Official 2003 NCAA Football Thread
 

Hey guys,

I figured i'd start a thread that we can all post on as the season goes along.

A&M's 2-0, but it's been a rather shakey start for the Coach Fran era.

I'm really worried about our trip to Blacksburg in 2 Thursdays. I hope the offensive line can get some kinks worked out or it's gonna be a long night in Hokie land.

Kitso
KS 361

fresno state 1-1. playing oklahoma this week! upset!!

Best of luck to Fresno State. I think the Bulldogs will give OU all they've got. It just won't be enough. Fresno is probably OU's weakest OOC opponent and really shouldn't be much of a threat. One interesting item of note. The backup QB, Grady for Fresno (who I believe got some decent PT in the last game) has a little brother who is a RS freshman QB at OU (was the #5 QB prospect in the country).

I have to respect a team like Fresno State for the OOC schedule it has chosen for itself. Good luck on every game but next weekend's.

Ain't gonna happen... :) BOOMER SOONER!

I think A&M is going to have a good year. I don't think its going to have anything to do with Coach Fran - he is playing with all of Slocum's guys. Even though I'm an Auburn fan, I still can't believe how he shafted Bama. He goes from rolling tide to gig 'em all in one afternoon. Hopefully though the commentators will keep their blabbering to the game and not about Coach Fran :p


Auburn was SUPPOSED to be having a good year - but after that terrible start against USC, I'm not seeing it. They looked awful and I think its about time for Tuberville to move on.

UT 2-0
MTSU 0-2

Maybe MTSU will beat Clemson this weekend?? :confused:

Due to other committments, only saw a small portion of the Oklahoma game Saturday, but from looking at scores of teams for which I have more than simply a passing interest,

Ohio State should have won much bigger. Could be another year of them only playing as hard as they have to to win.
Colorado is better than I expected.
Bowling Green (MAC opponant) How about them Falcons?
Air Force. How about them Falcons?
Michigan should have won by 100. Cream puff schedule so far.
Nebraska looks threatening again.

Oklahoma is the only top team that impressed me last weekend by beating an excellent team in a good hard fought game. They deserve to remain number one. They distinguished themselves from the rest of the pack.

Southern Cal 2-0.

This is the best we've looked since I was an undergrad, its VERY exciting!!! Now, I just need Ohio State, Miami and Oklahoma to lose. OK, only 2 of the 3 have to lose, since USC just needs to be 1 OR 2 to go to Sugar Bowl!!!!!!

:)

I've met Pat Hill and he's a great guy, but even so, if I had a left nut, I'd tell Fresno State to suck it.

They sure as hell don't like us over there...and we don't like them here. Can't wait till they come into town -- I'm sure we'll kick their butts like we did last year.

The USC, part 2
 

Is 2-0, although BYU plays in kind of a wiggy conference. This should be an interesting year.
:)

Re: The USC, part 2
 

ESPN commentator said on Saturday night, while looking at USC's stats and the rest of their schedule.. "I don't want to say this team is going to go 12-0, but, THIS TEAM IS GOING TO GO 12-0"

SUGAR BOWL HERE WE COME!!! Too bad I can't go, I'll be on a Mexican beach on 1/4, ah, rough life I lead.

Re: Re: The USC, part 2
 

Amy, I don't wanna hear. I JUST DON'T WANNA HEAR IT! ;)

Re: Re: Re: The USC, part 2
 

:) Don't wanna hear the Sugar Bowl part or the Mexico part? ha ha

Then I won't tell ya about Italy and Anguilla trips.. ha ha

Re: Re: Re: Re: The USC, part 2
 

Um, you don't have to because you mentioned it in the LJ!

It's all good though...you deserve kickass getaways like that. I hope that I can find a generous guy to take me under his wing so he can fly me off to exotic destinations like that.

Homecoming in Lincoln next month is a good start. ;)

Ohio State is 2-0 but dropped to #3 in the polls (behind Miami) after having trouble with San Diego State. It was a rough game to watch but at least we won. the bucs better step it up if they hope to beat NC State this weekend.

Well here we have me coming back from a long break and a topic I am definately in extreme like over.

First thing Can My beloved Sooner Offense Do anything. Let's hope cause a D can't win every game.

Ohio State i will bet money no repeat performance. In fact no Big ten title. Shared big ten title maybe but doubtful.

Florida State ACC champs again and a Bowl Win. You heard right Brother Bowden will do well this year as coach and the grumblings will cease.

Thats all for now.

for some reason, i thought this thread was for the video game.

Ye of little faith...

Recall the Sooner offense took a few games to get the running offense going last year -- even with Q. I'd say we're doing pretty damned good. Bama held OU @ OU to -23 rushing yards last year. The yards gained on the ground @ Bama were respectable. The run game didn't work so well vs. North Texas because they were selling out to it (see passing yards).

Fresno State should be interesting. Decent offense, mediocre defense. The spread is OU by 27.

