So here at the Says Things Blog, there will be a renewed emphasis on two things this fall. The first of which is actually blogging more frequently (than never) whilst the second is focusing on football. Or at least not making it completely secondary to basketball. Now that we are in the Under Armour Age (briefly the Edsall Era, formerly Fridge Fever until the Fever broke in about 2007), it's important to recognize the football team's greatness lest anyone think that we're jumping on the bandwagon when the teams wins its first BCS Title in 2014. So today I begin the weekly* ACC Power Rankings wherein you can track your favorite team in this sack of crap league known officially as the Food Lion Raycom Woodmen of the World ACC sponsored jointly by Bojangles and Havoline! (FLRWotW ACC sjbBaH~!)
*almost assuredly NOT weekly
1. FSU - They're the preseason favorite, and while they've played two directional schools so far, they've won convincingly (96-10 total), which actually counts for a lot in this league. EJ Manuel is the only QB in the league standing in DOB's path to the awards, and unfortately he's been awesome so far (581 yards). A win next week would probably make FSU a heavy favorite for the BCS Title game.
2. VT - Tech crushed App State the first week but struggled big time in a 17-10 win at ECU this saturday. It's a road win against a bowl team, but one that had maybe the worst defense in I-A last season. If the Pirates could have caught the ball they would have won handily. From what I saw they dropped two interceptions (one that would have gone for six) as well as an easy touchdown on a pass inside the redzone. Not that impressive for a possible the presumptive Coastal champ.
3. Maryland - Granted that Miami was without its starting QB and several other key players, Maryland largely dominated in everything but the score, getting two defensive TDs and making it into the red zone seven times in eight offensive possesions. The Terps, had they been a little bit more efficient in the RZ, could easily have scored 45-50 points.
4.Miami - The 'Canes are in disarray, but still managed to be a few minutes away from a win against the Terps on the road in a great atmosphere. This week will show a lot about them as they return home for a huge game against a very beatable Ohio State team (ask Toledo), one of four (WVU-MD, Auburn-Clemson, FSU-Oklahoma) huge nonconference games for the ACC against ranked teams. They do get their starting QB Jacorry Harris back, although realistically Morris could well be starting for them again by October.
5. North Carolina - This is mainly a default spot (though they could arguably have been ahead of Miami I suppose) for displaying mere competence in the first two weeks. They handled James Madison and slid by a bad Rutgers team at home. The main reason for optimism is a still exceedingly talented defense (even after losing Austin and Sturdivant) plus QB Bryn Renner who has been outstanding (42-49) so far this year.
6. Georgia Tech - Tech has smashed a I-AA team and a team from the Sun Belt in the first two weeks, a year after returning just 12 starters from a sub-.500 team. They may very well be a good team, possibly capable of contending in the Coastal this season, but I'll reserve some judgment until they show they can beat Kansas and North Carolina at home the next two weeks.
7. Virginia - The Cavs missed their third straight bowl last year, but they're 2-0 this season including a win at Indiana this week. Granted, Indiana might well be the worst team in the Big Ten, but Virginia failed to win a road game all last season, so that's big. That's particularly bad when you consider that they played Duke on the road last year - and allowed 55 points in a loss. The Cavs get UNC (road), Southern Miss and Idaho heading into their bye so 5-0 isn't off the table. But then, neither is 2-3, in reality.
8. Wake Forest - This is when you get into the bag of crap that is the ACC...even moreso. The good news is that the Deacs thoroughly outplayed Syracuse on the road and NC State at home for most of the game the first two weeks. The bad news is that the Orange came back to win that game and State almost did as well. Sophomore Tanner Price (586 yards) has been greatly improved so far as compared to last year when he led an aerial attack that generated more yards than only Georgia Tech's triple option attack amongst ACC teams.
9. Clemson - I'm inclined to think Clemson finishes a bit higher, if only because they do have more talent than several of the teams above them, and haven't failed to qualify for a bowl since the '90s. The year started off badly when they struggled with Troy, which wasn't so bad when you consider that they're the perennial Sun Belt champions. But struggling with Wofford, and only coming away with a narrow eight point win, is pretty bad. Seriously, Wofford? With Auburn, FSU and @VT the next three weeks, things could get really ugly for this team.
10. North Carolina State - Are you ready for another NC State coaching search? Chairman Yao may be leading another one, sure to be a roaring success, given the way that Tom O'Brien's team has looked, struggling with Liberty and playing a largely uncompetitive game against Atlantic bottom-feeder Wake Forest. Even worse for their delusion fanbase, this team could have contended had Heisman candidate Russell Wilson not transferred to Wisconsin (who themselves are now a National Title contender). NC State actually has to get to 7-5 to go bowling. That ain't happening.
