If App takes care of business including the Conference Championship, it would be hard to pass over Drinkwitz. There have been some awfully significant "firsts" for the conference accomplished in a transition year. UNC and SC are certainly not powerhouse teams, but both have had some good showings. SC beat the current #4 and was fighting for potential bowl eligibility. UNC was riding high when we played and has played very close games all season, including a close loss to Clemson. The fact is that no SBC team has ever won two P5 games in a year. No SBC team has ever been ranked twice, or as high as App has been. No SBC team has ever won a game while ranked. No SBC team has ever been ranked in the CFP poll. I do think App has to finish strong in order to seal the deal.

What Napier has accomplished at UL has been amazing and I would see him as the only other name in the running. If UL can win the conference championship, I could see a valid argument for him receiving the honor. He has taken a Louisiana program that was on auto-pilot and built a force! He just needs that crowning achievement to put him over the top.

Lunsford and Elliott both deserve kudos for their accomplishments at GS and GSU. Honorable mentions in a very competitive field this year.

I just don't see a first year coach getting the votes from the other coaches/media to get the award. Napier/Elliot/Anderson will get it, regardless of the team's record.

I'm pulling for Drink. I want to keep Napier low profile as long as possible.

I've actually thought that last year's team was better than this year's team. It's more the eye test than the use of any empirical data. While its is a great accomplishment to win two P5 games in a season, Drink hasn't had to play Penn State, Clemson, or Georgia.

Frankly, I think Napier should be coach of the year. I appreciate all that Drink has done this season and to date [/i]he has meet the high expectations that people had for this season, no easy task. But, I think Napier deserves credit for restoring UL to its prominence.

(11-20-2019 03:12 PM)hapapp Wrote:  I've actually thought that last year's team was better than this year's team. It's more the eye test than the use of any empirical data. While its is a great accomplishment to win two P5 games in a season, Drink hasn't had to play Penn State, Clemson, or Georgia.

Frankly, I think Napier should be coach of the year. I appreciate all that Drink has done this season and to date [/i]he has meet the high expectations that people had for this season, no easy task. But, I think Napier deserves credit for restoring UL to its prominence.

Yeh, we're all going to have to agree to disagree. This year's team would stymie the hell out of last year's team. My eye test is that this year's defense is more aggressive behind the line and is just better. This year's offense is still adjusting and still putting up breakneck numbers.

Kaleb Barker, Tra Barnett, and Omar Bayless are far and away the best offensive players in the league. Could see any of them winning OPOY. To be fair though, Kaleb Barker may be the best QB in SBC history.

Omar Bayless is leading the entire nation in 4 different categories. The. Entire. Nation.
Not to mention he is a Biletnikoff Award semi-finalist which has not been done in this conference since 2007. If not the POY then he should be OPOY.

https://twitter.com/AStateFB/status/1196956322132103168

I think Drink, Napier, and Elliott (if he wins out) are all deserving of COY, and could see any of them winning. If Anderson wins, I think it would mainly be sympathy/overcoming votes.

Bayless will get OPOY.

Crazy part about coach is that it never seems to be the coach with the most wins. I'd guess Drink but he might not get it due to folks thinking he walked into a packed house and just had to put it on auto pilot. Napier should probably get it, based on the turnaround. Just one man's humble opinion.

(11-20-2019 11:54 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  I think Drink is the obvious choice. First year head coach that beat two P5 teams at their place. APP is the clear #2 program in the Carolinas behind Clemson.

Absolute no-brainer.

(11-20-2019 03:18 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(11-20-2019 03:12 PM)hapapp Wrote:  I've actually thought that last year's team was better than this year's team. It's more the eye test than the use of any empirical data. While its is a great accomplishment to win two P5 games in a season, Drink hasn't had to play Penn State, Clemson, or Georgia.

Frankly, I think Napier should be coach of the year. I appreciate all that Drink has done this season and to date [/i]he has meet the high expectations that people had for this season, no easy task. But, I think Napier deserves credit for restoring UL to its prominence.

