Week 4 (9/20-22) CFB Picks and News
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RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Longhorn injury report for Rice
By Suzanne Halliburton | Thursday, September 20, 2007, 03:49 PM
Redshirt freshman quarterback Sherrod Harris could receive his first playing time of the season Saturday night.
He’s listed as probable, after missing nearly a month of practice with a sprained knee. Freshman John Chiles still is listed as the team’s second-team quarterback, although he has not played either.
Meanwhile, defensive end Brian Orakpo will miss his third straight game with a knee sprain. Offensive tackle Adam Ulatoski also has been ruled out with an elbow injury and will miss his second straight game.
By Suzanne Halliburton | Thursday, September 20, 2007, 03:49 PM
Redshirt freshman quarterback Sherrod Harris could receive his first playing time of the season Saturday night.
He’s listed as probable, after missing nearly a month of practice with a sprained knee. Freshman John Chiles still is listed as the team’s second-team quarterback, although he has not played either.
Meanwhile, defensive end Brian Orakpo will miss his third straight game with a knee sprain. Offensive tackle Adam Ulatoski also has been ruled out with an elbow injury and will miss his second straight game.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Mississippi QB ready to face Florida
Posted: Thursday September 20, 2007 4:52PM; Updated: Thursday September 20, 2007 4:52PM
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Both Mississippi quarterback Seth Adams and coach Ed Orgeron believe the senior will be in the starting lineup Saturday when the Rebels host No. 3 Florida in Oxford.
Adams was knocked out of last weekend's loss at Vanderbilt with a sprained right shoulder, but returned to practice Wednesday. The truth is almost nothing could keep him out of the game.
"It's a once in a lifetime chance," Adams said.
The decision is still up to the coaches and the medical staff, but Orgeron agreed that Adams likely would be ready.
"Barring any unforeseen injury I expect him to play," Orgeron said. "If he's ready he's going to start."
If Adams can't play, Orgeron said earlier this week that he expects former starter Brent Schaeffer to step in. Schaeffer threw a 54-yard touchdown on his first pass against Vanderbilt, but finished 1 of 5.
Adams has been a positive addition to the Ole Miss offense so far. He has completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 660 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
The senior, a dropback passer, won the job away from the more athletic Schaeffer in an open competition held during spring and summer practices. Orgeron has praised the former walk-on's consistency and leadership.
"He's a very tough, dedicated young man," Orgeron said. "I think he's going to be OK."
Adams will face his toughest challenge if he plays. While Florida lost nine starters from its national championship squad, the Gators are 19th in the nation in total defense (279 yards) and 25th in scoring defense (18 points).
Florida holds opponents to 46 rushing yards a game, making Adams' performance should he start even more important.
"They've got a lot of speed and they run well to the football," Adams said. "I think we're just going to have to execute on offense and not stop ourselves."
Posted: Thursday September 20, 2007 4:52PM; Updated: Thursday September 20, 2007 4:52PM
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Both Mississippi quarterback Seth Adams and coach Ed Orgeron believe the senior will be in the starting lineup Saturday when the Rebels host No. 3 Florida in Oxford.
Adams was knocked out of last weekend's loss at Vanderbilt with a sprained right shoulder, but returned to practice Wednesday. The truth is almost nothing could keep him out of the game.
"It's a once in a lifetime chance," Adams said.
The decision is still up to the coaches and the medical staff, but Orgeron agreed that Adams likely would be ready.
"Barring any unforeseen injury I expect him to play," Orgeron said. "If he's ready he's going to start."
If Adams can't play, Orgeron said earlier this week that he expects former starter Brent Schaeffer to step in. Schaeffer threw a 54-yard touchdown on his first pass against Vanderbilt, but finished 1 of 5.
Adams has been a positive addition to the Ole Miss offense so far. He has completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 660 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
The senior, a dropback passer, won the job away from the more athletic Schaeffer in an open competition held during spring and summer practices. Orgeron has praised the former walk-on's consistency and leadership.
"He's a very tough, dedicated young man," Orgeron said. "I think he's going to be OK."
Adams will face his toughest challenge if he plays. While Florida lost nine starters from its national championship squad, the Gators are 19th in the nation in total defense (279 yards) and 25th in scoring defense (18 points).
Florida holds opponents to 46 rushing yards a game, making Adams' performance should he start even more important.
"They've got a lot of speed and they run well to the football," Adams said. "I think we're just going to have to execute on offense and not stop ourselves."
