Catch the game at Cal against USC. You can get tickets here: Cal v. USC
GO BEARS!!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Cal's Jahvid Best's for Heisman! Five td's v. Minnesota
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GO BEARS!
Jahvid Best, Cal's star running back, placed himself at the top of the season's Heisman Trophy conversation with a 26-carry, 131 yard, five touchdown performance. Cal beat Minnesota in a tough game, 35-21, and is now 3 and 0.
Best, who set a school record with the final touchdown in the fourth quarter, scored his first three in the first half. He seemed to slow down in the third quarter, picking up only four yards. I'm not sure if he was slightly injured and the ESPN announcers didn't say anything about his condition, but it seemed as if he was a step slower in the last two quarters.
While Best was making Cal Football history, Kevin Riley put in a solid but not great performance with 16 for 25 and 252 yards; I would have preferred 22 of 28 for 300 yards, but I don't blame him for this. It's the offensive play design and game plan I question.
What bothers me as I watch the Golden Bears' offense is the almost total lack of a three-step passing attack. Offensive Coordinator Andy Ludwig needs to take a page from 2009 Notre Dame passing attack and install a five-wide-receiver formation, three-step passing play series to counter some of the blitzes from the defense's outside linebackers that Cal gets from time to time.
(In the "five-wide" formation I envision for Cal, Jahvid Best would be in the weak side slot position.)
Right now, Riley's asked to take deeper drops and read the coverage, then receiver progression, on almost every drop back pass. It's only in the play-action passes that Riley is able to make the immediate throw.
Installing just four new plays from the system I advocate would help Cal beat USC October 3rd. Cal must force USC's defense to chase the ball all over the field, from sideline to sideline in an effort to simply exhaust and frustrate the Trojans. A good three-step passing game is the perfect tool to accomplish that objective.
GO BEARS!
Jahvid Best, Cal's star running back, placed himself at the top of the season's Heisman Trophy conversation with a 26-carry, 131 yard, five touchdown performance. Cal beat Minnesota in a tough game, 35-21, and is now 3 and 0.
Best, who set a school record with the final touchdown in the fourth quarter, scored his first three in the first half. He seemed to slow down in the third quarter, picking up only four yards. I'm not sure if he was slightly injured and the ESPN announcers didn't say anything about his condition, but it seemed as if he was a step slower in the last two quarters.
Cal needs to install three-step passes
While Best was making Cal Football history, Kevin Riley put in a solid but not great performance with 16 for 25 and 252 yards; I would have preferred 22 of 28 for 300 yards, but I don't blame him for this. It's the offensive play design and game plan I question.
What bothers me as I watch the Golden Bears' offense is the almost total lack of a three-step passing attack. Offensive Coordinator Andy Ludwig needs to take a page from 2009 Notre Dame passing attack and install a five-wide-receiver formation, three-step passing play series to counter some of the blitzes from the defense's outside linebackers that Cal gets from time to time.
(In the "five-wide" formation I envision for Cal, Jahvid Best would be in the weak side slot position.)
Right now, Riley's asked to take deeper drops and read the coverage, then receiver progression, on almost every drop back pass. It's only in the play-action passes that Riley is able to make the immediate throw.
Cal needs a three-step system to beat USC
Installing just four new plays from the system I advocate would help Cal beat USC October 3rd. Cal must force USC's defense to chase the ball all over the field, from sideline to sideline in an effort to simply exhaust and frustrate the Trojans. A good three-step passing game is the perfect tool to accomplish that objective.
Monday, September 14, 2009
NCAA College Football week 2 - wrap up
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NCAA week two was marked by two marque games: Notre Dame v. Michigan and USC v. Ohio State. In the first game, Notre Dame, which was 18th ranked and is now dropped from the rankings, looked to the contest as the "must-win" if The Fighting Irish were to prove to themselves and to America that they were indeed BCS-bound.
They failed.
The reason for their failure could be directly attributed to the fact that they don't have enough talent to beat or even compete with teams that commonly play at the BCS level. As I stated before, Notre Dame's academic requirements prevent it from consistently getting those players and Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis has not demonsrated an ability to "scheme" his way out of that problem.
I still believe it wise to place the game in the hands of the superbly talented sopohmore quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who's an amazing passer and a capable leader. But what he's asked to do from a perspective of play design is my concern.
I contend that if Notre Dame believes it can reach the BCS it has to "scheme' its way there. It doesn't have a defense strong enough to stop, for example, the Michigan running game and that "belly series" from the Spread, which Michigan ran to perfection under freshman quarterback Tate Forceir.
That game's not the last time Notre Dame will see this play.
Rather than focus just on defensing it, Notre Dame needs to move toward a better short passing and roll-out passing game. Weis spent so much time trying to bomb the Wolverines into submission - and racking up over 400 yards in the process - he left time on the clock for Michigan's offense - its easier to run when the clock's working in your favor.
The ability to run was what lifted the then-third ranked USC Trojans over the Ohio State Buckeyes. And in that game we saw the coming of age of another freshman quaterback, Matt Barkley.
Barkley, who took over for the man who-would-be-the-senior quarterback Mark Sanchez (who won his first game as a rookie quarterback with the New York Jets), came in with a lot of questions because of his youth. But he answered them all in the Trojans' final drive to win the game, which even though it was driven by a suddenly powerful running attack, saw Matt hit open receivers on time.
While running back Joe McKnight did much of the heaving lifting in the drive, along with the SC offensive line, Barley did his part in completing the passes when they neeeded them the most. That was something Ohio State could not do.