Yeh, we're all going to have to agree to disagree. This year's team would stymie the hell out of last year's team. My eye test is that this year's defense is more aggressive behind the line and is just better. This year's offense is still adjusting and still putting up breakneck numbers.

App's offense is currently gaining 6.10 yards per play. That's down 0.42 ypp from last year (6.52) and the lowest it's been since App moved up.

App's defense is currently allowing 5.00 yards per play. That's up 0.57 ypp from last year (4.43) and only 2017 and 2014 App defenses were worse.

That's a full yard per play worse this year than 2018, which is significant. The fact that it hasn't shown up in the loss column is really a testament to how good the 2018 team was.

The SBC is improved since 2018, maybe that has something to do with it.

Also the ULL and SC game is skewing those numbers from an offensive perspective.

(11-21-2019 09:57 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  The SBC is improved since 2018, maybe that has something to do with it.

Also the ULL and SC game is skewing those numbers from an offensive perspective.

+2

I would love for Napier to win this and in almost any other year (pending results from the last 2 games) he probably would. This year however with App winning the 2 games against the Carolinas, it is hard to imagine any one other than Drinkwitz winning the coach of the year.

(11-21-2019 09:57 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  The SBC is improved since 2018, maybe that has something to do with it.

Also the ULL and SC game is skewing those numbers from an offensive perspective.

Maybe, but I would argue across the board the defenses are not as good as they were last season. The conference defense S&P scores across the board are down.

And you did play two P5 games, but you have to ask yourself if you could compare 38 points in regulation against Penn State to 31 against a 5 or 6-win ACC team or 20 against a 4-win SEC team.

(11-21-2019 10:13 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(11-21-2019 09:57 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  The SBC is improved since 2018, maybe that has something to do with it.

Also the ULL and SC game is skewing those numbers from an offensive perspective.

Maybe, but I would argue across the board the defenses are not as good as they were last season. The conference defense S&P scores across the board are down.

And you did play two P5 games, but you have to ask yourself if you could compare 38 points in regulation against Penn State to 31 against a 5 or 6-win ACC team or 20 against a 4-win SEC team.

The difference in those games was playing with a lead vs playing from behind at Penn State. We certainly packed it in against UNC and USC.

(11-21-2019 10:38 AM)bigCasu_ Wrote:  

(11-21-2019 10:13 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(11-21-2019 09:57 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  The SBC is improved since 2018, maybe that has something to do with it.

Also the ULL and SC game is skewing those numbers from an offensive perspective.

Maybe, but I would argue across the board the defenses are not as good as they were last season. The conference defense S&P scores across the board are down.

And you did play two P5 games, but you have to ask yourself if you could compare 38 points in regulation against Penn State to 31 against a 5 or 6-win ACC team or 20 against a 4-win SEC team.

The difference in those games was playing with a lead vs playing from behind at Penn State. We certainly packed it in against UNC and USC.

Game context matters quite a bit. The first three quarter stats vs Penn St compared to those quarters against NC would be very telling.

(11-21-2019 10:13 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(11-21-2019 09:57 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  The SBC is improved since 2018, maybe that has something to do with it.

Also the ULL and SC game is skewing those numbers from an offensive perspective.

Maybe, but I would argue across the board the defenses are not as good as they were last season. The conference defense S&P scores across the board are down.

And you did play two P5 games, but you have to ask yourself if you could compare 38 points in regulation against Penn State to 31 against a 5 or 6-win ACC team or 20 against a 4-win SEC team.

I think that's almost every conference. Offense is the new fad. Outscore them and hope you keep them 1 point behind.

If Bayless isnt' the player of the year, the award needs to be slam dunked. I don't care about his position. what he's done this year has been amazing.

(11-21-2019 02:54 PM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  If Bayless isnt' the player of the year, the award needs to be slam dunked. I don't care about his position. what he's done this year has been amazing.

You should see him.play . A man amongst boys.