Like Father, Like Son! Family Competition in AZ vs. NAU Saturday

Arizona Defensive Coordinator Jeff Casteel. Photo: Tucson.com

The Arizona Wildcats had a season defining win last year against the Oregon Ducks. Not to mention they did so in Autzen Stadium. They went on to win the PAC-12 South and faced the Ducks once again. This time getting their a$$es kicked.

Photo: Scooby Wright Instagram

Well, it’s a new season and there’s new faces on the field, but the goal is still the same. Can they end up on top of the PAC-12 once again?

Being ranked #22, they kicked off the PAC-12 season  against the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners. The Wildcats finished with a win, but they sure left fans with concern. The defense couldn’t seem to mesh and remember Scooby Wright III? The guy making all the tackles and sacking the quarterback? Well, he went down and is expected to miss three to four weeks.

During the second half, the offense sparked. QB Anu Solomon threw for four TD’S, no interceptions and completed over 60% of his passes. Okay, hope.

Then in Week 2 they really got the fans going in their 44-20 win over Nevada. Nick Wilson crushed it, picking up 106 yards and two touchdowns on just eleven carries in the first half.

Arizona totaled out with 301 yards on the ground against Nevada, accomplishing something they have only done one other time (300+ rushing yards in one game in 2014 (Pac-12 Championship Game – 301).)

Arizona will now take on Northern Arizona, also undefeated thus far. But let’s be real. The stats for the Wildcats heading into this game are real solid against NAU.

Arizona has won 11 straight contests vs. NAU going back to 1932. 

Jake (middle) and teammates pictured in H.S. Salpointe uniforms. Photo: Kevin Hamlett Twitter.

Damn.

There is a sort of family rivalry going into this game this year however… Arizona’s Defensive Coordinator Jeff Casteel will be taking on a NAU team with a Casteel on the roster- his son.

Lumberjacks redshirt freshman Jake Casteel has been playing mostly on special teams this season, but should see more time at backup linebacker in the future.

Jake Casteel has been a part of Wildcat’s head coach Rich Rodriguez life for quite some time… Like, try 15 years.

“I’ve known him since he was wee little,” Rodriguez said to Tucson.com.

Jake (left) pictured with father and Arizona Defensive Coordinator, Jeff Casteel (right). Photo: Jake Casteel Twitter.

Fifteen years of attending practices and games and hanging around the office, for a then little Jake.

Jake says this will be an experience of a lifetime and both him and his father are excited for the turnout.

Let the rivalry begin! Nothing like some good family competition!

Game kicks off Saturday September 19th at 8 PM in Tucson, AZ. Keep an eye out for Casteel running out of the tunnel… Out of both tunnels that is…

Until Next Time…

Best 2015 College Football Uniforms

College football season means College Gameday, tailgates, rivalry games and obviously sexy players in uniforms #swoon. Well, with that being said, it’s time to check out which teams will be looking the sleekest (and hottest) on the field.

Her are the best college uni’s this season!

TCU HORNED FROGS

 

COLORADO BUFFALOES

 

TENNESSEE VOLS

UCLA BRUINS

https://twitter.com/adidasFballUS/status/631827823318077440/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

SDSU AZTECS

https://twitter.com/GoAztecs/status/628613330349854720/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

MIAMI HURRICANES

https://twitter.com/adidasFballUS/status/622576793938206720/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

ASU SUN DEVILS

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH

BONUS! OREGON DUCKS

Okay, we all know the Oregon Ducks are always rocking the latest and greatest, but speculation around the internet is that at some point during the season they will be suited up in these……

https://twitter.com/GoDucks/status/630827897285021696/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I mean WHAT?!?! GLOW IN THE EFFIN DARK!? I guess we’ll find out soon enough!

Until Next Time,

Why Is Everyone Freaking Out About Steve Sarkisian Wanting to F*&%ing Fight On

Here at TCD we’re about three things: Babes 💋 Booze 🍺 and Ball Games 🏈. Steve Sarkisian covers two of the three in the past week (sorry for passive aggressively implying that you’re not a babe, Sark #GoCougs!)

