There is a hierarchy of power in college football and money sits alone at the top. Todd Gurley is alleged to have accepted money for signing his autograph so the University of Georgia suspended him indefinitely until the outcome of the investigation. Jameis Winston at Florida State will keep on playing. The latest ESPN report states that it has not been proven that he accepted any money for signing his autograph to over 2,000 items for a business. Some of these autographs are sequentially numbered. Jameis Winston said he did not get paid and Florida State believes him. He was suspended one time already this season against Clemson because they had him on video doing something wrong.
Florida State should suspend him again. Winston also plays baseball for Florida Stae. He was suspended during the baseball season. How many strikes does he get? I guess the rules are different depending on during which sports season he screws up in. Two sport icon Bo Jackson even tried to take Winston under his wing but Winston was not about to have any part of that leaving Jackson to state "I don't know who is advising him.". Jackson gave up on Winston and threw his hands up in exasperation. A pattern of behavior has developed here. Integrity and college football have not gone hand-in-hand in the past several years and most the top tier college football teams have decided that via con deniro is the only motto that matters.
Florida State will play Notre Dame tonight with Jameis Winston leading them at Quarterback and some professional team will throw an armored car full of money at Winston to lead them and it seems like a similar scenario has played itself out about once or twice a season. The beat goes on.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
Roy Williams Is All Things Tarheel Sports
Head North Carolina Basketball Coach Roy Williams called into Head Football Coach Larry Fedora's radio show the other night in a show of support for the Tarheels Football team. "Roy from Chapel Hill" predicted a Tarheel victory over Georgia Tech this coming Saturday night and I am sure that Coach Fedora appreciated it. I hope Coach Williams knows his football as well as he does his basketball.
Roy Williams is a great ambassador for North Carolina Tarheel athletics and for the school itself. He can regularly be seen at football and baseball games as well as women's basketball games. The phone call was not the first time that he has offered a public show of support either.
Roy Williams is a great ambassador for North Carolina Tarheel athletics and for the school itself. He can regularly be seen at football and baseball games as well as women's basketball games. The phone call was not the first time that he has offered a public show of support either.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Touchdown Jesus
#6 Notre Dame needed Touchdown Jesus and some very iffy Fourth Quarter officiating to hold off a game North carolina Tarheels team 50-43. A "Roughing the Snapper" penalty on a 4th and 18 and two pass interference penalties on Notre Dame's final drive sealed North Carolinba's fate. How many times has a "Roughing the Snapper" penalty ever been called in college football?
Notre Dame is a good football team and I am pretty sure they would have won the game, but the officiating in college football is horrible. A non-interference and interference calls helped decide a great TCU-Baylor game eventually won by Baylor 61-58.
Notre Dame is a good football team and I am pretty sure they would have won the game, but the officiating in college football is horrible. A non-interference and interference calls helped decide a great TCU-Baylor game eventually won by Baylor 61-58.
If It's Broke....
Head Coach Larry Fedora's offensive and defensive systems have taken their lumps this season. They have athletes on both sides of the ball. They have four running backs that were among the best in the state in their recruiting class. You have to put your players in a position to be successful.
The fan base is growing restless in Chapel Hill. The Tarheels have not even been competitive in the first half of their three straight losses. The deficits in the first half have been 35-14, 22-0, and 21-3. They were behind in their opening two victories as well. At what point and time do the coaches say "We have to do something different."
Every fan has their opinion and here is mine. I know Larry Fedora believes in his system and I also realize that you can't scrap it in the middle of the season. Rather than try to speed the game up, I believe the Tarheels need to slow the game down. The Tarheels are having trouble running out of the shotgun. I believe they should try lining up in a standard I-formation with Tight End Jack Tabb III at blocking back and see if they can't open a few holes. I love "fast break" football but a three and out that only takes 20 seconds off of the play clock is killing the Tarheels defense.
Pick a starting Quarterback and stick with him. If the Quarterback is going to be Marquise Williams, then allow him to develop a rhythm with his passing and his offensive line. Each Quarterback reacts differently to certain situations and the offensive line needs to anticipate what the QB is going to do.
The same thing applies to the running game. Pick your top two and use them. Allow them to develop a rhythym with the offensive line. All four of the Running Backs were highly recruited. You need to make your system fit the players. Right now neither system is working.
The fan base is growing restless in Chapel Hill. The Tarheels have not even been competitive in the first half of their three straight losses. The deficits in the first half have been 35-14, 22-0, and 21-3. They were behind in their opening two victories as well. At what point and time do the coaches say "We have to do something different."
Every fan has their opinion and here is mine. I know Larry Fedora believes in his system and I also realize that you can't scrap it in the middle of the season. Rather than try to speed the game up, I believe the Tarheels need to slow the game down. The Tarheels are having trouble running out of the shotgun. I believe they should try lining up in a standard I-formation with Tight End Jack Tabb III at blocking back and see if they can't open a few holes. I love "fast break" football but a three and out that only takes 20 seconds off of the play clock is killing the Tarheels defense.
Pick a starting Quarterback and stick with him. If the Quarterback is going to be Marquise Williams, then allow him to develop a rhythm with his passing and his offensive line. Each Quarterback reacts differently to certain situations and the offensive line needs to anticipate what the QB is going to do.
