Three things that I read, liked and thought I’d share:
- On the way up to the game on Saturday, my friend and I discussed how the Tennessee coaches on both sides of the ball had their asses handed to them by a much smarter, much better prepared UCLA staff. Over at Smart Football – no surprise – Chris breaks down one key play to illustrate that point.
- HeismanPundit nails what bothers me most about the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on Jake Locker: “This is college football. These guys are not mind-numbed robots making millions of dollars. They are kids who are supposed to be having fun. The NCAA has a commercial that states that most college athletes will be going pro in something other than sports. Yet, it constantly penalizes those players–in this case by ruining the ending to a hard-fought game.” You got that right.
- David Hale has an interesting comment from Mark Richt about one reason he’s become more willing to play younger kids.
“One thing that has changed the most has been our academic strategy. We’ve really done a great job of looking at the young men’s playing time and saying, if this guy does not redshirt, we must get him graduated in three-and-a-half years. That’s not easy to do, but we target that through summer school and maybe one or two May-mesters. It’s a tough grind for them, but if they don’t redshirt, they need to get graduated in three-and-a-half because after that fourth season which is three-and-a-half years of school they’re looking to go try out for the NFL and go around the country to train. And now that we’re doing that, and I have more confidence in that, I’m a little more likely to play a young kid.”
Now I don’t doubt that Richt sincerely cares about making sure his kids get a degree. But this also strikes me as a very smart reaction to the NCAA’s APR rules in light of Georgia’s ability under Richt to get his players to the next level. I think it’s something that pays off with parents on the recruiting trail, too – as it should.
Get The Picture 
I was discussing playing freshmen with a friend Saturday. All of the reasons mentioned certainly have value, but what I think is most important was omitted. Elite athletes want to play. It greatly helps recruiting when kids know They will get playing time. I believe in the red shirt system, but I must say telling a young Man that if he works hard and proves himself in practice He will play in the games allows you to land four and five star players. These guys do not want to spend a year on the sidelines. I still think a strong group of red shirts ensures a strong program, but with early enrollment and the conditioning programs available at the High School level My opinions are changing.
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One more comment, as to the UT- UCLA game, UT threw 41 passes. With two stud RBs ripping off almost six YPC. Why? I am not sure Fulmer was outcoached, rather, IMO, the UT OC outsmarted Himself. THe UT defense handed the game to Their coaches in the first half, then Their OC handed it right back to UCLA. UT had a great chance to pull out a win in overtime, but elected to play it safe and settle for the FG. Anyone remember Stafford to Henderson at Bama? That is the way to win in overtime!
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Look, all UW had to do was make a lousy 35 yard FG. The refs did not cost them the game, poor special teams did.
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