Has Arizona State finally figured it out with it's coaching? I believe that they have with Todd Graham and what he has brought to the table. In all honesty, I was a doubter of Coach Graham when ASU hired him because of how he left Pittsburgh and Tulsa before that. Texting his Pitt players that he was leaving still doesn't sit well with me. However, that is all in the past and Sun Devil fans haven't been happier!
By extending Grahams contract that ensures that he will be the Sun Devil coach through the 2019 season and raises his contract by $300,000 to a level of $2.7 million. His contract has to be approved by the ASU Board of Regents, but that is merely a formality at this point.
I, for one, applaud the university for doing what is necessary to keep a quality head coach for their football program. Since living down here in the desert it appeared that ASU couldn't make the right choice in coaches. Dirk Koetter and Dennis Erickson never endeared themselves to the public. Koetter was abrasive with the media and alumni and Erickson let the players run the asylum and there was no discipline in the program. Heck, Koetter, even had a player kill somebody under his watch.
Enter, Graham, a guy who had, and maybe still has a reputation of continually looking for his next big job. He has embraced all the tradition that ASU has with its past. Takes the players up to Camp T for summer camp, holds his players accountable with his tough nosed discipline, makes sure his players go to class, and has brought respectability back to the program in the publics eyes. Let's face it, when the alumni are happy, the coach is happy. He gets involved with the community, takes part in Pat's Run that benefits the Pat Tillman Foundation, and basically puts a positive face on the Sun Devil program. He is an inspiring speaker, heck, he gets me fired up and wants to put the pads on when he talks to high school players or his own players about how he expects his teams to play. His teams play with urgency and passion. Seeing his players fly around and play with this passion is how Sun Devil fans want their team to play.
Here's to hoping that Graham continues this style of coaching and winning. Just saying....
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
High Expectations for the Sun Devils
In the Valley of the Sun, the expectations are as high as the sun for the Arizona State Sun Devils. They have a quarterback who is a dual threat and that will make defensive coordinators have some long hours at the house and plenty of sleepless nights.
It's about time the expectations were high down here in the desert because this program has been mired on a path of mediocrity for the last 10 years or so. They have had a lot of talk in Tempe about doing this or that, but nothing consistent at all. It's been all talk, no action. Now, it's going to change. At least that is what the prevailing thought is. The Devils finally have a coach that has a discipline plan that has been effective the past couple of years. Anything would be effective after the Devils thought that Dennis Erickson would be a good coach here. He was not, unless you think bringing in sketchy players with sketchy pasts into the program was a great idea. Erickson was the king of letting the inmates run the asylum. With Todd Graham continuing to make discipline the basis for Sun Devil success, the Devils should be contending in the Pac-12 south division.
Taylor Kelly will have plenty of receivers and running backs to throw the ball to. The one player that deserves some high recognition is a player I watched a few times in high school. D.J. Foster is his name. Coach Graham knows that if he gets Foster in space and lets his speed work its magic, Foster will be a first team all Pac-12 with ease. This kids speed is incredible, and like every coach says, "speed kills." It's one of those things you can not coach and Foster has it in spades.
If Graham can solve some of the holes that his defense has because graduation and the pros then the sky is the limit in Tempe. The defense will be the question for the team. No other Pac-12 team has more positions to fill on one side of the ball than the Sun Devils do. I have confidence in Graham that he can get it done.
Sun Devil fans should be confident in what Graham is doing and what he has done since he arrived in the desert. Hopefully, that means bigger crowds at Sun Devil Stadium to make life more unpleasant for visiting teams. Just saying...
It's about time the expectations were high down here in the desert because this program has been mired on a path of mediocrity for the last 10 years or so. They have had a lot of talk in Tempe about doing this or that, but nothing consistent at all. It's been all talk, no action. Now, it's going to change. At least that is what the prevailing thought is. The Devils finally have a coach that has a discipline plan that has been effective the past couple of years. Anything would be effective after the Devils thought that Dennis Erickson would be a good coach here. He was not, unless you think bringing in sketchy players with sketchy pasts into the program was a great idea. Erickson was the king of letting the inmates run the asylum. With Todd Graham continuing to make discipline the basis for Sun Devil success, the Devils should be contending in the Pac-12 south division.
Taylor Kelly will have plenty of receivers and running backs to throw the ball to. The one player that deserves some high recognition is a player I watched a few times in high school. D.J. Foster is his name. Coach Graham knows that if he gets Foster in space and lets his speed work its magic, Foster will be a first team all Pac-12 with ease. This kids speed is incredible, and like every coach says, "speed kills." It's one of those things you can not coach and Foster has it in spades.
If Graham can solve some of the holes that his defense has because graduation and the pros then the sky is the limit in Tempe. The defense will be the question for the team. No other Pac-12 team has more positions to fill on one side of the ball than the Sun Devils do. I have confidence in Graham that he can get it done.
Sun Devil fans should be confident in what Graham is doing and what he has done since he arrived in the desert. Hopefully, that means bigger crowds at Sun Devil Stadium to make life more unpleasant for visiting teams. Just saying...
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Expand the playoffs
Now that the BCS is dead and gone we can debate whether or not the playoff system is big enough. By big enough I simply mean: Is the format big enough? Four teams? Really? Now I'm not advocating we go to a format of 64 like the NCAA basketball tournament, but a more modest format of eight or even twelve teams.
Now I know some people will say that expanding it will take away from the education of the athletes. I highly doubt that because these college football players are already being asked to do quite a bit for their university. These student/athletes are not in school on Friday when they travel and don't get back in town after an away game until very early the next morning if they played a night game or late that evening if the game was during the day. The following day they will typically have film sessions or meetings. Expanding the playoff is not going to take away anymore than the usual time away from their studies. This larger playoff format adds MAYBE two or 3 weeks to the season if the NCAA decides to go past the typical first week of January with these games. I say instead of going past the first week of January, use those weeks before Christmas to play these games and have it culminate in the first week or two of January.
