Hidden Plays

Mumme Poll: Week 7 (Ballot #3)

2009-10-21T04:32:00.000-07:00

1. Alabama (7-0)

The clear #1 team, with the most valuable offensive player (Mark Ingram, pictured above running through Stephon Gilmore) and the most valuable defensive player (Rolando McClain, the real Superman). That said, Greg McElroy's QB play and the inability to get Julio Jones properly involved is a bit unsettling. To the film room!

2. Florida (6-0)

Anyone else think a close win was the worst thing that could've happened to the Gators? Remember, Tebow's (in)famous "promise" last year came after a close loss and it galvanized Florida on the way to their championship run. After a close win, what can you do but exhale?

3. Texas (6-0)

The Texas offense hasn't looked particularly sharp this year, but I'm gonna cut the Horns some slack regarding the Red River Slugfest. The OU D has made every offense work for its points, so Saturday was par for the course. Let's see how the Horns fare against Missouri and Oklahoma State before putting Bevo on the overrated wagon.

4. Iowa (7-0)
5. Cincinnati (6-0)
6. USC (5-1)

Even though I agree that USC has better players than Iowa and Cincy, why should USC be rewarded for finding a way to lose a game? Don't get me wrong, Trojan wins at Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Cal all look good. But, are they really objectively better than Iowa's wins at Penn State, at Wisconsin, and home against Arizona? And Cincy's wins at Oregon State, at Rutgers, and home against South Florida (pictured above) are maybe a small step down. Which still leaves USC's loss to Washington. That has to matter.

7. TCU (6-0)
8. Boise State (6-0)

BSU's victory at home over Oregon is the best win of these two programs. However, their second best win is a struggle on the road against Tulsa, who is decent, but come on. It's Tulsa. Meanwhile, TCU went on the road to beat Clemson and Virginia, neither of whom are that great, but significant steps up from Tulsa, let alone anyone else on either schedule. While I'm not crazy about either team being this high, you can't penalize a team too harshly for being undefeated in mid-October.

9. Miami (FL) (5-1)
10. Georgia Tech (6-1)
11. Virginia Tech (5-2)

While these teams have all lost to each other, VT comes last because of the 2 losses and Miami comes first because of the head-to-head win over GT. But, they could be interchangeable and can each point to at least 1 quality win. Miami soundly beat 1-loss GT and I think their win over Oklahoma is still good, despite the Sooners being 3-3. The Jackets just beat a very good Hokies squad (pictured above) and are a complete pain in the ass to prepare for on a week's notice. VA Tech, of course, thrashed the Canes and Boston College, and held on to beat a good Nebraska team. That they're this high with 2 losses is mitigated in my eyes by the fact those losses came to teams whose combined record is 13-1.

12. Houston (5-1)

OK, so the loss to UTEP was a head-scratcher. But, has anyone else noticed that the Cougars have beaten 3 BCS teams? Granted, one of those teams was Mississippi State, but a road win is a road win, especially when you consider Conference USA vs. SEC. And wins at 1-loss Oklahoma State and home against 2-loss Texas Tech aren't too shabby. Let's just say, find me another 1-loss team with a bona fide quality win, let alone 2 such wins, and I'll put them here. Can't be done.

Fielding-Optional Strategy Backfires on Halos

2009-10-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ugh. In a performance best described as Washington Generals-esque, the Angels stumbled, bumbled, and fumbled their way to a 4-1 loss in Game 1 of the ALCS. That's the bad news. The good news is they're still fully capable of achieving their objective, which is a split in New York. In fact, deficiencies in the leather department obscured the reality that Halos pitching was pretty solid, keeping the team more or less in the game despite giving the Bombers extra outs.

Game 2 features Joe Saunders vs. A.J. Burnett and first pitch will be approximately 7:00 CST.

Mumme Poll: Week 6 (Ballot #2)

2009-10-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Please note: This week's Mumme Poll was completed on Monday, but I was unable to publish here until this morning. So, Cincinnati's win over South Florida on Thursday night will be addressed on next week's poll. Word.

First things first. There is no way in hell that Texas deserves to be higher than either Bama or Florida. This is no dig on the Horns, who I'm openly rooting for to win out ... and I'm not just saying that because I live in Austin and don't wanna hear the whining. Burnt Orange has championship bona fides. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. But, we have to judge teams on their talent AND resume, and after 5 games the Horns' resume is pretty weak. However, should they beat OU, Mizzou, and Okie State in consecutive weeks, then that resume becomes a strength. So Texas fans, trust me when I say that if yer boys win out, they will be in the Rose Bowl ... aka VY's House ... if for no other reason than someone has to lose between Bama and Florida. Allrighty then. Onto the Top 12.

