Wounded Eagles
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Nothing ever goes exactly as planned in football, especially on offense.
To look at a play as it’s drawn up, every run appears to have enough blockers to spring the ball carrier.
Similarly, every pass seems to have plenty of protection and the perfect combination of routes that should lead to a receiver breaking into open space for the quarterback.
Yet, a quick look at even a few plays of any game show that the efforts to move the ball more often resemble a well thought-out plan that tries to hold together as long as possible before dissolving into chaos.
To be sure, the Georgia Southern offense isn’t flailing or in disarray after two games, the current state of the unit isn’t what was hoped for back in the summer.
A lot of that can be chalked up more to who isn’t playing than negative things being done by those who are on the field.
Starting quarterback Shai Werts was knocked out in the first half of the LSU game and remains doubtful to return this week after being held out against Maine.
Slotback Wesley Kennedy III has yet to play a down as he serves out an academic suspension.
Linemen Drew Wilson and Jarod Leeds missed time in preseason camp with concussions while starting tackle Brian Miller was lost for the season with an injury suffered two weeks before kickoff.
And in one final easy-to-see blemish, the second half of Saturday’s game featured a host of wayward snaps that came after starting center Jakob Cooper left with an injury.
For the most part, the scariest injury situation seemed to work out the best for concerned Eagle fans against Maine.
Werts will be welcomed back when he is healthy, but backup quarterback Justin Tomlin looked confident and ran hard on his way to 195 yards of total offense and a touchdown.
But Tomlin also had some sore spots as he contributed to the Eagles’ seven fumbles and seemed less sure of running the option when going to his left.
Cooper appears to be on track to return to the middle of the offensive line this week at Minnesota, but Saturday raised a red flag for Georgia Southern if the need to replace him pops up again. Spring practice featured a constant cycle of potential centers, with all having their trouble with inconsistent snaps.
Aaron Dowdell was called upon against Maine. His efforts keeping Tomlin guessing, ultimately highlighted (or lowlighted?) with a high snap that sent Tomlin scrambling 15 yards backwards and stalled what could have been a game-clinching touchdown in the second half.
As for the rest of the skill position players, the health is good, but the consistency hasn’t shown up quite yet.
Matt LaRoche had a career day with 154 rushing yards and a touchdown on Saturday while Logan Wright went for 114. But J.D. King was held to 16 yards on 12 carries aside from his one rush of 25 and the game plan didn’t appear to be comfortable showcasing any slotback in the manner that would be expected if Kennedy was on the field.
The yo-yoing nature of the Eagles’ early opponents continues this week as Georgia Southern travels to Minnesota.
Another long road trip against a P5 school it is facing for the first time might make it hard to make evaluations of the offense any clearer after this weekend, but the fact remains that continued explosiveness and more overall consistency is needed for the Eagles to end up where they want to be.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Recapping last weekend college football action around the sunshine state, we have the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, to steal a line from the classic 1966 spaghetti western.
The Good:
UCF traveled to Boca Raton on Saturday and true freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel led the Knights to a 48-14 victory over FAU.
UCF’s rushing attack of McCrae (93 yards), Thompson (91 yards and a touchdown), Anderson (75 yards) and Killins (37) amassed more than 300 yards rushing for the second week in a row.
Gabriel finished the night 7 of 19 passing for 245 yard and 2 touchdowns. UCF’s defense put pressure on Florida Atlantic quarterback Chris Robinson all night long. UCF tallied 5 sacks with 16 tackles for loss.
Up next for the Knights is Stanford.
Stanford quarterback K.J. Castello is expected to start after missing last week’s loss to USC due to a concussion.
UCF opens as a seven-point favorite over the Cardinals. This is a classic battle of two contrasting styles. UCF wants to play fast, whereas Stanford prefers to play in a phone booth.
UCF’s defense will be challenged against Stanford’s huge offensive line.
Game time is 3:30 at The Bounce House. Stanford melts in the fourth quarter. My take: UCF 34 Stanford 21
Florida Gators took care of business against one of their cupcakes on Saturday by shutting out UT Martin 45-0. Feleipe Franks completed 25-27 for 270 yards, 0 interceptions and 2 touchdowns. The Gators took care of business on both sides of the ball against a less talented UT Martin.
Up next for the Gators is a trip to Lexington, Kentucky to open SEC play against the Wildcats.
