2012-2013 NCAA Football Thread (National Signing Day)

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

Based on the schedules, I wonder if a 1 loss Alabama or Georgia team could jump an undefeated team to get into the National Championship game after winning the SEC championship game. That would be awesome because I hate the BCS.

dont worry, ESPN and CBS will start asking this question after the BCS rankings are released tomorrow.

[Spartacus87]

The thing is this is the best FSU team in awhile and also the worst VT team in awhile, yet VT still took them to the wire. Despite their record they deserve some props. I know it doesnt mean jack in a loss but I thought I'd offer it anyway. If VT can do this to FSU's offense then I dont want to even think about whats gonna happen when UF comes to town.

Ehhh...that game will be tough, but any reasonable FSU fan should have had the UF game this year penciled in as a possible loss since the preseason.

It's probably going to be similar to last year actually - a complete defensive slugfest, with the majority of the points coming off of short fields via turnovers. I like FSU's odds only because they're in Doak Campbell, but I still expect it to be either a narrow FSU win or an outright loss.

This VT game was on a Thursday night at Lane Stadium, which is an environment that VT is very used to winning in, and this game was the last truly meaningful game of the Hokies season, so they were bringing their best shot.

I rag on Bud Foster a lot, and I do think that he's grown rather overrated the past few years (something which SHF and myself have gone back and forth on since maybe even 2009?), but I'll give credit where it's due: he called a hell of a game on Thursday. That was actual vintage Bud Foster "lunch pail" defense.

I read that in the first half alone, Foster called blitzes on 72% of the defensive play calls. He also had 9 guys in the box on almost every down.

FSU's OL is huge and quick, but they're also young, and Foster knew that his best shot would be to live and die by the blitz and overload the OL every chance he could get.

One particularly neat scheme he kept running had Bruce Taylor and Jack Tyler lined up just outside the DEs, so they essentially became rush OLBs like in a 3-4 front, but he was still running a 4 man DL. He lined them up wide enough though that they also could drop back into shallow zone coverage and take away the flats, but come up and stuff outside runs too. I think that was part of why Jimbo didn't really call any option plays.

Of course, Foster's insistence on being so blitz heavy and leaving his DBs on an island is what eventually gave up the game winning TD to Greene, but that defensive game plan was really the only shot VT's defense had at keeping that game close.

Hat's off to Bud Foster and the VT defense for that performance, it was pretty remarkable (and extremely frustrating to watch during the game).

Terrible. Just one of those years. Would have been a nice little silve lining to get this win

At this point in the season, with the type of year we are having, I agree.

Bud's D has done this way too many times over the past few years, give up a late lead in the last 2 minutes of the game.

So, you know I have to bring this up:

You still think EJ has the "stink of losing?"

If you wake up and just look at the box score you'd think he is awesome. He is the Josh Smith of college football....putting up stats but actually sucking.

Totally agree. Couldnt have said it better. When its all said and done he'll have better numbers then Ponder, but he has maybe half the decision making ability as CP7

Well, first off, looking back in hindsight on his career, Ponder is one of the best QBs FSU has ever had. Ponder had the misfortune of being the face of the program in the transition years between Bowden and Jimbo, and if he had been able to work with the overall talent and development that the 2012 FSU team has (compared to the mediocre 2009 squad he carried), he could have made FSU a legitimate BCS title contender and he himself would have been a Heisman candidate.

It's unfortunate how things have worked out for EJ over his career as the full time starter at FSU, considering the immense potential that he showed when coming off the bench for Ponder, but it's not really a fair comparison to put EJ in the same breath as Ponder. As much as EJ showed prior to taking over the full time spot, there's a reason why most programs have a very difficult time simply replacing a QB who goes in the 1st round of the NFL draft.

Just in pre-snap decision making, Jimbo has recently said that EJ makes about 70% of the audibles at the line, and that's out of a given set of play choices. Ponder was given the freedom to audible any play at the line, and Jimbo opened up 100% of the offense to Ponder's decisions. EJ's been a class act through and through and when his career is over at FSU he'll have some big wins to his name, but he's absolutely no Ponder.

