Official College Football Week 4 thread

[tarcone]

7 turnovers in 2 weeks by Gardner? Thats a bad sign. Who is the back up?

[Matthean]

Gardner fumbles and returned for a TD. 21-7 UConn. Ugh.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by tarcone

7 turnovers in 2 weeks by Gardner? Thats a bad sign. Who is the back up?

Shane Morris, 4* recruit and considered one of the best QBs from last year. The problem is, I don't think he helps this situation with the line playing as bad as it is.

[Matthean]

Michigan gains its legs enough to score 17 straight for the victory. You can see the potential. It's just buried way deep down.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Whew! (again...)

I think during the bye some blocking drills might be a good idea.

[Solecismic]

The only good thing I saw out of that was some adjustments in the pass rush. That was actually a decent defensive performance out of Michigan.

Gardner, though. His confidence is shot. He's looking run-first now. This won't play well in the Big Ten. It could well be a 6-6 or 7-5 season if he doesn't get his head on straight. Morris isn't the answer yet.

[Matthean]

Twitter / JehuuCaulcrick: I don't understand y everyone ...

I don't understand y everyone is making a big deal over Arian Foster saying he got money while he was in college. News flash We all did.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Twitter / JehuuCaulcrick: I don't understand y everyone ...

I am starting to wonder with the Johnny Football autograph "scandal", the SI OSU investigation, the Foster article... if this isn't just the breaking point of another thing that we always just assumed was true but didn't really want to know. Kind of like the NSA spying on us, everyone pretty much knew it was happening but finally they were just like "Yeah we spy on you all the time". And much like that story I think the basic reaction from the fans on college players being given money will be complete disinterest.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by panerd

And much like that story I think the basic reaction from the fans will be complete disinterest.

That increasingly becoming my reaction to college sports in general. If it is indeed as completely & thoroughly corrupt as seems likely at this point, then I'm about ready to say to hell with them all.

After today's little stunt I'm already unable to enjoy any success from my top team's starting QB and half the notable players on the defensive side of the ball, they're just an unlikable bunch of ungrateful punks with little to no character. Once you reach the point of feeling that way about what should your favorite players, how much joy is really left in watching or even following them?

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

The only good thing I saw out of that was some adjustments in the pass rush. That was actually a decent defensive performance out of Michigan.

Gardner, though. His confidence is shot. He's looking run-first now. This won't play well in the Big Ten. It could well be a 6-6 or 7-5 season if he doesn't get his head on straight. Morris isn't the answer yet.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the projections of Gardner going pro & being a 1st round pick were premature.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by M GO BLUE!!!

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the projections of Gardner going pro & being a 1st round pick were premature.

Definitely premature, in the thought line of he hadn't (hasn't) proven that yet. But, I think the potential is still there. He can definitely scramble, that - he has proven. With the recent success of the mobile QB, teams will take a hard look at QBs that can move & throw. So, the question for his pro future is ... Is he RG3/Colin Kaepernick, or Tim Tebow/Denard Robinson - or something between. (I think he is something between).

But, I don't think we can grade him right now. The offensive line is simply playing horrible, and I can't blame the kid for having happy feet. I'd like to see (and I'm sure NFL scouts would too) what he can do if he has the amount of time a QB should have to throw the ball. Right now, he's at the point where nearly every pass - he forced to move to avoid a sack.

I think we have learned though, that when a pass play is designed - and he is forced to move .. he makes bad throws/decisions.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by M GO BLUE!!!

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the projections of Gardner going pro & being a 1st round pick were premature.

Logan Thomas is still a lock for the top ten though, right?

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by DougW

I think we have learned though, that when a pass play is designed - and he is forced to move .. he makes bad throws/decisions.

And that's going to be the killer. You play behind a bad line? Fine, at least try to make some proper reads and decisions, aka just throw it away if need be. You simply can't screw your team over like he is. You also can't expect to go to the pros and play behind top quality lines. He has tons of talent, but he lacks in basic game manager skills. If this lasts until next year, I'm guessing there will be a wealth of a movement towards giving Morris a shot. I wouldn't be surprise if that movement gains ground this year.

Denard had his own game manager skills issues, but the thing that killed him maybe more than anything was he had the weakest arm of any known QB I can think of.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by panerd

And much like that story I think the basic reaction from the fans on college players being given money will be complete disinterest.

I think the question is ultimately going to be, and I think the O'Bannon lawsuit's probable success will go a long way to answering this question, is "Should we formally legalize a player payment system beyond the scholarship, and if yes, what form/structure should that take?"

As Taylor Branch so clearly illustrated, and Seth Davis re-affirmed in his rebuttal to Branch, this type of corruption has been taking place ever since the inception of college sports and college football. Efforts at reform over the ballpark 150 years have all failed miserably for various reasons.