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
History Says Arkansas Loses to Kentucky
Posted Sep 21st 2007 9:39AM by Pete Holiday
Filed under: SEC, Arkansas Football, NCAA FB Coaching, Kentucky Football
Houston Nutt took over head coaching responsibilities in Fayetteville from Danny Ford after the close of the 1997 season. Since 1998, Arkansas has never gone undefeated in SEC play. That alone is not particularly shocking. Even the fact that they've had at least two SEC losses every season is not particularly strange. But, under Houston Nutt, the Hogs have an unenviable statistic: the first SEC loss of every season is followed by a loss in their very next SEC contest.
Take a moment to let that percolate.
Teams like Arkansas come into the season full of hope. "This will be the year!" They're hoping to make a run for the National Championship or, at the very least, an SEC Championship. Losing two games in your conference slate makes that somewhat challenging. Promptly following up your first conference loss with a second is... well... The Hog Blogger calls it bad coaching.
Since his arrival in 1998, Houston Nutt's teams at Arkansas have followed up their first conference loss with a second loss in their next conference game EVERY SINGLE SEASON.
That's no typo. That's no accident. That, friends, is poor, poor coaching. EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. It doesn't matter when that loss comes, or where it comes. Every year, the first conference loss is followed by a second, even if there is a meaningless non-conference game between the two. It doesn't matter how good the team was that season, the result has still been the same.
Usually when you see streaks like these, they're either short, or don't have many data points. This one, though, is deadly consistent. Nine consecutive years. A loss Saturday against a rallying Kentucky team would make it a full decade.
Consider that. If Coach Brooks can get his 'Cats past the big-win-hangover, he can count on Coach Nutt to give him a hand. Add to that the fact that the strength of Kentucky's team this year (passing) plays well against Arkansas's big weakness (bad defensive backs) and you have all of the makings of a huge Kentucky upset.
Filed under: SEC, Arkansas Football, NCAA FB Coaching, Kentucky Football
Houston Nutt took over head coaching responsibilities in Fayetteville from Danny Ford after the close of the 1997 season. Since 1998, Arkansas has never gone undefeated in SEC play. That alone is not particularly shocking. Even the fact that they've had at least two SEC losses every season is not particularly strange. But, under Houston Nutt, the Hogs have an unenviable statistic: the first SEC loss of every season is followed by a loss in their very next SEC contest.
Take a moment to let that percolate.
Teams like Arkansas come into the season full of hope. "This will be the year!" They're hoping to make a run for the National Championship or, at the very least, an SEC Championship. Losing two games in your conference slate makes that somewhat challenging. Promptly following up your first conference loss with a second is... well... The Hog Blogger calls it bad coaching.
Since his arrival in 1998, Houston Nutt's teams at Arkansas have followed up their first conference loss with a second loss in their next conference game EVERY SINGLE SEASON.
That's no typo. That's no accident. That, friends, is poor, poor coaching. EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. It doesn't matter when that loss comes, or where it comes. Every year, the first conference loss is followed by a second, even if there is a meaningless non-conference game between the two. It doesn't matter how good the team was that season, the result has still been the same.
Usually when you see streaks like these, they're either short, or don't have many data points. This one, though, is deadly consistent. Nine consecutive years. A loss Saturday against a rallying Kentucky team would make it a full decade.
Consider that. If Coach Brooks can get his 'Cats past the big-win-hangover, he can count on Coach Nutt to give him a hand. Add to that the fact that the strength of Kentucky's team this year (passing) plays well against Arkansas's big weakness (bad defensive backs) and you have all of the makings of a huge Kentucky upset.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
UT's Orakpo, Ulatoski out for Rice
[SIZE=-1]11:13 PM CDT on Thursday, September 20, 2007
[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
chipbrown@dallasnews.com[/SIZE]
AUSTIN – Texas starting sophomore right tackle Adam Ulatoski and junior starting defensive end Brian Orakpo are out for Saturday's game against Rice, according to UT's weekly injury report released by Longhorn football athletic trainer Kenny Boyd.
Ulatoski has a right elbow injury, and Orakpo has a right knee injury.
