Florida Atlantic, flush with a couple of Ws in a row, is racing up the national offensive statistical charts.
The Fighting Owls are 10th in the land in total offense, and 15th in passing offense.
When Coach Quote went to praise his new offensive coordinator Darryl Jackson, it was Yogi Schnell who showed up: “He’s taking on a personality of his own.”
– Seedy K
31-3
37-7
42-6
35-7
38-0
45-10
Those are the scores of six of Sunday afternoon’s pro games.
Four others had double digit margins. (Technically that’s three daylight games, Pats vs. Bucs was played at night in London.) I’m not including Sunday or Monday night games. (Obviously, since this will be posted before kickoff of both.)
One game — only one — Houston 24 over San Francisco 21, had a single digit margin of victory.
For the first time in NFL history, there are three undefeated teams still standing after Week 7 of the season.
Whatever is going on?
It used to seem that just about every game had a last minute field goal winner.
This is absurd. No wonder pro football fans now care a lot more about their fantasy teams than they do about the real ones.
Any suggestions why this is happening?
– Seedy K
You got any ibuprofen handy? I’m out and could use a triple dose this morning.
So probably could my favorite caller on the Cards post-game radio talk show. The fellow sounded more than a bit in his cups in the wake of yet another woeful U of L performance, this time in the nation’s fifth oldest college football stadium, against a school Louisville dismembered 70-7 just a few short years back.
The fellow mentioned three years of bad play. Then said something like (and this is a paraphrase): “Speaking of three, what about our barefoot kicker. It’s unsafe and it’s unhealthy.” And then he hung up.
Of all the excuses being offered for the demise of Louisville football, this is the first postulation that the cause might be Ryan Payne’s toe jam on the football. If only the school had stocked up on sanitizer, the Cards might be in the bowl hunt.
Then again, his theory is as plausible as anything that’s been mentioned . . . other than the real reason. And we know who he is, don’t we?
As verbose a fellow as I am, this is a juncture where I’m (relatively) speechless. There’s nothing new to say that hasn’t been said. There’s nothing new for disgruntled fans to do they haven’t done.
I understand injuries. The Cards are a bit banged up. But I’ve talked about Steve Kragthorpe’s less than scintillating recruiting. And his self righteous zero tolerance discipline policy that is an anachronism in modern day big time college football. It is a primary cause for a woefully talent-thin roster.
Paging Laterrius Thomas. Oh, that’s right. He’s the guy who chose to follow his D coach to Eastern Michigan. The fellow who asked for a release from U of L, but wasn’t granted one. Unlike Steve Kragthorpe, who was granted a release when he was in college and transferred to a different school to follow his coach.
And that Anthony Allen bad apple carried 11 times yesterday for 103 yards and 2 TDs . . . for Georgia Tech.
Etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.
Like I said, I’ve written it all before. You’ve read it all before.
It’s Tom Jurich’s move.
Until he makes one it’s going to be the same as it ever was.
Like the caller said, unsafe and unhealthy.
Not to mention . . . No Fun.
– Seedy K
Nothing like adding a Sun Belt scalp on the Fighting Owl Nation’s totem pole of tradition to steer Supreme Commander Big Chief Coach Quote back toward poetic relevance.
It’s been a down year for Florida Atlantic. Thus the Poet Laureate of College Pigskin has been off his feed. (To use a metaphor far too mundane for The Schnell.) Bon mots have been, frankly, few and far between this season.
But FAU rolled yesterday, beating Louisiana Lafayette, 51-29.
So His Eloquency edged back toward the verbose pontification that make this little literary exercise a favorite in his ol’ hometown.
“It was a marquee day in the development of Florida Atlantic football.”
“For the first time this year we raised our level of play. Our offensive numbers were so improved, they’ll probably be records for a long time. But our defensive improvement may have been even greater, and of more value down the road than our offensive improvement was.”
Not Pulitzer. But not bad.
– Seedy K
Funny, I didn’t hear from any of the braying naysayers this week. Oh yeah, I went a perfect 5-0 last weekend. Thanks Schnell, Danke Dabo. Pete, you so Cali. Hook ‘Em Horns. All hail the Hawkeyes.
Which brings the tally to 21 up and only 14 down for the year. Not bad, not bad at all.
But, hey, that’s all so . . . last week. Let’s move on.
South Florida @ Pittsburgh. Has there ever been a league that’s generated such negativiitude as this season’s Big East? Uh, frankly, no. Is it well deserved? I dunno. This battle in SteelTown matches two of the more traditionally schizophrenic squads. And two coaches — Dave Wannstedt and Jim Leavitt — still looking for some signature Ws so their team’s fans will get off their backs. The Panthers only blemish is a dumbfounding, head scratching come from aheader L to NC State. The Bulls were thrashed at home last week by the Bearcats. Leavitt’s teams tend to fold. Wannstedt’s never seem to reach their potential. This year’s looks like it might. Pitt squeaks by.
