P12 CG Thoughts

[chipdouglas]

• Chris Petersen is a really good coach. He has shown that he can surprise upper P5 teams with MWC talent, and he can surprise championship teams with upper P5 talent. He will be a scary opponent from now on.

• To that end, on the point of Leach vs. Petersen, everyone understands P12 Petersen would smash MWC Petersen right? He's a great coach but talent is making a HUGE difference that scheme (i.e., Air Raid) can only do so much against.

• UW's roster is top 2-3 in the conference and still upper tier in all of college football. They will again have many draft picks. Our consolation prize once again will be pointing to superior talent to explain losses - which, for them, are wins which happily require no such explanation.

• Petersen has coached his guys to push for YAC like ISIS fighters on speed. For the life of me I CANNOT understand why this would be a surprise to CU with a year of UW on tape in the P12CG. Coleman, Pettis, Gaskin and Ross were frequently turning 3 yard losses into 8 yard gains, or churning and falling forward to make no-gainers 5-yarders. Watching college football players assume everyone is going down at first contact - and being surprised when opponents give NFL effort - can be very frustrating.

• I'm reminding myself: I don't hate UW. I just hate their fans. Chris Petersen could not be more decent and we have every reason to believe most of the players are decent. It's just the insufferable twats we all know on the westside that make an otherwise likable team seem positively Hitlerian.

• People saying "you can disrupt Browning by getting in his face with pressure" are clueless. That doesn't make him different from any other QB, and getting that kind of pressure consistently is not something most teams can rely on.

• The game was over when Liufau was injured. Unfortunately for CU, this was on about their 3rd offensive play from scrimmage?

• God bless 'em, but I hate the running college QB. The rubbish passing QB with wheels always works so well and then faceplants at the NFL level. It just seems cheap watching a QB unable to go through his progressions and still taking off for the first time after time. I'm looking at you, Liufau.

• CU's defense is really good. But Washington's is also really good. I give CU the coaching/experience edge but UW has better - if raw - athletes. The difference is, one team has a [healthy] offense.

• I think UW could make a run at Alabama in the CFP. People don't realize that, while Bama probably has the nation's best defense, the offense is dreck. If Hurts get hurt like Liufau, that's ballgame. Guy can only run, not pass. UW has a worse defense, but is still very good on both sides of the ball which Alabama is not. I could see a tOSU-type situation from a couple years back. That said, God help us all if those horrendous boobs' season extends into the national title game. I might move to Montana and go off the grid like Wahlberg in Shooter; I don't think I could handle the reaction from the scumbags in Montlake.

 

[EdmondsCoug]

Great post Chip. Try working with Husky fans! It sucks. They are arrogant nearly all the time. Funny fact though: I graduated from WSU and none of the Husky fans attended UW, if they attended/graduated college at all. I bring this fact up on a regular basis and they promptly shut-up. In general they hate Leach and think Falk is mediocre (yet, they want him to declare for the draft due to Leach's dangerous system). In their opinion Gabe is a system receiver. I respect the Huskies season, but I hate living and working in Seattle when they have success.

Bama will beat-up UW.

 

[Fab5Coug]

Bama's 7 NFL players in their front 7 can stop UWs rushing attack and Browning cannot beat them. He looked really bad tonight.

 

[dgibbons]

Bama's 7 NFL players in their front 7 can stop UWs rushing attack and Browning cannot beat them. He looked really bad tonight.

That pass to Ross made me laugh out loud. He was clearly trying to throw it out of bounds, he just didn't have the arm.

 

[dgibbons]

• Chris Petersen is a really good coach. He has shown that he can surprise upper P5 teams with MWC talent, and he can surprise championship teams with upper P5 talent. He will be a scary opponent from now on.

• To that end, on the point of Leach vs. Petersen, everyone understands P12 Petersen would smash MWC Petersen right? He's a great coach but talent is making a HUGE difference that scheme (i.e., Air Raid) can only do so much against.

• UW's roster is top 2-3 in the conference and still upper tier in all of college football. They will again have many draft picks. Our consolation prize once again will be pointing to superior talent to explain losses - which, for them, are wins which happily require no such explanation.

• Petersen has coached his guys to push for YAC like ISIS fighters on speed. For the life of me I CANNOT understand why this would be a surprise to CU with a year of UW on tape in the P12CG. Coleman, Pettis, Gaskin and Ross were frequently turning 3 yard losses into 8 yard gains, or churning and falling forward to make no-gainers 5-yarders. Watching college football players assume everyone is going down at first contact - and being surprised when opponents give NFL effort - can be very frustrating.

