NCAA Football 2008 Discussion - It All Starts Here.

[Dorian Thompson]

Sheesh. Well that was entirely unsatisfactory. Way to blow it, Okie State. It's not like losing to a Pac-10 team is embarrassing. At least it wasn't a Big 10 team, so they won't have to kill themselves. Just hang their heads in shame all summer.

 

[Cyrus]

Very entertaining Holiday Bowl game. This game must have set a record for number of players named Jeremiah, I counted 3 of them. The much maligned pac-10 is doing well so far.

The OSU offense wasn't quite the same after their best receiver got hurt. And that hit on their QB was vicious, I was surprised he got up after it.

The Oregon offense as expected was great, especially in the 2nd half. USC played one of their best games against these dudes, holding them to less than 250 yards and 10 points (and it should have been just 6 points, as a FG was turned into a TD thanks to a stupid roughing the holder penalty).

At the end of the game the announcers were talking about Masoli possibly not being the starting QB for Oregon next season (since he started this season as 3rd string and got the starting job due to injuries). But I expect he will be the starter, the dude is damn good.

 

[JM1776]

What an immense disappointment Oklahoma State proved to be this year, after raising our expectations with that early run. They have one quality win—admittedly, a nice one against Missouri—but lost four of their last six.

It doesn't speak well of a team when the loss of a single player so changes your dynamic.

On the bright side, though ... they should be much improved next season. Cowboys fans have a lot of reason for hope.

 

[Neroon]

BTW... sorry for missing this earlier but damned impressive win by the Scarlet Knights! I ahve to say that had the NCSt quarterback not been knocked out of the game,I'[m not certain Rutgers would have ben able to come back. Regardless, a great comeback anyhow.

 

[JM1776]

BTW... sorry for missing this earlier but damned impressive win by the Scarlet Knights!

Thanks. They've earned their way back into my Top Twenty-Five.

I have to say that had the N.C. St. quarterback not been knocked out of the game, I'm not certain Rutgers would have been able to come back.

Injuries are a part of football. If you're so dependent on a single player, especially a true freshman, you've not much of a team.

I'm fairly certain RU would have come back, in that they were beginning to zero in on Wilson as the first half drew to a close—which in large measure resulted in his injury. Even had he remained, the kid could not have kept up that pace ... and as the Rutgers offense got on track, would have been hard-pressed to keep the Wolfpack moving. He ended up picking up first downs by the skin of his teeth throughout much of the first half ... and Rutgers had finally taken his measure by halftime.

If they'd come out with the "B" instead of "C" game at the outset, they would have thrashed N.C. State, whether the kid played through or not. In addition, Rutgers played without its anchor defensive lineman, Jamaal Westerman, along with its fastest player and second-best receiver, Tim Brown. With those two in the lineup, and RU clicking on all cylinders, N.C. State's very best game would have seen them losing 42-31 or something like that.

In addition, RU, with clean, hard hits, put six of the last seven quarterbacks it faced out of the game—including Wilson. [Only Army's QB, who's used to being tackled, managed to remain in the mix throughout.] To be frank, I can't stand that Pat White tippy-toe kind of quarterbacking anyway, and immensely enjoy watching one get his bell rung by a frustrated linebacker who finally manages to lay wood—fairly, that is. I have no tolerance for late or egregious hits.

In short, N.C. State has a terrific young quarterback. Rutgers has the vastly superior team.

 

[Neroon]

Nobody's denying the fact that injuries are a part of the game. It's simply that from what I've rad and what I saw in the game, this Wilson kid for the Wolf Pack was carving up Rutgers rather well. But there are four quarters to a game, so who knows what would have happened in the second half had her not been injured? Then again had roles been reversed and it had instead been Teel KO'd at a similar juncture, it's not a strretch to think that Rutgers loses.

 

[JM1776]

Nobody's denying the fact that injuries are a part of the game. It's simply that from what I've read and what I saw in the game, this Wilson kid for the Wolfpack was carving up Rutgers rather well.

Not quite. He was playing brilliantly, and making skin-of-your-teeth play after spectacular play. That's not "carving up" a team; that's delivering a great performance. Frankly, I look forward to watching this kid as a junior ... or even next year. ACC foes may well have to concede the conference for two of the next three years if he continues to get it done in that fashion.

On the other hand ... Rutgers' defense is ferocious, and I consider putting someone out of the game either with a clean hit or by so stressing him with pressure that he injures himself a reflection on the scheme and execution. Thus, I give RU full credit for eliminating Wilson as a threat. They took him out. That's what happened.

And, like I said, the Knights were without two critical players for the entire game. Does Wilson get it done that way if Westerman plays? Possibly not, since his inclusion ratchets up the RU "D" another notch, and he was barely coping as was. Does Brown gallop through a rather outmatched N.C. State secondary in the first half? Probably, yes.

But there are four quarters to a game, so who knows what would have happened in the second half had he not been injured? Then, again, had roles been reversed and it had instead been Teel KO'd at a similar juncture, it's not a stretch to think that Rutgers loses.

Quite possible. Domenic Natale is fairly capable (having once, very briefly, been Michigan State's number one, I believe), but has no real in-game experience. To throw him in during a bowl game would have been quite the trial by fire. Jabu Lovelace has no business being a quarterback, in my opinion: They should make him a wide receiver for his senior year, and let him wow the NFL scouts with his athleticism. D.C. Jefferson wasn't about to lose a redshirt over a single game. DePaola would have been ineffectual, in all likelihood. Shimko? Nah.

