Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Rookie of the Year Debate
Jasmine Moore- And the debate begins on who should be the NFL's rookie of the year. There are two names thrown out there the most and those would be first over all draft pick Cam Newton, QB of the Carolina Panthers and second round pick Andy Dalton. The debate begins with Andy Dalton who has carried the Bengals to a current record of 7-6 after starting the season off with a 4-0 record. Dalton has proven that he is able to win games. A great example would be in Week 4 against the Bills, Dalton got a crucial first down in the last minutes of the game that led to a field goal and a win. Dalton is the kind of QB who gets enough time to sit in the pocket and spot where he needs to get the ball rather than scrambling all over the field and having to throw the ball away. Dalton is the safe pick! Now Cam Newton on the other hand is a record breaking QB. Cam has the most passing yards by a rookie QB in his debut game, in his second career game and both were back to back game with over 400 yards. That debut also made him the first rookie QB to pass for over 400 yards in his first start as a rookie QB; and more recently Cam was named the first QB with the most rushing TD's in a season with 13. He has also thrown for 3722 yards on the season. The Panther's record may only be 5-9 but Cam is a record breaking QB with a gunslinger for an arm. My money is on Cam wining Rookie of the Year.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The BC-Mess
#1 LSU will face #2 Alabama in the BCS championship game. Again. Many people in the south are loving it, many fans in the midwest are hating it. Each team has a case that they should be playing for the national title game.
#2 Alabama's only loss is to the #1 LSU Tigers. Alabama has destroyed all other competetion. They have the #1 ranked defense (yards, scoring, rushing) and they have Trent Richardson. Richardson is one of the nation's top players & a Heisman candidate. When they faced LSU the first time, they outgained LSU 295-239. Richardson had 23 carries for 89 yards, 5 rec for 80 yards. LSU only forced 2 punts. Many fans feel that while LSU won the game in OT, Alabama dominated the game. They forced 6 LSU punts & forced 2 TOs that lead to all of Alabama's points. They held LSU's WRs to 9 catches and 91 yards. Alabama moved the ball with success & had it not been for the kicker, fans feel they would've won this game. Some Alabama fans feel that the game never happened. Alabama's biggest argument is this. They took the #1 team that was hanging 40 spots on people to OT & only lost by 3 points.
#3 Oklahoma State had a terrible loss to a 6-6 Iowa State team. They can argue that that day, the school suffered one of the most horrific tragedies in their school's history. They can argue that they lost in overtime as well. They can argue that the FG was actually good that they kicked at the end of regulation. Oklahoma State played a tougher schedule than Alabama (7 BCS eligible schools vs 3 with Alabama). While Alabama is at the top of most statistical defensive categories, Oklahoma State is at the top of the turnovers forced category. Alabama boasts a dominant defense, Oklahoma State can boast about their offense. They are amongst the leaders in every statisical passing category, and they can sneak you with the run. Oklahoma State's biggest argument is that they won their conference. The Big XII is a tougher conference than what you hear. 8 out of the 10 teams in the conferencehave .500 or better records. Alabama already had their shot at the juggernaut LSU. They lost at home to LSU & had every opportunity to win that game.
Who's right?
They both are. They are both have valid arguments . While the nation wanted to see if Oklahoma State's offense go up against LSU's NFL caliber secondary, the coaches and voters wanted to see Alabama take another shot at LSU. i think that the Bama vs. LSU game will be a better measuring stick against LSU than Oklahoma State. But my question is this: how did Alabama or Oklahoma State do to distinguish themselves to be the clear cut #2 team in the country when there are other teams that have one loss? How is Alabama #2 with QB & special teams issues? How is Oklahoma State #2 with a suspect defense & a terrible loss?
So to me there is no clear cut #2. Each team has flaws. Each team has its strength. SEC fans don't feel like the Big XII has a chance against their defense. Big XII fans don't feel they get a fair chance to prove they're better.
The only way to prove this is by a playoff. No one can determine this but the players. Oklahoma State could have given each of these teams the fight of their lives that particular day. South Carolina has a dominate defense, Arkansas has a dominate offense. On that day, the offense won. Couldn't that happen with Oklahoma State on that day. No one thought Boise State could beat Georgia either.
The NCAA, the bowl sponsors, & the school presidents should really stop being greedy. Let the players decide who's the better team & not these voters and coaches.
#2 Alabama's only loss is to the #1 LSU Tigers. Alabama has destroyed all other competetion. They have the #1 ranked defense (yards, scoring, rushing) and they have Trent Richardson. Richardson is one of the nation's top players & a Heisman candidate. When they faced LSU the first time, they outgained LSU 295-239. Richardson had 23 carries for 89 yards, 5 rec for 80 yards. LSU only forced 2 punts. Many fans feel that while LSU won the game in OT, Alabama dominated the game. They forced 6 LSU punts & forced 2 TOs that lead to all of Alabama's points. They held LSU's WRs to 9 catches and 91 yards. Alabama moved the ball with success & had it not been for the kicker, fans feel they would've won this game. Some Alabama fans feel that the game never happened. Alabama's biggest argument is this. They took the #1 team that was hanging 40 spots on people to OT & only lost by 3 points.
#3 Oklahoma State had a terrible loss to a 6-6 Iowa State team. They can argue that that day, the school suffered one of the most horrific tragedies in their school's history. They can argue that they lost in overtime as well. They can argue that the FG was actually good that they kicked at the end of regulation. Oklahoma State played a tougher schedule than Alabama (7 BCS eligible schools vs 3 with Alabama). While Alabama is at the top of most statistical defensive categories, Oklahoma State is at the top of the turnovers forced category. Alabama boasts a dominant defense, Oklahoma State can boast about their offense. They are amongst the leaders in every statisical passing category, and they can sneak you with the run. Oklahoma State's biggest argument is that they won their conference. The Big XII is a tougher conference than what you hear. 8 out of the 10 teams in the conferencehave .500 or better records. Alabama already had their shot at the juggernaut LSU. They lost at home to LSU & had every opportunity to win that game.
Who's right?
They both are. They are both have valid arguments . While the nation wanted to see if Oklahoma State's offense go up against LSU's NFL caliber secondary, the coaches and voters wanted to see Alabama take another shot at LSU. i think that the Bama vs. LSU game will be a better measuring stick against LSU than Oklahoma State. But my question is this: how did Alabama or Oklahoma State do to distinguish themselves to be the clear cut #2 team in the country when there are other teams that have one loss? How is Alabama #2 with QB & special teams issues? How is Oklahoma State #2 with a suspect defense & a terrible loss?
So to me there is no clear cut #2. Each team has flaws. Each team has its strength. SEC fans don't feel like the Big XII has a chance against their defense. Big XII fans don't feel they get a fair chance to prove they're better.
The only way to prove this is by a playoff. No one can determine this but the players. Oklahoma State could have given each of these teams the fight of their lives that particular day. South Carolina has a dominate defense, Arkansas has a dominate offense. On that day, the offense won. Couldn't that happen with Oklahoma State on that day. No one thought Boise State could beat Georgia either.
The NCAA, the bowl sponsors, & the school presidents should really stop being greedy. Let the players decide who's the better team & not these voters and coaches.
The Flaws of the Bowl System
The Flaws of the Bowl System
Kerry R. Thompson, Sr.
There have been heated debates all over the country on just how much Oklahoma State deserved to play LSU for the title and not Alabama. But there are other teams that were snubbed out of a BCS bowl game. It’s really a travesty that these schools were not picked based on their football ability, but on how their fan base travels and how much money they can make. The Big East should NOT have an automatic bowl tie in. There were teams that were just far better than the teams in the Big East. No one controlled their own destiny in that conference. The BCS is a joke. It is designed to pick 1 & 2. It wasn’t designed to pick the REST of the games. There were some misses on these bowl games.
AllState Sugar Bowl #13 Michigan (10-2) vs. #11 Virginia Tech (11-2)
Who should play; #8 Kansas State (10-2) vs. #6 Arkansas (10-2), #8 Kansas State (10-2) vs. #7 Boise State (11-1), #7 Boise State (11-1)vs. #6 Arkansas(10-2)
How can you keep Arkansas and Kansas State out of this game? Arkansas’ only two loses of the season come at the hands of #2 Alabama and #1 LSU. Arkansas played an ok schedule including South Carolina, Alabama, Texas A&M, and LSU. Tyler Wilson is the best QB in the SEC and who knows where Arkansas would be if they would have had Knile Davis and a healthy Jake Bequette. While many of you may not know who Kansas State is, they were picked to finish 8th in the conference. They finished second; ahead of Texas, ahead of Oklahoma. They beat a hot Robert Griffin III, they beat Texas A&M, and lost to Oklahoma State on the last play of the game. Colin Klein, the QB, is the team’s leading rusher. He has 1099 yards and 26 TDs. He’s scored more rushing TDs than Trent Richardson. Coach Bill Snyder did a wonderful job with this team this year, making them believe that they could compete in the conference. They were snubbed for a Michigan team that has played a laughable schedule; 2 ranked teams all season long. Virginia Tech played Clemson and Georgia Tech; no one else. They got blown out by Clemson this season twice. Neither of the teams earned the right to play in this game other than the fact that their fan bases travel well with the team. Where is the logic in this?
Discover Orange Bowl #23 West Virginia (9-3) vs. #15 Clemson (10-3)
Who should play? #18 TCU (10-2)vs. #15 Clemson(10-3), #7 Boise State (11-1) vs. #15 Clemson(10-3), or #7 TCU(11-1) vs. #18 TCU(10-2)
TCU Lost 2 games this year. They lost one to Baylor, in which TCU fought back in and almost came back to win the game. They had a bad loss to SMU. TCU won the Mountain West Conference in which 5 teams were bowl eligible. This conference also contained #7 Boise State. TCU beat Boise State in a thriller in which Casey Pachall led the team down the field and scored on the game winning TD. Pachall became a better QB with each game. TCU is a better football team than West Virginia. Bar none. Dana Holgorsen did a great job coaching this West Virginia team, but they should have DOMINATED this conference. The only game they should have lost was the LSU game. If that happens, West Virginia would have had an argument for a national title. They didn’t control their own destiny and had playmakers all over the offense. It was really no excuse for the Big East to come down to the last week. Clemson was one of the hottest teams in the country. But they laid 3 eggs against Georgia Tech, NC State, and South Carolina. They feature a wonderful offense and ACC Freshman of the Year Sammy Watkins. I just don’t believe that they are better than Boise State or TCU. They are the ACC champs, but what other argument do they have? Boise State. What else do we need to say? Boise lost on a FG; so did Oklahoma State, Alabama, and Oregon. Kellen Moore and Boise went to Georgia and beat up on the SEC East Champion Georgia Bulldogs. They are a FG away from possibly playing for the BCS championship game. They finished second in the conference, yet are ranked higher than TCU. So why not rematch? This would be a fantastic game. The first game against Boise and TCU was a classic.
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Illinois (6-6) vs. UCLA (6-7)
Who should play; Illinois (6-6) vs. Western Kentucky (7-5)
Western Kentucky over UCLA? Are you serious? YES!
Western Kentucky is a good football team that stuck with LSU for the first half of the game. They finished second in the Sun Belt conference behind Arkansas State. They were 7-1 in the conference. They have the best RB you’ve never heard of in Bobby Rainey. Rainey has 1695 yards this season, which is second in the country. He has 3344 yards rushing over the past 2 seasons. He will play on Sunday; trust me. The only reason UCLA went to the Pac-12 championship game because USC couldn’t go to the game. They didn’t win because they were the best, they won by default. UCLA was blasted all season long by multiple teams. They fired their coach. This is the team that gets a bowl game?
Too many teams are being put in games that they do not deserve based on their fan base and not on their play. This is the problem with the BCS as well. They didn’t get all the matchups wrong; but the ones they did get wrong, they were wrong for the wrong reason. These bowl sponsors are more concerned with making their money back for sponsoring the bowl, than getting the right teams in these bowl games. The way you fix this problem is to cut out all these bowl games. Especially if you are not going to let the right teams play. A fan base should not outweigh a team’s play.
Kerry R. Thompson, Sr.
There have been heated debates all over the country on just how much Oklahoma State deserved to play LSU for the title and not Alabama. But there are other teams that were snubbed out of a BCS bowl game. It’s really a travesty that these schools were not picked based on their football ability, but on how their fan base travels and how much money they can make. The Big East should NOT have an automatic bowl tie in. There were teams that were just far better than the teams in the Big East. No one controlled their own destiny in that conference. The BCS is a joke. It is designed to pick 1 & 2. It wasn’t designed to pick the REST of the games. There were some misses on these bowl games.
AllState Sugar Bowl #13 Michigan (10-2) vs. #11 Virginia Tech (11-2)
Who should play; #8 Kansas State (10-2) vs. #6 Arkansas (10-2), #8 Kansas State (10-2) vs. #7 Boise State (11-1), #7 Boise State (11-1)vs. #6 Arkansas(10-2)
How can you keep Arkansas and Kansas State out of this game? Arkansas’ only two loses of the season come at the hands of #2 Alabama and #1 LSU. Arkansas played an ok schedule including South Carolina, Alabama, Texas A&M, and LSU. Tyler Wilson is the best QB in the SEC and who knows where Arkansas would be if they would have had Knile Davis and a healthy Jake Bequette. While many of you may not know who Kansas State is, they were picked to finish 8th in the conference. They finished second; ahead of Texas, ahead of Oklahoma. They beat a hot Robert Griffin III, they beat Texas A&M, and lost to Oklahoma State on the last play of the game. Colin Klein, the QB, is the team’s leading rusher. He has 1099 yards and 26 TDs. He’s scored more rushing TDs than Trent Richardson. Coach Bill Snyder did a wonderful job with this team this year, making them believe that they could compete in the conference. They were snubbed for a Michigan team that has played a laughable schedule; 2 ranked teams all season long. Virginia Tech played Clemson and Georgia Tech; no one else. They got blown out by Clemson this season twice. Neither of the teams earned the right to play in this game other than the fact that their fan bases travel well with the team. Where is the logic in this?
Discover Orange Bowl #23 West Virginia (9-3) vs. #15 Clemson (10-3)
Who should play? #18 TCU (10-2)vs. #15 Clemson(10-3), #7 Boise State (11-1) vs. #15 Clemson(10-3), or #7 TCU(11-1) vs. #18 TCU(10-2)
TCU Lost 2 games this year. They lost one to Baylor, in which TCU fought back in and almost came back to win the game. They had a bad loss to SMU. TCU won the Mountain West Conference in which 5 teams were bowl eligible. This conference also contained #7 Boise State. TCU beat Boise State in a thriller in which Casey Pachall led the team down the field and scored on the game winning TD. Pachall became a better QB with each game. TCU is a better football team than West Virginia. Bar none. Dana Holgorsen did a great job coaching this West Virginia team, but they should have DOMINATED this conference. The only game they should have lost was the LSU game. If that happens, West Virginia would have had an argument for a national title. They didn’t control their own destiny and had playmakers all over the offense. It was really no excuse for the Big East to come down to the last week. Clemson was one of the hottest teams in the country. But they laid 3 eggs against Georgia Tech, NC State, and South Carolina. They feature a wonderful offense and ACC Freshman of the Year Sammy Watkins. I just don’t believe that they are better than Boise State or TCU. They are the ACC champs, but what other argument do they have? Boise State. What else do we need to say? Boise lost on a FG; so did Oklahoma State, Alabama, and Oregon. Kellen Moore and Boise went to Georgia and beat up on the SEC East Champion Georgia Bulldogs. They are a FG away from possibly playing for the BCS championship game. They finished second in the conference, yet are ranked higher than TCU. So why not rematch? This would be a fantastic game. The first game against Boise and TCU was a classic.
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Illinois (6-6) vs. UCLA (6-7)
Who should play; Illinois (6-6) vs. Western Kentucky (7-5)
Western Kentucky over UCLA? Are you serious? YES!
Western Kentucky is a good football team that stuck with LSU for the first half of the game. They finished second in the Sun Belt conference behind Arkansas State. They were 7-1 in the conference. They have the best RB you’ve never heard of in Bobby Rainey. Rainey has 1695 yards this season, which is second in the country. He has 3344 yards rushing over the past 2 seasons. He will play on Sunday; trust me. The only reason UCLA went to the Pac-12 championship game because USC couldn’t go to the game. They didn’t win because they were the best, they won by default. UCLA was blasted all season long by multiple teams. They fired their coach. This is the team that gets a bowl game?
Too many teams are being put in games that they do not deserve based on their fan base and not on their play. This is the problem with the BCS as well. They didn’t get all the matchups wrong; but the ones they did get wrong, they were wrong for the wrong reason. These bowl sponsors are more concerned with making their money back for sponsoring the bowl, than getting the right teams in these bowl games. The way you fix this problem is to cut out all these bowl games. Especially if you are not going to let the right teams play. A fan base should not outweigh a team’s play.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Can The Baltimore Raves Go All the Way? By Jasmine Moore
Jasmine Moore - It's Week 13 in the NFL with lots of divisional match-ups this week, not to mention some teams facing must win-games in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. This Sunday in Cleveland, Ohio the 8-3 Baltimore Ravens take on the 4-7 Cleveland Browns. This season the Ravens have been favorites over that most consider being inferior opponents, but have fallen to those same teams after big AFC wins. In Week 12 the Ravens took out one of the NFC power houses, the 9-2 San Francisco 49ers. In that Thanksgiving showdown brothers, Jim and John Harbaugh's teams went head to head with the Ravens tying a franchise record of nine sacks along with their 16-6 win over the 49ers. Not only was the defense explosive, but Joe Flacco and the offense did a great job by not turning the ball over. If the Ravens are able to play to that caliber of game for the rest of the season and in the playoffs, it is without a doubt that they could take home the Lombardi trophy. However, will Flacco and his offense crack under the pressure of the #1 pass defense in the NFL? In Week 12 the Browns defense held their own by only allowing 274 yards of total offense in their 23-20 lost to the 7-4 Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns rushing offense will get a spark bringing back the now healthy RB Peyton Hillis. Will the Ravens be able to pull off an away win? Also to note; this may be the third-straight game that the Ravens will not have their inspirational team leader LB Ray Lewis on defense. On the Browns side, they will be without starting LB Scott Fujita and defensive lineman Emmanuel Stephens, who both were placed on Injured Reserve in Week 12. Baltimore controls its destiny right now; they are in the lead of the AFC North having swept the Pittsburgh Steelers in their two meetings this year and one win over the Bengals. The Ravens can only benefit with a win over their divisional opponents the Cleveland Browns. The Baltimore Ravens may have what it takes to end their season at 13-3 with the hopes of home-field advantage in the play-off, but first they have to get through the rest of the season and hold onto their AFC lead.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
3rd and Goal: Week 11 Preview
Week 11 in college football we have some very interesting match-ups. And just like last week, we have a great match-up that could decide the national championship picture. Let’s go!
1. #21 Virginia Tech travels to Atlanta to take on #21 Georgia Tech. Which Georgia Tech is going to show up? The one that played Clemson or the one that played Virginia and Miami? This battle will decide who will take the lead of the coastal division in the ACC. The nation’s second leading rusher David Wilson is coming to town. He has put up 100+ yard rushing performances in 8 out of 9 games this year. Logan Thomas has been playing well this year but turns the ball over at inopportune times. He was great against Miami, but has steadily declined each week after that. Virginia Tech can’t play the way they played against Duke; or they will lose this game. No question. Bud Foster and his defense are ranked #12 in the country. This is ALWAYS the case. Georgia Tech has the daunting task of trying to run the ball on the fifth best rushing defense in the country. Something is going to have to give because Georgia Tech is the second ranked rushing team in the country. Tevin Washington (636), David Sims (564), and Orwin Smith (553) all are threats to score any time they touch the ball. That option attack is very tough to stop, but would you think any other team can stop them? Georgia Tech struggles against athletic LBs. Tariq Edwards, Gouveia-Winslow, Taylor are very athletic. Gouveia-Winslow is a bit undersized at 195. If Georgia Tech gets to him, it could be a problem. Although Virginia Tech maybe a bit undersized, they still can make enough plays to win this game. If Georgia Tech gets behind, they can’t play to catch up. I have Virginia Tech winning this game, 31-24.
