Official 2012 Football thread

[sol740]

1 of their losses was to LSU, yes. The other to USC who lost to a bad Arizona St. team and also their only other game against a ranked opponent all season (Stanford). And had USC been eligible for the post-season Oregon would have had to play them again in the Pac 12 title game but instead got a .500 UCLA team.

 

We all know how well transitive property works in football. Though since we are bringing up how USC lost so poorly, Stanford needed 3 OTs to beat them. Also Oregon beat Arizona St, though I agree they were meh. Slice it any way you want, the Cardinal got spanked by Oregon, and end up ranked above a team they lost to, a team which also happens to be the champion of the conference they play in, that also went on to win their bowl game. Though I digress, my point is if Oregon had scheduled a cupcake instead of actually playing a championship contending LSU, they would have been better off and that's ridiculous.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Im telling you the 4 team system is a bad idea and will lead to more bitching then the current BCS system. 8 teams is the perfect number imo. How about they take the 4 curent bowl games and make them the quarter final games, add in the Cotton Bowl (at Cowboy Stadium) and another game at say Indy's dome and make them the semi-finals and then have the NCG somewhere else. It is a start as people have said, but it could be so much better with a little tweaking. If College Basketball can have 65+ teams compete in their tournament why cant CFB do 8 teams?

[bicranium]

Slice it any way you want, the Cardinal got spanked by Oregon, and end up ranked above a team they lost to

 

That argument doesn't work when one team has more losses than the other. And as for Oregon being better off scheduling a cupcake instead of LSU... in what system wouldn't that be true?

 

Im telling you the 4 team system is a bad idea and will lead to more bitching then the current BCS system. 8 teams is the perfect number imo. How about they take the 4 curent bowl games and make them the quarter final games, add in the Cotton Bowl (at Cowboy Stadium) and another game at say Indy's dome and make them the semi-finals and then have the NCG somewhere else. It is a start as people have said, but it could be so much better with a little tweaking. If College Basketball can have 65+ teams compete in their tournament why cant CFB do 8 teams?

 

You go to 8 teams and people like you will be bitching about teams 9, 10, 11 not getting a shot. You go to 8 teams and all of a sudden you have multiple 2-loss teams pretty much every year with a shot at a national title. I don't like anything that takes away from the regular season's significance and with every increase in the number of teams in the playoff you do exactly that.

 

And there are so many differences in logistics when you start talking football vs. basketball that there is absolutely no way to compare the 2 so I won't even discuss that any further.

[sol740]

That argument doesn't work when one team has more losses than the other. And as for Oregon being better off scheduling a cupcake instead of LSU... in what system wouldn't that be true?

 

 

It's not true in a system where beating a cupcake is weighted less heavily than losing to a competitive team. Such makes for far more interesting non-conference games, as teams would always benefit from playing tough opponents. That makes for more awesome games, which we all want. This fosters competition and would have the odd side effect of actually finding out who is good.

 

As far as there only being 4 in the current playoff setup, the powers that be know this is going to lead to an 8 team playoff eventually, which is why the contract is a long one. Beyond that, I'd rather there be some whining about who's 4 and 5, than who's 2 and 3. Expanded to 8, I'd rather hear even less whining about who's 8 and 9 than 4 and 5. Also public support of that whining will wane the further down the list you go.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

The system in place takes away from the regular season. Unless your in a power conference you're pretty much assured not to be in the 4 team playoff. The SEC is going to take 2 spost every year, I will put money on that. So then you have 2 spots left with several conference champions and possibly schools like Boise, TCU and even ND who are undefeated not in the top 4. What happens when you have 4 conference champions with loss along with other 1 loss teams. 4 is not enough. Your little snide comment about "people like you" well people worse then me will be in an uproar when their 11-1 or 12-0 conference champion doesnt get a chance at the National Title. This does nothing to solve the issue with a lack of playoff in CFB, its just a bandaid to try and cover up the mess.

 

You already have schools trying to manipulate this system, I just read on espn 2 seconds ago how ND is trying to push Strength of Schedule as the main focus to this system, gee I wonder why? They aren't in a conference so they can't get in by that claim, so they will try getting in because they play USC and some mediocre big 10 teams yearly.

