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The Dirty 30 rankings (10/15/07):
(1) Bakersfield (Calif.) 6-0
(2) Santa Rosa (Calif.) 6-0
(3) El Camino (Calif.) 5-1
(4) Snow (UT) 5-0
(5) Butler (KS) 6-0
(6) Fresno City (Calif.) 6-0
(7) San Francisco (Calif.) 5-1
(8) Gulf Coast (MS) 7-0
(9) Reedley (Calif.) 5-1
(10) Saddleback (Calif.) 5-1
(11) Eastern Arizona 6-0
(12) Kilgore (TX) 6-1
(13) Blinn (TX) 5-1
(14) Jones County (MS) 7-0
(15) Foothill (Calif.) 6-0
(16) Itawamba (MS) 6-1
(17) Fullerton (Calif.) 5-1
(18) Canyons (Calif.) 5-1
(19) Palomar (Calif.) 5-1
(20) Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) 4-2
(21) Desert (Calif.) 7-0
(22) Pearl River (MS) 5-2
(23) San Mateo (Calif.) 5-1
(24) Pasadena City (Calif.) 5-1
(25) Cisco (Calif.) 5-1
(26) Mesa (AZ) 6-1
(27) Rochester (MN) 7-0
(28) Sierra (Calif.) 5-1
(29) Antelope Valley (Calif.) 6-0
(30) Butte (Calif.) 4-2
On the bubble: Iowa Central 5-1, Citrus (Calif.) 4-2 * (forfeited one game), Navarro (TX) 4-2, Fort Scott (KS) 4-2, Coffeyville (KS) 3-3, Sequoias (Calif.) 3-3, Sacramento City (Calif.) 3-3, Georgia Military 3-1, Joliet (IL) 5-2, Laney (Calif.) 5-1, Dean (MA) 3-0

Why all the CA schools?

Because the California JUCO system is by far the largest and best in the Country. WAC and MWC teams load up on these kids. In Texas what are there about 10 JUCOs playing football. I don't know the number in Calfornia but I do know its many multiples of 10. These California and West Coast JUCOs are a big reason SMU had trouble competing in the WAC. You really need to understand the landscape before you fully appreciate the disadvantages SMU has been competing under.

You can disable Smilies in your post so the numbers don't become unreadable.

That's also why we shouldn't expect a heavy JUCO diet. Finding JUCO players is difficult. When you start looking in California, it gets even harder since schools in CA and the MWC as well as the PAC-10 are mining those fields. And in Texas, you're competing with the Big XII, SEC, CUSA and MWC. I think the program of developing your own freshman is the sound one long term. But if we change coaches, we can't afford for the new coach to find the cupboard bare and endure an 0-12 season in his second year while he redshirts his good players. That should be in any new coach's contract. If the team goes 0-12, the contract is terminable at will of the school.

A good friend of mine I graduated high school with was an All-Star Linebacker at Fullerton College. Believe me, he was not a genius by any means. In fact, he probably barely graduated from high school. But he got recruited to play at New Mexico State, and I think, became a starting OLB for a while.

http://www.nmstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=9523&SPID=583&DB_OEM_ID=1900&ATCLID=66886&Q_SEASON=2005

JCs are huge here. Didn't Romo come from one of the Nor Cal JC's?

some kid at my high school played LB (div IX in cali...not good) and went to a junior college absolutely not known for football. he was a beast and is now committed to play at nebraska next year