Somehow the NCAA should find a way to use the bowls as different rounds of the playoffs. I don't think it would be that difficult. Use the four big bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Orange, and Sugar) as the early rounds of the playoff. Then from their choose two of the sites for the following week, then once those games are done choose one of the four sites to host the National Championship game. Rotate the site of the National Championship like they did for the BCS. That way everybody gets a fair shot at the money, and lets face it, that is what all this is about. Right?
If the NCAA figured out a way to run a playoff system at the lower levels, then quite simply they can figure out an equitable way of running a playoff system at the division one level. The NCAA makes money, hand over fist with the basketball tournament. Just think how much money they would make off a playoff system with this countries favorite sport! Then they could trickle that money down to the athletes... oops, different topic, for a different day. Expand the playoffs... just saying.
Now I know some people will say that expanding it will take away from the education of the athletes. I highly doubt that because these college football players are already being asked to do quite a bit for their university. These student/athletes are not in school on Friday when they travel and don't get back in town after an away game until very early the next morning if they played a night game or late that evening if the game was during the day. The following day they will typically have film sessions or meetings. Expanding the playoff is not going to take away anymore than the usual time away from their studies. This larger playoff format adds MAYBE two or 3 weeks to the season if the NCAA decides to go past the typical first week of January with these games. I say instead of going past the first week of January, use those weeks before Christmas to play these games and have it culminate in the first week or two of January.
Somehow the NCAA should find a way to use the bowls as different rounds of the playoffs. I don't think it would be that difficult. Use the four big bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Orange, and Sugar) as the early rounds of the playoff. Then from their choose two of the sites for the following week, then once those games are done choose one of the four sites to host the National Championship game. Rotate the site of the National Championship like they did for the BCS. That way everybody gets a fair shot at the money, and lets face it, that is what all this is about. Right?
If the NCAA figured out a way to run a playoff system at the lower levels, then quite simply they can figure out an equitable way of running a playoff system at the division one level. The NCAA makes money, hand over fist with the basketball tournament. Just think how much money they would make off a playoff system with this countries favorite sport! Then they could trickle that money down to the athletes... oops, different topic, for a different day. Expand the playoffs... just saying.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Beaver Believing
Lets talk about the other school in the state of Oregon. Yep, those Oregon State Beavers. The Beavers are coming off a tough year in 2013. It was an up and down year for the Beavs. They started off on a pretty rough note, losing to Eastern Washington at HOME. Ugh. That was certainly not a way to get the legions of faithful Beaver fans excited about last year. However they won their next five, albeit, against some suspect competition. They righted the ship, and then... it went down hill fast. They ran up against quality competition such as Oregon, Stanford, Washington. They won their bowl game in Hawaii against those pesky Broncos from Boise State. Now 2014 is approaching and I think we are headed for a slightly better year from the Beavers.
The positives the Beavers have is that they will have good skill players at those positions despite the loss of Brandin Cooks on offense and Scott Crichton on defense. Sean Mannion is returning for his senior season and that was a relief for most Beaver fans because he had a breakout campaign last year. Over 30 touchdowns and over 3,000 yards passing will make believers out of anybody. He showed more poise in the pocket, stronger arm strength, and just more confidence in what he was doing. His downside, he is not mobile. When the pocket collapses, so does he. He is Dan Marino quick which tells you everything about his mobility.
Most of the defense comes back and that will help points stay off the board. Last year was tough to watch due to the fact that experience with the defense was a non factor. This year it'll be a much improved defense. The defensive line will be strong and give people fits to game plan for, as well as a strong linebacker core. These guys will be responsible for giving the offense more opportunities to put more points on the board.
The area in which I have a little trepidation is the offensive line. They lost some talent there, but they will be anchored by their starting center, Isaac Seumalo. Seumalo has been starting since he was a true freshman. The whole left side of the offensive line is gone and being replaced. They will also be replacing the right guard position as well. Beaver fans, that means, Sean Mannions blind side is new and half the right side is new. That's a big deal to me and it should be to you. If these guys on the line can not gel together, then Mannion will be on his back many times and that'll lead to a frustrating season. I'm hoping that coach Mike Riley will get this line issue resolved.
Let's go through their schedule: Portland State: win. Hawaii: win. San Diego State: win. They get out of the gate 3-0. Next up USC: loss Colorado: win (easily) Utah: win. Now comes Stanford: loss, a big loss. California: win. Washington State: win. Arizona State: loss, close loss, but the Devils will be competing again for the Pac-12 south title and will be inspired. Here come the Huskies: win, the Beavs pull out a close win. Finally, the Ducks: loss. Even though the game was close last year, I see the Ducks winning by a couple of touchdowns. So, in the end the Beavers end up with an 8-4 record and another mid-level type of bowl.
Beaver fans want better, but considering the division they are in and the fact they play in the Pac-12, a conference in which everybody beats up on everybody else in the conference I think this is how it'll play out for the Beavers. I want them to finish with a better record, but I need to be realistic about the program and the talent they have. Just saying...
The positives the Beavers have is that they will have good skill players at those positions despite the loss of Brandin Cooks on offense and Scott Crichton on defense. Sean Mannion is returning for his senior season and that was a relief for most Beaver fans because he had a breakout campaign last year. Over 30 touchdowns and over 3,000 yards passing will make believers out of anybody. He showed more poise in the pocket, stronger arm strength, and just more confidence in what he was doing. His downside, he is not mobile. When the pocket collapses, so does he. He is Dan Marino quick which tells you everything about his mobility.
Most of the defense comes back and that will help points stay off the board. Last year was tough to watch due to the fact that experience with the defense was a non factor. This year it'll be a much improved defense. The defensive line will be strong and give people fits to game plan for, as well as a strong linebacker core. These guys will be responsible for giving the offense more opportunities to put more points on the board.
