RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
With Stull back, Pitt QB Bostick hits the bench
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
CFB Week 11 (11/4-11/8) News and Picks
- Thread starter RJ Esq
- Start date
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Georgia Tech LT Gardner will miss rest of year
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Muschamp: No second guessing the defensive call
from Bevo Beat
Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp says he doesn’t regret the defensive play call he made on what turned out to be the game-winning play Saturday night at Texas Tech.
Asked Monday whether he would call for the same defensive scheme given the same situation, Muschamp replied: “Yeah, I would. You’ve played it a hundred times in your mind. What do you do differently?”
Muschamp said it was no surprise that Michael Crabtree would be Tech’s top target with the game on the line — and his defense accounted for that.
“Felt like the ball was going there, and we wanted to have two guys on him,” he said. “They made the play, and we didn’t. So, obviously what we did didn’t work and what they did did work, so you question yourself as a play caller: Did you make the right call? And you go back through your thought process in that situation, which I’ve done before, and felt like in that situation that it was the right call, and it didn’t work.”
Muschamp said he expected Tech to look to “buy seven yards” or so to get in safer field goal range. The Red Raiders trailed 33-32 at the time and had the ball at the Texas 28, which would’ve been a 45-yard field goal attempt from there.
And so, his defensive alignment called for Curtis Brown and Earl Thomas to double team Crabtree, with Brown taking underneath responsibility and Thomas providing help over the top. As it turned out, Thomas tried to go for the interception but arrived late and took a poor angle. Then, Muschamp said, Thomas thought Crabtree had gone out of bounds, which explains why he didn’t react when Brown tried to tackle Crabtree.
“The kid made a phenomenal throw, and the kid made a great effort to catch the ball and then struggle to get to the end zone,” Muschamp said. “You’ve got to give them credit for the play and the call in that situation.
Muschamp said he did not want to call timeout to get his defense situated. “I felt good about the call, and you go with it. You let them get situated, too. … I felt good about what we were in and what we were doing. But it didn’t work.”
from Bevo Beat
Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp says he doesn’t regret the defensive play call he made on what turned out to be the game-winning play Saturday night at Texas Tech.
Asked Monday whether he would call for the same defensive scheme given the same situation, Muschamp replied: “Yeah, I would. You’ve played it a hundred times in your mind. What do you do differently?”
Muschamp said it was no surprise that Michael Crabtree would be Tech’s top target with the game on the line — and his defense accounted for that.
“Felt like the ball was going there, and we wanted to have two guys on him,” he said. “They made the play, and we didn’t. So, obviously what we did didn’t work and what they did did work, so you question yourself as a play caller: Did you make the right call? And you go back through your thought process in that situation, which I’ve done before, and felt like in that situation that it was the right call, and it didn’t work.”
Muschamp said he expected Tech to look to “buy seven yards” or so to get in safer field goal range. The Red Raiders trailed 33-32 at the time and had the ball at the Texas 28, which would’ve been a 45-yard field goal attempt from there.
And so, his defensive alignment called for Curtis Brown and Earl Thomas to double team Crabtree, with Brown taking underneath responsibility and Thomas providing help over the top. As it turned out, Thomas tried to go for the interception but arrived late and took a poor angle. Then, Muschamp said, Thomas thought Crabtree had gone out of bounds, which explains why he didn’t react when Brown tried to tackle Crabtree.
“The kid made a phenomenal throw, and the kid made a great effort to catch the ball and then struggle to get to the end zone,” Muschamp said. “You’ve got to give them credit for the play and the call in that situation.
Muschamp said he did not want to call timeout to get his defense situated. “I felt good about the call, and you go with it. You let them get situated, too. … I felt good about what we were in and what we were doing. But it didn’t work.”
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Life on the Margins: Penalties, timeouts, and unraveling Badgers
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
Obsessing over the statistical anomalies and minutiae of close and closer-than-they-looked games that could have gone the other way. Be careful before you judge these games by the final score alone ...
Michigan State 25, Wisconsin 24. I wrote about this game in its immediate aftermath Saturday, because Wisconsin dominated the trenches in classic Badger fashion -- they had two 100-yard rushers and outgained the Spartans 281 to 25 on the ground, six yards per carry to one -- and held a two-score lead for virtually the entire second half. The game should have been over with Wisconsin up 24-19, facing 3rd-and-1 from the MSU 25 with 2:39 to go; the clock runs out with a first down, and even if the Spartans managed a short-yardage stop, a field goal would put the Badgers up eight.
But necessity is the mother of invention, and needing to come up with a cruel, creative way to both miss the first down and take a field goal opportunity away, the Badgers came up with a holding call on John Clay's icing run inside the MSU 10-yard line, backing the offense to the edge of field goal range, then jumped offsides, forcing a fairly lousy punt after a short run on 3rd-and-16. From whence Brian Hoyer hit 20 and 32-yard passes to Blair White to set up Bret Swenson's fourth field goal of the afternoon, a game-winner from 44 yards out. The wisdom of Bret Bielema's timeout to give MSU's disorganized, timeout-less field goal team a chance to set on fourth down --
For all the "wasted" Badger yards that ended in zero points on the board, Wisconsin only had one other obviously blown opportunity for points before the late penalties, when it missed a field goal from inside the MSU 30 early in the third quarter. Though it surely didn't help that they punted from inside the Spartan 40 early in the fourth quarter, either, after taking over near midfield. Michigan State drove into or took over in Wisconsin territory six times, and scored on all six.
Arkansas 30, Tulsa 23. Arkansas led 17 just a few minutes into the game, having racked up almost 200 yards, a couple touchdowns and a field goal on its first three possessions. Tulsa's ridiculous offense took over from there: after punting on its first two drives, eight of the Hurricane's final ten possessions covered at least 40 yards, and only one ended in a punt. On one exceptions, TU only had 15 yards to go for a touchdown after an 80-yard kickoff return. So Arkansas didn't exactly shut them down.
By Tulsa's standards, though, 23 points is anemic, and the direct result of blown opportunity after blown opportunity, especially in the second half. How does a team gain 289 yards and only score three points? In the Hurricane's case, it was by blowing a 54-yard march with an interception; a 42-yard drive by failing on downs; settling for a field goal inside the Razorback 10 at the end of a 79-yard drive; punting on Arkansas' side on midfield following a 52-yard drive; and failing on the decisive fourth down after moving 73 yards to the Arkansas 7. Allowing a kickoff return for touchdown doesn't help, either, though it does save us from "Tulsa for BCS" chatter down the stretch.
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
Obsessing over the statistical anomalies and minutiae of close and closer-than-they-looked games that could have gone the other way. Be careful before you judge these games by the final score alone ...
But necessity is the mother of invention, and needing to come up with a cruel, creative way to both miss the first down and take a field goal opportunity away, the Badgers came up with a holding call on John Clay's icing run inside the MSU 10-yard line, backing the offense to the edge of field goal range, then jumped offsides, forcing a fairly lousy punt after a short run on 3rd-and-16. From whence Brian Hoyer hit 20 and 32-yard passes to Blair White to set up Bret Swenson's fourth field goal of the afternoon, a game-winner from 44 yards out. The wisdom of Bret Bielema's timeout to give MSU's disorganized, timeout-less field goal team a chance to set on fourth down --
<embed class="content-block-fix" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0A7BXok4nNg&hl=en&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344">Popout
-- is debatable, to say the least, but Swenson made the kick, anyway. The back-to-back penalties on the other end (not to mention the busted coverages against White) were the difference. (For Mark Dantonio's sake, thank goodness the panicked Spartans didn't follow Pam Ward's advice to spike the ball.)For all the "wasted" Badger yards that ended in zero points on the board, Wisconsin only had one other obviously blown opportunity for points before the late penalties, when it missed a field goal from inside the MSU 30 early in the third quarter. Though it surely didn't help that they punted from inside the Spartan 40 early in the fourth quarter, either, after taking over near midfield. Michigan State drove into or took over in Wisconsin territory six times, and scored on all six.
By Tulsa's standards, though, 23 points is anemic, and the direct result of blown opportunity after blown opportunity, especially in the second half. How does a team gain 289 yards and only score three points? In the Hurricane's case, it was by blowing a 54-yard march with an interception; a 42-yard drive by failing on downs; settling for a field goal inside the Razorback 10 at the end of a 79-yard drive; punting on Arkansas' side on midfield following a 52-yard drive; and failing on the decisive fourth down after moving 73 yards to the Arkansas 7. Allowing a kickoff return for touchdown doesn't help, either, though it does save us from "Tulsa for BCS" chatter down the stretch.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Aztec4Life
Montezuma Mesa Survivor
I'm a Republican. We work.
Hope your Miami bet covers tonight.
:36_11_6:
Aztec4Life
Montezuma Mesa Survivor
Damn bro...so glad we bet on Rice early. Line up to 11 now.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
cubsker
Used to be "Fun Cub"
Nebraska is the only team in the league that gets called for holding. I'm seriously amazed at what teams get away with every week vs. us. The disgusting thing is that this has happened for the last several years. Remember the Callahan throat slash? It's because they would not call holding on OU no matter what. Meanwhile, we're getting flagged 4 times a game for it, which we should be b/c they are blatant holds. I'm just waiting for it to even out one of these days, but it won't ever happen in the Big 12.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Headlinin': Playoffs pick up a new advocate in Oklahoma
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
• There was that thing. You may have heard America has a new president of a very different stripe (you newshound, you). According to the popular vote and the electoral map, we're still doing the whole "two Americas" thing we've been doing for the last 230 years, along pretty much the exact same geographic and cultural lines as always, give or take Virginia and Florida. Wear your mandate lightly, sir, and godspeed.
• Welcome to the bandwagon, Bob. Joining a very miffed Pete Carroll and Joe Paterno on the winds of change sweeping the country, Bob Stoops wholeheartedly endorsed a playoff Tuesday, complete with only slightly veiled digs against the Big Ten and Pac-10:
• Making a list, checking them off. A quick rundown of who won't be Tennessee's next coach: Butch Davis, David Cutcliffe, probably Mike Leach and definitely John Chavis, though the Vols' longtime defensive coordinator humbly admitted, "I don't think there's a better candidate out there." Chavis has been diplomatic, but it sounds like he's done with the school after 20 years, meaning the next move will be for a full-fledged coaching mercenary.
• Not all is right in Gainesville. A day after teammate/trouble magnet Ronnie Wilson was charged with misdemeanor assault, Florida cornerback Jacques Rickerson is no longer a Gator after being charged with felony domestic battery by strangulation for allegedly hitting his girlfriend, choking her, pushing her neck into a mattress when she screamed for help and using a pillow to cover her face, leaving her with "visible injuries" to her arm, neck and upper chest. Rickerson then allegedly took her cell phone when she threatened to call police and blocked her exit from the room.
Urban Meyer: "Jacques Rickerson is no longer part of our team -- that is not what our program is about." Thanks for clearing that up, coach, for those Florida State and Tennessee fans who were sure you endorsed solving domestic disputes by strangulation. Last reports Tuesday still had Rickerson being held in Alachua County jail without bail.
Elsewhere in law-breakin': Michigan freshman Darryl Stonum was charged with drunken driving and driving on a suspended license back in September, which was behind his absence in the lineup against Illinois the following Saturday.
Quickly ... In case you missed it, Buffalo's James Starks ran for 177 yards, includinga 62-yard touchdown run, in Buffalo's win over the Ohio-based Miami Tuesday night. . . . Thanks for winning at West Virginia and at Notre Dame in your last two starts, Pat Bostick. Now back to the bench with you. . . . Oregon assistant A.D. Neal Zoumboukos blasted Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen on a radio show for nepotism and negotiating an awful TV deal for the conference. . . . Mack Brown calls for more crowd control in the wake of Texas Tech's multiple stormings of the field last Saturday, and a beaten, scraped and sliced Colt McCoy wants to make sure you know he didn't say the word The Daily Texan said he said. . . . Wake Forest kicker Sam Swank is still questionable for the likely field goal fest against Virginia. . . . Minnesota receiver Eric Decker, last seen hobbling through the Gophers' loss to Northwestern, is expected to play Saturday. . . . Hawaii has promoted quarterback Greg Alexander, who had been sharing time with Inoke Funaki, to full-time starter. . . . Juan Garcia skipped foot surgery for this? . . . And maybe the Associated Press has discovered the source of Paul Wulff's problems at Washington State.
