Maryland

Gotta love noon games...Like Alice's rabbit, everyone was late Saturday morning. Heck, we did not even set up shop in famous Doak Lot #8 until 7:10 a.m. The students shook off the joys of Friday revelry and deigned an appearance by midway through the first quarter (and left at halftime). Apparently, Parents Weekend brunches around campus were so wonderful that folks who only are able to attend one game a year meandered in fat & happy about a half hour after Osceola's spear hit the turf. The voice of the Marching Chiefs was a no-show and the PA announcer at Doak missed his wakeup call and only started spreading the news about 6 minutes before kickoff. Kudos to the staff at the Tallahassee Hilton for changing all the in-room clocks because I am still not 100% sure that the real football team from College Park even made the trip. If that was indeed the soon-to-be Big 10 "power" in those hideous togs, then look out Iowa, these boys are gonna be dangerous. Speaking of bad timing, it is absolutely delicious that Maryland left the ACC for the Big 10 because of future revenue - when it was revealed about 6 months after the announcement that the ACC will be delivering almost identical payouts to their member schools as the Big 10 going forward. Well, I am sure the 37 fans that actually made the road trip to Tally this weekend will love that late November trip to East Lansing...

Jameis was on time. Hey kid, take a week off and rest that ridiculously talented right arm for a while. Now that this type of play is normal - swat off the two or three 300 lb dudes hanging all over you - bounce to the outside while three of their sweaty friends are chasing and in the blink of an eye find a buddy and deliver a frozen rope that only he can catch for six points. We have had five games, and he has performed this Houdini trick three times. Sportscenter's Top Play Crew was scheduled to follow him around this Saturday, until someone told them the Noles weren't playing. They did not cancel their travel plans. Let's talk about the incompletions. The bomb to Rashad Greene that was perfectly placed might have been caught if Rashad had not been roped and tied like a PBR Bull before the ball got to him. He threw one away, and two more that were on the money but they floated over that  pesky white line that keeps the lions inside the cage. He threw one ball so hard at poor Kenny Shaw that his mom thought it was a birth mark postgame. One more layer of smoke up his skirt before we move on...the boy looks off the safety on every single deep throw and is still remarkably accurate. I keep saying it...and he will have some more freshman moments...but wow is this young man special.

Brian Stork has been our most consistent lineman this season and so watching him drunkenly float the ball back to Jameis twice in three tries pretty much told us that something was Delilah-filing-for-divorce wrong. Trickett came running up to him as he left the field ready to eat his helmet and then just stopped in mid-slobber and put his arm around him. When he tossed his Jim n' Milt's all over the sideline, we assumed that he was concussed. Really hope we get him back in two weeks. He is incredibly important to our offense, even though Austin Barron did admirably in relief. Tre Jackson really struggles in combo pass blocking and Chad Abram has some serious technique issues with pass protection, but overall the time that JW had to throw was silly good. Maryland was sending some type of blitz on almost every down, and if it wasn't for Jimbo asking the guys to lay down for ESPN cameras once a game to let the highlight happen, their pickups were about perfect. Very interesting series early in the game when we went total power (a la BC) and just destroyed the Turtles line, while Freeman galloped downfield untouched to the third level. Might be a harbinger in Death Valley. I still believe that we are holding quite a bit back offensively including a healthy JWJ who the Tigers remember so fondly from the rodeo rides they took last season. 

Another shout out to young Mr. Pruitt - an avid blog follower - who almost to a man made all the personnel changes that we were calling for last week. The musical chairs of moving Christian outside, Goldman inside and Hicks on the bench in favor of a much stealthier Terrence Smith all paid huge dividends. Mario Edwards - although not yet showing best player in the country ability - did play his best game as a Nole. He held the edge and stayed in his lane when the play went away from him. But this defensive day belonged to the smallest dude in Doak. Lamarcus Joyner flat out stoned one of the very best wide receivers in the country. Stephon Diggs will have more 200 yard days than 26 yard days like he had this weekend. His only downfield reception was a war over the football with LJ that he just won. Joyner was so far up his jersey that at the end of the 3rd quarter he was seen on the home sideline trying to rub off the turtle tatoo that has inked its way on his arm. Also love seeing the "old" Jacobbi playing at his former high level. Yes, it was most likely a late hit, but I am all for bringing back the era of Mickey Andrews' hit til the echo of the whistle. When opposing quarterbacks are as jumpy as Don Knotts as a Jay Z show, we have accomplished our goal.

If I could only run as fast as PJ Williams, I would enjoy sprinting next to opposing receivers chatting and exchanging tailgate recipes. Just like him, I could also conveniently forget to ever turn around when the ball comes flying toward us. But I am not quite that quick, so I am stuck just writing about it. C'mon, my Ocala brother from another mother...you are doing everything right...just make that final adjustment and whip your head around and pick off that sumbitch. 

Another sideline note that I must share. Last year, I noted how that redshirt freshman Winston seemed incredibly engaged all year wearing the headset on every down and talking to EJ every time he left the field. This year, I think it is even more admirable how Jacob Coker carries himself. He is the very first one on the field to congratulate every scoring teammate. His demeanor is so genuine that I firmly believe that this team would play as hard for him as they do for Jameis - and that is saying something. High character kid. I know that the world wants to anoint Karlos the next great tailback, and he may be soon, but he is still too hesitant between the tackles hitting the hole. Devonta plants his foot and hits the hole on stretch plays better than anyone else on the roster and JWJ slams into the interior gaps much more effectively than Los. Unless the score is out of control one way of the other, I think we will only be two deep at TB in big games.

Unfortunately, we got to see a lot of Cason Beatty in the first half and except for the fact that he looks like a 45 record moving at 33 rpm's, he performed very well. I worry that his lack of urgency may send one the other way in a big game, but just seeing the ball trajectory at my row 39 height was a huge improvement. Roberto is just money. Let's hope his first miss is against Louisiana Monroe early in his Junior year.

Looking forward to our "off" week when the football wife and I take our roadshow to Madison where we will be checking another box on the college stadium bucket list. Yup, Jimbo, at the end of the 3rd quarter we will be "Jumping Around" and doing some things. Go Badgers, Go Brats and Go Cheese!