As was hinted at earlier in the week…
Not playing, but on the trip. Sounds like his teammates and coaches are cool with his decision.
Daily Archives: December 27, 2018
There’s a time and a place for college football not to take itself so seriously…
… and that would appear to be today at the Independence Bowl.
Those refs are my heroes. Way to let the kids have some fun, fellas.
Filed under College Football
Offenses rule; defenses drool.
As Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator prepares to play the hand he’s dealt for the CFP, it’s worth noting that the real deficiency he’s dealing with is his team’s offense.
Clemson, Notre Dame’s opponent in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl, averages 45.4 points, which ranks fourth nationally – and third in the College Football Playoff behind Oklahoma (49.5) and Alabama (47.9).
Notre Dame, in case you were wondering, is 33rd nationally, at 33.8 points per game.
The Irish have been a good defensive team this season. They’re tenth in defensive scoring. The problem for them is that not only are Clemson and Alabama killing it on offense, they’re also second and fourth in defensive scoring.
“You can’t just throw your hands up and say, ‘We relinquish,’” Lea says. “We have to find an answer.”
And they might also have to redefine success.
“We don’t talk about points,” Lea says. “We don’t talk about yards.”
Instead, the Irish focus on third-down percentage and turnover margin.
I guess you’ve got to hang your hat on something.
Filed under BCS/Playoffs, Stats Geek!, Strategery And Mechanics
“I understand that everybody wants more of something good…”
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CEO Gary Stokan hears the call for College Football Playoff expansion from fans. He understands the need for college football to look forward instead of back in order to continue building a national brand.
Fuck, just shoot me now.
Do not dismiss Stokan’s point of view as self-interested because of the Peach Bowl, which is part of the rotation that hosts Playoff semifinals…
Gosh, he’s not self-interested? That would make him unique in the annals of college football management.
He’s looking forward, but also has a suggestion for a move that would help make those larger discussions possible, given the self-interests of the conferences and their commissioners.
“I think we are really enjoying the golden years of college football,” Stokan said. “If I had to make one suggestion, I think the enterprise of college football is at a point between fan avidity and TV contracts that it would behoove college football to have a commissioner that would look at the whole enterprise of college football holistically across the board.”
A commissioner would be able to sort out the interests of the Power 5 and Group of 5 conferences that have helped fire up those eight-team debates.
Yes, if there’s one thing that would both preserve and enhance the special magic of college football, it’s conference presidents and commissioners ceding their authority to a central figure who’s as clueless as they are.
If the college football gods are kind, they’ll give me five more good years before allowing the entire mess to implode from greed. I’m counting on you, gods.
Filed under BCS/Playoffs, College Football, It's Just Bidness
Hutson Mason’s advice to Justin Fields
Former Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason offered his thoughts on what could be another potential destination – Colorado.
With the Buffaloes hiring former Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker as head coach, and then Tucker hiring Georgia quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson as his offensive coordinator, Mason said Boulder would be a good fit for Fields, as there would be instant familiarity.
Mason has been talking about a potential Fields transfer for a few weeks on his radio show on the SportsX, and the former Lassiter signal-caller knows something about getting pigeonholed into a backup situation.
Mason went to Georgia and was unsuccessful in beating out Aaron Murray as the starter. There were times when he considered transferring, but he ultimately decided spending one year as a starter for the Bulldogs would give him better opportunities than two years at an FCS school.
At the time, Mason had thoughts of playing in the NFL. In hindsight, he said he made the wrong decision. It’s a big reason why he feels like Fields, who has potential first-round talent, should find a different place to play.
“I go back to my experience in trying to play pro ball,” Mason said. “When I got cut by the Redskins, general manager (Scot McCloughan) told my agent that, when looking at quarterbacks in the draft, they don’t look at anybody with less than 24 starts. That’s two years worth of playing time.
“If your goal is to play at the next level, then it’s all about getting the tape. Look at (Carolina quarterback) Taylor Heinicke. He played at Old Dominion. If you have the tape, they will find you.”
Yes, everyone knows the Redskins are a model for personnel evaluation in today’s NFL. Sound wisdom, Hutson.
Filed under Georgia Football, The NFL Is Your Friend.
They blinded me with science.
In response to the NCAA’s finding that three of its players tested positive for a banned substance called ostarine, Clemson is currently investigating Epsom salt as a possible cause.
That puts me in mind of the old joke about how Clemson didn’t have ice water because the kid who knew the recipe graduated.
Filed under Clemson: Auburn With A Lake, General Idiocy
Need that wall.
One interesting thing about Georgia’s 2019 recruiting class is that, while highly ranked, it’s not made up of a lot of home boys.
It was by far UGA’s poorest showing in the state of Georgia in Smart’s three full classes since becoming the Bulldogs head coach. In 2017, Georgia signed the nation’s No. 3 class per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite team rankings and it featured three of the top five players in Georgia, five of the top 10, and 12 of the top 20.
The next class, one that was ranked No. 1 in the nation, Georgia one-upped itself with four of the top five and six of the top 10. It took a step back in regards to the top 20, signing nine prospects in that group.
Despite being ranked No. 2 overall after the Early Signing Period, the Bulldogs haven’t come close to the previous two hauls in the Peach State. They’ve landed just one of the top five with one prospect unsigned. UGA has just two in the top 10 and three in the top 20. The state’s top prospect, Cedar Grove (Ellenwood, Ga.) wide receiver Jadon Haselwood, could change that but the one-time UGA pledge’s 247Sports Crystal Ball has him heavily trending toward Oklahoma.
Some of that may be due to the way team needs were met, but that didn’t stop Kirby from expressing a little disappointment.
“There’s a lot of talent in this state,” Smart said. “We missed some guys in this state that I thought were really good football players that we wanted. That’s always going to be our goal, to keep the talent here. But if we have an opportunity to go out of the state to get somebody, we’re going to do that.”
As long as it’s not a trend, Kirbs.
Filed under Georgia Football, Recruiting
Speaking of cancelled bowl games…
… it turns out there’s at least one athletic director in America who gets it.
A full refund, plus free tickets? Why, this guy may actually appreciate his fan base as something more than just a bunch of wallets.
Kudos to you, sir. May you inspire an entire generation of your peers.
(h/t)
Filed under ACC Football
They cancelled the wrong bowl game.
That’s right. They filled the Cheez-It Bowl trophy with Cheez-Its. You got a problem with that?
It’s about the only thing from last night that wasn’t a problem.
Here are the stats for the winning quarterback.
There were nine interceptions total in the game. Seven sacks. Fifteen punts. Oh, and a sideline interference penalty on some dude in a suit.
At one point, TCU was forced to insert its fourth-string quarterback, a kid suffering from drop-foot due an injury he suffered in high school and not fully mobile, into the game. (Yes, he got drilled on a sack, thanks for asking.)
I’m sure there’s a metaphor for something in there, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what it might be.
I have to admit I have this vision of Gary Patterson sitting in his den ten years from now, retired, watching a game and eating Cheez-Its from the trophy bowl. He glances at the bowl, sighs and reaches for another beer.
Finis.
Filed under College Football
The way they were.
And so, the Paul Johnson era ended, not with a bang, but with a “… PJ didn’t deserve to go out like that with us giving up 220 yds rushing to the Minnesota running back“ whimper.
Still, Tech will always have that bowl streak to cherish.
https://twitter.com/GT_Football/status/1078156160623169537
My Gawd, that’s beyond parody.
Filed under Georgia Tech Football
Get The Picture 