Benjamin Rogers

NCAA Sports

Braden Tyler “Brady” Quinn is an football quarterback who played collegiately for the University of Notre Dame football team through the 2006 season. Quinn graduated from Notre Dame with majors in finance and political science and is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2007 NFL Draft.
   
Maryland Terrapins Quarterback.
   
Friedgen has long been regarded as one of the largest offensive-minded coaches at any level of the game. "The Fridge", as he's affectionately known around College Park, matriculated at the University of Maryland in the mid-1960s, where he played the position of offensive guard. After completion of his Bachelor's in Physical education in 1970, Friedgen served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, before later accepting positions on the staffs of The Citadel, William and Mary, and Murray State. Joining him on many of these coaching stops was Frank Beamer, who would later become a highly successful coach at Virginia Tech.He returned to the University of Maryland in 1982 to serve as offensive coordinator under head coach Bobby Ross, who was his mentor during his stop at The Citadel. During this time period, he had a hand in the development of quarterbacks Stan Gelbaugh and Frank Reich, and most notably Boomer Esiason. It was also during this time that the University of Maryland football program was a perennial top-20 team, winning consecutive ACC titles from 1983 to 1985 and appearing in prominent bowl games. Following a sub-par 1986 season, and amidst an athletic department quagmire due in large part to the Len Bias incident, Friedgen followed Ross to Georgia Tech, a stint lasting four years. In 1990, Tech went from being unranked in the preseason to achieving an 11-0-1 record and a share of the national championship with Colorado. In 1992, Friedgen followed Ross once again, this time to the NFL's San Diego Chargers, where he orchestrated an offense that led the franchise to an appearance in Super Bowl XXIX. In 1997, Friedgen returned to Georgia Tech, where, as offensive coordinator, he developed the balanced offensive attack (200 yards on the ground, 200 yards through the air) that would become his trademark. During his second year, the Yellow Jackets were co-champions of the ACC, chewed up and spit out Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl, and ended the season ranked among the nation's top 10 teams. In 1999, he was awarded the Frank Broyles Award, given to the nation's best assistant coach.
     
  
Riley Skinner is the current quarterback for the Wake Forest football team, coached by Jim Grobe. He played high school football for The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. Skinner stepped in for the injured Wake Forest QB Ben Mauk after Mauk injured his arm in the first game of the season against Syracuse. As of November 17, 2006, Riley has led the Demon Deacons to a 10-2 regular season record with the lone losses to the Clemson Tigers, and Virginia Tech Hokies. Riley and the Demon Deacons won the 2006 ACC Championship game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 9-6.Riley was named the 2006 ACC Rookie of the Year after leading the league in passing efficiency.
   
Wake Forest Wide Reciever
   
Charlie Weis is the current head coach of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.On November 30, 2004, Notre Dame released its head football coach, Tyrone Willingham. After preliminary overtures to University of Utah head coach Urban Meyer, Notre Dame narrowed their list down to Weis and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator and former Notre Dame star quarterback Tom Clements. The University ultimately decided to hire Weis. On December 12, 2004, Weis was named the 28th head football coach in Notre Dame history, agreeing to a six-year contract worth a reported $2 million per year.Weis is the first Notre Dame graduate to hold the football head coaching position at his alma mater since Hugh Devore (a 1934 graduate) served as interim coach in 1963 and the first to serve as the Irish football coach on a full-fledged basis since Joe Kuharich (a 1938 Notre Dame graduate who coached at Notre Dame from 1959 through 1962).In his first season as the head coach of the Fighting Irish, the Notre Dame football program improved greatly. The team's play, particularly that of junior quarterback Brady Quinn, improved over the 2005 season. Weis has also discovered other hidden talent in his existing roster. Notably, junior wide receiver Jeff Samardzija, previously a little-used wide receiver, became Quinn's favorite target and a frequent game-breaker, and set school records for most touchdown receptions in a season (15), most receiving yardage in a season (1249), and most consecutive games with a touchdown reception (8). His team played then #1 ranked and then undefeated, USC but ND lost the close game.With a record of 9-2, his team finished the regular season ranked sixth in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings. This granted them a berth in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, on January 2, 2006 which they lost to Ohio State University Buckeyes by a score of 34-20. The Irish finished #9 in the final AP Poll and #11 in the Coaches Poll. His team's success on the field helped make Weis winner of the 2005 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, selected by the Football Writers Association of America.On October 29, 2005, only halfway through the first year of a six-year contract, Weis signed a contract extension with Notre Dame. The new 10-year deal, worth a reported $30 million to $40 million, will keep Weis at Notre Dame through 2015. This signing was controversial because of the disparate treatment that Weis and Ty Willingham received after similar first season records. After signing the contract extension, Weis commented that he would only leave Notre Dame upon being fired or death. However with the potential opening as New York Giants head coach, Weis' dream job, some have begun to question the validity of that statement. Despite media overtures calling for Weis to head for the NFL, Weis has repeatedly stated that he intends to stay at Notre Dame until his son, Charlie Jr., graduates Notre Dame.During the 2006-2007 season, Coach Weis led the Fighting Irish to a 10-2 regular season record, and a second straight Bowl Championship Series berth, this time losing 41-14 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl to the Louisiana State University Tigers. This loss represented the second straight blowout bowl loss under Weis and the ninth straight bowl loss for the Irish. The Irish finished #17 in the final AP poll, #19 in the final Coaches Poll. While this season could be considered a disappointment based on Notre Dame's #2 pre-season ranking, Weis led the Irish to its second straight season of nine wins or more, something not achieved since the 1992 and 1993 seasons under Coach Lou Holtz.