Friday, October 24, 2008
PRYOR VS. GRIFFIN
Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin set a Bowl Subdivision record on Saturday for the most pass attempts to start a career without an interception by a freshman. Griffin was 15 of 27 for 162 yards in the Bears' 34-6 loss at Oklahoma State, extending his streak of passes without an interception to 155.You would think that Griffin, after setting such a record would be regarded as the best freshman quarterback in the country. “Not so fast my friend “ in the words of Lee Corso. Most would argue that this honor belongs to freshman quarterbackTerrelle Pryor of Ohio State.
For the season Pryor has completed 59 or 90 pass attempts for 653 yards and with a 65.6 completion percentage with 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Griffin has completed 94 of his 155 pass attempts for 1,271 yards and 9 touchdowns with no interceptions. Griffin has better numbers but there are two factors to take into account. Griffin graduated from Copperas Cove High School in December 2007 in order to enroll early at Baylor. Furthermore, Griffin won his starting job in the spring at Baylor and has been the starter ever since. Pryor did not even sign with Ohio State until May 19th of this year after Griffin has already completed a full semester at Baylor and had earned All-American honors for his efforts with the Baylor track team. Pryor also did not become a full-time starter until a few weeks ago, as Todd Boeckman was the starter for the Buckeyes early in the season. Technicalities aside these two quarterbacks are the future of college football and both have a good head on their shoulders. Pryor chose OSU because he wanted to run a pro style offense in prepping for the NFL and Griffin chose Baylor over Stanford, Tennessee, Houston and Kansas because he plans to be a lawyer after school and chose Baylor because of their strong academic tradition. At this point, 6mag is going to tag Griffin as the better quarterback, based off of statistics and quality of competition in the Big 12, at the moment but Pryor is gaining fast every week and the Bucks offense is beginning to gain some steam. Here are some highlights of these two freshman phenoms. Enjoy and take care.
Sincerely, Billy Ocean
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
What Demarco Muarry and Michael Jordan Have In Common
It has been said that the only person that could hold Michael Jordan under 30 points was Dean Smith, Jordan's college basketball coach. The University of North Carolina Tar Heels basketball, team hosted other All-Americans besides Jordan, but more importantly they ran a slow tempo style of offense that didn't fit Jordan's explosive style. Jordan still shined and did what he could, but had Dean Smith just given the ball to Jordan and let him do his thing, they would have won more championships.
Yes, this is a football blog, no we are not changing. I say what I said about Jordan to say this, Bob Stoops and Demarco Muarry are the exact same. Look at Muarry's Redshirt Freshman season last year he made big play after big play with scores on runs from 92 yards and 65 yards. He also helped on special teams with kickoff return scores of 91 yards and 81 yards. He amased 764 yards, 13 toudowns with 6 yards per carry last year while sharing the load with two backs. Not to mention he averaged 29.3 yards per kick return with two scores. This year the numbers aren't down actually, but the numbers are misleading. Yes, Muarry has 520 yards and 7 touchdowns and a deceptively good average of 4.8 yards per carry. But this is not the Demarco Muarry expected coming out of high school and not the glimpses of stardom we saw last year. His longest run from scrimmage this year is 49 yards, he had 35 more carries through the first five games this year than last year and his longest kickoff return was 38 yards. To the average athlete these are great number, but not for Muarry. Muarry dislocated his knee cap last year causing him to miss the last three games of the year as well as spring drills but he and Stoops say he is healthy.
Muarry's father, Kevin Muarry, helped mold his son into the future NFL star he is and has noticed a hitch in his son's giddy up.
"Something is not there this year," Kevin said. "I don't know what's the problem. Either he's still hurt and doesn't want to say anything or he doesn't have the confidence back in that knee. He always says, 'Dad, I'm OK.' I think it's more of his confidence."
Offensive Coordinator for the Sooners, Kevin Wilson has this to offer on Muarry's performance.
"I see him cutting against the grain and trying to find big plays instead of just running," Wilson said. "If you're looking to make a big play, you won't make it. Just like trying to find a four-leaf clover. Sometimes it's right in front of you. You see it even though you're not looking for it.
"He will make more big plays by just playing hard and sticking to it. Like last year at Texas (on Murray 's 65-yard run), he just hit it hard, here's a crease, he jumps over a guy and he's gone."
I disagree with Muarry's father and coach Wilson. However, I place full blame on Wilson and Stoops. If you look at Muarry's running style in high school, he was the next Reggie Bush. Did Pete Carroll change Bush's style, no he let him flourish into a Heisman trophy winner and a top 3 draft pick in the NFL. Muarry's coaches are changing his running style and making him run stiff, inconsistent, and unconfident. The coaches need to realize that if they wanted a one cut running back they should have recruited one.
