WBRS Sports Blog: Rutgers Football Success at what cost?

WBRS Sports Blog: Remaining Competitive in College Football Isn’t Easy for Everyone

Nice Breakdown from Mini-Me (is he Diet Evil?) on the omnipresent tugs-of-war between the stated goals of a university and the public relations power of a successful football program.

I maintain that Rutgers football could still be self-sufficient even with the raises, so the layoffs in academia and support would have happened regardless.

Carnivores crush confections - Gators take the title 41-14

Gators shocked the world last night in a 41-14 palindromic spanking/shellacking/ass-kicking/pummeling/anihilating defeat of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Buckeyes only earned 87 yards from scrimmage against a fierce and fast (and sometimes helmetless) defense.

Because of that defense, the Gator efficient and creative offense had a short field to use most of the evening, only enhancing the shifting/metamorphisizing Chris Leak-led side’s ability to create points.

My best takeway to share with my readers - stop the Urban Meyer hating. He turned around Bowling Green, got Utah a BCS game victory, and now has achieved a national championship in his second year at Florida. He deserves the compensation and the upper-echelon respect.

Granted the roster spills over with Ron Zook’s recruits, but that doesn’t diminish the accomplishment. That would be like crediting the migrant worker for farming the clay when the artist formed the pottery. Wow, I must really be hung over to pull that allegory out of my arse.

I will wrap it up with some clips of assorted things I overheard or read while viewing the game.

“Well, shit!” - Neil at the initial kick return of Ted Ginn to give the
Buckeyes the 7-0 lead.

“For chrissakes, Tebow runs right! Do your
homework!” - Jerry

“That Heisman is coming in handy…” - John

“There are ten OSU fans for every Gator fan here. I am loving
this!” - Jeff texting me from the top row of University of Phoenix
Stadium.

“Rex Grossman just said, ‘Man, those stats suck!’” - Drew
reacting to Troy Smith’s 4-11 for 80 yards graphic in the second half.

“No” - Drew’s response at halftime when I asked if I could still get the
6.5 points he was offering to Gators before the game.

“Troy Smith may be the third best QB tonight…” - Brent Musberger on ESPN
Radio. What a ridiculous statement, BTW.

Posting activity will go way down until after spring ball, but stay tuned for some NFL Draft coverage over the next couple months - just got my press passes for the Senior Bowl!

The last 50 days…

Ohio State takes the field tonight for the BCS Championship Game, and hasn’t played since the Michigan victory, a span of 50 days between live action.

I was thinking hard about what I haven’t done in the last 50 days either, and the list is a disturbing window into what my life has become.

Worked out with weights.
Got enough sleep (damn blogging)
Called old friends.
Laundry (it has been a crazy holiday season - thanks goodness a suit can get multiple uses)
Gone to a happy hour.

Share your greatest misses of the last 50 days below…

Petrino to the NFL Falcons…

IOW, I told ya so a few months back that the ten-year deal the Coach Bobby Petrino signed with Louisville would not be worth the paper it was printed on.

USA Today chronicles an emotional goodbye from the coach to his Cardinal players who say they didn’t see it coming.

In my book, Petrino is two to three steps down the evolutionary ladder from Nick Saban. Just a month ago Petrino said he would not entertain questions about other jobs.

Rat bastard…

Bowls on my forehead: BCS National Championship breakdown

With the pinnacle of our college football journey plainly in sight, it is time for a full statistical, fundamental, and humorous analysis of the BCS National Championship Game slated for Monday at 8pm on Fox.

Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0) vs.
Florida Gators (12-1)
University of Phoenix Stadium
(not Pink Taco Stadium), Glendale AZ.

Vegas says ADVANTAGE: BUCKEYES

Ohio State favored by 7.5, and the number is set at 48.5 - that extra half point could come into play very easily if this game is as close and low scoring as expected when two of the nation’s best defenses meet in the arid desert.

Gotta give an edge on the expectation scale to Ohio State with their 9-3 against the spread (ATS) record this year whereas the Gators played many games much tighter than the smart money thought, only finishing 4-8 ATS. While the Gators come through in the clutch (5-0 in games decided by less than 7 this year), there are few teams in the naton with that poor of a cover record. No like opponents.

EFFICIENCY STATS say BIG ADVANTAGE TO BUCKEYES

Looking at my favorite efficiency stats illustrate just how hard each team has to work to score, as well as how hard they make the opponent work.

• “yards per play” (yppl)
• “yards per point” (yppt)
• turnover margin
• 3rd down conversions

Let us start with defense: both teams are Top Ten in points allowed, but a look under the hood shows that this game result stands on the Gators’ ability to move the ball. The Gator offense is only average with 13.8 yards per point, placing 52nd in the nation - the Buckeyes led the nation making opponents churn out 26.3 yppt over their twelve games (15.5 is the median, so OSU is almost 170% more stingy than average).

The other number strongly in the Ohio favor is turnover margin - both teams forced 27 turnovers, but the Gators gave it up 24 times and the Buckeyes only 16.
On third down, the standout number is the Buckeyes 51% conversion rate on offense (NCAA #4) versus Gators 33.9% allowed (NCAA #35).

