NEITHER TEAM IS IMPRESSIVE IN THE SUGAR BOWL & NEW PLAYOFF OVERTIME RULES
From the first play of the game, when Arkansas' Joe Adams dropped what would have been a touchdown, to their last play from scrimmage when Ryan Malett threw an interception at the Ohio State 18, the Sugar Bowl was a game marked by missed opportunities. The final score was 31-26.
Mallett had another touchdown pass dropped by Adams in the endzone plus three other drops, it was difficult to watch so many perfectly thrown balls fall harmlessly to the turf. Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor scrambled for a 1st down, had the ball knocked out & after two Razorback defenders knocked each other off the ball, it rolled slowly into the endzone where it was covered for the game's first touchdown by Buckeye WR Dane Sanzenbacher.
The game was marred by poor officiating, the crew from the ACC made several glaring mistakes, most notably was a safety that really wasn't a safety. They had trouble marking forward progress several times & were apparently blind when it came to multiple cheap shots by both teams. It was fortunate Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward wasn't seriously injured on a couple of these shots.
The Buckeyes lost numerous members of their secondary during the game & at the end, were playing 2 freshmen at cornerback & yet Hogs' coach Bobby Petrino didn't target them. He called plays to his WR's for three quarters & then when they were the most vulnerable, he targeted his tight end & running back with slow developing routes that made his QB a sitting duck. Mallett was hit on nearly every passing play in the 4th quarter. Petrino's team had four 4th quarter possessions, they started at their 49, their 44, Ohio State's 37 & after a blocked punt, the OSU 18. Total points scored from this superior field position? One lousy field goal, that's it. The blocked punt was really a wasted opportunity, it should have put the Hogs in front with 1-minute to play. Colton Miles-Nash vaulted over the wall of OSU blockers & blocked the punt. As the ball rolled toward the goal line, Miles-Nash & Julian Horton just had to scoop & score, but Horton dove on the ball at the 18. Two plays later Mallett was intercepted.
After being almost unstoppable in the 1st half, Ohio State couldn't muster 100-yards in the second stanza. Arkansas punter Dylan Breeding stuck 3 kicks inside the 5-yardline & freshman placekicker Zach Hocker was perfect at 3 for 3. Buckeye coach Jim Tressell took the gamble of the game with 5-minutes remaining. His team was stalled at their own 37-yardline, 4th & a foot. He decided to go for it & Dan Herron dove over the pile for what appeared to be a 1st down. Only problem was Herron had the ball punched out & the Razorbacks took over on downs. Once again, Arkansas punted after failing to pick up a first down.
Terrelle Pryor saved the Buckeye bacon time after time, scrambling for 1st downs on several third & long situations. he threw for 221-yards & ran for 115 more. it will be interesting so see if all five of the Buckeye's involved in "Tattoo-Gate" honor their promises & return to Columbus for their senior seasons. So the Buckeyes finally beat an SEC team in a bowl game, it took 10 tries, but they got it done. It wasn't pretty but a win is a win when you're sitting there 0-9 vs. the SEC.
I expect Mallett to jump to the NFL, he would be #4 on my list right now & there are easily 5 QB-needy teams drafting in the top half of round one, so he'll have the opportunity to make a lot of money as well as play early on for the team that drafts him. Mallett hurt his draft status in my opinion as he looked so uncomfortable in the pocket when pressured. His inability to sidestep & slide his feet to give himself more time in the pocket will be a concern to pro scouts. He didn't throw well when he had rushers in his face. Mallett did throw a lot of beautiful passes, especially the two touchdown passes when he put the ball on the receiver's outside shoulder. Plus he had a number of perfect passes dropped.
The Cincinnati Bengals gave Marvin Lewis a one-year extension to return as their head coach. As expected, the Oakland Raiders informed Tom Cable he would not be retained. The word was Al Davis wanted offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to become the Raider head coach. Then they grant the Forty-Niners permission to interview Jackson for their coaching vacancy. Davis continues to screw this team up & if Jackson gets away, he has made a bad situation much worse. The Raiders will start the 2011 season with their ninth head coach in the last 15-years. Commitment to excellence? Bullsh*t.
Remember when the NFL's competition committee changed the overtime rules for the postseason? If you don't remember, I'll give you the lowdown on how much it has changed. Here's what you need to know.
If a Team A takes the overtime kickoff, drives down the field & scores a touchdown, game over, Team A wins.
If Team A kicks a field goal instead of scoring a touchdown, the game continues. They kickoff & Team B is given one possession to tie or win the game. If they fail, the game is over.
If Team B scores a touchdown, the game is over, Team B wins. If team B kicks a field goal, they kickoff & now the overtime becomes sudden death, the first team to score wins the game.
If either team records a safety, the game is over, they win.
