*Official* 2007 College Football Thread

[SnakeCharmer]

Don't read too much into it yet Snake. Bama will face its frist real, if one dimensional, threat this week.

I'm trying not to, I really am. 

Here's why I'm so hyped on the defense: 
They pursue. 
They are fast. 
They are fundamentally sound in tackling. 
They get themselves into position to make plays. 

Other: 
Wlison seems to be pressing things (trying too hard to live up to the hype?), but should settle down. 
Even moreso than Prothro and Shaud Williams, they have a legitamate game breaker in Javier Arenas on punt and kick return.

Concerns on defense:
A little on the small side.  A big offensive line MIGHT have a field day with them.  Stunting and scheme will help with that, but in the end, it's big man versus big man, and our defensive big men are a bit smallish.

Concerns on offense:
Wilson needs to calm down - is he trying to hard, is he not yet comfortable with the system in a game environment?  Applewhite needs to get him in check and get him in check soon.

Concerns on special teams:
Tiffin is unreliable.  'Bama is going to be in some tight games the rest of the year, and need every point they can get.  He's got to step up to the plate.

[Montague]

Re Michigan vs Oregon:  What the hell has happened to Michigan??  They have completely derailed.

This is the story according to a couple of Michigan fans I know:

Lloyd Carr is out to lunch, and Ron English runs the team in all but name only. Carr didn't even really want to coach this year after Bo's death but the chance to go out on top and to deflect the pressure of all those high expectations off of English brought him back.

Jim Tressel locking the door to Ohio has hurt Michigan more than most UM fans want to admit. During the Cooper years, Carr could count on getting 3 or 4 top-notch Ohio recruits every year. Now, he's lucky to get one. This has really hurt the defensive recruiting especially, because none of the Michigan back seven would even crack the OSU two-deep at this point, except maybe Crable and even that is questionable since Tressel doesn't put up with idiots.

Speaking of idiots, the inmates are running the asylum. When your 4 year starting senior quarterback isn't a captains, that speaks volumes about leadership on the team. Crable is captain by default even though he has all the mental awareness of a block of cheese. Mike Hart is a great talent but is by far the most despised player in the lockerroom.

It would take a herculean effort by Carr to get a 6-6 season out of this mess. The only question is will Les Miles leave a stacked program at LSU in order to take the UM job.

 

 

[SnakeCharmer]

Speaking of idiots, the inmates are running the asylum. When your 4 year starting senior quarterback isn't a captains, that speaks volumes about leadership on the team. Crable is captain by default even though he has all the mental awareness of a block of cheese. Mike Hart is a great talent but is by far the most despised player in the lockerroom.

I was listening to the local sports radio show when this was brought up.  I can't remember if it was the local guys or one of the ESPN guys, or hell, maybe it was on TV.  This weekend is a blur of beer, ribs, wings, whiskey, more beer.  Anyway, they were talking about how Henne was on the ground after getting sacked and the linemen walked right past him without helping him up.  That's a big no no, something you_do_not_do as a lineman, considering it's your fault (the linemen) fault he's on the ground anyway.  You always pick your QB up, and pick him up fast.

Sounds like Carr has just completely lost the team.

[Montague]

Speaking of idiots, the inmates are running the asylum. When your 4 year starting senior quarterback isn't a captains, that speaks volumes about leadership on the team. Crable is captain by default even though he has all the mental awareness of a block of cheese. Mike Hart is a great talent but is by far the most despised player in the lockerroom.

I was listening to the local sports radio show when this was brought up.  I can't remember if it was the local guys or one of the ESPN guys, or hell, maybe it was on TV.  This weekend is a blur of beer, ribs, wings, whiskey, more beer.  Anyway, they were talking about how Henne was on the ground after getting sacked and the linemen walked right past him without helping him up.  That's a big no no, something you_do_not_do as a lineman, considering it's your fault (the linemen) fault he's on the ground anyway.  You always pick your QB up, and pick him up fast.

Sounds like Carr has just completely lost the team.

Yeah, there's plenty of infighting and tension you can just tell by watching the game. This team reminds me of the 2000 Ohio State team (Cooper's last year), and the 2002 Nebraska team. Cooper was on autopilot and wanted to coast through one more year of his contract then retire, and Frank Solich let Osborne's dynasty go to crap by not catching on with the times and recruiting faster defensive players.