1. Alabama (6-0)
While you can certainly make a case for Florida at 1, Bama's win over Virginia Tech is better than UF's win over LSU. And please don't play the "winning at Death Valley at night" card. VT is better than LSU. Deal with it. In terms of question marks, the Tide offense needs to go through Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, by way of Greg McElroy, and then to Julio Jones, Darius Hanks, Colin Peek, etc. Run to set up the pass, not the other way around.

2. Florida (5-0)
Florida's defense and special teams are freakin ridonkulous. However, is it OK to mention the fact that Florida's offense is distinctly not ridonkulous? I get that Tim Tebow is a Christian warrior and touched by God, but the running game outside of TT is meh, there's no one remotely close to Percy Harvin in terms of production, and if Riley Cooper is your go-to WR, you don't have a go-to WR. I'm not saying the Gator offense is terrible, but I feel like there's a conspiracy of silence regarding the team's actual flaws.

3. Texas (5-0)
Texas and Florida are basically the same team, the Gators simply have better wins. Both schools have lights out D and special teams, a dominant QB that is an inordinate amount of the offense, and questions in the running game. However, even the Gators don't have an equivalent to Jordan Shipley (pictured left). Dude might be the most valuable player in all of CFB going into this weekend's game.

4. Virginia Tech (5-1)
The nation's best 1-loss team has two excellent wins at home (Miami and Boston College). The home win over Nebraska looks better on paper than it was in reality, but I'm not gonna penalize the Hokies too harshly for finding a way to win.

5. Iowa (6-0)
6. Cincinnati (5-0)
7. Boise State (5-0)

I'm grouping the 2nd tier undefeateds together because, if nothing else, they should be rewarded for not losing. I think Iowa's win at Penn State is the best of the bunch, but they also have good wins over Arizona and Michigan. Cincy has 2 good wins on the road (Oregon State and Rutgers), but not much else. Boise State's win over Oregon looks better with each passing week. Unfortunately, the rest of their schedule looks worse.

8. LSU (5-1)
9. Miami (FL) (4-1)
10. USC (4-1)
11. Oregon (5-1)
12. Ohio State (5-1)

I think the difference between 8-12 is a few plays here and there. Each of these teams has at least 1 quality win, and outside of Miami, no truly terrible losses. In fact, other than Miami they're all basically the same team. All solid D and workmanlike O. I think what sets Miami apart is that their wins over Georgia Tech and Oklahoma are better than anyone else's 2 wins, and those more or less offset the shellacking in Blacksburg. As always, next Saturday will clear some things up and muddy others all to hell. Can't hardly wait.

FYI, as a point of comparison, here are the AP and Coaches Poll rankings going into Week 7.

Red Sox Death Star Destroyed By Halos

2009-10-11T22:30:00.001-07:00

Did I just see what I thought I saw??? How do you process the utterly implausible? The Angels winning a playoff series against the Red Sox is an upset by any metric. But, to complete a sweep of their arch-nemesis, on their home field, after being down by 3 runs with 4 outs to go, with 3 batters facing 5 separate 2-strike pitches, and against a closer who prior to today's game had given up 0 runs in 26 postseason innings ... absolutely stunning. Suffice to say, this was not just another Halo victory. This was the baseball equivalent of the Lakers beating the Celtics in '85, a purging of demons and curses and ghosts. Donnie Moore, may you finally rest in peace.

Hidden Play: Howie Kendrick = Dave Roberts?

2009-10-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last night's Angels-Red Sox Game 2 turned on a sequence in the bottom of the 7th inning that eerily recalled Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. We had one of the most dominant big game pitchers of his generation yielding an unexpected walk to lead off the inning. We had a pinch-runner stealing second, putting himself into precious scoring position. And finally, we had the clutch base knock into centerfield to score said runner and profoundly shift the game dynamic. From there, the floodgates opened and the Halos now find themselves in possession of a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Granted, there were significant differences between the two plays, namely that in '04, Boston needed to score simply to keep the postseason alive. Also, the play with Dave Roberts wasa bit more bang-bang . But, I think the most amazing element of either sequence was that the guy working the base on balls for the Halos was none other than Vladdy Guerrero! We're talking about a player whose hitting philosophy is best summed up by the Dominican credo: "No one walks off the island." And yet, you can make a strong argument that of the Impaler's many career achievements, none have been more significant than last night's patient, seemingly innocuous 5-pitch walk. Welcome to postseason baseball. Go Halos.

Oh Torii, you had me at, "Show some balls."

2009-10-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Sure, it was only one game, but there was a lot to love about last night's 5-0 victory. John Lackey pitching 7 1/3 strong and giving up only 4 singles, Hunter's monumental 3-run HR into the rockpile and subsequent helmet-slamming in the dugout (so cool), Chone Figgins flashing leather at 3rd base, Darren Oliver's rock steady 1 2/3 of relief, and Bobby Abreu working the count to the tune of 4 walks. It was the first shutout in Angels postseason history and the first postseason shutout suffered by the Red Socked in 14 years. Even the tales of Bostonian food poisoning were flavored in karmic redress, at least to those of us who remember guys like Casey Kotchman suffering the same fate prior to Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS. Ironically, Kotch is now in the opposing dugout, so maybe it's all his fault.

