Random Football Thoughts: Steelers Decline, SoCon Stinking, Gamecock Grumbling

The Pittsburgh Steelers have moved from the Solid Rock of NFL consistency to possible candidates for the Teddy Bridgewater/Jadeveon Clowney Sweepstakes. Yes, their performance on Sunday and a scourge of injuries could make the Steelers one of the worst teams in the league. 

No, that's not an exaggeration. An overreaction to one game? Maybe, but there are a lot more questions than answers about the Steelers right now. 

Throughout his career, Ben Roethlisberger has compensated for deficiencies in the Steeler offense, particularly along the offensive line. Now, there are questions about whether or not Roethlisberger still has the ability to do the same job after nine years of getting pounded by defenses (or other substances). The front office really has done little to protect Ben or empower him with weapons to continue his success.

Aside from puzzling, failed draft choices, the biggest question might be why the Steelers hired Todd Haley as offensive coordinator. Roethlisberger and Haley had a strained relationship from day 1, and their sideline interactions during the Titans game didn't demonstrate much improvement. As columnist Jason Whitlock tweeted during the preseason, "Todd Haley is going to get Mike Tomlin fired". 

The bigger question is this:  Why would a team hire a coordinator without considering the thoughts of its franchise quarterback? Coordinators are a dime a dozen. Good QBs are not. Can you imagine ignoring Peyton, Eli, or Tom Brady in such a decision?

You can't do anything about injuries. But if the Steelers stay the course they started on Sunday, they could be looking at a very high draft pick in 2014. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of confidence that they can do anything wise with it.

Some random thoughts from our first full football weekend:

-The Chip Kelly Hurry-up Works, for Now:  During the first half of Monday Night Football, twitter blew up with the news that Chip Kelly is a raging NFL success. Even I was guilty:

Yeah I think this Chip Kelly offense MIGHT be ok. #Eagles #NFL
— Tom LeGrand (@TheRev78) September 10, 2013

But then someone reminded me not to be "Overreaction Jackson", as most NFL commentators are:

@TheRev78 let's reevaluate in 10 weeks or so. Plus I think Shanahan is a terrible coach. He looks as confused as Lou Holtz.
— Brendan Buttimer (@brenb67) September 10, 2013

Kelly's offense slowed down--significantly--in the second half. And they had a very hard time getting cranked back up after they tried to slow it down and let some air out of the ball with a big lead. It was fun and entertaining, but it remains to be seen how this is going to play out long term.

An even bigger question:  Can it be sustained if Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, or DeSean Jackson get hurt at any point?

-RGIII had a nice preseason performance:  Also from Monday Night Football, where we still have to listen to John Gruden...
     For all the talk and all the emotion, Mike Shanahan was (gulp, snarl, *eyeroll*) was right. Robert Griffin III was not ready to play. And we were foolish if we thought he was going to roll out and play just like he did last season in the first game.
     I'm not nearly as disturbed as some seemed to be by Griffin's performance. As bad as he looked during a fiasco of a first half, he began to look very comfortable by the end of the game. Hopefully, he'll get two or three more quarters of preseason work and begin to look like RGIII again.

-Wait for it...Wait for it... :  Since Furman is now 0-2 against the Big South, we can expect that there will be a chorus of grumbles that the Paladins should get rid of Coach Bruce Fowler. There are some questions about the recruiting, play-calling, and general approach of the team.

     But are we really at the point where Furman fires coaches after less than three years? Fowler is starting freshmen on defense and a sophomore at quarterback. Can we at least give him a couple more years to develop his players and recruits, while looking for the positive impact of stadium improvements?

     While we're on the subject, I heard a Citadel alum the other calling for Kevin Higgins' head on a platter. As disappointing--and shocking--as the Bulldogs' start has been, let's slow the roll a little. We forget that Furman and The Citadel are not exactly recruiting carnivals. Higgins has had more time than Fowler, but a change seems premature for either school at this point.

     Maybe one of them could lure Mike Ayers away from Wofford, as I'm convinced that the man could coach another 30 years (seriously, he's got to retire sometime, doesn't he?).

Cock-Fighting:  It's illegal in this state, unless it's on the sidelines of a Carolina game. 

     Coaches were fighting during the game, and Jadeveon Clowney was complaining after it. Everyone in Gamecock Nation needs to calm down, take a step back, and realize that last Saturday was somewhat inevitable. First off, Carolina lost a ton of players off that defense from last season, and they're still trying to replace those guys.