What that game demonstrated was that Ohio State has an undisciplined passing attack. Many of the plays are out of play action and the patterns are some of the most ineffectively unusual I've ever seen. What I mean is that they call for the receiver to be out of proper position just by their design.
Plus, the passing game lacks the timing necessary to complete passes even with close coverage. And forget the idea of Ohio State mounting a pass-oriented comeback because they don't seem to practice the two-minute drill. Quarterback Terrell Pryor is an obviously talented athlete, but he's a raw passer who needs a lot of drilling in basic timed throwing; he's not getting it at Ohio State.
With all this, my Cal Golden Bears dropped 50 points on its last two "challengers", Maryland and Eastern Washington. Look out for the 7th ranked Golden Bears.
NCAA week two was marked by two marque games: Notre Dame v. Michigan and USC v. Ohio State. In the first game, Notre Dame, which was 18th ranked and is now dropped from the rankings, looked to the contest as the "must-win" if The Fighting Irish were to prove to themselves and to America that they were indeed BCS-bound.
They failed.
The reason for their failure could be directly attributed to the fact that they don't have enough talent to beat or even compete with teams that commonly play at the BCS level. As I stated before, Notre Dame's academic requirements prevent it from consistently getting those players and Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis has not demonsrated an ability to "scheme" his way out of that problem.
I still believe it wise to place the game in the hands of the superbly talented sopohmore quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who's an amazing passer and a capable leader. But what he's asked to do from a perspective of play design is my concern.
I contend that if Notre Dame believes it can reach the BCS it has to "scheme' its way there. It doesn't have a defense strong enough to stop, for example, the Michigan running game and that "belly series" from the Spread, which Michigan ran to perfection under freshman quarterback Tate Forceir.
Spread "Belly" Triple Option
That game's not the last time Notre Dame will see this play.
Rather than focus just on defensing it, Notre Dame needs to move toward a better short passing and roll-out passing game. Weis spent so much time trying to bomb the Wolverines into submission - and racking up over 400 yards in the process - he left time on the clock for Michigan's offense - its easier to run when the clock's working in your favor.
USC beat Ohio State. Guess how?
The ability to run was what lifted the then-third ranked USC Trojans over the Ohio State Buckeyes. And in that game we saw the coming of age of another freshman quaterback, Matt Barkley.
Barkley, who took over for the man who-would-be-the-senior quarterback Mark Sanchez (who won his first game as a rookie quarterback with the New York Jets), came in with a lot of questions because of his youth. But he answered them all in the Trojans' final drive to win the game, which even though it was driven by a suddenly powerful running attack, saw Matt hit open receivers on time.
While running back Joe McKnight did much of the heaving lifting in the drive, along with the SC offensive line, Barley did his part in completing the passes when they neeeded them the most. That was something Ohio State could not do.
What that game demonstrated was that Ohio State has an undisciplined passing attack. Many of the plays are out of play action and the patterns are some of the most ineffectively unusual I've ever seen. What I mean is that they call for the receiver to be out of proper position just by their design.
Plus, the passing game lacks the timing necessary to complete passes even with close coverage. And forget the idea of Ohio State mounting a pass-oriented comeback because they don't seem to practice the two-minute drill. Quarterback Terrell Pryor is an obviously talented athlete, but he's a raw passer who needs a lot of drilling in basic timed throwing; he's not getting it at Ohio State.
Cal steamrolls opponents
With all this, my Cal Golden Bears dropped 50 points on its last two "challengers", Maryland and Eastern Washington. Look out for the 7th ranked Golden Bears.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Twitter tweets claim Boise State's Hout did use N-word to Oregon's Blount
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Twitter was the source of the latest information torpedo in the (unfortunately) still unfolding story behind the "punch seen round the sports World" by Oregon Running Back LeGarrett Blount to Boise State Defensive End Byron Hout.
Track athlete E.J. Prince used Twitter to blast this:
Jamere Holland is Oregon's wide receiver.
Prince also tweeted this:
@jemelehill is ESPN Columnist and Analyst Jemele Hill.
There's no indication that she responded to Prince's Twitter feed. He also sent a tweet to Skip Bayless; no tweet back to Prince from Bayless. Basically it seems that Prince's story is being ignored by certain mainstream media people. I can't confirm that, but it seems that way.
The main problem has been that none of the main actors in this play are talking. LeGarrette Blount's not moving his lips. Byron Hout's lost his voice. Both schools are silent on the question.
(And on that note, my first blog post speculated on the use of the N-word, not claimed that Hout used it as one blogger inaccurately wrote; this is different.)
E. J. Prince's value in this story rests on his tweet that he talked to (not tweeted) a friend of Oregon receiver Jamere Holland who plays for Oregon and who I will not name here.
E.J. Prince's value is that he's part of a larger "grapevine" network of multi-racial athletes, some connected via the fraternity system and athletics, some not. I contacted Prince on Twitter, and after following each other, exchanged private messages.
From that series of contacts, I made several calls to confirm what Prince was tweeting and I got more information than I bargained for.
Friends of Oregon wide receiver Holland had no idea that Prince put his name on Twitter because there's some kind of "gag order" placed on Oregon players regarding this matter, and they feared Oregon coaches would punish Holland.
This was told to me by an unnamed source over the phone, who said "Young people don't care (about explaining who said the N-word); it's the older people in suits, all of those, who care."
There seems to be an idea that if Blount keeps quiet about what was said then the Oregon would take care of him. What I explained is that Oregon would present a better picture for minority players if it stepped up to defend a player who was the target of a racially-charged statement.