In the interests of fairness, I should note that Boston was screwed on two fairly obvious calls at first base. However, neither call had an impact on the final outcome and it wasn't like the Halos weren't screwed themselves by a phantom catcher's interference call and a Mike Lowell whiff at 3rd base on the back end of a 5-2-5 double play. Incidentally, the name of the umpire manning 1st base ... Bucknor, pronounced, you guessed it, BUCKNER.

Hidden Play: Rolando "Superman" McClain

2009-10-08T04:38:00.000-07:00

There's an old saying in sports, "You can't coach ______? Typically, ______ is a reference to something like speed because an athlete can't be taught to be fast. Sure, a coach can improve technique and that may result in a slightly faster time, but you either have world-class speed or you don't. Similar to that is game intelligence, the ability of the best players to slow the game down and react accordingly. This effort by Alabama middle linebacker, Rolando "Superman" McClain, is such a play.

Early in the 3rd quarter, Kentucky has a 2nd and 9 at their own 34. Wildcat QB, Mike Hartline, fires a laser beam at a blanketed Derrick Locke and the ball ricochets off his hands. Superman sees the ball, but knows he's not in position to haul it in for the pick. So, in a move that recalls Celtics great, Bill Russell, in his prime, he intentionally keeps the ball alive by tapping it into the air. McClain knows that the Tide defense is coached to attack the ball, so if he keeps the ball alive, chances are pretty good that a Bama defender will be in position to make the catch ... which is exactly what happens when Eryk Anders comes up with the pick. You can't coach this kind of heady badassery, you can only hope to capture it on film. Thanks to 'bama7Xbox' for giving us that opportunity.

Catching Up With College Football: Mumme's the Word

2009-10-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

Been awhile since I posted here, but it's not for a lack of material. If anything, I blame stupid reality and it's insistence on only 24 hours in a day. BUT, one thing I wanted to pass along was this fancypants new ranking system called the Mumme Poll. According to their website, "The Mumme Poll is an ongoing attempt, jointly sponsored by two college football blogs, Get The Picture and 3rd Saturday in Blogtober, to construct a viable method to rank Division 1 college football teams without the bias and potential conflicts of interest that affect other polls, particularly the USA Today Coaches Poll."

Yes, dumbshits can still offer up ridiculous polls, but they run the risk of being excommunicated. And by excommunicated, I mean disappeared Pinochet-style. You think coaches and sportwriters have to worry about late night knocks on the door? I think not. So, MP has accountability going for it. And no, it won't solve the immediate problem of replacing the BCS cartel with something that rhymes with "payoff." But hey, it beats whining on message boards. So, without further ado, here's my first ballot, all transparent-like, and with comments as to the why and wherefore.

LD's Mumme Poll for Week 5

1. Alabama (5-0)
Best combination of undefeated, decent schedule, and consistently high-level performance in all 3 phases of the game ... with the exception of lackluster kickoff coverage. But that's nitpicking, really. Roll Tide.

2. Florida (4-0)
We know how good the Gators CAN be because we saw the 1st quarter against Kentucky. The D is fierce and you can't really complain about the special teams. That said, in the 7 other quarters against Tennessee and UK ... 6 of which featured Tebow at QB ... Florida mustered a workmanlike 33 points to their opponents' 20. Solid? Sure. Just not best team/resume in the country solid.

3. Texas (4-0)
The Horns have national championship talent and potential and the Muschamp D is badass. However, they have 1 win against a BCS team (at home) and their opponents have 0 wins against BCS teams. In fact, their next opponent, Colorado, is also winless against BCS teams. The Horns are a very good team, no doubt, but for the moment their schedule has to be held against them.

4. Virginia Tech (4-1)
That loss to Bama doesn't look so bad now, does it?

5. LSU (5-0)
Geaux Tiger ain't pretty, but facts are facts. They have 5 wins against 0 losses, 4 wins against BCS opponents, and 3 wins on the road. And to their critics who say they keep winning ugly, I say, "Would it be better that they lost ugly?" Besides, with Florida coming to town, they either win and justify their ranking or lose and plummet accordingly.

6. Miami (FL) (3-1)
Despite the one loss to (and in) Tropical Storm Tyrod, no school has 3 better wins than the Canes.

7. Cincinnati (5-0)
The Bearcats are a rich man's Boise State. Both teams struggled to beat Fresno State and throttled winless Miami (Ohio). However, Cincy destroyed its FCS opponent (Southeast Missouri State), beat their BCS opponent from Oregon on the road (Oregon State, snapping the Beavs' 26-game home winning streak in non-conference play), and added another BCS road victory for good measure (Rutgers).

