The Ralphie Report Staff Weekly Discussion - Let's Talk Football

Now that we have a "staff" other than Bob and I with the fantastic additions of Ash and David (and Ryan) we are going to be doing a weekly discussion about the Buffs, college football and whatever randomness I decide to discuss. 

Feel free to throw your answers to the same questions into the comments below.

Buffs Questions:

1) We saw our first season opener with Tyler Hansen as the starting quarterback. Rate his performance from 1-10 and give me the single best and worst thing that he did in the game.

Bob: 6.5. I think Tyler would rank himself there as well after watching film. He went 17 of 25 but I count three throws where if he sets his feet, the Buffs have big plays and potentially widen the margin of victory. Against Colorado State, you can get away with that. Against Cal, you have to make plays that you can control. As for the best thing he did, I really liked the way he moves in the pocket when he needs to. Some people say he should stay in the pocket more instead of running but I love what he does when he is outside the pocket. Rarely does a bad thing happen when he gets outside and presses the line of scrimmage. The fact that a defense has to account for Hansen's ability to make plays with his feet is huge. He has to play huge against Cal for the Buffs to pull off the upset.

Ash: I'll give him a 4, it seemed like he had ants in his pants. Running back on the long sack(s) was the worst thing, whereas the TD pass to Patterson was the best.

David: 6.5. He led his team to a victory, but his accuracy was off at times. He looked a little hurried when he didn't have to be, while also holding onto the ball too long at other points. That said, he spread the ball around and found the open receivers.
Worst thing: Deep pass to Richardson. That was just plain awful.
Best thing: Finding the wide open Patterson and McKnight for those TDs. We've had receivers get open in past years, but the QBs have had trouble finding them. This was nice to see.

Jon: 6. If we can somehow get Tyler to continue to improve on his footwork in the pocket, I think we will see a vast improvement in his accuracy. That being said, he played a great game in a high pressure situation.

2) Now that we have seen some on the field action, rank the top 4 wide receivers by yardage at the end of the season.

Bob: 
1.Scotty McKnight
2.Toney Clemons
3.Travon Patterson
4.Kyle Cefalo.
I think it will ultimately come down to Clemons and McKnight in the end but it is hard to go against McKnight. Guy just has a knack for the ball and obviously has the quarterback's trust.

Ash: Toney Clemons, Scotty McKnight, Travon Patterson, Rodney Stewart

David: I still think we saw an abbreviated version of our Offense out there against CSU. Yardage: 1 Clemons, 2 McKnight, 3 Patterson, 4 Richardson.

Jon: Patterson, McKnight, Clemons, Stewart. I think McKnight will lead in receptions, but Travon in yardage.

3) Who will have the best game against Cal this weekend. Not who needs to have the best game, but who will.

Bob: Who will have the best game? Wow, only if I knew such things. My pick is CB Jalil Brown. He was my preseason defensive player of the year, he didn't disappoint last week with an interception. I think he steps up and takes care of business against Cal this weekend. If he can get a solid performance from his teammate on the other side in Jimmy Smith, the Buffs might be in business. Big time players step up in big time games and this is certainly one of them. So many players need to have a big game, though.

Ash: I think BJ Beatty will have a big game against Cal; multiple tackles for loss (again) and a pair of sacks, on the back of good coverage.

David: I think Ray Polk will have a big game. They will gain yards against us, but I think Polk will finally get involved this week and he will make his presence known. He is one of the big hitters on Defense, and I think he makes some plays down the field.

Jon: Forrest West and the rest of the D-line. If we are going to win this game, we are going to have to put a ton of pressure on Kevin Riley. Forrest and the line are going to play the game of their lives and we will all watch Riley's completion percentage plummet to below 50%.

CFB Questions:

1) Boise. Gross. Do you buy it? What record will they finish the season with?

Bob: No choice not to buy it. All you need to say is Kellen Moore, guy is a stud and he has weapons. I didn't see enough from Oregon State to think they will beat Boise. They should finish undefeated and be in the debate at the end.

Ash: I think Boise is flukey, but when you play two big games a year, that's all you need. I say they finish 11-2, with losses to Fresno St and in their bowl game.

David: I buy it. I think they go undefeated. BUT, I don't think they get to play for the National Championship. Strength of schedule strikes again.

