So I tuned-in to the ‘DAWG’s vs. Bearz at the Alamo Bowl with the score 14-7, Baylor leading… Then RG3, who the Radio Announcers took to calling “Superman,” showed off why he’d been chosen the College Player of the year, along with winning the Heisman Trophy. As Robert Griffin III eluded not one, but three University of Washington Huskies Defenders… Breaking two tackles which should have rendered him down behind the line of scrimmage - for a 24-yard run to put his Baylor Bears ahead 21-7; as I was afraid I heard ‘Ol “Dandy Don” (Meredith) warming up in the background: “Turn Out the lights, the Party’s Over!”
As it was a predominantly Baylor prone crowd, with a sea of green ‘N gold adorning the 65,000-plus crowd hoping to celebrate Superman’s victory - potentially his final college game before turning Pro in 2012?
But alas, U-Dub had a thing or four to say about that! As I sat dumbfounded and chuckled merrily in glee as the ‘DAWG’s rolled off 28-unanswered points to go ahead 35-21 over (previously) No. Twelfth-ranked Baylor - before the Bears finally retaliated with a late Field Goal to knot the score at 35-24 at Halftime. With the total of 59-points setting a first-half scoring record…
And the stat’s kept on coming, with UW averaging 8.5-yars vs. Baylor’s 7-yards per completion during the first Half.
And the dizzying array of non-stop scoring kept going on as I couldn’t keep track of the Volleyball like ‘Spikes; Err scores tallied up. As even the Announcers seemed to be gasping for Oxygen whilst noting the scoreboard read Huskies 49, Bears 46 with 6:01-remaining in the Third Quarter!
Then as ex-UW and Seattle Seahawk QB Brock Huard said; Hey Yuhs gotta go with Brock on the radio if you’re listening from the Northwest! As half of KIRO 710AM’s “Brock & Sok Talk Show crew said: mark Chris Polk’s fumble as a turning point in the game - having just capitalized on an excellent run-back to Baylor’s 27-yard line.
As Griffin & Co. simply marched down the field - and with 58-seconds left in the Third Quarter, Baylor punched in for another TD, en route setting another record with its 53-49 lead; Baylor’s first lead since 21-14.
Yet ironically, it was Superman’s (RG3) opposite; as the announcers had previously read a Fan’s sign about RG3 being Superman in green socks… With University of Washington Quarterback Keith Price playing like Superman instead, as the sophomore arguably had to have his finest game statistically… Throwing for 438-yards, four Touchdowns and running for a further 3 TD’s; Yep! You read that right - seven Touchdowns, which outdid some Green Bay Packers back-up QB vs. Detroit! Not to mention that Griffin only passed and ran for a single TD apiece.
Thus grittily, Price marched his ‘DAWG’s downfield for another score and retook the lead 56-53. Yet it wasn’t to be the Huskies day, as first the non-existent Defense let Baylor score another go-ahead TD to lead 60-56, before capping off the game with another rushing Touchdown to put the game out of reach at 67-56.
And the Alamo Bowl smashed the previous record for total points in a regulation College Football Bowl game, racking up an incomprehensible 123-points; with the 2001 GMAC Bowl of 102-points being the previous record. Although that Bowl Game went to Double Overtime and hence still holds the overall record with 125-points - thus making it the second highest scoring game to date…
Another record was the combined total yardage of 1,377-yards… With the best Quip in the local Fish-wrap being that 777 isn’t a number, it’s an Airplane! (As in the Boeing 777…) As that’s the number of yards the Baylor Bears racked-up upon the Huskies. And although neither team appeared to have any Defense, Baylor’s crushing total was the final straw in the ‘DAWG’s problematic defense and led to the firing of Defensive Coordinator Nick Holt, along with the Linebackers coach Mike Cox and Safeties coach Jeff Mills a scant two-days later; whilst Cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin had previously left to join Jim Mora at UCLA.
Yet apparently Head Coach Steve Sarkisian struck fast, as two Tennessean’s with past Northwest connections have already been hired. With Tennessee’s Justin Wilcox being announced as the new Defensive Coordinator. While Peter Sirmon, also a former Tennessee ‘Vol was announced as the new Linebackers coach.
And I was unaware that College Football has a limit to Fulltime Staffing positions with a total of nine; while UW currently has seven positions filled, with vacancies at the Safety’s and Cornerbacks positions, which could be combined into a single role…