Game 9 Depth Chart / Game Notes | Pitt

[OrangeXtreme]

Game 9 Pittsburgh Notes - Syracuse University Athletics

Game 9 Pittsburgh Notes

cuse.com

 

[721Comstock]

... For Entertainment Purposes Only.

Stuff (my opinions, and I did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last nite)

• I can't imagine Shrader starting on Sat. Would be insanity. CDRW needs all the reps w/ the 1's this week
• I'd really prefer Pena to start over either Courtney or Cooper.
• Hope we either see Alford making more than a single catch, and/or the younger dudes getting some run at WR.
• Not sure I ever wanna see James Williams punt for us again.
• BUT - would be cool to see Denaburg there, for some Riley-esque trickeration! HS QB!!
• speaking of trickery, how about Villari at TE or WR??
• here's hoping Gadsden loses the oven mitts and can catch everything again.

LFGO!!!! BEAT PITT!!!!

 

[Chip]

... For Entertainment Purposes Only.

Stuff (my opinions, and I did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last nite)

• I can't imagine Shrader starting on Sat. Would be insanity. CDRW needs all the reps w/ the 1's this week
• I'd really prefer Pena to start over either Courtney or Cooper.
• Hope we either see Alford making more than a single catch, and/or the younger dudes getting some run at WR.
• Not sure I ever wanna see James Williams punt for us again.
• BUT - would be cool to see Denaburg there, for some Riley-esque trickeration! HS QB!!
• speaking of trickery, how about Villari at TE or WR??
• here's hoping Gadsden loses the oven mitts and can catch everything again.

LFGO!!!! BEAT PITT!!!!

Couple thoughts:

1. Agree, not a chance Shrader is playing, and Narduzzi knows it. Coaches love saying things, or not saying things, but they're also not complete idiots. Dino knew Leary wasn't playing.
2. More Hatcher and Adams please. Less Jackson and Cooper.
3. Alford beat his man and was open on that called back INT. Good throw too, except for the fact that CDRW needs to learn to look off the safety.
4. I'm not sure I want to see the short punter. Williams may be a bit slower, but our blocking was nonexistent on that play.

We're going to need passing plays down the field to beat Pitt. They are the only team that truly stuffed Tucker last year. They'll go all out to do the same.

Team leaders have a lot of work to do to help get us ready this week. Coaches will do their part, but the leaders need to keep all the players focused. Still a lot of great things ahead of us if we keep fighting.

 

[Tango32]

I liked Cooper last year thought he was staring to put it together (even though hes old). At this point I'm ready to see him scrubbed from the depth chart. Forget route running, elusiveness etc.. he can't accomplish the main goal of a WR, catching the ball. He needs to be bumped off that #1 line at a min.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Quan Peterson appearance running with the second line CBs.

 

[orangepassion]

Quan Peterson appearance running with the second line CBs.

 

[richmondcuse03]

two freshmen CBs on two deep now.

 

[SU94]

Couple thoughts:

1. Agree, not a chance Shrader is playing, and Narduzzi knows it. Coaches love saying things, or not saying things, but they're also not complete idiots. Dino knew Leary wasn't playing.
2. More Hatcher and Adams please. Less Jackson and Cooper.
3. Alford beat his man and was open on that called back INT. Good throw too, except for the fact that CDRW needs to learn to look off the safety.
4. I'm not sure I want to see the short punter. Williams may be a bit slower, but our blocking was nonexistent on that play.

We're going to need passing plays down the field to beat Pitt. They are the only team that truly stuffed Tucker last year. They'll go all out to do the same.

Team leaders have a lot of work to do to help get us ready this week. Coaches will do their part, but the leaders need to keep all the players focused. Still a lot of great things ahead of us if we keep fighting.

No use starting Schrader, as no team blitzes more than Nardog. He's such a gym teacher. He doesn't know anything else.

CDRW gives us a chance with his legs and if the line can provide him time, he can make the plays with his arm. He is going to make mistakes. Don't expect a 3 TD, 0 INT effort. It is not going to happen that way with him making his first career start (assuming it happens).

My greatest wonder is that last year, our OLine was astoundingly good in the running game and putrid pass blocking. Complete 180 this year, with the same/similar personnel. I guess it is Anae's system.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

No use starting Schrader, as no team blitzes more than Nardog. He's such a gym teacher. He doesn't know anything else.

CDRW gives us a chance with his legs and if the line can provide him time, he can make the plays with his arm. He is going to make mistakes. Don't expect a 3 TD, 0 INT effort. It is not going to happen that way with him making his first career start (assuming it happens).