2. After all the drama that is unraveling in Happy Valley, football seems very irrelevant. #12 Penn State is in the driver’s seat to play for in the first ever Big Ten Championship game. But they have a tough task with #19 Nebraska coming into town. Neither of the teams is really that good in my opinion. Penn State is still playing a two quarterback system, even though McGloin is really the better of the 2. Penn State does have one of the better running backs in Silas Redd and he is yet another back over 1000 yards at Penn State. They are statically the 8th ranked defense in the country surprisingly. But with Joe Paterno going through what he is going through right now, I don’t think that this game is going to matter much in Happy Valley; even if they suffer a loss. Nebraska is coming off of a shocking defeat against an under-rated Northwestern team. Nebraska’s defense is definitely not what it usually is. Nebraska’s defense is really not that great this year. Losing SR. DT Jared Crick was a crushing blow to this defense. Corey Cooper has promise, but is a freshman. He is still learning his position. Dennard, Cassidy, and Stafford have been average at best in coverage. Nebraska has the talent and has the experience for this defense to be dominating opponents. They just aren’t playing as a unit, and this is why they are getting beat. You can’t hold Michigan State to 3 points and then go and give up 28 Northwestern. Again, this will be a contest in which a pretty good run defense (Penn State) will go against a great rushing attack (Nebraska). Martinez is a great attacking threat at QB to score anytime he has the ball. Rex Burkhead is a tough runner and gets north & south very quick. I have Penn State winning this game. I think that Joe Pa’s team will rally around him being forced out and beat Nebraska. The campus needs this win. With Bradley taking over, this could help the university start healing. Penn State 17-14.
3. #20 Auburn goes to Athens to take on a HOT #15 Georgia. Georgia started off the season 0-2 and it didn’t look like Richt was going to finish the season. Well 7 wins later, Georgia is in the driver’s seat to get to Atlanta and play for the SEC championship. Did you or anyone else figure that was going to happen? Isaiah Crowell has been playing well and maybe the SEC freshman of the year with his current 689 yards. Aaron Murray has 23 tds and 2060 yards. Don’t look for those stats to get any worse with Auburn coming into town. If they can get Isaiah Crowell going early, then they can really get rolling against Auburn with the type of game that Aaron Murray. Georgia’s front 7 are a very stout unit. They have converted to a 3-4 defense and have two good young linebackers in the middle of the defense with Cornelius Washington and Christian Robinson. Georgia is ranked 7th in total defense, 8th against the run, and 24th against the pass. Those are very respectable numbers from a team that was taken apart by Boise State and against South Carolina. Todd Grantham has done a great job regrouping his guys and getting them refocused. Georgia controls its destiny, but faith in Georgia is still hard to come by these days. Auburn’s defense has steadily improved over the past few weeks, but they are still not that good. The QB situation in Auburn is a lot worse than we first thought. Frasier is the leader in waiting, but he is going to have to learn that playbook. In the meantime, Moseley has been named the starter of the offense and honestly, I don’t see how he is any more effective than Trotter. If Auburn wants to win, they are going to have to block Georgia’s front 7. Dyer is the player that should get the ball more. He has 989 yards this year, and McCalebb is a good complement to Dyer. There was a stretch where Auburn’s best WR Emory Blake, was injured. He has a tough task this week, going against the dynamic Brandon Boykins. If he picks off a pass, he will score. I wouldn’t kick him the ball either. Watch for him in the backfield. He can score from there as well. I just don’t think Auburn has the offense to beat Georgia. I have Georgia in this game 21-10.
4. The game of the week will be in Palo Alto as the #7 Oregon Ducks come to Stanford Stadium to take on Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinals. This game is very important for Alabama games. Because if Oregon beats Stanford, they will have one of the two scenarios to happen for them to have a rematch against #1 LSU. Stanford hasn’t faced a team this fast all season, and I don’t know if they can keep up. LaMichael James has been slowly put back into the rotation and is looking to have a big game against Stanford. But it’s not just James that you have to be concerned about; Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas have been sharing the load as well. Since the LSU fumbles, Thomas has been very reliable and really reminds me of DeSean Jackson with his game breaking speed. The kid has potential to be something special at Oregon. Another pleasant surprise has been Bryan Bennett at the QB position. Darron Thomas had hit a rough stretch in which he was injured and wasn’t really throwing the ball well. But Bennett has been playing very well in his place and is a bigger threat in the run game than Thomas. Look for Oregon’s Chip Kelly to mix him in as a different dimension against Stanford. They will need it because Stanford is tied for 3rd in the country against the run. But realistically, they haven’t played any run heavy teams. But Oregon is ranked 5th in the country against the run. Everyone knows about Andrew Luck (71.3% 2424 yards, 26 TDs) but what people don’t know is that Stepfan Taylor is a GOOD RB. He has 891 yards and had the game sealing TD against USC. Also people don’t see the attack that Stanford uses a pro-style offense. They block very well and very rarely do people get pressure on Luck. When you have great play at the TE position, it makes the QB’s job that much easier. Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz, and Levine Toilolo are all very tall and very fast TEs. They block well. They are a LB’s worst nightmare with speed and a safety’s worst nightmare with the size. They make Andrew Luck’s job very easy. But missing in this game is Chris Owusu, who is out with a concussion. But as of right now, Toilolo has a head injury and is questionable and Zach Ertz is out with a knee injury. This could pose a problem for Stanford. Taylor may have to carry a bigger load of the offense. But last week Ryan Hewitt played a big role and maybe a TE in the making. I would rather pick the Alabama LSU game than this game. Because these teams aren’t known for defense. Just based on the fact that Stanford is really fighting for this opportunity to play for a title, I am going to give them a slight edge. I think Stanford will win this game 49-42 in double OT.
Week 11 will be a great week of football as storylines develop all around the country, as teams begin to separate themselves in the championship picture.
1. #21 Virginia Tech travels to Atlanta to take on #21 Georgia Tech. Which Georgia Tech is going to show up? The one that played Clemson or the one that played Virginia and Miami? This battle will decide who will take the lead of the coastal division in the ACC. The nation’s second leading rusher David Wilson is coming to town. He has put up 100+ yard rushing performances in 8 out of 9 games this year. Logan Thomas has been playing well this year but turns the ball over at inopportune times. He was great against Miami, but has steadily declined each week after that. Virginia Tech can’t play the way they played against Duke; or they will lose this game. No question. Bud Foster and his defense are ranked #12 in the country. This is ALWAYS the case. Georgia Tech has the daunting task of trying to run the ball on the fifth best rushing defense in the country. Something is going to have to give because Georgia Tech is the second ranked rushing team in the country. Tevin Washington (636), David Sims (564), and Orwin Smith (553) all are threats to score any time they touch the ball. That option attack is very tough to stop, but would you think any other team can stop them? Georgia Tech struggles against athletic LBs. Tariq Edwards, Gouveia-Winslow, Taylor are very athletic. Gouveia-Winslow is a bit undersized at 195. If Georgia Tech gets to him, it could be a problem. Although Virginia Tech maybe a bit undersized, they still can make enough plays to win this game. If Georgia Tech gets behind, they can’t play to catch up. I have Virginia Tech winning this game, 31-24.
2. After all the drama that is unraveling in Happy Valley, football seems very irrelevant. #12 Penn State is in the driver’s seat to play for in the first ever Big Ten Championship game. But they have a tough task with #19 Nebraska coming into town. Neither of the teams is really that good in my opinion. Penn State is still playing a two quarterback system, even though McGloin is really the better of the 2. Penn State does have one of the better running backs in Silas Redd and he is yet another back over 1000 yards at Penn State. They are statically the 8th ranked defense in the country surprisingly. But with Joe Paterno going through what he is going through right now, I don’t think that this game is going to matter much in Happy Valley; even if they suffer a loss. Nebraska is coming off of a shocking defeat against an under-rated Northwestern team. Nebraska’s defense is definitely not what it usually is. Nebraska’s defense is really not that great this year. Losing SR. DT Jared Crick was a crushing blow to this defense. Corey Cooper has promise, but is a freshman. He is still learning his position. Dennard, Cassidy, and Stafford have been average at best in coverage. Nebraska has the talent and has the experience for this defense to be dominating opponents. They just aren’t playing as a unit, and this is why they are getting beat. You can’t hold Michigan State to 3 points and then go and give up 28 Northwestern. Again, this will be a contest in which a pretty good run defense (Penn State) will go against a great rushing attack (Nebraska). Martinez is a great attacking threat at QB to score anytime he has the ball. Rex Burkhead is a tough runner and gets north & south very quick. I have Penn State winning this game. I think that Joe Pa’s team will rally around him being forced out and beat Nebraska. The campus needs this win. With Bradley taking over, this could help the university start healing. Penn State 17-14.
3. #20 Auburn goes to Athens to take on a HOT #15 Georgia. Georgia started off the season 0-2 and it didn’t look like Richt was going to finish the season. Well 7 wins later, Georgia is in the driver’s seat to get to Atlanta and play for the SEC championship. Did you or anyone else figure that was going to happen? Isaiah Crowell has been playing well and maybe the SEC freshman of the year with his current 689 yards. Aaron Murray has 23 tds and 2060 yards. Don’t look for those stats to get any worse with Auburn coming into town. If they can get Isaiah Crowell going early, then they can really get rolling against Auburn with the type of game that Aaron Murray. Georgia’s front 7 are a very stout unit. They have converted to a 3-4 defense and have two good young linebackers in the middle of the defense with Cornelius Washington and Christian Robinson. Georgia is ranked 7th in total defense, 8th against the run, and 24th against the pass. Those are very respectable numbers from a team that was taken apart by Boise State and against South Carolina. Todd Grantham has done a great job regrouping his guys and getting them refocused. Georgia controls its destiny, but faith in Georgia is still hard to come by these days. Auburn’s defense has steadily improved over the past few weeks, but they are still not that good. The QB situation in Auburn is a lot worse than we first thought. Frasier is the leader in waiting, but he is going to have to learn that playbook. In the meantime, Moseley has been named the starter of the offense and honestly, I don’t see how he is any more effective than Trotter. If Auburn wants to win, they are going to have to block Georgia’s front 7. Dyer is the player that should get the ball more. He has 989 yards this year, and McCalebb is a good complement to Dyer. There was a stretch where Auburn’s best WR Emory Blake, was injured. He has a tough task this week, going against the dynamic Brandon Boykins. If he picks off a pass, he will score. I wouldn’t kick him the ball either. Watch for him in the backfield. He can score from there as well. I just don’t think Auburn has the offense to beat Georgia. I have Georgia in this game 21-10.
4. The game of the week will be in Palo Alto as the #7 Oregon Ducks come to Stanford Stadium to take on Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinals. This game is very important for Alabama games. Because if Oregon beats Stanford, they will have one of the two scenarios to happen for them to have a rematch against #1 LSU. Stanford hasn’t faced a team this fast all season, and I don’t know if they can keep up. LaMichael James has been slowly put back into the rotation and is looking to have a big game against Stanford. But it’s not just James that you have to be concerned about; Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas have been sharing the load as well. Since the LSU fumbles, Thomas has been very reliable and really reminds me of DeSean Jackson with his game breaking speed. The kid has potential to be something special at Oregon. Another pleasant surprise has been Bryan Bennett at the QB position. Darron Thomas had hit a rough stretch in which he was injured and wasn’t really throwing the ball well. But Bennett has been playing very well in his place and is a bigger threat in the run game than Thomas. Look for Oregon’s Chip Kelly to mix him in as a different dimension against Stanford. They will need it because Stanford is tied for 3rd in the country against the run. But realistically, they haven’t played any run heavy teams. But Oregon is ranked 5th in the country against the run. Everyone knows about Andrew Luck (71.3% 2424 yards, 26 TDs) but what people don’t know is that Stepfan Taylor is a GOOD RB. He has 891 yards and had the game sealing TD against USC. Also people don’t see the attack that Stanford uses a pro-style offense. They block very well and very rarely do people get pressure on Luck. When you have great play at the TE position, it makes the QB’s job that much easier. Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz, and Levine Toilolo are all very tall and very fast TEs. They block well. They are a LB’s worst nightmare with speed and a safety’s worst nightmare with the size. They make Andrew Luck’s job very easy. But missing in this game is Chris Owusu, who is out with a concussion. But as of right now, Toilolo has a head injury and is questionable and Zach Ertz is out with a knee injury. This could pose a problem for Stanford. Taylor may have to carry a bigger load of the offense. But last week Ryan Hewitt played a big role and maybe a TE in the making. I would rather pick the Alabama LSU game than this game. Because these teams aren’t known for defense. Just based on the fact that Stanford is really fighting for this opportunity to play for a title, I am going to give them a slight edge. I think Stanford will win this game 49-42 in double OT.
Week 11 will be a great week of football as storylines develop all around the country, as teams begin to separate themselves in the championship picture.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
LSU vs. Alabama: Final Analysis
Marquis Maze lined up in the wildcat formation. When the ball was snapped, everyone on the play thought it as a run. The guy that didn’t need to be fooled was outside LB Karnell Hatcher. He steps up to stop the run. Michael Williams ran open and the perfect play call was set up perfectly in a game where every play counted. Eric Reid was in man to man coverage with Brandon Gibson. He pulled off of his man when he saw the ball thrown to a wide open Williams. Maze put a little too much air under the pass. Williams went up and got both hands on the ball. As he was falling, Eric Reid went up and got his hand in between Williams and the ball. As Williams was falling Reid dislodged the ball from his hand and took control of the ball from Williams.
Interception! LSU ball on the 1 yard line.
This was just one of MANY big plays made defensively in this game.
On Saturday night, an epic defensive struggle took place in Tuscaloosa as #1 LSU goes into Bryant-Denny and defeats the #2 Alabama 9-6.
A lot of us writers and experts picked this high scoring game, expected trick plays from Les, and a decisive win for one of the teams. It just didn’t go down that way. Alabama’s defense played a wonderful football game. They allowed 239 yards on 58 offensive plays. LSU struggled to move the ball all night long. Alabama was getting pressure on Lee as well as Jefferson all night long. They also forced 2 turnovers on a team that only had 3 all year long. Jarrett Lee was reverted back to his old ways throwing interceptions with reckless abandon. Each one was into double coverage with either Lester or Barron. He couldn’t stand back there long enough to scan over the defense because Alabama was getting all the pressure they wanted on him. LSU was equally impressive on defense. They held one of the best backs in the country to under 100 yards rushing. They gave up 295 total yards on 60 plays and forced turnovers in crucial situations; none bigger than that Eric Reid interception.
But the defense is not the only facet of this game that decided this game.
Alabama was only 2-6 on FG opportunities. Cade Foster missed from 44, 50, and 52. Shelley had one blocked from 49 yards. But you can’t blame the game on this and this alone. Alabama did leave 12 points on the field. But you have to give LSU’s defense credit. When Alabama got into LSU territory, they tightened up tremendously. When LSU felt the fire behind them, they knuckled down and didn’t let Alabama get started any further up field. They gave up a big play to Trent on a leak out pass to Trent Richardson in the 2nd quarter. He broke 2 tackles and got down to the 20 yard line. They didn’t let Alabama get any more yards and forced a FG. After the 2nd interception Jared Lee threw, they tightened up and only gave up the three points. After a big run by Trent Richardson, Alabama had the perfect play dialed up. But the play by Eric Reid saved the game. If Williams catches that ball, it is NO doubt in my mind Alabama scores a TD and wins that game. Also if you watch that play over, you will see that Barkevious Mingo was bearing down hard on Maze so he had to throw that ball. If he didn’t, it would have been a big loss on the play. When it mattered, LSU stepped up and made the plays. So to blame the kicker is ridiculous and all you “fans” should be ashamed of yourselves. LSU also did a great job of keeping Richardson in check for most of the game. He had his flashes of brilliance in which you can expect from him. But as far as deciding the game, he didn’t have that kind of impact on the game. In OT he did not make the plays that he should have made. He dropped a screen pass in OT. He also missed a perfectly thrown ball by AJ McCarron. It was thrown and dropped right between his hands. Trent Richardson has to make those plays in order Alabama to beat the #1 team in the country.
AJ McCarron wasn’t that bad, but his decision making wasn’t the best. He rarely came off his first read and LSU capitalized on this when McCarron stared down his TE Smelley and Claiborne intercepted his pass to set LSU up for a field goal. The sack that he took in OT was the worst because he just laid down. He didn’t fight to throw the ball out of bounds, get rid of it, or anything. It was also very disappointing that Nick Saban didn’t try to move the ball on LSU with 1:25 seconds left on the clock. You never know what’s going to happen if you don’t try. I thought it was a tribute to just how much faith Nick Saban has in McCarron. He doesn’t trust him to make clutch plays at the end of the game.
Nick Saban was out coached this game as well. There is no reason that Maze should have been in the game to field that punt. Is an injured Maze better than the other kids on the team? Did Saban not trust anyone else on special teams to field the punt? This cost Alabama 30 yards. Going into overtime with Maze, Jones, and Kirkpatrick hurt? Going into OT with a QB that you do not have faith in? Thin at WR? With NO clear cut advantage? Saban should have taken his chances at the end of that game. No question. Most fans knew it was over at that point. Not going for it on 4th after the second missed FG? That would have been the smarter move. Also in overtime, Saban elected to throw the ball 3 straight times. GIVE THE BALL TO RICHARDSON! He is your Heisman candidate, let him win this game! WHY DO YOU THROW IT ON 3 STRAIGHT PLAYS???? I think this was the wrong time. Everyone thought that Les Miles was going to be the one that pulled the tricks out the bag. I think it was an excellent strategy to stay conservative. It kept them on their heels the entire game. They didn’t know what was coming. Adding Jordan Jefferson into the mix was genius. The option forced Alabama defense into a spot that it wasn’t used to being in. Thinking. They had to think about what they were going to do, causing them to play just a bit slower than they are used to playing, and this gave LSU just the opening they needed to make plays.
I think that LSU was the better team that night and had the better team overall. It showed that they were better prepared for the big game situations. When it came down to it, LSU just made more plays when it counted. Follow me on Twitter, @4thandInchesMag!!!! Stay tuned!
Interception! LSU ball on the 1 yard line.
This was just one of MANY big plays made defensively in this game.
On Saturday night, an epic defensive struggle took place in Tuscaloosa as #1 LSU goes into Bryant-Denny and defeats the #2 Alabama 9-6.
A lot of us writers and experts picked this high scoring game, expected trick plays from Les, and a decisive win for one of the teams. It just didn’t go down that way. Alabama’s defense played a wonderful football game. They allowed 239 yards on 58 offensive plays. LSU struggled to move the ball all night long. Alabama was getting pressure on Lee as well as Jefferson all night long. They also forced 2 turnovers on a team that only had 3 all year long. Jarrett Lee was reverted back to his old ways throwing interceptions with reckless abandon. Each one was into double coverage with either Lester or Barron. He couldn’t stand back there long enough to scan over the defense because Alabama was getting all the pressure they wanted on him. LSU was equally impressive on defense. They held one of the best backs in the country to under 100 yards rushing. They gave up 295 total yards on 60 plays and forced turnovers in crucial situations; none bigger than that Eric Reid interception.
But the defense is not the only facet of this game that decided this game.
Alabama was only 2-6 on FG opportunities. Cade Foster missed from 44, 50, and 52. Shelley had one blocked from 49 yards. But you can’t blame the game on this and this alone. Alabama did leave 12 points on the field. But you have to give LSU’s defense credit. When Alabama got into LSU territory, they tightened up tremendously. When LSU felt the fire behind them, they knuckled down and didn’t let Alabama get started any further up field. They gave up a big play to Trent on a leak out pass to Trent Richardson in the 2nd quarter. He broke 2 tackles and got down to the 20 yard line. They didn’t let Alabama get any more yards and forced a FG. After the 2nd interception Jared Lee threw, they tightened up and only gave up the three points. After a big run by Trent Richardson, Alabama had the perfect play dialed up. But the play by Eric Reid saved the game. If Williams catches that ball, it is NO doubt in my mind Alabama scores a TD and wins that game. Also if you watch that play over, you will see that Barkevious Mingo was bearing down hard on Maze so he had to throw that ball. If he didn’t, it would have been a big loss on the play. When it mattered, LSU stepped up and made the plays. So to blame the kicker is ridiculous and all you “fans” should be ashamed of yourselves. LSU also did a great job of keeping Richardson in check for most of the game. He had his flashes of brilliance in which you can expect from him. But as far as deciding the game, he didn’t have that kind of impact on the game. In OT he did not make the plays that he should have made. He dropped a screen pass in OT. He also missed a perfectly thrown ball by AJ McCarron. It was thrown and dropped right between his hands. Trent Richardson has to make those plays in order Alabama to beat the #1 team in the country.
