If the 2011 season was stuffed into a time capsule and buried right now, it would be exhumed someday and discovered to have been about two things.
One, the pair of dominant SEC West teams at the top?LSU and Alabama?pursued by a fascinating diverse group of unbeatens. Oklahoma State, with its explosive offense and big-play defense. Stanford, with its new coaching staff. Clemson, with its reputation-defying resilience. Boise State, with its routine excellence. Kansas State, with its startling improvement.
Two, a wondrous array of big-time quarterbacks. Andrew Luck, the future No. 1 overall NFL draft pick. Brandon Weeden, the 28-year-old coach in shoulder pads. Robert Griffin and Denard Robinson, the jaw-droppers. Kellen Moore, Landry Jones, Tajh Boyd, Russell Wilson, Matt Barkley?superstars, all.
Anybody missing from the time capsule so far?
Well, there?s 7-0 Houston. And its sixth-year quarterback, Case Keenum, who just happens to have more total yards and touchdowns accounted for than anyone else in FBS history.
Yeah, that?s all?just a team that doesn?t lose and a quarterback who never stops piling up numbers. All in vain from a Q Score standpoint, given the lack of attention the Cougars are receiving in real time.
Don?t know about you, but that might tick off a lot of folks. Who could blame Keenum and the Houston program if they were carrying Texas-sized chips on their shoulders?
Thing is, they aren?t.
?The buzz may not be where our fans would like it, being undefeated,? Keenum said, ?but I?ve played in college football long enough to know there?s a lot of teams that have buzz right now (but) you don?t even hear about them at the end of the year. It would be nice to be more recognized right now, but it?s not the most important time.?
Cougars coach Kevin Sumlin, 47, with a 30-16 record in his fourth season at the school, is a name to know in the profession; his was brought up early and often in the days after Mike Stoops was fired at Arizona. Maybe Sumlin will keep laying down roots in Houston, or maybe he won?t. Meantime, he?s not wasting anyone?s time with hot air.
Sumlin knows what he has in Houston: a non-BCS program with the tools to win more games, on a consistent basis?Bayou City recruiting, baby?than perhaps any non-BCS school other than Boise, or in recent seasons TCU.
But there?s no bluster with the intelligent, grounded, friendly Sumlin. He sees what Chris Petersen has done in Boise. He sees what Gary Patterson has done at TCU. He doesn?t pretend to be in their league.
?You look at TCU, Gary has been there three years as an assistant and (11) as head coach,? he said. ?Look at Boise, Chris is doing a great job, then look back at Dan Hawkins and Dirk Koetter and you?re looking at a long span there too.
?This is the 10th anniversary of us being 0-11. We?re probably a little bit behind in the process compared to those schools. We?re probably 10 years behind where those guys are.?
Let?s assume that?s true of the program, even though the Cougars have a great chance?right there with Boise State?to go undefeated through the regular season. Is it also true of Keenum, a 6-2, 210-pounder who came back from a torn ACL suffered in 2010 and is leading the nation with 2,685 passing yards, to go with his 23 touchdown passes against only two interceptions?
Short answer: No. Keenum needs to be high on everyone?s list of Heisman Trophy candidates.
And yet even on this subject, Keenum?who considers game management his finest attribute?shows the humility that is characteristic of his program.
?Kellen Moore is probably the best game manager as far as quarterbacks right now,? he said. ?I love watching Robert Griffin, Brandon Weeden. And Andrew Luck just makes it all look so easy.?
If Keenum and Sumlin won?t celebrate Houston?s success this season, can we at least sub in and do that?
It?s severely difficult for any team in college football to get to a bowl game without having lost. The Cougars can do that?at 13-0, unlike Boise State, because of the C-USA championship game.
At 13-0, would they deserve to play in a BCS game?
?It?s possible,? Sumlin said. ?But from where I sit, I don?t know.?
Big talk? Not here.
It?s kind of nice, isn?t it?
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