide's defense will be great as always. We'll see if anyone can beat them. I think they make the playoffs again. #No1Alabama

No. 2 Clemson

•  Hesiman front-runner Deshaun Watson leads a offense full of studs. Gallman, Legget, Scott, Cain, Renfrow, Mcloud, etc.
• Tigers return top-notch OL along w/ #1 WR, Mike Williams. Defense lost some key pieces, but returns top-tier DL. Need some guys to step up.
• Season comes down to @Florida State, but game vs. Louisville scares me. Breakout players: WR Cain & DE Ferrell. #Clemson
• Tigers have best player on the field w/ Watson. Special season in store for CU. Think they make playoff for 2nd straight yr. #No2Clemson

No. 3 Florida State

• Dalvin Cook is the best RB in the nation, & returns behind a GREAT OL to go along w/ a top-tier WR Corp. #Seminoles
• I think Francois should be the Seminoles guy at QB. Think he's a player. Defense is really good, as always. Bunch of werewolves everywhere.
• Tough to start vs Ole Miss (neutral site) w/ a new QB, & @Louisville & @Miami are tough, but season comes down to 10/29 vs. Clemson. #Noles
• Think they lose to the Tigers, but still have a great shot to make the playoffs w/ 1 loss. Cook & Francois are that good. #No3FloridaState

No. 4 Ohio State

• Dual-threat QB J.T. Barrett will lead this O, & RB Mike Weber & WR Noah Brown will be household names by end of the year.
• Buckeyes have to replace a lot, but have been stacking talent. They have some guys on defense I really like in DB Conley & SS Hooker. #tOSU 
• We'll find out what they have in week 3 @Oklahoma. Schedule isn't terrible after that, play @Wis mid-season then finish @MSU & vs Michigan.
• I really like this Buckeyes team. Think they're flying under the radar. I've got Meyer, Barret, & Co. making the playoff. #No4OhioState

No. 5 Oklahoma

• QB Baker Mayfield & RBs Samaje Perine & Joe Mixon make for one of the most explosive backfields in the nation. #BoomerSooner
• Sooners need some guys to step up at O-Line & WR. Defense will be solid, & secondary led by J. Thomas, Parker, & A. Thomas is superb.
• Schedule starts off with 3 marquee games in 1st 4 weeks, w/ Houston (neutral site), vs. Ohio State, & @TCU. Boomer could easily lose 2.
• Not as high on OU as most. Always seem to underperform when picked high. I think Mayfield & crew will have a rough 1st month. #No5Oklahoma

No. 6 Notre Dame

• Irish offense should be really good. Have 2 above average QBs in Zaire & Kizer, & to be honest, idk who I would start.
• Folston & Adams at RB are good players to go along with talent at WR, but they've got a lot to replace on the O-Line w/ 3 new starters.
• Defense has a lot to replace. Recent loss of Redfield is big, & they need Rochell to step up production. D needs to increase sacks & TOs.
• Schedule is ridiculous with only 3 true road games. Irish have a good chance to win 10+ games & maybe make a run at playoff. #No6NotreDame

No. 7 Michigan

• Harbaugh's 2nd yr in Ann Arbor has the potential to be a big one. Have to find a QB, but WRs are deep & return 4 O-Lineman.
• The Wolverines defense will be salty, led by do-it-all sensation Jabrill Peppers. Were 4th overall in total D last season & could be better.
• Schedule is pretty easy, just @ Michigan State in late October then @ Ohio State to end the season. Could slip up @ Iowa, but doubtful.
• I'm not as high on this team as a lot of people. I don't believe in their QB & offense as a whole. Still think they win 10+. #No7Michigan

No. 8 Houston

• QB Greg Ward Jr. is the real deal. One of the most exciting players in college football, he led his squad to 13-1 last year.
• The Cougars have athletes all over the field on offense to help Ward. The O avgd 40.4 ppg last year, & there's no reason they won't repeat.
• Defensive front 7 is nasty & absolutely shut down then run. (see Dalvin Cook: 33 yds on 18 carries in the Peach Bowl win by the Cougars.)
• Secondary is shaky & has to replace a lot. Have a HUGE game vs. OU to open then late vs UL (both neutral sites), rest of sched is cake.
• If the Cougars somehow run the table, they may be able 2 sneak into the playoff. Expecting a huge season from Hermann & Ward Jr. #No8Houston