• I'm reminding myself: I don't hate UW. I just hate their fans. Chris Petersen could not be more decent and we have every reason to believe most of the players are decent. It's just the insufferable twats we all know on the westside that make an otherwise likable team seem positively Hitlerian.

• People saying "you can disrupt Browning by getting in his face with pressure" are clueless. That doesn't make him different from any other QB, and getting that kind of pressure consistently is not something most teams can rely on.

• The game was over when Liufau was injured. Unfortunately for CU, this was on about their 3rd offensive play from scrimmage?

• God bless 'em, but I hate the running college QB. The rubbish passing QB with wheels always works so well and then faceplants at the NFL level. It just seems cheap watching a QB unable to go through his progressions and still taking off for the first time after time. I'm looking at you, Liufau.

• CU's defense is really good. But Washington's is also really good. I give CU the coaching/experience edge but UW has better - if raw - athletes. The difference is, one team has a [healthy] offense.

• I think UW could make a run at Alabama in the CFP. People don't realize that, while Bama probably has the nation's best defense, the offense is dreck. If Hurts get hurt like Liufau, that's ballgame. Guy can only run, not pass. UW has a worse defense, but is still very good on both sides of the ball which Alabama is not. I could see a tOSU-type situation from a couple years back. That said, God help us all if those horrendous boobs' season extends into the national title game. I might move to Montana and go off the grid like Wahlberg in Shooter; I don't think I could handle the reaction from the scumbags in Montlake.

uw's best hope is to move up to 2 or 3 and pray that tOSU or Clemson pulls the upset. BAMA will eat Browning alive.

 

[SCglory]

• Chris Petersen is a really good coach. He has shown that he can surprise upper P5 teams with MWC talent, and he can surprise championship teams with upper P5 talent. He will be a scary opponent from now on.

• To that end, on the point of Leach vs. Petersen, everyone understands P12 Petersen would smash MWC Petersen right? He's a great coach but talent is making a HUGE difference that scheme (i.e., Air Raid) can only do so much against.

• UW's roster is top 2-3 in the conference and still upper tier in all of college football. They will again have many draft picks. Our consolation prize once again will be pointing to superior talent to explain losses - which, for them, are wins which happily require no such explanation.

• Petersen has coached his guys to push for YAC like ISIS fighters on speed. For the life of me I CANNOT understand why this would be a surprise to CU with a year of UW on tape in the P12CG. Coleman, Pettis, Gaskin and Ross were frequently turning 3 yard losses into 8 yard gains, or churning and falling forward to make no-gainers 5-yarders. Watching college football players assume everyone is going down at first contact - and being surprised when opponents give NFL effort - can be very frustrating.

• I'm reminding myself: I don't hate UW. I just hate their fans. Chris Petersen could not be more decent and we have every reason to believe most of the players are decent. It's just the insufferable twats we all know on the westside that make an otherwise likable team seem positively Hitlerian.

• People saying "you can disrupt Browning by getting in his face with pressure" are clueless. That doesn't make him different from any other QB, and getting that kind of pressure consistently is not something most teams can rely on.

• The game was over when Liufau was injured. Unfortunately for CU, this was on about their 3rd offensive play from scrimmage?

• God bless 'em, but I hate the running college QB. The rubbish passing QB with wheels always works so well and then faceplants at the NFL level. It just seems cheap watching a QB unable to go through his progressions and still taking off for the first time after time. I'm looking at you, Liufau.

• CU's defense is really good. But Washington's is also really good. I give CU the coaching/experience edge but UW has better - if raw - athletes. The difference is, one team has a [healthy] offense.

• I think UW could make a run at Alabama in the CFP. People don't realize that, while Bama probably has the nation's best defense, the offense is dreck. If Hurts get hurt like Liufau, that's ballgame. Guy can only run, not pass. UW has a worse defense, but is still very good on both sides of the ball which Alabama is not. I could see a tOSU-type situation from a couple years back. That said, God help us all if those horrendous boobs' season extends into the national title game. I might move to Montana and go off the grid like Wahlberg in Shooter; I don't think I could handle the reaction from the scumbags in Montlake.

