2017 College Football Season thread

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Georgia has a top 5 defense and great running backs. They dont necessarily fade but run into top level competition where 2 losses will break your season. They dont get the cupcake games.

Their schedule is cupcake games. Auburn and GT are probably the toughest games left on a schedule that already had Samford, App State, and SEC bottom feeders Miss St and Tennessee on it. Florida is going to be an easy win for Georgia this time around, especially after they struggled so much with Kentucky and Vandy.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Their schedule is cupcake games. Auburn and GT are probably the toughest games left on a schedule that already had Samford, App State, and SEC bottom feeders Miss St and Tennessee on it. Florida is going to be an easy win for Georgia this time around, especially after they struggled so much with Kentucky and Vandy.

You make too many assumptions. Hard to have any sort of debate with you when you throw things out there like Notre Dame would beat LSU by 30. Miss St is awful. Florida is going to be an easy win.

You sound more like a bitter anti-SEC person. The SEC has won 9 of the past 12 National Championships and it hasnt been all Alabama. Dont you think they deserve the benefit of the doubt as the best conference?

[bronconick]

You can't use 9 of 12 titles to make statements about this season's SEC. The last non-Alabama champ had Gene Chizik as their coach, and the other two coaches are retired or in Columbus, respectively. The only coach that had any success against Saban got canned for calling hookers while under probation. It's been Alabama and the 13 dwarfs for a couple years now. I mean, Florida won the East twice and hasn't had an offense the whole time.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by bronconick

You can't use 9 of 12 titles to make statements about this season's SEC. The last non-Alabama champ had Gene Chizik as their coach, and the other two coaches are retired or in Columbus, respectively. The only coach that had any success against Saban got canned for calling hookers while under probation. It's been Alabama and the 13 dwarfs for a couple years now. I mean, Florida won the East twice and hasn't had an offense the whole time.

The "statement" was they deserve the benefit of the doubt with their history. The only conference that could maybe claim superiority lately is the ACC and I doubt anyone wants to make that claim.

Do you really want to claim the ACC or B1G is a stronger conference?

[bronconick]

Last year was the ACC. You can really only tell in hindsight because of limited non-conference matchups, but I haven't seen much where any one conference was clearly ahead so far in 2017

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Last year was the ACC. You can really only tell in hindsight because of limited non-conference matchups, but I haven't seen much where any one conference was clearly ahead so far in 2017

I agree. Every conference has warts.
The SEC has Alabama and ?
The ACC has Clemson and ?
The B1G has Penn St. and ?
The Pac 12 has Washington (maybe) and ?
The Big 12 has TCU and Oklahoma.

The rest of these conference teams have something about them that holds them back. There are no dominant teams outside of one or 2 in each conference.
I will call it parity. Conferences are becoming equalized.
Shoot, I will use Iowa from a few years back. We finished 12-2. Were we one of the best teams in the country? No.But we had a cupcake schedule, a good defense and strong RBs. Who does that sound like this year?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Georgia ... They dont get the cupcake games.

Wait, whut?

Appy State & Samford. Mizzou, Vandy, SC, Kentucky. And this year, UT.

C'mon.

.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Georgia has a top 5 defense and great running backs. They dont necessarily fade but run into top level competition where 2 losses will break your season. They dont get the cupcake games.

The entire SEC East is a cupcake.

Was this a joke?

[mauchow]

Right now I would say the Big Ten has the best top teams. Penn St, OSU and Wisconsin. I believe Michigan remains to be a question but they did whip a Florida team that was semi only in the game for a bit because of defensive touchdowns.

That's 4 teams in the top 10 currently.. Iowa just lost the favor gained in the Penn St game. Nebby sucks, Minnesota sucks, Maryland is on their 3rd QB but still beat Minny. Rutgers, Illinois, Indiana and Purdue .. yikes.

[CrescentMoonie]

The SEC is Alabama. Auburn and Georgia might be something but Georgia doesn't play anyone all year and Auburn will likely go 0-2 in their two big games.

The rest of the SEC is an abject joke. Florida beat Kentucky because UK, coming out of a timeout, literally didn't cover a guy. Tennessee beat GT by 1 and UMass by 4. They're terrible. The Mississippi schools only look good compared to the dumpster fires in Knoxville and Baton Rouge. There's a real chance that Vandy is the 3rd best team in the SEC East.

My only question that won't be answered is if Mizzou or LSU is worse. Mizzou might lose to both Idaho and UConn.

It's a terrible conference who rarely plays anyone unless it's "neutral site" games that are a huge advantage for the SEC teams. Bama has a cakewalk into the playoff unless they lose 8-10 starters.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Bama has a cakewalk into the playoff unless they lose 8-10 starters.

