AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2007 > September > 03
Monday, September 3, 2007
The debate is over: College Football rules
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Five things we learned during the first weekend of the season.
1. The debate is over: In the preseason, every newspaper and website debated which was better: College or pro football? Please. There is no need to ever have that discussion again. Why? Because Appalachian State went to Michigan and won. The NFL, for all of its great players, marketing and money, doesn’t have that and it never will. There is nothing in pro football that can match the raw emotion of what those kids from Boone did in the Big House.
2. Tennessee can’t tackle: Not counting the 13 tackles Tennessee missed on DeSean Jackson’s punt return (OK, that is a SLIGHT exaggeration), the Vols missed 22 tackles on defense in a 45-31 loss to California. Part of that was the talent of Cal because they are pretty darn good and the game with Southern Cal on Nov. 10 looks a little different now. But with always-tough Southern Miss coming to Knoxville on Saturday, and with a trip to Florida next week, there had better be a sense of urgency among the Tennessee players. Florida, you should know, has just as much skill as Cal.
3. Spurrier is sandbagging: South Carolina’s Ball Coach was not happy on Sunday after watching his team beat Louisiana-Lafayette 28-14. They needed a couple of defensive stops inside the 10-yard line to do it. Why do I get the sense that part of South Carolina’s problems, aside from not having QB Blake Mitchell, is that some of last week’s practice was spent getting ready for Georgia? Why do I get the sense that Spurrier is going to have a pretty good game plan when the Gamecocks get to Athens Saturday night? I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
4. Tech’s offense IS better: I caught some flak in preseason when I said Georgia Tech’s offense could be better this season despite the loss of Calvin Johnson. A lot of people didn’t think that was possible. But it is possible, and probably likely, and it’s not just based on Saturday’s 33-3 win at Notre Dame. Under new OC John Bond, a lot of different people are going to touch the ball. And with RB Tashard Choice taking some direct snaps, it’s just a matter of time before he fakes the run and throws it. Just the mere possibility of that will create some opportunities. And QB Taylor Bennett is only going to get better.
5. Tuberville did it again: Nobody plays poker in tight games better than Auburn’s head coach. The Tigers had no business winning that game against Kansas State Saturday night but Tuberville stayed patient and knew his team would have a chance to win late if they didn’t panic and just kept playing. He did it last year against LSU, a team with considerably more athletes. Tuberville knows that it is a 60-minute game. A lot of coaches get desperate if they are trailing inside the final six minutes. This guy doesn’t.
