Week 9 Preview
OVERVIEW
October 30, 2015
Joe Broback
Coaches have been dismissed/leaving at an alarming rate this year, and that means the coaching carousel speeding up quickly. We’re just barely past the halfway point of the season and there are eight open positions: Illinois, Maryland, Miami, Minnesota, North Texas, South Carolina, UCF, and USC. Five coaches were dismissed of their duties, and three gave up theirs. Normally this blog is dedicated to covering a wide range of teams, but the hometown team is the focus this time.
Minnesota is synonymous with hockey, the state of hockey, Minnesota nice, and many other things that do not involve football. Football had been irrelevant for the Golden Gophers since 1967, when they last won a conference title. Coaches came and went with little success and until 2003, the best record by a Gopher team was 8-4. Minnesota had some stability with Glen Mason from 1997-2006, but that ’06 season they went 6-7. Mason did not return the next season, and in stepped in Tim Brewster. Brewster came in with goals that he never came close to achieving such as winning Big Ten Championships and going to the Rose Bowl. His best year was his first year when he went 7-6, and he was fired in 2010. There was a lot of pressure to hire a head coach that would show results after Brewster’s debacle as head coach.
Jerry Kill was not the most ideal candidate at the time, in fact, the Gophers really wanted San Diego State’s Brady Hoke. Hoke took the job at Michigan and Kill came to Minnesota. Kill was given time to let his recruits come in to produce, and his third year appeared to be a breakthrough when they went 8-5. Last year (2014), Minnesota had an opportunity to go to the Big Ten championship game and “Jerrysota” was in full effect. Kill had been embraced from the beginning because of his character.
The seizures happened in the past, so having one was nothing new to Kill. The difference was people started suggesting he shouldn’t be coaching because it was a “distraction” to the team. Those people aren’t supporters of Minnesota football, and the Gophers team proved those people wrong. Kill’s health concerns were a rallying point for his team, and for him. He decided to take control of his situation by altering his lifestyle and eating habits. Then the announcement came. He would not be coaching the Gophers and would retire immediately due to health concerns.
There wasn’t another man that was more genuine and caring than Jerry Kill. The way his players bought into his program and coaching had been unseen for many years. Kill built his legacy with the Gophers to bring them back into the Big Ten conversation. I choose not to focus on Kill’s health concerns because they are negative and people will provide plenty of details. Instead, I choose to speak of Jerry’s unforgettable run as Minnesota’s head coach. He brought his staff in and changed the way we watch football in Minnesota. For the last two years, the Gophers were more relevant than the Minnesota Vikings. Kill leaving is heartbreaking for everyone in the state of Minnesota and for Kill himself. The Gophers now must look to replace a man that many think is irreplaceable. A man who turned around a reeling program into a consistent contender. A man who could yell at his players and at the same time put his arm around them to show them he cared. This same man will be forever remembered by his character and ability to turn programs around. Minnesota football will not be the same without him, but needs to move on.
Jerry, from the state of Minnesota and all who follow and cheer for your Golden Gophers on Saturdays, we thank you for all you have taught us and we wish you well in the future.
Ski-U-Mah.
Group of Five Playoff
*all rankings relative to this section
Four In:
#1 Memphis Tigers (7-0)----Memphis has been riding the arm of Paxton Lynch, and the strategy has paid off so far. Lynch has thrown for 2366 yards and 17 touchdowns with only one interception. The Tigers stunned a ranked Ole Miss team two weeks ago and remain undefeated. Three games against Navy, Houston, and Temple will provide clarity in the American Athletic Conference, but we will have to wait one more week.
#2 Toledo Rockets (7-0)----Toledo’s offense has come alive the few weeks (152 points scored), but it was against inferior opponents. The rockets have a stiff test against Northern Illinois next week, and Matt Campbell will have his Rockets ready to play. Campbell has been a hot topic when it comes to coaching vacancies, but he’s been ignoring them and says he doesn’t want to talk about his next job. Whether he decides to stay or leave, one team will become an instant competitor.
#3 Temple Owls (7-0)----ESPN’s College Gameday is coming to Pennsylvania, and the Owls could not be playing better football. Temple hosts Notre Dame in the biggest game of their season, but they have not seen a team quite like the Irish. Temple’s defense is near the top of multiple categories like scoring defense (8th), rushing defense (6th), and total offense (14th). While the defense has been solid, don’t sleep on QB P.J. Walker, who can beat you with his arm and his legs. Hopefully the Owls can live up to the hype this week.
#4 Houston Cougars (7-0)----Coach Tom Herman’s name has been on ever list of job openings, and he can thank his team’s play for that. The same goes for the team, as they can thank Herman for being undefeated at this point in the season. The Cougars begin the toughest stretch of their season, and this stretch will show how good they actually are. Vanderbilt is this week’s test, and while the Commodores aren’t cream of the crop, they are still an SEC team. Houston can’t get caught looking towards their next two conference games, or they won’t be undefeated. Greg Ward Jr. is a must see if you haven’t already watched him; and if you have, go watch him again, you won’t regret that decision.
