2008 Bowl Thoughts
- Thread starter E.T.G.
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broadwayjoe
May 5Dimes MLB 2nd place
with ya on tcu and troy...i think they are both gonna be murders. glad to see that you like troy, was wondering if anyone else liked them...not too much talk about that game. will likely be one of my bigger wagers this bowl season...and tcu will probably be my biggest
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
joe, probably my 2 favorite bets, i'm in now just for the number, I will see where the lines are heading and replay but yes, by far my 2 favs
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
:cheers:
i'm pretty damn happy bout it.
RU/NCST Over 51 (2.2 to win 2)
Oky St -4 (2.2 to win 2)
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
:cheers:
i'm pretty damn happy bout it.
RU/NCST Over 51 (2.2 to win 2)
Oky St -4 (2.2 to win 2)
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
CrimsonK
Sid Bream Supporter
ETG,
I played UF as well. I guess I'm a bit curious to your thoght process as far as having them at +800 and then playing them again at -3. I understand if you share my sentiments that you are very confident in a UF win. I just would have thought that if anything with the 2/16U future bet you would have either laid off the actual spread or played a bit on Okie ML to ensure a profit or at least a position of no lose. Always curious to hear people thoughts on how they handle future tickets this late in the process. Hope you don't take this the wrong way, I'm just simply curious..
I played UF as well. I guess I'm a bit curious to your thoght process as far as having them at +800 and then playing them again at -3. I understand if you share my sentiments that you are very confident in a UF win. I just would have thought that if anything with the 2/16U future bet you would have either laid off the actual spread or played a bit on Okie ML to ensure a profit or at least a position of no lose. Always curious to hear people thoughts on how they handle future tickets this late in the process. Hope you don't take this the wrong way, I'm just simply curious..
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
Crimson, a buddy of mine asked me if I would hedge this bet and without even thinking, I told him "no way". I have a bet which I feel I have tremendous value on. I understand why some people would want to hedge and make sure they walk away from the game with a profit but with a win, my trip to Amsterdam in the spring is paid for by the Gators, not joke, and I'm just not willing to go against my gut here..It sounds silly, I know.. On top of everything, having already thought about this game for a long time, I am very confident the Gators win this game. Urban Meyer over Stoops. Special teams huge advantage to Gators. Better defense and more overall team speed all over the field. UF has a downright nasty offense as evidenced by the 31 they put on Bama without Harvin/Rainey, just imagine if they had Ingram at TE. Yes Oklahaoma has a good offense but if you get Bradford moving his feet and if you actually put some guys in coverage on their WR's you can slow them down. I'm not confident that Oklahoma will slow down UF as much as UF will slow down Oklahoma. Also, what if Bradford wins the heisman and giving tours across the US? He is already have surgery on his non-throwing hand while Super Timmy will be giving motivational speeches to his troops for a month. Knowing what I know now, bearing some unforseen circumstances, I would let it ride and make this bet everytime and I guess thats all I can ask myself with the chance to win 16units on the line.
CrimsonK
Sid Bream Supporter
Cool, I agree 100% on the "why" you like the Gators. You know you have to wear jean jorts and a Tebow jersey in the red light district now.. I want to go back pack Europe if/when I someday get through school. Feel like it's never gonna happen. Let me know if you wanna sell some of that UF future ticket, you know you're gonna need some extra loot for the coffee shops!
RetroVK
This claim is disputed
-155 to -160.
He already had +700 2 units to win 16.
He must absolutely love the gators in the game to go for two more units , which is fine. I just thought it was kind of funny. 16 wasn't enough... had to get 18 out of the game.
RetroVK
This claim is disputed
Sammy Meatballs
Sammy Meatballs? Never Heard of Her
Florida looks good to me--
Meyer is an evil genius, I mean there is really no way to stop them- Oklahoma can be stopped once bradford gets moving in the pocket, the defenses they play vs in BIG 12 are a joke, they basically stand back in spots and dont really move- they cannot cover, in fact has anyone heard of one pro prospect as a DB in the Big 12???
THe simple reason Florida wins is this--
Florida has faced every kind of DEFENSE this year, fast D, slow D, big D, blitz D, they have seen it all, what can OU do to disrupt Florida? Florida is battle tested, so MEYER is ready for anything a DEFENSE does to his offense-
Oklahoma on the other hand has not SEEN every D- they have seen every crap BIG 12 D- all BIG 12 D's are zone Defenses, no one talks on D, no one communicates, no one has a pass rush, no shut down Db's-- So I mean OU has not see a fast aggressive D yet, they will get stopped by Florida and more than they stop Florida--
Its simple Florida is battle tested and Ou is not- OU has blown out bad teams over and over- MIZZOU sucks shit- they lost to Kansas, Texas is overrated and they lost to TEXAS!! Ok STATE is not that good but was scoring at will on Oklahoma- Texas tech would lose by 50+ to Florida-
So I mean where is the best win- I think its CINCY- Honestly that is OU's best win as I think they are decent on Defense- but that was at home-
Okahoma can lose again because they can be the BILLS or the Montreal Alouettes, get to the BIG game and lose- I just know if I bet MEYER I am betting a CONFIDENT GENIUS, if I bet STOOPS I am betting a crazy man who wants to win but is a little crazy- MEYER IS THE MAN HE KNOWS WHAT IS UP IN COLLEGE BALL.
No doubt also that TEBOW wants to win so BADLY and will do anything to win- GATORS used to lose big games under SPURRIER, under MEYER they are for real, they come through in BIG GAMES- I really think OU is bigger, but Florida is faster and speed kills-
I mean watching Bradford seems like the guy just cannot be stopped, he scores a Td every 8 passes, Come on guys lets wake up, he is no Peyton Manning, its not like if he was in the NFL drafted that he would do anything. Bradford is a great player, but I really think he is great but its a product of the bad BIG 12 DEFENSES-- Its not like he is just unstoppable as he looks--
Just look at Bradford the reason he is doing well is bad DEFENSE, you can see it, just look at all the teams they beat, and then look at how many points they give up. Most teams pretty much give up 30 to anyone, so basically OU just doubles that and gets 60 on those teams-
Florida will win the game- they are for real, I mean think about it, the Football state is Florida, that is where all the NFl stars are born, it produces the best football players.
Meyer is an evil genius, I mean there is really no way to stop them- Oklahoma can be stopped once bradford gets moving in the pocket, the defenses they play vs in BIG 12 are a joke, they basically stand back in spots and dont really move- they cannot cover, in fact has anyone heard of one pro prospect as a DB in the Big 12???
THe simple reason Florida wins is this--
Florida has faced every kind of DEFENSE this year, fast D, slow D, big D, blitz D, they have seen it all, what can OU do to disrupt Florida? Florida is battle tested, so MEYER is ready for anything a DEFENSE does to his offense-
Oklahoma on the other hand has not SEEN every D- they have seen every crap BIG 12 D- all BIG 12 D's are zone Defenses, no one talks on D, no one communicates, no one has a pass rush, no shut down Db's-- So I mean OU has not see a fast aggressive D yet, they will get stopped by Florida and more than they stop Florida--
Its simple Florida is battle tested and Ou is not- OU has blown out bad teams over and over- MIZZOU sucks shit- they lost to Kansas, Texas is overrated and they lost to TEXAS!! Ok STATE is not that good but was scoring at will on Oklahoma- Texas tech would lose by 50+ to Florida-
So I mean where is the best win- I think its CINCY- Honestly that is OU's best win as I think they are decent on Defense- but that was at home-
Okahoma can lose again because they can be the BILLS or the Montreal Alouettes, get to the BIG game and lose- I just know if I bet MEYER I am betting a CONFIDENT GENIUS, if I bet STOOPS I am betting a crazy man who wants to win but is a little crazy- MEYER IS THE MAN HE KNOWS WHAT IS UP IN COLLEGE BALL.