When what I believe to be the inevitable legalization occurs, the NCAA may well be killed off. At the very least, it will undergo massive reform, and the doors will be flung open to even greater booster and corporate sponsorship influence in college sports, making completely open what was formerly under the table.

I wouldn't be shocked in the least to see the big money schools part ways with the NCAA and form their own association, taking all the football money with them and greatly devaluing the NCAA's men's basketball money, which will further weaken the NCAA and hasten its demise.

Hell, they can't even agree on the proposed $2,000 COL stipend being added on to the current scholarship package. The large schools who have the cash all approve it, but the smaller schools, who don't have the resources and would be put at further competitive disadvantage, keep blocking it.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Great to see Mizzou continue to click on offense again this week. Averaging 46 PPG right now and scored 45 on the road. More importantly, the defense shut down what had been a pretty potent offense for Indiana. Two of the touchdowns were late in mop-up duty when the game was already decided.

Great to get a road win. Also, congrats to Coach Pinkel on equaling Dan Devine's win total of 93 games at Mizzou. Next up, Don Faurot.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Matthean

I'm guessing there will be a wealth of a movement towards giving Morris a shot. I wouldn't be surprise if that movement gains ground this year.

I certainly thought it, multiple times, tonight.

But, after these last couple games, I'm left with the thoughts .. "we're f**k*d, this O-Line can't handle the Big 10".

[Solecismic]

Originally Posted by DougW

I certainly thought it, multiple times, tonight.

But, after these last couple games, I'm left with the thoughts .. "we're f**k*d, this O-Line can't handle the Big 10".

I think they can be a strength down the road, and certainly the tackles are excellent. The interior, especially Miller, does need to improve. To me, the problem is Toussaint. Before his big injury (and before and after all his little injuries), he was a master at squaring up and bursting through holes. I figured he'd wind up a first-day pick in the NFL from the first day I saw him in mop-up time as a freshman.

Now, he pussy-foots like Barry Sanders' dance instructor trying to teach the lindy to Simon Cowell. He runs to the sidelines when the tackles are clearing out a defensive end. He gives stunting linebackers a chance to trip him in the backfield.

I'd consider giving Morris a shot if Gardner can't recapture what he had against Notre Dame. Which is, basically, confidence and avoiding the disaster reads that lead to turnovers. But that would be admitting 2013 can't be a 14-game season.

However... Monday, in practice, I want Derrick Green installed as the #1.

[Matthean]

Green has limited carries, but he hasn't done much. He was after all the #3 RB until an injury moved him up. Again, the OL isn't helping either. Oh, I would love to see him get some meaningful reps.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Great to see Mizzou continue to click on offense again this week. Averaging 46 PPG right now and scored 45 on the road. More importantly, the defense shut down what had been a pretty potent offense for Indiana. Two of the touchdowns were late in mop-up duty when the game was already decided.

Great to get a road win. Also, congrats to Coach Pinkel on equaling Dan Devine's win total of 93 games at Mizzou. Next up, Don Faurot.

You guys beat us pretty thoroughly last night. Sudfeld seemed off, and Roberson hasn't played well this year. I thought we would at least be competitive, but we weren't. Our defense is still lacking in Big Ten-level talent. Still had a good time at the game, but the result was disappointing.

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Wow. Iowa wins 59-3. Didnt think we would score that many points in 3 games.

Good stuff.

Went to the game yesterday...my first Iowa game in overt 10 yrs. Was so nice to relax and enjoy the game with no tension. Can't remember the last time Iowa had a win like this.

[JPhillips]

The Michigan center might as well have not shown up. That DT for UConn just abused him.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Logan

Pretty cool article in the NY Times today about Rutgers' RB Paul James, who has gone from being a walk-on to currently leading the country in rushing.

A Rutgers Walk-On Rushes to the Top - NYTimes.com

And now out, at least a few weeks, with a lower leg injury. Speculation is he broke his fibula.

Hopefully he can rehab quickly. Tough break for a great kid.

[bob]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

That increasingly becoming my reaction to college sports in general. If it is indeed as completely & thoroughly corrupt as seems likely at this point, then I'm about ready to say to hell with them all.

After today's little stunt I'm already unable to enjoy any success from my top team's starting QB and half the notable players on the defensive side of the ball, they're just an unlikable bunch of ungrateful punks with little to no character. Once you reach the point of feeling that way about what should your favorite players, how much joy is really left in watching or even following them?

Talking about Vad Lee?

[MrBug708]

UCLA played pretty badly vs NMSU all things considered but I'm happy that we've reached a point where we play horrible and still beat a bad team by 45 points.

Two of three games have seen UCLA not bothering to punt

UCLA also ran their first offensive play with just 10 men to honor Nick Pasquale.