I'm guessing scoring defense stats would be worsened by a turnover-prone offense, or a poor punt/coverage special team. Total defense would be totally owned by the defense. On the other hand, some (slower?) defenses will scheme to deny the end zone by keeping the ball in front of them and biding their time for an offensive error. Their defensive goals are better judged by scoring defense stats.

Everything I've read indicates the problem in the passing game has been with the receivers not running routes correctly, being in the wrong place when the ball is thrown. Further, it only seems to be a problem in games--not in practice. Kinda the textbook expectation when you have a young receiving corps. The risk of rolling the dice would seem to be destroying a young QB's confidence before he's developed his potential. And THAT will lose you QBs in recruiting FAST!

So Adam Spencer wrote that CBJ shared "another horribly terrific cliche" [cliche - a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought]... and then an hour later wrote another story describing the same phrase as "a head-scratcher" ... "something truly baffling." So which was it? At the 00:22:50 mark in the press conference video I watched, CBJ immediately explained what a leadership rep was, and gave examples. No cliche. No head-scratcher. Credit to Adam Spencer for grasping the economics of journalism and getting two stories out of the same two words. But anyone who read your stories AND heard the press conference for themselves will look for your byline and consider you an opportunist--not a reporter. Today you outed yourself as someone not to be believed in print.

To be fair to SDS, it's the headline that credits Coach Scott and taints the article. But the first sentence of the article more fairly states, "Tennessee recently made history by appointing..."

I think esec and o3vol are right. Let me state this carefully, because I grew up in the Old South and I owe more than I can ever repay to my black teammates in the 1960s who patiently answered my ignorant questions until I could see that the values I'd inherited deserved rejection. If Coach Scott's promotion is a victory against bigotry, then credit should logically go to Coach Butch Jones and Tennessee for awarding it. But if the article credits Larry Scott (on racial grounds) for this promotion, the logic of that is to say "he's done well for a black man." Anyone would immediately recognize the implied racial bigotry in that statement.

The one thing no coach can comment on is when a highly rated player is not recruited hard because of possible character issues. Not saying I know anything wrong with any of Tennessee's "misses" this year... just putting that caveat out there.

If we're the same old joke, I guess you got the punch line. This is what I detest about trash talk. Two storied teams with bright futures met today, and both made some errors and both did enough to win a game in the SEC. The score tells only a tiny bit of the real story. Fans should come away with plenty to be proud of for their own team, and enough left over to commend their opponent.

At least we have game film on Appleby, playing the same offense at Purdue. But the article's correct--he won't be asked to win this game. But "Caddy to Captain" may be the wrong metaphor. If the backfield is the tee box, he's still gonna be the caddy, handing the ball to "da man" who will see how many yards of carry he can get with it.

IMHO, O-line execution is the problem--100%--and the only real solution. Rolling out is not an answer. First of all, rolling out the QB cuts in half the utilizable field. Advantage defense. If you bring along the back or TE to help with blocking (yes--that's right--the same rushers STILL have to be blocked when you roll out) that brings along the LBs who have coverage on the TE or RB, further clogging the one half of usable field you've committed play to by rolling out. Advantage defense. Any QB's accuracy is diminished by not being able to set his feet, square his shoulders, and deliver the ball from a stable platform. Dobbs has had enough trouble with accuracy, including high throws to open receivers. So more defenders, less space, now add to that he's throwing less accurately on the run. Advantage defense. With defenders edging toward the playside of the field, that makes the most open receivers the ones on the opposite side of the field, tempting the QB to try to make that looooong throw across his body and hopefully with enough on it to get the ball there before the defenders recover. Advantage defense, with the greatest opportunity for an interception. Rolling out can work once or twice, usually on short routes, if the DE on that side is crashing down on his pass rush and you use a TE to seal him inside. But even then, the LB covering that TE is now free to rush, and his angle will put him right in the face of the QB. With your RB focused on providing backside help, he won't be in a good position to pick up that block. Rollouts are best on 3rd or 4th and short, when the D-line is shooting gaps seeking straight ahead penetration and either a run or 2-yard pass will get you a first down. If anyone wants to download a list of plays good for +3 yards that don't require adequate blocking by all 5 interior linemen... including diagrams and video it's a 1KB file.

Or... the high profile guys are drawing the double-teams and offenses are running the ball away from them.

NCAA-wide, one thing we've certainly seen so far this season is good teams playing down to the "perceived" level of their competition... and multi-TD underdogs playing up to their competitors. For fans, college football games would be much more enjoyable to watch if we had no expectations for our own team, or knowledge about the oppornent.

So many errors and "premature concluding" in and following this article. Crist may eventually be proven correct about Dobbs---but we have no way of knowing yet, as the offensive line appears to be just as porous this season as it was last. A one read QB? When defenders are in your face before you can say "one-thousand-two"... sure. Staring down a receiver? Yes, when the defensive coverage has already established that your best matchup is isolated in man-coverage, you watch and wait for that receiver to establish position and give him the best 50-50 opportunity you can (just as a rusher makes contact with you during the throw. I'm not defending who Dobbs is or isn't---I'm just saying until we see him operate with 2.5 - 3 seconds of protection, no one really knows. And the real question on 3 of the 4 younger QBs on the Tennessee roster is can they RUN effectively--they actually are better pocket passers. As for criticisms of Debord: when your line can't pass-block or contain gap penetration on runs... yeah, the offensive playbook gets small and the play selection predictable. No matter how complex the offensive scheme, it always comes down to line play and execution.

"...didn't kno you could get suspended for it lol" LOL? Sounds like he's not taking this punishment seriously. McElwain may have to suspend him again, for the first half against Presbyterian College. But maybe I'm being too harsh.

Just a couple of reminders about the black stripe: 1) the right to have your black stripe removed is now determined by the other players at your position, and 2) you have to earn it in the classroom, the film room, and in workouts as well as on the field. The stripe is removed when you've proven to your position-mates that you can be counted on the same as anyone else in the locker room. Kongbo and all the others but four still have to prove themselves in places other than the practice field.

I know the shark theme was worn by A-10 Warthogs and Chennault's P-40s in China. Were there other USAF or AAF planes that were similarly toothed? As Weagle99 put it, not something any team could wear, but quite fitting for the Air Force academy.

Guess it's true what they say: "The grass is always tastier..."