I don't have a dog in the Harbaugh-Saban "fight" - which in the past hasn't stopped me from expressing an unsolicited opinion - but I just want to make a couple of points: -My money's always on Bobda and kp, by far two of the most objective, knowledgeable, and humble members of our little clan. Their current conversation is a lesson to all of us in civil discourse. -I didn't see the end of the game, but I wouldn't argue with either Saban's or Harbaugh's end-of-game strategies. As much as Harbaugh's personality annoys me, I admire both as among the best coaches in the game. Saban is royalty, currently the reigning king, and Harbaugh is as fierce a competitor as there is. It's no surprise to me that their teams gave 100% until the final whistle, despite the score.
Well in the end feelings might have been hurt, but no player was hurt. Sort of like that time that Woody went for 2 against Michigan up by 5 TD's. Harbaugh himself ran up the score back in 2009 when he pulled a big upset on USC and Pete Carroll, up 48-21 he went for 2. It happens and btw players get injured occasionally trying to run out the clock. Jarious Jackson was injured trying to run out the clock during the Bob Davie years at ND. Players get injured celebrating a TD or a victory as well, not very often but it happens.
Well I think Baylor won 11 games because they played a very weak non-conf schedule and the B12 had a lot of very average teams. But I think Baylor had a great season, Matt Rhule did a great job with them. Also it was one of those years that the ball bounced their way a lot, they had 2 OT wins and a couple of really close wins. They just don't have enough talent to keep up with Oklahoma and Georgia. Georgia missing all those players still had more talent on the field than Baylor did, great coaching can only make up for so much. Baylor brings back a lot of this team so they should be a good team again next year, Rhule publically says they can win the B12 and compete for the CFP, maybe so, but what else is he going to say. The media speculation is that the Giants might be interested and Rhule grew up a Giants fan. He did just sign an extension with Baylor, so we'll know some time in the next few weeks, if he does interview with the Giants that's not a good sign for Baylor.
Just thinking about what team in retrospect would have been a better choice than OU for that 4th slot? It's hard to be fair to OU as they were missing some of their defensive starters due to failing drug tests. But LSU had already beaten both Alabama and Georgia in convincing fashion and while both won their bowl games, neither had the kind of game that made you say...now that team would've given LSU a game! Same for Oregon, they had their hands full with a good not great Wisconsin, doubt if they could have handled LSU at all. So in the end, OU drew the black bean and got their head handed to them. Ohio State, LSU and Clemson are just on another level from the rest of the good teams in college football this year. Maybe Alabama if they hadn't had so many injuries to key players would have been that 4th competitive team. But I don't see any other teams who would have been competitive.
I was at that game. It was truly one of the defining moments of the Boob Davie era. There were a lot of things we attempted to do during that reign that we hadn't practiced, and taking a knee or taking a safety were two of them. Jarious just ran around like a chicken with his head cut off until I believe Booger fell on him and caused the injury. That's on the coach. He puts his kids in a situation that was dangerous because he failed to prepare them. He was, eventually, justifiably fired.
Ultimately, it all gets down to, "can you actually justify your actions" and the problem with the 'run it up crowd' is that they really can't. It's one thing, even with 8 minutes left in the 4th, if you're still playing your offense. It's quite another when you're in the final seconds of the game and taking quick snaps in the red zone of a game that has already been decided. As I mentioned, PJ Fleck put the gold standard on display for all to see. That was how you win with class.
I'm actually for a bit of running up the score. I wish in a few of our games that Kelly had put in Phil Jurkovec and actually ran the full offense with him, if it'd ended up hurting some feelings ...I would have been OK with that. Instead I guess Kelly did it with class, and Phil never got a chance to show what he could do in garbage time. BTW running up the score only seems to be a concern in football games, why is that? I see basketball scores that are outrageous all the time, and baseball teams don't try to stop scoring when the game is out of reach.