No doubt also that TEBOW wants to win so BADLY and will do anything to win- GATORS used to lose big games under SPURRIER, under MEYER they are for real, they come through in BIG GAMES- I really think OU is bigger, but Florida is faster and speed kills-
I mean watching Bradford seems like the guy just cannot be stopped, he scores a Td every 8 passes, Come on guys lets wake up, he is no Peyton Manning, its not like if he was in the NFL drafted that he would do anything. Bradford is a great player, but I really think he is great but its a product of the bad BIG 12 DEFENSES-- Its not like he is just unstoppable as he looks--
Just look at Bradford the reason he is doing well is bad DEFENSE, you can see it, just look at all the teams they beat, and then look at how many points they give up. Most teams pretty much give up 30 to anyone, so basically OU just doubles that and gets 60 on those teams-
Florida will win the game- they are for real, I mean think about it, the Football state is Florida, that is where all the NFl stars are born, it produces the best football players.
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RetroVK
This claim is disputed
They have two db prospects for the nfl in the top 7 on some boards. Note there is one on oklahoma. Also Note there are no SEC secondary guys in the top 7 here.
Granted this is just one list ... there are others that would say different.
- Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State - 6'1- 201
For the second year in a row, Malcolm Jenkins begins the season as the top cornerback prospect for the NFL Draft. Entering his fourth year as a starter for the Buckeyes, Jenkins possesses a rare blend of size, speed, and instinct at the position. Many teams needing secondary help will even consider him at the free safety position, because of his outstanding open field... Read More - William Moore, S, Missouri - 6'1- 230
At this point, William Moore is the top senior safety prospect. Moore paid his dues as an underclassman, but when 2007 came around he proved to be one of the best defensive playmakers in the country. Moore picked off eight passes during that season, which tied for the most in the nation. He did his best work after fellow safety Pig Brown went out for the year with an ... Read More - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois - 6'0- 204
Vontae Davis is the younger brother of San Francisco tight end and former top ten pick, Vernon Davis. Athleticism obviously runs in this family, because both of the Davis brothers are freakishly strong and fast. Vontae is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign that saw him smother even the best receivers the Big Ten has to offer. Davis finished the season with 76... Read More - Taylor Mays, S, USC - 6'3- 230
Although Mays is a Junior, many analysts believe he will be leaving Pete Carroll and the Southern California Trojans after his Junior year if he can continue to play at a high level and avoid injury. Mays has incredible speed for the safety positions. He has unofficially been timed under a 4.4 forty yard dash. Mays has been a full-time starter at the free safety po... Read More - Myron Rolle, S, Florida State - 6'2- 218
It only took three games for Myron Rolle to become the starting rover at Florida State, and he has not given up that role since. As a freshman, Rolle was third on the team in tackles and named to a variety of Freshman All-American teams. As a sophomore, Rolle was one of the few consistent players on the FSU defense and that should continue into his junior campaign. ... Read More - Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati - 6'0- 190
Mike Mickens is only 6-0 and 190 pounds, but he is still a physical corner back who is not afraid to play tough against any wide receiver. It did not take long for Mickens to earn a starting job at Cincinnati. By the time his freshman campaign began, the Huber Heights, Ohio product was starting. Throughout his first three seasons with the Bearcats, Mickens was named t... Read More - Nic Harris, S, Oklahoma - 6'3- 230
Nic Harris is a big, hard-hitting safety who has given nightmares to Big 12 opponents. It started when he was a freshman and earned some starts at free safety. A year later Harris was playing corner and ended the season back at free safety, where he led the team in interceptions and started to show just how good he could be. By his junior campaign, Harris was earning ... Read More
Granted this is just one list ... there are others that would say different.
O
O-State
Guest
I have to put Urban Meyer as top 3 coach in America. Personally I might have him number 1. He took over a horrid Bowling Green program and turned them around and at Utah the offense was high scoring like it is now at UF. Not many coaches like Pete or Stoops take over 3 programs, especially one in a state like BG and do what they did---so that is more impressive than taking over at 1 school. Add in the fact Meyer's fingerprints are all over the offense means more than being a figurehead.
The guy is a younger, bolder, more innovative Jim Tressel. Urban Meyer's core is special teams and defense. The punt is Jim Tressel's favorite and most important play in football, and it might be Meyer's as well.
For my money his offense is the most innovative in the country.
You won't find a more competitive guy around, and he understand's what it takes to win
mental edge, his practices are very mentally oriented, special teams, and defense
He wants to run the ball as well and physcicality is paramount
----Sexy perceived gimmicky offenses that some label UF's are not as physcial and don't run the ball like Myere
The guy is a younger, bolder, more innovative Jim Tressel. Urban Meyer's core is special teams and defense. The punt is Jim Tressel's favorite and most important play in football, and it might be Meyer's as well.
For my money his offense is the most innovative in the country.
You won't find a more competitive guy around, and he understand's what it takes to win
mental edge, his practices are very mentally oriented, special teams, and defense
He wants to run the ball as well and physcicality is paramount
----Sexy perceived gimmicky offenses that some label UF's are not as physcial and don't run the ball like Myere
Sammy Meatballs
Sammy Meatballs? Never Heard of Her
I knew it they were gonna say NICK HARRIS, but he is a safety Kyle, he is good, but he cant be everywhere in that game- although he can hit-
MEYER will eliminate him from the game, all MEYER will do is take his eraser and erase COLLINS off the screen and then he is out. MEYER is that good, he can take anyone right out with his evil ways.
MEYER will eliminate him from the game, all MEYER will do is take his eraser and erase COLLINS off the screen and then he is out. MEYER is that good, he can take anyone right out with his evil ways.
O
O-State
Guest
Remember Lou Holtz win Florida lost to Ole Miss said
----they have no identity or bread and butter play. They are not "great at anything". Then he ranted on about how you have to run the ball to set up play action blah blah
holtz is dumb and seeing him on studio I ask myself how this guy could of won so many games
---well known cheater. Corso seemed to have a dislike for him the other night
----they have no identity or bread and butter play. They are not "great at anything". Then he ranted on about how you have to run the ball to set up play action blah blah
holtz is dumb and seeing him on studio I ask myself how this guy could of won so many games
---well known cheater. Corso seemed to have a dislike for him the other night
RetroVK
This claim is disputed
yeah meyer can exploit that secondary. Do not disagree at all. Why not ?? a lot of other teams have with less speed and talent than what tebow has to throw to.
Meyer is just a beast. A big jerk (my perception ) but a nice guy to have your money behind.
Sammy Meatballs
Sammy Meatballs? Never Heard of Her
I saw that Taylor MAYS safety for USC play, that motherfucker has closing speed-
ASU threw a wide open deep pass to the sidelines, I swear he came from 20yards away laterally, dove and blocked the ball down. I was like wow, he is tall and fast and huge, and has range bigtime, I mean he looked like he cuold be the best safety in the NFL with that skill.
ASU threw a wide open deep pass to the sidelines, I swear he came from 20yards away laterally, dove and blocked the ball down. I was like wow, he is tall and fast and huge, and has range bigtime, I mean he looked like he cuold be the best safety in the NFL with that skill.
Sammy Meatballs
Sammy Meatballs? Never Heard of Her
Yeah with the way TEBOW was pumped up, and OU is also good, but to win they would have to basically just blast the Florida O Line and manhandle them. There only chance is to win the battle on both lines- like wreak havoc-
Urban's Offense IMO is 1 step ahead of the defense- I mean whatever OU does, he just checks out of it and runs a play to exploit the D--
I have never said this or felt this way about anyone else, But I honestly believe that when TEBOW looks at the sidelines MEYER has the play to beat the D almost every single time. He just knows more than the Defenses, he is one step ahead and has constructed an offense that is just so multidimensional and can attack you so many ways-
OPtion-Running, Passing-End arounds, oh and a MASSIVE QB that runs--
I just dont see how OU will find any success in stopping this team--
When TEBOW throws the intermediate passes, they are wide open, the Defense has to account for so many things, if HARVIN is back watch out
I mean who has a better D Alabama or Oklahoma?
