Very Early Football team assessment so far...

[DamnitDog]

Now, I still believe 100% in coach Mullen but so far this is my opinion of our football team (based on just 3 games in):

1. Thank God for Jamoral Graham #81 Punt Returner. He looks to be the most confident and prepared true freshman I can remember catching the punts with great hands so far. Hopefully, he can start to break some tackles and get some yardage. He's got the catching down perfectly.

2. Devon Bell is getting much better kicking the ball into the endzone on kickoffs. Against USA yesterday, I think he might have had 1 they returned but other than that, he's finally getting more consistent or at least he did yesterday.

3. No missed extra points yesterday, its about damn time. Hopefully, Mullen has this corrected for the long haul because we shouldn't have to worry about this kind of **** EVER. Extra points should be damn near automatic unless you're playing in a damn monsoon rainstorm or the damn Snow bowl game.

4. Other than Preston Smith flashes of greatness, It appears our other players on defensive line look a little over-hyped but maybe that is just me? I would have thought against cupcakes like USM, UAB and USA yesterday that Chris Jones would have more sacks. We need another 1 or 2 to step up because against SEC competition, Preston Smith will get double-teamed and hopefully the other players do not disappear after being much hyped over preseason.

5. Is it just me or (not including Preston Smith) all our defensive line players including Chris Jones look to have more FAT than muscle? Scanning around the conference, the other DLs look to be more muscular? Are we not roiding anymore? (Sarcasm). We look FAT and out of shape to me.

6. Our Secondary had too much hype over the preseason. We are getting exposed regular and often. LSU will murder us next weekend if we can't cover UAB and USA receivers. Somehow Collins need to figure this out or start blitzing more or our DL needs to get more pressure.

7. Is it just me or we look a step slow, more fat and continue to miss tackles on defense? They need to quit with the "Pscho-Defense" **** because our Secondary is playing like a Psycho-ward of lunatics right now.

8. If not for Josh Robinson, our RBs look weak, soft and slow. Again, too much over-hype in preseason. Shump and Griffin look like Conf USA players right now. We have 1 SEC quality RB in Robinson, if God forbid he goes down to injury, then we are 17ed with these back-ups...

9. Dak is Dak and looks great but I worry about his sliding, he is taking too many hits even with the cupcakes we have played.

10. WR look decent but Bear needs to stop getting Offensive Pass Interference calls, this is the second game in a row he has been called on that. Dear Dan, stop running Brandon Holloway up the middle, he's too damn small and will get slaughtered in SEC play.

End of rant, flame away...

 

[MSUDC11]

In summary, he thinks we are fat and slow pansies. And that we had too much hype, even though we aren't even ranked after three games.

 

[msstate7]

We had a terrible game against uab. Other than that game, we've given up 13 offensive points in the previous 4 games. Yeah, our defense is *****

 

[DamnitDog]

I hope I'm wrong & way off base, but it appears we're headed for 6-6 or 7-6

In summary, he thinks we are fat and slow pansies. And that we had too much hype, even though we aren't even ranked after three games.

We do have depth as was said during the offseason but I wonder if its quality depth to face the likes of LSU but we'll find out this Saturday.

 

[AssEndDawg]

2. Devon Bell is getting much better kicking the ball into the endzone on kickoffs. Against USA yesterday, I think he might have had 1 they returned but other than that, he's finally getting more consistent or at least he did yesterday.

You could have save a lot of typing and just said, "I know nothing about football!" This sentence gives you away. Bell is TRYING to kick it to the -1 or -2 yard line and has been amazing all year. A touchback gives the other team the ball at the 25, I have yet to see a team return past that point on us. We got an early lead and Dan just didn't want to deal with it so they gave him the OK for touchbacks. Bell can do that pretty much anytime he wants. It's called STRATEGY....

 

[DamnitDog]

Is it a better strategy to tell your kicker to kick it out of the back of the endzone so as to not risk a touchdown? or to risk a touchdown by kicking it to the 1 or 2 and hope your team has enough speed to pin the opponent behind the 25 yd line? We will see if this works on Saturday night in death valley against a very fast team of LSU tigers. I hope I am wrong...and you are right.