But I think what stopped Oregon from doing that was Blount's punch and his subsequent tirade. Blount's from Mississippi and there's an old school view of the use of the N-word down there: no one uses it, period.
Again, no one is excusing Blount's actions; but there's a view within the grapevine I tapped that the media is unfairly piling on Blount but not punishing Hout. Moreover, every black man I've talked to regarding this story said they knew something racial was said to set Blount off.
It's that nasty experience with being on the receiving end of the N-word that bonds African Americans. There's an idea in some quarters in America that because the word is used in rap music, it's common and accepted to use it in American culture. It's not and its not even desired in the music.
What this proves is New Media is the new grapevine of our country and the World. I hope Boise State fills in the blanks in this picture, but if they come out and say Hout didn't use the N-word, they've got a whole lot of people in Oregon and part of a grapevine on the West Coast willing to tell another story, even if its through Twitter.
Twitter was the source of the latest information torpedo in the (unfortunately) still unfolding story behind the "punch seen round the sports World" by Oregon Running Back LeGarrett Blount to Boise State Defensive End Byron Hout.
Track athlete E.J. Prince used Twitter to blast this:
@realskipbayless Just talked to Jamere Holland (from Oregon WR) said that L. Blount socked dude from Boise State cuz he called him a n_____
Jamere Holland is Oregon's wide receiver.
Prince also tweeted this:
@q17 yeah I just hope the news about LaGarett Blount being censored gets out to people like @jemelehill
@jemelehill is ESPN Columnist and Analyst Jemele Hill.
There's no indication that she responded to Prince's Twitter feed. He also sent a tweet to Skip Bayless; no tweet back to Prince from Bayless. Basically it seems that Prince's story is being ignored by certain mainstream media people. I can't confirm that, but it seems that way.
The main problem has been that none of the main actors in this play are talking. LeGarrette Blount's not moving his lips. Byron Hout's lost his voice. Both schools are silent on the question.
(And on that note, my first blog post speculated on the use of the N-word, not claimed that Hout used it as one blogger inaccurately wrote; this is different.)
E. J. Prince's value in this story rests on his tweet that he talked to (not tweeted) a friend of Oregon receiver Jamere Holland who plays for Oregon and who I will not name here.
E.J. Prince's value is that he's part of a larger "grapevine" network of multi-racial athletes, some connected via the fraternity system and athletics, some not. I contacted Prince on Twitter, and after following each other, exchanged private messages.
From that series of contacts, I made several calls to confirm what Prince was tweeting and I got more information than I bargained for.
Friends of Oregon wide receiver Holland had no idea that Prince put his name on Twitter because there's some kind of "gag order" placed on Oregon players regarding this matter, and they feared Oregon coaches would punish Holland.
This was told to me by an unnamed source over the phone, who said "Young people don't care (about explaining who said the N-word); it's the older people in suits, all of those, who care."
There seems to be an idea that if Blount keeps quiet about what was said then the Oregon would take care of him. What I explained is that Oregon would present a better picture for minority players if it stepped up to defend a player who was the target of a racially-charged statement.
But I think what stopped Oregon from doing that was Blount's punch and his subsequent tirade. Blount's from Mississippi and there's an old school view of the use of the N-word down there: no one uses it, period.
Again, no one is excusing Blount's actions; but there's a view within the grapevine I tapped that the media is unfairly piling on Blount but not punishing Hout. Moreover, every black man I've talked to regarding this story said they knew something racial was said to set Blount off.
It's that nasty experience with being on the receiving end of the N-word that bonds African Americans. There's an idea in some quarters in America that because the word is used in rap music, it's common and accepted to use it in American culture. It's not and its not even desired in the music.
What this proves is New Media is the new grapevine of our country and the World. I hope Boise State fills in the blanks in this picture, but if they come out and say Hout didn't use the N-word, they've got a whole lot of people in Oregon and part of a grapevine on the West Coast willing to tell another story, even if its through Twitter.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Lou Holtz says Notre Dame's Charlie Weis is "most underrated"
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It's College Football Gameday and I'm watching ESPN's Lou Holtz make the case that Notre Dame's Charle Weis is the most underrated coach in college football. Now, remember this is the same guy who said Notre Dame would play in the BCS Championship.
Holtz colleague, the former Washington Redskin Mark May went ballistic, and rightly so.
Sure, Weis generates good schemes, but if he were the great coach and "most underrated" in college football he would not have lost 15 games in the last two years. Weis record between 2007 and 2008 is 9 wins and 15 losses, going 3 and 9 in 2007.
Weis' record over the last two years is so bad 2007 and 2008 aren't even mentioned in Coach Weis' on profile on the Notre Dame website.
Who's really underrated? Cal Coach Jeff Tedford, who's Golden Bears take on Maryland today. Of course, being a Cal graduate, I'm biased, but I'll put Coach Tedford's 59 and 30 record against Coach Weis' 29 and 21 record any day.
Notre Dame plays Nevada this afternoon and for the first time in school history. Cal takes on Maryland in this evening's game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.
It's College Football Gameday and I'm watching ESPN's Lou Holtz make the case that Notre Dame's Charle Weis is the most underrated coach in college football. Now, remember this is the same guy who said Notre Dame would play in the BCS Championship.
Holtz colleague, the former Washington Redskin Mark May went ballistic, and rightly so.