O
O-State
Guest
What I am surprised by is
----Alabama did not blitz as much as I expected. Saban I thougth was known for that and UF has struggled some with that as well, if you do not blitz you are going to get burned, period. And a stupid ass time to blitz in the 4th when it was obvious.
IMO MIAMI OF FLORIDA did the best job the entire season against Tebow. They blitzed.
----Stoops is very adept at blitzing and taking out these podunk screens and little stuff around the line of scrimmage. Him and Carrol are best at being aggressive and forcing you down the field by taking away that short crap
----Venables and Stoops will have something devised, it will be intersting
Just don't know if it will work
----Alabama did not blitz as much as I expected. Saban I thougth was known for that and UF has struggled some with that as well, if you do not blitz you are going to get burned, period. And a stupid ass time to blitz in the 4th when it was obvious.
IMO MIAMI OF FLORIDA did the best job the entire season against Tebow. They blitzed.
----Stoops is very adept at blitzing and taking out these podunk screens and little stuff around the line of scrimmage. Him and Carrol are best at being aggressive and forcing you down the field by taking away that short crap
----Venables and Stoops will have something devised, it will be intersting
Just don't know if it will work
Sammy Meatballs
Sammy Meatballs? Never Heard of Her
I was driving around and just dreaming about Urban MEYER and having flashbacks of him kicking poor old Bobby Bowdens ass, Fulmer's ass and Sabans ass.
I thought that wow URBAN's offense is so good and so hard to stop everywhere he has been. I then thought no one can stop this guy with only 1 week to prepare.
I was still driving and then a RED light suddenly appeared. I slammed on the brakes and thought about BOB STOOPS being a former Defensive mind and thought what will he do vs florida? I then thought that he did manage to shut down Texas Tech's attack by devising a plan of keeping 7 in coverage and rushing only 4---
I then thought Stoops will have to come up with something and that somethign will have to be something to pressure TEBOW-
Correct me if I am wrong, has anyone see a corner Blitz on TEBOW? If you sit back and dont crowd the Line of course Florida is going to get 10 yards on 3 down, I mean Tebow keeps and falls forward and there is 3 to 4 yards right there. Any Harvin or Demps run is 4 yards if you are back in coverage. Any option is at least 5 to 7 yards also-
I have yet to see a team pack the line and send blitzers at TEBOW-
The problem with this is that MEYER will devise a play that could score on one play like a screen pass or a handoff to the player in motion which he could hit the corner he is gone to the house-
Also then its man to man with Lewis Murphy and Riley Cooper which TEBOW seems to be able to put the ball on the money-
MEYER is probably ready for blitzes as Florida is constantly moving and changing formations- THe only chance is for them to blitz the hell out of TEBOW and basically hit him early and often. OU would have to have amazing coverage in the secondary and hope TEBOW is off and throws INT's which he does not do.
I could see Bob Stoops developping a plan to stop a team like TExas TECH, but Florida is a combination on OPTION, RUN, ZONE RUN, PASSING, QB RUNNING-
Bob Stoops as great as he is could not stop USC, Boise state, West Virginia-
Stoops stopped Texas TEch but you can tell they are much bigger and athletic than TECH-
I honestly dont think there is any solution to stop Florida, you can limit what they do and force them into beating you with TEBOW throwing--
What OU has to do is what other teams did not. They must say okay we are blitzing like NUTS and not letting you run option and QB sneak and little runs, meaning you will have to beat us night on deep passes and QUIck throws--
If you sit back FLorida will score, they did it to BAMA and scored every different way on them in that game. Bama made some stops but never really got after TEBOW and controllled the Florida offense-
Also is it me or does anyone really know how good the OU DEFENSE is..
One thing to note my friends is that WVU ran all over Oklahoma last year, Boise moved the ball all over OU, and USC crushed OU also in their bowl game. I am firmly believing tha Oklahoma does not adjust to offenses they have not seen before. They could not stop Pat WHite last year and DEVINE hit many long long runs on them.
OU is a strange team, they look good on D at times, they look big and strong and fast and able to just make plays, at other times they have no pass rush and seem to get beat in the air pretty bad.
I know OU does better in their own division vs BIG 12, this may be harder for OU to adjust than FLorida to adjust because FLORIDA has played teams like Oklahoma who pass, at least Florida knows where and what Sam Bradford will run on them, the element of surprise if very little on Ohlahoma-
It almost seems to me that Florida would be able to know Bradords tendecies and the OU play calling by looking at film and OU would not be ready for Florida as I am sure MEYER will be changing formations and plays to confuse OU badly.
I thought that wow URBAN's offense is so good and so hard to stop everywhere he has been. I then thought no one can stop this guy with only 1 week to prepare.
I was still driving and then a RED light suddenly appeared. I slammed on the brakes and thought about BOB STOOPS being a former Defensive mind and thought what will he do vs florida? I then thought that he did manage to shut down Texas Tech's attack by devising a plan of keeping 7 in coverage and rushing only 4---
I then thought Stoops will have to come up with something and that somethign will have to be something to pressure TEBOW-
Correct me if I am wrong, has anyone see a corner Blitz on TEBOW? If you sit back and dont crowd the Line of course Florida is going to get 10 yards on 3 down, I mean Tebow keeps and falls forward and there is 3 to 4 yards right there. Any Harvin or Demps run is 4 yards if you are back in coverage. Any option is at least 5 to 7 yards also-
I have yet to see a team pack the line and send blitzers at TEBOW-
The problem with this is that MEYER will devise a play that could score on one play like a screen pass or a handoff to the player in motion which he could hit the corner he is gone to the house-
Also then its man to man with Lewis Murphy and Riley Cooper which TEBOW seems to be able to put the ball on the money-
MEYER is probably ready for blitzes as Florida is constantly moving and changing formations- THe only chance is for them to blitz the hell out of TEBOW and basically hit him early and often. OU would have to have amazing coverage in the secondary and hope TEBOW is off and throws INT's which he does not do.
I could see Bob Stoops developping a plan to stop a team like TExas TECH, but Florida is a combination on OPTION, RUN, ZONE RUN, PASSING, QB RUNNING-
Bob Stoops as great as he is could not stop USC, Boise state, West Virginia-
Stoops stopped Texas TEch but you can tell they are much bigger and athletic than TECH-
I honestly dont think there is any solution to stop Florida, you can limit what they do and force them into beating you with TEBOW throwing--
What OU has to do is what other teams did not. They must say okay we are blitzing like NUTS and not letting you run option and QB sneak and little runs, meaning you will have to beat us night on deep passes and QUIck throws--
If you sit back FLorida will score, they did it to BAMA and scored every different way on them in that game. Bama made some stops but never really got after TEBOW and controllled the Florida offense-
Also is it me or does anyone really know how good the OU DEFENSE is..
One thing to note my friends is that WVU ran all over Oklahoma last year, Boise moved the ball all over OU, and USC crushed OU also in their bowl game. I am firmly believing tha Oklahoma does not adjust to offenses they have not seen before. They could not stop Pat WHite last year and DEVINE hit many long long runs on them.
OU is a strange team, they look good on D at times, they look big and strong and fast and able to just make plays, at other times they have no pass rush and seem to get beat in the air pretty bad.
I know OU does better in their own division vs BIG 12, this may be harder for OU to adjust than FLorida to adjust because FLORIDA has played teams like Oklahoma who pass, at least Florida knows where and what Sam Bradford will run on them, the element of surprise if very little on Ohlahoma-
It almost seems to me that Florida would be able to know Bradords tendecies and the OU play calling by looking at film and OU would not be ready for Florida as I am sure MEYER will be changing formations and plays to confuse OU badly.