AJ McCarron wasn’t that bad, but his decision making wasn’t the best. He rarely came off his first read and LSU capitalized on this when McCarron stared down his TE Smelley and Claiborne intercepted his pass to set LSU up for a field goal. The sack that he took in OT was the worst because he just laid down. He didn’t fight to throw the ball out of bounds, get rid of it, or anything. It was also very disappointing that Nick Saban didn’t try to move the ball on LSU with 1:25 seconds left on the clock. You never know what’s going to happen if you don’t try. I thought it was a tribute to just how much faith Nick Saban has in McCarron. He doesn’t trust him to make clutch plays at the end of the game.
Nick Saban was out coached this game as well. There is no reason that Maze should have been in the game to field that punt. Is an injured Maze better than the other kids on the team? Did Saban not trust anyone else on special teams to field the punt? This cost Alabama 30 yards. Going into overtime with Maze, Jones, and Kirkpatrick hurt? Going into OT with a QB that you do not have faith in? Thin at WR? With NO clear cut advantage? Saban should have taken his chances at the end of that game. No question. Most fans knew it was over at that point. Not going for it on 4th after the second missed FG? That would have been the smarter move. Also in overtime, Saban elected to throw the ball 3 straight times. GIVE THE BALL TO RICHARDSON! He is your Heisman candidate, let him win this game! WHY DO YOU THROW IT ON 3 STRAIGHT PLAYS???? I think this was the wrong time. Everyone thought that Les Miles was going to be the one that pulled the tricks out the bag. I think it was an excellent strategy to stay conservative. It kept them on their heels the entire game. They didn’t know what was coming. Adding Jordan Jefferson into the mix was genius. The option forced Alabama defense into a spot that it wasn’t used to being in. Thinking. They had to think about what they were going to do, causing them to play just a bit slower than they are used to playing, and this gave LSU just the opening they needed to make plays.
I think that LSU was the better team that night and had the better team overall. It showed that they were better prepared for the big game situations. When it came down to it, LSU just made more plays when it counted. Follow me on Twitter, @4thandInchesMag!!!! Stay tuned!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Analysis and Prediction for LSU vs. Alabama
When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, you have a clash for the ages. In Tuscaloosa this week we have just that happening. #1 LSU is heading to T-Town to face off against the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide. I have been battling back and forth of who I am going to take on this game. Each team has strengths and each has weaknesses; it’s just that whose weakness will be more critical in deciding this game.
Alabama is a great defense. They are one of the greatest statistically through 8 games: 180.5 yards, 45 yards a game rushing, 135.63 passing yards per game, 48% completions, and 6.88 points per game. They are disciplined and don’t get penalized much. They can control the clock with an amazing running attack. They have a great return man in Maze that can change this game in the blink of an eye. The weaknesses of Alabama are hidden by how great the rest of the defense is. I have said all season that Dre’ Kirkpatrick is the weak link of the Alabama secondary. I noticed that all the Alabama fans that I follow on twitter were quick to point that out against Florida. He started playing 10 yards off. Charlie Weiss didn’t change the game plan start throwing quick routes; he kept throwing deep routes. This was going right into Saban’s game plan. LSU runs a lot of slants and outs. If they decide to play off, LSU is going to go to the slant game. This will force Alabama to come up. Milner lost his starting spot because he was getting beat. When Alabama goes to the Nickel, Menzie moves inside, while Milner comes outside with Kirkpatrick. If this happens, the target will be Milner. I don’t think Randle will be catching bombs on Alabama like he did against Auburn; but Randle is NOT a good match up for Kirkpatrick or for Milner. Here’s why. Kirkpatrick struggles against big WRs. Look at the game against South Carolina’s Alshon Jefferies. If he can’t rough them up at the line, he struggles. Milner was beaten all last year. He was constantly picked on and this happened in camp this year as well. This is why he isn’t starting. Another weakness that I have seen on film against Alabama is the fact that Alabama’s defensive backs are peeking in the backfield entirely too much trying to get a bead on the QB’s pass in order to break it up. This has been successful all year, except the one play against Fl. A good offensive coordinator can see this and will try to take advantage of this with play action to make them come up. Odell Beckham has the speed to run past anyone in the secondary. One false step by the Alabama safeties and they will be torched. Randle, Shepard, and Beckham all have the tools to work and get open. This is the thing, though. Alabama hides their deficiencies and errors in the backfield with the power of their front four. Anyone that can block the blitz usually can pick Alabama apart in the secondary. I honestly think that with LSU getting P.J. Lonergan back was huge for the LSU offensive line. It allows for T. Bob Hebert to move back to his natural position of guard for this game. LSU’s offensive line has been great all season long. IF they can block the Alabama blitz and give Lee or Jefferson time. The secondary could have a long night.
AJ McCarron may just decide this game. Now he has been playing ok, but he has not seen a secondary as talented as the one that he is going to see on Saturday. He made some bad decisions in each of the 8 games that he played in where against better athletes, they would have been interceptions. He is rarely coming off his first read and really didn’t get his feet wet against Tennessee until the second half. If Tennessee could have gotten some pressure on him, that game could have gone very badly for Alabama. Against LSU, they will get pressure. They also have some real life goons in that secondary. I really feel like this is the key to Alabama’s success. You can’t let Trent Richardson beat you. LSU WILL load the box and force McCarron to make throws against the best CB tandem in the country. I don’t think that it is going to happen.
Alabama also has a kicking game by committee. Defensive games usually come down to a FG. If these guys don’t get the job done, they could be the goat of this game and go down in history in the wrong way. Cody Mandell and Jay Williams will HAVE to make sure that they make their kicks on this big stage.
Now to LSU. They have their flaws as well.
All you hear about with LSU is their depth at defensive line and at defensive back. They rotate 10 defensive lineman and 8 defensive backs. Well you don’t hear much about their LBs. And there is a reason why you don’t. They aren’t that good. West Virginia threw for a lot of yards on LSU; 463 to be exact. What Dana Holgorsen did was attack the middle of the field. LSU’s LB core is not good in coverage. They really don’t get a lot of tackle opportunities anyhow because of the pressure that LSU gets with the front four. This is how Les Miles masks his deficiency on defense. Francois, the starting OLB only has 5 tackles on the year. Baker the staring MLB has 33, and Hatcher has 18. This won’t cut it against Alabama. This plays to Alabama’s strengths. They run crossing routes, seams with the TEs, outs with the TEs and square in routes with the WRs. If LSU can’t cover the intermediate stuff any better than they did against West Virginia, it can be a long game for them. Francois, Baker and Hatcher are going to have to play the game of their lives in order to stop Alabama from doing what they want to do. You don’t want to have a LB deficiency when you have the one of the best run blocking offensive lines in the country and in my eyes the best running back in the country playing against your team.
Another weakness in LSU is the slow starts. They can’t let Alabama stick around. Their depth has just worn teams out. They can’t expect for that to happen against Alabama ; 6-3 lead at halftime against Mississippi State, 14-0 halftime lead against Kentucky, 6-3 after the first quarter against Oregon. They have to come out. Establish the tone that they want to set and keep it rolling. If they get down against Alabama, it will be very hard to get out of a hole. This team is too good up front to not set the tempo. If Alabama steps up to the task of getting an early lead, LSU can struggle for the rest of the game.
One more thing that I think that Alabama will take advantage of is an aggressive defensive line. It is no question that LSU has the best defensive line in the country. But Alabama is the best screen team in the country. If LSU’s front four doesn’t watch it, they can drop the ball right behind them with a convoy of offensive lineman in front of Trent Richardson. Also, something else the McElwain needs to do is run the draw play. This is how you tone down a great defensive line; keep them off balance and worrying about ever scenario. You can’t let them dictate the game. If you do, McCarron will have a long night.
LSU has a definite advantage in the special team area. They covered Auburn’s Tre’ Mason and didn’t let him dictate the game. As good as Maze is, I don’t think that even he will be able to allude the excellent kick and punt coverage that LSU displays week in and week out. Brad Wing does a great job punting bombs down the field. He has 11 punts of 50 yards or better and is averaging 44.4 yards per punt.
At the end of the day, I just think that AJ McCarron will turn the ball over. This is going to be the deciding factor in the game. I think that the game against Oregon and the game against West Virginia were to prepare LSU for this game. I feel that they are just more big game ready. I have LSU winning this game, 24-17. I just think that LSU has the more complete team and will force a crucial turnover in a critical juncture in the game. AJ McCarron still has some growing to do. I just don’t think he can win that matchup against that secondary. Stay tuned for my post game analysis on this game. Follow me @4thandInchesMag on Twitter!
Alabama is a great defense. They are one of the greatest statistically through 8 games: 180.5 yards, 45 yards a game rushing, 135.63 passing yards per game, 48% completions, and 6.88 points per game. They are disciplined and don’t get penalized much. They can control the clock with an amazing running attack. They have a great return man in Maze that can change this game in the blink of an eye. The weaknesses of Alabama are hidden by how great the rest of the defense is. I have said all season that Dre’ Kirkpatrick is the weak link of the Alabama secondary. I noticed that all the Alabama fans that I follow on twitter were quick to point that out against Florida. He started playing 10 yards off. Charlie Weiss didn’t change the game plan start throwing quick routes; he kept throwing deep routes. This was going right into Saban’s game plan. LSU runs a lot of slants and outs. If they decide to play off, LSU is going to go to the slant game. This will force Alabama to come up. Milner lost his starting spot because he was getting beat. When Alabama goes to the Nickel, Menzie moves inside, while Milner comes outside with Kirkpatrick. If this happens, the target will be Milner. I don’t think Randle will be catching bombs on Alabama like he did against Auburn; but Randle is NOT a good match up for Kirkpatrick or for Milner. Here’s why. Kirkpatrick struggles against big WRs. Look at the game against South Carolina’s Alshon Jefferies. If he can’t rough them up at the line, he struggles. Milner was beaten all last year. He was constantly picked on and this happened in camp this year as well. This is why he isn’t starting. Another weakness that I have seen on film against Alabama is the fact that Alabama’s defensive backs are peeking in the backfield entirely too much trying to get a bead on the QB’s pass in order to break it up. This has been successful all year, except the one play against Fl. A good offensive coordinator can see this and will try to take advantage of this with play action to make them come up. Odell Beckham has the speed to run past anyone in the secondary. One false step by the Alabama safeties and they will be torched. Randle, Shepard, and Beckham all have the tools to work and get open. This is the thing, though. Alabama hides their deficiencies and errors in the backfield with the power of their front four. Anyone that can block the blitz usually can pick Alabama apart in the secondary. I honestly think that with LSU getting P.J. Lonergan back was huge for the LSU offensive line. It allows for T. Bob Hebert to move back to his natural position of guard for this game. LSU’s offensive line has been great all season long. IF they can block the Alabama blitz and give Lee or Jefferson time. The secondary could have a long night.
AJ McCarron may just decide this game. Now he has been playing ok, but he has not seen a secondary as talented as the one that he is going to see on Saturday. He made some bad decisions in each of the 8 games that he played in where against better athletes, they would have been interceptions. He is rarely coming off his first read and really didn’t get his feet wet against Tennessee until the second half. If Tennessee could have gotten some pressure on him, that game could have gone very badly for Alabama. Against LSU, they will get pressure. They also have some real life goons in that secondary. I really feel like this is the key to Alabama’s success. You can’t let Trent Richardson beat you. LSU WILL load the box and force McCarron to make throws against the best CB tandem in the country. I don’t think that it is going to happen.
Alabama also has a kicking game by committee. Defensive games usually come down to a FG. If these guys don’t get the job done, they could be the goat of this game and go down in history in the wrong way. Cody Mandell and Jay Williams will HAVE to make sure that they make their kicks on this big stage.
Now to LSU. They have their flaws as well.
All you hear about with LSU is their depth at defensive line and at defensive back. They rotate 10 defensive lineman and 8 defensive backs. Well you don’t hear much about their LBs. And there is a reason why you don’t. They aren’t that good. West Virginia threw for a lot of yards on LSU; 463 to be exact. What Dana Holgorsen did was attack the middle of the field. LSU’s LB core is not good in coverage. They really don’t get a lot of tackle opportunities anyhow because of the pressure that LSU gets with the front four. This is how Les Miles masks his deficiency on defense. Francois, the starting OLB only has 5 tackles on the year. Baker the staring MLB has 33, and Hatcher has 18. This won’t cut it against Alabama. This plays to Alabama’s strengths. They run crossing routes, seams with the TEs, outs with the TEs and square in routes with the WRs. If LSU can’t cover the intermediate stuff any better than they did against West Virginia, it can be a long game for them. Francois, Baker and Hatcher are going to have to play the game of their lives in order to stop Alabama from doing what they want to do. You don’t want to have a LB deficiency when you have the one of the best run blocking offensive lines in the country and in my eyes the best running back in the country playing against your team.
Another weakness in LSU is the slow starts. They can’t let Alabama stick around. Their depth has just worn teams out. They can’t expect for that to happen against Alabama ; 6-3 lead at halftime against Mississippi State, 14-0 halftime lead against Kentucky, 6-3 after the first quarter against Oregon. They have to come out. Establish the tone that they want to set and keep it rolling. If they get down against Alabama, it will be very hard to get out of a hole. This team is too good up front to not set the tempo. If Alabama steps up to the task of getting an early lead, LSU can struggle for the rest of the game.
One more thing that I think that Alabama will take advantage of is an aggressive defensive line. It is no question that LSU has the best defensive line in the country. But Alabama is the best screen team in the country. If LSU’s front four doesn’t watch it, they can drop the ball right behind them with a convoy of offensive lineman in front of Trent Richardson. Also, something else the McElwain needs to do is run the draw play. This is how you tone down a great defensive line; keep them off balance and worrying about ever scenario. You can’t let them dictate the game. If you do, McCarron will have a long night.
LSU has a definite advantage in the special team area. They covered Auburn’s Tre’ Mason and didn’t let him dictate the game. As good as Maze is, I don’t think that even he will be able to allude the excellent kick and punt coverage that LSU displays week in and week out. Brad Wing does a great job punting bombs down the field. He has 11 punts of 50 yards or better and is averaging 44.4 yards per punt.
At the end of the day, I just think that AJ McCarron will turn the ball over. This is going to be the deciding factor in the game. I think that the game against Oregon and the game against West Virginia were to prepare LSU for this game. I feel that they are just more big game ready. I have LSU winning this game, 24-17. I just think that LSU has the more complete team and will force a crucial turnover in a critical juncture in the game. AJ McCarron still has some growing to do. I just don’t think he can win that matchup against that secondary. Stay tuned for my post game analysis on this game. Follow me @4thandInchesMag on Twitter!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Strengths of the Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama vs. LSU game will be one of the most physical ball games to be played this year. Great offensive and defensive lines will set the tone for this match-up to determine the leader of the SEC West; one of the strongest divisions in college football. The SEC West maybe stronger than some NFL divisions! This is the second of a two part series highlighting the strengths of each team. Now up to plate, Alabama.
1. Running Backs: Do I need to say more? The Heisman trophy candidate is a rare blend of power and speed. The first guy NEVER brings him down. He wears you down through the game. He is not the tallest back (listed at 5”11), so his compact running style is conducive to him being so hard to bring down. It also helps him get behind those huge offensive linemen that he runs behind. His thighs are bigger than most super models, and he never fumbles the football. He is also very elusive. No other play is more memorable than the move that he put on Senquez Golson from Ole Miss. He displayed all of talents that he possesses on his run. He breaks 3 tackles, out runs the defense, then puts a move that crippled this young man all on one play. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLQOKjH_S3I) He is a horse. A big game against LSU will put him ahead of Andrew Luck for the Heisman trophy. Richardson is great blocker and can catch the ball out of the backfield very well. Eddie Lacy is a horse as well. He comes in and gives you the exact same style of running, power, speed, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield better than Richardson. Since he has gotten rid of that case of the fumbles, the kid has been an awesome complement to Richardson. Just when you think that you are in the clear, they bring in big Jalston Fowler to try to bring down. The THIRD string back weighs in at 246 lbs. A load to bring down for the most fearsome of defenders. LSU has a great front line, but if they over run the lanes or past the running backs, they will have another game like they had against Auburn last year; giving up run after run for big yardage. This is the key to Alabama’s offense. If Richardson gets rolling, look out. It will be a LONG EVENING for the LSU defense.
2. Linebackers: Alabama has the deepest linebacker unit in the country. Courtney Upshaw, Dont’a Hightower, Nico Johnson, Jerrell Harris, C.J. Mosley, Trey DePriest, Tana Patrick, Chris Jordan, Adrian Hubbard, Xzavier Dickson, Alex Watkins, and Adrian Hubbard. My goodness. Most of these guys were 4 and 5 star recruits, can you imagine seeing Adrian Hubbard at 6”6 lining up at LB and him coming to blitz you?!? Dont’a Hightower is the total package at Inside Linebacker. He runs like a deer, can read a defense before the snap almost as good as Rolando McClain, covers well for his size, and can bring the blues to any QB that sits back there long enough to see him coming. Courtney Upshaw is a bull and can’t be blocked by one man. He plays the game like a Steelers LB already. He is a matchup problem against any college lineman right now. C.J. Mosley is the best cover LB in football. He can run with ANYONE; speedsters at RB, TEs, and WRs. The linebackers are the deepest group of players that Alabama has. They have a guy that can come right in and give them the same effort that the guy ahead of him gives. LSU’s offensive line has its work cut out for them. This is a very tough defense to block from the LB spot. The scheme is great for these guys to flourish. That is why right now to me, Alabama is the new linebacker U. I haven’t seen a set of backers this good in a long time. I hope LSU is disciplined at offensive line; if not this group of guys will have you jumping off sides all game long. You never know where the pressure is coming from. And if you do see the pressure coming, it doesn’t matter. You can’t block it anyway.
3. Offensive Line: Vlachos, Steen, Warmack, Fluker, and Jones are 5 of the best in the business. Jones is the most versatile offensive lineman in the country. He has good feet to play tackle and consistently seals his guy off at the point of attack. He also has the strength and the smarts to play guard as well. If needed, I think he could probably play center as well. Six out of 10 times, the run play is going to his side because of the job he consistently does in dominating his man. He is definitely the front runner for the Rimington and the Outland trophies. Fluker has been coming on well this season. There were thoughts that the freshman Kouandjio would take his spot. The line does a great job moving their men out of position. They know they don’t have to hold their guys long, because they have some outstanding backs coming through the lanes they create. If LSU’s rush is too aggressive, it will play right into the hands of Alabama. They will just draw LSU. And if this happens, LSU’s LBs are not the strengths of their defense. If they attack them, this will decide the game.
4. Saban: Many see Saban as the best coach in the land. Who can argue with that? He is bringing the recruits in and he is winning the games. He coaches his team very well and stays one step ahead of the opposition. He is one of the best of keeping his team calm and under control in big game situations. This is as big as they come especially against his old team. He is intense and takes no excuses. He can game plan for any type of defense. If Alabama gets up early, don’t look for the conservative approach. I expect for him to make a statement in this game. He and Kirby Smart keep opposing offenses off balance throughout the game. He runs a well oiled machine. If Alabama does take the L, it won’t be Saban’s fault. His team will be ready to play. Les Miles better have his rabbit foot, horse shoes, four leaf clovers and Lucky from the Lucky Charms box. If not, one bad play call in this game against Saban can cost him the game.
5. Bryant-Denny Stadium: The aura around this stadium is something that anyone can feel just standing in front of it; I felt it and I am not even a fan! With 101,821 screaming fans for the biggest contest that the stadium has seen in years, this game will be tough to win for LSU. This is one of the biggest fan bases in the country. Alabama football is second only to religion in these parts. Night game + Bryant-Denny= disaster for most teams coming in here. With the Tide feeding off of this, don’t look for LSU to have a good night.
