OU: Always a Tough Team

               The game I watched this weekend was Oklahoma vs. Texas Christian University.  This game was fun to watch and OU showed once again why they are always a tough opponent for other teams.  This was the last game of the season before the bowl games get underway.

                In the first half, OU started the game on defense and for a while OU could not stop TCU, but OU forced TCU to punt later on the drive.  Near the end of the first quarter OU was able to score a touchdown to make it 7-0 OU.  Late in the second quarter, OU threw an interception and turned it into a touchdown to make the score 7-7.  Right before the half, OU scored to make it 14-7 OU.  This was the score at halftime.

                In the second half, OU’s offense was clicking on all cylinders and they scored on their first possession of the third quarter to make the score 21-7 OU.  OU’s defense though, needs to still work on getting the other team’s offense off the field quicker, because TCU quickly scored a touchdown to make it 21-14 OU.  The last two scores of this game were field goals by each team to make the final score 24-17 OU.

                This game was still great because OU and TCU still gave a fan like me a great game to watch.  With this win, OU shares the Big 12 title with K-State.  It will be interesting to see what OU will do in their bowl game.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1128610&catid=34621

WVU: Needs to Work on Penalties

               The game that was fun to watch over the Thanksgiving weekend was West Virginia vs. Iowa State.  This was a great game because this was the first meeting between the two teams.  This was a battle to the end of the game.

                In the first half, WVU lossed the coin toss and started on defense.  The first defensive stand for WVU forced ISU to go three and out.  Then the offense of WVU was on the field and looked like they were going to score a touchdown.  The only reason why a touchdown was not scored was because WVU had penalties that halted the drive and they settled for a field goal, which made the score 3-0 WVU.  WVU had good drives throughout the first half, but the one thing that hurt them was penalties.  This is a problem they have had all year and something they need to correct in the weeks to come.  In the rest of the first half, both teams scored two touchdowns each to make the score at half time 17-14 WVU.

                At the start of the second half, WVU started with the ball first and they looked like they did on the first drive of the game.  The drive was stalled again though because of penalties and WVU had to settle for a field goal to make the score 20-14 WVU.  WVU defense might not have been ready for this half because ISU quickly scored a touchdown to make it 21-20 ISU.  The last quarter of the game both teams were trading scores.  If one team would score the other would answer.  WVU was down by a point late in the game and got a touchdown plus a two point conversion.  The final score was 31-24 WVU.

                This game was fun to watch because both teams have had a rough year so far.  The win by WVU made them bowl eligible and this is good because the seniors will get to play another game.  I believe WVU is going to be able to compete next year with the Big 12 teams even more than they did this year.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1103235&catid=undefined

My Top Two Running Backs of the Big 12

               The Big 12 Conference is always fun to watch especially the running back position of the Big 12. My top two Running Backs are James Sims of the University of Kansas and Shawne Alston of West Virginia.

                Shawne Alston is a great running back because he waits for holes to open in the defense before he runs for a big gain.  He is also very strong and it takes a group of people on the opponent’s defense to bring him down.  These are things you need out of a great running back.  I believe he will be in the NFL and when he goes pro I think any coach would want him because of his toughness.

                My second running back is James Sims for KU.  He is a player that I believe will be a household name in the NFL whenever he goes pro.  I say this because in the last six games he has had one hundred yards rushing in each of them and this is something no opponents can stop.  He is always fun to watch and you can tell he just loves to play the game.

                These are my top two running backs, but I would like to see who are your favorite running backs of the Big 12. 

Podcast Interview about the Big 12

          For some time now you have seen my reviews of games and the opinions I have on the teams.  You have also heard my opinion on different players in the Big 12.  I want you to hear from someone else’s perspective and that is why I decided to do this interview.  Here is the interview I did with a member of my family, who is a fan of the Big 12 like me.

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Oklahoma State: Is a Great Team to Watch

               The game I watched this week in the Big 12 was number 23 Texas Tech vs. number 24 Oklahoma State.  I thought this game was going to be close because both teams were ranked.

                In the first half, OSU started with the ball first.  On their first drive OSU did not have much trouble going down the field against TTU and a touchdown was made to make the score 7-0 OSU.  This was the only score in the first quarter.  At the start of the second quarter, OSU’s defense could not stop TTU from scoring a touchdown to tie the game at seven all.  OSU’s offense quickly answered the touchdown by TTU with one of their own to make the score 14-7 OSU.  On the next defensive stand for OSU, they forced an interception and quickly the OSU offense turned it into a touchdown to make the score 21-7 OSU.  The rest of the half OSU scored two more touchdowns and TTU scored one touchdown right before the end of the half to make the score at half time 35-14 OSU.

                In the second half, OSU was on defense to start this half and intercepted TTU once again.  OSU’s offense turned this into a touchdown to make it 42-12 OSU.  This half was pretty much over before the fourth quarter. OSU was ready to play TTU on senior day.  The final score was 59-21 OSU.

                This game may have been a blowout, but there are a few things OSU needs to work on and that is not having any penalties.  I am confident they will correct this in the weeks to come. OSU showed once again why they are a tough opponent to play against.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1096752&catid=undefined

Texas Tech: Needs to Stay Focused for the Whole Game

                The best Big 12 game of the week I watched was Texas Tech University vs. the University of Kansas.  This game was one that I thought Texas Tech could easily get by with a win, but that’s why fans like me watch the Big 12 games each week.

