Take aways from the game itself…

[L4Dawg]

and not the atmosphere:
1) We are definitely better in virtually every phase of the game than last year. How much better remains to be seen.
2) We are going to miss Whitson. We missed him as soon as he went down.
3) It’s hard to really judge the defensive backfield, ASU’s QB couldn’t hit a bull in the butt with a base fiddle.
4) We didn’t get a whole lot of pressure on the QB
5) If we can keep Shapen healthy he is going to put up some good numbers
6) We are still a bit soft up front on both sides of the ball, but vastly improved from last year.
7) Our offense really did‘t do much outside the three big plays. That is concerning. It’s still very nice to see explosive plays again.
8) We should (it’s not a given, NIU will be a bit of a tough game) be 4-0 going into the UT game. That’s way better than I thought so I’m very pleased. It’s fun to be wrong when you are in pessimist mode.
9) One more on the crowd……we bet get the cowbell disciple back Into shape or they will be banned again.
10) There are lots of reasons for optimism, but don’t get carried away yet.

 

[patdog]

Concerned about both OL & DL (especially without Whitson). But skill positions both offensive & defensive secondary look to be really good. Top half SEC good. Home schedule is brutal in the SEC. But a lot of the road games look winnable. Just wish they weren’t on the road. And for the first time since Mike Leach passed, I have hope for the Egg Bowl.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

#2, #3, #10.

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

Our D-Line needs to be running twists and stunts frequently. Our individual talent isn't good enough to depend on bull rushes and swim moves to get through the line. Need to mix up linebacker, safety and corner blitzes too.

 

[leeinator]

Of all the SEC games we play, I felt all along that Ole Miss may be our best bet to put a win in the SEC column. Next, might be at Mizzou. And then if the ball bounces right again.....@ home vs UT. Arkansas has me puzzled. Not sure what to think about them. But being @ Fayetteville of course will not be easy.

 

[OopsICroomedmypants]

Of all the SEC games we play, I felt all along that Ole Miss may be our best bet to put a win in the SEC column. Next, might be at Mizzou. And then if the ball bounces right again.....@ home vs UT. Arkansas has me puzzled. Not sure what to think about them. But being @ Fayetteville of course will not be easy.

I see Missouri as a really tough game. Their offense is impressive.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Of all the SEC games we play, I felt all along that Ole Miss may be our best bet to put a win in the SEC column. Next, might be at Mizzou. And then if the ball bounces right again.....@ home vs UT. Arkansas has me puzzled. Not sure what to think about them. But being @ Fayetteville of course will not be easy.

Likeliest to least likely
1. at Arkansas
2. at Florida
3. Ole Miss
4. Tennessee
5. at Texas A&M
6. at Missouri
7. Georgia
8. Texas

Arkansas has to be the most likely at this point but let me see them against a real team this weekend and maybe I change my mind
2-3-4 is sort of a group in any order; I'm already thinking it should be Ole Miss, at Florida, Tennessee; OM and Tennessee are good but at home
5-6 is a group, both tough road games
7-8 is a group, both playoff likely teams

 

[DAWGSANDSAINTS]

Likeliest to least likely
1. at Arkansas
2. at Florida
3. Ole Miss
4. Tennessee
5. at Texas A&M
6. at Missouri
7. Georgia
8. Texas

Arkansas has to be the most likely at this point but let me see them against a real team this weekend and maybe I change my mind
2-3-4 is sort of a group in any order; I'm already thinking it should be Ole Miss, at Florida, Tennessee; OM and Tennessee are good but at home
5-6 is a group, both tough road games
7-8 is a group, both playoff likely teams

I’d swap 3 and 4 and 7 and 8.
Still I think winning two of these will be tough.
Especially considering the news we got about a OL and DL being out.

 

[patdog]

Likeliest to least likely
1. at Arkansas
2. at Florida
3. Ole Miss
4. Tennessee
5. at Texas A&M
6. at Missouri
7. Georgia
8. Texas

Arkansas has to be the most likely at this point but let me see them against a real team this weekend and maybe I change my mind
2-3-4 is sort of a group in any order; I'm already thinking it should be Ole Miss, at Florida, Tennessee; OM and Tennessee are good but at home
5-6 is a group, both tough road games
7-8 is a group, both playoff likely teams

I think Arkansas is better than people are giving them credit for. I'd rank it more like:

1. at Florida
2. Ole Miss
3. at Arkansas
4. at Missouri
5. Tennessee
6. at Texas A&M
7. Georgia
8. Texas

Think Tennessee losing Imaleava was addition by subtraction.

 

[RiceDawg]

ASU has one of the better offensive lines that we will face all year

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

Concerning #9, the crowd had cowbell discipline. They followed the rules for that game. I sure don't think it gives any foresight to how the crowd will be when the rules are different.

