Cowherd piles on ACC, describes Tech’s offense as “clever” and “goofy”
ESPN radio and TV personality Colin Cowherd, co-host of SportsNation, rubbed a little bit of salt in Virginia Tech’s wounds Tuesday afternoon by saying that the Hokies aren’t a premier program by pointing out they are 1-26 against teams rated in the top five.
He also gave his thoughts on Georgia Tech’s offense, its potential in the NFL, and the state of the ACC.
“Nothing against the ACC, but FSU and Miami have eroded. North Carolina is loaded but depleted,” Cowherd said. “They don’t have the one program like an Alabama, Florida, Texas or USC, the go-to program in the big games.
“Virginia Tech is probably the worst program in the big games.”
Cowherd’s comments came a day after a young Hokies squad was beaten by No. 3 Boise State, 33-30, on Monday in Landover, Md. In another closely watched game, a No. 18 North Carolina squad, missing more than a dozen starters, was beaten by No. 21 LSU, 30-24, in the Georgia Dome.
“Virginia Tech will beat up the dogs, but they never play well in big games,” Cowherd said. “I don’t think they’d win the Big 10 this year. I said before the season that I thought Virginia Tech was the most overrated good team in the nation.”
The concern for fans of the ACC is that the Hokies are the presumed favorite to win the conference.
The ACC has a few more chances to improve its image, starting on Saturday when FSU (1-0) travels to Oklahoma (1-0), Miami (1-0) goes to Ohio State (1-0) and Virginia (1-0) goes to USC (1-0), though no one’s pinning their hopes on the ACC looking good in that one.
Georgia Tech can help by beating up on Kansas, should that opportunity occur.
Switching topics to the Yellow Jackets, Cowherd described Paul Johnson’s offense as “fun” and “clever” and, in what would probably make Johnson a little aggravated, “goofy.”
“Georgia Tech is an interesting program,” he said. “Clever, unconventional, maybe you have to be in the SEC territory.”
I asked him if the option offense would work in the NFL if there were no salary cap, eliminating the financial concern of risking multi-million dollar quarterbacks to hits from linebackers and safeties.
“No, because I think the NFL is so fast and so violent,” he said. “Tim Tebow was banged up all the time in the SEC. He plays one game in the NFL and gets hurt. You’re asking too much.
“When nobody else plays it [the option], it’s a little bit like the wildcat in the NFL. It’s clever, it’s goofy , it’s different.
“It’s just assignment football. Catch a team on a short week, it’s really a bear…In the NFL you can practice all week.
“But I don’t want my quarterback running the football in the NFL, it’s problematic.”
Cowherd’s radio show, “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” can be heard from 10-noon on 680AM.
“I love being on in Atlanta, it’s always been a good affiliate,” he said.
More thoughts from Cowherd:
On who will play for the national championship:
“Boise State and Ohio State. They both have one tough road game, Boise State’s won theirs. Ohio State will be favored to win theirs.
“Florida will be a really exceptional football team. They’ve recruited so many good athletes. How many years have they had No. 1, 2, or 3 recruiting class?
“The SEC is good this year, I don’t think it’s great. Other than [Arkansas QB Ryan] mallet, I don’t think there’s a great quarterback in the conference. Workable schedule by SEC standards. Ton of young talent in the program. But they won a national championship with a young roster.
–
On the difference between Virginia Tech and Boise State:
“I think Virginia Tech hs better talent than Boise State, but their QB isn’t as good. Boise State has won a lot of games in a lot of years. This is their first great team because their quarterback is great.
–
On the future:
“I think a lot of the really good powerhouse teams are a year away. I think USC is going to be very good. I think people are underselling them.
“I think you are going to have these Boise States with a bunch of seniors.
“Big Ten will have a very good year. Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio state all have a lot of seniors. The Big Ten is pretty close to being with the SEC.”
“I think LSU and Auburn are good, but I don’t see either of those schools scoring a lot of points. LSU and Auburn have better talent, but Iowa and Wisconsin have better quarterbacks.
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218 comments Add your comment
Wreckem
September 7th, 2010
4:24 pm
PJ
Just trying to help you not make yourself look ignorant.
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
4:25 pm
Sorry Brock , forgot it was south Carolina state ( MEAC CHAMPS) no sacks by gt , did not even touch the quarterback one time( 300lbs 6′1 sloooooowwwww ) nice job , gave you to much credit , thought it was that tough team who beat a SEC team
Brock
September 7th, 2010
4:29 pm
That’s ok. We beat jax st. like a drum the year before. Whatever you say from now on is irrelevant seeing as it would have taken a simple 2 second search to find out who we played and make a knowledgable argument, but unfortunately you screwed the pooch on that one. Keep posting if you like. Just know from this point on no one is listening. Good day!
