I think people are reading too much into this stuff

[kingtidge]

with Marrone, ton of kids hurt, he doesn't know who will or will not play, trying to scrap together a defensive backfield versus an OC that basically bitch slapped us last year with big receivers who now has even better and bigger receivers.

I wouldn't be in a very good mood either, I don't see any jedi mind tricks being played here. He asked for help, ie; don't ask me about who is in or who is out because he doesn't know

Like I said, we will be lucky to stay in this game due to the extent of the injuries, very lucky

Agreed.

I don't think this is a smoke-n-mirrors trick... When we got the injury bug last year by mid-season and the depth chart was depleted in many positions... Marrone didn't sugar coat it and his demeanor was much the same... Only this time, he appears even more concerned and with the closed practices and unwillingness to say basically anything - it's probably worse.

Hope I am wrong.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Every game every year we get to game week and you say we will lose.

No, I thought we would be 3-0 going into Toledo and lose to Toledo, I also said URI would be a close game and that Wake was much better than people thought here. I also said USC wasn't as good as people think, which they showed last week. I am also saying that Rutgers is vastly improved and a much much better team than last year with a lot of good athletes. Plain and simple. I don't think USF and WVU are unbeatable either and have not chalked those up as losses like most here by any means especially USF.

Like I said, I think Rutgers is vastly improved up front and it will show this week...

 

[dollarbill44]

Sunseri also had the game of his life. He hasn't been close to that in any other game. Can't imagine that lightning is going to strike again. Dodd already had his lifetime game, last year against UConn.

doesn't every QB we've faced?

 

[OrangePA]

Nah. RU's O blows. The issue with Pitt last year was that they caught us off guard. We thought that they would be a run run pass team. Their RBs last year combined for nearly 2000 yards. All week we heard physical this and physical that from both staff and players. Then Pitt comes out with a wide open O and never looks back. RU's O is Sanu plain and simple. They have nothing else. If they try any other strategy they are only hurting themselves. Pitt had the talent at OL and the skill positions to do anything. RU has an awful OL and QB. Even RU's best weapon (Sanu) is worse then what Pitt had (Baldwin).

Pitt beat us up physically.

They were better physically from the DL, to the OL to the WRs.

 

[JeremyCuse]

You were very confident before. What happened?

Yeah what happened there, not sure I am thrilled about this game now.

 

[Arizona Knight]

They matchup well how? Their OL is not average, it is awful. Makes our OL look like NFL Pro Bowlers. Their QB belongs in DIII. Sanu isn't an open field guy. He is no where near as dangerous as Page in that regard. Sanu poses a threat on the slant vs a Zone. That is it in terms of big plays. He is a good WR and will get open but it will be consistant 10 yard passes. He would be dangerous deep if Nova was QB. Good for us we get RU now before he is ready.

You have made some very curious posts this week and I'm wondering how much of our games you have actually see. (Cue appropriate ESPN3 joke here)

To sugggest that Sanu is not an open field guy is ...questionable to say the least.
To suggest that our OL is awful is only partially true. The run blocking is unquestionably awful, but the pass blocking is so much better than last year. I think this year we have given up 4 sacks (in 3 games) while last year at this point it was probably closer to 15.
To suggest Dodd is a DIII QB is absurd. The kid was thrust into playing as a true freshman last year and so far has 16/9 TD ration and 6/2 this year. If our receivers not named Sanu would simply catch the bombs that he has thrown, Chas would have another 4 or 5 TD's this year. Which leads me to your next point about Dodd, the point that he has no arm. That makes me think you read the box scores more than watch games. Harrison and Coleman have each dropped passes in the 60 yard range when they had two steps on their man. He was throwing 60 yard passes in HS, watch youtube. You don't need 70 yard arm strength to be a D1 QB.

 

[qdawgg]

With a depleted squad this game is a little bit of a toss-up. They are the ones with the better recruiting numbers. We are playing with walk-ons and backups in many positions and we are still arguably the better team. This tells you a lot about them and a lot about our coaching staff.

I pick SU.

 

[jr4750]

You were very confident before. What happened?

You were very confident before. What happened?

Count me in the curious lot as well. I get we are banged up but we still had most of our A Unit out there Saturday. Scott looked ok, P. Thomas and Wilkes. We aren't playing Oklahoma. Againys Shady i would
Have to believe good coaching goes a long way towards equalizing the disparities

 

[Townie72]

Rutgers almost always underperforms.

