Saturday was a rare day for me as I actually got to see a MSU game from start to finish AND was able to pay attention to the game in it's entirety. And that has become a harder and harder thing to do as the U.S. DOJ likes to shut down P2P streaming sites and ESPN is pretty aggressive about copyrighted telecasts being streamed on the internet. I unfortunately do not have any other option as I live and work in Costa Rica.
First, I will start with the secondary. As is typically the case in both NCAA and NFL football the DB's are out-sized by bigger and slightly more athletic (mostly talking about jumping ability here, not entirely talking about speed or strength here). We have what I would consider the most athletic and skilled set of DB's since 1998 and 1999. The DB's played their tails off and as humans will do gave up a few mistakes but all in all it was a great game. There is no way they can be expected to stop every pass thrown. The goal line stand in the 4th quarter leaves me scratching my head. Why would Banks not have been maned up So. Carolina's #1 receiver? I don't think it really would have mattered as the size and jumping ability would have still been a mis-match. Banks may have been able to time his jump better or make a play at the ball a little differently. I would have given Banks about a 10% better chance of stopping that play... may be enough to make a difference but a hard play to stop when the ball was thrown as well as it was. I do not believe the defense cost us the game in anyway, especially the play of the secondary as a whole. I would give them a solid B+ to A- as a whole.
Second, the QB situation. Russell played a decent game. His touch on passes over 15 yards down field kind of sucks. This is a pretty important thing as a QB! Yes the receivers sometimes ran bad routs and even dropped a ball or two... but these things are life and it is going to happen. Even happens with the best receivers in NCAA and NFL history. But if the QB cannot hit a wide open receiver, even somewhat in stride, when he beats the DB for a pretty clear TD then he should not be a starting QB! Russell may be out best option at the moment, but he is by no means the answer to the problem. The blame may not be entirely on the QB.
Which brings me The OL! As a unit they just flat out SUCK! There needs to be some serious use of HGH and education at this position. Communication sucks and blocks and check downs are missed. There is little to no CONSISTENT push. From time to time a push was seen in the running game, but never frequently enough to get the ball moving. Pass blocking was pretty rough and rarely were lanes left open or the pocket built enough for the entire progression to be used. Serious problems here, and I don't see how we win a single remaining game because of the ability, performance, heart, and suckitude of the OL as a unit.
My final point is on coaching as a whole. Clock management was better although we never got to see how the final moments with the game on the line would be handled. At the end of the first half, I would have taken a shot with a down field pass rather than a draw play. Just me, but I would have at a minimum have called a screen play.
You are welcome to comment, agree, disagree, or offer your 2 cents. The above is simply my feelings about today's game.
Pura Vida!
First, I will start with the secondary. As is typically the case in both NCAA and NFL football the DB's are out-sized by bigger and slightly more athletic (mostly talking about jumping ability here, not entirely talking about speed or strength here). We have what I would consider the most athletic and skilled set of DB's since 1998 and 1999. The DB's played their tails off and as humans will do gave up a few mistakes but all in all it was a great game. There is no way they can be expected to stop every pass thrown. The goal line stand in the 4th quarter leaves me scratching my head. Why would Banks not have been maned up So. Carolina's #1 receiver? I don't think it really would have mattered as the size and jumping ability would have still been a mis-match. Banks may have been able to time his jump better or make a play at the ball a little differently. I would have given Banks about a 10% better chance of stopping that play... may be enough to make a difference but a hard play to stop when the ball was thrown as well as it was. I do not believe the defense cost us the game in anyway, especially the play of the secondary as a whole. I would give them a solid B+ to A- as a whole.
Second, the QB situation. Russell played a decent game. His touch on passes over 15 yards down field kind of sucks. This is a pretty important thing as a QB! Yes the receivers sometimes ran bad routs and even dropped a ball or two... but these things are life and it is going to happen. Even happens with the best receivers in NCAA and NFL history. But if the QB cannot hit a wide open receiver, even somewhat in stride, when he beats the DB for a pretty clear TD then he should not be a starting QB! Russell may be out best option at the moment, but he is by no means the answer to the problem. The blame may not be entirely on the QB.
Which brings me The OL! As a unit they just flat out SUCK! There needs to be some serious use of HGH and education at this position. Communication sucks and blocks and check downs are missed. There is little to no CONSISTENT push. From time to time a push was seen in the running game, but never frequently enough to get the ball moving. Pass blocking was pretty rough and rarely were lanes left open or the pocket built enough for the entire progression to be used. Serious problems here, and I don't see how we win a single remaining game because of the ability, performance, heart, and suckitude of the OL as a unit.
My final point is on coaching as a whole. Clock management was better although we never got to see how the final moments with the game on the line would be handled. At the end of the first half, I would have taken a shot with a down field pass rather than a draw play. Just me, but I would have at a minimum have called a screen play.
You are welcome to comment, agree, disagree, or offer your 2 cents. The above is simply my feelings about today's game.
Pura Vida!