We are 4 players away from a great season if...

[kcsu]

Looking at the roster for next year we seen to be in as good a shape across the board as at anytime in years and loaded at RB and DL. I believe that we are 4 players away from a great year. In order of importance i see major holes at.

QB: I dont think that any of us including HCDM truly knows who is going to be under center for our first game. My choice is Loeb for two reasons. He knows the O inside and out and it allows Hickey to remain at RT and makes the need to find a solid LT less critical. I also think that our QB next year is simply going to have to make good decisions and get the ball in the hand of our play makers. Charlie can do this and i believe he gets the nod.

LT: See above. No idea who steps into this role but if we can land the Mountain Juco i would expect him to man one of the T positions. If Loeb starts he would go to the left side if we start anyone else i can see Hickey being moved to LT and Mountain man taking over RT. Who else can step in at tackle as i see this as our second biggest question mark for next year.

Middle LB: Coker would be great. Does the light go on? Arci Juco? Sure has the measurables to play the position but can he learn enough between now and the fall to step in. Does Spruil move back to the middle allowing Lynch to step in outside or does Lynch step up in the middle? What about Washington he sure looks good on the sideline. This spot is critical. All in all i believe we will be fine as we have enough guys with talent.

Safety: Again we have talent but with the heart and soul of our D leaving we need someone who can step up. Im not sold on Wilkes although i thought he played better towards the end. Esk is a stud and if he can continue to improve may be the ticket. Juco? again who knows the kid has great measurables but..

As to other positions of strength. I really like our WR's. Funder is going to bring it. West has a chance to be a star. Chris will be better and can stretch the d. Cant wait to see Kobena after another year learning the position. Does Foster come back if so could be a star. Flemming what a mystery. Practice stud does it ever translate onto the field. The RS kids seem to have talent do they break through? In short lots of talent to work with and not a smurf on the unit with the exception of Chris who is a burner.

CB: Red is going to be special, Morgan as well, Lynch got better and better.

Last point is staying healthy. We are still very thin at certain spots especially on the OL. If we can stay healthy and if we can find the players for the 4 spots above i can see this team playing with everyone on the schedule including Clemson and yes FSU. We have enough weapons to score on anybody and our DL is going to be something to watch. I like our potential. Hope that we find a true leader under center and hope that someone steps up on the OL

 

[Crusty]

If our corners ard so good why did we suck so bad on pass D?

 

[syr02esq]

We will only be as good as our QB position.

 

[sufandu]

D-line needs to bring a more consistent pass rush with only four. They were physical against pr0-style run attacks, but we needed to blitz too much to put pressure on the qb.

 

[jasjr]

Do we know Pugh is leaving for sure?

 

[Crusty]

D-line needs to bring a more consistent pass rush with only four. They were physical against pr0-style run attacks, but we needed to blitz too much to put pressure on the qb.

I am really not sure that I agree with that. We rushed 3 a lot of times and other times when we did rush four we got some outstanding pressure. My impression was that we were not giving 4 or 5 seconds for the receivers to get open and the QB to find them. Watching the games on TV does not give me the proper field view to really see what was happening and TV only show the open receiver getting the ball but we always seemed to be 5 years off the receiver when he caught it.
I do not pretend to know the answer. Some have said it was the scheme, some the safeties and a couple, like you, blame the line.
It looks like we are stacking up with D lineman and a corner or two but I do not know if that is just for depth or because the starters are not cutting it. I guess we have the answer in the spring.

 

[sufandu]

I am really not sure that I agree with that. We rushed 3 a lot of times and other times when we did rush four we got some outstanding pressure. My impression was that we were not giving 4 or 5 seconds for the receivers to get open and the QB to find them. Watching the games on TV does not give me the proper field view to really see what was happening and TV only show the open receiver getting the ball but we always seemed to be 5 years off the receiver when he caught it.
I do not pretend to know the answer. Some have said it was the scheme, some the safeties and a couple, like you, blame the line.
It looks like we are stacking up with D lineman and a corner or two but I do not know if that is just for depth or because the starters are not cutting it. I guess we have the answer in the spring.

