I'm not feeling as negative as others.

[JoeSU]

Check the score predictions - most of us had Nova scoring 17-20 (or more) points. Robertson is one of the top players in FCS and is the exact type of mobile QB who gives our defense fits (as SWC accurately called in his "Why Villanova will win" thread). Talley killed us with his time of possession game plan (37:48 - 22:12), but the Wildcats only put up a little over 300 yds of total offense in regulation. I honestly don't see this game as a defensive failure.

What killed us is our offense being unable to put up more than 17 points (again, check the predictions). I thought Wilson played well, and to his credit didn't turn the ball over, but his playbook is obviously more limited. I still can't believe Hunt would pull such a stupid stunt.

The most glaring negative in my eyes, it was our repeated inability to punch it in from the goal line in OT.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Check the score predictions most of us had Nova scoring 17-20 (or more) points. Robertson is one of the top players in FCS and is the exact type of mobile QB who gives our defense fits (as SWC accurately called in his "Why Villanova will win" thread). Talley killed us with his time of possession game plan (37:48 - 22:12), but the Wildcats only put up a little over 300 yds of total offense in regulation. I honestly don't see this game as a defensive failure.

What killed us is our offense being unable to put up more than 17 points (again, check the predictions). I thought Wilson played well, and to his credit didn't turn the ball over, but his playbook is obviously more limited. I still can't believe Hunt would pull such a stupid stunt.

The most glaring negative in my eyes, it was our repeated inability to punch it in from the goal line in OT.

I think every member of the OL should be asked: "Just why did we have first and goal twice from the one and move backwards?"

 

[CbusCuse]

I don't see how you can be anything but negative after watching that garbage game. Unbelievable. Our offensive lineman in the run game were downright offensive. I don't even understand it. How could they be that much worse than last year and things was against Nova?!?

 

[gocraz4dasu]

My fear is that we can't figure out how to stop mobile quarterbacks and there are no lack of them on our schedule this year. The offensive line was as bad as I've seen it in recent years and this was against an FCS opponent. Terrible opening game. The lack of fire in our team was depressing but I am hoping (as sad as that is) that they were underestimating their opponents and this will be a wake up call.

Luckily there is an opportunity to regroup and rebound and boy, do we ever need a rebound.

 

[HtownOrange]

I agree, though I cut Wilson a little more slack. This is his first game experience and he was thrust into the situation. He was functional but I et with his attitude, he grows considerably from this. If Hunt is out another game (as a suspension) then we will see whether Wilson progresses. Thankfully we have CMU next and the whole offense that was gelling around Hunt will have confidence in Wilson, too.

 

[iommi]

Can we attribute ANY of our o-line issues to the injury bug that hit us? We were a little short-handed tonite. No real excuse but I'm trying to find any glimmer of hope.

 

[CbusCuse]

I know we were playing Lasker at one guard position but come on. I'm thinking our DT must be pretty bad and as a result and made all of the guards and John Miller look like they were good.

Edit: DT's

 

[Toga]

Check the score predictions most of us had Nova scoring 17-20 (or more) points. Robertson is one of the top players in FCS and is the exact type of mobile QB who gives our defense fits (as SWC accurately called in his "Why Villanova will win" thread). Talley killed us with his time of possession game plan (37:48 - 22:12), but the Wildcats only put up a little over 300 yds of total offense in regulation. I honestly don't see this game as a defensive failure.

What killed us is our offense being unable to put up more than 17 points (again, check the predictions). I thought Wilson played well, and to his credit didn't turn the ball over, but his playbook is obviously more limited. I still can't believe Hunt would pull such a stupid stunt.

The most glaring negative in my eyes, it was our repeated inability to punch it in from the goal line in OT.

Please don't say punch.

 

[suloyalfan]

Check the score predictions most of us had Nova scoring 17-20 (or more) points. Robertson is one of the top players in FCS and is the exact type of mobile QB who gives our defense fits (as SWC accurately called in his "Why Villanova will win" thread). Talley killed us with his time of possession game plan (37:48 - 22:12), but the Wildcats only put up a little over 300 yds of total offense in regulation. I honestly don't see this game as a defensive failure.

What killed us is our offense being unable to put up more than 17 points (again, check the predictions). I thought Wilson played well, and to his credit didn't turn the ball over, but his playbook is obviously more limited. I still can't believe Hunt would pull such a stupid stunt.

