Would beating Arkansas really have helped our bowl?

[Hump4Hoops]

Having seen week 13 results? Hear me out.

If we had beaten Arkansas, and assuming they would have still gone on to beat LSU (and assuming Auburn beats USC in the SECCG) then us beating Ark would have, effectively, dropped the SEC down to one BCS bid. Everyone gets bumped down a slot.

Assured would be Aub in NC, and LSU in the Capitol One. USC, as the East champs, take the Outback bowl. Then Alabama, having the same record but with wins over Ark and MSU, as well as the huge fanbase, gets the Cotton.

So we're left with Arkansas and MSU, with identical records, fighting for the Peach. We have the head to head, so we get in, right? Maybe. But maybe not. Remember, they've taken teams with worse records over us before, and you're wrong if you dont think it would happen again. Arkansas's upset of LSU would have rocketed them back past us in the polls, and a team coming off a win over a top 10 team looks much better than a team who's only big win is over that team.

Essentially, we could have ended up worse off by beating Arky. I'd rather be 8-4 and in the Peach than 9-3 and in the Gator/Music City/Liberty. (If you think Gator would have been a sure thing with UF in the mix, you're wrong. God forbid if they had somehow upset FSU.)

It's a huge and stupid what-if, but I have nothing better to do.

 

[FlabLoser]

...and this is something I pointed out prior to the Arkansas game - and a reason Tyler Russell should have gotten significant reps against Arkansas. We had more to gain by getting our backup QB some experience than we did in winning the Arkansas game.

 

[patdog]

We had more to gain by getting our backup QB some experience than we did in winning the Arkansas game.

But now I see you actually believe it. Seriously, that isby far the dumbest thing I have ever readon this board. What part of you play games to win them do you not understand?

 

[dawgstudent]

it's on par with "That was a good loss".

 

[Tulsa Dawg]

If we allowed the brakes to get beat off of us in order to purely allow reps, we might easily have dropped from rankings all together, lose serious recruit street cred, and several other intangibles (e.g., you're telling the players they simply aren't good enough to try - that message sticks around.)

 

[o_1984Dawg]

I'd rather be playing for our 10th win in the Gator than 9th in the Peach. 7-5 UF is not getting picked over 9-3 MSU. </p>

 

[RobbieRandolph]

I don't think that ya do. A 9-3 MSU would assuredly be in the Peach, maybe the Outback. Hell, we still have a .5% chance to get an Outback bowl bid.

 

[o_1984Dawg]

I don't think ya do. That's the point of this thread. Assuming Auburn wins the SEC, us beating Arkansas knocks Ark out of BCS. LSU goes to Cap 1. Cotton and Peach have Bama, Ark, MSU to pick from. All 9-3. Outback would have 8-5 SC to pick against one of the 9-3 teams. We could and I think would fall to Gator in that scenario. So yes I realize Peach picks before Gator.

I was saying that I would rather drop a bowl and have a shot at a 10-win season.</p>

 

[FlabLoser]

We aren't going to get the brakes beat off of us for playing TR 3-4 series againt Arkansas. He might have even sparked something during the lull that Relf went through in the 4th quarter.

And if we lost with TR, so what? That's worse than losing with Relf?

 

[patdog]

And if we lost with TR, so what? That's worse than losing with Relf?

Because it would be losing with our second string QB. Nobody plays their #2 QB when #1 is healthy. There's a reason for that. It's because you try to win the damn game. When Russell can beat out the other QBs on the roster, then he needs to play. Until then, he needs to see mop up duty only. Playing multiple QBs rarely works. Just ask Urban Meyer how well it worked this year.

 

[RobbieRandolph]

But I understand what you're saying. I still think the SEC would've gotten 2 teams in had we beaten Arkansas and Arky still beaten LSU.

 

[dawgstudent]

but the past few weeks - Relf has actually made us more than one dimensional. He was on fire in the Arkansas game. FlabLoser is an idiot.

 

[Incognegro]

More likely than not, if we had beaten Arkansas and they in turn beaten LSU, then LSU's fall in the rankings would have been a little bit further than where they're at now. More than likely this would mean that Oklahoma State and Missouri wouldn't have fallen so far. If anything, the SEC and Big XII would have switched with the amount of teams they're more than likely going to have represent in the BCS. Missouri more than likely would get the at large bid instead of LSU in this case.