I'm not at all sure that Bama couldn't beat anyone in the country using #12-22 on their depth chart, on both sides of the ball.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Butter

The entire SEC East is a cupcake.

Was this a joke?

No, In the past they have played in the very difficult SEC. Whether or not it sucks like all of you claim I guess we will find out later in the season. If some of you fail to read entire conversations before understanding the topic its on you and not me to explain.

Hint--It was about Georgia choking later in the season in years gone by. Which would make this years schedule irrelevant to the specific conversation.

[Butter]

The SEC East has been terrible for a couple of years now.

Although I do like how you try to have it both ways, by saying that we will see if they suck but even if they suck it is irrelevant to the point you are making.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Butter

Although I do like how you try to have it both ways, by saying that we will see if they suck but even if they suck it is irrelevant to the point you are making.

Correct. If they suck in the future is irrelevant to the discussion as the discussion was about the past. Whether they suck in the future is only opinion at this point.

I can say that Ohio State is going to be just terrible in 2019 without any basis for my claim and if Im right I can brag. If not, well I made a prediction based on nothing. Right now 4 weeks into the college football season a lot of people seem to have strong opinions based on very little data. Not that it is abnormal and it what makes these threads entertaining after the year is over.

[Atocep]

Sounds like Butch Jones is out at Tennessee. Rumor that there's a push by some donors to bring Fulmer back.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I'm not at all sure that Bama couldn't beat anyone in the country using #12-22 on their depth chart, on both sides of the ball.

Same type of talk last year until Clemson beat them in the playoffs. One year you will learn to respect the Tigers.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Same type of talk last year until Clemson beat them in the playoffs. One year you will learn to respect the Tigers.

Clemson was better, significantly imho, 1-22 than Bama last year. 23-85 Bama was as significantly better.

And Clemson has very good depth. But no one has Bama level depth.

It doesn't necessarily matter as you can only play 11 at a time, but once injuries start happening, that's where Bama floats to the top year over year.

Now I will say, if you follow recruiting closely..the pack is catching up...but Bama is still lapping the field.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

One year you will learn to respect the Tigers.

Some year they won't look like crap against Auburn or for three quarters against Boston freakin' College.

Alas, this isn't that year.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Rumor that there's a push by some donors to bring Fulmer back.

Few ideas could be worse than that one. (The Bobby Petrino suggestion I've seen being one of those)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Butter

The SEC East has been terrible for a couple of years now.

More than just a couple. The decline started almost immediately after the expansion brought in two divisions.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Some year they won't look like crap against Auburn or for three quarters against Boston freakin' College.

Alas, this isn't that year.

Ummm..they held auburn to 7 points. That's about 35 less than a couple SEC teams...
They controlled the ball and the los and played old school southern ball control football to perfection.

Against BC they ran for over 325 yards, on the ground.

There are about 125 other teams that would love to look like crap like that.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Butter

Written like a bitter U-dub fan.

What was inaccurate about what I wrote?

WSU is good, but they've also benefited from good fortune so far this season, and it will continue this coming weekend as the Ducks are down to their 3rd string QB, down their top two WR's and possibly their starting RB.

Falk is a good QB. I've watched most WSU games since he's been there, and he's tough as hell, pretty accurate, throws a very catchable ball and does a good job operating that offense. He also lacks top-end arm strength, holds on to the ball too long, has taken some major shots to the head and plays in an offensive system that hasn't done a good job of preparing successful NFL QB's.

USC gave up too easily on the run game vs. WSU and their defense took too many gambles with blitzes. If you look at how Washington has held the Cougars in check under Petersen it's been by relying on 3 or 4 man rushes getting to the QB and dropping the rest into coverage and keeping everything in front of them. USC has the athletes to do that, and for much of that night that was their plan, but Pendergast rolled the dice a lot more than Kwiatkowski usually does vs. WSU and he got burned.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Boise St isn't an easy game.

Maybe not an "easy" game, but not an especially difficult one either. That program isn't what it used to be.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Ummm..they held auburn to 7 points.

6.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

What was inaccurate about what I wrote?

WSU is good, but they've also benefited from good fortune so far this season, and it will continue this coming weekend as the Ducks are down to their 3rd string QB, down their top two WR's and possibly their starting RB.

Falk is a good QB. I've watched most WSU games since he's been there, and he's tough as hell, pretty accurate, throws a very catchable ball and does a good job operating that offense. He also lacks top-end arm strength, holds on to the ball too long, has taken some major shots to the head and plays in an offensive system that hasn't done a good job of preparing successful NFL QB's.

