Too many missed

[Fjoinkay]

opportunities. SU's inability to score points in the first quarter, the defense struggling on 3rd down to get off the field and two missed field goals allowed Virginia to come from behind and win in 3-OTs at Scott Stadium. In the first half, SU's offense had 214 yards and 13 first downs, but the offense struggled in the second half with 120 yards and 8 first downs (and I think those numbers include the OT periods). Dungey is a warrior. He plays with more fire, smarts and confidence than just about anyone else, and he's a true freshman QB. Ron Thompson is a very good football player playing well, and Dixon is a very good punter. The defense has a long way to go. They played well at times, but overall they didn't tackle well with a lot of arms failing to get the job done, they struggled mightily to defend screen passes, and they often waited for the play to come to them probably because they just aren't reading well and they lack confidence at this point in their development.

At this point in the season, I can understand why a lot of people are upset. For me personally, I don't come on the board to criticize players and coaches because for me I never feel good about that, and that has been mostly true for me going back to the GRob era when I first joined the board. I work in an industry where people argue all day long and constantly deal with adversaries, and I try to avoid that outside of work as much as possible. As for this team and the coaches, the reality after six games is that SU went 0-3 in the second quarter of the season with a bye. I've posted since the beginning of July that I thought this team could make a bowl game but it would be difficult, and at 3-3 that result definitely remains possible. Each week is an opportunity for this team to learn, to improve and to build something. I hope the coaches and the players can dig deep, stay together and find a way each day.

 

[Finwad32]

Well said. The missed opportunities yesterday are on everybody, coaches and players alike. Hindsight is always 20/20, so every MMQB has all the answers post game.

This is a good young group, whose probably already up to the facility working in some capacity. At least the coaching staff is, I'm sure.

Get better today, that's all you can do.

 

[Jake]

Yep.

Drive one ended with a fumble on a miscommunication (youth).

Drive two gets blown up because of a botched snap by the qb (youth) the OL getting blown up and a bad play call.

Should have had at least 10 points there and could have been up early and taken their heart out.

 

[TheCusian]

Yep. Drive one ended with a fumble on a miscommunication (youth). Drive two gets blown up because of a botched snap by the qb (youth) the OL getting blown up and a bad play call. Should have had at least 10 points there and could have been up early and taken their heart out.

Don't forget the weird pass that was a fumble. Coach London should send a fruit basket to those refs.

 

[Oswego93]

Good post. It probably just seems that way, but "missed opportunities" (non stopping a team on 3rd down, a dropped INT, no coming away with sure points) almost ALWAYS comes back to bite us in the ass. When you had as many as we did yesterday, it just underlines that point.

 

[orangepassion]

Good post. It probably just seems that way, but "missed opportunities" (non stopping a team on 3rd down, a dropped INT, no coming away with sure points) almost ALWAYS comes back to bite us in the ass. When you had as many as we did yesterday, it just underlines that point.

We stopped playing to win on Offense in the 2nd half. When you go run,run, pass for a half and only score 3 points, it's hard to overcome anything (particularly when you're not running the ball well).

 

[Oswego93]

We stopped playing to win on Offense in the 2nd half. When you go run,run, pass for a half and only score 3 points, it's hard to overcome anything.

Not to excuse the conservative play, but it SHOULD have worked.

After we went up 10, I really felt like if we stopped them the next drive, we would win going away. At that point our D seemed to be doing a decent enough job. In fact, I think that next drive, on 3rd and long, Whigham missed an easy tackle on #4, they convert, and go on to score their TD to bring it within 3. In fact, after that missed tackle, our D just completely fell apart for the rest of the game. Our O, in turn, didn't get the ball much of the 4th, and when they did, couldn't generate anything outside the missed FG drive.

I'm all over the place with this post, but if we cannot run the ball consistently without Dungey's scrambleds, and the D is taking away the downfield shots (that we relied on early in the season, to pull our bacon out of the fire), we are in trouble. We simply are not capable (at this point) of dinking and dunking down the field with short/medium passes, with any regularity.

 

[TheCusian]

Not to excuse the conservative play, but it SHOULD have worked. After we went up 10, I really felt like if we stopped them the next drive, we would win going away. At that point our D seemed to be doing a decent enough job. In fact, I think that next drive, on 3rd and long, Whigham missed an easy tackle on #4, they convert, and go on to score their TD to bring it within 3. In fact, after that missed tackle, our D just completely fell apart for the rest of the game. Our O, in turn, didn't get the ball much of the 4th, and when they did, couldn't generate anything outside the missed FG drive. I'm all over the place with this post, but if we cannot run the ball consistently without Dungey's scrambleds, and the D is taking away the downfield shots (that we relied on early in the season, to pull our bacon out of the fire), we are in trouble. We simply cannot (at this point) dink and dunk down the field with short/medium passes, with any regularity.

I disagree. We need to develop a short passing game. Less reliance on option. Mix it up a bit more

 

[orangepassion]

I disagree. We need to develop a short passing game. Less reliance on option. Mix it up a bit more

Would love to see some screen passes that everyone seems to do so well against us

 

[Oswego93]

I disagree. We need to develop a short passing game. Less reliance on option. Mix it up a bit more

Not sure what you disagree with. I'm not opposed to doing just that. I simply don't think we will, or are capable of doing it with any real consistency.

edit: I see why my wording may have been unclear..I'll edit that.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Not to excuse the conservative play, but it SHOULD have worked.

After we went up 10, I really felt like if we stopped them the next drive, we would win going away. At that point our D seemed to be doing a decent enough job. In fact, I think that next drive, on 3rd and long, Whigham missed an easy tackle on #4, they convert, and go on to score their TD to bring it within 3. In fact, after that missed tackle, our D just completely fell apart for the rest of the game. Our O, in turn, didn't get the ball much of the 4th, and when they did, couldn't generate anything outside the missed FG drive.

I'm all over the place with this post, but if we cannot run the ball consistently without Dungey's scrambleds, and the D is taking away the downfield shots (that we relied on early in the season, to pull our bacon out of the fire), we are in trouble. We simply are not capable (at this point) of dinking and dunking down the field with short/medium passes, with any regularity.

That missed tackle was huge. It gave them new life and momentum, and totally disheartened our D.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

We stopped playing to win on Offense in the 2nd half. When you go run,run, pass for a half and only score 3 points, it's hard to overcome anything (particularly when you're not running the ball well).

The second we start thinking we have "enough" points we've put the game outcome in jeopardy in my opinion.