FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[frank uible]

I didn't perceive a substantial comparative lack of skill player speed - it was penalties and inferior offensive and defensive line (including LBs) play. Fix those (a mouthful), and OSU overcomes its three turnovers and wins - possibly big.

[formerd3db]

I think you are right on frank.

[sac]

 It was pretty obvious last night that if this is the best the Big 10 has to offer, they have a long way to go to truly COMPETE with the big boys of the SEC. 

Everyone has such short term memory when it comes to college football

Michigan 41 Florida 35
LSU 28 Florida 24........just a last second TD throw

Tennessee 21 Wisconsin 17......2 more feet and UW wins on last second TD throw.
LSU 21 Tennessee 14

Sorry, but the Big 10 competes just fine, its what happens when you put quality teams from quality conferences on the field with each other.

Somehow the poor old Big 10 manages a 3-3 record vs the mighty SEC in bowl games over 2 years, which are basically home games.  OSU seems to have the problem beating SEC teams (0-9) that is OSU's problem not the Big 10's.

SEC fans are like the 14 year old girl with low self esteem who has to be told how pretty she is ALL the time..........I am pretty aren't I, tell me I'm pretty, see how pretty I am,..........told you I was pretty.

But thank god we have George Carville to tell us how great the SEC is.

[Mr. Ypsi]

sac, Is that James Carville's shyer brother?

[sac]

sac, Is that James Carville's shyer brother?

A little fired up, of course I meant James.

[frank uible]

I remember the 40s and 50s when the Big Ten was 12-1 in the Rose Bowl which of course at that time was the most prestigious bowl of all.

[dc_has_been]

My final top 5:

LSU
USC
WVU
Georgia
Kansas

I'm going to go w/
LSU
Kansas
WVU
Georgia
Michigan- b/c if they were healthy all year they would have been a top five team.  Wishful thinking at least. 

[SaintsFAN]

where's USC?

[dc_has_been]

I actually would have USC at 5 or 6 b/c  Missouri would be up for consideration of a top 5 vote too.
I like the idea of a 8 team playoff in DI BCS, but there would still be a lot of complaining from schools who didn't get in when they thought they should.  It is still better then how they do it now though. 

[Superfoot Wallace]

I didn't perceive a substantial comparative lack of skill player speed - it was penalties and inferior offensive and defensive line (including LBs) play. Fix those (a mouthful), and OSU overcomes its three turnovers and wins - possibly big.

Think there are two linebacker prototypes, those that get off their blocks and those who shoot with speed.  Might even add a third for those that can turn their hips in coverage.

The former would be the Bill George, Sam Huff, Levon Kirlkland and Jeremiah Trotter types.  Heavier and able to control gaps and areas.  Often there is attendant stiffness in the hips so to speak, but the personnel for the scheme can sacrifice some girth for athleticism at other positions. 

Group those who strike with speed into that category including Urlacher.  Get a body on him and prevent the athleticism from taking over.

Those that are able to turn their hips in coverage?  Maybe Derrick Brooks if looking at his passes defensed statisitics over the years.  Gotta love a player that allows teams to Eagle under an offense.  Not sure Wilbur Marshall didn't allow teams in the 80's to mix eagling 43's under and 34's over with his rare combination of attacking speed and hip funk.

Don't know that Laurinitis has enough lateral movement, speed or athleticism to be totally absent in that first category.  How many times was a backside tackle that moved at the pace of a glacier going to swallow him up before they would start at least trying to cross hatch some blitzes and get him moving toward the line of scrimmage?  Absolutely on roller skates.

signed,
Willy Lanier

[frank uible]

Did not focus on individuals, but the flow of the game indicated to me that the OSU DLs as a group lacked sufficient quickness, body control and lateral movement and the OSU LBs instincts, vision, decisiveness and ability to wrap up - with the result that they did not meet LSU zone blocking well enough and did not pressure the passer well.

[Knightstalker]

I didn't perceive a substantial comparative lack of skill player speed - it was penalties and inferior offensive and defensive line (including LBs) play. Fix those (a mouthful), and OSU overcomes its three turnovers and wins - possibly big.

Think there are two linebacker prototypes, those that get off their blocks and those who shoot with speed.  Might even add a third for those that can turn their hips in coverage.

The former would be the Bill George, Sam Huff, Levon Kirlkland and Jeremiah Trotter types.  Heavier and able to control gaps and areas.  Often there is attendant stiffness in the hips so to speak, but the personnel for the scheme can sacrifice some girth for athleticism at other positions. 

Group those who strike with speed into that category including Urlacher.  Get a body on him and prevent the athleticism from taking over.

Those that are able to turn their hips in coverage?  Maybe Derrick Brooks if looking at his passes defensed statisitics over the years.  Gotta love a player that allows teams to Eagle under an offense.  Not sure Wilbur Marshall didn't allow teams in the 80's to mix eagling 43's under and 34's over with his rare combination of attacking speed and hip funk.

Don't know that Laurinitis has enough lateral movement, speed or athleticism to be totally absent in that first category.  How many times was a backside tackle that moved at the pace of a glacier going to swallow him up before they would start at least trying to cross hatch some blitzes and get him moving toward the line of scrimmage?  Absolutely on roller skates.

signed,
Willy Lanier

Hey Willy, where do you put LT and Derrick Thomas?

[Superfoot Wallace]

Hey Willy, where do you put LT and Derrick Thomas?

Sense this question is posed tongue in cheek, but here goes.

LT and Derrick Thomas struck with speed.  Same category as Urlacher, but as outside linebackers there is generally more opportunity to play with leverage, meaning ability to fall back into a play not stroke blockers.  Though LT stroked a few Bills guards if I remember correctly.

Thought I was more singling out a coordinator than the player Frank.  Not that I wasn't singling out Laurinaitis, but generally it seems LB's are less physical taking on bockers at all levels these days.  Has been the trend for a few years now.  There are some OLB's out there in the college ranks doing these things, but they seem to be converted to DE's in the pros and wash out (see Kalimba Edwards.)  The OLBs we are seeing in 30 fronts such as San Diegos are more comparably hybrids in my esteem.  Same goes for Vrable and Adalius Thomas, hybrids.

My take on the OSU-LSU game was more like, how many times are the Buckeyes gonna come out in a one back set and motion to five wides?  How many times were they going to come out in shotgun?  Wasn't Beanie's big touchdown run from under center with a lead blocker...?  Know a guard trapped or at least G pulled through the hole.

Always have felt you dont attack the teeth of collective defense as much as you attack a defense's best downlineman.  Five wide is not attacking a defenses best downlineman, it is accounting for him and making the others look all world.

Where have you gone Ned Bolcar?

signed,
Gore to Martz :: TO to Garcia

[Knightstalker]

I was actually thinking LT and to a slightly lesser extent DT were combinations of the three types of linebacker.  LT had enough brute strength to take on an offensive lineman and win, along with the speed to chase down the play from the backside.  LT could also run with just about any back or tightend he was ever asked to cover.

[SaintsFAN]

Hey Willy, where do you put LT and Derrick Thomas?

Where have you gone Ned Bolcar?

signed,
Gore to Martz :: TO to Garcia

MacLeod,
Bolcar is in equities sales for Jefferies and Company, a Wall Street Firm.