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College Football  |  Penn State getting squeezed again

10/30/2017

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Picture
Ohio State tight end Marcus Baugh hauls in the game-winning catch against Penn State as Nittany Lions safety Troy Apke, who had 8 tackles and a pass breakup in the game, looks on.
by Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

S
eems a bit harsh.

No, seriously, it does.

While most are kinda just shrugging their shoulders and going, “Yeah, OK, makes sense” to Penn State dropping from second to seventh in the polls after playing its part, albeit a losing one, in a college football classic this past Saturday, if you let the gears grind a little, chew down some facts, well, no, it really doesn’t make sense.

It … seems a bit harsh.

Consider:
  • The Lions fell, barely, 39-38, to the sixth-ranked team in the country, playing in its own house. If not for a Herculian – i.e., better than Heisman – effort by Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, they not only win, they win easy … and even with it, they still could have, getting the ball back with more than 90 seconds left and the sport’s most clutch performer in Trace McSorley at the controls – only his blockers had nothing left, and he had no chance to make anything happen. At all.
  • The Buckeyes, winners of that 39-38 Big Ten thriller at the Horseshoe, themselves were at No. 2 earlier this season, and got smoked, at the same site, by the No. 5 team – Oklahoma – back in Week 2, losing 31-16, and dropped only to eighth.
  • Clemson was ranked second, got ambushed by unranked Syracuse, 27-24, in Week 7 and ended up in the seventh spot in the polls that followed.

Gotta say, if we’re factoring in strength of schedule, as well as where teams play, which we are repeatedly told are critical factors ad nauseam, then Penn State’s current ranking doesn’t compute.

If anything, it proved itself worthy of a high ranking. Maybe not No. 2, but certainly better than No. 7.

Here’s the rub, though – who would the Lions jump to theoretically “right” things?

It’s not like Alabama, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Clemson are unworthy of their spots 1 through 6, either, and, frankly, if you want to point out a team “worse” off than Penn State it is Oklahoma.

The Sooners, after beating the Buckeyes, jumped to No. 2 and stayed there exactly one week before being supplanted by Clemson, the reigning national champ, even though they hadn’t lost. Once they did, in Week 6, they plummeted to 12th … and seem forever slotted below Penn State and the others mentioned, despite being 7-1 and having that blowout of Ohio State in their back pocket, and the reality that the team that stunned them – Iowa State – may be the hottest squad in the country now, finding itself 14th.

The Cyclones not only topped Oklahoma, but they’re fresh off knocking Texas Christian from the ranks of the unbeaten and its No. 4 perch. The Horned Frogs now sit at No. 10.

Hey, still got a Power 5 unbeaten in Miami, which actually dropped a spot to No. 9 despite improving to 7-0, and a non-Power 5 unbeaten in Central Florida, which only just cracked the top 15 this week despite leading the country in scoring, too.

If anything, all of the above shows – once again – that the College Football Playoff is too subjective in its current state. There is no clear-cut, or even fair, way to nail down the top four teams in the country as means to pit two semifinalist winners in a championship game to determine a “true” champion.

Just too many good, perhaps even great, teams out there. Expanding that CFP field to eight or, even better, 16 teams would water down that subjectivity. Lessens it. Maybe it wouldn’t erase it, but it certainly would take the prejudice and “eye test” seen through, well, perhaps, bad eyes out of the picture for the most part.

Until that changes, though, we’re going to have a deserving playoff team such as Penn State on the outside looking in. Again.
​
Which is why the Lions’ current drop in the polls seems so harsh … since it will play a part in the CFP rankings.
​

SAQUON = HEISMAN? NOT NOW

Never bought into it.

Oh, he’s an awesome talent. Just a great player.

But all the hullabaloo and hype about Penn State’s Saquon Barkley being a runaway winner of this season’s Heisman Trophy never reeled me in to join it.

He’s just had too many mediocre games, and even “disappearing acts,” for all the highlight-reel plays to offset in my opinion.
Reality is, he’s had two great games this season: Akron and Iowa. The former occurred against a Mid-American squad and the latter against a middling Big Ten team that, frankly, saw his teammate, quarterback Trace McSorley, steal the show when things mattered most anyway.

All too often, for me, have been the “play here, play there and that’s it” outings against the likes Pittsburgh, Indiana and Northwestern. He’s had three 100-yard rushing efforts all season. In eight games.