11. Boston College - OK, they're missing their top rusher, but they've now lost at home to Northwestern and gotten waxed by UCF (30-3) in their first two weeks. So, uh, yeah, congrats to all the Mensa members that picked them ahead of the Terps this season. Given that they were last offensively in the ACC last year, maybe this seasons early struggles should be expected without perhaps their best weapon. Next week they have Duke at home, and if they can't win that, well, that ain't good.
12. Duke - The answer here is Duke, Duke, a million times Duke. The fact that they only lost 44-14 at home the Andrew Luck and Stanford has to count as a success. They managed to lose to I-AA Richmond in week 1, which isn't so bad when you consider how good they are for a I-AA team. What is so bad is that this is the third time in six seasons that Duke has lost to Richmond. Maybe stop scheduling Richmond guys? Not that anyone in Durham or New Jersey really cares what Duke football does.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Maryland Football has Arrived
Since I first came to Maryland in 2005, there have only been two games at Byrd Stadium with close to the hype of last night's game against The U - the 2006 game over thanksgiving against Wake Forest and 2008 against FSU, both of which had divisional title implications. Last night's atmosphere was ridiculous, especially considering that the weather was awful and the game was on a Monday night. Add in that it was the first game of the Edsall era, and last night felt like a turning point for the program.
And oh yeah, there were THE UNIFORMS. After unveiling a whole new line of Under Armour unis two weeks ago, the team debuted an alternate before ever wearing any of the sixteen (!) new combinations. The team ran out of the tunnel wearing white on white - but with a twist. On one side of the helmet and shoulder yokes was the white and red cross of the state flag while the trademark black and gold bars of the other half of the flag adorned the other side. It was, in some ways, incredibly simple yet at the same time it broke completely new ground in uniforms.
We could debate the aesthetics of the uniforms (although not really because those who didn't like them are wrong), but what is certain is that they did their job, which was to get the Terps noticed. Needless to say we've all seen the reactions by now, much of which was negative. ABC asked if they were the ugliest uniforms ever on their national, prime time newscast. LeBron James took time out from being the most hated basketball player alive to tweet his disapproval. ESPN dedicated a large swath of SportsCenter following the game to the design. Carmelo, Deion Sanders and the Today Show chimed in as well.
When was the last time Maryland FOOTBALL was this relevant? Never. The reality is that Ralph Friedgen was fired not because he didn't win enough but because the program had stagnated to the point where even a 9 win season and a great freshman QB still resulted in dismal attendance and no buzz. Now the stadium is packed and people are talking about us. Even if they're talking shit, do we care? We're Maryland, and they're not. We're used to our role as the black sheep. Let's keep embracing it.
the Fighting Kevins, Anderson and Plank, have a threefold goal as it relates to athletic department as a whole and the football program in particular. One is to establish Maryland as the flagship Under Armour program and to reap the mutual benefits resulting. The second is to increase recognition around the program as a whole. The third is to rebrand the athletic department from a marketing standpoint as the school representing Maryland as a whole to increase pride in our teams everywhere from the mountains in Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore. I'd say last night was a great first step. Go terps!
And oh yeah, there were THE UNIFORMS. After unveiling a whole new line of Under Armour unis two weeks ago, the team debuted an alternate before ever wearing any of the sixteen (!) new combinations. The team ran out of the tunnel wearing white on white - but with a twist. On one side of the helmet and shoulder yokes was the white and red cross of the state flag while the trademark black and gold bars of the other half of the flag adorned the other side. It was, in some ways, incredibly simple yet at the same time it broke completely new ground in uniforms.
We could debate the aesthetics of the uniforms (although not really because those who didn't like them are wrong), but what is certain is that they did their job, which was to get the Terps noticed. Needless to say we've all seen the reactions by now, much of which was negative. ABC asked if they were the ugliest uniforms ever on their national, prime time newscast. LeBron James took time out from being the most hated basketball player alive to tweet his disapproval. ESPN dedicated a large swath of SportsCenter following the game to the design. Carmelo, Deion Sanders and the Today Show chimed in as well.
When was the last time Maryland FOOTBALL was this relevant? Never. The reality is that Ralph Friedgen was fired not because he didn't win enough but because the program had stagnated to the point where even a 9 win season and a great freshman QB still resulted in dismal attendance and no buzz. Now the stadium is packed and people are talking about us. Even if they're talking shit, do we care? We're Maryland, and they're not. We're used to our role as the black sheep. Let's keep embracing it.
the Fighting Kevins, Anderson and Plank, have a threefold goal as it relates to athletic department as a whole and the football program in particular. One is to establish Maryland as the flagship Under Armour program and to reap the mutual benefits resulting. The second is to increase recognition around the program as a whole. The third is to rebrand the athletic department from a marketing standpoint as the school representing Maryland as a whole to increase pride in our teams everywhere from the mountains in Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore. I'd say last night was a great first step. Go terps!
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