Official College Football Week 10 thread [Archive]

General Mike

10-28-2013, 12:25 PM

Rutgers might very well lose to Temple this weekend. A horrendous secondary already down its top 2 DBs (broken arm, quit team to pursue a baseball career - yep), #3 is a moron and gets a DWI this weekend and is suspended. Facing off against dynamic true freshman QB PJ Walker who many RU fans wanted to see get a scholarship offer as a project dual threat QB, and he'll have a nice chip on his shoulder for it never coming. Could be ugly.

Came here to post similar things. Fire everyone if they lose this one.

lungs

10-28-2013, 12:27 PM

Jon

10-28-2013, 02:19 PM

Rutgers might very well lose to Temple this weekend. A horrendous secondary already down its top 2 DBs (broken arm, quit team to pursue a baseball career - yep), #3 is a moron and gets a DWI this weekend and is suspended. Facing off against dynamic true freshman QB PJ Walker who many RU fans wanted to see get a scholarship offer as a project dual threat QB, and he'll have a nice chip on his shoulder for it never coming. Could be ugly.

And yet, the opening line is 14......

Rutgers offered PJ Walker, as a cornerback. Apparently Temple was the only one to offer at QB.

Logan

10-28-2013, 02:21 PM

Yeah if Rutgers offered him at QB, he'd be here now.

Matthean

10-28-2013, 04:39 PM

Michigan at Michigan State

Needless to say how tolerable my FB feed will be is going to be in direct relation to the outcome of this game.

jbergey22

10-28-2013, 04:56 PM

Oliver Luck to meet with Texas, reportedly the top AD candidate - SBNation.com (http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/10/28/5038828/oliver-luck-texas-athletic-director-rumors)

Is this part of a plan to recruit his son? Oh wait....

cartman

10-29-2013, 01:27 PM

When was the last time neither team was ranked going into The World's Biggest Outdoor Cocktail Party?

ISiddiqui

10-29-2013, 01:29 PM

I was just thinking that myself earlier today!

JonInMiddleGA

10-29-2013, 01:43 PM

When was the last time neither team was ranked going into The World's Biggest Outdoor Cocktail Party?

2010 ... Meyer was about to leave & CMR was suffering his only losing season.

However it's only the 2nd time it's happened since 1979.

miked

10-29-2013, 02:20 PM

Don't forget Gary Nova has already been sacked 19 times (11 all of last season) and has 7 picks in his last 2 games (50 attempts) with a completion percentage around 48%.

JonInMiddleGA

10-30-2013, 01:21 AM

Hopefully nobody minds a tiny bit of self-hype here. Last few weeks I've managed to resume my 3 minute podcast, the somewhat extended audio companion to the weekly top 25 that goes on my blog.

It's on Spreaker, with crossposts to YouTube and Soundcloud (which, oddly enough, actually gets more traffic randomly & without promoting than the original that I usually hype from Spreaker. Go figure.)

<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F117734080&show_artwork=true"></iframe>

Mizzou B-ball fan

10-30-2013, 09:44 AM

Playing Mizzou must curse the other team's starting QB. Tennessee starting QB tears a thumb ligament, out indefinitely. Back up will be making his first career start against #10 Mizzou.

Tennessee QB Justin Worley out indefinitely with injured thumb | AL.com (http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/10/tennessee_qb_justin_worley_out.html)

tarcone

10-30-2013, 03:38 PM

Iowa hosts Wisconsin for the Heartland trophy. Havent played Wiscy for a few seasons. Man, I really dont like Wiscy. At least they have a decent coach now.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0811/cfb.unusual.trophies/images/heartland-trophy.jpg

tarcone

10-30-2013, 03:41 PM

This Article is for Tarcone:

Melvin Gordon glad he decided to stay in state - and not go away to Iowa (http://host.madison.com/sports/college/football/badgers-football-melvin-gordon-glad-he-decided-to-stay-in/article_b49aae22-28dd-574c-a430-5b35ed5e0695.html)

Yeah, I saw this. I dont blame the kid. I would go to Iowa, but Iowa plays such a conservative style. Even more conservative then Wiscy. What athlete would go to Iowa? Such a sad state of affairs right now.
But we continue to get our 2* and a handful of 3* players and coach them up and have a 3 good seasons then go through 3 terrible seasons.