Sure, Weis generates good schemes, but if he were the great coach and "most underrated" in college football he would not have lost 15 games in the last two years. Weis record between 2007 and 2008 is 9 wins and 15 losses, going 3 and 9 in 2007.
Weis' record over the last two years is so bad 2007 and 2008 aren't even mentioned in Coach Weis' on profile on the Notre Dame website.
Who's really underrated? Cal Coach Jeff Tedford, who's Golden Bears take on Maryland today. Of course, being a Cal graduate, I'm biased, but I'll put Coach Tedford's 59 and 30 record against Coach Weis' 29 and 21 record any day.
Notre Dame plays Nevada this afternoon and for the first time in school history. Cal takes on Maryland in this evening's game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Was Oregon's LeGarrette Blount called the N-word by Boise State's Byron Hout?
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On YouTube.com
Oregon's star running back LeGarrette Blount lost it after the loss to Boise State 19 to 8 last night. His quick right hook to the face of Boise Defensive End Byron Hout after the end of the game cost him the season: Oregon announced that LeGarrette Blount's suspended for the rest of the season.
While the suspension is certainly appropriate for what is essentially assault, I have three questions: First, what did Byron Hout say to cause Blount to react so quickly and violently? Second, what did the Boise State fans say that lit the match and ignited the already hot passions of Blount? Third, why wasn't Byron Hout suspended by Boise State, even if for one game?
First a quick recap of the action. After the end of a hard fought battle that 14th ranked Boise State won with a withering offensive attack chipping away at the 16th ranked Oregon Duck's defense, LeGarrette Blount was walking along absorbing what for his team was a shocking loss when along came Byron Hout to hit his pad hard enough to cause him to run around, then said something to him, pointing at him. Blount rapidly fired a right hook to the jaw of Hout just as Hout turned his face away from Blount.
The impact caused Hout's legs to just give away and he fell to the turf.
Cooler heads on the Oregon staff dived in to intervene faster than you could yell "police!" and Blount and Hout never got near each other again. But Blount's anger management system failed and he was ready to fight anyone: his own players, hitting Garrett Embry after he gave Hout the shot seen round the World.
Then, headed to the locker room but drawing closer to the stands to get there, a Boise State fan (probably drunk) yelled something and Blount, already in orbit, hit the thrusters and tried to go after that fan, then another fan grabbed a chair and said something and Blount tried to go after him. It took four to five guys to restrain him. By that time, it was clear Blount went too far and his college career was over.
What goes through my mind and others is the question "What did Hout say to Blount?" Blount himself won't tell, choosing to issue an apology after the game. Boise State Head Coach Chris Peterson doesn't know what Hout said, and Hout's not talking. But one thing's clear: Hout and Blount know what was said.
Was it the N word?
The mind runs with possible reasons Blount went off like he did but the only two logical ones I can see is that something racist was said or something awful but not racist was said. Whatever the case, this is on the mind of the blogsphere; many people are thinking it was race based or at the very least a trash talk comment like "Ass Whuppin!" which is what Blount openly promised for Boise State.
Now the possibility that what the Boise State fans said to LeGarrette Blount was racist is much higher than that for Hout. First, there was drinking involved and even though Boise Police reported that there were no fights or incidents, they somehow left out this matter. Again, even commenters at Boise State websites agree that the fans were out of control. However no one seems to know what was said.
That Byron Hout wasn't suspended is what really gets me. Boise State's Peterson said:
But even with that, Coach Petersen's choosing to handle the matter "internally" and whatever that means it signals that we, you and I, will not know if anything's done to punish Hout. That's shameful. It sends the very public signal that Hout's words were ok. Perez Hilton's act comes to college football.
A message must be sent that trash talking is not allowed in sports. It's gone too, too far. Really, racist or not, it's wrong and while I' not condoning what LeGarrette Blount did, it's not right to have the punishment so one-sided in the public eye.
On YouTube.com
Oregon's star running back LeGarrette Blount lost it after the loss to Boise State 19 to 8 last night. His quick right hook to the face of Boise Defensive End Byron Hout after the end of the game cost him the season: Oregon announced that LeGarrette Blount's suspended for the rest of the season.
While the suspension is certainly appropriate for what is essentially assault, I have three questions: First, what did Byron Hout say to cause Blount to react so quickly and violently? Second, what did the Boise State fans say that lit the match and ignited the already hot passions of Blount? Third, why wasn't Byron Hout suspended by Boise State, even if for one game?
First a quick recap of the action. After the end of a hard fought battle that 14th ranked Boise State won with a withering offensive attack chipping away at the 16th ranked Oregon Duck's defense, LeGarrette Blount was walking along absorbing what for his team was a shocking loss when along came Byron Hout to hit his pad hard enough to cause him to run around, then said something to him, pointing at him. Blount rapidly fired a right hook to the jaw of Hout just as Hout turned his face away from Blount.
The impact caused Hout's legs to just give away and he fell to the turf.
Cooler heads on the Oregon staff dived in to intervene faster than you could yell "police!" and Blount and Hout never got near each other again. But Blount's anger management system failed and he was ready to fight anyone: his own players, hitting Garrett Embry after he gave Hout the shot seen round the World.
Then, headed to the locker room but drawing closer to the stands to get there, a Boise State fan (probably drunk) yelled something and Blount, already in orbit, hit the thrusters and tried to go after that fan, then another fan grabbed a chair and said something and Blount tried to go after him. It took four to five guys to restrain him. By that time, it was clear Blount went too far and his college career was over.
What did Hout say to Blount?
