Forty names, video games, groups and trivia making news in school football (pointless, game-losing throws into the tip zone bought individually in Tallahassee):
MORE DASH: Loaded Weekend | Heisman Race | Interim Cases
SECOND QUARTER
RED RIVER REVERBERATIONS
We’ll get to Texas, and an intriguing situation, in a second. But dialogue emanating from Dallas on Saturday has to begin with the whole free fall of Oklahoma (11) in the span of three jaw-dropping weeks.
The Sooners got here strutting away from a blowout of Nebraska with a 3–0 report and a No. 6 rating, listening to hosannas from each path. The reward ignored the truth that the Cornhuskers have been in disarray after firing their coach and weren’t excellent to start with. Such is the ability of a Brand Name beating one other Brand Name, regardless of how dated these labels may need been.
It was a heady second. In dealing with the trauma of being jilted by Lincoln Riley, the We Don’t Need Him Kool-Aid had been consumed in giant portions throughout the offseason and the primary three weeks by Sooner Nation. We don’t want him anyway. He was slowly ruining this system. Too smooth. No protection. Brent Venables will make us higher than Riley ever may. As flimsy proof, a fan media post displaying Venables and power coach Jerry Schmidt clapping and looking out intense earlier than the Nebraska recreation was trumpeted as proof of a “different” tradition.
Well, it’s totally different, all proper.
Oklahoma already has its most losses in a season since 2014.
LM Otero/AP
Since beating Nebraska, Oklahoma has misplaced three straight for the primary time since 1998. It has been outscored 145–58. The 49–0 pole-axing in the Cotton Bowl towards the arch-rival Longhorns was the worst shutout loss in program historical past. Amid this sort of carnage, the query must be requested: Is profession defensive coordinator Venables nothing however a dark-room man?
In football parlance, a “dark-room guy” is a coach who excels in the movie room, lights off, getting ready a gameplan. The head coach’s job extends far past that, into the sunshine, into the general public, into organizing and overseeing a whole sprawling program. It might be too huge for some profession assistants, with some notable examples at blueblood packages.
Charlie Weis was a dark-room man who, after some preliminary success, flopped (profitably) at Notre Dame. Mike Shula was a dark-room man who was fired at Alabama to make room for Nick Saban (fairly good transfer). Will Muschamp at Florida, Ray Goff at Georgia, Derek Dooley at Tennessee—dark-room guys, all.
Is Venables subsequent to affix that record? Too early to say. But this three-game stretch is unhealthy sufficient to conjure up reminiscences of John Blake and Howard Schnellenberger, the 2 coaches who oversaw the final Sooner Dark Period, from 1995 to ’98. Blake bought three seasons on the job, however Schnellenberger was one-and-done, fired after going 5-5-1 and ending that season with a three-game shedding streak that is much like this one, being outscored 98–10.
It appears extremely unbelievable that Venables wouldn’t get not less than yet one more season to show himself, even when this one continues its present tailspin. (There have been off-field reasons that contributed to Schnellenberger being ousted after a yr.) He’s recruiting effectively, and the extent of transition after Riley left and took the star quarterback and huge receiver with him must be factored in (even when the followers dismissed it).
But at 3–3, Oklahoma already has its most losses in a season since 2014. And everybody is aware of what’s looming in a few years—Southeastern Conference membership. Athletic director Joe Castiglione assuredly will need his football program performing at a excessive stage when it’s time for that transition. Venables has some work to do to show he’s the man who can get the Sooners there in good order.
On the flip aspect, Texas appeared sturdy behind one of the best efficiency but by quarterback Quinn Ewers (12). The one-time high recruit in the nation got here again from a shoulder damage to finish 21 of 31 passes for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns, and that provides rise to a provocative query: If Texas wins out, going 11–2 and profitable the Big 12, ought to the Longhorns get College Football Playoff consideration?
In the nine-year historical past of the CFP, we’ve by no means had a two-loss group. Things can change, however there is probability we’ll have not less than 4 Power 5 groups with zero or one loss come Selection Sunday. But if Texas goes undefeated in video games when Ewers is wholesome, may it get an damage mulligan?
With Ewers lacking the ultimate three quarters towards Alabama, the Horns misplaced by a degree. He was additionally out for the three-point loss at Texas Tech. It’s a reasonably large leap to imagine Texas can win out from right here—particularly in a deep Big 12—but when it does, and will get some assist from different groups shedding, the Texas Injury Mulligan Political Action Committee may kick into gear. (The faculty has not been shy about politicking for postseason favoritism in the previous.)
