The following list was compiled and published by rivals.com and beaverblitz’s Angie Machado. The idea behind this award is to acknowledge, every Sunday, the best defensive player from the previous game. The complete list can be found here (if you have a membership). If you don’t have a membership, I will summarized Angie’s perception of this weekend’s defensive performance:
1. Keaton Kristick
2. Kevin Frahm
3. Lance Mitchell
4. Keith Pankey
5. Tim Clark
Keaton Kristick? Really?
Angie, did you watch the game or are you simply hyping Kristick so he makes All-Pac 10? Or maybe you just think he’s cute.
Anyway, time for some male perspective: Lance Mitchell was the only playmaker on the defense. Dude forced a huge fumble as UNLV were driving inside the red zone, and also jumped in front of a pass for an INT. Both plays stalled drives. Conversely, Keaton Kristick had eight tackles and recovered Mitchell’s forced fumble. That’s not a bad game by any stretch, but his tackles were all standard procedure and were not game changing plays.
The methodology behind this award is ridiculous. A tackle, no matter where it occurs on the field or at what juncture of the game, equals a point, and 3 of these tackles are equal to a turnover. Why? I don’t know. It’s arbitrary and we just have to accept it. Mensa and NASA level stuff right there folks.
Tim Clark, 5th best defender on Saturday. Interesting. Why because he made 7 tackles after getting torched for a couple hundred yards? Keith Pankey, 4th? Angie, were you compiling a list of worst defenders and simply confused the two?
Angie, stop embarrassing Beaver Nation with your drivel and hype. You’re the same person who said, “Ryan McCants is the second coming of Steven Jackson” after last year’s spring camp. Now you have a love affair with Kristick. Enough with the hype. Just report what the players are, not what you wish them to be. Thank you.