That all said - I do think that to a degree, EJ is hampered somewhat by Jimbo. I've said it before, but EJ's natural game comes from using his legs to set up his passing, and he's dynamic in the option game in a way that few QBs in the country are. I know that Jimbo wants to preserve his health, so he doesn't run him against teams like Duke, BC, Wake Forest, etc., so he can save him for Clemson, Miami, and UF instead. But I still think that Jimbo has tried too hard to make EJ a traditional drop back pro style passer, rather than let EJ work more often out of bootlegs, moving pockets, etc. Jimbo had EJ run an incredible run option fake to a pass against WVU in the Gator Bowl a couple years ago, it went for like a 25 or 30 yard gain, and that play hasn't been seen since.

At the same time, as good as EJ is on the run, a lot of times he shows a reluctance to rely on his legs, as if he wants to prove that he can be the traditional pro style QB that Jimbo wants. I don't know why he insists on it, but it's truly bizarre, and it's especially noticeable given how often he'll pitch it on option plays that end up getting the RB buried for a loss, when he could have kept it and run for a significant yardage. It's a risky accusation to throw around, but sometimes it's almost like he's sabotaging his own big rushing chances because he's afraid of taking a hard hit or he would rather be throwing the ball. It's frustrating to watch a QB who sometimes actively works against his own superior physical gifts. Maybe that's part of the reason why Jimbo doesn't call so many designed running plays for EJ - he doesn't trust him to carry them out successfully all the time. After all this time, it's really hard to understand what's going on there.

The other thing about EJ, and I don't know how to explain this either, is that he's God awful when FSU is up in a game by 14 points. He fumbles hand offs, he throws terrible passes, and fails to see wide open guys for TDs. When FSU is down by a FG or a TD, I swear that he's one of the most dangerous QBs to defend against in the country (this especially holds true if he's running the 2 minute drill before the end of the half or the game itself). It's like, he only plays at 50% if there's no pressure on him, but if he needs to step up and take over, a light goes on his head and he begins making the correct reads, hitting accurate passes to the right guys in stride, and taking off on his own for big runs. I honestly have no idea how that works, but I've seen it enough times now (and the VT game really sealed it in my mind) that I go into games fully expecting EJ to play like crap in the 1st quarter, and if FSU falls a little behind as a result, to lead a 5 play, 70 yard drive for a TD right before the half.

And this has been the case since his first start against Maryland in 2009. He thrives under real pressure to win, but when he's given the tiniest bit of room to coast, he plays like a moron. It's the most frustrating thing about his whole career and I'm looking forward to him graduating already just to ease my blood pressure on Saturdays.

There was an obvious offensive pass interference call missed on the touchdown pass that put FSU up late. Sorry to all the Tech fans.

This is correct (assuming we're talking about the same thing here).

Nick O'Leary was already trying to block for Greene and it was a pretty obvious pick play.

However, Corey Fuller was blatantly pulling down Lamarcus Joyner's facemask on his TD at the end of the 2nd quarter:


So since they never call pick plays anyway, even though they're illegal (that was how NC State kept hitting their crossing routes in their game winning drive against FSU this year), and we've already established numerous times how dumb ACC refs are, I don't feel bad about the pick play on Greene's TD going uncalled. If Fuller's more obvious OPI doesn't draw a flag, might as well let O'Leary's pick go uncalled (and O'Leary missed his block anyway...if you're going to try to run a pick play, you might as well actually block your man).

There are undefeated teams from the Pac12, B12, and Big East in the top 9 of the BCS standings. So I don't know what else to say.

I do know head to heads aren't really comparable, but when a mediocre Pitt team smokes a VT team that the alleged top of the ACC has to squeak by, then I question just how good that top of the conference is.

I'll let the "I do know head to heads aren't really comparable...but let me make the comparison anyway" part go, since that was already addressed...

But yes, what a spectacular undefeated team from the Big East. They put on a great show today.

I know it doesn't sound like much at all, but there's really no contest between the ACC and the Big East as conferences. I don't like the ACC and I don't think highly of where the ACC is positioning itself for the long term, but the Big East is a dying conference, and that's for a good reason. Just putting aside the "BCS rankings" comparisons between the two conferences for this week (which is a silly way to compare the two conferences to start with), the Big East doesn't have any national football brands anywhere near the combined level of FSU, VT, Miami, Clemson, and soon, Notre Dame.

[Major Harris]

What about when FSU is in the big12?

