Week two was an incredible week for college football. There were the big stories, the Ohio State/ Jacoby Harris interception-fest, Florida State beginning its annual “lowered expectations” tour, Boise State’s loss-by-extension to James Madison, and Alabama demonstrating that when it comes to taking their crown, true freshmen quarterbacks need not apply. But there was so much more to this weekend off the ranked team path, and I wanted to take a moment to address some of the stories that hit Navy, MD, and a couple other teams that were unranked prior to this week.
Where’s the Offense, Navy?
I don’t get it. I love watching Navy play because I love seeing the triple option offense tear up defenses like they’re playing a brand new sport. By the way, I hate people referring to the triple option as a “gimmick” offense- just because few teams use it doesn’t make it a gimmick- it was the most popular offense in the country in the early days of the sport. Moreover, if it wins games and scores points, it’s not a gimmick offense. It’s just an offense. But Navy, coming off a 10 win season last year in which they pushed Ohio State to the brink, seems unable to get the ball into the endzone the way they did with regularity a year ago. I can understand Maryland coming up big in key spots; they had weeks to prepare for Navy’s offense and be ready for it. But Georgia Southern? The offense returned 5 of its top 6 rushers from last season, including quarterback Ricky Dobbs, who only mustered 44 yards on 25 carries against the 1-AA squad. This team is going to have to turn things around if they are going to replicate last year’s success as they go on the road for the next three weeks.
Maryland Shows Little in Thumping of Morgan State
Here’s the problem with playing against poor 1-AA teams: if you lose, you are a national embarrassment, though less so in recent years after App State, James Madison, South Dakota State, and a dozen other upsets. If you win convincingly, then you have only done what you are supposed to do. However, it is still more than what Maryland did last season, when James Madison took them to the brink. The Terps have now tied their win total from last season, and will now get the opportunity to show fans if they have actually turned a corner as they turn their attention to West Virginia, who in all honesty should have lost to Marshall. Marshall head coach Doc Holliday coached as poorly down the stretch as I have ever seen, though I have seen performances like it hundreds of times (see Iowa-Ohio State last year for a good example). When you coach not to lose, you will lose. If Maryland’s linebackers play like they did against Navy the Terps have a shot. If not, this could be like too many other MD-WVU games.
Let’s Get Denarded
Did y’all really think I was going to fail to mention Denard Robinson? Michigan’s new starting quarterback, who looked uncomfortable and anxious in limited time the pocket last season, has gotten off to an incredible start, culminating in a 502 yard performance against Notre Dame in which he accounted for all 72 yard on the Wolverines’ winning touchdown drive. But please put the Heisman talk to rest, the product of ESPN hype more than anything else. There is no way he will keep up this level of production as Big Ten season starts, and will likely have to use the attention the defense will put on him to work other playmakers into the offense. Secondly, the Michigan defense will lose them at least 3 games this season on their own, putting any player on that team (unfairly or not) on the periphery of Heisman talk. Finally, oh yea. It’s week 2!