Backup quarterback Sherrod Harris (left knee), a redshirt freshman from Arlington Bowie, is probable. But freshman John Chiles of Mansfield Summit will remain the team's No. 2 quarterback, according to a statement released by Texas.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
:36_11_6:
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Week 4 Trevonics: MAKE PLAYS
By Trev Alberts
formerly of ESPN.com
Ah, what a scrumtrillescent course of meaty match ups for this week. Fare thee well, Central Michigan. Later, Buffalo Buffalo. It's conference play, and now the mid-major ne'er do wells take a sidestep to the majorly mediocre. Gone are the scapegoats of early season cupcakery, and entering are the Sly Weeks, the Northwesterns, Dukes, Stanfords, and Baylors et al. This is just the week to convince me that I know what I'm talking about even more than I already do! I predict total domination, just the week I need to claw back to the top of both the prognosticating world and the FireMarkMay Pick Them. Bring in that scoreboard while I shamelessly plug.
2007 Season-to-date:
Against the Spread: 25-29-1
Straight Up: 42-13
Just look at that straight up! Whoo!
(Please phony gamble responsibly. Trev's picks do not necessarily reflect his pick'em selections, but then again, he is a lazy bastard.-IO)
Oklahoma (-23) over Tulsa (9/21 800et ESPN2)
I can't freakign wait to watch this game! A respectable punching bag for the Sooners, and Gus Malzahn's crazy offense! For those who don't know, the Golden Hurricane (do they still call it that?) offense is comprised primarily of the world's fastest no-huddle. It's Purdue's "basketball on grass" on speed. The goal is to snap the ball within 5 seconds of the ball being placed, and Gus sends in his plays using a set of flash cards like Ben Howland at UCLA basketball....but like 3 feet tall. You have to see it to believe it. The wristband numbers are almost as tall as the backup QB sending them in. Back to the game, this means that Tulsa will probably set a land speed record for three and outs. The time of possession is going to be ridiculous. Hey, Oklahoma? Did you just score? Let's just give you the ball right back. Immediately.
Trev's pick: Oklahoma
West Virginia (-24.5) over East Carolina (1200et ESPN2)
Yarr! Pirates won't be scorin' as many points as the F'n VU!
Trev's pick: West Virginia
Syracuse (+36.5) over Louisville (1200et)
Syracuse, as bad as they are, and they are, actually has some kind of an offense, unlike some teams our editor follows. Louisville's defense is basically an oxymoron at this point, and while it's not a situation where we start calling this silliness an upset special, but I don't think Syracuse has lost by 37 all year.
Trev's pick: Louisville to win, Syracuse to cover
Clemson (-7) over NC State (1200et)
Time to figure out what kind of team Clemson is. They can't play down to the Wolfpack, and need to just keep doing what they do best, run so fast that time itself reverses.
Trev's pick: Clemson
South Florida (-13.5) over North Carolina (1200et ESPN)
South Florida has beaten Auburn and the always dreaded Bye, while North Carolina...yeah, not so much. The Trev is totally pulling for the remarkably shiny green Bulls to roll up as many teams in a dominating fashion. I expect nothing less from a quarterback with a visor.
Trev's pick: South Florida
Nebraska (-22.5) over Ball St. (1230et)
Last week is behind us. Kick the crap out of the Cardinals, Callahan, I think the interns would like me to put my pants back on. That is all.
Trev's pick: Nebraska
Florida (-23) over Ole Miss (1230et)
YOYOYOYO YOOOOO YO YOOOOO YOOOO BLOWOUT! I don't care what anyone says, that meme is never getting old. Long live The Orgeron! May his reign last 1,000 years! Brett Schayfa and his Wide (?) Boys are no match for the alligator with an undetermined power tool for a member that is Florida. At least DaCoachO can recruit. Keep this situation close in mind, kid. (We're already designing "Orgeron for Irish D-line" propaganda-IO) No chance for a split pick, even in the grove.
Trev's pick: Florida
Boston College (-27.5) over Army (100et ESPN Classic)
Normally, I would chalk this up for a trap line, but I guess I need to be burned at least once by Boston College, and I'd rather get that out of my system now, against Army. I'll buy into this Matt Ryan 4 Heismanz hype, sit back, and see if they can run it up on the Black Knights. Boston College hates America.
Trev's pick: Boston College
Louisiana State (-16.5) over South Carolina (330et CBS)
This is a a noodle-scratcher. Let me scratch that itch with a gorilla chainsaw. LSU gets the benefit of the doubt to chainsaw anyone, anytime, anywhere, until proven otherwise. The 'Cock D is alright with the visor, but they were never Virginia Tech good. Tough game for the Old Ball Coach, but the Tigers are about to click clack all over his face. I still reserve the right to look like a genius in the blogpoll should he pull this one out. Double Standard!