As to your "bullet point #6," it simply is true that the way to beat Browning is to get him to move away from the pocket and fluster him. While you argue that such talk is a truism, and that every QB is that way, well, no they aren't. Darnold beat ucla, ND, and the huskies when he was running or in improv mode. Some QBs are better at that than others--Darnold is good at it, Browning isn't. If he feels pressure he's a less dangerous QB; and, if some feel it, they can actually be more dangerous, as receivers are now coming open. Bama's D against Browning has a bigger edge because they can create real pressure with 4.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

A few thoughts from the flatlands:

1. I think we would have rolled Colorado if we had gotten a second chance.
2. CU's pass defense is really damned good
3. Our pass offense really is amazing given that we had the chance to be up 28-7 on CU if not for dropped passes.
4. UW is a legit Top 10 team this year
5. But I think they get rolled by Bama.
6. The comments about CU failing to stop YAC ignore the fact that we did the same thing to the Buffaloes, particularly our running backs.

 

[ElComanche]

Falk looked very mediocre against Colorado and udub,It hurt to lose Cracraft against Udub and he may have made a huge difference.As people know,a play made or not made on a couple of series can completely turn a game around. Falk seems to key in on him and when he was not there,he seemed to stop his progressions which need to be made fast against a top defense.As people have said ,if he could run a few times a game it would help the offense tremendously.People talk about CU s QB being hurt by running, but a few hard sacks will do the same thing to a QB. it is a fallacious stance . A dual threat QB can run out of bounds or slide while a "pro style" QB is a sitting duck if his protection breaks down. Injuries are a part of football and sometimes they happen at inopportune times.

 

[Cougsocal]

Colorado shows what can be accomplished with bottom rung talent. WSU and the Buff have recruited the same talent pool, the difference between the two teams this year was experience and where the recruiting emphasis was placed. They had a stout defense, we did not. You aren't going to beat well coached, more talented, teams that often, but you will have chances to grasp the brass ring, if you get a break or two.

 

[Cougsocal]

Falk looked very mediocre against Colorado and udub,It hurt to lose Cracraft against Udub and he may have made a huge difference.As people know,a play made or not made on a couple of series can completely turn a game around. Falk seems to key in on him and when he was not there,he seemed to stop his progressions which need to be made fast against a top defense.As people have said ,if he could run a few times a game it would help the offense tremendously.People talk about CU s QB being hurt by running, but a few hard sacks will do the same thing to a QB. it is a fallacious stance . A dual threat QB can run out of bounds or slide while a "pro style" QB is a sitting duck if his protection breaks down. Injuries are a part of football and sometimes they happen at inopportune times.

You do realize that going into the Cal game Cracraft had only 44 catches and 2 TDs. His Cal game was huge, but not indicative of his season overall. I think the loss of Dom Williams and Priester was more significant. With a speed challenged receiving corp to begin with, losing your two fastest guys, allowed(s) talented secondaries to play us extra tight. That is what the Buffs and the Bytches did to us. Cracraft does/did not have the skill set to make them pay for that strategy.

 

[YakiCoug]

Bama's 7 NFL players in their front 7 can stop UWs rushing attack and Browning cannot beat them. He looked really bad tonight.

I was pretty surprised that Colorado shut down the mutt passing attack. Browning looks really bad, but the running game and Liufau's incompetence bailed him out.

 

[YakiCoug]

Colorado shows what can be accomplished with bottom rung talent. WSU and the Buff have recruited the same talent pool, the difference between the two teams this year was experience and where the recruiting emphasis was placed. They had a stout defense, we did not. You aren't going to beat well coached, more talented, teams that often, but you will have chances to grasp the brass ring, if you get a break or two.

Colorado's defense is rife with seniors and well-developed ones at that. Let's see if they can manage a stout defense in 2017 with new and younger players.

 

[HHusky]

• Chris Petersen is a really good coach. He has shown that he can surprise upper P5 teams with MWC talent, and he can surprise championship teams with upper P5 talent. He will be a scary opponent from now on.

• To that end, on the point of Leach vs. Petersen, everyone understands P12 Petersen would smash MWC Petersen right? He's a great coach but talent is making a HUGE difference that scheme (i.e., Air Raid) can only do so much against.

• UW's roster is top 2-3 in the conference and still upper tier in all of college football. They will again have many draft picks. Our consolation prize once again will be pointing to superior talent to explain losses - which, for them, are wins which happily require no such explanation.

• Petersen has coached his guys to push for YAC like ISIS fighters on speed. For the life of me I CANNOT understand why this would be a surprise to CU with a year of UW on tape in the P12CG. Coleman, Pettis, Gaskin and Ross were frequently turning 3 yard losses into 8 yard gains, or churning and falling forward to make no-gainers 5-yarders. Watching college football players assume everyone is going down at first contact - and being surprised when opponents give NFL effort - can be very frustrating.