No. 9 LSU

• RB Leonard Fournette is a stud, & their defense will be really, really good under Dave Aranda's 3-4 scheme. #Salty
• Fournette, WRs Malachi Dupre & Travin Dural, & a solid OL could make for a great O, BUT they've got to get more out of QB Brandon Harris.
• Schedule isn't terrible for the Tigers, only tough stretch is vs Ole Miss, vs Alabama, & @Arkansas towards the end of the season.
• I don't think Harris will be good enough for them to win a title, but Fournette will still carry them to a top-10 season. #No9LSU

No. 10 Stanford

• Heisman Finalist RB McCaffrey is one of the best players in the country, and he'll make it easier on an inexperienced QB and OL.
• The Cardinal D should be REALLY good at all 3 levels, anchored by stud DL Solomon Thomas. If they can hold teams < 25, have a good shot.
• Schedule worries me, w/ USC, @UCLA, @Washington, Washington State, & @Notre Dame all in a row. Add in @Oregon at the end, & that's TOUGH.   
• This Cardinal team goes as far as Christian McCaffrey takes them, & I think they've got a great shot to win the Pac-12. #No10Stanford 

A few sleeper teams:

•      UNC-High powered O & TJ Logan 
•      Texas Tech-Love Kingsbury & my boy Pat Mahomes #Heisman 
•      Okla State-Rudolph is a star

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

2015 College Football Preseason Top 10

So just in case you guys didn't notice, I've been doing a preseason top 10 countdown on my twitter (@K_Mart10) leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season. Well, I ended that countdown tonight, and I've consolidated the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Ohio State

·      QBs Barrett & Jones are 2 of the best, doesn't really matter who starts. Elliott is a beast, & OL is big and physical.

·      D-Line is nasty, but IMO Bosa is a little overrated. Miller will have a big year at WR. So tough to repeat, but who's going to beat them?

No. 2 TCU

·   Trevone Boykin is one of my fav players in the country. Reminds me of TB10. Season comes down to ‪@OKLA & vs.BAY in last 2 weeks.

No. 3 Oregon

·      Big fan of the QB Adams and the Ducks' offense as a whole. I think they make the playoff again & might win the whole thing.

No. 4 Baylor

·      Return 1k-yd RB, 2 1k-yd WRs, & all 5 OL. Russell is legit dual-threat QB. DL is top 10 in CFB, & entire secondary is back.

No. 5 Michigan State

·      Very good defense and legit, veteran QB are why I have them so high on my list. Think they lose late ‪@Ohio State.

No. 6 Georgia

·      Chubb is poised for HUGE year. LBs lead Pruitt's improving Def & w/just solid play from QB Ramsey, Dawgs will have 10+ W season.

No. 7 USC

·      Big fan of Sark & QB Kessler. Cravens leads the D, & finishing with @Oregon & vs. UCLA. Trojans could make run to playoff.

No. 8 Alabama

·      Offense has to replace A LOT, so I'm skeptical. Defense will be really good & have best P in the nation. Down yr 4 the Tide.

·     The more I think about it, I really wish I hadn’t had them in this top 10. I think they’re in for a down year.

No. 9 Auburn

·      I'm a believer in new QB Jeremy Johnson & a huge fan of WR Duke Williams. Malzahn's O will thrive w/the better passer Johnson.

·      Johnson is a better passer than Marshall was, but is physical runner also. Several options @ RB 4 the Tigers, but Robinson is a kid I like.

·      Muschamp will definitely help improve the defense. Secondary is still a big questions mark, but D-Line is nasty. Lawson, Adams, Cowart, etc.

·      Not a terrible schedule, LOU to open the season could be tricky, but all comes down to last 4 weeks: @aTm, then vs. UGA, Idaho, & Bama.

