College football: Don’t pander to bettors -- One new practice this season involves cutting away from a game broadcast briefly to return to the ESPN studio for a “cover alert.” -- a cover alert is aimed specifically at betters, who wager money on games based on a point spread system
Ohio State played only six regular season games. Many said that they didn’t belong in the playoff which such a short resume. Will they prove those people wrong?
Dabo Swinney ranked Ohio State 11th in his Coaches Poll ballot. This left the Buckeyes hungry for a victory over Clemson. Will this hunger carry over in the Championship game?
What are your "Keys to the Game"? Who do you think wins? Do you think the favorite will cover the spread? Which player(s) are you most interested to watch? Let's talk football! To vote in the matchup "who will win poll" simply include the name of the team you think will win enclosed by {} as part of your TOP LEVEL comment discussing the matchup. To change your vote just edit your initial comment to bracket the other team. You can change your vote as often as you like until the GAME THREAD is posted A full listing of accepted FBS team aliases can be found here. For FCS teams you will need to use the full name as it appears in the post title. A listing of links, and live vote totals, to all Match-up Preview threads for the current week can be found HERE. Like this format?Generate your own "Match-up Discussion Thread" with the Match-up Discussion Thread Generator. Please DM dupreesdiamond with any issues/suggestions regarding this template
Allrankingsreflectthecurrent/cfbpoll North Carolina Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-30 20:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Bryce Watts
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Aug 25
Watts has informed the program that he will not take part in the 2020 season due to a personal reason.
Triston Miller
OL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Aug 25
Miller has ruled himself out of the entire 2020 campaign after letting the program aware of his reasons.
Javon Terry
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Aug 25
Terry has announced that he will not be a participant in the 2020 season due to a personal decision.
Ethan West
LB
Out For Season – Upper Body
Sat, Oct 10
West will miss the remainder of the 2020 season with an upper-body injury.
Kedrick Bingley Jones
DL
Out Indefinitely – Lower Body
Sun, Oct 11
Bingley-Jones is recovering from surgery to fix a lower-body injury. It is undetermined if he will make his season debut.
Ty Murray
OL
Out For Season – Undisclosed
Wed, Nov 11
Murray sustained an unspecified season-ending injury.
Beau Corrales
WR
Out For Season – Lower Body
Tue, Dec 8
Corrales is out of commission due to a lower-body injury, and has been shut down for the remainder of the season.
Michael Carter
RB
Out For Season – Personal
Mon, Dec 21
Carter has opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
Dyami Brown
WR
Out For Season – Personal
Mon, Dec 21
Brown will sit out of the remainder of the 2020 season to prepare for the NFL Draft.
Javonte Williams
RB
Out For Season – Personal
Sat, Dec 26
Williams has opted out of the rest of the season to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
D.J. Jones
RB
Out Sat – Lower Body
Sun, Dec 27
Jones will not be available for the Orange Bowl versus Texas A&M due to a lower-body injury.
Obi Egbuna
DB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Mon, Dec 28
Egbuna is hindered by an unknown ailment, and it is unclear if he will take the field against Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl.
Storm Duck
DB
Ques Sat – Lower Body
Mon, Dec 28
Duck is tending to a lower-body, and it remains to be seen if he will partake in the Orange Bowl versus Texas A&M.
Chazz Surratt
LB
Out For Season – Personal
Mon, Dec 21
Surratt has opted to sit out the 2020 postseason as he prepares for the NFL Draft.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com Texas A&M Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-30 20:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Blake Smith
TE
Out For Season – Knee
Thu, Sep 10
Smith suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Baylor Cupp
TE
Out For Season – Shoulder
Thu, Sep 10
Cupp had surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder, signalling the end of his season.
Grayson Reed
OL
Out For Season – Leg
Tue, Oct 6
Reed is projected to miss the remainder of the season due to a leg injury.
Caleb Chapman
WR
Out For Season – Lower Body
Mon, Oct 12
Chapman is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.
Micheal Clemons
DL
Out Indefinitely – Ankle
Tue, Nov 10
Clemons will miss an undetermined length of time after undergoing ankle surgery.
Myles Jones
DB
Ques Sat – Foot
Sun, Dec 27
Jones is dealing with a foot injury, and his status for the Orange Bowl versus North Carolina is unknown.
Devin Morris
DB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 27
Morris is battling an unspecified injury, and it is unknown if he will line up against North Carolina in the Orange Bowl.
Dylan Wright
WR
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 27
Wright is hampered by an unspecified injury, and it is unclear if he will play in the Orange Bowl against North Carolina.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com What are your "Keys to the Game"? Who do you think wins? Do you think the favorite will cover the spread? Which player(s) are you most interested to watch? Let's talk football! To vote in the matchup "who will win poll" simply include the name of the team you think will win enclosed by {} as part of your TOP LEVEL comment discussing the matchup. To change your vote just edit your initial comment to bracket the other team. You can change your vote as often as you like until the GAME THREAD is posted A full listing of accepted FBS team aliases can be found here.. For FCS teams you will need to use the full name as it appears in the post title. A listing of links, and live vote totals, to all Match-up Preview threads for the current week can be found HERE. Like this format?Generate your own "Match-up Discussion Thread" with the Match-up Discussion Thread Generator. Please DM dupreesdiamond with any issues/suggestions regarding this template
#12 Oklahoma vs. #11 Florida When: Wednesday, December, 30, 08:00 PM Eastern Where: AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX Watch: ESPN Odds: Oklahoma by 7.0 pts. Total Points: 64.5 All-Time Series : Oklahoma vs. Florida Oklahoma and Florida have met 1 time since 01/08/2009. These teams last met 4,374 days (~12 years) ago on 01/08/2009. Series Wins: Oklahoma 0-0-1 Florida† Longest streak of continuous meetings: 1 (2008-2008). Florida has won the most recent meeting (2008) in this series. Last 1 Meetings
Allrankingsreflectthecurrent/cfbpoll Oklahoma Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-30 10:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Austin Stogner
TE
Out Indefinitely – Leg
Fri, Dec 4
Stogner is out of commission with a leg injury, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Jadon Haselwood
WR
Out Wed – Undisclosed
Tue, Dec 29
Haselwood is dealing with an unspecified ailment and will not suit up against Florida in the Cotton Bowl.
Justin Broiles
S
Ques Wed – Lower Body
Sat, Dec 26
Broiles is dealing with a lower-body injury, leaving his status for the Cotton Bowl versus Florida hazy.
Tre Brown
CB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Dec 22
Brown has opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
Kendall Dennis
CB
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 22
Dennis has been sideliend with an undetermined injury, and his status moving forward is up in the air.
Greydon Williams
WR
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 7
Williams has been sidelined with an unspecified injury, and it is unknown when he will play again.
Obi Obialo
WR
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 22
Obialo has been sidelined with an unspecified ailment, and it is unclear when he will line up next.
Caleb Kelly
LB
Out Indefinitely – Knee
Tue, Aug 25
Kelly sustained a knee injury that will keep him out of the lineup for an unknown length of time.
Finley Felix
OL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 22
Felix has been sitting out due to an unspecified ailment, and it is unknown when he will suit up next.
Justin Harrington
DB
Out For Season – Knee
Thu, Aug 27
Harrington tore his ACL, signaling that he will miss the entire season.
Marcus Hicks
DL
Out Indefinitely – Achilles
Thu, Aug 27
Hicks is sidelined after undergoing surgery to fix a left Achilles injury, and the severity of the ailment is unknown.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com Florida Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-30 10:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Hayden Knighton
OL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 20
Knighton has been out due to an undeclared reason, and his availability is unknown moving forward.
Jacob Copeland
WR
Out Wed – Illness
Mon, Dec 28
Copeland has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be available for the Cotton Bowl versus Oklahoma.
Marco Wilson
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Mon, Dec 28
Wilson has decided to opt out of the remainder of the 2020 season to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
Kadarius Toney
WR
Out For Season – Personal
Mon, Dec 28
Toney has made a personal decision to sit out of the remainder of the 2020 season to prepare for the NFL Draft.
Trevon Grimes
WR
Out For Season – Personal
Mon, Dec 28
Grimes has opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
Rashad Torrence
DB
Ques Wed – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 26
Torrence is tending to an unspecified injury, and it is uncertain if he will be available against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.
Kyle Pitts
TE
Out For Season – Personal
Sun, Dec 20
Pitts has opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
Kamar Wilcoxson
DB
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 20
Wilcoxson has been sidelined due to an undeclared ailment, and it is unknown if he will line up going forward.
Lucas Alonzo
DL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Alonzo has been absent from the lineup due to an unknown ailment, and it is unclear when he will return to the field.
Jeremiah Moon
LB
Out Indefinitely – Foot
Sun, Dec 13
Moon has been on the sidelines due to a foot injury, and it is unknown when he will return to the fold.
Jaelin Humphries
DL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 13
Humphries has been absent from the lineup with an injury to an unlisted location, and it is undetermined when he will return to action.
Kevin Johnson
UT
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Johnson has been sidelined due to an unspecified ailment. It has yet to be determined when he will return.
Ethan Pouncey
DB
Out Indefinitely – Hip
Thu, Sep 24
Pouncey will miss an extended period due to hip surgery.
Lamar Goods
DL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Goods has been sidelined due to an injury to an unlisted area. It has yet to be established when he will next be available.
Joshua Tse
UT
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Tse has been sidelined due to an unspecified ailment, and it is undetermined when he will return to the lineup.
Quincy Lenton
DB
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Lenton has been inactive due to an injury to an unlisted area, and it is unknown when he will next become available.