Such is the life of an Iowa fan.

britrock88

10-30-2013, 03:41 PM

Glad that you'll be back to playing every season once Maryland and Rutgers come on board.

lungs

10-30-2013, 03:48 PM

Has anybody here had the chance to see Melvin Gordon? I've got red-tinted glasses on but of all the decent running backs I've seen come through UW there is something about Gordon that sets him apart in my eyes compared to even somebody like Montee Ball.

All I know is I will take 1012 yards on 107 carries, though Ohio State did seem to be the one team that could contain him more than anybody else.

General Mike

10-30-2013, 05:24 PM

Carl Pelini resigned at FAU.

A source said the coaches attended a recent social event at which marijuana was used. Although this appears to be an isolated incident, all involved determined it was in the best interest of the program that the coaches resign, the source said.

dawgfan

10-31-2013, 12:58 AM

Carl Pelini resigned at FAU.
If Carl is as high-strung as his brother, I can see why he was self-medicating with weed.

cuervo72

11-01-2013, 09:06 PM

Oregon State unis are pretty wild.

Pass by USC QB was incredibly crappy.

dawgfan

11-01-2013, 09:57 PM

So what are the chances that Nebraska officials try to dig up drug-use dirt on Bo Pellini in case they decide they want to oust him at the end of the season?

tarcone

11-01-2013, 10:30 PM

I dont think they will need to. F-ing Nebby fans will be enough.

Lathum

11-01-2013, 10:48 PM

Mannion making some really poor decisions. This game should solidify his return.

Eaglesfan27

11-02-2013, 07:56 AM

Really happy with how USC team played last night. Down to 38 scholarship players due to all the injuries and they fought hard all game and made some big plays. Insane that Lane Kiffin wouldn't play Buck Allen - player is a beast. This is the type of talent that I saw winning 10 games at the beginning of the year and still a shot at it...

Bigsmooth

11-02-2013, 08:46 AM

I love Corso like a grandpa but come on, time to get him off the air or just mix him in on the picks segment. I had to mute that last discussion.

mauchow

11-02-2013, 09:20 AM

GO BADGERS! BEAT THEM PIGGIES!

I'm going to spread the final score a little more than vegas predicts... 33-17. Make it happen boys!

tarcone

11-02-2013, 09:37 AM

You think Iowa can score 33? I think it will be more like 21-10. Iowa with the home win.

Matthean

11-02-2013, 09:48 AM

While I love to see a Michigan win, I don't see it coming against State right now unless Michigan brings an A game that has yet to appear.

mauchow

11-02-2013, 10:56 AM

You think Iowa can score 33? I think it will be more like 21-10. Iowa with the home win.

With our best defensive player now listed as not playing (Borland) I'm gonna make it a few points closer. 30-20. Badgers win.

tarcone

11-02-2013, 11:19 AM

Looks like a slugfest to start the day. I dont think either team gets to 20.

General Mike

11-02-2013, 11:30 AM

Bad Eli, bad Gary.

General Mike

11-02-2013, 12:14 PM

bad Kyle

Jon

11-02-2013, 12:24 PM

I guess "in the mix" doesn't mean what I think it does with respect to Chas Dodd getting snaps.

General Mike

11-02-2013, 12:29 PM

I guess "in the mix" doesn't mean what I think it does with respect to Chas Dodd getting snaps.

The team looks just lost. 1st and goal from the 1 and 3 straight penalties to move it back to the 20.

Plus kicking a 41 yard FG with a terrible kicker. I'm done with Kyle Fl

Jon

11-02-2013, 12:31 PM

The team looks just lost. 1st and goal from the 1 and 3 straight penalties to move it back to the 20.

Plus kicking a 41 yard FG with a terrible kicker. I'm done with Kyle Fl

and nothing characterizes Gary Nova's decision making ability than the drive to end the half.....

Bigsmooth

11-02-2013, 12:35 PM

Wake vs Syracuse is some of the worst football I've ever seen, honestly. Wake's offense in particular holy christ. I have Tanner Price in a daily fantasy game and very much regret it...

tarcone

11-02-2013, 12:35 PM

Wiscy leads 7-6 at half.
I owa dominated most of the 1st half. And Iowa doesnt make half time adjustments. So I think Wiscy wins 21-9.

Boy, I hope not.

mauchow

11-02-2013, 02:01 PM

Good call on 21-9 at this point. That TD was huge...obviously.

Mizzou B-ball fan

11-02-2013, 02:01 PM

Wiscy leads 7-6 at half.
I owa dominated most of the 1st half. And Iowa doesnt make half time adjustments. So I think Wiscy wins 21-9.

