College Football ACC Week 1 Review

N. Carolina State 21 vs. Tennessee 35.

Top Passer

N. Carolina State: Mike Glennon- 27/46, 288 yards, and 4 interception.

Tennessee: Tyler Bray- 27/41, 333 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

Top Rusher

N. Carolina State: Tony Creecy- 10 carries for 48 yards(4.8 yards per rush), and 1 touchdown 

Tennessee: Marlin Lane- 9 carries, 75 yards(8.3 yards per rush).

Top Receiver

N. Carolina State: Quintin Payton- 4 receptions, 129 yards. Long 49 yards.

Tennessee: Cordarrelle Patterson- 6 receptions, 93 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 41. Patterson also had 2 rushes for 72 yards and 1 touchdown.

Defensive/ Special Team Standouts

N. Carolina State- Tobais Palmer Kick Return- 3 returns, 87 yards. Long 43 yards.

Tennessee- Interceptions- Byron Moore(18 yards), Eric Gordon(12 yards), Prentiss Waggner(8 yards), Marsalis Teague(0 yards) 

Elon 0 vs. North Carolina 62

Top Passer

Elon: Thomas Wilson- 13/27, 99 yards, 2 interceptions.

North Carolina: Bryn Renner- 14/21, 236 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception.

Top Rusher

Elon: Karl Bostick- 5 carries, 13 yards. Long 12 yards.

North Carolina: Giovani Bernard- 9 carries, 93 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 59 yards

Top Receiver

Elon: Kierre Brown- 4 receptions, 31 yards. Long 11 yards.

North Carolina: Eric Ebron- 2 recetpions, 53 yards. Long 49 yards.

Defensive Stats

Elon: Edward Burns- 1 interception, 0 yards

North Carolina: Tim Scott( 1 intercption, 0 yards), Jabari Price( 1 interception, 0 yards)

William & Mary 6 vs Maryland 7

Top Passer

William & Mary: Raphael Ortiz- 7/16, 100 yards.

Maryland: Perry Hills- 16/24, 145 yards, 3 interceptions.

Top Rusher

William & Mary:Keith McBride- 10 carries, 55 yards. Long 25 yards.

Maryland: Justus Pickett- 11 carries, 45 yards, 1 touchdown.Long 11 yards.

Top Receiver

William & Mary: Tre McBride- 6 receptions, 97 yards. Long 31 yards.

Maryland: Marcus Leak- 3 receptions, 37 yards. Long 20 yards.

Defensive Stats

William & Mary: Brian Thompson( 1 interception, 32 yards), DeAndre Houston-Carson( 1 interception, 0 yards), Ivan Tagoe( 0                           interception, 0 yards

Maryland: Joe Vellano- 1 interception, 4 yards.

Richmond 19 vs Virginia 43

Top Passer 

Richmond: John Laub- 17/35, 178 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 25 yards.

Virginia: Michael Rocco- 25/37, 311 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 51 yards.

Top Rusher

Richmond: Kendall Gaskins- 4 carries, 38 yards. Long 21 yards.

Virginia: Kevin Parks- 14 carries, 49 yards,2 touchdowns. Long 9 yards.

Top Receiver

Richmond: Ben Edwards- 6  receptions, 59 yards. Long 25 yards.

Virginia: Darius Jennings- 5 receptions, 84 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 51 yards.

Miami (FL) 41 vs Boston College 32

Top Passer

Miami (FL): Stephen Morris- 28/45, 207 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Long 21 yards.

Boston College: Chase Rettig- 32/51, 441 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception. Long 36 yards.

Top Rusher

Miami (FL): Duke Johnson- 7 carries, 135 yards, 2 touchdowns. Long 56 yards.

Boston College: Andre Williams- 18 carries, 49 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 11 yards.

Top Receiver

Miami (FL): Allen Hurns- 8 receptions, 81 yards. Long 21 yards

Boston College: Tahj Kimble- 8 receptions, 130 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 31 yards.

Defense

Miami (FL): Denzel Perryman- 1 interception, 41 yards, 1 touchdown.

Boston College: Spenser Rositano- 1 interception, 11 yards. 

Murray State 3 vs (7) Florida State 69

Top Passer

Murray State: Casey Brockman- 19/36, 117 yards, 1 interception. Long 16 yards.

Florida State: EJ Manuel- 16/22, 188 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Long 28 yards.

Top Rusher

Murray State: Pokey Harris- 9 carries, 27 yards. Long 9 yards.

Florida State: James Wilder Jr. 12 carries, 106 yards, 2 touchdowns. Long 42 yards.

Top Receiver

Murray State: Walter Powell- 9 receptions, 62 yards. Long 16 yards.

Florida State: Kenny Shaw- 4 receptions, 82 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 40 yards.

Defense 

Murray State: Josh Manning- 1 interception. 0 yards

Florida State: Xavier Rhodes- 1 interception, 0 yards.

Liberty 17 vs Wake Forest 20

Top Passer

Liberty: Brian Hudson- 20/37, 263 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception. Long 47 yards.