• I'm reminding myself: I don't hate UW. I just hate their fans. Chris Petersen could not be more decent and we have every reason to believe most of the players are decent. It's just the insufferable twats we all know on the westside that make an otherwise likable team seem positively Hitlerian.

• People saying "you can disrupt Browning by getting in his face with pressure" are clueless. That doesn't make him different from any other QB, and getting that kind of pressure consistently is not something most teams can rely on.

• The game was over when Liufau was injured. Unfortunately for CU, this was on about their 3rd offensive play from scrimmage?

• God bless 'em, but I hate the running college QB. The rubbish passing QB with wheels always works so well and then faceplants at the NFL level. It just seems cheap watching a QB unable to go through his progressions and still taking off for the first time after time. I'm looking at you, Liufau.

• CU's defense is really good. But Washington's is also really good. I give CU the coaching/experience edge but UW has better - if raw - athletes. The difference is, one team has a [healthy] offense.

• I think UW could make a run at Alabama in the CFP. People don't realize that, while Bama probably has the nation's best defense, the offense is dreck. If Hurts get hurt like Liufau, that's ballgame. Guy can only run, not pass. UW has a worse defense, but is still very good on both sides of the ball which Alabama is not. I could see a tOSU-type situation from a couple years back. That said, God help us all if those horrendous boobs' season extends into the national title game. I might move to Montana and go off the grid like Wahlberg in Shooter; I don't think I could handle the reaction from the scumbags in Montlake.

We'd have a puncher's chance against Alabama this year. But Browning needs to get right. He was so improved throwing deep early in the season. Now I'm not sure he can throw the ball as far as I can.

 

[Coug90]

• Chris Petersen is a really good coach. He has shown that he can surprise upper P5 teams with MWC talent, and he can surprise championship teams with upper P5 talent. He will be a scary opponent from now on.

• To that end, on the point of Leach vs. Petersen, everyone understands P12 Petersen would smash MWC Petersen right? He's a great coach but talent is making a HUGE difference that scheme (i.e., Air Raid) can only do so much against.

• UW's roster is top 2-3 in the conference and still upper tier in all of college football. They will again have many draft picks. Our consolation prize once again will be pointing to superior talent to explain losses - which, for them, are wins which happily require no such explanation.

• Petersen has coached his guys to push for YAC like ISIS fighters on speed. For the life of me I CANNOT understand why this would be a surprise to CU with a year of UW on tape in the P12CG. Coleman, Pettis, Gaskin and Ross were frequently turning 3 yard losses into 8 yard gains, or churning and falling forward to make no-gainers 5-yarders. Watching college football players assume everyone is going down at first contact - and being surprised when opponents give NFL effort - can be very frustrating.

• I'm reminding myself: I don't hate UW. I just hate their fans. Chris Petersen could not be more decent and we have every reason to believe most of the players are decent. It's just the insufferable twats we all know on the westside that make an otherwise likable team seem positively Hitlerian.

• People saying "you can disrupt Browning by getting in his face with pressure" are clueless. That doesn't make him different from any other QB, and getting that kind of pressure consistently is not something most teams can rely on.

• The game was over when Liufau was injured. Unfortunately for CU, this was on about their 3rd offensive play from scrimmage?

• God bless 'em, but I hate the running college QB. The rubbish passing QB with wheels always works so well and then faceplants at the NFL level. It just seems cheap watching a QB unable to go through his progressions and still taking off for the first time after time. I'm looking at you, Liufau.

• CU's defense is really good. But Washington's is also really good. I give CU the coaching/experience edge but UW has better - if raw - athletes. The difference is, one team has a [healthy] offense.

• I think UW could make a run at Alabama in the CFP. People don't realize that, while Bama probably has the nation's best defense, the offense is dreck. If Hurts get hurt like Liufau, that's ballgame. Guy can only run, not pass. UW has a worse defense, but is still very good on both sides of the ball which Alabama is not. I could see a tOSU-type situation from a couple years back. That said, God help us all if those horrendous boobs' season extends into the national title game. I might move to Montana and go off the grid like Wahlberg in Shooter; I don't think I could handle the reaction from the scumbags in Montlake.

I agree with most of what you say, but browning was uncomfortable and played like crap because of it. The second TD was all Ross. Sorry, but UW does not have a great QB. They have a game manager that pulls the strings for an offense that has a great OLine, two outstanding RBs, a couple of really good receivers, and a solid tight end....that somehow managed to have no injuries this year.

UWs offense is truly a team offense which makes it really tough to stop. But good DBs and a decent pass rush/blitz scheme turns browning into a below average QB.