The most glaring negative in my eyes, it was our repeated inability to punch it in from the goal line in OT.

If they widen the splits, they get in... I have no idea why they closed up their own holes at the goal line like that over and over

 

[SUalldway]

Check the score predictions - most of us had Nova scoring 17-20 (or more) points. Robertson is one of the top players in FCS and is the exact type of mobile QB who gives our defense fits (as SWC accurately called in his "Why Villanova will win" thread). Talley killed us with his time of possession game plan (37:48 - 22:12), but the Wildcats only put up a little over 300 yds of total offense in regulation. I honestly don't see this game as a defensive failure.

What killed us is our offense being unable to put up more than 17 points (again, check the predictions). I thought Wilson played well, and to his credit didn't turn the ball over, but his playbook is obviously more limited. I still can't believe Hunt would pull such a stupid stunt.

The most glaring negative in my eyes, it was our repeated inability to punch it in from the goal line in OT.

Biggest disappointment was that the OL was supposed to be a strength but now looks to be a weakness.

 

[Crusty]

The only thing that would make this game more negative would have been a loss. Nova beat us tonight they just didn't score more points.

Shafer earned his paycheck this week with that fake FG. Also shows he didn't think we could stop them.

When you give the other guys 15 minutes more TOP you are wither scoring lots of points quickly or the D sucked. Bullough worries me - he is no Shafer.

 

[HtownOrange]

The only thing that would make this game more negative would have been a loss. Nova beat us tonight they just didn't score more points.

Shafer earned his paycheck this week with that fake FG. Also shows he didn't think we could stop them.

When you give the other guys 15 minutes more TOP you are wither scoring lots of points quickly or the D sucked. Bullough worries me - he is no Shafer.

Crusty, I don't see it as negative as you. The team faced adversity (loss of Captain, raw QB to run the show). Stuck together. Never gave up. The core of the D is solid and the young guys will step up. The O-line, they deserve some criticism but they are a little thin, if I recall.

Bullogh and GM need to call better games and improve but considering games last season I think they have. (My opinion, obviously others on here think otherwise) Shafer showed faith in his players to hold VanillaNova in the final OT and they kid stepped up.

In short, these kids to a bad situation, held together and pulled out a victory, This kind of character can account for a couple gritty wins over a season.

 

[hoopsupstate]

We used our third string left guard tonight and we lost our starting quarterback in the first half. In a game like this you want to wear down the opposing team, but we let them off the hook by not powering the ball at them the whole game. We never got into playaction. We're playing with too many receivers and not enough people in the backfield.

 

[Crusty]

We used our third string left guard tonight and we lost our starting quarterback in the first half. In a game like this you want to wear down the opposing team, but we let them off the hook by not powering the ball at them the whole game. We never got into playaction. We're playing with too many receivers and not enough people in the backfield.

I think if you replay the game you will see the right side of our OLine got blown up time after time. I am going to replay the whole game before I conclude that was the biggest problem but from what I saw browsing through this morning it looked pretty bad. See what you think.

 

[SUalldway]

I think if you replay the game you will see the right side of our OLine got blown up time after time. I am going to replay the whole game before I conclude that was the biggest problem but from what I saw browsing through this morning it looked pretty bad. See what you think.

Hope N. Robinson can get back into practice reps soon.

 

[upperdeck]

if you are going to run this style of offense the oline needs to hold the blocks for any of the running game to work.. we went to the I then we could run more power/sweep type stuff but really when you run ever play within the 10 yd box the safeties never have to worry. we ran several wheel route plays with pump fakes and had guys running open down the middle but the QB always looks wide.. that tells me they are expecting a result and not reading the D properly.

 

[Crusty]

Crusty, I don't see it as negative as you. The team faced adversity (loss of Captain, raw QB to run the show). Stuck together. Never gave up. The core of the D is solid and the young guys will step up. The O-line, they deserve some criticism but they are a little thin, if I recall.

Bullogh and GM need to call better games and improve but considering games last season I think they have. (My opinion, obviously others on here think otherwise) Shafer showed faith in his players to hold VanillaNova in the final OT and they kid stepped up.

In short, these kids to a bad situation, held together and pulled out a victory, This kind of character can account for a couple gritty wins over a season.