                In the first half, TTU had the ball to start the game first.  On TTU’s first offensive drive they passed the ball down the field with ease and scored first in the game to make it 7-0 TTU.  This is when I thought they would make it a long day for KU’s defense, but KU’s defense stepped up.  On the opening defensive stand for TTU, they could not stop KU’s run game and quickly the score was tied 7-7.  Then for a while neither team could get anything going, but at the start of the second quarter TTU scored a quick touchdown pass and made the score 14-7 TTU.  TTU’s defense was not allowing KU to do much and quickly TTU scored again to make it 21-7.  At this point, I think TTU was too relaxed because KU scored the last ten points of the first half to make it 21-17.

                In the second half, neither team did much in the third quarter and only a field goal was scored by TTU to make the score 24-17.  TTU was still looking like they could have a bigger lead, but they scored a field goal to make it 27-20 TTU.  TTU’s defense would become too relaxed once again and KU would add a touchdown and a field goal to tie the game at 27-27 with 41 seconds left.  TTU still had a chance to win the game with a field goal to try to win the game, but it was no good and the game went into overtime.  In the first over time, TTU’s defense was on the field and could not stop KU and the score was 34-27 KU.  TTU now needed to force a second overtime by scoring a touchdown and they did which made the score 34-34 at the end of the first overtime.  In the second overtime, TTU’s offense scored a touchdown and all their defense had to do was stop KU’s offense.  TTU stopped KU and won the game.  The final score was 41-34 TTU.

                TTU is a tough team to play against, but they do have things to work on.  The major thing TTU has to work on is when they have a lead they need to not become too relaxed that way the opponent won’t have a chance to come back in the game.  Even though it was a battle to the end, this was one of the most exciting games I have seen in a long time in the Big 12.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1090606&catid=undefined

ISU: Needs to Work on Different Things

           The game I watched this week, that I thought would be the most intriguing, was Oklahoma vs. Iowa State.  This game was great to watch.  Iowa State once again showed no matter what they do in a game they will play a team tough for the entire game.

            In the first half, Iowa State’s offense had the ball first.  ISU could not do anything on the first drive because OU’s defense was tough.  ISU punted the ball away and the ISU defense was ready to come out on the field.  It looked like it was going to be a long day for ISU, but the defense stopped OU.  Later in the first half, ISU’s defense started to let OU’s offense dictate the game and OU went on a ninety yard drive to score a touchdown to make the score 7-0 OU.  This is where I thought the game would get out of hand for ISU because their offense could not get anything going.  Then ISU’s defense intercepted the ball twice to get the momentum back on their side.  On the two interceptions by ISU, they kicked two field goals to make the score 7-6 OU.  OU did score a touchdown before halftime to make the score 14-6 OU.

            In the second half, ISU was on defense, but it did not take long for OU to take the ball down the field and score a touchdown to make the score 21-6 OU.  ISU answered the touchdown by OU to make it 21-13 OU and this is where I thought the game was going to be close to the end.  OU answered back with another score to make it 28-13 OU.  The final score was 35-20 OU, but you could tell that OU could have scored at will on ISU because the defense was worn down. 

            This game may not have been close at the end, but ISU came to play.  The one thing ISU needs to work on is their offense and what I mean by this is they need to come up with more creative plays to trick the defense of an opposing team.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1083173&catid=34621

Top Two Quarterbacks of the Big 12

             The Big 12 has always had great quarterbacks throughout the years.  The two quarterbacks I think are the best right now are Landry Jones for Oklahoma and Colin Klein for K-State.

             The first quarterback I think is great is Landry Jones for Oklahoma.  The reason why I think this is because you can tell he is always prepared for an opponent.  Also he does not get rattled in games when things are not going well for him.  One can also tell just by watching him play that he does not take anything for granted which is something all quarterbacks need to be successful.

            The second quarterback is Colin Klein because he is always ready to play and he listens to his coaches well.  Another thing about him is he does not get sacked much and that is because he knows when to throw the ball away.  The last reason why I think he is good is because he can also run the ball besides passing it.  This makes it hard for opposing teams to stop him and is an aspect that every scout would be looking for in a quarterback. 

            These are my top two quarterbacks in the Big 12 right now, but I want to know who are your top two quarterbacks in the Big 12.  I know there are different opinions and I would like to see if we agree or disagree on our top two quarterbacks.

KU: Shows Major Improvement

               The game I watched this week was the Kansas Jayhawks vs. the Texas Longhorns.  This was a great game to watch because KU was able to be competitive the whole game.  This was a close game even though the records would say otherwise.

                In the first half, Texas won the coin toss and deferred it to the second half.  KU had the ball first, but did not do much on their first drive and had to punt it away to Texas.  KU’s defense then came on the field, but were unable to stop Texas.  At the 10:53 mark of the first quarter, Texas was up 7-0.  This is when I thought Texas would start to have the momentum on their side, but that was not the case.  KU’s defense was strong in the first half, Texas was held to one score.  One could see in this game that KU had improved in all aspects of the game which was great to see them not give up.  Later in the first half, KU’s offense was looking great because Texas could not stop them running the ball.  This helped KU score the next two touchdowns of the game to make the score 14-7 KU, which was the score at half time.  The first half stats for rushing yards were KU 177 and Texas 75.  The passing yards were KU 21 and Texas 43.  This showed KU was ready to play for the entire game.

