Rose’s Rant: College Football Week 5

As I reflect on the sports betting world over the course of the past week, several teams have gotten under my skin and are in my doghouse. Here’s who I’m ranting about from their miserable performances last week.

Florida State Seminoles Defense… For years, Florida State has struggled because its defense has been fantastic and its offense has struggled. FSU boosters have claimed that HC Bobby Bowden has hit the end of the road and should be unceremoniously dumped after the season is over. But is calling for Offensive Coordinator Jimbo Fisher the right call? Fisher’s offense sure hasn’t been the problem this year, but historically it has. On Saturday night though, the defense was the biggest problem. DC Mickie Andrews couldn’t teach his boys containment and assignment football, and as a result, the Noles couldn’t force the Yellow Jackets to punt the football even once. The offense put up 44 points, and it’s inexcusable for that not to be enough points for the garnet and gold to win every single week. Though the boosters are probably right about Bowden needing to go, maybe they should be complaining that the entire staff should be handed pink slips.

Boston College QB David Shinskie… Shinskie probably earned another start against Virginia Tech because of what he did against Florida State’s lousy defense, but the Eagles would’ve been better off running the Wildcat on every single play without a quarterback. Shinskie went 0/9 in the first half with two interceptions, and Boston College didn’t even get one first down in the first 30 minutes of play. After three more passes in the second half, Mike Marscovetra came in off the bench to end the pain and suffering. When it was all said and done, Shinskie went 1/12 for four yards with two interceptions, and the Eagles were handed their worst defeat in several years, 48-14.

The secondary of the NC State Wolfpack… Ok, so Thaddeus Lewis is probably one of the most talented quarterbacks in the ACC, but let’s be real here… He’s still a Duke Blue Devil. Lewis ended the day going 40/50 for 459 yards and five touchdowns against no picks. Wait a minute! Is that right…? A Duke quarterback threw for 459 yards and five touchdowns? The entire NC State defense should truthfully be ashamed of itself, but the secondary was absolutely awful. The sin about the whole thing is that the Wolfpack only allowed 172.4 yards per game through the air before that embarrassment. What’s next for the Wolfpack? Allowing 400+ passing yards to Shinskie and the BC offense?

Florida HC Urban Meyer… C’mon Meyer, let’s be real here. QB Tim Tebow shouldn’t have been playing two weeks ago against Kentucky with his flu, and he shouldn’t have been playing with his post-concussion syndrome against LSU. I know that it’s your job to produce victories for the blue and orange, and even 60% of Tebow is better than 100% of John Brantley. And sure, you figured out how to cover the spread in spite of the fact that Tebow and the offense were really held down by LSU’s defense. But you should be protecting your kids here too, and if anything had seriously happened to the ’07 Heisman Trophy winner, you would’ve been blasted by the media for letting him play. I’ll blast you for it anyway.