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
• There was that thing. You may have heard America has a new president of a very different stripe (you newshound, you). According to the popular vote and the electoral map, we're still doing the whole "two Americas" thing we've been doing for the last 230 years, along pretty much the exact same geographic and cultural lines as always, give or take Virginia and Florida. Wear your mandate lightly, sir, and godspeed.
"I’ve come full circle. ... Just with the differences in non-conference scheduling, whether you have some difficult games or some people don't. And then the strengths of different conferences. Some conferences don’t have a championship game, others do."
[...]
"I'm with you guys," Stoops said. "Anymore, I'm for (a playoff)."
This has nothing to do with Oklahoma's murky championship hopes, I'm sure. Not that there's anything wrong with the self-interested vote -- when it comes to bringing down the BCS, we'll take 'em any way we can get 'em.[...]
"I'm with you guys," Stoops said. "Anymore, I'm for (a playoff)."
• Making a list, checking them off. A quick rundown of who won't be Tennessee's next coach: Butch Davis, David Cutcliffe, probably Mike Leach and definitely John Chavis, though the Vols' longtime defensive coordinator humbly admitted, "I don't think there's a better candidate out there." Chavis has been diplomatic, but it sounds like he's done with the school after 20 years, meaning the next move will be for a full-fledged coaching mercenary.
• Not all is right in Gainesville. A day after teammate/trouble magnet Ronnie Wilson was charged with misdemeanor assault, Florida cornerback Jacques Rickerson is no longer a Gator after being charged with felony domestic battery by strangulation for allegedly hitting his girlfriend, choking her, pushing her neck into a mattress when she screamed for help and using a pillow to cover her face, leaving her with "visible injuries" to her arm, neck and upper chest. Rickerson then allegedly took her cell phone when she threatened to call police and blocked her exit from the room.
Urban Meyer: "Jacques Rickerson is no longer part of our team -- that is not what our program is about." Thanks for clearing that up, coach, for those Florida State and Tennessee fans who were sure you endorsed solving domestic disputes by strangulation. Last reports Tuesday still had Rickerson being held in Alachua County jail without bail.
Quickly ... In case you missed it, Buffalo's James Starks ran for 177 yards, includinga 62-yard touchdown run, in Buffalo's win over the Ohio-based Miami Tuesday night. . . . Thanks for winning at West Virginia and at Notre Dame in your last two starts, Pat Bostick. Now back to the bench with you. . . . Oregon assistant A.D. Neal Zoumboukos blasted Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen on a radio show for nepotism and negotiating an awful TV deal for the conference. . . . Mack Brown calls for more crowd control in the wake of Texas Tech's multiple stormings of the field last Saturday, and a beaten, scraped and sliced Colt McCoy wants to make sure you know he didn't say the word The Daily Texan said he said. . . . Wake Forest kicker Sam Swank is still questionable for the likely field goal fest against Virginia. . . . Minnesota receiver Eric Decker, last seen hobbling through the Gophers' loss to Northwestern, is expected to play Saturday. . . . Hawaii has promoted quarterback Greg Alexander, who had been sharing time with Inoke Funaki, to full-time starter. . . . Juan Garcia skipped foot surgery for this? . . . And maybe the Associated Press has discovered the source of Paul Wulff's problems at Washington State.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Press Conference Today: Ron Prince To Resign - Bring On The Cats
from Burnt Orange Nation by PB @ BON
Press Conference Today: Ron Prince To Resign - Bring On The Cats
And so it ends... And I must revise the Big 12 Football Report that I'm writing right now.
from Burnt Orange Nation by PB @ BON
Press Conference Today: Ron Prince To Resign - Bring On The Cats
And so it ends... And I must revise the Big 12 Football Report that I'm writing right now.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Big 12 Football Report, v 1.10
from Burnt Orange Nation by PB @ BON
The week in Big XII football.
THE RUNDOWN
BEST WIN: TEXAS TECH, OVER TEXAS Biggest win of the week? Yes. But also biggest win in program history. Congratulations to the Red Raiders. A win this Saturday and they'll win this award again.
WORST LOSS: KANSAS STATE, TO KANSAS Colorado gets a reprise since Ron Prince's 31-point loss to a state rival wound up costing him his job.
TOP PERFORMER, OFFENSE (TEAM): OKLAHOMA STATE Ten and a half yards per play? Really? Against a BCS opponent? Forget Iowa State's suckitude--that's just obscene.
BUM STEER, OFFENSE (TEAM): COLORADO The worst offense in the conference lays another egg. To A&M. Oof.
TOP PERFORMER, OFFENSE (INDIVIDUAL): GRAHAM HARRELL AND MICHAEL CRABTREE, TEXAS TECH For his part, Harrell was nearly perfect, making one tough throw after another, including the game winner. And Crabtree? Curtis Brown made him work for it all game, but when it mattered most the nation's best receiver made an absolutely incredible play--not just making the catch, but staying in bounds, able to turn up field to score. Ugh.
BUM STEER, OFFENSE (INDIVIDUAL): TYLER HANSEN, COLORADO HThe Colorado quarterback's final line? 11-23, 89 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT.
PB'S POWER RANKINGS
Last ranking in parentheses.
1. Texas (1) - Staying in the top spot after a loss? For now, yeah. Credit to the Red Raiders for Saturday's win, but the disastrous first quarter and vastly improved second half was enough to convince me the Longhorns deserve this spot for now. The emergence of Malcolm Williams and Fozzy Whittaker make this team better down the stretch.
2. Oklahoma State (2) - Prove it time once more for the Cowboys, who if they win in Lubbock on Saturday might deserve the top spot in these rankings.
3. Texas Tech (4) - This is going to piss off Red Raiders fans, but I'll urge patience: Win this week and up you go. Win again in two weeks and you'll be alone atop these rankings. Cool? Cool.
4. Oklahoma (3) - The Sooners are enjoying the soft stretch of their schedule, before the Tech-OSU showdowns to end the year. Sam Bradford is just phenomenal.
5. Missouri (5) - A narrow win in Waco isn't what Mizzou fans wanted to see as the team tries to regroup for a run at a BCS Bowl, but... Baylor's improved. The Tigers will take it.
6. Kansas (7) - One of college football's most inconsistent teams, looking great one week and mediocre the next. They need to win in Lincoln to stay alive for the North title.
7. Nebraska (6) - Playing the Big 12 South sucks this year.
8. Baylor (8) - Likely losses Texas and Tech await, but a home win over A&M would be an impressive notch on Griffin's and Briles' first-year belts.
9. Kansas State (10) - Good night, Prince.
10. Texas A&M (11) - Movin' on up!
11. Colorado (9) - Total. Disaster.
12. Iowa State (12) - Could they win in Boulder on Saturday? The ultimate cripple fight awaits.
from Burnt Orange Nation by PB @ BON
The week in Big XII football.
THE RUNDOWN
- Texas Tech 39 Texas 33 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
Longhorns fans are sick of talking about the details of this game, so we'll wrap the look back with a macro perspective, from Chris at Smart Football:
In the end, I'm not sure if you can really emulate Leach's offense per se. The current BYU staff has lots of ties to Leach and they are having great success and Sonny Dykes is the offensive coordinator at Arizona with mixed results. There are others. But Leach is just plain a "different" guy, so he could care less whether his offense looks like other offenses -- and in fact I'm sure he wants it to be different -- and this allows him to always push football's boundaries in ways other coaches cannot.Maybe, but I'm not sure that's the right takeaway from Saturday's game. The Red Raiders didn't score a second half offensive touchdown until their final play; the victory in many ways was won by the defense, which scored a touchdown and, for the first time in eight years, held the Texas offense to fewer than 30 points.
So the season is long, success in football is always ephemeral, but for now, in Leach's ongoing case against the football traditionalists (Leach has a law degree), his argument against the "geometry of the game" looks pretty persuasive.
That unit will need to be good again this Saturday, when Oklahoma State and the conference's most balanced offensive attack visit Lubbock. The Cowboys this year average 273 yards rushing (5.7 ypc) and 238 yards passing (Zac Robinson's 192.5 QB Rating leads the Big 12); a year ago their 49-45 win over Tech--behind 610 total yards (366 on the ground)--led to Mike Leach firing his defensive coordinator. Ruffin McNeal will have to do significantly better for Tech to get to 10-0. - Missouri 31 Baylor 28 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
Baylor freshman quarterback Robert Griffin threw an interception. What a loser.
Oh, right: Saturday's pick was his first in some 200 attempts as a collegiate quarterback. Despite the streak-snapping INT, Griffin had another marvelous game, picking up 283 yards through the air on 26-35 passing, including 2 touchdowns. His 36-yard scoring strike to Jay Finley in the 4th quarter tied the game at 28, and though Missouri would subsequently kick a winning field goal, the Bears showed how much better they are under first years Griffin and Art Briles.
One might also interpret Saturday's game as another data point supporting the South Division's superiority. Not only did the Division's 5th or 6th best team nearly take down the North's top team, but the Tigers lost in Columbia to Oklahoma State and were throttled in Austin. Other data points include Tech's 42-point beatdown of Kansas and Oklahoma's dismantling of Nebraska (don't click through the jump, Huskers fans). Even the Aggies are on a two-game winning streak, courtesy of Iowa State and Colorado.
- Oklahoma 62 Nebraska 28 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
Fact #1: At the end of the first quarter, Oklahoma led this game 35-0.
Fact #2: There are no typos in Fact #1.
Peruse the recap, box score, or blog coverage if you need more. - Kansas 52 Kansas State 21 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
The Jayhawks win their third straight Governor's Cup, yes, but the big victors may have been KSU fans, who from the loss received the good news today that Ron Prince will be stepping down as head coach. You gotta give a little to get a little, right?
Though Ronaldinho has been a favorite punching bag of this column in 2008, let the record show that Mr. Prince walks away a perfect 2-0 against the Longhorns, and joins Stephen McGee as a 2006-07 nemesis who will disappear before revenge can be had. He can hold that particular banner high, I suppose. - Texas A&M 24 Colorado 17 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
It took him a half to get going, but Jerrod Johnson heard the rooster's call in time to wake up and lead the Farmers to victory over the tailspinning Buffaloes. Johnson's touchdown strikes of 32, 59, and 10 yards highlighted a 21-0 third quarter run by the Aggies, enough to propel the Agros to their second-straight conference win. With Oklahoma coming to town this Saturday, the winning streak likely ends at two, but the Fightin' Farmers need to stay sharp, their battle with Baylor for "fourth best team in Texas" looming a week later in Waco. - Oklahoma State 59 Iowa State 17 [Box / Recap / Blog Coverage]
The Cowboys averaged 10.5 yards per play, which... wow. If Texas Tech is at all less than fully prepared for Mike Gundy's high-flying offense, the Cowboys will light up the Red Raiders for 49 again. For Texas fans, this game is now enormously important, of course; assuming the Longhorns can take care of Baylor Saturday morning, it's gonna be fun to spend the evening watching another potential classic in Lubbock. Go Pokes!
BEST WIN: TEXAS TECH, OVER TEXAS Biggest win of the week? Yes. But also biggest win in program history. Congratulations to the Red Raiders. A win this Saturday and they'll win this award again.
WORST LOSS: KANSAS STATE, TO KANSAS Colorado gets a reprise since Ron Prince's 31-point loss to a state rival wound up costing him his job.
TOP PERFORMER, OFFENSE (TEAM): OKLAHOMA STATE Ten and a half yards per play? Really? Against a BCS opponent? Forget Iowa State's suckitude--that's just obscene.
BUM STEER, OFFENSE (TEAM): COLORADO The worst offense in the conference lays another egg. To A&M. Oof.
TOP PERFORMER, OFFENSE (INDIVIDUAL): GRAHAM HARRELL AND MICHAEL CRABTREE, TEXAS TECH For his part, Harrell was nearly perfect, making one tough throw after another, including the game winner. And Crabtree? Curtis Brown made him work for it all game, but when it mattered most the nation's best receiver made an absolutely incredible play--not just making the catch, but staying in bounds, able to turn up field to score. Ugh.
BUM STEER, OFFENSE (INDIVIDUAL): TYLER HANSEN, COLORADO HThe Colorado quarterback's final line? 11-23, 89 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT.
