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Message: [QUOTE="flshtheherd, post: 3111594, member: 7460"] Another WMU fan here ... Some thoughts so far on our season. 1. Our defense is a continual work in progress and we were exposed trying to be too cute against MSU and we looked like garbage. Gave up WAY too many big plays. Basically a new DC this year (started end of last season as an interim however didn't really change much up until this off-season) so learning curve is starting to shrink day by day and game by game. The GaState game was evidence that they started to finally gel as a defense. Only allowed 10pts - all in the first quarter. Locked things down as the game progressed. I have hope that the improvement continues or we are going to be yet another feel good story for a down trodden offense looking to explode in Syracuse. 2. Offense runs directly through QB Jon Wassink. He's basically a field OC working in direct tandem with Coach Lester. He sees the field really well and executes his check downs only taking what the defense gives him. He is generally secure with the ball and doesn't really try to force many throws. His efficiency is sometimes effected by the young wide outs not running the correct routes... but that is starting to fade as they are learning day to day. We start a sophomore, rs-frosh and true frosh as WR's. Lots of youth. You will probably hear the name Skyy Moore quite a bit... he seems to be breaking out as Jon's go to... and he's the true frosh. 3. Our strength on offense against MSU was our TE - Giovanni Ricci. He's a senior and was converted from WR to TE awhile back... I think beginning of last season. He's gained a ton of weight and speed and run's his routes very well... he's a mismatch for most LB-ers and can be a safety valve target for Jon... He will be critical for WMU to move the ball effectively. 4. Run game exploded against GaState, but that was more on GaState than WMU in my opinion. Our OL is stout and well aged... but GaState was terrible at the point of attack... allowing for some HUGE run plays. I DO NOT think we can get our running game going against SU unless we are really clicking on all cylinders in the pass game. 5. Specials teams are MUCH improved since our last meeting. I swear last year SU average starting field position was inside WMU's 40yd line ALL GAME. Can't win a game when you give the opponent a short field all game long. Punter has improved. Jury still out on the PK... he's a transfer. New kid. Huge leg but suffers from the laterals on occasion. Cost us a few points in East Lansing. I feel we will fare much better with regard to field position this time around. All in all... I think WMU puts up a bit of a fight. I just haven't seen enough from this team to feel overly confident that they can stop anyone at the P5 level. GaState had a very dynamic offense with a speed guy at QB... Will be interesting to see how WMU adjusts their defensive strategy to handle a more standard pocket guy... I think its close for a bit but SU overwhelms the WMU defense on the ground as the game goes on... adjustments are made by WMU to counter and then SU attacks the back end for some huge gainers. Won't go out and predict a score... just that SU is going to be tough to defeat on the road with the defense I have seen out of WMU. As a WMU fan I hope I am wrong. Lets hope for an injury free game from both sides... We have our biggest rival the following week and we need all hands on deck so as to demolish and demoralize them. [/QUOTE]

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