The rest of the comps are pretty tight, but an overwhelming edge to the Buckeyes here. Of course this only highlights potential results - these same numbers suggested that Rice had a big edge over Troy earlier in the bowl season, but when the Owls back up QB couldn’t make anything happen Troy kicked their behinds.

IN THE TRENCHES BARELY FAVORS THE BUCKEYES

When Ohio State has the ball, the Gators should be able to stand up to the Big Ten maulers. I would expect underrated RB Antonio Pittman to still get his 100yds and a touch, but the Gators have the most athletic front four the Buckeyes have looked at all year (even with the dismassal of Marcus Thomas), including Michigan.

The real issue for the Gators again will be when they have the ball. A talented O-line has battled depth issues all year, but the Buckeyes young front four has performed extremely well this year. Any injury or nick to the Gators offensive line will spell trouble for the safety of QB Chris Leak.

MASCOT EDGE TO THE GATORS

An alligator is a ferocious reptile that thrives in the heat of the peninsula. Gators attack pets and humans with equal disdain when they get too close to lakes and swamps, killing 11 people this decade.

The buckeye is the state tree of Ohio, but is well known for its poisonous nut. Many around the country are familiar with the dessert treat consisting of rolled peanut butter diiped in chocolate that results in a striking resemblance to the nut.

Advantage carnivore over the confection.

COOL STATS (thanks, Phil Steele)

Ohio State scored 45 more touchdowns than their opponents.
Ohio State has lost the last six vs. SEC (last win LSU in 1988).
Florida most penalized team in the SEC (65ypg).
Florida plays more freshman than any top ten team
Florida’s Urban Meyer in 3-0 ATS and SU in bowl games.

FUN THINGS TO LOOK FOR

The battle of the nations top playmakers - Percy Harvin and Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn is the one with all the press and expectations, but don’t be surprised to see Harvin line up in four different positions to make big plays for the Gators.

How the Buckeyes react to the two-headed QB system of the Gators. They have seen similar things from Bowling Green, Indiana and Illinois this year, but nothing like the “Leak by air, Tebow by ground” show from Gainesville.

Great links from around the web… (I will add as deserved)

SI: SEC Speed superiority?
USA Today: Gators score without points

We knew Calvin Johnson was the 2h!t, but..

did you know his current project of interest in designing dry latrines for the people of Bolivia?

Daniel Freer of FCB (you know, that big link to the right?) and I were talking after New Year’s about the quick story during the bowl game that he was designing a new type of toilet bowl for underdeveloped areas of the world. “I want to help the less fortunate,” Johnson said.

Of course, Daniel found a link from Georgia Tech and here are all the details.

Like the title implies, we knew that CJ possesses special athletic qualities, and now we know by his choice of engineering project that he is special inside as well.

(UPDATE: CJ is going pro - methinks he is a top five pick)

Boise tricks out the bandwagon, beats Oklahoma

I am not sure I can add anything to the amazing Fiesta Bowl last night, a 43-42 Boise State victory over Oklahoma .

If you went to bed after Oklahoma ran back the interception to take the lead right around midnight (Cinderella reference, anyone?), shame on you. It speaks to your faith, man… all of Idaho is weeping today.

Below is a YouTube clip that neatly summarizes the last three minutes of regulation and the OT - I swore I was watching a treatment for a film script unfold, and then to add to the surreality of the Boise win, RB Ian Johnson proposes to the lead cheerleader afterwards!

BTW, I do not think this means we need a playoff to let teams like Boise get their shot at a title. 13-0 is a great achievement and my love for the Boise program is clear, but they would be an 8-4 team at best in the Big Ten. And that takes nothing away from their amazing story this year!

My lovely wife pointed out a great body double/doppleganger during the game…Boise coach Chris Peterson and Billy Bob Thornton…spooky!

Pictures from the Champs Sports Bowl

I worked with Todd Anderson tonight at the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando - let the record state that I am not a photographer, Todd is a friend who needed an assistant to carry gear during the bowl game and I was happy to oblige.

I was taken aback by couple of things witnessing the game from ground level:

• I am 6′2″ and 230 pounds, but I don’t look ANYTHING like the defensive backs on the field with the same measurements. I sort of expected that.
• Maryland whooped Purdue’s ass from start to finish, a result I certainly was not expecting. Obviously these guys were thinking otherwise…
• Derrius Heyward-Bey looks like a superstar WR waiting to happen - all he needs is the 2007 QB (Jordan Steffy or Florida transfer Josh Portis) to be as accurate as departing senior Sam “Ain’t no” Hollenbach.

Here are some other pictures taken from my Treo and also one from Todd with much higher quality equipment…The press meal of baked ziti with sausage, a portrait of Bonnie Bernstein’s outstanding corduroy pants, Ralph Friedgen eating, er, hugging his children after the game, Greg Orton’s leaping catch, and Hollenbach and the seniors at the award ceremony afterward.