2008 College Football In-Season Thread!

[vcjack]

Imagine being killed by a gun, but instead of a bullet you get slowly bludgeoned to death by the pistol.


That's what this season was like, one colossal disappointment after the next.

Well at least Orlando allowed to present the sacred Wisconsin tradition of Jump Around.

[mchoya]

Dec 27, 2008 13:48:44 GMT -5 RDF said:

How do you not understand an answer to your own comment about CFB bowls being more exciting then March Madness? That is my response. It's much more fun to follow March Madness because of the fact you dont' know the matchups and the pre-determined matchups in CFB Bowl system take a lot of fun out of it. You don't get the best games/match ups--you get pre determined matchups based on conference affiliations and that is TRASH.

As for the BCS--it's a better system then before but it still sucks because you don't get great matchups--or best you can get-you get "If this team doesn't make the Title game--they go to their "home" bowl"--i.e the Rose, Sugar, Orange, etc.. and if you think watching Cincinnati/Va Tech is going to equal my excitement of watching a 1st Round NCAA Tournament game, then we can agree to disagree.

I hate college football until there is a true 16 team playoff, but Cincy/Va Tech will be more exciting to watch than a common 1v16, 2v15, or 3v14 game in the NCAA hoops tourney

[hifigator]

RDF, I see your point now. Sure, the Bowl selection show is somewhat anticlimatic, and I certainly agree that watching the NCAA Tournament selection show is more entertaining for sure. I am talking about the games themselves and my point wasn't that these two weeks of bowls significantly surpass March Madness, but rather that they are perhaps equals to true sports fans. Sure, there are some stinkers. How Memphis even got to a bowl game is one such matchup. And yes, the potential for some bracket-breaking upset is one of the intriguing parts of March Madness. But let's face it. For every Belmont over Syracuse or something of that magnitude, there re a half dozen UNC over Montan St.'s

[RDF]

Dec 29, 2008 12:24:33 GMT -5 hifigator said:

RDF, I see your point now. Sure, the Bowl selection show is somewhat anticlimatic, and I certainly agree that watching the NCAA Tournament selection show is more entertaining for sure. I am talking about the games themselves and my point wasn't that these two weeks of bowls significantly surpass March Madness, but rather that they are perhaps equals to true sports fans. Sure, there are some stinkers. How Memphis even got to a bowl game is one such matchup. And yes, the potential for some bracket-breaking upset is one of the intriguing parts of March Madness. But let's face it. For every Belmont over Syracuse or something of that magnitude, there re a half dozen UNC over Montan St.'s

You can't win turn my viewpoint until there is a College Football Playoff--which would be FABULOUS! Reason being, these bowls are filled with 27 teams who are .500 or 1/2 games over .500. In CBB, those teams either EARN their way in winning a conference tournament, go to NIT or did in past, or stay home and watch the more deserving teams play--as should be the cast.

My opinion is to have the CFB Playoff and use the bowls like the "NIT" of CFB and seeing empty stadiums and bad football teams play close--because that is what bad teams do is NOT even close to approaching watching teams play in an NCAA Basketball tournament they earned the right to play in.

[FLHoya]

FLHoya and RDF's long (two season) nightmare is over--the Hurricanes fired offensive coordinator Patrick Nix.

So minus side--no more double reverse passes.

Plus side--no more references to an Auburn-UF game from 15 years ago. Also...everything else.

Now they can get about enrolling Randy Shannon in clock management school and we're good.

[AustinHoya03]

Dec 29, 2008 23:24:32 GMT -5 FLHoya said:

FLHoya and RDF's long (two season) nightmare is over--the Hurricanes fired offensive coordinator Patrick Nix.

So minus side--no more double reverse passes.

Plus side--no more references to an Auburn-UF game from 15 years ago. Also...everything else.

Now they can get about enrolling Randy Shannon in clock management school and we're good.

Did Nix immediately fly to San Antonio and call the plays for the Missouri Tigers tonight? (NB: I watched about 20 minutes of the near-unwatchable Alamo Bowl, but those 15 minutes were schlock.)

Too bad Gimmick Gus (Malzahn) has already been hired by Auburn. I don't think the 'Canes would have hired him, but the mere possibillity might have inspired a classic RDF rant.

Miami will be tough next season if it hires anyone semi-competent at OC.

[RDF]

Thanks for the comments Hifi and Austin--now that only lasts if Miami hires someone who has a brain--and I'll be honest, Randy Shannon has proven to be Miami's version of Ron Zook right now--great on trail but I'm not sold on his coaching--yet. He shows some promise then he shows his inexperience and his silly comments after losses about things being "helped" are ridiculous and sound like a child. Eventually you have to take next step.