·      Could be a special season for the Tigers on the Plains. All rides on Jeremy Johnson's development & Muschamp's improving defense. #No9Auburn

No. 10 Notre Dame

·      The Fighting Irish are big and physical. Zaire is a dual-threat QB that brings an added dimension to the offense.

·      O-Line is solid, and WR is deep. The DT Day, CB Russell, and LB Smith anchor a solid defense. Have a big question mark at safety right now.

·      Schedule is tough w/ GT and USC at home, and Clemson & Stanford on the road. I think Kelly's group takes some Ls this season. #No10NotreDame 

A few sleeper teams: Arizona State, Texas A&M, UCLA, Georgia Tech

As always, you better watch out for my Clemson Tigers!

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

My Christmas Movie Power Rankings

Hello everyone, I know it's been a while, but I hope everyone is having a great Christmas season so far! A lot has happened since my last blog, so I'll be getting everyone up to speed sometime in the near future. Speaking of Christmas though, that's what this blog is all about: my Christmas movie power rankings along with one of my favorite quotes from each.

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

An anti-commercialism classic in which Charlie Brown and friends find out the true meaning of christmas. "I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love." 

4. It's a Wonderful Life

A classic that has stood the test of time. It teaches you that it's not money that makes you rich. "Remember George: no man is a failure who has friends."

3. The Santa Clause

Scott Calvin becomes a Santa Clause in training. The 2nd and 3rd ones were ok, but the original was clearly the best. "Does this look like a little weight to you?!"

2. Home Alone (1 & 2)

Both 1 and 2 were awesome. Kevin (great name by the way) fends off the Wet Bandits. I don't know about you guys, but when I was a kid I tried to come up with ideas of how to do things in the house like he did. "Buzz! Your Girlfriend! Woof!"

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

My favorite, without a doubt. The Griswolds and all of their Christmas tradition failures are a hilarious. One reason I think myself & a lot of people love this movie is because parts of it hit home and remind us of our own families. "You serious, Clark?"

Honorable Mention: Elf, Jingle All The Way, A Christmas Story, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Carol (Mickey's and original), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Richie Rich's Christmas Wish

I know everyone has their favorites, so let me know yours! Also, I hope you all remember the real reason for the season! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

College Football Preseason Top 10

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but I have been doing a preseason top 10 countdown on my twitter(@K_Mart10) leading up to the start of the college football season. I decided to consolidate the complete list into one location, so here it is.

No. 1 Florida State

• Heisman Winner Jameis Winston returns to lead what should be a great FSU team on both sides of the ball.
• The RB Williams is a beast. WR Greene is a big-time playmaker. TE O'Leary is as solid as they come. Oh yeah, they also return 4 OL starters.
• Defense is loaded as well. Edwards, Goldman, Smith, Darby, Williams, Ramsey; the list goes on & on. Hard to find a weakness on this team.
• Schedule sets up well: Clemson, ND, & UF all at home. RB Williams becomes a star & he & Jameis lead this team to a repeat. ‪#No1FloridaState

No. 2 Alabama

• This team has tremendous skill players & a great O-line. The question is at QB. I think Coker should be the guy.
• Yeldon & Henry at RB, & Cooper & Jones at WR are as good as anyone in the country. The Tide need the D to return to what they used to be.
• Guys like the DE Robinson & the S Collins should help with that. I still have a wait & see approach as to how they deal with hurry-up teams.
• Schedule is tough, as always. ‪@OleMiss, ‪@LSU, & home vs. Auburn are the big ones. Think this team loses 1 & still makes playoff. ‪#No2Alabama

No. 3 Oregon

• Heisman frontrunner Marcus Mariota is back at QB, & he will lead one of the nation's best offenses.
• The Ducks' RB Marshall is really explosive, & they have one of the best OLs in the country. However, they need a playmaker to step up at WR.
• The defense is really solid as well. I'm a big fan of their secondary, especially DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu & the freshman safety Tyree Robinson.
• Schedule sets up well. Get MSU & Stanford in Autzen, but ‪@UCLA is scary. I think Mariota leads this team to the playoff. ‪#No3Oregon