If both quarterbacks don't play, though? Rutgers, easily.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

I'm surprised Zach could see straight after that shot he took to the head. The way he started throwing, I'm not convinced he was seeing straight. Those are the breaks, I know, but in defense of their "poor" finish, what other team had to play the #1, #2, and #3 team in the nation in their own conference? Only Oklahoma State. Only the loss to Oregon, a Pac 10 team, is embarrassing. I hope they get that damn turf fixed before the Chargers have to play on it again. What a sorry mess that was.

 

[Mallory]

As I predicted the Holiday Bowl was a great game. Lots of lead changes and lots of big plays. Sorry you're the one feeling the pain today Dorian, but it had to be one of us.

 

[JM1776]

Only the loss to Oregon, a Pac-10 team, is embarrassing.

I think the Duck hunting is probably unnecessary. After all, they did prove to be the better team yesterday.

Once again, a highly-rated squad underestimates the Quack Attack!

 

[Mallory]

Well Oregon and OSU weren't separated by many places in the polls, so I figured a couple of high powered offenses would lead to an exciting game and that's what we got.

It could also have been Mike Belotti's last game as Oregon's head coach. The current AD only took the job for two years, which were up last spring. Belotti was already introduced as the next AD a couple of months ago with Chip Kelly (current OC and former University of New Hampshire head coach) taking over as head coach. Leaving with a bowl victory and a 10 win season wouldn't be a bad way to go.

 

[Cyrus]

The Sun Bowl game was the reverse of the Holiday Bowl game, a boring defensive game. pac-10 remains unbeaten. Oregon State offense is clearly not the same without their midget running back and his brother, but their defense pitched a shutout after giving up 65 to Oregon.

 

[Mallory]

I wonder when the last time was that a bowl game ended with a 3-0 score?

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Yes, Oregon was very good. So their coach is....being promoted up out of the job? Not a good idea to change up everything. Also, who designed the those uniforms, dudes? That design made it look like they were wearing bermuda shorts.

 

[JM1776]

That design made it look like they were wearing bermuda shorts.

I think their main benefactor is the founder of Nike. Doesn't Oregon have a special arrangement with the company—like, say, eight trillion different uniform and helmet combinations, most of which are ugly as sin?

 

[Mallory]

Yes, Oregon was very good. So their coach is....being promoted up out of the job? Not a good idea to change up everything. Also, who designed the those uniforms, dudes? That design made it look like they were wearing bermuda shorts.

He's been with the program for 20 years Dorian and head coach for the last 14 of those years. It's either promote or probably lose him to some other program. The uniforms are courtesy of Nike (see below).

I think their main benefactor is the founder of Nike. Doesn't Oregon have a special arrangement with the company—like, say, eight trillion different uniform and helmet combinations, most of which are ugly as sin?

Phil Knight (founder of Nike and current CEO) is a UO grad and former UO athlete who's given hundreds of millions to the school over the years, as witnessed by the Philip Knight Senior (named after his dad) Law Center and the new $160 million Matthew Knight Arena (named for his son who drowned). He's the T. Boone Pickens of UO athletics but has also made substantial contributions to the academic programs as well.

And Oregon currently has 847 different uniform/helmet combinations (paid for and supplied by Nike). The only ones I really don't like are the "Lightening Yellow" combination. One nobody got to see besides me featured black/green jerseys/helmets with silver numbers and a gold "O" on the helmet. I liked those. Oregon never wears the same uniforms twice in a season, which is clever marketing.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Nike must be in the business of designing fugly uniforms for their university of choice, then. 8 people watched at my home. They staggered in late and each and every one of them asked what the hell was up with those butt ugly uniforms Oregon was sporting. They couldn't pick something better than that design for their bowl game? I'd hate to think that particular uniform was the top of the line. It looked like mustard yellow ass and train track bermuda shorts.

Crazy old T. Boone has donated significantly to O-State academics as well. For some reason you never hear about it, but he has.

 

[Neroon]

On the contrary, a great deal has been said about Mr. Pickens' support. He's been pretty well known as having some of the deepest pockets around. That'a not meant to sound critical of him, just that he is better known than you might think.

 

[Mallory]

Nike must be in the business of designing fugly uniforms for their university of choice, then. 8 people watched at my home. They staggered in late and each and every one of them asked what the hell was up with those butt ugly uniforms Oregon was sporting. They couldn't pick something better than that design for their bowl game? I'd hate to think that particular uniform was the top of the line. It looked like mustard yellow ass and train track bermuda shorts.

Yeah, I wasn't too enamored of the new unis myself when they were introduced a few years ago, but they've kind of grown on me since then. Interestingly enough, they've actually become a recruiting tool as well. For some reason 17 & 18 year olds seem to really like them.

As for the bowl game? Well, the players get to chose the jersey, pants and helmet combination they want to wear for each game. So what you saw was what the UO players wanted to wear on national TV.

Crazy old T. Boone has donated significantly to O-State academics as well. For some reason you never hear about it, but he has.

I didn't mean to imply otherwise although I didn't make my original reference very clear in that regard. I was simply offering up an example of support that seemed to make sense at the time.

 

[Neroon]

I've been watching the Outback Bowl, with it at the end of the 3rd quarter Iowa has a 31-0 lead over South Carolina. Shon Greene (Iowa RB) is somekinda back! Strong and powerful, always moving forward no matter how hard you hit him. I really wish Ohio St had the chance to play them this year, because that would have been a very interesting test.