Time for a little optimism

[JeremyCuse]

We'll see.

in all seriousness a 400+ yard and 30+ point outcome Saturday would be awesome.

 

[TheCusian]

in all seriousness a 400+ yard and 30+ point outcome Saturday would be awesome.

Agreed.

My reasoning is this: we have a longer track record and history of shutting down the run (their bread and butter) and really harassing pocket passers with poor line play than last games poor performance.

My offensive optimism may be more drug habit related .

 

[OburgOrange]

I know people will right this off as hopeless optimism - but I honestly believe we shut down the run and tee off on their QB. Hunt and the offense look to prove people wrong and drop 400 yards of total offense.

I see a blow out.

We better have an answer for their running back, his name escapes me. He was a beast their last game

 

[JeremyCuse]

Agreed.

My reasoning is this: we have a longer track record and history of shutting down the run (their bread and butter) and really harassing pocket passers with poor line play than last games poor performance.

My offensive optimism may be more drug habit related .

Sounds good to me!

 

[TheCusian]

We better have an answer for their running back, his name escapes me. He was a beast their last game

I think it depends on our DT's play. I worry less about the edge.

 

[anomander]

I actually feel a little bit better after watching the rest of CFB struggle against FCS opponents the past 2 weekends. I still don't think there is any excuse for the performance we had last Friday, but still believe this team has the talent to win 8 games, and compete in almost every single one. This is going to be a huge game for us, and one I think we can win by a couple of td's if we are basing it on talent alone (which unfortunately isn't all that matters). Here are some things I will be looking for.

1. Offensive line. This needs to improve. Sure we get Palmer, and hopefully Robinson back, but I don't think that's an automatic improvement. The line needs to gel. I might have discounted the loss of Mackey who was responsible for calling out most of the blocking assignments. The interior OL has to be much better. I have no doubt we have the talent to be one of the best OL's in the ACC, and we proved that last year. Big game for Joe Adam.

2. Coordinators. Both McDonald and Bullough need to improve. Offensive play calling is just too choppy. There are games where he seems to get into a good flow, but is too quick to go off of what is working. I'd like to see him come out and display a noticeable gameplan and make adjustments off that. Are we interchanging too many players? Sometimes more isn't better. All I kept thinking last week was our offense was anything but "hardnosed". We were too much east-west, and not enough north-south. We will be the physically superior team once again this week I want to see us act like it. Defensively if we can improve our tackling I think we will be fine.

3. Hunt. I still have total confidence in him, but he was mid-season 2013 form then the Hunt we saw the last few games of last year. imo I would like to see McDonald call a couple plays for Hunt on the ground to get him going. It's when he's at his best and seems to feed off of it, plus it opens things up a bit. It seemed like that's what he was trying to do before getting objected. Anyways I expect a big time bounce back week from Hunt.

Anyways i'll call it early. Cuse bounces back in a big way. 30-14

 

[Chip]

3. Hunt. I still have total confidence in him, but he was mid-season 2013 form then the Hunt we saw the last few games of last year. imo I would like to see McDonald call a couple plays for Hunt on the ground to get him going. It's when he's at his best and seems to feed off of it, plus it opens things up a bit. It seemed like that's what he was trying to do before getting objected. Anyways I expect a big time bounce back week from Hunt.

I think people are being way too harsh on Hunt's opener. No way was he has bad as his midseason 2013 when his performance was re-writing the SU Hall of Shame for passer rating.

He had a few bad passes, but it's the opening half of the opening game. The offense stalled on its first drive, was bailed out by a PF call, and made the most of it with a TD. Then had a 3 and out where a dropped bubble turned into an 8 yard loss. Then a FG drive. Then a 50 yard drive to their 34 with 2nd and short before the ejection.

 

[CuseOnly]

Luckily Venric Mark won't be suiting up for CMU.

Neither will Hackenberg or Robinson.

 

[Orangello]

I think it depends on our DT's play. I worry less about the edge.

I think the DE's are just as much a problem here. They consistently blew by the QB or were pushed out of the play leaving multiple running lanes for the Nova QB. They need to play much better gap control and force the tackles inside.

 

[Opus]

I'm still feeling bullish on this team. The only player I question is Estime. NOT because of his ability. I love him! Just a hunch his injury was worse than what was reported.

 

[TheCusian]

I think the DE's are just as much a problem here. They consistently blew by the QB or were pushed out of the play leaving multiple running lanes for the Nova QB. They need to play much better gap control and force the tackles inside.

I hear you. I think the pocket will be defined as CMU QB Cooper Rush isn't mobile. We do much better on the edge vs runners.

 

[CousCuse]

Ervin Phillips

 

[SUalldway]

Hunt's going to have to do a lot more this year especially now that the run games looks like its in flux and no where near as potent as it was last year. Outside of that big run by Gulley vs Nova, Syracuse averaged 2.2 yards a carry. Morris looked slow and were all aware of the short yardage disaster by the goaline with AAM. We really need the running backs on the roster to step up or maybe give some looks to Erv.

Morris got all of 5 carries and our O line looked like cr@p. I think he needs to get a better look before labeling him "slow."

 

[CanadianSU]

Lets go 41-10

#Erv with a kick return

 

[syr02esq]

We are not going to lose to a friggin Chippewa.

 

[TheCusian]

I know people will right this off as hopeless optimism - but I honestly believe we shut down the run and tee off on their QB. Hunt and the offense look to prove people wrong and drop 400 yards of total offense. I see a blow out.

<cough, cough>

 

[MSOrange]

<cough, cough>

Well done!