Take Florida, Texas, Georgia Tech

Count Dick MacPherson among the many counting down the seconds until Saturday’s Florida-Alabama showdown. But if the former Syracuse coach had his way, fans would have to wait a little longer for the SEC’s division winners to meet.

Say, 38 days from now. In Pasadena, California.

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	Legends Poll
November 30, 2009 – Week 13

No. 7 TCU controls its own BCS destiny

Listen to the conclusion of the three-part podcast series Coaches vs. Computers featuring a conversation between Richard Billingsley, a computer pollster with the BCS, former Arkansas head coach Frank Broyles and Legends Poll executive director Andy Curtin. This segment features a discussion about TCU.

• Broyles coached TCU defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas.
• Billingsley looks forward to TCU’s upcoming games.
• Broyles thinks TCU will go to a BCS game if they remain undefeated.
• Arkansas-Ole Miss game is biggest rivalry for Arkansas according to Broyles.
• Broyles says Monte Kiffin is an outstanding coach.

Boise State’s computer ranking carried by Oregon win

Listen to the part 2 of the three-part podcast series Coaches vs. Computers featuring a conversation between Richard Billingsley, a computer pollster with the BCS, former Arkansas head coach Frank Broyles and Legends Poll executive director Andy Curtin. This segment features a discussion about the rankings of Georgia Tech and Miami.

• Billingsley has Georgia Tech No. 10 and Miami No. 13.
• Georgia Tech beat a highly rated Virginia Tech team, which led to their higher ranking.
• Broyles compared the situation to last year’s Oklahoma-Texas rankings.
• Broyles gives total credit to the Miami coaching staff for the turnaround.
• Billingsley says the Boise State win over Oregon early in the season is carrying their rankings.

Broyles says Gator D keeps them around

• Broyles says offense can win some games, but defense can take you to 10-0.
• Billingsley has a “Broyles Rule” built into his rankings system.
• Broyles likes a quarterback that can throw and WILL run.

Virginia Tech should be wary of the triple-option

The ACC has been a disappointment so far this season, with only a few teams ranked in the Legends Poll top-25 — Virginia Tech being the lone top-10 team. In a roundtable, the Legends analyzed the important match-up this weekend that features the No. 5 Hokies and No. 21 Georgia Tech.

George Welsh: I think that the game this weekend with Georgia Tech hosting Virginia Tech is huge. I believe that Georgia Tech will be able to run the ball. I think Virginia Tech has had too many close calls — with Nebraska who had them beat, then to let Duke take them down to the wire. I’m just not sure about Virginia Tech yet, even though I ranked them in the top-10. If Georgia Tech can get that running game going — which I see no reason they won’t be able to — they have a great chance to knock off Virginia Tech. Duke beating NC State on the road, I just don’t think there are any defenses left in the conference. Past Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech there really is no one left in the ACC. I saw Miami get pounded by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, so I’m not sold on them.

Dick Macpherson: Georgia Tech is winning with their head coach (Paul Johnson) calling the plays. I’m interested to see if that can work against Virginia Tech.

Welsh: Virginia Tech won’t hesitate to give you an eight-man front  — which is one of the keys to stopping the triple-option. I don’t think Virginia Tech is going to get beat that way.

Frank Broyles: Georgia Tech rushed for over 400 yards Saturday. It’s hard to prepare for the wishbone and option when you have worked the team for five weeks in a row on defending the pass and sitting back on their haunches, which makes it hard to get a picture in just a week. I can remember when Darryl (Royal) started running the wishbone and we tried preparing for it one week and we just didn’t know how to run it. It’s a big advantage for Georgia Tech.

Welsh: If I was coaching these teams, I would start preparing for the option in the spring and then they could also prepare for it in the summer. You also need to try and find out what those line calls are.

Broyles: The problem is Georgia Tech is not the top team on the other team’s list to prepare for. But it’s so different you just can’t not prepare.

