CSS vs CTT: 12 game seasons

[DKW 86 7,419]

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cf...s&news_id=51269

Bye, bye week: Longer schedule forces some SEC schools to forego week off

By Brett Hait, bhait@nashvillecitypaper.com

July 31, 2006

 

HOOVER, Ala. — The NCAA’s new 12-game football schedule, which goes in effect across the nation this fall, elicited a variety of responses from coaches last week during Southeastern Conference Media Days.

Vanderbilt, Auburn and Alabama will play 12 consecutive weeks without a bye. The remaining nine league schools have one off-week.

“The 12-game stinks, basically, in the way we’re doing it,” Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. “One more game doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s quite a bit. It’s a lot of preparation time. I’m all for it because I love college football. We could have organized this a little bit better than what we did.”

Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson agrees.

“Twelve straight games can be extremely tough,” he said. “It just depends on your injury situation. Sometimes an open date can distract you and disrupt you, especially if you’ve had a stretch where you’re playing well. But most of the time an open date gives you a chance just to rest your guys, get them healed up a little bit. I think it’s definitely an advantage to have one in there somewhere.”

In future seasons, the SEC is expected to mandate that each school play a game on Thanksgiving weekend, creating room for a bye week for all.

“That will be very helpful,” Johnson said.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier welcomes the expanded season. He referenced his days in the now-defunct USFL, which played 18 regular-season games and three in the preseason, and said most players remained healthy.

Spurrier also pointed out that other sports play a more demanding schedule than Division I-A football teams.

“The Division I-AA guys, when they get in the playoffs, I think they play 14 or 15. It’s no problem at all for them,” Spurrier said. “I watch basketball, girls basketball, they’ll play four straight nights at the SEC tournament. I don’t hear them complaining that they’re playing too much.”

The 12-game schedules allowed some SEC schools to create intriguing match-ups. Vanderbilt visits Michigan, Tennessee hosts California, Arkansas hosts Southern California and Colorado visits Georgia.

Plenty of lesser opponents were added, also. Alabama and Auburn’s eight non-conference opponents combined to go 29-61 with one bowl appearance in 2005. Alabama and Wake Forest are the only teams from Bowl Championship Series leagues playing a non-conference schedule of all sub-.500 opponents from 2005.

“What do you expect when you have to force a game into a slot when you don’t have very much to choose from?” Tuberville said.

Coaches will also have to alter their weekly routines.

“We’ve been talking about it a great deal,” Johnson said. “We have plans to cut down the amount of practice during the week, try to be a little bit more efficient without taking as much time. That’s a challenge.”

Added Tuberville: “We’ll adjust our schedule in two-a-days. We won’t have quite as many scrimmages. We are going to have physical practices the next month, but probably won’t go as long or as many because of that situation. Twelve games is a lot. We understand that. We’ll hit the ground running and go.”

Ready or not.

“It’s going to be a long year,” Tuberville said. 

[Draven 0]

Alabama and Wake Forest are the only teams from Bowl Championship Series leagues playing a non-conference schedule of all sub-.500 opponents from 2005.

Hmm and the bammers said we had the easy OC schedule.

[Bottomfeeder 244]

I like the fact that we aren't getting a break this year. It allows for more rotation and gives experience to the inexperienced. But, what I believe is best aspect is uninterrupted momentum. The only thing I'm really concerned with is conditioning.

[bigsixfive 327]

The additional game is going to help previously held records fall too. It will be interesting to see what great names lose their spot at #1.

[Ranger12 46]

Alabama and Wake Forest are the only teams from Bowl Championship Series leagues playing a non-conference schedule of all sub-.500 opponents from 2005.

Hmm and the bammers said we had the easy OC schedule.

253917[/snapback]

But, did you notice how CTT took the high road instead of cracking on them..

“What do you expect when you have to force a game into a slot when you don’t have very much to choose from?” Tuberville said.

[vatz22au 142]

Alabama and Wake Forest are the only teams from Bowl Championship Series leagues playing a non-conference schedule of all sub-.500 opponents from 2005.

Hmm and the bammers said we had the easy OC schedule.

253917[/snapback]

But, did you notice how CTT took the high road instead of cracking on them..

“What do you expect when you have to force a game into a slot when you don’t have very much to choose from?” Tuberville said.

I agree.... props to CTT...

As a fan, I like the 12 game schedule... more games to watch. As a coach or player.... I'd hate it. Too much.... Im all for a playoff, thats a different story... you'd get probably a couple of weeks of break before the playoff actually happened. But 12 game seasons?? I'm hoping our tigers are in pretty good shape

[Draven 0]

Alabama and Wake Forest are the only teams from Bowl Championship Series leagues playing a non-conference schedule of all sub-.500 opponents from 2005.

Hmm and the bammers said we had the easy OC schedule.

253917[/snapback]

But, did you notice how CTT took the high road instead of cracking on them..

“What do you expect when you have to force a game into a slot when you don’t have very much to choose from?” Tuberville said.

Yeah major props to CTT for not taking a shot, he can just let us do that for him.

I imagine CTT knows a team can pull out on you at anytime and put you in a dire situation and you have to make snap choices. Now bama booked these game/ teams unlike the citadel game from 04 when southern miss pulled out on us. What was the time frame given for the 12 game how long did teams have to get a 12th team in place anyone know?