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
VK - I will get to Troy after work today. As far as UF goes, I really like them and I'm content in going down in flames with Urban Meyer and Super Tebow. I'm dangerously confident in UF here and that could end up kicking my ass but i'm 23 and I'm stupid and I'm just letting a future at an incredible price ride and treating the UF -3 bet like a whole seperate game. In Urban Meyer I trust. I've never considered hedging this future and honestly, I was more concerned with UF facing Texas than Oklahoma because Muschamp has had success against Meyer.
Wolfpack17
Treasurer of Fondy Fanclub
ETG: Wondering if you were going to be backing the Wolfpack again. I saw you were on the over and I love that total as well, but am thinking that 7 is too many to give us. What are your thoughts? Rutgers is hotter than hades right now. Their best DE is having season ending surgery.
RetroVK
This claim is disputed
If you are that confident in uf there is nothing that wrong with it .. make as much as you can. Agree with you that hedging futures is bad business.
No rush on troy thoughts , just when you get a chance. my sunbelt knowledge level is really really weak.... but we have time.
Barring a bet on the other side i will be cheering hard for you btw ... hate the sooners hehe. Also , great eye to catch that bet when you did AND pull the trigger .. a lot of the time with futures like that we see the bet but don't make them for some reason but you did. Saw aztec4life do it with the cincy at hawaii game of the year bet.
talk to ya later bro .. great thread.
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
I've just been real busy with everything in life but its my goal to get everything in this thread squared away these next few days..Quick writeup................GT-4:GT is so much better coached in this game, it?s a home game, they have soooo much more to play for. The QB?s both for LSU suck and they should see pressure all day from that very talented GT d-line. GT operated all yr with 65% of their offense, LSU has a month to prepare, but they don?t exactly know what they are preparing for. Expect A LOT of misdirection to counter the speed of LSU and the speed shouldn?t be an issue off b2b wins over Miami and UGA. This is 1 of my fav bets with the team who is clearly more motivated to play in this game.
bro, thats why you just need to do all your bowl work at the office:tiphat:saves a hell of a lot of time!
just got my job back till jan 13 for the winter intersession... and now that opens the door for me to be able to cap some bowls this week
on the same page as you in that need to pump out some writeups and get em up in the next couple days, but hey better late then never
as far as your plays, been back on forth on the UF game.... but like USC and REALLY liking TCU (will be one of my bigger bets)
good luck man:bong:
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
Still in the process of getting everything here up to date.
I'm not playing the SC game but quite a few of you have Iowa. You will like this. Fuken idiot
Cook OUT for Bowl Game
David Cloninger
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>Talk about it in The Insiders Forum
South Carolina safety Emanuel Cook, the Gamecocks' leading tackler, is academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl and his career at USC may be over.
"Right now, it appears that Emanuel Cook didn't make it," coach Steve Spurrier said after Tuesday's practice. "He's the only one right now that it appears did not pass the six hours.
"As we know right now, he will not play in the game."
Cook had already filed exploratory paperwork with the NFL Draft committee, inquiring about his potential position that would lead him to forfeit his senior year. He may be gone for sure after Tuesday's announcement.
"It's disappointing that he did not think of his teammates or his university," Spurrier said. "It's not hard to pass six hours.
"He did not put much effort in, it appears."
Stay tuned to GamecockCentral.com for a complete practice recap.
I'm not playing the SC game but quite a few of you have Iowa. You will like this. Fuken idiot
Cook OUT for Bowl Game
David Cloninger
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>Talk about it in The Insiders Forum
South Carolina safety Emanuel Cook, the Gamecocks' leading tackler, is academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl and his career at USC may be over.
"Right now, it appears that Emanuel Cook didn't make it," coach Steve Spurrier said after Tuesday's practice. "He's the only one right now that it appears did not pass the six hours.
"As we know right now, he will not play in the game."
Cook had already filed exploratory paperwork with the NFL Draft committee, inquiring about his potential position that would lead him to forfeit his senior year. He may be gone for sure after Tuesday's announcement.
"It's disappointing that he did not think of his teammates or his university," Spurrier said. "It's not hard to pass six hours.
"He did not put much effort in, it appears."
Stay tuned to GamecockCentral.com for a complete practice recap.
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
Your welcome Kyle. I just have to rant real quickly. This really bothers me. OK, E. Cook, you want to leave early and not play your senior year, thats fine. How fuken dumb this look to the NFL when you couldn't even finish 6 hours to play in a bowl. Your last audition was getting juked out of your shoes by Jacoby Ford. You quit on your teammates because you are an asshole.
Captain Munnerlyn, you are next, step right up and be asshole #2, not because you are going to be ineligible too, but because your game tape sucks and since you hate school you also will forgo your senior year and be an undrafted free agent. You are the 3rd best corner on South Carolina this yr.
As far as who replaces Cook it will likely be frosh Akeeme Auguste
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
im not going to start no drama but the academic casulties could continue, stick around
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 6px; PADDING-LEFT: 6px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 6px; PADDING-TOP: 6px" vAlign=top>other players in qualifying trouble.....</TD><TD class="" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 6px; PADDING-LEFT: 6px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 6px; PADDING-TOP: 6px" vAlign=bottom noWrap align=right 1??>Reply</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR color=#cccccc noShade>from sources on the team...
CC Whitlock is in serious doubts
Dion is in serious doubts
Mike Davis, Jasper, D Lindsey are questionable as well....
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 6px; PADDING-LEFT: 6px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 6px; PADDING-TOP: 6px" vAlign=top>other players in qualifying trouble.....</TD><TD class="" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 6px; PADDING-LEFT: 6px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 6px; PADDING-TOP: 6px" vAlign=bottom noWrap align=right 1??>Reply</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR color=#cccccc noShade>from sources on the team...
CC Whitlock is in serious doubts
Dion is in serious doubts
Mike Davis, Jasper, D Lindsey are questionable as well....
CrimsonK
Sid Bream Supporter
thanks for the updates, been lookin at this game and I'm gonna lock in Iowa in case the line starts running away with any of this news. It's hard for me not to back an SEC team as a dog vs. B10 but things are looking grim for USC. As we talked about in another thread, USC's offense is just not fluid at all.
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
Updated list of plays
UF-3 (2.2/2)
SoCal-10 (2.2/2)
TCU-1.5 (2.2/2)
Troy-4 (2.2/2)
RU/NCST O 51 (2.2/2)
Oky St-4 (2.2/2)
GT - 4 (2.2/2)
Wake -3 (2.2/2)
Zona -3 (2.2/2)
UF to win NC (2 to win 16)
I put up 2 units to win 16 on UF
I will get to all of these games by the end of the week, have work off Friday so I will be around.
I have a lot of small favorites but I like all of them.
Wake -3:
Everyone knows that Navy beat Wake 24-17 @ Wake while they were ranked #16. That game was sandwiched inbetween a game @ FSU which they won, a bye week, and hosting Clemson home. Skinner threw 4 of his 7 picks on the year in that game. For the rest of the year, that is a pick in 3 of his 11 remaining games. I'm betting he has 1 turnover at the most. Navy dominated on offense controlling the ball for a +13minute advantage. They held Wake to 43 yards rushing. They are coming off 2 straight shutouts. They are notoriously strong in bowls. I get all of this about Navy but lets be honest here, which team is more talented? Which team has more to prove in this game? I think this game means a lot to Wake and the Wake defense and although they are not explosive on offense I'm sure they have a few added wrinkles and maybe hit some big plays. Wake also has their excellent kicker who can hit it from everywhere. Wake has seen this Navy offense before, they've had a month to prepare for it. You have to play assignment football. This is different than LSU preparing for the GT option which they haven't played this year, and GT is still adding to their offense that has much better athletes. I like Wake by 7-10 points in this one.
