I suspect that Sankey did us a favor, b/c I doubt we met the guidelines(1) for postponement:

-53 scholarship players available to participate, including:
-1 Center
-6 other OL
-1 QB
-4 DL

I suspect that the outbreak hit the DBs. Typically, players room by position group. Position groups probably sit together on the bus, the plane, eat together, etc.

85 scholarships
-6 opt outs (Ausbon, Hines, Blades, Tucker, Chattman, Foster)
-7* injuries (Buckley, Chapman, B, Smith, Clemons, Reed, Matthews, Cupp)*
-Demani
-Player X
-12 Contract Tracing Victims

=~58 scholarship players available

We have 10* scholarship OL available
We have 16* scholarship DL available
We have probably 3 QBs (assuming Blumrick is not deemed a QB, since he moved to RB/TE)

It is possible that contact tracing wiped out one of the 3 critical position groups. IF it was one of the position groups, OL would be the most likely b/c so many are required and we have so few healthy.

Coaches try to create unity among position groups and within offense/defense. Some teams have an excessive offense/defense divide. Some teams hang out by recruiting class. Some teams have a black/white divide. Good coaches work to eliminate division based on race and age and try to keep the offense and defense unified. I suspect that Jimbo is such a coach (but have no proof, other than he never blames the defense or specific players for losses- telltale signs of a problem coach).



(1) https://www.secsports.com/article/29914250/sec-announced-policy-canceled-rescheduled-games

*If I missed an update, please correct

I dunno if we received any favorable things because of this.

But, I DO know that some of our key players REALLY needed some rest, biggest example being Spiller. He always seemed half dead recently whenever he got tackled; it's clear he's not 100% right now.

There is a silver lining to this postponement. Heck, it may even be something our team needed.

Does it say somewhere that all 12 contract traced are scholarship or are you assuming it?

We are a serious contender for a second SEC bid to the CFBP. It's in his best interest to keep us viable.

We also would have had a depleted secondary against Ole Miss. That, in my mind, is a hookup.

SEC Champs said:

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We are a serious contender for a second SEC bid to the CFBP. It's in his best interest to keep us viable.

We also would have had a depleted secondary against Ole Miss. That, in my mind, is a hookup.

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To be fair, even LSU is getting their Bama game postponed. I doubt this is something the SEC is trying to do to keep our chances alive.

The statement Bjork made was that "more than 12" were positive. Has that been clarified with a specific number?

The Bjork interview sheds new light. Bjork said one person sitting in a middle seat knocked out 16 people. Apparently, there are more than 12 being contact traced.

This new fact changes the analysis.

Quote:

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Does it say somewhere that all 12 contract traced are scholarship or are you assuming it?

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Neither

Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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The Bjork interview sheds new light. Bjork said one person sitting in a middle seat knocked out 16 people. Apparently, there are more than 12 being contact traced.

This new fact changes the analysis.

---

i didn't think i could hate middle seats any more than i already do.

I guessed there was more that would eventually come out. The contact tracing makes it very fluid.

...
"First of all our players, staff, and coaches everyone has done a great job going all the way back to may when these protocols began. It's time-consuming and a little aggravating, but everyone has done a great job with it. We all anticipated that something might happen. Hitting the pause button was not unexpected.

We do not have an outbreak. We have three cases within our program, and it's now a contact tracing issue."

...
" The first thing is the weekly and daily pressure of testing. We are living test by test and have been since the beginning of the season. You kind of hold your breath. Our trainer, Dan Jacobi, is probably tired of me texting him on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings and asking where we are. It's nerve-wracking for sure, but we knew it would be this way.

As far as contact tracing, it's about being within six feet for 15 minutes or longer. If we had played a home game last week, things would have been much different. We were on a plane, visiting locker rooms and hotels, so it becomes almost impossible to distance correctly. It comes down to a numbers game and a location on the plane. One person in a middle seat knocked out 16 people just from being on the plane. We also have a chip that we wear that tracks us. You can't find a way out of the protocols or short circuit them. We have to be safe and follow them. This contact tracing comes from the CDC guidelines, not the SEC.

The way this works, it's not just a singular voice that can postpone the game. We have to work with the SEC and our opponent. It's really too early to talk about the Ole Miss game.

We have six Saturdays. We have added December 19 as a playing date, so the commissioner has that to work with now. Some teams have four games left. Some have three. We will go through the processes and see how the SEC looks at the entire schedule. They'll play the games this weekend that are still scheduled. It's more about the order of the games rather than who and when you play."

https://texags.com/s/37666/ross-bjork-discusses-rescheduling-tennessee-plans-for-ole-miss/5

Here is an educated guess. The SEC has every incentive to play games so the game would have been played if it was possible according to the established guidelines. What you have above is a complicated conspiracy theory.