My greatest wonder is that last year, our OLine was astoundingly good in the running game and putrid pass blocking. Complete 180 this year, with the same/similar personnel. I guess it is Anae's system.

I'm expecting 5 TDs and -2 interceptions.

 

[Trueblue25]

Adrian Cole would have had a magnificent opportunity.

 

[rrlbees]

No use starting Schrader, as no team blitzes more than Nardog. He's such a gym teacher. He doesn't know anything else.

CDRW gives us a chance with his legs and if the line can provide him time, he can make the plays with his arm. He is going to make mistakes. Don't expect a 3 TD, 0 INT effort. It is not going to happen that way with him making his first career start (assuming it happens).

My greatest wonder is that last year, our OLine was astoundingly good in the running game and putrid pass blocking. Complete 180 this year, with the same/similar personnel. I guess it is Anae's system.

We’re better in both this year. While pass blocking improved more, they both have improved and our pass blocking is just slightly better.

 

[Cuse181]

two freshmen CBs on two deep now.

Good thing that’s where all the talent is!

 

[SU94]

We’re better in both this year. While pass blocking improved more, they both have improved and our pass blocking is just slightly better.

I respectfully don’t buy that we are better at run blocking this year, no matter what PPF says. Sorry. We don’t do anything positive with any regularity between the tackles.

Those grades are nice and I won’t disregard them entirely, but they don’t account for what the calls were for both the defense and the line itself. How can they know? What about the quarterback and his decisions? What about the time/score of the game? What about if you’re a left guard and one week you have a 22-year-old senior to your right and then the next week you have a redshirt freshman making his first start at center. Would any of those factors affect things?

What they offer is totally arbitrary and in most instances administered by different individuals year to year, if not week to week.

 

[rrlbees]

I respectfully don’t buy that we are better at run blocking this year, no matter what PPF says. Sorry. We don’t do anything positive with any regularity between the tackles.

Those grades are nice and I won’t disregard them entirely, but they don’t account for what the calls were for both the defense and the line itself. How can they know? What about the quarterback and his decisions? What about the time/score of the game? What about if you’re a left guard and one week you have a 22-year-old senior to your right and then the next week you have a redshirt freshman making his first start at center. Would any of those factors affect things?

What they offer is totally arbitrary and in most instances administered by different individuals year to year, if not week to week.

You should tell all that to the NFL teams who all subscribe to them as well as 75% of the FBS.

 

[tptcuse]

Can Kalan Ellis walk, let alone play football?

 

[SU94]

You should tell all that to the NFL teams who all subscribe to them as well as 75% of the FBS.

You’d be surprised. There are a number of services that PPF offers. Do you believe that they are making personnel or playing-time decisions based on the grades of a unknown 25yo analyst is making? In a multi billion dollar industry?

Why do you think football coaches work such incredible hours, especially during the season? They are making their own judgements on every player, on every play. They grade themselves. Then they turn to the game planning.

These coaches sit in their position rooms and tell their linemen what they did well, what they botched, what to work on, etc. Technique, stances, tells. They self scout. What they don’t do sit in those position rooms and say, “great job, Joseph, you graded out for an 88, which is so much better than your 86 last week. Keep up the good work.”

They just don’t.

 

[Chip]

Can Kalan Ellis walk, let alone play football?

When he was going to the locker room, right in front of us, I was thinking that doesn’t look like a person who can move. Even before he got hurt. He’s enormous.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

When he was going to the locker room, right in front of us, I was thinking that doesn’t look like a person who can move. Even before he got hurt. He’s enormous.

Wait, Ellis got hurt?

 

[tptcuse]

Wait, Ellis got hurt?

Yes. He had two guys bringing him to the locker room in the second half and for some reason they brought him back out to the bench again at the end.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yes. He had two guys bringing him to the locker room in the second half and for some reason they brought him back out to the bench again at the end.

That seems like kind of a big deal.

 

[Chip]

That seems like kind of a big deal.

Yeah. Davis went to LG and Cruz to RT.

Obviously it’s not the best 5, or that’s who the coaches would play. But if Ellis is still hurt I’m kinda curious to see how that combo does.

 

[rrlbees]

You’d be surprised. There are a number of services that PPF offers. Do you believe that they are making personnel or playing-time decisions based on the grades of a unknown 25yo analyst is making? In a multi billion dollar industry?

Why do you think football coaches work such incredible hours, especially during the season? They are making their own judgements on every player, on every play. They grade themselves. Then they turn to the game planning.

