https://sports.yahoo.com/forde-yard...ns-offering-four-playoff-picks-023652435.html ...The clear common thread: All three Texas teams were absolutely pitiful defensively, unable to get stops when they needed stops. Which leads The Dash back to the suspicion that the hurry-up-no-huddling of Texas high school football is having a lasting, damaging effect on the quality of the defense in the state at the college level. Are there fewer great athletes who want to play defense? Are they being coached as well defensively? Are the best defensive players fleeing the state (and the Big 12) for better programs on their side of the ball? Even using yards per play allowed, the preferred metric of defenders of the hurry-up style, there has been a pronounced defensive lapse in Texas. The 2009 season was the last time a team from the state had a shot at a national title. That Texas team led the nation in fewest yards allowed per play, at 3.84. TCU was second. The state’s five most prominent programs (Texas, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor) had an average national ranking in that category of 35th. That stayed constant in 2010, with an average ranking of 38th. Then the slide began. In 2011 the average was 57th, and in ’12 it was 59th. There was a minor rally in 2013 (49th) and ’14 (52nd), followed by a bigger slide. In 2015, the five Texas Power Five schools had an average yards per play allowed ranking of 62nd, with no schools in the top 30. In ’16, the average dropped to 68th, with no schools in the top 45. One week into 2017, the average ranking is 70th. And that’s with TCU holding FCS opponent Jackson State to 1.2 yards per play Saturday. Among the things that can be lost when you play fast: Your defense. Your clock-management skills. Your job.
Coaches Poll 1. Alabama(60) 2. Ohio State(2) 3. Clemson(3) 4. Penn State 5. USC 6. Oklahoma 7. Washington 8. Michigan 9. Florida State 10. Oklahoma State 11. Wisconsin 12. LSU 13. Auburn 14. Stanford 15. Georgia 16. Louisville 17. Miami 18. Virginia Tech 19. Kansas State 20. South Florida 21. Tennessee 22. Washington State 23. Utah 24. Florida 25. Notre Dame Others Receiving Votes TCU 80; Colorado 78; Maryland 60; West Virginia 56; UCLA 47; Oregon 42; Arkansas 37; Boise State 36; Nebraska 30; Mississippi State 28; Memphis 21; Pittsburgh 19; Northwestern 15; San Diego State 12; North Carolina State 9; Iowa 8; South Carolina 8; Minnesota 6; Kentucky 6; California 5; Navy 5; Syracuse 4; Texas 3; Vanderbilt 3; Central Florida 3; Arizona 3; Houston 3; Army 2; Georgia Tech 1. AP Top 25 1. Alabama(60) 2. Ohio State(1) 3. Clemson 4. Penn State 5. Oklahoma 6. USC 7. Washington 8. Michigan 9. Wisconsin 10. Florida State 11. Oklahoma State 12. LSU 13. Auburn 14. Stanford 15. Georgia 16. Miami 17. Louisville 18. Virginia Tech 19. Kansas State 20. Washington State 21. South Florida 22. Florida 23. TCU 24. Notre Dame 25. Tennessee
Mike Leach being Mike Leach http://www.swxrightnow.com/story/36...rt=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=13675346 <script type='text/javascript' src='http://SWXRN.images.worldnow.com/in...yType=wnstory;galleryId=36288227'></script><a href="http://www.swxrightnow.com" title="SWX Right Now-Sports for Spokane, CdA, Tri-Cities, WA">SWX Right Now-Sports for Spokane, CdA, Tri-Cities, WA</a>