6. Defense: Telling you that Alabama has a great defense is like telling you that Tony Parker was an idiot for cheating on Eva Longoria. Alabama ranks at the top of EVERY defensive statistical category. They are allowing 180.5 yards/game; the next closest team is at 228.75. That is almost a 50 yard difference. They are allowing 44.88 yards rushing/game; the next closest team is 72.71. That is a full 27.83 yards difference in the next team. They are #2 in pass defense at 135.63 yards per. They are allowing 48.15% completions per game. Barron, Lester, Kirkpatrick and Menzie are one of the best defense backfields in the land. Two of the four (Barron and Kirkpatrick) are up for the Thorpe award, for the nation’s best defensive back. Alabama is completely dominating teams from the defensive side of the ball. Alabama is allowing 6.88 points per game the next closest team is 10.00 per. They are statistically the best defense in the land; with those numbers, you can’t deny that they are the best defense in the land. It doesn’t matter who they have or have not played.
7. Special Teams: Marquis Maze is one of the most dynamic return men in the country. If he gets a lane, you can hang it up. The kid is averaging 8.9 yards a return. He can change games and dictate field position. If the guy gets a chance, he can determine the outcome of the game by setting Alabama up with short fields. He also has 238 kickoff return yards on 9 attempts. The guy is a game breaker at this position. If LSU doesn’t come down and put a hat on him quickly, it can definitely decide the game.
Alabama hasn’t played the toughest of schedules, but that doesn’t change the fact that this team has been the most dominate with the opponents that it has faced. No one has been able to move the ball against these guys. LSU isn’t best offensive team and gets off to slow starts. If they can force LSU into a turnover, they can jump out early. This is lining up to be a struggle of defenses. If Alabama plays the type of game it is capable of playing, Alabama can win this game by 14 points and hold LSU to its lowest point total of the year.
1. Running Backs: Do I need to say more? The Heisman trophy candidate is a rare blend of power and speed. The first guy NEVER brings him down. He wears you down through the game. He is not the tallest back (listed at 5”11), so his compact running style is conducive to him being so hard to bring down. It also helps him get behind those huge offensive linemen that he runs behind. His thighs are bigger than most super models, and he never fumbles the football. He is also very elusive. No other play is more memorable than the move that he put on Senquez Golson from Ole Miss. He displayed all of talents that he possesses on his run. He breaks 3 tackles, out runs the defense, then puts a move that crippled this young man all on one play. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLQOKjH_S3I) He is a horse. A big game against LSU will put him ahead of Andrew Luck for the Heisman trophy. Richardson is great blocker and can catch the ball out of the backfield very well. Eddie Lacy is a horse as well. He comes in and gives you the exact same style of running, power, speed, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield better than Richardson. Since he has gotten rid of that case of the fumbles, the kid has been an awesome complement to Richardson. Just when you think that you are in the clear, they bring in big Jalston Fowler to try to bring down. The THIRD string back weighs in at 246 lbs. A load to bring down for the most fearsome of defenders. LSU has a great front line, but if they over run the lanes or past the running backs, they will have another game like they had against Auburn last year; giving up run after run for big yardage. This is the key to Alabama’s offense. If Richardson gets rolling, look out. It will be a LONG EVENING for the LSU defense.
2. Linebackers: Alabama has the deepest linebacker unit in the country. Courtney Upshaw, Dont’a Hightower, Nico Johnson, Jerrell Harris, C.J. Mosley, Trey DePriest, Tana Patrick, Chris Jordan, Adrian Hubbard, Xzavier Dickson, Alex Watkins, and Adrian Hubbard. My goodness. Most of these guys were 4 and 5 star recruits, can you imagine seeing Adrian Hubbard at 6”6 lining up at LB and him coming to blitz you?!? Dont’a Hightower is the total package at Inside Linebacker. He runs like a deer, can read a defense before the snap almost as good as Rolando McClain, covers well for his size, and can bring the blues to any QB that sits back there long enough to see him coming. Courtney Upshaw is a bull and can’t be blocked by one man. He plays the game like a Steelers LB already. He is a matchup problem against any college lineman right now. C.J. Mosley is the best cover LB in football. He can run with ANYONE; speedsters at RB, TEs, and WRs. The linebackers are the deepest group of players that Alabama has. They have a guy that can come right in and give them the same effort that the guy ahead of him gives. LSU’s offensive line has its work cut out for them. This is a very tough defense to block from the LB spot. The scheme is great for these guys to flourish. That is why right now to me, Alabama is the new linebacker U. I haven’t seen a set of backers this good in a long time. I hope LSU is disciplined at offensive line; if not this group of guys will have you jumping off sides all game long. You never know where the pressure is coming from. And if you do see the pressure coming, it doesn’t matter. You can’t block it anyway.
3. Offensive Line: Vlachos, Steen, Warmack, Fluker, and Jones are 5 of the best in the business. Jones is the most versatile offensive lineman in the country. He has good feet to play tackle and consistently seals his guy off at the point of attack. He also has the strength and the smarts to play guard as well. If needed, I think he could probably play center as well. Six out of 10 times, the run play is going to his side because of the job he consistently does in dominating his man. He is definitely the front runner for the Rimington and the Outland trophies. Fluker has been coming on well this season. There were thoughts that the freshman Kouandjio would take his spot. The line does a great job moving their men out of position. They know they don’t have to hold their guys long, because they have some outstanding backs coming through the lanes they create. If LSU’s rush is too aggressive, it will play right into the hands of Alabama. They will just draw LSU. And if this happens, LSU’s LBs are not the strengths of their defense. If they attack them, this will decide the game.
4. Saban: Many see Saban as the best coach in the land. Who can argue with that? He is bringing the recruits in and he is winning the games. He coaches his team very well and stays one step ahead of the opposition. He is one of the best of keeping his team calm and under control in big game situations. This is as big as they come especially against his old team. He is intense and takes no excuses. He can game plan for any type of defense. If Alabama gets up early, don’t look for the conservative approach. I expect for him to make a statement in this game. He and Kirby Smart keep opposing offenses off balance throughout the game. He runs a well oiled machine. If Alabama does take the L, it won’t be Saban’s fault. His team will be ready to play. Les Miles better have his rabbit foot, horse shoes, four leaf clovers and Lucky from the Lucky Charms box. If not, one bad play call in this game against Saban can cost him the game.
5. Bryant-Denny Stadium: The aura around this stadium is something that anyone can feel just standing in front of it; I felt it and I am not even a fan! With 101,821 screaming fans for the biggest contest that the stadium has seen in years, this game will be tough to win for LSU. This is one of the biggest fan bases in the country. Alabama football is second only to religion in these parts. Night game + Bryant-Denny= disaster for most teams coming in here. With the Tide feeding off of this, don’t look for LSU to have a good night.
6. Defense: Telling you that Alabama has a great defense is like telling you that Tony Parker was an idiot for cheating on Eva Longoria. Alabama ranks at the top of EVERY defensive statistical category. They are allowing 180.5 yards/game; the next closest team is at 228.75. That is almost a 50 yard difference. They are allowing 44.88 yards rushing/game; the next closest team is 72.71. That is a full 27.83 yards difference in the next team. They are #2 in pass defense at 135.63 yards per. They are allowing 48.15% completions per game. Barron, Lester, Kirkpatrick and Menzie are one of the best defense backfields in the land. Two of the four (Barron and Kirkpatrick) are up for the Thorpe award, for the nation’s best defensive back. Alabama is completely dominating teams from the defensive side of the ball. Alabama is allowing 6.88 points per game the next closest team is 10.00 per. They are statistically the best defense in the land; with those numbers, you can’t deny that they are the best defense in the land. It doesn’t matter who they have or have not played.
7. Special Teams: Marquis Maze is one of the most dynamic return men in the country. If he gets a lane, you can hang it up. The kid is averaging 8.9 yards a return. He can change games and dictate field position. If the guy gets a chance, he can determine the outcome of the game by setting Alabama up with short fields. He also has 238 kickoff return yards on 9 attempts. The guy is a game breaker at this position. If LSU doesn’t come down and put a hat on him quickly, it can definitely decide the game.
Alabama hasn’t played the toughest of schedules, but that doesn’t change the fact that this team has been the most dominate with the opponents that it has faced. No one has been able to move the ball against these guys. LSU isn’t best offensive team and gets off to slow starts. If they can force LSU into a turnover, they can jump out early. This is lining up to be a struggle of defenses. If Alabama plays the type of game it is capable of playing, Alabama can win this game by 14 points and hold LSU to its lowest point total of the year.
Monday, October 31, 2011
The Strengths of the LSU Tigers
Ah. The week is finally here for the LSU vs. Alabama game. #1 vs. #2. The unstoppable force meets the immovable object. Alabama and LSU have similar playing styles. There are few reasons that I think that each team can win and can lose. This is the first of this two part series highlighting strengths of each team. Since LSU is a 4 point underdog, we will start with the Tigers.
1. Depth: LSU has more depth than any other team in the country. They rotate their entire defense in and out of the game. They play 10 defensive linemen; 6-7 defensive backs; and 3-5 linebackers. This is helps LSU in the second half when offensive lines are struggling this team is still fresh. They lose absolutely no talent rotating these guys in and they are very unselfish when it comes to playing time. They know who needs to be in the game at critical situations and who the leaders of the defense are. On the offensive side of the ball they have stable of running backs. Ware, Ford, Blue, and Gore are all good backs that bring something different to the table. They have two extraordinary fullbacks in Copeland and Stampley that will both have long NFL careers because they both bring the wood when it comes to opening up holes for the running backs in critical situations. Hightower had best have his head on a swivel when Stampley is coming through that hole… because if he isn’t it will be bye-bye birdy. This is the primary problem that teams have struggled with against LSU. They bring in wave after waves of athletes and don’t lose any talent in the process. It will be interesting how Alabama will adjust to this. Most teams fall off after Alabama’s depth sets in; this won’t affect LSU, because they are a different animal. Alabama hasn’t played anyone with this much depth. As one of my followers on twitter stated. “Alabama cannot think that this team is going to falter in the second half.” This team gets stronger as the game goes on.
2. Quarterback: LSU has not one, but two experienced QBs. Jarrett Lee has been playing excellent football this season. The 63.2% completion rating, 13 tds, and the most important stat 1 int. He has managed the game very well and has been accurate with the ball. All of his throws have been on the money and has thrown the slant with efficiency all season long. They also bring in Jordan Jefferson as a dual threat to run the ball and to throw it on occasion. You can’t get too caught up on him running the ball when he enters the game. If Lee can’t get the job done, they do have another QB that can come in and take the game over and has proven that he can beat Alabama. Last year Alabama had the more talented team and the QBs were the deciding factor in that game going 14/20 for 208 yards and 1 td. These guys are both better than last year. LSU definitely has the advantage here when compared to AJ McCarron. The weakness of Alabama’s team is the secondary. They are overly aggressive and stare in the backfield. Florida exposed Lester and Kirkpatrick on the first play of the game. They saw it on tape, and I think that Greg Studrawa should pick up on it as well. Kirkpatrick and Milner are SUSPECT! Alabama fans know it as well as coaches around the country. I think LSU will exploit the matchup with Beckham on Milner or trying to get a matchup with Barron. Barron is a great defender, but is not the best coverage S. He takes bad angles on pass break ups and is looking more to jar the ball loose versus breaking it up. Yes they are Thorpe Semifinalist; but I think they are who we think they are. Look for LSU to open it up early and often to keep Alabama off balance.
3. Cornerback: If you look at this secondary with Mathieu and Claiborne, there is no question that they are the best CB tandem in the country. Hell if you look at it, they maybe better than most CB duos in the NFL. They are aggressive. They can press, they can play zone. They can come up and stop the run, and on the next play intercept a pass. They catch the balls like receivers and their ball skills are refined. They both can return punts and kickoffs and are a threat to go to the house any opportunity they get. Oregon tried to go at Mathieu 10 tackles, 1 TFL a forced fumble 2 pass break ups and a TD later, they figured out he really wasn’t the one to attack. Mississippi State tried to go at Claiborne. He had two interceptions in that game and Mathieu had 10 tackles again. Claiborne is actually the better of the two corners. He doesn’t have as many opportunities as Mathieu. But when Claiborne gets them, he capitalizes on them. Mathieu is a true playmaker and can force a fumbles as well. He is disruptive all over the field; sacks, fumbles, tackles for loss, deflections, interceptions, and QB pressures. It is no wonder they nicknamed him the Honey Badger. He has NO fear of the big stage and talks the most out of anyone on the field. Just a little biology lesson; the honey badger has been the most fearless creature on earth by the Guinness Book of World Records. This little creature challenges anything that comes to its face, including lions, zebras, leopards and anything it feels threatened by. It feeds on cobras and anything else that it comes across. Sounds familiar? But let’s not just talk about these guys. Tharold Simon and Ron Brooks get lost in the mix because they just don’t get the snaps that Mathieu and Claiborne get. When they run dime and nickel situations, they lose nothing in coverage because these guys are great cover CBs as well. Ron Brooks stepped in against Auburn and played a hell of game against Auburn; it even included a pick six. Eric Reid is a very physical safety that can do more than just have the kill shot; he can cover TEs as well as WRs and RBs out of the backfield. Craig Loston gets lost in the mix because of how good the corners play. Against Maze, Hanks, and Smelley the advantage here is with LSU. AJ McCarron has been throwing to his first read because Alabama’s WR’s have been getting open. Alabama runs a lot of crossing routes. They also like to get their TE on the corner route or throw to him on a crossing route as well. They don’t have the down the field threat to run past the LSU secondary and burn them deep. AJ McCarron can’t force the ball to fit into tight spaces against this team. They are just too good for it.
4. Defensive Line: Kendrick Adams, Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery, Lavar Edwards, Mike Brockers, Bennie Logan, Anthony Johnson, Josh Downs, Ego Ferguson, Dennis Johnson. All 10 of these guys get reps in games. They wreak havoc; any of the back-ups could be starting anywhere else in the country. No play more memorable than when Mingo ran down LaMichael James from behind. This is a defensive end that is 6”5 237lbs. And he is the SECOND STRING! What fans don’t realize is that LSU rarely blitzes. The pressure that LSU gets is purely from the front four. LSU has 42 TFL, 38 of those are assisted. This means that LSU is getting multiple guys in the backfield to disrupt plays and make stops in the backfield. Alabama’s offensive line has not seen an attack like the one that they will see in the trenches this weekend. A TEN lineman rotation doesn’t happen in football often. LSU has the talent and the depth to pull it off. Tennessee did not have the best defensive line, but they kept Richardson in check for majority of the first half. The plan to beat Alabama was put into place; you put 2-3 bodies on Richardson and make him run through everyone on that defense to beat you. Force AJ McCarron to become a passer. Force him to read a defense and beat you. I can almost guarantee you that he will NOT have the time that he had against Tennessee with that 10 man rotation that LSU is going to send their way.
5. Les Miles: Love him or hate him, Les Miles is one of the most exciting coaches in the country. He coaches the game his way. He will win his way; or lose his way. Regardless of the situation, things will go Les Miles’ way. He has said that this is the best football team he has had down in Baton Rouge; that in itself is a scary thought. Look for Les to open it up, spread them out, run it down their throat, and even pull some plays out of his bag of tricks. Last year, Miles out coached Saban with great situational play calling and seemed to be ahead of Kirby Smart and Nick Saban all game. If Miles comes out on top and wins the play calling battle, it will be very hard to overcome this problem regardless of how good Alabama plays.
6. Road Tested: LSU has gone to Morgantown and won against a dynamic West Virginia squad, they went to Jerry’s playhouse and won in Arlington against a very good Oregon offense. They went to Starkville and won in a closer game against Mississippi State. My point? This team has overcome every difficult situation that it has been presented with and dominated. I don’t think that the crowd in Tuscaloosa is going to affect LSU’s play at all. I think that they will actually try to silence this crowd and take them out of the game early. You shut up a loud and rowdy crowd with your play on the field. I think LSU has done that consistently all season long. Alabama did not set up the conference schedule that LSU set up. I think that was Les Miles’ way of preparing his team for this test against a very gritty Alabama team.
LSU is a formidable opponent. LSU has dismantled an Oregon team that has been blowing people out since they played them. Oregon is one of the fastest teams in the country, but LSU just crushed their speed with even more speed. If Alabama comes into this game with the normal slow start that they have had the past 2 weeks against Vandy and Tennessee, look for one mistake from McCarron to bust this game wide open. I don’t think that Alabama’s team is as good as it was last year. Jones, Ingram, and Dareus all went first round for a reason. It’s going to be a good game, but if LSU plays the type of game that it is capable of, they can win this game by at least 14 points.
1. Depth: LSU has more depth than any other team in the country. They rotate their entire defense in and out of the game. They play 10 defensive linemen; 6-7 defensive backs; and 3-5 linebackers. This is helps LSU in the second half when offensive lines are struggling this team is still fresh. They lose absolutely no talent rotating these guys in and they are very unselfish when it comes to playing time. They know who needs to be in the game at critical situations and who the leaders of the defense are. On the offensive side of the ball they have stable of running backs. Ware, Ford, Blue, and Gore are all good backs that bring something different to the table. They have two extraordinary fullbacks in Copeland and Stampley that will both have long NFL careers because they both bring the wood when it comes to opening up holes for the running backs in critical situations. Hightower had best have his head on a swivel when Stampley is coming through that hole… because if he isn’t it will be bye-bye birdy. This is the primary problem that teams have struggled with against LSU. They bring in wave after waves of athletes and don’t lose any talent in the process. It will be interesting how Alabama will adjust to this. Most teams fall off after Alabama’s depth sets in; this won’t affect LSU, because they are a different animal. Alabama hasn’t played anyone with this much depth. As one of my followers on twitter stated. “Alabama cannot think that this team is going to falter in the second half.” This team gets stronger as the game goes on.
2. Quarterback: LSU has not one, but two experienced QBs. Jarrett Lee has been playing excellent football this season. The 63.2% completion rating, 13 tds, and the most important stat 1 int. He has managed the game very well and has been accurate with the ball. All of his throws have been on the money and has thrown the slant with efficiency all season long. They also bring in Jordan Jefferson as a dual threat to run the ball and to throw it on occasion. You can’t get too caught up on him running the ball when he enters the game. If Lee can’t get the job done, they do have another QB that can come in and take the game over and has proven that he can beat Alabama. Last year Alabama had the more talented team and the QBs were the deciding factor in that game going 14/20 for 208 yards and 1 td. These guys are both better than last year. LSU definitely has the advantage here when compared to AJ McCarron. The weakness of Alabama’s team is the secondary. They are overly aggressive and stare in the backfield. Florida exposed Lester and Kirkpatrick on the first play of the game. They saw it on tape, and I think that Greg Studrawa should pick up on it as well. Kirkpatrick and Milner are SUSPECT! Alabama fans know it as well as coaches around the country. I think LSU will exploit the matchup with Beckham on Milner or trying to get a matchup with Barron. Barron is a great defender, but is not the best coverage S. He takes bad angles on pass break ups and is looking more to jar the ball loose versus breaking it up. Yes they are Thorpe Semifinalist; but I think they are who we think they are. Look for LSU to open it up early and often to keep Alabama off balance.
3. Cornerback: If you look at this secondary with Mathieu and Claiborne, there is no question that they are the best CB tandem in the country. Hell if you look at it, they maybe better than most CB duos in the NFL. They are aggressive. They can press, they can play zone. They can come up and stop the run, and on the next play intercept a pass. They catch the balls like receivers and their ball skills are refined. They both can return punts and kickoffs and are a threat to go to the house any opportunity they get. Oregon tried to go at Mathieu 10 tackles, 1 TFL a forced fumble 2 pass break ups and a TD later, they figured out he really wasn’t the one to attack. Mississippi State tried to go at Claiborne. He had two interceptions in that game and Mathieu had 10 tackles again. Claiborne is actually the better of the two corners. He doesn’t have as many opportunities as Mathieu. But when Claiborne gets them, he capitalizes on them. Mathieu is a true playmaker and can force a fumbles as well. He is disruptive all over the field; sacks, fumbles, tackles for loss, deflections, interceptions, and QB pressures. It is no wonder they nicknamed him the Honey Badger. He has NO fear of the big stage and talks the most out of anyone on the field. Just a little biology lesson; the honey badger has been the most fearless creature on earth by the Guinness Book of World Records. This little creature challenges anything that comes to its face, including lions, zebras, leopards and anything it feels threatened by. It feeds on cobras and anything else that it comes across. Sounds familiar? But let’s not just talk about these guys. Tharold Simon and Ron Brooks get lost in the mix because they just don’t get the snaps that Mathieu and Claiborne get. When they run dime and nickel situations, they lose nothing in coverage because these guys are great cover CBs as well. Ron Brooks stepped in against Auburn and played a hell of game against Auburn; it even included a pick six. Eric Reid is a very physical safety that can do more than just have the kill shot; he can cover TEs as well as WRs and RBs out of the backfield. Craig Loston gets lost in the mix because of how good the corners play. Against Maze, Hanks, and Smelley the advantage here is with LSU. AJ McCarron has been throwing to his first read because Alabama’s WR’s have been getting open. Alabama runs a lot of crossing routes. They also like to get their TE on the corner route or throw to him on a crossing route as well. They don’t have the down the field threat to run past the LSU secondary and burn them deep. AJ McCarron can’t force the ball to fit into tight spaces against this team. They are just too good for it.