AggieOO said:

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Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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The Bjork interview sheds new light. Bjork said one person sitting in a middle seat knocked out 16 people. Apparently, there are more than 12 being contact traced.

This new fact changes the analysis.

---

i didn't think i could hate middle seats any more than i already do.

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Take all the middle seats out!

It's only complicated until you think about it. We are on track for a NY6 bowl. That would make the SEC alot of money. Losing to UT probably kills our chances at a NY6 bowl and the conference misses out on a payday.

IF forced to play with all walk-on DBs, we get torched. Passing. Punt Returns. Kick Returns.

WHEN Notre Dame splits with BC and UNC, we will be in the 4 spot. Also, as a side note, Sankey knows Jimbo is building a dynasty.

greg.w.h said:

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...
We do not have an outbreak. We have three cases within our program, and it's now a contact tracing issue."

As far as contact tracing, it's about being within six feet for 15 minutes or longer.

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Imagine that similar to what happened to Florida after we played them.

And looking at the big picture, besides recovery, extending the season is like getting another free week of practice. After all we lost last Spring, and the summer, this fall was reduced, and I believe they have even cut back in practice time this season.

Regarding Spiller.... Looks like 1 of the best ways is to let some of those other kids play more. Keep them fresh. He need 1000 yds this year. Not sure where he is on that, but...

I know we had some of the 2nd Team Maroon Goons out there last week but those dudes need are playing more snaps than Spiller.

Quote:

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The Bjork interview sheds new light. Bjork said one person sitting in a middle seat knocked out 16 people. Apparently, there are more than 12 being contact traced.

This new fact changes the analysis.

---

Wasn't the The initial statement "more than a dozen" That were contact traced? If so, 16 would be mire than a dozen

Spiller needs 357 to get to 1,000.

Auburn and UT defend the run, other 2 do not. Bama shut him down. Next worst game was 80 v arkie.

Hopefully om happens, he gets 150, sits the 4th quarter.

Not sure it's so much about "doing us a favor" as it is the entire conference (and the US at large) is seeing spiking cases and a bunch of major tv market draws not being able to play at something approaching full strength isn't the best for the conference as a brand.

Having some alternate weeks available allows teams to take a breather, get right, and finish the year strong.

I was working with incomplete information. I thought only 12 were being contact traced.

The new information makes the theory unlikely.

Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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Spiller needs 357 to get to 1,000.

Auburn and UT defend the run, other 2 do not. Bama shut him down. Next worst game was 80 v arkie.

Hopefully om happens, he gets 150, sits the 4th quarter.

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Don't make stuff up. AU giving up 155.7 & UT giving up 160.5. That's not defending the run.

When I speculate or guess, I will make it clear. Auburn and UT are allowing 3.8/carry. Good any year, even better playing an all-SEC schedule.

https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/stats
https://utsports.com/sports/football/stats#individual


LSU is allowing 4.3. OM is allowing 5.5

https://lsusports.net/sports/football/stats
https://olemisssports.com/sports/football/stats

We done here?

Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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When I speculate or guess, I will make it clear. Auburn and UT are allowing 3.8/carry. Good any year, even better playing an all-SEC schedule.

https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/stats
https://utsports.com/sports/football/stats#individual


LSU is allowing 4.3. OM is allowing 5.5

https://lsusports.net/sports/football/stats
https://olemisssports.com/sports/football/stats

We done here?

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You shouldn't do either. Especially when you want to cite ypc, which is easy to skew.

Back out 1 game for each team and they both are giving up over 4ypc.

Spiller will have great days against both because we are better up front than they are. The end.

A big enough outlier can skew any data, including rushing yards/ game. Ypc is no different.

Anyways, you accused me of making it up and have been refuted.

Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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It's only complicated until you think about it. We are on track for a NY6 bowl. That would make the SEC alot of money. Losing to UT probably kills our chances at a NY6 bowl and the conference misses out on a payday..
IF forced to play with all walk-on DBs, we get torched. Passing. Punt Returns. Kick Returns.

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No offense but that is a very questionable comment and this entire thread is a bit nonsense. First, if you are afraid we lose to UT then you better be seriously afraid of every last game left. No way we lose to UT. We likely win out and I say this will 80% confidence. Second, no way in hell the commissioner is doing us any favors by postponing this game. We need every game we can get to be considered at the #4 CFP spot. In fact, I wish we had the extra weekend od Dec 19th to take BYU on.....they are seeking another game. COVID screwed us on that. Hopefully we don't have a game cancelled. We used up all our mulligans.