8. Iowa (5-0)
How in the name of Hayden Fry is Ohio State ranked higher than Iowa??? The Hawkeyes are undefeated, won at 4-1 Penn State (always tough), and beat a decent 3-1 Arizona at home. Ohio State ... like Penn State, actually ... is 4-1, but none of their wins are remotely quality, and in their only challenging game (at home, no less) they came away with the L. Such is the power of the brand name.

9. Boise State (5-0)
Beating Oregon on the smurf turf was a good win. But, since then they have victories over winless Miami (Ohio), 1-3 Fresno State (while allowing over 500 yards of offense, including 3 TD runs of over 60 yards), 1-4 Bowling Green, and, get this, struggled to put away UC Davis, who was the "rival" of my undergrad university, Chico State. I'm not even sure Chico has a football team anymore. Broncos ... Miami (FL) you are not.

10. USC (4-1)
The Trojans are a tough nut to crack. They have a solid win at 4-1 Ohio State, but that's offset by the upset loss at 2-3 Washington. They have an average win at home against 1-4 Washington State and a ho-hum win at home against 1-3 San Jose State. The 'x' factor is Saturday's destruction of 3-2 Cal. It's a good win, in that it was on the road against a conference foe with lots of talent. However, the Trojans better hope the Bears aren't in free-fall mode or this win gets less impressive as the season goes on.

11. Oregon (4-1)
Oregon finally seems to be playing like the Oregon we thought we'd see at the start of the season. After sleep-punching, er, walking their way through the first 2 weeks, including a win over Purdue they probably didn't deserve, the Ducks dominated Utah, Cal, and Wazzu in consecutive weeks. However, the Ducks have had the fortune of playing their last 4 games at home and the jury is still out on both Utah and Cal. Those wins could end up being solid ... or not.

12. South Carolina (4-1)
Where's the love for Cocky??? They're 25 in the AP Poll, 27 in the Coaches Poll, and ranked behind Ole Miss in both, despite having beaten them head-to-head. I'm not saying the Cocks are SEC Championship material, but they are 4-1, with a good win against the Rebels, a decent win against North Carolina State, and are basically one play away from being undefeated ... a loss on the road, mind you. To be fair, I could've put Auburn, Ohio State, TCU, or a couple other teams in this slot, but I gave Cocky the nod because I think they have the best win of the bunch.

The Angels: On Team

2009-09-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

"Don't you give it up, don't you stop the fight,
As you can plainly see, we need you here tonight,
Because the battle is quite long and we just can't go on,
Without you."
--Will Johnson, songwriter/baseball aficionado

"Nick was a competitor. We had to remember that. We had to remember that he was someone who would want us to go out there and fight every night."
--Torii Hunter, Angels' centerfielder

Centro-Matic - Without You

Check out Eric Neel's column published earlier today, "Angels flourished with Adenhart in mind." You don't have to be an Angels fan to be moved. But, it helps.

Kiffin Beats Meyer, 29-29

2009-09-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

"(Lane) Kiffin continues to pile the praise on Tim Tebow and the Gators, all in a devious plan to manage expectations so low that losing 55-0 will seem like a moral victory."
--Dan Shanoff, proprietor of Tim Teblog, on Wednesday, 9/16

"Expectations are the X-factor. That's how a 10-point loss turns into some kind of twisted 'victory' for the losing team. The only expectation -- historical or otherwise -- there should be for Tebow is winning another national championship, by whatever means (and margins) necessary."
--Dan Shanoff, proprietor of Tim Teblog, on Monday, 9/21

"It wasn't how we envisioned or hoped, but it's a win, and it's good enough for all of us."
--Tebow, post-game

I don't know what's funnier. Shanoff backpedaling so furiously that Petrino just offered him a scholly or that he has a blog providing, "Obsessive coverage of Tim Tebow." I'm smelling BOOK DEAL!!! The hypocrisy, of course, is that he's rebuking the public for having unrealistic expectations of Florida, while using multiple online forums to advance said expectations. So, it's comedy on multiple levels and textbook form intellectual dishonesty.

Shanoff's second quote speaks to a larger issue. Does Tennessee have any right to claim a moral victory after losing 23-13? I see the Florida fans shaking their heads and the Tennessee fans nodding. I don't think it's so much that Tennessee can claim a moral victory, it's that Florida has to accept a moral loss. You think Tebow's quote was accidental? Come on. They envisioned hellfire, a couple late timeouts, and then brimstone. What they got was a two-possession game. Big whoop.