                In the second half, the defenses for both teams were not giving an inch until the fourth quarter where Texas scored a touchdown to tie the game at fourteen.  KU answered the drive by Texas by going down the field and scoring a field goal to make the score 17-14 KU with 2:22 left to play.  It looked like KU’s defense were going to be able to stop Texas to win the game, but they were worn out and Texas scored to make the final score 21-17 Texas.  The rushing yards for the second half were KU 234 and Texas 211 and the passing yards were KU 39 and Texas 131.  The overall total yards were KU 273 and Texas 342. 

                Even though KU lost they looked great on special teams, offense and defense.  The one thing KU has to work on now is closing out games in the fourth quarter and this will happen over time, but things are looking up for KU.  Here is a link so you can see highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1076216&catid=34621

WVU: Needs to Work on Defense

               The game I watched this weekend was West Virginia vs. K-State, because I wanted to see how WVU would do after a loss.  I also wanted to see the matchup between the two quarterbacks for each team.  This game was not close and it did not live up to the hype.

                In the first half, WVU won the coin toss and deferred it to the second half.  They did this because of the way the defense played last week; they needed to make a statement.  On KSU’s first offensive drive of the game, the defense for WVU did not look good early on the defensive stand, but they held KSU to a field goal.  This was a statement WVU had to make because they had to show they were ready to play.  On the first offensive drive of the game for WVU, they looked like they would be going at a fast pace and would not be stopped, but on this drive they had to punt it away.  This was a reoccurring theme in the first half and the one good thing for WVU is wide-receiver, Tavon Austin, returned a kickoff for a touchdown to make it 24-7 KSU.  This was the spark WVU needed, but KSU was still dominating the game.  At the end of the first half the score was 31-7 KSU.

                At the start of the second half, WVU was on offense first and in their first play on this drive the quarterback, Geno Smith, for WVU threw his first interception of the season.  The defense could not stop KSU on the short field and after the touchdown for KSU the score was 38-7 KSU.  This is when the game just kept getting worse for WVU because they could not stop KSU.  WVU did get one more touchdown in this game, but the final score was 55-14 KSU.

                This game was never close and WVU’s defense has to learn how to get their opponents off the field.  They need to have players step up and show that they are not going to give up.  In their last four games, Big 12 teams have just been scoring at will on WVU.  The other thing WVU needs to do is not to be yelling on the sidelines and give their team mates encouragement.  Here is a link for highlights of this game to see the outcome for yourself.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1072750&catid=34621

Texas: Needs a lot of Work

           The game I thought was going to be the best game to watch this week was a game between 15^th ranked Texas vs. 13^th ranked Oklahoma.  This is one of the biggest rivalries in college football today.

            In the first half, Texas won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.  At the beginning of this game, Texas’ defense was swarming to the ball and looked like they would give Oklahoma a tough time in the game.  Later in the first, the defensive stand for Texas let OU’s backup quarterback, Blake Bell, run for a touchdown to make the score 6-0 OU.  On the extra point by OU, Texas blocked it and returned it for two points and the score was now 6-2 OU.  This was the one good thing Texas did in the first half, but Texas offense could not do anything against a tough OU defense.  The Texas defense could not get any time to rest in this half, which made it to where their defense opened up holes for the OU offense.   On one of the OU drives, Texas’ defense let OU go two plays for 95 yards in 18 seconds.  At the end of the first half the score was 36-2 OU. 

            At the start of the second half, Texas’ offense had the ball, but had to punt it again.  Texas’ defense came on the field and cornerback, Carrington Byndom, intercepted a pass from quarterback, Landry Jones, and returned it for a touchdown to make the score 36-8 OU.  This was the other thing that was good for Texas.  When the Texas offense looked like they would start doing something they ended up turning it over to OU.  There were a few scores late in the fourth quarter, but I did not get to see these scores because the game on T.V. was changed to another game.  The final score was 63-21 OU.

            After watching Texas in this game, I could not believe they played like this and I say this because last week Texas barely lost to West Virginia.  It has been a long time since I have seen Texas being dominated by an opponent.  Texas let the backup quarterback for OU, Blake Bell, rush for four touchdowns in the game.  The coaches for Texas are going to have to work on a lot before their next game because it looked like Texas forgot how to play.  Here is a link to see highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1069689&catid=34621

Big 12: Two Teams that Could Win the Conference

           This week games have come and gone, but here are my top two teams that could win the Big 12 Conference this year as of right now.  The teams I believe could win the Big 12 Conference are Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

            The reason why I think Texas Tech could win the conference this year is because they are a tough team on defense to play against.  They are always ready for any opponent they face and they do not take any game for granted.  They also beat West Virginia this past week and this was a team I thought would dominate the Big 12 conference.  I can talk about the Texas Tech team and how good they are, but the coaches deserve the credit for coaching them week in and week out.

            The other team that could win the Big 12 is Oklahoma.  I think this because even though they have one loss at this moment, OU’s team is starting to look like what they have been in the past by being the dominate team of the Big 12.  I believe this because after they lost to K-State, they have played hard and know they did not play their best.  It seems they want to prove to everyone that they are one of the best teams in the Big 12.  Their coaches deserve a lot of credit for preparing them to play every week against each opponent.