The area in which I have a little trepidation is the offensive line. They lost some talent there, but they will be anchored by their starting center, Isaac Seumalo. Seumalo has been starting since he was a true freshman. The whole left side of the offensive line is gone and being replaced. They will also be replacing the right guard position as well. Beaver fans, that means, Sean Mannions blind side is new and half the right side is new. That's a big deal to me and it should be to you. If these guys on the line can not gel together, then Mannion will be on his back many times and that'll lead to a frustrating season. I'm hoping that coach Mike Riley will get this line issue resolved.
Let's go through their schedule: Portland State: win. Hawaii: win. San Diego State: win. They get out of the gate 3-0. Next up USC: loss Colorado: win (easily) Utah: win. Now comes Stanford: loss, a big loss. California: win. Washington State: win. Arizona State: loss, close loss, but the Devils will be competing again for the Pac-12 south title and will be inspired. Here come the Huskies: win, the Beavs pull out a close win. Finally, the Ducks: loss. Even though the game was close last year, I see the Ducks winning by a couple of touchdowns. So, in the end the Beavers end up with an 8-4 record and another mid-level type of bowl.
Beaver fans want better, but considering the division they are in and the fact they play in the Pac-12, a conference in which everybody beats up on everybody else in the conference I think this is how it'll play out for the Beavers. I want them to finish with a better record, but I need to be realistic about the program and the talent they have. Just saying...
Greatest of All Time Talk
As someone who appreciates athletes in all eras I get really tired of listening to people debate who is the greatest of all time in any sport. It's a ridiculous argument to me simply because you are typically comparing different athletes in different eras.
I see people debate this in all sports. In football it's really a pointless debate. The rules for the offense and defense were different. The schemes in which teams, both pro and college ran were/are totally different. Let's take a look at football. Back in the day, say the 40's, 50's, and 60's, offenses were running offenses. Wing-T, wishbone, two back sets were all the rage back then. Throwing the forward pass was an after thought. To coaches, throwing the ball was to big of a chance to take. So when people talk about the greatest quarterback of all time and they are comparing John Elway or Dan Marino to Fran Tarketon or Johnny Unitas or even Y.A. Tittle it's a fruitless debate. Unitas, Tittle, and Tarkenton played in era when running the ball was the norm, not throwing.
Even today when you compare Dan Marino (my favorite) and John Elway to Peyton Manning or Drew Brees that's a lame debate as well. Here's why. Defenses in the 80's and 90's, especially defensive backs were pretty much allowed to assault receivers, hold, grab, or whatever they needed to do to not allow the pass to be completed. These days, if the cornerback barely touches the receiver they are called for a flag, so this has allowed quarterbacks to throw for 4,000 yards or better on a regular basis. Fans like to see offense, so the change in rules has allowed current quarterbacks to look like they are so much better than their counterparts from earlier eras.
People also like to make the argument that the greatest of all time is the one with the most championship rings. Nah, so somebody is going to look me or you in the eye and tell us that John Elway is somehow a weaker quarterback than say Terry Bradshaw or Tom Brady because Elway has does not have as many rings is also flawed. Look at the talent Bradshaw or Brady had and compare it to Elway and the deck he was dealt. Same could be said for Marino, no rings, he had one shot and went up against a 49er team that was stacked. I don't think I need to remind people who was on that team in San Francisco. If people want to use the "ring" argument in sports, then guess what, Bill Russell is the greatest player of all time in any sport. Eleven rings. Period. End of the argument.
Why can't people just appreciate the greatness that they have seen or will see in the future in any sport they watch? Because people want to believe they lived during the greatest era and any other era is not as worthy, that's why. Personal bias gets in the way when making debating this. Just saying....
I see people debate this in all sports. In football it's really a pointless debate. The rules for the offense and defense were different. The schemes in which teams, both pro and college ran were/are totally different. Let's take a look at football. Back in the day, say the 40's, 50's, and 60's, offenses were running offenses. Wing-T, wishbone, two back sets were all the rage back then. Throwing the forward pass was an after thought. To coaches, throwing the ball was to big of a chance to take. So when people talk about the greatest quarterback of all time and they are comparing John Elway or Dan Marino to Fran Tarketon or Johnny Unitas or even Y.A. Tittle it's a fruitless debate. Unitas, Tittle, and Tarkenton played in era when running the ball was the norm, not throwing.
Even today when you compare Dan Marino (my favorite) and John Elway to Peyton Manning or Drew Brees that's a lame debate as well. Here's why. Defenses in the 80's and 90's, especially defensive backs were pretty much allowed to assault receivers, hold, grab, or whatever they needed to do to not allow the pass to be completed. These days, if the cornerback barely touches the receiver they are called for a flag, so this has allowed quarterbacks to throw for 4,000 yards or better on a regular basis. Fans like to see offense, so the change in rules has allowed current quarterbacks to look like they are so much better than their counterparts from earlier eras.
People also like to make the argument that the greatest of all time is the one with the most championship rings. Nah, so somebody is going to look me or you in the eye and tell us that John Elway is somehow a weaker quarterback than say Terry Bradshaw or Tom Brady because Elway has does not have as many rings is also flawed. Look at the talent Bradshaw or Brady had and compare it to Elway and the deck he was dealt. Same could be said for Marino, no rings, he had one shot and went up against a 49er team that was stacked. I don't think I need to remind people who was on that team in San Francisco. If people want to use the "ring" argument in sports, then guess what, Bill Russell is the greatest player of all time in any sport. Eleven rings. Period. End of the argument.
Why can't people just appreciate the greatness that they have seen or will see in the future in any sport they watch? Because people want to believe they lived during the greatest era and any other era is not as worthy, that's why. Personal bias gets in the way when making debating this. Just saying....
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Fans or Fanatics?
When I watch college football I enjoy seeing the excitement of the game. What I dont like seeing are the douchebags that take away from the excitement of the game. You know who I am talking about. Its the guy that is drinking all game, yelling about how the coach stinks or how the players are not giving their all.
