Now it’s really easy to overstate the importance of the season’s first weekend. After all we’ve got a whole bunch of these things left. Still after what seemed the longest off-season in collegiate football history, it’s also hard not to draw some conclusions/make a few observations from what we witnessed during the glorious re-grand opening of our favorite sport.
#1: The Pac-10 is gaining on the Big 12 for top fantasy locale
I realize that no one will ever confuse New Mexico, UC Davis and Sacramento State with anything that resembles a decent football team. However even the staunchest supporters of the other five BCS conferences must concede that the Pacific-10 is again kicking up its heels in a push to emerge as THE offensive conference in the country.
Watching Oregon execute offensive football is (pardon the cheesy jock hyperbole) absolutely breathtaking. It’s not too often that it’s clear a team could’ve posted a C-note on an opponent, but the Ducks (59-0 at the half) were on their way to seeing a triple digit output against New Mexico before Chip Kelly decided to play everyone that was eligible to see the field. Kenjon Barner looks like a faster DeMarco, Darron Thomas looks like he’s been running the Chip Kelly offense since grade school, and fourteen different receivers caught passes. And the Duck defense may present more athletes.
And since we are talking Pac-10, there’s not one defensive coordinator that wants to see Cal, Stanford, USC or Oregon State in a dark alley, either. Cal presents a veteran quarterback, great tailback and late-blooming receiving corps. Stanford may have the prettiest pocket passer since a man named Peyton, USC is loaded, mad at the world, and coached by snot with a chip on his shoulder. And in Corvallis we may have the most underrated coach in the country, who also boasts my two favorite players.
#2: The Brothers Rodgers
I really want to make friends with James and Jacquizz Rodgers. It’d be cool to say I was friends with them. But, more importantly, I’d make sure those two fellas were always with me, just in case I’m ever in a knock-down, drag-out bar brawl and I need two badasses to back me up when I talk too much.
Now I don’t know too much about their background, other than the fact that they grew up in Richmond, Texas. But here’s what I imagine. When James was six months old his mother told him to get out of the house and play football with the high schools kids. When Jacquizz was born a year later, James toughened him up, then he brought him out to play with the older kids, too. They then spent the rest of their 18 years dominating every single child and grown man, and they likely strapped 20-lb. vests on their persons prior to playing football in order to level the playing field a little bit.
The Brothers Rodgers just seem like throwbacks, like they never even played a video game because they were too damn busy eating shards of glass and playing football until nightfall. Then they would go home every night and follow the “Rocky Balboa-Training-to-Fight-Drago” training regiment.
And then they went to Oregon State.
Numbers 3-15
#3: Provided he doesn’t get broken like a Big Wheel driven by a fat kid, Michigan’s Denard Robinson is going to account for a whole bunch of yards.
#4: Last year, after his 2009 lost to injuries, someone in a movie theater told Kendall Hunter he'd never return to form. Thankfully I was there with a video camera to document the moment:
#5: For the 1,000th time I'll remind you that I liked Bobby Rainey way back in the spring. Yes, the same Mr. Rainey that just about gained 200 yards from scrimmage in Lincoln.
#6: This must be a crappy feeling: Running after an errant snap knowing that the best remaining scenario involves you getting to the ball first so that you can kick it out of your own end zone before a bunch of men tackle you.
#7: For-ci-er: [v. for-see-a]
From the French, meaning to transfer: Every single person named Forcier decided to Forcier from his original school.
#8: Following Colorado's stirring victory over Colorado State, it's clear that Dan Hawkins has earned a ten-year extension.
#9: 18 different guys carried the football for Air Force in their 65-21 win over Northwestern State. And I started the 19th, 20th, and 21st options. I can't buy a break.
#10: It's rumored that after Jacksonville State stunned Ole Miss in triple overtime on Saturday, Rebel coach Houston Nutt offered a scholarship to all 96 Gamecocks players.
#11: Russell Wilson is really, really good.
#12: Mark Mangino may have been a miserable dude, but he likely could have shamed a few more points out of his players. 6-3 losses to North Dakota State aren't even cool in hockey.
#13: Eastern Michigan was this close to stopping the losing skid...and then Army scored in the final minute. If you were at that game you should receive a free ham or something.
#14: I think Cameron Newton is going to be just fine in the Auburn offense.
#15: Boy those Tar Heels showed something.
See you next week. Any good games on the docket?