SWC75
Bored Historian
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
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THE DOWNSIDE
- Were we really better than that team? Until the big plays it sure didn’t look like it and I don’t know if the big plays change my mind. There’s a lot to be said for sustaining drives and we whiffed on our first 6 third downs and were 1 of 9 for the game.
- Meanwhile Wake’s receivers seemed to know exactly where the sticks were at all times. They had 23 first downs, 17 passing, including 7 third down conversions, each one seemingly by inches. How many times have we complained over the years that our guys don’t seem to know how much they need to get a first down?
- The refs also seemed to know where the sticks are. They seemed to have moved the ball beyond the point Wake actually transmitted it and signaled first down without a measurement a couple of times and I thought we got shorted on the spot a couple of times as well.
- We wound up giving up 30 completions for 373 yards. When we came up to defend those sideline passes we would either over-run them or miss a tackle, (Winfield had a bad one). Then we laid off and gave them free first downs. Then we got aggressive again and it worked. But I doubt we’ll be #1 in the country in defense this week.
- I thought we got too fancy early. Too many plays that were slow to develop and didn't work. I know it gave Wake and other teams something to think about but it also gave them the ball back. We were better running the ball and going to play-action.
- I knew their kicking was good but they basically eliminated any possibility of our speedsters making a big play on a return. We did have a 33 yard kickoff return but the rest were touchbacks and we returned one punt for -2 yards.
- We had only four penalties but they hurt us. One was an illegal formation that wiped out a wonderful punt by Riley Dixon, (and some great coverage), another gave Wake a first down for roughing the passer and another wiped out a touchdown by DeVante McFarland that would have salted the game away. Instead the last couple of minutes were played with the knowle3dge that a 13 point lead is still vulnerable with a score, an onsides kick and a Hail Mary. Instead we didn’t clinch it until Winfield came down with the pick in the end zone with 28 seconds left.
- The Salt Badger is very quick but #25, (one Brad Watson), was gaining on him at the end of the big play. What’s up with THAT?
- Love Coach Mac going around the field in his Macmobile but a celebration like that belongs at halftime, not during the game. I realize people are at concession stands or in the bathroom but you have more time for speeches, (perhaps one by Mac, himself), videos, etc. We never seem to do these things right.
- It was more of a chrome-out than an orange-out. Talk radio was urging people not to forget an wear something that wasn't orange. But that's not the problem. People are not showing up in sufficient numbers to support a power 5 program, even on a rainy day with the state fair closed. THAT'S the problem.
- Were we really better than that team? Until the big plays it sure didn’t look like it and I don’t know if the big plays change my mind. There’s a lot to be said for sustaining drives and we whiffed on our first 6 third downs and were 1 of 9 for the game.
- Meanwhile Wake’s receivers seemed to know exactly where the sticks were at all times. They had 23 first downs, 17 passing, including 7 third down conversions, each one seemingly by inches. How many times have we complained over the years that our guys don’t seem to know how much they need to get a first down?
- The refs also seemed to know where the sticks are. They seemed to have moved the ball beyond the point Wake actually transmitted it and signaled first down without a measurement a couple of times and I thought we got shorted on the spot a couple of times as well.
- We wound up giving up 30 completions for 373 yards. When we came up to defend those sideline passes we would either over-run them or miss a tackle, (Winfield had a bad one). Then we laid off and gave them free first downs. Then we got aggressive again and it worked. But I doubt we’ll be #1 in the country in defense this week.
- I thought we got too fancy early. Too many plays that were slow to develop and didn't work. I know it gave Wake and other teams something to think about but it also gave them the ball back. We were better running the ball and going to play-action.
- I knew their kicking was good but they basically eliminated any possibility of our speedsters making a big play on a return. We did have a 33 yard kickoff return but the rest were touchbacks and we returned one punt for -2 yards.
- We had only four penalties but they hurt us. One was an illegal formation that wiped out a wonderful punt by Riley Dixon, (and some great coverage), another gave Wake a first down for roughing the passer and another wiped out a touchdown by DeVante McFarland that would have salted the game away. Instead the last couple of minutes were played with the knowle3dge that a 13 point lead is still vulnerable with a score, an onsides kick and a Hail Mary. Instead we didn’t clinch it until Winfield came down with the pick in the end zone with 28 seconds left.
- The Salt Badger is very quick but #25, (one Brad Watson), was gaining on him at the end of the big play. What’s up with THAT?
- Love Coach Mac going around the field in his Macmobile but a celebration like that belongs at halftime, not during the game. I realize people are at concession stands or in the bathroom but you have more time for speeches, (perhaps one by Mac, himself), videos, etc. We never seem to do these things right.
- It was more of a chrome-out than an orange-out. Talk radio was urging people not to forget an wear something that wasn't orange. But that's not the problem. People are not showing up in sufficient numbers to support a power 5 program, even on a rainy day with the state fair closed. THAT'S the problem.
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