Trev's pick: Louisiana State
Penn State (-3) over Michigan (330et ABC)
Now that Michigan has taken they're sucking aggression out on the inept Irish, they attempt to continue to right the ship, and infect more with the transitive herpes. This is probably the most likely game to end in a push, as there's a solid chance it's a classic 16-13 Big Ten snoozefest....with 750 yards of total offense from airing it out? I don't know, I'm so confused, but I'm pretty sure zombies can't contract the herpes, so they've got that going for them. Can I just root for a meteor to turn the Big House into a crater? It's already a hole.
Trev's pick: Penn State
Ohio State (-22.5) over Northwestern (330et ESPN)
Oh, you poor poor Wildcats. Getting beat on the wrong end of the Duke ugly stick and having to recover by heading into the Horseshoe of the Beast. They're like Washington with out all that talent baggage. Lucky for them, NU fans won't be harassed, safely staying in Evanston for some random women's soccer match.
Trev's pick: Ohio State
Arkansas (-6.5) over Kentucky (600et ESPN2)
I'm very torn on this one. I want to pile on to this Wildcat bandwagon because who doesn't like rooting for their brand of SEC upset? Meanwhile, I have this gut feeling that Darren McFadden is going to blow shit up. You know what I'm talking 'bout lawyas. I mean just let freaking loose all of his Alabama aggression on the poor, porous Wildcat D. Houston Nutt gets an extra dose of crazy pills if the Hogs lose this one.
Trev's pick: Arkansas
Arizona (+16) over California (600et)
Cal, I'm just not feeling it. Somehow, someway, I just freaking know you're going to get out of this one by the skin of your teeth. It feels like a PAC-10 track meet, and I haven't watched one second of these Wildcats. Damn, there's a lot of Wildcats, I can't keep track of them all. Prove me wrong, Bears. Prove me wrong.
Trev's pick: California to win, Arizona to cover
Rice (+38.5) over Texas (700et)
It's finally come to this. I'm taking the points against Texas, and they should be ashamed of themselves. They've played Arkansas State and UCF, and beat them by a combined 2 scores. Time for toughlove, Longhorns. Every time you don't cover, I'm moving you down in the Trev poll. It hurts you more than it hurts me, I'm not the one throwing these games. I think Neon Bordeaux is their starting defensive tackle. Rice is somewhere between Arkansas State and UCF, and it's technically an in-state rivalry, so they've got that going for them.
Trev's pick: Texas to win, Rice to cover
Alabama (-3.5) over Georgia (745et ESPN)
The Imperial March continues and Lord Saban prepares to mindchoke the Dawgs. We'll be watching this one on the road from the legal department's tailgating charter bus, full of mirth, booze, and hopefully for the kid, Irish victory. A wonderful appertif to the day, two crazed SEC teams beating the everliving snot out of each other.
Trev's pick: Alabama
Wisconsin (-7.5) over Iowa (800et ABC)
Wisconsin faces their first real challenge of the year, and I say that with all due respect to The Citadel. Whither Iowa? There was once a time where they weren't two scores worse than the Badgers.
Trev's pick: Wisconsin
Southern Cal (-24.5) over Washington State (800et ABC)
Just to spite me, the Trojans are going to go back to playing Uncle Milty until a real challenger steps up to the plate. I'm still betting hard on them trying to strike fear into the hearts of all PAC-10 opponents with a complete shellacking of the Cougars.
Trev's pick: Southern Cal
Oregon (-16.5) over Stanford (1000et)
Jim Harbaugh bows down to no man! And that's a good thing, because he's going to get bent over on this one. That line is much too low for what looks to be nothing short of a blowout on paper.
Trev's pick: Oregon
Notre Dame (+12) over Michigan State (330et NBC)
I'm starting to get really worried about the kid here. He's malaise-ed, he's morose, and he's downright melancholy. If he drinks himself into a coma, how can I make fun of him? Well, the first few weeks would be great, posing for stupid pictures and whatnot, then I'd use him to create living dioramas of historic events, but then what? Besides, who else is going to run all my internet tubes and contain all the small fires I seem to start? There is no reason, not one single reason to be picking Notre Dame in this game. They are by far the worst assembled football team in the modern era. At least Duke can block, at least Baylor can score an offensive touchdown, and at least Buffalo, effing Buffalo, the Buffalo Buffalo, can score 24 at Penn State. Unreal. We're setting the Valenti meter to a nice Orange-Red, I believe it's Tangelo, and shouting a big MAKE PLAYS to the Fighting Irish.