[Spartacus87]

What about when FSU is in the big12?

You mean just in time for the FSU/Oklahoma State season opener in 2014?

Oliver Luck should campaign a little harder this year to make that happen. Now that Texas has lost the apple of its eye, Notre Dame, maybe it'll reconsider its original stance on the FSU issue.

(I do look forward to not complaining about missed holding calls as much though)

(Edit: And I know this is so a week ago by now, but I think WVU got jobbed against TCU in OT...that wasn't a catch...but I can also see how it wasn't "indisputable" enough to overturn)

[Major Harris]

I would love fsu to big12. I met tomblin and Huggins on the same day, I am on a roll if I see luck I'll put the word in .

[big#44]

The (almost totally meaningless) AP poll is out. It'll be interesting to see if the other polls follow suit.

1 Oregon (45) 10-0
2 Kansas State (14) 10-0
3 Notre Dame (1) 10-0
4 Alabama 9-1
5 Georgia 9-1
6 Ohio State 10-0
7 Florida 9-1
8 LSU 8-2
9 Texas A&M 8-2
10 Florida State 9-1
11 Clemson 9-1
12 South Carolina 8-2
13 Oklahoma 7-2
14 Stanford 8-2
15 Oregon State 7-2
16 Nebraska 8-2
17 UCLA 8-2
18 Texas 8-2
19 Louisiana Tech
20 Louisville 9-1
21 USC 7-3
22 Rutgers 8-1
23 Michigan 7-3
23 Texas Tech 7-3
25 Kent State 9-1

@SportsCenter
Projected BCS Standings (according to Brad Edwards): 1. Kansas State, 2. Oregon, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Georgia, 5. Alabama

[big#44]

BCS rankings bump

1. Kansas State
2. Oregon
3. Notre Dame
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Florida
7. LSU
8. Texas A&M
9. South Carolina
10. Florida State

[HailToTheRedskins14]

Someone needs to take Florida's ass out of the top ten. Gimme a break.

[boysetsfire]

LOL

*NSFW* Language

[Spartacus87]

Whether it's Kevin Sherman, Shane Beamer, or Frank Beamer himself, someone needs to pull Marcus Davis aside and have a conversation with him about why he's afraid to block on the perimeter:

[RonArtest15]

Whether it's Kevin Sherman, Shane Beamer, or Frank Beamer himself, someone needs to pull Marcus Davis aside and have a conversation with him about why he's afraid to block on the perimeter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeY0-uKcWqk

I was just about to post this video. If you're a VT fan, this should make you sick. Beamer needs to sit Davis' ass for the next game. This is inexcusable.

[FSUSkins24]

Whether it's Kevin Sherman, Shane Beamer, or Frank Beamer himself, someone needs to pull Marcus Davis aside and have a conversation with him about why he's afraid to block on the perimeter:

If you're the VT RB how are you not tearing this guy a new one?

[pjfootballer]

After that pillowfight last night, it's official.

The ACC sucks. Really, I don't see how it's not the 6th rated conference right now.

Maybe you should worry less about how bad the ACC sucks and worry more about how WVA sucks. I mean, you've beat this drum until you're blue in the face. We get it, you hate the ACC.

[The Evil Genius]

Maybe you should worry less about how bad the ACC sucks and worry more about how WVA sucks. I mean, you've beat this drum until you're blue in the face. We get it, you hate the ACC.

No, I hate how the ACC and ESPN conspired to get rid of the Big East. Twice.

That said, I was wrong. The BE is the worst of the 6 big conferences this year. The ACC is 5th or 4th (I'm really not sold on undefeated tOSU).

[pjfootballer]

I hope so! The SEC reign may at least be coming to an end.

Then again, I don't want them to lose, if it means Alabama could slip back into the picture. Frankly, I'm sick of Alabama and the SEC winning it every year. My ideal national title game would be Kansas St and Oregon, with the Wildcats prevailing.

Agree with both you guys. I was listening to the radio this morning and they were talking about what kind of game would it be without an SEC team in the national championship. Hell, we don't know, since it's been 7 years. I'd like to find out. I think an Oregon-Kansas State game could be 55-52 type of game. Better than that bull**** Bama/LSU game from last year. Didn't watch it last year. Knew it would be a yawner.