UF-3 (2.2/2)
SoCal-10 (2.2/2)
TCU-1.5 (2.2/2)
Troy-4 (2.2/2)
RU/NCST O 51 (2.2/2)
Oky St-4 (2.2/2)
GT - 4 (2.2/2)
Wake -3 (2.2/2)
Zona -3 (2.2/2)
UF to win NC (2 to win 16)
I put up 2 units to win 16 on UF
I will get to all of these games by the end of the week, have work off Friday so I will be around.
I have a lot of small favorites but I like all of them.
Wake -3:
Everyone knows that Navy beat Wake 24-17 @ Wake while they were ranked #16. That game was sandwiched inbetween a game @ FSU which they won, a bye week, and hosting Clemson home. Skinner threw 4 of his 7 picks on the year in that game. For the rest of the year, that is a pick in 3 of his 11 remaining games. I'm betting he has 1 turnover at the most. Navy dominated on offense controlling the ball for a +13minute advantage. They held Wake to 43 yards rushing. They are coming off 2 straight shutouts. They are notoriously strong in bowls. I get all of this about Navy but lets be honest here, which team is more talented? Which team has more to prove in this game? I think this game means a lot to Wake and the Wake defense and although they are not explosive on offense I'm sure they have a few added wrinkles and maybe hit some big plays. Wake also has their excellent kicker who can hit it from everywhere. Wake has seen this Navy offense before, they've had a month to prepare for it. You have to play assignment football. This is different than LSU preparing for the GT option which they haven't played this year, and GT is still adding to their offense that has much better athletes. I like Wake by 7-10 points in this one.
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
Troy -4 (2.2/2)
Its pretty much a wash how both teams ended the season as far as momentum goes... SoMiss ripped off 4 straight wins while Troy went 3-1 including the heartbreaking loss @ LSU. Troy coming into this game has seen the likes of Ohio St, Oky St, and LSU in their non-conference games. Battle tested doesn't even give this Sunbelt team credit. SoMiss has seen Auburn and Boise in their big OOC games. Troy had a brutal schedule playing 7 games on the road as well has playing the BCS foes they met up with and for the most part, they remained competitive. Troy was outgained in only 1 games this year, that was Oky St. SoMiss has 1 respectable win in their 4 game streak, the ECU game. Sure, you can say the same thing about Troy. Getting into this game, Troy QB Levi Brown really has taken care of the ball with his 14-3 TD/Int ratio and since taking over he is 5-2 as the starter. Troy has to be able to slow down Fletcher and be able to cover DeAndre Brown or they won't win this game but I'm pretty confident in their defensive unit. Troy is also strong on both sides of the lines and thats a big plus. Troy has always impressed me with their speed as well and they have plenty of it. During SoMiss 4 game win streak, they've won the turnover battle in every game and the margin is actually +10 so they've benefitted from the other teams mistakes greatly. Should one be concerned with Troy turning it over? I say no. As mentioned before, Levi Brown has shown he can protect the ball and outside of the LSU game, Troy has 6 turnovers in their last 7 games. I think when it comes down to it, Troy will be faster, they will win the battle in the trenches, they won't be phased by anything SoMiss is throwing at them as far as overall skill and what not and I think this is a 10-13 point victory for the Trojans.
Last edited:
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
Thanks Tide
Zona -3 (2.2/2)
This is a tough little matchup and it took me a few days to decide what I like here but Zona is the side I am backing. This is the 4th straight Vegas bowl for BYU while Zona is going to savor this trip since its been soo long (10yrs) and the last few years they've always been soo close. I know BYU has beaten the last 2 P10 teams they've faced in this bowl and was 2-0 against the P10 this season but believe the circumstances are different here. BYU came into this season with "A Quest for Perfection" and after the TCU game where they were exposed, their season was over. Yes, they finished the season 10-2 but lets go back and look at how things unraveled after TCU. They beat UNLV 42-35, I will give them a pass for a TCU hangover and shocking first loss. They narrowly escape CSU 45-42, they handle SDST like a pop warner team could, they battle hard with AF and than they lose to their rival to end the year. They have to be disappointed to be where they are at. Their defense is shotty as well getting beat by both the run and the pass. Zona comes limping into the bowl game as well going just 2-2 in their last 4 games suffering tough losses to Oregon St and Oregon before finally beating ASU to end the year. Its not ideal how Zona ended the year but motivation has to be on their side here. I hope Stoops isn't getting bowl advice from his brother though, that would be awful. These 2 teams share 3 common opponents
New Mexico, Washington and UCLA. The Cougars went 3-0, but edged winless Washington by just a point. Arizona went 2-1, losing to New Mexico. PUSH
Another interesting number I pulled from an article. BYU's two losses were by a combined 49 points; Arizona's five losses were by a total of 28 points.
When it comes down to it, I like Zona, If I didn't flat bet anymore, I would have TCU for 3 units and Zona for 1 unit but I've learned the hard way this year, I suck at varying my bet size. I think this is going to be a close game but Zona wins by 6
Zona -3 (2.2/2)
This is a tough little matchup and it took me a few days to decide what I like here but Zona is the side I am backing. This is the 4th straight Vegas bowl for BYU while Zona is going to savor this trip since its been soo long (10yrs) and the last few years they've always been soo close. I know BYU has beaten the last 2 P10 teams they've faced in this bowl and was 2-0 against the P10 this season but believe the circumstances are different here. BYU came into this season with "A Quest for Perfection" and after the TCU game where they were exposed, their season was over. Yes, they finished the season 10-2 but lets go back and look at how things unraveled after TCU. They beat UNLV 42-35, I will give them a pass for a TCU hangover and shocking first loss. They narrowly escape CSU 45-42, they handle SDST like a pop warner team could, they battle hard with AF and than they lose to their rival to end the year. They have to be disappointed to be where they are at. Their defense is shotty as well getting beat by both the run and the pass. Zona comes limping into the bowl game as well going just 2-2 in their last 4 games suffering tough losses to Oregon St and Oregon before finally beating ASU to end the year. Its not ideal how Zona ended the year but motivation has to be on their side here. I hope Stoops isn't getting bowl advice from his brother though, that would be awful. These 2 teams share 3 common opponents
New Mexico, Washington and UCLA. The Cougars went 3-0, but edged winless Washington by just a point. Arizona went 2-1, losing to New Mexico. PUSH
Another interesting number I pulled from an article. BYU's two losses were by a combined 49 points; Arizona's five losses were by a total of 28 points.
When it comes down to it, I like Zona, If I didn't flat bet anymore, I would have TCU for 3 units and Zona for 1 unit but I've learned the hard way this year, I suck at varying my bet size. I think this is going to be a close game but Zona wins by 6
hello all,
in regards to flo-okla game, let me start by telling you that im a west virginian. this okla tm is the same tm they had last year with 1 yr more exp. last year wvu made them look like chumps. a lot of people dont respect the big east and this yr we really are down, but last yr we could have played with anyone. as a conference the big east is kinda like the sec "light". power football with loads of speed. im not sure how confident i am in them this yr though. anyhow, last yr okla was bigger than wv at almost every position but our speed and toughness was too much for them. i just cant see okla being able to hang with flo. too much speed and toughness in this flo team. kinda think we may see a blowout here. also think we will see a lot of pts in this game.
just my opinion: florida and over.
stevsa
in regards to flo-okla game, let me start by telling you that im a west virginian. this okla tm is the same tm they had last year with 1 yr more exp. last year wvu made them look like chumps. a lot of people dont respect the big east and this yr we really are down, but last yr we could have played with anyone. as a conference the big east is kinda like the sec "light". power football with loads of speed. im not sure how confident i am in them this yr though. anyhow, last yr okla was bigger than wv at almost every position but our speed and toughness was too much for them. i just cant see okla being able to hang with flo. too much speed and toughness in this flo team. kinda think we may see a blowout here. also think we will see a lot of pts in this game.
just my opinion: florida and over.
stevsa
Aztec4Life
Montezuma Mesa Survivor
With you on TCU and USC. GL ETG!
:cheers:
:cheers:
E.T.G.
