Changing my tune

[elimunelson]

After today's game I started to come around on the notion that this team competes, seems organized and is energetic. The vibe is fantastic for a team that is mediocre at best.

To that I attribute to Shafer. He sets the tone. However the feel for the game management is on him and the coordinators. It's really awful. The Amt of plays run today is an embarrassment.

If the board insiders are correct and Coyle isn't firing him this year, major coaching changes are needed to at least question the status quo.

 

[jekelish]

I really do feel like this team is an adequate defense away from being an above average team in the W/L record right now. IF we make the necessary changes to a couple positions, and can put together a better defense...I think we really can be a good/very good team in 2016 and especially 2017.

 

[PAcuse]

2016 7-8 wins
2017 top 25 team
Sure tell me I have my orange tinted glasses on or that I'm swimming in a lake of orange drink. This team down the road is going to damn good and I'm beyond excited:E.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Those 2 play 75 yard scoring drives really suck.

 

[RF2044]

I really do feel like this team is an adequate defense away from being an above average team in the W/L record right now. IF we make the necessary changes to a couple positions, and can put together a better defense...I think we really can be a good/very good team in 2016 and especially 2017.

Are you talking personnel limitations on D or coaching / system?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I really do feel like this team is an adequate defense away from being an above average team in the W/L record right now. IF we make the necessary changes to a couple positions, and can put together a better defense...I think we really can be a good/very good team in 2016 and especially 2017.

It depends. If the defense improves, does that mean the offense picks up the tempo? The defense is a problem, but if our offense is anything but ultra efficient, we'll continue to struggle. We only had four realistic scoring chances today. That's not enough, even when the defense plays well like it did today.

We need to find ways to increase our margin for error. There's just no wiggle room.

 

[jekelish]

Are you talking personnel limitations on D or coaching / system?

A little from column A, a little from column B. There's one position coach in particular I'm not very happy with, and most of our defensive issues just happen to be with his unit.

 

[jekelish]

It depends. If the defense improves, does that mean the offense picks up the tempo? The defense is a problem, but if our offense is anything but ultra efficient, we'll continue to struggle. We only had four realistic scoring chances today. That's not enough, even when the defense plays well like it did today.

We need to find ways to increase our margin for error. There's just no wiggle room.

I think that's a little misleading. We only have four second half possessions, and one of those was with a backup, walk-on QB. Our defense needs to be able to give us more possessions by getting the other team off the field.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think that's a little misleading. We only have four second half possessions, and one of those was with a backup, walk-on QB. Our defense needs to be able to give us more possessions by getting the other team off the field.

And the previous game we only had three in the second half.

There's a pattern here, and it isn't all on the defense.

 

[Jake]

I trust Bullough. The defense he runs is prone to second guessing...when to blitz when to sit back in zones...high risk, putting corners in single coverage...etc.

It's also complicated and the art of disguising your blitzes is best done by upper classmen.

But when he has experience, he's proven his schemes work and create big plays.

I liked the adjustment today with Whigham moved to safety. The secondary looked better today...though Winfield is a great athlete who has to learn to take better angles.

If we get Thompson back next year and get another year of experience in the back 7, we could be pretty good.

I do share some concern with secondary coaching, but they are so young back there it's hard to tell if it's youth or coaching.

Need our game management to improve and the depth increased. The drop off from Dungey and Fredericks to their backups is far too big.

 

[Millhouse]

I trust Bullough. The defense he runs is prone to second guessing...when to blitz when to sit back in zones...high risk, putting corners in single coverage...etc.

It's also complicated and the art of disguising your blitzes is best done by upper classmen.

But when he has experience, he's proven his schemes work and create big plays.

I liked the adjustment today with Whigham moved to safety. The secondary looked better today...though Winfield is a great athlete who has to learn to take better angles.

If we get Thompson back next year and get another year of experience in the back 7, we could be pretty good.

I do share some concern with secondary coaching, but they are so young back there it's hard to tell if it's youth or coaching.

Need our game management to improve and the depth increased. The drop off from Dungey and Fredericks to their backups is far too big.

They were still pretty bad on pass defense again. Thankfully Pitt was in character today running twice as much as they pass - kept us in it til the last drive

 

[Full_Rebar]

3rd and 1 is always the perfect time to let McFarlane get a touch instead of Fredericks. I question Lester's ability to adjust in-game because other teams have no issue feeding their best players the ball for entire games, and not just here and there.

 

[rrlbees]

3rd and 1 is always the perfect time to let McFarlane get a touch instead of Fredericks. I question Lester's ability to adjust in-game because other teams have no issue feeding their best players the ball for entire games, and not just here and there.

Fredericks got dinged the previous play. I would have gone with Morris though.

 

[Full_Rebar]

Fredericks got dinged the previous play. I would have gone with Morris though.