I absolutely hate this type of guy or fanatic! I know that fan is short for fanatic, but to me there is a difference between the two words and types of people. To me a fan can see the big picture with their team, accept the good, accept the bad, and be respectful in their cheering for their team. Fans try to understand the game, understand the games nuances, and back their team in a vibrant way. Student sections at many college football games do not understand this. I have been called about every name in the book as I was getting to my seat and I will not even mention the names my kids or wife have been called. The Sun Devil student section is the worst to me. Just brutal language comes out of there as well tortillas. Every call made against ASU gets horrific language and the typical "the refs hate us" comments. Now I know this happens everywhere, but I have sat in most of the Pac-12 stadiums and ASU has fanatics, not fans.
A stadium that has fans is UCLA. I have sat and watched games at the Rose Bowl and every time its been a great experience. The fans are respectful, cheer and boo without going over the edge. I have had conversations about the game with fans in Pasadena and they are very knowledgeable about the game of college football. They well read in reality with their team. Even when that means there team is good or bad or somewhere in between.
If more fanatics were fans instead of over the edge, drunk, and out of touch with how good or bad their team really is then the experience at college football games would be better for fans and their families. I hope fans take their game back and drive the fanatics out of the game. Just saying....
I absolutely hate this type of guy or fanatic! I know that fan is short for fanatic, but to me there is a difference between the two words and types of people. To me a fan can see the big picture with their team, accept the good, accept the bad, and be respectful in their cheering for their team. Fans try to understand the game, understand the games nuances, and back their team in a vibrant way. Student sections at many college football games do not understand this. I have been called about every name in the book as I was getting to my seat and I will not even mention the names my kids or wife have been called. The Sun Devil student section is the worst to me. Just brutal language comes out of there as well tortillas. Every call made against ASU gets horrific language and the typical "the refs hate us" comments. Now I know this happens everywhere, but I have sat in most of the Pac-12 stadiums and ASU has fanatics, not fans.
A stadium that has fans is UCLA. I have sat and watched games at the Rose Bowl and every time its been a great experience. The fans are respectful, cheer and boo without going over the edge. I have had conversations about the game with fans in Pasadena and they are very knowledgeable about the game of college football. They well read in reality with their team. Even when that means there team is good or bad or somewhere in between.
If more fanatics were fans instead of over the edge, drunk, and out of touch with how good or bad their team really is then the experience at college football games would be better for fans and their families. I hope fans take their game back and drive the fanatics out of the game. Just saying....
Friday, May 23, 2014
Can Chris Peterson coach in the Pac-12?
This is the question that many Husky fans will have this season. I remain skeptical of him coaching at the Pac-12 level. Husky fans were happy with the hire, but to many their happiness was a bit tempered because going from Boise State to a major college football conference is definitely a challenge for any coach.
Boise State pretty much ran the table in their conference for many years under Peterson and always squawked about not getting the respect they deserved. They won that's for sure, but to me, they never played anybody. Sure Nevada had a couple of decent teams and beat Boise State a couple of times, but that was really the only competition they had. Seeing Peterson coach against inferior competition gave me a false sense of what he could actually do against quality competition every week. People will say when he had quality opponents like Oklahoma, TCU, or Oregon he won. I say any coach can get wins over teams when he has a month to prepare. The Oklahoma win was the most memorable due to the hook and ladder play, followed by the statue of liberty play. Still, they never played anybody during the regular season. They went to play Georgia a couple years later and they lost during an early season game. After that loss to the Bulldogs my skepticism about him coaching at the next level rose.
Other Boise State coaches who went to the next level didn't fair so well either. Dan Hawkins went from Boise State to Colorado and was gone a few years later. Dirk Koetter came down here to Arizona State and was gone a few years later. Could it be that Boise State and it's competition schedule create a false sense of security for coaches coming out of there? I think so.
Peterson is going to have prove he can recruit quality up to UDub. Big time college football is all about recruiting. Washington is a phenomenal school and Husky Stadium is one of kind in terms of the crowd and the scene right off of Lake Washington. If Peterson can not sell that atmosphere up there, he will be a failure, and I for one rather doubt he can do that. The proof will be in the wins he brings to Washington and that WILL not be easy considering they are in the Pac-12 North division. A division which has Oregon, Stanford, and Oregon State in it. The other thing that will work against Peterson is that Husky fans are not the most patient fans around. They demand quality and wins and will move onto the next coach if Peterson does not produce.
I could be totally wrong, but with the track record of past Boise State coaches at the next level I don't think I will be incorrect. It will be interesting to watch this fall...
Boise State pretty much ran the table in their conference for many years under Peterson and always squawked about not getting the respect they deserved. They won that's for sure, but to me, they never played anybody. Sure Nevada had a couple of decent teams and beat Boise State a couple of times, but that was really the only competition they had. Seeing Peterson coach against inferior competition gave me a false sense of what he could actually do against quality competition every week. People will say when he had quality opponents like Oklahoma, TCU, or Oregon he won. I say any coach can get wins over teams when he has a month to prepare. The Oklahoma win was the most memorable due to the hook and ladder play, followed by the statue of liberty play. Still, they never played anybody during the regular season. They went to play Georgia a couple years later and they lost during an early season game. After that loss to the Bulldogs my skepticism about him coaching at the next level rose.
Other Boise State coaches who went to the next level didn't fair so well either. Dan Hawkins went from Boise State to Colorado and was gone a few years later. Dirk Koetter came down here to Arizona State and was gone a few years later. Could it be that Boise State and it's competition schedule create a false sense of security for coaches coming out of there? I think so.
Peterson is going to have prove he can recruit quality up to UDub. Big time college football is all about recruiting. Washington is a phenomenal school and Husky Stadium is one of kind in terms of the crowd and the scene right off of Lake Washington. If Peterson can not sell that atmosphere up there, he will be a failure, and I for one rather doubt he can do that. The proof will be in the wins he brings to Washington and that WILL not be easy considering they are in the Pac-12 North division. A division which has Oregon, Stanford, and Oregon State in it. The other thing that will work against Peterson is that Husky fans are not the most patient fans around. They demand quality and wins and will move onto the next coach if Peterson does not produce.