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

...Tyler Russell hasn't shown crap since the Memphis game.


As far as getting Tyler Russell ready to start in the SEC, Mullen has a huge coaching chore on his hands.


If Russell played one series in the UPig game, he would have gotten sacked for a 15 yard loss on 1st down then thrown an interception on 2nd down.

 

[Coach34]

but if you take away Russell's performance against the worst football team in D-1 football, you would be hardpressed to understand why anybody wanted him to play at all. He has some skills and may be a good player for us eventually, but whether you like it or not- Ralph is going to be our QB in 2011. He is extremely durable.

Cam is not going to be at Aubarn next year- but you didnt see them pressing to get their back-up in
McElroy is a senior- Bammer didnt force their back-up in
Mallet only came out when he was hurt
Mississippi had Masoli and a losing record- they didnt force Nathan Lane on the field

Teams dont force a guy that is going to be a back-up again next season onto the field- and neither did we from the Georgia game on- that should tell you our plans for next season at QB

 

[kired]

nm

 

[Topgundawg]

can really screw them up down the road. Your backup needs to play when there is no doubt in the game assuming your number one is not hurt. It is logic, I give you that. Buttttt it is no smart logic if you want to stay hired as a coach...

 

[patdog]

developing players for the future. George Allen said it best, "The future is now." You play to win the game now and then when the future comes, you play to win that game. The ONLY reason to play Tyler Russell is if he gives you a better chance to win the game today or if we're up by at least 3 TDs. And there have been some times during the season where the Russell fans (and I'm one) might have had an argument that maybe he should have played a little more. But the Arkansas game??? WTF?

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

...Mullen that he (Russell) should start over Dylan Favre in 2012.


From what I keep reading about Favre, Russell has an uphill battle on his hands.

 

[Todd4State]

developing players for the future. George Allen said it best, "The future is now." You play to win the game now and then when the future comes, you play to win that game. The ONLY reason to play Tyler Russell is if he gives you a better chance to win the game today or if we're up by at least 3 TDs. And there have been some times during the season where the Russell fans (and I'm one) might have had an argument that maybe he should have played a little more. But the Arkansas game??? WTF?

I am glad that Relf has apparently turned the corner with his passing. But the question I have is how come he hasn't played this way the entire year? For the first 10 games of the year, he looked about the same as he did last year. Heck, it was to the point where Florida actually would leave our WR's totally uncovered and put all 11 guys in the box at times. We had heard all offseason about how Relf had improved with his passing, and then he throws up a 4/10 line during a scrimmage about a week before the season starts.


That said, I think Les and Dan deserve a LOT of credit for the work that they have done with Relf. Where he is right now is about as good as someone could realistically expect from Relf considering his background with a lack of coaching in high school and his first two years of college. Before Arkansas this year, I thought Relf had maxed out on his ability, but he has proved me wrong. I now think that it's possible that he may even get better next year. Even if he doesn't, and he plays like he has these past two games, that's good enough for me. I'll even take the 1 INT if he keeps throwing 3 TD passes and completes 65% of his passes.

Now, I will say this about Tyler Russell. If Dan and Les can do this with a guy as raw as Chris Relf, they can do it with Tyler Russell, too. Let's not forget that Tyler is a RS freshman, and he will also get better as time goes along as well. After Relf's freshman year, I think most people- including me- thought that he would be much more likely to end up at TE than an Egg Bowl hero. And Tyler will hopefully have three more years with this staff. Let's not forget that Dan has produced Heisman winners, and first round draft pick QB's in his career. I'm not saying that Tyler will be a Heisman winner or a first round pick, but that Dan knows what he's doing with QB's. Russell will also have better, more mature WR's, and more of them period to throw to than Relf has had this year. And he will also have LaDarius Perkins as his running back as a fifth year senior.

 

[FlabLoser]

I am glad that Relf has apparently turned the corner with his passing.
But the question I have is how come he hasn't played this way the entire
year? For the first 10 games of the year, he looked about the same as
he did last year.

Yes. And he could not have done that without the reps that he got as the starter.

Now, I will say this about Tyler Russell. If Dan and Les can do this
with a guy as raw as Chris Relf, they can do it with Tyler Russell, too.

Yes. Imagine what reps could do for Tyler. If Dan isn't giving him reps because he isn't ready, fine. But in every postgame in which he has talked about Russell, he says he wanted to get TR more reps and should have gotten TR more reps.