ACC woes, player of the week, and other 'Extra Points'
Posted: Sunday, August 31, 2008 9:46 PM
While enjoying some college football on a Sunday and wishing it would be this way every week, I’d like to offer these EXTRA POINTS after the first four days of the 2008 campaign.
It could have been worse: Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford should be thanking his lucky stars (if he’s got any left) that Maryland was able to hold off Delaware, 14-7, in College Park. Yes, the Fightin’ Blue Hens don’t fall into the cupcake category, having advanced all the way to last season’s Football Championship Subdivision title game, but that was with quarterback Joe Flacco (now with the Baltimore Ravens) at the helm. Previously known for a prolific offense, Delaware’s defense took center stage and made the Terrapin offense look like a Colonial Athletic Association cellar dweller.
We’re not finished with the ACC. How about North Carolina? A 35-27 victory at home over McNeese State isn’t exactly the way Butch Davis wanted to start out. Especially when you consider that the Tar Heels were seemingly a one-man-band in the opener. If not for senior wide receiver Brandon Tate’s 397 all-purpose yards, UNC could have been toppled and the ACC’s black eye would have been an even darker shade.
When a 31-7 Duke victory over James Madison is a highlight for your conference, you’ve got some improving to do.
But brighter days and revenge are surely on the way. The countdown to Delaware’s visit to Duke on Nov. 10 is on … only 10 weeks to go. However, we’re not talking about Wallace Wade Stadium here. That contest will be played at Cameron Indoor Stadium, signaling the start of the basketball season in the ACC. It can’t come soon enough.
No more re-Pete attempts please: Athletic directors and school presidents around the country should stop trying to follow the Pete Carroll model that’s worked so well at USC. Hiring a former NFL head coach or a highly regarded assistant to take over a college program doesn’t seem like the way to go.
Mike Sherman is the newest example. There’s still plenty of time for Texas A&M to get going in the right direction, but an 18-14 loss to Arkansas State at home was an extremely sad way to start the Sherman era in College Station. Who would have thought that the Red Wolves (yup, I had to look that up) would be the ones to end the Aggies’ 20-game winning streak in home openers?
Along those same lines, can we all unanimously agree that Greg Robinson is simply not a college coach? Ditto for Dave Wannstedt. And Butch Davis was already mentioned above … and Charlie Weis right now.
Player of the week: Utah kicker/punter Louie Sakoda is the reason Michigan dropped another season opener at home. Generously listed at just 5-foot-9 and 178 pounds, Sakoda is all leg. Shaking off protection problems that led to a blocked PAT and punt, he converted on all four of his field goal attempts, including a 53-yarder that would have easily been good from 60. Sakoda also did a masterful job punting, constantly giving the embryonic Wolverine offense a long field to work with. He averaged 47 yards on his six punts and half of them were downed inside Michigan’s 15. Those punts, which included a 59-yard missile, were vitally important in the second half when the Ute offense went stone cold (just 28 total yards after halftime) and Sakoda was the only thing keeping Michigan at bay.
Best cameo appearance: Although we were treated to just a few brief glimpses, Terrelle Pryor’s effectiveness in Ohio State’s dismantling of Youngstown State was more than enough to really spark the imagination. Who wouldn’t want to see the true freshman take 20 or so snaps against the USC defense on Sept. 13? (Besides Trojan defensive coordinator Nick Holt, of course.)
Worst cameo appearance: Freshly demoted Nate Longshore came on for California in the second quarter and promptly threw two interceptions within his first five attempts of the season. The Bears stuck with sophomore starter Kevin Riley the rest of the way and held on for a 38-31 win over Michigan State. What will happen first at Memorial Stadium in “Bezerkeley” … Longshore returns to the field inside or the protestors climb down from the trees outside?
Shocking Saturday stat: Zero rushing yards for Clemson, is that even possible? Obviously James Davis had too much confidence in that still overmatched Tiger offensive line when he decided to return for his senior season. There’s no turning back now. Stay healthy.
Amazing Saturday stat: Playing without its starting quarterback, Navy rushed for 558 yards in a 41-13 win over Towson. Senior running back Shun White accounted for 348 of those yards. All three of White’s touchdown runs (33, 73 and 87 yards) were longer than what the Tigers were able to muster on the ground all day (30 yards).
Good television: ABC analyst Ed Cunningham, who camped out in the Bay Area last week to do both the Oregon State-Stanford and Michigan State-California games, has quickly become one of the best in the business, effortlessly mixing insightful football knowledge and humor.
Bad television: I’m still depressed that ESPN decided to bench Lou Holtz’s weekly “Pep Talk” segments (the ultimate in guilty/unexplainable pleasures). But certainly not distraught enough to place a call to “Dr. Lou” (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, consider yourself very lucky). Seriously, that’s as bad a decision as the one the NCAA made in making it a “point of emphasis” to curb on-field celebrating. Why mess with things that are fun to watch?
