So there have been some libelous statements being tossed around that the Boise State Broncos lucked out on Monday night when they beat the Virginia Tech Hokies. Others have slandered that the Broncos backed into the win, didn't deserve it, or should have lost to a better team. I am here to go Mythbusters on such unfounded and reprehensible remarks. I have proof as well, unlike those obtuse detesters of all things impressive and dramatic, such as the Boise State Broncos. They not only deserved to win that game, but were the better team on the field in a night filled with first game jitters and nerves.
Case number one for why the Broncos won and did not luck out:
Ryan Williams, the electric sophomore who ran for 1,655 yards as a freshman was not only bottled up, but was basically ineffective during the game. He was held to just 44 yards on 21 attempts. That is just over 2 yards per attempt. Also, I might point out, 44 yards was a career low for Williams. The other beast in the backfield, Darren Evans was held to 12 yards on 3 attempts. That is a dominate defense if I ever saw one. It is also a huge difference from the last time we saw the Boise State defense go up against a back with all star NFL capability (ie Ryan Mathews from Fresno State, last seen gashing the Broncos for 60 and 70 yard runs all night). Mathews is now the starting back for the San Diego Chargers. The trickiest part for the Broncos was trying to contain quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He had 73 rush yards on 16 attempts. Most of that was scrambling when his receivers were covered and he had no other options. He was a slippery fellow that night indeed. Regardless, the Broncos dominated the rushing game of the Hokies, and that was supposed to be their bread and butter. That's not lucking out, that's planning/scheming and playing.
Case number two:
Special teams. The Hokies are respected and feared around the country for what they are able to accomplish in the kicking, returning, and special teams game. In fact, the head coach himself, Frank Beamer, is the special teams coach. The Broncos owned them. One blocked punt from Austin Pettis and a huge return from Mitch Burroughs to set up the winning drive later and VT had no idea what hit them. They were outgunned, outplayed, and outsmarted on specials teams, and Boise State didn't even run a fake punt against them (which I was partly expecting, by the way)! The important numbers here are; 1 punt return attempt for the Hokies netting 0 yards. Compare that to 4 attempts for the Broncos for 44 yards. The numbers don't seem like much, but the 0 for VT tells a huge story.
Case number three:
This one is about as obvious as can be. The Duke University head coach David Cutliffe somehow missed it. Here is what he said; You can't make mistakes in the kicking game, nobody emphasizes it more than Frank [Beamer]. But they were clearly the best team, guys. Anybody that watched the game could tell that Virginia Tech was the dominant team physically. They didn't win but this stuff about we can't compete with the best. ... You know, Boise's a good football team. They're not a dominant physical football team. Gimme a break on some of the publicity. Real well coached, good team, got some great skill players. Not as good a football team as Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech just blew the ball game." What the freak was Cutliffe watching? Maybe VT versus a division 2 school from last year and then substituted Boise State's name in there. What a tool. Those are some strange comments considering the Broncos out gained the Hokies 383 to 314 in total yardage, out rushed them 168-128 (again, the featured part of their offense), and ate more penalty yardage. Also, the Broncos had a punt blocked themselves and had a stupid running into the kicker penalty. There were mistakes on both sides. His comments show his ineptitude for the obvious. Tool... Then again, what else would you expect from a coach that averages 2 or 3 wins a season. Enough said.
Case number four:
Kellen Moore and Austin Pettis. That is all.
The game was a lot of fun to watch, but by no means was it something where the Broncos lucked out and backed into a win. The best, most prepared, and most physically dominating team on the field won that night, mistakes included.
Showing posts with label Tyrod Taylor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyrod Taylor. Show all posts
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Let the Haterade drinking begin
It has been 3 days since Boise State snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Virginia Tech. Just as one would expect and for lack of a better term, the crap has hit the fan. Not bad crap, just a bunch of people who hate the Broncos for being so incredibly good and consistent. These are the same people that threw on their Hokie jerseys Monday night and became good enough friends with the VT quarterback to refer to him as Tyrod as he scrambled his way all over Fedex Field. They wanted nothing more than to see the Broncos lose so that they could feel better about themselves and their own teams. Talk about insecurities. The excuses and hate topics range from bad calls by the referee to some obscure insane point rating system that has the Broncos at the back end of all Division 1 colleges. Let me bring a few to your attention today.
