There have been a couple comments about the potential Texas interception. I think they got the call right, even though it was a tremendous effort by the DB. This is one instance where the ground CAN cause an incompletion. The receiver has to demonstrate control of the ball. Since, until hitting the ground the DB was in mid-air, the ball popping out once he made initial contact with the ground = lack of control. Differing opinions welcome, but I think this was the bad announcing and harping on the same point -made viewers believe in something not totally accurate (as I initially did).
Equipment problem? In the biggest game there was? Please. I never heard that said, You must have had the sound too low (not a bad idea, actually). Buy yes, the announcers said just that. Maybe as a backup system, they should run a regular TV cable into the box and bring themselves in a 13 inch black and white set, so they can see the same, blatantly obvious thing every one of millions of viewers around the world saw from every possible angle, and, in turn, don't end up looking like complete morons, because they're the ones who really NEED to be able to see it. And it's not a excuse for USC, because I, for one, didn't care who won the game. Even if Texas would have scored on the very next play is no reason to credit them for a TD on a play that should have been whistled dead. If that was the case Texas wouldn't have even have had to take the field for their final drive, because I pretty much knew (as did many people) they were going to get into the end zone.
Besides that, the guy diving at his feet was a USC defensive linemen. Who the hell spys a guy like Vince Young with a defensive linemen? USC has some speed in the linebacking core and at safety. They should have had the fastest guy watching his every move. I was wondering about that. Young seemed to just jog down the field in slow motion while USC defenders staggered around him drunkenly. Maybe it was the camera angle.
There's no red-flag coaching challenge system for instant replay in college, STL. Oops. Knew that and forgot. Thanks.
Anyone who wants to pass on Reggie Bush based on last night's performance should also be sent to the SpoFi Mandatory Drug Program. Other than a dumb-ass lateral tendency (when did that become ok? I feel like I've seen more of those in the last two years than the last twenty-- and they used to only happen at the end of a half), he's still a beast. So is Lendell White, but Bush is a Marshall Faulk-type matchup headache.
It seemed to me that they the USC defense did not have a spy on Vince Young. They played their regular zone defense. I can't imagine what they were thinking to not gameplan better for him. I don't think Bush did anything in the game that would make teams question whether to take him first. But, I bet that VY increased his stock quite a bit.
extrordinarily long half time crap? I loved watching two hundred people dressed up like cowboys/girls playing a Beatles tune. That was pure entertainment.
Maybe it was the camera angle. Looked like TX pass block schemes intentionally created right or left lanes for Young. Great idea combined with running receivers deep and knowing that USC D was weak. If you could ignore super Vince, USC coaching lost the game. Run the ball three straight times at the end. Punt the ball to force TX to go 80-90 yards. Do both of these and TX only has 90 seconds to go 90 yards instead of 120 seconds to go 55. With fewer TO's.
Stop knocking the marching band -- they might bring back Ashlee Simpson.
That game was very entertaining. I didn't know who Vince Young was (not a big NCAA fan), but I sure as hell will remember him now. That was one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen. I only had half-an-eye on the game (it was on in the background while I was in my weekly poker game) and everytime I looked over, he seemed to be running rampant over the USC defence. The biggest disappointment: the half-time bands. This is never good for TV.
they might bring back Ashlee Simpson Point well taken. sent to the SpoFi Mandatory Drug Program Can I go? If I ran the circus, aka the Houston Texans, I would pass on Bush. Trade down, and get Young. Dominick Davis is very capable and Young has the mobility to still be effective behind their horrible o-line.
Bush should have been in the game on that 4th and 2. Horrible play call. Congrats to Texas and Vince. That game was his to win and he brought the Crystal Egg home to Houston. I think he's opting for the draft. If he don't he's stupid. I still think Bush will go first but Vince will go second. I think any team with any common sense would atleast trade up to get him. I don't think New Orleans is ready to pick a QB, but I might be wrong.
As a denizen of the east coast, forced to watch ACC football all year long, I say to hell with regional schools, show me more guys like Vince Young. Damn, he was impressive. Mack Brown finally gets the title he was never going to win here in Carolina. I don't think New Orleans is ready to pick a QB, but I might be wrong. Aaron Brooks is history, my friend.
Young seemed to just jog down the field in slow motion while USC defenders staggered around him drunkenly. Maybe it was the camera angle. Nah...he just makes it look that way and smart NFL teams would never base their player management decisions on a single great Super Bowl performance, let alone a single great Rose Bowl performance. Have you NOT been watching these guys all season?
oh yeah...Vince, one more year Baby!!!!
Ok. So I waited a day before posting because I am still unexplicably pissed. I'm not a USC fan and I'm not a Texas fan. I'm an Oregon fan and suppose it is my Pac-10 alliance. I'm sitting in China at noon on Thursday listening to the game, (thanks WWLS). I've got a buddy in Guangzhou who gets ESPN chatting with me and we realize that his TV feed is behind my radio feed. It comes down to that last play, Vince Young 4th and what 4 or 5? I tell Ryan that USC just better cover Vince. Now, I realize that I'm not the only one that saw that coming but how can I, from the other side of the freaking planet, see it on the radio and the entire USC defense can't. Amazing.
crazy game although if vince goes to nfl(texans) the texas team will be lucky to be in top 10 of the nation. also how come the game doesnt start at 7 ppl need some sleep oh and i did see this coming
Certaintly not to take anything away from V.Y., but most of his yards came from the ineptitude of a questionable defense! I could have ran that last play, and my blazing speed in the 40 is 4 minutes w some oxygen!! And don't think I'm bagging on USC, because I'm a So Cal native whose followed them all my life! I just think they got mesmerized by him and wanted to watch him instead of tackle him!