What goes through my mind and others is the question "What did Hout say to Blount?" Blount himself won't tell, choosing to issue an apology after the game. Boise State Head Coach Chris Peterson doesn't know what Hout said, and Hout's not talking. But one thing's clear: Hout and Blount know what was said.
Was it the N word?
The mind runs with possible reasons Blount went off like he did but the only two logical ones I can see is that something racist was said or something awful but not racist was said. Whatever the case, this is on the mind of the blogsphere; many people are thinking it was race based or at the very least a trash talk comment like "Ass Whuppin!" which is what Blount openly promised for Boise State.
What did the Boise State Fans say?
Now the possibility that what the Boise State fans said to LeGarrette Blount was racist is much higher than that for Hout. First, there was drinking involved and even though Boise Police reported that there were no fights or incidents, they somehow left out this matter. Again, even commenters at Boise State websites agree that the fans were out of control. However no one seems to know what was said.
Why wasn't Byron Hout suspended by Boise State
That Byron Hout wasn't suspended is what really gets me. Boise State's Peterson said:
“We’re not good with it,” Petersen said. “It always takes two to tangle. Those are things we preach about every day around here. We just need to keep our mouths closed … and let our play speak for itself.
“I’m sure (Blount) would give his right arm to take that whole thing back, how it looks. Byron’s mistake wasn’t as extreme as LeGarrette’s, but he was still wrong.”
But even with that, Coach Petersen's choosing to handle the matter "internally" and whatever that means it signals that we, you and I, will not know if anything's done to punish Hout. That's shameful. It sends the very public signal that Hout's words were ok. Perez Hilton's act comes to college football.
A message must be sent that trash talking is not allowed in sports. It's gone too, too far. Really, racist or not, it's wrong and while I' not condoning what LeGarrette Blount did, it's not right to have the punishment so one-sided in the public eye.
Maryland folks make fun of Cal's Jahvid Best
Maryland fans are making fun of Cal's Heisman Trophy hopeful running back Jahvid Best and the reason is a monster hit Best sustained last year and delivered by Terps linebacker Kevin Barnes. He hit Best so hard the runner was momentarily looking to right himself, then tossed his cookies on the field.
As we approach what's shaping up to be an epic battle between the 12th ranked California Golden Bears and the Maryland Terrapins, that play comes up again and again, and again in the media and on the blogs with the Internet providing remiders of headlines past.
The blogs have had a field day.
"Terps Pull Upset, Cal Pulls Upchuck"
"Terps Football Makes People Sick"
"Cal's Jahvid Best Loses His Lunch"
You get the idea.
Best wants revenge, saying "I have to go this weekend and reclaim my name in Maryland." And he has every reason to want to. That hit was the shot heard round the World. Barnes hit Best so hard that dogs howled, children dried, Terrapins hi-fived, and, well, Best threw up.
I wonder how the memory of that play will impact Best on Saturday,after his first contact. It's a weird position for him to be in: first game of 2009 but against the very team that knocked him silly last year. Best can either sink or swim. My bet is that he swims.
As we approach what's shaping up to be an epic battle between the 12th ranked California Golden Bears and the Maryland Terrapins, that play comes up again and again, and again in the media and on the blogs with the Internet providing remiders of headlines past.
The blogs have had a field day.
"Terps Pull Upset, Cal Pulls Upchuck"
"Terps Football Makes People Sick"
"Cal's Jahvid Best Loses His Lunch"
You get the idea.
Best wants revenge, saying "I have to go this weekend and reclaim my name in Maryland." And he has every reason to want to. That hit was the shot heard round the World. Barnes hit Best so hard that dogs howled, children dried, Terrapins hi-fived, and, well, Best threw up.
I wonder how the memory of that play will impact Best on Saturday,after his first contact. It's a weird position for him to be in: first game of 2009 but against the very team that knocked him silly last year. Best can either sink or swim. My bet is that he swims.
Maryland's 46 Defense v. Cal's "Utah" Offense Saturday
Yesterday I wrote that Cal has not seen tapes of Maryland's new defense as the Terps have a new defensive coordinator Don Brown. Maryland players expressed joy that Cal would be surprised by their new look system. It was also reported that Cal's looking at last year's Maryland tapes, for some reason.
But as it turns out, the new look is an old look: the Buddy Ryan 46 Defense.
According to this Washington Post article, Brown is bringing a version of the "46" - named for Chicago Bears Safety Doug Plank, who was a key rover in the Ryan defense - to Maryland.
Don Brown's defense, called "The Bear" reminds me of the kind of system Artie Gigantino brought to Cal when he was defensive coordinator under Keith Gilbertson at Cal: the linemen positioned opposite the tight end or the side with the most receivers, and both outside linebackers on the strongside of the offense.
Artie called his defense the "Split" 43. The Bear's the same thing, except that I'm concerned he calls it "The Bear" because it could mean he's trying to develop an approach that he thinks will stop the Golden Bears.
Makes sense.
But regardless of the name, the idea is to blitz, early and on every down. The concept is to overload the offensive line on the side with the fewest blockers. There's one problem: the Utah spread system is perhaps the best way to attack the defense and its elements of that offense Cal will use on Saturday.
Why?
Because Cal has first year offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig who came over from Utah. So while Cal doens't have tapes of Maryland's new defense, Maryland lacks video of Cal's new offense. I write "new" because my educated guess is that Ludwig has added formations and route combinations from the Utah spread, particularly the Shallow Cross pattern, which is a short crossing pattern calling for a receiver to start downfield two yards, then turn and run across the ball to the other side of the formation about seven yards downfield.