Both teams are 2-0 but Kentucky is forced to play without starting quarterback Terry Wilson due to injury. Wilson torched the Gators last season as Kentucky ended a 31-game losing streak vs. Florida.
Sawyer Smith will get the nod for the Wildcats on Saturday night. Kavosiey Smoke leads the Wildcat’s rushing attack 18 carries for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Florida will enter this contest with two major players out due to injury Kadarius Toney (shoulder) and C.J. Henderson (ankle).
The Gators look for revenge in the commonwealth after Kentucky broke the streak. Gators defense too much for Smith and company. My take: Florida 31 Kentucky 16
The Bad:
The Miami Hurricanes have lost their first two games since 1978.
North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Hurricanes 28-25. The Tar Heels were led for the second week in a row by Freshman quarterback Sam Howell. Howell’s touchdown pass to Dazz Newsome with 1:01 left in the game put the Tar Heels up 28-25.
Miami had one last chance but Bubba Baxa shanked the field goal attempt wide left to seal the North Carolina victory.
Jarren Williams 30 for 39 for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns and Deejay Dallas 14 carries for 107 yards paced the Hurricanes.
Miami will rebound this week with a blowout win against an overmatched Bethune Cookman Wildcats. My take: Miami 54 Bethune Cookman 13
The Ugly:
Florida State won the game against UL Monroe but collapsed in the 2nd half again.
Leading 24-7 at half, Florida State forgot for the second week that there are four quarters to play.
UL Monroe scored on their first four drive of the second half. UL Monroe outscored the Seminoles 31-14 in the second half, and forced overtime.
Cam Akers carried the Seminoles the entire game with 36 carries for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns while also catching 5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.
Akers scored on a third and goal to give the Seminoles lead 45-38.
UL Monroe QB Caleb Evans walked in moments later to bring UL Monroe an extra point from a second overtime.
The Seminoles got lucky when the extra point sailed wide right.
Florida State travels Virginia to open ACC conference play against the Cavaliers. Coach Taggart and company avoid a second straight disaster.
FSU right now is a dumpster fire and the Cavaliers take advantage of the chaos. My take: Virginia 31 FSU 23.
Week 3 Matchups
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The college football season is underway.
So far, the best matchup was with top-10 teams LSU and Texas. Let’s take a look at some of the best Week 3 games.
No. 9 Florida @ Kentucky: Both teams are 2-0. The Wildcats got the first win in the series last season since 1986. Star running back Benny Snell left for the NFL after his junior season. Kentucky quarterback Terry Wilson will miss the remainder of the season with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
Feleipe Franks can keep the other team in the game with turnovers. I’m expecting him to play well and the Gators just have more talent. They should get revenge and start a new 30 plus year win streak in this series.
Stanford @ No. 17 UCF: Notre Dame transfer QB Brandon Wimbush started the season opener, a 62-0 win over Florida A&M. He did not play in the last game against FAU and true freshman Dillon Gabriel started. Coach Josh Heupel was vague, saying Wimbush was not 100% after game 1.
The Cardinal lost badly to USC last week. The Trojans star quarterback went down and true freshman Kedon Slovis came in and passed for 377 yards, 3 touchdowns with no interceptions.
The question is, can the same thing happen this week? Will a bigger Power 5 school regret coming to Orlando to play UCF? I don’t think so. Stanford is more talented and physical than the Knights. It will not matter who they have at QB.
No. 6 Ohio State @ Indiana: We all know Justin Fields transferred from UGA and was able to play immediately. He’s played well in his first two games, throwing for 458 yards, 6 TD’s with 0 picks. He’s also rushed for 103 yards and 3 TD’s. Both teams are undefeated but the Buckeyes are the clear favorite.
Fields is an early front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, which is why this game is important. OSU also has a great running back in J.K. Dobbins that will run for over one hundred yards and multiple scores.
No. 2 Alabama @ South Carolina: This is the first true road game for the Crimson Tide. Anything can happen going into hostile conditions. Bama has star QB and Heisman front-runner Tua Tagovailoa and the best receiving corps in college football.
The Game Cocks lost the season opener to North Carolina. They bounced back and beat FCS Charleston Southern. Starting quarterback Jake Bentley fractured his left foot and will undergo season-ending surgery.
