Official 2015 College Football Week 4 thread

[Dutch]

Punt Returners have always irked me. The decision to let the ball go inside the 10 yard line seems so basic. Yet, here we are again, the South Carolina punt returner starts off at his 15....back-pedals to the 1....still tries to make the play on the ball as it falls to the Earth....hits off his hands and it's UCF ball at the spot of the muff.

Nothing good comes from back-pedaling inside the 10...sans freak luck plays.

All football punt returners should know and understand this and yet there are so many that don't.

[Easy Mac]

As a Furman fan, this Carolina game is making me smile

[tarcone]

just got home and turned on Michigan. Looks like Rudock got some good coaching. Makes me wonder about Iowa even more.

[JPhillips]

I think Michigan beats one of MSU and OSU.

[tarcone]

I agree

[britrock88]

Interesting contrast in toggling between Michigan's coming-out party and UNC's struggle hosting Delaware. Slightly confusing in that you have teams whose unis are as similar as M and Delaware's (and BYU and UNC's whites aren't terribly dissimilar, either).

[JonInMiddleGA]

A stellar performance by GT today. Simply fucking stellar.

[bob]

I can't wait to see what the CPJ fans say about this.

Of course, on the forums, the refs again fucked Tech.

I really hate being part of the fanbase.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

A stellar performance by GT today. Simply fucking stellar.

Just when I think I have this game figured out...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Just when I think I have this game figured out...

Undertalented & undercoached tends to come crashing down. Last year's fluke was fun, but today was no surprise to me at all.

[JPhillips]

Horseshoe?

Broncos' foot!

Horseshoe?

Broncos' foot!

[Solecismic]

A nice pre-season in Ann Arbor. Harbaugh has given this team a completely new identity. Time for some irrational exuberance.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Y'know, I'll give credit to Syracuse. They put up more of a fight than I would have expected, props to 'em for that.

[stevew]

So this Western Michigan coach PJ Fleck is going to be a big deal some day, right?

[JPhillips]

Ohio State looks flat again.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Ohio State looks flat again.

The ref sounds a whole lot like Donald Trump

[stevew]

Western Michigan's kicker blows.

[JonInMiddleGA]

For one small town in north Georgia, this is a highlight for the ages. 1st career touchdown for freshman RB Shannon Brooks, a pretty good example of why he's my HS alma mater's career rushing leader, very much what he spent four years doing at PHS.

Shannon Brooks 40-Yard Touchdown vs. Ohio - YouTube

[tarcone]

Iowa abusing North Texas.
A couple interesting notes. N Texas coach and starting QB are both Iowa City natives.

Bring on Wiscy.

[tarcone]

Texas tech looking good.

[MrBug708]

This TCU-TTU game is great

[tarcone]

Iowa ends up winning 62-16. We have a QB and a RB. A great D line and a kicker that is out of this world.

I'm already looking forward to the game next week

Lungs, I'm free if you got an extra ticket.

[tarcone]

Texas just blew it

[JonInMiddleGA]

Another week, another week of watching Butch "Midmajor was my skill level" Jones get outcoached.

It's not Derek Dumbass bad but it's not meaningful in a major conference, and I see no reason to think it ever will be. Jones simply isn't smart enough -- at coaching nor at hiring a staff -- to be "that guy".

Ryan McGee Twitter feed covers it well

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by stevew

So this Western Michigan coach PJ Fleck is going to be a big deal some day, right?

He'll be rowing that boat in the Big Ten soon enough. Is Maryland ready to move on from Edsall yet? Rutgers could certainly do worse too.

Originally Posted by MrBug708

This TCU-TTU game is great

Half great offense, half poor tackling imo.

re: the Gameday signs I preferred the 'Beats by Diddy' with pictures of kettlebells myself.

[Atocep]

Remember when there were people that thought Edsall was a good coach?

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Remember when there were people that thought Edsall was a good coach?