Cal has a pass pattern like that, but ran much deeper downfield, thus it's not a true Shallow Cross pattern. In the Cal offense of last year, the tight ends ran the short crossing patterns. Moreover, it's not something Cal ran as a steady diet in its offense last year. What's exciting is Cal has the speed receivers to make the Shallow Cross pattern work for big gains.
Because its a fast developing pattern, its the perfect counter to the middle linebacker blitz I expect to see from Maryland.
Former Utah coach and now Floria Coach Urban Meyer developed the spread system of passing. This document below has an excellent presentation of Meyer's system that Cal's Ludwig learned and is bringing to Berkeley.
Urban Meyer Spread Offense Description
This game is going to be fun to watch.
But as it turns out, the new look is an old look: the Buddy Ryan 46 Defense.
According to this Washington Post article, Brown is bringing a version of the "46" - named for Chicago Bears Safety Doug Plank, who was a key rover in the Ryan defense - to Maryland.
Don Brown's defense, called "The Bear" reminds me of the kind of system Artie Gigantino brought to Cal when he was defensive coordinator under Keith Gilbertson at Cal: the linemen positioned opposite the tight end or the side with the most receivers, and both outside linebackers on the strongside of the offense.
Artie called his defense the "Split" 43. The Bear's the same thing, except that I'm concerned he calls it "The Bear" because it could mean he's trying to develop an approach that he thinks will stop the Golden Bears.
Makes sense.
But regardless of the name, the idea is to blitz, early and on every down. The concept is to overload the offensive line on the side with the fewest blockers. There's one problem: the Utah spread system is perhaps the best way to attack the defense and its elements of that offense Cal will use on Saturday.
Why?
Because Cal has first year offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig who came over from Utah. So while Cal doens't have tapes of Maryland's new defense, Maryland lacks video of Cal's new offense. I write "new" because my educated guess is that Ludwig has added formations and route combinations from the Utah spread, particularly the Shallow Cross pattern, which is a short crossing pattern calling for a receiver to start downfield two yards, then turn and run across the ball to the other side of the formation about seven yards downfield.
Cal has a pass pattern like that, but ran much deeper downfield, thus it's not a true Shallow Cross pattern. In the Cal offense of last year, the tight ends ran the short crossing patterns. Moreover, it's not something Cal ran as a steady diet in its offense last year. What's exciting is Cal has the speed receivers to make the Shallow Cross pattern work for big gains.
Because its a fast developing pattern, its the perfect counter to the middle linebacker blitz I expect to see from Maryland.
Urban Mayer created the concepts
Former Utah coach and now Floria Coach Urban Meyer developed the spread system of passing. This document below has an excellent presentation of Meyer's system that Cal's Ludwig learned and is bringing to Berkeley.
Urban Meyer Spread Offense Description
This game is going to be fun to watch.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Notre Dame national champs? No. Cal beating USC? Yes!
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College Football's back and ESPN's Lou Holtz thinks The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame will be in the BCS National Championship Game. He's wrong. But the Cal Golden Bears will beat the USC Trojans October 3rd in Berkeley, 20 to 14.
Notre Dame lacks team speed
At 29 wins, 21 losses this is Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis' make-or-break year. If he wins seven games or more, he's in the clear and gives Irish fans and boosters a reason to expect better years ahead. But if he losses 7 games or more, he's in trouble. My prediction is for another six win season.
Why?
Notre Dame's chronic lack of team speed.
The Fighting Irish have a problem drawing the fastest players at all positions. The states that generally produce the fastest talent - Florida, California, and Texas - have those players literally programmed to go to one of the colleges in those states, and for good reason: they can get into them.
Notre Dame's demanding academic requirements, both before and after entering the school, are a road block to securing the best athletes required to reach the BCS title game.
So how does one explain Notre Dame and Weis success in 2005 and 2006, winning nine games in '05 and 10 in '06? Easy.
First, Weis was coaching former Notre Dame Head Coach Tyrone Willingham's recruits. Coach Willingham was able to get talent to chose Notre Dame in large part because as the school's first African American head football coach, he was a symbol of change where it wasn't expected. One of Willingham's prized players was Brady Quinn, who was obviously a player with great potential before Weis arrived: Weis caused Quinn to reach his potential as a passer in 2005 and 2006.
Quinn is Notre Dame's career passing leader and set 36 records while there. How he did this is the second reason why Weis won in 2005 and 2006: the system was new. Weis brought in the schemes he created while Offensive Coordinator with the New England Patriots: a combination of the timed offense popularized by the late Coach Bill Walsh, and a system that looks a lot like elements of the passing patterns used in the "Airraid" Offense at Texas Tech.
But in fairness, while Weis' system looks like the Airraid Offense created by Coach Mike Leach and Coach Hal Mumme, it's not and evolved from his years at New England.
It took two years for Notre Dame's NCAA foes to develop a "book" on the Weis system, and as that happened, the Irish faced a loss of Willingham-recruited talent. The once-good Irish defense was weakened by these losses.
The result was a season in 2007 that was so bad, with Notre Dame winning one game, it's not even mentioned in Weis' profile on the Notre Dame website.
2008 was not much better. While Notre Dame showed promise it was trying to determine who its signal caller of the future would be. Emerging from injury, Weis star recruit, the celebrated high school passer Jimmy Claussen, emerged to take control of the offense. The Irish roared to a 4 and 1 start, but finished 6 and 6.