This one was actually not too bad as far as hate goes. I just really don't like when people blame the referees for a loss. If your team plays well enough to not let the opponent get close, then the referee's calls don't get questioned. But when it is close, the ref sucks. Like I said, this one was a little subdued, and the comments on it below were very civil as well. It's from "Gobbler Country," a blog for the Hokie faithful. Check it out.
Our next specimen is probably the most ludicrous excuse for a ranking system that I have ever seen in my life. To no surprise it comes from an Oklahoma Sooner blog (still bitter about Fiesta Bowl 2007 I see). As I mentioned earlier, this system would have Boise State ranked towards the back end of college football. Ridiculous. Here it is.
This guys who does the "Crimson and Cream Machine" blog for Oklahoma really likes to throw out a bunch of random numbers and claim that the Broncos aren't as good as they are ranked. Again, Fiesta Bowl 2007, get over it. Another one here.
This guy is a complete tool. He writes for CBS sports and had a huge article about why he hates Boise State before the game was even played. Now he has readers comments after the win and he proceeds to make fun of them. Gregg Doyel, the world is not as bad as you make it sound. Get over yourself and enjoy the little things. Read this POS.
This guy is just a complete moron. I don't even need to say much. I will just quote a line from it and let your minds wander; "If Boise met a powerhouse (take Alabama for example) in the title game, it would get crushed. It wouldn’t be a game, it would be a massacre. Despite what many people would say, the parity of college football displayed in a matchup like that wouldn’t help college football. It would hurt it. Immensely." What a ridiculous statement! This is the same Alabama team that got walloped by Utah a couple of years ago, right? Saying something like that and making such a claim is completely off course and destroys any legitimate argument in his article. What a freaking loser! Check it out here.
The Sports Nickel gives us a general "we hate the Broncos" article, covering everything possible. They do it in sort of a comical way, but it is still haterade. It is also the same stuff that we hear every day. The "Boise State does not deserve to be in the national championship" comments are plentiful. Here is this last one.
Now some of you may ask me, do I think the Broncos deserve to be in the BCS National Championship? As of right now, my answer is; I am not sure. It is really early in the season and there are way too many things that need to play out first. If there are 3 or 4 undefeated teams in the country when all is said and done (including, Boise State, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, etc.) then no, they don't deserve to be in the game and nor will they be. If they do finish undefeated, they have qualified themselves for it, but everything depends on how the rest of the top teams finish. I even feel that a one-loss Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, or Florida would get the nod ahead of the Broncos. Part of that is the weaker WAC schedule compared to a full SEC, Big 12, or Big 10 schedule, and part is the history and reverence that these big schools have in their corner. As I said, if the Broncos finish 12-0 and the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 beat themselves up with every team losing at least once or twice, Boise State will be in the BCS National Championship game. At 12-0 they will have qualified, but it is up to the rest of the national powers to win and that will be that, no more wondering. It will all be settled and the Broncos will be out to play in the Rose or Fiesta Bowls, which isn't a bad thing in itself. Like I said, a lot needs to play out before they are in the game.
This one was actually not too bad as far as hate goes. I just really don't like when people blame the referees for a loss. If your team plays well enough to not let the opponent get close, then the referee's calls don't get questioned. But when it is close, the ref sucks. Like I said, this one was a little subdued, and the comments on it below were very civil as well. It's from "Gobbler Country," a blog for the Hokie faithful. Check it out.
Our next specimen is probably the most ludicrous excuse for a ranking system that I have ever seen in my life. To no surprise it comes from an Oklahoma Sooner blog (still bitter about Fiesta Bowl 2007 I see). As I mentioned earlier, this system would have Boise State ranked towards the back end of college football. Ridiculous. Here it is.
This guys who does the "Crimson and Cream Machine" blog for Oklahoma really likes to throw out a bunch of random numbers and claim that the Broncos aren't as good as they are ranked. Again, Fiesta Bowl 2007, get over it. Another one here.
This guy is a complete tool. He writes for CBS sports and had a huge article about why he hates Boise State before the game was even played. Now he has readers comments after the win and he proceeds to make fun of them. Gregg Doyel, the world is not as bad as you make it sound. Get over yourself and enjoy the little things. Read this POS.
