That's why they play the game
Ask Alabama about South Carolina
Or Texas about Iowa State
Or Va Tech about... well, you get the idea
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2010-2011 College Football Thread
- Thread starter dmr727
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That's why they play the game
Ask Alabama about South Carolina
Or Texas about Iowa State
Or Va Tech about... well, you get the idea
That's why they play the game
Ask Alabama about South Carolina
Or Texas about Iowa State
Or Va Tech about... well, you get the idea
Very true, but I could just as easily prove my point by citing the 98% of games that go exactly how we expect. Time will tell of course, but since this is an opinion board and I don't play for anymore, I think it's okay to go ahead and speculate.
I've been wrong before so it won't hurt much if Baylor wins a game or two. I actually like them less than I like the Whorns, but I'll laugh pretty hard if they manage a win in Austin this weekend.
Actually, I'll be laughing either way.
Sort of a win-win for you then
I'm feeling pretty good about the Dawgs' chances in Jacksonville this week
What do y'all think?
Sort of a win-win for you then
I'm feeling pretty good about the Dawgs' chances in Jacksonville this week
What do y'all think?
i think UGA will take the Gators this week. The Dogs seem to be playing really well, and UF just doesn't seem to have it this year and are still adjusting their offensive schemes to life without Tebow. I think the Dogs will be feeding off of their recent success, and take a pretty close game.
Sort of a win-win for you then
I'm feeling pretty good about the Dawgs' chances in Jacksonville this week
What do y'all think?
I think they can take down the swamp lizards, if they don't hit that mental block. Florida has owned Georgia for years, even when they weren't as good. I think if Georgia can get a lead and keep it, they will be ok. If they get behind, does that mental state start affecting them?
If UGA plays even decent defense, they should be able to take out the Gators. The post-Tebow offense (much like the post-McCoy offense in Austin) just doesn't look good at all.
On a different note, Boise got another win tonight (who the heck plays on Tuesdays?!?) but didn't look very pretty in doing so. A bad Louisiana Tech team managed to score 20 points and roll up almost 400 yards (including 148 yards and 2 TDs rushing by LaTech's RB) on what ESPN would have us believe is the best defense in the nation.
Seriously? You're actually going to criticize Boise State for beating someone 49-20? Kinda stretching, aren't ya?
And the score would have been higher had we kept our first string offense and defense in. La Tech scored with 44 seconds remaining. Would it have been more accepting had it been 63-13? ...not likely. Excuses would still be made.
Yeah, our tackling was atrocious tonight, and we had one muffed kick return.
But I keep forgetting. When you're one of the lowly non-BCS teams you can't have even one off night, even when you still beat your opponent by 29 points with your second string in the game on that "off night."
And games are played on Tuesday's all year long. They play on Tuesday's when ESPN says they'll broadcast the game.
And the score would have been higher had we kept our first string offense and defense in. La Tech scored with 44 seconds remaining. Would it have been more accepting had it been 63-13? ...not likely. Excuses would still be made.
Yeah, our tackling was atrocious tonight, and we had one muffed kick return.
But I keep forgetting. When you're one of the lowly non-BCS teams you can't have even one off night, even when you still beat your opponent by 29 points with your second string in the game on that "off night."
And games are played on Tuesday's all year long. They play on Tuesday's when ESPN says they'll broadcast the game.
Seriously? You're actually going to criticize Boise State for beating someone 49-20? Kinda stretching, aren't ya?
And the score would have been higher had we kept our first string offense and defense in. La Tech scored with 44 seconds remaining. Would it have been more accepting had it been 63-13? ...not likely. Excuses would still be made.
Yeah, our tackling was atrocious tonight, and we had one muffed kick return.
But I keep forgetting. When you're one of the lowly non-BCS teams you can't have even one off night, even when you still beat your opponent by 29 points with your second string in the game on that "off night."
And games are played on Tuesday's all year long. They play on Tuesday's when ESPN says they'll broadcast the game.