Brian Westbrook, Reggie Bush, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders and many other great running backs with unconvential running backs have succeeded and been some of the most marketable backs of all-time. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Well, Stoops and Wilson broke Demarco Muarry's running style when there was nothing wrong with it and now they must fix it and let the boy do his thing.
We at 6magazine hope to see the real Demarco Muarry before the season is over if not hopefully soon in the NFL.
Funny ESPN Article by Pat Forde
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&page=dash0808&sportCat=ncf
America's Team
The Dallas Cowboys were the clear Superbowl favorite after the first three games of the season this year. Then a home loss to the Redskins, mumblings from T.O. and the snide began. Since then, the boys have lost QB Tony Romo for 4 weeks, SS Roy Williams for the rest of the year, CB Pacman Jones indefinitely, Rookie RB Felix Jones for two more weeks, and CB Terrance Newman is struggling with a groin injury. They have suffered an embarrassing loss to a losing St. Louis Rams team, which has seemingly been the straw that has broken the camel's back.
To add insult to injury, Marion Barber is fine and is getting the ball none. The first three games of the year the Cowboys were running the ball 30 times a game. In the four games the Cowboys have won, they've ran the ball 30 times. Although, Jones is banged up, He can carry the load and Rookie RB Tashard Choice can help carry the load as well.
They need to get back to the Bill Parcels way of life and run the ball til the wheels fall off. The defense is good enough that if the offense controls the time of possesion with a 30 plus run game, the Cowboys will be back to their winning ways.
The media is down the Boys' back right now and counting them out, whether they truly believe it or are simply doing it for ratings no one really knows. Bottom line is that adversity reveals character as ESPN's Tom Jackson stated this past week.
Don't count the Cowboys out. They will still make the playoffs and actually will still make the Superbowl. Yes, I said it. The Bears will fold, the Falcons are a fluke, they play the Giants and Redskins enough to know how to defeat them if the playoffs if they meet them, and the Cardinals, Buccaneers, and Panthers will all be exposed for the mediocre teams that they are by season's end.
Peace,
Ricky Writer
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Penn State vs. Ohio State
Penn State head coach Joe Pa faces the big fish that got away this week, in the form of Pennsylvania grown Freshman super stud Terrelle Pryor and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Pryor added fuel to the fire by stating this week that “he does not care about making Penn State happy and that Jeanette, Pa is hometown but Ohio is now his home. What is really important in this game is that OSU is shooting for an unprecedented 3rd straight Big 10 title. Furthermore, they are still in control of their BCS destiny if they beat the Nittany Lions.
There are great match-ups all over the field in this game of Big Ten foes. Derrick Williams, the great Penn State wide receiver, versus the all world Ohio State Corner, Malcolm Jenkins. Then you have Evan Royster, the youthful running back who has put up 800+ yards rushing this season versus James Lauranitis, the son of the Animal, and a damn good Buckeye Linebacker. Last but not least, Terrelle Pryor versus the seasoned but still first year starting Junior QB, Daryll Clark.
The Penn State offense, that seems at times to be unstoppable, versus the stingy and fast OSU defense. The biggest match up will be the quarterback battle in this one. The quarterback who plays the best and leads their team down the field in this will to win game, will lead their team to victory. I am calling for yet another upset in this one, and I think that Ohio State behind the deadly combination of Pryor and tailback Beanie Wells will wreak havoc on the Penn State defense that struggled in the first half of last week's game to stop a similar offense that Michigan employs. If Michigan can put up decent numbers for a half against Penn State, Ohio State should put up some lofty numbers. I’m calling for a Buckeye Victory 35- 21
Truly, TRON CLAYBORNE
Cowboy Up: Oklahoma State VS. Texas
Texas is the team to beat in the BCS race. Oklahoma State is the new kid on the block with one of the nastiest offenses that college football has seen in a while. Texas has the hometown hero quarterback Colt McCoy with a name that leads you to believe he was ordained from the football gods to be a Texas quarterback. OSU counters with Zac Robinson, the silky smooth Poke quarterback. that is flashy but backs up his GQ football fashion with great numbers and top-notch efficiency. Based on both their games with Missouri, Texas has the upper hand with more overall speed. However, Oklahoma State is no slouch on defense and has improved every week since the beginning of the season.
Since no team in the BIG XII ranks in the top 30 in total defense, there is fair reason to believe there will be a lot of points scored in this game. OSU will be at home and they are ranked 7th in the country. I’m calling an upset in the game as OSU walks away with a 45-37 victory in front of the home crowd. Look for this to be a very entertaining game unless Texas jumps all over the Cowboys early. If the Longhorns do not put the Pokes away early, look for an OSU victory.