BTW--I forgot to thank Jeff Tedford for playing Nate Longshore and giving Canes a chance to be within striking distance instead of running Jahvid Best and Shane Vareen every play and beating the Canes by 5 TDs.

I've got to add Chase Daniel to my list of most annoying players I've watched in sports. I'm glad he's finally gone. Overrated program and overrated player to say the least. Opposite end of that is Jeremy Maclin--wow is he good!

[hifigator]

As someone who really needed to have a Mizzou victory to keep my bowl pools alive, I was certainly happy the way overtime worked out I would ahve preferred to see the kicker knock it through at the end of regulation, but all's well that ends well.


One last note on this:

RDF wrote:

My opinion is to have the CFB Playoff and use the bowls like the "NIT" of CFB and seeing empty stadiums and bad football teams play close

That was pretty much my idea. I would still watch those lesser bowls. I just love having one or two bowl games every night. I also like having the random afternoon games to help me through the slow parts of the afternonn.

[alleninxis]

the way Okie State looked tonight without Dez on the field, left no doubt in my mind who the best WR in CFB is.

That said, with Robinson, Hunter, and Dez back next year...that's a team that can make a run

[hifigator]

The way Okie State played defense last night ... on the heels of the way Mizzou played defense the night before, left no doubt in my mind who's going to win the National Title. Bring it On Sooners!

[hifigator]

Incidentally, the best pure wide receiver in college ball right now is Michael Crabtree. Dez Bryant, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Julio Jones and many others are excellent, but Crabtree is the most polished and most complete wide receiver right now -- nothing against any of those other guys, but I'm just sayin ....

And mark my words: A.J. Green at Georgia is an absolute stud. He is more polished than any freshman wide receiver I have ever seen. He has all of the little subtle moves to develop separation that many of the best NFL guys have, and his timing for deceiving the defender until the last second is incredible. I hate Georgia, but I will give that guy his dues. I think next year he will have a true breakout year and will likely be on the Bilintnekoff list. But right now, if I had to pick one guy to play a game today, it would be Crabtree.

[RDF]

Dec 31, 2008 11:42:53 GMT -5 hifigator said:

Incidentally, the best pure wide receiver in college ball right now is Michael Crabtree. Dez Bryant, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Julio Jones and many others are excellent, but Crabtree is the most polished and most complete wide receiver right now -- nothing against any of those other guys, but I'm just sayin ....

And mark my words: A.J. Green at Georgia is an absolute stud. He is more polished than any freshman wide receiver I have ever seen. He has all of the little subtle moves to develop separation that many of the best NFL guys have, and his timing for deceiving the defender until the last second is incredible. I hate Georgia, but I will give that guy his dues. I think next year he will have a true breakout year and will likely be on the Bilintnekoff list. But right now, if I had to pick one guy to play a game today, it would be Crabtree.

All of those guys are great players and good post Hifi. Only thing I'd mention--I view Harvin as a RB/All Purpose guy and he'd be last on the list of guys here I'd want due to his injury history at UF-and fact he's never run a proper route and he's not big/tough enough to play RB in NFL--but he's a wonderful talent and seems like a great kid.

As for your comments regarding the Big XII "defenses"--it shouldn't have taken you to see those games--Austin and numerous others have said how awful the defense is in that league. It's why Texas is the best team in Big XII--they had excuse-they were a ridiculously YOUNG team on defensive side of ball. Now if they were to get romped by Ohio State--then they'll get added in the Big XII bashing here-but I don't think they'll play poorly.

[hoyarooter]

Big 12 defenses have certainly lived down to their billing. Still, the only way Ohio State beats Texas is if Texas suffers the "we shoulda been in the championship game letdown." Could happen, but I'll go with the Longhorns.

[alleninxis]

Name recognition is the only thing Crabtree has on Dez.

Percy Is the best overall player, tho. Period.

Never run a proper route? Just not true. His routes are good enough right now.

And he's 5'11- 6'0 190-200+...he'll play WR in the NFL. he is not a RB. but he can can get it done from the Backfield, Split End, or Slot.

He's just a difference maker, hopefully he finds the right situation and stays healthy

[RDF]

Dec 31, 2008 14:35:23 GMT -5 alleninxis said:

Name recognition is the only thing Crabtree has on Dez.

Percy Is the best overall player, tho. Period.

Never run a proper route? Just not true. His routes are good enough right now.

