What Tony Romo could learn from RG3

(Have to give this to Star-Telegram's Clarence E. Hill jr. (Twitter - @Clarencehilljr) for this one ...)

If you want to see the difference between Robert Griffin III and Tony Romo just look at their interceptions. The rookie season is when NFL quarterbacks enjoy a grace period of being able to toss picks right and left (Peyton threw 28 as a rookie; Elway had 14 against 7 TDs; Andrew Luck has 18). Even as a rookie, however, RGIII never throws interceptions.

He never has. He either runs, or eats it. He seldom forces the ball.

In 393 passing attempts this season with the Redskins, RGIII threw 20 TDs and was intercepted five times.

Now go back to his days at Baylor and RGIII never threw interceptions.
2008: - 15 TDs/3 interceptions in 267 attempts.
2009: - 4 TDs/0 interceptions in 69 attempts (injury cut short his season).
2010: - 22 TDs/8 interceptions in 454 attempts.
2011: - 37 TDs/6 interceptions in 402 attempts.

That is 98 TD passes and 22 interceptions in 1,585 attempts since 2008.

Tony Romo? Different story. The man is not afraid to throw the football on the football field, which at times has been a detriment to his team.

2000 Eastern Illinois - 27 TDs/12 interceptions in 278 atts.
2001 Eastern Illinois - 21 TDs/6 interceptions in 207 atts.
2002 Eastern Illinois - 34 TDs/16 interceptions in 407 atts.
2006 Cowboys - 19 TDs/13 interceptions in 337 atts.
2007 Cowboys - 36 TDs/19 interceptions in 520 atts.
2008 Cowboys - 26 TDs/14 interceptions in 450 atts.
2009 Cowboys - 26 TDs/9 interceptions in 550 atts.
2010 Cowboys - 11 TDs/7 interceptions in 213 atts.
2011 Cowboys - 31 TDs/10 interceptions in 522 atts.
2012 Cowboys - 28 TDs/19 interceptions in 648 atts.

The moral of the story - Don't throw interceptions. It can only hurt the ballclub.

 

 

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For TCU moving forward, it's all about the quarterback

TCU's first season in the Big 12 finished with a 7-6 record, and the desperate need for improvement at the quarterback position. Never was the more evident than during TCU's 17-16 loss in the Whatever Wings Bowl against Michigan State on Dec. 29.

For the first time since Gary Patterson took over as head coach at TCU he needs much more than a passer who merely drives the bus and stays out of the way. He needs an accurate passer who makes positive plays with his arm.

He has that in Casey Pachall, who if he had remained with the team the Frogs likely finish with nine wins. Who knows what Patterson has in sophomore Trevone Boykin?

In his first year as a starter Boykin showed promise, toughness, good arm strength and athleticism. He also showed his considerable inexperience, which is not his fault, and an inability to consistently make accurate throws.

Patterson does not trust this guy yet to make passes over the middle, or his decision making.

No official word on Pachall's return has been made.

Best case scenario is that Pachall returns to the team and "wins" the job in spring practice. For the sake of his pro chances, Pachall has to be assured the job is his. If not, he needs to transfer to a place where he is guaranteed to play. He can't sit.

This scenario would give TCU one full season under Pachall in '13, and potentially two years of Boykin in '14 and '15. It's not fair to Boykin, but neither is life.

The Frogs' demonstrated they have Big 12 caliber players across the board on defense, and at the skill receiver position. Defensive end Devonte Fields has a chance to be the best defensive player this school has produced since Bob Lilly.

Their offensive line, however, was often overmatched - they were manhandled by Michigan State - and for the season the rushing game averaged 3.9 yards per carry. Their quarterback was erratic.

There are countless positives for TCU's first season in the Big 12, but in order for the Frogs to play on a stage bigger than bowl games named after deep fried food the QB has to be better.

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How to fix the bowl season & do a playoff

A picture of the 2007 Liberty Bowl; plenty of good seats still available

We are still two years away from a four-team college football playoff that will be selected by a "committee" (wink-wink), and it should not be too much longer before this pool increases to eight and then 16.

This is how the NCAA tournament eventually expanded to 68 teams; it keeps growing because the need for more cash never ceases.