Sincerely, Cowboy Clayborne
It Could Happen
Rematches conveniently start with an "r" just like the word revenge. Most rematches are won by the team or individually who lost first. Mark my words there will be a rematch for this year's national championship game. Between whom you may ask? Keep reading kind sir/fine lady.
The BCS standings came out this past Sunday. The top 5 reads as follows: Texas, Alabama, Penn State, Oklahoma and USC. Now we all know that college football is about as stable as Britney Spears in 2007. You know their are going to be upsets that you would never imagine. The Longhorns have been battle tested and I do not see them losing again. OSU, who is ranked 6th in the BCS and plays the Longhorns this weekend will be exposed by the Longhorns. Texas Tech plays Texas in two weeks and doesn't have enough athletes to keep up nor do the Kansas Jayhawks who play the Longhorns in a month. Also, don't look for the Horns to let up in the Big 12 Championship game either.
Alabama still has to play LSU. If you know anything about college football that is that you do not bet against Les Miles. Before coming to LSU, Miles' OSU Cowboys used to give Bob Stoops' OU Sooners fits with far lesser talented athletes. You give me a Les Miles coached team with LSU athletes and I'm taking Les over Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, any day.
Penn State has to play Ohio State this week. Penn State has quality wins over Wisconsin and Illinois but it is safe to say the Big 10 isn't what it used to be. Terrell Pryor, OSU starting QB, is an emerging star. Beanie Wells is quietly having a great year as well. The defense is still the staple of this team. Penn State's starting QB Daryll Clark is in his first year as the starting QB and will not be ready for the pressure he is about to face in the Horseshoe this weekend.
Oklahoma has had their wake-up call from the Longhorns. The Sooners next big contests are from the OSU Cowboys and Texas Tech Red Raiders. Texas gave future OU opponents the blue print to defeat the Sooners, which is to hold the ball and hit the middle of the zone pass defense. OU has addressed that problem with SS Nic Harris moving to middle linebacker with the injury to former starter Ryan Reynolds. Harris hits like a linebacker and covers like a safety. The Sooners will defeat the Cowboys and Red Raiders and finish thier regular season with one blemish on their schedule.
USC will close out the seaason with one loss as well, but a weak Pac-10 conference as well as a BCS back breaking loss to a struggling Oregon State team will not help the Trojans jump anyone in the BCS rankings.
Hmm...so what happens when the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams lose? The 4th team naturally moves up to the number 2 spot, they play the number 1 team for the national title. The number 4 team in the BCS just happens to be the OU Sooners.
Florida and Florida State played a rematch game for the national title in 1996. In 2006, people argued that Ohio State vs Michigan should have a rematch for the BCS title. That never happened and Ohio State was exposed by a much more skilled Florida Gator team. The reason the Big Ten rematch didn't happen was not because they did not want two Big 10 teams playing for the title, it was because Michigan lost late in the year and Florida, another one loss team, lost early in the year. The BCS doesn't care if teams are from the same conference, it fact it loves it. BSC lives for controversy and two teams from the same conference is enough to make the system stay in tact. One more rebuttal in case someone wants to bring up the fact that OU shouldn't be allowed to play in the national championship because they will not win their conference title. That didn't matter in 2003 when OU lost its conference title to the Kansas State Wildcats, yet still played LSU in the Sugar Bowl for the BCS Championship.
Don't argue with me people, nod your heads and pat me on the back for my Nastradamus like insight. OU vs Texas all over again, this time for all the marbles in Dade County baby!
Monday, October 20, 2008
College Football Karma
There seems to be a trend this year that the highest ranked team in any given game is going down. Do Florida, USC, Oklahoma, Georgia, LSU ring a bell? Already two times this year, 3 of the top five teams have lost in the same week. With this in mind and the fact that the recent trend of the top ten teams in the country being the hunted does not seem to stop any time soon. Below is a list of intriguing games in the next three weeks that could yield upsets that would continue this trend. The reason karma comes into play is that some of the victims of earlier this season will almost assuredly make an impact on the national championship race by enacting revenge and setting the balance of college football back where it should be or should I say never was.
Week 9
Oklahoma State @ Texas
Georgia @ Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge
Penn State @ Ohio State
USC @ Arizona
Week 10
Nebraska @ Oklahoma
Texas @ Texas Tech
Florida vs. Georgia (Jacksonville)
Week 11
Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech
TCU @ Utah
Ohio State @ Northwestern
Georgia Tech @ North Carolina
Georgia @ Kentucky
Week 8 JIMMYS
Here are the JIMMYS for the 8th week of football.
College JIMMYS
Brennan Marion Tulsa WR
Marion grabbed 6 balls for 233 yards and 3TDs including a 97 yard beauty as the Golden Hurricanes trounced UTEP. Damn Near Every Single Big 12 South Division QB minus a few
Colt McCoy of UT made Mack Brown look like a genius for not offering Chase Daniel a scholarship when the two were recruited the same year out of the same state. McCoy has the first three letters of his name written on the Heisman trophy as he went 29 for 32, 337 yards and 4 total TDs in a 56-31 beating over #11 ranked Mizzou.