You missed the memo didn't you... lol.
Yes, I am. If you want to be considered the best team in the country (or at least worthy of playing for that title), you have to destroy the bad teams you play. When your schedule is made up of mostly bad teams, you need to look very pretty in beating them. A top team should beat someone like LaTech by 50+ points and not give them any life offensively (certainly not a career day by the running back). Boise failed to do that last night.
Maybe you can look at the final score and be satisfied with how Boise played, but I've seen LaTech play in person and they are terrible. Texas A&M (who is mediocre, at best) beat that team by a similar score (48-16) while allowing only 269 total yards (61 rushing).
And for the record, we're in the 9th week of the college football season and that was the second Tuesday game (the other was Troy and MTSU on Oct 5). So clearly they aren't played "all season long."
Put it this way, would TCU allow that many yards against LA Tech? I don't think they would.
I wish I could say this in some way that didn't sound rude ... but they are a gimmick. They don't just line up and play football, they have Coach Klein writing in his notebook, coming up with all kinds of "trickery" to give them an edge, since they'd lose horribly if they just lined up and played smash mouth football. Flea flicker, check (but failed); statue of liberty, check, qb punting, check; qb receiving, check. I just kept waiting to see an oop-de-oop pass to an O-lineman and it would've been just like some feel good football team movie.
However ... that kind of team does not have staying power. They've burst onto the scene, and caught quite a few teams with their pants down ... since no one was used to playing that kind of imaginitive ball. But nowadays, you know what to expect when playing them.
Bottom line ... that kind of ball works great in the WAC, where you have lots of time to fool around with trickery. The team I saw last night would struggle against any team that has a good disciplined defense, which we all know doesn't exist in BSU's league.
SLC
I wouldn't go that far, SLC. Trick plays take balls and perfect execution, the kind that most "big" programs don't have. I think Boise is a very good team and I think they do beat people straight up plenty of times, but they are also not afraid to throw the whole playbook at people.
Also, Utah still has to play TCU in a couple of weeks. If they run even one trick play in that game, are you willing to say that the Utes are a gimmick team? Doubtful.
Also (part 2), Michigan State runs tricks plays all the time, as does LSU. We can say all we want about the relative weakness of the Big 10 or the ridiculousness of Les Miles, but both of those teams are winning, and I don't think we're prepared to say that either one would only have success in the WAC.
Also, Utah still has to play TCU in a couple of weeks. If they run even one trick play in that game, are you willing to say that the Utes are a gimmick team? Doubtful.
Also (part 2), Michigan State runs tricks plays all the time, as does LSU. We can say all we want about the relative weakness of the Big 10 or the ridiculousness of Les Miles, but both of those teams are winning, and I don't think we're prepared to say that either one would only have success in the WAC.
I don't get the hate with trick plays. It's like people think the wins don't count or something. Football is about strategy and it's about trickery. That's partly why it is so fun to watch.
I think Boise State has a great team this year. Sure, as a Utah fan, I get upset when they are called "the original BCS busters" or that they have the most non-AQ BCS wins, but they have a great team this year. Just because the media is annoying about it, doesn't mean they don't show up and take care of business.
With that said, I would like to point out that, aside from a sloppy opening game, Utah has been incredibly dominant on offense, defense, and special teams this year. They really spread the ball around (16 different players have scored a touchdown this year. Absolutely incredible to me) and even when their 3rd string is in, they keep scoring touchdowns. The defense has very few TD's scored against them and the punt and kickoff returns have been lights out. Phillips, the kicker is perfect on the season for FG's and has only missed one point after due to a block. I'm excited to see them continue the season starting this week vs Air Force.
Utah has been largely ignored this season because they aren't TCU or BSU and for the fact they always seem to be ignored. But I want everyone to mark their calendars for November 6th. Because that matchup between TCU and Utah is sure to be a heck of a game.