Welsh: The other problem is you cannot simulate that speed with your B team. I figured by now the ACC would catch up with that speed and that style. I think that Virginia Tech is good but I do still think Georgia Tech has a chance against them.

Dooley analyzes the Georgia-LSU mess

The Georgia-LSU game was a typical SEC battle at Sanford Stadium on Saturday. Sadly, the contest was marred by two phantom celebration penalties — one which led to the go-ahead LSU touchdown. The SEC has since admitted a mistake on the call againt AJ Green after his touchdown:

The excessive celebration penalty against Georgia’s A.J. Green late in Saturday’s game with LSU should not have been called, the SEC supervisor of officials has told CBSSports.com.

Rogers Redding, the SEC supervisor of officials, said Monday that after reviewing video of the play, “I’ve concluded that it was one that we probably should have let go.”

“We tell our guys not to go looking for this stuff but if it’s right in your face, you have to call it,” Redding said. “He (the SEC official) is beating himself up pretty bad over this one.”

Former Georgia head coach Vince Dooley and former Arkansas coach Frank Broyles joined us to discuss the outcome.

What did you think of the Georgia-LSU game?

Broyles: “LSU, I thought, did a great job defensive — the fact that there wasn’t a touchdown scored until late in the game. It was an unbelievable last three minutes of the game. The celebration penalty gave LSU a chance to win and they took advantage of it and did.”

Dooley: “LSU dominated the first half and only got six points. Georgia dominated the third quarter and half of the fourth, and only got seven points. Like Frank said, the final three minutes were outstanding. AJ Green made an incredible catch for the go-ahead touchdown.”

Did the celebration penalty cost Georgia the game?

Dooley: “It’s tough to say. Even with the celebration penalty, Georgia had too many people on one side and not enough on the other on the kickoff team. And it got scrambled. After the great sprinter for LSU (Trindon Holliday) returned the ball, Georgia got penalized another five yards. Then Scott made a heck of a run. Somebody hit him one yard behind the line of scrimmage and didn’t lock him up. He bounced off and scored. And that really stunned Georgia.”

What are your thoughts on LSU after this game?

Dooley: “I think LSU is really a talented. But you scratch your head watching them. I think if they had a better quarterback, they would really be good. He does some things really well and some other things not so well. They have still been able to win despite themselves.”

Broyles: “They’ve had a hard time running the football all year long. Jefferson (the LSU quarterback) is a young man that has a lot of talent but he’s inexperienced really.”

What must Georgia change going forward?

Dooley: “Georgia’s got more problems on the offensive line than I had anticipated. They have most everybody back. They were very inexperienced last year, and I thought they’d be much better. There’s no question they don’t have the running back that can inspire an offensive line like they had last year.”

What’s your impression of the SEC so far?

Broyles: “The SEC’s got 4 undefeated teams. The western division has 3 with a 5-0 record and Mississippi with a 3-1 record. It’s really unusual because we start our conference games — for tv reasons — earlier than anybody else. We’ve already played two conference games in the first three weeks, which is really unusual.”

Legends Rapid Fire Q & A – Week 5

1. Which one-loss team are you most impressed with – VA Tech, USC, Ohio State, Penn State- or Miami?

Vince Dooley – VA Tech. Only have lost to AL.
Don Nehlen – USC. They seem to stub their toe once each season and beat everybody else.
Pat Dye – I like VA Tech over USC, because USC seems to play down to their competition.
Don James – Miami – they’ playing with lots of energy and disciplined swagger.

2. If Tebow plays, as expected, what do you expect to happen in LSU-Florida.

Vince Dooley – Florida beats LSU with Tebow. If LSU wins, they will be the all-time finalizer in college football. They’ve been doing that game after game. But I don’t see Tebow missing a beat.
Don Nehlen – don’t think LSU is that good offensively. Florida by more than a touchdown. Florida will win, regardless if Tebow plays.
Pat Dye – Florida wins if Tebow plays. They will probably cut down his running and try to pass the ball more. LSU is not a good place to try to break in a new quarterback.
Frank Broyles – don’t know if Tebow will run less. Florida’s plan is always to have the quarterback run, which gives them a one-man advantage on the defense. Florida will be less effective if they have to rely so much on the pass. LSU can’t consistently run the ball, and that will catch up with them against Florida.