The low down
September 7th, 2010
4:30 pm
What do UGA and the acc have in common? They both hope to win consistently against the sec at some point. It’s just not that impressive to be second rate in the best college football conference, especially when you guys call everyone else out on not being competitive.
Wreckem
September 7th, 2010
4:31 pm
PJ,
Did you watch the game? Of course we touched him. And I like the “no period” method of posting. I guess that means you never end your statement.
Beadle is HOTTTTTTT
September 7th, 2010
4:31 pm
Cowherd is still a idiot, but he’s good enough at what he does to get to hang out with that Michelle Beadle every day. Now, that’s what I call sessual.
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
4:33 pm
wreckem , dont worry helping me , tech football doesn’t need you to take up for them , my post dont win football games , they dont sack Quarterbacks , neither does tech. You just cry and say (brock) South Carolina State had 300lb linemen and were a very good coached football team , instead of asking your coach to explain his teams effort against them , his development of a quaterback to throw the ball when you need to , and yes i know bey bey had over a 1000 yards but that was it. your quaterback is the leading rusher on your team , WTF, so was TYROD TAYLOR LAST night and you saw what happend to them.
Could not pass either
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
4:36 pm
wreckem , not here to tech English class , but you still have no comment on your team , just my typing skills
Wreckem
September 7th, 2010
4:41 pm
Ok,here is a comment on my team. I was dissapointed we did not show improvement on passing the ball and run defense. But the offense kept the ball all game and ate up a lot of time. We still came out with the win.
Jack_in_Homestead
September 7th, 2010
4:44 pm
My goodness, the AJC must really set the bar for hiring …really low. A columnist quotes COLIN COWHERD ??!! REALLY ?! COLIN COWHERD,, ESPiN’s version of Sarah Palin?!! Really ?!
ESPiN hired the man who ruined the Miami program and never took him to task about it in any question and answer session.
“In the absence of light…darkness prevails”….and the chest pounding of the Gators, L$U etc only happened because the best programs in college-football were ruined by incompetency.
F$U more than likely beats UF this year and UF ducks Miami like it owes the ‘Canes money. They won one game in TWENTY YEARS against Miami and now are trying to weasel their way out of the return engagement.
But….I digress. Quoting Colin Cowherd …..that….that…that is just…..pathetic. What’s the matter you could remember the telephone number for # 742 Evergreen Terrace in Springfield?
DawgDad
September 7th, 2010
4:44 pm
I listen to 680 in the morning. I turn it off when Cowherd comes on because I can’t stand his media center celebrity/ESPN promotional propagandizing, and I don’t give one rat’s [whatever] about his opinion on anything, because quite frankly he has no credibility.
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
4:45 pm
you were supposed to come out with a win , thats why u schedule them , where is the development of a passing attack year three! You had a great team to try it out on ???? Dont see PJ taking the Great Jackets to any MNC any time soon. PERIOD
NOT this decade
St. Richt
September 7th, 2010
4:46 pm
Amen, DawgDad. Well said. Cowherd talking about college football is the equivalent of Ozzy Osbourne talking about a drug free lifestyle.
the real Old Gold
September 7th, 2010
4:48 pm
Puts the W’s on the board.. and isn’t that really all fans care about?
Wreckem
September 7th, 2010
4:50 pm
PJ, its a good thing this decade will be over after this season then. Also I’m glad you aren’t here to TEACH English. Obviously, you missed that class back in 5th grade. I bet you are one of the kids Atlanta teachers had to cheat for on the CRCT.
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
4:55 pm
Wreckem , wow , once again you attack my typing skills , what an awesome Tech fan you must be . You need to go to the players classes and check punctuation, maybe your defensive line will play better , and logan walls wont get put on his back time and time again by the MEAC champs
Talk football not typing
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
4:56 pm
Real Old Gold , most fans would be upset to just get a w playing this team , (south Carolina State) you needed to dominate and your team fell so short
Billy Bob
September 7th, 2010
5:01 pm
TurkeyNeck (RedNeck’s Cousin)
Do you think UGA can beat UF or UA?
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
5:02 pm
UGA will beat UF this Year , not UA
2010 fulmer cup champions!