I could be totally wrong, but with the track record of past Boise State coaches at the next level I don't think I will be incorrect. It will be interesting to watch this fall...
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Can the Ducks win the Pac-12 and beyond?
Is this the year of the Duck? Fortune cookies aside, I say yes. Absolutely yes. While that may upset my Beaver believers, we need to look at things in reality. The Ducks are a becoming a national brand and that is helping them win in the recruiting wars. Now onto the presented question.
Anytime the Ducks take a snap and Marcus Mariotta is under center you have a chance to do some pretty awesome things! Mariotta will be under the Heisman watch all year and he deserves that type of praise. He can throw, run, and basically make any defensive coordinator lose sleep the week the Ducks are on the schedule. I admit, when I watch him play my Beavers, he is the one guy that makes me nervous everytime the ball is snapped. A quarterback on the run, is a very dangerous quarterback. When he's called to hand the ball off, he can hand it off to a stable of very talented running backs who can be gone in a flash. During their spring game the running backs actually looked better than the receivers. That's the area on the offense that they are a little green (excuse the pun), their receiving core. They lost a lot of talent from last year with their receivers, so you will probably see a lot of short passes to get the receivers in space and let them make plays that way. It's hard to replace Josh Huff and Daryle Hawkins. Then they lose a stud receiver in Bralon Addison during spring practice. I still feel the Ducks will be just fine despite their young receiving core. Mariotta won't accept anything, but their best effort on every play.
Defensively, the Ducks will be good. The defensive line will be stout and quick as usual. The Ducks front seven will give many offenses major fits because of their quickness and aggressive type of play. Defensive lineman Deforest Buckner was a star during the spring game as was the linebacker Rodney Hardrick. These two will create the push and havoc that those rabid Duck fans expect to see on a consistent basis. If the Ducks want to win the hearts and minds of the playoff panel, it's going to start with Buckner and Hardrick and the rest of the front seven.
In the end, the Ducks can win it all. They will be beat Stanford this year. Mark it down. Like any team, they have some weak spots, but when you have Marcus Mariotta leading the way and a good defense that will take you to a place where the Ducks have yet to be... Holding the championship trophy.
Anytime the Ducks take a snap and Marcus Mariotta is under center you have a chance to do some pretty awesome things! Mariotta will be under the Heisman watch all year and he deserves that type of praise. He can throw, run, and basically make any defensive coordinator lose sleep the week the Ducks are on the schedule. I admit, when I watch him play my Beavers, he is the one guy that makes me nervous everytime the ball is snapped. A quarterback on the run, is a very dangerous quarterback. When he's called to hand the ball off, he can hand it off to a stable of very talented running backs who can be gone in a flash. During their spring game the running backs actually looked better than the receivers. That's the area on the offense that they are a little green (excuse the pun), their receiving core. They lost a lot of talent from last year with their receivers, so you will probably see a lot of short passes to get the receivers in space and let them make plays that way. It's hard to replace Josh Huff and Daryle Hawkins. Then they lose a stud receiver in Bralon Addison during spring practice. I still feel the Ducks will be just fine despite their young receiving core. Mariotta won't accept anything, but their best effort on every play.
Defensively, the Ducks will be good. The defensive line will be stout and quick as usual. The Ducks front seven will give many offenses major fits because of their quickness and aggressive type of play. Defensive lineman Deforest Buckner was a star during the spring game as was the linebacker Rodney Hardrick. These two will create the push and havoc that those rabid Duck fans expect to see on a consistent basis. If the Ducks want to win the hearts and minds of the playoff panel, it's going to start with Buckner and Hardrick and the rest of the front seven.
In the end, the Ducks can win it all. They will be beat Stanford this year. Mark it down. Like any team, they have some weak spots, but when you have Marcus Mariotta leading the way and a good defense that will take you to a place where the Ducks have yet to be... Holding the championship trophy.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
One and done for college football players?
From time to time I hear this topic being brought up in the national media or local media. I shake my head every single time its brought up. Should the NCAA allow players to leave after a year to jump to the NFL? Hell no.
This is not the NBA by any stretch of the imagination. Football is a sport of strength, skill, speed, and unbridled aggression. Players are not typically ready for this kind of competition. College football players get hampered by the 20 hour a week practice rule, only 15 days of spring ball, and that doesn't allow the experience factor to begin for the players. "I think the talent, size, and speed is as good as it's ever been, but I think the actual technique and the understanding of the game is not nearly the level it was." says Phil Savage, who is the director of the Senior Bowl. Players can be successful with natural ability, but in the end if they don't have the experience in terms of handling tight games, situations then the players value to the team goes down dramatically. Also, football requires having good technique. Technique needs to followed with blocking schemes, tackling, and footwork for the running backs, quarterbacks, and linemen. Without good technique, players can't perform very well at all at the highest level.
All a person needs to do with college football is watch and people can figure out why leaving after a year would not be a wise decision for a young football player. These players can not be allowed to leave because I believe you would see a rise in all types of injuries, especially concussions. A player that leaves after a year is essentially a high school player in terms of experience, strength, and technique. Can you imagine Troy Polamalu driving a one and done player into the turf? I would not want to see that. Could be career ending for that one player. Watching college football can be frustrating because nobody can really tackle anymore. Being a coach of high school players today I see the lack of technique these kids have or have been taught at the lower levels. All the kids want to do is go for the big hit or shoulder hit the offensive player down. They want to end up on ESPN, technique be damned. Without wanting to practice correct technique with anything will not help the kids reach the full potential.
Other people like to say that once a kid reaches 18 that we can not hold them back from wanting to full fill their dreams. Yes, we can. Sometimes people have to be protected from themselves. Sometimes people have to wait to do certain things, we do it with driving a car, the ability buy alcohol, etc. People are not ready to drive at 12 years old or able to handle alcohol at 14. Football players are not physically or mentally ready to take on professional athletes who are more mature physically and mentally.