Sorry, that usually ain’t enough for a running back to win the Heisman, never mind “dominate the field” – even with two kickoff returns for scores and some nice receiving numbers in his back pocket, too.

In the last three games, Barkley has ripped off TD runs of 53, 69 and 36 yards. Tremendous, no doubt. That’s 158 yards on just three carries. The issue, for me, is the other 49 he had, which totaled just 69 yards.

No matter how you slice it or rationalize it, that stinks.

You’re not seeing guys like Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, Stanford running back Bryce Love or, heck, even McSorley fade for such stretches. Ever. Never mind consistently.

In wins or losses.

Can he still win it? Sure.

But he isn’t the favorite anymore, nor was he deserving of the “leader in the clubhouse” chatter we heard the last six weeks or so.
 
​
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College Football  |  OK to credit others, Saquonites

10/25/2017

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​YDKJ's Top 10s

PictureQB McKenzie Milton (10) and UCF join our top 10.
TEAMS
1. Alabama
8-0 ... vs. LSU on Nov. 4

2. Georgia
7-0 ... vs. FLA on SAT

3. Penn State
7-0 vs. MICH on SAT

4. Texas Christian
7-0 ... at ISU on SAT

5. Clemson
6-1 ... vs. GT on SAT

6. Wisconsin
7-0 ... at ILL on SAT

7. Oklahoma
6-1 ... vs. TTECH on SAT

8. Ohio State
6-1 ... vs. PSU on SAT

9. Miami
6-0 ... at UNC on SAT

10. South Florida
7-0 ... vs. HOU on SAT

10a. Central Florida
6-0 ... vs. APEAY on SAT

PLAYERS
1. Saquan Barkley
Penn State RB
... tops nation all-purpose yards


2. Bryce Love
Stanford RB
... nation's rushing leader


3. Baker Mayfield
Oklahoma QB
... nation's top-rated passer


4. J.T. Barrett
Ohio State QB
... 21-1 TD-to-INT ratio

5. Will Greer
West Virginia QB
... leads nation passing TDs


6. Mason Rudolph
Oklahoma State QB
... nation's pass yardage leader


7. McKenzie Milton
Central Florida QB
... nation's No. 2-rated passer


​8. Trace McSorley
Penn State QB
... 14 TDs passing, 7 rushing


9. David Sills
West Virginia WR
... nation's scoring leader


10. Lamar Jackson
Louisville QB
... 2016 Heisman winner

​

Picture
Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley dives into the end zone for one of his 3 rushing TDs in a 42-13 rout of Michigan last Saturday night.
by Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

It’s OK.

No, really, it is.

Hey, got it. The popular narrative calls for all credit, hullabaloo and hype revolving around the Penn State football program to head in Saquon Barkley’s direction. He is a great player, seems to be a great guy and, for all intents and purposes, appears to be a great representative not only of the school, the Nittany Lions, and the sport, but sports in general and, perhaps, life at large.

It all fits in one, nice, little “oh, he’s the Heisman winner, no doubt” package so nicely, so perfectly that, ya know, you almost hate to deviate from it. Ever.

Even when the script changes.

What’s that old line again … never let the facts get in the way of a good story?

Sorry, Saquonites, but you’re doing that quite a bit this season.

Yo, we ain’t debating that he may be the most talented player in college football, that he may be the best prospect in the next NFL Draft, or that he may, indeed, win the Heisman … without a smidge of a doubt.

It’s just, c’mon with the overkill. The most recent slobberfest in regards to Barkley’s on-field performance, which occurred this past Saturday night in a 42-13 runaway against Michigan, is, well, as ridiculous as it is wide-ranging.

From hardcore fans to astute analysts to people who never watch a game, no one seems immune.

Barkley, as he usually does, performed well. He produced a highlight or two, even by accident in this one, courtesy of a one-man tip drill that turned an easy TD into an abbreviated circus show on the gridiron.

But he hardly dominated. In fact, save for a 69-yard scoring scamper on the team’s first possession, he was largely ineffective running the ball, totaling just 39 yards on his other 14 carries.

No, the reality is, his teammate, his quarterback, Trace McSorley dominated this game. Just like he, not Barkley, won the Iowa game with a remarkably clutch drive in the final minute and change, taking the Lions 80 yards to paydirt and accounting for every inch of real estate they covered.

