May 25, 2013

Big 12 Coaches: Weeden lacks poise in the pocket

May 6, 2012 by 38 Comments

Any knocks on Brandon Weeden usually stem from his age, not his arm strength and accuracy with the football. But according to some of the coaches that faced him in college, Weeden may be a bit (in Butch Davis’s words) “skittish”.

From Pro-Football Talk:

NFL Films guru Greg Cosell saw some struggles under pressure on Weeden’s game tape, and in interviews with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Big 12 coaches who faced Weeden in college said they noticed the same thing.

“He got quick feet. He got nervous,” observed Iowa State defensive coordinator Wally Burnham, whose Cyclones defeated Weeden’s Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2011 regular season finale. “He really threw the ball away in a hurry. I’m not saying he was scared, he just wanted to get the ball out to his hot receiver.”

Former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables, now on Clemson’s staff, faced Weeden twice in college and similarly surmised that Weeden’s ability, or inability, to improve under duress will indicate his career path.

“The challenge in the NFL,” said Venables, “will be when the pocket’s collapsing.”

I would imagine with good offensive line and a solid running game, Weeden’s poise under pressure won’t be an issue in the NFL.

Filed Under: Headlines Tagged With: , ,

While We’re Waiting… Izzo Says No, Conference Championships and Santana

June 16, 2010 by 61 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves up an daily breakfast buffet of WFNY-esque goodies for your reading pleasure. Have something else you think we should see and write about tomorrow? Send it to all of us at our fancy tips email address at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

The ultimate beat writer talks about the Izzo failure: “When the Cavaliers fired Mike Brown three weeks ago, team owner Dan Gilbert knew he was taking a risk with LeBron James’ free agency clouding the franchise’s future. It is an unprecedented situation and it required unprecedented measures, which Gilbert took by aggressively going after Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. He offered a massive amount of money and the sort of support Gilbert’s become known for in his five years running the team.” [Brian Windhorst/Plain Dealer]

And from the college basketball world, what the no-change means for Michigan State: “When the puff of smoke came out of the chimneys in East Lansing and Tom Izzo ended his tap dance with NBA riches, telling the Cleveland Cavaliers that LeBron James or no LeBron James, he was staying with Michigan State, it was another reason for college athletics to sigh a breath of relief.” [Dana O'Neil/ESPN.com]
[Read more...]

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

While We’re Waiting…Loyalty vs. Leaving For the Money, Celebs, and The Youth Movement

June 15, 2010 by 35 Comments

Its guest-host week here on While We’re Waiting. With Scott on a much needed vacation, its TD here as your captain of the SS WWW. In today’s episode, we will examine what others think of the crazy sports world we live in, in the place we call home; Northeast Ohio. On a side note, I’d like to thank all of you who alert us to so many of these excellent links for our daily dose of linkage. So without further ado….

Playing the loyalty card? Something we know a ton about. “This state is not a cesspool, as it is often — too often — portrayed nationally. Michigan State is not a second-class school that is smaller than its basketball program and iconic coach. Michigan State made Tom Izzo. The State of Michigan made Tom Izzo. Not the other way around.” – Pat Caputo/Oakland Press

[Read more...]

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , , , , , ,

So…You’re Sayin’ There’s a Chance

September 17, 2008 by 30 Comments

It happened almost five days ago, and most of us are all still in disbelief about the absolute dismantling that took place at the hands of the Southern California Trojans.  No, we were not favored.  But even the most pessimistic Buckeye fan did not imagine that the Scarlet and Gray would fail to score a touchdown.  Not one.  Senseless penalties, questionable play-calling, and downright lifelessness all lead to the debacle in Los Angeles, California.

The result?  Well, you have a slew of opinions from fans, as well as those who were waiting for the Buckeyes to fail.  Take your pick…We have the comments from our open blog.  We even have the take from our friends over at Eleven Warriors.  And then there are the others…

All in all, the consensus among journalists, bloggers and fans of college football: The Buckeyes’ hopes of a National Championship are done.  Kaput.  Finished.  And more often than not, you have a splash of “We told you so.”  Alas, the polls took us down a few rungs as the Associated Press has Ohio State 13th, USA Today places them 14th, and the Coaches Poll is 11th.  Regardless, there are about a dozen teams ahead of Ohio State, and this is all before the BCS even releases their initial take on matters.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Playoffs, you’re talking about playoffs?”

May 1, 2008 by 3 Comments

mikeslive.jpgWho’s the guy with the sour puss? Why it’s SEC Commisioner Mike Slive! 

In a move that our SEC brethren will no doubt find a way to blame on Ohio State, or the Big Ten in general, the BCS committee decided against going to a plus one format. It was not just the Big Ten and Pac Ten that were opposed to the change however. Commissioners from the Big East, Big 12, WAC, C-USA, MAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt were opposed to changing the nature of the BCS as well. (Thanks to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach)

Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said if the proposed plus-one model for determining college football’s national champion “looked like a playoff, smelled like a playoff and felt like a playoff,” it probably was a playoff.

For a BCS meeting that was supposed to be uneventful, this bombshell was front and center after the 11 conference commissioners and White met behind closed doors for the third straight day: The Big Ten and Pac-10 aren’t alone in their opposition to a playoff.

And any chance of a college football playoff is dead, at least for a long, long time. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes, General Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,