            If you have watched the Big 12 this season feel free to let me know what teams you believe could win the Big 12 this year.  My teams I have picked could change later in the season, but right now this is who I think have the best chance to win the conference this season.

Oklahoma: Bounces Back from a Loss

           This past weekend’s game that I watched was Oklahoma versus Texas Tech University.  I wanted to see this game because I wanted to see how Oklahoma would play after their loss to Kansas State two weeks ago.  I can say this Oklahoma was ready to play for this game and they were not going to give the game away like they did against Kansas State.

            In the first quarter, TTU won the coin toss, but deferred it to the second half.  Oklahoma was ready to play the game because not too much time had gone off the clock and TTU’s defense were on their heels early.  OU was marching toward the end zone to score as quickly as they could.  When OU was near the goal line they were stopped by TTU’s defensive end, Jackson Richards, who blocked OU’s quarterback, Landry Jones’ throw to the end zone.  On the next attempt wide receiver, Justin Brown, caught a pass from Landry Jones, at the 10:59 mark of the first quarter and scored a touchdown, which made the score 7-0 OU.  This helped give OU a lot of confidence in the beginning of the game which showed they prepared well for TTU.  It was time for OU’s defense to play against TTU’s offense.  TTU was ready to play as well because they did not take long to get down the field and soon it was first and goal.  On TTU’s drive OU’s defense looked like they were not prepared to play. On second and goal TTU’s running back, Kenny Williams, scored the touchdown which turned the game into a ball game at seven all.  At the 7:06 mark, OU’s offense had the ball and it looked like they could have gone down the field for another touchdown.  This time though OU had to punt the ball to TTU.  On TTU’s drive OU intercepted the ball, but OU’s offense gave it right back when OU fumbled the ball.  This is a weakness for OU because they cannot give the ball back after an interception because it can hurt the team’s momentum.  The OU coaches need to work on this before the next game.  TTU had the ball and were getting close to scoring when the end of the first quarter came and the score was still 7-7 all.

            At the start of the second quarter, OU’s defense came up with a big stand on third and twelve and forced TTU to try for a field goal.  The field goal was good from 35 yards out and made the score 10-7 TTU.  OU’s offense came back on the field ready to battle with TTU once again.  This was a back and forth drive because when OU got something going, TTU would stop them.  OU was in scoring range again and scored a touchdown to have the score be 14-10 OU after the extra point was made.  This is when the momentum shifted in OU’s favor.  OU’s defense came back out on the field and were looking not so great because on this TTU drive OU had a couple of penalties which helped TTU get into OU territory.  The players need to work on being more poised on defense and try to limit mistakes.  Even though these penalties by OU helped TTU’s offense get into OU’s territory, the OU defense stepped up and forced TTU to try another field goal.  The kick was good and the score was 14-13 OU.  On OU’s next offensive drive, they really started to click and TTU looked to be tiring.  OU quickly scored another touchdown and the score was now 21-13 OU at the 3:27 mark of the second quarter.  OU’s defense came back on the field and were confident.  Not too long into the defensive stand one of OU’s defensive players, Aaron Clovin, intercepted the ball to give the ball back to the OU offense.  Just before halftime, OU kicked a field goal making the score 24-13 OU.

            In the third quarter, TTU started with the ball because they deferred it to the second half.  It did not matter because the OU defense quickly got the ball back for OU’s offense.  On OU’s next drive it took 6 plays and 54 yards for OU to score again.  This touchdown was scored by backup quarterback, Blake Bell, at the 9:13 mark of the third quarter.  The score was now 31-13 OU.  TTU had the ball once again, but OU’s defensive back, Javon Harris, intercepted the ball and returned it for a touchdown at the 8:40 mark, making the score 38-13 OU.  After the interception, TTU came on the field and they were not confident at all, but OU looked ready to keep scoring.  The ball was back in OU’s hands again and OU’s final points were scored in the third quarter which was a field goal.  This made the score 41-13 OU at the end of the third.  One thing to point out is OU outscored TTU 17-0 in the third quarter.

            In the fourth quarter, the game had nothing really going on in it.  The only score that happened was late in the fourth which was TTU scoring a touchdown.  The final score was 41-20 OU.

           Here is a link for highlights of the game and this game was fun to watch.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1067124&catid=34621

ISU: Fights for Sixty Minutes

               This week of the college football and Big 12 season was exciting to watch.  The most exciting game I watched was a defensive struggle between Iowa State University and Texas Tech University.  I feel this game was the best one to watch.

                At the start of the first quarter, ISU won the coin toss and elected to receive.  ISU looked a little shaky at first because they were not playing cohesively.  They were forced to punt the ball away to TTU.  Then the ISU defense came on the field and defensive linemen, Mitchell Meyers, forced a fumble, but TTU was lucky to recover the ball.  Not too long after this play ISU forced TTU to punt the ball.  When ISU’s offense came back on the field, it was easy to see the offensive line was not protecting their quarterback well.  ISU has to improve on this in the weeks to come or the game could get away from them.  ISU had to punt again which occurred repeatedly in the game.  So far in the first quarter neither team could do much of anything.  ISU’s offense was back on the field and looked like they could score a touchdown, but the offensive line could not protect the quarterback once again.  At the 4:50 mark of the first quarter, ISU tried for a field goal but it was ruled no good.  At the 1:42 mark of the first quarter, it looked like the ISU’s defense was tired and was going to let TTU score, but in the red zone linebacker, A.J. Klein, intercepted the ball and took it for an 80 yard a touchdown to make the score 7-0 ISU.  This is where the momentum shifted in ISU’s favor. 