Yo, got it. T-Mac ain’t the typical hero. He’s deemed undersized. His skill set isn’t high on pro personnel guys’ transferable watch list. He hasn’t had any tear-jerking features done on him. He’s seen as an overachiever, not someone as truly great.

In other words, he ain’t Saquon … and, as far as the storytellers out there feel, he ain’t a great story, either.

Hate to break it to the masses out there, though, but he was the best player on the field Saturday night before a record crowd at Beaver Stadium – based on what he actually did. Frankly, Barkley cost him about 50 to 60 passing yards by dropping one ball and then tripping over his shoelaces after catching another with tons of green in front of him.

Even with that, not to mention enduring some serious pressure from Michigan’s defense, McSorley racked up 282 yards and a TD passing … and another 76 and three rushing.

Not for nothing, but that game was McSorley’s show, not Barkley’s.

But don’t fret out there. The final script probably will match that narrative you prefer, the one with Barkley walking away with the trophy given to college football’s top player in December.

Even being outshined by a guy in the same backfield a game here or there doesn’t have to be the death knell to that coronation of greatness. Just means it might come about a little differently than you’d hope, or are willing to admit.
​


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NFL  |  No worries when it comes to Wentz ... anymore

10/24/2017

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Picture
Carson Wentz (11), signaling a first down Monday night, has the 6-1 Eagles pointed in the right direction.
Picture
by Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

A
m out.

Got nothing left.

Nothing to poke at. Nothing to point out. Nothing to warn about.

Nope. Seven games into his NFL career and Carson Wentz already has checked off all my boxes of concern.

Frankly, remarkably, only two remained entering this, his second season after being taken with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft:
  • ​Ability to throw, and connect, on the long ball.​
  • Overall passing accuracy since he tended to be high, late or early with too many of his throws for my taste.
​
Now? Well, now, it’s become comical. With dramatically improved touch, particularly on his shots downfield and intermediate throws, Wentz makes it impossible to legitimately … worry.

Seriously.

He has proven to be so good, so fast that those such as myself who want him to succeed and the Eagles to win but are abundantly cautious, not necessarily for ourselves, but as emotional protectors for those who seem to live and die with the fortunes or misfortunes of Jeffrey Lurie’s franchise, well, even we are now inclined to back off. To not be so knee-jerk reactionary with the warnings, the disclaimers, the worst-case scenario observations.

Thing is, the kid seems to have it all covered.

No joke.

He has been that damn impressive.

It was obvious from the first snap last season that the Eagles were his team, that he was in control, that he had leeway from the coaching staff to run the offense as he saw fit once he surveyed the defense … all of it in a way that most quarterbacks – be they journeyman or stars – never enjoy in their careers.

Ironically, for all those who downplay Doug Pederson’s role in Wentz’s meteoric rise, who even suggest that the head coach is holding back his signal-calling protégé, the reality is it takes a strong stomach, cast-iron balls and supreme faith for someone, anyone to do what Pederson has.

Which is believe so much in his own judgment that he gives an individual under his watch almost free reign to reach his potential, or – gulp – even exceed it.

You wanna know why Donovan McNabb either is, or comes across as being, so jealous of Wentz nowadays? It’s because the latter is given leeway that the former never was.

Andy Reid put clamps on McNabb’s game that Wentz never has, nor will have, as long as Pederson is his coach.
McNabb ranks among the best 2-3 quarterbacks ever to wear an Eagles jersey. Even most of his detractors would consider he was, indeed, actually the best.

Now Wentz is on the fast track to supplant him, and he has no one holding a clipboard or wearing a headset or making personnel moves placing any obstacles in his path.

Feel for McNabb. But can’t hold that against Wentz.

He’s been given the keys to the car, and he’s driving it incredibly well.

It’s not just the numbers that he put up, say, in a game such as Monday night’s 34-24 victory against Washington at the Linc – and, make no doubt, the 264 yards and four touchdowns passing along with 64 yards rushing were impressive. It’s the way they were achieved.

Some of the Houdini acts he pulled off to avoid pressure and make plays compared favorably to those pulled by Randall Cunningham and McNabb himself, and the 64-yard bomb he dropped picture-perfect, in-stride to a racing Mack Hollins in the second quarter burst the fear balloon for good.

Yo, Eagles fans, you really can let your guard down.

Wentz has this.

