The straight scoop from
Colonel Mustard
Sept. 9, 1997
I hung up a "Do not disturb" sign and set my alarm clock for Sept. 20, but people just didn't get the message. "Where's your column?'' they kept pestering. OK, OK -- here it is, even though I ain't exactly brimming with insights after that scrimmage against the Zips and then the off week. We need to play and get into the flow of the season.
A lot of our newer guys got their feet wet against Akron and didn't look too shabby doing it: Polk at linebacker, and of course Buckhalter and London in the backfield, and the Davison kid from Tecumseh snagging passes. Newcombe may or may not turn into much of a QB, but the guy is definitely quick. As for the veterans: Frost ran the option better but still threw just fair. Ahman was running soft and went down too easy. He'd better not keep that up, or there'll be 76,000 people chanting WE WANT DAN. I can't wait to see Willie Miller and Dan Alexander in the same backfield, but who knows, Dr. Tom probably figures it's just not fair to the opposition. In the spring game together they were unstoppable. It seems almost illegal what they can do.
The outfit from Florida coming here this weekend should at least give our defense a test. They have a QB who can air it out with the best of 'em, that's for sure. But I ain't buying this "they could be dangerous" talk. Sure, they gave Mississippi and South Carolina all they could handle, but (a) we ain't Mississippi or South Carolina and (b) this'll be their third straight road game. Memorial Stadium ain't the place to show up on just an eighth of a tank. If we can't dominate these guys, there could be trouble in Seattle.
-- The Colonel