Not the greatest game of all time...the 2003 championship was better. Plus, although there was plenty of excitement and loads of talent, the play was also very sloppy. Oh, well, I guess that's just college football....
I'm an Oregon fan I hope you weren't one of the Oregon fans bitching about the BCS snub...
Did anyone find the dehydration the Texas defense was going through odd? It seems very strange to me for players used to playing in 100 degree heat to dehydrate on a night when the high temp was around 60. Not to take anything away from SC, but defense did hold them to 10 points in the first half with the two scores coming almost 28 minutes apart. The Texas defense just seemed to not have the legs in the second. Of course, Vince wasn't bothered by anything.
This is my first comment ever, but have been checking out this site for a while. Anyway, congrats to the longhorns! Has anybody thought about what the team will be like next year if Vince does go to the NFL? He seems to be "the team." I too saw it coming, I couldn't believe USC didn't. Did they watch any other Texas games?
Other than saying "yeah, there was a spy" ... who? No-one was consistently involved in tackles involving Young, and no mention was made of a spy throughout the whole game (although the announcing stunk). On his last TD run, the only player who got himself in Young's vicinty was a DL who rolled down the line. If THAT was the spy - that's even more ridiculous than not having one in the scheme at all. I'm not questioning Young's athletic ability or his strong performance - amazing. And, I could be wrong about the spy (I'd still like to know who). But, IMHO, his dominance due to his own ability was almost equally attributable to dry-heavingly poor defense. well I was being facecitious(sp?) about him dancing over the spy running to the endzone. I have no idea if that was the spy or not. And regardless of the announcer not mentioning it...you can simply WATCH THE GAME and know he had people on him. On options you don't have a "spy" you have someone assigned to take the QB, someone to take the pitch, etc. He simply made the guys responsible for him miss. During pass plays I saw no fewer than 10 plays (and I was barely watching) where the LB was shadowing him. He broke at least 3 tackles and juked at least 3 defenders every time he took off. The "spy" wasn't the issue...they had plenty of people on him. The issue was that those assigned could not tackle him.
I am a huge TROJANS fan, the horns won and deserved it. Regardless of blown calls or whatnot, SC lost the game. I still can't believe that they lost, but thats why they play the game. It was an awesome ride they gave us fans for the last thirty something games.
Vince Young. Wow. What an amazing performance in the biggest games he's ever played. An absolute man among boys. It was the best performance by a big time college player I have ever seen in a big game! The last two scoring runs, he looked like a big kid just flinging off his little brothers..Wow!
if you need a tough yard, it's White who gets the ball? That criticism is overblown, in my opinion. Barry Sanders usually had a goal-line back in Detroit during his career, including Touchdown Tommy Vardell, but he's still one of the greatest running backs of all time. I'd have to disagree with the sanders theory. For all the talent on top college teams, they're not pro caliber. Pro football is also more specialized than college football (though less so today). Bush had a good game. I'm not knocking him. But when your season on the line and you need two yards how in the world do you not give the ball to a heisman winning running back. Hell, use him as a decoy or on a screen play or short pass route. I agree that teams shouldn't think less of bush based on one game, but there was one player that was a man among boys, and it wasn't bush. If yerfatma is right and bush is faulk type player, he should have been on the field.
From the sportsguy: In his postgame interview with Holly, Matt Leinart throws out a classic, "I think we're a better football team, they just made the plays in the end," backhanded compliment before heading to the Roosevelt Hotel's pool bar with Nick Lachey. You're right, we shouldn't have played the game, Matt. That was stupid. You guys were better. Not only is Vince Young the best player in college football, his Rose Bowl performance following the Heisman Trophy ceremony ranked at least an 8.3 on the Vengeance Scale. It's nice to see an athlete back up his own words, isn't it? If your season potentially rides on one first down, and you have a Heisman Trophy winning running back on your team ... well, you might want to have him on the field. It's a little unorthodox, I know. But it's probably a good idea.
I really liked Matt Leinart before he made that comment. Thats just not something u say. Don't disrespect the Longhorns, because u played this year for nothing. No Heisman and no championship.
No way Vince Young is a better player than Reggie Bush if they both have healthy NFL careers. Young may have a great pro career, but Bush is otherworldly.
I really liked Matt Leinart before he made that comment. Thats just not something u say. Don't disrespect the Longhorns, because u played this year for nothing. No Heisman and no championship. Well, maybe he's just not used to losing, so he did not know what to say. When you have played on an undefeated team or had a long winning streak, it takes a while to realize that you have actually lost. Sometimes it takes a few days. I wondered why Lienart would stay for an extra year, then I though to myself it might be nice to go back and experience college as a Heisman trophy winning national championship QB. I mean he must meet alot of interesting people in the Hollywood area.
