ImperialOrange
Living Legend
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
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Originally followed the game on my phone since I had family plans just after work. Don't kill me for that, it's the type of trade offs I make which allowed me to attend Clemson the prior weekend. Trying to hit a few points that I haven't seen in recaps and hit on a some that have already been stated. Anyway...
-Apologies to GM and THunt for that first INT. My reaction reading is "why the hell are you throwing after running 3 straight plays for a 1st down?". While I still feel that way a bit, for the sake of resting the D, that play was wide open and wouldve went big if not for Hunt's legs getting taken out as he released it. I did think West could've went after it a bit harder and broken the play up if nothing else but perhaps I'm off there.
-Drew Allen. Didn't take 1 snap but very much impressed me with his side line demeanor. He's the first guy celbrating with Hunt when things go right, and the first to try and pick him up when they don't. Hat's off to the guy and I think, if he were forced into action, he would be more effective after watching from the side lines. If he decides he wants to run, he could still be effective.
-PTG will be as effective as Rome allows him to. If Rome is rolling, PTG can go off. If Rome is held in check, Gulley isn't effective. If Rome isn't rolling, we should go right to MacFarlane and possibly even a few touches for Adonis to show something different.
-Where have all the quick slants gone? Our QB throws with a very flat trajectory and yet we continue to call passes where he has to try and fit it over defenders.
-Our DE's were tremendous. Welsh is getting enough push to make the QB nervous and swatting passes at the line when he doesn't get there. Micah is learning and improving leaps and bounds. He get's held a LOT which is frusterating because they aren't called but great that he's putting the o line in a position where they have to hold to contain him. Would love to start getting those calls. On the NC State TD pass he learned something. Zone blitz had him drop into coverage in a zone with no one in it. In the future I expect him to learn to find players that will be running into his zone and drop deeper but the QB shouldn't have had enough time for the TE to work the whole way across the field anyway. Sugar Bear can play. I know it's been stated but watching how quickly he's progressing from game to game is impressive.
-LB's. Love all of them. Hate that DD is hurt but I've been a fan of Kirkland since day 1 and he's not disappointing for the most part. Pass coverage obviously needs some work.
-We should've scored more points. If NC State had a decent QB, they wouldve as well. When we mess up coverage, we do it big time. Boyd made a lot of throws last week that I said "most QB's don't make". NC State had some easier throws than we gave Boyd but couldn't come close.
-Love Whigham and glad Reddish is back. Whigham is so fluid in his movements and has great closing speed. When is the last time we saw our CB running ahead of the WR down the sideline in better position? His backpeddle and turn are great and he will be a star for us.
-Hunt cleaning up after his INT with the tackle. The guy doesn't give up on plays and you can tell a true competitor there. A lot of QB's would just stand and watch there. On offense, he does need to learn to give up on some plays and throw it away but he will with playing time.
-Horrific officiating really helped keep that game much closer than it should've been. Referee Ron Cherry... is he any relation to the NC State kick returner with the same last name? Only thing I can think of. The hold call that killed our first drive seemed like phantom call but didnt get a great replay angle. The roughing the kicker, I'm not 100% sure our guy even touched the kicker. He rolled of a block and was on the ground while the kickers leg appeared to hit his own guy. Not even sure Coker could've hit him given that he was on the ground and the kickers leg was not. The flag picked up on the Gulley run was comedy. No excuse for us not to get 6 regardless but 1st and goal fron the 2 1/2 vs the 5 would've made it easier.
We were going for a TD that first drive without that call so there's 7. Without that roughing the kicer call we have the ball back, with a lead and bg time momentum. Not sure if we score or not but we had them on the edge and that flag pulled em back. Not sure if they wouldve gotten the TD drive at the end of the half had our D gotten a bit more time off. The Gulley flag was a net -4 (unless we screwed up the XP again).
-End game, our defense is starting to look like I thought they would to open the season. Ugly game for a casual fan but great to watch as a Cuse die hard to see the teams progression. Love the big hits, and loved the discipline shown vs the odd ball formations and not being asleep on the fake FG. NC State offensive players looked dejected which is exactly what you love to see. Our D did that to them. If our O can hit a few more passes we will win the majority of our remaining games. As Jay Bromley said "nut up" and get it done.