Nick Saban snapped at the media Saturday after being questioned about playing New Mexico State. I expect him to be hard on the team this week and they will come out on fire against SEC competition. They should win by 30 plus.
No. 1 Clemson @ Syracuse: The Orangemen were ranked 21st nationally when Saturday started. They ended with a 63-20 loss to unranked Maryland. They have played Clemson close over the previous two seasons, including a home win in 2017.
Trevor Lawrence looked amazing in last season’s national championship game. He received a ton of hype coming into the season and he’s been disappointing thus far. He threw 2 interceptions and 1 TD in the season opener against Georgia Tech. On the season, he has 3 picks and 2 touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 77.3, putting him outside of the Top 20 nationally.
This should be a bounce back game for him and the Tigers will roll.
The Strong Silent Type
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the better part of a decade at the wide receiver position, there has been almost a direct correlation between a player’s ability to perform on the field and his antics off it. The crazier the antics the more talented the player must be, otherwise why put up with it.
That said, it’s somewhat poetic that on the same day Antonio Brown is turning in a diva performance the entire cast of “Real Housewives of New York City” would’ve been proud of, Julio Jones is signed a contract making him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL.
I say this because when a player like Jones- someone who doesn’t throw sideline rants, blames losses on his lack of targets, or post videos on social media demeaning the organization he plays for- becomes the highest paid, it almost catches you by surprise. (During the stretch when Jones wasn’t getting many red zone targets, could you have pictured him posting a video of all his touchdown catches in Atlanta followed by the words “Remember Me???” as the video fades to black? Now how about Brown?)
I’m sure Jones is more vocal behind closed doors, but if so that at least seems to be where those conversations stay. And while some may look at him holding out as diva-like behavior I have no issue with it, especially when you consider the way it’s been handled by both Jones and the Falcons.
There are several different avenues to venture down when you discuss making a 30-year-old the highest paid wideout in the league, but the real story that will have implications across the league are the terms of the extension- $66 million over the next three years, all guaranteed.
Regardless of what side of the argument you fall on- whether contracts should be guaranteed or not- you must admit Jones’ contract could be the turning point for how those contracts are handled in the NFL.
How many times have you heard of a deal stalling out not because of the length or total money involved, but because of the guaranteed dollars?
As annoying as it is, there’s a reason “The number of years or total dollar amount doesn’t matter, it’s all about what’s guaranteed” comment is ingrained in our minds. I understand why NFL money isn’t guaranteed, but it’s a huge hurdle that sometimes can’t be overcome.
In a profession where contracts are built upon existing contracts with other players, why in the world would another player of Jones’ caliber settle for anything less than a fully guaranteed contract, or at least something close to that. If I were him, I wouldn’t.
I’m not saying this is something that will happen overnight, or take place for every player in the league, but the precedent has been set and I imagine there will be a line of football players waiting to follow in Jones’ footsteps.
Whether or not you believe Jones is worth the money at this stage of his career, or if you think he’ll have lived up to his contract five years from now may not even matter.
There’s a good chance we’ll look back at his signing as a change of the times and something that may alter the way the NFL handles contracts from here on out.
And it all happened without the use of Instagram.
Picking Teams
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
A playoff spot is pretty much a lock at this point for the Atlanta Braves. The math is starting to catch up, as the Braves’ magic number lowers each day.
That being said, the Braves have had all kinds of contributors to their winning ways in 2019 but only 25 of them will be called upon to be on the playoff roster. This week we’re going to try and predict who’s going to be helping the Bravos win their first playoff series since 2001 and (hopefully) play deep into October.
STARTING PITCHERS
Mike Soroka
Dallas Keuchel
Max Fried
Julio Teheran
Mike Foltynewicz
This one is pretty easy, as the starting rotation has been one of the more consistent parts of the Braves’ team this year, especially after Alex Anthopoulos picked up Keuchel and Folty was called back up from Triple A Gwinnett.
I chose to include all five starts despite the fact that, at most, the Braves will only throw four of them in a five-game Division Series.
My reasoning is this: it’s pretty clear that Soroka and Keuchel will go 1-2, and Fried probably locked down the third start, but Teheran has been steady all year and has earned his spot in the playoff rotation.
With Folty as the odd man out, you’ve got a flamethrower who could ratchet up the heat coming out of the bullpen for long relief or even just to get a much-needed strikeout.