PB'S POWER RANKINGS
Last ranking in parentheses.
1. Texas (1) - Staying in the top spot after a loss? For now, yeah. Credit to the Red Raiders for Saturday's win, but the disastrous first quarter and vastly improved second half was enough to convince me the Longhorns deserve this spot for now. The emergence of Malcolm Williams and Fozzy Whittaker make this team better down the stretch.
2. Oklahoma State (2) - Prove it time once more for the Cowboys, who if they win in Lubbock on Saturday might deserve the top spot in these rankings.
3. Texas Tech (4) - This is going to piss off Red Raiders fans, but I'll urge patience: Win this week and up you go. Win again in two weeks and you'll be alone atop these rankings. Cool? Cool.
4. Oklahoma (3) - The Sooners are enjoying the soft stretch of their schedule, before the Tech-OSU showdowns to end the year. Sam Bradford is just phenomenal.
5. Missouri (5) - A narrow win in Waco isn't what Mizzou fans wanted to see as the team tries to regroup for a run at a BCS Bowl, but... Baylor's improved. The Tigers will take it.
6. Kansas (7) - One of college football's most inconsistent teams, looking great one week and mediocre the next. They need to win in Lincoln to stay alive for the North title.
7. Nebraska (6) - Playing the Big 12 South sucks this year.
8. Baylor (8) - Likely losses Texas and Tech await, but a home win over A&M would be an impressive notch on Griffin's and Briles' first-year belts.
9. Kansas State (10) - Good night, Prince.
10. Texas A&M (11) - Movin' on up!
11. Colorado (9) - Total. Disaster.
12. Iowa State (12) - Could they win in Boulder on Saturday? The ultimate cripple fight awaits.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Broken leg may end BC wide receiver's career
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Backup center kicked off team
from Bevo Beat
Texas sophomore center Buck Burnette has left the Longhorns because of a violation of team rules.
Coach Mack Brown just issued a statement on Burnette. However, there were no specifics on what rule Burnette violated.
Burnette is a former Wimberley High School standout. He has played in seven of Texas’ nine games as a backup offensive lineman.
from Bevo Beat
Texas sophomore center Buck Burnette has left the Longhorns because of a violation of team rules.
Coach Mack Brown just issued a statement on Burnette. However, there were no specifics on what rule Burnette violated.
Burnette is a former Wimberley High School standout. He has played in seven of Texas’ nine games as a backup offensive lineman.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
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RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Adding:
Minny -8 (-110)
Minny faces a battered and defeated Michigan team that is no longer bowl eligible and that is playing for next year. Minny is still playing for a good bowl. Also starting QB Threet for Michigan is out. Injured/out QB fade did not work well for me last week. Hopefully it will work this week.
Minny -8 (-110)
Minny faces a battered and defeated Michigan team that is no longer bowl eligible and that is playing for next year. Minny is still playing for a good bowl. Also starting QB Threet for Michigan is out. Injured/out QB fade did not work well for me last week. Hopefully it will work this week.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Vols cornerback cited for speeding, alcohol, pot
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
from SI.com - NCAA Football
Read full story for latest details.
Aztec4Life
Montezuma Mesa Survivor
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Time, Plays and Points All on the Rise
from The Wiz of Odds by Jay Christensen
Anybody complaining about the length of the Texas-Texas Tech game? It was the third-longest game of Week 10, according to Marty Couvillion of cfbstats.com.
The 3:38 contest at Lubbock, regarded at the most entertaining game thus far in 2008, helped drive up the numbers in Week 10, including the all-important average number of plays a game. It was 135.54, second only to Week 7's 136.35.
Week 10 also had the season's highest time per game (3:15) and points per game (56.34).
Marty's weekly look at the average number of plays and time of a game for the past four seasons, plus the Week 10 numbers:
G Plays/G Time/G
2005 717 140.71 3:21
2006 792 127.53 3:07
2007 792 143.43 3:23
2008 509 134.62 3:11
Wk 10 50 135.54 3:15
The longest games of Week 10:
Pittsburgh-Notre Dame: 4:01
North Texas-Western Kentucky: 3:46
Texas-Texas Tech: 3:38
Temple-Navy: 3:36
Oregon-California: 3:35
Wisconsin-Michigan State: 3:34
Rice-Texas El Paso: 3:30
Tulsa-Arkansas: 3:30
The shortest games of Week 10:
Arkansas State-Alabama: 2:42
San Jose State-Idaho: 2:52
Washington-USC: 2:53
Tulane-Louisiana State: 2:53
Alabama Birmingham-Southern Mississippi: 2:54
Kent State-Bowling Green: 2:57
Washington State-Stanford: 2:57
from The Wiz of Odds by Jay Christensen
The 3:38 contest at Lubbock, regarded at the most entertaining game thus far in 2008, helped drive up the numbers in Week 10, including the all-important average number of plays a game. It was 135.54, second only to Week 7's 136.35.
Week 10 also had the season's highest time per game (3:15) and points per game (56.34).
Marty's weekly look at the average number of plays and time of a game for the past four seasons, plus the Week 10 numbers:
G Plays/G Time/G
2005 717 140.71 3:21
2006 792 127.53 3:07
2007 792 143.43 3:23
2008 509 134.62 3:11
Wk 10 50 135.54 3:15
The longest games of Week 10:
Pittsburgh-Notre Dame: 4:01
North Texas-Western Kentucky: 3:46
Texas-Texas Tech: 3:38
Temple-Navy: 3:36
Oregon-California: 3:35
Wisconsin-Michigan State: 3:34
Rice-Texas El Paso: 3:30
Tulsa-Arkansas: 3:30
The shortest games of Week 10:
Arkansas State-Alabama: 2:42
San Jose State-Idaho: 2:52
Washington-USC: 2:53
Tulane-Louisiana State: 2:53
Alabama Birmingham-Southern Mississippi: 2:54
Kent State-Bowling Green: 2:57
Washington State-Stanford: 2:57
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Does Firing of Prince Clear Way for Return of Snyder?
from The Wiz of Odds by Jay Christensen
The Ron Prince experiment is coming to an end and from all indications, Kansas State is going to move fast to find his replacement.
They might not have to look far.
Athletic director Bob Krause said he would like to involve former coach Bill Snyder in the search process, but he did not say in what capacity. A news conference Wednesday eventually digressed into a question of semantics, with Krause declining to specify whether Snyder, 69, would be "consulted with" or "considered for" the job opening.
"You start out at a consulting basis and you go forward from there," Krause said.
There are a lot of coaches looking for work. Tommy Bowden and Dennis Franchione are available now, and Phil Fulmer, Tyrone Willingham and Tom Amstutz will be free by the end of the month, but what Kansas State really seeks is another Bill Snyder. There's only one.
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star writes that "a motivated and rejuvenated Bill Snyder could be effective for a sustained period. He's 13 years younger than Joe Paterno, who has the Penn State Nittany Lions in the national-title hunt. Snyder is 10 years younger than Bobby Bowden, who still has Florida State in the top 25.
"Yeah, I'd give Snyder a five-year contract and let him build a brand-new coaching staff. I'd beg him to come out of retirement."
from The Wiz of Odds by Jay Christensen
The Ron Prince experiment is coming to an end and from all indications, Kansas State is going to move fast to find his replacement.
They might not have to look far.
Athletic director Bob Krause said he would like to involve former coach Bill Snyder in the search process, but he did not say in what capacity. A news conference Wednesday eventually digressed into a question of semantics, with Krause declining to specify whether Snyder, 69, would be "consulted with" or "considered for" the job opening.
"You start out at a consulting basis and you go forward from there," Krause said.
There are a lot of coaches looking for work. Tommy Bowden and Dennis Franchione are available now, and Phil Fulmer, Tyrone Willingham and Tom Amstutz will be free by the end of the month, but what Kansas State really seeks is another Bill Snyder. There's only one.
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star writes that "a motivated and rejuvenated Bill Snyder could be effective for a sustained period. He's 13 years younger than Joe Paterno, who has the Penn State Nittany Lions in the national-title hunt. Snyder is 10 years younger than Bobby Bowden, who still has Florida State in the top 25.
"Yeah, I'd give Snyder a five-year contract and let him build a brand-new coaching staff. I'd beg him to come out of retirement."
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Social lesbians let you watch
Not football related but you guys will WANT to click on the link:
http://bugehoobs.com/girls/social_lesbians_they_let_you_watch
Not football related but you guys will WANT to click on the link:
http://bugehoobs.com/girls/social_lesbians_they_let_you_watch
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Holy Shit!!! Hey, LJC!!!
Hot Or Not 49: The Grand Tetons
5 Nov, 2008 Babes
Vote 5 stars for hot, 1 star for not. Check out more pictures of the mountainous landscape after the break.
Hot Or Not 49: The Grand Tetons
5 Nov, 2008 Babes
Vote 5 stars for hot, 1 star for not. Check out more pictures of the mountainous landscape after the break.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Headlinin': Saban will now attempt this thing you humans call, hu-mil-li-tee
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
• I understand deference is considered a valuable skill in your society. Les Miles just won with Saban's players, right? Look what's happening to LSU against top opponents now that Miles' own recruits are running the show. Not so fast my friend!, Saban style:
Oh, and man-mountain Terrence Cody will play to some extent on Bama's defensive line after missing the last two games with a sprained MCL.
• Can Clarence Megwa play? Coach just hopes he can walk. If you saw Boston College receiver Clarence Megwa break his leg against Clemson, you know how ugly it was. If you didn't (and I didn't), well, just be glad you didn't:
• OK, we admit it: That was a lot harder than it looked. How unlikely was Bill Snyder's resurrection of the Kansas State program from perennial doormat to quasi-power in the Big 12? There's significant buzz in K-State circles that the 68-year-old should come out of retirement after three years to replace his replacement, newly fired Ron Prince, because as Jason Whitlock asks in the K.C. Star, who else could possibly handle this mess?
If it's a dull and predictable personality they're looking for, there are more than enough retread options on the market or soon to be on the market: Phil Fulmer, Tommy Bowden, Tyrone Willingham, Dennis Franchione. Any of those guys will bore Wildcat fans to tears within two years, and they're sitting by the phone. But Snyder? He was in his mid-forties when he took over a desperately bad situation, had a 9-13 record his last two years, and after three years off can hardly be expected to approximate Prince's energy.
One of the reasons K-State struck gold with Snyder: his staff was a steady training ground for future head coaches, three of whom, Kirk Ferentz, Bret Bielema and Jim Leavitt, are being floated as potential replacements for Prince. All of them will deny interest by the end of next week, because Iowa (unless Ferentz is fired his own self), Wisconsin and South Florida are way better jobs. More plausible names at the top of the wish list: TCU's Gary Patterson and Brent Venables, offensive coordinator for another Snyder protege, Bob Stoops, at Oklahoma.
• Maybe the big guy should have listened to the little lady. The Memphis Commercial Appeal's Ron Higgins relays an ironic little tale from 10 years ago:
Quickly ... Boston College receiver Clarence Megwa might be done with football altogether after suffering a bad broken leg against Clemson. . . . Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark will be in the starting lineup against Iowa, two weeks after leaving with a concussion at Ohio State. . . . Is Knowshon Moreno too quick to pull himself out of games? . . . Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt should start Saturday against North Carolina. . . . USC safety Kevin Ellison won't play against California with a persistently bum knee. And who's cheating Trojan defenders out of tackles? . . . Wyoming coach Joe Glenn and quarterback Karsten Sween were reprimanded by the Mountain West for calling a hit by TCU's Robert Henson on Sween on Oct. 25 -- which knocked Sween out of that game and last week's win over San Diego State -- a "cheap shot." . . . And Rich Rodriguez is just tired of the drama, okay?
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
... Saban was discussing his favorite topic -- his relationship with Miles, about which he said, "You all have made this a rivalry." But then he said something really interesting ...
"I like Les Miles," Saban said. "He's won more games there than I'd have won if I had stayed. I don't know why anybody is upset that I left, aiight, because they've done better since I left than when I was there."
[Emphasis in original]
As usual, Saban's cold calculations are correct: Miles is 40-8 (.833) with a mythical championship, compared to Saban's 48-16 (.750), although Saban did win two SEC championships to Miles' one. But recognize this bone of recognition as the personal motivational ploy it is for Saban: Victory is always sweeter when tinged with the faint flavor of flattened ego."I like Les Miles," Saban said. "He's won more games there than I'd have won if I had stayed. I don't know why anybody is upset that I left, aiight, because they've done better since I left than when I was there."