Trev's pick: Notre Dame
By Trev Alberts
formerly of ESPN.com
Ah, what a scrumtrillescent course of meaty match ups for this week. Fare thee well, Central Michigan. Later, Buffalo Buffalo. It's conference play, and now the mid-major ne'er do wells take a sidestep to the majorly mediocre. Gone are the scapegoats of early season cupcakery, and entering are the Sly Weeks, the Northwesterns, Dukes, Stanfords, and Baylors et al. This is just the week to convince me that I know what I'm talking about even more than I already do! I predict total domination, just the week I need to claw back to the top of both the prognosticating world and the FireMarkMay Pick Them. Bring in that scoreboard while I shamelessly plug.
2007 Season-to-date:
Against the Spread: 25-29-1
Straight Up: 42-13
Just look at that straight up! Whoo!
(Please phony gamble responsibly. Trev's picks do not necessarily reflect his pick'em selections, but then again, he is a lazy bastard.-IO)
Oklahoma (-23) over Tulsa (9/21 800et ESPN2)
I can't freakign wait to watch this game! A respectable punching bag for the Sooners, and Gus Malzahn's crazy offense! For those who don't know, the Golden Hurricane (do they still call it that?) offense is comprised primarily of the world's fastest no-huddle. It's Purdue's "basketball on grass" on speed. The goal is to snap the ball within 5 seconds of the ball being placed, and Gus sends in his plays using a set of flash cards like Ben Howland at UCLA basketball....but like 3 feet tall. You have to see it to believe it. The wristband numbers are almost as tall as the backup QB sending them in. Back to the game, this means that Tulsa will probably set a land speed record for three and outs. The time of possession is going to be ridiculous. Hey, Oklahoma? Did you just score? Let's just give you the ball right back. Immediately.
Trev's pick: Oklahoma
West Virginia (-24.5) over East Carolina (1200et ESPN2)
Yarr! Pirates won't be scorin' as many points as the F'n VU!
Trev's pick: West Virginia
Syracuse (+36.5) over Louisville (1200et)
Syracuse, as bad as they are, and they are, actually has some kind of an offense, unlike some teams our editor follows. Louisville's defense is basically an oxymoron at this point, and while it's not a situation where we start calling this silliness an upset special, but I don't think Syracuse has lost by 37 all year.
Trev's pick: Louisville to win, Syracuse to cover
Clemson (-7) over NC State (1200et)
Time to figure out what kind of team Clemson is. They can't play down to the Wolfpack, and need to just keep doing what they do best, run so fast that time itself reverses.
Trev's pick: Clemson
South Florida (-13.5) over North Carolina (1200et ESPN)
South Florida has beaten Auburn and the always dreaded Bye, while North Carolina...yeah, not so much. The Trev is totally pulling for the remarkably shiny green Bulls to roll up as many teams in a dominating fashion. I expect nothing less from a quarterback with a visor.
Trev's pick: South Florida
Nebraska (-22.5) over Ball St. (1230et)
Last week is behind us. Kick the crap out of the Cardinals, Callahan, I think the interns would like me to put my pants back on. That is all.
Trev's pick: Nebraska
Florida (-23) over Ole Miss (1230et)
YOYOYOYO YOOOOO YO YOOOOO YOOOO BLOWOUT! I don't care what anyone says, that meme is never getting old. Long live The Orgeron! May his reign last 1,000 years! Brett Schayfa and his Wide (?) Boys are no match for the alligator with an undetermined power tool for a member that is Florida. At least DaCoachO can recruit. Keep this situation close in mind, kid. (We're already designing "Orgeron for Irish D-line" propaganda-IO) No chance for a split pick, even in the grove.
Trev's pick: Florida
Boston College (-27.5) over Army (100et ESPN Classic)
Normally, I would chalk this up for a trap line, but I guess I need to be burned at least once by Boston College, and I'd rather get that out of my system now, against Army. I'll buy into this Matt Ryan 4 Heismanz hype, sit back, and see if they can run it up on the Black Knights. Boston College hates America.
Trev's pick: Boston College
Louisiana State (-16.5) over South Carolina (330et CBS)
This is a a noodle-scratcher. Let me scratch that itch with a gorilla chainsaw. LSU gets the benefit of the doubt to chainsaw anyone, anytime, anywhere, until proven otherwise. The 'Cock D is alright with the visor, but they were never Virginia Tech good. Tough game for the Old Ball Coach, but the Tigers are about to click clack all over his face. I still reserve the right to look like a genius in the blogpoll should he pull this one out. Double Standard!
