Sunday, October 15, 2006

Auburn Post-Game

Pat Forde on Leak's fumble?, the SEC, & Chris Leak.




40 comments:

  1. Can someone in Florida please recap the coach's show this morning?

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  2. I hate how they make Leak out to be some emotionless, unaffected, drone. He had a rough half and that horrible call didn't help matters!!

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  3. Didn't know where to post this but FL/GA student tickets go on sale tomorrow at 6pm. I am doing my best to round up as many IDs as possible but will need help calling in. Who needs tickets??

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  4. Well if USC loses to California, West Virgina loses to Louisville, and Michigan loses to Iowa and we play Auburn in SEC championship and win (and of course win out the rest of our games) then we are still on our way to Arizona.

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  5. Responding to Jasser's Leak comment. I love the guy, I think he's a great talent and I'm not pulling for Tebow to be the starter this year, cuz he'd suck, but Leak - he aint got what it takes. He doesn't have the fire. He's got poise, but inside he is a hall of butterflies.

    And to say that he is anything but a drone or a robot would be a lie. That guy needs an oil change like twice a week.

    That being said though, he has given us some great wins, and will probably/hopefully lead us to the SEC Championship and a probable/hopeful title, but he is not a special player.

    The stoic Christian Danny Boy had more game fire than Leak does (not to dis religion).

    I am beginning to think that this was our year. We'll see how Tebow pans out, but he could be a one-trick pony. We had the combo this year and it was magically destroyed by Leak's mental meltdowns in the 2nd half. Yes the fumble was prob. not a fumble and yes he goes by the play calls, but big time players don't throw the ball of their back foot when they have 3 minutes left to march down the field and score a TD.

    It was only fitting to see him lying on his back fumbling the last desperation play and watching Auburn march it in. I think that about sums up his career. A lot of potential, but too much inconsistency.

    Again, I love the guy, and yes he's an amateur athlete, but this aint Independence High in Charlotte, NC.

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  6. It appeared we were pinching the LBs into the middle. Thus whenever Irons or Lester? would run off tackle they would hit huge holes and the only defender to slow them down or make an open field tack was either Nelson or Joiner. I think we should have mixed that up a bit.

    On the other hand maybe we did mix it up. One thing I noticed is that EVERY time they checked off at the line they checked to a running play. Maybe they were checking based on our LB position.

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  7. They did not score 1 offensive TD. How we can manage to do that and lose with the talent that we have???

    This game needs no further analization.

    We all saw it and it's best to just throw it in the garbage, cuz we still have full control of the SEC East, which we will win.

    Mark that down now.

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  8. Forward of voice conversation between Peacock and James Mulford earlier today:

    James Mulford commenting about Leak's cliche but true robotic tendencies led to me to this:

    Leak has no instinct hence no inprovisation. This is both a big flaw and a big attribute at the same time.

    It is an attribute because it lessens the likelyhood of him trying to be a playmaker and doing something horrendous.

    The QB position is a quasi-skill position. Don't try to be a Michael Vick or Vince Young if you aren't and also, don't make your team pay for your cute tricks that you thought would work. It's a risk vs. reward situation.

    However, the QB must have some degree of instict and improvisation.

    For instance, play Alpha calls for Baker to run a post pattern and he is the primary target. If Baker is covered, check off to Caldwell on the left slant. If Caldwell is covered check off to Wynn in the flat. If all are covered don't throw the ball away or try to scamper for some yards.

    Leak treats everything too mathematically and takes the input from the coaches calls and that is the only possible output that will come out of his hands.

    When all of the three options are covered, instead of throwing the ball away, a great QB will on some instances see the opportunity to make something else happen. Leak simply chooses to get sacked or occasionally throw it away, cuz he damn sure doesn't scamper for yards.

    He lacks the plays that are "What the $%# are you - oh wow, great job!!!" Some degree of that mentality is needed to be a great
    QB, especially one in the demanding defensive conference of the SEC.

    I will say that it is better to play it safe, however Leak never improvises even when it is needed or we will lose. (Please see the '03 home game where we needed a TD and he tried to run 60 yards downfield and simply let himself be tackled. Throw the ball backwards, do something.)

    Leak also showed on Sat. that he is poor at trick plays, as witnessed by his complete failure on the hook and lateral desperation play at the end of the game. True the chances of that play working are like winning the lotto, but you don't trip over yourself, let the ball hit you in the chest, and have the other team jump over your limp body recover the ball and score.