September 7th, 2010
5:12 pm
pjs you’re really in love with yourself aren’t you. it’s pointless to explain it to you, none of us have that much time to explain it several times for a leghumper to understand but listen to this.
anybody who spends more time at another team’s blog just to insult them is a pathetic loser
take a minute to think that over, i know it’s hard with your inbred lineage, but i’m sure you got time, with not doing anything but posting here all day.
CPJ always says people will think what they want to think, so you go ahead and insult our coach and call him outdated, call him goofy, call his offense high school offense. i’m just looking forward to him beating you again with that hs offense come nov 27. and i look forward to reading more of your idiotic rants and pride in your accomplishments of posting more than anybody else on a tech blog
btw congrats on your 2010 fulmer cup. keep up the good work in athens
Gee
September 7th, 2010
5:13 pm
I love how UGA fans always put themselves in the same sentence as UF and Bama… Its laughable. No way UGA should be mentioned anywhere near either of them schools. Those 2 schools RUN yalls conference and everyone else is an after-thought. I wish UGA fans really had a team to cheer about. 7-6 is unacceptable to CPJ.. Thats exactly why it will never happen with him at the helm. Just watch and learn how to play some football Ugayers… Tech will show you a thing or 2 this season.
BeReal
September 7th, 2010
5:18 pm
BigTimeTech,
You named all those QB’s and none, with the exception of Vick is still in the NFL. You ask why the option doesn’t work in the NFL. Pure and simple, SPEED. That is why even second tier teams in the SEC, (LSU in the ChickFilA bowl and UGA last year) basically stopped it. Tebow about got killed going over the goal line in the preseason for Denver in the second game. You can run the trick offense in the college ranks, and sorry to say in a sub par conference, but not in the NFL. Not even in the Big 10 or SEC for that matter. Remember Iowa?
BeReal
September 7th, 2010
5:20 pm
Gee,
I hope Tech does a better job in showing UGA a thing or two besides losing to the Dawgs 9 out of 10 years. And who was 7-6? UGA in their worst year last year was 8-5. I think you forget that UGA has been to 3 BCS bowls in 6 years. CPJ, yeah let him bring that crap offense to a better conference and they will shove it down his throat.
tinman
September 7th, 2010
5:20 pm
If Cowherd is so smart … why is he on the radio and not leading a program from the side line?
BeReal
September 7th, 2010
5:21 pm
PJ, UGA doesn’t play UA this year.
PJ's highschool offense
September 7th, 2010
5:22 pm
I am a puss and need to run to walgreens for some products. back in a moment
Time
September 7th, 2010
5:30 pm
Do I really see Tech people talking about how UGA is second tier and how they can’t run with UF and UA????? Really????? You techies never cease to provide a laugh. In UGA’s worst year in a decade ( a decade with multiple BCS bowl victories) they beat the crap out of the best team Tech will have a decade. All you Johnson riders (pun intended) are going to learn the hard way that you can win with gimmicks for the very short term, but people eventually figure out your gimmicks. This is that year. Tech wins 6 games at the most.
Gee
September 7th, 2010
5:36 pm
The media OVER-hypes the SEC… Thats why UGA went to 3 BCS bowls in 6 years. 2005 was the only year yall won yalls OWN conference. Not saying that UGA doesnt have a good football team because thats complete ignorance. BUT… Tech is on the way up… UGA is on the way down. Agreed? Richt will have his head called for halfway through the season… As usual. We will see.. The games must be played. If UGA are to win a NC ever… This is the year. Strong and experienced OL and weak schedule. SHOULDNT lose a game all season. Only 1 challenging road game all season. If no NC it has to be a letdown of a epic proportions… IMO.
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
5:39 pm
thanks for taking over my name and filling in for me , now where was I , thats right , getting spanked on the hand knuckles for typing skills instead of just confessing that your coach cant get a quarterback to throw the ball more than 12 yards a game against the MEAC champs.
Bye the way , what is this about
pjs you’re really in love with yourself aren’t you. it’s pointless to explain it to you, none of us have that much time to explain it several times for a leghumper to understand but listen to this.
anybody who spends more time at another team’s blog just to insult them is a pathetic loser
take a minute to think that over, i know it’s hard with your inbred lineage, but i’m sure you got time, with not doing anything but posting here all day.
CPJ always says people will think what they want to think, so you go ahead and insult our coach and call him outdated, call him goofy, call his offense high school offense. i’m just looking forward to him beating you again with that hs offense come nov 27. and i look forward to reading more of your idiotic rants and pride in your accomplishments of posting more than anybody else on a tech blog
btw congrats on your 2010 fulmer cup. keep up the good work in athens
Wow , you guys really know how to hurt a guys feelings , OUCH !!!!