I also agree that they can hang with Bama. I don't think they win, but I think it will be a 24-17 type of game.

 

[Sea-Coug]

I agree with most of what you say, but browning was uncomfortable and played like crap because of it. The second TD was all Ross. Sorry, but UW does not have a great QB. They have a game manager that pulls the strings for an offense that has a great OLine, two outstanding RBs, a couple of really good receivers, and a solid tight end....that somehow managed to have no injuries this year.

UWs offense is truly a team offense which makes it really tough to stop. But good DBs and a decent pass rush/blitz scheme turns browning into a below average QB.

I also agree that they can hang with Bama. I don't think they win, but I think it will be a 24-17 type of game.

, I think you are spot on with your assessment of Browninging

 

[Sea-Coug]

Accidentally hit "Post" before I was ready. I meant to sa Chip, I think you are spot on with your assessment of Browning. Early season competition was a lot different than late season competition, starting with USC. It was the great surrounding players that won those last 2 games.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

We'd have a puncher's chance against Alabama this year. But Browning needs to get right. He was so improved throwing deep early in the season. Now I'm not sure he can throw the ball as far as I can.

He's been winging in the vicinity of two NFL wide outs who would make great plays on poorly thrown balls. The ability of those WRs cannot be understated in the conversation about Brownings passing *ahem* "skill".

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

I agree with most of what you say, but browning was uncomfortable and played like crap because of it. The second TD was all Ross. Sorry, but UW does not have a great QB. They have a game manager that pulls the strings for an offense that has a great OLine, two outstanding RBs, a couple of really good receivers, and a solid tight end....that somehow managed to have no injuries this year.

UWs offense is truly a team offense which makes it really tough to stop. But good DBs and a decent pass rush/blitz scheme turns browning into a below average QB.

I also agree that they can hang with Bama. I don't think they win, but I think it will be a 24-17 type of game.

One trick play will be worth 7, I don't think they get in the red zone otherwise, so maybe 2 or 3 fgs.

 

[chipdouglas]

A few thoughts from the flatlands:

1. I think we would have rolled Colorado if we had gotten a second chance.
2. CU's pass defense is really damned good
3. Our pass offense really is amazing given that we had the chance to be up 28-7 on CU if not for dropped passes.
4. UW is a legit Top 10 team this year
5. But I think they get rolled by Bama.
6. The comments about CU failing to stop YAC ignore the fact that we did the same thing to the Buffaloes, particularly our running backs.

1. Disagree, especially if the stakes get higher (e.g., P12CG) and CU is more keyed up.
2. Agree.
3. I think great defenses have ways of flustering good receivers and giving them uncharacteristic cases of the dropsies. We saw that with both of the great defenses we played.
4. I would say legit Top 5.
5. It sounds logical, but I thought the same when Ohio State & Oklahoma beat Bama. I'm less cynical about UW because of that.
6. We turned a couple of TFLs into gainers, and a couple of 2-yarders into big-gainers, but I can't remember a play last night where a UW RB went down at the point of contact. OL got push and every single carry went for extra YAC. Ross, Gaskin, Pettis and Coleman looked like they were on speed. There is no comparison for me looking at UW vs. WSU's performance vs. CU. Excluding QB runs, we had 18 rushes for 141 yards (good - for WSU). They had 48 rushes for 265 yards! They hammered CU with rushing, owned TOP, and made them pay on every down.

 

[chipdouglas]

You lose all credibility with your comments about Alabama's offense. Have you even seen them play?

Yeah, I graduated from the SEC and spent a great deal of time watching them live in person and on TV. A semi-coachless, 4-loss LSU gave Hurts fits (107 passing yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, QBR 59.0) and Alabama only won - 10-0 - when he started taking off on foot.

But tell me about how you watched the highlights on Sportscenter.

PS does this mean sponge is back? Could you have chosen a more on-the-nose name than "spongeback"? Set the timer for Yaki to have some fun with that name.

 

[Cougsocal]

Colorado's defense is rife with seniors and well-developed ones at that. Let's see if they can manage a stout defense in 2017 with new and younger players.

Probably not, but we are in Leach' 5th year, so he own our defense, warts and all. Sadly, we remain slow for a "speed" defense, as Nall exposed, and speed is more a talent than a skill you develop over time.

 

[spongeback]

One low scoring game against a really good defense does not make them a "dreck" offense.

By that rationale, our offense sucks since we only scored 17 in the Apple Cup.

