Story by Thomas Corhern
Cookeville Herald-Citizen
COOKEVILLE -- When Watson Brown says that the Tennessee Tech
football team will be the "Fastest 60 Minutes in Football," it's
not a goal, it's a promise.
After seeing what the Golden Eagles were capable of against
then-Football Championship Subdivision No.6 Jacksonville State in
the team's 2010 finale, Brown knew it was possible. After all, Tech
rallied back to score 28 unanswered points against the Gamecocks to
end their bid for the Ohio Valley Conference championship. Tech
trailed by 10 points at the beginning of the fourth quarter and won
by 11, topping JSU 35-24.
If they could do it once, they could do it again.
"In layman's terms, we want to speed up the game," Brown said. "We
think our plusses for this team are depth and experience. I don't
think anybody in the conference is deeper than us, there may be
some better players at spots than us maybe, but they're not deeper.
We're going to try to make the game longer by just going like you
saw in the fourth quarter against Jacksonville State, just a real
fast pace. We're going to do that offensively, then we felt like we
had to speed up on defense.
"Watching us play, we didn't play fast enough to me. We didn't
react quick enough. We didn't chase the ball as fast as we needed
to. It's just a lot of little things like that. The combination of
that is where 'the Fastest 60 Minutes of Football' comes from."
Tech isn't the first team to try to change its philosophy in that
way as Brown cited Oregon, Texas Tech and several other schools who
have adopted this method.
"We're going to play the Oregon style," Brown said. "That's what
you'll see, especially in conference play. This isn't unique to us
and college football has changed in a lot of ways. Basically,
people are using two philosophies -- shorten the game and try to
win it in the fourth quarter, or lengthen the game. We're just
changing the philosophy we've been playing with. The first few
years, when we were really young, we tried to shorten the game --
try to keep the ball for long periods of time and try to get to the
fourth quarter with a chance to win. But now, we're going at it at
a completely different way.
"Texas Tech started this a few years back and were really the
first, I thought, that really did this. Murray State has done this
in some ways. It's not something unique to us, but it fits us and
it may fit us for the rest of the time. If we do a good job
recruiting, we're always going to be able to do this by having a
lot of good players and a lot of depth. Play to what your strengths
are. Every school has got to be different. Tech's different than
everybody else in our league and we have to play to our
strengths."
May 22, 2012
Football to host Kids Camp starting Tuesday, May 29
April 30, 2012
Benford agrees to Free Agent status with Dallas Cowboys
April 29, 2012
Schweitzer, Hooper named NSCA Strength All-Americans
April 14, 2012
Runningbacks winding up as Spring Drills wind down
March 12, 2012
Golden Eagles to take on Volunteers in Knoxville
February 24, 2012
Busy Weekend: Tim Benford participating in NFL Combine
February 12, 2012
Football team celebrates championship, award winners announced
January 27, 2012
Benford, Brown receive top awards from Tennessee Sports Writers
January 18, 2012
Football Awards Dinner moved to Sunday, February 12
January 12, 2012
Public invited as Golden Eagles holds annual awards dinner Jan. 22
January 9, 2012
Golden Eagles rank 19th and 21st in final two FCS national polls
January 8, 2012
Golden Eagles 16th in final College Sports Madness poll
January 7, 2012
Tech's Tim Benford to play in East-West Shrine Game Jan. 21
January 3, 2012
Corey Watson named to FCS ADA Academic All-Star team
December 22, 2011
Still more All-America honors for Benford and Schweitzer
December 19, 2011
Benford, Schweitzer receive All-America nod from The Sports Network
December 16, 2011
Guard Scott Schweitzer earns AP All-America honor
December 15, 2011
Cookeville City Council honors Golden Eagles, Brown
December 6, 2011
Golden Eagle football program receives more post-season honors
November 30, 2011
2011 Golden Eagle football team established dozens of school records
November 23, 2011
Golden Eagles want first playoff experience to last beyond Saturday
November 22, 2011
Benford, Brown receive top OVC honors, nine named to all-OVC teams
November 21, 2011
Dontey Gay receives Performance Awards honorable mention
November 21, 2011
Watson Brown named a finalist for prestigious Eddie Robinson Award
November 20, 2011
Playoff Time: Ticket information for Golden Eagle game Saturday
November 20, 2011
Golden Eagles Gay, Tooley receive weekly honors from OVC
November 20, 2011
Tech's Lamb chosen as Player of the Week by national website
November 20, 2011
Tech to host Central Arkansas Saturday at 2 p.m. in FCS Playoffs
November 19, 2011
Tech celebrates OVC Championship with 49-7 win over Austin Peay
November 16, 2011
Playoff and title hopes rest on Saturday's game vs. Austin Peay
November 15, 2011