Jeez, this is ridiculous. 5 of 6 games that Alabama had the ball at the end of the game, they took a knee. A&M was the only game that they didn't. I didn't do the whole season, I think this should be enough. Alabama-Duke game. Alabama took a knee on their last possession. Alabama - NMSU NMSU stopped at the Alabama 2 yd line after 2 passes into the endzone are incomplete Alabama - South Carolina 47-16. South Carolina passing into the endzone and actually scored with 15 seconds to go. Alabama took a knee to end the game Alabama - Southern Miss Southern Miss had the ball at the end and ran out the clock Alabama - Ole Miss threw a bomb for a touchdown with 5 secs to go. Alabama took a knee to end the game Alabama-Texas A&M 47-28 Alabama had ran the ball with Najee Harris still in the game Alabama - Tennessee 35-13 Tennessee had the ball at the end and they took a knee Alabama- Arkansas 48-7 Alabama took a knee with 20 seconds to go.
As bowl games go sometimes they are springboards to a good following season. Saban alluded to that in his post game and the Irish win over LSU in 2017 was a springboard into a very good 2018 run. I can tell you that the Texas win over a solid Utah squad was a much needed victory for the Longhorns. There will be new enthusiasm and purpose in Austin this spring. Key players will be back, including Sam Ehlinger, last year we had no scholarship RB's early in the season due to injuries. We should have a good stable of RB's in 2020. Plus while Texas sits at a top 10 recruiting class, there are only 17 kids and Herman has said he plans to add some more kids/transfers. Texas fans now looking forward to 2020 and feel like this win and the staff shakeup is going to result in a great 2020 for the Longhorns. Not necessarily undefeated season, we do have LSU in Baton Rouge and of course OU. I thought this comment by Kyle Whittington was a reflection on how
When Alabama played M in a kick off classic several years ago. Alabama could have put 70 on the board against a Brady Hoke team but Saban took his foot off the pedal in the second half. I suspect his decision to give no quarter to a Harbaugh coached team in the games closing moments might back to the dust up they had over satellite camps. Harbaugh has done similar stuff most notably against bitter rival USC when he was at Stanford. So, can’t bitch when Karma knocks on Jimmy’s door. Harbaugh has dialed down on the “run your rival’s nose in it” during the last few years and that might be caused by the large slices of humble pie dished out to him by OSU and others. So, it is my hope that when Jim faces a future opportunity to stick a foe’s nose into a pile of dog feces, he will first ask “What Would PJ Do?” and take a knee.
To me it's much a do about nothing. I would agree that Saban/Harbaugh dynamic is not a warm and friendly one, much like Harbaugh/Pete Carroll. I'm still OK with some running up the score. I do know that Bob Stoops laid 60+ points on Mack Brown several times and grinned about it.
I tend to stay away from game threads as to many of them have unrealistic fans who spoil the conversation. Yes I am talking about Gator fans. However in reading over these conversations I am impressed with how they went. Might have to look closer next time. As to the games, the two that have surprised me so far are Texas taking Utah apart and Auburn losing. Texas did better than the Oklahoma and Baylor.
You can justify trying to score when you have backups in trying to showcase what they have. You can sit down on that player's couch and justify to that mother what you were doing, in the event of the worst. You can't justify having your starter in at the end trying to cash in a cheap score so you can stick it to them. You just can't. You guys are making this harder than it needs to be in order to feel better about 'your guy.' So speaking of other people's guys... Are Tennessee and Indiana that good on defense? That bad on offense? It seems like bad football, but I am still enjoying it because the dying of the light is coming on this season.
As for Utah, does anyone know any Utah fans that you've heard from? I know only a few and haven't heard a word. Maybe we should have the police do a wellness check on the whole state? We still won't forgive them, and we don't want to hear any bullsh*t excuses about having a backup QB playing CB, but we still wanna make sure they haven't gone Jonestown on us either.
17 secs left....1996 Fiesta Bowl....NU @ UF 1/2 yard line, 3rd stringer Matt "Terminator" Thurman from Letterman's late show HQ's in Wahoo, NE, took a knee with a 62-24 lead....that was Osborne....huge class act....me on the other hand....I'm with Woody.....
Now dont get me wrong here, Marines mentality is, I quote: Locate and destroy the enemy, before they can breed more.