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Articles
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It’s all Jimmy’s fault
Speaking of a defensive coordinator having fun, somebody needs to wipe that smile off Pete Carroll’s face. Contrast his sideline demeanor with that of Keith Gilbertson’s call for help – oh, mama, mama – during Tom Cable’s last ditch drive, being at the mercy of Cable’s play calling. Then Gilby got lucky. To wit, Cable’s too-clever-by-half call with 40 seconds remaining on the clock could have led to Karl Dorrell’s demise at season’s end should Washington have scored. It just goes to show you, if you are a head coach, never trust a zebra or a friend named Cable. One of my UCLA friends – that’s an oxymoron if there ever was one – felt relief when Dorrell turned down a one-year contract extension after the end of last season, telling me that he was part of a group of alumni that has to buy Dorrell out of his contract should it come to that. Dorrell is in his second year of a six-year contract. I suppose some people will say that sportswriter Glenn Dickey was right when he told Softy that Gilbertson was too soft on his players when he coached at Cal, no pun intended. With that in mind, read Chris Dufresne’s enlightening article on Utah’s uteful coach Urban Meyer (I think you have to register for that, but it’s well worth registering for, nothing like having to register for the draft at the age of eighteen and one half). Meyer sounds like the early Jim Owens, with creativity being his forte rather than the proverbial nine feet and a cloud of rust. Geez, transfer the ball Owens -- Charlie left; Charlie right; and, with a high-diddle-diddle, Charlie up the middle. Six changed all that for the Big Fella. Meyer told Dufresne that "For 16 years, I was receivers coach in an I-formation offense. I was the one who had to walk into those meetings and look those kids in the eye and know we weren't putting them in the best chance to win." At Utah, Meyer spreads the whole field out with an innovative offense that would peak Sid Gillman's curiosity. I know the “hapless one” hired Gilbertson and, to some people, that will be another rock in her sock. To others, the last two games will all be Rick Neuheisel’s fault. I mean, he recruited Jimmy Newell, didn’t he? In a parallel universe, Newell would have survived Junction – and, in another, the “Death March,” too. That’s what I like about the kid, Newell playing in the eleventh dimension of an M-theory universe. Lord, he was happy after he got that first down. That’s what college football and its stats are all about. Imagine Jimmy Newell rushing for two yards on a fake punt, keeping a drive alive. The game with UCLA is worth downloading from TIVO to tape, just for Jimmy's big play. Normally, I don't save disasters like that game. If the Huskies have a losing season, their first in 27 years, will Newell be voted the Huskies' most inspirational player? He'd accept that award in a heartbeat. Personally, I like Gilby and hope he stays around for a while. He’s more than qualified for the job. But who knows what his fate will be? For sure, if he can hobble his way through the season -- and I mean that in more than one way -- he can get his new hip in February and, over the next two years, finish out his contract. Chris Dufresne's article is linked below (No, I’m not championing Urban Meyer for the UW's head coaching job). Anyway, he’s an older version of Jimmy Newell, about 40, I think. (LA Times, "Better be very prepared"). Richard Linde (a.k.a., Malamute) can be reached at malamute@4malamute.com |
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I’ve
been searching for answers. Indeed, the defensive front four is the most
important positional group in football. No one has a lock on that theory; I’ve been
telling coaches that for years. Stop the run and the rest is fun.