                At the start of the second quarter, ISU defensive back, Jacques Washington, intercepted the ball in the red zone to give it back to ISU’s offense.  The ISU offense could not capitalize on the interception and had to punt the ball away.  This is one aspect ISU needs to work on, because whenever an opponent turns the ball over they need to be able to capitalize on it.  This way it makes it harder for the opponent to get back in the game.  On the next ISU offensive drive quarterback, Steele Jants, threw the ball with no wide receiver in the area and the ball was intercepted.  One thing the coaches need to do is tell Steele Jants if he cannot find an open receiver, then throw the ball away.  At the 1:32 mark of the second quarter TTU tied the game at 7-7.  The interception was a costly mistake for ISU.  At half time the score was 7-7.

                At the start of the third quarter, TTU had possession of the ball first, but ISU’s defense forced them to punt.  The ISU offensive line still did not protect their quarterback.  On a third and twenty play, the ISU offense looked as if they would have to punt, but quarterback, Steele Jants, ran for 21 yards to get the first down.  This was the spark ISU’s offense needed.  Later in this drive, quarterback, Steele Jants, threw the ball to tight end, Ernst Brun JR., for the touchdown at the 4:26 mark of the third quarter to make the score 13-7 ISU.  The extra point was no good for ISU, keeping the score 13-7 ISU.  At the 1:01 mark of the third quarter, the defense for ISU was back on the field and could not stop TTU from scoring a touchdown, which made the score 14-13 TTU.

                In the fourth quarter, ISU’s offense was driving down the field and turned the ball over.  Once again TTU would capitalize on the mistake with a touchdown to make the score 21-13 TTU at the 6:50 mark. At the 2:20 mark of the fourth quarter, ISU’s quarterback, Steele Jants, fumbled the ball and TTU made a field goal off the mistake.  ISU’s quarterback, Steele Jants, tried a Hail Mary throw, but it was intercepted in the end zone which sealed the win for TTU.  The final score was 24-13 TTU.

                This game was close for most of the game, but what cost ISU was not being able to capitalize on turnovers by TTU and letting TTU capitalize on ISU’s turnovers.  ISU cannot turn the ball over as much as they did and expect to win the game.  This game was great to watch because ISU’s defense is tough to play against.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=34621&id=1064730

Top Three Big 12 Coaches at this Moment

              The fifth week of the college football season has come and gone.  My top three coaches of the Big 12 are Mac Brown, Gary Patterson, and Bob Stoops.  Here are my reasons why they are in my top three.

                Mack Brown is one of the best coaches right now because he gets his team to perform week in and week out.  He has made the defense for Texas one of the top defenses in the Big 12 right now.  He knows how to coach his players so they are prepared for any challenges they could face in a game.  Also, he knows how to recruit talented players so they are top contenders every year.  Sometimes his team is inconsistent, but he knows how to coach well in a game.

                The second coach that is one of my top three Big 12 coaches is TCU’s head coach Gary Patterson because he has turned TCU into a powerhouse.  The reason why I say this is because in the last couple of years when TCU was not part of a BCS conference, he prepared his team to play big name opponents and they usually won.  He makes sure to keep his team focused if they become too confident.  This way TCU will not lose momentum in the game.  He is a well-liked coach, because he respects his players.

                The third coach on my list is Oklahoma’s, Bob Stoops, even though his team lost to KSU.  He still has one of the best recruiting classes every year which makes Oklahoma contenders against opponents.  He knows how to prepare for a game so his team is mentally and physically ready.  He does a good job of finding coaches who have the same philosophy as him.  He has numerous former players in the NFL and that is why players would like him as a coach; to have the opportunity to play in the NFL.

                These are my top three Big 12 coaches of the season as of right now, but it could change before the end of the season.  If you would like to see what Greg Madia (West Virginia University Football Beat Reporter) said who his top coaches are of the Big 12.  Here is a youtube video I have embeded where he is ranking all ten Big 12 coaches, but pay more attention to his top three.

Baylor: A Tough Team to Beat

               The fourth week of the college football and the Big 12 season has come and gone.  The most exciting Big 12 game was Baylor vs University of Louisiana Monroe.  This game was closer than I thought it would be. 

                In the first quarter, Baylor struggled against ULM because they threw two interceptions to ULM.  ULM proved that they were ready to play and Baylor was not.  Baylor cannot play against Big 12 teams in this manner or they will have a tough time winning games.  In this quarter, Baylor’s defense was not ready for the trickery that ULM had in their arsenal.  The offense of ULM’s second drive had two quarterbacks on the field at the same time and Baylor could not stop them.  This is something other Big 12 teams should look at, because it might be a new way to confuse a team like Baylor.  At the end of the first quarter, the score was 14-0 ULM.