Boy, I hope not.

This guess is looking pretty good right now. :)

miked

11-02-2013, 02:03 PM

If you lose to a 1-7 team at home, you shouldn't make it to the press conference with a job. Unreal.

General Mike

11-02-2013, 02:17 PM

Carroo :)

tarcone

11-02-2013, 02:32 PM

Iowa is pathetic at half time adjustments. We had led every game at half until today. Every game. And here we sit at 5-4. Im so tired of Ferentz and his play not to lose style. Greg Davis is a terrible OC. Just horrible. I think Cartmna told me he would throw short of the marker on every 3rd down pass. Boy, was he right. And Texas had the athletes to make something happen. Iowa doesnt.

FIRE FERENTZ. Oh wait, we cant. If we do we owe him $17 million.

bhlloy

11-02-2013, 02:39 PM

Had the second half of that Iowa game on in the background and while not a big sample size, I have to agree - that looked like a horribly vanilla, unimaginative offense.

tarcone

11-02-2013, 02:48 PM

Had the second half of that Iowa game on in the background and while not a big sample size, I have to agree - that looked like a horribly vanilla, unimaginative offense.

Yep. Thats the definition. And we brought in our running QB after our starter got hurt. And then proceeded to put him under center. I dont understand the thought process of our coaches.
Vanilla and lack of imagination is right on the nose. And Boring.

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 03:15 PM

Georgia out to a quick 14-0 lead over a Florida team that looks considerably overmatched talent-wise.

Last UF coach to lose 3 straight to UGA? Galen Hall.

If something doesn't change quickly, this might very well be the last time Muschamp is a head coach at the Cocktail Party.

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 03:40 PM

20-0 Georgia.

At this rate, UF may want to consider a new coach before this season is over.
The talent cupboard just looks incredibly bare in Gainesville on the offensive side of the ball.

Mizzou B-ball fan

11-02-2013, 03:50 PM

20-0 Georgia.

At this rate, UF may want to consider a new coach before this season is over.
The talent cupboard just looks incredibly bare in Gainesville on the offensive side of the ball.

Honestly, I'm surprised that it took this result for some people to even realize this. Florida has been abysmal this year.

tarcone

11-02-2013, 04:05 PM

Florida lived on their defense. Now its banged up. And guess what? As MBBF said, they are abysmal.

CU Tiger

11-02-2013, 04:22 PM

20-0 Georgia.

At this rate, UF may want to consider a new coach before this season is over.
The talent cupboard just looks incredibly bare in Gainesville on the offensive side of the ball.

The thing that is surprising is UF has signed some talent on O...they are just using it poorly.

Bud Robinson signed last year is All American caliber

Solecismic

11-02-2013, 05:12 PM

EagleFan

11-02-2013, 06:05 PM

20-0 Georgia.

At this rate, UF may want to consider a new coach before this season is over.
The talent cupboard just looks incredibly bare in Gainesville on the offensive side of the ball.

...

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 06:07 PM

...

226 yds + 1 big play against one of the worst defenses in the SEC, if not on the eastern half of the U.S.

sovereignstar v2

11-02-2013, 06:11 PM

Holy fuck what a game between Minnesota and IU.

Julio Riddols

11-02-2013, 06:14 PM

Shitty way to lose.

tarcone

11-02-2013, 06:16 PM

What happened?

sovereignstar v2

11-02-2013, 06:22 PM

Minnesota was up 35-13 in the 3Q before their defense turned into swiss cheese. IU had the ball inside Minnesota's 10 down 39-42 with 30 seconds or so and turned it over on a lateral pass to the RB.

tarcone

11-02-2013, 06:22 PM

Nebraska just won on a 55 yard hail mary

sovereignstar v2

11-02-2013, 06:22 PM

Wow, that might've topped it.

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 06:25 PM

Thugs will most often be thugs, doesn't matter what uniform you put 'em in nor what opportunities you give 'em. No team is immune, the question is how long allegedly mature adults will put up with it and how much they're willing to excuse it.

Honestly, watching games does as much to create a sick feeling in my stomach about the future (and current state) of the country as just about anything.

tarcone

11-02-2013, 06:29 PM

Hwy Jon, on a positive note. The current generation is expected to have a lower life expectancy then our generation. Thats a 1st in human history, Then again , that might not be a positive thing.