This one and done option should not be allowed to happen for college football players. Period. End of story.
This is not the NBA by any stretch of the imagination. Football is a sport of strength, skill, speed, and unbridled aggression. Players are not typically ready for this kind of competition. College football players get hampered by the 20 hour a week practice rule, only 15 days of spring ball, and that doesn't allow the experience factor to begin for the players. "I think the talent, size, and speed is as good as it's ever been, but I think the actual technique and the understanding of the game is not nearly the level it was." says Phil Savage, who is the director of the Senior Bowl. Players can be successful with natural ability, but in the end if they don't have the experience in terms of handling tight games, situations then the players value to the team goes down dramatically. Also, football requires having good technique. Technique needs to followed with blocking schemes, tackling, and footwork for the running backs, quarterbacks, and linemen. Without good technique, players can't perform very well at all at the highest level.
All a person needs to do with college football is watch and people can figure out why leaving after a year would not be a wise decision for a young football player. These players can not be allowed to leave because I believe you would see a rise in all types of injuries, especially concussions. A player that leaves after a year is essentially a high school player in terms of experience, strength, and technique. Can you imagine Troy Polamalu driving a one and done player into the turf? I would not want to see that. Could be career ending for that one player. Watching college football can be frustrating because nobody can really tackle anymore. Being a coach of high school players today I see the lack of technique these kids have or have been taught at the lower levels. All the kids want to do is go for the big hit or shoulder hit the offensive player down. They want to end up on ESPN, technique be damned. Without wanting to practice correct technique with anything will not help the kids reach the full potential.
Other people like to say that once a kid reaches 18 that we can not hold them back from wanting to full fill their dreams. Yes, we can. Sometimes people have to be protected from themselves. Sometimes people have to wait to do certain things, we do it with driving a car, the ability buy alcohol, etc. People are not ready to drive at 12 years old or able to handle alcohol at 14. Football players are not physically or mentally ready to take on professional athletes who are more mature physically and mentally.
This one and done option should not be allowed to happen for college football players. Period. End of story.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Unionizing college football players
The idea that college football players are students first and athletes second is not something that I buy into at all, but that is what the old crusty leaders of our fine universities will tell you. These athletes go to school to earn a degree (in theory), mature, and come out with a decent paying job. Once again, that is what we have been told over and over.
First of all, the thought that college football players should be happy that they are receiving a free education is nice, but it's "the pie in the sky" thought. The Northwestern players that are trying to unionize were putting in about 60 hours a week on the field AND try to keep up with the stringent educational goals that the school had for them. Between football and their studies, when were these kids to supposed to sleep? The athletes need to be able to unionize, so somebody can oversee them and have their best interest in mind.
Next, thinking that these coaches have their best interest in mind is also a myth. Being a high school football coach I see how some coaches at different schools want their best players to be on the field regardless of their grades. I've seen that close up and wonder why nobody really wants to help these kids succeed in the classroom before the field. Coaches on the high school level and up are under tremendous pressure to win and many of them, sadly, do whatever is necessary to get those wins for their respective school. Meanwhile, the kids are the ones that are not being serviced correctly and made ready for the real world. Somebody needs to stick up for these kids when their coaches don't.
Finally, these college football players bring in so much money for the universities that should be compensated for their efforts. I believe that athletes that have their likenesses used or their numbers on the jerseys in the campus stores should have that money put into some sort of account that they can cash in once they leave the university. I wonder how much money Johnny Manziel would have got from Texas A&M if they had these accounts set up.
The NCAA says that it has the best interests of the athletes in mind, but when they are making hand over fist in cash with Bowl games, playoff games, etc. then it would be in THEIR best interests to share the wealth with the "students" that put the money into their coffers!
First of all, the thought that college football players should be happy that they are receiving a free education is nice, but it's "the pie in the sky" thought. The Northwestern players that are trying to unionize were putting in about 60 hours a week on the field AND try to keep up with the stringent educational goals that the school had for them. Between football and their studies, when were these kids to supposed to sleep? The athletes need to be able to unionize, so somebody can oversee them and have their best interest in mind.
Next, thinking that these coaches have their best interest in mind is also a myth. Being a high school football coach I see how some coaches at different schools want their best players to be on the field regardless of their grades. I've seen that close up and wonder why nobody really wants to help these kids succeed in the classroom before the field. Coaches on the high school level and up are under tremendous pressure to win and many of them, sadly, do whatever is necessary to get those wins for their respective school. Meanwhile, the kids are the ones that are not being serviced correctly and made ready for the real world. Somebody needs to stick up for these kids when their coaches don't.
Finally, these college football players bring in so much money for the universities that should be compensated for their efforts. I believe that athletes that have their likenesses used or their numbers on the jerseys in the campus stores should have that money put into some sort of account that they can cash in once they leave the university. I wonder how much money Johnny Manziel would have got from Texas A&M if they had these accounts set up.
The NCAA says that it has the best interests of the athletes in mind, but when they are making hand over fist in cash with Bowl games, playoff games, etc. then it would be in THEIR best interests to share the wealth with the "students" that put the money into their coffers!
Pac-12 Championship site
Its amazing when people over think things. When I saw that the Pac-12 was changing the way it wants to host the championship game I laughed. I thought "what's the problem with it now?" Oh, thats right, we dont want to hurt anybodys feelings in terms of a team having homefield advantage.
They have decided to have the game at the new San Francisco 49er field in Santa Clara. Really? The Bay area in the middle of winter? I dont think so. If you want it at a neutral site put the game in San Diego in the middle of winter. People prefer sun in winter, not rain or snow! I even saw a suggestion to have the game in Denver, ok, yeah, going to Denver during that time of year will fill the stadium. Theres a reason why the Super Bowl is usually in warm weather cities such as Miami, New Orleans, or San Diego. People hate cold weather, they will flock to warm weather!
There is no reason to change the way they host the Pac-12 championship. The team with the best record should have the opportunity to host the title game. Having that chance doesn't mean that the home team wins, just ask Sun Devil fans about that scenario!