Kahleil Jackson
UT
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 20
Jackson has been sidelined due to an unknown ailment, and it remains to be seen if he will step on the field moving forward.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com What are your "Keys to the Game"? Who do you think wins? Do you think the favorite will cover the spread? Which player(s) are you most interested to watch? Let's talk football! To vote in the matchup "who will win poll" simply include the name of the team you think will win enclosed by {} as part of your TOP LEVEL comment discussing the matchup. To change your vote just edit your initial comment to bracket the other team. You can change your vote as often as you like until the GAME THREAD is posted A full listing of accepted FBS team aliases can be found here.. For FCS teams you will need to use the full name as it appears in the post title. A listing of links, and live vote totals, to all Match-up Preview threads for the current week can be found HERE. Like this format?Generate your own "Match-up Discussion Thread" with the Match-up Discussion Thread Generator. Please DM dupreesdiamond with any issues/suggestions regarding this template
[NFL] 2020 the year of plague and woes, and how the NFL murdered the Denver Broncos and saved the Ravens
Background
The NFL is the professional organization for gridiron football in the United States, and one of the largest sporting organizations on the planet. Boasting a yearly revenue of over $16 billion... you know, lets pause and put that in perspective. Video games - the entire idea of electronic games you play, whether on your phone, computer, or dedicated console - have a yearly revenue of $44 billion. That means the NFL makes about 40% of what video games - the entire fucking industry - does worldwide. It is also deliciously petty. 31 of the 32 teams are owned by rich individuals who did not make their money through football. That means they're essentially owned by super rich fans who are not used to anyone telling them no. These owner superfans can fire people, demand trades, etc. And do. Imagine if you picked your industry, and had it run by a bunch of outsiders who knew very little about it, but had vast amounts of money and bad tempers. Oh and unlike European football with relegations, there's nothing to remove a team or force them to be competitive, meaning people making bad decisions can just keep making the bad decisions. The result is you could probably make a subreddit just called "Gridiron football drama" and it'd be populated as fuck. Therefore I won't go into the minor things - the players who robbed a bunch of people but then bribed their way out of charges, the dogfighting, the guy who shot himself in the leg, that's just standard petty shit. Coaches fired after good seasons because the owner doesn't like them, total idiots left on for years, good ol' boys who never seem to quite depart the NFL despite no one having an idea what they're good at, the ongoing disaster of analytics (the idea of applying mathematics to a sport run by overgrown infants), no, no, that's for another time. A good time. I'll probably do one or two more of these.
COVID and the League
The NFL makes $16 billion. COVID kills people. $16 billion vs. dead people. Hmmm. Dead people. $16 billion. So we're having a football season this year. It's almost guaranteed to kill at least some people who are either involved or involved in outbreaks caused by it, but hey, life goes on. Or doesn't. The NFL pays lip service to preventing the spread, which is the start of our delicious drama.
COVID Protocols - the answer
The NFL has instituted COVID protocols. These are insane. For instance, people on the sidelines have to wear a mask. Athletes don't, because you can't breath through a mask while pushing your body to its limits. They explored face shields, but nah. So you have two guys who are literally laying next to each other on the ground panting for breath after tackling (this sport isn't at all gay). They are breathing heavily, inches from each other. But say those exact same players who have been breathing in each other's faces for hours celebrate winning in the locker room? That sounds like half a million in fines. Pay up! There's no real describing how insane this is. The raiders coach doesn't like his mask so he's declared war on the NFL. The Patriots, Steelers, 49ers, Raiders, and more have been fined. The masks have also looked sillier and sillier. This man is considered a football genius. No, he hasn't taken one too many shots to the head or something, he's just incapable of wearing a mask normally. God knows why. Coaches regularly pull them down to talk to people, thus defeating the entire point, etc. See? He wears a mask when he doesn't need to be close to people or talk to them he only pulls it down for short periods of time when he's close and talking. I don't see the problem here. Half the organizations fined are appealing, and accusations of bias have flown back and forth. Angriest are the Saints, who are PISSED about being fined half a million dollars for having a celebration in their own locker room after a win after they passed a COVID test right before the game. Does any of this make sense? Nope! There's some more sensible protocols too. For instance new players have to test negative, then sit out in isolation for six days while the teams wait for them to make sure they don't have COVID, test negative again, then they can join the team. Of course isolation isn't that isolating, but that's a whole other matter. So overall, mixed bag for protocols.
Fake fan noise
Okay, so most games can't be attended by fans (not Dallas, Dallas said fuck it get sick and die) but crowd noise is a big part of football. Crowds cheer their team. So they pipe in fake crowd noise. This is a little creepy but not too bad. So where's the drama? Well, lets turn to Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Their QB, Carson Wentz, has been having a bit of a down year. So to show him love, they piped in fake boos. At a home game. This is kinda how Philly fans roll, but needless to say this move drew some controversy.
Baltimore Ravens COVID
The Baltimore Ravens were supposed to play a game on Thanksgiving, but their QB might have COVID. Fortunately the NFL was understanding. A QB is the most important position on the field, and without Lamar Jackson, there's no way the Ravens could be expected to play. So the game has been delayed as they work the situation out. So far, so good.
Denver Broncos
Okay, so that brings us to the Denver Broncos. See, anyone who has COVID has to be quarantined, as does anyone who might have it. Even if they test negative for a long while. So the Denver Broncos backup QB has COVID. And they had a long meeting with their QB and their other backup QB. And their other backup. In a room with no masks. They're all put on COVID watch list, meaning they can't play. So the Denver broncos have four quarterbacks, and none can play. The Ravens have just had a game delayed. The Broncos get told... game on. Okay, they look around for QBs they can get on short notice. But remember in the protocol section where they have to have new players wait six days? Oh. They don't have six days. In desperation they ask the NFL if they can at least play their assistant coach. He can throw footballs, and knows the playbook. Nope! Not signed as a player, has to sit for six days. "But he's been practicing with the team!" the Broncos tell the NFL. The NFL decides to beat the dead horse some more, and denies them. Thus the Denver Broncos try to figure out who on their team can throw a football. The answer was their practice squad wide receiver Kendell Hinton. Here's him throwing passes in training camp. Uh yeah, he catches passes. Not throws them. And has never played a game. And last threw a pass in a game in 2016, in college. And works as a salesman part time. Is this a total middle finger to the NFL from the Broncos, or just the only person they had? I don't know, but it's ugly.
The game.
So the Kendall Hinton completed 1 of 9 passes. These are the highlights. 1 for 9, 13 yards, 2 interceptions. The Broncos got drubbed by the Saints, obviously, although NO was pretty gentle with Hinton overall. There's a lot of "welcome to the NFL" defense strategies you can use against a new QB like blitz zero - basically an all-out blitz - that will generally crush them until they get used to it. NO kindly used none of that, playing pretty standard. Of course Hinton couldn't beat pretty standard, because Hinton is a receiver who isn't good enough to make the main squad. It's not all bad for him. The Denver Broncos gave him a shoutout on their Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/Broncos/status/1333195716831838208 They reportedly gave him an ovation in the locker room, and gave him a the game ball. Multiple players have said they respect him, and they should. They weren't throwing the ball, and they probably would have looked just as bad. Gridiron football positions are not interchangeable, and QB is the hardest to step in to. Fortunately Hinton seemed happy postgame interview, but damn.
Fallout
Broncos fans are furious the Ravens sat while their team was forced to play. Even ESPN has called this game "unprecedented in the modern era of football." There's a bunch of wagon circling back and forth. Mike Klis a team reporter who covers them has reported that the Broncos other QBs tested negative before and after the game, meaning they could have played. Had they delayed the game they CERTAINLY could have played. So why did the NFL punish the Broncos and not the Ravens? Why show one team favoritism and guarantee the other a loss? A big controversy is the NFL seems to be pushing "name brand" QBs. Lamar Jackson, QB of the Ravens, is one of those name QBs, and the NFL is pushing him hard as one of the faces of their game. Drew Lock, the Broncos QB, is not. So this is adding fuel to that fire. Fans are convinced that people like Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Lamar Jackson are getting more protection from the NFL - refs are calling fouls if anyone touches them, they're rearranging schedules to highlight them, etc. These people most certainly increase NFL revenue, and the NFL pushes them hard. On the other side, many outfits are talking how the Broncos broke the rules, and how the punishment was not unwarranted. Are these connected to the NFL? Maybe. Sports media is a bit incestuous. They can't just go report on some other organization if the NFL bans them or does mean things to them. So this has drawn battle lines, and lead to a grand controversy that's still developing. Was this interesting? Anyone interested in a writeup of the collapse of the Chicago Bears in 2020, the Antonio Brown saga (in three part harmony), or the 60 year history of mismanagement and ineptitude that is the Detroit Lions? Do you like reading about Gridiron football?
It's time to start looking forward to the 2021 NFL Draft now that we are officially eliminated from the postseason AND are picking at #4 (as of right now. I don't expect that to change much, especially given our final two opponents, the Washington Football Team and New Orleans, will be looking for either a division crown or an outside shot at the #1 seed in the playoffs). The big question surrounding who we should pick will be swirling for a while, with people throwing out Micah Parsons or Pat Surtain II. I don't think, however, that we will be picking anything other than a QB. Coach Rhule has already criticized Teddy a couple of times already. As I've said before, I believe the plan all along was to let Teddy take the reins this year so that the team would have some veteran leadership, and then see where he guided us. Then, in 2021, the plan was always to take a QB in either the 1st or 2nd round, and let that QB sit behind Teddy for the majority of the 2021 season, and then cut ties with Teddy at the end of 2021 and let the drafted QB take over going into the 2022 season. (This is why Teddy's contract has a $21m savings if we release him after the 2021 season.)