[Emphasis in original]
Oh, and man-mountain Terrence Cody will play to some extent on Bama's defensive line after missing the last two games with a sprained MCL.
• Can Clarence Megwa play? Coach just hopes he can walk. If you saw Boston College receiver Clarence Megwa break his leg against Clemson, you know how ugly it was. If you didn't (and I didn't), well, just be glad you didn't:
... Megwa had to postpone surgery on his right leg Wednesday because of complications arising from the horrific injury he sustained in the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ loss to Clemson.
Megwa is out for the remainder of the season, and the BC junior might be done with football altogether.
"I’m just hoping the guy can walk again," coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. "It’s the same thing (Joe) Theismann had. It was snapped in two. So whether he plays again next year … see what I mean?"
Unfortunately, coach, yes. I see all too clearly. Shudder. Godspeed, Clarence.Megwa is out for the remainder of the season, and the BC junior might be done with football altogether.
"I’m just hoping the guy can walk again," coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. "It’s the same thing (Joe) Theismann had. It was snapped in two. So whether he plays again next year … see what I mean?"
• OK, we admit it: That was a lot harder than it looked. How unlikely was Bill Snyder's resurrection of the Kansas State program from perennial doormat to quasi-power in the Big 12? There's significant buzz in K-State circles that the 68-year-old should come out of retirement after three years to replace his replacement, newly fired Ron Prince, because as Jason Whitlock asks in the K.C. Star, who else could possibly handle this mess?
Yeah, I’d give Snyder a five-year contract and let him build a brand-new coaching staff. I’d beg him to come out of retirement.
K-State is one bad hire from destroying all of what Snyder built. Prince’s worst crime is fracturing the K-State family. His bold and daring personality turned off many Wildcats fans. His brave words promised a level of success that he delivered on just twice -- victories over Texas.
K-State is one bad hire from destroying all of what Snyder built. Prince’s worst crime is fracturing the K-State family. His bold and daring personality turned off many Wildcats fans. His brave words promised a level of success that he delivered on just twice -- victories over Texas.
One of the reasons K-State struck gold with Snyder: his staff was a steady training ground for future head coaches, three of whom, Kirk Ferentz, Bret Bielema and Jim Leavitt, are being floated as potential replacements for Prince. All of them will deny interest by the end of next week, because Iowa (unless Ferentz is fired his own self), Wisconsin and South Florida are way better jobs. More plausible names at the top of the wish list: TCU's Gary Patterson and Brent Venables, offensive coordinator for another Snyder protege, Bob Stoops, at Oklahoma.
• Maybe the big guy should have listened to the little lady. The Memphis Commercial Appeal's Ron Higgins relays an ironic little tale from 10 years ago:
Back in January 1999, Vicky Fulmer was sitting next to her husband, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, on a plane ride home from Phoenix, where the Vols had just won the BCS national championship over Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl.
She knew that nothing would top that moment. So she made a jaw-dropping request.
"Look me in the eye and listen to me," Vicky told Phillip. "I want you to retire. It's never going to get any better than this. You've reached your goals. Let's move on and do something else."
Fulmer could have been an instant legend, the Koufax of coaching who walked away on top with one of the best winning percentages in the history of the sport if he'd listened to his wife, instead of the beleaguered guy who comes in for a beating in the same column for failing to keep pace with the accelerating conference around him. Where once there was glory, there remains only shattered dreams, a $6 million buyout and life as the second best Tennessee coach of all-time. Sigh.She knew that nothing would top that moment. So she made a jaw-dropping request.
"Look me in the eye and listen to me," Vicky told Phillip. "I want you to retire. It's never going to get any better than this. You've reached your goals. Let's move on and do something else."
Quickly ... Boston College receiver Clarence Megwa might be done with football altogether after suffering a bad broken leg against Clemson. . . . Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark will be in the starting lineup against Iowa, two weeks after leaving with a concussion at Ohio State. . . . Is Knowshon Moreno too quick to pull himself out of games? . . . Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt should start Saturday against North Carolina. . . . USC safety Kevin Ellison won't play against California with a persistently bum knee. And who's cheating Trojan defenders out of tackles? . . . Wyoming coach Joe Glenn and quarterback Karsten Sween were reprimanded by the Mountain West for calling a hit by TCU's Robert Henson on Sween on Oct. 25 -- which knocked Sween out of that game and last week's win over San Diego State -- a "cheap shot." . . . And Rich Rodriguez is just tired of the drama, okay?
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Morning Coffee Loads Up For Bear
from Burnt Orange Nation by GhostofBigRoy
Griffin extraordinaire. Besides new coach Art Briles, true freshman quarterback and all-around stud Robert Griffin is the biggest story for this year's Baylor Bears. The Copperas Cove product won the Big 12 400-meter hurdles before he even stepped onto the football field for Baylor. After that? Well, he just went 209 pass attempts without throwing an interception, a streak that ended last week as the Bears tried to rally against Missouri.
The easy comparison here is Vince Young, which many people are quick to make. Personally, I don't see it. Griffin is two inches shorter than VY and weighs about 20 pounds less. He's also much thinner in the joints, which I believe will leave him less durable in the long run and more susceptible to big hits. I have seen him nicked up a little bit in the several games I've seen Baylor play. Yes, he's so good that he will make you watch Baylor football. He's also a much more polished passer coming out of high school than Vince Young. In terms of body type and running ability, I would compare Griffin more to former Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon, except perhaps even more explosive running the football.
How to stop him? Well, I'm not really sure, although I do know that Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Missouri have all held him under two yards per carry. Not having watched those games, I'm not sure what those teams did schematically, but I can guarantee that Will Muschamp knows.
The Art of coaching. Any discussion of the current state of Baylor football would be remiss not to mention Art Briles, the new football coach. Griffin originally committed to Briles when he was at Houston and decided to follow his future coach to Waco. Briles has energized the program and looks like the type of head coach that Texas A&M made a monumental mistake not to pursue. Not only is he an innovative offensive mind, but he's also a former successful high school football coach at Stephenville. Chalk up resurrecting the Houston football program to Briles, as well. Briles is still so revered among Texas high school football coaches that I believe he doesn't even have to thank them at every opportunity. And that's an enormous advantage at a school like Baylor that really has had to pick up the scraps left over after Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and even A&M and programs like TCU pick and chose their players. The dreaded question for every Bears fan is this: If he's successful at Baylor, what other major programs will come calling? With his ability to recruit Texas, I don't see him leaving the state, or at least staying close enough to still recruit in Texas, so that doesn't leave him many opportunities, although I imagine Tech could be a possibility if Leach finally gets a major job offer. Enjoy him while it lasts Baylor, because it might not be for that long.
That game with the sphere. Don't look now, but basketball season is almost upon us. I know that doesn't usually mean much in Texas, but it should with the program that Rick Barnes is building in Austin. A program that now ranks among the elite in college basketball for the first time, well, ever. For both of the Texas hoop junkies out there, Trips Right has your preview. He's right to mention the major question facing the team this season: How to replace do-everything star DJ Augustin?
It won't be easy, and it will probably take the combined efforts of several players. Trips Right puts Justin Mason first in line to fill the point guard duties, citing the supposed troubles Dogus Balbay has had in practice going against J-Mase and incoming freshman Varez Ward. I haven't heard anything to that extent and I tend to believe that Balbay will be fine because he's a pure point and has significant international experience playing for his native Turkey. Trips Right also doesn't have much faith in AJ Abrams playing the point for stretches, although I don't agree with that assessment. Abrams was effective handling the ball and making plays for his teammates his freshman year when Daniel Gibson struggled handling the rock. The subsequent banishment to running the baseline and spotting up at the three-point line was more about filling a need for the team and the appearance of DJ Augustin than anything else. While Abrams size does make it harder for him to hold space will driving, i believe that Abrams can be effective at the point for 10-15 minute a game, if necessary.
In terms of the frontcourt, Texas is as deep as it has ever been. Expect Rick Barnes to abandon the mostly ineffective zone defense of the past several years for his preferred man-to-man with the deeper team, perhaps even pressuring full-court this year with the ability to bring so many weapons off the bench. With the size and depth of the frontcourt, expect this to also be a good rebounding team. Dexter Pittman has continued to lose weight, while Gary Johnson, Alexis Wangmene, Clint Chapman, and the finally-healthy Matt Hill should all show improved post games. The ability to dump the ball into the post and let the big men go to work will take enormous pressure off of the ball handlers to make plays for their teammates, which should ease the transition to point guard by committee.
Pencil the Longhorns in for another Elite 8 appearance. You're the man, Rick Barnes.
No remorse for Muschamp. Muschamp, asked if he would call the same defense on Tech's game-winning play, responded that he would have played the same defense again. He noted that he had two players responsible for covering Crabtree on that play, but neither one of them were able to make it. Curtis Brown was in good position, but looked like he got caught between trying to make a play on the ball and making the ball. He was able to do neither, while Earl Thomas took a bad angle on the play and never gave himself a chance to tackle Crabtree. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, the play came down to two freshman with a chance to make a play and they just flat-out didn't do it. It wasn't an issue with the defensive call, it was just an issue with the players putting themselves in position to make the play, and then making it. Talent and experience won out over talent and inexperience.
From the Land of Miscellany. The Texas-Texas Tech tilt was the most viewed primetime game on ABC this season, drawing 8.59 million households...Mack Brown, Colt McCoy, and Brian Orakpo are all semifinalists for the three Maxwell Club awards: Brown for the Munger, the nation's best coach, McCoy for the Maxwell, the top offensive player, and Orakpo for the Bednarik, the nation's best defensive player...Quan Cosby is practicing this week, but his availability for the Baylor game is unknown. After not being hit in practice last week, it seems hard to imagine he is this week. I say sit him out this week and save him for the trip to Lawrence and the rest of the season.
from Burnt Orange Nation by GhostofBigRoy
The easy comparison here is Vince Young, which many people are quick to make. Personally, I don't see it. Griffin is two inches shorter than VY and weighs about 20 pounds less. He's also much thinner in the joints, which I believe will leave him less durable in the long run and more susceptible to big hits. I have seen him nicked up a little bit in the several games I've seen Baylor play. Yes, he's so good that he will make you watch Baylor football. He's also a much more polished passer coming out of high school than Vince Young. In terms of body type and running ability, I would compare Griffin more to former Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon, except perhaps even more explosive running the football.
How to stop him? Well, I'm not really sure, although I do know that Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Missouri have all held him under two yards per carry. Not having watched those games, I'm not sure what those teams did schematically, but I can guarantee that Will Muschamp knows.
It won't be easy, and it will probably take the combined efforts of several players. Trips Right puts Justin Mason first in line to fill the point guard duties, citing the supposed troubles Dogus Balbay has had in practice going against J-Mase and incoming freshman Varez Ward. I haven't heard anything to that extent and I tend to believe that Balbay will be fine because he's a pure point and has significant international experience playing for his native Turkey. Trips Right also doesn't have much faith in AJ Abrams playing the point for stretches, although I don't agree with that assessment. Abrams was effective handling the ball and making plays for his teammates his freshman year when Daniel Gibson struggled handling the rock. The subsequent banishment to running the baseline and spotting up at the three-point line was more about filling a need for the team and the appearance of DJ Augustin than anything else. While Abrams size does make it harder for him to hold space will driving, i believe that Abrams can be effective at the point for 10-15 minute a game, if necessary.
In terms of the frontcourt, Texas is as deep as it has ever been. Expect Rick Barnes to abandon the mostly ineffective zone defense of the past several years for his preferred man-to-man with the deeper team, perhaps even pressuring full-court this year with the ability to bring so many weapons off the bench. With the size and depth of the frontcourt, expect this to also be a good rebounding team. Dexter Pittman has continued to lose weight, while Gary Johnson, Alexis Wangmene, Clint Chapman, and the finally-healthy Matt Hill should all show improved post games. The ability to dump the ball into the post and let the big men go to work will take enormous pressure off of the ball handlers to make plays for their teammates, which should ease the transition to point guard by committee.
Pencil the Longhorns in for another Elite 8 appearance. You're the man, Rick Barnes.
