Into the Eye of the Golden Hurricane

This Tulsa game is going to be the toughest game of the year... for Tulsa. Now, I'm more than aware of all the accolades afforded the Golden Hurricane. Top offense in the nation. Top rated passer in the game, etc...

Today, my buddy Bret Bloomquist interviewed TU Coach Todd Graham in today's Times, and Graham thinks his quarterback Dave Johnson is the best quarterback in the state of Oklahoma. Of course, he doesn't take into consideration that the other 2 quarterbacks in the state are playing Big 12 competition, with tougher schedules. But there's nothing wrong with him sticking up for his guy...

By the way, It doesn't get easier for Tulsa opponents in the future. Yes, Johnson is a senior, but Texas transfer G. J. Kinne is next in line for the keys to Graham's offense.

But back to the point. UTEP has played tougher opponents this year. It's THAT simple. Buffalo, Texas, NMSU, UCF, S. Miss, Tulane...

Tulsa played UAB, UNT, Central Arkansas, Rice, and SMU.

Though they dominated everyone but SMU, they should have. Why are they not in the AP Top 25??? Scheduling. Plain and simple. We'll see it when the 1st BCS rankings come out on Sunday. Don't put that on Graham. That's still a Steve Kragthorpe schedule.

Give Tulsa this though. They've done what they're supposed to, and too many teams don't.

So, how do you defend the top QB in the Nation (statistically), who's most familiar with the 3-3-5 defense than any other defense (Since that's what Tulsa runs, and what they tortured against UNM)????

It's such a hybrid defense to begin with. You might be most successful taking a page from Joe Lee Dunn, the father of this defense. Make your base the 3-5-3. Sneak the safeties up, and limit the "yac" (yards after the catch). At the same time, you support the run. I'm betting that the Miners worked overtime on jamming the receivers on the line of scrimmage. If Tulsa's going to beat UTEP, Osai Lewis is going to make them do it deep, and play the percentages. It all depends on UTEP stopping the run, though.

On a seperate note. You think UTEP has cheap season tickets at $99 apiece??? I know Tulsa has 1 less home game, but...



BLOG STEW:

Looks like Tony Romo will be playing with a broken pinky. Good for him. Would have been better PR for him if he'd have decided that from the start, instead of allowing the Cowboys to say tht he'd be out for 4 weeks. Now he looks like a guy who was going to be out, until his hero, Brett Favre called him, telling him to suck it up. Speaking of Romo sucking it up...




Sorry... Um, anyways, ESPN talked to a Doctor who has nothing to do with Romo, doesn't know him, and is about 2000 miles away from Dallas. He says that Romo should play...



Finally, what Cowboys fans Super Bowl hopes and dreams hinge on, thanks to Louis DeLuca of the Dallas Morning News...

Going Home... and.... Homecoming!

Sorry for the abbreviated blog delay...

Went back to Dallas over the weekend to be in the wedding of a childhood friend. It was a blast to see everyone. Met some great folks, and saw some that I hadn't seen in eeons... What a great time.

Let's talk UTEP Homecoming. They're hosting Tulane. Tulane had their Homecoming Saturday against Army, and lost sizeably, 44 to 13. To make matters worse, they played the game at a high school stadium in New Orleans, that is also a track facility. THIS, is Tad Gormley Stadium:



In his weekly media conference, Tulane Coach Bob Toledo didn't earn a spot on the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce.



He said that his players told him that the game felt like a road game. This is what Tulane considers a road-game:



Nothing like playing on the road. Toledo also said that the grass was too high, press box was too hot and cramped, and there were divots all over the field. Toledo failed to mention that Army also played, and played well, on the same field.

In talking about his team's loss, he explained the "here we go again feeling" that we're all familiar with from the Miners end of season collapses in '05, '06, and '07. Here's the quote:

"We have a tendency, when bad things happen to us, there's a look in our eye and a feeling of `here we go again.' I see it in our fans. I see it in people who report here. It's that look of `here we go again,' instead of `hey, let's step it up, lets go.' We've got to teach the mentality and we haven't done that yet. We've got to change the mentality and learn how to compete. Just because bad things happen doesn't mean you stop competing."

Here's how UTEP wins the game, and it's twofold:

1. They do what Army did. No, they don't have a fullback to rush for 187 yards at 9.8 yards per carry. But, after 2 Tulane possessions, Army was already up 14-0, and both scores came on special teams. Army blocked a punt after the 1st possession, and then returned a fumble 81 yards for another touchdown. Get on the scoreboard quick and first. Give Tulane that "here we go again" feeling.

2. The Miner defense needs to get to quarterback Kevin Moore. The Humanities major was having a good game against Army until he took a inhumane hit. Toledo said in his press conference that Moore was never the same after that.

Toledo is familiar with the Miners 3-3-5 defense. Of course, Rocky Long taught it to Osia Lewis, and Long used to coach for Toledo at Oregon St. Lewis was also a player at Oregon when Toledo coached there. He's more than familiar with it. Can he teach it to an offense that has 4 days to learn it???

Jeremy Williams also is out. He's the offensive playmaker for Tulane. He had an operation Monday for 2 broken bones in his hand. Also, according to his player page, he's Majoring in "Media Arts". Back in the day, we called that major "Journalism."

I looked up the syllabus for the intro class, and, man. Is it just good timing or what? Now that Williams is out, he can concentrate on Friday's "Film, and Home Video" topic.... *WHEW*... Just in the nick of time...

And this is a private school??? Kids pay private school-like tuition to walk around and make home movies??? Well, before last weekend's home/road Homecoming, I hope that Williams absorbed the topic of "Recorded Music/Radio."... I'm in the wrong business. Time to start a private college, and offer classes in "Paper Airplane-Constructing Arts."

Enjoy the Win, Miners...