                At the start of the second quarter, Baylor was driving down the field to quickly answer the scores by ULM.  Baylor’s quarterback, Nick Florence, threw the football to wide receiver, Tevin Reese,  for a 43 yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-7 ULM at the 14:22 mark.  Baylor may have had a bad start, but they showed how quick they can get back into the game.  Baylor’s defense struggled in the second quarter.  They still could not figure out how to stop ULM’s offense because their running back, Jyruss Edwards, would bounce off one guy and gain a few more yards before being brought down.  Big 12 teams need to study this game closely if they want to find a weakness for Baylor.  ULM took the ball down the field again in a hurry to answer Baylor to make the score 21-7 ULM.  Baylor’s next possession was precarious because they had a number of passes that could have been intercepted, but were not.  That’s something Baylor cannot have happen against Big 12 teams because they will capitalize on their mistakes to force a turnover.  During this possession, Baylor took the football into the red zone and had to decide whether to go for it on fourth and goal or kick a field goal.  They decided to go for it and their running back, Glasco Martin, scored to make the score 21-14 with ULM still leading.  This is where the momentum shifted in the game and Baylor was showing more confidence on the field.  This was evident when Baylor’s defense came out on the field and forced a turnover.  Baylor’s offense capitalized on the turnover making the score 21-21 at the 5:25 mark of the second quarter.  Baylor’s defense started to put more pressure on ULM to get the ball back before the end of the half.  Baylor added a field goal at the end of the first half to make the score 24-21 Baylor.  In the first half, neither team seem they were putting pressure on the other team’s quarterback.  

                At the start of the third quarter, ULM’s offense had the ball first.  They played like they did at the start of the game and Baylor’s defense was on their heels once again.  At the 13:10 mark, the ULM running back, Jyruss Edwards, could not be stopped.  He ran the ball for a 58 yard touchdown to make the score 28-24 ULM.  Later, in the quarter, Baylor’s offense started to pick up on mismatches in the secondary of ULM’s defense.  Baylor’s quarterback, Nick Florence threw to wide receiver, Tevin Reese, for a touchdown at the 5:11 mark to make the score 31-28 Baylor.  Baylor’s offense started to be too much for the ULM defense to handle, which is one of their strengths.  They can wear a team out if they are not conditioned for a long game against them.  Big 12 teams need to condition themselves to play this type of game or Baylor will capitalize on this in the second half of the game.  When Baylor’s defense went on the field again, they forced a turnover and their offense was able to score a field goal before the end of the third quarter to make it 34-28 Baylor. 

                In the fourth quarter, Baylor’s defense was too confident and it backfired on them.  ULM scored quickly to make the score 35-34 ULM at the 10:54 mark.  Baylor’s offense then came back out on the field and started to be too much for ULM.  Baylor then scored at the 7:10 mark to make the score 40-35 Baylor.  They tried for a two point conversion and it was no good.  This did not matter because ULM’s offense fumbled the ball at the 5:40 mark.  Baylor scored to make the score 47-35 with 2:25 left in the game.  The final score was 47-42 Baylor because ULM’s offense scored with six seconds left in the game.

                This game was fun to watch, but  Baylor has to improve their preparations for the game or Big 12 opponents could take advantage of their weakness and not let Baylor have a chance to come back in the game.  Baylor is still a team to watch because they will get better as the season progresses.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=34621&id=1055203

KU: Offense Needs Work

           College football and the Big 12 is in its third week of the season.  This week I went to see KU versus TCU at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.  The game was close all day long until near the end.  KU put up a great fight against the 16^th ranked TCU.  I have included a photo of KU welcoming TCU to the Big 12. 

            In the first quarter, KU won the coin toss and decided to start on defense first.  In the beginning, it looked like KU was about to let the game get out of hand early with the way TCU started on offense.  KU lined up against TCU near the goal line and TCU’s center, James Fry, hiked the ball low to quarterback, Casey Pachall.  This resulted in a fumble due to Pachall not being able to handle the ball, which resulted in KU recovering the ball.  This was a great momentum shift for the start of the game for KU.  KU took the ball down the field and kicked a field goal to make it 3-0 at the 8:45 mark of the first quarter.  After the field goal, KU’s defense came out on the field and held TCU on the drive.  This was great to see, because KU prepared well for TCU all week and it showed.  After the defense of KU game back on the field, they forced a fumble and recovered the ball.  The momentum looked like it was in KU’s favor, but then the offense came back on the field for KU. Quarterback, Dayne Crist, threw an interception and gave the ball right back to TCU.  After that, the momentum started going back to TCU.  This is something KU cannot do against the other Big 12 teams, because they have to make the most out of the opportunities that are given to them.  This is where KU’s defense could not handle the quickness of TCU and TCU quickly scored a touchdown to make it 7-3 at the 4:20 mark of the first quarter.  Then KU went back on offense and started a drive.  The end of the first quarter came and KU had to make the decision to go for it on 4^th and 1 or kick the ball.  At the end of the first quarter the score was 7-3 TCU.