This guy is just a complete moron. I don't even need to say much. I will just quote a line from it and let your minds wander; "If Boise met a powerhouse (take Alabama for example) in the title game, it would get crushed. It wouldn’t be a game, it would be a massacre. Despite what many people would say, the parity of college football displayed in a matchup like that wouldn’t help college football. It would hurt it. Immensely." What a ridiculous statement! This is the same Alabama team that got walloped by Utah a couple of years ago, right? Saying something like that and making such a claim is completely off course and destroys any legitimate argument in his article. What a freaking loser! Check it out here.
The Sports Nickel gives us a general "we hate the Broncos" article, covering everything possible. They do it in sort of a comical way, but it is still haterade. It is also the same stuff that we hear every day. The "Boise State does not deserve to be in the national championship" comments are plentiful. Here is this last one.
Now some of you may ask me, do I think the Broncos deserve to be in the BCS National Championship? As of right now, my answer is; I am not sure. It is really early in the season and there are way too many things that need to play out first. If there are 3 or 4 undefeated teams in the country when all is said and done (including, Boise State, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, etc.) then no, they don't deserve to be in the game and nor will they be. If they do finish undefeated, they have qualified themselves for it, but everything depends on how the rest of the top teams finish. I even feel that a one-loss Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, or Florida would get the nod ahead of the Broncos. Part of that is the weaker WAC schedule compared to a full SEC, Big 12, or Big 10 schedule, and part is the history and reverence that these big schools have in their corner. As I said, if the Broncos finish 12-0 and the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 beat themselves up with every team losing at least once or twice, Boise State will be in the BCS National Championship game. At 12-0 they will have qualified, but it is up to the rest of the national powers to win and that will be that, no more wondering. It will all be settled and the Broncos will be out to play in the Rose or Fiesta Bowls, which isn't a bad thing in itself. Like I said, a lot needs to play out before they are in the game.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Aftermath/Reaction/Ridiculous Generalizations
Well, the Boise State Broncos came out of Washington D.C. victorious Monday night, although, it did not look good for a while. As it turned out, not only was "The Clash in the Capitol" the best game of the opening weekend of College Football, it was dubbed an instant classic by ESPN and replayed the following day on ESPNClassic. It sure was a good game. As a huge fan of the Broncos, I was living and dying from play to play. There were so many momentum swings, ebbs and flows, and great and stupid plays from both sides. I thought there was no chance for the Broncos to beat the Hokies that night when the second and third quarters played out the way they did, but they pulled it out. ESPN's Heather Cox interviewed Boise State head coach Chris Petersen just before kick off and he said that the Broncos HAD to play for all four quarters in order to win. They definitely competed for all four, but relaxed too much in the second and third, only to pick it back up in the fourth. There are many angles that I wish to cover right now and I will try and get to them all.
First of all, the uniforms. Virginia Tech's were sick! I really liked them. Boise State's were pretty good. I would like to see the Broncos wear them for all away games. But they have to wear the orange pants in the bowl game. They are a good luck charm to the Broncos.
Please refer to my previous post when I thought Boise State's experience with returning starters would prevail over a relatively young Hokie squad, especially on defense. I also stated that Boise State would score early (which they did) and tack on a couple more late (which they kind of did) and that the final score would be 35 to 17 in favor of the Broncos. However, when I made that prediction, I completely underestimated how beastly amazing Tyrod Taylor was! The plays he was able to extend and make were nothing short of super-human. The one that stands out the most was when he kept his balance through a tackle, didn't let knee, elbow, or ball touch the ground and broke off for a big gain. I have never seen anything so athletic and (pardon the term) majestic! I am convinced that the ball did touch the ground, but obviously it wasn't enough to merit a "spiked ball" which would have stopped the play and the clock. As good as Taylor was, Boise State's secondary made him look even better. It's amazing what losing one first round draft pick will do to the entire defensive back unit. His replacement Jamar Taylor will be very good, he just needs some more work and experience. Also, Winston Venable was plagued with cramps and couldn't play except for a little bit in the beginning. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and Coach Petersen have some work to do to get them back up to the level that they can and should be at. Also, Fiesta Bowl defensive Brandon Thompson made some really stupid plays that were very hard to look at. As bad as some of those plays were from Thompson, he made a fantastic stop in the last seconds on a deep pass from Tyrod Taylor that saved a huge gain and at least a field goal. Also, Jamar Taylor broke up the final pass of the game for the Hokies to seal the win for the Broncos. So call them the cardiac kids; stupid plays and then some good ones. They will need to be more consistent to have the team success that they want.