 

[RebChuck]

Have to agree with DamnitDog on the strategy

Is it a better strategy to tell your kicker to kick it out of the back of the endzone so as to not risk a touchdown? or to risk a touchdown by kicking it to the 1 or 2 and hope your team has enough speed to pin the opponent behind the 25 yd line? We will see if this works on Saturday night in death valley against a very fast team of LSU tigers. I hope I am wrong...and you are right.

Never offer an option for a touchdown. Poke in the eye or piece of cake? .......uhh.....cake please!

 

[Dawgology]

Legitimate rebuttal/redirect

I really don't think we know anything about MSU until after the LSU game this Saturday.

Mullen has been experimenting and (as usual) he takes his foot off of the gas when he has a big lead so we don't know really what MSU is capable of against a real competition. USM and USA were nothing...we showed nothing against them. UAB.. Mullen was 17'n experimenting and we were still never in any danger of losing. So, playing half-assedly we are 3-0 when 5 years ago we would have been 2-1 at this point. We can win on cruise control. That is a small step forward that is very important. Our biggest issue right now (even more than the O-line) is our secondary. I think Collins will get it worked out but....we will see come Saturday.

LSU will be the measuring stick in Red Stick.

If we get blown out by two or more TD's we will be a 6 win team this year. If we keep it REALLY close or earn a win then hold on to your pants because this **** is going to get real.

This season will determine where we are headed with Mullen. This should be a "trend up" year. If it's not then there is a problem with the skill and weapons that he has (not to mention the developing recruiting class).

***** I reserve the right to change my opinion tomorrow mroing as I have had way to much mcuh whiskey at his point...

 

[Shamoan]

i think you are confusing strategy for strategery.

 

[engie]

Is it a better strategy to tell your kicker to kick it out of the back of the endzone so as to not risk a touchdown? or to risk a touchdown by kicking it to the 1 or 2 and hope your team has enough speed to pin the opponent behind the 25 yd line? We will see if this works on Saturday night in death valley against a very fast team of LSU tigers. I hope I am wrong...and you are right.

It's strategy. We assess it on game-by-game basis depending on who the other team has deep. This topic has been literally beaten to death on here over the years. Chances are we will put it through the back of the endzone against LSU.

 

[AFDawg]

Chris Jones is fat? W. T. F.

 

[ronpolk]

Chris Jones is fat? W. T. F.

He lost me with that and the talk of lack of sacks. We had 6 yesterday alone.

We have had a weird offensive strategy and a meltdown one game on defense. However, through 3 games we have outscored teams 131 to 37. Our defense has kept 2 out of the 3 teams out of the end zone. That's not easy to do. See Bama vs USM yesterday. It seems some state fans just always look for something wrong.

I will agree with the original poster on our RB situation. Shump and griffin have done nothing to give you confidence. But Robinson looks great.

 

[J-Dawg]

Is it a better strategy to tell your kicker to kick it out of the back of the endzone so as to not risk a touchdown? or to risk a touchdown by kicking it to the 1 or 2 and hope your team has enough speed to pin the opponent behind the 25 yd line? We will see if this works on Saturday night in death valley against a very fast team of LSU tigers. I hope I am wrong...and you are right.

Bell can kick it through the endzone any time he wants to. I can promise you that. Weather conditions permitting, of course.

It is most definitely strategy.

 

[engie]

How did you make it that far? Bunch of fat, out of shape f'ers that are overrated!1!1

 

[patdog]

1. Completely agree. First time in a while we've had someone returning punts who actually looks like he belongs there. I'm enjoying not holding my breath every time the other team punts.

2. Devon Bell could kick it out of the end zone on every kickoff if he wanted to. He doesn't because the other team almost always starts inside their own 25 when he doesn't.

4. WTF? We're 2nd in the SEC in both rushing yards allowed and in sacks.

 

[121Josey]

Is it a better strategy to tell your kicker to kick it out of the back of the endzone so as to not risk a touchdown? or to risk a touchdown by kicking it to the 1 or 2 and hope your team has enough speed to pin the opponent behind the 25 yd line?

