BC

Zzzzzzz.....BLAM!

I awake with a start from a terrible dream. We have the ball, 1st and goal inside the 5 with a chance to go ahead, then original Batman WHOMP! - and the other team goes the length of the field to surge ahead for good...whew bad dream...

zzzzzzzz....BLAM!

God, I hate that clock. There is no way that a team with a Freshman QB and a rebuilt offensive line that somehow mustered 57 total yards against Clemson two weeks back go for 400 yards against us. Can't happen. At least we know one thing for sure, if this tool keeps throwing it down the field, Greg Reid will grab a pick at a crucial time to put the game away....phew. I feel better...back to sleep....


zz BLAM, BLAM, BLAAAAAM!

Small clock parts flying all over the room. I may be late, but I will not be distracted.

After 8 days of flying rumors about the coaches scrapping like weasels stuffed in a purse, it seems that things have finally come to a head this week (and by the way who would not want to see Rick Trickett and Chuck Amato in a steel cage match). I know that many in the media are focused on the games, and I understand why. But please understand that this mess is not relegated to the on-field woes -which we will deal with later. If just one out of four of these many rumblings of malfeasance are true, then it is no wonder that our players are walking down a Vera Wang runway wearing yellow overalls, high black socks and a John Deere chapeau wondering why no one wants to take their picture. This is about a program. An elite football program that has facilities and tradition to rival any college in the US. The lifeblood of a program is recruiting, and as I mentioned last week, we are bleeding. Yes, we can survive a tough on-field season if the next class of freshman makes a difference. Look at Miami. Three consecutive terrific recruiting classes finally bear fruit this year. We have had two great classes in a row and are honestly one more (defensively loaded) class away from having that kind of run. With this infusion, I still believe that 2010 could be special. BUUUT, this coaching uncertainty at the top and on the defensive staff has destroyed our recruiting. If it is not solved, the combination of on-field and recruiting could be a death-knell. That is why the powers that be around FSU are in a panic, and I understand their panic. This program needs to know where it is heading and when it is heading there. In my humble opinion, Jimbo needs to be given a real contract and control of any defensive hiring positions that arise in the next 20 months. If Coach Bowden wants to hang in there until the end of 2010, no problem, but the locker room disputes and recruiting questions about our future are done. This is Jimbo's team with a legend in tow to help if needed, not the other way around. We need stability and hope, and a whole bunch of 17 year-olds worried about their hip holster of Clearasil and their new drivers license photo need to know this too.

On the field, I continue to be blown away by our QB. His decision making is - I am going to say it and jinx him forever - the best I have seen in my brief 30 years of Seminole fandom. Christians' strike to Richard Goodman late in the game this week was ridiculous. Goodman had a trailing CB, a linebacker in front in a zone and there was a safety playing deep middle. Christian put the ball with zip in the absolute only window it could be thrown. Big time play. We are consistently hitting 400 yards of offense and not winning...very discouraging. One obvious reason is our running woes from in close. This problem is simple. Our OT's are simply not big or strong enough turn their DE's inside. Therefore running power sweeps are doomed. We have seen this all year with our failure to execute outside runs. This leaves us only inside gap runs and every team we face knows this and overstacks every gap. Tough sledding. I only have two potential solutions. Either find a fullback that is big enough to blast his own way in or blow up a hole for the tailback or find a back that can leap over the top of Rodey Hudson who seems to win every play. This explains why the only time we got in was a double reverse and a tailback blast.

I love the fact that Bert Reed has been so dependable and not just as a wingman in a union brawl. His kind of speed demands double teams and if he an Goodman continue to make plays, safeties will stay off the line. Jermaine Thomas played and ran hard. Unfortunately, the trainers greased his shoes for the County Fair slip-and-slide and he fell down as many times as he ran through the line. But, even with all this, if our pass defense had just showed up to the party, we would have cut the cake. But alas, the limo was late.

I was excited last week when we learned that Mickey was going to start true freshman Jujaun Harley at safety. Then I learned that his AARP club membership prohibits him from discriminating against any non-Seniors. So, our boy Korey Magnum must stay on the field at all possible times. Even when he whiffs like Casey on coverage or tackles like a Brownie selling do-si-dos in front of Publix. Maybe this is the week that a change is made. In preseason practices, Jamie Robinson was picking off a pass every practice. We now see how amazing this is considering Christian's accuracy. I am waiting for this breakout game from Jamie. Let's hope it is this week. However, considering that Georgia Tech runs about 85% of the time, our issues will probably not be in the secondary in Doak this week. Beating Tech is on the shoulders of our D-line (stop shaking). We have to find a way to force third and more than 5 to win this game. Maybe Georgia Tech won't get the three free 1st downs that the officials gave BC on (unbelievably bad, game changing, embarassing, and maddening) pass interference calls. Without the bail bonds crew working for the enemy, and if we sell out everything we have to stop the GT option running attack, maybe we can keep them under 28. I was impressed with the effort and enthusiasm that Nigel Carr brought in his limited duty this week. Maybe his overbound infectious play will transfer to the team...

So, in a week of Bowden, Fisher and other sundry coaching shifts amd swings, the time is now for Bobby's boys to circle the wagons. The Indians are on the inside this time and we need to keep the bees out. Let's go get 'em and start the next chapter of FSU football out right...

zzzzz BLAM!

damn, wife bought a new clock.