That probably would have made more sense- even give Erv the ball there. Tough spot for McFarlane to get his only touch.

 

[Crusty]

It depends. If the defense improves, does that mean the offense picks up the tempo? The defense is a problem, but if our offense is anything but ultra efficient, we'll continue to struggle. We only had four realistic scoring chances today. That's not enough, even when the defense plays well like it did today.

We need to find ways to increase our margin for error. There's just no wiggle room.

All we need to do is get off the field on D. That would get us as much as 50% more plays. I really think this is all on the D. BTW let's nit forget that this is our first year running this offense.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

All we need to do is get off the field on D. That would get us as much as 50% more plays. I really think this is all on the D. BTW let's nit forget that this is our first year running this offense.

I don't think it can be all on the D, every game. We've got some patterns developing. They're running out of steam late. We can expect that at this point. Some of that is self-inflected, but even with an offense that's been competent they never have breathing room. They're toast with any mistakes.

When I look at the levers Lester can pull I think he made huge strides today. The willingness to pass was good. The converted effort to get the ball to our playmakers was good. Going for it on 4th was good. Exploiting Ish's matchup was good. But even with all that we only gave ourselves a handful of scoring chances. We're still playing with a razor thin margin of error. We know exactly where that gets us. You can set your watch to it at this point. That game was nearly done once we had to settle for a field goal to tie it up.

Let's speed this thing up and see what happens. That's the next lever.

 

[Crusty]

I don't think it can be all on the D, every game. We've got some patterns developing. They're running out of steam late. We can expect that at this point. Some of that is self-inflected, but even with an offense that's been competent they never have breathing room. They're toast with any mistakes.

When I look at the levers Lester can pull I think he made huge strides today. The willingness to pass was good. The converted effort to get the ball to our playmakers was good. Going for it on 4th was good. Exploiting Ish's matchup was good. But even with all that we only gave ourselves a handful of scoring chances. We're still playing with a razor thin margin of error. We know exactly where that gets us. You can set your watch to it at this point. That game was nearly done once we had to settle for a field goal to tie it up.

Let's speed this thing up and see what happens. That's the next lever.

I don't think speed is the issue. We are running at almost 30 fewer plays than last year. We can't run offensive plays without the ball. Pitts last drive was 9:20. We had one one possession in the fourth qtr. I think the offense is on its way.

 

[Deano]

3rd and 1 is always the perfect time to let McFarlane get a touch instead of Fredericks. I question Lester's ability to adjust in-game because other teams have no issue feeding their best players the ball for entire games, and not just here and there.

No the 2nd down play call was stupid! Get the damn first down by running the ball as you just got 9 on 1st down...head scratchers with Lester at times.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I don't think speed is the issue. We are running at almost 30 fewer plays than last year. We can't run offensive plays without the ball. Pitts last drive was 9:20. We had one one possession in the fourth qtr. I think the offense is on its way.

I know. I'm saying by playing faster we would sustain drives longer, thus getting off more plays, those having longer TOP and increasing scoring, which would help our defense out.

 

[Crusty]

I know. I'm saying by playing faster we would sustain drives longer, thus getting off more plays, those having longer TOP and increasing scoring, which would help our defense out.

Well maybe, but playing faster is no guarantee with these kids. Lol our defense may be beyond help for the moment!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Well maybe, but playing faster is no guarantee with these kids. Lol our defense may be beyond help for the moment!

It's no guarantee. It's worth a shot though.

 

[orangehomer]

I trust Bullough. The defense he runs is prone to second guessing...when to blitz when to sit back in zones...high risk, putting corners in single coverage...etc.

It's also complicated and the art of disguising your blitzes is best done by upper classmen.

But when he has experience, he's proven his schemes work and create big plays.

I liked the adjustment today with Whigham moved to safety. The secondary looked better today...though Winfield is a great athlete who has to learn to take better angles.

If we get Thompson back next year and get another year of experience in the back 7, we could be pretty good.

I do share some concern with secondary coaching, but they are so young back there it's hard to tell if it's youth or coaching.

Need our game management to improve and the depth increased. The drop off from Dungey and Fredericks to their backups is far too big.

we have a big play defense. it makes big plays and it gives up big plays. combine the two and it is generally bad and when the game is on the line it can't stop anyone.

 

[FAL]

A little from column A, a little from column B. There's one position coach in particular I'm not very happy with, and most of our defensive issues just happen to be with his unit.

Oooo! I know where you are going with that!

 

[Crusty]

It's no guarantee. It's worth a shot though.

Lester might speed things up as our mistakes get fewer. We seem to be pretty good at the 2 minute drill.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Lester might speed things up as our mistakes get fewer. We seem to be pretty good at the 2 minute drill.

Waiting for that is a road paved to a place that has no bowl game.