Certainly, we had sort of a perfect storm BUT, Hunt didn't look so great out there against a Div II team anyway. He never got a real drive going. Wilson had the only impressive drive.

The OLine played very poorly - and it was the right side that got blown up time after time.

I understand that we have a high risk D and we live by the blitz and die by the blitz BUT we never seem to adjust to a talented dual threat QB. Nova was 12-20 on 3rd down conversions (we were 5-13). Patterson ran for 115 yards and threw for 199. He ran 34 times out of 60 running plays or 57% of the time. Call me crazy but I think I saw a pattern.

I am getting very concerned about Bullough not our players. His game prep, play calling and in game adjustments have not been stellar. The data points so far are not favorable. I certainly hope I am wrong and that this is not Shafer's Achilles heal.

We were very lucky and it seems the football gods felt they owed us one but they really outplayed us - by a lot. We needed two missed chip shots, a couple of very questionable calls in our favor, trickeration and a last second fortunate play call (I say fortunate because in that situation everything is a gamble on both sides of the ball).

You are of course correct that a win like this is good for a team and can help down the road. Our teams never give up so I never question their heart.

I am a big booster for this staff but the truth IMO is that we were not ready to play and I think that is on the them. They have two weeks to get it sorted out.

 

[Crusty]

Can we attribute ANY of our o-line issues to the injury bug that hit us? We were a little short-handed tonite. No real excuse but I'm trying to find any glimmer of hope.

I hope you are right - that would explain a lot.

 

[Old Scout 65]

I think if you replay the game you will see the right side of our OLine got blown up time after time. I am going to replay the whole game before I conclude that was the biggest problem but from what I saw browsing through this morning it looked pretty bad. See what you think.

Without being able to watch the game film it's hard to know where to place the blame but we were playing without two starters on the offensive line (Paris and Robinson) as well as our sixth man Palmer which forced us to use Lasker at guard rather than his usual tackle position. More concerning to me was the complete lack of contain by the defensive ends and outside linebackers.

 

[Shenexon]

Well, we certainly didn't play anywhere as well as expected but it was exciting and ended with a win. Villanova should have won the game and that's very disturbing on many levels but somehow we won. Hunt' s gaffe was the most disturbing to me. As the de facto team leader, he chose very poorly. Heartbreaking loss for Villanova and a narrow escape for us. Still, it was exciting and grand fun to leave with a win when we all expected the worst at the end of regulation. Wow...

 

[Cadillac]

Exactly. Rhode Island, Stony Brook, Colgate

Coaches showed they're not afraid to play a lot of guys and playcalling-wise will go for broke in a big spot.

Otherwise, no bearing on the rest of the season.

 

[anomander]

I am really trying to think of 1, or at least individually, the only people i can come up with is Riley Dixon and (gulp) Norton.
Some negatives

DC
OC
OL
Punt coverage
Hunt missing open receivers
Lasker getting blown up consistently by a 250lber
Lynch's inability to cover anyone
uncountable missed tackles
Dyshawn Davis getting benched he played so bad
Kirkland was awful and really needs to stop the celebrating BS
Welsh didn't do anything other then the airplane celebration (Thompson needs to play full time over him)
Hodge kept getting gobbled up by their small lineman

 

[texascpa]

I think if you replay the game you will see the right side of our OLine got blown up time after time. I am going to replay the whole game before I conclude that was the biggest problem but from what I saw browsing through this morning it looked pretty bad. See what you think.

That's what I saw. On one play, I saw a lineman form the right side get pancaked. lol. It may have been the guard.

 

[TheCusian]

My fear is that we can't figure out how to stop mobile quarterbacks and there are no lack of them on our schedule this year. The offensive line was as bad as I've seen it in recent years and this was against an FCS opponent. Terrible opening game. The lack of fire in our team was depressing but I am hoping (as sad as that is) that they were underestimating their opponents and this will be a wake up call. Luckily there is an opportunity to regroup and rebound and boy, do we ever need a rebound.

There is not one QB on our schedule that has the wheels Robinson had. We would have had 3-4 sacks if it wasn't for his speed and shiftiness.

 

[Crusty]

That's what I saw. On one play, I saw a lineman form the right side get pancaked. lol. It may have been the guard.

Pretty sure that was Foy.