Only 12 of our 24 sacks came from the d-line. Both numbers are less than impressive. Brandon Sharpe was our leader with 6, and 4 of those came in one game. I'd be curious to know how many of the d-line sacks came on plays where we blitzed. Schafer was forced to alternate between max coverage and blitz pressure because he knew we couldn't bring enough consistent pressure with only 4, especially at DE. Our most consistent pressure came up the middle with Bromley or Goggins, but the DE's would too often allow the QB to buy time and find the open man. Our DT play was the best we've had in a long time, but the DE's need to make more plays.

I don't want to sound like I'm placing all of the blame on the d-line. It did seem like our secondary gave too much cushion at times or just didn't do a good job of reading the quarterback's eye's and reacting while in zone. Consistent pressure can hide all kinds holes in the secondary, however.

 

[bnoro]

If our corners ard so good why did we suck so bad on pass D?

Because Shamarko wasn't a good cover safety and Wilkes was a weak link. Lack of pass rush and having LBs cover WRs didn't help.

 

[kcsu]

we didnt suck we play a D that is based on stopping the run. 1st 2nd 3rd stop the run. Next keep everything in front of you do not give up the long ball. Shafer works the percentages. When he has them in his favor he does very well. We have a very sophisticated bend but dont break D. Our corners dont suck

 

[Crusty]

That makes no sense to me at all. We are among the worst in the nation in pass D and 60 somthing in scoring D. If you think that is acceptable then I don't know what you think is unacceptable.

 

[007]

we didnt suck we play a D that is based on stopping the run. 1st 2nd 3rd stop the run. Next keep everything in front of you do not give up the long ball. Shafer works the percentages. When he has them in his favor he does very well. We have a very sophisticated bend but dont break D. Our corners dont suck

I seriously doubt that Shafer would describe his philosophy as a "very sophisticated bend but don't break." I think what we saw this year was more a function of trying to compensate for weaknesses at LB and DBs; more a means of "surviving" than a style of play.

We were not a good D this year.

 

[nzm136]

That makes no sense to me at all. We are among the worst in the nation in pass D and 60 somthing in scoring D. If you think that is acceptable then I don't know what you think is unacceptable.

Some of that is because of absolutely horrible special teams, and som eof that is because we have a "bend but don't break" style of defense.

 

[Crusty]

Special teams? They are on the field in pass defense? Didn't they get much better in the last 6 games?

 

[nzm136]

Special teams? They are on the field in pass defense? Didn't they get much better in the last 6 games?

Field position. For example, when you let NW return a punt to your 21, you put the defense in a really, really tough position. It is MUCH easier to keep a team from scoring when they start at their 21. And season averages take the entire season into account. 6 games is half a season.

**SIDE NOTE: our offense also plays a part in the yards that we've given up. We have a fast-moving offense that doesn't eat clock. If we pounded the ball up the middle, then there would be fewer possessions for each team, which means the opposing team woul dhave fewer chances to get yards.**

 

[Crusty]

Field position. For example, when you let NW return a punt to your 21, you put the defense in a really, really tough position. It is MUCH easier to keep a team from scoring when they start at their 21. And season averages take the entire season into account. 6 games is half a season.

**SIDE NOTE: our offense also plays a part in the yards that we've given up. We have a fast-moving offense that doesn't eat clock. If we pounded the ball up the middle, then there would be fewer possessions for each team, which means the opposing team woul dhave fewer chances to get yards.**

Pass defense should get easier the closer to the end zone. Just less ground to cover. Sorry, can't blame anyone for the pass D except the team on the field.

And the bend but don't break nonsense is only valid if you keep the other team from scoring. We gave up 25.7 ppg or 52nd in the nation. Our D was not very good this year - average at best. We can't improve if we are unwilling to identify problem areas and fix them.

 

[OrangeMojo]

That makes no sense to me at all. We are among the worst in the nation in pass D and 60 somthing in scoring D. If you think that is acceptable then I don't know what you think is unacceptable.

SU also played 11 BCS teams this year - would have helped the #s to have two more lower level opponents like everyone else

 

[nzm136]

Pass defense should get easier the closer to the end zone. Just less ground to cover. Sorry, can't blame anyone for the pass D except the team on the field.

