Daily Bullets (Dec. 11): What Chuba and Running Backs Have to Do to Get to NYC

Pretty interesting to look at the OSU-A&M series – A&M leads with a 12-9 record since WWII. 

Bullets Rundown

• What Chuba and the RBs have to do to be Heisman-worthy
• Beware the Cowboy offense (for the bowl game)
• Why the Big 12 bowls fell the way they did

OSU Bullets

• This was a great explanation of how a running back can put himself into contention (and specifically how Chuba Hubbard and Jonathan Taylor didn’t). 

…If you are a running back or wide receiver limited to rushing and receiving, you’d better post crazy numbers to win one of those three votes or be crazy good at more than just one thing.

In Hubbard’s — not to mention, Taylor’s — case, 1,900 rushing yards did not qualify when voters saw (Joe) Burrow, (Justin) Fields and (Jalen) Hurts’ production. Also, Hubbard and Taylor weren’t exactly dual threats. Their receiving yardage numbers both fell shy of Burrow’s rushing output. [TulsaWorld]

So here’s the thesis: when a quarterback can throw for thousands and run for 500-plus, it’s more impressive than a running back running for a bazillion yards… unless they can put an extra 500 yards on the stat sheet through the air.

• Gauging OSU’s chances in the Texas Bowl, this was a pretty valuable insight for the Cowboy offense.

I think (Spencer) Sanders is probably going to play — if he’s healthy, he should to get 2020 experience — but the inverse of what happened in Bedlam could be true in this game. A&M won’t have to worry as much about RB1 if (Chuba Hubbard) sits, and Sanders’ legs will be cut out from underneath him (metaphorically speaking). [PFB]

What an observation – the triumvirate of Sanders, Hubbard, and Tylan Wallace can function as a pair but will struggle to break 20 as a solo act. 

• This is a solid explanation of why the Alamo Bowl took Texas (and the Camping World took Iowa State) over OSU regardless of finish order in the Big 12.

The Alamo Bowl had the first pick and they chose Texas. No should they have chosen Oklahoma State or Kansas State based on where they finished? Yes, but again $. Austin is an hour and a half away and San Antonio has a good size Texas fan base. The Camping World Bowl had the second pick and due to Iowa State’s traveling fan base when it comes to bowl games played a HUGE factor in their decision.

Then the Texas Bowl and Liberty Bowl had their choices between Kansas State and Oklahoma State, and both went with the closer choices in terms of traveling in hopes of getting more fans. I know it probably isn’t the “right” way but again, it’s all about making money and I don’t see the Big 12 stepping in to stop that. [HCS]

Recency plays in each year – Alamo wouldn’t consider Iowa State after having them last year and Camping World probably wasn’t fascinated by OSU after being with them two years ago.

The real travesty in all of this is that Texas and Texas A&M fans were robbed of a potential matchup, right? It’s hard to anticipate either team being much more than seven-win teams in the immediate future, so let’s just get on with it.

• Tramel’s travel blog for the B12 championship game was good – lots of solid restaurant recommendations (minimal Sooner talk)

• Gundy’s 71 percent number is really solid. The other guys are probably higher as they’ve won higher profile games, Gundy’s Cotton/Sugar Bowl numbers sort of outweigh the Fiesta win.

Football Bowl Association names Top 25 bowl coaches of all-time. 7 active coaches on list:

2. Nick Saban 14-10
3. Dabo Swinney 11-5
9. Mack Brown 13-8
14. Kyle Whittingham 11-2
15. Gary Patterson 11-6
24. Jimbo Fisher 7-2
25. Mike Gundy 10-4

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 10, 2019

• Lane Kiffin’s take on analytics (and the press interaction with it) is fascinating. There’s more a chance OSU replaces Chuba Hubbard with Pat Jones or Robert Allen than Gundy following the analytics as described.

Ole Miss fans gets ready to embrace analytics in the Lane Kiffin era. Kiffin will use a company that'll provide weekly reports that'll help him make in game decisions based on data.

No more conservative football. Kiffin told reporters today: "get ready to rip me." pic.twitter.com/mze51CGw8F

— Sudu Upadhyay (@SuduUpadhyay) December 10, 2019

Non-OSU Bullets

• Loved this primer on trade season coming up in the NBA
• AoM with a solid list of activities to get into the Christmas spirit
• Godin on how level of commitment affects relationships was good
• This faith-based post on Kyrie Irving and being faithful where you’re at was good

Preach it, brotha.

Me: Ready for another productive day, look out world!

Also me: What’s the deal with the Bermuda Triangle I need to read up on that right now

— Ben Rector (@benrector) December 10, 2019