QUARTERBACK HEALTH, QUARTERBACK DEPTH—THEY MATTER
With the switch portal decreasing high quality depth at an important place, you possibly can see the impact of a QB damage on the unsuitable time. Take Oklahoma, as an illustration, which was with out starter Dillon Gabriel (13) towards Texas, and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby mainly panicked.
The Sooners resorted to the Wildcat offense for important stretches, together with a treasured soar move by operating again Eric Gray that was intercepted in the crimson zone. Starter Davis Beville, a former third-stringer at Pittsburgh, was 6-of-12 for 38 yards and an interception. How Oklahoma entered the sport with a mixture of Beville and the Wildcat as its finest QB choice is staggering.
But Oklahoma is hardly the one program hurting for depth at QB. North Carolina State went right into a shell after a third-quarter damage to star Devin Leary (14) Saturday, making an attempt simply two passes the remainder of the sport—considered one of them by a operating again to backup QB Jack Chambers for a five-yard loss. The Wolfpack by some means escaped with a win over Florida State, due to a disastrous interception in the tip zone by Jordan Travis when the Seminoles have been in vary for the profitable subject purpose in the ultimate minute.
Iowa has caught by Petras even because the group’s offensive struggles mount.
Ron Johnson/USA TODAY Sports
Clearly, Iowa (15) can’t be shamed into even testing its QB depth behind starter Spencer Petras. In a towering show of stubbornness and vanity, Team Ferentz (head coach Kirk and nepotism all-star assistant Brian) has had Petras throw each move this season—with disastrous outcomes. The newest: zero touchdowns, two subject targets, 222 complete yards in a 9–6 loss to Illinois that dropped a group with elite protection and particular groups to three–3 on the season.
Petras is the lowest-rated passer in the Big Ten, and Iowa is a hundred and twenty fifth nationally in move effectivity—lowest of any Power 5 group. It is 131st (useless final) in complete offense and 127th in scoring offense—with the caveat that 18 of its 88 factors have been scored straight by the protection. Petras has had a pedestrian 4 years at Iowa, however Team Ferentz wasn’t in a portal choice to improve. (In truth, it did virtually nothing offensively in the portal, regardless of some important receiver losses there.)
It should be requested: What’s unsuitable with giving some other QB on the roster a single collection to see if he can present a spark? It can’t worsen, solely higher. But Iowa isn’t prepared to strive.
In contradiction to all latest historical past, Kansas (16) has each a star QB and a high quality backup. When Jalon Daniels was injured Saturday towards TCU, the Jayhawks stored matching factors in a shootout due to backup Jason Bean (16-of-24 for 262 yards and 4 touchdowns passing, plus 34 yards speeding). And it should be identified that TCU (17) star QB Max Duggan wasn’t the opening-day starter for the Horned Frogs—he stepped in when Chandler Morris was injured and Sonny Dykes’s offense has rolled.
Watch college football live with fuboTV: Start a free trial today!
At Notre Dame, a season on the brink has been revived in no small half by the development of Drew Pyne (18). When starter Tyler Buchner went down with a shoulder damage (so many QB shoulder accidents this season), it compelled Pyne into obligation in the ugly loss to Marshall. His first begin, towards Cal, was not fairly at instances—coordinator Tommy Rees f-bombing him on the cellphone from the press field was memorable—however the Fighting Irish are 3–0 with him on the helm. Pyne’s effectivity ranking has improved each begin, from 157 towards Cal to 171 towards North Carolina to 185 Saturday towards BYU.
At Louisville, all hope seemed to be misplaced when 40-game starter Malik Cunningham was dominated out Saturday towards Virginia. Brock Domann (19) bought his first begin, and his first move was an interception that helped put the Cardinals in a ten–0 gap. With followers busy firing Scott Satterfield on social media—in half attributable to allegedly not recruiting a high quality backup QB to Cunningham—Domann turned every thing round. He completed the sport with 275 passing yards and 71 speeding yards, main Louisville to a 34–17 victory that briefly lessened the warmth on its coach.
Across the state at Kentucky (20), the dearth of instantly playable depth behind injured starter Will Levis was evident in a 24–14 residence upset loss to South Carolina—the primary time the Gamecocks had gained in Lexington in a decade. Backup Kaiya Sheron threw for 114 of his 178 yards on a window-dressing landing drive late in the fourth quarter whereas trailing 24–7. (Yes, he threw for 114 yards on a single drive attributable to 41 yards in losses from sacks and penalties.)
Levis watched the sport in a strolling boot. If he’s not again for Mississippi State on Saturday, the Wildcats might be taking a look at a three-game shedding streak after rising into the highest 10.
MORE DASH: Loaded Weekend | Heisman Race | Interim Cases
story by The Texas Tribune Source link