 

How about no preseason rankings and no rankings in general til week 6 or so, that would help give everyone a fair shot. So Zack since you seem to be the expert on all things football, you tell me, which conference champions from last year do you not let in to your playoff system? Also please explain your reasoning. There lies another flaw to the system, most people will argue that you should have to win your conference to be in the playoffs, well bye bye Alabama, you now have a 3 loss ACC and Big East champion to fill their spot though..

[sol740]

Heavily weighted strength of schedule would only make the regular season more important because the opponents you play are your body of work, instead of a number padded by teams no one remembers or cares about.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Heavily weighted strength of schedule would only make the regular season more important because the opponents you play are your body of work, instead of a number padded by teams no one remembers or cares about.

 

Yeah but by Zacks way of thinking its better to schedule cupcakes then to lose to #1 LSU and an 11-1 USC team. Therefore you should just schedule cupcakes, whoop up on your conference foes and you're in the playoffs!! Except that probablly wont work for teams like TCU and Boise because they don't have "strength of schedule", hmm guess that theory is thrown out the window. 8 team playoff /debate lol

 

Since I talked about no preseason rankings, I am curious as to what everyones top 25 would look like if you actually had the ability to choose it preseason.

 

God I missed this thread!!! We just need Phil and Tilley to chime in and we're good to go

[sol740]

You know I want an 8 team, but I am more than pleased to see the current BCS die and get a compromise of a playoff. Yeah, TCU and Boise St. will have tougher roads to the championship than teams in premiere conferences. So that stays the same as it ever was with one key difference, more available chances, with a committee that very well could see them play.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

You know for all the bitching about the BCS that has occured it very rarely got it wrong. Even when picking the opponent in the Florida/OSU NCG they got it right and that showed on the field that night as much as it pains me to type this.

[bicranium]

Also public support of that whining will wane the further down the list you go.

 

Are you sure? People still bitch around tourney time in basketball with a 68-team field...lol.

 

Yeah but by Zacks way of thinking its better to schedule cupcakes then to lose to #1 LSU and an 11-1 USC team. Therefore you should just schedule cupcakes, whoop up on your conference foes and you're in the playoffs!! Except that probablly wont work for teams like TCU and Boise because they don't have "strength of schedule", hmm guess that theory is thrown out the window. 8 team playoff /debate lol

 

Since I talked about no preseason rankings, I am curious as to what everyones top 25 would look like if you actually had the ability to choose it preseason.

 

God I missed this thread!!! We just need Phil and Tilley to chime in and we're good to go

 

10-2 USC team. And it's not my way of thinking. It's just fact. There is no system that exists or could exist for college football where a team will ever be better off scheduling any decent opponent and losing than scheduling a cupcake and winning. Unless you want a 120+ team playoff (aka every team in FBS).

 

It's risk/reward. You schedule this big OOC matchups for exposure and to be impressive if you win. You lose and you simply hope it doesn't hurt you too much.

 

As for the non-majors, TCU would have been in these 4-team playoffs 2 of the last 3 years. There would have been 2 SEC teams last year. 2 Pac 10 teams the year before. All different conferences in 2009. 2 Big 12 teams and 2 SEC teams in 2008. All different in 2007. 2 SEC and 2 Big 10 in 2006. 2 Big 10 in 2005. 2 Pac 10 in 2004. Not going any further.

 

I know the SEC gets too much credit still today but I think it's at its peak whereas the Big 10 is back on the rise with Michigan getting back to normal. There will be pretty equal representation across all regions because they don't want to leave anyone out and risk losing viewers for their big-money playoffs.

[bicranium]

Looks like Storm Klein will be off the team if this domestic violence/assault charge sticks. Kid never did anything anyways.