ANYWAYS…

On Saturday, August 22nd Sarkisian allegedly mixed prescription medication and alcohol and yelled a long string of profanities before he was pulled off stages, resulting in him embarrassing himself in the public eye.

Here’s a video of the best clip of the speech…

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ve seen a dude (or five) embarrass themselves at many a frat party back in my day. The only difference between that and Sarkisian, is that he is in the public eye (being the HEAD COACH at USC) and frat stars simply aren’t. Being in the public eye at almost all times requires you to really keep your sh!t together.

But here’s what gets me: SO F*&%ING WHAT! If anyone else was to go out and get plastered and string together choice words, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t hear people making a big deal about it (unless someone dare say anything politically incorrect… But I digress). Yes he’s in the spotlight, yes he’s a role model for younger men (and women), yes he has an example to set, yes I’m sure he has university guidelines he has to follow, but at the end of the day, he’s only human!

While I do believe it was the wrong place and wrong time to say these things, what are you going to do? We can debate, and debate, and debate; we can argue about how he has a problem, how he needs to go to rehab; we can go as far as saying he needs to be fired. Apparently it has come to light that Sarkisian is also going through a divorce and man, we know that’s tough. It may not be an excuse but it should be enough for people to give the poor guy some slack.

At the end of the day, Steve Sarkisian is just like you and me. A dude who loves to get his booze on and fight on. Just like Miley Cyrus (LOL) says, “everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days.”

WE NEED TO GET OVER IT. Even though let’s face it, this may or may not have occurred because he’s a former UW Husky… What? Who said that?

Sarkisian issued an apology Tuesday, and also stated that he will not being consuming ANY alcohol during the 2015 season. We’ll see how long that lasts… Either way, good luck with that, Sark. We all know the Cougs wouldn’t be so concerned with this BS because let’s be real #WinOrLoseCougsStillBooze.

– Alexa

Exclusive! MCM: Alex Clay

Photo: Alex Clay Instagram

It’s Monday night so you know what time it is! Three words: Man. Crush. Monday.

YES. Meet this week’s #MCM: Alex Clay!

Besides being a footBALLER, Alex clearly has looks on his side too. 😉 Alex is a midfielder for the New York Red Bulls II, and played soccer in college at UAB where he was named co-captain his junior year, and it’s no wonder why!

Alex earned the Conference USA Golden Boot Award after scoring seven goals in conference play (yes, we said SEVEN) and was ranked second on the team in scoring with 22 points (eight goals, six assists) on the year. Alex was also named to the All-Conference USA Second Team and NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I Men’s All-Midwest Region Second Team. Dayummm.

Plus this guy’s a southern boy, born and raised- Hometown: Huntsville, AL! Shout to our Alabama readers! Check out what Alex told TCD in our questionnaire! You’ll love his guilty pleasur and will totally relate to how he answered what he does before a night out!

Enough of the talk, let’s here it from him! Meet…

ALEX CLAY!

Next Christiano? We can only hope so! Keep up the hard work and the good looks Alex, you know the TCD gals will be rooting for you! 😉

Until Next Time,

Is the SEC Still the Toughest Conference in CFB?

Is the SEC still the toughest conference in CFB?

There is nothing, and I mean nothing that gets me all hot and bothered like some college football. I LIVE for Saturday’s in the fall.

Tailgating with a flannel, cowboy boots and a giant flying WV face tattoo to remind myself even though I am now an “alumni” (ew) I can still cheer just as hard.

AND FINALLY IT’S BACK! (Well, sort of).

So no, don’t get up at 9am on Saturday morning because College Game Day hasn’t started just yet, but even Power 5 Conference media days are getting me excited. After an extremely successful first year of the College Football Playoff, conference schedules are now being discussed picked apart and scrutinized more than ever.

Who has the toughest schedule? Who has the best non-conference games? Who has the best championship game? Which conference reigns supreme?

ESPN’s Football Power Index has six SEC schools in the top 10 including Auburn and Alabama (Iron Bowl 😍) and 12 schools in the top 20. Who has the toughest non-conference schedule for an SEC team you ask? Well that would be the sassy Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks with three of the hardest non conference games in the country.