In the end, it was the experience of the Broncos that prevailed. The fast start in the first quarter and the amazing fourth quarter were what being a veteran team is all about. The second and third quarter were moments of unfocused non-execution and relaxation. The coaching staff will have to work on and fix that. But the big players came up big in crunch time and made the plays that they needed to make. All in all, it all made for a great game and a lot of fun to watch.
Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer is a class act and then some! The post-game press conference was nothing but owning up to his team's mistakes and giving the Broncos credit for the win and playing well. Those press conferences are the lamest thing in the world and extremely difficult for the coaches. Think about it, you have a room full of reporters who are trying their hardest to get a rise or a incriminating remark out of the coach through asking loaded, biased, unfair, and difficult questions. The coach has to try and stay neutral and not throw his team, the opponent, or the referees under the bus. If he bad mouths the refs, a fine will be coming his way and he won't get the 50/50 calls from them in the next game. If he talks smack about the opponent, he is seen as a sore loser and doesn't give credit where credit is due. If he undercuts his own team, he loses respect. It is a fine line he must walk and Frank Beamer was great. He is a class act above and beyond what you normally see.
All in all, the game was amazing and a great way to start the season. Boise State has a long way to go before they can get to the national title game, but they have kept themselves in the conversation for the time being. Wyoming will be a stiff test on the 18th and then the Oregon State Beavers come into town. This season should be a good one!
First of all, the uniforms. Virginia Tech's were sick! I really liked them. Boise State's were pretty good. I would like to see the Broncos wear them for all away games. But they have to wear the orange pants in the bowl game. They are a good luck charm to the Broncos.
Please refer to my previous post when I thought Boise State's experience with returning starters would prevail over a relatively young Hokie squad, especially on defense. I also stated that Boise State would score early (which they did) and tack on a couple more late (which they kind of did) and that the final score would be 35 to 17 in favor of the Broncos. However, when I made that prediction, I completely underestimated how beastly amazing Tyrod Taylor was! The plays he was able to extend and make were nothing short of super-human. The one that stands out the most was when he kept his balance through a tackle, didn't let knee, elbow, or ball touch the ground and broke off for a big gain. I have never seen anything so athletic and (pardon the term) majestic! I am convinced that the ball did touch the ground, but obviously it wasn't enough to merit a "spiked ball" which would have stopped the play and the clock. As good as Taylor was, Boise State's secondary made him look even better. It's amazing what losing one first round draft pick will do to the entire defensive back unit. His replacement Jamar Taylor will be very good, he just needs some more work and experience. Also, Winston Venable was plagued with cramps and couldn't play except for a little bit in the beginning. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and Coach Petersen have some work to do to get them back up to the level that they can and should be at. Also, Fiesta Bowl defensive Brandon Thompson made some really stupid plays that were very hard to look at. As bad as some of those plays were from Thompson, he made a fantastic stop in the last seconds on a deep pass from Tyrod Taylor that saved a huge gain and at least a field goal. Also, Jamar Taylor broke up the final pass of the game for the Hokies to seal the win for the Broncos. So call them the cardiac kids; stupid plays and then some good ones. They will need to be more consistent to have the team success that they want.
In the end, it was the experience of the Broncos that prevailed. The fast start in the first quarter and the amazing fourth quarter were what being a veteran team is all about. The second and third quarter were moments of unfocused non-execution and relaxation. The coaching staff will have to work on and fix that. But the big players came up big in crunch time and made the plays that they needed to make. All in all, it all made for a great game and a lot of fun to watch.
Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer is a class act and then some! The post-game press conference was nothing but owning up to his team's mistakes and giving the Broncos credit for the win and playing well. Those press conferences are the lamest thing in the world and extremely difficult for the coaches. Think about it, you have a room full of reporters who are trying their hardest to get a rise or a incriminating remark out of the coach through asking loaded, biased, unfair, and difficult questions. The coach has to try and stay neutral and not throw his team, the opponent, or the referees under the bus. If he bad mouths the refs, a fine will be coming his way and he won't get the 50/50 calls from them in the next game. If he talks smack about the opponent, he is seen as a sore loser and doesn't give credit where credit is due. If he undercuts his own team, he loses respect. It is a fine line he must walk and Frank Beamer was great. He is a class act above and beyond what you normally see.