    Again, I'm not here to shred Leak. I think he is prob. the best QB in the conference, but he does not possess some qualities that are needed to be a champion and definitely not a Heisman candidate.

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  9. Last post says "don't throw the ball away or scamper for some yards."

    Obviously the don't is inserted incorrectly.

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  10. Even though I like Chris Leak, I don't personally think he ever had a chance for the heisman (even before this last game). I probably don't know enough about football to really analyze a quaterback but I do think Chris's robotic character is most likely due to a reserved nature and shyness. I also think that very few people his age would be able to handle what he has gone through since he has been here: 3 offensive schemes, the last one which does not suit his style of play (maybe this is why he has never been comfortable making descions on the field), and a freshman quaterback who has come in and taken playing time, stats, and fans from him. I think he has shown great maturity and if he had not accepted Tebow the way he has the team would have fallen apart and we would not have wins against Tenn, Alabama, and LSU. Yes, Leak made a lot of mistakes on Sat. and probably played the worst game of his life but he has also given the team leadership and maturity and that may be more important this year than one blown game.

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  11. Jaime, how goes it with the tickets? I think Peacock and I may need tix. My Georgia buddy might not go in which case we could get his, but I don't know yet. I'll call him tonight.

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  12. Chris, you get my voicemail saying I needed a ticket?

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  13. Again, not to bash Leak, but he has one last chance to get one thing that he came in saying as the most highly touted QB with tremendous accolades.

    Something to the effect of winning 4 national championships and 4 SEC championships.

    I can settle for 0 and 1 under his reign. He has had an uphill battle, and our failures are not all his fault. He must bring his A game vs. Georgia, Vandy, S.C. and the SEC title game, or he will not even be remembered. That might be sad, but this is big-time football. Grossman came in with minor accolades and although he didn't lead us to any championships, he got the Heisman Trophy stolen from him.

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  14. Actually Grossman was highly touted too... he was just overshadowed by the brock berlin hype.

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  15. And even Rex has horrible games, did you see him last night?

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  16. But Rex will win you some games single handedly. See LSU 2000 & 2001 among others.

    LSU 2001: Florida-Rex Grossman 22-32-1-464
    LSU 2000: Florida-Rex Grossman 18-28-0-276, Recall in this game that Rex took that one hopper snap and zinged a TD to Jabar Gaffney. Unbelievable.

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  17. Also the last time we played Auburn at home, it was like 3rd and long or something and he was almost gonna be sacked and he launched a bullet to Taylor Jacobs in the back of the endzone for the win in OT.

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  18. James William - Did the Gators jump "near" the Auburn center-field logo before the game?

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  19. James William said the stadium was not really that loud. Watching the game on ESPN, you'd think you were on the front row at the Daytona 500.

    They obviously pump up the crowd noise with mic amplification and strategic mic positioning.

    Also, with the game being on ESPN's new ESPN Full Circle and the game being covered on every single ESPN channel, it is obviously a huge marketing effort and thus the reasoning for enhancing the game atmosphere.

    Sad that viewers are given a false perception of the game, and even the commentators kept talking about "how loud it was." However big time football would not be big time football without advertisements and TV contracts.

    College football = big business.

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  20. I didn't see the warm-ups, so cannot comment on the pre-game jumping.

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  21. Regarding Rex and his games... it would only be fair to bring up the fact that he threw 4 picks in a losing effort on that same field in 2001. However, the winds were very high that night and we probably shouldn't have been throwing it all over the field... but it was SOS.

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  22. Jordan Hare may have been loud, but we were all the way up near the top, so it wasn't all that loud up there. The speakers in the student endzone were horribly loud though with music during our huddles, I can't imagine sitting over there. That is probably why everyone thought it was so loud. It was not even crowd noise, just Welcome to the Jungle, Crazy Train, The Eye of the Tiger, and some Iron Maiden song. Very cheezy. I don't remember that from my previous trips there and I've sat in that student endzone twice.

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  23. The one time Jamie says fuc& Guns and Roses - LOL

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  24. Dang right. It is embarrassing for the SEC.

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  25. Noise in the System
    By Pat Dooley

    The SEC has issued Auburn University a warning for violating SEC policy by blasting loud music over the public address system between plays when Florida was on offense in the second half of Saturday night's game.