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 06:32 PM

Hwy Jon, on a positive note. The current generation is expected to have a lower life expectancy then our generation. Thats a 1st in human history, Then again , that might not be a positive thing.

Given what I see, it's a positive thing.

Honest to goodness, it's getting hard to cheer for anybody these days for the sheer amount of pieces of crap they seem to have on their teams.

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 07:38 PM

Eek the Tennessee secondary is bad. Video game bad.

bob

11-02-2013, 08:16 PM

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 08:25 PM

Curious what event triggered this statement.

The mini-scrum at the end of the Georgia-Florida game. No shortage of just really punk ass bitches/thugs/punks/whateveryouwannacallem on display.

My initial thought (upon Gurley's little faceshove deal) was "Stay classy Georgia" ... but the larger truth was that Florida wasn't guiltless on that deal either, and that basically a fair chunk of those on the field for both teams probably have about as much business at an institute of higher learning as I do at a convent.

The ungrateful little bitch behavior at Georgia Tech sapped most of my ability to cheer for them already this year (as the others likely can't succeed w/out success by those assholes), Tennessee had the only active player caught up in the most recent pay-for-play scandal ... today was not a first time thought or feeling. I've much more at this point a fan in the abstract, I'm more inclined to root against a few teams than I have to have enthusiasm about rooting for teams particularly. That had already happened in the pros for me, it's definitely become part of the college sports experience for me and I'm even seeing it creep into my feelings on Friday nights with the HS game.

edit to add: Sorry for the length, but hey, bob DID ask after all ;)

bob

11-02-2013, 08:29 PM

Thanks - I'm at the GT game so I haven't seen anything that happened in any other games today beyond a scores.

tarcone

11-02-2013, 08:37 PM

Welcome to society, Jon. HS kids are told they are the greatest thing ever. Its enlarged at the college level. Then you wonder why so many Pros are broke after their careers? Its an entitlement society. Love it or hate it. Welcome to athletics.

JonInMiddleGA

11-02-2013, 09:03 PM

Welcome to society, Jon.

You're probably not far off.

Sports = entertainment, afaic.
Entertainment <> being reminded of all the shit wrong with society.

Matthean

11-02-2013, 09:43 PM

It's tough seeing a Michigan team that should have known exactly what to expect play so badly. They've still in no way recovered from the Rich Rodriguez experiment. They're lucky not to be down by 30 right now.

This is on this coaching staff. I know Hoke will stand by his guys far too long, but Borges needs to be shown the door. Two Top 10 recruiting classes and the only thing that has changed is the defense is now merely decent. The offense continues to be the same mess it was before with better WR play.

Kodos

11-02-2013, 10:32 PM

Life sucks when you are a Hoosiers footballl fan. Fuck me.

Kodos

11-02-2013, 10:45 PM

So fucking mad right now. Decades of shit sandwiches, and we just keep lining up for another serving. FUCK.

Kodos

11-02-2013, 10:50 PM

At least Michigan fucking lost.

MrBug708

11-02-2013, 11:20 PM

MrBug708

11-02-2013, 11:21 PM

As a UCLA fan, I'm getting a little disappointed in Mazzone's playcalling.

Solecismic

11-02-2013, 11:31 PM

I think in twenty years, it'll still be Rich's fault, at least in most Michigan fan's eyes

This should be the last year. Remember, Rodriguez didn't believe in recruiting football players. He brought that weird trainer with him - the guy who said he fought MMA, but no one knew where. They thought conditioning and speed was better than bulk and athleticism. That just doesn't play in major college football.

What was really bad about today's game is that the Spartans simply blew right through Michigan. After Lewan, there doesn't seem to be a single guy on that line who's ready for the tougher Big Ten games.

Julio Riddols

11-03-2013, 01:35 AM

Life sucks when you are a Hoosiers footballl fan. Fuck me.

Dude, having someone on the board in the same boat helps. I find it a little comforting knowing someone out there wants it as bad as I do.

Poli

11-03-2013, 06:42 AM

I was surprised. The Mizzou fans were 99% classy. Good for you guys.

I don't know I've been to a game where the fans didn't rip me/us fairly constantly on the way out.

Matthean

11-03-2013, 07:21 AM

This should be the last year. Remember, Rodriguez didn't believe in recruiting football players. He brought that weird trainer with him - the guy who said he fought MMA, but no one knew where. They thought conditioning and speed was better than bulk and athleticism. That just doesn't play in major college football.