I can't see them doing better this year. But this is not a wish just an analysis; I like Coach Weis and met him at the 2005 Super Bowl Party hosted by ESPN and sports agent Leigh Steinberg in Detroit.
Where I would be wrong is in the scheme changes. If Weis stays with more shotgun and spread attacks, rather than trying to emphasize running the football, the Irish will be in for a long season. But if he places the load on Claussen and uses the short pass and screen game, a 7 or better season can happen. Plus, I'm not sold on their decision to use a 3-4 defense with their opponents: pass rush has been the Irish' problem.
National Championship? Notre Dame? No. Cal beating USC? Yes.
Why?
Everyone talks about Cal's offense and Jahvid Best, but for me the key to what could be a national championship season for The Golden Bears is their defense. Cal has eight of eleven defensive starters returning for 2009. USC by contrast is burdened with the task of breaking in a freshman quarterback and rebuilding their defense. I can't see USC beating Cal, let alone Ohio State.
Score: Cal 20, USC 14.
On this issue, there's a looming problem for Cal this Saturday in that reportedly, Cal has no idea what kind of defense the Maryland Terapins will use because its brand new.
Maryland's planned "attacking 4-3" is a design that I favor, but I also know how to beat it: spread four and five wide receivers and match pressure with pressure and throw short passes. If Maryland should go "max blitz", the chance that a receiver will score after a catch-and-run or be wide open increases dramatically.
But if Cal runs a two-back set it's not going to be the easy win that's predicted for the Golden Bears.
At any rate, GO BEARS! And remember its BLUE DAY Saturday at Berkeley!
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College Football's back and ESPN's Lou Holtz thinks The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame will be in the BCS National Championship Game. He's wrong. But the Cal Golden Bears will beat the USC Trojans October 3rd in Berkeley, 20 to 14.
Notre Dame lacks team speed
At 29 wins, 21 losses this is Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis' make-or-break year. If he wins seven games or more, he's in the clear and gives Irish fans and boosters a reason to expect better years ahead. But if he losses 7 games or more, he's in trouble. My prediction is for another six win season.
Why?
Notre Dame's chronic lack of team speed.
The Fighting Irish have a problem drawing the fastest players at all positions. The states that generally produce the fastest talent - Florida, California, and Texas - have those players literally programmed to go to one of the colleges in those states, and for good reason: they can get into them.
Notre Dame's demanding academic requirements, both before and after entering the school, are a road block to securing the best athletes required to reach the BCS title game.
So how does one explain Notre Dame and Weis success in 2005 and 2006, winning nine games in '05 and 10 in '06? Easy.
First, Weis was coaching former Notre Dame Head Coach Tyrone Willingham's recruits. Coach Willingham was able to get talent to chose Notre Dame in large part because as the school's first African American head football coach, he was a symbol of change where it wasn't expected. One of Willingham's prized players was Brady Quinn, who was obviously a player with great potential before Weis arrived: Weis caused Quinn to reach his potential as a passer in 2005 and 2006.
Quinn is Notre Dame's career passing leader and set 36 records while there. How he did this is the second reason why Weis won in 2005 and 2006: the system was new. Weis brought in the schemes he created while Offensive Coordinator with the New England Patriots: a combination of the timed offense popularized by the late Coach Bill Walsh, and a system that looks a lot like elements of the passing patterns used in the "Airraid" Offense at Texas Tech.
But in fairness, while Weis' system looks like the Airraid Offense created by Coach Mike Leach and Coach Hal Mumme, it's not and evolved from his years at New England.
It took two years for Notre Dame's NCAA foes to develop a "book" on the Weis system, and as that happened, the Irish faced a loss of Willingham-recruited talent. The once-good Irish defense was weakened by these losses.
The result was a season in 2007 that was so bad, with Notre Dame winning one game, it's not even mentioned in Weis' profile on the Notre Dame website.
2008 was not much better. While Notre Dame showed promise it was trying to determine who its signal caller of the future would be. Emerging from injury, Weis star recruit, the celebrated high school passer Jimmy Claussen, emerged to take control of the offense. The Irish roared to a 4 and 1 start, but finished 6 and 6.
I can't see them doing better this year. But this is not a wish just an analysis; I like Coach Weis and met him at the 2005 Super Bowl Party hosted by ESPN and sports agent Leigh Steinberg in Detroit.
Where I would be wrong is in the scheme changes. If Weis stays with more shotgun and spread attacks, rather than trying to emphasize running the football, the Irish will be in for a long season. But if he places the load on Claussen and uses the short pass and screen game, a 7 or better season can happen. Plus, I'm not sold on their decision to use a 3-4 defense with their opponents: pass rush has been the Irish' problem.
National Championship? Notre Dame? No. Cal beating USC? Yes.
Why?
Everyone talks about Cal's offense and Jahvid Best, but for me the key to what could be a national championship season for The Golden Bears is their defense. Cal has eight of eleven defensive starters returning for 2009. USC by contrast is burdened with the task of breaking in a freshman quarterback and rebuilding their defense. I can't see USC beating Cal, let alone Ohio State.
Score: Cal 20, USC 14.
On this issue, there's a looming problem for Cal this Saturday in that reportedly, Cal has no idea what kind of defense the Maryland Terapins will use because its brand new.
Maryland's planned "attacking 4-3" is a design that I favor, but I also know how to beat it: spread four and five wide receivers and match pressure with pressure and throw short passes. If Maryland should go "max blitz", the chance that a receiver will score after a catch-and-run or be wide open increases dramatically.
