BSD Mailbag 10.17.14

My apologies for not responding to more questions this week. Long hours at week combined with an illness really limited my productivity. I'll be sure to respond to more in two weeks. -JS

Where in the World is Matt Zanellato? DefiantLion
If I remember correctly, Zanellato did not dress for the Central Florida game, but has been in uniform ever since (The precise info isn't readily available thanks to James Franklin's injury policy). From what we've seen, he's a tall lanky receiver with good hands- the right qualities for an effective possession receiver. It seems as though he would come in handy on quick slants with a three-step drop, especially on the numerous third downs. I'm sure you're far from the only one asking yourself this very question.

Rank the fake punt/FG by best decision to worst decision (ignoring the outcome)
2004 Purdue fake FG down 7 points in the 4th
2007 MSU fake FG up… ? points in the… 2nd?
2010 Michigan fake FG up 10 points in the 4th
2014 Michigan fake punt up 3 points in the 3rd
millzners
This is a fantastic question. Here you go:

1. 2007 MSU- It was so unexpected and perfectly executed. It seemed as though it was the nail in the coffin, until an absolute meltdown by Penn State's secondary allowed a Spartan comeback.
2. 2010 Michigan- Another unexpected fake that officially kicked off the route. This time the team didn't take their foot off the pedal, and Penn State outlasted Michigan in Matt McGloin's debut as a starter .  
3. 2004 Purdue- For the life of me I cannot remember this play, even though I vividly remember the details of the day- watching the game in my college apartment, receiving phone calls from my dad every ten minutes while he traveled to a wedding, standing outside in the cold and taking deep breaths while watching the TV through the window in the third quarter because I thought I was going to hyperventilate. Penn State had a tremendous effort that afternoon against a fantastic Purdue team, but the offense couldn't seal the deal in the red zone late in the game. Whatever happened on this fake, I'm sure I greatly appreciated it at the time.
4. 2014 Michigan. I liked the idea of a fake at that point, but did not agree with the way they went about it. Grant Haley is a speedy dude, but there was no sense in making him run 20 yards before turning the corner. Why the coaching staff thought that would work after the complete failure to block anyone all season is beyond me.

How long after a loss do you stay off social media/BSD? skarocksoi
First, you should never stay away from BSD for an extended period of time. Bad things will happen, trust me. Twitter and Facebook are another thing, though. I usually give it a day or two to let things cool off. Sometimes I'll open up Twitter to dip my toe in the water, and immediately have to jump back out. It truly is amazing how having a Twitter account allows you to have a complex understanding of the game that tops even the most successful coaches out there, but I digress.

I really enjoy national coverage after a win and reading all the platitudes surrounding the program. After a loss though, it's either gloom or doom, or the team is just forgotten. So I'll admit I'm much more likely to seek out coverage from other outlets following a win and basking in the team's glory. I'm only human.

The Browns are some slightly better clock management from 5-0 is it OK to start mentioning playoffs? ckmneon
Absolutely not. It's the Browns, so as soon as you start thinking positive things about them, they collapse and finish 4-12. I will give them credit for looking like an actual NFL team, something you couldn't say about the Browns for a very long time. It looks like they may have finally found a competent coach and quarterback, but we Browns fans should know by now how quickly disaster can strike as soon as you start to believe good things are going to come. I will say they've completely blown away expectations and it's nice not to be out of the playoff picture by mid-October.

If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? spigmana
I'll go with an eagle. You get to majestically fly wherever you want in style, there aren't as many predators to worry about, and you're a beloved symbol of freedom. Plus, mating in mid-air would likely be equally parts thrilling and pleasurable. My other choices were black bear or lion, but I would imagine your chances of being shot are much less likely for an eagle.

What is your dream job? if it would not be for football
If you take income and prestige out of the picture and just consider how much you would enjoy the job, I'd be stuck between two choices. The first would be an on-site data analyst for College Gameday so I could travel to different stadiums and soak in the atmosphere each week, then spend the remainder of the day feverishly viewing multiple games at once (which I do now, only in my basement). The second would be an archivist at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame so I could lose myself studying the history behind the most influential musical acts of the past several decades.