USC gave up too easily on the run game vs. WSU and their defense took too many gambles with blitzes. If you look at how Washington has held the Cougars in check under Petersen it's been by relying on 3 or 4 man rushes getting to the QB and dropping the rest into coverage and keeping everything in front of them. USC has the athletes to do that, and for much of that night that was their plan, but Pendergast rolled the dice a lot more than Kwiatkowski usually does vs. WSU and he got burned.

It's impossible to disprove opinions.

WSU won because USC was not at full strength.
And they were playing at home.
And USC's defensive game plan sucked.
And USC didn't stick with the run.
And Falk being an overrated QB.

Don't worry, Washington will get their chance.

And it will likely be after the Cougs blow one that they shouldn't, like they almost did to Boise.

Them moving up to only #11 shows that no one really believes in the strength of this win or their team anyway.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Butter

It's impossible to disprove opinions.

WSU won because USC was not at full strength.
And they were playing at home.
And USC's defensive game plan sucked.
And USC didn't stick with the run.
And Falk being an overrated QB.

Don't worry, Washington will get their chance.

And it will likely be after the Cougs blow one that they shouldn't, like they almost did to Boise.

Them moving up to only #11 shows that no one really believes in the strength of this win or their team anyway.

It's not an opinion that USC was down significantly more and significantly more important positions than WSU, or that Oregon will also be down significantly more and significantly more important positions. It's also not an opinion that USC didn't stick with the run. It was a close game all the way through yet they had only 19 carries by their running backs and 29 pass attempts (plus 9 scrambles and sacks by Darnold).

I'm not worried about Washington facing WSU. Cumulative score of the Apple Cup since Chris Petersen arrived: 121-40.

[Butter]

If their offensive line was decimated, wouldn't it make sense to run less and throw more?

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

It's not an opinion that USC was down significantly more and significantly more important positions than WSU, or that Oregon will also be down significantly more and significantly more important positions. It's also not an opinion that USC didn't stick with the run. It was a close game all the way through yet they had only 19 carries by their running backs and 29 pass attempts (plus 9 scrambles and sacks by Darnold).

I'm not worried about Washington facing WSU. Cumulative score of the Apple Cup since Chris Petersen arrived: 121-40.

It's pretty debatable on who had more important injuries in the WSU-USC game.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Butter

If their offensive line was decimated, wouldn't it make sense to run less and throw more?

No. Run blocking generally comes quicker to young linemen than pass-blocking, and the consequences of a blown assignment are bigger on a pass play.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

It's pretty debatable on who had more important injuries in the WSU-USC game.

Other than Peyton Pelluer, who of consequence was out for WSU?

[MrBug708]

Issac Dotson, Peyton Pelluer, Nnamdi Oguayo all starting on DL or LB. I'm trying to keep it in the same parameters as USC didn't have 10 starters for the game. The difference is WSU can't reload the same way

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

It's not an opinion that USC was down significantly more and significantly more important positions than WSU, or that Oregon will also be down significantly more and significantly more important positions.

Its a coach's job to recruit and sign 85 players not 22.
Injuries are such a bogus excuse in college football.

Next man up, HAS to be the mantra.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

No. Run blocking generally comes quicker to young linemen than pass-blocking, and the consequences of a blown assignment are bigger on a pass play.

Even with a Heisman trophy candidate signal-caller?

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Issac Dotson, Peyton Pelluer, Nnamdi Oguayo all starting on DL or LB. I'm trying to keep it in the same parameters as USC didn't have 10 starters for the game. The difference is WSU can't reload the same way

Two linebackers and one DL vs. three OL and their top WR. Would you disagree that filling in at LB is less disruptive than at OL?

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Butter

Even with a Heisman trophy candidate signal-caller?

Yes. First of all, Darnold may have a ton of hype but the reality is Ronald Jones is very likely as good of a RB as Darnold is a QB right now. Second, ask any OL coach what comes easier to an OL.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Its a coach's job to recruit and sign 85 players not 22.
Injuries are such a bogus excuse in college football.

Next man up, HAS to be the mantra.

I don't disagree at all. Washington is down their top TE, #2 WR, #2 MLB and #2 CB and the next men up have done just that.

That doesn't change the fact that WSU has been more lucky than not when it comes to injuries for and against so far this season.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Yes. First of all, Darnold may have a ton of hype but the reality is Ronald Jones is very likely as good of a RB as Darnold is a QB right now. Second, ask any OL coach what comes easier to an OL.

CU Tiger, what comes easier to an OL?

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Two linebackers and one DL vs. three OL and their top WR. Would you disagree that filling in at LB is less disruptive than at OL?