            At the start of the second quarter, KU decided to go for it on 4^th and 1 and they converted it to make it 1^st and 10 at the TCU 26 yard line. KU had a great drive, but then started going the wrong way.  I say this because at the 14:33 mark of the second quarter, KU committed a holding penalty.  KU just could not keep the drive going and quickly it was a fourth down.  KU tried for a 45 yard field goal and did not score.  TCU’s offense got the ball back and started to drive the ball down the field.  I have to say that KU’s defense was doing a great job of open field tackling on the TCU drive and only let them get minimal gains.  KU forced TCU to two fourth downs in this quarter and they converted on the first one.  KU needs to work on stopping teams going for it on fourth downs, so the offense can get the football back.  On the first fourth down, KU forced TCU to kick a field goal.  KU’s special teams put enough pressure on TCU’s kicker, which forced the ball right, resulting in no points, making the score still 7-3 TCU.  On the next KU offensive drive, quarterback, Dayne Crist, and running back, Tony Pierson, helped take the ball down field in a hurry.  KU looked like they would get a touchdown out of this drive, but they did not get one and settled for a field goal once again, making the score 7-6 TCU. 

The bad thing about KU in the first half was how they would have things going their way, but would end up going backwards by committing penalties.  I could see the KU coaches on the sideline were not happy with their players in the second quarter.  This is something for KU to improve on and even though this happened, KU was able to at least score points. KU’s defense then came onto the field and let TCU drive the football down the field, but KU forced them to make a field goal.  This made the score 10-6 TCU, which was stunning at halftime.  I do not think the fans of either team thought this game would be as close as it was at halftime.  Charlie Weis and the other KU coaches deserve a lot of credit, because their team was ready to play.  I could tell in this game that KU played together and never gave up, which is something not seen from this team often.

            In the third quarter, KU started with the ball and could not do anything with it.  The same happened to TCU at the beginning of the third quarter as well.  This is where the game started to slip away from KU, because their offense could not do anything with the football and had to punt several times.  The defense for KU started getting tired, which was evident when TCU took the football and scored a touchdown at the 5:12 mark of the third quarter.  At the end of the third quarter the score was 20-6 TCU.

            The fourth quarter is where it started getting strange for KU.  The offense kept coming off the field quick and the defense was able to make plays.  TCU’s quarterback, Casey Pachall, was running for the end zone, when right before he got to the end zone, Toben Opurum, for KU forced a fumble and the ball went out of the end zone for a touchback.  It was a great break for KU, but they could not capitalize on this and gave the ball back to TCU.  At the 3:11 mark in the fourth quarter, TCU fumbled again.  KU’s offense went down the field and fumbled the ball to end the game.  The final score was 20-6 TCU.

            This was a game to watch, because it showed that Charlie Weis is taking KU in the right direction.  This is evident because KU’s defense has improved a lot.  If the defense plays the way they have been so far and keep improving, they will be in a lot of games until the end.  For KU to win these games though, they will have to play better and not waste possessions, so the defense can have a rest between the drives.  If they can do this, I see them being able to win against some of the Big 12 teams in Charlie Weis’ first year as KU’s head coach.  If you want to see highlights of this game, then here is a link for you. http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=34330&id=1050688 

I have included a slideshow of pictures that I took while at the game, so you can see the experience you would get if you went to a KU football game for yourself.  Click on the box to be able to view the slideshow. 

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TCU: Not A Pushover

           The second week of the college football season was played this past weekend.  I watched several games this weekend and the one that stood out to me was Grambling State vs Texas Christian University.  After watching this game, I can say that the Big 12 teams have a major threat in the conference and this would be TCU.

            The first strength of TCU is their coaches.  They had the team ready to play.  It looked like they were in midseason form, but this was their first game of the season.  That is a credit to the head coach, Gary Patterson.  He is a great coach for any team to have.  I say this because when the camera showed him on the sidelines he would be rallying his team. At any time during the game, the momentum could have shifted to Grambling State, but it never did.  The last reason why he is a strength for this team, is due to him making sure his team knew Grambling States’ ways of playing the game so they would be ready to play.

            In the first quarter, TCU started out fast, which is a strength all teams need to have.  The first strength of TCU in the game was their defense, which forced Grambling State to punt not too long after the game started.  They also were able to accomplish this by swarming to the ball wherever it was on the field.  When Grambling State punted the ball to TCU, TCU’s Deanté Gray caught and ran the ball for a 70 yard punt return touchdown.  This made the score 7-0 within the first two minutes of the game.  After TCU’s defense came out on the field for the Grambling State possession, they quickly forced them to punt.  This is why they should be feared.  Now, I know you might be thinking what about the strength of the offense?  Their quarterback, Casey Pachall, and the running back, Waymon James, are real strengths for this team.  Pachall has the ability to find his teammates easily and quick.  James is quick and he looks for the open holes in the defense.  He did this in the first quarter really well and helped put his team up 14-0. 

The great thing about this team is they score quick and often, which makes them hard to stop.  This was evident when the defense was back on the field.  In less than ten seconds from when the offense scored, the defense intercepted the ball and scored a touchdown, making the score 21-0.  Before the first quarter was over, the offense, special teams, and defense had scored.  This team has no weakness, only strength.  They were solid in all phases of the game in the first quarter and it continued throughout the game.  This is a perfect scenario for teams to have at the start of a new season.  At the end of the first quarter, TCU had a 28-0 lead.  After the first quarter, I thought TCU might have started to relax and take it easy, but that was not the case.  They stayed motivated and ready to go.  I also thought they would have had more penalties in the quarter and in the game as well, but surprisingly they only had a couple.  At this point, I do not see a team who could stop TCU’s abilities.