By the way, I find it hilarious that Steve Pederson fired Solich after going 10-3 in 2003 because he was "not going to tolerate mediocrity" and Callahan gets a contract extension for going 23-15 as of last week.

[Trippy]

VT being ranked at all was such a mother fucking joke it hurt.  Everyone I know called that game versus LSU as being the biggest nonevent of the weekend.  Sympathy AP rank?

I would think so. I was shocked they stayed at #9 after their first game given how poorly they played (Cal should've been ranked above them). I figured it was the sympathy vote then, given the tribute and all the stuff they went through the previous school year. Some voters may still feel that way.

[Paelos]

VT being ranked at all was such a mother fucking joke it hurt.  Everyone I know called that game versus LSU as being the biggest nonevent of the weekend.  Sympathy AP rank?

I would think so. I was shocked they stayed at #9 after their first game given how poorly they played (Cal should've been ranked above them). I figured it was the sympathy vote then, given the tribute and all the stuff they went through the previous school year. Some voters may still feel that way.

Just add it to my list of reasons that preseason polls are FUCKING CLOWNSHOES. Look at the top 10 this year! My lord, can anyone argue that if the polls were never voted on until the 4th week that they would be totally different aside from the Top 2?

[SnakeCharmer]

VT being ranked at all was such a mother fucking joke it hurt.  Everyone I know called that game versus LSU as being the biggest nonevent of the weekend.  Sympathy AP rank?

I would think so. I was shocked they stayed at #9 after their first game given how poorly they played (Cal should've been ranked above them). I figured it was the sympathy vote then, given the tribute and all the stuff they went through the previous school year. Some voters may still feel that way.

Just add it to my list of reasons that preseason polls are FUCKING CLOWNSHOES. Look at the top 10 this year! My lord, can anyone argue that if the polls were never voted on until the 4th week that they would be totally different aside from the Top 2?

No, you won't get an argument from me. 

I'd push it back to midway into the season, by about game 6.  Previous year accomplishment means something, yeah, but shouldn't be (and aren't) a judge as to what you are going to do the next.

[cmlancas]

USF only got to #26. ><

[Trippy]

Yeah, what the heck is Texas A&M doing at #25?

[Nevermore]

And Oregon jumps from 29 to 19 after beating an unranked and by all accounts pretty bad Michigan team?  Yeah, ok.  What's truly hilarious is the coaches poll, which has Auburn at 26 and USF at 27. 

We'll see what happens this weekend when Tennessee and/or Boston College lose.  USF has been getting a lot of national press this week so if either of those two teams fall out of the top 25, idle USF could move up.

[cmlancas]

To truly show prowess as a national contender (Top 20), USF needs to beat UNC by a margin of 14 or more, and have a strong showing at West Virginia.

West Virginia looks really, really strong this year though. I wouldn't be so sure to pick USF over WV this year like I was USF>AU.

[Montague]

To truly show prowess as a national contender (Top 20), USF needs to beat UNC by a margin of 14 or more, and have a strong showing at West Virginia.

West Virginia looks really, really strong this year though. I wouldn't be so sure to pick USF over WV this year like I was USF>AU.

West Virginia is the Kansas State of this decade. A decent program with an explosive offense that runs up the score on lesser teams and thus gets more hype and exposure than it deserves. When the Mountaineers beat a team with a defense of the caliber of USC, Ohio State, Florida, Oklahoma, etc I'll be impressed. Otherwise, they're overhyped and overrated imo.

[Paelos]

To truly show prowess as a national contender (Top 20), USF needs to beat UNC by a margin of 14 or more, and have a strong showing at West Virginia.

West Virginia looks really, really strong this year though. I wouldn't be so sure to pick USF over WV this year like I was USF>AU.

West Virginia is the Kansas State of this decade. A decent program with an explosive offense that runs up the score on lesser teams and thus gets more hype and exposure than it deserves. When the Mountaineers beat a team with a defense of the caliber of USC, Ohio State, Florida, Oklahoma, etc I'll be impressed. Otherwise, they're overhyped and overrated imo.

The bowl game they played against Georgia proved otherwise to me, and I'm a Dawg fan. I won't shit on W. Virginia anytime soon in the hopes they don't look our direction again.

[SnakeCharmer]

Thing is, Georgia can't hope to be mentioned in the company of USC, Ohio State, Florida, etc.  Georgia was a midling SEC team last year. 