All in all, the game was amazing and a great way to start the season. Boise State has a long way to go before they can get to the national title game, but they have kept themselves in the conversation for the time being. Wyoming will be a stiff test on the 18th and then the Oregon State Beavers come into town. This season should be a good one!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
There is the run, but where is the gun?
I was chatting online with Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman, along with probably hundreds of others. I had a few questions, all of which he answered very well. There was one particular inquiry that I decided to research a little bit myself. The Virginia Tech Hokies bost running backs Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and all are beasts on the ground. As a freshman, Williams ran for 1,655 yards. Evans was injured but started out on pace to put up similar numbers and is considered a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Taylor is an athlete and a half and can run and throw. He is the proverbial cliche dual threat quarterback.
But that got me thinking, who does he have to throw the ball to? I have not heard anything about their receivers, just the rushing attack. I went on Virginia Tech's football website and looked at their roster. They do not have anybody officially listed as a WR (wide receiver). There are a few tight ends but that is it. Taylor had 2,311 passing yards last season and there is no way he got all of them from tight ends! In fact, his passing yards doubled from 2008 to 2009. So let me try and break it down; Jarrett Boykin led the team with 40 receptions for 835 yards, Danny Coale was second with 30 for 614. Dyrell Roberts with 22 for 390, Ryan Williams (running back) with 16 for 180, Xavier Boyce with 8 for 88, and 6 others totaling 21 catches for 284 yards. That totals 2,391 yards for the team. Compare that to Boise State Kellen Moore who alone threw for 3,536 yards. The Broncos finished with 2,606 yards on the ground. Compared to 2,706 by the Hokies, they aren't that far ahead. So the Hokie offense does seem fairly balanced, while the Broncos are pass happy, but get it done on the ground as well. Advantage Broncos.
My conclusion is this; the media focuses on Ryan Williams and Darren Evans for a reason. They are too good to even describe. Just watch some highlight of Williams here and Evans here, with a combined video right here (watch Evans truck some tool from Maryland at second mark 29. It' sick!). But don't overlook Tyrod Taylor and his arm, even if he throws to players who aren't even talked about. The running game is that dominant. If Boise State can at least contain the double-headed rushing monster, then their defensive backs can focus on their job and shut down Virginia Tech. The Hokies' biggest question is on defense, and I don't think they will be able to stop Boise State very often. Bronco fans are hoping it doesn't turn into a shootout a la Nevada in 2007, but rather they keep it looking like the Oregon game in 2009, maybe with a few more points from the Broncos mixed in. All in all, it should be a fantastic game and there is no better way to start the season!
But that got me thinking, who does he have to throw the ball to? I have not heard anything about their receivers, just the rushing attack. I went on Virginia Tech's football website and looked at their roster. They do not have anybody officially listed as a WR (wide receiver). There are a few tight ends but that is it. Taylor had 2,311 passing yards last season and there is no way he got all of them from tight ends! In fact, his passing yards doubled from 2008 to 2009. So let me try and break it down; Jarrett Boykin led the team with 40 receptions for 835 yards, Danny Coale was second with 30 for 614. Dyrell Roberts with 22 for 390, Ryan Williams (running back) with 16 for 180, Xavier Boyce with 8 for 88, and 6 others totaling 21 catches for 284 yards. That totals 2,391 yards for the team. Compare that to Boise State Kellen Moore who alone threw for 3,536 yards. The Broncos finished with 2,606 yards on the ground. Compared to 2,706 by the Hokies, they aren't that far ahead. So the Hokie offense does seem fairly balanced, while the Broncos are pass happy, but get it done on the ground as well. Advantage Broncos.
My conclusion is this; the media focuses on Ryan Williams and Darren Evans for a reason. They are too good to even describe. Just watch some highlight of Williams here and Evans here, with a combined video right here (watch Evans truck some tool from Maryland at second mark 29. It' sick!). But don't overlook Tyrod Taylor and his arm, even if he throws to players who aren't even talked about. The running game is that dominant. If Boise State can at least contain the double-headed rushing monster, then their defensive backs can focus on their job and shut down Virginia Tech. The Hokies' biggest question is on defense, and I don't think they will be able to stop Boise State very often. Bronco fans are hoping it doesn't turn into a shootout a la Nevada in 2007, but rather they keep it looking like the Oregon game in 2009, maybe with a few more points from the Broncos mixed in. All in all, it should be a fantastic game and there is no better way to start the season!
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