BULLPEN
Mark Melancon
Shane Greene
Chris Martin
Sean Newcomb
Luke Jackson
Jerry Blevins
Darren O’Day
The first five here are obvious. Melancon, Greene, and Martin were the big ticket items acquired at the trade deadline in July, Newcomb has found new life in relief, and Luke Jackson, despite his still-frustrating missteps, has been the mainstay of the bullpen all year long.
Jackson held down the role of closer for months when the ‘pen was a mess, and his ticket is punched to the postseason.
Blevins will make the roster so that Newk isn’t the only southpaw, and while O’Day was hurt up until this week, he’ll be given every opportunity to show Brian Snitker that he can take the ball in high leverage situations.
CATCHERS
Brian McCann
Francisco Cervelli
Tyler Flowers
It’s a little unorthodox, but my gut tells me three catchers. Cervelli may not even see a pitch (batting or catching), but his presence allows Snit to use Mac or Flowers as a pinch hitter late in games.
INFIELDERS
Freddie Freeman
Ozzie Albies
Josh Donaldson
Dansby Swanson
Adieny Hechavarria*
The fifth spot is the interesting one here.
Johan Camargo was abysmal in the big leagues during 2019, but he turned things around in Gwinnett and brings more versatility to the bench than Hechavarria does.
I’m not sure that Camargo will get enough playing time over the next few weeks to erase the bad taste from the season’s first half. That’s why I think the veteran will get the nod here – maybe (see below).
OUTFIELDERS
Ronald Acuña Jr.
Austin Riley
Nick Markakis
Matt Joyce
Charlie Culberson
Billy Hamilton*
*One or the other
This is where things get hairy.
Markakis, assuming he makes it back on the field in the next week or so, will get a playoff spot.
The real question mark is Ender Inciarte. Ender was tearing the cover off the ball before he got hurt for the second time in 2019.
The Gold Glover, who is the de facto center fielder, can’t just be discarded if he’s healthy. If he does make it back, that throws the rest of the outfield into disarray.
Austin Riley struggled enough in the second half that he might not get the call if Ender resumes his starting duties and Acuña heads back to left.
Matt Joyce has been an undervalued presence off the bench all season long, and his work should warrant a playoff spot.
Culberson hasn’t had as many clutch hits lately as Braves Country is used to him having, but the fact that he has that history and can play all over the field pretty much guarantees him playing in October.
That versatility may also come into play by not including Hech OR Camargo, letting Charlie serve as the lone backup infielder and picking Billy Hamilton to come off the bench as a pinch runner/defensive replacement.
This scenario seems like a good idea if Inciarte doesn’t make it back and Riley is starting in left.
The good thing is, however the roster is structured, the Braves have a lot of talent at a lot of spots and that bodes well for a playoff series win.
SEC Rankings
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Week one is in the books in the SEC. Here are my power rankings after the first week of play:
1.LSU: The Tigers rolled Georgia Southern and looked fabulous doing so. Joe Burrow looked like a Heisman front-runner in the new spread offense. The Tigers looked the best of any SEC team in week one and start out at the top of the power rankings.
2.Georgia: The Dawgs rushed for 325 yards against Vanderbilt and looked pretty good doing it. The negative nellies will say they only beat Vanderbilt by 24 points. Georgia did not need the passing game in this contest. Since when is a 24 point road SEC win not considered a great accomplishment? This is a complete football team.
3.Alabama: The Tide struggled for a quarter against Duke then poured it on the Blue Devils. Alabama is a hunted team by everyone and will get their best shot every Saturday. Is this defense with the injuries up to Alabama standards?
4.Texas A&M: Kellen Mond lit up Texas State and many are saying this team might give the rock patters in Clemson trouble this weekend. Will this team play good enough defense to be elite?
5.Auburn: Bo Nix is the new hero on The Plains. Auburn came back from the dead against Oregon in typical Auburn fashion. Is there a luckier team in the history of SEC than Auburn? This defense is pretty good.
6.Florida: The Gators beat Miami who looked like hot garbage. That Gator defensive line is legit. Feleipe Franks needs to focus on being a quality QB and stop making Tim Tebow like speeches. Can this team run the ball against a quality SEC defense?
7.Mississippi State: MSU played a decent Louisiana team and hung on against the Ragin Cajuns. I wasn’t really impressed by MSU, but they got the W. This team will finish 5th at best in the SEC West.
