Five-Step Drop: Almost Rankings Time

FanHouse's college football staff provides you with a personal quarterback. We do the primary and secondary reads for you so you can properly start your day. FanHouse will do a Five-Step Drop several times a week during the summer and then daily once preseason practice starts.

1. As we approach the middle of July, college football fanatics can begin to smell the smoked ribs and taste the beer. We can envision the multi-colored leaves and can most certainly look forward to some cooler weather. It's getting close. In fact, it is less than two months from Thursday, September 2, when there are 18 games involving FBS teams to kick off the 2010 season.

That means we're gearing up for the period of time when every website known to man starts churning out rankings. In fact, FanHouse is in the process of compiling our staff rankings. The advantage we have on the web is being versatile. The magazines need to go to press early in order to hit the shelves in time for the demand. And there are four big names out there already: The Sporting News, Lindy's, Athlon and Phil Steele.

Thanks to Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com, there's a composite list of how those rankings looked when merged together. Of course, he threw in his post-Spring top-25 and averaged all five. Still, his blog entry accomplishes the same thing as any set of rankings: it's entertaining because we're thinking about the college football season and it gets people's argumentative juices flowing.

The top five when you average the five polls? In order: Alabama, Ohio State, Boise State, Florida and TCU.

Argue away, just remember: we're getting closer ...

2. Seantrel Henderson to Miami is reportedly "nearly a done deal," though this linked article was posted Tuesday night and hasn't been updated. Plus, there doesn't seem to be anything really firm in it ("all signs point to," "announcement could come," "nothing is official," etc.). Henderson's a big-time recruit, but frankly, it's going to be nice when he's finally settled in somewhere and out of the daily newswire.

3. Remember when Lane Kiffin accused Urban Meyer of cheating and later had to apologize? Apparently he has something in common with his new boss, as USC athletic director Mike Garrett had to apologize to a whopping five schools (Florida, Alabama, Washington, Oregon and Fresno State) for accusing each of tampering with freshman running back Dillon Baxter. Garrett realized his mistake when Baxter himself assured the AD no other school had contacted him. Whatever. The funniest thing about the issue to me was Fresno State's inclusion in there. It had to have been quite flattered.

On the other hand, maybe I can understand USC's paranoia. Since the sanctions, the Trojans have now seen three players transfer, one (Henderson) be granted a release from his scholarship and another reportedly also wants one.

4. One-time uber-recruit Pat Patterson has been kicked off the Ole Miss football team. When the Rebels landed the Mississippi prep star, it was considered quite the coup, as he was the top recruit from the state according to some outlets. He did see game action as a freshman last season, nabbing 12 passes for 180 yards and a score, but the off-field problems mounted quite quickly. He was suspended for a game late in the season and then for the entirety of spring practice, both for violations of team rules. Patterson looks to have been dismissed for the proverbial third strike, as he was reportedly kicked off for failing to follow those pesky team rules once again. It will be interesting to see if the talented youngster will learn from his ways, as there's still plenty of time -- being just one full year removed from high school. One man's trash could end up being another's treasure here. It's definitely worth a shot.

5. In prep news, The Sporting News' top-ranked high school quarterback, Christian LeMay, has been suspended from Butler High School for 30 days and is looking to possibly transfer. He's committed to play for Georgia. Is this another Patterson, who might have issues conforming once he gets to the big-time? Worry not, says his father, as the infraction is described as a "youthful" one not involving drugs, weapons or violence -- also noting LeMay has had a spotless record up to this point.

The family is seeking an appeal before deciding to transfer.

You know what? From reading that article, I'm willing to give the kid a free pass. Just listen to what his father says here:

"If all of us had our youthful infractions in the newspaper, how long would the article be?"

Touche.