Jan 11, 2010
Terrelle Pryor’s performance
Terrelle is coming into his own as a passer
Ohio State just might have found their quarterback. The former #1 high school recruit in the country played his best football game of the year in the Rose Bowl. Terrelle Pryor was more accurate and precise with his decisions then he has ever been, going 23 of 37 for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns while also running for 72 yards.
One look at the 6’5’’ Pryor with his arm strength and 4.5 speed and you realize this performance was a long time coming. His biggest weakness has always been his ability to make decisions and read defenses, which isn’t surprising given his true sophomore status, but he definitely made strides in that area, routinely moving to his secondary options while being very accurate downfield.
What people forget is how Vince Young struggled throwing the football his first year in Austin and up to this point in both of their careers, Young and Pryor have taken eerily similar paths. Young broke out in a Rose Bowl win over Michigan his sophomore year and then went on to lead Texas to a National Title the next season. Only time will tell if that is how Terrelle Pryor’s story will be written, but he sure took a big step on 1/1/10.
TCU/BOISE: Boise = college football’s Gonzaga
- Why isn’t Chris Peterson wanted more by big-time programs? His name doesn’t seem to come up when a Michigan or Notre Dame is looking for a head coach and you have to wonder why. Boise quarterback Kellen Moore’s only offer was from Peterson’s Broncos and he has been tremendous as a freshman and sophomore, throwing for 39 TDs and just 3 picks this season while going over 3,300 yards and completing over 60% of his passes his past 2 years.Peterson’s gutsy calls with the game on the line have become a Boise State staple and the man seems cool and calm on the sidelines, all traits needed for a big-time college coach.
Mountain West Conference worthy of BCS status?
Future BCS Conference?
- With TCU, Utah, BYU, and Nevada having consistent, quality seasons, the realization among the college football community is that maybe the Mountain West Conference is ready for BCS status. A playoff has been pushed extremely hard among FBS programs but to no avail. Maybe this can be a consolation prize for those programs that feel slighted by not being invited to the party. If Boise State were added to the Mountain West that would give them at least 4 schools capable of 10-11 win seasons. That seems to spell BCS.
Wild Outback Bowl – Northwestern vs. Auburn
- What a crazy game to start the new decade. Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka put up video game numbers (47/78, 532 yards 4 TDs 5 INTs) in the Outback Bowl, but it wasn’t enough as Northwestern would miss a field goal to win the game and then went for the win in overtime after their kicker was injured on the final play of regulation.The fake field goal reverse came up 3 yards short of a game-winning touchdown and Auburn won, 38-35. What stood out most to me was what the Big 10 has done in bowl games; Penn St. defeated LSU, Wisconsin took down Miami, Ohio State dismantled Oregon and now Northwestern almost beating Auburn.I’m a firm believer in bowl games not meaning too much other than a reward at the end of a solid-or-better season because Penn St. would have to beat LSU, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, etc. week in and week out instead of Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Illinois, and this year Michigan. Nonetheless, the Big Ten definitely improved themselves in the eyes of spectators.
Tim Tebow’s farewell; What might have been with Carlos Dunlap
- Leave it to Superman to bid the college football world adieu with the best passing performance of his career (at least statistically). Tebow set Florida single game records for completions and yards in a game, going 31-35 for 482 yards and 3 scores. Those numbers surpassed even the Fun N’ Gun-era of Florida quarterbacks. Many people have said he has answered the NFL critics but I disagree.
On to NFL stardom or clipboard DJ?
Production doesn’t guarantee future success and Tebow’s problems are rooted mostly in his mechanics, which cause him to be a little later with the football. The windows for receivers in the NFL are that much smaller. If he improves his backswing and tightens up his release, he could have a future as an NFL quarterback but those are very tough flaws to correct.
On a side note, Florida must wonder what might have been with Carlos Dunlap. Their stud defensive end tallied 2 sacks and was consistently in the Bearcat backfield. Maybe he makes a bigger difference against Alabama in the SEC title game than I originally thought, but that’s water over the bridge now.
Bobby Bowden’s last hurrah
One of the all-time greats will be missed
Quick congrats to Bobby Bowden. Not many people can say they created a powerhouse and that is what Bowden did when he came to the once all-girls university in 1976. Arguably the team of the decade in the 90s, Bowden’s Seminoles had 14 consecutive Top-5 finishes.
His team has fallen a bit since a 2005 Orange Bowl loss but Florida State seems like they might be on their way back with one of the nation’s best quarterbacks going into next season, Christian Ponder, ready to lead the ’Noles back to prominence. A great ambassador for college football, Bowden will be missed.