Dont change something that doesn't need fixing Pac-12. You just might screw something up Larry Scott.
They have decided to have the game at the new San Francisco 49er field in Santa Clara. Really? The Bay area in the middle of winter? I dont think so. If you want it at a neutral site put the game in San Diego in the middle of winter. People prefer sun in winter, not rain or snow! I even saw a suggestion to have the game in Denver, ok, yeah, going to Denver during that time of year will fill the stadium. Theres a reason why the Super Bowl is usually in warm weather cities such as Miami, New Orleans, or San Diego. People hate cold weather, they will flock to warm weather!
There is no reason to change the way they host the Pac-12 championship. The team with the best record should have the opportunity to host the title game. Having that chance doesn't mean that the home team wins, just ask Sun Devil fans about that scenario!
Dont change something that doesn't need fixing Pac-12. You just might screw something up Larry Scott.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Recruiting and ASU
Being a resident of the great Phoenix area for almost 15 years one would think this would be an easy area to recruit to for Arizona State University. However, it is not and I think the alumni and fans of ASU have a bit of reflection to do in the mirror if they want to take the program to the next level.
By next level I mean winning Pac-12 championships, winning Rose Bowls or Fiesta Bowls, and being in the hunt for the playoff consistently. That isn't happening down here and I don't think the fan base is being demanding enough of the school to try and do that. The Sun Devils have a pretty high potent offense to contend and they have the players to do that, but when the pressure is on they can't perform to the level that they talk about ALL the time. The way they talk about the program one would think that they are a perennial top 10 program. They are anything but that people.
There are many things working in their favor to recruit here. They have plenty of nice, sunny days, a great stadium, facilities that are being updated, plenty of nice "scenery" around campus, and the school is in the middle of a major city with plenty of things to do. Should be easy you say? Nope.
We live in a culture of "what have you done for me lately?" The Sun Devils haven't done anything of note since I've been living here. I hear about the tradition a lot. Truth is, if we are talking tradition outside of south, there is no tradition. If there was, Sun Devil stadium would be sold out continuously and not just for the Territorial Cup game every other year. There has not been any Rose Bowls, Fiesta Bowls, and even a sniff of a Pac-12 championship for a while. College football is about recruiting and ASU hasn't done a great job with that part of the equation. Sure, they get the occasional 4 or even 5 star athlete, but not consistently enough to make a profound difference in wins. If you don't have the horses in the stable, you won't be the first horse to cross the finish line.
Big time players don't come here or even stay here. They want to go places where they can make a name for themselves, i.e. Brett Hundley of UCLA. These recruits want to see flashy new facilities and uniforms. They have the uniforms though. The alumni need to start putting more money into the program. They say do, but they don't. It's time to dime up ASU fans and stop hoping for a good season, go out and start making ASU relevant. Granted recruiting, is not an exact science and a roll of the dice, but it is better to have a stacked deck of quality players than to know you are about to crap out with something of bad quality. The Sun Devils have to make a better sell job in the living rooms of players and most of all, they have to start winning and winning big! No seven win seasons anymore, they have to start getting into the 9-10 win arena. Getting into that 9-10 win season is going to be tough, but for me to take the program seriously, they have to. I tend to think that most reasonable fans/alumni of this huge university would agree. Updating the facilities is a very good start, that'll help attract kids to the desert. Most importantly starting winning consistently! Win more important games, and take the challenge of spending money on your program a lot more seriously.
By next level I mean winning Pac-12 championships, winning Rose Bowls or Fiesta Bowls, and being in the hunt for the playoff consistently. That isn't happening down here and I don't think the fan base is being demanding enough of the school to try and do that. The Sun Devils have a pretty high potent offense to contend and they have the players to do that, but when the pressure is on they can't perform to the level that they talk about ALL the time. The way they talk about the program one would think that they are a perennial top 10 program. They are anything but that people.
There are many things working in their favor to recruit here. They have plenty of nice, sunny days, a great stadium, facilities that are being updated, plenty of nice "scenery" around campus, and the school is in the middle of a major city with plenty of things to do. Should be easy you say? Nope.
We live in a culture of "what have you done for me lately?" The Sun Devils haven't done anything of note since I've been living here. I hear about the tradition a lot. Truth is, if we are talking tradition outside of south, there is no tradition. If there was, Sun Devil stadium would be sold out continuously and not just for the Territorial Cup game every other year. There has not been any Rose Bowls, Fiesta Bowls, and even a sniff of a Pac-12 championship for a while. College football is about recruiting and ASU hasn't done a great job with that part of the equation. Sure, they get the occasional 4 or even 5 star athlete, but not consistently enough to make a profound difference in wins. If you don't have the horses in the stable, you won't be the first horse to cross the finish line.
Big time players don't come here or even stay here. They want to go places where they can make a name for themselves, i.e. Brett Hundley of UCLA. These recruits want to see flashy new facilities and uniforms. They have the uniforms though. The alumni need to start putting more money into the program. They say do, but they don't. It's time to dime up ASU fans and stop hoping for a good season, go out and start making ASU relevant. Granted recruiting, is not an exact science and a roll of the dice, but it is better to have a stacked deck of quality players than to know you are about to crap out with something of bad quality. The Sun Devils have to make a better sell job in the living rooms of players and most of all, they have to start winning and winning big! No seven win seasons anymore, they have to start getting into the 9-10 win arena. Getting into that 9-10 win season is going to be tough, but for me to take the program seriously, they have to. I tend to think that most reasonable fans/alumni of this huge university would agree. Updating the facilities is a very good start, that'll help attract kids to the desert. Most importantly starting winning consistently! Win more important games, and take the challenge of spending money on your program a lot more seriously.
The Quarterback Conference
When
somebody looks around at quarterback play in the BCS conferences and tries to
determine which conference has the best QB’s from top to bottom, there should
be no question about it. It’s the Pac-12 people!