With that said, was the crowd made aware of this storming the field rule before the game?

 

[DawgatAuburn]

I think Arkansas is better than people are giving them credit for.

Could be the case, but very difficult to know much about them given their two opponents were a SWAC team and a bottom half Sun Belt team.

 

[patdog]

ASU has one of the better offensive lines that we will face all year

They're good, no doubt. But I suspect UGA, TX, Tenn, and A&M will all be as good or better. And Florida will be too from a talent standpoint, but not from a production standpoint.

 

[patdog]

Could be the case, but very difficult to know much about them given their two opponents were a SWAC team and a bottom half Sun Belt team.

Yeah. I thought they'd be better before the season started. So far, nothing to prove or disprove that. Their schedule starts Saturday. Woooo Pig!

 

[DoggieDaddy13]

Who we play at home is going to matter. We will get a win against either Tenn or OM. We may get them both.

I don't think the D is going to ever get consistent this year in stopping the running game. So they will have to create turnovers.

Strip that pig out a few times a game and we might get to the 8-4 mark I predicted last month.

Go Dawgs!

 

[Seinfeld]

Good write up, and I’d like to comment on three things

1) Total defense is unquestionably better, but while our passing D has improved, our rushing D is pretty abysmal. It has to be better

2) Our all world, CFP caliber stable of RBs is 13th in the SEC and a lot closer to last place than the middle of the conference. It’s also got to be better

3) Agree with your concern over lack of QB pressure, and maybe I’m giving our coaches too much credit here. However, we’ve played two speedster QBs in a row, and you’ve got to be really careful about getting after those guys. Sometimes containment and forcing them to pass is a better option

 

[Darryl Steight]

Good write up, and I’d like to comment on three things

1) Total defense is unquestionably better, but while our passing D has improved, our rushing D is pretty abysmal. It has to be better

2) Our all world, CFP caliber stable of RBs is 13th in the SEC and a lot closer to last place than the middle of the conference. It’s also got to be better

3) Agree with your concern over lack of QB pressure, and maybe I’m giving our coaches too much credit here. However, we’ve played two speedster QBs in a row, and you’ve got to be really careful about getting after those guys. Sometimes containment and forcing them to pass is a better option

I agree with 1 & 3 here, but 2... I'm not sure I would put the blame on our RBs. They have had to make lemonade out of lemons a lot, thus far.

 

[L4Dawg]

Concerning #9, the crowd had cowbell discipline. They followed the rules for that game. I sure don't think it gives any foresight to how the crowd will be when the rules are different.

With that said, was the crowd made aware of this storming the field rule before the game?

The crowd very much did NOT follow the rules, at least in the sections around me. They did at first, but it went by the wayside real quick.

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

and not the atmosphere:
1) We are definitely better in virtually every phase of the game than last year. How much better remains to be seen.
2) We are going to miss Whitson. We missed him as soon as he went down.
3) It’s hard to really judge the defensive backfield, ASU’s QB couldn’t hit a bull in the butt with a base fiddle.
4) We didn’t get a whole lot of pressure on the QB
5) If we can keep Shapen healthy he is going to put up some good numbers
6) We are still a bit soft up front on both sides of the ball, but vastly improved from last year.
7) Our offense really did‘t do much outside the three big plays. That is concerning. It’s still very nice to see explosive plays again.
8) We should (it’s not a given, NIU will be a bit of a tough game) be 4-0 going into the UT game. That’s way better than I thought so I’m very pleased. It’s fun to be wrong when you are in pessimist mode.
9) One more on the crowd……we bet get the cowbell disciple back Into shape or they will be banned again.
10) There are lots of reasons for optimism, but don’t get carried away yet.

I agree with what you posted, but especially with #9. If, and it’s a BIG IF, we upset Tennessee or Northern Miss they will lead a cowbell ban crusade. (I would include TU and UGA in there but lets be real.) This is especially true if the loss costs them and the Conference a CFB Playoff spot. I have a Northern Miss sidewalk alum friend that is in a group chat. Let’s call him “Danny.” He was complaining about cowbells need banning in the chat group early and often during our game Saturday night. At then end of the game, Danny said “giving that many drunk rednecks a weapon is not smart,” which is strange statement considering he is the quintessential “drunk redneck.”

 

[Seinfeld]

I agree with 1 & 3 here, but 2... I'm not sure I would put the blame on our RBs. They have had to make lemonade out of lemons a lot, thus far.

Fully agree, and I didn't mean to put the blame solely on the RBs. Playcalling and run blocking at least appear to be part of the problem too.