This bowl season will once again include tickets that schools and bowl games can't give away as well as a slate of mostly blah-games the powers that run college football would rather die than give up on a business plan that nets them so much money each year in personal incentives.

Using that reality, how are these bowl games going to remain remotely relevant if both attendance and TV ratings continue to decrease at such an alarming rate? 

Flip it.

It's complicated but the basic framework of college basketball can be applied to college football: Move the bowl season to September and start this playoff in December, or November.

The early-season schedule in college football has become over run with dogs as coaches do their best to schedule guaranteed wins. Since TV has most of the leverage, it can put the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl in September and suddenly a Washington vs. Boise State is a pretty attractive game. A Holiday Bowl between Baylor and UCLA is a very big, and relevant, game.

What we have now remains an exhibition schedule that allows countless teams to go home with a ribbon, free swag, and the coach and or AD with a giant bonus check.

How are teams eligible for these September bowls? Base it on the previous year's record, or something along those lines.

Games such as the Rose Bowl are one of the few bowl games guaranteed to draw good numbers.

You keep the biggest bowl games - Rose, Fiesta, Cotton, Orange, Sugar - for the playoffs.

By moving the bowl season to September you give fans and TV more meaningful games and give meaning to these "exhibition" games that right now fewer and fewer people are buying, either with their money or with their time.

 

 

 

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The last team that blocked the Texans' J.J. Watt was TCU

Watching Houston Texans' defensive lineman J.J. Watt embarrass the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday was mesmerizing. If there is a better, or more dominant, defensive player in the game today please do tell.

In 14 games this season Watt has 19.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 15 passes defended, 17 tackles for a loss and two fumble recoveries.

Since he came into the league two years ago the Wisconsin alum has routinely over powered NFL offensive lineman in such a way that would remind you of ... Reggie White? Maybe that's much but Watt is toying with guys right now.

Thinking back to his last game of his college career - vs. TCU in the Rose Bowl two years ago - it struck me Watt never really made a play in that game. According to the final stats, he had three tackles and one pass break up.
He was a part of a defense that held TCU's running game to 3.2 yards per carry and limited their offense to 23:35 in time of possession, but never did Watt make the type of play that is making routine now.

It hurt Watt that TCU QB Andy Dalton routinely got the ball out of his hands quickly that afternoon, and the Frogs played such a clean game. Watt cried in the press conference after that game. It wasn't like it was his fault; he just got beat by a really good team.

Since that afternoon in Pasadena, Watt has only had two games in his career where he did so little - vs. the Falcons and the Titans late last season where he combined for 1 tackle. Other than that, he has been dominant and should win the 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

 

 

 

 

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Texas Tech needs to call Bobby Petrino or Butch Davis now

CINCINNATI, Ohio - Driving in and around The Queen City this morning it occured to me what a major slap in the face Tommy Tuberville just did to Texas Tech, to Lubbock and to all of Red Raider Nation.

Texas Tech gave the man a pretty good BCS caliber job and a ton of money when no other program would. Now he either figured he was this close to being fired, or he simply didn't like this job. Go with both.

His departure pretty much left everyone in Lubbock stunned. His arrival in Cincy was met with fanfare, and he said he is going to stay.

What a tremendous load of BS.

Tuberville never seemed like much of a fit for Red Raider nation, and despite some progress in the recruiting area it did not appear the Red Raiders were going to have one of those Mike Leach type of years under Tuberville.

This is such a slap to the entire program it's hard to fathom. TT left TT for an OK gig in whatever is left of The Big East. The facilities have been upgraded, but they're not like the ones he has in Texas. TT left to cash a fat check, and be comfortable for a program that is desperate to hang on to a winning head coach (the previous three all left for better jobs). 

Now is the time for Tech to make the right hire after the Leach fiasco.

The first call has to be to former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino. That or former University of Miami, North Carolina and Browns head coach Butch Davis.

UPDATE: PETRINO IS GOING TO BE THE NEW COACH AT WESTERN KENTUCKY.

Both come with a loooot of baggage, but both would be eager to get back into the game and grateful for an opportunity like this.

Tech may not be Texas, but it sure as hell should be better than Cincinnati.

Petrino may be a such and such and a real you know what, but the man wins football games on the football field. His arrival to Lubbock would cause a major bump in the Big 12. Before his personal life became a national punchline and forced his departure from Arkansas, he made that program nationally relevant in the brutal SEC West.