Sure, the W is the most important thing. But, this is Florida-Tennessee, not Florida-Mississippi State. Add in The Swamp, Tebow's last game against the Vols, and there's no way in hell 23-13 ain't a disappointment in Gainesville. Meyer knows that flu or not, they underachieved relative to their available talent. In fact, the Vols did win in the sense that they get to use this game as a building block and recruiting chip. You think Meyer's staff is gonna be showing all the sweet highlights from this game to hotshot recruits? How about Kiffin? Yeah, that's why it's a moral loss.

Meyer knows his team never forced either Kiffin to go away from Plan A, but lost simply because Florida has better athletes, especially at QB. That gap figures to close next year. Thus, Meyer knows it was probably his last really good shot at embarrassing Tennessee for awhile. Factor in no Tebow and in Knoxville next year and would anyone really be surprised if Florida tumbled? Meyer knows this. He also knows the Vols' offensive game plan ... as one savvy blogger anticipated ... may have revealed a critical flaw. By going smashmouth, Tennessee was able to run the clock, keep Tebow off the field, and beat up on the Gator D. Strategically speaking, it's as simple as football gets. You don't need Charlie Strong to scheme it, it's about balls and want-to, and even factoring in the flu +/-, I thought the Vols showed more of both than the home team. All moral losses for Meyer.

Fortunately, the upside of a moral loss is that it's also called a win. To Florida's credit, they took Tennessee's best punch, emerged victorious, and remain favorites to win the championship. And I think it's fair to assume that they'll improve as players step up and figure out their roles, especially if that role doesn't include the flu. This is an Urban Meyer team. It's what happens.

That said, I think this remains a template on how to beat the Gators. Should they be playing a team with a good QB, a few big play weapons, and an athletic, disciplined defense, there could easily be a different outcome. Question is, how many teams on Florida's schedule at least kinda sorta match that description? I'd say in order of losability and given what we know after 3 games ... i.e. not much ... I'd rank the Top 5 as follows:

FSU in The Swamp (11/28)
This Saturday's game @Kentucky is an absolute, no questions asked TRAP GAME! We know how Florida looks when waylaid by the flu, but now they have to hit the road. UK is decent on D and Hartline is a good enough QB that if they caught a few breaks and kept it close into the 4th quarter, the home crowd alone might propel them to the upset.
@South Carolina (11/14). I don't think Garcia is as good as Cox, but I'll take Cocky's D over UGA's D. Plus, in Columbia doesn't hurt.
@LSU (10/10). Talent + Death Valley = always tough.
Cocktail Party (10/31). You can't sleep on a rival, but I just don't see it happening for Richt. Georgia's inexplicably turned into Kansas, which is not the ideal game plan to beat Florida. Meyer wants a track meet. What he doesn't want is a slugfest.

CHECK IT, YO

Visit GatorVision Online to see how Tennessee was able to have some success against the Florida defense. This is part of a new weekly video series ("Inside The Coaches' Tape") where former Gator receiver Travis McGriff breaks down game film. Pretty cool stuff. Get yer Tebow on.

Sergio Kindle: On Leverage

2009-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today's student: Texas Tech right tackle, Marlon Winn. For additional coverage of Mr. Kindle's lecture series, please visit Dr. Saturday.

Sergio Kindle Theme Song [mp3]

Crappy umpires upset at being called crappy umpires

2009-09-18T11:37:00.001-07:00

Red Sock, Nick Green, check-swinging on the strike that was inexplicably called a ball

According to an AP report, umpires working the series between the Red Sox and Angels complained Thursday that Los Angeles coaches were "unprofessional and unbecoming" after two close calls went against them at the end of Wednesday night’s loss.

"Their deportment as we left the field, going through the Angels dugout, left a lot to be desired," plate umpire and resident school marm, Rick Reed, told the Boston Herald. "We filed a report after the game and I would think there will be a coach or two over there that would be regretting his actions today."

Here's my problem with Reed's statement. YOU BLEW THE CALL!!! TWICE!!! Sure, it was a tough judgment call. But, your judgment was wrong, first base umpire, Jeff Kellogg, was wrong, and here's the photos to back it up. You don't get to complain about professionalism if you epic fail at your profession. Doesn't work that way. You want professionalism? Earn it. Make a tough, but CORRECT call at the end of a tight game with 37,000 homers yelling indecipherable chowd spew at you. Do that and we'll talk. Any jackass can blow a call and hide behind the "sanctity of the uniform." Umpiring is a hard job? Suck it up. Cops, teachers, and hookers also have tough jobs and they don't get to chat with Derek Jeter at home plate. If you aren't prepared to bring your A game to Fenway Park as a player, coach, fan, usher, journalist, groundskeeper, or umpire, get the F out.