You have to admit, that D was awesome vs Bama though.

ive watched both their games and i think their offense is HORRIBLE and their defense is pretty good. they have held their own, but when the offense sucks, there is only so much you can do.

the starting qb for fresno state is out, so we have to settle for this jackass grady who is in 10th year as backup. he is terrible.

Fresno State will lose.

The bottom line comes down to the offensive line being able to block for our sorry-ass stooge back-up Jeff Grady. This will not happen, these guys are so young and inexperienced that any upperclassman on the OK defense will eat them alive. It's still very early in the season and the line still needs to get a few games below their belt before they can effectively protect the QB and open up some holes for the running backs. I believe our only true hope in this game is for the defense to force some turnovers and score early to get a huge momentum shift in FS favor.

Bottom line For Fresno State:

QB Grady- Can't work under pressure, and OK's Defense has been seeing him all week in practice thanks to Tommy his little brother who is the scout team QB.

RB Davis ICE COLD, thanks to poor blocking and play calling in my opinion.

Recievers, are not a threat due to Grady.

Line, Disgusting.

Defense, Good but bruised and tired from carrying the team through Oregon State.

Special Teams, Bread and Butter.

Prediction OK 34- FS 13

* If Pinegar were healthy we may have an actual shot at an upset.

Michigan. Alabama. Those are the two teams I would like most to see in National Championship. I hate Tech. I refuse to cheer for the Hokies, whatever that is anyway, just because they're twenty minutes from here. They can kiss my ass.

Ok, so tell us how you really feel
:D

I know it's taken out of context, but I couldn't resist.:cool: :D

SOUTHERN CAL people, its all about the USC Trojans this year.

GO RAZORBACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEAT TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!

Hell, yeah......

Go P, Go I Go P-I double T...

For those who don't know that is Pitt, yes, they have a couple fluff teams but the end of there schedual is harsh, and I think they are going to do SO WELL!!! Texas A&M will be there first real test in a couple weeks, followed by ND, WVU, Syracuse, BC, VT, and Miami. I hope we beat VT and Miami, stupid ACC....

Pitt 1-0 so far

I seriously doubt it. After Maurice Clarett got his ass suspended, I don't think the Buckeyes will make NC State nervous. with no running game available, It's going to be a struggle. I want the Buckeyes to do well this season, but in reality, I don't see it happening. It's a 5-6 record for them.

Since my husband loves those HURRICANES... I have to favor him...

However, my brother is a UCLA alum--and he thinks he's Rose Bowl bound...

But I work at UW--and the Huskies think their hot!!!

Soooo, I dunno...

I just wanna go the Florida Classic with FAMU and BCC...

we're going to be up at FAMU for the homecoming. frat said it was bananas when they went last year.

Ms. OohTeenyWahine....
 

This morning's Los Angeles Times featured this story on a fairly prominent athlete from your neck of the woods:


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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...,6209717.story
HAWAII AT NO.4 USC, SAT., 1 P.M., FSN

Lost in Paradise
Hawaii's Chang is passing at a record clip, not that anyone's noticing.
By Robyn Norwood
Times Staff Writer

September 12, 2003

If Timmy Chang passes for 15,000 yards playing half his games on an island in the middle of the Pacific, will anyone pay attention?

Forget East Coast bias. We're talking mainland bias.

Kickoff for many of Hawaii's home games is around midnight in the East, so no one at the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn., is scrambling to get the highlights on the air when Chang slings the ball for 400 yards for Coach June Jones, one of the last practitioners of the run-and-shoot offense.

With two seasons left in his college career, Chang already has thrown for 8,615 yards, putting him on track to break Ty Detmer's NCAA record of 15,031.

And this week, people will be watching.

Hawaii plays fourth-ranked USC on Saturday at the Coliseum, and if Chang can put up numbers against the Trojan defense, it will be his best showcase yet.

Although Hawaii made a school-record five appearances on national television last season, Chang has seen only one highlight of himself on ESPN, last season against Fresno State.

"It was a little swing pass to the running back and I threw it a little late," he said. "By the time he caught it, the [defensive back] was right there, and he really lit up my running back. So it was for a bad thing, rather than a good thing."

This week?

"I hope I'm not going to make the top-10 nominees for bad things. Just good things," he said.

"USC is awesome. They're big and strong and fast and they have such a great defense, it's going to be very challenging."

Challenging is a word some would use for Hawaii's Heisman Trophy campaign for Chang.

Chang is nowhere to be seen on Heisman-watch short lists, which include such players as Anthony Davis of Wisconsin, Chris Perry of Michigan, Philip Rivers of North Carolina State, Roy Williams of Texas, Mike Williams of USC and Brock Berlin and Frank Gore of Miami.

One problem is Chang's 50-to-47 touchdown-to-interception ratio. (He threw four interceptions twice last season, against Alabama and San Diego State.)

And Chang wasn't even the first-team quarterback on the All-Western Athletic Conference team last season, finishing second to Boise State's Ryan Dinwiddie.

But by starting a campaign this season for a candidacy that probably will be more legitimate next season, Hawaii is trying to break early with a longshot.