Four Out:
#5 BYU Cougars (6-2)----The other Cougars had a bye……er….played something called Wagner. BYU put up 70 points in the rout and now can focus on San Jose State. Tanner Mangum has finally settled in and is leading the offense consistently down the field. The defense is as solid as it’s been in year’s past, and coach Bronco Mendenhall could be a name to consider for these coaching vacancies. The first month of the season was an insane run, but the Cougars aren’t done with Power 5 teams. Missouri still comes to town and BYU still has to go to Utah State to end the season.
#6 Marshall Thundering Herd (7-1)----Had the Thundering Herd prevented a struggle against Ohio in week 2, they would be undefeated. As we know from last year, that still wouldn’t mean much in the actual playoff. But in this section, that would have meant a possible top 4 and definite top 5 ranking. The best team Marshall has played could have been the Bobcats or Purdue, and the rest of their schedule is a cakewalk until the end the year with Western Kentucky.
#7 Western Kentucky (6-2)----Speaking of the Hilltoppers, they went to Death Valley and made it a game until LSU pulled away. Brandon Doughty proved he can pass on any defense as he threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns against the Tigers, but the defense didn’t help him out. Like Marshall, WKU’s schedule isn’t daunting to end the year until they host the Herd. If you like watching a guy sling the ball around the field, tune in the Doughty and his offense (he averages almost 41 pass attempts a game).
#8 Bowling Green Falcons (6-2)----There is a man who attempts more passes than Brandon Doughty, which seems highly unlikely until you remember Matt Johnson slings it around the field 43 times a game (which is still only good for fourth in the nation). The Falcons average the sixth most point per game in the nation at 43.9 per contest. Johnson and Co. give defense nightmares, but their defense hasn’t made anyone feel at ease. Johnson and the offense will need to continue scoring at a high rate, because the defense won’t be making too many stops.
Other notables:
Georgia Southern (5-2), Navy Midshipmen (5-1), Appalachian State Mountaineers (6-1), Boise State Broncos (5-2)
CFP PLAYOFF TEAMS
One loss teams are slowly creeping back into contention with undefeated teams losing. The CFB committee will come out with their first rankings after this week, so we look at each team’s resume quickly.
Teams in the playoff:
#1 Baylor Bears (7-0)----Baylor was dealt a huge blow this week when they found out QB Seth Russell would need surgery on a fractured bone in his neck. Insteps freshman Jarrett Stidham to take on a brutal stretch that includes Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU in consecutive weeks.
The good: The offense, every game except one, Corey Coleman, fixing the scoreboard from scoring so much, and they have the number one scoring offense.
The bad: Defense questionable at times, no wins against ranked teams, losing Russell the Iowa State game, and a soft non-conference schedule.
#2 TCU Horned Frogs (7-0)----The Frogs took the week off to prepare for West Virginia. You can bet the Mountaineers haven’t forgotten the heartbreaker they lost by one last year. The game’s in Fort Worth, but the defense better come ready to play.
The good: The Trevone Boykin to Josh Doctson combination, the offense in general, second best scoring offense, and ability to seemingly run any play effectively.
The bad: Close wins against Minnesota and Texas Tech, the brutal stretch to end the season (four games against teams in the top 30 in scoring offense), and a defense that has yet to prove they can stop a good offense ever.
#3 Clemson Tigers (7-0)----The sleeper team this year is the Tigers mainly because everyone thinks the ACC is down. Deshaun Watson was a Heisman candidate to begin the year, but most likely will not win if he continues this production. However, he won’t care that he doesn’t win if his team keeps winning and winning big.
The good: A solid overall team, defensive ability to score and hold opposing offenses down, an easy remaining schedule, and Dabo Swinney unwillingness to accept being average.
The bad: A letdown against Louisville nearly cost them, having to play two rivalry games, and one loss may eliminate them.
#4 LSU Tigers (7-0)----This team has been the Leonard Fournette show, and the whole nation has been tuning in. The real question is will the hype become too much for either Fournette or the Tigers to handle? The good for this team could be Fournette and the bad could be losing him (which seemed to be the case to start the season). Luckily for coach Les Miles and the Tigers, there is more to this team than one guy.
The good: Fournette, a developing defense, the continued improvement of Brandon Harris, and Les Miles’ bag of tricks.
The bad: Alabama next week, the defense at times, the struggles against the likes of Syracuse and Eastern Michigan, and they play in the SEC.
Teams on the outside looking in:
Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0)----The fact that some people think the Buckeyes should be in the playoff is absurd. Ohio State has been much improved now that JT Barrett is back calling the plays (why it took so long, I’m not sure). The last two games, Barrett has led his team to routes where they didn’t have to take two quarters to get going. The concern now is if Cardale Jones will transfer next year.
