NCAA Football '12-13

[OttoVonBismarck]

I didn't follow Rodriguez at Michigan in terms of recruiting or anything (I don't even know who his DC was at UM), but at WVU he was widely known to take players who played CB or safety in high school and whom the defensive recruiting staff had recruited to play defense and putting them into the offense as slot receivers or etc. He was also known to basically enforce no real discipline or anything on the defensive coaching staff in terms of recruiting.

By and large when Holgorsen took over the defensive staff had barely changed since Don Nehlen retired in 2000, and there were some serious problems on that staff. For example Bill Kirelawich basically refused to recruit at all, his position was that his job was to coach and not to recruit, he was like 65 years old and word was he cared a lot more about spending time with his grandchildren than going on the recruiting trail. He had been with WVU for like 25+ years, and there were several guys on the defensive staff who "fell into that mold."

Holgorsen was apparently not getting along great with Casteel, and from what I've heard it was mostly because Holgorsen more or less felt a staff that wasn't willing to recruit had no place in FBS coaching. It's telling that Rodriguez, who is pretty well known for being an intense taskmaster type and who relentlessly recruited offense would allow a defensive staff like that to serve under him for his entire tenure at WVU.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the 3-3-5 as a scheme, Lou Holtz won the national championship in 1988 running the 3-3-5. Part of the beauty of the 3-3-5 is it can effectively be a 4-3 or a 3-4 as needed, but the problem at least in WVU under Rodriguez with the 3-3-5 is they didn't have any viable bodies to put in as a 4th down lineman when they actually wanted to function more as a 4-3. Defensive line recruiting and performance in general were problems the entire time Rodriguez coached at West Virginia, CB and safety play was also an area of grave concern at several points. (For some years WVU essentially could be passed on at will..check everything but the first quarter of the 2005 Sugar Bowl when Georgia literally threw at will, or any of the games WVU played against Scotty McBrien lead UMD squads or Tyler Palko lead Pitt squads.) About the only bright spot I remember on defense during Rodriguez time at WVU was their linebackers, I used to always go to the VT / WVU game when it came to Blacksburg (I'm one of the few VT supporters that also likes the Mountaineers and UVA...) and one year when WVU won in Rodriguez 2nd or 3rd year it was basically entirely because of some extremely solid linebackers, but aside from that I've always remembered defense being very porous under Rodriguez.

Also...not sure what you mean about Oklahoma State as they aren't in the Pac-10, but they would fit that same mold as Oregon in terms of being a team that will do really well in their respective league just based on pure offensive ability.

[Berkut]

I was just noting that OkSt is known for having excellent offensive lineman and a very good running game.

Honestly, I don't know why they didn't try to just pound the ball down Arizona's throat more, rather than keep throwing it with a very talented true freshman who was bound to make mistakes.

[derspiess]

I used to always go to the VT / WVU game when it came to Blacksburg (I'm one of the few VT supporters that also likes the Mountaineers and UVA...) and one year when WVU won in Rodriguez 2nd or 3rd year it was basically entirely because of some extremely solid linebackers, but aside from that I've always remembered defense being very porous under Rodriguez.

I saw one WVU-VaTech game I saw in Blacksburg, back in 1988.  Those games were always ugly & had ugly scores (12-10, 13-7, etc.).  WVU won 22-10 that year.

Anyway, it seemed like during the Rodriguez era at WVU, the defense was usually anchored on one or two extremely talented guys.  If the other team's offense was smart enough to isolate those guys, the defense was screwed.

[grumbler]

I was just noting that OkSt is known for having excellent offensive lineman and a very good running game.

Honestly, I don't know why they didn't try to just pound the ball down Arizona's throat more, rather than keep throwing it with a very talented true freshman who was bound to make mistakes.

Pretty much any team can shut down the running game of any other team if they want to; the problem is that they thus make themselves vulnerable to the pass, if the opposing team has a decent passing attack.

OkStU didn't have that passing attack, and so didn't win.  Ditto for MSU against ND.

I think you will see defenses like Arizona and ND look much less spectacular against balanced offenses.

[Berkut]

Arizona gave up 600 yards to Okie State. I don't think that qualifies as "spectacular". Their offense in general was very well balanced, I thought. I just think when they got down they stopped trying to control the game, and instead tried to "strike" at Arizona to take the momentum back.

The Arizona defense gave up a LOT of big plays, but managed just enough big stops to let their offense dominate the game.

[grumbler]

Arizona gave up 600 yards to Okie State. I don't think that qualifies as "spectacular". Their offense in general was very well balanced, I thought. I just think when they got down they stopped trying to control the game, and instead tried to "strike" at Arizona to take the momentum back.

The Arizona defense gave up a LOT of big plays, but managed just enough big stops to let their offense dominate the game.

I looked at the box score again, and that wasn't the box score I had thought was from that game.  OSU passed plenty well enough.

Don't tell OvB or MBM that I admitted I was wrong, though; their whole worldview is built around the canard that I never do that.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Speaking of Oklahoma State, Wes Lunt is apparently out for two weeks with some sort of knee injury.  The close up I saw of it from when he was laying on the looked rather nasty. 

Don't tell OvB or MBM that I admitted I was wrong, though; their whole worldview is built around the canard that I never do that.

  You really need to get over yourself.  No ones "worldview" is built around anything you do.  You're just some dude on a message board who acts like an asshole at nearly every opportunity.   

E:  Oh I forgot.  Wisconsin police of some sort have arrested three Wisconsin students for that attack on Montee Ball during the off season.  They were just looking for football players to attack.