4. Defensive Line: Kendrick Adams, Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery, Lavar Edwards, Mike Brockers, Bennie Logan, Anthony Johnson, Josh Downs, Ego Ferguson, Dennis Johnson. All 10 of these guys get reps in games. They wreak havoc; any of the back-ups could be starting anywhere else in the country. No play more memorable than when Mingo ran down LaMichael James from behind. This is a defensive end that is 6”5 237lbs. And he is the SECOND STRING! What fans don’t realize is that LSU rarely blitzes. The pressure that LSU gets is purely from the front four. LSU has 42 TFL, 38 of those are assisted. This means that LSU is getting multiple guys in the backfield to disrupt plays and make stops in the backfield. Alabama’s offensive line has not seen an attack like the one that they will see in the trenches this weekend. A TEN lineman rotation doesn’t happen in football often. LSU has the talent and the depth to pull it off. Tennessee did not have the best defensive line, but they kept Richardson in check for majority of the first half. The plan to beat Alabama was put into place; you put 2-3 bodies on Richardson and make him run through everyone on that defense to beat you. Force AJ McCarron to become a passer. Force him to read a defense and beat you. I can almost guarantee you that he will NOT have the time that he had against Tennessee with that 10 man rotation that LSU is going to send their way.
5. Les Miles: Love him or hate him, Les Miles is one of the most exciting coaches in the country. He coaches the game his way. He will win his way; or lose his way. Regardless of the situation, things will go Les Miles’ way. He has said that this is the best football team he has had down in Baton Rouge; that in itself is a scary thought. Look for Les to open it up, spread them out, run it down their throat, and even pull some plays out of his bag of tricks. Last year, Miles out coached Saban with great situational play calling and seemed to be ahead of Kirby Smart and Nick Saban all game. If Miles comes out on top and wins the play calling battle, it will be very hard to overcome this problem regardless of how good Alabama plays.
6. Road Tested: LSU has gone to Morgantown and won against a dynamic West Virginia squad, they went to Jerry’s playhouse and won in Arlington against a very good Oregon offense. They went to Starkville and won in a closer game against Mississippi State. My point? This team has overcome every difficult situation that it has been presented with and dominated. I don’t think that the crowd in Tuscaloosa is going to affect LSU’s play at all. I think that they will actually try to silence this crowd and take them out of the game early. You shut up a loud and rowdy crowd with your play on the field. I think LSU has done that consistently all season long. Alabama did not set up the conference schedule that LSU set up. I think that was Les Miles’ way of preparing his team for this test against a very gritty Alabama team.
LSU is a formidable opponent. LSU has dismantled an Oregon team that has been blowing people out since they played them. Oregon is one of the fastest teams in the country, but LSU just crushed their speed with even more speed. If Alabama comes into this game with the normal slow start that they have had the past 2 weeks against Vandy and Tennessee, look for one mistake from McCarron to bust this game wide open. I don’t think that Alabama’s team is as good as it was last year. Jones, Ingram, and Dareus all went first round for a reason. It’s going to be a good game, but if LSU plays the type of game that it is capable of, they can win this game by at least 14 points.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
3rd and Goal: Week 9 Preview
3rd and Goal: Week 9 Preview
This week in college football will be focused more on what game will be happening next week in Tuscaloosa than the games that are going on this week. The #1 and #2 teams will be facing off next week and they both have a bye this week. That doesn’t mean that this weekend doesn’t have some great games that will take place. Let’s review the key matchups.
1. First game of the day will be #11 Michigan State traveling to take on #14 Nebraska. Sparty is coming off of a very emotional game beating Wisconsin at home on a Hail Mary. The game was a wonderful game but a dog fight with a Wisconsin team that refused to go away. They were literally 6 inches away from going to overtime. Kirk Cousins played very well last week, going for 290 on 22 completions and no interceptions. I look for that to continue against a very suspect Nebraska secondary. Le’von Bell carried the load last week, but I don’t look for that to be a continuing trend. Edwin Baker is the star back of this team and look for him to have a big game against Nebraska as well. The 167 yards in the Michigan is what you should see from him. Wisconsin had his number. As you can see I don’t have a lot of faith in the black shirts. Nebraska is ranked 70th in the country in stopping the run, 27th in the pass, and 42nd overall in total defense. I don’t think that Michigan State coming to town on a high is going to help the stats of Nebraska’s defense. One thing that will have to give will either be Michigan State’s rushing defense or the Nebraska rushing attack. Sparty is ranked 8th in the country against the run. Nebraska is 7th in rushing offense. Martinez goes from zero to full speed faster than any other QB in the country. Remember though; Denard Robinson was shut down against this same defense. I don’t think that an over-rated Nebraska team, even in Lincoln, can beat this hot Michigan State team. Sparty wins this game 35-13. Their defense is actually pretty good.
2. #9 Oklahoma is coming off of a TOUGH, TOUGH loss last week in Gaylord Memorial against Texas Tech. Majority of the country, including myself, chose Oklahoma to take on the winner of the Alabama vs. LSU game in the BCS championship game; a few of my followers on twitter even thought that LSU vs. Oklahoma game would be better than the Alabama LSU game. Well that was all shot to hell last week; and things get no easier for Oklahoma as the travel to Manhattan, KS to take on #8 Kansas State. Kansas State doesn’t do anything great, but does everything good. They have the identity of long time coach and AARP member Bill Snyder. He is an excellent coach that can put together a game plan to beat the best of competition. He believes in defense and running the football. As a Texas fan, I understand how tough of an environment Manhattan can be for an opposing team. Jones, Stills, and Broyles are a combination like the Kansas St. defense has not seen all season. This team can light it up at any given moment. Last week they got a slow start against Texas Tech and the opposing offense was moving the ball at will. Kansas St. is ranked 87th against the pass. Don’t look for those numbers to get any better for this pass defense! I don’t think that Klein, Hubert, and Harper are going to generate enough offense to stay stride for stride with Oklahoma. You have to take into account that Kansas State did defeat the same Texas Tech team that beat Oklahoma. So this will be an interesting development. But I am going to call the upset special; I have Kansas State winning this game 38-35 in Manhattan.
3. #5 Clemson travels to take on Georgia Tech. Most of Clemson’s big games have been home games this season. Dabo Swinney has his guys making plays week in and week out and looks like a genius hiring his offensive coordinator, Chad Morris. Sammy Watkins is by far freshman of the Year in his conference as well as the country. He should be up for the Heisman, because he makes plays week in and week out. Another name that is starting to get steam in the Heisman race is Tajh Boyd. The QB has been great this season. His stats speak volumes for the season that he is having; completing 61.9% of his passes, 24 TDs to only 3 interceptions. He has done this against some pretty good defenses, so you can’t discredit is performances on Saturdays. If he keeps it up, he is a LEGIT Heisman candidate. TE Dwayne Allen is running away with the Mackey Award, the award for the best tight end in the country. The rest of the competition doesn’t compare. Ellington has been running the ball very well this season and is 2 good games away from 1000 yards. Clemson has playmakers all over the field. The tigers have a chance to make it unscathed to the South Carolina game. If they can win that game, we will have debates later in the season. Georgia Tech is coming off back to back loses to Virginia and Miami. Georgia Tech is not built to play from behind. If they get behind against this quick hitting Clemson team, it will be a long day again for this offense. Clemson is vulnerable against the run. Michael Dyer carved them up, so if this option attack can stay on the field and keep Boyd, Watkins, and Allen on the sidelines, Georgia Tech can pull the upset. But I have Clemson in this game. 42-24.
These are the three games of note this weekend. Follow us on Twitter @4thandInchesMag for interesting discussions throughout the day! Stay tuned for the recap of these games in the Goal Line Stand.
This week in college football will be focused more on what game will be happening next week in Tuscaloosa than the games that are going on this week. The #1 and #2 teams will be facing off next week and they both have a bye this week. That doesn’t mean that this weekend doesn’t have some great games that will take place. Let’s review the key matchups.
1. First game of the day will be #11 Michigan State traveling to take on #14 Nebraska. Sparty is coming off of a very emotional game beating Wisconsin at home on a Hail Mary. The game was a wonderful game but a dog fight with a Wisconsin team that refused to go away. They were literally 6 inches away from going to overtime. Kirk Cousins played very well last week, going for 290 on 22 completions and no interceptions. I look for that to continue against a very suspect Nebraska secondary. Le’von Bell carried the load last week, but I don’t look for that to be a continuing trend. Edwin Baker is the star back of this team and look for him to have a big game against Nebraska as well. The 167 yards in the Michigan is what you should see from him. Wisconsin had his number. As you can see I don’t have a lot of faith in the black shirts. Nebraska is ranked 70th in the country in stopping the run, 27th in the pass, and 42nd overall in total defense. I don’t think that Michigan State coming to town on a high is going to help the stats of Nebraska’s defense. One thing that will have to give will either be Michigan State’s rushing defense or the Nebraska rushing attack. Sparty is ranked 8th in the country against the run. Nebraska is 7th in rushing offense. Martinez goes from zero to full speed faster than any other QB in the country. Remember though; Denard Robinson was shut down against this same defense. I don’t think that an over-rated Nebraska team, even in Lincoln, can beat this hot Michigan State team. Sparty wins this game 35-13. Their defense is actually pretty good.
2. #9 Oklahoma is coming off of a TOUGH, TOUGH loss last week in Gaylord Memorial against Texas Tech. Majority of the country, including myself, chose Oklahoma to take on the winner of the Alabama vs. LSU game in the BCS championship game; a few of my followers on twitter even thought that LSU vs. Oklahoma game would be better than the Alabama LSU game. Well that was all shot to hell last week; and things get no easier for Oklahoma as the travel to Manhattan, KS to take on #8 Kansas State. Kansas State doesn’t do anything great, but does everything good. They have the identity of long time coach and AARP member Bill Snyder. He is an excellent coach that can put together a game plan to beat the best of competition. He believes in defense and running the football. As a Texas fan, I understand how tough of an environment Manhattan can be for an opposing team. Jones, Stills, and Broyles are a combination like the Kansas St. defense has not seen all season. This team can light it up at any given moment. Last week they got a slow start against Texas Tech and the opposing offense was moving the ball at will. Kansas St. is ranked 87th against the pass. Don’t look for those numbers to get any better for this pass defense! I don’t think that Klein, Hubert, and Harper are going to generate enough offense to stay stride for stride with Oklahoma. You have to take into account that Kansas State did defeat the same Texas Tech team that beat Oklahoma. So this will be an interesting development. But I am going to call the upset special; I have Kansas State winning this game 38-35 in Manhattan.
3. #5 Clemson travels to take on Georgia Tech. Most of Clemson’s big games have been home games this season. Dabo Swinney has his guys making plays week in and week out and looks like a genius hiring his offensive coordinator, Chad Morris. Sammy Watkins is by far freshman of the Year in his conference as well as the country. He should be up for the Heisman, because he makes plays week in and week out. Another name that is starting to get steam in the Heisman race is Tajh Boyd. The QB has been great this season. His stats speak volumes for the season that he is having; completing 61.9% of his passes, 24 TDs to only 3 interceptions. He has done this against some pretty good defenses, so you can’t discredit is performances on Saturdays. If he keeps it up, he is a LEGIT Heisman candidate. TE Dwayne Allen is running away with the Mackey Award, the award for the best tight end in the country. The rest of the competition doesn’t compare. Ellington has been running the ball very well this season and is 2 good games away from 1000 yards. Clemson has playmakers all over the field. The tigers have a chance to make it unscathed to the South Carolina game. If they can win that game, we will have debates later in the season. Georgia Tech is coming off back to back loses to Virginia and Miami. Georgia Tech is not built to play from behind. If they get behind against this quick hitting Clemson team, it will be a long day again for this offense. Clemson is vulnerable against the run. Michael Dyer carved them up, so if this option attack can stay on the field and keep Boyd, Watkins, and Allen on the sidelines, Georgia Tech can pull the upset. But I have Clemson in this game. 42-24.
These are the three games of note this weekend. Follow us on Twitter @4thandInchesMag for interesting discussions throughout the day! Stay tuned for the recap of these games in the Goal Line Stand.
Friday, October 21, 2011
3rd and Goal: Week 8 Preview
3rd And Goal: Week 8 Preview
This week promises to solidify the bowl picture on who is legit, and who isn’t legit. This week is also is the warm up for the big game coming up in 2 weeks, putting Alabama and LSU in the fight for the title game. Let’s get to this preview.
1. #20 Auburn travels to Death Valley to take on the #1ranked LSU Tigers. This is LSU’s warm up game to the battle in Tuscaloosa that is already getting the hype as the true national championship game. But the big news isn’t if Auburn will keep it close, but will LSU have their star players for the Alabama game. Tyran Mathieu, All-American Candidate, Tharold Simon a reserve DB, as well as starting RB and leading rusher Spencer Ware will be missing out of the line-up after they tested positive for synthetic marijuana. They are suspended right now indefinitely and no one really knows if they will be back for the Alabama game. I don’t know if Spencer Ware will be missed as much as Mathieu and Simon. LSU is noted for their defensive depth, but they have a stable of running backs as well. But just as LSU will be missing players, Auburn has been clipped by the injury bug. Emory Blake is Auburn’s most explosive WR and he is gimpy with a knee. Also Tre Mason (Hamstring) & Trovon Reed (Shoulder) are questionable this week as well. They will be missing LaDarius Owens at LB as well. I don’t think LSU will show much this week and will continue to pound the ball and keep the full bag of tricks ready for the Alabama game. If you have noticed, LSU hasn’t been showing much on offense all season. There should be a steady dosage of Michael Dyer for the LSU defense from Auburn. He is the closest thing that the LSU defense will see to Trent Richardson. Dyer is a complete back that runs hard to the outside as well as between the tackles. Clint Mosely has a daunting task with his first start coming against the secondary of LSU. I don’t think that you will rule out seeing Frasier and Trotter as well. Overall I think even this LSU team missing two of their star players and a major contributor in the defensive secondary will struggle with Auburn much. LSU will win this game 28-10.
2. The best back you don’t ever hear about will be on display in Coral Gables as Lamar Miller and the Miami Hurricanes take on the Rambling Wreck from #22 Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech was shocked last week in Virginia and if they are not careful, they will be shocked again. Virginia came out and put their foot in Georgia Tech’s mouth. Tevin Washington is not very efficient throwing the ball and showed last week that he cannot be depended upon to win a game. When it comes to a game that they have to come back in, they are not offensively constructed to make a comeback. This is a ball control offense, and they have to dominate early in order to control the game late. Georgia Tech is #2 in the nation in rushing the ball and the triple option is very difficult to defend. When the season is over, they may have 3 1000 yard rushers; the leader of the pack is Orwin Smith, who is averaging an amazing 13.2 yards per carry! Miami has a pretty good back as well in Lamar Miller. He is a grown man and his 6.4 yard average is as real as it gets. Jacory Harris is going to have to do a better job of giving his running game some support and taking care of the football. Lamar Miller can’t be the only player stepping up. Travis Benjamin is very explosive and they need to find a way to get him more touches. This isn’t the traditional Miami defense either. I am used to seeing Miami with a dominating defensive lineman, a fantastic LB and a lock down corner. Someone on that Miami defense is going to have to step up and make something happen to get a stop and get the offense more possessions. Al Golden is doing a great job as coach of the Hurricanes. But I think that Miami falls to Georgia Tech 28-20.
3. The game of the Week is #6 Wisconsin travelling to take on #16 Michigan State. Wisconsin has been DOMINATING every team they have played; but the only team they played with substance is an overrated Nebraska team that they completely dominated. They are leading the country in scoring offense and are the most balanced team in the country as far as offense goes. The defense is a bit overrated in the scoring defense column, but they do have playmakers on the field on defense. They will have to be focused and locked in to deal with Baker, Cousins, and Cunningham. Edwin Baker is coming off of one of his best games of the season rushing for 167 yards against bitter rival Michigan. I am staring to think that Michigan State’s defense maybe legit. They are #4 in scoring defense, #1 in passing defense, #3 in rushing defense, #2 in overall defense. They frustrated a pretty good Michigan ground game, and have been shutting teams down. But they have not faced a team as balanced as Wisconsin, or a QB as good as Russell Wilson. Michigan State’s defense can be beaten though; all you have to do is watch the Notre Dame tape. Floyd and company killed them. Also of note Gohlston will be suspended this game for the cheap shot that he took against Denard Robinson and the punch he threw. He was out of control and he earned it. If Wisconsin puts on an impressive win as they did against Nebraska, look out polls; because Wisconsin will start having a case for that championship game. Wisconsin 31-13.
4. #25 Washington is playing against the media’s “chosen one” in the Pac-12 #8 Stanford. They boast the anointed Heisman Trophy winner Andrew Luck. We will finally get to see what Stanford is really made of before their showdown with Oregon because Stanford has played ABSOLUTELY no one. San Jose State, Duke, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, and Washington State? And they are #8 why? Oregon should be ranked over them because they actually beat a pretty good Arizona State team. But I guess when Luck is on your side, who needs to play any real competition? Luck is playing well, but he just hasn’t had to prove much against inferior opponents. 71% completion, 1719 yards and 18tds to 3 ints, you can’t argue with the results. Looking at this game, you can’t possibly think that Washington has a chance. Consider this: Keith Price is throwing the ball very well this year as well going for 69.4% completion with 21 tds and 4 ints. He is going to have to play a flawless game against Stanford and Washington is going to have to run the ball to keep Luck on the sideline. Steve Sarkisian has the right tools to do it. Another good back that no one is talking about is Chris Polk. He has 728 yards and is the # 7th ranked rusher in the country. Sarkisian is a pretty good big game coach. Don’t forget the big time win against USC a few years ago. I have Washington winning this game in the upset 28-25. I think Sarkisian’s experience as a coach helps him in this win. But in order for them to win, they have to come out and establish the run. This will keep Stanford’s offense off the field and Luck on the sideline. This way the luck will with Washington.
This week of College football should be interesting as other notable games include #2 Alabama vs Tennessee in an overrated match up; Alabama is dismantle Tennessee. #7 Clemson needs to be careful with North Carolina. They are a good team with a solid defense. Winters is a good coach and can put together a game plan. Dabo Swinney and company will have to come with a good game plan. Stay tuned to the Goal Line Stand to recap the highlighted games. Follow me on twitter @4thandInchesMag!
This week promises to solidify the bowl picture on who is legit, and who isn’t legit. This week is also is the warm up for the big game coming up in 2 weeks, putting Alabama and LSU in the fight for the title game. Let’s get to this preview.
1. #20 Auburn travels to Death Valley to take on the #1ranked LSU Tigers. This is LSU’s warm up game to the battle in Tuscaloosa that is already getting the hype as the true national championship game. But the big news isn’t if Auburn will keep it close, but will LSU have their star players for the Alabama game. Tyran Mathieu, All-American Candidate, Tharold Simon a reserve DB, as well as starting RB and leading rusher Spencer Ware will be missing out of the line-up after they tested positive for synthetic marijuana. They are suspended right now indefinitely and no one really knows if they will be back for the Alabama game. I don’t know if Spencer Ware will be missed as much as Mathieu and Simon. LSU is noted for their defensive depth, but they have a stable of running backs as well. But just as LSU will be missing players, Auburn has been clipped by the injury bug. Emory Blake is Auburn’s most explosive WR and he is gimpy with a knee. Also Tre Mason (Hamstring) & Trovon Reed (Shoulder) are questionable this week as well. They will be missing LaDarius Owens at LB as well. I don’t think LSU will show much this week and will continue to pound the ball and keep the full bag of tricks ready for the Alabama game. If you have noticed, LSU hasn’t been showing much on offense all season. There should be a steady dosage of Michael Dyer for the LSU defense from Auburn. He is the closest thing that the LSU defense will see to Trent Richardson. Dyer is a complete back that runs hard to the outside as well as between the tackles. Clint Mosely has a daunting task with his first start coming against the secondary of LSU. I don’t think that you will rule out seeing Frasier and Trotter as well. Overall I think even this LSU team missing two of their star players and a major contributor in the defensive secondary will struggle with Auburn much. LSU will win this game 28-10.