            At the start of the second quarter, TCU continued to play as well as they did in the first quarter.  This was evident because Grambling State could not move the ball or stop TCU’s offense.  There were only a few times TCU was forced to a 3^rd down in the first half.  The offense was still able to convert and score two times before the end of the half to make it 42-0.  This speaks volumes for how solid this team is because they do not let anything get to them.  When Big 12 teams face TCU, their defense needs to make sure to stop TCU or the game could be over before the second half begins.  TCU completely dominated Grambling State by not letting them make any kind of drive.

            In the third quarter, TCU finally was stopped by Grambling State and had to punt for the first time.  This should make Big 12 teams take notice and prepare for all the ways TCU can win.  TCU scored their last points late in the 3^rd quarter, which did not matter because Grambling State was not going to be able to make a come back from a 56 point deficit.

TCU’s strength in this game was not letting the players of the other team bother them.  They kept pushing forward without taking any steps backward.  They know how not to be stopped because they rarely punted the ball in the game.  With the way TCU played, I have no doubt they will be a great addition to the Big 12 Conference.  They are going to be able to win against the bigger teams of the Big 12, such as Oklahoma and Texas.  In closing, I would like to say Grambling State fought as hard as they could, but were completely out matched in this game.  They did not If this game showed anything, it showed that if the Big 12 teams are not prepared physically or mentally for TCU, they will dominate the conference.  TCU should not be taken lightly.  If you want to see highlights of the game, here is a link to watch them.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=34330&id=1043049

The University of Kansas will be TCU’s next opponent.  This will be the first game of the Big 12 Conference.  It will be one to watch to see how TCU will do against one of the regular teams of the Big 12.  The game will take place in Lawrence, Kansas at Memorial Stadium.  Here is a Google map for the location of the game.

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A Dominant Force

           College football and the Big 12 Conference are officially underway.  I watched several Big 12 games this weekend and they were all great to watch, but the game that was the most intriguing was West Virginia playing a non-conference game against Marshall.  It may have been a blowout, but it showed that they are a threat in the Big 12 right now.

            West Virginia showed that they have a lot of strength on offense and defense, this weekend.  First, I want to talk about their offense which dominated Marshall from the start.  The first strength West Virginia has is their offensive line.  They know how to block up front really well.  The offensive line makes holes so the running backs can make big gains.  Also, by protecting the quarterback they give him more time to find someone open to throw the ball.  This is a true testament to the coaching staff teaching them proper technique on how to block.  One of the other major strengths I saw from West Virginia was their running back Shawne Alston.  He is a force to be reckoned with because when he was carrying the ball in the game against Marshall it took a lot of the defense to bring him down.  If he has one defender tackling him, he lowers his shoulder and knocks them to the ground.  He can also evade tackles real well.  When I was watching the game and saw him run on the field, I immediately was stunned by his performance on the field.  I could not believe how strong he was.  I think the Big 12 teams have to prepare for his abilities.  West Virginia’s quarterback, Geno Smith, has strength for this team as well.  Smith is a big help to his team because he shows really good poise in the pocket.  What I mean by this is when Marshall’s defense was getting close to him he would either start running to avoid the sack or throw the ball away.  He would step up and make the throw even though he knew he would get hit by defensive linemen.  Even though I am saying West Virginia looked great on offense, this does not mean they were perfect.  They sometimes fumbled the football and were lucky to recover the ball, which is what the special teams did as well.  Their kickoff return team bobbled some of the catches on the return which is something you cannot have happen.  They may have had bad drives every now and then in the game but they were quick to recover from them.  When a play did not work, they forgot it and learned from it.  They were able to make a play on a 3 play drive for 83 yards in under a minute and play as a unit.

            Marshall is not a Big 12 team, but they showed how to get West Virginia off their game.  One way they did this was by forcing fumbles on defense and getting pressure on who had the football.  They were also able to block a punt to get the momentum to shift in their favor on defense and to motivate their offense to get a touchdown.  The real weakness on both sides of the ball for Marshall was they did not have the conditioning to keep pace with West Virginia.  The key for the Big 12 teams is to be conditioned for a long game against West Virginia.  They will also need to make sure they do not commit numerous penalties.  When playing West Virginia, the teams of the Big 12 need to stay composed and try not to have a bad penalty.   

The other strength of West Virginia was how they put tremendous pressure on the quarterback, Rakeem Cato, of Marshall with their defense.  Any time Marshall’s running back, Travon Van, had the ball, it did not matter which way he ran.  The West Virginia defensive players made it impossible to gain many yards.  The West Virginia defense may have looked good, but their defense did have a weakness of being too confident.  There were times they began to relax and Marshall was able to score by West Virginia’s lack of focus.  This is something a team would not want to have happen.  It could potentially unravel the work the team did and allow the other team to make a comeback.  An important thing teams need to do is play the entire sixty minutes of the game.  This is the type of strength Big 12 teams need to have if they want to beat West Virginia. 

The game’s final score was 69-34 West Virginia.  Later in the season the opponents for West Virginia will be tougher but if the opposing team does not prepare well, a loss will be in their future.  The coaches for the Big 12 teams need to review game tapes to be prepared to beat West Virginia.  West Virginia is a force to be reckoned with and a threat to all the Big 12 teams.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=10410&id=1040920&catid=undefined