JumpOnBoard
CTG Partner
It goes alot deeper than that...a certain WR and a certain CB as well..
Just divided in general...
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Ohio State dad: Tressel 'trying to intentionally ruin' son's career
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
Alert, Jim Tressel! Alert! There has been a significant breach in the Information Control sector, concerning the indefinite suspension of receiver/punt returner Ray Small:
Diligent readers might remember Small as the Buckeye who spent the spring in Tressel's doghouse after showing up late to class, then earned headlines in September for calling USC "not even serious about the game" a few days before Ohio State's season-defining collapse in L.A. Ken Small told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer Ray asked to be released from his scholarship in the spring and was talked into staying, only to largely disappear from the offense since the start of Big Ten play (four catches in the last five games). So maybe he's an entitled guy who's just not getting his way. Or maybe OSU coaches have soured on Small and more or less given up on a minor troublemaker. I'm not inside Ohio State's program to suggest either.
But other major recruits are listening, anyway, and so are their parents. So Tressel needs to make this disappear and get the communications operation back under lockdown, pronto.
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
... Ken Small, Ray's father, said yesterday it is for two games, and the reason is because OSU said his son missed a class, which Ken denies. He said the coaching staff is singling out his son unnecessarily.
"We don't think he's getting a fair shake, and we don't know why," he said. "It seems they're trying to intentionally ruin his career."
Usually unflattering news leaking from behind the walls of "the Kremlin" means there are major issues: star players claiming all kinds of illegal booty or reporting fights at halftime of the championship game, and so on. In Small's case, it probably means one of OSU's most hyped recruits of the last three or four years -- "the next Ted Ginn," from the same high school in Cleveland, and all that -- will transfer to a I-AA school to finish eligibility or test the pro waters, presumably with someone he doesn't feel is trying to intentionally destroy his life's ambition. "We don't think he's getting a fair shake, and we don't know why," he said. "It seems they're trying to intentionally ruin his career."
Diligent readers might remember Small as the Buckeye who spent the spring in Tressel's doghouse after showing up late to class, then earned headlines in September for calling USC "not even serious about the game" a few days before Ohio State's season-defining collapse in L.A. Ken Small told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer Ray asked to be released from his scholarship in the spring and was talked into staying, only to largely disappear from the offense since the start of Big Ten play (four catches in the last five games). So maybe he's an entitled guy who's just not getting his way. Or maybe OSU coaches have soured on Small and more or less given up on a minor troublemaker. I'm not inside Ohio State's program to suggest either.
But other major recruits are listening, anyway, and so are their parents. So Tressel needs to make this disappear and get the communications operation back under lockdown, pronto.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table class="card"><tbody class="card-tbody"><tr><td class="cc c">Texas lineman Burnette booted for racist Obama Facebook rant
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
Offensive lineman Buck Burnette is no longer on Texas' roster, and his Facebook page no longer exists. He was booted from the team Wednesday, and this is why:
</td><td class="cr c">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
Buck Burnette's dismissal is the result of him posting to his Facebook page an extremely immature, intolerant, and hateful remark about President-Elect Barack Obama. Upon learning of what he posted, Mack Brown dismissed him from the team.
I have a tip and an alleged quote on the vile remark -- involving hunters and racial epithets that I can't reprint -- but nothing that absolutely confirms the exact wording. There's no question about the sentiment, though. Burnette wasn't booted from the team based on idle speculation, and the latest status update before his profile went down (above) includes an apology that leaves no doubt about the nature of Buck's initial reaction to the thought of President Obama:
Clearly I have made a mistake and apologized for it and will pay for it. I received it as a text message from an acquaintance and immaturely put it up on facebook in the light of the election. Im not racist and apologize for offending you. I grew up on a ranch in a small town where that was a real thing and I need to grow up. I sincerely am sorry for being ignorant in thinking that it would be ok to write that publicly and apologize to you in particular. I have to be more mature than to put the reputation of my team at stake and to spread that kind of hate which I dont even believe in. Once again, I sincerely apologize.
He has indeed paid, with his position and possibly his scholarship. And the Longhorns will pay, too: The depth chart on the offensive line is looking pretty precarious. But they had no choice. Thanks to Buck, schools are one giant step closer to banning athletes from Facebook altogether, at least until they stop flashing cash, making homicidal threats and calling the future president horrible names.
</td><td class="cr c">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
We Hate to Blame One Player For LSU's Losses But Yeah, We're Going To
from The FanHouse - NCAAfootball
by Ryan FergusonFiled under: LSU, SEC
The defending national champions won't be headed to Miami this year for a chance at the repeat, and there's a fairly obvious reason why: Jarrett Lee's five touchdown passes to the opposing team. Lee appears high on a list of dubious distinction, that list being titled "Most Total Interceptions Thrown for a Touchdown since 2005." (* denotes active players. Thanks to CFBStats.com for compiling this list.)
Sure, in simplistic terms Lee isn't the most egregious offender on this list: Rudy Carpenter and Leon Jackson have thrown more, and even Heisman contenders Graham Harrell and Colt McCoy appear on this list with similar pick-six stats. But there's one glaring problem. More after the jump.
from The FanHouse - NCAAfootball
by Ryan FergusonFiled under: LSU, SECThe defending national champions won't be headed to Miami this year for a chance at the repeat, and there's a fairly obvious reason why: Jarrett Lee's five touchdown passes to the opposing team. Lee appears high on a list of dubious distinction, that list being titled "Most Total Interceptions Thrown for a Touchdown since 2005." (* denotes active players. Thanks to CFBStats.com for compiling this list.)
Sure, in simplistic terms Lee isn't the most egregious offender on this list: Rudy Carpenter and Leon Jackson have thrown more, and even Heisman contenders Graham Harrell and Colt McCoy appear on this list with similar pick-six stats. But there's one glaring problem. More after the jump.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
How to turn your life around, with the Florida secondary
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
For ha guy with a reputation as an offensive innovator, Urban Meyer's best teams have consistently turned on killer defense. It was true of both of his Mountain West championship teams at Utah, and it was certainly true of his '06 championship team at Florida, which didn't accomplish anything offensively that Ron Zook's teams didn't accomplish.It's certainly true of this year's edition of the Gators, too, which the Gainesville Sun duly notes is leaps and bounds ahead of where the same bunch of much-maligned, oft-torched pups were last year, before they developed a little bite, back when linebacker Brandon Spikes said he would go home "sick to [his] stomach, just watching third-down completion after third-down completion."
The Sun approaches the secondary's leap in a very proverbial, "Hey, these guys are actually making plays!" sort of way, but if you want to get more scientific about it:
The offense hasn't changed; it's just slightly down from last year, in fact, in rushing offense, passing offense, pass efficiency offense, yards per carry, yards per pass and sacks allowed. Last year's slightly better offense lost to the four best teams it played by a combined 25 points and finished in the Bowl Formerly Known as the Citrus. This year, a virtually identical offense has a clear path to the SEC championship, very likely the national championship, and is quite plausibly the best team in the country over the last month. The secondary is the difference.
For everyone who had the Gators No. 1 at the start of the season, this is exactly what was supposed to happen. Now if they can just not fumble three times in one again down the stretch ...
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
The Sun approaches the secondary's leap in a very proverbial, "Hey, these guys are actually making plays!" sort of way, but if you want to get more scientific about it:
For everyone who had the Gators No. 1 at the start of the season, this is exactly what was supposed to happen. Now if they can just not fumble three times in one again down the stretch ...
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
54b's Commentary - Tech Postmortem / Baylor Renaissance
from Burnt Orange Nation by 54b
In my recurring nightmare there are only a few seconds left in the Longhorns game against the Red Raiders and I’m standing on the sideline at Jones Stadium in Lubbock just a few feet away from the action as Graham Harrell’s ill-advised pass ricochets off the unwitting Texas Tech receiver floating like a feather into the air as Texas safety Blake Gideon runs up under it. Certainly nothing abnormal or Freudian about that right?
But that’s when it gets a little freaky and everything goes slow motion like when I’m dreaming about playing dodgeball against the Swedish Bikini Team. Sorry. Anyway, I look down at my cargo shorts and as luck would have it, my pockets are overflowing with little snack size Snickers bars, the very ones I pilfered from my 4-year-old son’s stash of Halloween candy after he went to bed but not before making his daddy swear not to touch his candy. (But I did it out of love.)
And then it hits me, what if I spread the caramel nougat all over the football to make it really sticky and harder to drop (now even Freud’s getting excited). The plan is “fool” proof and I’m really happy until I reach down into my pocket only to pull out a fist full of empty Snickers wrappers just as the ball cruelly passes through the upstart Freshman’s arms bouncing harmlessly off the turf and into Texas football history forever to be known as Gideon’s Bobble (trademark & web site pending).
Take heart Blake, compared to the guilt I feel knowing I disappointed Jenny Craig by eating sweets right before bed and even worse, did it by stealing candy from my impressionable son, dropping the football that probably would have punched Texas’ ticket to the BCS title game is nothing. Don’t sweat it, happens to the best of us and at least you didn’t wake up and have to explain to your wife why your face is covered in chocolate and your cargo shorts are around your ankles. Hey, don’t judge.
Let’s move on, quickly.
Like many Longhorns Fans I’m sure, I went to bed Saturday night incredulous of the 39-33 last second Tech win I’d just witnessed only to wake up feeling absolutely sick to my stomach on Sunday morning. And it wasn’t because I overindulged in Halloween candy. No need to try and sugarcoat it, that was a huge game, a very tough loss, and it only hurts worse knowing the Horns came within seconds of pulling off what seemed impossible only a few weeks ago: beating four Top 10 teams in a row.
But on a night when nothing went UT’s way in the first half, injuries sidelined several key players, and the players who were on the field played uncharacteristically to what we’d become accustomed to seeing in the previous 8 games, you simply have to grit your teeth on a Sugar Daddy and say it just wasn’t meant to be and move on. There is nothing the coaches, players, or we the fans can do to change the outcome and trying to explain it only breeds more heartache and contempt.
That being said, if that line of psycho-bullshit doesn’t make you feel any better, you’re welcome to pop a Percocet and try traversing my always therapeutic...
Ten Stages Of Grief (After A Longhorns Loss)
Shock – “Did we, um, did we just lose to a bunch of misfits coached by a drunk lawyer who thinks he’s a pirate? Yeah, I think we did. It feels like we’re in a McDonald’s Happy Meal commercial...only this time the Hamburglar is kicking Ronald’s ass and gobbles the Big Mack.”
Expression of Emotion - Trust me, I’m crying on the inside...the dusty, arid climate of the South Plains Xeriscape has left my tear ducts permanently incapacitated. If I don’t blink soon, I may die of water intoxication.
Depression – If Stephen Sondheim were a Longhorns fan...
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer,
Losing a game this late
In the year?
Send in the Classless Clowns –
There ought not to be Classless Clowns.
We’ll beat them next year.
Physical Symptoms of Distress – Overheard at the doctor’s office...
“What seems to be the problem, sir?”
“It’s my heart Doc, I think it’s broken.”
“Sounds serious. How would you feel about doing a comprehensive physical including a rectal probe?”
“I’d feel like I was pass rushing against the Red Raiders’ O-Line.”
Panic – “Granny, quick, push your Life Alert button...our ranking in the Coach’s Poll has fallen and we can’t get up.”
Guilt – “This is all my fault. I should have waited until the bye-week to wash my lucky underwear. But 9 games in a row is tough, you know. Plus, people were starting to ask questions and given the amount of soil contamination, the EPA was about to slap my ass (literally) with a bio-hazard injunction.”
Anger - (Channeling Clark Griswold) “Hey, if any of you are looking for any last minute gift ideas for me, I have one - I'd like Mike Leach right here, today, I want him brought from his cozy little office decorated in pirate shit and I want him brought right here with a big burnt orange bow wrapped around his head so I can look him right in his bloodshot eyes and tell him what a drunk, no good, rotten, pass happy, four flushing, low life, dirt eating, blood sucking, dog kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat ass, bug eyed, crooked nosed, worm headed, sack of Mouse shit he is...Alleluia, Holly Shit. Where's the Tylenol?”
Resistance -
“That was your boss on the phone, he wants to know when you’re coming back to work.”