2. The best back you don’t ever hear about will be on display in Coral Gables as Lamar Miller and the Miami Hurricanes take on the Rambling Wreck from #22 Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech was shocked last week in Virginia and if they are not careful, they will be shocked again. Virginia came out and put their foot in Georgia Tech’s mouth. Tevin Washington is not very efficient throwing the ball and showed last week that he cannot be depended upon to win a game. When it comes to a game that they have to come back in, they are not offensively constructed to make a comeback. This is a ball control offense, and they have to dominate early in order to control the game late. Georgia Tech is #2 in the nation in rushing the ball and the triple option is very difficult to defend. When the season is over, they may have 3 1000 yard rushers; the leader of the pack is Orwin Smith, who is averaging an amazing 13.2 yards per carry! Miami has a pretty good back as well in Lamar Miller. He is a grown man and his 6.4 yard average is as real as it gets. Jacory Harris is going to have to do a better job of giving his running game some support and taking care of the football. Lamar Miller can’t be the only player stepping up. Travis Benjamin is very explosive and they need to find a way to get him more touches. This isn’t the traditional Miami defense either. I am used to seeing Miami with a dominating defensive lineman, a fantastic LB and a lock down corner. Someone on that Miami defense is going to have to step up and make something happen to get a stop and get the offense more possessions. Al Golden is doing a great job as coach of the Hurricanes. But I think that Miami falls to Georgia Tech 28-20.
3. The game of the Week is #6 Wisconsin travelling to take on #16 Michigan State. Wisconsin has been DOMINATING every team they have played; but the only team they played with substance is an overrated Nebraska team that they completely dominated. They are leading the country in scoring offense and are the most balanced team in the country as far as offense goes. The defense is a bit overrated in the scoring defense column, but they do have playmakers on the field on defense. They will have to be focused and locked in to deal with Baker, Cousins, and Cunningham. Edwin Baker is coming off of one of his best games of the season rushing for 167 yards against bitter rival Michigan. I am staring to think that Michigan State’s defense maybe legit. They are #4 in scoring defense, #1 in passing defense, #3 in rushing defense, #2 in overall defense. They frustrated a pretty good Michigan ground game, and have been shutting teams down. But they have not faced a team as balanced as Wisconsin, or a QB as good as Russell Wilson. Michigan State’s defense can be beaten though; all you have to do is watch the Notre Dame tape. Floyd and company killed them. Also of note Gohlston will be suspended this game for the cheap shot that he took against Denard Robinson and the punch he threw. He was out of control and he earned it. If Wisconsin puts on an impressive win as they did against Nebraska, look out polls; because Wisconsin will start having a case for that championship game. Wisconsin 31-13.
4. #25 Washington is playing against the media’s “chosen one” in the Pac-12 #8 Stanford. They boast the anointed Heisman Trophy winner Andrew Luck. We will finally get to see what Stanford is really made of before their showdown with Oregon because Stanford has played ABSOLUTELY no one. San Jose State, Duke, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, and Washington State? And they are #8 why? Oregon should be ranked over them because they actually beat a pretty good Arizona State team. But I guess when Luck is on your side, who needs to play any real competition? Luck is playing well, but he just hasn’t had to prove much against inferior opponents. 71% completion, 1719 yards and 18tds to 3 ints, you can’t argue with the results. Looking at this game, you can’t possibly think that Washington has a chance. Consider this: Keith Price is throwing the ball very well this year as well going for 69.4% completion with 21 tds and 4 ints. He is going to have to play a flawless game against Stanford and Washington is going to have to run the ball to keep Luck on the sideline. Steve Sarkisian has the right tools to do it. Another good back that no one is talking about is Chris Polk. He has 728 yards and is the # 7th ranked rusher in the country. Sarkisian is a pretty good big game coach. Don’t forget the big time win against USC a few years ago. I have Washington winning this game in the upset 28-25. I think Sarkisian’s experience as a coach helps him in this win. But in order for them to win, they have to come out and establish the run. This will keep Stanford’s offense off the field and Luck on the sideline. This way the luck will with Washington.
This week of College football should be interesting as other notable games include #2 Alabama vs Tennessee in an overrated match up; Alabama is dismantle Tennessee. #7 Clemson needs to be careful with North Carolina. They are a good team with a solid defense. Winters is a good coach and can put together a game plan. Dabo Swinney and company will have to come with a good game plan. Stay tuned to the Goal Line Stand to recap the highlighted games. Follow me on twitter @4thandInchesMag!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The "Thug" Label
The “Thug” Label
By: Kerry R. Thompson, Sr
When you think of a thug, what do you think of? An Italian or Russian mobster? A drug dealer? An armed robber? Do you see a kid that smokes weed? It seems like every player that gets involved in something that gets them suspended from the team, they are labeled as thugs. In the midst of the now former Heisman Hopeful Tyran Mathieu getting suspended and starting RB Spencer Ware also getting suspended for “drugs policy” , a lot of the fans are now calling these kids thugs and how they are not looking out for their team.
What makes a thug?
Merriam-Webster defines thug as a brutal ruffian or assassin. Last time I checked, violating a team’s drug policy does not constitute that definition. Mathieu, Simon, and Ware failed to adhere to the team’s drug policy. Do we even know what type of drugs that the kids tested positive for? Do we even have confirmation from a coach? Do we know when the test was actually taken? No we have none of that information. So how can we make a proper assessment to label these kids as thugs if they weren’t being brutal ruffians or assassins?
Terrelle Pryor was labeled a thug because he exchanged “HIS” autograph for tattoos. Reggie Bush was a thug for accepting money. Cam Newton was a thug because he unknowingly bought a stolen computer. Russell Shepard was a thug for being ineligible for the first 3 games of the season. Do you see a trend? Was Ryan Mallett a thug when he was doing cocaine and partying all the time? Was Matt Jones a thug for being convicted of cocaine possession and use? Was Stephen Garcia a thug for being a drunk, resisting arrest, & coming to a leadership conference being drunk? No they were not, they were just labeled as being "troubled" or "just being a college kid". There is a media bias in each of these situations. When you are portrayed as a thug, then you are a thug in the public eye. When articles are written on your troubles as a student that is how you are perceived. Let's be real about this. The public views young black guys that fail a drug test or for that matter get suspended for anything thing or found to be ineligible a thug. When that is all you see on A&E's hit show, The First 48 or on Cops, that is what you are going to think. News about Mallett and his drinking, doing drugs, or partying didn’t come out until the scouts were concerned about it and voiced their opinion about what they were hearing from Fayetteville. The media controls what you find out about. These cases are no different.
The media, as well as a lot of you so called fans, forget how you were trying “things” in college. Most of you same judgmental people were smoking marijuana, snorting cocaine, and going to Woodstock. And the same judgmental people that are cheating on their wives were writing articles on how much Tiger Woods had them fooled into believing he was such a great guy. I can almost guarantee that if a lot of your bosses knew who you really were and the stunts that you pulled in your younger life, the unemployment rate in our country would be double what it is right now.
It just sickens me to see all of the so called “LSU Faithful” being so quick to label these kids as trouble makers, and saying how selfish they are. I have also been listening to Alabama fans comparing Les Miles to Saban; saying how they don’t have those problems down in Tuscaloosa and how Les Miles has no control over his team. Did we forget the textbook scandal, or the NCAA violations against Marcel Dareus in 2009? And yes, you guys were calling those players thugs too. Does that mean that Saban had no control? I am here to tell you, that no one man can control another grown man; unlike other programs that sweep these problems under the rug, Les Miles does stand up for what he believes in and suspends these players, regardless of how it will affect his team. Jordan Jefferson was supposed to be the leader of this team this year and was expected to have a big year. He got into an incident at a bar, and Les Miles wasted no time suspending him and naming Jared Lee the starter. Tyran Mathieu is no doubt the leader on this defense; yet he made his mistake and now he has to deal with his punishment. Les Miles is doing his job. He can’t control player’s actions, but he can demonstrate to the others on the team that if you are man enough to commit the action, then you are man enough to accept the consequences.
I think that what gets lost in the millions of dollars that these kids bring into your beloved university is the fact that these guys are still young adults trying to find out who they really are in life. Yes, these kids make mistakes. They didn’t use their best judgment. Tyran Mathieu is 19 years old. Do you remember what you were doing at 19? Don’t be so quick to label these kids thugs because of their growing pains; If that’s the case, then each and every one of us all have a little thug inside.
By: Kerry R. Thompson, Sr
When you think of a thug, what do you think of? An Italian or Russian mobster? A drug dealer? An armed robber? Do you see a kid that smokes weed? It seems like every player that gets involved in something that gets them suspended from the team, they are labeled as thugs. In the midst of the now former Heisman Hopeful Tyran Mathieu getting suspended and starting RB Spencer Ware also getting suspended for “drugs policy” , a lot of the fans are now calling these kids thugs and how they are not looking out for their team.
What makes a thug?
Merriam-Webster defines thug as a brutal ruffian or assassin. Last time I checked, violating a team’s drug policy does not constitute that definition. Mathieu, Simon, and Ware failed to adhere to the team’s drug policy. Do we even know what type of drugs that the kids tested positive for? Do we even have confirmation from a coach? Do we know when the test was actually taken? No we have none of that information. So how can we make a proper assessment to label these kids as thugs if they weren’t being brutal ruffians or assassins?
Terrelle Pryor was labeled a thug because he exchanged “HIS” autograph for tattoos. Reggie Bush was a thug for accepting money. Cam Newton was a thug because he unknowingly bought a stolen computer. Russell Shepard was a thug for being ineligible for the first 3 games of the season. Do you see a trend? Was Ryan Mallett a thug when he was doing cocaine and partying all the time? Was Matt Jones a thug for being convicted of cocaine possession and use? Was Stephen Garcia a thug for being a drunk, resisting arrest, & coming to a leadership conference being drunk? No they were not, they were just labeled as being "troubled" or "just being a college kid". There is a media bias in each of these situations. When you are portrayed as a thug, then you are a thug in the public eye. When articles are written on your troubles as a student that is how you are perceived. Let's be real about this. The public views young black guys that fail a drug test or for that matter get suspended for anything thing or found to be ineligible a thug. When that is all you see on A&E's hit show, The First 48 or on Cops, that is what you are going to think. News about Mallett and his drinking, doing drugs, or partying didn’t come out until the scouts were concerned about it and voiced their opinion about what they were hearing from Fayetteville. The media controls what you find out about. These cases are no different.
The media, as well as a lot of you so called fans, forget how you were trying “things” in college. Most of you same judgmental people were smoking marijuana, snorting cocaine, and going to Woodstock. And the same judgmental people that are cheating on their wives were writing articles on how much Tiger Woods had them fooled into believing he was such a great guy. I can almost guarantee that if a lot of your bosses knew who you really were and the stunts that you pulled in your younger life, the unemployment rate in our country would be double what it is right now.
It just sickens me to see all of the so called “LSU Faithful” being so quick to label these kids as trouble makers, and saying how selfish they are. I have also been listening to Alabama fans comparing Les Miles to Saban; saying how they don’t have those problems down in Tuscaloosa and how Les Miles has no control over his team. Did we forget the textbook scandal, or the NCAA violations against Marcel Dareus in 2009? And yes, you guys were calling those players thugs too. Does that mean that Saban had no control? I am here to tell you, that no one man can control another grown man; unlike other programs that sweep these problems under the rug, Les Miles does stand up for what he believes in and suspends these players, regardless of how it will affect his team. Jordan Jefferson was supposed to be the leader of this team this year and was expected to have a big year. He got into an incident at a bar, and Les Miles wasted no time suspending him and naming Jared Lee the starter. Tyran Mathieu is no doubt the leader on this defense; yet he made his mistake and now he has to deal with his punishment. Les Miles is doing his job. He can’t control player’s actions, but he can demonstrate to the others on the team that if you are man enough to commit the action, then you are man enough to accept the consequences.
I think that what gets lost in the millions of dollars that these kids bring into your beloved university is the fact that these guys are still young adults trying to find out who they really are in life. Yes, these kids make mistakes. They didn’t use their best judgment. Tyran Mathieu is 19 years old. Do you remember what you were doing at 19? Don’t be so quick to label these kids thugs because of their growing pains; If that’s the case, then each and every one of us all have a little thug inside.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Week 7 Goal Line Stand
The Week 7 Goal Line Stand
This week, I went 2-2 in my picks. Texas A&M messes me up again. Goodness. I pick for them, they lose; I pick against them, they win. I mean come on. But let’s recap what happened this weekend in College Football.
1. Michigan State wins its fourth straight against Michigan 28-14. Michigan had plenty of opportunities to win this game, but either poor coaching or poor execution prevented Michigan from being great. . Was the wind a factor? Yes; but is it an excuse? No. On 4th and Inches, (cliché), the Michigan coaching staff called a play-action pass and almost turned the ball over. Devin Gardner fumbled a shotgun snap and forced a punt. Michigan gets a stop defensively and keeps the game a one possession affair. Michigan gets the ball back. Denard Robinson throws a quick slant on a blitz read and the WR is not on the same page and a pick 6 seals their fate. Michigan State’s defense executed their game plan to perfection in containing Robinson to only 42 yards on 18 carries. Robinson was also only 9/24 for 123 yards. They were flying to the ball and pushed Robinson back to the inside where the rest of the Michigan State defense was to help with bringing him to the ground. None of the other players for Michigan could get into the groove of the game rushing and Michigan ended the day with 36 carries for 82 yards. Kurt Cousins was less than impressive in this game going 13/24 for 120 yards. He did make the throws that he had to make in critical moments of the game. Edwin Baker was the story of the Michigan St. offense, rushing for 167 yards on the day. Michigan contained him in the first half, but he really got off in the second half. The story line for me in this game was how cocky Michigan State was after this game. Cousins played like crap and if there were some better coaching decisions made on behalf of the Michigan coaching staff, they would have lost this game. I thought it was kind of classless, taking all the credit like they put on a clinic against Michigan in this game. You didn’t so stop fronting. You didn’t beat Michigan, Michigan beat themselves. I picked Michigan 24-17. Michigan just didn’t want to be great yesterday.
2. Texas A&M finally holds on to a lead against Baylor and wins 55-28. Baylor’s defense and running game decided not to show up this week to the game. Last week Terrance Ganaway rushed for 200 yards; this week 34 yards. Texas A&M held Baylor to 50 yards rushing. They couldn’t get anything going on the ground and as result they just couldn’t keep up the Texas A&M. Baylor’s defense allowed a ridiculous 681 yards of total offense and made Ryan Tannehill look like he was the first pick of the NFL draft and made Ryan Swope look like Wes Welker. 415 yards passing for Tannehill, 206 yards receiving for Swope. Oh yeah, and don’t let me leave out the fact that A&M rushed for 266 yards on 45 carries. Robert Griffin III threw for 430 yards and 3 Tds to one interception. For the season, that gives him these stats: 142-182 78% completion percentage, 1950 yards, 22tds, 2 ints. I picked Baylor 35-21. Missed this one, thanks to Baylor’s defense deciding to chill back in Waco instead of coming to the game.
3. Oklahoma State beat Texas 38-26. If you look at the stats, it has all the staples for a win. Texas dominated time of possession (39:18) and rushed for 231 yards. HOLD UP! Didn’t happen that way because Texas, like Michigan, didn’t want to be great on Saturday. The defense played fairly well and held 46 year old Brandon Weeden to only 218 yards passing. They also held Blackmon and Cooper to under 100 yards receiving. Well why didn’t Texas want to be great? Because they could not stop the run. Oklahoma St. rushed for 202 yards and 3 tds. Jeremy Smith had a big game with only 7 attempts but had 140 yards rushing and 2 of those TDs. I understand that you have to defend the pass, but you cannot let an Oklahoma St. team that rushed for 155.5 and ranked 59th in the country to gash you for these big runs all game. At some point, Manny Diaz had to say, you know what I am going to take my chances in coverage and stop this run. The Texas secondary played well, especially Carrington Byndom. Blackmon did catch a TD pass, but he did not show out as he has in weeks past. I would have rolled the dice. Case McCoy did not play a snap as Mack Brown went with freshman David Ash in this game. 2 interceptions and 40 pass attempts later, he only threw for 139 yards and 0 tds. Malcolm Brown played great and is right now the Big XII freshman of the year. Only time will tell. The youth of Texas is apparent this year. I did pick Oklahoma St. 42-20. Texas stayed in this game, but just couldn’t make the plays when they needed to.
4. Arizona St. couldn’t overcome the odds in Autzen to beat Oregon and lose the game 41-27. Oregon’s offense is so fast and can capitalize off mistakes faster than any team in the country. The personal foul they called against Moos, the DT from Arizona St., led to a score in less than 1 min. They have speed all over the field. People thought that they were going to miss LaMichael James this game, and it turns out that Kenjon Barner knew that they wouldn’t carrying the ball 31 times for 171 yards and a TD. They plugged DeAnthony Thomas, the dynamic freshman wideout from Crenshaw High School in there and he got 73 yards rushing. When it was all said and done Oregon rushed for 327 yards against a very good Arizona St. front 7. Darron Thomas did go out with a knee injury. He went to the back and got a brace, but Chip Kelly wouldn’t let him come back in the game. Freshman Brian Bennett surprised the audience as well as the defense with his quickness and great eye with the zone read play. Osweiler was efficient in the first half but that interception to Cliff Harris at the end of the half and the quick score by the Ducks all but sealed the fate for the Arizona St. team that just seems to fall short each year against the Ducks. Pflugrad didn’t play particularly well either. Oregon’s secondary really stepped up in the second half. Oregon’s defensive front also did a great job getting pressure on Osweiler in the second half. Story line of this game is the personal foul; that is one call that Burfict needs to avoid for the rest of the season. Those penalties really hurt Arizona St. There were a couple the killed drives, and that kept drives alive. I picked Oregon in this game 45-30. I was just a few points off.
This was another fantastic week of college football. Stay tuned to Week 8’s 3rd and Goal Analysis!
This week, I went 2-2 in my picks. Texas A&M messes me up again. Goodness. I pick for them, they lose; I pick against them, they win. I mean come on. But let’s recap what happened this weekend in College Football.
1. Michigan State wins its fourth straight against Michigan 28-14. Michigan had plenty of opportunities to win this game, but either poor coaching or poor execution prevented Michigan from being great. . Was the wind a factor? Yes; but is it an excuse? No. On 4th and Inches, (cliché), the Michigan coaching staff called a play-action pass and almost turned the ball over. Devin Gardner fumbled a shotgun snap and forced a punt. Michigan gets a stop defensively and keeps the game a one possession affair. Michigan gets the ball back. Denard Robinson throws a quick slant on a blitz read and the WR is not on the same page and a pick 6 seals their fate. Michigan State’s defense executed their game plan to perfection in containing Robinson to only 42 yards on 18 carries. Robinson was also only 9/24 for 123 yards. They were flying to the ball and pushed Robinson back to the inside where the rest of the Michigan State defense was to help with bringing him to the ground. None of the other players for Michigan could get into the groove of the game rushing and Michigan ended the day with 36 carries for 82 yards. Kurt Cousins was less than impressive in this game going 13/24 for 120 yards. He did make the throws that he had to make in critical moments of the game. Edwin Baker was the story of the Michigan St. offense, rushing for 167 yards on the day. Michigan contained him in the first half, but he really got off in the second half. The story line for me in this game was how cocky Michigan State was after this game. Cousins played like crap and if there were some better coaching decisions made on behalf of the Michigan coaching staff, they would have lost this game. I thought it was kind of classless, taking all the credit like they put on a clinic against Michigan in this game. You didn’t so stop fronting. You didn’t beat Michigan, Michigan beat themselves. I picked Michigan 24-17. Michigan just didn’t want to be great yesterday.