The 2021 Draft Forecast
The 2021 Draft is unique because it is THE QB Draft. Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields have always been the two favorites going into season, much the same way Andrew Luck and RGIII were obvious #1 and #2 in the QB prospect rankings in 2011. But beyond that, this year there is a load of talent in the 2nd and 3rd tiers of QBs that could all make franchise QBs. Trey Lance was always considered the "third wheel" of the group, and Zach Wilson was seen as the back-end of the 1st round guy. He's obviously moved up with stellar play, but so have guys like Mac Jones. Now that we're picking 4th, I've noticed some posters say we should try and trade up to #2 and get Fields. This, should be, out of the question. The Draft Trade Value Chart is still very much a baseline for teams to use, even though it is now over 3 decades old. Looking at the Draft Value Chart, the #2 pick is worth 2649 points. That is our destination. Our #4 pick is worth only 2297, which puts us almost 400 total points behind the #2 spot. To make up that ground, we would need to likely give up our 3rd round pick to move up as well. Normally that's not a huge deal, but the problem here is that this Draft is incredibly lopsided towards QBs, which pushes every other position down the board. There are LOTS of LT prospects in the Draft that can be had in the 30-38 range (Leatherwood, Radunz, Christensen, Little, etc.) and even more LB prospects to be found in the 50-70 range (Werner, Surratt, Collins, Robertson, etc.). We can't risk that range of picks moving up when there's so much other value on the table later on. With all of that being said, the focus here is on Trey Lance versus Zach Wilson. My guess is that most of you have only heard the name or saw highlights of Trey Lance, and possibly even Zach Wilson. I've been fortunate enough to watch a ton of NDSU games, and have been able to watch Zach Wilson play this year since the FCS has taken the Fall off, and Lance is preparing for the NFL Draft (sans one showcase game, but we'll get to that).
The Prospects: Trey Lance
Height: 6'4 (listed, will probably be closer to 6'3 1/2) Weight: 225lbs (listed, though he'll probably weigh in around 220) Age: 20 (will turn 21 right after the Draft) 2020 Stats: 15-30/149 yards/2 TDs/1 INT | 15 rushes/143 yards/2TDs Highlights:Here you go Pro Comparison: Deshaun Watson (Before I start, here's a cool little video from College Gameday that ESPN did earlier this year.) The numbers for Trey Lance seem weird when looking at them objectively. Only played in one game this year, and played an extremely odd game. But there's more to Trey than just his numbers this season. First, NDSU only played one game this Fall, due to the FCS sitting out the Fall sports program and moving to Spring. His 2019 numbers are eye-popping, however. 192-287/2786 yards/28 TDs/0 INT | 169 rushes/1100 yards/14 TDs Those numbers are absolutely insane. Sure, they come against FCS teams, but even still, he's a man amongst boys. There are times when it looks like Trey Lance is already an NFL QB. He calls his plays from the huddle, he calls his own protections from under center at the LoS, and then takes his snaps from under center and operates out of either an I-formation or a single back set a majority of the time. In fact, read this excerpt from ESPN about how Lance approaches the gameplan of football.
During game weeks, Lance studies hours of tape in preparation. On Mondays, he reviews the opponents' overall schemes; Tuesdays are for third down; Wednesdays for red zone; and Thursdays for two-minute offense. On Fridays, after cutting film the previous day, Lance presents the game plan to his receivers, telling them where they need to be in particular concepts.
That's right, Lance draws up his own gameplans for his receivers and their routes. So, yes, the NDSU offense does, at times, look like guys are being schemed just absolutely wide open, while Lance just throws strike after strike down the field. But it's Lance who is drawing up those concepts to get those guys free. He understands football at a level that most 20 year olds cannot even begin to process. Not even looking at his raw, God-given talents and athleticism, he understands football. A lot of the questions for players when they come out of college is: "can this guy operate in the NFL from a spread offense?" Even one of the major questions about Cam was, has he ever called plays in the huddle? Well, that didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but it is a question. Lance not only calls the plays from the huddle, he's responsible for concepts in each phase, whether it be their hurry up offense, their red zone offense, etc. This is where the comparison to Deshaun Watson comes in. Yes, he's a mobile QB with a massive arm that can throw the ball anywhere on the field. But it's more about how intelligent he is as a QB, understanding the flow and motion of a game better than his peers. There are obviously negatives to his game. He's not the perfect, polished QB that Trevor is, obviously. Sometimes Trey tries to rely on his athleticism to make big plays. Whether that's heaving the ball downfield off his back foot or throwing while fading to his right (something Cam had significant problems with throughout his career), Trey will need to learn to set his feet and not rely on being more athletic than everyone because, honestly, he's not more athletic than everyone in the NFL. This also comes into play when he's running the ball. Yes, Trey is fast. Like, VERY fast. I would say he ends up running a 4.5 - 4.6 40 time. But there are times when he lowers his shoulder for a boom to truck players. And he does! At least, in the FCS he does. In the NFL, he's going to have a rough time if he tries to just bulldoze someone like Lavonte David, for example. All-in-all, Trey is my favorite QB for us in the NFL Draft. I think he has skills that are far beyond his years. He's smart, athletic, and knows football. He doesn't rely on a spread to just dominate FCS teams with up-tempo. Instead, he can slow the game down, then just accelerate past you once you've fallen into a lull. But he does need work, and I think sitting behind Teddy for a year will give him insight into the game of football that would be invaluable. And I don't mean this negatively: Teddy could teach him how to be a pro and take what is given to you, even if that means passing for 3 or 4 yards at a time. Not every play has to be a 40 yard moon shot. Trey is also young enough that he could be our starting QB for the next 15 years if it turned out right. Think about this: Trey won't be 21 until after the Draft. That means in a decade, he'll only be 31. That's insane.
The Prospects: Zach Wilson
Height: 6'3 (listed, though he may be a true 6'3) Weight: 210lbs (listed, though I'm not sure how I feel about that. He could bulk up for the Draft to around 215 or 220.) Age: 21 (will turn 22 right after before the preseason begins) 2020 Stats: 221-302/3267 yards/30 TDs/3 INTs | 65 rushes/242 yards/8TDs Highlights:Here you go Pro Comparison: A much better Jimmy G Zach Wilson is someone you've definitely heard of by this point. He has risen up the Draft boards, and, before the loss to Coastal, was rising up as a Heisman dark horse. Before this season, there was talk about Zach possibly hitting the back end of round 1, maybe even early round 2, but there were also some serious questions about his health, which I feel like we should start out with. Zach has had shoulder surgery on his throwing shoulder from an injury sustained in high school. He said that the injury would feel horrible on Mondays after games. The surgery could help clear that up, and there's obviously no signs of any injuries when he's throwing quick strikes down the field. But, however, even bigger than that is that he has a torn labrum in his left shoulder that will need to be worked on. From that same interview:
Wilson, in his interview with BYU Sports Nation, added that he also has a torn labrum in his left shoulder that will eventually require surgery. He said he has been limited in his workouts, including not being able to bench press, but does a lot of workouts with dumbbells and resistance bands, typical to the routine of a healthy quarterback.
Not being able to lift is a big deal, though not terrible for a QB. As long as he is doing resistance training, he should be good. There's still some chances that he won't be able to participate in the bench press workout at the Draft, which could see some teams waver on him. What does Zach do well to make up for the injury concerns, though? Well, for one, he throws at almost every arm angle. He has the ability to lower his shoulder and throw those weird, quick strike, side-arm pitcher style throws. He can move in the pocket while throwing accurately downfield. The "Moving Parallelogram" is a hard concept for QBs to run often, because it requires great feetwork and accuracy on the move. Zach Wilson does it with ease, and does it consistently. This is where the big comparison to Jimmy G comes from. Jimmy is great at shuffling his feet, moving out into space, and getting the "Moving Parallelogram" concepts to work to his advantage. Here's the thing with Zach Wilson versus Trey Lance in the grand scheme of things. Trey is a dominant force athletically, being able to do everything and see everything... but the knock is it's against FCS teams. Zach has been doing this against the P5 teams consistently. He's played against Washington, USC, Utah, etc., and, though he does struggle in some of those games, he still has shown that he's tough and can play through pain and injury to get the job done. That's something that Coach Rhule has expressed happiness with, especially when it came to DJackson this year. Being tough and fighting through injury is laudable. Will Zach need to sit for a half a season/a season to prepare like Trey? Yeah, I think he will. I think that Zach needs to learn how to make progressions from an NFL offense. It's important to note here that BYU runs a variant offense, running through the spread with motion, under center, 4 right sets, etc. And while Zach's mechanics are very good, I think that he needs to learn how to be consistent against some of the top level teams from an NFL offense. Make reads out of the spread and understand coverages and concepts. Here's a really cool video featuring Zach's family, interviewing him on toughness and how determined Zach is to succeed. One thing that I really took away from this is that Zach has taken the time to consistently work with John Beck on his mechanics, and John Beck is a great example to follow. He's someone who has taken a path through the NFL, to the CFL, and has seen a myriad of offenses come and go. That's awesome to see that he's taking it seriously, and not just saying "well, I'm the starting QB of BYU, so I've got this in the bag."
Hale is tending to an unspecified injury, and it is unclear if he will be a participant in the Cheez-It Bowl against Miami.
Shane Illingworth
QB
Ques Tues – Illness
Sat, Dec 26
Illingworth is idle after testing positive for COVID-19. It is unknown if he will be cleared to return for the Cheez-It Bowl versus Miami.
Teven Jenkins
OL
Ques Tues – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 26
Jenkins is hindered by an unannounced injury, and his availability for the Cheez-It Bowl versus Miami is up in the air.
Tylan Wallace
WR
Ques Tues – Knee
Sat, Dec 26
Wallace is dealing with a knee injury, and it is unknown if he will be in the lineup against Miami in the Cheez-It Bowl.
Chuba Hubbard
RB
Out For Season – Ankle
Sat, Dec 12
Hubbard has informed the program that he will sit out the remainder of the season due prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft.
Tyren Irby
DE
Out Indefinitely – Leg
Sat, Dec 5
Irby has been sitting out with a leg injury, and it is unknown when he will return to the field.
Collin Clay
DT
Out For Season – Eligibility
Tue, Aug 25
Clay has been deemed ineligible by the NCAA for the 2020 season.