8.Kentucky: The SEC East outside of Georgia and possibly Florida looks like a raging dumpster fire. UK struggled with Toledo most of the contest. The Cats have major work to do.
9.Missouri: How do you lose to Wyoming? Better yet how did they convince Mizzou to make that trip to Laramie? Missouri is a notorious slow starter and it showed again last Saturday.
10.Ole Miss: Memphis is not a bad team, but you expect an SEC team to go beat them. The offense needs work, but a good effort by the defense to only give up 15 points.
11.Vanderbilt: Vandy lost at home to UGA 30-6, but looked ok on defense in the second half. Vandy looks like the best team in Tennessee once again. That’s not saying a whole lot however.
12.South Carolina: The Gamecocks blew a 20-9 lead to a North Carolina team they should have beat. South Carolina had more talent than UNC, but could not get out of their own way down the stretch. I expected more out of this team last weekend. Will Muschamp is a good football coach that just seems to have the worst luck.
13.Arkansas: Yeah, the Hogs won against Portland State 20-13, but Arkansas 10 years ago beats PSU by 35 points. This team has a long way to go. Chad Morris will turn this thing around, IF he is given time.
14.Tennessee: You have got to be kidding me Tennessee. You lose at home to Georgia freaking State and get manhandled on the line of scrimmage in doing so. We heard all off-season about how things were changing in Knoxville. This team just flat out gave up in the fourth quarter of that contest. Kids are leaving the program in droves. Tennessee may be down for a good long time. BYU is coming to town this weekend. Rocky Top looks like Rocky Flop right now. Will 60K show up at Neyland Stadium this weekend?
LSU travels to Texas and Texas A&M travels to Clemson in huge games this weekend. Both SEC teams can make a huge statement, but will they? I think LSU does and A&M folds like a cheap camping chair.
The Florida Heat
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With fans on social media torching coach Willie Taggart in the aftermath of Saturday’s season opening loss to Boise State, Seminole fans are wondering what it will take for the FSU administration to Fire coach Willie Taggart.
Florida State played in 36 consecutive bowl games from 1982-2017. Before last year’s 5-7 season Florida State opened the 2019 season by blowing an18 point lead at half and getting beat down by a less talented Boise State.
This game, like the whole state of Florida, was impacted by Hurricane Dorian. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday night in Jacksonville, but the venue and time changed.
It looked like Florida State was benefiting from a noon start at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles jumped out to a halftime lead 31-19 thanks to explosive plays from James Blackman and Cam Akers. Florida State fans were gloating about offensive coordinator Kendal Briles had succeeded and raised the bar for the Seminole offense.
Someone forgot to tell FSU they had to play four quarters on Saturday.
Florida State’s collapse was a complete (lack of) team effort.
Boise State’s ability to run the football wore down the Seminole Defense, and the offensive side of the ball.
The Seminoles stopped hitting those explosive plays shown in the first half. Boise State ran 108 plays and controlled the clock with 40:03 minutes of possession.
I could breakdown more stats on how Florida State choked on Saturday, but the bottom line is Boise State’s coaches out coached Willie Taggart and FSU’s staff.
Social Media went crazy after the epic melt down by the Seminoles. One Florida State fan posted a poll suggesting replacing Willie Taggart with Urban Meyer. TALK ABOUT POLL RESULTS!!
“We laid an egg in the second half,” Taggart said. This is Taggart’s second straight home opener loss and Florida State’s third.
Florida State is a premier college football program. Rivals recruiting ranks over the past five years had the Seminole recruiting class at number three.
The Seminoles won a National Title in 2013 and were in the playoffs in 2014. Many Florida State fans still want to blame Jimbo Fisher on the lack of talent, but the Seminoles don’t have a problem with talent
Some media outlets say Willie Taggart is on the “hot seat.” I do not believe this to be entirely true.
Willie Taggart’s buyout after this year is $17 million, not including assistant coaches.
Florida State Athletics has lost $3 million last year and had to get $6 million from boosters to balance the budget.
Florida State fans, Willie Taggart is not going anywhere!
Taggart amazes me with his ability to rise up and convince Athletic Director’s to pay him insane money with a record (52-57).
Also, Taggart just hired Kendal Briles as offensive coordinator in December. Briles served on his father’s staff at Baylor and received and NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations. He was also named in a Title IX lawsuit filed against Baylor.