And they'll underperform again in what will most likely be the last time Rutgers will ever play in the Carrier Dome.

With SU in a 14-team ACC there will be very few openings on our schedule. We'll be looking for higher profile opponents and for schools that will not require home and home series.

 

[Chip]

Pitt beat us up physically.

They were better physically from the DL, to the OL to the WRs.

For whatever it's worth, Pitt didn't really run the ball that well against us, only 123 yards, that wasn't Pitt football in 2010. Only 4 rushes that went more than 10 yards (one in garbage time), only 1 over 20 (25). OL didn't push us around much in the running game.
Their WRs beat us physically, both getting off bumps and outrunning us. Their OL protected the QB very well.
And SU made it's share of mistakes. Blown play by our secondary on their first play from scrimmage. Bad INT, Lemon fumble when trying to get 1 extra yard when we were already way down, special teams letting Saddler reverse field and get that big punt return.

 

[OrangePA]

I just

For whatever it's worth, Pitt didn't really run the ball that well against us, only 123 yards, that wasn't Pitt football in 2010. Only 4 rushes that went more than 10 yards (one in garbage time), only 1 over 20 (25). OL didn't push us around much in the running game.
Their WRs beat us physically, both getting off bumps and outrunning us. Their OL protected the QB very well.
And SU made it's share of mistakes. Blown play by our secondary on their first play from scrimmage. Bad INT, Lemon fumble when trying to get 1 extra yard when we were already way down, special teams letting Saddler reverse field and get that big punt return.

I just recall feeling that Pitt beat us up physically.

It seemed that Pitt's talent level prevailed in that game.

I didn't view the result as a by-product of coaching, but of talent differential.

 

[kingottoiii]

Zona Kinght

How many short/medium passes has Sanu turned into big gains? 99% of his gains are in the 8-12 yard range. A guy like Page will take a 5-6 yard pass and turn it into a 30 yard gain. They are just different types of WRs. Sanu is very good and will play on Sundays. But he isn't a big YAC guy. I think a lot of the pass blocking has been masked by RU getting it out quickly to Sanu. That is why Harrison has 3 catches thus far. Your coaches do not want to risk a more developing play because of the OL. And Dodd stinks. He doesn't have a good arm. In order for him to throw it deep he needs to put a lot of air under it. A lot. And his sideline throws are far from crisp. Besides the crap OL another reason you see a lot of short passes and passes in the middle is because of Dodd arm. No way he is the starter next year. He may not even make it to the end of the year before Nova replaces him.

 

[kingottoiii]

I just

I just recall feeling that Pitt beat us up physically.

It seemed that Pitt's talent level prevailed in that game.

I didn't view the result as a by-product of coaching, but of talent differential.

It absolutely was talent as to why Pitt won. But it was a break in their usual game planning that put the game away so early. I think we would have hung with them at least into the 4th Q if they had run their normal O. Then talent would have pulled away.

 

[qdawgg]

Considering all the teams you've played so far, you can't really claim that pass blocking isn't a concern yet. It may in fact be better then last year but in reality could it have been any worse? Not trying to be a jerk, just pointing out a fact. Last year we played Maine, Akron, and you guys, those games don't tell you a whole lot really. You really can't tell how competitive the team is and it's strengths - weaknessess until you play at least a few decent - good teams.

 

[WickedOrange]

If we are going to win, the offense needs to win it for us. It’s their time. The passing game should set up the run. We need to dominate time of possession by controlling the line of scrimmage and establish the run. AB + fullbacks need to bring the thunder and keep the ball way from Rutgers. If Rutgers crowds the box Ryan Nassib must to make them pay. If we keep our turnovers in check we got this one.

Boys, let’s go Roman on Rutgers! GO CUSE!

 

[billsin01]

It absolutely was talent as to why Pitt won. But it was a break in their usual game planning that put the game away so early. I think we would have hung with them at least into the 4th Q if they had run their normal O. Then talent would have pulled away.

Perhaps PA is thinking of the game two years ago (Marrone's first year). I think we got manhandled at the line of scrimmage in that one (262 yards rushing on 6 ypc; also a pick 6 in that game). But regardless, I believe last year, Nassib also started slowly and then had the pick-6 deep in pitt territory. Sunseri (who still completely blows, IMO) had a huge game and we turned it over 4 times.