Trev's pick: Louisiana State
Penn State (-3) over Michigan (330et ABC)
Now that Michigan has taken they're sucking aggression out on the inept Irish, they attempt to continue to right the ship, and infect more with the transitive herpes. This is probably the most likely game to end in a push, as there's a solid chance it's a classic 16-13 Big Ten snoozefest....with 750 yards of total offense from airing it out? I don't know, I'm so confused, but I'm pretty sure zombies can't contract the herpes, so they've got that going for them. Can I just root for a meteor to turn the Big House into a crater? It's already a hole.
Trev's pick: Penn State
Ohio State (-22.5) over Northwestern (330et ESPN)
Oh, you poor poor Wildcats. Getting beat on the wrong end of the Duke ugly stick and having to recover by heading into the Horseshoe of the Beast. They're like Washington with out all that talent baggage. Lucky for them, NU fans won't be harassed, safely staying in Evanston for some random women's soccer match.
Trev's pick: Ohio State
Arkansas (-6.5) over Kentucky (600et ESPN2)
I'm very torn on this one. I want to pile on to this Wildcat bandwagon because who doesn't like rooting for their brand of SEC upset? Meanwhile, I have this gut feeling that Darren McFadden is going to blow shit up. You know what I'm talking 'bout lawyas. I mean just let freaking loose all of his Alabama aggression on the poor, porous Wildcat D. Houston Nutt gets an extra dose of crazy pills if the Hogs lose this one.
Trev's pick: Arkansas
Arizona (+16) over California (600et)
Cal, I'm just not feeling it. Somehow, someway, I just freaking know you're going to get out of this one by the skin of your teeth. It feels like a PAC-10 track meet, and I haven't watched one second of these Wildcats. Damn, there's a lot of Wildcats, I can't keep track of them all. Prove me wrong, Bears. Prove me wrong.
Trev's pick: California to win, Arizona to cover
Rice (+38.5) over Texas (700et)
It's finally come to this. I'm taking the points against Texas, and they should be ashamed of themselves. They've played Arkansas State and UCF, and beat them by a combined 2 scores. Time for toughlove, Longhorns. Every time you don't cover, I'm moving you down in the Trev poll. It hurts you more than it hurts me, I'm not the one throwing these games. I think Neon Bordeaux is their starting defensive tackle. Rice is somewhere between Arkansas State and UCF, and it's technically an in-state rivalry, so they've got that going for them.
Trev's pick: Texas to win, Rice to cover
Alabama (-3.5) over Georgia (745et ESPN)
The Imperial March continues and Lord Saban prepares to mindchoke the Dawgs. We'll be watching this one on the road from the legal department's tailgating charter bus, full of mirth, booze, and hopefully for the kid, Irish victory. A wonderful appertif to the day, two crazed SEC teams beating the everliving snot out of each other.
Trev's pick: Alabama
Wisconsin (-7.5) over Iowa (800et ABC)
Wisconsin faces their first real challenge of the year, and I say that with all due respect to The Citadel. Whither Iowa? There was once a time where they weren't two scores worse than the Badgers.
Trev's pick: Wisconsin
Southern Cal (-24.5) over Washington State (800et ABC)
Just to spite me, the Trojans are going to go back to playing Uncle Milty until a real challenger steps up to the plate. I'm still betting hard on them trying to strike fear into the hearts of all PAC-10 opponents with a complete shellacking of the Cougars.
Trev's pick: Southern Cal
Oregon (-16.5) over Stanford (1000et)
Jim Harbaugh bows down to no man! And that's a good thing, because he's going to get bent over on this one. That line is much too low for what looks to be nothing short of a blowout on paper.
Trev's pick: Oregon
Notre Dame (+12) over Michigan State (330et NBC)
I'm starting to get really worried about the kid here. He's malaise-ed, he's morose, and he's downright melancholy. If he drinks himself into a coma, how can I make fun of him? Well, the first few weeks would be great, posing for stupid pictures and whatnot, then I'd use him to create living dioramas of historic events, but then what? Besides, who else is going to run all my internet tubes and contain all the small fires I seem to start? There is no reason, not one single reason to be picking Notre Dame in this game. They are by far the worst assembled football team in the modern era. At least Duke can block, at least Baylor can score an offensive touchdown, and at least Buffalo, effing Buffalo, the Buffalo Buffalo, can score 24 at Penn State. Unreal. We're setting the Valenti meter to a nice Orange-Red, I believe it's Tangelo, and shouting a big MAKE PLAYS to the Fighting Irish.