Enjoy.
​

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College Football  |  Orange highlight sport's greatness

10/20/2017

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YDKJ's Top 10s

Picture
TEAMS
1. Alabama
7-0 ... vs. TENN on SAT

2. Georgia
7-0 ... vs. FLA on OCT 28

3. Penn State
6-0 vs. MICH on SAT

4. Texas Christian
6-0 ... vs. KAN on SAT

5. Clemson
6-1 ... vs. GT on OCT 28

6. Wisconsin
6-0 ... vs. MD on SAT

7. Oklahoma
5-1 ... at KSU on SAT

8. Ohio State
6-1 ... vs. PSU on OCT 28

9. Miami
5-0 ... vs. SYR on SAT

10. South Florida
6-0 ... at TUL on SAT

PLAYERS
1. Saquan Barkley
Penn State RB

2. Bryce Love
Stanford RB

3. Baker Mayfield
Oklahoma QB

4. J.T. Barrett
Ohio State QB

5. Mason Rudolph
Oklahoma State QB

6. McKenzie Milton
Central Florida QB

7. Will Greer
West Virginia QB

​8. Trace McSorley
Penn State QB

9. Josey Jewell
Iowa LB

​10. James Washington
Oklahoma State WR


Picture
Junior quarterback Eric Dungey (2) threw for 278 yards and 3 TDs in last weekend's stunning, 27-24 Syracuse upset of then-No. 2 Clemson.
by Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

It never ceases to amaze.

Or entertain.

Once autumn arrives, the pads come on and the popping starts all across the country at schools well-known, not-so-well-known and maybe previously known, my happy place comes alive inside much like an amusement park for a kid.

College football, for me, it's just the best. At least when it comes to the world of sports.

Last weekend was a perfect case in point. Then again, pick a weekend, any weekend, and a person with a pulse and passion for athletic endeavors.

For now, though, gotta give kudos to Syracuse University harkening back to more glorious times, when it competed favorably with the nation's elite on a regular basis and churned out legendary running backs and a franchise quarterback for our hometown Eagles.

The Orange were big time, or as close to it as can be, for a long time. But it had been awhile since those outside alums and upstate New York sports fans took notice.

Last Friday night, with junior quarterback Eric Dungey looking like a cross between Donovan McNabb and Troy Nunes, that all changed as 'Cuse KO'd reigning national champion Clemson, 27-24.

No fluke, either. Yeah, Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant got knocked out in the second quarter, but the Orange already had shown they weren't about to back down from what had been the No. 2-ranked team. They out-gained their guests, 440-317. Held the ball 10 minutes longer. Didn't fade after any of the Tigers' rallies from deficits.

The true beauty of the sport ... 'Cuse has a golden opportunity now just eight days later to show just how legit it is, with a visit to No. 8 Miami tomorrow afternoon.

Something else, too ... Syracuse's win was hardly the only head-turning upset of the weekend. Heck, for that matter, of that night. California, a fellow unranked squad, absolutely smoked previously unbeaten and eighth-ranked Washington State, 37-3, a few hours later.

A night later, 2-3 Arizona State knocked off No. 5 Washington (13-7), a national semifinalist a year ago, Louisiana State topped 10th-ranked Auburn (27-23), Boise State beat No. 19 San Diego State (31-14), West Virginia overwhelmed No. 24 Texas Tech (46-35), and Memphis outlasted No. 25 Navy (30-27) ... and then outlasted Houston last night while being ranked 25th (42-38).

Just doesn't get any better.

Not for me ... and that's even with both of my schools going down in flames.

Ugh-ma Matters: Things ain't looking too hot for either of my alma maters, as Temple and Illinois both took it on the chin from conference doormats Connecticut (American Athletic) and Rutgers (Big Ten), umm, respectively.

Not for nothing, but both losses were embarrassing. Yeah, get it. Temple, with Matt Rhule having bolted to Baylor, figured to have some growing pains, even coming off a conference title-winning campaign, and Illinois did, too, because, well, it's Illinois and it always seems to be enduring some semblance of growing pains as it forever fights to avoid the basement.

The Owls and Illini may be at that point anyway, though. Seriously. UConn had just given up 70 the week before to Memphis, yet somehow managed to eke out a 28-24 win at the Linc on Temple's homecoming weekend – even though the Owls almost doubled it up on yardage.

Temple quarterback Logan Marchi may be the most gifted passer to spend time on North Broad and have absolutely no feel for the game, any game, whatsoever. His, ah, ability to reach incredible highs and lows within seconds of one another is astounding. He has no peer in the frustrating category.

Illinois? Well, you get pushed around by Rutgers, on your own turf ... you got some serious problems, and one of them might be the head coach – Lovie Smith – seemingly having the program cemented somewhere mediocrity and obscurity despite major financial commitments from the school on his and the gridiron Illini's behalf.

Looking Sharp: Miami may have struggled to slip by vastly underrated Georgia Tech, but, man, did it steal the show in the uniform department Saturday. That white helmet/green jersey/white pants getup is the best they've ever worn as far as the eyes behind this piece have witnessed. The Hurricanes never really look bad. They've just never looked sharper ... and that's coming for a guy who loves orange, which is the color they typically make their primary.

Pssst, here's a tip to the fashion police at any school that does have orange as a primary color – it stands out more when you make it a secondary or supporting color.
​
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NBA  |  42 wins doesn't seem out of the question, does it?

10/18/2017

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Picture
Sixers Big 3: Markelle Fultz, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Picture
by Jack Kerwin  |  [email protected]

T
hinking 42.

Not a gut-instinct thing. More a practical, rational, numbers-crunching deal.

Crazy, right?

As the 76ers get set to open their 2017-18 season in a couple hours to as much or more fanfare than they’ve experienced in Philly and beyond since, sheesh, Iverson and his band of pass to him-first, defense-second overachievers were scratching and clawing into the 2001 NBA Finals, you gotta come up with a number.

That’s mine.

Forty-two. Come a Joel Embiid injury or a Ben Simmons breakout into superstardom.

It seems to me a realistic win total for a team suddenly packed with talent … and loaded with question marks.

Let’s face it. We really, truly don’t know what to expect here. We can hope, dream, even pontificate on the pros and cons, but it’s a total guess at this point … until we see whether Generational Player 1’s body holds up or not and whether Generational Player 2’s game, particularly in the outside shooting department, evolves or not.

Markelle Fultz, this year’s No. 1 pick courtesy of another edition of Tank City? Honestly, once you get past Big Joe and Ben everyone else is pretty much a role player.

J.J. Redick, the over-priced off-season pick-up, is your pre-determined sharpshooter so desperately needed on a squad filled with wheeler-dealers who have little or no touch from more than two feet away from the basket.

Robert Covington is your over-looked “glue” guy who actually turned himself into one helluva all-around, mid-level player with some serious defensive chops against 3s, 4s and even 2s.

Dario Saric is Simmons Light, and we’re not talking skin color here, either. They have similar games, one from the left side, of course, and more skilled. But, still, very similar. Both 6-10, with pretty good handles, and not just the willingness to pass, but the ability to do so as well. Saric just happens to be more comfy hoisting it up himself, which may work well coming off the bench in conjunction with the scoring-driven Fultz, giving the second group a nice 1-2 offensive punch.

Trusting the process has taken fans and head coach Brett Brown through four mind-numbing seasons of 19, 18, 10 and 28 victories, respectively.

But it has yielded two overall No. 1s in Simmons, Fultz and an otherworldly human in Embiid, who somehow manages to cram both incredible athleticism and unbelievable awkwardness into a now well-muscled 7-foot-2 frame. Saric, too. Not to mention avenues for the likes of a gym rat such as T.J. McConnell to show that he has real value in the NBA.

Jahlil Okafor? Umm, nothing to mention there … unless he brings in something, anything in a trade.
​

It only stands to reason that the team will improve, perhaps dramatically so, with so many pieces now in place. Able to play, together, once and for all.

So, 42 seems safe. Sound. Almost sensible.

Could it be more? Sure. Less? No doubt.

But given the progression of things here, natural or not, the team, the organization does appear pointed in an upward direction. Even the recent signing of Embiid to a max deal despite just 31 games of experience in the three years since he was drafted is evidence the guy signing the checks has faith now.

So, why not us?

Forty-two then it is … and a spot in the playoffs.


It seems to me a realistic win total for a team suddenly packed with talent ... and loaded with question marks. Let's face it. We really, truly don't know what to expect here. We can hope, dream, even pontificate on the pros and cons, but it's a total guess at this point ... until we see whether Generational Player 1's body holds up or not and whether Generational Player 2's game, particularly in the outside shooting department, evolves or not.
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