This game will be an interesting one, but I agree with IB in that I think the injuries are really hurting this team (feeling the affects of the mass exodus, IMO) and in terms of the schedule -- I don't view any BE game as completely unwinnable.

 

[OrangePA]

It absolutely was talent as to why Pitt won. But it was a break in their usual game planning that put the game away so early. I think we would have hung with them at least into the 4th Q if they had run their normal O. Then talent would have pulled away.

The QB threw the ball a bit more than we - the fans - probably expected. \

But, Pitt had an advantage at the WR position and the QB was getting better and more confident as a passer by that time.

 

[Arizona Knight]

Zona Kinght

How many short/medium passes has Sanu turned into big gains? 99% of his gains are in the 8-12 yard range. A guy like Page will take a 5-6 yard pass and turn it into a 30 yard gain. They are just different types of WRs. Sanu is very good and will play on Sundays. But he isn't a big YAC guy. I think a lot of the pass blocking has been masked by RU getting it out quickly to Sanu. That is why Harrison has 3 catches thus far. Your coaches do not want to risk a more developing play because of the OL. And Dodd stinks. He doesn't have a good arm. In order for him to throw it deep he needs to put a lot of air under it. A lot. And his sideline throws are far from crisp. Besides the crap OL another reason you see a lot of short passes and passes in the middle is because of Dodd arm. No way he is the starter next year. He may not even make it to the end of the year before Nova replaces him.

I don't know who Page is but I'm not sure why we're comparing him to Sanu. Sanu is the focus of the opposing DC every week and he is still averaging almost 5 more catches a game than the next closest kid in the Big East. He is also averaging 121 receiving yards a game. Those numbers are stupid. If you saw Sanu isolated to one side of the field against a DB you would see plenty of 30+yard recpetions, but as we all know, that ain't goinna happen. He often will have a LB underneath and a ST over top so that makes it difficult to get YAC.

As for pass blocking being "masked by getting the ball out quickly" well Rutgers is just reverting back to the norm in college football. Not many teams feel comfortable with constant 7 step drops and 20+ yard routes. If you have an OL like we did from 2006-2008, you can get away with that.

Harrison only has three catches because Harrison has had a horrible case of stone hands so far this year. That won't last as he was terrific last year. Hopefully he gets back to form this weekend because he is physically (I mean size, speed, strength) as close to Sanu as you will find in the Big East.

Finally, we will have to agree to disagree about Dodd, the kid has an arm and more importantly, he has balls. I think you will gain a greater appreciation for him after this week and that is not meant to sound like bravado. I don't know who wins this game, but Dodd is not part of any problem this team has. We can win with Dodd.

 

[CIL]

We don't have any gimmies left on the schedule except Tulane. Period. If we go .500 from here on I would consider this season a successful one. Think of where this program was four years ago compared to today - much better, but certainly not good enough to just show up and win.

 

[Arizona Knight]

Considering all the teams you've played so far, you can't really claim that pass blocking isn't a concern yet. It may in fact be better then last year but in reality could it have been any worse? Not trying to be a jerk, just pointing out a fact. Last year we played Maine, Akron, and you guys, those games don't tell you a whole lot really. You really can't tell how competitive the team is and it's strengths - weaknessess until you play at least a few decent - good teams.

Fair point.

 

[kingottoiii]

Arizona Knight

RU has good WRs. Why Deering is now a RB boggles my mind. RU could easily line up in a Spread with Sanu, Harrison, Coleman, and Deering. It wouldn't matter who was QB or at OL.

 

[dollarbill44]

We don't have any gimmies left on the schedule except Tulane. Period. If we go .500 from here on I would consider this season a successful one. Think of where this program was four years ago compared to today - much better, but certainly not good enough to just show up and win.

Fixed that for you.

 

[rrlbees]

I don't know who Page is but I'm not sure why we're comparing him to Sanu.

A likely 1st round draft pick out of USC.

 

[Upstate]

You don't need 70 yard arm strength to be a D1 QB.

Preaching to the choir...we had Greg Paulus, you know.

 

[Upstate]

A likely 1st round draft pick out of USC.

I believe you're thinking of Woods, bees, Page was Toledo's scat receiver.