You know why Green is grimacing in this picture? Because he knows he just ended the game with a weak-ass check swing that his coach in Little League counseled him against. If you're gonna swing, swing. Get your money's worth. A check-swing tells everyone you were fooled or you're indecisive, neither quality being desirable with 2 outs in the 9th, especially against a team you're likely to face in the playoffs. Oh wait, is that Rick Reed behind the plate? Nevermind. He'll reward bad baseball. Just sit tight.

"What was the count at the end, 3-4 to Green?"
--Mike Scioscia

That's what a perfect third/fourth strike looks like. Brian Fuentes with the hard sinking slider, just passing through the corner of the strike zone. Unhittable. Oh well.

I'm used to the Angels inventing creative ways of losing to the Red Sox, and believe me, the playoffs may introduce a whole new level of hell. I'd hardly be shocked with another stomach-churning existential crisis. But, on this night, the Angels had every right to be pissed off. They earned the victory in what was an outstanding game by both teams. Granted, it's just one regular season game that doesn't figure to affect the order of all things baseball. The Angels will still have to beat Boston in the playoffs, I get that. But, crappy umpiring ... all officiating, really ... deserves to be 'buked and scorned. You want praise? Get it right. Be a professional.

Hidden Plays: Oregon-Purdue

2009-09-17T08:07:00.001-07:00

Poor Purdue. They outplayed Oregon on both sides of the ball, yet flew home to West Lafayette with the L. Look at Oregon's drive chart and note their futility from midway through the 1st quarter through the end of the 3rd. That was largely Purdue's disciplined D keeping Jeremiah Masoli in check. Meanwhile, the Ducks were getting carved up on defense by efficient Boilermakers QB, Joey Elliott, and hotshot RB, Ralph Bolden, who is fast, strong, runs hard, breaks tackles, and is a decent receiver out of the backfield. A total stud. Add to all that the fact that Oregon looked sluggish, confused, and continually killed momentum with penalties (finishing with 9 for 66 yards). And yet, entering the 4th, the score was Oregon 31-Purdue 24. Why?

The Boilermakers gave the Ducks 17 points on 3 plays: A fumble-6, a pick-6, and a pick-3 (INT turned into a FG). They also gave away 1 point on a blocked PAT. You gotta give Oregon credit for being opportunistic, but those big plays disguised both Purdue's strong effort and a frustratingly uneven showing by Chip Kelly's squad. It's too early to give up on the Ducks, they have way too much talent for that, but they're a head case. They could blowout Utah on Saturday or get blown out, I have zero read on that game. As for Purdue, head coach Danny Hope can take comfort in being a legit Big 10 sleeper. There's a lot to like about his team. But, there's little comfort in knowing that in spite of (and due to) their own charity, they had their chance to possibly win this game ... at the very least, force overtime ... and they couldn't do it.

HIDDEN PLAY #1

Scoreboard frames the action, Purdue in a 3rd and fairly long situation. They're only down 1 and Oregon has only intermittently stopped them, so no need to do anything crazy.

Good call. Elliott rolls out of the pocket, where he's had some success, and looks downfield where he knows he has one-on-one coverage.

Elliott's pass is a little underthrown, but if WR, Keith Smith, can haul it in, he's got a pretty decent shot at taking it to the house.

Unfortunately, the opportunity is squandered ...

... when the pass clanks off of Smith's hands. Not an easy catch, but in the 4th quarter of a tough, but winnable road game, that's a play you gotta make. Now, even if Smith caught the pass, I don't think the TD is automatic. Oregon's 2 DBs probably had enough speed to make it close. Still, a reception here flips field position, puts Purdue in FG range, and gives the Boilermakers a good shot at taking the lead.

HIDDEN PLAY #2: DON'T LEAVE YOUR FEET!

Purdue had a shot to force OT on the 2-point conversion. Elliott again rolled to his right and spotted TE, Kyle Adams, running along the back line. The record books will show this as as pass failed, but in fact, the pass was perfect.

As you can see, the Oregon defenders are in "Oh shit!" position.

The ball is literally inches from Adams' waiting hands. Nothing could possibly go wrong ...

... except that Adams inexplicably JUMPS (???) for a ball that was face high. I don't get it. A panic jump? Who's ever heard of such a thing? But, that seems to be what happened. What do your coaches always tell you? "DON'T LEAVE YOUR FEET!!!" Adams left his feet.

By the time Adams came down, he was that far out of bounds. A true hidden play.

Lane Kiffin: On Motivation

2009-09-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

"I don't know that (using bulletin board material) really works. I think what works is when you recruit really good players and you coach really well, like they (Florida) have. And you have Tim Tebow and you throw the ball to Percy Harvin, and you hand it to (Jeffery) Demps and (Chris) Rainey ... that makes motivation work really well."