P-Worm
I think Boise State has a great team this year. Sure, as a Utah fan, I get upset when they are called "the original BCS busters" or that they have the most non-AQ BCS wins, but they have a great team this year. Just because the media is annoying about it, doesn't mean they don't show up and take care of business.
With that said, I would like to point out that, aside from a sloppy opening game, Utah has been incredibly dominant on offense, defense, and special teams this year. They really spread the ball around (16 different players have scored a touchdown this year. Absolutely incredible to me) and even when their 3rd string is in, they keep scoring touchdowns. The defense has very few TD's scored against them and the punt and kickoff returns have been lights out. Phillips, the kicker is perfect on the season for FG's and has only missed one point after due to a block. I'm excited to see them continue the season starting this week vs Air Force.
Utah has been largely ignored this season because they aren't TCU or BSU and for the fact they always seem to be ignored. But I want everyone to mark their calendars for November 6th. Because that matchup between TCU and Utah is sure to be a heck of a game.
P-Worm
At this point, I would hardly call BSU a gimmick team. They hung with Oklahoma in that Fiesta bowl. While they did use a couple of trick plays to win, they were in that game the whole way. They also beat TCU and Oregon (who went on to win the Pac10) last year. I agree the WAC isn't the best competition and they don't really play defense, but that doesn't mean BSU couldn't hang with the big boys. As I said before, I imagine teams like Florida State and Miami heard the same thing when they were rising to power. Heck, until the expansion of the ACC, I said the same thing about FSU. The ACC had no real competition to FSU for years.
Anyway, as for the trick plays and such...In case you haven't noticed, most teams no longer play "smash mouth football". About half the teams in college now run some form of the spread offense, which is hardly I formation smash mouth football. I know our version uses all kinds of motion, shifting, and other tricks. And to be honest, I love it. Stuff like that is the reason I love college football. The NFL is boring to me because everybody runs the same boring offense and doesn't do crazy, off-the-wall stuff like that.
Anyway, as for the trick plays and such...In case you haven't noticed, most teams no longer play "smash mouth football". About half the teams in college now run some form of the spread offense, which is hardly I formation smash mouth football. I know our version uses all kinds of motion, shifting, and other tricks. And to be honest, I love it. Stuff like that is the reason I love college football. The NFL is boring to me because everybody runs the same boring offense and doesn't do crazy, off-the-wall stuff like that.
I guess I should clarify; Boise is a good team, and they do what they do to get wins. But they are also a gimmick, who's found a nice little niche to exploit what they do best. I don't think they would be anywhere near as successful in other, more powerful leagues.
I guess I kinda liken it to a new kid telling you he wants to play football with you. So you and your pals, are out there, ready for a game that you're used to playing, then the new kid and his friends come out wearing tutu's and spandex. Then, while you're scratching your head, thinking WTF?, they have a receiver hike the ball to a lineman, who then passes to the qb on the side line, who then laterals it to another receiver who takes it to the house.
That kind of stuff works based on catching the opponent by surprise. They may catch us offguard the first game, but the next time, we'd be ready for how they play.
Do they score and are they fun to watch? YES. Could they win like the do if they played out of the WAC? I don't think so.
Not the same thing Ignatious, and you know it. Utah will run a trick play every once in a while if they have a comfortable lead; most teams will. Hell, even a play action pass is technically a form of a trick play. The difference is, and it's sort of my whole point here, that there's not another team out there that leans on trickery like Boise State does. And I really don't think they would be anywhere near as successful if they played a schedule full of decent defenses. Utah is not a gimmick team because they have athletes that just plain beat people. They are fast, disciplined, and they get the job done. TCU is the exact same way. Those types of teams, in my mind, would have staying power in an AQ conference. Luckily I'll get to see my theory tested next year with Utah, and perhaps with TCU if they go to the Big Least.