"As I told him, I'm the one pumping him for that spot because I really think he's going to become the all-time passing leader in the history of college football if he stays healthy for two years," Jones said.

To pass Detmer, Chang needs to average a little more than 3,200 yards the next two seasons after passing for 4,474 last year.

"From that standpoint, I think, realistically, he does have a chance to be a Heisman Trophy winner," Jones said. "Does it put pressure on him? Yeah, it does. It puts a lot of pressure on him. But it's like I told him: If he feels any pressure right now from that, wait until he becomes an NFL quarterback. Then you'll feel pressure."

Chang shrugs it off.

"I'm not too worried about the hype," he said.

There are plenty of eyes on him in Hawaii. He is the third generation of his family to live in the islands and his heritage is a tropical cocktail of Chinese, Hawaiian, English, Irish and Spanish.

Asian American publications look to him as a role model and NFL hope.

"Actually I have people from the mainland, they refer to me as the Asian quarterback. Very cool," Chang said. "I'm a minority, and any sense I can be a role model in is a good thing for kids. Now they can dream big.

"I like to represent, of course, my Hawaiian side. There's a lot of ethnicity. It's like a melting pot out here."

Lately, it also has been a breeding ground for quarterbacks. Chang's predecessor at Honolulu's St. Louis School was former Washington State quarterback Jason Gesser.

"Gesser was one of those guys I looked up to. I basically copied his style, mimicked his style," Chang said. "He has a quick release. And sometimes he makes plays where he throws it on the money when he's flying around and throws off his back foot. I know that's not good, but at times you have to."

Ron Lee, who coaches receivers at Hawaii, was offensive coordinator at St. Louis when both quarterbacks were there.

"They're both very competitive," Lee said. "I think Jason was just a real blue-collar kind of quarterback who fought and battled and ran when he had to and could throw the ball too, obviously.

"Timmy doesn't run the ball, but he has a lot quicker release than Jason. They're both very accurate.

"Timmy was really frail in high school, barely 160 pounds and 6 feet, but really, really smart and really understood the game for a young guy. He's gotten better and worked hard in the off-season. Now he's 6-2, 205, 210. He has that quick release and he's smart, those are things that make up for lack of arm strength."

Chang will be making his season debut Saturday after missing Hawaii's victory over Appalachian State as a penalty for failing to meet the WAC's six-credit minimum last season because of an incomplete class.

He has missed plenty of time before because of injuries, appearing in three games as a sophomore in 2001 before taking a medical hardship year because of a broken wrist. Last season, as a redshirt sophomore, he played through a broken finger and a sprained knee.

The possibility of more injuries might be the biggest obstacle between him and Detmer's record.

Detmer established the career mark in 46 games. With longer seasons and the three extra games the year he broke his wrist, Chang could reach 40 by the end of his junior season. Eventually, he could surpass Detmer's yardage by a considerable margin — but in several more games.

Of course, there is not only the career record to pursue, but also Detmer's single-season record of 5,188 yards.

"I think it would be a great accomplishment, but my goal is just to win games and good things will happen," Chang said. "I feel so much better sharing a win rather than trying to share individual records."

A victory over USC would be a huge upset. The Trojans won the last meeting, 62-7, in 1999 and are 21-point favorites Saturday.

Facing a quarterback with numbers like Chang's, though, should hold the defense's attention as the players prepare.

"I think he's a terrific player," USC Coach Pete Carroll said. "He has great accuracy. He's resourceful and can make things happen out of the pocket. He is very adept at getting the football out of his hands, and they don't let you rush him. The style is such, with all the screens and quick stuff they throw, he can throw passes and you don't get anywhere near the guy.

"A guy has a huge year like he did, he deserves all the attention he is getting. He has a chance to put up huge numbers."

Times staff writer Gary Klein contributed to this report.


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Copyright 2003 Los Angeles Times

Awww...thanks Steeltrap!

I'm glad that people are starting to take notice. Sometimes it pisses me off that people don't take Hawaii seriously and that we aren't comparable enough to other D1 teams.

I liked the article. His ethnicities are evident in his good looks. Yum yum gimme some. Not that I'm too into him or anything... mwahahahahahaha.

You're welcome. I was looking at the sports page this AM, saw the article, and thought, "OTW would like to see this."
:)

Cal lost! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha........ ok, sorry.

Go Noles :)

I must say I'm surprised to see that Miami jumped ahead to #2 last week b/c their showing against UF wasn't exactly what I would call strong.

And one last note...poor Auburn :( My tigers SUCK this year but hey at least now Jason and I might find our UT/AU tickets cheaper now.

GO AUBURN!!!

VANDALIZE VANDY TODAY!!

WAR EAGLE!

UPSET OF THE YEAR

FRESNO STATE DEFEATS OKLAHOMA 24-17. YOU HEARD IT HERE FOLKS.

It would be great if you were right. Dreams are wonderful things...

it will happen

If you'd like to place a wager on that, let me know :D