One of trus baby mommas
December 18, 2008
New Look for Defense
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Scott Hood
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
Talk about it in The Insiders Forum
In order to defend Iowa, one of the top rushing teams in the country, South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson will turn to a tried-and-true defensive scheme: the 4-3.
USC spent most of the season playing the 4-2-5 with an extra safety (Darian Stewart) lined up close to the line of scrimmage playing a position that came to be known as spur linebacker.
But Johnson understands defending Shonn Greene, the Doak Walker Award recipient after rushing for 1,729 yards, requires a more traditional approach.
Johnson expects to utilize Jasper Brinkley at middle linebacker and Eric Norwood and Marvin Sapp at outside linebacker.
"We're just going to play three linebackers, a 4-3 scheme, and go on with it," Johnson said. "That will probably be good for Iowa because they're so big and physical. It's not different other than we'll have to change a few adjustments to motions and shifts and those kinds of things. It's really what we did in the spring, so we had to revive that. We just have to get the guys back on target, but with bowl preparation you have about 15 days, so it shouldn't be a problem."
The absence of strong safety Emanuel Cook, an academic casualty, has made the transition a little easier. Stewart, another hard hitter, has moved back to fill the spot vacated by Cook.
"That's where Darian played last year," USC safeties coach Ron Cooper said. "Darian and Emanuel were the two guys back there last year. We played them right and left. They both played up, they both played back. Darian is back to where he really wanted to play."
If USC sticks with the 4-3, Sapp will make his fourth start of the season. He finished the regular season third with 61 tackles and three quarterback hurries. Previously, he started the Kentucky, Arkansas and Florida contests.
"With Iowa being a strong, physical team like they are, it's not a bad time to be going to this scheme," Johnson said. "It's just a depth problem for us right now. You're getting down to bare bones back there."
When USC utilizes the 4-2-5 look, Dion LeCorn would be inserted into the game at spur linebacker in place of Sapp. The question, though, is how often the Gamecocks will rely on that scheme.
Johnson, who responded 'no comment" when asked about Cook, is not concerned about any loss in team speed since Iowa will likely pound away at USC between the tackles with Greene and a dependable offensive line.
"We should be OK because the thing about Iowa is they just pound you," Johnson said. "It's not a bad scheme to run against them. We just have to be fundamentally sound with our tackling."
USC safeties coach Ron Cooper has coached in the Midwest at several stops during his 25-year coaching career, including Minnesota (1984), Notre Dame (1991-92), Eastern Michigan (1993-1994) and Wisconsin (2002), so he's familiar with Iowa's punishing style of football.
"Iowa is going to run the ball," Cooper said. "It's no secret what they do. We've built the (4-2-5) scheme to spread out, but they're not going to spread us out. We have to tackle and get off blocks and not let the ball get thrown over our heads.
"But they're not going to have four wideouts and an empty (backfield). They have two backs in the backfield and they use two tight ends. They're a 21 and 22 personnel team where there's a tight end or fullback in the game or there's two tight ends and a tailback and a fullback or there's two tight ends, a tailback and two receivers."
Cooper said he has cautioned his players about how Iowa will attack the Gamecocks' defense.
"There isn't anything fancy about what they do," Cooper said. "They come off the ball and hit you in the mouth and they hand it to a guy that can run the ball. I told our guys that I don't know if they realize what this team is. This will be a strong, strong physical team. They are tough, hard-nosed, hit you in the mouth guys. It's going to be a game. SEC ball is totally different."
The 2009 Outback Bowl will represent the third time Spurrier has coached against a Big 10 team in a bowl game. Florida beat Penn State, 21-6 in the 1998 Capital One Bowl before losing to Michigan State, 37-34, in the same bowl game in 2000. The key player for the Spartans was a wide receiver named Plexico Burress.
"(Big 10 Football is) very good," said Spurrier, who spoke with the media after a two-hour practice ended early Thursday afternoon.
WILL AUGUSTE BE READY TO PLAY?: Freshman defensive back Akeem Auguste played sparingly in the final two games of the season after suffering a hamstring injury. Three weeks later, Auguste, who wore a yellow jersey during Thursday's workout, is still hobbling. He described his status for the bowl game as "iffy" when he spoke with reporters on Wednesday, adding that his hamstring has been "killing me a little bit."
"He still has the bad hamstring," Spurrier said Thursday. "He didn't practice today. Akeem is gimping around. We wished he would get healthy, but he just has not recovered from a hamstring pull that happened late in the season."
With Emanuel Cook academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl, the last thing USC needs is another defensive back missing the bowl game due to an injury. Shane Beamer, USC's cornerbacks coach, said Auguste should be ready to take on a bigger role in the bowl game and next year, as long as he can stay healthy.
"He's still favoring that hamstring, so we'll see," USC cornerbacks coach Shane Beamer said. "He hasn't played a lot lately, but young guys like him and C.C. Whitlock will play a bigger role and we're excited about them. These practices are critical for them and it gives them a chance to get better and it's almost like a mini spring practice.
Beamer said Auguste, who certainly doesn't lack in confidence, has the perfect attitude to be a top-flight defensive back in the SEC.
"He's got that cockiness, that attitude, swagger, whatever you want to call it," Beamer said. "He may be a little undersized, but he doesn't play like it. He's physical. He thinks he's the best player on the field. That's the attitude you have to have back there in the secondary.
Auguste started the season at cornerback but was shifted to free safety later in the season. He was listed on the depth chart as the backup to Chris Culliver prior to the Clemson game.
"I miss having him at corner because he was really coming around, but we had to move him to safety," Beamer said. "He'll play well to help us. He's a gamer. When the lights come on is when he steps up. He had a good season and I'm excited about the next three years. He was even talking to Coach Spurrier about playing some offense. He needs to get the defense down first, but that's just the kind of attitude he has."
THOMAS READY FOR FINAL GAME: It seems like only yesterday that Carlos Thomas leaped up and corralled that interception of a pass in the end zone against Georgia when he was a true freshman in 2005. But now Thomas has one more football game to play before concluding his career. Thomas has 59 tackles and six interceptions in 47 games (24 starts).
"It went by real fast," Thomas said. "One day I'm here and the next I'm leaving. I'm pretty pleased. We could always be better. I definitely want to end on a good note."
Thomas plans to take next semester off to train in anticipation of pursuing a career in pro football. But he vowed to return to USC to finish up his coursework. He's pursuing a degree in African-American studies.
"I'm going to train (next semester), but I'm definitely going to come back and get my degree," Thomas said. "I probably have one more semester to graduate. In the end, as long as I get my degree, it's been a good career."
Like most of USC's players, Thomas was disappointed when he heard Emanuel Cook had been ruled academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl when he failed to pass six credit hours during the fall semester.
"It's always tough when you lose your best player," Thomas said. "But we're still behind him 100 percent. We still love him the same. Nothing has changed between us, between the players and Emanuel."
KING OF ALL RECRUITING: Shane Beamer leaped at the opportunity when Steve Spurrier made him USC's permanent recruiting coordinator soon after David Reaves left for Tennessee.
"I'm real excited and proud that Coach Spurrier had confidence in me to do the job and asked me to do it," Beamer said. "We have a lot of great recruiters on the staff and anyone of those guys would have been ideal for it, so I'm excited that he felt I was the best one for it and hopefully we'll do a great job at it."
With 27 commitments, USC is currently No. 8 in the Rivals.com national rankings. Just as important, the Gamecocks are the top-ranked team in the SEC East ahead of Florida (No. 15), Georgia (No. 10) and Tennessee (No. 21), and the third-ranked team in the SEC overall.
Of course, when you're the recruiting coordinator for USC, the quality and quantity of Palmetto State signees is closely scrutinized. Beamer, son of Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, recognizes that reality.
"It's extremely important," Beamer acknowledged. "That's our first objective. We go head-to-head against Clemson and we'll each get our share. You want to get the best kids in-state you can. If we can keep the good ones here and recruit the surrounding states regionally, then we feel we can have a very good team."