Montague nailed it:  Overrated.  They run up the score and put up gaudy offensive stats.  Chicks dig the long ball, or something to that effect.  They play in a weak conference, and have a very, very soft schedule.  South Florida, Rutgers, and Louisville are the only tests they'll have. 

[Paelos]

Thing is, Georgia can't hope to be mentioned in the company of USC, Ohio State, Florida, etc.  Georgia was a midling SEC team last year. 

Um, so what? West Virginia beat Georgia two years ago in the Sugar Bowl after we'd won the SEC. It was sort of a reminder not to look past opponents just because they weren't from a major conference. Last year, Georgia played Va Tech and won in one of the biggest bowl comebacks in history. My point was that W. Virginia shouldn't be automatically shit upon because they are Big East.

[cmlancas]

Thing is, Georgia can't hope to be mentioned in the company of USC, Ohio State, Florida, etc.  Georgia was a midling SEC team last year. 

Montague nailed it:  Overrated.  They run up the score and put up gaudy offensive stats.  Chicks dig the long ball, or something to that effect.  They play in a weak conference, and have a very, very soft schedule.  South Florida, Rutgers, and Louisville are the only tests they'll have. 

Uhm. The Big East isn't the weakie conference it used to be. It's not the SEC yet, but it's not a chump conference like CUSA or the like.

[Nevermore]

Thing is, Georgia can't hope to be mentioned in the company of USC, Ohio State, Florida, etc.  Georgia was a midling SEC team last year. 

Montague nailed it:  Overrated.  They run up the score and put up gaudy offensive stats.  Chicks dig the long ball, or something to that effect.  They play in a weak conference, and have a very, very soft schedule.  South Florida, Rutgers, and Louisville are the only tests they'll have. 

Cincinnati could surprise a lot of people this year as well.  They have a very good defense.  The Big East might not be the SEC but it's looking a whole lot better than the ACC, ironically enough.

[WayAbvPar]

Someone give me a scouting report on Ohio State. I hear their defensive front seven are monsters, but that their offense is young and inconsistent. They played two creampuffs early, and now go on the road to what should be a very hostile environment. Do the Huskies have any chance to stay with them?

[Hoax]

Yes.

Because Ohio State lets anyone who knows how to play football "stay with them" and their running game is fucking annoying the hell out of me.

But hopefully the defense will just eat your QB and shut your crowd up and we can march to a 10 point victory (20-10) that nobody will rave about but will make me happy.

[Montague]

Someone give me a scouting report on Ohio State. I hear their defensive front seven are monsters, but that their offense is young and inconsistent. They played two creampuffs early, and now go on the road to what should be a very hostile environment. Do the Huskies have any chance to stay with them?

Offense:

The offensive line is huge, but slow and weak. Unfortunately this is a recurring problem with OSU. The past couple of years the offense has benefited from Troy Smith's elusiveness and defenses keyed to stop him that Antonio Pittman could take advantage of, so the weaknesses on the OL haven't been as apparent. Now that Todd Boeckman is unproven, teams are stacking the line against the run and again the line is incapable of opening holes in that situation.

Boeckman has a strong arm but his mastery of the offense isn't proven at this point. Robiskie is the next NFL bound OSU receiver. Hartline is a possession receiver with good hands. Sanzenbacher is a talented freshman receiver that is a lot like Anthony Gonzalez.

Chris Wells is a beast. He's 230lbs with legit 4.4-4.5 speed. He could win a Heisman if he was on a team that actually had 5 OL that could drive block.

Washington will probably stack their defense against the run and make Boeckman beat them. They need to get pressure on him, and that can be done around the edges with speed rushers (as Florida so adroitly showed last year). If they can stack the line and get pressure on Boeckman they have a very good chance of winning. If not, Boeckman throws a very accurate deep pass and OSU's offense might get untracked.

Defense:

The defensive line is young but beastly. Vernon Gholston is a monster. Robert Rose is in the same mold and the Washington line needs to have very quick, very technically sound tackles to block these guys or the Huskie offense is in big trouble. The tackles are young but very stout.

OSU has an embarrassment of riches at linebacker. Everybody knows about Laurinaitis (who is overrated, IMO) but the real strength here is depth. OSU will rotate eight different linebackers on the field, and they are all extremely fast. Yards can be had with an experienced quarterback behind solid playcalling because the Buckeyes tend to blitz often. Washington may be at a disadvantage here with the frosh QB.