3 students charged in attack on Badgers' Montee Ball

MADISON, Wis. -- Three University of Wisconsin students have been charged in attack on Badgers' running back Montee Ball.

Wendell Venerable, Robert Wilks and Deonte Wilson appeared in Dane County Circuit Court on Monday where a judge continued their signature bonds. A criminal complaint says Ball was kicked and punched Aug. 1 as he walked in Madison. The complaint says a friend interrupted the attack when she threw herself over Ball on the ground.

Prosecutors say witnesses identified the three men, all 21, by looking at surveillance video from a nearby apartment building. WKOW-TV (http://tinyurl.com/8ue6bxx ) reports witnesses told investigators they heard the attackers say they planned to target football players in retaliation for a previous fight at a party when one of them was hurt.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/20212900/students-charged-in-attack-on-badgers-montee-ball

[grumbler]

  You really need to get over yourself.  No ones "worldview" is built around anything you do.  You're just some dude on a message board who acts like an asshole at nearly every opportunity.   

  Somebody woke up on the rag, again, today!  You need to learn to laugh a little bit and pull that pole out of your ass.  I was obviously ludicrously overstating for comic effect.

[MadBurgerMaker]

E:  Why am I responding to this dude about this garbage anymore?  Fuck off, grumbler.  You were wrong, and you need to learn to deal with it in a better way.  That's all there is to it, and all that will be said about it, by me at least, anymore. 

NCAA News: 

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/dennis-dodd/20216413/bcs-commissioners-meet-to-discuss-revenue-distribution-playoff

BCS commissioners meet to discuss revenue distribution, playoff

BCS commissioners meet as a group for the first time since assembling a playoff beginning Tuesday in Chicago.

On the agenda is how to distribute that financial windfall from a playoff. Two sources have already confirmed to CBSSports.com that conferences involved in the Rose, Champions and Orange bowls will keep all the revenue in years those bowls don't pass through the national semifinals.

To be determined, the other three bowls in the six-bowl playoff rotation.

The Rose recently signed a deal for $80 million per year with ESPN. The Champions Bowl, created by the SEC and Big 12, is expected to get the same number. The site for the game is expected to be finalized in early October according to SEC commissioner Mike Slive. The Orange is expected to get something less than $80 million.

ESPN reported Monday that the Orange Bowl is close to a deal that would match the ACC champion against either Notre Dame or a team from the Big Ten or SEC.

The three-day meeting is being held in conjunction with the Collegiate Commissioners Association meetings at the Big Ten offices in Park Ridge, Ill.

[Valmy]

$40 million for the Big XII for just the TV eh?  Nice.

[MadBurgerMaker]

$40 million for the Big XII for just the TV eh?  Nice.

Yeah, not bad at all.

The Toads have lost their leading RB for the season:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/college-football-rapidreports/20249491/knee-injury-ends-season-for-tcu's-leading-rusher-waymon-james

TCU's offense sputtered in last week's win over Kansas, but it suffered a bigger blow in the fourth quarter against the Jayhawks, as the school confirmed leading rusher Waymon James is out for the season with a knee injury.

The news was first reported by Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. James, who was also the team's leading rushing in 2011, had gained 168 yards through TCU's first two games, including 99 rushing yards in the 20-6 win over the Jayhawks.

James' injury did not appear to be induced by contact, as he fell to the ground after planting to make a cut. Initially, it appeared the injury was not serious -- according to Stevenson, Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson indicated James would be a game-time decision this week against Virginia -- but Wednesday, the school announced the injury would keep the junior out for the year.

Although losing the team's leading rusher is hardly ideal for Patterson and TCU -- especially as it has only Big 12 games remaining after this week's game against Virginia -- there is another experienced running back ready to take over.

Senior Matthew Tucker rushed 19 times for 100 yards in the team's first two games. His 5.3 yards-per-carry average is considerably lower than James' 9.9, but Tucker does have the ability to hit for the occasional big play, as he had a 29-yard run Saturday.

"In my profession you can't worry about the guy that goes down," Patterson said at his Tuesday press conference, according to Stevenson. "It's got to be about the next guy needs to step up. Matthew had the best spring and summer of all of them. He's been a great running back for us for a while."

True freshman B.J. Catalon (15 carries for 61 yards this season) and senior Aundre Dean (eight attempts, 29 yards) could also figure into the rotation with James out for the season.

If Patterson doesn't have as much faith in Tucker, Catalon and Dean to carry the load, it could alter TCU's run-pass balance, which has been one of the team's strengths this season. The Horned Frogs have passed for 60 percent of their 1,018 yards of offense and run for the other 40. Replacing James' production, then, could fall on the shoulders of QB Casey Pachall, who leads the nation in passer efficiency rating (242.37).

The photo amuses me:



It's like he's not even interested in the guy he stiff arming.  Poor Kansas.

[Valmy]

Yeah TCU's entire roster has imploded.  19 Scholarship athletes injured, suspended, or kicked off the team.  The Big 12 is going to get a shadow of the Froggie juggernaut we were all told to fear.

[derspiess]

The spread in the WVU-Maryland game is 27.5.  If I were a betting man, my gut would tell me to take the points.  WVU blew out Marshall and JMU, and now they're facing a team from a real conference.  But then again, I do tend to hedge

[CountDeMoney]

and now they're facing a team from a real conference.

No, they're not.

[Eddie Teach]

and now they're facing a team from a real conference.

No, they're not.

Bobby Bowden just rolled over in his grave.