The good: Ezekiel Elliott, JT Barrett finally starting, Ezekiel Elliott, Urban Meyer keeping his team afloat, and Ezekiel Elliott.
The bad: The first half of the season, Cardale Jones at QB, their ‘almost as weak as Baylor’s’ schedule, and the hype getting to their heads.
Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1)----It was always a matter of time before Bama started putting the pieces together. QB Jacob Coker has improved dramatically from the beginning of the season to now which has been a direct correlation with the offense playing better.
The good: Jacob Coker’s improvement, the defense (no surprise), and still having Nick Saban.
The bad: somehow losing to Ole Miss, a struggle against Tennessee, playing LSU next week, and playing in the SEC.
Michigan State Spartans (8-0)----It’s amazing to think that the Spartans are literally two plays from having two losses, and there were two other games that were one score games. While the fan base hasn’t really had time to lower their stress levels, the Spartans record remains unbeaten.
The good: Connor Cook, a stingy defense, and the most luck of any team since Auburn in 2013.
The bad: Wins against Purdue and Rutgers didn’t exactly comfort anyone, still having to play Ohio State, and (since they have struggled) playing a relatively weak schedule.
Stanford Cardinal (6-1)----Many, including myself, wrote off the Cardinal after their week 1 loss to Northwestern (remind me how that happened again). I’m convinced they sent the JV team to that game, because that game is the lowest point total they have scored all season (the next lowest is 25 points higher).
The good: Christian McCaffery can play any position, Kevin Hogan’s calm demeanor, David Shaw’s calmer demeanor, and a solid defense.
The bad: They still have to play Oregon, Cal, and Notre Dame, and they were held to six points by a now not so good Northwestern team.
GAMES OF THE WEEK/PICKEM
*all rankings are based on AP Poll
Overall Record: 18-14 Last week: 2-2
Well were back to normal. Another 2-2 week because Utah decided to lay an egg, and Kick Six Part 2 shook the nation. This is the most peculiar week when it comes to picking games as there are three teams that you will wonder when they became competitors.
Georgia at #11 Florida
For a few weeks, this game appeared to be one of the most anticipated games of the year. Georgia was crushed by Alabama and then was stunned by Tennessee. They won the next week against Missouri in the most boring game on television, 9-6. Florida has been a surprise all year by starting off 6-0 and beating a ranked Ole Miss team at home. They then lost to LSU and have been waiting for their shot at Georgia. The Gators are ready to prove they can win the SEC East, and Georgia will continue to unravel.
My pick: Florida 24 Georgia 13
Vanderbilt at #18 Houston
I will never call another week boring for games, because last week proved me wrong. This game may not have the hype of the other three games, but this game is just as important. Houston is taking its first step to proving they can play with anyone. Vanderbilt may not be the best SEC team, but the Commodores do play in that conference. That fact alone makes the Cougars weary, and coach Tom Herman will have his team ready to play. Vandy hasn’t played a dual threat like Greg Ward Jr., and that will cause issues. Herman’s offensive mind has made Ward a nightmare and a human highlight reel.
My pick: Houston 35 Vanderbilt 21
#8 Stanford at Washington State
Don’t blink, but this game is for the top spot in the Pac-12 North. Well, technically since Washington State is 3-1 and Stanford is 5-0 in conference play, but you get the idea. After week 1, both teams looked to be spiraling out of control. Stanford lost to Northwestern, which isn’t completely unlikely or shocking. But the Cougars lost to Portland State. Portland State! They then proceeded to look less than impressive against Rutgers and Wyoming. Forget about all of that because the Cougars and the Cardinal are ready to play for their division lead. It’s not a secret what Washington State wants to do (throw the ball) or what Stanford wants to do (run it), but each team is uniquely efficient at both. The differences in this game are Stanford’s defense and do-it-all back Christian McCaffery. The Cougars can’t play defense and don’t have McCaffery.
My pick: Stanford 37 Washington State 28
#9 Notre Dame at #21 Temple
Penn State found out how good Temple’s defense was on the opening week of the season. The Owls defense has been the main reason they remain undefeated (14.6 points given up per game). Temple played Notre Dame two years ago, a year when Temple finished 2-10, and Notre Dame won 28-6. That was Owls coach Matt Rhule’s first year with the program, and after a 6-6 year last year, his team was bowl eligible after half of the season was over. That 2013 team is not the 2015 team, and the Irish better take them seriously. Temple has not faced the athletes that Notre Dame will put on the field. CJ Prosise is a bruising back behind a solid O-Line, and QB DeShone Kizer can throw the ball. Receivers Will Fuller and Chris Brown have speed that the Owls haven’t come close to seeing. Temple excels at stopping the run, but they have a great pass rush as well. If the Owls can force the Irish to pass (like Clemson did), they may have a chance. The only problem is the Owls offense may struggle to move the ball on the Irish defense. Nevertheless, this game will be closer than many expect.
My pick: Notre Dame 28 Temple 27