Wake Forest: Tanner Price- 16/28, 195 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Long38 yards.

Top Rusher

Liberty: Sirchauncey Holloway- 17 carries, 53 yards. Long 15 yards.

Wake Forest: Deandre Martin- 21 carries, 74 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 13 yards.

Top Receiver

Liberty: Elliot Dutra- 4 receptions,  64 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 37 yards.

Wake Forest: Michael Campanaro- 9 receptions, 96 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 31 yards.

Defense 

Liberty: Nick Sigmon- 1 interception, 2 yards.

Wake Forest: A.J. Marshall- 1 interception, 39 yards, 1 touchdown.

(14) Clemson 26 vs Auburn 19

Top Passer

Clemson: Tajh Boyd- 24/35, 208 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Long 25 yards.

Auburn: Kiehl Frazier- 11/27, 194 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Long 54 yards.

Top Rusher

Clemson: Andre Ellington- 26 carries, 231 yards. Long 68 yards.

Auburn: Tre Mason- 14 carries, 106 yards. Long 30 yards.

Top Receiver

Clemson: DeAndre Hopkins- 13 receptions, 119 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 25 yards.

Auburn: Emory Blake- 4 receptions, 109 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 54 yards.

Defense

Clemson: Rashard Hall- 1 interception, 0 yards.

Auburn: Daren Bates- 1 interception, 12 yards.

Florida Int 26 vs Duke 46 

Top Passer

Florida Int: Jake Medlock- 27/45, 348 yards, 2 touchdowns. Long 67 yards.

Duke: Sean Renfree- 21/30, 290 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception. Long 60 yards.

Top Rusher

Florida Int: Kendrick Rhodes- 25 carries, 130 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 34 yards.

Duke: Josh Snead- 7 carries, 47 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 19 yards.

Top Receiver

Florida Int: Kendrick Rhodes- 7 receptions, 115 yards,1 touchdown. Long 67 yards.

Duke: Conner Vernon- 10 receptions, 180 yards, 1 touchdown. Long 49 yards.

Defense

Florida Int: Clinton Taylor- 1 interception, 0 yards

Duke: no interceptions.

Coach Tom

NCAA Missed Penn State Target

NCAA President Mark Emmert decimated Penn State’s football program Monday morning when he announced a $60 million fine, four year postseason ban and the vacation of all wins from 1998-2011.

The punishment achieved two goals:

1. Permanently stain Joe Paterno’s legacy. JoePa is no longer the all-time winningest coach in NCAA football history. With the removal of his statue and its surrounding walls of honor, Paterno will never be realized as the standup guy he was portrayed to be and implored his players to become. For anyone who doesn’t get it, understand this: From 1998 onward, Paterno knew that his potential head coaching heir was a child predator. Paterno’s office was only feet from Jerry Sandusky’s and for 14 years Paterno swept the rape of children under the rug. So too did university president Graham Spanier, vice president Gary Schultz and athletic director Tim Curley (Schultz and Curley face perjery charges and Spanier will likely face legal action as well). So too did the police department, who determined there was not enough information to permit action in 1998 and 2001. The culture of concealment was real, and the 267-page Freeh Report, funded by the University itself, found the culture to be headed by Paterno himself.

One can argue that Paterno did enough when he reported what he heard to his “superiors.” In fact, just yesterday a guy told me he thought Paterno didn’t do anything wrong. Really? The guy said he couldn’t blame Paterno because Sandusky was his friend. This evoked a mixed reaction: I would love to be this guys friend because he would be loyal for life, but I would hate to be his friend because he would stand by anyone. (I ultimately sided with the latter thought. A good friend of a child predator calls the police.) The fact of the matter is, if Paterno wanted to cleanse his program over a decade ago, he could have. He did not. Paterno, as well as the above mentioned administrators, chose to protect Paterno’s false legacy rather than protect children.

2. Financially decimate Penn State football. The $60 million fine will go to help abused kids. But the elimination of potential future earnings for Penn State will exceed $60 million. Endorsement deals will disappear. Bowl bonuses will not exist for four years, and when they return Penn State will learn just how much the Lumber Liquidators Bowl pays. Big recruits want to play in big games, so do not be surprised when you hear more stories like this. Mark Emmert punished Penn State by making it impossible for them to win anything substantial for about a decade.

But wasn’t the point that football is about more than wins and loses? The NCAA wanted to embarrass Penn State and financially crush them as well. However, as usual, the perpetrators will not pay the NCAA’s penalty (think USC with Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll). The ones punished are the current players, current head coach Bill O’Brien who left the New England Patriots for this gig and the fans who had nothing to do with the blood-on-your-hands myopia of the former administration.

There were other options. The elimination of Paterno’s wins upsets no one but the most idiotic of Penn State fans. He won those games while concealing a predator. JoePa said ethics are more important than winning. JoePa would have approved of the sanctions against him.