What was really bad about today's game is that the Spartans simply blew right through Michigan. After Lewan, there doesn't seem to be a single guy on that line who's ready for the tougher Big Ten games.

Hoke has been there three years. In three years Saban and Kelly were playing in a title game. Michigan can't even win their division in a lukewarm conference. The heart of the issue is the interior OL and that's all on Hoke. Michigan has far too much talent on that OL to be in the running for one of the worst Michigan OLs ever. MSU has had recruiting classes in the 30s-40s since Hoke came around, and yet that talent had no problem kicking Michigan's so called talent's tail. From where I stand apparently Michigan needs three to four Top 10 classes to be a credible team and teams like MSU and Wisconsin have no issue being the best in the conference without even a Top 20 class. A number of times they don't even pull off a Top 30 class. Hoke has had three years to build his team and so far the difference is fart too small.

FYI, RR to my knowledge still out recruited MSU every year even if the gap was mighty small in the end.

panerd

11-03-2013, 08:20 AM

I was surprised. The Mizzou fans were 99% classy. Good for you guys.

I don't know I've been to a game where the fans didn't rip me/us fairly constantly on the way out.

I would say its probably a combination of a few factors. One is obviously the score though last weekend against USC there wasn't smack talk either. Which brings me to the second point... Tenn, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida these fans are traveling hundreds/thousand+ miles so usually the dbags don't make the trip. Don't get me wrong once a history starts developing the idiot Mizzou fans will come out of the woodwork (we ain't Nebraska fans that's for sure) but its hard to really talk a lot of shit either way without any sort of back history. Glad you didn't experience any problems I've been going to games for 25 years and never have felt the need to get in any scuffles and arguments even with Jayhawk fans. :) It's a game and we are not even the ones playing it!

Mizzou B-ball fan

11-03-2013, 08:38 AM

I was surprised. The Mizzou fans were 99% classy. Good for you guys.

I don't know I've been to a game where the fans didn't rip me/us fairly constantly on the way out.

Mizzou fans are great fans in that they are passionate about the team, but they don't take it to the level that we've heard of at some places. Even when I had season tickets for basketball and we won against KU, it was generally good natured ribbing on the way out of the arena if anything. It was the same when I went to basketball games at Allen Fieldhouse with the KU fans. They were generally all in fun if they taunted you. People around here like to have a good laugh at the other team's expense, but they're not going to be nasty except for a couple overly-drunk idiots that you have at every sporting event.

Buccaneer

11-03-2013, 09:38 AM

I don't understand why Wisconsin, of all teams, is predicted to be a BCS at-large?! They're not even a top 20 team.

MizzouRah

11-03-2013, 09:46 AM

I was surprised. The Mizzou fans were 99% classy. Good for you guys.

I don't know I've been to a game where the fans didn't rip me/us fairly constantly on the way out.

You think we are hicks? :D

Matthean

11-03-2013, 09:57 AM

I don't understand why Wisconsin, of all teams, is predicted to be a BCS at-large?! They're not even a top 20 team.

Likely end up high enough since they will unlikely lose from here on out.

Thomkal

11-03-2013, 10:23 AM

#3 Coastal Carolina continued its undefeated season with a 50-25 win over Charlotte. They have scored 50+ points in six games this season and are now the #1 rated offense amongst FCS schools.

Next week they take on conference rival Charleston Southern. CSU was 2-20 the past two seasons, but are a very surprising 9-1 this season and now a ranked team themselves. They've played a much weaker schedule than Coastal this year, but played Coastal's opponent this week Charlotte a couple weeks ago and won 36-14.

CSU has almost always played Coastal hard, and on at least one occasion has been the source of heartbreak in denying Coastal a playoff spot with a win. Playing it in Charleston too so the crowd won't be too friendly. If they get through this game with a win though, only lowly conference team Presbyterian remains in their conference schedule, and then they end the season playing for the first time ever, South Carolina.

mauchow

11-03-2013, 10:38 AM

Life sucks when you are a Hoosiers footballl fan. Fuck me.

I think you might be in a for a semi-rough basketball season, too. It will be interesting to see if anybody competes against MSU for the B1G Title.

mauchow

11-03-2013, 10:41 AM

Likely end up high enough since they will unlikely lose from here on out.

This. And if you add in the fact that Wisconsin got royally screwed in their loss against ASU. Their only loss would be on the road against the #4 team in the country. Not a bad resume. A top 10 one if they got the chance to kick a field goal (extra point length nearly) against ASU.