Jon: Oh, I buy it. I don't like it, but I buy it. Contrary to what Ash said, I don't think they are "flukey" anymore. Yea, they beat a very average OU team that way, but their last two big wins, over TCU and Virginia Tech, were hard hitting smash mouth football. That being said, I think they finish the season with a loss. Everyone keeps wanting to compare them to the BCS schools, well most, if not all BCS schools end the season with a loss, usually in a game they weren't supposed to lose. As Boise becomes more and more like these programs, I believe they will also have to live up to expectations that they aren't used to. There is a bigger target on Boise's back than ever before.

2) We give Dan Hawkins a lot of flack around here, but did you see the LSU game? What would you think of Les Miles if he were your head coach?

Bob: Les Miles gets floated around as a potential Buff coach if/when LSU gets rid of him in the future. He coached the offensive line at Colorado in the ‘80s so he would certainly be an option thrown out there if we needed a coach because of that history. If he can recruit like he does at LSU and get them to play at Colorado, I don't have a problem. He is 52-15 at LSU, not bad sitting here as a Buffs fan.

Ash: With his ties to McCartney, he almost was our head coach! That said, dude fell asleep at the wheel.

David: I'd rather have Hawkins than Les Miles any day. He took a program that Saban had built into a powerhouse with great players, and he has managed to screw it up. I can't imagine where we'd be right now with Miles. I'd probably spend a lot more time drinking at home alone (not that I spend a lot of time doing that now...).

Jon: I've watched The Hat up close since his OSU days and the guy is hands down the WORST in-game manager in the country.  I know he has ties to the program, but I would be irate if he ever became the Head Coach at CU. The guy can recruit, and I would love him as a coordinator, but not head coach.

3) Give me the final scores:

- Georgia @ South Carolina
- BYU @ Air Force
- Michigan @ Notre Dame
- Florida State @ Oklahoma
- Miami @ Ohio State 
- Penn State @ Alabama 

Bob: 
- Georgia @ South Carolina 30 - 20
- BYU @ Air Force 21-24
- Michigan @ Notre Dame 20 - 27
- Florida State @ Oklahoma 31 - 34
- Miami @ Ohio State 20 - 31
- Penn State @ Alabama 3 - 31

Ash: 
a) UGA 24 - SC 17
b) BYU 33 - AF 21
c) Michigan 28 - Notre Dame 25
d) FSU 42 - OU 38
e) Miami 24 - Ohio St. 31
f) Penn. St.14 - 'Bama 35

David: 
- Georgia @ South Carolina
33-27 Georgia. They showed up very well last week, and I'm not sure I believe in SC's QB
- BYU @ Air Force
45-23 BYU. Sorry Air Force. I'd rather you win, I promise.
- Michigan @ Notre Dame (The battle of anti-tradition)
24-21 Notre Dame. Is there a way for both teams to lose (Sorry, Bob)?
- Florida State @ Oklahoma
14-10 OU. I think Oklahoma will be fine, and they prove it against FSU.
- Miami @ Ohio State
42-27 OSU. Pryor just looks better and better.
- Penn State @ Alabama
37-24 Bama. I'm still impressed by the Tide.

Jon:
- Georgia @ South Carolina 24 - 28
- BYU @ Air Force 21-24
- Michigan @ Notre Dame 31 - 35
- Florida State @ Oklahoma 20 - 38
- Miami @ Ohio State 27 - 28
- Penn State @ Alabama 21 - 20

Awesome Question:

1) If you could go back and go to college anywhere in the US all expenses paid (forget academics, this is about the lifestyle) where would you go? You can't say CU.

Bob: Great question. Here are my top 3 in particular order. Texas (hard to find a better sports, lifestyle school), Penn State (just want to be part of the white out) and Wisconsin (seems like a party all the time).

Ash: Dammit, Jon, I was going to say CU before I even finished reading the question... How 'bout Western State; that way I can snowboard and still make it to Buffs games.

David: UCLA. I just want a school with a good music program.

Jon: Washington. This was a hard question. I thought long and hard about both Penn State and 'Sconi, just as Bob had mentioned, but the UW stadium and campus are awesome.  You're right there in Seattle. You have great weather (I don't mind rain, just excessive heat) and you have all the outdoors of Washington. Sorry about this one Zach. 

Runner up? Ole Miss.  Two words: THE GROVE