These coaches sit in their position rooms and tell their linemen what they did well, what they botched, what to work on, etc. Technique, stances, tells. They self scout. What they don’t do sit in those position rooms and say, “great job, Joseph, you graded out for an 88, which is so much better than your 86 last week. Keep up the good work.”

They just don’t.

Well last years line had Servais who played all the time and Tisdale who played a lot due to injuries and they both graded terribly. Both were failures especially Tisdale. So they dragged the team grade down. And I nor anyone has ever said PPF is the end all for the NFL teams. It’s one more tool in the tool box.

I also know they do a lot more than grade college players. They grade pro players too. They do draft analysis. They do fantasy stuff. They do about 100 other things. Here’s a sample of quotes.

“PFF saved us 10,000-man hours in our scouting process this past draft.” – NFL Front Office

“PFF Ultimate is the best product on the market, we use it every day.” – NFL Front Office

“PFF Data saves me 10 hours per week in season drawing play cards.” – NFL Coach

“We attributed all three special teams return TDs in 2017 to PFF data.” – FBS Special Teams Coach

“One of the things we asked Mike at the beginning of the year was always look at stacks and bunches. We always feel like stacks and bunches is important to understand how things play out. He is our stacks and bunches guru. We use PFF [Pro Football Focus] to give us a folder of stacks and bunches every week.” – Super Bowl LII Champion Offensive Coordinator, Frank Reich (via Sports Illustrated)

“Both of our pick-6’s in 2017 were a result of PFF tendency breakdowns.” – Power 5 Defensive Coach

 

[shu 49]

I liked Cooper last year thought he was staring to put it together (even though hes old). At this point I'm ready to see him scrubbed from the depth chart. Forget route running, elusiveness etc.. he can't accomplish the main goal of a WR, catching the ball. He needs to be bumped off that #1 line at a min.

Seems he only drops must have 3rd down situations.

 

[Nick44]

That seems like kind of a big deal.

Yes. He had two guys bringing him to the locker room in the second half and for some reason they brought him back out to the bench again at the end.

I heard they couldn’t do it. Needed a forklift to carry Ellis to the locker room.

 

[SU94]

Well last years line had Servais who played all the time and Tisdale who played a lot due to injuries and they both graded terribly. Both were failures especially Tisdale. So they dragged the team grade down. And I nor anyone has ever said PPF is the end all for the NFL teams. It’s one more tool in the tool box.

I also know they do a lot more than grade college players. They grade pro players too. They do draft analysis. They do fantasy stuff. They do about 100 other things. Here’s a sample of quotes.

“PFF saved us 10,000-man hours in our scouting process this past draft.” – NFL Front Office

“PFF Ultimate is the best product on the market, we use it every day.” – NFL Front Office

“PFF Data saves me 10 hours per week in season drawing play cards.” – NFL Coach

“We attributed all three special teams return TDs in 2017 to PFF data.” – FBS Special Teams Coach

“One of the things we asked Mike at the beginning of the year was always look at stacks and bunches. We always feel like stacks and bunches is important to understand how things play out. He is our stacks and bunches guru. We use PFF [Pro Football Focus] to give us a folder of stacks and bunches every week.” – Super Bowl LII Champion Offensive Coordinator, Frank Reich (via Sports Illustrated)

“Both of our pick-6’s in 2017 were a result of PFF tendency breakdowns.” – Power 5 Defensive Coach

Exactly. Those are among the many services PFF offers. And I mentioned that. What teams are not doing, is abiding by the individual grades or unit grades that you referenced. It’s poppycock. And flawed in practice.

Last year, SU averaged 5.2 y/c. And that was with Schrader only starting, what, 7 games (was it 8)?

This year, through 8 games, with Schrader (who is an obvious running threat every down), they’re averaging 4.6 y/c. And as I said in the initial post, we cannot run between the tackles for more than 3 yards. Usually, it is 0 or 1.

I would like to draw an analogy for you on these individual or unit grades (you cite them with some frequency)

MLB umpires are all taught, over the course of their careers, which span decades, one singular strike zone. I mean, MLB has practiced and programming in place to constantly teach, hone and attempt to perfect the mechanics of calling balls and strikes properly.

And yet, every umpire has a different strike zone. Some are better than others. Some get fooled down and away. Others struggle with the top of the zone.

If cannot be any different for PFF, which has been around for 10-15 years. The guys grading SU in 2022 is very likely not the same dude as in 2021. And the guy grading SU is not the same guy grading Washington State. Same with the Bills and Cardinals.