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Seedy K’s Gridiron Gab: 9/14

Condolences to DeShaun Foster, the now dethroned UCLA coach who jumped the line to the guillotine thanks to a 21 point 4th Q defensive meltdown to New Mexico on Friday in front of 87,582 empty seats in the Rose Bowl. A Lobo contingent with a new coach and 73 new working parts prevailed 35-21.

As for yours truly, until a Sunday comeback I had let us say a less than joyous college pigskin/ pennant race September weekend.

Joyeaux aucune.

On Friday night I had to endure Andre Ware to root against Colorado. ESPN’s Friday night window “expert” has been proven both by human collated data and AI to be wrong 94.59% of the time.

While also watching a scary evening for my Tigers. Not only was ace Tarik Skubal lit up for a couple homers early, he left the game in Miami with an injury. Detroit fell in the series opener. During which, I was advised by my pal SABR, a HS football watcher with a grandson who plays, that my Atherton Rebels were falling to Manual.

Not one of my favorite evenings of sports.

Then during the late afternoon window Saturday afternoon, two teams I predicted would prevail blew late leads and lost. (Full requiem with Wednesday’s Prognostications.) Both within a fifteen minute window, during which the Tigers were walked off in the 11th by the Marlins.

Geesh.

* * * * *

Which brings me to the weekend’s Stupidest Coaching Strategy.

Josh Heupel, come on down.

In a truly exciting back and forth affair, the Vols were in perfect position to best visiting Georgia for the first time since iconic college football announcer Lindsey Nelson was a student in Knoxville and Gen. Bob Neyland was still coaching the single wing there.

Game knotted. :07 on the clock. Third and 7. A 37 yard FG in the offing. Timeout.

If you are disinclined to read what verbiage football obsessives actually use, close your eyes.

I’m screaming at the screen, “Kick the fucking field goal NOW!!!!!”

Several times.

Heupel, with the look of a fellow locked in a cage with a bunch of rabid junkyard bulldogs closing in, demurred. For some reason which defies any rational explanation whatsoever, he was going to run one more play before letting his kicker attempt the game winner.

False start.

From five yards farther back: Kick wide.

Georgia wins in OT.

Josh, send a thank you note to DeShaun Foster, and Billy Napier, who have stolen the coaching blunder chat nationally if maybe not in Land o’ Rocky Top.

* * * * *

My favorite coaching moment.

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key was interviewed on the sideline during a stoppage as his team was driving for the eventual FG and “upset” over Clemson.

Key was . . . annoyed . . . at the intrusion. To understate his displeasure.

“Coach, what do you need to do from now on?”

“. . . . . . . . . . . . Block . . . . . . . . . . execute . . . . . . . . . score one more point than the other team.”

TV Producers: Leave the coaches alone during the games.

Good on Key for not holding back how really pissed he was.

* * * * *

Tech won on a “fire drill field goal,” which excellent play by play guy Bob Wischusen correctly mentioned in advance how the Ramblin’ Wreck had practiced the situation the day before, Getting the OL off and a FG team on the field and ready with no timeouts.

Meanwhile so over the top -- as usual -- was Joe Tessitore on the LSU/ Florida game, I was forced to click over to Tottenham Hotspur/ West Ham in the EPL. Just to get a few calming moments of those erudite Brit announcers with their lovely language, smile-inducing colloquialisms and understatement.

* * * * *

Love love love what the ACC is doing this season on replays. Letting TV viewers into the Control Center to hear the conversation between replay officials and the refs.

Illuminating. Even if the fans in the stands remain clueless.

* * * * *

For awhile now I’ve been heralding UConn as a no-brainer addition to the ACC.

Problem is they got to start taking football seriously.

First year FCS Delaware Blue Hens 44, Huskies 41.

* * * * *

MIke Elko proving at Texas A&M that Money Talks, Spenders Walk . . . Away with a last second W under the Golden Dome.

* * * * *

Vandy crushed South Carolina, after the Gamecocks lost their star QB, 31-7.

Best Commodore team since mid to late 50s, when they upset Auburn in the Gator Bowl, and had Phil “The Chief” King.

* * * * *

Finally some serenity on Sunday.