Arkansas @ Ole Miss. The Razorbacks are coached, as we all know, by U of L’s favorite former mentor, Bad Boy Bobby Petrino. Who, by the by, this week received a slap on the wrist from league commish Mike Slive that makes what his former boss Tommy J says about him seem like a hug and a kiss. The Rebels are, simply stated, this year’s premier Not Ready For Prime Time Team. But the Hogs rarely play D. I say those Oxford syrupy voiced coeds in their cocktail dresses will be happy sorority sisters after their faves notch the W on their belts.
Oregon @ Washington. If you’ve been paying any attention at all, you know I love me some quack. Always a sucker for wackamundo unis, Phil Knight U’s Ducks have become my not so secret second favorite team. If they’d invent a new bowl, 21st Century Schizoid Bowl, Wash U would meet those Ole Miss Rebels. At 3-4, the Huskies obviously bought a season ticket to ride the roller coaster. And, after losing at Boise, the Ducks have had a serious hum goin’. But, I got a feelin’ about this one. Great jerseys don’t always carry the day. Closing my eyes and picking Washington.
Colorado @ Kansas State. Remember when Dan Hawkins was “The Next Great Coach” while leading Boise St to blue turfed prominence? Well, he got caught in the trap of believing too much in his own son under center for the Buffaloes. Last week, he sat him down and upset Kansas. Meanwhile, Messiah Bill Snyder is back in charge of the Purple Pride, a bunch that he turned into a perennial contenda after being the worst program in football for decades. K State sits atop its Big 12 division right now. But hasn’t played any of the heavies. Colorado certainly isn’t one of them, but it will win in Manhattan anyway, completing a sweep of the state.
Penn State @ Michigan. Ah, JoPa in the Big House on a gray October Saturday. Somewhere Bennie Oosterbahn, with his leather helmet still on, is smiling down from maize and blue heaven. To coin a phrase, “This is what college football is all about.” The Nittany Lions lost the only game they played against a real team, at home no less to Iowa. The Greatest Helmets in Sports haven’t beaten anybody of note, unless you consider Humpty Dumpty’s Irish formidable. This is one that will define the teams’ seasons. I’m gong for new but not so fresh Rich Rod over Old and In The Way JoPa.
– Seedy K
So I posted Chairman Rick’s Media Day comments previously. Some observations from and about the players.
Asked what he did to improve over the summer, Samardo Samuels talked about improving his quickness, eating healthier and working on his rebounding. He mentioned how helpful new assistant Ralph Willard is, how he’s teaching the players to be more patient, as well as rebounding techniques. Samuels: “I love this team. Coach Willard is making me better.”
Kyle Kuric, who looked to me to be the most improved player on the court, asserted himself early in the Media Day scrimmage. He talked about how “it’s a lot easier” this year, knowing what he is supposed to be doing. He feels offensive rebounding is his strong suit. He also mentioned how he’s kind of taken fellow Hoosier Stephan Van Treese under his wing, “OFF the court.”
Walk On redshirt transfer Chris Smith explained his circuitous route to the Cards. He played last year at Manhattan, but wanted to transfer, “looking at a lot of schools.” He played in high school with Samardo, so he called him and Samuels put in a word with the coaches. Then Smith’s dad called Eric Scott with whom they have some connection. Then he sent some tapes to Walter McCarty, who, without really consulting Pitino (or so it would appear) gave Smith some sort of green light. Then Smith just moved down to Louisville and started playing with the guys at the Yum Center after enrolling at summer school. He later met Pitino who welcomed him on as a walk on.
Smith confirmed how much more intense and structured it is at U of L compared to his previous stop.
Van Treese and Rakeem Buckles both acknowledged that as hard as they thought practice would be, “it’s a lot harder.” Buckles: “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Peyton Siva will be the team leader, if not this season (though I can see that happening by sheer force of personality), after this one until he leaves Louisville. He is engaging, though not as overbearing as his cousin TWill.
Siva: “Edgar (Sosa)’s been like a big brother. Even though he’s a weirdo.
“TWill’s a sucker. He was supposed to give me his bed, but he gave it to one of the managers instead.
“I am not focused on starting. My goal is to get the ball to the other guys for the best shot.
“I’m not homesick at all. I do miss Seattle’s rain. Here it rains but it’s a lot harder than home.”
When asked by one reporter who said he saw a photo of Siva where he looked sad, he answered: “Me? Sad? I’m never sad.”
* * * * *
Andre McGee is playing in Germany, where the team has provided him a free Mercedes to use. Will Scott is apparently playing for Oxford, and will provide reports during the season that the C-J is apparently going to run.
The players seemed to have a genuine and deep seated affection for each other. Lots of joking around among the whole group.
Several agreed it’s a lot quieter in the locker room without TWill.
Jerry Smith didn’t practice so he could attend the birth of his child with his girlfriend.
The Media Guide, which, to be fair, is also a major recruiting tool, can only be 200 pages per NCAA rules. And it is, as usual when Kenny Klein is involved, top of the heap in terms of quality and information.
