The ACC Championship

[Eric]

Sitting 3 1/2 hours in rain in the 30's is not typical of Big Ten football...the average temp for Big 10 games was 59 degrees.

I don't think Spence was talking about football weather per se. 40 degrees is the norm for November football anyway.

[Spence]

High temps in B-10 country in September 75-80, usually dry. High temps in October are 50-70, usually dry. High temps in November 40-60 generally wet. High temps in December 30-45 typically wet early and dry late. It isn't surprising that the average temp is 59, but you aren't typically going to get 59 in November or September.

[Spence]

The cold temps generally don't make it harder or easier to play. The air is heavier so the football doesn't travel as well and the ground is either harder or that cold/wet combo. That is tough on players, but fans can just wear some layers with something rain proof on top and it really isn't uncomfortable at all.

[Spence]

That wasn't your typical Virginia Tech-Florida State kind of game.

[Cane from the Bend]

And it wasn't quite the blowout the SEC championship game was.

.

.

.

[billybud]

An 11 point game..I had 8-10 figured.

The future showed some tonight, and I am happy with the way Jimbo has the kids going. Manuel will be good next year with Ponder gone. The true freshman safety won't get fooled so much (he was out of position on a handful of big completions for VT).

VT had some wide open receivers that gave them easy points...based on defensive coverage breakdowns. FSU's passing game looked pretty good.

If Stoops can teach the young kids the zone D and get it going so that there aren't so many broken coverages with guys running alone out in space, FSU will be fine. I could see how athletic the defensive backs were.

[WoVeU]

With Ponder out the Noles chances were very slim, they did well for having to play a back-up in that situation.

[Spence]

With Ponder out the Noles chances were very slim, they did well for having to play a back-up in that situation.

I saw what Billybud saw, I thought the offense played pretty well without Ponder. Too many defensive breakdowns, especially in the secondary. I didn't get to see the backfield because TV doesn't think anyone cares about the defensive backfield, but from how wide open some guys were, I would suspect there were some picks going on to block out the centerfielder.

[WoVeU]

With Ponder out the Noles chances were very slim, they did well for having to play a back-up in that situation.

I saw what Billybud saw, I thought the offense played pretty well without Ponder. Too many defensive breakdowns, especially in the secondary. I didn't get to see the backfield because TV doesn't think anyone cares about the defensive backfield, but from how wide open some guys were, I would suspect there were some picks going on to block out the centerfielder.

TV just gets worse and worse for people who know something about the game!

[donovan]

You're limiting your TV comment just to football?

[Spence]

You're limiting your TV comment just to football?

No, that is just something that has always bugged me. You can tell so much more what is going on if you can see the backfield. You lose half the picture when you take that view away.

[billybud]

Spence...I had to watch the replays to see the play.

Many times, two defenders would miscommunicate in the zone and take the same man...leaving a receiver running through a seam alone. Another time, two defensive backs collided as their recievers did a "brush off" route.

If Stoops can get that zone defense going (this is first year) so that the defensive backs understand coverage responsiblity, the athletes are there to execute it.

At the half, it was still a game. The two VT strikes early in the third Qtr broke the game open. I can see FSU getting better next year...the Noles are very young.

[Spence]

Spence...I had to watch the replays to see the play.

Many times, two defenders would miscommunicate in the zone and take the same man...leaving a receiver running through a seam alone. Another time, two defensive backs collided as their recievers did a "brush off" route.

If Stoops can get that zone defense going (this is first year) so that the defensive backs understand coverage responsiblity, the athletes are there to execute it.

At the half, it was still a game. The two VT strikes early in the third Qtr broke the game open. I can see FSU getting better next year...the Noles are very young.

I thought it was probably a pick a couple of times. The DB's will take the same man sometimes, but generally when someone is that wide open, that often, someone is throwing a pick and knocking a DB out of the coverage. I just didn't see the pick happen, because TV won't generally show you the backfield except on replay. I was watching the Neb-Okla game too, so I didn't watch much replay action.