2. Texas A&M finally holds on to a lead against Baylor and wins 55-28. Baylor’s defense and running game decided not to show up this week to the game. Last week Terrance Ganaway rushed for 200 yards; this week 34 yards. Texas A&M held Baylor to 50 yards rushing. They couldn’t get anything going on the ground and as result they just couldn’t keep up the Texas A&M. Baylor’s defense allowed a ridiculous 681 yards of total offense and made Ryan Tannehill look like he was the first pick of the NFL draft and made Ryan Swope look like Wes Welker. 415 yards passing for Tannehill, 206 yards receiving for Swope. Oh yeah, and don’t let me leave out the fact that A&M rushed for 266 yards on 45 carries. Robert Griffin III threw for 430 yards and 3 Tds to one interception. For the season, that gives him these stats: 142-182 78% completion percentage, 1950 yards, 22tds, 2 ints. I picked Baylor 35-21. Missed this one, thanks to Baylor’s defense deciding to chill back in Waco instead of coming to the game.
3. Oklahoma State beat Texas 38-26. If you look at the stats, it has all the staples for a win. Texas dominated time of possession (39:18) and rushed for 231 yards. HOLD UP! Didn’t happen that way because Texas, like Michigan, didn’t want to be great on Saturday. The defense played fairly well and held 46 year old Brandon Weeden to only 218 yards passing. They also held Blackmon and Cooper to under 100 yards receiving. Well why didn’t Texas want to be great? Because they could not stop the run. Oklahoma St. rushed for 202 yards and 3 tds. Jeremy Smith had a big game with only 7 attempts but had 140 yards rushing and 2 of those TDs. I understand that you have to defend the pass, but you cannot let an Oklahoma St. team that rushed for 155.5 and ranked 59th in the country to gash you for these big runs all game. At some point, Manny Diaz had to say, you know what I am going to take my chances in coverage and stop this run. The Texas secondary played well, especially Carrington Byndom. Blackmon did catch a TD pass, but he did not show out as he has in weeks past. I would have rolled the dice. Case McCoy did not play a snap as Mack Brown went with freshman David Ash in this game. 2 interceptions and 40 pass attempts later, he only threw for 139 yards and 0 tds. Malcolm Brown played great and is right now the Big XII freshman of the year. Only time will tell. The youth of Texas is apparent this year. I did pick Oklahoma St. 42-20. Texas stayed in this game, but just couldn’t make the plays when they needed to.
4. Arizona St. couldn’t overcome the odds in Autzen to beat Oregon and lose the game 41-27. Oregon’s offense is so fast and can capitalize off mistakes faster than any team in the country. The personal foul they called against Moos, the DT from Arizona St., led to a score in less than 1 min. They have speed all over the field. People thought that they were going to miss LaMichael James this game, and it turns out that Kenjon Barner knew that they wouldn’t carrying the ball 31 times for 171 yards and a TD. They plugged DeAnthony Thomas, the dynamic freshman wideout from Crenshaw High School in there and he got 73 yards rushing. When it was all said and done Oregon rushed for 327 yards against a very good Arizona St. front 7. Darron Thomas did go out with a knee injury. He went to the back and got a brace, but Chip Kelly wouldn’t let him come back in the game. Freshman Brian Bennett surprised the audience as well as the defense with his quickness and great eye with the zone read play. Osweiler was efficient in the first half but that interception to Cliff Harris at the end of the half and the quick score by the Ducks all but sealed the fate for the Arizona St. team that just seems to fall short each year against the Ducks. Pflugrad didn’t play particularly well either. Oregon’s secondary really stepped up in the second half. Oregon’s defensive front also did a great job getting pressure on Osweiler in the second half. Story line of this game is the personal foul; that is one call that Burfict needs to avoid for the rest of the season. Those penalties really hurt Arizona St. There were a couple the killed drives, and that kept drives alive. I picked Oregon in this game 45-30. I was just a few points off.
This was another fantastic week of college football. Stay tuned to Week 8’s 3rd and Goal Analysis!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
3rd and Goal: Week 7 Preview
3rd and Goal
We are presenting a new name for the weekly preview section of the NCAA games for the week. Let’s get things going.
1. #11 Michigan is going to take on one of their most hated rivals, #23 Michigan State. Michigan comes in with the 7th best rushing attack in the land. Denard Robinson is a threat to score any time he touches the ball. I have admired how Hoke has let Robinson play his game instead of making him line up under center. He is just too dynamic to be handing the ball off to someone that does not have the skill set he has. He leads the team in rushing, but the young RB Fitzgerald Toussaint is a great compliment to Robinson. He had his first 100 yard rushing against Minnesota. Robinson has not, though, been as impressive throwing the ball. He reminds me of a Pat White from West Virginia, but Pat could throw the ball a lot better than Robinson at this point in his career. Michigan’s defense has been much improved as well under defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. They are holding their opponents to 12.5 points per game. Last year Michigan’s defense was atrocious. They couldn’t stop most middle school teams. But they definitely have their hands full with Michigan State’s offense. They have Cousins, Cunningham, Baker, and Bell. But which Cousins is going to show up? The one against Notre Dame was mediocre at best. And will Michigan State be able to stop the run? Statistically, Michigan St. has the #1 defense int the land. But I think that those numbers are a little inflated facing the teams that they have been playing. None of them put up great offensive numbers except Notre Dame; and you see the result of that game. They won’t be facing another lethargic team like they did against Ohio State. This team can run, move, and is well coached. I don’t think Sparty pulls this out. Not even at home. I have Michigan winning this game 24-17.
2. RGIII leads #20 Baylor into Kyle Field to take on #21 Texas A&M. RGIII has been ripping it all year long, and at one point had more TDs than incompletions. That stat is still unreal to me. He has thrown 19 TDs to 1 Int, 80.3% completions, and we are still talking about Andrew Luck in the lead for the Heisman? Why? Baylor has been a very big surprise not only in the Big XII, but in the country. His play continues to amaze Heisman watchers and a big game here against Texas A&M will definitely put him on the map. Baylor’s offense is ranked #3 in the country in yards per game at 563 ypg. They are just as big of a threat running the ball as passing the ball. Terrance Ganaway ran for 200 last week. Kendall Wright has 48 receptions this season for 690 yards and 8 tds. They are a very balanced team. What is their defense going to do against Texas A&M’s balance? They have playmakers as well. Ryan Swope has been playing better than one of the top NFL prospects in Jeff Fuller. Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael have been dynamic and A&M may just have 2 1000 yard rushers for the season. Tannehill is a dual threat as well. Texas A&M has been farting away leads in the first half; just because they may be up, doesn’t mean that they are going to win. I am going to pick Baylor over Texas A&M. Mentally I think that RGIII is better than Tannehill. Baylor takes care of the ball. Texas A&M in the second half is a turnover waiting to happen. 35-21.
3. The high flying and #6 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys travel to Austin to take on the #22 Longhorns. Texas is licking its wounds after a dismantling by Oklahoma. I just think that they are again just over matched on both sides of the ball. I think that Ok St played their disappointing half against Texas A&M already. Texas and that young secondary combined with that passing attack with Weeden, Blackmon, and Cooper? It is a recipe for disaster. Ok St. is playing better defensively. The QB carousel continues in Texas and they have not decided on who is going to lead their team. They are heading dangerously down the path with the Sims and Applewhite era again, where you know there is one guy that should start, but playing both to ease the boosters. Quietly, Mack Brown is on the hot seat, because he is expected to win with the talent that is being recruited down in Texas. You can’t have top five recruiting classes every year, and not win. Blackmon had his streak broken of consecutive 100 yard receiving games last week. And you can’t just key in on him, because Cooper is just as dangerous. Weeden is tearing it up and completing 33 passes per game. You don’t really have to run the ball if you are as efficient as Ok St. is at throwing the ball. Texas’ defense is not up to the task of stopping Ok St’s offense. 42-20 Oklahoma St.
4. The game of the week will feature #18 Arizona State travels to Autzen Stadium to take on #9 Oregon. People wrote Oregon off after LSU dismantled them. They are still one of the best offensive teams in the country. LaMichael James has been outstanding over the past 3 games. He has averaged 244 yards a game over those games. But after the gruesome dislocation of his elbow in the California game in garbage time of the game has him in a questionable status of this game. No James puts Oregon at a disadvantage. Sensational freshman DeAnthony Thomas has been playing great and making an impact on the field with his speed and charisma. Kenjon Barner is going to have to step up and take some of the heat off of James and take some of those carries away from James while he is healing. And DeAnthony Thomas is going to have to shoulder more of a responsibility of the run game as well. Darron Thomas has not been as good throwing the ball this year, and he is going to have to be spot on this game. Arizona State quietly has one of the best LB corps in the country. Shelly Lyons, Colin Parker, and Vontaze Burfict are amongst the best LBs you’ve never heard of. They are fast, strong, and are excellent in pass coverage as well as stopping the run. Brock Osweiler and Aaron Pflugrad have a great connection and Oregon’s secondary with John Boyett and Cliff Harris will be tested. I think that Oregon has a slight advantage in this game, and I am picking them to win 45-30. Oregon is just too fast. That game will be won in the middle of the field. If LaMichael James can’t play, look for the upset.
Check out the Goal Line stand on Monday morning, reviewing all the games that we highlighted. Follow our mag @4thandInchesMag on twitter!
We are presenting a new name for the weekly preview section of the NCAA games for the week. Let’s get things going.
1. #11 Michigan is going to take on one of their most hated rivals, #23 Michigan State. Michigan comes in with the 7th best rushing attack in the land. Denard Robinson is a threat to score any time he touches the ball. I have admired how Hoke has let Robinson play his game instead of making him line up under center. He is just too dynamic to be handing the ball off to someone that does not have the skill set he has. He leads the team in rushing, but the young RB Fitzgerald Toussaint is a great compliment to Robinson. He had his first 100 yard rushing against Minnesota. Robinson has not, though, been as impressive throwing the ball. He reminds me of a Pat White from West Virginia, but Pat could throw the ball a lot better than Robinson at this point in his career. Michigan’s defense has been much improved as well under defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. They are holding their opponents to 12.5 points per game. Last year Michigan’s defense was atrocious. They couldn’t stop most middle school teams. But they definitely have their hands full with Michigan State’s offense. They have Cousins, Cunningham, Baker, and Bell. But which Cousins is going to show up? The one against Notre Dame was mediocre at best. And will Michigan State be able to stop the run? Statistically, Michigan St. has the #1 defense int the land. But I think that those numbers are a little inflated facing the teams that they have been playing. None of them put up great offensive numbers except Notre Dame; and you see the result of that game. They won’t be facing another lethargic team like they did against Ohio State. This team can run, move, and is well coached. I don’t think Sparty pulls this out. Not even at home. I have Michigan winning this game 24-17.
2. RGIII leads #20 Baylor into Kyle Field to take on #21 Texas A&M. RGIII has been ripping it all year long, and at one point had more TDs than incompletions. That stat is still unreal to me. He has thrown 19 TDs to 1 Int, 80.3% completions, and we are still talking about Andrew Luck in the lead for the Heisman? Why? Baylor has been a very big surprise not only in the Big XII, but in the country. His play continues to amaze Heisman watchers and a big game here against Texas A&M will definitely put him on the map. Baylor’s offense is ranked #3 in the country in yards per game at 563 ypg. They are just as big of a threat running the ball as passing the ball. Terrance Ganaway ran for 200 last week. Kendall Wright has 48 receptions this season for 690 yards and 8 tds. They are a very balanced team. What is their defense going to do against Texas A&M’s balance? They have playmakers as well. Ryan Swope has been playing better than one of the top NFL prospects in Jeff Fuller. Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael have been dynamic and A&M may just have 2 1000 yard rushers for the season. Tannehill is a dual threat as well. Texas A&M has been farting away leads in the first half; just because they may be up, doesn’t mean that they are going to win. I am going to pick Baylor over Texas A&M. Mentally I think that RGIII is better than Tannehill. Baylor takes care of the ball. Texas A&M in the second half is a turnover waiting to happen. 35-21.
3. The high flying and #6 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys travel to Austin to take on the #22 Longhorns. Texas is licking its wounds after a dismantling by Oklahoma. I just think that they are again just over matched on both sides of the ball. I think that Ok St played their disappointing half against Texas A&M already. Texas and that young secondary combined with that passing attack with Weeden, Blackmon, and Cooper? It is a recipe for disaster. Ok St. is playing better defensively. The QB carousel continues in Texas and they have not decided on who is going to lead their team. They are heading dangerously down the path with the Sims and Applewhite era again, where you know there is one guy that should start, but playing both to ease the boosters. Quietly, Mack Brown is on the hot seat, because he is expected to win with the talent that is being recruited down in Texas. You can’t have top five recruiting classes every year, and not win. Blackmon had his streak broken of consecutive 100 yard receiving games last week. And you can’t just key in on him, because Cooper is just as dangerous. Weeden is tearing it up and completing 33 passes per game. You don’t really have to run the ball if you are as efficient as Ok St. is at throwing the ball. Texas’ defense is not up to the task of stopping Ok St’s offense. 42-20 Oklahoma St.
4. The game of the week will feature #18 Arizona State travels to Autzen Stadium to take on #9 Oregon. People wrote Oregon off after LSU dismantled them. They are still one of the best offensive teams in the country. LaMichael James has been outstanding over the past 3 games. He has averaged 244 yards a game over those games. But after the gruesome dislocation of his elbow in the California game in garbage time of the game has him in a questionable status of this game. No James puts Oregon at a disadvantage. Sensational freshman DeAnthony Thomas has been playing great and making an impact on the field with his speed and charisma. Kenjon Barner is going to have to step up and take some of the heat off of James and take some of those carries away from James while he is healing. And DeAnthony Thomas is going to have to shoulder more of a responsibility of the run game as well. Darron Thomas has not been as good throwing the ball this year, and he is going to have to be spot on this game. Arizona State quietly has one of the best LB corps in the country. Shelly Lyons, Colin Parker, and Vontaze Burfict are amongst the best LBs you’ve never heard of. They are fast, strong, and are excellent in pass coverage as well as stopping the run. Brock Osweiler and Aaron Pflugrad have a great connection and Oregon’s secondary with John Boyett and Cliff Harris will be tested. I think that Oregon has a slight advantage in this game, and I am picking them to win 45-30. Oregon is just too fast. That game will be won in the middle of the field. If LaMichael James can’t play, look for the upset.
Check out the Goal Line stand on Monday morning, reviewing all the games that we highlighted. Follow our mag @4thandInchesMag on twitter!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Week 6 Goal Line Stand
4 and 0! We were right on all the games that we picked. Yesterday some teams proved themselves and others proved that they are not ready for the big time. Let’s recap.
1. 55-17. I Was NOT expecting this to happen in Dallas! Oklahoma absolutely dismantled Texas in the annual Red River Rivalry. Texas was overmatched from the opening snap. And you knew it was a matter of time before Oklahoma’s offense started rolling against the young secondary of Texas. Oklahoma scored 2 FGs on the first two drives and Texas’ young defense was playing ok. But the wheels came off after Jazz Reynolds converted on a 3rd down and 25. It was Broyles killing them underneath, Stills killing them over the top, and Reynolds killing them on 3rd downs. Texas could get no pressure on Landry Jones. He stood back there very comfortable and just took advantage of his WR just being flat out better than Texas’ secondary. Landry Jones had 305 yards passing in the first half. But the story of the day was just how smothering Oklahoma’s defense was. Texas was discombobulated on offense. The two young QBs were constantly under pressure. You will never beat an Oklahoma giving them the ball 5 extra times. But the offense didn’t need to convert them all into touchdowns because the defense scored 3 times. Frank Alexander just maybe one of the best defensive ends in the country. Travis Lewis, Tony Jefferson, and Tom Wort were flying all over the field making plays, deflecting passes, and sacking the quarterback. Oklahoma dominated all aspects of the game. It looked like they had a point to prove because all everyone talks about is LSU and Alabama. If you watched Oklahoma play against Florida State and now Texas, you just cannot sleep on their defense. They are for real. I picked Oklahoma by 15. But not by 38. The lone bright spot for the Longhorns was Fozzy Whitaker’s 102 yard touchdown return. Texas has a lot of growing left to do. I think they will be ok. But there will still be more growing pains. 35-20 was my prediction. I was way off.
2. Florida had 2 weeks of nightmares. Alabama one week, LSU the next week. Florida went to Death Valley and got dismantled by the Tigers 41-11. They couldn’t get anything going against the stingy LSU defense. Driskel was knocked out the game, and the wheels just came off the bus. Alabama exposed Florida’s run defense the week prior. So LSU just took advantage of that same weakness. Florida’s defensive line likes to go around blocks, not take them on and defeat them. This causes their LBs to get blocked, opening up numerous running lanes. Florida is a very talented team, but this is their first year under Muschamp. There are going to be some growing pains. LSU ran the ball at will with Spencer Ware and Alfred Blue. The LSU QBs were efficient going 10/14 for 215 yards and 2 tds. The most important stat is that they did not turn the ball over. Jordan Jefferson is fighting to get his job back. But there is no way Les Miles should pull Lee in favor of Jefferson. But according to Miles and the LSU staff, Jefferson has been spot on in practice and is focused like he has never been before. This is a story that is brewing in Baton Rouge. The little disruptive force better known as Tyran Mathieu did have 4 tackles and an interception. This kid is just a game breaker and should be the leader for the Thorpe (Nation’s Best Defensive Back) and should also be in the Heisman conversation. The matchup with Alabama is looming on Nov. 5. Both schools are off the week prior. That game will be epic. I picked LSU over Florida 35-3.
3. Auburn goes to Fayetteville and just can’t get it going as they lose to Arkansas 38-14. Auburn is not getting any production from the QB position. 9/25 with 3 interceptions just won’t cut it when your defense is as useless as a 3 tired car. Michael Dyer has been great over this stretch and seems to be the answer for an Auburn offense that is struggling to move the ball. I thought that Auburn really did a good job against South Carolina. But I think it was just the fact that South Carolina just played that bad. Auburn is now 4-2 and facing some serious offensive questions. Do you play Frazier or do you try to win with Trotter? Neither was very effective against an average Arkansas defense. But it starts with the play calling, continues with the QB play, and ends with the defense. They are not tackling well, covering well, blitzing well. They just are 3 steps behind on every single play. Tyler Wilson played well throwing for 262 yards and 2 tds. The biggest plus for Arkansas was the fact that they actually got some production in the running game. No play was bigger than Joe Adams going for 92 yards as he hurdled over the Auburn player and didn’t break stride for a TD. Arkansas has a warrior at QB. Wilson gets hit more than any other QB in the SEC and he completes the throws. But they had better protect him better or he is going to have someone shorten his season up with a concussion. I had Arkansas 45-35.
4. Georgia holds on against Tennessee 20-12. Isaiah Crowell did not really have the impact that he has been having over the past 3 weeks. But he scored when they needed him to. Tennessee’s defense played fairly well. Georgia’s offense really couldn’t get a lot going against them. It just seems that Tennessee is always missing one part of the game that keeps them from winning. And their offense is just so one sided. Pass pass pass pass. They have to get some balance, especially with LSU coming in next week and Alabama coming in the next. Bray throws it too many times against those secondaries, it will get intercepted. You can’t be one dimensional with these teams. They have to get Poole going, or it will be a bad two game stretch. He only had 7 carries for. Aaron Murray was decent going 15/25 for 227 yards. Malcolm Mitchell had 126 of those yards. After starting off 0-2, Georgia is on a 4 game win streak with Vandy coming to town. This is Georgia’s SEC East title to loose right now. If Richt can keep his team motivated, he will keep his job. At least for another season. I picked Georgia over Tennessee 24-14.