But here are signs of the the times. There is one full page L G & E advertisement. There are two pages of game by game results of Rick Pitino’s games at other schools, including U of L’s most hated rival. There’s a full page on the school’s marketing company. And 1/6 of one page on Hall of Fame, two-time NCAA champion coach Denny Crum.
– Seedy K
Not much I like better on a gray autumn day than the squeak of sneakers on hardwood.
Observations from Chairman Rick at Media Day:
“The team has a great attitude, maybe the best since I’ve been coaching.
“Reggie Delk will be much better than (we) witnessed last year. TWill simply dominated him so in practice. (Later, during one on one conversations, Pitino emphasized how much Delk was intimidated by Terrence Williams, that he’s a totally different player this season with a greater confidence level.)
“Swopshire is also better with Earl gone.”
On Siva: “He’ll pressure Sosa, but not enough to start. Incredible personality. Great leadership. It’s a great freshman class. It’s like having four Larry O’Bannons.”
“Rakeem (Buckles) is battling Swopshire for a starting spot. Kuric is pushing Delk. He could start.
“Edgar and Jerry are doing a great job as captains. They did something that’s never happened anywhere I’ve coached. The coaches were late to individual instructions. We were arguing over recruiting. Jerry went ahead and started the instructions.
“The Big 10 and Big 12 are the two strongest leagues this year.
“I told Van Treese I need only three things from him. Set screens. Rebound, offensive and defensive. Run the floor.
“Preston is the best sixth man. When he comes in the game you can just feel how the crowd sits up in their seats.”
When asked if U of L would be primarily a zone or man-to-man team, he said: “We’ll mix it up. We’re not as experienced as last season. We need to confuse our opponents. Notice during practice how the players are talking more.”
He compared Buckles to Otis George when he was a freshman, except he’s more offensive oriented. He said Swopshire has improved his footwork and offensive rebounding and is a better shot than Buckles.
“On offense, we’ll have to adapt to personnel. We’ll go inside more. We need good spacing.
“I said it before. It never crossed my mind to leave the job this summer. I’m not going to face anything on the road that I haven’t faced before.”
He mentioned how new assistant Ralph Willard has been talking with the freshmen about the mental aspects of the game. He reiterated several times how he’s fired up about the team because of the work effort and the fact that they enjoy each other.
– Seedy K
Revised 10/22 @ 10:18 a.m. I stand corrected. I’m advised that the gentlemen were spotted eating dinner not lunch. My apologies for any inconvenience this misinformation might have caused.
From a source both reliable and intelligent, a fellow not inclined to gossip or engage in idle chatter, this nugget, which he swears to be true.
Spotted yesterday at lunch with Tom Jurich and taking full advantage of the offerings at the Hometown Buffet: Hall Mumme and . . . Claude Bassett.
One must ask, could they do worse than the present regime? And the last couple of coaches with Wildcat credentials — The Schnell & The Rick — have fared pretty well for U of L.
Didn’t see Hal and Claude myself, but I think this rumor and innuendo’s got some serious legs. Remember where you read it first.
– Seedy K
The Chicago Bears are trying to be a contenda in the National Football League with five — count ‘em, five — players on their roster from Vanderbilt? From Monsters of the Midway to Phantoms of the Opry.
The Tennessee Titans, who started last season 10-0, have started this one 0-6. They’ve lost their las two by a combined score of 90-9. Some sort of Steve McNair curse or something?
Manny Ramirez was pulled late in a playoff game the other night because of defense . . . and left the bench to go take a shower. Gettin’ juiced in an empty locker room?
The U of L/ UK fan rivalry is so virulent the red & black faithful won’t give any props to the Wildcats for a stunning W over Auburn, without the starting QB. Jealousy?
The Steinbrenners have finally bought out the Big Guy in the Sky? How else to explain three disgraceful umpiring calls in the playoffs, two last night, all of which were visibly incorrect, and all of which aided the Yankees?
Louisville’s football team has better stats cumulatively than its opponents in just about every category, yet still finds ways to blow games.
I went 5-0 on my Pick Five Saturday predictions last weekend. You can look it up: Florida Atlantic, Clemson, Southern Cal, Texas and Iowa.
Coach Cal actually let his players toss about the “U” word at Media Day. Undefeated, eh?
When John Wall was asked by reporters how he wanted to be remembered by Kentucky fans, he rambled on for a bit . . . and never mentioned the word “championship.”
Somebody with “a close friend in the athletic department” actually told a pal of mine today that Gruden “was a done deal.”
They counted the goal in the Premier Soccer League game that ricocheted off a beach ball on the field.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher had to issue an apology for wearing a Colts jersey as a gag at a fundraiser while introducing Tony Dungy.
Mark Cuban came out in favor of steroids.
Steve Spurrier accused Alabama of trickeration. Didn’t he used to beat them like a drum when he was at Florida?
Lou Holtz and Digger Phelps still get paid for their opinions at ESPN.
A friend just emailed me to advise that Tom Jurich had lunch today at Checks with Hal Mumme. Unlike the above, it was a joke . . . I think.
– Seedy K