Yeah, I graduated from the SEC and spent a great deal of time watching them live in person and on TV. A semi-coachless, 4-loss LSU gave Hurts fits (107 passing yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, QBR 59.0) and Alabama only won - 10-0 - when he started taking off on foot.

But tell me about how you watched the highlights on Sportscenter.

PS does this mean sponge is back? Could you have chosen a more on-the-nose name than "spongeback"? Set the timer for Yaki to have some fun with that name.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Probably not, but we are in Leach' 5th year, so he own our defense, warts and all. Sadly, we remain slow for a "speed" defense, as Nall exposed, and speed is more a talent than a skill you develop over time.

Well, we weren't getting foot raced to the end zone anymore, so that's a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, Luani is the guy responsible for that and he's gone, so unless there is a burner JC guy coming in we'll be looking at a lot more 20+ yard plays given up next year.

 

[chipdouglas]

One low scoring game against a really good defense does not make them a "dreck" offense.

By that rationale, our offense sucks since we only scored 17 in the Apple Cup.

Any facts you'd like to cite? This little spat appears to be an active observer with a good grasp of the numbers, and the resident fact-less pariah whose unrelenting crankiness befits someone nursing chronic pain.

Jalen Hurts game stat-line vs. opponents who are currently ranked:

• 159 yds/gm passing
• 6 TDs to 5 INTs (a terrible ratio if it's not already clear)
• 11 rushes/gm for 5.4 yd/ea

Outside of taking over the game with his legs, the passing part of this makes for a garbage stat line - and it's still propped up by Alabama's phenomenal defense which gives him a handful of extra drives every game.

Unfortunately for JH, the rest of his opponents are ranked. The question is, can Alabama's incredible defense take the load off? At the end of the first quarter in tonight's SECCG, Hurts was 33% passing for 6 yards, 1 sack, and 2 rushes for -3 yards.

Then Alabama's defense and ST took the game over with 3 INTs, a fake punt stuff and a punt block - and it's still halftime.

FTR, I would put Florida somewhere between CU and UW.

 

[spongeback]

Actually, the "spat" was born by somebody who sets them self up to be an authority on the subject, then calls Alabama's offense dreck(as well as saying the same thing about Sefo Liufau who torched Michigan before getting hurt and threw of 300+ and rushed for 100+ against us...hardly dreck).

I am merely calling you out.

If Alabama's offense was so "Dreck", Kiffin wouldn't be interviewing for the Houston coaching job.

Hurts on the season before today is completing 65% of his passes and is 21 Td's to 9 ints and 800+ rushing yards...and he is a frosh.

I define Dreck as our offense under Chad Davis. There are plenty of examples of dreck offenses in the SEC. Alabama is not one of them.

Any facts you'd like to cite? This little spat appears to be an active observer with a good grasp of the numbers, and the resident fact-less pariah whose unrelenting crankiness befits someone nursing chronic pain.

Jalen Hurts game stat-line vs. opponents who are currently ranked:

• 159 yds/gm passing
• 6 TDs to 5 INTs (a terrible ratio if it's not already clear)
• 11 rushes/gm for 5.4 yd/ea

Outside of taking over the game with his legs, the passing part of this makes for a garbage stat line - and it's still propped up by Alabama's phenomenal defense which gives him a handful of extra drives every game.

Unfortunately for JH, the rest of his opponents are ranked. The question is, can Alabama's incredible defense take the load off? At the end of the first quarter in tonight's SECCG, Hurts was 33% passing for 6 yards, 1 sack, and 2 rushes for -3 yards.

Then Alabama's defense and ST took the game over with 3 INTs, a fake punt stuff and a punt block - and it's still halftime.

FTR, I would put Florida somewhere between CU and UW.

 

[chipdouglas]

Actually, the "spat" was born by somebody who sets them self up to be an authority on the subject, then calls Alabama's offense dreck(as well as saying the same thing about Sefo Liufau who torched Michigan before getting hurt and threw of 300+ and rushed for 100+ against us...hardly dreck).

I am merely calling you out.

If Alabama's offense was so "Dreck", Kiffin wouldn't be interviewing for the Houston coaching job.

Hurts on the season before today is completing 65% of his passes and is 21 Td's to 9 ints and 800+ rushing yards...and he is a frosh.

I define Dreck as our offense under Chad Davis. There are plenty of examples of dreck offenses in the SEC. Alabama is not one of them.

"sets them self up to be an authority on the subject"? I'm sorry - you're saying posting anything on the Internet is a claim to subject mastery? I guess your definition is different than my own.