If they win big next week against BYU the talk of them being BCS At Large should be solidified... I don't think they'll win big as BYU will be a GREAT game in my opinion.

Solecismic

11-03-2013, 11:25 AM

Hoke has been there three years. In three years Saban and Kelly were playing in a title game. Michigan can't even win their division in a lukewarm conference. The heart of the issue is the interior OL and that's all on Hoke. Michigan has far too much talent on that OL to be in the running for one of the worst Michigan OLs ever. MSU has had recruiting classes in the 30s-40s since Hoke came around, and yet that talent had no problem kicking Michigan's so called talent's tail. From where I stand apparently Michigan needs three to four Top 10 classes to be a credible team and teams like MSU and Wisconsin have no issue being the best in the conference without even a Top 20 class. A number of times they don't even pull off a Top 30 class. Hoke has had three years to build his team and so far the difference is fart too small.

FYI, RR to my knowledge still out recruited MSU every year even if the gap was mighty small in the end.

Recruiting ratings are based on the sum total of recruit rankings. Rodriguez focused heavily on certain categories, where he got a lot of speed. He didn't recruit depth in the line, nor skill. Michigan is getting beat up in the line. It takes longer to develop a college lineman than other positions, so having seniors in your line is important.

Next year, Michigan will be a different team. It's still a good team, but it lends itself poorly to matchups against teams that can beat you up on the line. There are teams Michigan could beat today that might surprise us. There are also teams that could beat Michigan that would surprise us. And there's the wildcard of whether Devin Gardner will have a high-turnover game.

As talented a player as Gardner is, he is not a quick quarterback. Give him time, he'll eventually go through his progressions, or he'll run the ball effectively. MSU doesn't give you time for either.

What surprised me yesterday, in addition to trying things in the game plan repeatedly that simply don't work on a defense designed to collapse the pocket and prevent escape, was the poor pass coverage. I've never seen such an extreme example of corners consistently playing with their backs to the quarterback. That took away the underneath in man coverage, which is hard to take away, but because it was a consistent plan, MSU adjusted and started taking advantage of it.

Atocep

11-03-2013, 12:06 PM

Recruiting ratings are based on the sum total of recruit rankings. Rodriguez focused heavily on certain categories, where he got a lot of speed. He didn't recruit depth in the line, nor skill. Michigan is getting beat up in the line. It takes longer to develop a college lineman than other positions, so having seniors in your line is important.

Which was known about Rich before he left WVU for Michigan. He currently has 14 in his class of 27 at Arizona that are either DBs, WRs, RBs, or Athletes. Par for the course with him. The OLine gets more turnover (guys not making it in, quitting, transferring) than any other position group. You end up with zero depth and talent when you recruit 3 lineman per year.

What's depressing is Oliver Luck will likely be named AD of Texas sometime next week and Whit Babcock is probably the frontrunner for the WVU opening. Babcock seems like he could potentially be a great AD, but he does have strong ties to Rich and it would likely pave the way for Rich returning to WVU when Holgerson leaves.

dawgfan

11-03-2013, 02:14 PM

As a UCLA fan, I'm getting a little disappointed in Mazzone's playcalling.
I know Bruins Nation probably isn't a fair barometer of Bruins fans, but I'm curious where you and CR stand with regard to Mora. The BN folks can't wait to ship him out of town, which seems rather extreme to me - did they really think that UCLA was immediately going to turn into USC circa Pete Carroll?

MrBug708

11-03-2013, 04:44 PM

Nobody really cites Bruins Nation as a much of a source of anything. Dan Guerrero hired Jim Mora, so therefore Mora = bad. We could hire Nick Saban and they'd rip the hire.

Some fans are a little too "Jim Mora can do no wrong", but I think he's a good fit. Some did expect Mora to be like Pete Carroll, but it's not a perfect storm either.

Kodos

11-03-2013, 06:05 PM

Dude, having someone on the board in the same boat helps. I find it a little comforting knowing someone out there wants it as bad as I do.

I care more about IU football than any other team in any other sport. And it's not close. I want them to be good soooooooooooo badly. Every season I get my hopes up, and every season ends in despair.

Kodos

11-03-2013, 06:10 PM

I think you might be in a for a semi-rough basketball season, too. It will be interesting to see if anybody competes against MSU for the B1G Title.

Fully expecting a rough season in b-ball. We lost so much talent. Middle of pack in the Big Ten.

