Best of RUTS (Volume 1)

THE PLAYMAKERS
Here, we salute the best players from each of the RUTS 1 Teams (1 offensive player & 1 defensive player from each team), as voted on by the RUTS PR staff. Please make comments if you think some need to be changed.

Clemson Tigers
Offense - Blake Miller, RB (seasons 2, 3, 4, 5)
Defense - Da'Quan Bowers (seasons 1-4)

LSU Tigers
Offense - Mark Ford, WR (seasons 3, 4, 5)
Defense - Harry Coleman, SS (seasons 1, 2, 3)

Florida State Seminoles
Offense - Blake Beck, WR/QB (seasons 3, 4, 5)
Defense - Mike Burnette, DE (seasons 3, 4, 5)

Florida Gators (the robtheblob51 era)
Offense - Percy Harvin, WR
Defense - Carlos Dunlap, DE

Florida Gators (the StuBucksman era)
Offense - Scott Simmons, WR
Defense - Michael Osei, MLB

South Carolina Gamecocks
Offense - Kenny McKinley, WR
Defense - Captain Munnerlyn, SS

Virginia Tech Hokies
Offense - Charles Butler, RB
Defense - V. Chancellor, FS

Georgia Bulldogs
Offense - Knowshon Moreno, RB
Defense - Dan Ellerbe, MLB

Miami Hurricanes
Offense - Graig Cooper, RB
Defense - Demarcus Van Dyke, CB

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Offense - Darrell Webb, WR
Defense - Eric Hagg, CB (for his motivational speech effectiveness)
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Best Blog Posts

#1 - Coach StuBucksman's Mysterious Disappearance From Miami Football

#2 - Coach StuBuckman's Shocking News...He's Heading To Gainesville!

#3 - Trash Talking Blog Posts on Thursday, January 29, 2009
Blog 1 - Blog 2 - Blog 3 - Blog 4

#4 - Clemson Loses 1st RUTS Game
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Best Plays
(I'll need some help on remembering these)

- Florida's Caleb Sturgis nails home a 65 yard field goal to beat Miami as time expires, sending Coach Stu into a tirade of epic proportions.

- In season 4, Nebraska had just scored a TD to take a 4 point lead over FSU. But with 16 seconds left, FSU's WR Greg Talley returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, giving the Noles a much needed win in Lincoln in week 1.

- In season 1, the #1 and 12-0 Florida Gators faced off against the #5 LSU Tigers in the SEC title game. LSU lead 41-35, but Florida, with the ball at the LSU 35 yard line, had one more play to try to pull out the victory. The pass, intended for a streaking Percy Harvin was deflected twice in the end zone, and LSU upset the Gators and crushing their national title dreams. The Gators would get payback against LSU in seasons 3 and 4 in the SEC title game.

- In the final game of RUTS 1, in a game full of huge plays, the LSU defense saved its best for last. With 3 seconds on the clock, and trailing by 6 points, 4 time defending national champion Clemson dropped back for one last pass to win the game. In a scene eerily similar to the play listed above, the Tigers targeted Blake Miller, who appeared to be open, if only for a spilt second. The LSu defense, however, converged on Miller, and backup LSU SS Kendall Hatcher snagged the ball to get the INT and seal the national championship for LSU.

- In another "WHEW" play...in season 5 (week 11), Clemson had the ball inside the FSU 5 yard line. The game was tied and the Tigers were running down the clock in attempts to kick late FG to win the game and clinch their spot in the ACC title game. Clemson took a handoff up the middle, but the FSU defense jarred the ball loose. The ball laid on the ground momentarily before a Clemson offensive lineman scooped it up, barely giving the Tigers a first down, and more importantly, possession of the ball. A few plays later, Clemson would kick the game winning FG as time expired.

(Feel free to add more plays in the comments section)
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Best Games (Feel free to add some more!)

Season 4 - Kickoff Return At The Horn
#4 Florida State - 24
#12 Nebraska - 20
Player of the Game: Greg Talley (WR) - Game-winning kickoff return TD with 16 sec. left

Season 4 - RUTS only human vs. human game to go to overtime
#23 Nebraska - 24
#2 LSU - 21
Player of the Game: Pierre Powers (RB) 9 carries, 116 yards, 2 rushing TDs

Season 4 - Clemson's 2nd ever loss
#7 LSU - 19
#1 Clemson - 13
Player of the Game: Josh Jasper (K) - 4/4 FGs

Season 3 - Sturgis Breaks Stu's Heart
#11 Florida - 26
#8 Miami - 23
Caleb Sturgis (K) - 4/4 FGs, Game winning 66 yard FG as time expired

Season 2 - Hokies Hand Clemson 1st loss
#20 Virginia Tech - 42
#2 Clemson - 31
Player of the Game: Charles Butler (RB) - 16 carries, 80 yards, 1 rushing TD; 4 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TD rec.

Season 4 - Gators Upset LSU Again
#1 LSU - 22
#10 Florida - 31
Co-Players of the Game: Will Hill (SS) - 6 tackles, 2 INTS

Season 5 - RUTS 1's Last Game; A New Champion Is Crowned
#1 LSU - 34
#2 Clemson - 28
Player of the Game: Dee Dee Johnson (WR) - Back-to-back KO Returns for TDs