Let’s start
in the Northern Division of the conference. Marcus Mariotta, Mr. Duck. Right
now, he’s probably the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. He has great size,
speed, good arm (not great), poise, and intelligence to play the position at
the next level. I’ve heard talk radio people, namely back east that tend to
think that he may not do to well. All I have to say to that is “you guys are
idiots!” For a guy that is 6’4, about 225 pounds, and can out run a lot of
running backs and defensive backs, what else do you want this guy to prove to
you? This praise is coming from a guy who is an Oregon State alum, so it hurts
a little bit to say that.
Next is
probably the most underrated QB in the Pac-12, but had a break out year last
year. Sean Mannion, from Oregon State. He has all the physical tools to be an
NFL quarterback. He has size, great arm, intelligence, and has been running a
pro style offense his whole career at Oregon State. The difference between him
and Marcus Mariotta is that Mannion is not a runner, in fact, he doesn’t run.
However, he wins. He can read defenses and take his team down the field when
the game is on the line. When he needs to throw the ball down field, he can and
for big yardage.
Next, lets
take a look at Stanfords young quarterback Kevin Hogan. This guy was the replacement for Andrew
Luck. A very tall order to fill for
anybody, but he’s done that very admirably. He has a Pac-12 Championship and a
Rose Bowl victory under his belt and from what I have seen, the sky
is the limit for this kid. For a
quarterback who has not played that many games and is completing 61% of his
passes already the next few years in Palo Alto are looking very good. A big
sigh of frustration can be heard from Duck fans knowing that. Plus, you top
that with a quarterback rating of 151.64 and a bigger sigh from the rest of the
Pac-12 can be heard.
Moving down
the freeway to Pasadena we have Brett Hundley. This Arizona native is ready to
take the Bruins to places that they haven’t been in awhile. That place would be
a spot in the National Championship playoff this winter. I have seen this young
man play in person a few times and has improved each time I’ve seen him.
Hundley has the highest completion percentage in the Pac-12 at 67.2%. That
means UCLA is putting plenty of points on the board for their fans. He
certainly will be a Heisman contender as the season gets closer and will get
louder the better UCLA performs on the field.
Hundley has poise, runs a pro-style offense, has good arm strength, can
make all the throws the pro’s would want him to, and is mobile. As Hundley goes, the Bruins go. Simply put.
As we move to the desert, more specifically, Tempe, Arizona
we have Taylor Kelley standing there with his arm raised saying “don’t forget
about me!” This kid can run pretty well,
I’ve seen him play a couple of times in person and I must say that he looks
better in person than on my t.v. Kelley is coming off back to back 3,000 yard
seasons and with the spread, no huddle offense that they run at Arizona State
he should have no worries getting back to at LEAST 3,000 yards again in 2014.
He has plenty of offensive weapons at wide receiver and running back to help
him move the Devils down the field and into the endzone. On top of throwing for
all these yards, Taylor Kelley completes 62.4% of his passes. That’s a recipe
for fantastic things at Sun Devil Stadium this year.
This is only the beginning for the Pac-12 in terms of
quarterbacking. People should not sleep on USC’s Cody Kessler either. He has
not played that many games yet, but ended on a strong note in the Las Vegas
Bowl when he threw for two scores and 345 yards. He will be in a pro-style
offense and that will help him develop for Coach Sarkisian and possibly for the
next level. I think this young kid will be the best qb in the conference in the
next couple of years.
In the end, if people want to watch great quarterbacking
during this upcoming college football season they should be watching the
Pac-12. The quarterbacks mentioned are only the beginning because the rest of
the conference has mobile, exciting young qb’s coming up. Once again the Pac-12
will show the country what’s up with football. Sorry SEC, Big 10, Big 12, and
ACC, you just don’t measure up.
Pac-12 vs SEC scheduling: Which conference is challenging themselves more?
With all the chatter about the playoff system that has happened in the past months and the chatter that is still on the way, there is a question starting to brew between two of the biggest conferences in the country. That question is, why doesn’t every BCS conference play the same amount of games in their own conference?
I find that
question to be quite interesting due to the fact that many people including
myself want a level playing field for all teams that have a legitimate shot at
winning the National Championship. However, the playing field is not level. How
can it be level when teams like Oregon, Stanford, and UCLA have to play an extra
game against a quality opponent while Alabama, Auburn, or Georgia can schedule
another “lamb to the slaughter” opponent? How do people who can say they know
whats fair for college football knowingly let this inequity continue to
persist? I make no apologies in my wavering allegiance to the Pac-12 and
wanting to see this conference continue to be in the national spotlight. In my
humble opinion, the SEC is taking the path of least resistance in attempting to
win another college football national championship for themselves. The SEC
wants to point to the quality of their conference and all the football titles
they have, well, my fine southern friends, you ain’t all that! The SEC doesn’t
beat up on each other like the Pac-12 does at all. When teams such as UCLA or
Oregon go and play each there is a definite chance that the loser of that game
is not playing for the glass football. The same can’t be said for an Alabama or
LSU, the loser isn’t necessarily knocked out of the title chase because they
have this “equity” built up with writers. Furthermore, having one less
conference game takes the possibility for an upset even more out of the
equation because that takes another decent opponent away from an Alabama, LSU,
or Auburn to lose to.
I’m all in
with Stanford coach David Shaw feelings about this subject. He says, “we are
doing it, the Big-12 is doing it and the Big Ten is doing it, why can’t they?”
Level the playing field NCAA! Otherwise, we might as well just pencil in two or
three SEC teams in the playoff. The fans of the SEC think they play the best
competition, how can they when they are benefiting from a rule that makes it
easier for them to reach the ultimate goal in college football? However, we must remember that we are dealing
with the NCAA, where common sense isn’t common.
Fans from
all conferences complain all the time about how things are not fair in some
aspect of sport. Here is something that all college football fans can get
behind, especially Pac-12 fans. All teams deserve a fair shot at winning The
National Championship, not just a select few from a select southern conference.
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