Ld Brown
RB
Ques Tues – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 26
Brown has an unannounced injury, and it is unknown if he will be active in the Cheez-It Bowl versus Miami.
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McClain's Mailbag: Can Texans, Deshaun Watson work it out?
Just about all of you are weighing in on the Deshaun Watson controversy and the hiring of the new head coach. I expect Watson, or his people, to make an official trade demand soon, and we’ll see where it goes from there. They can trade him or let him sit out, if it comes to that. I hope it doesn’t get James Harden ugly. If you’re venting and don’t ask for an answer, I’ll just run your comment. The Watson controversy could drag on for a long time. Meanwhile, general manager Nick Caserio is getting closer to recommending a new coach to Cal McNair, who’ll sign off on it. There’s a good chance the next head could be a coordinator in the AFC Championship Game — Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier or Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. I think Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is a strong candidate, too. Q: Does anybody really know what’s going on with Watson? No doubt he is a tremendous talent and I have always gotten the impression a stand-up guy. All the news/ESPN hype aside why hasn’t he stated his position. What the news is reporting is second- or third-hand information. I don’t believe in Twitter, etc., to communicate in a situation like this. The owner, GM and Watson needs to sit down and talk. If there is a problem or issue, lay it out on the table. They all need to man up. If Watson doesn’t want to be a Texan after they gave him the contract and money, Watson needs to move on. McNair owns the club, you may not agree with how everything is done but he is the owneboss. I hope Watson decides he wants to be a Texan, but that is his call. If not he is a distraction and remember there is no I in team. — Bill B. A: Sitting down and talking makes too much sense, Bill. So far, Watson hasn’t said what he wants. It’s all come from unnamed sources close to Watson. Q: The rhetoric around Deshaun displeasure seems to be escalating. My personal opinion is that Deshaun shows a lot of audacity demanding that the owner of the company he works for must consult with him on who he hires to be his boss. Any other industry and he would be in the parking lot with a pink slip in his hand. But then I'm an old guy and not in tune with today’s youth. My question is in regard to his contract. If he stays mad and won't play and demands a trade are the Texans obligated to trade him, or can they not pay him for showing up for work and hold him accountable for the length of the contract? — Eric R. A: Times have changed, Eric. Some agents and players in the NFL want it to be like the NBA, where the agents and players control so much, like who goes where. If Watson sits, he doesn’t get paid. If he sits out the season, he loses credit for the season and has to start over in 2022. He can do like James Harden and make it so ugly they have to trade him, but I can’t imagine Watson doing what Harden did. That’s not the Deshaun I’ve covered since the day he was drafted. Q: Does McNair’s decision to keep Easterby send the message to Deshaun (and the others in the locker room that consider Jack toxic) that Easterby is more valuable to the Texans organization than Deshaun. Cal called the Easterby criticism “unjustified.” I get it — it’s unjustified, to Cal. But isn’t it totally justified to 85 to 90 of the locker room (if the Sports Illustrated article and interviews are accurate). — David M. A: I don’t know what the other players think. Charles Omenihu said at a charity event this week he didn’t have a problem with Easterby. Brandin Cooks, who met Easterby at New England, has praised him, too. What McNair is saying is that nobody is going to tell him to hire or fire, like the owner of most businesses I know. Q: I know you keep reassuring everyone Watson isn’t going anywhere, but the situation seems to be escalating. The Texans are finding more and interesting ways to keep the fans churned up. It is like a tempest in a teapot. One issue you touched on is will the Texans be able to attract the right candidate if they don’t get this Watson situation fixed. McNair seems to be willing to win the battle at the cost of the war. I am so disgusted with that organization for being so out of touch. One question about Easterby. Is it his ties to OB or is he doing things in the organization to create divisiveness? I can’t understand how somebody can be this polarizing to so many people within the organization and so popular with management. None of this makes sense! — Randy S. A: You’re right about it not making sense, Randy. I think players and fans believe every bad decision OB made was also made by Easterby. I know many don’t like that Easterby has his fingerprints on so many parts of the organization rather than staying in his lane like he did with the Patriots. But McNair has given him that authority, and Easterby answers to only one person. Q: I don’t really understand what Easterby did that was so offensive to Watson and Andre Johnson. It’s like the teacher going to the superintendent and telling him to fire the principal. But in this case, Easterby doesn’t directly work with Watson. You’ve been at the Chronicle a long time and are highly respected, but you don’t tell the publisher what to do or you wouldn't be there much longer. — Joe T. A: You’ve got that right, Joe, but times are different today. Players and agents want control. The Texans negotiated a contract in good faith for $156 million, and they don’t want to trade Watson. They’ve done nothing but praise him to the high heavens. But if Watson is determined to get traded, it’s going to deteriorate. McNair apologized to Watson for the miscommunications on the Caserio hire. McNair and Caserio assured everyone they’d keep Watson updated on the coaching search. ESPN reported Sunday that Watson won’t return their calls. If that’s the case, how does he keep up with their coaching search? Q: Why do people not like Easterby? Evidently McNair is one of the few who support him. Watson deserves to have some input. We wasted too many years with O’Brien. — Carole R. A: I’m not exactly sure why they don’t like him, Carole, other than his close association with OB, being part of a total collapse in a disastrous season, having Watson and Andre Johnson taking public shots at him. Nobody has detailed what they don’t like. Q: Watson's feud. Another employee that wants to be boss. And a rich one at that. Really never heard about Easterby until lately. Let's not forget that Cal McNair let O'Brien take over. O'Brien along with McNair, will never be forgiven here in Houston for giving Hopkins away. Hiring a coach means more to your readers/fans than anything a guy like Caserio could. You've been here. You know as much as anyone, maybe more. Can anyone point McNair in the right direction? Let's see. Caserio has been here a week! Please continue to keep us aware. — Lyn B. A: Caserio has been in personnel for 19 of his 21 years in the NFL, Lyn. There was no personnel director more deserving of getting a chance to become personnel director than Caserio. It’s going to take a lot of work, starting with the new coach and his staff. Q: Once again I enjoyed your Mailbag this week. Under one of the Chronicle pictures of Deshaun Watson in said he was unhappy with his lack of involvement in searches for GM and coach. How can he be unhappy when his paycheck hits the bank each week. Someone should remind him that he was hired to be the QB, not the GM or coach. And I do mean sit him down for a little owner-to-QB session and remind him who signs those paychecks since he wants to talk to McNair so badly. Sounds like another entitlement issue to me. Quite frankly, I think he gets too much credit and week after week he makes his share of mistakes that contribute to losses. Not sure why the masses are willing to look beyond that. How could the Texans give him any more than they have already? As far as his no-trade clause, the backup quarterback position might just show him a bit of humility or appreciation for where he is and what he has. Time for someone to put these prima donnas in their place. With a good GM and a good coach in place the Texans can do better without him as the starting QB. Let him watch a few Texan wins from the bench for awhile and let’s see how much input he thinks he should have in GM and head coach hires. — Will W. A: Will, Watson won’t be sitting on the bench. If he’s here, he’s starting. If he’s not, he’s starting somewhere else. Q: I am a Chronicle subscriber, have read your column for years. I read how the Texans re-did Andre's contract. Then he was an assistant (or similar) in recent years. I understand Andre taking up for Deshaun but I do not understand such sharpness being tweeted out. That seems completely unlike the Andre that the public knows. How was Andre so wronged? — Ed K. A: He wasn’t wronged, Ed. I think when he suggested that Watson stand his ground and then ripped Easterby, he was telling us what he thinks. Q: Watson not happy? Let's kiss his butt to make him happy. Last time I checked he was an employee, not a part owner. Many employees are not happy with certain things in their workplace, but they get over it. Show him the door. — Gene C. Q: OK, it’s crunch time. My opinion, hiring Bieniemy or possibly Frazier is the only thing that keeps Watson. — Scott M. A: I’m guessing it’s got to be more than that, Scott. Q: I think I’ve finally reached my tipping point. That is saying a lot after a year like 2020. The Harden situation was surprisingly easier. I’m a die-hard Rockets and basketball fan. I’ve had season tickets or have been buying tickets since 1991. And yet when it comes to Harden, good riddance. Take it somewhere else. Watson is a whole different deal. While the old-school part of me laughs a little at the Gen Y and Gen X demands and attitudes, that train has left the station. When you give a “kid” $100-200 million it’s hard to expect the maturity or experience of someone in their more developed years. That said, how could McNair let this get so bad? Not sure what to believe in this world of blogger news, but where there is smoke, there is fire. I guess as long as Cal believes we will keep buying tickets and watching on TV then he too can do what he wants. I will say if Watson goes, I will be remorsefully selling my PSLs at first opportunity. Even if our new GM pulled of a Herschel Walker-like trade. I believe in loyalty. It’s important in life. But there is nothing Easterby can be providing that outweighs the damage that seems well documented in and out of the organization. It’s just unbelievable to me and frankly bums me out. I handled the Astros. I’m OK with the Rockets. I’ve accepted the mask. I’ve accepted the election. I just can’t get my head around the situation with Watson. — Keith C. A: I imagine many of us feel like you do, Keith. Q: By the way, I’m tired of the sophomoric name-calling in many of your e-mails. You should be able to make your point without stooping to name-calling, right? Thank you. — Mike A. A: The e-mails have been better this week, Mike. Thank everyone for ditching the name-calling. I’ve deleted several e-mails because I don’t want to take the time to edit out the name-calling. Q: Congratulations on the Cal McNair interview about Easterby. National media giving you credit for it as well. The news about McNair being so entrenched was nauseating at best but at least it provides certainty. Let's hope the players can convince Caserio to wall him off from them so he isn't a distraction. I sincerely hope fans are allowed in the stadium next year so they can provide direct feedback to McNair and his boss. I can think of no other situation in American business when a subordinate has withstood this much hostility and venom. Maybe in a cult, but not a business. How terribly unfortunate. Thanks for being the messenger. — Ray M. A: Thanks very much, Ray. Q: I read your articles and watch your videos. Cal McNair apologized for his actions or communications that created mistrust. Few hours after that Deshaun Watson puts another cryptic tweet about 2 and 10. Why does such a smart player and good person put out such tweets that hurt the reputation of the team and ownership? Is he misguided? Wish tweets could be used to spread positivity, awareness on social issues instead of riling public opinion against team ownership. Why is it hard for players to sort out differences directly as grown-up adults instead of washing dirty linen in public? I want Deshaun to stay in Houston but these cryptic tweets and media leaks (anonymous sources) are beginning to damage his reputation as well. — Jeevan R. A: It’s a new era, Jeevan. That’s just the way a lot of people operate today. One-on-one communication seems to be a thing of the past. Q: If Easterby was such a help to the organization here are some suggested comments McNair might have made:
You know we could not have pulled off the trading of Hopkins without his help, this was a really successful moment for our franchise, he advised O'Brian perfectly on this trade.
