No. 9 Ducks prove to be too much, build 28-6 halftime lead over Huskies

By Brent SobleskiOct 18, 2014, 9:58 PM EDT
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When the Oregon Ducks’ electric offense met the Washington Huskies’ aggressive defense, Oregon was clearly winner after two quarters of play. The No. 9 Ducks lead the Huskies 28-6 at halftime.

Washington was thought to have an advantage with its defensive line against Oregon’s patchwork offensive line. The Huskies entered Saturday’s game in Autzen Stadium tied as the nation’s second most prolific team in sacks. However, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota hasn’t been harassed, because the Ducks have been able to establish the run which set up a strong passing effort.

While it’s been a struggle at points this season for the Ducks’ offense, it hasn’t been Saturday. Oregon already accumulated a whopping 380 total yards.

The Ducks were particularly effective running the ball despite Washington’s stout defensive front. Freshman Royce Freeman and junior Byron Marshall combined for 111 rushing yards on only 18 carries. Freeman took full advantage of his opportunities with three first-half touchdowns.

A strong running game allowed Mariota to get comfortable in the pocket. The junior quarterback is 16-of-23 passing for 239 yards and a touchdown.

On the flip side, the Huskies struggled to move the ball, while Oregon’s defense stood tall.

Washington’s sophomore quarterback, Cyler Miles, was 12-of-19 passing for only 98 yards. The young signal-caller also made a poor mistake throwing a pass into coverage over the middle of the field, which eventually resulted in another touchdown by the Ducks.

The Huskies also found Oregon’s defense difficult to run against. The Ducks only allowed 27 rushing yards in the first half. Washington’s leading rusher is actually sophomore wide receiver John Ross, who had one carry for 12 yards.

As the second half approaches, Washington needs its defense to step up and make a few plays. The unit disappointed through two quarters and allowed Oregon to do too much on offense. If the Huskies can make the Ducks one-dimensional, Washington could mount a second-half comeback (although, it’s unlikely).

World of college football reacts to tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant, 13-year-old daughter in helicopter crash

By John TaylorJan 26, 2020, 7:31 PM EST
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As is the case across the entire world of sports, college football is reacting to the devastating news involving Kobe Bryant.

Sunday morning, Bryant was one of nine people killed — initial reports had the number at five — in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on his way to a travel basketball event.  The former NBA superstar, who retired from the sport following the 2015-16 season, was 41.

Adding to the devastation, one of Bryant’s daughters, who was also a player on her father’s travel basketball team, 13-year-old Gianna Maria Bryant, was killed in the crash as well.

Kobe and Gianna are survived by wife/mother Vanessa and three daughters/sisters.  The oldest is 17, the youngest will turn one in June.

In the hours after the heartbreaking news was confirmed, the world of college football mourned the passing of Kobe Bryant. Below is just a sampling.

 

Georgia state rep. proposes pay-for-play legislation with a twist that will make no one happy

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By Zach BarnettJan 26, 2020, 5:06 PM EST
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Ever since California’s SB 206 passed last September, more than a dozen states followed with their own versions of the Golden State’s Fair Pay to Play Act, to go along with a number of concurrent pushes in Washington. No matter your stance on the pay-for-play issue or what side of the political aisle you sit on, it seems we can all agree that politicians are not the people to solve this issue, and yet the NCAA kept dragging its feet, and dragging its feet, and draaaaggging its feeetttt and, well, here we are. And Sandra Scott‘s bill a large reason why.

Scott, a state representative in Georgia (D-Rex) has introduced HB 766, a type of compromise bill that will make no one happy.

The appeal, at least from the outside, of California’s SB 206, is that it would allow college athletes to capitalize on their popularity during the lifetime of that popularity while costing the school very little money, since the money would come from third-parties.

Scott’s bill does neither. In fact, it goes out of its way to do the opposite.

According to HB 766, Georgia would require its schools to set aside a third of all monies earned in postseason play into an escrow account, which would then be given to players upon graduation.

Read for yourself below.

To recap, Scott’s bill would cost the schools millions of dollars and also shut out a lot of the players who generate those millions. Why should, say, Jake Fromm be barred from having a hand in the money he produced for Georgia just because he went pro?

In short, Scott’s (well-meaning) bill would anger both schools and athletes while continuing the overly paternalistic attitudes adults have adopted toward college athletes that applies to no other demographic in college sports.

Trey Holtz set to join father Skip’s staff at Louisiana Tech

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By Zach BarnettJan 26, 2020, 3:16 PM EST
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Coaching is the family business for the Holtz family, and now two of them will work under the same roof.

As first reported by Bleed Tech Blue, Louis Leo Holtz, Jr., better known as Skip Holtz, has hired Louis Leo Holtz III, better known as Trey Holtz. The younger Holtz will serve as Louisiana Tech’s wide receivers coach.

Trey Holtz played his college ball at Texas under Mack Brown and Charlie Strong. A reserve quarterback, Holtz appeared in 23 games as a holder in 2015-16.

He then moved into the family business at Ohio State, where he worked as a graduate assistant for the past three years. Holtz worked with the Buckeyes’ running backs and tight ends, but will now coach receivers for his father’s staff. He replaces Todd Fitch, who left to become the offensive coordinator at Vanderbilt.

For the Holtz family, Skip hiring Trey is an act of history repeating itself. After serving as a GA at Florida State and Colorado State, Skip’s first full-time job came on his father Lou Holtz‘s staff as Notre Dame’s wide receivers coach in 1990. Skip was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1992 and became Connecticut’s head coach in 1994.

Two workers injured by falling beams at Bryant-Denny Stadium renovation

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By Zach BarnettJan 26, 2020, 1:39 PM EST
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Two workers were injured Saturday by falling beams at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The workers were laboring on a manlift when a pair of beams fell and struck the lift, trapping the workers, who were not named.

Firefighters responded around 5 p.m. Saturday to extract the workers, who were “seriously injured,” according to AL.com. After they were extracted, the workers were transported to DCH Regional Medical Center. Their condition was not known as of press time.

The workers were working on a $92.5 million phase of renovation to Bryant-Denny Stadium, announced in last fall. Crimson Tide AD Greg Byrne said in September that construction would be expedited to meet an aggressive schedule.

“We realized this is an aggressive construction schedule we are going to be talking about. However, our contractors are confident. They have expressed they will deliver this on time,” he said at the time.