Orange Bowl Game Thread

by Danny Kelly on Jan 4, 2012 5:00 PM PST in Game Threads

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know a whole hell of a lot about these two teams, not to mention just college football in general. I try to watch as much as I can, but I rely on the experts for player scouting for the most part. With that in mind, talk about which prospects you're watching in this one, as Clemson takes on West Virginia.

To start you off, learn a little bit about the Air Raid offense, it's actually quite interesting.

West Virginia Air Raid Primer - Shakin The Southland
The "Air Raid" concept evolved and was popularized by Hal Mumme and Mike Leach in the late-‘90's while both were at Valdosta State and Kentucky. West Virginia's coach Dana Holgorsen was a quarterback's coach at Valdosta State in the early ‘90's under both Mumme and Leach then worked under Leach at Texas Tech from 2000-2007. Holgorsen utilizes an evolved version of the "traditional Air Raid" that mixes in more standard running plays than Leach's standard offense.

Staring Down The Musket At...The Clemson Tigers - The Smoking Musket
Well, it's about that time. For the last Staring Down The Musket feature, we paired up with the Clemson blog Shakin the Southland to preview the Discover Orange Bowl matchup between WVU and the Clemson Tigers. As a word of caution, we did this questions last week because we have real lives and families that demanded our attention this weekend. I know, I know, it's hard to believe. But it's true. So the questions don't take into account recent developments like Dustin Garrison's knee injury or DeAndre McDaniel's concussion and subsequent news that he should be good to go by kickoff. While those issues may ultimately factor into the outcome, I think we did a pretty good job of covering the main issues.

Orange Bowl 2012: Clemson And West Virginia Sure To Provide Points - SBNation.com
If you like points, the Jan. 4th Orange Bowl might be the BCS game for you. West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen and Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris have plenty of weaponry at their disposals.

West Virginia vs. Clemson; Orange Bowl NFL Draft watch notes - Mocking The Draft
With apologies to Mountaineer and Tiger fans, the Orange Bowl is the worst of the five BCS bowl games this year. It's just difficult to get excited about a 10-3 Clemson team that choked down the stretch and a 9-3 West Virginia team that won its last three games by a total of seven points.

Tweet Comment 29 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

What a shit bowl game

Want to see KSU/Arkansas on Friday though.

Read my tweets or whatever - @SSReporters

by SSreporters on Jan 4, 2012 5:06 PM PST reply actions

Very interested to see Andre Branch of Clemson. #11 on McShay's Big Board.

6’4" tall and 260 pounds. “Analysis: Branch came on late in the season with his quick first step, ability to bend the edge as a pass-rusher and strength to stack the edge against the run. He also has a motor that never quits.”

Sounds an awful lot like a successor to Clemons, and the 3rd down guy this season to replace Raheem Brock.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:08 PM PST reply actions

interesting...

Field Gulls | Follow @FieldGulls

by Danny Kelly on Jan 4, 2012 5:10 PM PST up reply actions

As much as people like to talk about Quinten Coples and his athleticism, I'd much rather have the guy with the motor than the one without.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:13 PM PST up reply actions

Just looked on another couple of sites, he's not even top 40

weird

by djafrot on Jan 4, 2012 5:20 PM PST up reply actions

Which sites?

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:21 PM PST up reply actions

um....

footballsfuture had him at 35

sportsline.com has him at 57
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1262880/andre-branch

Just the first ones I found, though.

Which other boards should I be looking at?

by djafrot on Jan 4, 2012 5:24 PM PST up reply actions

I don't necessarily look at a lot of boards besides Kiper and McShay.

I haven’t had the opportunity to look at many Mock Drafts, which I enjoy more and do quite a bit more of.

www.seahawksdraftblog.com ’s mock draft from today (He does one each week) has him going at 13 to Arizona.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:30 PM PST up reply actions

You figure the ESPN insider is worth having?

Three-odd bucks isn’t bad, but I’m not sure how much I’d want it outside of draft season.

by djafrot on Jan 4, 2012 5:35 PM PST up reply actions

I don't pay for it.

I just log into a friends account who does pay for it. But you are correct it isn’t bad.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:37 PM PST up reply actions

I'm with Danny on this

I don’t really know how people follow college football in general apart from rooting for the Huskies and maybe your alma mater if your school had a team. I especially don’t understand how people can tune in to a random bowl game that doesn’t mean anything. They’re like scrimmages.

by jhmg16 on Jan 4, 2012 5:08 PM PST reply actions

It makes for a good opportunity to look for yourself at some of the college prospects that the Hawks (or other teams, for that matter) could draft.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:10 PM PST up reply actions

True, and I'd like to get better at this

But at this time I just don’t have the eye for it.

by jhmg16 on Jan 4, 2012 5:14 PM PST up reply actions

Same here, but you won't get any better at it unless you practice :)

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:15 PM PST up reply actions

I like football?

I'm so positive, you'll need AZT later.

by Steen on Jan 4, 2012 5:35 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

Yep.

We get precious few games and I’m not wasting any of them.

by Nate Dogg on Jan 4, 2012 8:10 PM PST via Android app up reply actions

I watch every game that's on.

MAC game on a Thursday? I’m in. Div. 3 playoffs? sure.

I haven’t watched a sitcom or network show in a decade.

70% of space is covered by dark matter, the rest by ET.

by hazbro24 on Jan 4, 2012 6:31 PM PST up reply actions

UW-Whitewater baby!

Go Warhawks!!!!!
D3 National Champs!

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Jan 4, 2012 7:43 PM PST up reply actions

Who is the old guy announcing?

He sounds like Droopy.

by djafrot on Jan 4, 2012 5:17 PM PST reply actions

Wow. That was the winner of The Voice?

Glad I didn’t bother to watch that show…

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:19 PM PST reply actions

Watching Andre Branch on the first defensive series for Clemson and it's been a mix.

Pretty much whiffed on a tackle on a run coming from the offensive left.
Second play he started standing up from the offensive right and seemed to diagnose a run heading towards the left side.
Most interestingly, on the 3rd play, he dropped into pass coverage on what I think was the tight end. The pass went mid-deep left.

For anyone interested in paying attention to him, he is number 40.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:42 PM PST reply actions

Diagnoses run on the first play of WV's second drive and pursues man from behind (from offensive right)for a leaping tackle.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:49 PM PST up reply actions

On the pass play that gets WV to the Clemson 30

Branch is standing up on the offensive right and starts to look like he wants to round the corner but goes for the inside move instead. The RT stays with him very well and is able to keep Branch from pushing him back into Geno Smith.

Eternally looking forward to someone making a Seahawks song based off of Lil' Jon's "Shots" song named "Hawks!"

by Bobby Cink on Jan 4, 2012 5:54 PM PST up reply actions