Why would people question the decision to keep Easterby, after all who would listen to Andre or Watson, they were just players and you can never get enough advice for someone who has been in New England
Our new GM needed to have friends around to support his decision making and Easterby is that guy
Why should I listen to a quarterback or a retired wideout when choosing a GM, after all I have Easterly to advise me, let Watson vacation in Cabo
Andre simply has not gotten to know "Jackie" like I have.
You will see when our team advised by my close buddy Jack Easterby chooses our head coach. No I do not think a quarterback of a losing team should have any say, why would I think of that? After all he is not Elway or Manning or even Blanda. You will see Easterby's worth when we choose the new coach.
Sorry David Barron is retiring, you now have to be the old wise owl. — Don H. A: We’re all sorry Barron is retiring, Don. He leaves a huge hole in our sports coverage and will be missed by so many of us. Q: On the coaching search by Texans, this year it seems the new slogan for teams looking for the HC is a leader of men. In a football world of Alphas, not all coaches and players are Alphas. Bill O'Brien wasn't necessarily an Alpha. Mike Vrabel was an Alpha, as evidenced by the many complimentary comments from Texan players during Vrabel's time here. It's been no surprise to me that the Titans have excelled under Vrabel's stewardship. He's supported by a good GM who has had some recently productive drafts. I won't be surprised when the Titans go Super Bowling. How does an NFL owner or GM identify that Alpha quality in a HC candidate? — Roy S. A: It’s pretty easy to identify, Roy, if you know what you're doing, have a lot of experience in the NFL and have a lot of contacts to investigate candidates’ strengths and weaknesses. Q: It seems like almost everybody has agreed that Watson will be traded. I don’t think Caserio will do that, but what do you think it takes for Watson and the Texans to get their relationship back on track? And do you think this has hurt the search for a new HC? Med venlig hilsen. — Kristian S. A: I don’t think it’s hurt the search, Kristian. There are only 32 of these jobs in the world, and they’re coveted by so many. Not to mention the new coach will probably get about $5 mil a year — lots more than an assistant coach. Med venlig hilsen to you, too. Q: If Watson does not trust Easterby, and Caserio has said that they have a long-term relationship, don't you think it's just better for them to part ways? Get someone who wants to be here and can buy in to what Caserio is building, otherwise there will always be some kind of drama. Watson seems to be a great guy, but he wants to be at a place where he feels like he's respected, clearly he feels that he has not been, right or wrong! I don't care how much money you make, nobody wants to go to work looking over their shoulder every day. Sounds like a clean break is needed. I'd hate to see him go, but hey they traded Olajuwon! — Robert T. A: Why would Watson have to look over his shoulder every day, Robert? Perhaps they will make a clean break. Perhaps it’ll get real ugly like Harden. Or maybe they can work it out if Watson wants to work it out. Q: With Cal "running” things, Texans deserve what they get. But the fans don’t deserve this crap. Jack Easterby is now a known problem — nationwide — but Cal can’t see it. Respected SI writers go on for pages about his crap. Cal: unjustified and we own it in the building. It's beyond reproach that the building is an abject disaster. Did Cal say why he is retaining JE? Did he say why, when it's jeopardizing the team, Deshaun, the fans, etc; was he asked to address and respond to the litany of the events outlined in the SI article? Was he asked if 20 percent of that is true, all is probably true, Why is JE being retained? Did he answer why he is being retained when, according to O’Brien, he was intimately involved in all the horrendous decisions since he arrived? If he wasn’t asked these things, then why not?? These are the questions that 90 plus percent of Texans fans deserve answers to. And last, was he asked why, in view of all of the press and backlash, locally and nationwide, he hasn’t had a press conference so that he can field questions from a variety, not just insiders? Cal is damn lucky he’s here in Houston, and not another city where the media and fans demand performance and are exacting in their review. See Philly! Firing a pretty damn good coach who Texans ought to consider, but JE won’t approve, so no chance. Not to mention not even interviewing Saleh and asking for Bieniemy 2 weeks late. The ticket holders should boycott! Once Cal’s cash train comes to a grinding halt, maybe things will change. — Steve C. A: Steve, I guess you missed McNair answering every question the media had about Easterby on the Zoom call with the media. I guess you missed what’s been reported over and over: It’s Caserio’s search and hire. As soon as he got here for his first day on the job, he notified the league he wanted to interview five coaches, including Bieniemy. And I guess you’ve missed all those times it’s been written, broadcast and tweeted: McNair says Easterby is here because the owner thinks he does a good job. No other explanation is necessary. Q: Shades of the Houston Oilers. Reminds me of the yesterdays when Bud Adams didn't know what he was doing. McNair standing up for a man that was totally bamboozled and steamrolled by Bill O'Brien is a joke. It just tells me that the owner doesn't have a clue about football management. Mr. McNair seems to be a good man, and a man that knows how to make money. But his personnel skills are lacking. By standing up for Easterby, he has endorsed the failures of the past 5 years under O'Brien. The man that dismantled the Texans and left them non-competitive. But Deshaun knows Easterby is zero help. Why didn't Deshaun say something before or after he signed his huge contract? Why did J.J. Watt wait so long to speak out? Easterby was there to listen to them. I predict the Texans will continue to lose for the next 5 years. New coach? Who wants this job? Texans will have to beg to get a coach. Interviews mostly with retreads Jim Caldwell, Marvin Lewis? Are you kidding me? Losers. Watt will be gone to a potential championship team like Green Bay. The Texans will not beat the Jaguars again. You will see what real coaching does. Watson will remain unhappy and frustrated fans will still buy tickets, based on a sales pitch. Easterby will get it done. Seen it all before. Thank God I don't have season tickets with a seat license. — Kelley J. A: I disagree about failure for the last five years with OB. Winning four division titles in five years and two playoff games isn’t failure. Let’s be fair. The Texans have interviewed eight candidates, including five who’ve never been a head coach. By the way, some other retreads who’d been fired: Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, Tony Dungy, Marty Schottenheimer, Dan Reeves, Andy Reid, Jon Gruden and Gary Kubiak, just to name a few. Q: I'm from Boston and subscribe to Texas Sports Nation to read your stuff. We had a sportscaster named Bob Lobel who would show highlights of former players and say, "why can't we get guys like that." I hope Nick and Easterby (who reminds me of Rasputin and I'm glad he's Houston's problem) ship him (Watson) to New England. Stranger things have happened. More likely the Jets for Darnold and great picks. — Vic L. A: Vic, what do you have to offer for Watson to go to the Patriots to work with Belichick and Josh McDaniels. Q: I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, but in my view, regardless of how his role evolved, a critical part of Easterby’s position was to maintain a good relationship with players. Most of all, the team leaders such as Deshaun Watson. If he has not done this, he has failed at a significant part of his job. Just like with any other job, I don’t really think it matters what the reasons are. He has obviously failed at it. Personally I try to form my opinions from the information I have available to me. There is a lot of information out there regarding Deshaun Watson, from his childhood, to college, to NFL. He does not appear to be someone to me that is unreasonable or difficult to deal with. If he was, then maybe this breakdown with Easterby would be excusable. I think where there is smoke, there is fire. And there is just too much smoke around players having problems with Easterby. So, in my opinion, McNair keeping him around may not be the easy way out, but it also may not be the right decision. I just don’t think it should have been that hard for Easterby to maintain those relationships. Sometimes in life if situations degrade then it just needs to be changed, regardless of the perspectives of those involved. — David G. A: David, Easterby’s job has nothing to do with his relationship with players. That was at New England. He’s the executive vice president of football operations who works closely with the GM who has final say on all football decisions. Q: McNair’s every word, action and decision show he is simply not intelligent enough to be an NFL owner. The smartest thing Cal McNair could do is find someone smart enough to operate the Texans football franchise and step out of the way. Maybe that person is Nick Caserio? Maybe that is the new real question? — Deanne N. A: The idea, Deanne, is for Caserio to hire the coach to be the face of the franchise, and McNair and Easterby slip into the background. Q: Texans fans badly need to understand the what and why the Texans have completely fallen apart since the playoff game last year against Kansas City. While Bill O’Brien had not won a Super Bowl, he had considerable success and seemed on the brink of winning the big one. The crazy trades, the demise of any defense, all this attention of Jack Easterby, etc. What does he do that is good or bad? It appears that with the passing of Bob McNair, things have deteriorated greatly. The Chronicle needs some in-depth reporting on the matter to the benefit of those paying the tab. No diatribe from the two columnists, please. — Charles M. A: Charles, if I had a dollar for every time I’ve written about the demise of the Texans dating back to the second quarter of the Kansas City playoff game I could buy out Cal McNair. Q: I take it you watched the Bills vs Baltimore playoff game. The Bills beat Lamar Jackson badly. That drops the stock of Balt's OC. They couldn't do that against Watson. That game only made Watson more priceless. There's not another QB in the NFL capable of the DW4 heroic plays. But what does Houston gain by declaring him untradeable? If the D can't improve substantially during his contract, he's going to leave Houston when it expires. Doesn't it make more sense to ask for a king’s ransom now? Hypothetically speaking, if Houston were to trade him, where does Chicago rank as a trade partner? All things considered, can Houston rebound defensively and compete for the AFC crown next year? — Juan B. A: Watson has a no-trade clause. I doubt seriously he’d agree to be traded to the Bears. I don’t think the Texans can compete for the AFC crown next season, Juan. If they trade Watson, they’ll compete for