Poli

11-03-2013, 09:14 PM

You think we are hicks? :D
Hey, I was just in Troy today. Do you really want me to answer that? :)

Poli

11-03-2013, 09:15 PM

What I did like was having so many Mizzou fans welcoming me to Columbia. I smiled and said thanks and then added I'm from Missouri as well. :)

Chief Rum

11-04-2013, 10:32 AM

I know Bruins Nation probably isn't a fair barometer of Bruins fans, but I'm curious where you and CR stand with regard to Mora. The BN folks can't wait to ship him out of town, which seems rather extreme to me - did they really think that UCLA was immediately going to turn into USC circa Pete Carroll?

If you're looking for Bruins fans to really make fun of and confirm all your assumptions about bad Bruins fans, BN is where you go, lol.

Bug has it pretty well nailed. Mora is not Pete Carroll, and I think some fans are disappointed at this point that he's not, because they came to the conclusion early on that he was. Fact of the matter is, though, he's a lot closer to Carroll than he is to UCLA coaches in the past. The whole culture of that team and that program is different now than it ever has been, even going back to the Donahue days. There is more top end talent there than ever before, and the staff is pretty much the best Westwood has seen.

There are still flaws to work out and UCLA still has a ways to go. But Mora is a very good college coach and is the right person for the job.

This next stretch of four games will be very critical, with none of them being locks for a win. @ ARI, vs WAS, vs ASU, @ USC.

If UCLA wins at least three of them and ends up the Pac 12 South champ again, the future is very bright. Recruiting will end very well, and next season could be a title contending team.

If UCLA goes 2-2 or worse, recruiting will be muddled, and this will be just a shorter step up toward success (but still very much headed up).

dawgfan

11-04-2013, 12:27 PM

Yeah, BN is a pretty amusing site. There are some good SBN Pac-12 sites, but those guys are nuts.

I like Mora too, always thought he'd make a pretty good college coach. He exceeded my expectations with the staff he's assembled at UCLA (though I'd caution you guys to not expect too much out of coach Meat's guys - he's a strong recruiter, but a terrible position coach).

I think he'll do really well for you guys, and if the UW had shown any balls back in December of 2007 and fired Ty after year 3, Mora might be our coach right now.

Chief Rum

11-04-2013, 01:04 PM

I like Mora too, always thought he'd make a pretty good college coach. He exceeded my expectations with the staff he's assembled at UCLA (though I'd caution you guys to not expect too much out of coach Meat's guys - he's a strong recruiter, but a terrible position coach).

You know, I remember you saying that before, and then last year's DBs were not too great, so that was what I was thinking with Coach Meat.

But actually the secondary has been excellent this year when it really has no reason to be. It's a unit with massive inexperience and guys who have had to overcome some obstacles (particularly injuries).

Keep in mind, Mora is a former DB and DB coach himself. I think it's quite likely he is helping out there, and Coach Meat is also learning from coaching under Mora.

As for last year, the unit was led by guys who had gone four years without improving but they still played because they were the most talented secondary players on the team (Price, Hester, Abbott, McDonald, etc.). Fact is, they weren't very good, so I am learning to put less weight in last year.

I think Coach Meat is getting better at the coaching part of the job.

dawgfan

11-04-2013, 04:14 PM

I think Coach Meat is getting better at the coaching part of the job.
I hope so for your guys' sake. And maybe I'm being unfair to Martin. It may well be that part of the reason his guys looked bad was the schemes that Holt asked them to play.

But I can tell you that our guys looked much, much better last year under Keith Heyward - they showed better fundamentals in terms of coverage, looking for the ball, avoiding PI calls, etc. Again, that could be because of the different schemes Wilcox prefers, but beyond that they just looked better-coached to me. And that's carried over to this year (though to be fair, they've looked bad in zone coverage).

I would hope that Mora is mentoring Martin. Meat is a terrific recruiter, so the only thing that would hold him back in his career is how good of a coach he is.

MrBug708

11-04-2013, 10:37 PM

I think Meat is overrated as a coach, but he's proving he can coach based on how the team is doing this year, surprisingly. That being said, I think he was a scapegoat for a lot of UW's problems, more than he probably deserve.

I think Mora's persona is better suited in LA than Seattle honestly. Seattle is a big place, but UW sports is one of the biggest things going in the PWN. Some of the things he's said/done will get micro-analyzed moreso up North than they will be down here.