No. 4 Oklahoma

• Riding high coming off of their Sugar Bowl win over Alabama, the Sooners return 14 starters, including 8 on defense.
• QB Trevor Knight has tons of potential, but he has to be more consistent. I think he will be & the offense will be able to score a bunch.
• Big fan of the Sooners' defense, especially the LBs Alexander & Striker. On offense, they need a RB to step up & WR Shepard to make plays.
• Schedule is easy, as they get Baylor at home. One game that scares me is ‪@TTU. I think Knight leads this team to the playoff. ‪#No4Oklahoma

No. 5 UCLA

• I love this team, & especially QB Brett Hundley. Their offense is going to be tough, & the team as a whole returns 17 starters.
• Offense will be one of the best in the country. Return QB, top 4 rushers, & 5 of top 6 receivers. Defense gets back 10 of top 14 tacklers.
• They need to find a RB besides Myles Jack, as he also starts at LB. Secondary is really good, but they need some young LBs to step up.
• Schedule sets up well for the Bruins, play Texas in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, but they get Oregon, USC, & Stanford at home.
• I think Heisman Hopeful QB Brett Hundley has a great shot to lead this team to the Pac-12 championship & get them to the playoff. ‪#No5UCLA

No. 6 Auburn

• They have one of the best O-Lines in the country, & QB Nick Marshall will only get better in year 2 of Gus Malzahn's system.
• I really like Sammie Coates on the outside for the Tigers, & WR D'haquille Williams is who to watch out for, a JUCO All-American.
• The D-Line should be above average, but schedule is really, really tough. Think they lose at least 2 & miss the playoff. ‪#No6Auburn

No. 7 Baylor

• QB Bryce Petty, RBs Shock Linwood & Devin Chafin, & WR Antwan Goodley form one of the best offensive units in the country.
• The Bears defense does have some question marks, but they are athletic & I really like the pressure their D-Ends can apply & the LB Hager.
• Schedule isn't bad, matchups vs. Ok State, ‪@Texas, & defacto Big 12 championship ‪@Oklahoma, which is only 1 I think they lose. ‪#No7Baylor

No. 8 Ohio State

• Buckeyes return one of the top 2 or 3 best DL's in the country with Bosa, Spence, Bennett, and Washington. 
• Only 1 returning starter on OL, & who knows how good the new QB Barrett will be. I think he's actually a better passer than Braxton Miller. 
• Need a RB & WR to step up, I like the Fr Samuel. Had them ranked much higher before Miller's injury, but still think they're a good team. 
• Schedule isn't terrible. Get tested week 2 vs. VT, but nothing else until @MSU in Nov. Think Buckeye's lose 1 game this year. #No8OhioState

No. 9 Michigan St

• Spartans are always tough on defense. Led this year by DE Shilique Calhoun. Replace 6 starters, but still should be good.
• Spartan's offense finally has a QB w/ some skills in Cook, 22 TDS/6 Ints last season. Langford is one of most underrated RBs in the country.
• We’ll see what Sparty's made of early @Oregon. I think they lose, but still like their chances for the playoff if play well. #No9MichiganSt 

No. 10 Stanford

• The Cardinals defense is stacked, especially the secondary led by Richards & Carter. Anderson is an anchor on D-Line.
• Replacing 4 O-linemen, but always have good guys up front. QB Hogan has some real playmakers at WR in Montgomery & Cajuste.
• Need Barry Sanders to step up at RB, he's the X-Factor. Kid has moves like dad. Special teams unit will be one of the best in the country.
• Schedule is TOUGH. ‪@Wash, ‪@ND, ‪@ASU, ‪@Ore, ‪@Cal, & ‪@UCLA. Only tough game ‪@home is USC. I think Shaw & Co. lose 2 or 3. ‪#No10Stanford

A few teams that just missed the cut: Georgia, LSU, Clemson, South Carolina, USC, Wisconsin.

A sleeper team that I really like: Washington with new head coach Chris Petersen.

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