The SEC football programs are known for their ability to recruit and every season’s top 10 rankings are evidence of that fact. With a wide range of schools, coaches and athletic talent they are arguably the most talked about conference in college football, and quiet possibly the most competitive.

And I’m not just talking about their fans.

SEC football has some of the most demanding fans with the highest of standards and overflowing passion. Alabama won 12 games last season under Nick Saban, but their fans perceived that as failure after the CFB playoff loss. Let’s see how things “roll” out this season, but with the SEC you never know what can happen. Is it game day yet, cause DAMN we’re done waiting!

BONUS! For sh*ts and gigs let’s look at things SEC fans never say, courtesy of SEC memes…

1. I’ll have an unsweet tea, please.
2. I can’t remember the last time I was at Wal-mart.
3. I don’t have a favorite team; college football ain’t really my thing.
4. One day we’ll win a National Championship.
5. Gross! You can’t fry that!
6. I really respect the Big 10.
7. I can’t imagine killing an animal and eating it. Pass the veggie tray, please.
8. Paying football coaches $4 million a year is ridiculous.
9. Honestly, I think we should sell the pickup and buy a minivan.
10. I can’t wait for your Fall wedding on a Saturday!

Betchy… And we love it.

– Morgan

Penn State Head Coach, James Franklin Hand Delivers Season Tickets to Holders

Photo: GoPSUSports.com

With all the wrath surrounding Penn State in the past few years, we have decided that James Franklin is just being the guy we all know and love. I’m sorry it took you this long to notice. With Coach Franklin being a Pennsylvania native, what a great thing it is that he gets to continue coaching the team he grew up watching.

You know what makes us love him more? He gets named Penn State’s head coach in 2014 and knows exactly what the old-money program that Nittany Nation needs… A man. A man that stands up and acknowledges the history of the Lions. A man that is not afraid to understand that he is just a football coach. A man who decides to HAND DELIVER (yes, hand deliver…) the season tickets to the season ticket holders.

This man took time out of his daily life to surprise the season ticket holders with their tickets while being escorted in a Penn State van with Penn State cheerleaders. Let’s just say that Thursday, July 16, 2015 was a hell of a day for season ticket holders in Pennsylvania.

Not only is he an all-around great family man, he has the coach-fan relationship thing down to a tee. And plus, it’s not like he’s new at this coaching thing. He spent 2011-2013 as the head coach at Vanderbilt and previously has worked for programs such as Kansas State, Green Bay, Maryland, Washington State, and the list goes on. His current record stands at 31-21 with three bowl wins.

On top of all this, Franklin will be throwing out the first pitch at the Phillies game at Citizen’s Bank Park this Thursday July 30th. Love it!

Four for you James Franklin! You go James Franklin!

– Carly 

Exclusive! MCM: Connor Halliday

Wishing this Monday you could take a holiday? Well, we can’t give you the day off but we can give you a little HALLIDAY to brighten your day. 😉

That’s right baby! It’s another TCD Man Crush Monday!

This week we give you college QB stud, Connor Halliday!

Halliday went to Washington State University to play quarterback for the Cougs and boy were the Cougs fortunate to have him! As a junior in 2013, he started all 13 games setting multiple records including Pac-12 and WSU records with 449 completions and 714 attempts. In the game against Oregon, he broke Drew Brees‘ record for pass attempts in a game with 89. His 4,597 yards were also a school record and his 34 touchdowns tied Ryan Leaf for most in school history. 

As a senior he would complete something no other NCAA quarterback has done. On October 4 in their game against Cal, Halliday set the NCAA FBS passing yardage record by passing for 734 yards. SAY WHAAA?!

Halliday signed with Redskins this year, but has since made a statement that he will be retiring. We’ll be sad not to watch this entertaining QB out on the field, but we’re glad we got to see you impress in college!

Check out what Halliday told TCD this week and prepare to swoon at his proudest moment. #sopresh

MCM: Connor Halliday

Thanks for telling TCD all about ya Connor! We wish the best for you in the future to come! ❤

Until Next Time,