If Team A does an onside kick to start the overtime period & then kicks a field goal, Team A wins as the onside kick is considered to be a possession for Team B. Don't ask me to explain the thinking behind this rule, all I can tell you is it's the rule.
Mallett had another touchdown pass dropped by Adams in the endzone plus three other drops, it was difficult to watch so many perfectly thrown balls fall harmlessly to the turf. Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor scrambled for a 1st down, had the ball knocked out & after two Razorback defenders knocked each other off the ball, it rolled slowly into the endzone where it was covered for the game's first touchdown by Buckeye WR Dane Sanzenbacher.
The game was marred by poor officiating, the crew from the ACC made several glaring mistakes, most notably was a safety that really wasn't a safety. They had trouble marking forward progress several times & were apparently blind when it came to multiple cheap shots by both teams. It was fortunate Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward wasn't seriously injured on a couple of these shots.
The Buckeyes lost numerous members of their secondary during the game & at the end, were playing 2 freshmen at cornerback & yet Hogs' coach Bobby Petrino didn't target them. He called plays to his WR's for three quarters & then when they were the most vulnerable, he targeted his tight end & running back with slow developing routes that made his QB a sitting duck. Mallett was hit on nearly every passing play in the 4th quarter. Petrino's team had four 4th quarter possessions, they started at their 49, their 44, Ohio State's 37 & after a blocked punt, the OSU 18. Total points scored from this superior field position? One lousy field goal, that's it. The blocked punt was really a wasted opportunity, it should have put the Hogs in front with 1-minute to play. Colton Miles-Nash vaulted over the wall of OSU blockers & blocked the punt. As the ball rolled toward the goal line, Miles-Nash & Julian Horton just had to scoop & score, but Horton dove on the ball at the 18. Two plays later Mallett was intercepted.
After being almost unstoppable in the 1st half, Ohio State couldn't muster 100-yards in the second stanza. Arkansas punter Dylan Breeding stuck 3 kicks inside the 5-yardline & freshman placekicker Zach Hocker was perfect at 3 for 3. Buckeye coach Jim Tressell took the gamble of the game with 5-minutes remaining. His team was stalled at their own 37-yardline, 4th & a foot. He decided to go for it & Dan Herron dove over the pile for what appeared to be a 1st down. Only problem was Herron had the ball punched out & the Razorbacks took over on downs. Once again, Arkansas punted after failing to pick up a first down.
Terrelle Pryor saved the Buckeye bacon time after time, scrambling for 1st downs on several third & long situations. he threw for 221-yards & ran for 115 more. it will be interesting so see if all five of the Buckeye's involved in "Tattoo-Gate" honor their promises & return to Columbus for their senior seasons. So the Buckeyes finally beat an SEC team in a bowl game, it took 10 tries, but they got it done. It wasn't pretty but a win is a win when you're sitting there 0-9 vs. the SEC.
I expect Mallett to jump to the NFL, he would be #4 on my list right now & there are easily 5 QB-needy teams drafting in the top half of round one, so he'll have the opportunity to make a lot of money as well as play early on for the team that drafts him. Mallett hurt his draft status in my opinion as he looked so uncomfortable in the pocket when pressured. His inability to sidestep & slide his feet to give himself more time in the pocket will be a concern to pro scouts. He didn't throw well when he had rushers in his face. Mallett did throw a lot of beautiful passes, especially the two touchdown passes when he put the ball on the receiver's outside shoulder. Plus he had a number of perfect passes dropped.
The Cincinnati Bengals gave Marvin Lewis a one-year extension to return as their head coach. As expected, the Oakland Raiders informed Tom Cable he would not be retained. The word was Al Davis wanted offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to become the Raider head coach. Then they grant the Forty-Niners permission to interview Jackson for their coaching vacancy. Davis continues to screw this team up & if Jackson gets away, he has made a bad situation much worse. The Raiders will start the 2011 season with their ninth head coach in the last 15-years. Commitment to excellence? Bullsh*t.
Remember when the NFL's competition committee changed the overtime rules for the postseason? If you don't remember, I'll give you the lowdown on how much it has changed. Here's what you need to know.
If a Team A takes the overtime kickoff, drives down the field & scores a touchdown, game over, Team A wins.
If Team A kicks a field goal instead of scoring a touchdown, the game continues. They kickoff & Team B is given one possession to tie or win the game. If they fail, the game is over.
If Team B scores a touchdown, the game is over, Team B wins. If team B kicks a field goal, they kickoff & now the overtime becomes sudden death, the first team to score wins the game.
If either team records a safety, the game is over, they win.
If Team A does an onside kick to start the overtime period & then kicks a field goal, Team A wins as the onside kick is considered to be a possession for Team B. Don't ask me to explain the thinking behind this rule, all I can tell you is it's the rule.
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