Either way, though, our rushing attack has to get better

 

[NWADog]

The OL will be fine. It took us about 5-6 games last season to gel and we started running the ball with much better success with a less talented line. Hopefully by the Tennessee game we have things figured out up front like we did last year and can open the run game up a lot more for some big seasons for Booth and Fluff

 

[Darryl Steight]

The crowd very much did NOT follow the rules, at least in the sections around me. They did at first, but it went by the wayside real quick.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

The crowd very much did NOT follow the rules, at least in the sections around me. They did at first, but it went by the wayside real quick.

I thought Non-SEC games you can ring as much as you want. I would think if it was against the rules the refs would have been throwing flags. If that is not the case,

 

[tired]

#3) "It’s hard to really judge the defensive backfield"

S. Leavitt
10/22 82yds 1 td 2 int

J. Tyson
6 rec 68 yds 11.3. 1 td

 

[L4Dawg]

I thought Non-SEC games you can ring as much as you want. I would think if it was against the rules the refs would have been throwing flags. If that is not the case,

Maybe so, but I think it still applies. The field storming rule is a SEC rule too.

 

[patdog]

One takeaway is this was the anti-Jackie Sherrill game. He preached that you have to be able to run the ball and stop the run to win. One team did those things. And lost.

 

[atomic dawg]

I thought Non-SEC games you can ring as much as you want. I would think if it was against the rules the refs would have been throwing flags. If that is not the case,

That is still the case for non conference games concerning cowbells. We can ring all we want in those. I think most people know once its a conference game youll have to ring responsibly. Typically our non conference games arent as big as this one, so it hasnt been an issue in recent years, but the powers that be may want to make another "ring responsibly" ad like they used to run during the Mullen years just so everyone gets a refresher.

 

[TheBannerM]

I disagree with #4. We got pressure on Leavitt with three rushers, but he's a pretty good scrambler, so we always had a spy on him. Hutzler was determined not to let him get loose. Also, compare completion percentage this year by opposing QBs compared to last season. Part of that is because Leavitt and Braxton weren't comfortable to scan the field, going through their progressions. Last year it seemed like every QB we faced had a career day completion percentage wise.

 

[QuadrupleOption]

One takeaway is this was the anti-Jackie Sherrill game. He preached that you have to be able to run the ball and stop the run to win. One team did those things. And lost.

That was a different era of football, and was precisely why spread offenses took over the college game.

Now the mantra is to take away the offenses best option (running or throwing) and make them beat you with the one they aren't as good at. Still tough but more doable. With running QBs you make them uncomfortable in throwing and contain them so they can't beat you with their legs.

 

[MSUDOG24]

That is still the case for non conference games concerning cowbells. We can ring all we want in those. I think most people know once its a conference game youll have to ring responsibly. Typically our non conference games arent as big as this one, so it hasnt been an issue in recent years, but the powers that be may want to make another "ring responsibly" ad like they used to run during the Mullen years just so everyone gets a refresher.

Agree. I think the stopping over the ball and immediate restart at the snap actually adds to the effect. Going from "cowbell drone" to regular drone and an explosion of cowbells back is pretty cool.
Seems I remember the 14 Auburn game where as high as the stakes were, the cut off and restart were pretty crisp and impressive getting 60,000 to do that.

 

[kired]

My one complaint about Shapen - when he finally moves, it’s like he flips a switch into run mode. There’s no attempt to buy time and look for a wr. He’s not going to hurt anyone but himself by trying to tuck it & run

 

[patdog]

That was a different era of football, and was precisely why spread offenses took over the college game.

Now the mantra is to take away the offenses best option (running or throwing) and make them beat you with the one they aren't as good at. Still tough but more doable. With running QBs you make them uncomfortable in throwing and contain them so they can't beat you with their legs.

True. But still even today if you can run the ball & stop the run you’ll usually win. But not to the extent it once was. We dominated both sides in the passing game. I thought we gave up on the run game a little too easily, but that may have been because Lebby saw what an advantage we had with our WR vs their DB.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

That is still the case for non conference games concerning cowbells. We can ring all we want in those. I think most people know once its a conference game youll have to ring responsibly. Typically our non conference games arent as big as this one, so it hasnt been an issue in recent years, but the powers that be may want to make another "ring responsibly" ad like they used to run during the Mullen years just so everyone gets a refresher.

So Great. Like I said, they followed the rules for that game.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

My one complaint about Shapen - when he finally moves, it’s like he flips a switch into run mode. There’s no attempt to buy time and look for a wr. He’s not going to hurt anyone but himself by trying to tuck it & run

I think part of that is from what we have seen so far with the Lebby offense the QB is like a TV actor that must stand on his mark. I have never seen QBs be such statues as MSU QBs have been since Lebby. So when you get off that mark you better run.