That's Hello Kiffin, hedging his bets at yesterday's presser, yet cutting to a fundamental truth of big time college football. Make no mistake, recruiting is the most important part of coaching, at least at the level to which Kiffin the Younger aspires. Sure, you want innovative X's and efficient O's, but having a Tebow or Demps makes the playbook look really smart in a way that Jonathan Crompton does not. In The Swamp, the Tennessee head coach figures to get a real-time education in how far he has to go on the recruiting trail.

The only question about Saturday isn't if Florida wins, it's if Urban Meyer goes for 100. It's not like they don't have the talent, but typically a sense of fair play abides. What's the motivation in putting triple digits up against Charleston Southern? There is none. But, Lane Kiffin's big mouth has provided a Chamberlain-esque opportunity. Come on. If nothing else, you know the sideline cutaways in the 2nd half would be priceless!

Fittingly, if Kiffin has one chip to play in this game it's his prize recruit, Bryce Brown. For the Vols to have any chance at a respectable outcome ... I didn't say win, just respectable ... they need to have Brown and Montario Hardesty carry the ball 30-40 times between them. Crompton only needs to mix in the very occasional play-action pass and maybe a couple screens. Kiffin's best defense against total annihilation is to run the clock, run the clock, run the clock. As long as Tebow is on the sideline and the clock is running, it's a win for Tennessee. Think playing to lose ~~35-3~~ 23-13 is pussy? OK, go ahead and have Crompton throw the ball all over the field. See where that gets ya.

Lane, repeat after me:

Why I Love College Football: The Week That Was

2009-09-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

How good was the last week of college football? I count 11 memorable games between Saturday, 9/5 and Saturday, 9/12. Let's review.

Saturday, 9/5: BYU 14-Oklahoma 13
Probably the least entertaining game on this list, especially in the 2nd half, but that last drive by Max Hall was epic and BYU's D was nasty all game. It wasn't like Sam Bradford ... who must've been missing Jermaine Gresham big time ... was carving up the Cougars when he got hurt. Here's the Sooners' 8 first half drives: 3-and-out (with 3 false start penalties); 3-and-out, but BYU fumbles the punt, Sooners recover, and go bang-bang-bang for the TD; 2-and-fumble (after a momentum-changing INT); 3-and-out; 3-and-out; 2-and-fumble, decent drive ending with Bradford's injury and a FG.

Saturday, 9/5: Bama 34-Virginia Tech 24
Flawed game, but several big plays, and watching Bama's offense come to life in the 4th quarter was a thing of beauty. Early season outlook: You better to get to Bama early ... ideally with a few big plays like VA Tech ... because Nick Saban will make adjustments and the Tide D is two-deep across the board.

Monday, 9/7: Miami 38-FSU 34
Instant classic, despite the FSU sideline displaying third world clock management skills. Jacory Harris showed star potential for the Canes, as did Christian Ponder, to a slightly lesser extent, for the 'Noles. I do believe Miami's matchup with OU on October 3 ... in Miami, mind you ... looks verrrry winnable.

Thursday, 9/10: Georgia Tech 30-Clemson 27
I like Paul Johnson's coming-from-ahead strategy. Totally went against tendencies. Crafty.

Saturday, 9/12: Michigan 38-Notre Dame 34
"My God, he's just a freshman!" It's fair to say that Tate Forcier's met expectations thus far. But about that D. How much was Jimmy Clausen and the Irish and how much was Michigan? In fact, I think you could reasonably pose a version of that same question to Notre Dame.

Saturday, 9/12: Georgia 41-South Carolina 37
I went to the Dawg-Cock game and a Big 12 game broke out. I'm not complaining, but huh???

Saturday, 9/12: Wisconsin 34-Fresno State 31

I rooted for you Fresno State, I really did. Pat Hill, I love the handlebar 'stache and the go-for-broke, Swayzian joie-de-vivre. I get it. But when you say you'll play anyway, anyhow, anywhere you choose, it rings a little hollow when you always lose.

Saturday, 9/12: Houston 45-Oklahoma State 35
I went to the Oklahoma State game and an Oklahoma State game broke out. Exceeding expectations? Check. SI cover? Check. Too much success for own damn good. No comment. Regression to mean in 3...2...1...

Saturday, 9/12: Central Michigan 29-Michigan State 27
Sparty, you and Oklahoma State need to talk.

Saturday, 9/12: USC 18-Ohio State 15
See Hidden Plays: USC vs. Ohio State.

Saturday, 9/12: Oregon 38-Purdue 36
Ducks bounce back with a strong, entertaining game that 6 people watched. I don't care what anyone says, I love the feathers on the unis.

Lessons in the Obvious

2009-09-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

"You heard the special teams guys talking a little bit about, 'You know what, if we'd have just blocked that punt, we could've made the difference.'"

Tresselbot at today's press conference. Interestingly, it was one of the first things he mentioned. He talked about the punter's hang time, how it feels to be trapped in a man's body (9-second sound clip), and then this. Not an accident.