He has reportedly been talking to Arkansas State. Tech has to get in on this fast before he takes that job.

Davis did well at Miami and North Carolina before the recruiting disaster with assistant John Blake forced his departure. He is an assistant with the Tampa Bay Bucs right now. He reportedly has said he does not want to be a candidate for the Florida International job.

Enough time  has passed since these guys left Tech can spin the "Learned his lesson, second chance" line the alumni base should buy it.

Neither of these guys is clean and there is a certain risk element attached to both, but the upside could be significant for a program that just had its pride stepped on.

 

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Time is coming for TCU to make a call on Casey Pachall

According to a pair of sources, former TCU quarterback Casey Pachall has completed the necessary paper work process to re-enroll at TCU in the spring. According to a source, all of the necessary requirements for Pachall to return to TCU have been met.

As far as Pachall actually returning to the TCU football team, however, no decision has been made - that's according to TCU media relations director Mark Cohen. TCU's fall semester is about to end, students have already enrolled for spring classes, so an announcement should be coming sooner rather than later.

On Oct. 9, TCU head coach Gary Patterson announced that Pachall was going to disenroll from the university to enter a treatment facility. Patterson left open the possibility of Pachall returning and re-joining the football team in the spring. That announcement came after Pachall had been arrested for driving while intoxicated a few days prior. According to Patterson on Oct. 9, Pachall needed about two semesters worth of credits to graduate.

The question now becomes whether Pachall returning is the best move for both parties. You want to do right by the kid, who appears to be trying to do right by his school and his team but … there is the distraction element, not to mention Trevone Boykin, too.

No way will, or should, Pachall return to TCU if he is not playing football. And does he return if he thinks there is even a chance he is not the starting quarterback?

Provided Pachall has satisfied whatever requirements were set, he should come back and compete for the starting quarterback job with Boykin. May the best man win.

At the time of Pachall left TCU was 4-0 and Boykin was preparing to play running back for a home game against Iowa State.

Since then Boykin, who is a redshirt freshman, has done about as well as a player could be asked given the circumstances. Boykin completed 58.6 percent of passes (154-263) with 15 TDs and 9 Ints. He had huge wins at Baylor, West Virginia and Texas, and he has TCU in a bowl game against Michigan State.

Boykin is a superior runner, has a big arm and can throw the deep ball but he is not as accurate as Pachall. 

Pachall is a better pocket passer, but his return will bring a certain distraction element that GP can't be excited about dealing with. How will his teammates react to it? Pachall is going to be a rather large story. And handing Pachall his starting job back would nearly be impossible given what Boykin has done.

He was thrown into a very difficult situation, won some big games, took more than his share of hits, and demonstrated durability and toughness. Those are endearing qualities to teammates. 

Clearly his coaches don't trust him on certain throws. If TCU is going to make a run at 10 wins next season Boykin will have to be the player who makes the biggest improvement.

Are 10 wins more realistic under Pachall or Boykin? This is not an easy call either way, and feelings are going to be hurt.

If Pachall does return to the school and the team he should have the right to compete for the starting job. And so does Boykin.

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Why Mike Gundy would leave Oklahoma State for Arkansas or Tennessee

Reports are increasing that Oklahoma State head football coach Mike "I'm a Man, I'm 40!" Gundy has interviewed for the head coaching positions at Arkansas and Tennessee.

UPDATE: ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT FROM YAHOO! SPORTS, WISCONSIN HEAD COACH BRET BIELMA HAS ACCEPTED THE ARKANSAS GIG. MAJOR, MAJOR SCORE.

Landing Gundy would be a serious get for either program, and a major slap in the face to Oklahoma State team owner, T. Boone Pickens.

(It is fun to watch T. Boone take on Jerry Jones out-stupid each other as they spend their discretionary income on their respective alma mater's college athletic teams.)

Why would Gundy, who played at Okie State and has become a massive success turning the Cowboys into a power, leave Stillwater?
Because for all of the success Oklahoma State has had in recent seasons, it's not the University of Oklahoma. Gundy, and T. Boone, have turned OSU into a very good job, but it's not OU.

Leaving Okie State for Arkansas almost feels like a lateral move. Arkansas is as difficult, if not more so, than Oklahoma State.
Leaving Okie State for Tennessee, which should own Memphis in recruiting and thus be a top 10 team, has some logic to it.