the first pick in the draft. Q: What would happen if J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson both say they don’t want to play for the Texans as long as Easterby is in the building? What would happen if the Texans hire a coach that Deshaun Watson isn’t happy with? Easterby knows that he is toxic amongst the best players on the team and Cal knows that. What if Watson says I’m not coming unless Easterby is gone or if J.J. Watt says I’m not coming back to camp unless Easterby is gone? I feel bad for Caserio. — Glen K. A: I feel bad for Caserio, too, Glen. He’s waited 20 years for a chance to become a GM and he starts with this mess. Q: Hard to imagine the hold Easterby has on McNair. His background purportedly was as a character coach when he was brought in. Instead he has apparently done only one thing right — ingratiating himself with McNair and Caserio. It’s hard to imagine we may lose an unbelievable talent like Watson because of a character like Easterby. His skill set was supposed to be building team chemistry. He has done a tremendous job of doing the exact opposite. It sounds like players see him for what he is, a poser. Amazing! Casserio could salvage everything by calling Bieniemy and offering him the job immediately. Watching KC’s offense and the higher level creativity is just too good to pass on. Or we can take the safe route, dawdle and get stuck with whomever is left and have that as an excuse. Fortunately, it will probably be a defensive coach and we will need a great D without Deshaun here. — Mike D. Q: I am a daily reader. I just got through reading the Sports Illustrated article online about Easterby. I'm trying to figure out other than the fact that he prays, what is the specific issue. Maybe everybody's avoiding coming right out and saying it due to a legal liability, but I have been unable to find anything other than vague references to the fact that Easterby's being here has somehow caused the Texans to play terribly. I also have not seen anything in the media that says a billionaire has to run his business according to public opinion which may not even represent the majority. I'm not a defender of either person, it just seems that there's a lot of smoke and not the whole lot of specific fire. No one wants to lose so maybe that's the biggest thing. Why Deshaun Watson at 25 thinks he should be able to dictate to the people who pay him a hundred and fifty million dollars is still a puzzle to me. According to SI online when asked why Caserio wasn't on their list, Korn Ferry said they knew that he was already on the Texans list so they did not add his name. I have not seen this detail in any local media, which seems to make the issue of Caserio not being on Korn Ferry list something that we should think about. — Charles W. A: Charles, I don’t give a damn about Korn Ferry. Jed Hughes recommended they hire Brian Schottenheimer as their head coach, and he was fired by Seattle. A search firm is paid to compile information and make recommendations. This was the third time the Texans tried to interview Caserio dating back to 2017 when they had to replace Rick Smith. Caserio is one of the most respected personnel men in the NFL. That’s not debatable. Who gives a hoot if he was on the Korn Ferry list? Q: I have no insight into the operation of a football organization. My Ph.D. is in management and have a very good understanding of organizations outside of football. I don't understand the upset QB and I am guessing many of his supporters. Let me frame my question. The CEO runs the company. His/her direct reports are probably VP's, then there are managers and report to them are various staff. I was once a college president. If a hot shot staff member had demanded that he/she be part of the selection of a VP or their direct boss I would tell them they have no business selecting senior members of my staff and I would guess that other CEO's would tell the staff member the same thing or would no longer have a job. Here is my question. Why does Watson think he should be in or hiring Caserio or the next head coach? — Rudy S. A: That’s the way it is in just about every business, Rudy, but not the business of sports. Q: I have not written to a newspaper writer in my 71 years on this earth, but I am highly disappointed in what is going on with the Texans. I have been a season ticket holder since 2003 and have stood by the team each year be it good or bad. Deshaun Watson has lost my respect as a player and a person. He has lowered himself to acting like a spoiled NBA player. He is paid to play football not manage the team. People are down on Jack Easterby but no reasons have been put forth for their dissatisfaction. So what is the story? The McNair family owns the franchise and funds it so that makes them the boss. I would like to see Deshaun play for the Texans but what he is doing right now is destructive and stirring up trouble for the team, fans and ticket holders. This kind of behavior is going to drive away ticket holders. A sad season ticket holder. — Jo Ann C. A: Many feel as you do, Jo Ann. Unfortunately, times are different. Agents and players have a lot more power than they used to. Q: It’s sad that a premier QB is now executive management. He should do his job and improve like not throw 1 interception ever again. So now we’ve established no one’s perfect, lets address coaching. Texans hired great GM, let him do his job. — Stephen G. A: I agree, Stephen, to let Caserio do what he was hired to do. Q: I'm heartened by last week's Mailbag participants whose concerns I shared about religion and hiring within the Texans organization. And thank you for your enlightening information in that regard. Should Deshaun Watson (or anyone) have been angered that Bieniemy wasn't interviewed before Caserio was hired to search for a coach? That confusion seems like an easy thing to smooth over. If not and Watson leaves, the organization would no longer be qualified to represent the great city of Houston. Especially after the excellent season Watson had. I'm not sure which he needed less, the support of a running game or Bill O'Brien calling plays. Am I wrong in thinking if Jamey Rootes resigns, as he was rumored to want to after all the reported GM hiring chaos, it means all that reported chaos is true? In which case, aside from Watson leaving, Rootes departing would also be a strong indictment of Cal McNair's management. If the Texans hire a defensive coordinator as head coach, does that mean Tim Kelly has a chance to stay on? — Tim K. A: I should point out, Tim, that you’re not the Tim Kelly. I’ve said all along I thought it was a waste of time to interview a candidate before the GM was hired. Caserio is running the search, and McNair will sign off on his recommendation. I think Kelly has a chance to stay no matter who they hire. Watson wants him, and he helped Watson have his best season. Q: What value does Jack Easterby bring to the Texans organization? How much value does this man hold if keeping him around could cost the team the one thing an NFL team needs to succeed - a transcendent quarterback. With the SI articles, it's clear there's something rotten in NRG. You keep saying Watson won't be traded, but every day that goes by is a day that the possibility increases. Firing Easterby would be the beginning of mending fences. I don't think McNair and Caserio are willing to do it. Houston seems to have got lucky to be able to interview Eric Bieniemy due to the bad press about the lack of Black coaches being hired this offseason. Although there's a limited number of these jobs, it seems to be less desirable with Easterby in the building. Can you just explain, what does that man do? If it's to provide comfort, it ain't working. It would be better the Texans bring in rescue puppies and kittens in to pet once a week. — Louis E. A: His job isn’t to provide comfort, Louis. He’s the executive vice president of football operations. He does things on the football side to help the GM, who has final say. Easterby’s involved in everything on the football side and some things on the business side. Q: Instead of being a reporter, how about being the GM of the Texans for a day. Granted you aren’t able to interview the coaching prospects or D4, but if you had the chance to pull the strings what would you do for coach, QB and other positions you feel need to be addressed. — Mike P. A: I’d bring in the two or three finalists for in-person interviews. Then, I’d make my recommendation to McNair. After he signs off on it, the coach would be hired. The coach and I would sit down and figure out a way to get Watson to communicate with us. We’d offer to fly to where he is for some one-on-one communication. I might even bring my OC, Tim Kelly, along since Watson was adamant he wanted to keep Kelly as the play-caller. Q: You have certainly added logs on them. Marketing fire to help Caserio maintain the less than stellar historical glow of the burdened mid market Texans! Honestly, in my 35 years living my life in Texas, which I continue to celebrate; for the life of my I still wonder how we get mid market and Houston disproved as in the same sentence! Stay strong John! — Bob B. Q: The history of the Texans success is directly related to their players injuries each season. Recognition of this should be the team’s primary goal for its future. Miami coach Don Shula installed a program to prevent player injuries, and that likely played significantly in their success. If ever a team needed such a program, it's the Houston Texans. — Don S.
Auburn vs. #6 Texas A&M When: Saturday, December, 5, 12:00 PM Eastern Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium - Auburn, AL Watch: ESPN Odds: Texas A&M by 7.0 pts. Total Points: 49.0 All-Time Series : Auburn vs. Texas A&M Auburn and Texas A&M have met 10 times since 10/21/1911. These teams last met 438 days ago on 09/21/2019. Series Wins: Auburn 5-0-5 Texas A&M† Longest streak of continuous meetings: 8 (2012-2019). Auburn has won the last 3 meetings (2017-2019) in this series. Last 6 Meetings
Allrankingsreflectthecurrent/cfbpoll Auburn Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-02 12:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Chandler Wooten
LB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Aug 25
Wooten has informed the program that he will not take part in the 2020 season due to a personal decision.
Josh Marsh
LB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Aug 25
Marsh will sit out the duration of the 2020 campaign due to a personal reason.
Jay Hardy
DE
Out Indefinitely – Foot
Sat, Oct 24
Hardy has been sidelined with a foot ailment, and it is unknown when he will suit up for his season debut.
Daniel Foster Allen
DE
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sat, Oct 24
Foster-Allen has been sidelined due to an undetermined injury. It has yet to be established when he will make his first appearance of the season.
Brandon Council
OL
Out For Season – Knee
Mon, Oct 26
Council is sidelined with a knee injury, and he is expected to miss the remainder of the 2020 season.
K.J. Britt
LB
Early Dec – Thumb
Fri, Nov 20
Britt is recovering from surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb, and he is expected to be sidelined until at least the start of December.