Florida State fans are fed up with Willie Taggart and it’s hard to blame them when you consider how last year went and how awful the collapse was in the second half Saturday against a non-power five opponent.
Considering the talent on the Florida State roster, Willie Taggart is in over his head.
Unless a Big Booster comes up with a pile of cash, Willie Taggart will be coaching Florida State this season and next, so buckle up Nole fans it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Program Killer
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We’re all ecstatic that college football season is back.
We normally reflect on past greats and talk about their amazing performances. I think of guys that won national championships or Heisman’s like Tim Tebow, Tommie Frazier, Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Ken Dorsey.
There is another side to this, people that were highly recruited but never lived up to the hype in college. We can even go far enough to say they set their program back for several years with their poor play.
The top name that comes to mind is Chris Rix.
He was in the inaugural Elite 11 QB Camp. He led the California team to victory over Florida in the CaliForida Bowl 1 at the Rose Bowl and was one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation.
Rix arrived in Tallahassee in the Fall of 2000 and was red shirted. He got to watch Chris Wienke’s senior season, a Heisman-winning campaign that ended with a loss to Oklahoma in the national championship game.
Florida State was an amazing program during this time. The Seminoles finished the season ranked in the top five for 14 consecutive years at the end of 2000.
They won the ACC Championship 9 times, one for every year they were in the conference. They won two national championships during this time. They also played in the first three BCS national championship games from 1998-2000.
It’s safe to say expectations were high going in to the 2001 season. Rix was the only four-year starting QB Bobby Bowden ever had but that was not the plan.
Florida State typically had quarterbacks play backup for two years then play for two years, normally taking a redshirt to make that happen.
That was how it worked for Peter Tom Willis (started 1988-89), Casey Weldon (90-91), Charlie Ward (92-93), Danny Kanell (94-95), and Thad Busby (96-97). Redshirt junior Jared Jones would have been the starter but he got in off the field trouble.
Mark Richt gave him the option to sit another year and lose that year of eligibility or leave the team. Jones bolted to play minor league baseball.
Rix was forced to start and coincidentally the program took a nosedive. We can say that FSU dynasty ended September 22. 2001 against North Carolina.
Going in to that game they never lost to UNC and had only lost two conference games since joining the ACC in 1991. The year before they beat the Tar Heels 63-14.
The 0-3 Heels destroyed No. 6 FSU, 41-9. Rix threw an interception and lost 2 fumbles. Miami snapped a 54-game home winning streak in a blowout, 49-27. Rix lost 2 fumbles and threw 4 picks against the Hurricanes.
The ‘Noles lost to NC State at home which was the first home conference loss, snapping the 39-game streak.
Rix was still named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2001. His best statistical season was in 2003 and he passed for 3,107 yards with 23 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
He was a turnover machine that seemed to really crumble in big games. He finished with a 25-11 record as a starter. He’s also the only QB to lose to the same team 5 times in his career (Miami).
He missed the 2003 Sugar Bowl because he overslept and missed an exam, which caused him to get suspended from the game.
On a positive note he ranks second in school history in passes attempted, completed, and touchdowns thrown.
The team was actually worse from 2005-2009 after he left. In retrospect maybe he was a good player in a bad situation?
Panthers Moving Mountains
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In 2007 Appalachian State began their season by defeating Michigan in one of the biggest upsets in college football history and capped it off by winning a third straight 1-AA (FCS) Championship.
The success of that season helped finalize the program’s decision to move from the FCS to the FBS, a move that has catapulted the Mountaineers to become one of the best mid-major football programs in college football; winners of four straight bowl games, three consecutive Sun Belt titles, and one of the best overall records since 2014.
Most of what has transpired since their win in Ann Arbor probably would have taken place had they lost that game, but it’s still the first thing that pops into the minds of most football fans when you mention Appalachian State.
I say all this show the positive effects an upset win like Appalachian has, something Georgia State hopes to familiarize themselves with after their 38-30 win over Tennessee.
The similarities between the Mountaineers and Panthers begins and ends with their upset wins, so it is unlikely to see Georgia State make the same kind of strides their conference peers have made.
However, that’s not to say this win won’t have a major impact on the program’s possible success five or six years from now.
A lot will depend on how the rest of Georgia State’s season goes. Their football program has struggled mightily since forming in 2010 and took a big step backwards last year after appearing in their second bowl game the season before that.