Sure Michigan State runs trick plays all the time, but is their entire identity as a team built on it? No. Michigan State is a strong team top to bottom, and so is LSU. That being said, neither of them are exactly dominating their leagues year in and year out either. My whole point again, Boise State is built on trickery. Trickery helps you catch an unfamiliar opponent with their pants down. They have a nice spot carved out where they can go undefeated against abysmal opponents that just flat can't keep up with the tricks, even if they know they're coming. Then they play a team in the BCS who is unfamiliar, catch them with their pants down and squeak out a win. Chokelahoma isn't anything to hang your program's hat on. Especially when you required a last minute statue of liberty to do it. TCU last year had something bad going on, somehow Patterson didn't have his team ready, and yet they still gave BSU a game.
I'm just saying that BSU wouldn't be nearly as dominant if they played good, disciplined, well coached defenses regularly.
SLC
I love "trick" or risky plays. I agree with you about strategy and think it also shows guts on the part of the coach and good execution on the part of the players when they pull it off.
Flee-flicker, fake punt/field goal, unexpected onside kick, halfback pass, etc. etc., I say bring it on!
The same exact thing could be said about Utah. It's always easier to build up a program when you play in a lesser league, but at some point you either peak and fade or you break your way into the conversation as a "real" power team. Utah has a chance to do that starting next year in the Pac-12, but even still it's not like they're joining the SEC. There will almost certainly be some growing pains as they adjust to life without New Mexico and UNLV on the schedule.
We're going to find out starting next year when they move to the MWC. It won't be as big a step up as it would have been if Utah and BYU had stayed, but it's still a better league.
That's actually the beauty of Boise's system. They will run a "trick" play at any time, which (I reiterate) takes incredible balls. And they will even do it when everyone expects it (like the hook-and-ladder against OU) and still execute it to perfection. Anyone can play with abandon when they have a "comfortable lead" but it takes real guts and great execution to play like that when the game is on the line.
Actually, Michigan State would have two or three losses if it wasn't for trick plays, so you could say that their identity (this year, at least) is very much that of a "tricky" team. As for LSU, they are absolutely, 100% known as a team that gambles all the time. Everyone thinks Les Miles made a deal with the devil because almost every gamble and seemingly-stupid move he makes works out. Remember the fake FG against Florida?
Who would? What team plays against good defenses regularly? No one, that's who. Even the best conferences only have a handful of teams that play good defense.
I think that, as a Ute fan, you're just jealous of all the attention Boise receives. They deserve all of it, in my opinion, but that doesn't mean they will deserve to play in the championship just because they make it through their schedule undefeated.
Well I guess good defense is a relative term, are you going to tell me that the SEC's average defense is about the same as the WAC's. Cause' that's just false. I'd bet Vanderbilt's defense is better than 75% of the defenses in the WAC!
To be jealous, you have to have some bit of envy. I don't envy BSU, I don't envy any other team at all. I've described the way BSU has made their identity, well the Utes have made an identity out of flying under the radar and getting ignored until the BCS announcement show; then blowing out a BCS team in the bowl game. Utah has things right where they want them right now, and I couldn't be happier with the current situation.
SLC
That's basically my response here, too. SLC, your arguments are so full of holes and contradictions that I wouldn't even know where to start!
So I'll just leave it alone, because I'm not gonna get in to a pissing match...
I don't know about you but an Oregon-Boise State match would sure as heck be entertaining! We are past the half way mark in the season. By Thanksgiving weekend the smoke will have settled and the computer will make the decision. We may not like it but until there is a playoff system we'll all have to learn to live with it, complain, fill these threads for sure but live with it we will have to do.
Something tells me the Big 12 Championship, ACC Championship and (especially) SEC Championship games the next week will factor into the BCS, even if it's only in how the computer rankings play out.
Your response made me laugh. And I don't mean that in a bad way, I mean the simplicity of it was funny.
Your response made me laugh. And I don't mean that in a bad way, I mean the simplicity of it was funny.
Glad to hear it! I laughed as I was typing it in.