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
5:41 pm
BeReal . sorry did not research before posting that , still could not beat them even if they were on ur schedule
James
September 7th, 2010
5:46 pm
Cowherd is just waiting for that Inside Hollywood gig to come open and he’ll be there in a second. Then he’ll get that West Hollywood apartment with Bruce. Sportstalk??? How can anyone take him serious. All he’s enamoured with is “star-power”. Real sports competition bores him, if it doesn’t involve a big name. Thats Hollywood to the core.
Billy Bob
September 7th, 2010
5:48 pm
Time
3 wins out of the last 20 vs UF?
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
5:51 pm
All tech fans care about is a w in the win column. You do not care about getting better each year , holding your football program accountable for the lack of progress it makes , jeez you beat your instate rivals one time and give your no develop a quarterback coach an extension, because you think Auburn may steal him. LOL
Just like your last coach could not develop a quarterback ( gailey ) but you keep him for 7 years with your fingers crossed it may change one day.
I only say these things because Tech used to be and should be a relevant team in college football. But with fans who are happy with a W in the win column and Beating a team you should have. Jackets should have thrown for at least 200 yards minimum.
you accept mediocrity
GT Sambo
September 7th, 2010
5:54 pm
layinlow,
I didn’t say we didn’t have a successful season last year. Depends on your goals, I guess. We won our conference and went to a BCS bowl. That’s awesome. Did it leave a bad taste in my mouth that I attended the UGA game and the Orange Bowl, and we lost both, yes (maybe it was my fault, I wasn’t at the ACC championship game and we won). Anyway, I don’t think we have to repeat as ACC champions to have a successful season. If we beat UGA and win our bowl game, then it would be a good season in my mind.
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
5:56 pm
crickets , crickets , crickets – you guys are supposed to be smart
attack my typing skills or grammar again.
Tell me when i need to place a period at the end of a sentence.
Just explain to me why every program in college has a quarterback that can throw the ball better than yours , go see if any of Troys QB want to Transfer
Time
September 7th, 2010
5:56 pm
Billy Bob…yea, UF is a great team. A powerhouse football program. And UGA struggles against them. Tech would have zero wins against them in the last 20 though. Still, you’ll find the NFL loaded with UGA players. And in the SEC, power is cyclical. Before this run UF, UGA dominated the series. It’ll even out. I think starting this year. No matter how much the bugs don’t like it, UGA looks to be a under the radar beast this year.
I just find it funny that there are actually Tech people are on here talking about how it’s not impressive for UGA to be a 2nd tier team in the best conference when they’re entirely happy being a 2nd tier team in a 3rd tier conference. That’s what the ACC is. Tech wins in the ACC once a decade, and you have to hear about it for a year. After this year, and the 6 wins at the most your team gets, you’ll disappear back into the woodwork with the rest of the insects until you win again and start parading around like you matter again.
ss
September 7th, 2010
5:58 pm
The game in DC last night was awesome. VT will be a tough team to beat in the ACC again, but nationally, they played the tide tough last year, but lost, and didnt beat boise last night. Its ok, but you can always look for a positive. LSU has issues, and that rb did a nice job on that turnover late in the game. LSU will probally win 8-9 games in the SEC west.
As far as the system we run with the option style system, Iowa and LSU had a solid d-line that was not easy to block, and quite frankly the smaller linemen havent shown they can step up in a big situation.
The tech schedule is weak up until game 8, so hopefully the team is undefeated by the time the streach starts with MIA, VT, CLEM, and GA. Duke shouldnt be an issue, but thats why you play the game and we will see what happens.
As far as Cowherd’s comments, the guy is a knucklehead, and everyone has their own opinion, but until ga tech can beat an elite team in a bowl game, this team will get ripped left and right. The statement about giving a team time to prepare for CPJ’S offense is a bunch of crap. Every team comes up with a plan and if they excute, it usually works and we loose. Honestly feel that these teams with bigger more athletic d-linemen will beat us 9 out of 10 times.
Hopefully we improve at Kansas this weekend.
ben
September 7th, 2010
5:59 pm
The Big 10 has be irrelevant for a few years. But, they have been overated for decades. Any sniff of respectable play and the scribes are back out in force propping them up. The SEC has been and will be the best conference on earth. Even if they let Auburn and Alabama go undefeated and don’t let them play for the NC.
UGADawg83
September 7th, 2010
6:00 pm
Boise State all by itself has won more BCS games than the ACC combined. End of discussion.
