Friday, November 9, 2012

Morning Six Pack: November 9, 2012

It’s Gameday Eve again! Get your tailgating gear in order, but not before imbibing on these six college football stories from around the country.

Tennessee Coach Derek Dooley’s Hot Seat Cooling

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley may be the next to step in front of the firing line in the SEC unless he can force a stay of execution with an extended winning streak and bowl game to close out the season.

Freshmen contribute early for the Gators

True freshmen have combined to start 11 games this season, and they have provided the Gators with critical depth on both lines of scrimmage, at linebacker, wide receiver and tight end.

No. 8 Seminoles rally to beat Hokies 28-22

E.J. Manuel and No. 8 Florida State had no reason to panic when they got the ball with 2:19 to go needing to score.

Not just footballs are deflated at USC

It's not just the game balls that are deflated at Southern California this fall. An unimpressive season reached a new, weird low late Wednesday night when No. 21 USC announced a student manager had been dismissed for underinflating several game balls before the Trojans' loss to No. 2 Oregon last weekend.

Irish offense a mix-master

Notre Dame can run the ball, and Notre Dame can pass the ball at increasingly productive rates, and all this apparently makes opposing defensive coaches do things that indicate they are a bit imbalanced.

Quotable:

In a film session — where Saban has physical proof and the power to rewind — Millner lost his man playing zone coverage, and Saban said, “The chair there played better defense than what you’re doing.”

Sometimes, the defensive backs and linebackers are taught to line up in a way to bait the offense, showing openings that will close after the snap. Millner said they can pretend to blitz, fake man coverage, do just about anything, so long as they are positioned correctly at the snap.

But if they slip up, Saban uses what he calls tough love.

“There’s a psychological disposition that you’re trying to create, especially in defensive backs, that ‘I can play the next play,’ ” Saban said. “Some of these guys, man, they get beat and they’re not any good for the next 10 plays. Well, what are we going to do? Take you out?”

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1 comments :

pete4tide said...

That NYT article is incredible. Really interesting to hear how CNS handles not just the physical part of the game, but the mental and psychological sides. No wonder those with lesser psyches are unable to handle that pressure, and leave for other pastures. And it's why the NFL is drooling over some of these defensive players.

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