Trev's pick: Notre Dame
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
STUDY: SCIENTISTS FIND EVIDENCE FOR EXISTENCE OF MINNESOTA SECONDARY
By SMQ
Posted on Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:41:01 PM EDT
</I>
Playbooks may belong to long-rumored defensive backfield.
MINNEAPOLIS -- In the continuing debate over the origin of the extinct "defense" of Minnesota, a team of scientists says it has found evidence in the team's locker room of people it contends are members of the Golden Gopher secondary. The researchers describe the new findings in a report published today in the journal "Science," just seven days after Minnesota allowed 463 yards passing and 42 points in a loss at Florida Atlantic. Most scientists have long considered rumors of a Gopher secondary mythical, and based on the most recent game and previous outings against Bowling Green and Miami, Ohio, in which Minnesota allowed well over 60 points and 800 yards passing, critics disputed the researchers' interpretation, saying the new findings were not clear evidence for the existence of a secondary in any of those cases.
An artists' rendering of the controversial "Minnesota secondary," discovered earlier this week.
- - -
"We're looking at the data," said Paul Ingram, an analyst at Purdue University's Tiller Institute for Spread Offense, "and nothing in it suggests a defensive backfield might have been present."
The discovery, in a back corner of the Bierman Fielding Athletic Center, of uniforms and playbooks of the diminutive people was a sensation when it was announced earlier this week. Some scientists contended that these were more likely to be one-time high school quarterbacks who suffered a developmental disorder that causes a switch to receiver or special teams, but insisted it did not provide evidence for the somewhat radical notion that Minnesota has fielded a secondary at any point over the past five decades.
In the new study, scientists examined playbooks from the lockers and found that, while undoubtedly primitive, the schemes were recognizable as the early stages of a structured pass defense. For example, the field appeared to be divided into two or three areas that could be the precursor to the contemporary "zone," though there did not seem to be any overall structure to which players, if any, might be responsible for an area, and they did not attempt to cover the entire field, as in a modern zone defense. Critics said these "zones" were closer in shape to those drawn in another study by apes.
This evidence, the scientists wrote, indicated that the individuals were not merely outside linebackers "with an undiagnosed pathology or growth defect." Rather, they represented a distinct position group that descended from a safety-like player that branched off from the school's linebacker lineage at least 55 years ago, the scientists concluded.
Dr. Theodore Blackstone and his colleagues said the distinct species emerged from ancestors "that migrated out of the box before the evolution of the spread offense morphology that is characteristic of modern multi-receiver sets and their last common ancestor, the extinct run-and-shoot."
But Kenneth B. Newhart, a professor of developmental strategies at Pennsylvania State University and one of several critics of the full-fledged secondary designation, took issue with the new research. He said the playbook study appeared "to be an exercise in the presentation of misleading ideas in an obfuscatory manner."
Dr. Newhart noted, in particular, that there was "a lot of variation in the formation of the zone defense," which the so-called playbooks in the Fielding Center did not demonstrate. Some variations, he said, are normal - such as the cover two or three - and others occur "as the result of various pathologies, such as from injuries or from the introduction of a new system," such as the spread offense at Purdue. But while other Big Ten defenses adapted to various degrees to their new surroundings, there is very little evidence of any such evolution at Minnesota. "All evidence suggests the Gophers have allowed more than 550 yards per game to offenses from the MAC and Sun Belt," Newhart said. "Until it sees hard data to suggest otherwise, the mainstream scientific community cannot accept that a secondary exists at the University of Minnesota."
By SMQ
Posted on Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 01:41:01 PM EDT
</I>
Playbooks may belong to long-rumored defensive backfield.
MINNEAPOLIS -- In the continuing debate over the origin of the extinct "defense" of Minnesota, a team of scientists says it has found evidence in the team's locker room of people it contends are members of the Golden Gopher secondary. The researchers describe the new findings in a report published today in the journal "Science," just seven days after Minnesota allowed 463 yards passing and 42 points in a loss at Florida Atlantic. Most scientists have long considered rumors of a Gopher secondary mythical, and based on the most recent game and previous outings against Bowling Green and Miami, Ohio, in which Minnesota allowed well over 60 points and 800 yards passing, critics disputed the researchers' interpretation, saying the new findings were not clear evidence for the existence of a secondary in any of those cases.