GT Sambo
September 7th, 2010
6:04 pm
PJ’s highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
5:51 pm
“All tech fans care about is a w in the win column. You do not care about getting better each year”
“and give your no develop a quarterback coach an extension, because you think Auburn may steal him.”
Huh?!?! Your posts are rambling and incoherent. Are you saying that we shouldn’t be pleased about beating a cupcake 41-10 and playing back ups for an entire half? I am not super excited because we were supposed to win, but I am happy the offense moved the ball and the defense made adjustments. I am actually glad that our defense had some minor things to work on. UGA is much more likely to be overconfident headed into the USC game.
PJ's highschool offense
September 7th, 2010
6:06 pm
i am a puss and have nothing better to do- does anyone have an aunt that would date me- i enjoy wings and lotz of beerz
PJ's highscool offense
September 7th, 2010
6:07 pm
Minor things to work on , you never touched the QB , the man was a doughnut acting like a QB , Logan walls spent all afternoon on his back
West Coast Two Stars
September 7th, 2010
6:12 pm
UGADawg83 – Boise would slap GA dogs around the playground my friend
joemoedee
September 7th, 2010
6:13 pm
Say what you will about Cowherd, but he’s right on the money with the ACC. The last expansion was supposed to make it in to THE power conference, but it really hasn’t worked out for them.
FSU and Miami in the same conference really seems to of hurt them versus Florida being in a different conference.
Paul Johnson’s a great coach, but GT isn’t going to be on the same level as the premier schools. Academic restrictions will always play against it, plus while the offense will win games… it will hurt in recruiting premier offensive position players. Go to UGA and run a pro-style offense, or run the option? Most kids will choose the pro-style.
VT always seemed overrated to me. Boston College is irrelevant. Clemson gets some premier talent but never puts it together. UNC has a chance to be relevant, any team missing that many players to have a chance against LSU should do well in the long run.No other team really worth mentioning…
Reality Stinks
September 7th, 2010
6:31 pm
Doug
Dont like some of his opinions but unfortunatley he is right, if VT had a QB that could read the field and throw instead of panick and run they would have beat Boise.
Boise was sputtering out after the VT stupidity 17-0 rout there in the first part of the game
Reality Stinks
September 7th, 2010
6:35 pm
West Coast 2 Dopes
Your kidding right, um I dont think Boise who was picked to win, the same team that beat Oklahoma came and slapped around UGA you dope.
Now slapp around GT yes as we saw them do just that to VT and the powerful ACC like IOWA did to GT
dawgfan
September 7th, 2010
6:37 pm
Another season of ACC whiners crying about how they “almost” beat people and making excuses. My God you people are so boring and predicatable. Your conference sucks. The evidence is overwhelming. How many big games do your teams have to lose before you pull your heads out of your azzes? Every year its the same crap. The ACC gets its damn azz clocked by elite BCS teams every single year and you idiots are full of nothing but excuses. VT was young. UNC was depleted. Georgia Tech had bigger fish to fry. Wawawawawawawa…cry baby cry.
ACC fans are an embarassment to college football.
West Coast Two Stars
September 7th, 2010
6:38 pm
really stinks – you make this to easy , not talking about gt , i know they blow , but the all powerful dogs , without a doubt
Reality Stinks
September 7th, 2010
6:45 pm
West Coast 2 Dopes
Um what happened to Boise State when they came to Athens a few years ago, a Boise State team that was picked to win,
‘
Did you watch that one, I doubt you did, you’ve watched Boise Beat TCU, VT, and an Oklahoma team who dont have a great bowl record under Stoops
swd311
September 7th, 2010
6:51 pm
PJ get ready for disappointment. Georgia is gonna lose this weekend to USC. Then as usual UGA’s only solace will to try and beat GT again, Why does Tech need to prove they can pass the ball? If teams could consistently shut down the run then we would pass more often. Not to mention Josh threw for 1700 yards last year while getting over 1000 yards rushing. That is a telling stat!! I think 10+ wins a year is pretty good! I think passing would help us get to undefeated status but it isn’t the only thing. Also, do you need sacks when the opposing QB has less than 100 yards passing? I wouldn’t worry about GT, I would be worried about the SEC and their status. Didn’t Jax state beat Ole Miss on their own field and gave up 49 points? I don’t expect UGA to win more than 7 games this year. The players just aren’t good enough! Sorry but the dawgs just arent there…again. Gt will win at least 9 and if the defense turns it around…..look out!!!