When Beamer was the recruiting coordinator for Mississippi State, he was recognized for a strong work ethic and his ability to relate to young players and fostering relationships on a personal level. Those traits, together with great facilities, make a school attractive to highly regarded recruits, the kind you need to become an elite SEC program.
"In recruiting, it's all about relationships," Beamer said. "You need a nice stadium, facilities, a great campus and fan base to sell, and we have those. But a lot of the other schools have that too, so it comes down to building those relationships. We have coaches on our staff that have been doing this for a long time and who have been recruiting in the same areas for a long time, so I like where we're going right now."
Beamer said three recent facility additions have enhanced USC's recruiting efforts - the new state-of-the art training room, the Dolores Anderson academic enrichment center located across the street from the indoor facility and expanded locker room.
"Those are huge," Beamer said. "When the recruits come in, some of the things we're doing to the locker room, along with the new training facility, blow them away. They can't stop talking about the training room. Every school is going to have nice stuff but when you have stuff as nice as we have now, it makes a huge difference."
NOTES:
-- Spurrier said USC had a "pretty decent" practice on Thursday and that the players are "excited" about the bowl trip to Tampa.
-- When it comes to coaching speculation, Spurrier said he hopes the players realize "anyone can start a rumor these days and put it on the internet. Hopefully, they'll listen to us and, hopefully, what we tell them has been true over the years. That's all we can do about that. It's easy to start a rumor nowadays, as we all know." Spurrier acknowledged it was a compliment to USC when he was mentioned in coaching rumors. "This is my last stop. Hopefully, within the next four years or so we can do something big around here."
-- Former USC running back and NFL veteran Duce Staley spoke to the team for a few minutes after practice. Spurrier declined to talk specifically about what Staley said, saying it was "in-house stuff."
-- Senior writer Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com connected USC defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson with the Army head coaching job in a report published earlier this week. However, GoBlackKnights.com, the Rivals.com site covering Army athletics, identified seven candidates for the job in an article published Monday and Johnson was not among the coaches named. Thursday, Johnson said he was interested in the position, but hadn't spoken with Army officials. "There's a difference between a defensive coordinator and head coach," Johnson said. "I'd be honored to coach there because I have a lot of family background, I have two brothers that played there and I attended the academy. I'd be truly honored, but I haven't had any contact with Army."
-- Spurrier confirmed wide receiver Kenny McKinley has been invited to play in the Senior Bowl, while LB Jasper Brinkley and OL Jamon Meredith will participate in the East-West Shrine game.
-- Spurrier confirmed redshirt freshman defensive back Jamire Williams had left the program and intends to transfer to Florida A&M or Alabama State. "He thinks he has a chance to play more there and he probably does. It's probably a good idea on his part," Spurrier said.
-- Spurrier said DL Melvin Ingram, out all year with a foot injury, "is all set to be back." According to Spurrier, Ingram has improved his academic standing after spending most of the Fall on the "academic reform team." Ingram is currently home in Hamlet, N.C. and will join the Gamecocks in Tampa a day or two after the team arrives in Tampa. "He's coming with the second group to the bowl game," Spurrier said. "We have high hopes for Melvin. Hopefully, he can get through spring practice this year at full speed."
-Quick thoughts..Its a good move to the 4-3 because Jasper is a 4-3 LB, not a 4-2-5 LB. This gives them 2 LB's in the box at 260+. The secondary lacks depth though. Munnerlyn-Stewart-Culliver-Thomas/Woodson are 5 of the starting 6. If Aguste isn't playing it gets ugly.
Still no idea what the offense is going to do/look like. They need more speed on offense thats for sure. Running game is weak and Iowa DL is good soo Garcia going to have to make plays with his feet sometimes but total flip of a coin on how he will play. Vs. UK and 1st half LSU he wasn't bad. Then you have your other games switching back and forth with OB's which sucks, but least Smelley is done. That was his 1 shot to keep a job.
I'm think bout the under in this game
New Look for Defense
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Scott Hood
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
Talk about it in The Insiders Forum
In order to defend Iowa, one of the top rushing teams in the country, South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson will turn to a tried-and-true defensive scheme: the 4-3.
USC spent most of the season playing the 4-2-5 with an extra safety (Darian Stewart) lined up close to the line of scrimmage playing a position that came to be known as spur linebacker.
But Johnson understands defending Shonn Greene, the Doak Walker Award recipient after rushing for 1,729 yards, requires a more traditional approach.
Johnson expects to utilize Jasper Brinkley at middle linebacker and Eric Norwood and Marvin Sapp at outside linebacker.
"We're just going to play three linebackers, a 4-3 scheme, and go on with it," Johnson said. "That will probably be good for Iowa because they're so big and physical. It's not different other than we'll have to change a few adjustments to motions and shifts and those kinds of things. It's really what we did in the spring, so we had to revive that. We just have to get the guys back on target, but with bowl preparation you have about 15 days, so it shouldn't be a problem."
The absence of strong safety Emanuel Cook, an academic casualty, has made the transition a little easier. Stewart, another hard hitter, has moved back to fill the spot vacated by Cook.
"That's where Darian played last year," USC safeties coach Ron Cooper said. "Darian and Emanuel were the two guys back there last year. We played them right and left. They both played up, they both played back. Darian is back to where he really wanted to play."
If USC sticks with the 4-3, Sapp will make his fourth start of the season. He finished the regular season third with 61 tackles and three quarterback hurries. Previously, he started the Kentucky, Arkansas and Florida contests.
"With Iowa being a strong, physical team like they are, it's not a bad time to be going to this scheme," Johnson said. "It's just a depth problem for us right now. You're getting down to bare bones back there."
When USC utilizes the 4-2-5 look, Dion LeCorn would be inserted into the game at spur linebacker in place of Sapp. The question, though, is how often the Gamecocks will rely on that scheme.
Johnson, who responded 'no comment" when asked about Cook, is not concerned about any loss in team speed since Iowa will likely pound away at USC between the tackles with Greene and a dependable offensive line.
"We should be OK because the thing about Iowa is they just pound you," Johnson said. "It's not a bad scheme to run against them. We just have to be fundamentally sound with our tackling."
USC safeties coach Ron Cooper has coached in the Midwest at several stops during his 25-year coaching career, including Minnesota (1984), Notre Dame (1991-92), Eastern Michigan (1993-1994) and Wisconsin (2002), so he's familiar with Iowa's punishing style of football.
"Iowa is going to run the ball," Cooper said. "It's no secret what they do. We've built the (4-2-5) scheme to spread out, but they're not going to spread us out. We have to tackle and get off blocks and not let the ball get thrown over our heads.
"But they're not going to have four wideouts and an empty (backfield). They have two backs in the backfield and they use two tight ends. They're a 21 and 22 personnel team where there's a tight end or fullback in the game or there's two tight ends and a tailback and a fullback or there's two tight ends, a tailback and two receivers."
Cooper said he has cautioned his players about how Iowa will attack the Gamecocks' defense.
"There isn't anything fancy about what they do," Cooper said. "They come off the ball and hit you in the mouth and they hand it to a guy that can run the ball. I told our guys that I don't know if they realize what this team is. This will be a strong, strong physical team. They are tough, hard-nosed, hit you in the mouth guys. It's going to be a game. SEC ball is totally different."
The 2009 Outback Bowl will represent the third time Spurrier has coached against a Big 10 team in a bowl game. Florida beat Penn State, 21-6 in the 1998 Capital One Bowl before losing to Michigan State, 37-34, in the same bowl game in 2000. The key player for the Spartans was a wide receiver named Plexico Burress.
"(Big 10 Football is) very good," said Spurrier, who spoke with the media after a two-hour practice ended early Thursday afternoon.