Word of the Day: Schadenfreude

2009-09-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

Lisa: Dad, do you know what schadenfreude is?
Homer: No, I do not know what shaden-frawde is. [sarcasm] Please tell me, because I'm dying to know!
Lisa: It's a German term for "shameful joy," taking pleasure in the suffering of others.
Homer: Oh, come on Lisa. I'm just glad to see him fall flat on his butt! [getting mad] He's usually all happy and comfortable, and surrounded by loved ones, and it makes me feel ... what's the opposite of that shameful joy thing of yours?
Lisa: [nastily] Sour grapes.
Homer: Boy, those Germans have a word for everything!

Hidden Plays: USC vs. Ohio State

2009-09-14T01:07:00.000-07:00

That's how close the Buckeyes came to putting away USC. Seriously, how does Grant Schwartz NOT block this punt? With 10:26 remaining in the game and the Buckeyes clinging to 5-point lead, a blocked punt/TD sequence would've turned a taut, one-possession game into an insurmountable 22-10 lead for the OSU. Brutus would've gone Kool-Aid Man through the south stands, Schwartz could've commanded Columbus poon for decades, and even Tresselbot may have briefly considered something as outlandish as a fist pump, before realizing he'd probably incur a 15-yard penalty for taunting, and by gosh, what kind of message would that be sending? Let's take a closer look at a couple of hidden plays from Saturday's game.

HIDDEN PLAY #1

With the scoreboard framing the action, we see Schwartz descending upon USC punter, Billy O'Malley. Remember, it was almost exactly a quarter earlier ... at 9:03 of the 3rd ... when O'Malley let the snap slip through his fingers and he was forced to take a safety. The snap was high, but the punter has to make that play, especially on the road in what was until that moment a 10-10 ball game. That said, this play wasn't really the punter's fault, what with Schwartz's unimpeded progress.

If you're a USC fan in a real time, this sight can't fill you with much hope. Anytime the defender is barely visible because he's directly in front of the punter, Beamer Ball is sure to follow ... right?

Uhhh, no. That blurry object between O'Malley's helmet and the far goalpost? Yeah, that would be the ball not being blocked. OK, maybe the punter made an excellent adjustment during the kick. Shouldn't have mattered. Look at the first picture again. This isn't a guy stretching out to hopefully get his fingertips on the ball. Schwartz had time to lean over and untie O'Malley's shoes, let alone block the kick, and he somehow came up with the goose egg.

If you're Ohio State, you GOTTA make the play. USC's four 2nd half drives consisted of two 3-and-outs (including this one), a 4-and-out, and a stalled drive that ended in a punt. The Trojans offense was going nowhere, Barkley was getting dinged up, the crowd was going berzerk, and there was an opportunity to put the game away. Programs often point to signature wins. This was a signature loss. If you want a textbook lesson in playing not to lose instead of playing to win, Tresselbot and Ohio State conducted a graduate course (click link to read Chris Brown of Smart Football eviscerate the Sweater Vest).

HIDDEN PLAY #2

The scoreboard again frames the action for this hidden play. It's midway through the 3rd quarter, Buckeyes are up 2 and driving. Terrelle Pryor is flushed out of the pocket to his left, whereupon he and Brandon Saine (at the 20) ad-lib with the go pattern to the end zone.

Same play, end zone angle, here we can see Saine taking off. Curiously, we also see USC cornerback, Marshall Jones, watching Pryor throw a pass, and yet coming up to defend the run. That's what we like to call a breakdown in coverage.

Please note the complete lack of Trojans between Saine and the end zone. This had to be a pretty helpless feeling for Jones.

Here's the sideline view from a few seconds later, which clearly shows how wide open Saine was. I also like this angle because you can see the USC DB in the end zone in no position to help. Really, all Saine needed was a decently thrown ball and he could've walked into the end zone.

Unfortunately for Buckeye Nation, the momentum of Pryor's pass carried Saine out of bounds, and a few minutes later they'd settle for a 22-yard FG. Ohio State essentially left four points on the field, a not insignificant amount. A TD (and successful PAT) would've given Ohio State a 19-10 lead at a time when USC was having problems moving the ball. See above. A nine-point lead would not have been insurmountable, but it would've been commanding.

Granted, this was not a gimme pass. Throwing across your body, especially while members of the USC defense are chasing you, is exceedingly difficult. BUT, when you're the consensus #1 dual-threat QB in your recruiting class, these are the plays you gotta make. Potential is great, but I wanna see the 5-star talent make a 5-star play against a marquee program. No question, the rest of this season is gonna be a psychological challenge for Terrelle Pryor. How does he not lose confidence after Saturday? But, looked at another way, how confident should he be, given that he plays for the Tresselbot?