D.J. Williams
RB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Williams was lifted from the last game with an undetermined injury, and it is unknown if he will face Texas A&M on Saturday.
Tank Bigsby
RB
Ques Sat – Hip
Sun, Nov 29
Bigbsy is dealing with a sore hip, and it is unknown if it will impede his status for Saturday’s contest against Texas A&M.
Alec Jackson
OL
Out Sat – Hand
Tue, Dec 1
Jackson is recovering from surgery to repair a hand injury and will miss Saturday’s matchup with Texas A&M.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com Texas A&M Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-02 12:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Baylor Cupp
TE
Out For Season – Shoulder
Thu, Sep 10
Cupp had surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder, signalling the end of his season.
Jhamon Ausbon
WR
Out For Season – Personal
Sun, Sep 13
Ausbon has opted-out for the remainder of the season due to a personal decision.
Blake Smith
TE
Out For Season – Knee
Thu, Sep 10
Smith suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Elijah Blades
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Blades will sit out the duration of the 2020 campaign due to a personal reason.
Caleb Chapman
WR
Out For Season – Lower Body
Mon, Oct 12
Chapman is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.
Micheal Clemons
DL
Out Indefinitely – Ankle
Tue, Nov 10
Clemons will miss an undetermined length of time after undergoing ankle surgery.
Dylan Wright
WR
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 29
Wright has missed the last two games with an unspecified injury, and it is unclear if he will play against Auburn on Saturday.
Demond Demas
WR
Prob Sat – Undisclosed
Tue, Dec 1
Demas was held out of the previous game for undisclosed reasons, but he is on target to face Auburn on Saturday.
Chase Lane
WR
Prob Sat – Arm
Tue, Dec 1
Lane left the last game with a left arm injury, but it is not expected to impact his status for Saturday’s tilt against Auburn.
Grayson Reed
OL
Out For Season – Leg
Tue, Oct 6
Reed is projected to miss the remainder of the season due to a leg injury.
Anthony Hines III
LB
Out For Season – Personal
Sun, Sep 20
Hines III has made the program aware that he will not participate in the remainder of the 2020 season as he will opt-out to prepare for the NFL draft.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com What are your "Keys to the Game"? Who do you think wins? Do you think the favorite will cover the spread? Which player(s) are you most interested to watch? Let's talk football! To vote in the matchup "who will win poll" simply include the name of the team you think will win enclosed by {} as part of your TOP LEVEL comment discussing the matchup. To change your vote just edit your initial comment to bracket the other team. You can change your vote as often as you like until the GAME THREAD is posted A full listing of accepted FBS team aliases can be found here.. For FCS teams you will need to use the full name as it appears in the post title. A listing of links, and live vote totals, to all Match-up Preview threads for the current week can be found HERE. Like this format?Generate your own "Match-up Discussion Thread" with the Match-up Discussion Thread Generator. Please DM dupreesdiamond with any issues/suggestions regarding this template
#7 Florida vs. LSU When: Saturday, December, 12, 07:00 PM Eastern Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - Gainesville, FL Watch: ESPN Odds: Florida by 23.5 pts. Total Points: 68.0 All-Time Series : Florida vs. LSU Florida and LSU have met 66 times since 09/25/1937. These teams last met 424 days ago on 10/12/2019. Series Wins: Florida 33-3-30 LSU† Longest streak of continuous meetings: 49 (1971-2019). LSU has won the most recent meeting (2019) in this series. Last 6 Meetings
Allrankingsreflectthecurrent/cfbpoll Florida Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-09 10:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Jeremiah Moon
LB
Ques Sat – Foot
Sat, Nov 28
Moon has missed the last three games due to a foot injury, and it is unknown if he will partake in Saturday’s clash against Tennessee.
Nick Oelrich
DB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Oelrich has missed the last two games with an undefined injury, and there is no indication if it will keep him out of Saturday’s lineup versus Tennessee.
Lamar Goods
DL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Goods has been sidelined due to an injury to an unlisted area. It has yet to be established when he will next be available.
T.J. Moore
OL
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Moore has been held out of the last three games with an undefined injury, and it is up in the air if he will be active Saturday against Tennessee.
Jaelin Humphries
DL
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Humphries has been absent from the lineup during the previous three games with an injury to an unlisted location, and it is undetermined if he will be in Saturday’s lineup versus Tennessee.
Quincy Lenton
DB
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Lenton has been inactive due to an injury to an unlisted area, and it is unknown when he will next become available.
Joshua Tse
UT
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Tse has been sidelined due to an unspecified ailment, and it is undetermined when he will return to the lineup.
Lucas Alonzo
DL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Alonzo has been absent from the lineup due to an unknown ailment, and it is unclear when he will return to the field.
Ethan Pouncey
DB
Out Indefinitely – Hip
Thu, Sep 24
Pouncey will miss an extended period due to hip surgery.
Trent Whittemore
WR
Out Indefinitely – Ribs
Mon, Nov 16
Whittemore will miss an extended period due to a broken rib and punctured lung.
Kahleil Jackson
UT
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Jackson has missed the last two games due to an unknown ailment, and it remains to be seen if he will step on the field against Tennessee on Saturday.
Kamar Wilcoxson
DB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Wilcoxson has missed the previous two games due to an undeclared ailment, and it is unknown if he will line up against Tennessee on Saturday.
Hayden Knighton
OL
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Knighton has sat out the previous two games due to an undeclared reason, and his availability for Saturday’s matchup with Tennessee is unknown.
Kevin Johnson
UT
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 1
Johnson has been sidelined due to an unspecified ailment. It has yet to be determined when he will return.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com LSU Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-09 10:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Racey Mcmath
WR
Doub Sat – Undisclosed
Tue, Dec 1
McMath missed the last game due to a unspecified injury, and it is unlikely that he will lace up versus Alabama on Saturday.
Tory Carter
FB
Out Sat – Undisclosed
Tue, Dec 1
Carter will be unavailable for Saturday’s matchup with Alabama for undisclosed reasons.
Mo Hampton Jr.
S
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 29
Hampton Jr. has missed the last two games due to an undefined ailment, and it remains to be seen if he will step on the field against Alabama on Saturday.
Lloyd Cole
CB
Ques Sat – Foot
Sun, Nov 29
Cole has missed the previous three games with an apparent foot injury, and it is unclear if he will be available against Alabama on Saturday.
Terrace Marshall Jr.
WR
Out For Season – Personal
Sun, Nov 29
Marshall Jr. has left the team to focus on preparing for the NFL draft and will not play for the remainder of the season.
Trey Palmer
WR
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 29
Palmer has been held out of the previous two games due to an undeclared reason, and his status for Saturday’s game versus Alabama is in question.
Aaron Moffitt
TE
Out For Season – Knee
Sat, Oct 31
Moffat is expected to miss the entire 2020 season while he recuperates from a torn ACL.
Travez Moore
LB
Out For Season – Personal
Thu, Oct 29
Moore has decided to opt-out for the remainder of the season due to a personal reason.
Nelson Jenkins III
DL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 15
Jenkins III has opted-out for the entire 2020 season due to concerns about the virus.
Ray Parker
LB
Out Indefinitely – Suspension
Wed, Sep 9
Parker has been suspended for a violations of team rules, and he is without a definitive timetable for return.
Tyler Shelvin
NT
Out For Season – Personal
Mon, Aug 31
Shelvin has opted out of the 2020 season after making a decision stemming from COVID-19 concerns.
Ja Marr Chase
WR
Out For Season – Personal
Sun, Aug 30
Chase has informed the program that he will not take part in the 2020 season due to a personal decision.
Myles Brennan
QB
Out For Season – Abdominal
Fri, Nov 13
Brennan out of action with a torn abdominal muscle and a hip injury. He is likely to sit out the remainder of the season.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com What are your "Keys to the Game"? Who do you think wins? Do you think the favorite will cover the spread? Which player(s) are you most interested to watch? Let's talk football! To vote in the matchup "who will win poll" simply include the name of the team you think will win enclosed by {} as part of your TOP LEVEL comment discussing the matchup. To change your vote just edit your initial comment to bracket the other team. You can change your vote as often as you like until the GAME THREAD is posted A full listing of accepted FBS team aliases can be found here.. For FCS teams you will need to use the full name as it appears in the post title. A listing of links, and live vote totals, to all Match-up Preview threads for the current week can be found HERE. Like this format?Generate your own "Match-up Discussion Thread" with the Match-up Discussion Thread Generator. Please DM dupreesdiamond with any issues/suggestions regarding this template
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Match-up Preview Thread: Kentucky Wildcats vs. #25 NC State Wolfpack
Kentucky vs. #25 NC State When: Saturday, January, 2, 12:00 PM Eastern Where: TIAA Bank Field - Jacksonville, FL Watch: ESPN Odds: Kentucky by 2.5 pts. Total Points: 48.5 All-Time Series : Kentucky vs. NC State Kentucky and NC State have met 2 times since 10/22/1909. These teams last met 18,324 days (~50 years) ago on 10/31/1970. Series Wins: Kentucky 1-0-1 NC State† Longest streak of continuous meetings: 1 (1970-1970). Kentucky has won the most recent meeting (1970) in this series. Last 2 Meetings
Allrankingsreflectthecurrent/cfbpoll Kentucky Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-31 15:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Chris Oats
LB
Out For Season – Undisclosed
Tue, Sep 1
Oats is rehabbing an unspecified medical issue, and he is likely to miss the entire 2020 season.
Kelvin Joseph
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Dec 1
Joseph has announced that he will sit out of the remainder of the 2020 season to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
J.J. Weaver
LB
Out For Season – Knee
Tue, Dec 1
Weaver tore his ACL and will be out for the remainder of the season.
Torrance Davis
LB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 27
Davis has an unspecified injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up for the Gator Bowl versus NC State.