“As soon as Mr. Mack apologizes to me and all Longhorns fans for bad clock management.”
“Honey, I told you...Mr. Mack is a sock puppet. He’s not real.”
“I don’t care. Make it apologize anyway.”
“I can’t...remember, we lost Mr. Mack to Athlete’s Foot last summer.”
“Oh yeah, well what about Mr. Greg?”
“Donated to Good Will.”
“And the Major?”
“MIA at the laundromat.”
Hope - "Yes, I'd like to confirm my hotel reservation on South Beach, reserve my spot in the shirtless Glow Stick Congo Line at Agidor’s Rave Review, and go ahead and book me on one of those super savor flights to Miami for the week after New Years. Non-refundable, you betcha."
Acceptance - Believe it or not, Texas actually lost the “biggest game in Texas Tech history.” But life goes on and fortunately for us, there's still a legit shot at winning the Big XII Title and maybe even the National Title. But for right now, the only thing we can worry about is winning the...
Next Game
Forgive me for not being overly concerned about Baylor. I’ve certainly noticed the improved play and the prowess of their outstanding first year QB, but if the Longhorns simply focus and play their game, they should win easily. What’s really bothering me right now is the first half of Texas Tech game. If you take all the pre-game hype and rankings out of the equation, that game looked and felt a lot like the game Texas played against A&M last year. A game they really had no business losing but did because they couldn’t overcome a first half deficit created largely because of a lack of focus. The heart the team showed in the second half comeback was admirable and while we can rest easier knowing the players are obviously more mature and the leadership is better this year, the complacency they demonstrated sure reeked of the 2007 team’s biggest weakness.
Hopefully Mack reincorporated the same boot camp mentality this week at practice that worked so well in the weeks leading up to the Holiday Bowl last December. Still, it shouldn’t take a loss like this to remind the team that they have to show up ready to play at every game if they expect to win. Injuries, bad officiating, tough breaks, and yes, even last second losses are all part of the game, but poor starts don’t have to be.
That all may sound disingenuous and heavy-handed considering this team just played four Top 10 teams in a row, but I hope they don’t think the final three games are going to be a walk in the park because they’re playing unranked opponents. Teams with nothing to lose can be the hardest to play this time of year because they play without hesitation, fear, or risk of regret.
That being said, I’m actually looking forward to Saturday. I expect to see a lot more of Fozzy and Malcolm Williams on offense thanks to their contributions in the second half of the Tech game and I think their fresh legs could be just the right infusion UT needs to finish the season strong. And from a personal standpoint, not only does the Baylor game give the fans a chance to put the Tech loss behind us, it also gives us a chance to remind the players how much we support them and appreciate the incredible ride they’ve taken us on thus far. Hopefully DKR will be rocking early because the TV Execs aren’t doing us any favors with the 11am kick-off time.
Damn, next thing you know I’ll be complaining about the weather. When did I get old? Thank goodness for the always immature...
Unpredictable Prediction
Texas 52
Care Bears 10
Tailgate Update
The game kicks off at 11:00am (grin and Bear it) so expect the tailgate scene ("brew-ha-ha") to get going around 8am with Bloody Mary's (Brunch of Champions), maybe a few Screwdrivers (OJ and white Bronco sold separately), and as always, beer and breakfast tacos (Kegs & Eggs). Obviously with such an early start time (premature matriculation), it’s going to be important (write this down) for the crowd to be really pumped up (like Arnold Schwartzenpecker). As for the rest of you (Burnt Orange Nation) watching it at home (owner of a lonely BONer), you can find the game on Fox Sports (ESPNot),
Quoteworthy
“Actually had a good time (in Lubbock). It was probably better that you weren’t there though. I have a feeling you would have taken a swan dive off the top of the stadium afterward.”
“No, I would have been in shock and just tried to get out of there without getting my butt kicked. Then on the ride back to Dallas I would have cried like a baby, felt shamed, and then gone on a 3-state killing spree like Wyatt Earp...anybody wearing a red sash gets it.”
Longhorns!!! You tell the BCS we’re comin’ and hell’s comin’ with us.
Hook’em,
54b
from Burnt Orange Nation by 54b
In my recurring nightmare there are only a few seconds left in the Longhorns game against the Red Raiders and I’m standing on the sideline at Jones Stadium in Lubbock just a few feet away from the action as Graham Harrell’s ill-advised pass ricochets off the unwitting Texas Tech receiver floating like a feather into the air as Texas safety Blake Gideon runs up under it. Certainly nothing abnormal or Freudian about that right?
But that’s when it gets a little freaky and everything goes slow motion like when I’m dreaming about playing dodgeball against the Swedish Bikini Team. Sorry. Anyway, I look down at my cargo shorts and as luck would have it, my pockets are overflowing with little snack size Snickers bars, the very ones I pilfered from my 4-year-old son’s stash of Halloween candy after he went to bed but not before making his daddy swear not to touch his candy. (But I did it out of love.)
And then it hits me, what if I spread the caramel nougat all over the football to make it really sticky and harder to drop (now even Freud’s getting excited). The plan is “fool” proof and I’m really happy until I reach down into my pocket only to pull out a fist full of empty Snickers wrappers just as the ball cruelly passes through the upstart Freshman’s arms bouncing harmlessly off the turf and into Texas football history forever to be known as Gideon’s Bobble (trademark & web site pending).
Take heart Blake, compared to the guilt I feel knowing I disappointed Jenny Craig by eating sweets right before bed and even worse, did it by stealing candy from my impressionable son, dropping the football that probably would have punched Texas’ ticket to the BCS title game is nothing. Don’t sweat it, happens to the best of us and at least you didn’t wake up and have to explain to your wife why your face is covered in chocolate and your cargo shorts are around your ankles. Hey, don’t judge.
Let’s move on, quickly.
Like many Longhorns Fans I’m sure, I went to bed Saturday night incredulous of the 39-33 last second Tech win I’d just witnessed only to wake up feeling absolutely sick to my stomach on Sunday morning. And it wasn’t because I overindulged in Halloween candy. No need to try and sugarcoat it, that was a huge game, a very tough loss, and it only hurts worse knowing the Horns came within seconds of pulling off what seemed impossible only a few weeks ago: beating four Top 10 teams in a row.
But on a night when nothing went UT’s way in the first half, injuries sidelined several key players, and the players who were on the field played uncharacteristically to what we’d become accustomed to seeing in the previous 8 games, you simply have to grit your teeth on a Sugar Daddy and say it just wasn’t meant to be and move on. There is nothing the coaches, players, or we the fans can do to change the outcome and trying to explain it only breeds more heartache and contempt.
That being said, if that line of psycho-bullshit doesn’t make you feel any better, you’re welcome to pop a Percocet and try traversing my always therapeutic...
Ten Stages Of Grief (After A Longhorns Loss)
Shock – “Did we, um, did we just lose to a bunch of misfits coached by a drunk lawyer who thinks he’s a pirate? Yeah, I think we did. It feels like we’re in a McDonald’s Happy Meal commercial...only this time the Hamburglar is kicking Ronald’s ass and gobbles the Big Mack.”
Expression of Emotion - Trust me, I’m crying on the inside...the dusty, arid climate of the South Plains Xeriscape has left my tear ducts permanently incapacitated. If I don’t blink soon, I may die of water intoxication.
Depression – If Stephen Sondheim were a Longhorns fan...
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer,
Losing a game this late
In the year?
Send in the Classless Clowns –
There ought not to be Classless Clowns.
We’ll beat them next year.
Physical Symptoms of Distress – Overheard at the doctor’s office...
“What seems to be the problem, sir?”
“It’s my heart Doc, I think it’s broken.”
“Sounds serious. How would you feel about doing a comprehensive physical including a rectal probe?”
“I’d feel like I was pass rushing against the Red Raiders’ O-Line.”
Panic – “Granny, quick, push your Life Alert button...our ranking in the Coach’s Poll has fallen and we can’t get up.”
Guilt – “This is all my fault. I should have waited until the bye-week to wash my lucky underwear. But 9 games in a row is tough, you know. Plus, people were starting to ask questions and given the amount of soil contamination, the EPA was about to slap my ass (literally) with a bio-hazard injunction.”
Anger - (Channeling Clark Griswold) “Hey, if any of you are looking for any last minute gift ideas for me, I have one - I'd like Mike Leach right here, today, I want him brought from his cozy little office decorated in pirate shit and I want him brought right here with a big burnt orange bow wrapped around his head so I can look him right in his bloodshot eyes and tell him what a drunk, no good, rotten, pass happy, four flushing, low life, dirt eating, blood sucking, dog kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat ass, bug eyed, crooked nosed, worm headed, sack of Mouse shit he is...Alleluia, Holly Shit. Where's the Tylenol?”
Resistance -
“That was your boss on the phone, he wants to know when you’re coming back to work.”
“As soon as Mr. Mack apologizes to me and all Longhorns fans for bad clock management.”
“Honey, I told you...Mr. Mack is a sock puppet. He’s not real.”
“I don’t care. Make it apologize anyway.”
“I can’t...remember, we lost Mr. Mack to Athlete’s Foot last summer.”
“Oh yeah, well what about Mr. Greg?”
“Donated to Good Will.”
“And the Major?”
“MIA at the laundromat.”
Hope - "Yes, I'd like to confirm my hotel reservation on South Beach, reserve my spot in the shirtless Glow Stick Congo Line at Agidor’s Rave Review, and go ahead and book me on one of those super savor flights to Miami for the week after New Years. Non-refundable, you betcha."
Acceptance - Believe it or not, Texas actually lost the “biggest game in Texas Tech history.” But life goes on and fortunately for us, there's still a legit shot at winning the Big XII Title and maybe even the National Title. But for right now, the only thing we can worry about is winning the...
Next Game
Forgive me for not being overly concerned about Baylor. I’ve certainly noticed the improved play and the prowess of their outstanding first year QB, but if the Longhorns simply focus and play their game, they should win easily. What’s really bothering me right now is the first half of Texas Tech game. If you take all the pre-game hype and rankings out of the equation, that game looked and felt a lot like the game Texas played against A&M last year. A game they really had no business losing but did because they couldn’t overcome a first half deficit created largely because of a lack of focus. The heart the team showed in the second half comeback was admirable and while we can rest easier knowing the players are obviously more mature and the leadership is better this year, the complacency they demonstrated sure reeked of the 2007 team’s biggest weakness.
Hopefully Mack reincorporated the same boot camp mentality this week at practice that worked so well in the weeks leading up to the Holiday Bowl last December. Still, it shouldn’t take a loss like this to remind the team that they have to show up ready to play at every game if they expect to win. Injuries, bad officiating, tough breaks, and yes, even last second losses are all part of the game, but poor starts don’t have to be.
That all may sound disingenuous and heavy-handed considering this team just played four Top 10 teams in a row, but I hope they don’t think the final three games are going to be a walk in the park because they’re playing unranked opponents. Teams with nothing to lose can be the hardest to play this time of year because they play without hesitation, fear, or risk of regret.
That being said, I’m actually looking forward to Saturday. I expect to see a lot more of Fozzy and Malcolm Williams on offense thanks to their contributions in the second half of the Tech game and I think their fresh legs could be just the right infusion UT needs to finish the season strong. And from a personal standpoint, not only does the Baylor game give the fans a chance to put the Tech loss behind us, it also gives us a chance to remind the players how much we support them and appreciate the incredible ride they’ve taken us on thus far. Hopefully DKR will be rocking early because the TV Execs aren’t doing us any favors with the 11am kick-off time.
Damn, next thing you know I’ll be complaining about the weather. When did I get old? Thank goodness for the always immature...
Unpredictable Prediction
Texas 52
Care Bears 10
Tailgate Update
The game kicks off at 11:00am (grin and Bear it) so expect the tailgate scene ("brew-ha-ha") to get going around 8am with Bloody Mary's (Brunch of Champions), maybe a few Screwdrivers (OJ and white Bronco sold separately), and as always, beer and breakfast tacos (Kegs & Eggs). Obviously with such an early start time (premature matriculation), it’s going to be important (write this down) for the crowd to be really pumped up (like Arnold Schwartzenpecker). As for the rest of you (Burnt Orange Nation) watching it at home (owner of a lonely BONer), you can find the game on Fox Sports (ESPNot),
Quoteworthy
“Actually had a good time (in Lubbock). It was probably better that you weren’t there though. I have a feeling you would have taken a swan dive off the top of the stadium afterward.”