But if Cal runs a two-back set it's not going to be the easy win that's predicted for the Golden Bears.
At any rate, GO BEARS! And remember its BLUE DAY Saturday at Berkeley!
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Confused Erin Andrews returns to ESPN College Football
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She's back!
After laying low in the wake of the Erin Andrews Peephole Video Scandal, ESPN reporter Erin Andrews is coming back to work this Thursday as part of ESPN's telecast of the rivalry battle football game between the University of South Carolina and North Carolina State. But that's not all for the 31-year-old media star.
Erin's appearing on Oprah September 11th to talk about the videotape and how it impacted her. (Though some sites report September 24th; I will get a clarification on this.) Plus, she's not shying away from the camera, having just finished this photo shoot for GQ (before the video issue but out now for some reason), where she gets "dirty" wearing football gear.
Meanwhile whatever happened to the person who made the video? No one knows. Some have speculated that the person who did it either knew Erin or covered athletic events. Whatever the case, the person's still out there and the video was sold for profit.
Something tells me the person who did it is going to be identified in a strange way.
Erin's back,... as "trophy girl?"
Meanwhile, with the upcoming GQ photo spread its clear Andrews is not only back in reporting action but has no problem posing before a camera. There's something, er,telling about the photo below where she's on a pedestal while a group of college football players look up to her as if she's, well, a trophy girl.
I have to admit I've got a problem with her decision to make that photo in the wake of what happened to her and her increased visibility. As I wrote before, she should really use this moment in time to bring attention to the needs of those less fortunate, not just herself.
Plus, as I said in my video above, I'd prefer to see her in the image I used rather than the one she presents here. It's confusing. She's upset about the nude peephole video of her, goes into hiding essentially, then comes out having done a photo shoot that glorifies her sexuality and male desire for her.
What does Erin want? How does she want to be seen? Is she confused? What does she stand for? If she wants to be the 31-year-old version of Miley Cyrus, she needs to say so and do it. Period. Be authentic. But this confusing set of messages she's sending out is of concern to me.
Reportedly, Erin told Oprah the video was "a nightmare" but it's hard to take Andrews's claims against the video that seriously if, with this GQ photo, she's going to basically swim in the sex-based marketing pool she claims to hate, stating that people think she got her job because of her looks.
Maybe Christine Brennan was right and the whole video peep camera thing was just Erin working to get more publicity. Earlier this year, Brennan basically said that because Andrews was "trading off her looks" she created the problem.
Plus, the timing of the release of the photos, after this scandal, calls the whole video matter into question yet again.
I'm just going with my gut here, but something tells me this whole matter has changed her in a way she may not even see. If she's going to be Miley Cyrus she should stop being confused about it, that word again, and just do it. Personally, she could do a lot of good with her platform, but for now she's just messing around.
Stay tuned.
UPDATE: Here the new Erin Andrews GQ video:
She's back!
After laying low in the wake of the Erin Andrews Peephole Video Scandal, ESPN reporter Erin Andrews is coming back to work this Thursday as part of ESPN's telecast of the rivalry battle football game between the University of South Carolina and North Carolina State. But that's not all for the 31-year-old media star.
Erin's appearing on Oprah September 11th to talk about the videotape and how it impacted her. (Though some sites report September 24th; I will get a clarification on this.) Plus, she's not shying away from the camera, having just finished this photo shoot for GQ (before the video issue but out now for some reason), where she gets "dirty" wearing football gear.
Erin Andrews (photo courtesy of GQ)
Meanwhile whatever happened to the person who made the video? No one knows. Some have speculated that the person who did it either knew Erin or covered athletic events. Whatever the case, the person's still out there and the video was sold for profit.
Something tells me the person who did it is going to be identified in a strange way.
Erin's back,... as "trophy girl?"
Meanwhile, with the upcoming GQ photo spread its clear Andrews is not only back in reporting action but has no problem posing before a camera. There's something, er,telling about the photo below where she's on a pedestal while a group of college football players look up to her as if she's, well, a trophy girl.
Erin Andrews (photo courtesy of GQ)
I have to admit I've got a problem with her decision to make that photo in the wake of what happened to her and her increased visibility. As I wrote before, she should really use this moment in time to bring attention to the needs of those less fortunate, not just herself.
Plus, as I said in my video above, I'd prefer to see her in the image I used rather than the one she presents here. It's confusing. She's upset about the nude peephole video of her, goes into hiding essentially, then comes out having done a photo shoot that glorifies her sexuality and male desire for her.
What does Erin want? How does she want to be seen? Is she confused? What does she stand for? If she wants to be the 31-year-old version of Miley Cyrus, she needs to say so and do it. Period. Be authentic. But this confusing set of messages she's sending out is of concern to me.
Reportedly, Erin told Oprah the video was "a nightmare" but it's hard to take Andrews's claims against the video that seriously if, with this GQ photo, she's going to basically swim in the sex-based marketing pool she claims to hate, stating that people think she got her job because of her looks.
Maybe Christine Brennan was right and the whole video peep camera thing was just Erin working to get more publicity. Earlier this year, Brennan basically said that because Andrews was "trading off her looks" she created the problem.
Plus, the timing of the release of the photos, after this scandal, calls the whole video matter into question yet again.
I'm just going with my gut here, but something tells me this whole matter has changed her in a way she may not even see. If she's going to be Miley Cyrus she should stop being confused about it, that word again, and just do it. Personally, she could do a lot of good with her platform, but for now she's just messing around.
Stay tuned.
UPDATE: Here the new Erin Andrews GQ video:
