Florida State v Auburn

[billybud]

The best team has three phases of the game to compete in...offense, defense, and special teams.

FSU had the best kicker in the country. If Alabama had FSU's kicker, they would have played in the NC game instead of Auburn.

Re the kick off return...

"But the one that got them started, those frantic final minutes of a legendary fourth quarter, goes by two simple words.

"Counter Left."

That's the name of the return that sprung freshman Levonte Whitfield for 100 yards and gave Florida State its first lead since the first quarter of the BCS Championship Game. Perhaps the most interesting part of the play itself is how it was called.

Special teams coordinator Charles Kelly, when requested for comment, was intent on walking with running backs coach Jay Graham to answer questions. The reason? Graham suggested the play.

"First of all, I'm going to give him the credit," Kelly said. "Everybody asks me because I'm the special teams coordinator, but Jay's the one that made the call. He's worked that return, he's believed in it all year and it's worked good for us."

It wasn't the first time the 'Noles tried the play Monday night.

"We've got guys up in the boxes and we all talk about it, we said we thought it was there," explained Graham. "We ran it in the first half and it almost got out of there and we came back to it. It was a great job by Kermit, great blocking up front."

The execution comes in two waves. First, the front line blockers attack to the returner's right in order to create a crease. Then it's up to players like Chad Abram and Karlos Williams to lead the way.

Williams' success in sealing Johnathon Mincy sprung the play.

"Once I saw that Karlos made that block, I cut off him and started running," said Whitfield. "I started accelerating, running for it as fast as I could. And when I run as fast as I (can), there's nobody that can catch me."

"I stopped him a couple of times (to take a knee) already and me and him had a conversation about it," Karlos Williams said. "I tried to be cautious, big game, that was my fault. Should have let the kid be loose before that, but you know when he caught the ball and brought it out of the end zone, he showed the world what he was made of."

[billybud]

The karma turning point....

The camera catches Winston, FSU's legendary ball boy (Red Lightning), and Nick Saban and Lee Corso.

Saban and Corso are on the FSU sideline as Winston and Red Lightning flash by.


http://deadspin.com/corso-saban-red-lig ... 1496241286

[Dossenator]

I don't disagree Billybud...it takes all three facets to be a well rounded team. FSU won the special teams battle for sure.

The other two areas are a wash. I think both teams offenses showed a championship fight on their final drives. Auburn had the ball with 4 minutes left and had done nothing the 4th quarter against FSU...and what did they do. Well they run it down the throats of FSU's defense and scored a TD. FSU then did the same to Auburn but through the air.

I just did not see this huge difference in the teams abilities or the athletes on either side of the ball. You would have thought going into the game that Auburn should not even show up. Read a stat that said Auburn had the 22nd toughest schedule this season going into the championship game and had played two top 10 teams and won both games. FSU played the 66 toughest schedule (the worst by any championship game contender in a decade) and had played zero top 10 teams.

Not sure why I am trying to defend Auburn other than I would like to see Gus be successful.

And I would not have traded Arkansas place kicker/fieldgoal kicker for anyone this year (not even FSU's). Zack Hocker was overlooked because Arkansas was terrible but his numbers were amzing this year. He was automatic. He lead the nation with the most touchbacks on kickoffs, he hit more than one 50+ yard field goal this year, and I believe he only missed one field goal all season (maybe 2 of you count a blocked kick). He did not even make the top 20 list for best kicker in nation for the award given out (what a joke).

On a side note: the guy that ran the kickoff back was one fast dude. I had flashbacks of Joe Adams running kickoffs back for Arkansas. You know back when Ark was good. Then I snapped back the the reality that Ark is flat out terrible.

[billybud]

Auburn looked a lot better with the defense knowing all of the calls the first half...changed up signaling and FSU controls 31-10.

Audio of FSU players complaining to Jimbo...that Dameyune was calling out the plays...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_J6H6UU ... load_owner

[donovan]

And that's Auburn"s fault? Sounds like to me FSU has some culpability if they did not like it. Can't remember the last time National Champions were such a bunch of whiners.

[billybud]

Nobody is whining except a west coast sniveler....

If you read what jimbo said..He said...happens all of the time..no sweat..my bad.

It is just a conversation piece that Auburn was calling out the signals....and it did impact the game. Some people see it as football conversation...and some prunes with a disposition to take swipes at almost anything will complain about whining, complain about how teams will be picked for a play off...complain, complain.

Just another cranky post.

[donovan]

Nobody is whining except a west coast sniveler....

If you read what jimbo said..He said...happens all of the time..no sweat..my bad.

It is just a conversation piece that Auburn was calling out the signals....and it did impact the game. Some people see it as football conversation...and some prunes with a disposition to take swipes at almost anything will complain about whining, complain about how teams will be picked for a play off...complain, complain.

Just another cranky post.

Let us all genuflect at the feet of the triumphant and sing their praises and give this chant of homage. "We are weak but thou art strong."

And never mention prunes to an old guy....

[Spence]

prunes- prunes -prunes- prunes...................I will be right back.............

[billybud]

I feel bad about ragging on old Donovan. It isn't his fault.

Living in the forever overcast area of Oregon, where there really are fifty shades of gray, is bound to have some effect.

Every day that you don't see the sun is a day that your soul shrivels a little. And prunes won't help.

I am absolutely stunned by the thought that no boomer sub crew, after three months underwater, has not yet gone over the edge and blown the bejezus out of some target. They must have a top secret sunshine replicator on board.

[donovan]

I feel bad about ragging on old Donovan. It isn't his fault.

Living in the forever overcast area of Oregon, where there really are fifty shades of gray, is bound to have some effect.

Every day that you don't see the sun is a day that your soul shrivels a little. And prunes won't help.

I am absolutely stunned by the thought that no boomer sub crew, after three months underwater, has not yet gone over the edge and blown the bejezus out of some target. They must have a top secret sunshine replicator on board.

There is a fact, everyone living in Oregon should be taking Vitamin D. And it only takes ten minutes of sunshine to not need it...but today for example it is slate gray outside.

[Spence]

I have been to Seattle once and I liked it there. It did rain every day except the final day I was there. I got to see Mt Rainier and the Cascades that last day because it became clear enough to see that day. It is a pretty cool city though to go as a tourist. The fish market area was great, although the fish throwing wasn't nearly as cool as I thought it would be. The underground tour I thought was cool. Not because of what we saw, but because of the guide. He new his history and was very entertaining. I would do it again. I went on a dinner boat, that I could skip next time and went to the top of the space needle - again something I could skip. The city itself was similar in feel to Boston, although, they are very different places. The food was very good. Two places I ate that I would recommend to others would be "The Brooklyn" and a place called "Wild Ginger". There is also a gelato place close to Wild Ginger that was very good. I don't remember the name.

[billybud]

I have never been north of the Napa Valley on the west coast....I spent some time stationed in San Diego and Camp Pendleton (L.A.)...both had terrific weather...sunny.

My wife and I had a couple of foggy days in Frisco...but it cleared by noon...Sonoma and Napa were like tourist brochures...

[donovan]

Giving credibility to Mr. Billybud pains me. But this is exactly what it looked like this morning at 9:36 AM.



We have not seen the sun in three days...and today is not promising, but tomorrow, maybe.