3. Is Cincinnati a legit national title contender?
Vince Dooley – don’t know about the National Championship, but they can certainly be in the top 10.
Don Nehlen – I’m waiting to see what they do against West Virginia and South Florida.
Pat Dye – Heck no. Nice team, but not a National Championship team.
Frank Broyles – their schedule won’t let them get there unless they dominate.

4. If Boise is one of two unbeaten teams at end of regular season, think they deserve to play in the BCS final?
Vince Dooley – I’ll reserve judgment on Boise until the end of the season to see what happens to the other top teams.
Don Nehlen – I see them in a BCS game, but not the championship game.
Don James – No, their schedule is not deserving enough.
Frank Broyles – I’d want to see who else would be their competition. With Florida, Texas and Alabama in the mix, two would have to stumble for Boise to make it.

5. Who’s the player you’ve been most impressed with this season?
Vince Dooley – A J Green. He has great timing on the football, great competitiveness and hands, all in one package.
Don Nehlen – Jake Locker. He runs, throws and pulls an average team up a couple of notches.
Pat Dye – Rolando McClain. He is as good a defensive player as Tebow is an offensive player.

6. Who’s better – TCU or Houston?
Vince Dooley – TCU because they play defense and Houston doesn’t.
Pat Dye – TCU. They’re better than all those BCS busters, Cincinnati, Boise and BYU.
Frank Broyles – TCU. They’ve dominated their opponents defensively, which gives them a chance in every game. They’re in the top 5 or 10 in every defensive category.

7. Is Iowa the class of the big ten (despite near-loss vs Arkansas State)?
Vince Dooley – that remains to be seen, but it probably will be Ohio State.
Don Nehlen – no, Ohio State is the class of the Big 10.
Frank Broyles – I have great admiration for the Iowa coaching staff, but they don’t have the players Ohio State has.

8. What’s wrong with Cal?
Vince Dooley – they’re overrated and don’t live up to their hype.
Don Nehlen – that’s a good question. I’d like to know the answer.

9. What’s wrong with Illinois?
Vince Dooley – same answer as CAL.
Don Nehlen – Illinois can’t stop people. The quarterback has a great arm, but the team doesn’t make big plays.

Broyles Award Finalists for 2008

The Broyles Award, named after Arkansas Coaching Legend Frank Broyles, is given annually to college football’s top assistant coach.  The award will be presented by the Downtown Rotary Club of Little Rock on December 9, at the Doubletree Hotel in Little Rock.

Here are the 2008 Broyles Award finalists:

Kevin Wilson -  University of Oklahoma, Offensive Coordinator
Charlie Strong -  University of Florida, Defensive Coordinator
Gary Andersen -  University of Utah, Defensive Coordinator
Dick Bumpas -  Texas Christian University, Defensive Coordinator
Stan Parrish -  Ball State University, Offensive Coordinator

SN Radio: Spurrier & Broyles Pt. 1

Listen to the first installment of Arkansas Coaching Legend Frank Broyles and South Carolina’s Coach Steve Spurrier on Tim Brando’s Sporting News radio show talk about the teams in the Top 5 each week getting upset, the SEC, South Carolina and much more. Click here for Pt. 2

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SN Radio: Spurrier & Broyles Pt. 2

Listen to the second installment of Arkansas Coaching Legend Frank Broyles and South Carolina’s Coach Steve Spurrier on Tim Brando’s Sporting News radio show talk about the teams in the Top 5 each week getting upset, the SEC, South Carolina and much more. Click here for Pt. 1

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.