The secondary is the weak spot but it's probably average for a top 25 team. Malcolm Jenkins is a pro cornerback next year. Donald Washington is ok but has physical limitations. Jamario O'Neal is a physical beast but has brain cramps. Kurt Coleman is a good safety but inexperienced and a little undersized. OSU has several DB's it can rotate in the game but is not particularly deep.

Special Teams:

No more Ted Ginn. Robiskie is ok but unlikely to break a return. The kicker and punter as always are very good.

Prediction:

Washington stuffs the run and gets some turnovers but Boeckman gets off a big play or two. OSU shuts down the Huskie running game but Locker makes some plays. In the end, OSU's defensive depth wears down the UW offensive line and Locker makes some mistakes under pressure. I think OSU wins something like 24-20

[Nebu]

I just want to say that this is the best year of college football ever.  After this weekend, either Michigan or Notre Dame will be 0-3.  The joy this thought brings to me is beyond comprehension. 

[Daeven]

I just want to say that this is the best year of college football ever.  After this weekend, either Michigan or Notre Dame will be 0-3.  The joy this thought brings to me is beyond comprehension. 

Add USC to that list and it would be The Rapture.

[WayAbvPar]

Ugh. If deep balls are the QB's specialty, UW is doomed. Their secondary is easily the weakest part of their defense. And their OL is the weakest part of their offense. Sounds like the OSU DL will be having a party in the UW backfield all day long. The only hope is that Locker is SERIOUSLY elusive and fast. I have never seen a QB his size move like he does. Unfortunately he is still learning to make the right decision on every play, so he is going to make some mistakes Saturday.

The good news is I completely expected them to be blown out (although I thought the game was going to be in Columbus, which would have been a nightmare with a young team), so anything less than that is gravy. A close game would be fine, a win would be unreal, and a blowout/domination would make me giddy for days. If they play OSU close I think they deserve a spot in the Top 25, win or lose.

[Montague]

Halftime - Wash 7 OSU 3. Feeling better, WAP? 

Observations so far:

Locker is good. Once he learns how to watch film and throw downfield he will be a star. So long as Willingham can get an o-line to protect him.

The OSU offensive line has a pulse, but its still inconsistent.

Wells and Saine are both monsters stuck behind a below average line.

The Washington defense is pretty good, but Boeckman spent the first half shitting his pants.

The OSU defense is spying Locker but looks like they're trying to limit the big play. Be interesting to see if they attack more in the second half.

Other games:

Notre Dame is beyond bad. Verbosity alone cannot describe the pure suckage coming out of that team. 3-9 is very probable.

[SnakeCharmer]

Minute or so left in the first quarter...

Alabama 21
Arkansas  0

'Bama offense looking sharp, particularly JPW.  Defense stuffing McFadden.

Life is good.

------------------------------------------

Halftime

Alabama 21
Arkansas 10

'Bama seemed to go conservative on offense in the 2nd quarter.  They went away from what worked in the 1st.  McFadden still being held in check, though you can't really stop him - you can only hope to contain him, to paraphrase Dan Patrick.  Couple breakdowns in coverage on the Alabama defense; got caught on a touchdown pass looking into the backfield.  Overall?  Pleased.  Very pleased.  Hopefully, they'll come out after the half and get aggressive on offense like they were in the 1st.

Life is still good.

[SnakeCharmer]

Halftime - Wash 7 OSU 3. Feeling better, WAP? 

Observations so far:

Locker is good. Once he learns how to watch film and throw downfield he will be a star. So long as Willingham can get an o-line to protect him.

The OSU offensive line has a pulse, but its still inconsistent.

Wells and Saine are both monsters stuck behind a below average line.

The Washington defense is pretty good, but Boeckman spent the first half shitting his pants.

The OSU defense is spying Locker but looks like they're trying to limit the big play. Be interesting to see if they attack more in the second half.

Other games:

Notre Dame is beyond bad. Verbosity alone cannot describe the pure suckage coming out of that team. 3-9 is very probable.

Tyrone Willingham got a raw deal in South Bend.  Personally, I think he shouldn't have left Stanford.  He's a damn good coach.  I'm a big time Willingham fan.  Lots of class.  I really hope he does well with the Huskies.  He's a good man; he deserves it.

[Trippy]

Tyrone Willingham got a raw deal in South Bend.

Yes he did. It always make me happy now when Notre Dame loses.

Personally, I think he shouldn't have left Stanford.  He's a damn good coach.  I'm a big time Willingham fan.  Lots of class.  I really hope he does well with the Huskies.  He's a good man; he deserves it.