     Second, you didn't think you were going to beat Georgia forever, did you? The Dawgs defense isn't much, but there is no question about the power of their offense. They have over 1000 yards in two games against top-10 opponents.

     Third, we've blown up Clowney into a cartoon character. he was never going to be what we have made him out to be, so let's come back to reality and let the kid just be a football player. And the coaching staff needs to get him into position to do some things this season.

     Finally, you've got Vanderbilt coming to town on Saturday, and they ain't coming for the barbecue. There are no cakewalks in the SEC, and you don't have time to fight or let frustrations spill over from the last game. You better make the adjustments and figure out what you need to do to win the next one.

Another Big 10 (plus 2) Farce Cuts Out the FCS

Well, praise the Lord for Barry Alvarez!

The Citadel and Furman and Wofford can all fall prostrate before him and shout in adoration, "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!" Because that's exactly what Alvarez thinks of FCS opponents for his Conference of the 1%, otherwise known as the Big 10. He and his fellows athletic directors have declared that they will no longer play FCS opponents.

We'll ignore the fact that the ADs were playing video of the AppSt/Michigan game while they made this decision. Barry has saved us from the embarrassment of watching our little guys from around South Carolina from having to play the "mighty" Big 10 teams.

Thank you, Big 10, for solving a problem that wasn't a problem. Unfortunately, it could become a big problem FCS schools just trying to make budget, particularly FCS schools that are near and dear to the Palmetto State.

Small schools have been playing "money ball" against big schools for decades. The objective is a nice, fat paycheck. Mix in the occasional upset and it's not a terrible system.

Yet, writers and pundits are suddenly concerned that someone is going to get "hurt" in one of these games. I don't know of a single instance of an FCS player losing a limb or severing an artery just because their opponent had Buckeyes on the back of the helmet.

I've argued on the air on ESPN Spartanburg about these FCS schools "prostituting" themselves in this way, and I still don't get it. It gives these smaller schools a chance to play in a setting and on a level of which they normally just dream. It offers them an opportunity to play David in the Goliath passion play and see if their best may just be good enough against a big-time program.

Here's the thing:  Some fans and bloggers believe this will mean better regular-season match-ups for Big 10 schools. I dare you to check in two years for the replacement schools for these FCS games. You won't be seeing Texas or 'Bama or Southern Cal. But I'm betting you'll see a lot of Marshall and Toledo and Middle Tennessee State.

They may be FBS (artist formerly known as Division I), but does anyone think MAC Conference USA teams are that much better than Wofford or The Citadel or Furman?

There is legitimate concern around the Southern Conference that other conferences may follow suit, although this is not set in stone. Southeastern Conference schools have plenty of tough games in their own league, and certainly don't need to ramp up the schedule. Unlike the Big 10, they play real football. The ACC might be more likely, especially since they've been embarrassed more than once against the FCS. But that could create some scheduling nightmares and end some long-standing connections.

Besides, the SEC seems content with their "SoCon Challenge" each year. Here at home, both Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier support the idea of continuing to play "home grown" FCS opponents. Death Valley was full last season for Clemson-Furman, so this seems like a positive arrangement (although Spurrier might prefer to leave off the option teams in the future).

Still, it could all change very quickly. There is even some rumblings that the NCAA may try to ban games between FCS and FBS. (And we all know that things can only get better when the NCAA gets involved).

No matter what some people are saying, this really isn't about these schools "prostituting" themselves or safety or fair competition or better games for season ticket holders. This is, as always, about one thing:  Money.

The Big 10 believes that it would be more profitable for them to leave FCS opponents off the schedule, and they may well be right (particularly if they have another Mountaineer Fiasco on their hands). But this is also about an ongoing desire of the BCS-level conferences to keep their money and not share it with anyone, least of all FCS.

And that's okay. FCS will be fine and continue to play a more pure brand of football that is designed for the last remaining bastion of true student-athletes in the nation. It would just be nice if people like Alvarez and his Big 10 brethren would drop the charade and just speak the truth. They may not know how many teams they have in their conference, but they know that they want every one of their schools to keep every dollar available.

That's fine. At least our FCS teams know how to count. We'd rather play real football teams in the SEC anyway.