    The rule states: “The use of institutionally-controlled computerized sound systems, including music, and institutionally-controlled artificial noisemakers shall be restricted to pre-game, halftime, post-game, after a score and team or media timeouts.”

    The first violation results in a warning, while the second results in a fine not to exceed $5,000.

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  26. I thought the PA playing the music was cheesy. If UF were to ever play that much music over the PA I would certainly be very dissapointed. I like that our band plays music to get the fans up (even though they don't know how to lead the Gators in a Gator Chomp for kickoffs).

    I certainly hope we never try these cheap tactics to make noise in the Swamp.

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  27. Are you fucking kidding me - $5,000!!!

    I would play Eric Cartman singing "Come Sail Away" and 115 db all day long and gladly pay a $5,000 fine.

    Wow, what a ridiculous rule. I should be a game penalty, not a university infraction.

    Gay!!!

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  28. can I get some major typos in that last post of mine - Pleez!!!

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  29. Thanks for finding that Rich. I think the warning or $5,000 would pale in comparison to the embarassment of the levy.

    They should be embarrassed. I haven't spoken of this yet to Hike, but I will. I'll keep you posted.

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  30. My biggest issue with the replay was that it was not called for review by the booth. Meyer had to throw the red flag and consequently burn a T.O.

    Also, the review was way too short. I know they try to keep reviews within a certain time frame, but I've seen them take 5 minutes for a much less important call.

    Lame.

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  31. From the Gville Sun today:

    Meyer admitted Tuesday that one of the mistakes he and the offensive coaches made was not putting the ball in the hands of true freshmen playmakers Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin more in the second half.

    Harvin touched the ball only once in the second half, while Tebow played only four plays in the game, one going for a 16-yard TD run in the first half.

    "I'm not kicking myself (that Harvin didn't see the ball more)," Meyer said. "We're evaluating that to make sure he touches the ball a little more.

    "I can't tell you why we didn't get him the ball in the second half. That's probably something we need to do. He's a playmaker. He's good with the ball in his hands. He will carry the ball more."

    Harvin lined up at tailback in Saturday's game and likely will be playing that position more, along with wide receiver, Meyer said.

    Harvin said he's comfortable playing tailback.

    "Hopefully, next week I'll get more touches," Harvin said. "But if not, it's a team game and whatever happens happens.

    "It really doesn't matter to me (whether I play wide receiver or tailback). However I can help the team, that's what I'm going to do. I really wasn't a natural receiver (coming out of high school). I was always a running back. I moved to receiver my junior year. I'm a little familiar with running back."

    Tebow is another true freshman who seems to make things happen when he has the ball in his hands.

    Meyer said Tebow will be more involved in the offense the rest of the season, although he would not elaborate.

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  32. I think you will see Tebow play a lot more these next games. Obviously not if we need a pure passer in for wins to clinch the SEC East, but against W. Kentucky and FSU, Tebow will play major minutes.

    With Leak's Heisman chances gone and the need to groom Tebow into being our starter next year it is time to give him more playing time.

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  33. If Tebow gets more PT, I don't think that will be the reason. Leak has been here 4 years and doesn't deserve to be sat excessively for next year. I don't think Meyer would do that. He has too much integrity and honor. If it happens the reason will be because Meyer thinks it will win us more games. We shall see. I think it is necessary, but at this point does Meyer get more conservative (i.e., less Tebow and less Harvin) or does he get aggressive and start winning games big!???

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  34. From the Gville Sun:

    Starting wide receiver Jemalle Cornelius, who did not touch the ball in the loss to Auburn, was limited by a pulled hamstring, Meyer said. "He was hurt. He was about 80 percent," Meyer said. Cornelius is being held out of practice this week.

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  35. REPLAY CONTROVERSY: After reviewing the tape of Saturday's game, Meyer said officials should have called Leak's fourth-quarter fumble an incomplete pass. While the play was ruled a fumble before and after replay review, Meyer said that video evidence shows that Leak's arm was moving forward, and by rule, the play should have been called an incomplete pass.

    "We've talked to the SEC officials, and they've said it was a correct ruling," Meyer said. "I can sit and scream and yell and all that, but we have too many other things to worry about. We're very disappointed with the way it worked because I should never have to burn a timeout. But they agree with that, and they're going to correct that."

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