WILL AUGUSTE BE READY TO PLAY?: Freshman defensive back Akeem Auguste played sparingly in the final two games of the season after suffering a hamstring injury. Three weeks later, Auguste, who wore a yellow jersey during Thursday's workout, is still hobbling. He described his status for the bowl game as "iffy" when he spoke with reporters on Wednesday, adding that his hamstring has been "killing me a little bit."
"He still has the bad hamstring," Spurrier said Thursday. "He didn't practice today. Akeem is gimping around. We wished he would get healthy, but he just has not recovered from a hamstring pull that happened late in the season."
With Emanuel Cook academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl, the last thing USC needs is another defensive back missing the bowl game due to an injury. Shane Beamer, USC's cornerbacks coach, said Auguste should be ready to take on a bigger role in the bowl game and next year, as long as he can stay healthy.
"He's still favoring that hamstring, so we'll see," USC cornerbacks coach Shane Beamer said. "He hasn't played a lot lately, but young guys like him and C.C. Whitlock will play a bigger role and we're excited about them. These practices are critical for them and it gives them a chance to get better and it's almost like a mini spring practice.
Beamer said Auguste, who certainly doesn't lack in confidence, has the perfect attitude to be a top-flight defensive back in the SEC.
"He's got that cockiness, that attitude, swagger, whatever you want to call it," Beamer said. "He may be a little undersized, but he doesn't play like it. He's physical. He thinks he's the best player on the field. That's the attitude you have to have back there in the secondary.
Auguste started the season at cornerback but was shifted to free safety later in the season. He was listed on the depth chart as the backup to Chris Culliver prior to the Clemson game.
"I miss having him at corner because he was really coming around, but we had to move him to safety," Beamer said. "He'll play well to help us. He's a gamer. When the lights come on is when he steps up. He had a good season and I'm excited about the next three years. He was even talking to Coach Spurrier about playing some offense. He needs to get the defense down first, but that's just the kind of attitude he has."
THOMAS READY FOR FINAL GAME: It seems like only yesterday that Carlos Thomas leaped up and corralled that interception of a pass in the end zone against Georgia when he was a true freshman in 2005. But now Thomas has one more football game to play before concluding his career. Thomas has 59 tackles and six interceptions in 47 games (24 starts).
"It went by real fast," Thomas said. "One day I'm here and the next I'm leaving. I'm pretty pleased. We could always be better. I definitely want to end on a good note."
Thomas plans to take next semester off to train in anticipation of pursuing a career in pro football. But he vowed to return to USC to finish up his coursework. He's pursuing a degree in African-American studies.
"I'm going to train (next semester), but I'm definitely going to come back and get my degree," Thomas said. "I probably have one more semester to graduate. In the end, as long as I get my degree, it's been a good career."
Like most of USC's players, Thomas was disappointed when he heard Emanuel Cook had been ruled academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl when he failed to pass six credit hours during the fall semester.
"It's always tough when you lose your best player," Thomas said. "But we're still behind him 100 percent. We still love him the same. Nothing has changed between us, between the players and Emanuel."
KING OF ALL RECRUITING: Shane Beamer leaped at the opportunity when Steve Spurrier made him USC's permanent recruiting coordinator soon after David Reaves left for Tennessee.
"I'm real excited and proud that Coach Spurrier had confidence in me to do the job and asked me to do it," Beamer said. "We have a lot of great recruiters on the staff and anyone of those guys would have been ideal for it, so I'm excited that he felt I was the best one for it and hopefully we'll do a great job at it."
With 27 commitments, USC is currently No. 8 in the Rivals.com national rankings. Just as important, the Gamecocks are the top-ranked team in the SEC East ahead of Florida (No. 15), Georgia (No. 10) and Tennessee (No. 21), and the third-ranked team in the SEC overall.
Of course, when you're the recruiting coordinator for USC, the quality and quantity of Palmetto State signees is closely scrutinized. Beamer, son of Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, recognizes that reality.
"It's extremely important," Beamer acknowledged. "That's our first objective. We go head-to-head against Clemson and we'll each get our share. You want to get the best kids in-state you can. If we can keep the good ones here and recruit the surrounding states regionally, then we feel we can have a very good team."
When Beamer was the recruiting coordinator for Mississippi State, he was recognized for a strong work ethic and his ability to relate to young players and fostering relationships on a personal level. Those traits, together with great facilities, make a school attractive to highly regarded recruits, the kind you need to become an elite SEC program.
"In recruiting, it's all about relationships," Beamer said. "You need a nice stadium, facilities, a great campus and fan base to sell, and we have those. But a lot of the other schools have that too, so it comes down to building those relationships. We have coaches on our staff that have been doing this for a long time and who have been recruiting in the same areas for a long time, so I like where we're going right now."
Beamer said three recent facility additions have enhanced USC's recruiting efforts - the new state-of-the art training room, the Dolores Anderson academic enrichment center located across the street from the indoor facility and expanded locker room.
"Those are huge," Beamer said. "When the recruits come in, some of the things we're doing to the locker room, along with the new training facility, blow them away. They can't stop talking about the training room. Every school is going to have nice stuff but when you have stuff as nice as we have now, it makes a huge difference."
NOTES:
-- Spurrier said USC had a "pretty decent" practice on Thursday and that the players are "excited" about the bowl trip to Tampa.
-- When it comes to coaching speculation, Spurrier said he hopes the players realize "anyone can start a rumor these days and put it on the internet. Hopefully, they'll listen to us and, hopefully, what we tell them has been true over the years. That's all we can do about that. It's easy to start a rumor nowadays, as we all know." Spurrier acknowledged it was a compliment to USC when he was mentioned in coaching rumors. "This is my last stop. Hopefully, within the next four years or so we can do something big around here."
-- Former USC running back and NFL veteran Duce Staley spoke to the team for a few minutes after practice. Spurrier declined to talk specifically about what Staley said, saying it was "in-house stuff."
-- Senior writer Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com connected USC defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson with the Army head coaching job in a report published earlier this week. However, GoBlackKnights.com, the Rivals.com site covering Army athletics, identified seven candidates for the job in an article published Monday and Johnson was not among the coaches named. Thursday, Johnson said he was interested in the position, but hadn't spoken with Army officials. "There's a difference between a defensive coordinator and head coach," Johnson said. "I'd be honored to coach there because I have a lot of family background, I have two brothers that played there and I attended the academy. I'd be truly honored, but I haven't had any contact with Army."
-- Spurrier confirmed wide receiver Kenny McKinley has been invited to play in the Senior Bowl, while LB Jasper Brinkley and OL Jamon Meredith will participate in the East-West Shrine game.
-- Spurrier confirmed redshirt freshman defensive back Jamire Williams had left the program and intends to transfer to Florida A&M or Alabama State. "He thinks he has a chance to play more there and he probably does. It's probably a good idea on his part," Spurrier said.
-- Spurrier said DL Melvin Ingram, out all year with a foot injury, "is all set to be back." According to Spurrier, Ingram has improved his academic standing after spending most of the Fall on the "academic reform team." Ingram is currently home in Hamlet, N.C. and will join the Gamecocks in Tampa a day or two after the team arrives in Tampa. "He's coming with the second group to the bowl game," Spurrier said. "We have high hopes for Melvin. Hopefully, he can get through spring practice this year at full speed."
-Quick thoughts..Its a good move to the 4-3 because Jasper is a 4-3 LB, not a 4-2-5 LB. This gives them 2 LB's in the box at 260+. The secondary lacks depth though. Munnerlyn-Stewart-Culliver-Thomas/Woodson are 5 of the starting 6. If Aguste isn't playing it gets ugly.
Still no idea what the offense is going to do/look like. They need more speed on offense thats for sure. Running game is weak and Iowa DL is good soo Garcia going to have to make plays with his feet sometimes but total flip of a coin on how he will play. Vs. UK and 1st half LSU he wasn't bad. Then you have your other games switching back and forth with OB's which sucks, but least Smelley is done. That was his 1 shot to keep a job.
I'm think bout the under in this game
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