Taj Dodson
DB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 27
Dodson is managing an undefined ailment, and his availability for the Gator Bowl versus NC State is in question.
Jamari Brown
DB
Ques Sat – Undisclosed
Sun, Dec 27
Brown is bothered by an unannounced injury, and it has yet to be determined if he will take the field in the Gator Bowl versus NC State.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com NC State Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-31 15:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Louis Acceus
LB
Out For Season – Undisclosed
Mon, Sep 14
Acceus has an undisclosed injury and will be forced to sit out the remainder of the season.
Chris Ingram
CB
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sat, Oct 17
Ingram is sidelined with an unspecified ailment, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Khalid Martin
S
Out Indefinitely – Hip
Sun, Nov 8
Martin will be out of the lineup for an extended period due to a hip injury.
Timothy Mckay
OL
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sun, Nov 15
McKay has been sidelined for unknown reasons, and it has yet to be seen when he will be activated moving forward.
Jasiah Provillon
WR
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sat, Nov 28
Provillon has been sidelined due to an undetermined injury, and it has yet to be established when he will return to the fold.
Tyrone Riley
T
Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 5
Riley has been sidelined due to an unspecified ailment, and it is uncertain when he will return to the fold.
Devin Leary
QB
Mid Jan – Shin
Wed, Dec 30
Leary is expected to miss four to eight weeks after having surgery to repair a broken left fibula.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com What are your "Keys to the Game"? Who do you think wins? Do you think the favorite will cover the spread? Which player(s) are you most interested to watch? Let's talk football! To vote in the matchup "who will win poll" simply include the name of the team you think will win enclosed by {} as part of your TOP LEVEL comment discussing the matchup. To change your vote just edit your initial comment to bracket the other team. You can change your vote as often as you like until the GAME THREAD is posted A full listing of accepted FBS team aliases can be found here.. For FCS teams you will need to use the full name as it appears in the post title. A listing of links, and live vote totals, to all Match-up Preview threads for the current week can be found HERE. Like this format?Generate your own "Match-up Discussion Thread" with the Match-up Discussion Thread Generator. Please DM dupreesdiamond with any issues/suggestions regarding this template
#14 BYU vs. UCF When: Tuesday, December, 22, 07:00 PM Eastern Where: FAU Stadium - Boca Raton, FL Watch: ESPN Odds: BYU by 6.0 pts. Total Points: 77.0 All-Time Series : BYU vs. UCF BYU and UCF have met 2 times since 09/23/2011. These teams last met 2,266 days (~6 years) ago on 10/09/2014. Series Wins: BYU 1-0-1 UCF† Longest streak of continuous meetings: 1 (2014-2014). UCF has won the most recent meeting (2014) in this series. Last 2 Meetings
Allrankingsreflectthecurrent/cfbpoll BYU Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-22 12:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Tyler Allgeier
LB
Prob Tues – Illness
Sat, Dec 19
Allgeier is expected to suit up for the Boca Raton Bowl against UCF despite an illness.
Keanu Hill
WR
Ques Tues – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 19
Hill is battling an unknown injury, and it is unclear if he will be available for the Boca Raton Bowl versus UCF.
Keenan Ellis
DB
Ques Tues – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 19
Ellis is managing an unannounced injury, and it is unknown if he will be available against UCF for the Boca Raton Bowl.
Gunner Romney
WR
Prob Tues – Head
Sat, Dec 19
Romney is dealing with a head injury, but it is likely that he will return against UCF for the Boca Raton Bowl.
Keanu Saleapaga
OL
Out Indefinitely – Shoulder
Sat, Dec 5
Salepaga has been absent from the lineup due to a shoulder injury, and it has yet to be determined when he will be activated.
Tyler Batty
DL
Out Indefinitely – Leg
Sat, Dec 5
Batty has been absent from the lineup due to a lower-leg injury, and it is uncertain when he will be available to return.
Ben Bywater
LB
Out For Season – Shoulder
Mon, Oct 26
Bywater will miss the remainder of the 2020 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn left labrum.
Jaren Hall
QB
Out Indefinitely – Hip
Sat, Oct 17
Hall is sidelined due to a hip injury, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Chaz Ah You
LB
Out For Season – Shoulder
Mon, Oct 5
Ah You has been shut down for the remainder of the season after having surgery to fix a shoulder injury.
Hinckley Ropati
RB
Out For Season – Knee
Mon, Oct 5
Ropati will miss the remainder of the 2020 season with a knee injury.
Jackson Mcchesney
RB
Out For Season – Foot
Thu, Sep 10
McChesney has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to foot surgery.
Matt Bushman
TE
Out For Season – Achilles
Wed, Sep 2
Bushman suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and will miss the entire 2020 season.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com UCF Injury Report Data Scraped: 2020-12-22 12:00:03
Player
Position
Status
Reported
Notes
Antwan Collier
DB
Ques Tues – Personal
Sat, Dec 19
Collins is tending to a legal matter, and it remains to be seen if he will take the field in the Boca Raton Bowl versus BYU.
Kenny Turnier
DL
Ques Tues – Personal
Sat, Dec 19
Turnier has been sidelined due to his role in an off-field incident. It has yet to be determined if he will be available against BYU in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Eric Mitchell
LB
Ques Tues – Personal
Sat, Dec 19
Mitchell has been unavailable due to his role in an off-field incident. It is unclear if he will be permitted to play against BYU in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Randy Charlton
DL
Ques Tues – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 19
Charlton is managing an unspecified injury, and it remains to be seen if he will take part in the Boca Raton Bowl against BYU.
Otis Anderson
RB
Ques Tues – Undisclosed
Sat, Dec 19
Anderson is dealing with an undefined injury, and it is undetermined if he will be available for the Boca Raton Bowl versus BYU.
Marlon Williams
WR
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Dec 1
Williams has opted to sit out the 2020 postseason as he prepares for the NFL Draft.
Mckenzie Milton
QB
Out Indefinitely – Knee
Fri, Nov 27
Milton is rehabbing a severe knee injury that cost him the entire 2019 season, and he is without a definitive timetable for return.
Parker Boudreaux
OL
Out Indefinitely – Concussion
Sat, Oct 24
Boudreaux has been sidelined going through the concussion protocol. It has yet to be determined when he will be cleared to return to action.
Trillion Coles
RB
Out For Season – Achilles
Fri, Sep 18
Coles will miss the entire 2020 due to an Achilles injury.
Jordan Davis
TE
Out For Season – Knee
Thu, Sep 3
Davis is expected to miss the entire 2020 season after undergoing surgery to repair an ACL injury.
Kendrick Wilson
DL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Wilson has announced that he will not participate in the 2020 season as he has decided to sit out due to COVID-19 related concerns.
Mason Cholewa
DL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Cholewa has made a personal decision and has decided to opt-out for the entire 2020 season.
Elijah Benoit
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Benoit has informed the program that he will be sitting out the entire season due to COVID-19 related matters.
Devunte Dawson
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Dawson will not take part in the 2020 season after informing the team of his personal decision.
Adrian Medley
OL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Medley will sit out the duration of the 2020 season after informing the team of his personal decision.
Lamarius Benson
OL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Benson has ruled himself out of the entire 2020 campaign after letting the program aware of his reasons.
Allan Adams
OL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Adams has made a personal decision to opt-out for the entire 2020 season.
Kalia Davis
DL
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Davis has announced that he will not be a participant in the 2020 season due to a personal decision.
Tay Gowan
DB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Gowan has informed the program that he will sit out the entire 2020 campaign due to a personal decision.
Darriel Mack Jr.
QB
Out For Season – Personal
Tue, Sep 1
Mack Jr. has decided to opt-out for the entire 2020 season due to a personal reason.
Injury data lifted from: boydsbets.com What are your "Keys to the Game"? Who do you think wins? Do you think the favorite will cover the spread? Which player(s) are you most interested to watch? Let's talk football! To vote in the matchup "who will win poll" simply include the name of the team you think will win enclosed by {} as part of your TOP LEVEL comment discussing the matchup. To change your vote just edit your initial comment to bracket the other team. You can change your vote as often as you like until the GAME THREAD is posted A full listing of accepted FBS team aliases can be found here.. For FCS teams you will need to use the full name as it appears in the post title. A listing of links, and live vote totals, to all Match-up Preview threads for the current week can be found HERE. Like this format?Generate your own "Match-up Discussion Thread" with the Match-up Discussion Thread Generator. Please DM dupreesdiamond with any issues/suggestions regarding this template
College football schedule, betting odds, point spreads for every Top 25 game Find College Football odds, point spreads, and betting lines for the 2020-2021 NCAA college football season. Visit FOXSports.com for this week's top action! The College Football Playoff field is finally set, along with the rest of the bowl matchups. There are plenty of betting opportunities over the course of 41 bowl games. Here are the spreads for ... Get the latest NCAA college football news, scores, stats, standings, and more from ESPN. Visit ESPN to view College Football odds, point spreads and moneylines from this week's games MileyCyrus.uk Forum - Member Profile > Profile Page. User: College football bitcoin lines espn, college football bitcoin computer odds and spreads, Title: New Member, About: College football bitcoin lines espn, college football bitcoin computer odds and spreads ... The South Point sportsbook released opening lines for its college football Games of the Year. Visit ESPN to view College Football odds, point spreads and moneylines from this week's games Netzwerk Konkrete Solidarität Forum - Mitgliedsprofil > Profil Seite. Benutzer: Ncaa college football bitcoin point spreads, ncaa college football bitcoin lines, Titel: New Member, About: Ncaa college football bitcoin point spreads, ncaa college football bitcoin lines ... — ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 31, 2020 Meanwhile, Notre Dame failed to cover on Saturday for the fourth time in six games this season against Georgia Tech. Head coach Brian Kelly caught some flack on for attempting to score on Notre Dame’s final drive, but the Irish had the ball on Tech’s 21-yard line with two minutes to play and showed little interest in doing so.