“No, I would have been in shock and just tried to get out of there without getting my butt kicked. Then on the ride back to Dallas I would have cried like a baby, felt shamed, and then gone on a 3-state killing spree like Wyatt Earp...anybody wearing a red sash gets it.”
Longhorns!!! You tell the BCS we’re comin’ and hell’s comin’ with us.
Hook’em,
54b
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Oklahoma State - Behind the Numbers
from Double-T Nation by NM99
Like many of you, I have not had the opportunity to watch much Oklahoma State football this season. So last night, I took some time to review the box scores from their games in detail and looked at the play-by-play from a couple of their games. I made some observations that I think provide some insight into how Texas Tech should play OSU this weekend. You can read them after the break.
Observations regarding the OSU offense.
There has been a lot of talk about Bryant (WR) and Pettigrew (TE) for the OSU offense. Looking over the OSU box scores and the play-by-play for the OSU-UM and OSU-UT games, I noticed that OSU runs the ball 2x as often as they pass it. The OSU running back, Hunter, is putting up crazy numbers (almost 9 yds/carry against Texas). Not to take away from his ability to make plays, but it seems to me that Bryant is the beneficiary of that productivity on the ground. While yardage wise, OSU may appear "balanced" they are a running team at heart.
The next thing that I noticed is that OSU seems to rely on big plays by its offense. And they seem to get plenty of them. I didn't count, but there were a number of 20+ yard rushes and long receptions. But for a primarily running team, they are not methodically moving the ball down the field in 3 yards and a cloud of dust style. When they get their yards, they are getting them in big chunks. Explosive. Scary.
The write ups by Texas bloggers all commented on how good a team OSU really is, and that the 4 point win in Austin was extremely hard fought. I have to admit, I have been skeptical of OSU as a team. As I mentioned in a response earlier this week, they seem to be streaky to me. Perhaps that is because they are reliant on the big play offensively. When they aren't getting them, things start to melt down. I think that containing the big play - especially against the run - is the key to Tech winning this game. The battle of the trenches just became about 10x as important for Tech in this game in my eyes. The play in the Tech interior d-line will be very important, as it will be their job to plug up the gaps, make a few tackles, and allow the linebackers to make plays downhill. Again this week, containment by the defensive ends will be important, as Robinson is a legitimate running threat (despite fewer carries this year), and I think Hunter would prefer to run in the open field versus between the tackles. According to dedfischer over at Tortilla Retort, the OSU offensive line is pretty good. So our defensive line will have their hands full.
As for the OSU passing game, Tech plays its best pass defense in man coverage. I think that we need to stick to that plan and trust our corners to make plays. Trying to double up on Bryant with a safety opens Tech up to a breakaway run by a team that thrives on that ability. I don't think we should concede to their bread and butter. Make Robinson beat you with his arm in tight coverage. He doesn't have the accuracy of McCoy and is prone to mistakes. Pettigrew is a big target and a potential threat across the middle. We need our linebackers to make good tackles and our defensive ends to keep him busy at the line of scrimmage.
Observations regarding the OSU defense.
I wanted to know how teams performed against OSU versus their average performance. I have included a table below of the conference games:
<table style="margin: auto auto auto 4.65pt; width: 414.75pt; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="691"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 26.25pt;"> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 87pt; height: 26.25pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="145">
</td> <td style="border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; background: rgb(217, 217, 217) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 46pt; height: 26.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="77">
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
Conclusions:
If Tech can get a one or two stops early, I expect that OSU will be playing from behind because they have not shown the ability to slow down the passing game. That will put Tech in pretty good shape. If Tech doesn't stop the run, this thing could turn into a race to the finish in which the last team with the ball wins.
from Double-T Nation by NM99
Like many of you, I have not had the opportunity to watch much Oklahoma State football this season. So last night, I took some time to review the box scores from their games in detail and looked at the play-by-play from a couple of their games. I made some observations that I think provide some insight into how Texas Tech should play OSU this weekend. You can read them after the break.
Observations regarding the OSU offense.
There has been a lot of talk about Bryant (WR) and Pettigrew (TE) for the OSU offense. Looking over the OSU box scores and the play-by-play for the OSU-UM and OSU-UT games, I noticed that OSU runs the ball 2x as often as they pass it. The OSU running back, Hunter, is putting up crazy numbers (almost 9 yds/carry against Texas). Not to take away from his ability to make plays, but it seems to me that Bryant is the beneficiary of that productivity on the ground. While yardage wise, OSU may appear "balanced" they are a running team at heart.
The next thing that I noticed is that OSU seems to rely on big plays by its offense. And they seem to get plenty of them. I didn't count, but there were a number of 20+ yard rushes and long receptions. But for a primarily running team, they are not methodically moving the ball down the field in 3 yards and a cloud of dust style. When they get their yards, they are getting them in big chunks. Explosive. Scary.
The write ups by Texas bloggers all commented on how good a team OSU really is, and that the 4 point win in Austin was extremely hard fought. I have to admit, I have been skeptical of OSU as a team. As I mentioned in a response earlier this week, they seem to be streaky to me. Perhaps that is because they are reliant on the big play offensively. When they aren't getting them, things start to melt down. I think that containing the big play - especially against the run - is the key to Tech winning this game. The battle of the trenches just became about 10x as important for Tech in this game in my eyes. The play in the Tech interior d-line will be very important, as it will be their job to plug up the gaps, make a few tackles, and allow the linebackers to make plays downhill. Again this week, containment by the defensive ends will be important, as Robinson is a legitimate running threat (despite fewer carries this year), and I think Hunter would prefer to run in the open field versus between the tackles. According to dedfischer over at Tortilla Retort, the OSU offensive line is pretty good. So our defensive line will have their hands full.
As for the OSU passing game, Tech plays its best pass defense in man coverage. I think that we need to stick to that plan and trust our corners to make plays. Trying to double up on Bryant with a safety opens Tech up to a breakaway run by a team that thrives on that ability. I don't think we should concede to their bread and butter. Make Robinson beat you with his arm in tight coverage. He doesn't have the accuracy of McCoy and is prone to mistakes. Pettigrew is a big target and a potential threat across the middle. We need our linebackers to make good tackles and our defensive ends to keep him busy at the line of scrimmage.
Observations regarding the OSU defense.
I wanted to know how teams performed against OSU versus their average performance. I have included a table below of the conference games:
<table style="margin: auto auto auto 4.65pt; width: 414.75pt; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="691"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 26.25pt;"> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 87pt; height: 26.25pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="145">
</td> <td style="border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; background: rgb(217, 217, 217) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 46pt; height: 26.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="77">
Pass O vs OSU
</td> <td style="border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; background: rgb(217, 217, 217) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 47pt; height: 26.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="78"> Rush O vs OSU
</td> <td style="border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; background: rgb(217, 217, 217) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 44pt; height: 26.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="73"> Avg Pass O
</td> <td style="border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; background: rgb(217, 217, 217) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 46.75pt; height: 26.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="78"> Avg Rush O
</td> <td style="border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; background: rgb(217, 217, 217) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 1in; height: 26.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="120"> % gain/(loss) Pass v OSU
</td> <td style="border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; background: rgb(217, 217, 217) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 1in; height: 26.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="120"> % gain/(loss) Rush v OSU
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 87pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="145"> Texas A&M</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
218
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 47pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 184
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 44pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="73"> 110.67
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46.75pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 251.6
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> 96.98
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> (26.87)
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 87pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="145"> Missouri</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
390
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 47pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 64
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 44pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="73"> 358.3
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46.75pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 155.78
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> 8.85
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> (58.92)
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 87pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="145"> Baylor</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
162
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 47pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 42
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 44pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="73"> 196.1
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46.75pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 183.33
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> (17.39)
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> (77.09)
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 87pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="145"> Texas</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
391
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 47pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 113
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 44pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="73"> 302.1
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46.75pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 171.89
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> 29.43
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> (34.26)
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 87pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="145"> Iowa State</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="77">
240
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 47pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 122
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 44pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="73"> 219.8
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 46.75pt; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="78"> 132.33
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> 9.19
</td> <td style="border-top: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); border-left: medium none rgb(212, 208, 200); padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1in; height: 12.75pt; background-color: transparent;" valign="bottom" width="120"> (7.81)
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> As you can see, with the exception of Baylor, teams are passing notably higher than their average against OSU. Based on their low number of sacks, it seems that OSU is not getting a lot of pressure from their pass rush. They appear to be very good against the run, holding teams to significantly less than their average rushing production, though this may be in part due to the effectiveness of the pass against them. . They have a number of linebackers and defensive backs with tackles for loss. Mostly, I think they are doing a good job of sniffing out the run and making sure tackles. OSU had 7 TFL against Texas, but they were not big losses (only 13 yds), and the Texas rushing game was not totally shut down (3.5 yd/carry) despite not being a running team. Overall, this plays out well for Tech in that the strength of our offense is playing into the weakness of their defense. To me, this defense seems built around defending the run. What will be interesting to see is how they choose to defend the Tech passing game. Will they bring in extra DBs to cover our receivers, or will they rely on their linebackers for coverage? I don't know how their personnel will match up to our receivers, but I tend to believe that the best way to stop Tech is to mix in as much man coverage as possible. We have seen Harrell pick apart the zone all year long, so I expect OSU to go with more of a nickel defense. This may allow Tech to sneak in a few running plays, but relying too heavily on the run plays into OSU's strength on defense.Conclusions:
If Tech can get a one or two stops early, I expect that OSU will be playing from behind because they have not shown the ability to slow down the passing game. That will put Tech in pretty good shape. If Tech doesn't stop the run, this thing could turn into a race to the finish in which the last team with the ball wins.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Headlinin': Hokies find new muse in a familiar place
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
• We should have ditched the QB years ago. Virginia Tech's atrocious offense has been badly in need of some kind of identity all season, and never more so than Thursday, with starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor on the sideline and the battered ghost of Sean Glennon limping his way through a familiar round of "Don't screw this up." The Hokies solved their problems in part with a little innovation -- All-Everything cornerback Macho Harris rotating in at receiver, massive quarterback-turned-tight-end Greg Boone throwing his weight around all over the field, most notably in Wildcat-esque looks from the shotgun -- but mainly by unleashing impressive redshirt freshman Darren Evans for a school-record 253 yards on the ground, most of them of the punishing, shoulder-first sort, the kind that turn Craig James into even more of a giggling idiot in ESPN's booth than usual. Add Evans' 20 receiving yards, and he personally gained more against the Terps than the entire Tech offense in any of its previous four ACC games. So much for a November miracle: with Evans' coming-out party and liberation from any hope of dependence on the passing game, the Hokies are the favorite to take the Coastal again by old-fashioned brawn.
• Rumor Alert: Tennessee. A very reliable source close to the Tennessee program told a Knoxville television station that potential hire Lane Kiffin was spotted playing golf with a UT booster Wednesday. So that means ... Kiffin is a candidate. Wait, we already knew that. But perhaps he was a candidate before the axe fell on Phil Fulmer Monday.
Expect more Kiffin sightings soon in Seattle, Clemson and Syracuse, and Will Muschamp sightings to follow closely once Texas' season is done. There's going to be a lot of winter golf reported over the next month.
Quickly ... The knee Charlie Weis injured during the Michigan game has been causing him more pain and might require surgery, if he can find the time as recruiting season hits the stretch. . . . Breaking down Tommy Tuberville's $6 million buyout, which Auburn trustees will certainly be doing Saturday from their position on the Tiger sideline. . . . Florida State has suspended three players for Saturday's game against Clemson, including receiver Bert Reed, who was suspended two weeks ago against Virginia Tech. . . . UCLA has suspended three players for its game with Oregon State, and might face Sean Canfield at quarterback instead of usual OSU starter Lyle Moevao. . . . Tailback Bobby Wallace and quarterback Tommy Beecher, who started South Carolina's opener against NC State, will go out with the seniors at the Gamecocks' Senior Day, even though they each have a year of eligibility left. . . . Bowling over the little kid in the stands last week was the best thing Marshawn Gilyard ever did, PR-wise. . . . Joe McKnight made it through a week of practice with no problems and should play Saturday against Cal. . . . Michigan quarterback Steven Threet is "very, very questionable" to play against Minnesota. . . . Northwestern's Omar Conteh won't play against Ohio State. . . . And Jim Tressel is here to talk about Northwestern, guys, not the Ray Small Affair. So y'all can have a good day.