An artists' rendering of the controversial "Minnesota secondary," discovered earlier this week.
- - -
"We're looking at the data," said Paul Ingram, an analyst at Purdue University's Tiller Institute for Spread Offense, "and nothing in it suggests a defensive backfield might have been present."
The discovery, in a back corner of the Bierman Fielding Athletic Center, of uniforms and playbooks of the diminutive people was a sensation when it was announced earlier this week. Some scientists contended that these were more likely to be one-time high school quarterbacks who suffered a developmental disorder that causes a switch to receiver or special teams, but insisted it did not provide evidence for the somewhat radical notion that Minnesota has fielded a secondary at any point over the past five decades.
In the new study, scientists examined playbooks from the lockers and found that, while undoubtedly primitive, the schemes were recognizable as the early stages of a structured pass defense. For example, the field appeared to be divided into two or three areas that could be the precursor to the contemporary "zone," though there did not seem to be any overall structure to which players, if any, might be responsible for an area, and they did not attempt to cover the entire field, as in a modern zone defense. Critics said these "zones" were closer in shape to those drawn in another study by apes.
This evidence, the scientists wrote, indicated that the individuals were not merely outside linebackers "with an undiagnosed pathology or growth defect." Rather, they represented a distinct position group that descended from a safety-like player that branched off from the school's linebacker lineage at least 55 years ago, the scientists concluded.
Dr. Theodore Blackstone and his colleagues said the distinct species emerged from ancestors "that migrated out of the box before the evolution of the spread offense morphology that is characteristic of modern multi-receiver sets and their last common ancestor, the extinct run-and-shoot."
But Kenneth B. Newhart, a professor of developmental strategies at Pennsylvania State University and one of several critics of the full-fledged secondary designation, took issue with the new research. He said the playbook study appeared "to be an exercise in the presentation of misleading ideas in an obfuscatory manner."
Dr. Newhart noted, in particular, that there was "a lot of variation in the formation of the zone defense," which the so-called playbooks in the Fielding Center did not demonstrate. Some variations, he said, are normal - such as the cover two or three - and others occur "as the result of various pathologies, such as from injuries or from the introduction of a new system," such as the spread offense at Purdue. But while other Big Ten defenses adapted to various degrees to their new surroundings, there is very little evidence of any such evolution at Minnesota. "All evidence suggests the Gophers have allowed more than 550 yards per game to offenses from the MAC and Sun Belt," Newhart said. "Until it sees hard data to suggest otherwise, the mainstream scientific community cannot accept that a secondary exists at the University of Minnesota."
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Cowan to Start for Bruins
Posted Sep 21st 2007 12:54PM by Scott Olin Schmidt
Filed under: UCLA Football, Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Injuries
The last time Patrick Cowan started a game at the Rose Bowl, his wild scrambling led the UCLA Bruins to a 13-9 victory over cross-town rival USC. On Saturday, he will try to dig back into his magic bag of tricks when he starts as the Bruin quarterback against the Washington Huskies.
Starting QB Ben Olson has been suffering from headaches all week since getting battered by the Utah Utes and the effects were apparently too much for Southpaw Jesus. As a result, Head coach Karl Dorrell has to give a new meaning to "second choice" in Westwood as he must rely on his backup quarterback for the second season in a row.
As for Cowan, he seems to have recovered from a preseason hamstring injury which sidelined him during fall camp.
With his players suffering more concussions that Troy Aikman, Coach Dorrell has a new policy banning bloggers from writing about injuries during practice until he can comment.
Filed under: UCLA Football, Washington Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Injuries
Starting QB Ben Olson has been suffering from headaches all week since getting battered by the Utah Utes and the effects were apparently too much for Southpaw Jesus. As a result, Head coach Karl Dorrell has to give a new meaning to "second choice" in Westwood as he must rely on his backup quarterback for the second season in a row.
As for Cowan, he seems to have recovered from a preseason hamstring injury which sidelined him during fall camp.
With his players suffering more concussions that Troy Aikman, Coach Dorrell has a new policy banning bloggers from writing about injuries during practice until he can comment.
noaccountguy
Well-Known Member
Thanks for your info and the comedy relief. Just from those Auburn articles you posted it seems laying 16 points to NMST is a bit much; I'm looking at taking the Aggies who put points up while Auburn doesn't. Good luck.
JumpOnBoard
CTG Partner
Pretty sexy day..
.
