College football as powered through the first week of the regular season. The SEC seems to be a strong as ever at the top as Alabama steamrolled Wisconsin.  UCLA might be ready to take the reigns in the Pac 12.  However this Tuesday morning is dedicated to the champs.  They overcame last years hurdle and beat Va Tech last night 42-24.  So on this day after Labor Day edition of the Brink, we will look at the trends for Ohio State.  Also we will attempt to divine the next big things in drinking since we are entering the fall season of imbibing.  All this in your Brink starting right now.

All in the Barrels

Taboo was certainly the word when old school distillers did not have the proper barrel to age their spirits in.  They used to go without instead of aging a whiskey in a former bourbon barrel.  Now in the search for fresh and fantastic hybrid flavors, manufacturers are “Frakensteining” flavors to see what could capture the next niche market.  Take for example the ambitious mindset at Jacob’s Creek.  They see to age their wine in whiskey barrels.  Normally, one can age whiskey in wine wood but usually the opposite is not done.  The key is that the wood that is used is scorched.  This allows the woods natural sugars to make their way to the spirit that is being aged in it.  Bold dimensions are released in both taste and going down.  Watch for this trend to come into vogue later this fall at local bars near you.

Trend Learned From OSU – Va Tech Game

Urban Meyer might have changed the way the game is played by his use of Braxton Miller in the opener.  We saw Miller being used as both a runner and a receiver with his quarterback duties going to Cardale Jones.  It took exactly one half to marry it all together but when it finally got off the ground, the product produced was potent.  Braxton’s spin move as seen here broke open the game.

This is the difference between an elite coach and a normal one.  Brady Hoke has Devin Gardner.  Instead of finding the best place for his talent to be, the former Michigan coach forced being a pocket passer down his throat.  Had he done what Urban did with Braxton last night, Hoke might still be in Ann Arbor.

So there we have the next movement in college football.  Your mobile quarterback does not have to languish throwing the ball nor being a pocket passer.  Recruit one that can throw and one that is multi dimensional.  Chip Kelley and the Oregon system se.ems so yesterday after seeing this last night.  Good fortune today and we gear up for the NFL opener tomorrow here at The Brink