And he's 5'11- 6'0 190-200+...he'll play WR in the NFL. he is not a RB. but he can can get it done from the Backfield, Split End, or Slot.

He's just a difference maker, hopefully he finds the right situation and stays healthy

UF Wide Receivers don't run routes--they run to space. He's a great athlete--but going to be very RAW at NFL level as a WR.

Let's put it this way--if it takes guys like Calvin Johnson a year to adjust as a WR--how long will it take Harvin who can't even hold up in College football? He's hurt every year.

[hoyarooter]

It appears that the much maligned Pac 10 is heading for a perfect bowl season, with wins over teams from the Big East, WAC, Big 12, ACC and (to come) Big 10 (although I would be happy to see USC lose - just don't expect it).

Any comments, all you critics?

[SFHoya99]

This is exactly why a playoff is needed.

The components of the BCS are wholly unreliable. The computers only have 11-12 games to work with for each team -- nowhere near reliable -- and voters are atocious (this bowl season it looks like the AP is about 50-50 on predicting wins, which is embarassing).

USC didn't play a tough schedule aside from Ohio State -- or at least it didn't seem that way. Now the Pac-10 is undefeated in Bowl Play, and suddenly everyone wants USC to play Florida or Texas, etc.

Attempting in a 12 game season to differentiate between a bunch of teams who basically play anywhere from 2-5 tough games a year is silly.

[hifigator]

I wouldn't argue that Harvin isn't the pure wide-receiver that the others are. I think that is pretty much of a given. I'm not sure I see a huge difference in the style of routes that Maclin runs compared to Harvin -- just that he runs them more often, as Harvin splits so much time coming out of the backfield. That is sort of what I meant when I was praising Crabtree, Bryant and A J Green. They are all traditional wideouts, and all great players.

As for the spread offense, there is no question that it is predicated on getting the ball into the hands of your playmakers in space. That is also the reason that really good spread offenses will tend to not have guys with the huge numbers -- with the possible exception of the quarterback. That offense is most effective when there are multiple playmakers scattered across the field. Last year, when Tebow pretty much only had confidence in Harvin, Percy put up impressive numbers -- as did Tebow -- but we weren't half the team we are this year.

Lastly, as for the injury issue, I would think that any NFL coach, GM or player personnel director would be concerned with Harvin's history. As I said before, I am cautiously optimistic that it won't be a problem. Again, he had a heel injury since the tenth grade and just continued to play through the pain. From the standpoint of character and drive, that is certainly a good thing. The problem was that the injury would only heel with either extended rest or surgery. Surgery was out of the question in high school. They couldn't afford it at all. And rest wasn't an option either. He went 365 days a year, from football to basketball to track and back to spring and summer workouts for football. When he got to Florida, he was able to focus solely on football and conditioning. I think the thought was that he would get enough rest between January and April, between his freshman and sophomore seasons. That didn't pan out, and they decided to hold him out of spring practice, giveing him about 7 full months of rest. But the heel still hampered him during his sophomore season and they decided to do surgery early in 2008. Coming into this season, he said he hadn't felt pain-free since tenth grade and that it felt awesome. Now he has been nicked up a little bit since then -- nothing serious, but it's certainly reasonable to question his physical makeup when injuries keep happening. Still, the ankle sprain against FSU can/does happen to anyone. That messy field in the pouring rain certainly contributed. The following week, he could have played against Bama, but Meyer and staff thought it was best to hold him out and let him get fully healed. Thankfully we won the game without him.

The bottom line is that while he might not be the prototypical wideout, the kid is an incredible playmaker and whatever NFL team lands him, will be getting a real gem.

[GIGAFAN99]

I don't know who is watching the Sugar Bowl but between the spot and the false start on the shift, Utah can't be liking the way this is headed. Wow.

Edit: It doesn't matter. Good.

So hilarity ensues. Fox says "Let the discussion begin...as to the best Utah team in history."

Oh wow, thanks Fox. Utah is undefeated. They've matched Florida's most impressive win (Alabama neutral) and after Texas Tech's loss, arguably Oklahoma's most impressive victory as well (TCU at home). Oh yeah they beat this other team that may be the one loss for USC.

Maybe the discussion should begin on another topic.

[njhoya06]

But where is Utah's quality loss?

Oklahoma lost to Texas on a neutral field. That's a great loss.

Florida lost at home to Ole Miss. At the time, that looked really bad, but they finished really strong. The Rebels looked great today against Texas Tech.

Hard to see how you can rank them in the top 2 or three without a loss like those.