The same thing applies to the running game. Pick your top two and use them. Allow them to develop a rhythym with the offensive line. All four of the Running Backs were highly recruited. You need to make your system fit the players. Right now neither system is working.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Turnovers And Penalties
The first play of the game was a North Carolina turnover and the game got really sloppy after that. I lost track of how many turnovers and penalties they had but it all amounts to a loss in what I believed was a very winnable game.
First of all, I owe an apology to North Carolina's defense in this game. It was their best game of the season. 21 of Virginia Tech's points came off of UNC turnovers and the offense turned the ball over twice inside their own 20 yard line. The defense was on the field for over 41 minutes. The defense has to be put in a situation to be successful.
I did not understand the offensive game plan at all. The "Four Horseman" backfield of North Carolina's only had 9 carries for 15 yards. Quarterback Marquise Williams had 19 carries for 94 yards. He was their offense whether it was by choice or by design I do not know.
First of all, I owe an apology to North Carolina's defense in this game. It was their best game of the season. 21 of Virginia Tech's points came off of UNC turnovers and the offense turned the ball over twice inside their own 20 yard line. The defense was on the field for over 41 minutes. The defense has to be put in a situation to be successful.
I did not understand the offensive game plan at all. The "Four Horseman" backfield of North Carolina's only had 9 carries for 15 yards. Quarterback Marquise Williams had 19 carries for 94 yards. He was their offense whether it was by choice or by design I do not know.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Previewing Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech-North Carolina game may go a long way in deciding which team goes to a bowl game. Both teams come into the game at 2-2 and this is probably the weakest Virginia Tech team that Head Coach Frank Beamer has had in quite a while. They have one common opponent in East Carolina and they both lost to East Carolina but in very different fashions. Virginia Tech got way behind before taking the lead in the 4th quarter only to lose in the last couple of minutes. All Tarheel fans remember how the 'Heels fared against East Carolina.
The Virginia Tech Hokies have been hit hard by the injury bug. They are down to three Defensive Tackles and against the 'Heels fast paced offense, that could be problematic especially late in the game. The Hokies also lost one of their feature Running Backs to an ACL injury in their last game.
Virginia Tech has also been chucking the ball up in record numbers for a Frank Beamer team. Quarterback Michael Brewer has an ACC high 10 interceptions and when the Tarheel defense is not giving up yards by the mile, they are adept at creating turnovers. It is feast or famine with the 'Heels defensive backs and it should be interesting to see if Beamer is willing to go deep. It may all hinge on the Tarheels ability to put pressure on Brewer. The 'Heels rank last in defense and Virginia Tech is in the bottom third of the league in offense. Who wins the battle of the worst?
The Tarheels offense needs to go to work. East Carolina was very successful throwing deep early against Virginia Tech and North Carolina should utilize its size at Wide Receiver in Bug Howard and Quinshad Davis to their advantage and see what happens. The success of their season may rest on it.
The Virginia Tech Hokies have been hit hard by the injury bug. They are down to three Defensive Tackles and against the 'Heels fast paced offense, that could be problematic especially late in the game. The Hokies also lost one of their feature Running Backs to an ACL injury in their last game.
Virginia Tech has also been chucking the ball up in record numbers for a Frank Beamer team. Quarterback Michael Brewer has an ACC high 10 interceptions and when the Tarheel defense is not giving up yards by the mile, they are adept at creating turnovers. It is feast or famine with the 'Heels defensive backs and it should be interesting to see if Beamer is willing to go deep. It may all hinge on the Tarheels ability to put pressure on Brewer. The 'Heels rank last in defense and Virginia Tech is in the bottom third of the league in offense. Who wins the battle of the worst?
The Tarheels offense needs to go to work. East Carolina was very successful throwing deep early against Virginia Tech and North Carolina should utilize its size at Wide Receiver in Bug Howard and Quinshad Davis to their advantage and see what happens. The success of their season may rest on it.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
The Positives
Going into the Clemson game I had serious doubts about the Tarheels ability to stay competitive with Clemson in Death Valley. The Tarheels not only stayed competitive but were an end zone interception and an onside kick away from making it a very interesting last two minutes at Clemson.
On offense, the Tarheels put up 35 points against what most consider a very good Clemson defense and a young and injury riddled offensive line only gave up 3 sacks and gained almost 500 yards of total offense. Quarterback Marquise Williams throw for 345 yards and 4 touchdowns and Tarheel Quarterbacks completed passes to 13 different receivers. Freshman Elijah Hood may have emerged from the logjam at Running Back as the go to guy with 13 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, the 'Heels defensive backs got beat deep repeatedly and gave up 6 touchdown passes. The 'Heels defensive line did get 3 sacks and record 7 tackles for loss and intercept a pass. The Tarheel defense did hold Clemson to 92 yards rushing and 2.1 yards per attempt.
On offense, the Tarheels put up 35 points against what most consider a very good Clemson defense and a young and injury riddled offensive line only gave up 3 sacks and gained almost 500 yards of total offense. Quarterback Marquise Williams throw for 345 yards and 4 touchdowns and Tarheel Quarterbacks completed passes to 13 different receivers. Freshman Elijah Hood may have emerged from the logjam at Running Back as the go to guy with 13 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, the 'Heels defensive backs got beat deep repeatedly and gave up 6 touchdown passes. The 'Heels defensive line did get 3 sacks and record 7 tackles for loss and intercept a pass. The Tarheel defense did hold Clemson to 92 yards rushing and 2.1 yards per attempt.
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