HtownOrange
Living Legend
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- Aug 27, 2011
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I got home late in the fourth quarter to watch much disappointment from the team and then the amazing comeback. Reading many comments and having missed 3+ quarters, I decided to watch the game in replay.
What I saw first half:
- An effective offense once it got rolling.
- The running game was good
- The team marched down field
- Dungey was clicking with receivers
- An improved run defense
- The defense was decent against the run
- The pass defense was tolerable
- We outscored UNC 13-7
- Dungey get hit hard and questionably late just before the half, with a hit to the helmet, not called
- What I saw second half
- Off the mark throws, not just misses but not even close throws
- Timing seemed off
- Defense wore down
- What appeared to be poor game planning/play calling
- Dungey hustle with no magic
- Then I watched DeVito come in
- Sharp passing
- Offense responded to change in leadership
- Defense stepped up once offense stepped up
- Play calling "improved"
My assessment:
Though I have been starting to agree that Dungey's arm is messed up, at least to some degree and it does affect his game, I am thinking that the hit to the head played games with Dungey. I am not convinced he suffered another concussion, so drop it. I am convinced that the UNC defense got in Dungey's head. One issue with taking constat hits is that you can become wary, whether consciously or not.
It's a great feeling to know DeVito could step in.
I am not convinced the staff was calling poor plays, I think they were noticing something in game, too. However, Dungey did not appear to have another concussion, but he seemed to play with one (first drive, 2nd half excluded). It appears more that the staff was trying to call plays to get Dungey's head back in the game.
I say the above based on the simple fact that had the staff believed that Dungey suffered a concussion, they certainly would have investigated it and watched him closely. The one the thing the Orange does NOT lack is concussion protocol. Also, the play calling immediately improved once DeVito stepped on the field. Had the staff been so dumbfounded with play calling they would have continued calling dumb plays with DeVito.
Conclusion:
The team is in better hands than we may think, especially while in our emotional in-game mindset. The staff knows their players better than we give them credit. The staff knows what the kids can do, how to bring them back up/build them up and when they have to make big decisions.
There is no way the comeback and overtime victory could have happened unless the staff knew their team and know what they were doing (though I could do with less theatrics, Boeheim has already done a number on me in that category). Full credit should be given to the staff for what they did and for their reluctance to make knee-jerk reactions to Dungey's 2nd half less than stellar performance. Knee jerk reactions have far more damaging effects than real coaching and development of players. Watch any really strong (vertically and laterally) organization versus the "I know you got us here, but you screwed up, so take a seat" mentality. It not only messes with the heads of the players that are benched without having a chance to bounce back (injuries excepted, of course) and makes the other players around them think more about not screwing up than about making the play in front of them knowing the coaches will forgive a mistake if 100% effort was given.
HCDB is really the right gyuy for the job and if SU takes care of him, HDCB will be around 10-20 years and win big. He is not building a Bobby Petrino-good for a couple years-team, he is building an organization that can challenge for division, conference and possibly national titles. Think Dick McPherson and PP (early years).
Anyway, that is what this armchair coach thinks.
What I saw first half:
- An effective offense once it got rolling.
- The running game was good
- The team marched down field
- Dungey was clicking with receivers
- An improved run defense
- The defense was decent against the run
- The pass defense was tolerable
- We outscored UNC 13-7
- Dungey get hit hard and questionably late just before the half, with a hit to the helmet, not called
- What I saw second half
- Off the mark throws, not just misses but not even close throws
- Timing seemed off
- Defense wore down
- What appeared to be poor game planning/play calling
- Dungey hustle with no magic
- Then I watched DeVito come in
- Sharp passing
- Offense responded to change in leadership
- Defense stepped up once offense stepped up
- Play calling "improved"
My assessment:
Though I have been starting to agree that Dungey's arm is messed up, at least to some degree and it does affect his game, I am thinking that the hit to the head played games with Dungey. I am not convinced he suffered another concussion, so drop it. I am convinced that the UNC defense got in Dungey's head. One issue with taking constat hits is that you can become wary, whether consciously or not.
It's a great feeling to know DeVito could step in.
I am not convinced the staff was calling poor plays, I think they were noticing something in game, too. However, Dungey did not appear to have another concussion, but he seemed to play with one (first drive, 2nd half excluded). It appears more that the staff was trying to call plays to get Dungey's head back in the game.
I say the above based on the simple fact that had the staff believed that Dungey suffered a concussion, they certainly would have investigated it and watched him closely. The one the thing the Orange does NOT lack is concussion protocol. Also, the play calling immediately improved once DeVito stepped on the field. Had the staff been so dumbfounded with play calling they would have continued calling dumb plays with DeVito.
Conclusion:
The team is in better hands than we may think, especially while in our emotional in-game mindset. The staff knows their players better than we give them credit. The staff knows what the kids can do, how to bring them back up/build them up and when they have to make big decisions.
There is no way the comeback and overtime victory could have happened unless the staff knew their team and know what they were doing (though I could do with less theatrics, Boeheim has already done a number on me in that category). Full credit should be given to the staff for what they did and for their reluctance to make knee-jerk reactions to Dungey's 2nd half less than stellar performance. Knee jerk reactions have far more damaging effects than real coaching and development of players. Watch any really strong (vertically and laterally) organization versus the "I know you got us here, but you screwed up, so take a seat" mentality. It not only messes with the heads of the players that are benched without having a chance to bounce back (injuries excepted, of course) and makes the other players around them think more about not screwing up than about making the play in front of them knowing the coaches will forgive a mistake if 100% effort was given.
HCDB is really the right gyuy for the job and if SU takes care of him, HDCB will be around 10-20 years and win big. He is not building a Bobby Petrino-good for a couple years-team, he is building an organization that can challenge for division, conference and possibly national titles. Think Dick McPherson and PP (early years).
Anyway, that is what this armchair coach thinks.