Guilty. Seemed competent at UConn. I'm shocked a team he's coaching is this bad defensively.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Guilty. Seemed competent at UConn. I'm shocked a team he's coaching is this bad defensively.

I was a believer early on at UConn. His last few years though he was more or less putting the same team on the field every year and he never fixed his issues. He's actually regressed at Maryland because you were always able to count on him putting a good front 7 out there defensively.

Watching today was ugly. That was a team with no discipline and I don't think I've seen a quarterback and his receivers argue and point at each other that much.
.

[JPhillips]

What a killer ending for Texas Tech.

[tarcone]

Wow. Poor Texas tech. Crazy ending.

[Buccaneer]

I think Texas Tech would've scored if it wasn't for that last backwards lateral. Crazy.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Remember when there were people that thought Edsall was a good coach?

I am pretty sure Morgado is still pissed with how Fridge got the ax.

[BillJasper]

Texas A&M defense is in trouble.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Texas A&M defense is in trouble.

Myles Garrett covers up a lot of flaws.

EDIT - Not in the kicking game though.

Btw, would winning at Alabama, then losing at home to Vanderbilt be the biggest two week swing in recent CFB history?

[BillJasper]

I have a feeling that Bret Bielema will be looking for a job in the offseason.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I was a believer early on at UConn.

Put me in that same camp. And I probably hung onto it longer under the notion that "okay, it's not him, it's the school/program/location" when it stagnated.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

I have a feeling that Bret Bielema will be looking for a job in the offseason.

Could be a busy offseason for coaching hires. Maryland, Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia, Texas, Rutgers, and South Carolina could be looking at openings.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Could be a busy offseason for coaching hires. Maryland, Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia, Texas, Rutgers, and South Carolina could be looking at openings.

Nah, UT will hang onto Butch until at least the middle of next season (I mean, barring something weirder than losses) By this time NEXT year we'll see them close to making a move however.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Nah, UT will hang onto Butch until at least the middle of next season (I mean, barring something weirder than losses) By this time NEXT year we'll see them close to making a move however.

Hah - by UT I thought you meant Texas. That's the one that stands out to me- no way they fire Charlie Strong this early after all the house cleaning he did last offseason. I also don't think SC will ever fire Spurrier - although they might start pushing him to retire behind the scenes. A couple PAC-12 heavyweights could actually be on that list if things fall apart at USC or Oregon.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Hah - by UT I thought you meant Texas. That's the one that stands out to me- no way they fire Charlie Strong this early after all the house cleaning he did last offseason. I also don't think SC will ever fire Spurrier - although they might start pushing him to retire behind the scenes. A couple PAC-12 heavyweights could actually be on that list if things fall apart at USC or Oregon.

Charlie is in a weird spot. I wouldn't really be surprised either way. If the season goes particularly bad in Austin the new AD may decide to cut bait and bring his own guy in. The change in AD and the fact that Strong looks out of his element thus far is why I think it's a possibility.

Spurrier won't get fired, but both he and Beamer may be nudged into retirement after this year.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Texas just blew it

Just got back from the game. The punter was directly in front of us when he failed to field the snap. Unbelievable that two special teams gaffes two weeks in a row cost them games.

It probably sounds like sour grapes, but I would have said the same thing if Texas won. That was one of the worst officiated games I'd ever been to. Not just bad/missed calls, but constantly throughout the game the crew kept getting confused on where to spot the ball. There were at least two or three times on each drive where they had to call official time outs and get together to discuss down and distance and timing issues.

[tarcone]

Mizzou done. Oregon done. Arizona done.

Crazy games tonight.

And Bielema needs to get his act together before he gets to Iowa.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Charlie is in a weird spot. I wouldn't really be surprised either way. If the season goes particularly bad in Austin the new AD may decide to cut bait and bring his own guy in. The change in AD and the fact that Strong looks out of his element thus far is why I think it's a possibility.