"I am merely calling you out" - putting "merely" and "calling...out" next to one another says a lot about your mastery of the English language.

Still waiting for any kind of analysis. You criticize for pointing to one game (at which point I point to multiple), and then you yourself point to individual games. Seems you can't play by your own rules! Same old sponge...

Kiffin - after absolutely faceplanting at SC - is "interviewing" for the Houston job in the AAC? Wow, neat. Guess he's up there with Bill Belichick and Bear Bryant. Mea culpa, I guess I was wrong?

 

[spongeback]

Actually, in regards to Liufau, I pointed to two games which a "Dreck" qb wouldn't be capable of having.

Alabama went on two 90+ yd drives(and an 88 yd drive) today against a very good defense. Hardly dreck.

Crappy offensive coordinators don't interview for head jobs but your resort to sarcasm is noted.

"sets them self up to be an authority on the subject"? I'm sorry - you're saying posting anything on the Internet is a claim to subject mastery? I guess your definition is different than my own.

"I am merely calling you out" - putting "merely" and "calling...out" next to one another says a lot about your mastery of the English language.

Still waiting for any kind of analysis. You criticize for pointing to one game (at which point I point to multiple), and then you yourself point to individual games. Seems you can't play by your own rules! Same old sponge...

Kiffin - after absolutely faceplanting at SC - is "interviewing" for the Houston job in the AAC? Wow, neat. Guess he's up there with Bill Belichick and Bear Bryant. Mea culpa, I guess I was wrong?

 

[SCglory]

We'd have a puncher's chance against Alabama this year. But Browning needs to get right. He was so improved throwing deep early in the season. Now I'm not sure he can throw the ball as far as I can.

I agree with this. The best chance to beat Alabama is by a team that does NOT play like they do. Florida tried to do that tonight, and they got mashed. There was a first and goal on the 3 and the Gators ran it 3 straight times up the middle, got stuffed....then overthrew a receiver in the EZ. It looked like they thought it was more important to establish their manhood than to score. Three of the dumbest calls that could be imagined, right into the heart & strength of the Bama Defense. Peterson is too smart for that--he does not have the personnel to do that, and luckily, that is not their strength either. But Browning is going to have to show the world that he can roll out against their pass rush and be effective--more than he was against SC. Huskies have solid speed, and a history of play-calling to use that speed...not sure that Browning is really up for his role, however

 

[spongeback]

Last year, Alabama could not stop Clemons' 5 wide package..yet for some reason, they would go away from it and try to run the ball.

Even Urban Meyer said at halftime that Clemson shouldn't even think about running the football in the second half. To me, that is what cost them the game.

The only time they should have ran the ball is from the 5 wide set where Deshaun Watson had an easy 10 yds whenever he wanted to take off.

I agree with this. The best chance to beat Alabama is by a team that does NOT play like they do. Florida tried to do that tonight, and they got mashed. There was a first and goal on the 3 and the Gators ran it 3 straight times up the middle, got stuffed....then overthrew a receiver in the EZ. It looked like they thought it was more important to establish their manhood than to score. Three of the dumbest calls that could be imagined, right into the heart & strength of the Bama Defense. Peterson is too smart for that--he does not have the personnel to do that, and luckily, that is not their strength either. But Browning is going to have to show the world that he can roll out against their pass rush and be effective--more than he was against SC. Huskies have solid speed, and a history of play-calling to use that speed...not sure that Browning is really up for his role, however

 

[SaveFerris]

I agree with this. The best chance to beat Alabama is by a team that does NOT play like they do. Florida tried to do that tonight, and they got mashed. There was a first and goal on the 3 and the Gators ran it 3 straight times up the middle, got stuffed....then overthrew a receiver in the EZ. It looked like they thought it was more important to establish their manhood than to score. Three of the dumbest calls that could be imagined, right into the heart & strength of the Bama Defense. Peterson is too smart for that--he does not have the personnel to do that, and luckily, that is not their strength either. But Browning is going to have to show the world that he can roll out against their pass rush and be effective--more than he was against SC. Huskies have solid speed, and a history of play-calling to use that speed...not sure that Browning is really up for his role, however

Alabama is obviously a match for UW's talent. I do like how UWs built defensively inside to go up against Alabama but lacking Mathis/Victor really hurts.

Browing needs to do his job and that's manage the game and stay away from mistakes. He hasn't shown that he can elevate the rest of the offense. It's the players around him that give them the punch. He can't crumble like he did against SC as well if they get down and they get pressure.