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1. 55-17. I Was NOT expecting this to happen in Dallas! Oklahoma absolutely dismantled Texas in the annual Red River Rivalry. Texas was overmatched from the opening snap. And you knew it was a matter of time before Oklahoma’s offense started rolling against the young secondary of Texas. Oklahoma scored 2 FGs on the first two drives and Texas’ young defense was playing ok. But the wheels came off after Jazz Reynolds converted on a 3rd down and 25. It was Broyles killing them underneath, Stills killing them over the top, and Reynolds killing them on 3rd downs. Texas could get no pressure on Landry Jones. He stood back there very comfortable and just took advantage of his WR just being flat out better than Texas’ secondary. Landry Jones had 305 yards passing in the first half. But the story of the day was just how smothering Oklahoma’s defense was. Texas was discombobulated on offense. The two young QBs were constantly under pressure. You will never beat an Oklahoma giving them the ball 5 extra times. But the offense didn’t need to convert them all into touchdowns because the defense scored 3 times. Frank Alexander just maybe one of the best defensive ends in the country. Travis Lewis, Tony Jefferson, and Tom Wort were flying all over the field making plays, deflecting passes, and sacking the quarterback. Oklahoma dominated all aspects of the game. It looked like they had a point to prove because all everyone talks about is LSU and Alabama. If you watched Oklahoma play against Florida State and now Texas, you just cannot sleep on their defense. They are for real. I picked Oklahoma by 15. But not by 38. The lone bright spot for the Longhorns was Fozzy Whitaker’s 102 yard touchdown return. Texas has a lot of growing left to do. I think they will be ok. But there will still be more growing pains. 35-20 was my prediction. I was way off.
2. Florida had 2 weeks of nightmares. Alabama one week, LSU the next week. Florida went to Death Valley and got dismantled by the Tigers 41-11. They couldn’t get anything going against the stingy LSU defense. Driskel was knocked out the game, and the wheels just came off the bus. Alabama exposed Florida’s run defense the week prior. So LSU just took advantage of that same weakness. Florida’s defensive line likes to go around blocks, not take them on and defeat them. This causes their LBs to get blocked, opening up numerous running lanes. Florida is a very talented team, but this is their first year under Muschamp. There are going to be some growing pains. LSU ran the ball at will with Spencer Ware and Alfred Blue. The LSU QBs were efficient going 10/14 for 215 yards and 2 tds. The most important stat is that they did not turn the ball over. Jordan Jefferson is fighting to get his job back. But there is no way Les Miles should pull Lee in favor of Jefferson. But according to Miles and the LSU staff, Jefferson has been spot on in practice and is focused like he has never been before. This is a story that is brewing in Baton Rouge. The little disruptive force better known as Tyran Mathieu did have 4 tackles and an interception. This kid is just a game breaker and should be the leader for the Thorpe (Nation’s Best Defensive Back) and should also be in the Heisman conversation. The matchup with Alabama is looming on Nov. 5. Both schools are off the week prior. That game will be epic. I picked LSU over Florida 35-3.
3. Auburn goes to Fayetteville and just can’t get it going as they lose to Arkansas 38-14. Auburn is not getting any production from the QB position. 9/25 with 3 interceptions just won’t cut it when your defense is as useless as a 3 tired car. Michael Dyer has been great over this stretch and seems to be the answer for an Auburn offense that is struggling to move the ball. I thought that Auburn really did a good job against South Carolina. But I think it was just the fact that South Carolina just played that bad. Auburn is now 4-2 and facing some serious offensive questions. Do you play Frazier or do you try to win with Trotter? Neither was very effective against an average Arkansas defense. But it starts with the play calling, continues with the QB play, and ends with the defense. They are not tackling well, covering well, blitzing well. They just are 3 steps behind on every single play. Tyler Wilson played well throwing for 262 yards and 2 tds. The biggest plus for Arkansas was the fact that they actually got some production in the running game. No play was bigger than Joe Adams going for 92 yards as he hurdled over the Auburn player and didn’t break stride for a TD. Arkansas has a warrior at QB. Wilson gets hit more than any other QB in the SEC and he completes the throws. But they had better protect him better or he is going to have someone shorten his season up with a concussion. I had Arkansas 45-35.
4. Georgia holds on against Tennessee 20-12. Isaiah Crowell did not really have the impact that he has been having over the past 3 weeks. But he scored when they needed him to. Tennessee’s defense played fairly well. Georgia’s offense really couldn’t get a lot going against them. It just seems that Tennessee is always missing one part of the game that keeps them from winning. And their offense is just so one sided. Pass pass pass pass. They have to get some balance, especially with LSU coming in next week and Alabama coming in the next. Bray throws it too many times against those secondaries, it will get intercepted. You can’t be one dimensional with these teams. They have to get Poole going, or it will be a bad two game stretch. He only had 7 carries for. Aaron Murray was decent going 15/25 for 227 yards. Malcolm Mitchell had 126 of those yards. After starting off 0-2, Georgia is on a 4 game win streak with Vandy coming to town. This is Georgia’s SEC East title to loose right now. If Richt can keep his team motivated, he will keep his job. At least for another season. I picked Georgia over Tennessee 24-14.
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Friday, October 7, 2011
Nnamdi is struggling, but why?
Nnamdi Asomugha was the gem of the free agent class. His play on the field along with the defense he is playing for has been mediocre at best. He has been targeted more times than he ever was at Oakland. Why? With this secondary you would think that it would be no fly zone with Asomugha, Samuels, and Rodgers-Cromartie. There are a few things wrong with this situation. And it starts with the scheme.
Nnamdi is a PRESS CORNER. Always has been, always will be. Oakland schemed around that and gave Asomugha the option to play press. He has some of the most fluid hips in the game. You saw that in the Atlanta game on the Julio Jones double move when they were trying to work on him. He was with him every step of the way. He is very aggressive with his “chuck” and is able to keep up with most WRs he faces. Well Asomugha has at times looked lost and confused in the secondary in zone coverage, especially against the Giants. If Nnamdi would have been playing press coverage, this would have never happened, because Cruz wouldn’t have gotten off the ball. In the nickel situations, they have put him in to cover the slot WR. In the NFL the slot WR is usually the one that will beat you. I understand this move, but on 3rd downs, maybe Castillo should think about moving Nnamdi outside and moving your best zone CB, Asante Samuel, in that position. Corners flourish in schemes that fit their type of play. Asante Samuel is the prime example. He can bait most QBs into making throws because he is an excellent zone CB. Not so much a press CB. The Eagles run a lot of zone blitz, and this is why Asante is so good in it. . If he is going to be the cornerstone of your defense, then you are going to have to get him in situations that he can win. He has proven that he can take away ½ the field when he is at his best. I honestly think that the NY Jets would have been a better fit for Nnamdi. They play the type of game that is built for his strength. No one could throw the ball on them, they would easily be undefeated. Nnamdi in press coverage is always a better option than Cromartie in press coverage.
The Eagles have to play better against the run as well to help the transition. This is a first year defensive coordinator in Philly, who has NO defensive experience. He has a great mind for the game, and the Eagles are just going to have to figure out the scheme. The offense is scoring points. The defense will have to get some takeaways and stops in order for them to be able to finish out games. Asomugha has a high acumen and if anyone can pick up on a new scheme, he can. I just really feel that he is a better asset in press coverage. They are going to have to mix it up in coverage to play to his strength as well. Nnamdi is too good to be getting burned. Put him in a position to succeed, or Castillo is going to have a short stint as defensive coordinator.
Nnamdi is a PRESS CORNER. Always has been, always will be. Oakland schemed around that and gave Asomugha the option to play press. He has some of the most fluid hips in the game. You saw that in the Atlanta game on the Julio Jones double move when they were trying to work on him. He was with him every step of the way. He is very aggressive with his “chuck” and is able to keep up with most WRs he faces. Well Asomugha has at times looked lost and confused in the secondary in zone coverage, especially against the Giants. If Nnamdi would have been playing press coverage, this would have never happened, because Cruz wouldn’t have gotten off the ball. In the nickel situations, they have put him in to cover the slot WR. In the NFL the slot WR is usually the one that will beat you. I understand this move, but on 3rd downs, maybe Castillo should think about moving Nnamdi outside and moving your best zone CB, Asante Samuel, in that position. Corners flourish in schemes that fit their type of play. Asante Samuel is the prime example. He can bait most QBs into making throws because he is an excellent zone CB. Not so much a press CB. The Eagles run a lot of zone blitz, and this is why Asante is so good in it. . If he is going to be the cornerstone of your defense, then you are going to have to get him in situations that he can win. He has proven that he can take away ½ the field when he is at his best. I honestly think that the NY Jets would have been a better fit for Nnamdi. They play the type of game that is built for his strength. No one could throw the ball on them, they would easily be undefeated. Nnamdi in press coverage is always a better option than Cromartie in press coverage.
The Eagles have to play better against the run as well to help the transition. This is a first year defensive coordinator in Philly, who has NO defensive experience. He has a great mind for the game, and the Eagles are just going to have to figure out the scheme. The offense is scoring points. The defense will have to get some takeaways and stops in order for them to be able to finish out games. Asomugha has a high acumen and if anyone can pick up on a new scheme, he can. I just really feel that he is a better asset in press coverage. They are going to have to mix it up in coverage to play to his strength as well. Nnamdi is too good to be getting burned. Put him in a position to succeed, or Castillo is going to have a short stint as defensive coordinator.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Week 6 Preview
OU and Texas headlines a great weekend of college football. Let’s preview these games
1. #3 Oklahoma travels to Dallas to take on #11 Texas. Texas is a very young team and plays one of the youngest teams at the skill positions in the country. They have 8 offensive starters that are either freshman or sophomores. They play more freshmen than any other team in the country. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. Mistakes are the bad thing. Experience in these games is the key to winning them. Oklahoma has a veteran team that understands that this game usually decides who will win the Big XII. The good thing is that these young players will be out there trying to prove that they belong out there and want to be included with the great players that they watch wear the same uniform as they do now. Harsin has been doing a great job in putting his players in positions to make plays. Jaxon Shipley is McCoy’s safety valve when he gets into a tough situation. I would figure he would be since they have been playing together since they were kids. Malcolm Brown, the young freshman savior at RB, rarely gets tackled for a loss. Texas’ defense has been playing very well also. Manny Diaz seemed to figure things out in the second half of the BYU Texas game. His defense has been flying around since. They forced 3 interceptions in the first quarter of the game against Iowa State. Texas has a really good chance of winning this game. But Oklahoma is a well oiled machine. Jones, Broyles and Stills are a very tough tandem to contain. The pace of the OU offense cannot be matched by any other team in the country and will give the Texas defense fits. But this isn’t the only part of OU’s offense that will give Texas problems. Dominique Whaley has been playing very well and the Texas defense cannot disregard how effective of a runner he can be. The most underrated part of Oklahoma’s team is the defense. Oklahoma has a very good defensive unit. The strength of this unit is the LB corp. Most people focus on just how good Travis Lewis is, but you definitely can’t disregard Tom Wort. He makes plays and was all over the field against Florida State. Texas definitely has its work cut out for them. As much as it pains me to admit to this, Oklahoma is the better team. I think they beat Texas this week 35-20.
2. #17 Florida travels to Baton Rouge to take on the #1 ranked LSU Tigers. Florida is coming off of a week where they not only lost the game, but lost their starting QB to an ugly hit in which his leg was pinned under his body. Florida couldn’t run the ball and struggled to protect the QB after the 1st quarter. They couldn’t stop the run, and did a pretty good job on the pass. Well the same issues they had last week will be the same issues they have this week. Driskel did not really do a great job in relief for Brantley. He did have a 31 yard run on 3rd and 14. Other than that he was abysmal throwing the football. Demps was hurt on a kickoff return by the kicker. He has been battling a foot injury all season. He just can’t seem to stay healthy. The defense couldn’t stop Trent Richardson from rushing for 181 yards. LSU will run the ball the same way, with power and consistently. The difference in Alabama and LSU is the fact that LSU can bring in one of four RBs that can gash you all game long. Jared Lee has been managing the game well and has been surprisingly accurate. The numbers from Kentucky are a little misleading because LSU’s WRs dropped 8 passes. If those passes are completed, I think that game gets uglier than it was. I look for Jordan Jefferson to get some snaps in this game. He has been quoted saying that he wants his starting position back. Maybe he can be another wrinkle that teams will have to prepare for. Spencer Ware is expected to play with his hamstring injury. I think he should sit and get healthy for the Alabama game. He may see limited action. Florida’s defense will have another tough week as LSU will beat Florida 35-3.
3. #15 Auburn travels to Fayetteville to take on #10 Arkansas. Arkansas is coming off comeback win against Big XII favorite Texas A&M. Arkansas put up some massive yards and shut all the naysayers like myself up. They actually protected Tyler Wilson and gave him time. He then proceeded to have the game of his career throwing for 510 yards; Jarius Wright had 281 of those yards. Arkansas played very well in the second half of that game. Although they did not run the ball, Arkansas had enough of an attack to keep Texas A&M honest up front and have to contend with it. Arkansas will be going another week without their star defensive end Jake Bequette with a knee injury. Also the other starting DE Tenarius Wright is out with a broken arm. Arkansas has to be able to at some point put some stops up. Maybe the momentum from the 4th and 2 stop against Texas A&M in the clutch will continue over to the Auburn game. Auburn finally gave Dyer the amount of carries (41) needed to dominate a game. He can carry the ball 25+ times a game. Trotter’s play has been inconsistent. Yes he made the throw to win the game against South Carolina. But he is going to have to be able to hit his WRs consistently. Auburn’s defense gave a valiant effort against South Carolina. But was Auburn’s defense that good, or was South Carolina that bad? I think it was a combination of the two. Can Arkansas keep that momentum facing an Auburn team coming off a big win themselves? Auburn is ranked #106 in total defense and Arkansas is ranked #75. There will DEFINITELY be some points scored in this game. The momentum of the prior week will play a role in who will be the better team and win this game. I am going with Arkansas in this game 45-35.
4. Georgia travels to Tennessee to take on the Volunteers in Neyland Stadium. Isaiah Crowell is another dynamic freshman that has been playing fantastic over his last two games. Check out this stat line: 52 carries 251 yards. Freshman. He has been a catalyst for the 3 game winning-streak that Georgia is currently on. Brandon Boykin is one of the most dynamic players on the field. He is the starting CB, but he can play WR, RB and he is VERY dangerous in the special team game as a returner. He has game breaking speed and if he touches the ball in any way, he is a threat to score. Tennessee has to keep an eye on where he is at all times. This game will be played close to the chest, so every point and possession will count. There is no clear cut advantage here. Tennessee is definitely in a new era of football. They have a solid back in Poole, but Tyler Bray is really the future of Tennessee football. Bray has been paired with Da’Rick Rogers and they have Tennessee ranked amongst the top in the country in passing. His other star WR Justin Hunter is out for the season with an ACL tear. Dooley has the Tennessee faithful anxious for a big win. Can he pull it out this week against a Georgia team riding a three game win streak? I don’ t think so. I think Georgia pulls this game out 24-14. Bray is good, but I think that Georgia is a more complete team.
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1. #3 Oklahoma travels to Dallas to take on #11 Texas. Texas is a very young team and plays one of the youngest teams at the skill positions in the country. They have 8 offensive starters that are either freshman or sophomores. They play more freshmen than any other team in the country. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. Mistakes are the bad thing. Experience in these games is the key to winning them. Oklahoma has a veteran team that understands that this game usually decides who will win the Big XII. The good thing is that these young players will be out there trying to prove that they belong out there and want to be included with the great players that they watch wear the same uniform as they do now. Harsin has been doing a great job in putting his players in positions to make plays. Jaxon Shipley is McCoy’s safety valve when he gets into a tough situation. I would figure he would be since they have been playing together since they were kids. Malcolm Brown, the young freshman savior at RB, rarely gets tackled for a loss. Texas’ defense has been playing very well also. Manny Diaz seemed to figure things out in the second half of the BYU Texas game. His defense has been flying around since. They forced 3 interceptions in the first quarter of the game against Iowa State. Texas has a really good chance of winning this game. But Oklahoma is a well oiled machine. Jones, Broyles and Stills are a very tough tandem to contain. The pace of the OU offense cannot be matched by any other team in the country and will give the Texas defense fits. But this isn’t the only part of OU’s offense that will give Texas problems. Dominique Whaley has been playing very well and the Texas defense cannot disregard how effective of a runner he can be. The most underrated part of Oklahoma’s team is the defense. Oklahoma has a very good defensive unit. The strength of this unit is the LB corp. Most people focus on just how good Travis Lewis is, but you definitely can’t disregard Tom Wort. He makes plays and was all over the field against Florida State. Texas definitely has its work cut out for them. As much as it pains me to admit to this, Oklahoma is the better team. I think they beat Texas this week 35-20.
2. #17 Florida travels to Baton Rouge to take on the #1 ranked LSU Tigers. Florida is coming off of a week where they not only lost the game, but lost their starting QB to an ugly hit in which his leg was pinned under his body. Florida couldn’t run the ball and struggled to protect the QB after the 1st quarter. They couldn’t stop the run, and did a pretty good job on the pass. Well the same issues they had last week will be the same issues they have this week. Driskel did not really do a great job in relief for Brantley. He did have a 31 yard run on 3rd and 14. Other than that he was abysmal throwing the football. Demps was hurt on a kickoff return by the kicker. He has been battling a foot injury all season. He just can’t seem to stay healthy. The defense couldn’t stop Trent Richardson from rushing for 181 yards. LSU will run the ball the same way, with power and consistently. The difference in Alabama and LSU is the fact that LSU can bring in one of four RBs that can gash you all game long. Jared Lee has been managing the game well and has been surprisingly accurate. The numbers from Kentucky are a little misleading because LSU’s WRs dropped 8 passes. If those passes are completed, I think that game gets uglier than it was. I look for Jordan Jefferson to get some snaps in this game. He has been quoted saying that he wants his starting position back. Maybe he can be another wrinkle that teams will have to prepare for. Spencer Ware is expected to play with his hamstring injury. I think he should sit and get healthy for the Alabama game. He may see limited action. Florida’s defense will have another tough week as LSU will beat Florida 35-3.
3. #15 Auburn travels to Fayetteville to take on #10 Arkansas. Arkansas is coming off comeback win against Big XII favorite Texas A&M. Arkansas put up some massive yards and shut all the naysayers like myself up. They actually protected Tyler Wilson and gave him time. He then proceeded to have the game of his career throwing for 510 yards; Jarius Wright had 281 of those yards. Arkansas played very well in the second half of that game. Although they did not run the ball, Arkansas had enough of an attack to keep Texas A&M honest up front and have to contend with it. Arkansas will be going another week without their star defensive end Jake Bequette with a knee injury. Also the other starting DE Tenarius Wright is out with a broken arm. Arkansas has to be able to at some point put some stops up. Maybe the momentum from the 4th and 2 stop against Texas A&M in the clutch will continue over to the Auburn game. Auburn finally gave Dyer the amount of carries (41) needed to dominate a game. He can carry the ball 25+ times a game. Trotter’s play has been inconsistent. Yes he made the throw to win the game against South Carolina. But he is going to have to be able to hit his WRs consistently. Auburn’s defense gave a valiant effort against South Carolina. But was Auburn’s defense that good, or was South Carolina that bad? I think it was a combination of the two. Can Arkansas keep that momentum facing an Auburn team coming off a big win themselves? Auburn is ranked #106 in total defense and Arkansas is ranked #75. There will DEFINITELY be some points scored in this game. The momentum of the prior week will play a role in who will be the better team and win this game. I am going with Arkansas in this game 45-35.
4. Georgia travels to Tennessee to take on the Volunteers in Neyland Stadium. Isaiah Crowell is another dynamic freshman that has been playing fantastic over his last two games. Check out this stat line: 52 carries 251 yards. Freshman. He has been a catalyst for the 3 game winning-streak that Georgia is currently on. Brandon Boykin is one of the most dynamic players on the field. He is the starting CB, but he can play WR, RB and he is VERY dangerous in the special team game as a returner. He has game breaking speed and if he touches the ball in any way, he is a threat to score. Tennessee has to keep an eye on where he is at all times. This game will be played close to the chest, so every point and possession will count. There is no clear cut advantage here. Tennessee is definitely in a new era of football. They have a solid back in Poole, but Tyler Bray is really the future of Tennessee football. Bray has been paired with Da’Rick Rogers and they have Tennessee ranked amongst the top in the country in passing. His other star WR Justin Hunter is out for the season with an ACL tear. Dooley has the Tennessee faithful anxious for a big win. Can he pull it out this week against a Georgia team riding a three game win streak? I don’ t think so. I think Georgia pulls this game out 24-14. Bray is good, but I think that Georgia is a more complete team.
Stay tuned to more picks and analysis after the game with 4th and Inches Magazine. Your opinions are welcomed here at 4th and Inches Magazine. Don’t be shy to comment!
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