Spurrier won't get fired, but both he and Beamer may be nudged into retirement after this year.

Texas is two hilariously bad special teams plays from going to OT in two losses, and ND with Zaire at QB was a legit top 5 team. Plus he kicked all those players off and has a lot of freshmen playing. (Also, it shouldn't matter, but as I saw with Ty Willingham, firing a black coach can bring on a whole lot of "racist" accusations.) Texas has enough money to do whatever, but unless Saban or Chip Kelly is going there who's the slam dunk hire they have lined up that will definitely do better than Strong, who has a good track record from UL and a young team? I think keeping him at least one more year is a no-brainer, then maybe one of those two stars looks more likely or a Chad Morris or Tom Herman looks like a no-brainer hire.

Beamer should just stay on as a figurehead while Bud Foster is the real head coach. Then spend an extra $500k to hire a young innovative OC.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Mizzou done. Oregon done. Arizona done.

Crazy games tonight.

And Bielema needs to get his act together before he gets to Iowa.

If you think Kirk Ferentz's consistent 8-9 win seasons are disappointing, I can't imagine why you'd want to hire Bielema. Although Big Ten land is probably the last place left where even the HS coaches support using a fullback.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by cartman

Just got back from the game. The punter was directly in front of us when he failed to field the snap. Unbelievable that two special teams gaffes two weeks in a row cost them games.

It probably sounds like sour grapes, but I would have said the same thing if Texas won. That was one of the worst officiated games I'd ever been to. Not just bad/missed calls, but constantly throughout the game the crew kept getting confused on where to spot the ball. There were at least two or three times on each drive where they had to call official time outs and get together to discuss down and distance and timing issues.

Not only that, they consistently missed the numbers of the players who did the infractions they called. The announcers kept looking at the players the ref "announced"
as the violator and I'm screaming at the TV that it wasn't being called on the player they said so stop showing the other guy. It had to have happened 6 or 7 times.

I have no idea what the defensive holding call on Texas was (but it was a really, really poor coaching move of Strong to lose his cool and give up that extra 15 yards)

I think something was wrong with the hand of the OSU QB. From the play or two before he dropped the ball to give Texas a TD, the ball simply stopped coming out of his hand correctly.

As an OSU fan, that was a rough, rough result on Texas. I think the refs did screw them and I feel horribly for the punter.

[Dutch]

Mississippi State with a solid performance on the road. Solid Defense, good passing....but non-existent running game will haunt them eventually....but hopefully not next week!

[BishopMVP]

Arizona State can not catch a break. Closest 28-0 halftime game I've seen in a while.

EDIT - I take it back. Worst kickoff return I've ever seen. They deserve all this bad luck, and it couldn't happen to a more deserving head coach.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

If you think Kirk Ferentz's consistent 8-9 win seasons are disappointing, I can't imagine why you'd want to hire Bielema. Although Big Ten land is probably the last place left where even the HS coaches support using a fullback.

Bielema did a great job at Wisconsin. In fact, an outstanding job. I think with the resources Iowa has and the passion and enthusiasm he brings. He would take Iowa to a higher level.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Bielema did a great job at Wisconsin. In fact, an outstanding job. I think with the resources Iowa has and the passion and enthusiasm he brings. He would take Iowa to a higher level.

He seems like a pretty middle of the road guy. I think he's got plenty of resources at Arkansas and that hasn't stopped them from going 0-10 in games decided by 10 points or less (according to ESPN graphic).

I'm not sure bringing in another guy who believes in stone age offense is going to satisfy the people who want to run Ferentz out of town.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by tarcone

I'm already looking forward to the game next week

Lungs, I'm free if you got an extra ticket.

Should be a good barometer both teams. No tickets here, sorry

re: Bielema

Was decent at coaching up mid level talent into a decent team but was just an awful game day coach and a grade A douche bag (stories of his drunken escapades were not very flattering). Not many tears were shed when we left.