Stanford's not a great place to stay at for any length of time if you have higher aspirations (Bill Walsh excepted, but he was an assistant coach in the NFL prior to that) so I can understand why he took the Notre Dame job.

[sigil]

OK, I'll go on the limb.

Bama is for real.

Smart quarterback, plus good reciever corps plus good running backs plus good line and great Left tackle and Center, combined with solid, smart defense and real threats on special teams= look out

Nebraska is taking it to USC. I think they can do it.

Hey Snake, you thinking what I'm thinking?

Here comes Arkansas, they're too good to just roll over and die.

Pac 10 took it hard on the chin. See, when you can't beat teams in mid major conferences, that round robin looks more and more like a circle jerk.

[SnakeCharmer]

Stanford's not a great place to stay at for any length of time if you have higher aspirations (Bill Walsh excepted, but he was an assistant coach in the NFL prior to that) so I can understand why he took the Notre Dame job.

Yeah, I can too.  ND, the history, all that.  Who really would turn that down?

OK, I'll go on the limb.

Bama is for real.

Smart quarterback, plus good reciever corps plus good running backs plus good line and great Left tackle and Center, combined with solid, smart defense and real threats on special teams= look out

Nebraska is taking it to USC. I think they can do it.

Hey Snake, you thinking what I'm thinking?

Here comes Arkansas, they're too good to just roll over and die.

Pac 10 took it hard on the chin. See, when you can't beat teams in mid major conferences, that round robin looks more and more like a circle jerk.

Pissed right now. 

'Bama's gotten sloppy, defense is getting tired.  Granted, McFaddenJones is a freakin' freak of nature, but 'Bama knew this coming in.  Offense has looked a bit off since about midway through the 2nd quarter.  They got tight.  Conservative.  Which I blame Applewhite entirely.

The shining moment out of this?  'Bama won't face a better running team again this year.  If the defense can get ONE good stop in the next series, and a touchdown on their next possession (after Ark scoring to make it 31-24), they'll win.   If not?  Then it's probably overtime.

Turnover.

GODDAMNIT.

JPW needs to sharpen the fuck up, Applewhite needs to let the reins loose and lay it all out.  Fuck ball control, fuck running the clock.

[sigil]

yep

It's like the switch got flipped.

McFadden is a beast, however.

Well, time to see what they're made of.

As a side note, The defender on the phone from the women's national team is quite a piece of ass. There are several severly hittable women in that group.

[sigil]

And that, my friends, is why we hired Saban.


Roll Tide.

It's going to be a nice week for a Bama fan in the state.

[Abagadro]

44-6!

Utah puts an asswhoppin on number 11 UCLA. Oh, the sweet, sweet tears of the Bruins. They taste so good!

[SnakeCharmer]

And that, my friends, is why we hired Saban.


Roll Tide.

It's going to be a nice week for a Bama fan in the state.

What a fucking GAME.  I'd rather it been a blowout that the first quarter teased it to be, but goddamn what a fucking game.  Instant classic.  No way was Arkansas going to lay down.  Hats off to them in that regard.

How much of a boost to the confidence of the team can that win be?  For the defense to come up with the stop at crunch time, for the offense to click when it had to...For a while, I didn't think 'Bama could BUY a pass interference call, but the zebras finally called it right.

McFadden IS a beast.  He's unreal.  That kind of size with that speed and the moves he can make?  If he stays healthy, no limit to what he can do.

The really great news is that 'Bama won't face another running team like that this year; won't face another team with the amount of absolute pure talent that McFaddenJones has.  I worry now about a letdown against Georgia this next week after such an emotional win.

It's a win, and I'll take it to the bank.

[sigil]

One thing that really stuck out for me was McFadden showing off his pimped out and lifted Crown vic.

That and sweet rides like Shaun Alexander had his senior season just laugh open mouthed  at the idea that these guys are really college kids.


Ok ,so the deep snapper and third string  linebacker will probably have to schlep around T-Town in an old party van, but the stars are definitely getting their perks.

[SnakeCharmer]

One thing that really stuck out for me was McFadden showing off his pimped out and lifted Crown vic.

That and sweet rides like Shaun Alexander had his senior season just laugh open mouthed  at the idea that these guys are really college kids.


Ok ,so the deep snapper and third string  linebacker will probably have to schlep around T-Town in an old party van, but the stars are definitely getting their perks.

Who? What? Huh?