But as for the current players, why punish them? Let them play. Put the program under probation for now until the end of time. Put so many compliance officers on campus that O’Brien would break into a cold sweat if he saw so much as a player cutting line at a bar. Do not eliminate scholarships for hard-working student-athletes. If the team plays well, let them go to a bowl. Take the money and donate that too. But let the current team be a cause for good. Let their wins, done the right way, be the balm that cures. Do not allow football to be profitable for years. But do allow football to be healing.

Mark Emmert made an example of Penn State. The college presidents, who Emmery represents, still think they control their universities. They do not. But given carte blanche to vaporize a morally deplorable program, they pulled the trigger. They need to check their aim.

The Big Guy

NCAA Football’s Four Team Playoff

The Bowl Championship Series Presidential Oversight Committee announced Tuesday that college football will move to a four-team playoff starting in 2014. The 12-man committee, consisting of representatives from each of the 11 major conferences and one from independent Notre Dame, agreed to a 12-year deal that will extend through 2025.

The impact of this decision can, and will, be overstated. The NCAA football champion will now be (mostly) decided on the field. However, the remaining machinations do not involve eventual playoff expansion, but continued conference expansion.

Even the most die-hard college football fans have been confused over the past two seasons by the geographic and numeric absurdities involved with conference realignment. Texas Christian University in the Big East? Then they back out on the deal and agree to bounce from the Mountain West to the Big 12? That makes 13 teams in the Big 12? There are 12 teams in the Big Ten? The Pac-10 is the Pac-12, with plans to become the Pac-16? Waka waka. No wonder these football players struggle with arithmetic.

The frantic transitions suggested an ensuing playoff system years ago, but the playoff is only half of the story. The NCAA basketball tournament invites 68 of 345 teams. The NCAA football tournament will invite four of 121 teams. All things equal, Team X has a 1 in 5 shot of earning a basketball tournament bid. In football, Team X gets in just less than 1 every 30 years. The primary complaint against the old BCS system was that it overvalued major conference teams and it undervalued underdog teams like Boise State (who provided undeniable evidence to spark this whole argument in 2007). This system will do little to negate that issue.

Consider how the “major” small conference teams rose to relative prominence. Boise State went 12-0 in 2006 and finished 8th in the BCS standings, which means they would not have made the playoffs had such a system been in place. Same goes for 12-0 Utah in 2008 when they finished 6th in the BCS. Ditto with 13-0, 6th ranked Boise State in 2009.

The winds of college football suggest that the members only club of the BCS will remain that way. Conference expansion is only in the beginning stages, and it is not hard to envision four, 16-team super conferences in a couple years. Luckily, this works perfectly for The Big Guy’s Ultimate College Football Solution.

The argument is not that the playoff should expand to eight or even 16 teams. As we know from basketball, there will always be groans from the team that just missed out.

The answer is simple, and would do everything for college football that March Madness does for college basketball. It also, ironically, fits one of the most tired adages in college football history.

Make the four super conference championships the Elite Eight of college football. That way each week really is a playoff week. Divide the conferences into two divisions, (please name them North and South or East and West, enough of this Legends and Leaders bullshit) and have every team play their division opponents over seven weeks. Play a conference championship between the two division winners the following week and start the two-week Final Four the new week.

The effective eight-team playoff provides a championship opportunity to a larger number of teams than anyone ever believes could be the best team at the end of the year. Really, when was the last time you thought “Boy, the conference championships just went down and I really think there are nine teams that could be the best in the nation”?

Ok so we are good…right? What, ten weeks of college football ain’t enough for you? Me neither. Meet the new D-1AA.

There are 121 D-1 football teams, but if you add seven you get 128— a magic number. The new, 64-team, D-1AA would be the feeder system to the 64-team D-1. The bottom team of each of the four D-1 conferences would drop into D-1AA, and the champions of each D-1AA conference would be promoted to D-1. The English Premier League approach of relegation and promotion would add an American Dream element to college football and provide new intrigue every year. This system would solve the Boise State problem listed above— no matter where you come from, if you win, you can rise to the top. The Members Only club would be a thing of the past.

The first two weeks of every season would pit D-1 teams against D-1AA teams. These early season games would not be exhibitions. If a D-1 teams loses to a D-1AA team, the game would count as a division loss for the D-1 team and a division win for the D-1AA team. D-1 teams that drop an early game can still make it into the super conference championship (Elite Eight) by running the table in their division, thus giving every other team at least one loss and D-1AA teams will play those first two games with additional incentive on the line. While a D-1 upset by a D-1AA team would in no way ensure promotion, it could easily make the difference between finishing first (thus earning a conference championship bid) and second (earning no opportunity for promotion) in their division.

This model could be called socialist, which in today’s parlance can best be translated to “equal opportunity.” Gone would be the selection committee that will determine the Final Four. Teams themselves will determine who makes the conference championships, who makes the Final Four and who wins the championship.

I didn’t even touch television rights (imagine a rotating ownership of conference rights between NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX of one of the four D-1 and D-1AA conferences every year). But in the long run it is not difficult to envision a college football universe of megabucks super conferences with D-1AA teams doing everything they can to get their teams on those dollar green fields.

The Big Guy