 

And I was watching the Opening thing on ESPNU tonight and this white kid ended up setting a new record in the SPARQ training challenge thing. Mike Mitchell. Had no idea who he was but turns out he's a MLB from Texas and he REALLY likes OSU. He and his dad are trying to set up a visit for next week and apparently he wants to commit then if all goes well. Will make the Anzalone situation feel like nothing in a hurry. This Mitchell kid may end up being a 5-star. Ran a 4.39 electronic 40 at the Opening to seal his "national championship" in the SPARQ thing.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

I have said it over and over the 08 and 09 recruiting classes have been nothing but bullshit. Look at those 2 classes and tell me 1. Who stayed at least 3 years. 2. Who didnt get in any trouble and 3. Who was worth a damn...

 

The Mitchell kid is blowing up and supposedly a huge OSU lean, along with a WR from Florida. Funny story, Alex Anzalone (former commit) tweeted taking a shot at "camp hero's", someones Jelly

 

Somethin else to take note of, QB JT Barrett from Texas is now ranked the #1 qb in Texas by several recruiting sites. Thats sort of a big deal lol. Not a huge fan of Meyer as we all know, but damn he can recruit. The defensive classes he is putting together last year and this year are going to give everyone hell

[bicranium]

Yeah, the defensive lines that Urban will have will make everyone on the defense look even better than they already are.

 

And I remember when Barrett committed there were a few Texas fans I knew who came right out and said they liked him better than their kid (Swoopes I believe).

 

And the Anzalone tweet was probably a response to some OSU fans tweeting at him basically saying thanks for decommitting so we could get Mike Mitchell...lol. Yes, he butthurt.

[LJ]

And the Anzalone tweet was probably a response to some OSU fans tweeting at him basically saying thanks for decommitting so we could get Mike Mitchell...lol. Yes, he butthurt.

 

Pretty sure he decommitted to avoid getting his butt hurt

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Pretty sure he decommitted to avoid getting his butt hurt

 

Yet might end up at PSU...irony

[LJ]

Yet might end up at PSU...irony

 

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w118/vangyjo/indyjs.gif

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Thats fucked up lmfao!!!

[bicranium]

He'll probably end up at ND. Was never real convinced of Anzalone's skill, just wanted him because he had nice offers and he was a 4-star...lol. But that said, if he's as good as his offer sheet and ranking then ND could finally be catching up defensively. That's where they always had problems over the last decade or so. Really nice offenses at times, never a defense worth a damn. Not like I want them to be good, just saying they may be turning the corner now.

[bicranium]

Oh and Storm was officially dismissed from the team. Doesn't really help us scholly-wise since he was a senior this year anyways.

[oh8sti]

really shitty situation. That chick is crazy. Wouldn't be surprised if its dropped.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Yeah I guess its not case closed and out the door you go. Word around here is that he will be back on the team if cahrges are dropped or hes found not guilty.

 

As for Anzalone, he only had 58 tackles and was a combine/camp warrior...again irony considering his tweet.

 

ND has landed some good defensive players, Matai Tao comes to mind. ND just sucks lol

[bicranium]

Since Kelly has been at ND they have landed the same number of 5* defensive players as OSU. Under Weis they landed plenty of really nice offensive players but couldn't get the defensive ones because, and this is just true, defensive players are just dumber. They couldn't get them into school. Under Kelly they've loosened up a bit as far as athletes' academics are concerned and now he can land some big-time defensive players. Linemen especially. That's why the SEC is so good. They have gigantic, athletic swamp monsters who can't count to potato manning their DL's and they can get them in when others can't.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Every school has a clearing house and academic minimum...either they are cheating by not forcing athletes to meet the minimum requirements or they aren't as dumb as they appear haha. I will go with the first option

[bicranium]

There are different standards out there. There is an absolute minimum (which the SEC lives by) and then there are schools like Northwestern, Stanford, ND, etc. Even OSU had higher standards for about half of Tressel's stay here (under Holbrook). He was only allowed maybe 1 exception a year if he really wanted it (Ray Small for example). Then Gee came in and OSU was able to bring in several borderline kids a year. And obviously under Meyer and Gee now that will stay the same.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

What is the minimum requirement and how does it compare to other schools? Everyone always talks abot how the standards are hurting ND, yet no one has really produced this information to my knowledge, just curious to see if its something out of this world or if its just over exagerated