Honor Roll students to be TTU guests at final home game vs. Austin Peay
November 14, 2011
Golden Eagles pull rank in both FCS polls after EKU victory
November 10, 2011
Normand, Watson earn CoSIDA Academic All-District honors
November 10, 2011
Golden Eagles face Colonels with OVC crown hopes on the line
November 5, 2011
Title hopes still burn bright despite one-point Homecoming loss
November 4, 2011
Buy a game program and you can enter photo contest during the game
November 2, 2011
Ralph Broyles joins his brother Kenneth in TTU Sports Hall of Fame
October 31, 2011
Get free food for tweeting us your gameday pictures
October 31, 2011
Golden Eagles continue climb in national Top 25 polls
October 30, 2011
Campbell, Watson reap OVC Player of the Week honors
October 27, 2011
Tech vs. JSU: Ranked teams tangle for Ohio Valley Conference lead
October 26, 2011
James "Red" McMillan to join TTU Sports Hall of Fame
October 24, 2011
Golden Eagles ranked 19th/25th in FCS national polls
October 23, 2011
Golden Eagle football team to face Oregon Ducks in 2012 season
October 20, 2011
Watson Brown earns contract extension through 2016 season
October 16, 2011
Placekicker Zach Sharp selected as OVC Specialist of the Week
October 15, 2011
Fourth quarter Golden Eagle rally just misses in first OVC loss
October 14, 2011
Watson Brown: We're a team made up of many unsung heroes
October 11, 2011
Win streak, York Trophy, OVC lead all on the line Saturday for Tech
October 10, 2011
Golden Eagle football ranked 19th in both FCS national polls
October 7, 2011
Benford added to another national watch list
October 3, 2011
Golden Eagles ranked in top 25 in both FCS polls
October 1, 2011
Golden Eagles stun UT Martin in fourth quarter, win 34-31
September 29, 2011
Five selected for induction into TTU Sports Hall of Fame Nov. 4
September 28, 2011
Tech to host "Scout Night" October 15 at football game vs. Tennessee State
September 28, 2011
Race to recapture Sgt. York Trophy begins Saturday night at UT Martin
September 25, 2011
Gay, Forbes harvest weekly awards from Ohio Valley Conference
September 24, 2011
Golden Eagles stay undefeated in OVC play, turn back SEMO 38-31
September 21, 2011
Campus gears up for Family Weekend; Game vs. SEMO at 7 p.m.
September 20, 2011
Family Weekend brings defending OVC champ SEMO to town
September 20, 2011
Win a Hall of Fame/Homecoming Weekend Travel & Ticket package
September 19, 2011
Golden Eagles getting votes in both FCS polls; Benford another honor
September 18, 2011
Just reward: Tooley named OVC Defensive Player of the Week
September 17, 2011
Golden Eagles snare road victory at EIU to open OVC slate
September 16, 2011
Reserve space for Monday lunch; Call in Monday afternoon and win
September 15, 2011
Cast your votes for Watson Brown; He's currently fifth in nationwide voting
September 15, 2011
Transfers Golden, Rodgers added to Golden Eagle football roster
September 14, 2011
Golden Eagles open OVC play on the road at Eastern Illinois
September 12, 2011
Lamb, Benford receive Performance Awards honorable mention
September 11, 2011
First Football Insider's Lunch with Watson Brown is Monday
September 8, 2011
Big plays, excitement rule the evening as Golden Eagles roll to victory
September 7, 2011
Memorial ceremony, moment of silence planned Thursday for 9/11 victims
September 7, 2011
First Tennessee Bank Poster Night is Thursday at Tucker Stadium
September 6, 2011
Earnhardt Jr. #88 National Guard car to be on display at home opener
September 6, 2011
Home opener Thursday night brings Maryville Scots to Tucker Stadium
September 3, 2011
Hawkeyes halt Golden Eagles in season opener, 34-7
September 2, 2011
Community joins with Tech Athletics for Communiversity Night Thursday
September 2, 2011
Fans can follow Golden Eagles on Internet, phone, Twitter and blogs
August 30, 2011
Winner drawn for Iowa Flyaway at final Purple Pride Caravan
August 30, 2011
Golden Eagles venture north to take on Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday
August 29, 2011
Golden Eagle Football Countdown: Homecoming vs. Murray State
August 27, 2011
Watson Brown Show to air on WCTE and WHUB starting on Labor Day
August 27, 2011
Golden Eagle Football Countdown: Rematch with Gamecocks
August 25, 2011
Football team to hold walk-on tryouts Tuesday in Tucker Stadium
August 23, 2011
Events around region beckon Golden Eagle fans
August 23, 2011
Watson Brown, Athletics to host weekly Insiders' Lunch
August 20, 2011
Youngsters look to impress during team's second fall scrimmage
August 18, 2011
REMINDER: Gathering of Eagles is Saturday in Tucker Stadium
August 14, 2011
Off to a fast start: Golden Eagles hold first scrimmage Sunday
August 12, 2011
Camp Notebook: Improvement seen on first day in full pads
August 9, 2011
Camp Notebook/Day Two: Golden Eagle secondary will be strong
July 28, 2011
Hayes, Dillehay recognized for strength and conditioning
July 16, 2011
Golden Eagle Football Countdown: Season Opener at Iowa
May 3, 2011
Jim Ragland Fishing Tournament canceled
September 1, 2009
Military and Public Safety Appreciation Night Sept. 8 at Tucker Stadium