And the bend but don't break nonsense is only valid if you keep the other team from scoring. We gave up 25.7 ppg or 52nd in the nation. Our D was not very good this year - average at best. We can't improve if we are unwilling to identify problem areas and fix them.

This really isn't complicated. It is easier to keep a team from scoring on a long drive than a short drive. The long drive requires all the plays of the short drive plus extra plays, and, in general, each play has a chance of not working. So, the odds of a long drive working are less of a short drive working. I was responding to "60 somthing [sic] in scoring D."

Take out the short drives, and "25.7 ppg" drops down, and we are no longer "52nd in the nation." We would have a better ranking. The bend but don't break defense works because we force teams to pass, and "[p]ass defense ... [gets] easier the closer to the end zone. [There is j]ust less ground to cover."

 

[rosconey]

this is the poorest group of linebackers at su in decades- not one monster among them- this caused the db's to play the run first so they were caught out of position quite a bit-also the tackling was pathetic - the db's had the mindset to shoulder hit and quite a few guys just bounced off and kept going-

schafer did a dang good job considering the talent on hand-

 

[nzm136]

SU also played 11 BCS teams this year - would have helped the #s to have two more lower level opponents like everyone else

True, and one of them was a healthy USC fairly early on in the season before their lack of depth was an issue. USC's starting 11 were about as talented on O as any team that I've ever seen, '05 USC, '01 Miami, and '95 Nebraska included.

 

[Crusty]

This really isn't complicated. It is easier to keep a team from scoring on a long drive than a short drive. The long drive requires all the plays of the short drive plus extra plays, and, in general, each play has a chance of not working. So, the odds of a long drive working are less of a short drive working. I was responding to "60 somthing [sic] in scoring D."

Take out the short drives, and "25.7 ppg" drops down, and we are no longer "52nd in the nation." We would have a better ranking. The bend but don't break defense works because we force teams to pass, and "[p]ass defense ... [gets] easier the closer to the end zone. [There is j]ust less ground to cover."

The last six games of the year we gave up more points per game (28.8)than we did for the whole year average. Our ST played very well during that stretch and our field position was good. Your argument just does not comport with the facts.

 

[nzm136]

The last six games of the year we gave up more points per game (28.8)than we did for the whole year average. Our ST played very well during that stretch and our field position was good. Your argument just does not comport with the facts.

We also played UL and MIZZOU.

and we gave up:
10, 36, 35, 26, 27, 20 = 154 points / 6 = 25.67 points per game (6 BCS teams, including a great offensive team in UL, and solid/good teams in MIZZOU, USF, and UC, UCONN which might have the worst offense in the BIG EAST, and Temple which might be the worst team in the BIG EAST) - 2nd half
v.
42, 42, 17, 17, 13, 23 = 154 / 6 = 25.67 (5 BCS teams [including a great offensive team in USC, 2 B1G teams not known for offense [i.e. Minn is ranked #99 in points scored], Rutgers, which might have the worst offense in the BIG EAST, Pitt, and a FCS team) - 1st half

The numbers are the same, but the level of play was better. I can't tell if you are really this thick, or trying to troll. But, this is my last response. So if you are trying to troll, then move on. If you are really this thick, then sorry, bud.

 

[BlackKnight76]

this is the poorest group of linebackers at su in decades-

Someone wasn't paying attention in 2008



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[bnoro]

Someone wasn't paying attention in 2008



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People here need to just learn how to find the ignore button. I haven't heard from old rosconey in a year and it's been everything I thought it would be. The only person I've ever ignored on this site, such a blatant syracuse.com troll.

 

[OrangeMaNPD]

got to go with nzm on this one. looking at stats and players only leaves a ton of stuff out that affected how we play.

would anyone else care if the other team passed for 300 yards a game but we won? Bottom line is we played well enough to get 7 wins and could have won more. That's all that concerns me.

 

[rosconey]

ahhh one who is so high and mighty those with different opinions should be ignored- just so elitist its disgusting -

and its a honor to be ignored by such a great individual-lol

fanboys only allowed in your world?