The Panthers are sure to see a boost in their recruiting based upon the Tennessee win alone, but if they’re able to ride that momentum to another bowl game, it’ll just make their program that much more enticing.
There is a plethora of homegrown talent in the state of Georgia, as well as its neighboring states, that are overlooked by the bigger schools in the area.
When competing with other schools in the Sun Belt for those players, having a win over a team like Tennessee on your resume can sometimes be the difference maker.
Add to that the ability to prove yourself to be a program that participates in bowl games, which translates to exposure on a national level for recruits, and younger the kind of success Appalachian State has been able to enjoy.
It’s not something that will happen overnight, but you’ll be able to see the impact over the next year or two in the level of talent Georgia State is able to recruit. Having a successful season this year will just help expedite the process.
Unfortunately, they play in the same division as Appalachian, Georgia Southern, and Troy, so it will certainly be an uphill climb. Plus, even though it’s a problem any mid-major program would like to have, Georgia State isn’t going to sneak up on anyone, now.
It’s funny, oftentimes when an upset occurs, we tend to look at the more prestigious team and try to figure out what went wrong and what it means for their future; just think of how many Tennessee and Jeremy Pruitt stories you’ve read since the game.
Rarely do we look at the winning team and see what type of impact it has on their program. Appalachian State made the most of their opportunity twelve years ago; will Georgia State take advantage of theirs?
Braves Spare Parts
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Washington Nationals have been hotter than hell the past couple of weeks, scoring big win after big win; including a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley. For most ballclubs, a hot streak like the one the Nats are on right now would be a highlight of the season – a cause for joy; but for Washington, it must be very frustrating.
Since winning 13 their past 16 games, the Nationals have gained essentially no ground whatsoever in the National League East. That’s because the Atlanta Braves have matched their hot streak blow for blow.
Atlanta has been winning a lot lately, including huge series wins against the hard-hitting Minnesota Twins and a landmark statement series victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the best team in the National League and the squad that wholly outmatched them in the playoffs last October.
The fascinating thing about the Braves’ current run of wins is the players they’ve been winning with.
Atlanta has actually been bitten by the injury bug in a really big way of late. Lineup stalwarts Nick Markakis and Dansby Swanson went down in July, followed shortly by Ender Inciarte, Austin Riley (who had been Ender’s replacement the first time he hit the IL), and Brian McCann in the weeks following.
These successive injuries called into question the Braves’ depth.
General Manager Alex Anthopoulos also seemed to think that Atlanta had a depth problem. Since July 31st is now the only trade deadline during the season (meaning no waiver wire acquisitions during August) he went to the scrapyard to look for spare parts. What he found there did more than plug holes in the lineup: they made it sing.
Adeiny Hechavarria was dropped by the New York Mets, so Anthopoulos picked him up to fill in for Dansby (since Johan Camargo was having a horrendous 2019 showing).
The Queens castoff hit nearly .400 in his first week and provided an incredible bat flip for Braves country after a 2-run bomb his first weekend with the team.
But it seemed like all of the Braves pickups provided game-influencing dramatics after joining the team. Outfielder Billy Hamilton provided huge hits after being plucked off the discard pile from Kansas City, and Rafael Ortega, who has bounced around from team to team and from minors to majors for the past decade, made an immediate impact as well.
Once McCann went down, the Braves acted quickly to pick up Francisco Cervelli, the longtime Pittsburgh Pirate, who was on the brink of retirement earlier in the season.
The veteran has been a Brave less than a few weeks and has already made a huge difference to the win/loss record.
Swanson has returned, relegating Hechavarria to the bench. Likely similar fates await the rest of the newest Braves but their impact when they were needed the most cannot be understated.
Most teams, when faced with both mass injuries and a second-place team that won’t lose, would crumble; the Braves have managed to thrive.
Best of all, many of these weapons have their use beyond filling in for injured players in the short-term. Think about Billy Hamilton pinch-running late in a tight playoff game; shades of David Roberts (whose Dodgers might be on the receiving end of some Hamilton fireworks)?
Regardless of what happens going forward, these “scrap heap” players have secured their legacy in the annals of Atlanta Braves lore.
When the Bravos finish the year on top of the NL East, a major part of their story will be the potential August slump that never happened thanks to these ballplayers.