Oh and Jay Bromley... Jay Freaking Bromley! That guy is an amazing player. I look for 96 everytime the d is out there and at this point I'm sure opposing offenses do as well... yet they still can't contain/stop him. Hopefully NFL teams are taking notice.
-Apologies to GM and THunt for that first INT. My reaction reading is "why the hell are you throwing after running 3 straight plays for a 1st down?". While I still feel that way a bit, for the sake of resting the D, that play was wide open and wouldve went big if not for Hunt's legs getting taken out as he released it. I did think West could've went after it a bit harder and broken the play up if nothing else but perhaps I'm off there.
-Drew Allen. Didn't take 1 snap but very much impressed me with his side line demeanor. He's the first guy celbrating with Hunt when things go right, and the first to try and pick him up when they don't. Hat's off to the guy and I think, if he were forced into action, he would be more effective after watching from the side lines. If he decides he wants to run, he could still be effective.
-PTG will be as effective as Rome allows him to. If Rome is rolling, PTG can go off. If Rome is held in check, Gulley isn't effective. If Rome isn't rolling, we should go right to MacFarlane and possibly even a few touches for Adonis to show something different.
-Where have all the quick slants gone? Our QB throws with a very flat trajectory and yet we continue to call passes where he has to try and fit it over defenders.
-Our DE's were tremendous. Welsh is getting enough push to make the QB nervous and swatting passes at the line when he doesn't get there. Micah is learning and improving leaps and bounds. He get's held a LOT which is frusterating because they aren't called but great that he's putting the o line in a position where they have to hold to contain him. Would love to start getting those calls. On the NC State TD pass he learned something. Zone blitz had him drop into coverage in a zone with no one in it. In the future I expect him to learn to find players that will be running into his zone and drop deeper but the QB shouldn't have had enough time for the TE to work the whole way across the field anyway. Sugar Bear can play. I know it's been stated but watching how quickly he's progressing from game to game is impressive.
-LB's. Love all of them. Hate that DD is hurt but I've been a fan of Kirkland since day 1 and he's not disappointing for the most part. Pass coverage obviously needs some work.
-We should've scored more points. If NC State had a decent QB, they wouldve as well. When we mess up coverage, we do it big time. Boyd made a lot of throws last week that I said "most QB's don't make". NC State had some easier throws than we gave Boyd but couldn't come close.
-Love Whigham and glad Reddish is back. Whigham is so fluid in his movements and has great closing speed. When is the last time we saw our CB running ahead of the WR down the sideline in better position? His backpeddle and turn are great and he will be a star for us.
-Hunt cleaning up after his INT with the tackle. The guy doesn't give up on plays and you can tell a true competitor there. A lot of QB's would just stand and watch there. On offense, he does need to learn to give up on some plays and throw it away but he will with playing time.
-Horrific officiating really helped keep that game much closer than it should've been. Referee Ron Cherry... is he any relation to the NC State kick returner with the same last name? Only thing I can think of. The hold call that killed our first drive seemed like phantom call but didnt get a great replay angle. The roughing the kicker, I'm not 100% sure our guy even touched the kicker. He rolled of a block and was on the ground while the kickers leg appeared to hit his own guy. Not even sure Coker could've hit him given that he was on the ground and the kickers leg was not. The flag picked up on the Gulley run was comedy. No excuse for us not to get 6 regardless but 1st and goal fron the 2 1/2 vs the 5 would've made it easier.
We were going for a TD that first drive without that call so there's 7. Without that roughing the kicer call we have the ball back, with a lead and bg time momentum. Not sure if we score or not but we had them on the edge and that flag pulled em back. Not sure if they wouldve gotten the TD drive at the end of the half had our D gotten a bit more time off. The Gulley flag was a net -4 (unless we screwed up the XP again).
-End game, our defense is starting to look like I thought they would to open the season. Ugly game for a casual fan but great to watch as a Cuse die hard to see the teams progression. Love the big hits, and loved the discipline shown vs the odd ball formations and not being asleep on the fake FG. NC State offensive players looked dejected which is exactly what you love to see. Our D did that to them. If our O can hit a few more passes we will win the majority of our remaining games. As Jay Bromley said "nut up" and get it done.
Oh and Jay Bromley... Jay Freaking Bromley! That guy is an amazing player. I look for 96 everytime the d is out there and at this point I'm sure opposing offenses do as well... yet they still can't contain/stop him. Hopefully NFL teams are taking notice.