Sam Bradford of OU bounced back nicely from the Red River Rivalry loss throwing for a school record 468 yards and 3TDs in a victory over the 16th ranked Kansas Jayhawks.
Graham Harrell of Texas Tech threw for 450 yards and 3TDs and ran for two more scores as the Red Raiders defeated the Aggies of Texas A&M.
Lendy Holmes Oklahoma FS
Holmes earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week Honors in last week's victory of the 16th ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Holmes had 8 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 interceptions and 2 passes defended helping the Sooners win.
NFL JIMMYS
Jeff Garcia Buccaneers QB
Garcia got his starting job back and held onto it like a young child screaming "MINE" as he threw 27 for 36 completions and 310 yards and touchdown strike as the Bucs defeated the Seahawks 20-10.
Clinton Portis Redskins RB
In terms of pure numbers, Clinton Portis is the best running back in the NFL. He leads the NFL in rushing with 818 yards and the second place Adrian Peterson only has 684 yards. Portis rushed 27 times for 175 yards and a score as the Redskins defeated the Browns 14-11.
O.J. Atogwe Rams SS
Atogwe has been playing huge the past two weeks. This week he helped the Rams upset the Cowboys intercepting Brad Johnson twice.
Green Bay Secondary
They held Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne to four catches and 35 yards between the two of them.
DeMarcus Ware Cowboys DE
Ware was the one bright star for the Cowboys this week posting 3 sacks against the Rams. He leads the NFL with 9 sacks and set a record for recording at least one sack in ten straight games.
NFL Week 7 Recap
Week 7 of the NFL season featured big plays from big name players, a stunning upset, an 89 point game and much more.
Cowboys vs. St. Louis
I don't know what's going on in Big D other than category 5 organizational meltdown is occurring for the world to see. Romo's out, Pacman is gone, Felix Jones is out, Roy Williams, the safety, lost for the year and Boys have lost 3 of their last 4 games.
You'd think that the St. Louis Rams would have rolled over for the Cowboys, but the opposite happened. They came, fought, kicked ass and took names in a 34-14 rout of America's team.
There is no way you cannot tell me last week's distractions didn't play a roll in this loss for the Cowboys. Big ups to the Rams for getting things together, great win for Coach Hasslett winning his second straight game as interim head coach.
Vikings vs. Bears
No one played defense and the neutral fans loved every minute of it. You'd think Devin Hester and Adrian Peterson put on a highlight reel, but "Anytime" Hester left the game with a quad injury and only tallied 2 receptions for 22 yards. Now, AD on the other hand held his own with 22 carries for 122 yards and 2TD, including a 54 yard run to the house.
The Vikes gave former starting QB two games before the pulled the leash on him, and Gus Frerotte isn't doing much better throwing 4 interceptions yesterday.
Good news for Bears, Kyle Orton is doing well as the starting QB and the offense is putting up points. Bad news for Bears, isn't their staple their defense? 41 points allowed from a one dimensional Vikings team? All bad!
Titans vs. Chiefs
The Titans have successfully stolen the blueprint of the 2001 Baltimore Ravens Superbowl Championship team. Alot of Defense, a running game more formidable than Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson and no mistakes in the passing game. Titans are 6-0 and do not have New England or Indianapolis to fear. Superbowl is to early to call for this team, or is it?
LenDale White rushed 17 times for 149 yards and 3 TDs and Chris Johnson rushed 18 times for 168 yards and a 66 yard burst to the endzone. Make no mistakes about it, Johnson is the fastest player in the NFL pulling defensive backs' hamstrings left and right.
The Chiefs suck point blank, and that's sad because I am a huge Herman Edwards fan. Let's hope they can get it turned around for his sake. We need as many black coaches in the league as possible.
Colts vs Packers
Can anyone tell me why the Colts are 3-3? New England has an excuse, no Tom Brady. Indy has none. Peyton, Reggie and Marvin are all in tact. Sure Joseph Addai is gone but that shouldn't matter too much for one of the best QBs in the game. To only post 14 points is un-Colt like and for Peyton to throw two pick six interceptions is even more frightening. Are we sure that Peyton is better than Eli?
The Pack on the other hand is killing. Two defensive scores yesterday to bring the grand total to five for the year is amazing. The secondary held Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne to only 4 recpetions for 35 yards between the two of them. Aaron Rodgers didn't look to be favoring his elbow at all throwing 21 for 28 with 186 yards and a TD. Ryan grant carried the team rushing 31 times for 105 yards and a score as well.
Much to my chagrin, the Packers are just fine without good ole #4.