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
• Rumor Alert: Tennessee. A very reliable source close to the Tennessee program told a Knoxville television station that potential hire Lane Kiffin was spotted playing golf with a UT booster Wednesday. So that means ... Kiffin is a candidate. Wait, we already knew that. But perhaps he was a candidate before the axe fell on Phil Fulmer Monday.
Expect more Kiffin sightings soon in Seattle, Clemson and Syracuse, and Will Muschamp sightings to follow closely once Texas' season is done. There's going to be a lot of winter golf reported over the next month.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Manufactured hate is exactly what will make Alabama-LSU great
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
There are serious perks to coaching at LSU. It's always good to be king in a state whose insitutions of higher learning are governed by a process committed to perpetuating that unrivaled status, at the expense of all other local challengers if necessary. But reigning uncontested in Louisiana has one unique drawback, namely leaving LSU to forge on without a natural rival. In the SEC, especially, this is quite un-natural. So: Did Les Miles refer to Nick Saban as "Nick Satan" when a recruit defected from Miles' Tigers to Saban's Tide last year? Does it matter? Not really, if you take a long view. The same incident inspired Miles' to publicly declare Alabama a "big time rival" in front of boosters that February, in much more R-rated terms than you'll find in any newspaper (or from the podium of any other booster meeting, I expect). Clearly, Miles recognizes the value of a rival who's supposed to have committed some heinous act that disregards or devalues everything for which his program claims to stand and hold sacrosanct, of a perpetrator of some misdeed so foul it inspires genuine hatred bordering on -- and occasionally surpassing the bounds of -- insanity, and who serves as the source of a pathological drive to inflict the most extreme retribution allowed by local statutes. Or via billboard, as the case may be.
The point is, if there's one unifying thread in LSU football as its defense stumbles through its worst identity crisis in a decade, it's hating its old coach with unhealthy prejudice. Saban can appear gracious, praise Miles and downplay the "rivalry" created by his exit from Baton Rouge, but he still has Auburn down the road. This year, he has championships in his sights. LSU has neither at the moment, and on some level needs its coach to equate Saban with the devil, in the way that we all need enemies. In the right outlet -- a billboard, a message board, a booster meeting -- hate is healthy. It's certainly fun. So if Les Miles didn't call Nick Saban "Satan," he might as well have, for legend's sake. This is how we make progress, people.
Speaking of which -- Alabama's record in its last eleven games against conference rivals nicknamed "Tigers": 0-11. Since thrashing LSU in Baton Rouge in 2002, 'Bama has lost five straight to LSU, six straight (as if it needed to be reminded) to Auburn and 15 of 20 overall in the month of November, including last year's ignominious four-game collapse. When the Tide started 9-0 under Mike Shula in 2005, it was LSU and Auburn that derailed the train. If the Tide has really progressed from that point as much as it appears in Saban's second season, Tiger Stadium is a crucial venue to drive the point home.
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
The point is, if there's one unifying thread in LSU football as its defense stumbles through its worst identity crisis in a decade, it's hating its old coach with unhealthy prejudice. Saban can appear gracious, praise Miles and downplay the "rivalry" created by his exit from Baton Rouge, but he still has Auburn down the road. This year, he has championships in his sights. LSU has neither at the moment, and on some level needs its coach to equate Saban with the devil, in the way that we all need enemies. In the right outlet -- a billboard, a message board, a booster meeting -- hate is healthy. It's certainly fun. So if Les Miles didn't call Nick Saban "Satan," he might as well have, for legend's sake. This is how we make progress, people.
Speaking of which -- Alabama's record in its last eleven games against conference rivals nicknamed "Tigers": 0-11. Since thrashing LSU in Baton Rouge in 2002, 'Bama has lost five straight to LSU, six straight (as if it needed to be reminded) to Auburn and 15 of 20 overall in the month of November, including last year's ignominious four-game collapse. When the Tide started 9-0 under Mike Shula in 2005, it was LSU and Auburn that derailed the train. If the Tide has really progressed from that point as much as it appears in Saban's second season, Tiger Stadium is a crucial venue to drive the point home.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Over the middle, under the gun: Deconstructing Cal's play-action passing game vs. USC's zone defense
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
USC's defense seems more or less impenetrable at the moment. Since losing at Oregon State, the Trojans have allowed a grand total of 20 points in five games, pitched three shutouts and currently stand at No. 1 nationally in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense; they're also in the top 10 against the run and in tackles for loss. Athletically and statistically, this is the toughest D lining up anywhere right now.
If there's an offensive mind on the schedule that can put together a comprehensive plan of attack, it's Jeff Tedford, whose Bears come into the Coliseum Saturday with the same high Pac-10 title hopes as USC, and a chance to move into the role of conference frontrunner with an upset and a trip to Corvallis looming next week. Like the Beavers, though, Cal will have to have to have the right plan to establish the run first and execute it flawlessly to keep the Trojans on their heels enough to have a chance.
Let's Talk Game Plan
Defensive coordinators often try to game plan their defenses around taking an offense's strength away from them and force them, in coaching parlance, to "dribble with their left hand." So far, USC has failed at this only once, in the famed upset to Oregon State and diminutive jitter bug Jacquizz Rodgers. Cal's Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen are similar back to Quizz, small and quick in tight spaces, though the Bears' running game is based more from straight ahead, two-back sets than the Beavers' probing zone attack:
ass balance, especially on first down. The idea is to run just often enough, well enough to keep the defense guessing, and one of the things the Bears have specialized in under Tedford is the ability to freeze the defense with the threat of running and throw over the top of the linebackers. When the Bears run successfully -- and they usually do -- play-action passing on first down and other running downs is a staple of Tedford's philosophy.
Let's Go to the Tape
Early in last year's game in Berkeley, USC met Cal's three-receiver set early in the first quarter with eight men around the line of scrimmage, including an outside linebacker walked up more like a defensive end, leaving no one over the slot receiver and a safety (not shown) playing center field:
Even on second and nine, this is a run-focused defense that can only hope to get quick pressure in a passing situation, and the result was an easy curl between the linebackers (Rey Maualuga can't make up the ground in the hook-to-curl zone) and in front of the free safety for a first down:
These types of underneath routes tend to stretch the linebackers horizontally, and in zone coverage, there really is no physical way to cover all four receivers if they're spaced across the field. The match-up favors the offense's skill players in space against the bigger backers.
Getting the linebackers to move horizontally rather than vertically is important to opening up the downfield passing game, and these routes also prevent the linebackers from dropping vertically into deeper zones. For example: by the second quarter, though Cal is still in a run set here with a fullback and tight end on first down, USC has dropped both safeties in a cover two; again, the outside linebacker showing much greater interest in the line of scrimmage than the uncovered slot receiver immediately tips zone coverage:
And the initial run action catches the linebackers looking into the backfield ...
... opening up a nice lane to drop a post to the slot receiver between the distracted backers and the deep safeties, who are more concerned with deep routes by the outside receivers.
The Bears attacked the middle of the field in a similar way in the second half, bunching receivers in a four-wide set against another apparent Cover 2, and getting the mismatch it wanted in now-departed slot man LaVelle Hawkins on Rey Maualuga:
... with predictable results:
Everything starts, though, with the threat of the Cal running game being worth the linebackers' attention in the first place, and with the Bears' defense keeping the USC offense in check long enough to keep Tedford's entire playbook open. If the Best and Vereen are off the table, either by virtue of the score or of USC's front seven dominating the line of scrimmage, those receivers won't find much room between the linebackers, and the quarterback -- be it Kevin Riley or Nate Longshore -- won't have much time to think about it.
from Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo! Sports by Matt Hinton
If there's an offensive mind on the schedule that can put together a comprehensive plan of attack, it's Jeff Tedford, whose Bears come into the Coliseum Saturday with the same high Pac-10 title hopes as USC, and a chance to move into the role of conference frontrunner with an upset and a trip to Corvallis looming next week. Like the Beavers, though, Cal will have to have to have the right plan to establish the run first and execute it flawlessly to keep the Trojans on their heels enough to have a chance.
Let's Talk Game Plan
Defensive coordinators often try to game plan their defenses around taking an offense's strength away from them and force them, in coaching parlance, to "dribble with their left hand." So far, USC has failed at this only once, in the famed upset to Oregon State and diminutive jitter bug Jacquizz Rodgers. Cal's Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen are similar back to Quizz, small and quick in tight spaces, though the Bears' running game is based more from straight ahead, two-back sets than the Beavers' probing zone attack:
<embed class="content-block-fix" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/isHqpxD8cFE&hl=en&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="275" height="233">Popout <embed class="content-block-fix" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uGcOzdk5GgY&hl=en&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="275" height="233">Popout
But Cal has never been a one-dimensional team, and even if USC isn't going to catch Best in the open field, either, the Bears aren't likely to beat the Trojans with an overdose of Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen. Coach Jeff Tedford is a firm believer in 50:50 runass balance, especially on first down. The idea is to run just often enough, well enough to keep the defense guessing, and one of the things the Bears have specialized in under Tedford is the ability to freeze the defense with the threat of running and throw over the top of the linebackers. When the Bears run successfully -- and they usually do -- play-action passing on first down and other running downs is a staple of Tedford's philosophy.Let's Go to the Tape
Early in last year's game in Berkeley, USC met Cal's three-receiver set early in the first quarter with eight men around the line of scrimmage, including an outside linebacker walked up more like a defensive end, leaving no one over the slot receiver and a safety (not shown) playing center field:
Getting the linebackers to move horizontally rather than vertically is important to opening up the downfield passing game, and these routes also prevent the linebackers from dropping vertically into deeper zones. For example: by the second quarter, though Cal is still in a run set here with a fullback and tight end on first down, USC has dropped both safeties in a cover two; again, the outside linebacker showing much greater interest in the line of scrimmage than the uncovered slot receiver immediately tips zone coverage:
GL RJ..... minny looks solid, just wondering any particular reason for the 2 unit play here? or is it solely banking on sheridan playing?
not questioning, looking at that game myself as i can get -7 @ -120 now..not sure why the line is going back down now though.
hopefully the mishitginian's
on here can give us a updated status on threet later tonight. hunt made it sound like he was out, and both rotoworld and"the wolverine", both make it look as hes very doubtful
also, was surprised not to see you on TCU or nevada but i guess you picked a good game to stay away from last night... that game was decided by a higher power or something above all of us.... just insane.
may join you on arky. the cocks anemic offense does not deserve to be laying DD to any SEC team. GL this weekend:cheers:
not questioning, looking at that game myself as i can get -7 @ -120 now..not sure why the line is going back down now though.
hopefully the mishitginian's
also, was surprised not to see you on TCU or nevada but i guess you picked a good game to stay away from last night... that game was decided by a higher power or something above all of us.... just insane.
may join you on arky. the cocks anemic offense does not deserve to be laying DD to any SEC team. GL this weekend:cheers:
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Hey, Cap. Decided today to go 1 more unit on Minny after mulling it over a bit and talking to the Big Ten guys on the board here. No real reason. To the experts, Michigan is lost and is now concentrating on changing schemes to Rich Rod's schemes rather than relying on the old playbook and schemes that they did earlier in the season. Now that they are playing solely for next year, that's all they've got. Also Threet will be out tomorrow and his backup is supposedly awful.
Didn't like putting that much on Minny after last week but I think it's solid.
I'll be kicking myself (and beating up on Jump) if Ohio St covers tomorrow.
Going to know by noon whether it will be a good day or an awful day.
Didn't like putting that much on Minny after last week but I think it's solid.
I'll be kicking myself (and beating up on Jump) if Ohio St covers tomorrow.
Going to know by noon whether it will be a good day or an awful day.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Cal's Nate Longshore to start against USC
from L.A. Times - USC Trojans
The senior quarterback from Canyon Country is Cal's choice to start rather than sophomore Kevin Riley.
California quarterback Nate Longshore will get a final shot at USC.
from L.A. Times - USC Trojans
The senior quarterback from Canyon Country is Cal's choice to start rather than sophomore Kevin Riley.
California quarterback Nate Longshore will get a final shot at USC.