I left off WSU injured WR, but as I said, WSU can't afford to lose players like SC can

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

I left off WSU injured WR, but as I said, WSU can't afford to lose players like SC can

Who? I don't recall any WSU WR being out. All of their top guys - Martin, Johnson-Mack, Calvin, Bell and Sweet - played.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Against BC they ran for over 325 yards, on the ground.

And spent three quarters in a toss up against a very so-so team.

They seem to have flip-the-switch disease, which is fine as long as it gets flipped. There are teams that can do it and it works out fine for some of them, but it's risky business.

[JonInMiddleGA]

From a collection of Butch Jones jokes over the weekend.

Butch Jones wrote a book, Football For Dummies
Butch Jones owns one book, Football For Dummies

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Butter

CU Tiger, what comes easier to an OL?

I'm just reading and enjoying the debate

Totally depends on the player in question and the scheme in question.

A QB is much more likely to avoid a rush and still have a successful pass than a RB is to be successful running into no blocking. That is counter acted by the fact that you can run away from a bad lineman, while its harder to pass away from one....though you can do some with roll outs, sticks,waggles etc.

Most D1 linemen arrive at college with good feet. Well those recruited by good OL teams do. You can improve a lineman's feet but you cant make a bad foot good. I've never yet met an OL that arrived at college strong enough. Now the best of the best can cover their lack of strength with superior technique, and in that instance its a lot easier to get in front of and post up a DE n a pass set than it is to drive a DT off and get push.

Then again background is important. If a kid came from a 3-O or a WingT high school, he s probably pretty adept at run blocking If he came from an air raid school he is probably ahead in pass blocking. At least around here HS offenses tend to be more radical in that nature than anything in D1.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And spent three quarters in a toss up against a very so-so team.

They seem to have flip-the-switch disease, which is fine as long as it gets flipped. There are teams that can do it and it works out fine for some of them, but it's risky business.

They had the 2nd string OL and DL in the game in the first quarter. Thats a Dabo thing. Drives me crazy, but cant argue with the results. If he thinks he can handle a team he starts playing the entire bench early on meaningful snaps.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And spent three quarters in a toss up against a very so-so team.

They seem to have flip-the-switch disease, which is fine as long as it gets flipped. There are teams that can do it and it works out fine for some of them, but it's risky business.

And I'm sure you thought Bama was going to destroy them last year, until they didn't.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Who? I don't recall any WSU WR being out. All of their top guys - Martin, Johnson-Mack, Calvin, Bell and Sweet - played.

Robert Lewis was out, most experienced WR

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Robert Lewis was out, most experienced WR

1. He's been out all season and by game five you'd expect the remaining guys in the depth chart to have enough experience to know what they're doing.
2. He may have been the most "experienced" heading into the season but certainly wasn't their most productive (that would be Martin) nor their most talented (Calvin or Johnson-Mack).
3. Aside from Calvin and Bell - two relatively highly rated recruits - the rest of their receiver depth had a fair amount of experience in Martin, Johnson-Mack, Sweet and Dimry.

He's not close to a comparable loss to Steven Mitchell. And besides Mitchell and the 3 starting OL, I neglected to mention Porter Gustin who is arguably USC's best defensive player.

[MrBug708]

*shrug* one school restocked with 2 and 3 stars, the other restocked with 4 and 5. And if 10 starters are counted out, Lewis certainly counts for WSU haha

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

From a collection of Butch Jones jokes over the weekend.

Butch Jones wrote a book, Football For Dummies
Butch Jones owns one book, Football For Dummies

Found on another blog and in honor of Tom Petty

he’s a good boy
coached at cincy
central Michigan, grand valley too
he’s a good boy
got solid recruiting
lost to Florida
and almost UMass too


There's a trash can
Held up on the sideline
There’s a fullback
Who can’t get a single yard
And he’s a bad coach
Couldn’t score against Georgia
He’s a bad coach
Buyouts suck hard.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Found on another blog and in honor of Tom Petty

he’s a good boy
coached at cincy
central Michigan, grand valley too
he’s a good boy
got solid recruiting
lost to Florida
and almost UMass too


There's a trash can
Held up on the sideline
There’s a fullback
Who can’t get a single yard
And he’s a bad coach
Couldn’t score against Georgia
He’s a bad coach
Buyouts suck hard.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

From a collection of Butch Jones jokes over the weekend.

Butch Jones wrote a book, Football For Dummies
Butch Jones owns one book, Football For Dummies

The word I've heard many times to describe him by people that were around the WVU program when he was there is "weirdo". The same people have said he's probably the 2nd most hated coach WVU has ever had. Not by fans, but by players. Players absolutely hated him. Apparently if you screwed up he'd comment on your girlfriend, mom, sister, anything. Nothing was off limits.