Monday, September 6, 2010

Time for Game 2

I'm going to briefly discuss the Myrtle Beach Tech game and then move on to Marshall.

*I thought the kickoff coverage was good.
*Tavon Austin has another gear that makes everyone else on the field look like they are in lead shoes.
* Geno only made one bad decision.....it was real bad but only one.
*No improvement on the Oline at all and the right side is yet again an achilles heel. Lil Daddy got stuffed behind the line many times and this is the worst team we will play.
* speaking of the right side of the line, why would we run a key 3rd down play to the short side of the field on that side. Thankfully we got the TD on 4th.
*No pass rush and when we did blitz they burnt us like they knew exactly which blitz was coming.

Marshall isn't that good, but they are better than these guys. I'm not worried yet, but in order for this season to be a success we will have to run on teams. Lets hope for improvement on Friday night.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Game 1

I decided not to preview the season since I really have no idea. I think its pointless at this point. I can sum the first one up in just a few words. We need to dominate. Since the Fiesta Bowl last year we really have only beaten one team badly, and that was Syracuse last year. So here are some things I think you should look forward and could prove to be a look ahead for the rest of the season.


*Our O line needs to dominate. If Lil' Daddy gets stuffed more 5 times behind the line of scrimmage you might as well make plans for the week of the LSU game prepare to be in Birmingham in late December. They have to block better and I know nothing about Coastal, but I'm pretty dam sure their D-line is not nearly as formidable as any other team on our schedule.

*Geno needs to make good decisions. If he is locking in on his #1 target rushing his passes, in this game, it could be a rough season and definitely a rough beginning to the season.

*The pass rush needs to come alive. How many games did we watch last year with dudes just sitting back there forever until one of their receivers came open. I know that Scooter being in there has something to do with this...or the lack of scooter. However, I don't think CC will be able to run on them so they will have plenty of opportunity to get to the QB on the ground.

*I don't want to say it but if they run a kick past the 40 I might just explode....I know its a whole lot to ask, but if we could kick off and actually get him down around the 20 it would awesome. I know...I'm a dreamer.

* Big Crowd.......I get the emails and they are pimping tickets like a hard cock on prom night, but come one. Its a long weekend, weather will be great, and there is little chance you will see the boys lose.

Montani Semper Liberi

Friday, July 30, 2010

Gone but not forgotten

I haven't been around for awhile, but I was around for all the events of the spring. The final four trip was epic and almost like a dream. The played in the town I live, then Syracuse, then decided to have their worst game of the season in the final four. I'm still proud of them, but that showing was a little disappointing. The morning after was rough to say the least and as I sat with heater outside the hospital hotel we were staying at, a UCONN fann came up to me. He rambled off a bunch of shit I can't remember, but the one thing I do remember is that he said that was not Big East Basketball. I could not disagree. Oh well.........I'm over it now and it was a hell of a run.

Since then we have had what was equivalent to the bay of pigs in college football. Texas playing in the PAC 10, Rutgers in the Big 10, and TAM in the SEC. All talk as usual, but I think we know that changes are on the horizon. I honestly fear for my school, since all of this is being by TV markets and no matter how well we do in both sports its just too small of sate to hole any weight. Time will tell.

The new season is a different one, and for the first time since 2005 there is not a Pat White or Jarret Brown under the center. Its pretty easy to point out that Geno's health and play is the key to the season since his backups have ran about as many plays in college as I have. Unfortunately he seems to be injury prone at least when ATV's or pickup basketball games are involved. However I just want to go over a few guys that I think we should keep our eyes on this year.

*Julian Miller....our secondary is good and he will have that extra time to get to the QB. By far our best pass rusher, if he can get some timely sacks this year it could be breakout time for him. I know he had 9 last year, but that was skewed since I think he got about half of them in the 4th qtr of the Louisville game. Look for that to improve.

*Tyler Urban......I know this was a pick last year, but JB had a tendancy to look down his first option and throw it there........just watch the Auburn game or FSU one. I think Geno is much different and he will scramble with his head up and find that open man. I honestly think Tyler catches 4 TD's this year.

*Donny Barclay...our best lineman I think we will be a left hand running team this year with the occasional naked boot to the aformentioned TE to the right side. Donny seals the end, Noel bounces it outside and all that is left is 7 for 6.

I'll do the season outlook later........good to be back.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

At some point in the fourth quarter of Friday's Gator Bowl, I looked at my attorney and stated a simple fact.

"We had a lead of at least 7 points in all of our games this season"

Another fact is that we lost 4 games. Oh what could have been. 10 win seasons for any program are hard to come by, but I really think that this team was about 2 plays away from going 11-2 or so.

I could add the Cincy game in there as well, but lets just think that they would have gone on to beat us despite the call at the end there. However, Auburn and FSU were eerily similar in that jumped on them early and failed to finish it when we had them down.

The first play was the fumble that JB had when WVU was by 17 on Auburn in the second quarter or so. On that one play our whole season changed because after that one we were never the same. Up to that point we had been punishing teams for bringing up their secondary. However on that one play JB got sacked, dinged in the head and for the rest of the season he never set his feet and completed a long pass again. Not to mention that after that play in the game we lost all momentum and let Auburn back into the game.

Fast forward to Jan 1. We are gashing FSU at will and looking like the 07 version of the mountaineers. JB throws and inexcusable pass on first down to a well covered man and FSU gets back into the game. Score a TD there and FSU has to go to the air instead of picking on our flats all day. Two plays the difference between a great 11-2 season and an average 9-4 campaign. The win against Pitt was great and the Uconn and Rutgers games were satisfying but in the end I have the next 7 months to wonder about what could have been with this team and have to question whether or not this coaching staff and team will ever figure out how to finish against any opponent.

Lets hope the recent exit of assistant coaches and GA's will not affect as much as anticipated and we can keep the ball rolling. I'm glad that stew has forecasted a championship for 2011, but I'm skeptical if he can bring it home after watching some of the miscues from this season.