 

[Coug90]

Alabama is obviously a match for UW's talent. I do like how UWs built defensively inside to go up against Alabama but lacking Mathis/Victor really hurts.

Browing needs to do his job and that's manage the game and stay away from mistakes. He hasn't shown that he can elevate the rest of the offense. It's the players around him that give them the punch. He can't crumble like he did against SC as well if they get down and they get pressure.

We may not find out. The Huskies are the 2nd best UW in the country. Interesting to see what the committee does...badgers are REALLY good and are going to win the best conference in the country.

 

[SaveFerris]

We may not find out. The Huskies are the 2nd best UW in the country. Interesting to see what the committee does...badgers are REALLY good and are going to win the best conference in the country.

They have 2 losses albeit to Michigan and OSU. I just don't see how they jump the mutt's with only 1 loss coming off a win over #8 CU.

They can't go to 16 teams soon enough although there will still be complaints.

 

[Coug1990]

They have 2 losses albeit to Michigan and OSU. I just don't see how they jump the mutt's with only 1 loss coming off a win over #8 CU.

They can't go to 16 teams soon enough although there will still be complaints.

For myself, I am OK with either a 4, 6 or 8 team playoff.

For a four team playoff, you have to be your conference champion or else you are left out.

For a six team playoff, it would be the five P5 conference champions, plus one at large chosen by the committee. The committee also seeds with the top two getting a bye, 3 plays 6 and 4 plays 5.

For eight, the five P5, plus three at large chosen by the committee.

Personally, I would not like to see 16 teams.

 

[SaveFerris]

For myself, I am OK with either a 4, 6 or 8 team playoff.

For a four team playoff, you have to be your conference champion or else you are left out.

For a six team playoff, it would be the five P5 conference champions, plus one at large chosen by the committee. The committee also seeds with the top two getting a bye, 3 plays 6 and 4 plays 5.

For eight, the five P5, plus three at large chosen by the committee.

Personally, I would not like to see 16 teams.

One thing for sure in my mind is 4 is too small and I don't like a bye in a playoff. I would go 8 teams at minimum. I do think they will increase the next time they can make a change.

 

[Coug1990]

One thing for sure in my mind is 4 is too small and I don't like a bye in a playoff. I would go 8 teams at minimum. I do think they will increase the next time they can make a change.

To me it is all arbitrary. It was fine for many years without any playoff. In fact, I personally liked it better, as there was much more interest in a number of games. But, that time has passed and I have accepted that.

Nothing is fair, so for that reason, I am OK with 4, 6 or 8. I just hope it never goes beyond 8.

 

[bogusto]

We may not find out. The Huskies are the 2nd best UW in the country. Interesting to see what the committee does...badgers are REALLY good and are going to win the best conference in the country.

Badgers weren't good enough. I still think Penn State has a chance ahead of the Huskies. They looked pretty good coming back against Whiskey. The Mutts non-con schedule is an albatross around their muzzles.

 

[BiggsCoug]

If you lose two games I don't think you have much claim to be in the mix for a national title.

If you can't win your conference I don't think you have much claim to be in the mix for a national title.

IMO, take the conference winners and 1 at large team. Make it a 6 team playoff. It's easier to say #7 got jobbed rather than #5.

 

[CougSinceBirth]

If you lose two games I don't think you have much claim to be in the mix for a national title.

If you can't win your conference I don't think you have much claim to be in the mix for a national title.

IMO, take the conference winners and 1 at large team. Make it a 6 team playoff. It's easier to say #7 got jobbed rather than #5.

I agree. What's the point of conference championship games if they're not going to mean anything? (Note: I know they're about money.)

The question is non-conference games - basically the only reason tOSU is in. Wins at OU is their big win + tough division. But c'mon, they didn't win their conference.

1. Alabama 2. Clemson 3. UW 4. PSU - they on their conference - and the championship games should matter more than TV money.

 

[SCglory]

We may not find out. The Huskies are the 2nd best UW in the country. Interesting to see what the committee does...badgers are REALLY good and are going to win the best conference in the country.

Here is what I think the Final Four will look like. I think Ohio State gets left out, they frankly looked bad against Michigan.

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Washington
4. Penn State

5. Ohio State (this is the closest call, so I would be the least surprised if they & Penn State were reversed)

 

[Cougsocal]

Well, we weren't getting foot raced to the end zone anymore, so that's a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, Luani is the guy responsible for that and he's gone, so unless there is a burner JC guy coming in we'll be looking at a lot more 20+ yard plays given up next year.

I don't see an heir apparent for Luani on the squad. We definitely need to scour the JC ranks.