Gundy's interviews could merely just be a leverage ploy for more cash, or the opportunity to land the big job of the big flagship state school.

 

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2 coaches ranked Texas 16th in their final top 25 rankings

The people in and around Austin who fancy themselves as Texas Longhorn powerbrokers who are tired of Mack Brown can't be happy with the final USA Today college coaches' poll. Despite a third-straight blah year from Los Horns, the Fightin' Macks finished No. 25 in the final USA Today Coaches' Poll.

Don't ask how. I gave up long ago how this Texas team managed to remain ranked despite four unimpressive losses.

Click here for the link on USA Today see how the voting coaches ranked the top 25.

Of the Big 12 coaches with a vote, only one gave a final ranking to the Texas Longhorns. Art Briles (Baylor), Bob Stoops (Oklahoma) and Tommy Tuberville (Texas Tech) did not vote UT in their respective Top 25. The only Big 12 coach who did was Paul Rhodes of Iowa State, who ranked the Horns 22nd.

Also of the notables who did not vote for The Macks: Nick Saban (Alabama), Bo Pelini (Nebraska), Dan McCarney (North Texas)

Be leery of these college coach rankings - a lot of voting coaches will admit they don't have the time to do this poll right, and this is often a last-minute procedure.

Here is where Texas received its votes:

25th
Dana Holgersen (West Virginia), Rick Stockstill (Middle Tenn.), Dabo Sweeney (Clemson), Jeff Tedford (California)

24th
Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech), Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Terry Bowden (Akron), Dave Christensen (Wyoming), Mark Dantonio (Mich Stat), Kevin Wilson (Indiana) 

23rd
Skip Holtz (South Florida), Mike Leach (Wash St.), Pete Lembo (Ball St.), Mike London (Virginia), Les Miles (LSU), Paul Pasqualoni (UConn), Joker Phillips (Kentucky), Rich Rodriguez (Arizona) 

22nd
Gene Chizik (Auburn), Paul Rhodes (Iowa State), Steve Sarkisian (Washington) 

21st
Dave Doeren (Northern Ill.), Ruffin McNeill (East Carolina) 

19th
Mike Riley (Ore. State)

18th
Jim Grobe (Wake Forest)

16th
Darrell Hazell (Kent State), Brady Hoke (Michigan)

 

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Time for TCU to no longer just be happy about being here

FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU finished its 2012 conference home schedule without a win for the first time since 1986. The prevailing feeling generated by fans and players etc. is that this first season in the Big 12 was a massive success.

If you look at the numbers - 7-5 record, 4-5 conference - this is TCU's worst season since 2007. The string of double-digit win seasons has been snapped at four. TCU will likely finish unranked for the first time since 2004.

Look past the numbers and this may have been one of the best seasons ever coached by Gary Patterson, and easily the most entertaining TCU regular season in decades. The scene and the crowds at Amon G. Carter Stadium this season were fun, and a place to be.

Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas State and the rest coming to Fort Worth was laughably better than Colorado State, UNLV or New Mexico.

That said, enough with the "Thank yous, we're so happy to be invited to the cool kids' party" from GP and all of TCU nation. This school has tripped over itself in thanking de facto Big 12 commissioner DeLoss Dodds and everyone else associated with the conference. TCU proved it can hang and it belongs in the Big 12, and no one was embarrassed by adding the Horned Frogs to this league. 

Gratitude and humility are always appreciated, but TCU earned this. They were invited for a reason.

In this first season of the Big 12, TCU should have been happy to be invited to the cool kids' party. Now go find the homecoming queen and take her out.

 

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A Johnny Football haircut will get you kicked out of school

Not sure I would do this but ... it looks cool. At least it does until it gets you booted out of school.

Famed San Antonio barber/artist Rob "The Original" Ferrel, who is known around the Alamo city for his hair designs, can give you a cut of Johnny Manziel in your hair. Good way to get chicks.

According to the 'net, Christian Chavez of Kerrville got himself the "Johnny Football" cut from Ferrel, and then was sent home from school because of it.

The haircut was a violation of the Hill Country School's policy. Basically, the school wants hair to look like hair. Not like a Texas A&M quarterback.

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