First, your a dubmass. Second, this is a false dilemma. Third, if the opponent runs out of the end zone, you have the possibility for a penalty that will take them inside the 20.

 

[121Josey]

I hope I'm wrong & way off base, but it appears we're headed for 6-6 or 7-6

No, you hope you're right. You've already conceded in your mind that this is what is going to happen. Now you need to let everyone know that you're NostraDamnitDog.

ETA: Funny how you hedged your bet by including a bowl game.

 

[Sutterkane]

Now, I still believe 100% in coach Mullen but so far this is my opinion of our football team (based on just 3 games in):

1. Thank God for Jamoral Graham #81 Punt Returner. He looks to be the most confident and prepared true freshman I can remember catching the punts with great hands so far. Hopefully, he can start to break some tackles and get some yardage. He's got the catching down perfectly.

Sure, I agree with this.

2. Devon Bell is getting much better kicking the ball into the endzone on kickoffs. Against USA yesterday, I think he might have had 1 they returned but other than that, he's finally getting more consistent or at least he did yesterday.

As others have said, he's not trying to do that every time. If he wanted to he could. After kickoffs they usually start inside the 25. Football is a game of inches and you take every inch you can for field position. Outside of FG/PAT issues, our special teams looks light years ahead of where it was even last year. We cover punts and kickoffs very well.

3. No missed extra points yesterday, its about damn time. Hopefully, Mullen has this corrected for the long haul because we shouldn't have to worry about this kind of **** EVER. Extra points should be damn near automatic unless you're playing in a damn monsoon rainstorm or the damn Snow bowl game.

Mullen hasn't missed any damn kicks. At one point we had what 4 guys that were placekickers? One them will pan out. I will probably pee my pants if we make a field goal in the next month though.

4. Other than Preston Smith flashes of greatness, It appears our other players on defensive line look a little over-hyped but maybe that is just me? I would have thought against cupcakes like USM, UAB and USA yesterday that Chris Jones would have more sacks. We need another 1 or 2 to step up because against SEC competition, Preston Smith will get double-teamed and hopefully the other players do not disappear after being much hyped over preseason.

You went full retard here. Our D-line looks great. The stats show it too. A large majority of points we've given up have had nothing to do with defensive line play. Chris Jones is double teamed EVERY SINGLE DOWN HES IN THERE. It's one of the reasons Preston Smith is having some great playmaking opportunities.

5. Is it just me or (not including Preston Smith) all our defensive line players including Chris Jones look to have more FAT than muscle? Scanning around the conference, the other DLs look to be more muscular? Are we not roiding anymore? (Sarcasm). We look FAT and out of shape to me.

It's just you. I actually recall looking at Chris Jones yesterday thinking he was the leanest 300 lb d-lineman I'd ever seen or close to it. You want fat go check out UK's fat *** d-lineman.

6. Our Secondary had too much hype over the preseason. We are getting exposed regular and often. LSU will murder us next weekend if we can't cover UAB and USA receivers. Somehow Collins need to figure this out or start blitzing more or our DL needs to get more pressure.

I've watched some of LSU this year and their passing attack isn't anything to write home about. Even playing their 2 cupcakes they're still 91st in the country in passing. LSU runs the ball and plays defense. Their defense scares me more than anything else they might have.

7. Is it just me or we look a step slow, more fat and continue to miss tackles on defense? They need to quit with the "Pscho-Defense" **** because our Secondary is playing like a Psycho-ward of lunatics right now.

Our secondary played much better Saturday than they did the week before. Our corners I think are fine, it's our safeties that I believe need work. We have the same corners as we did last year.

8. If not for Josh Robinson, our RBs look weak, soft and slow. Again, too much over-hype in preseason. Shump and Griffin look like Conf USA players right now. We have 1 SEC quality RB in Robinson, if God forbid he goes down to injury, then we are 17ed with these back-ups...

Holloway looks slow? Robinson looks great, Griffin looks good. Robinson also fumbled inside the red zone Saturday; guess that gets a pass?

9. Dak is Dak and looks great but I worry about his sliding, he is taking too many hits even with the cupcakes we have played.

Running QBs are going to take punishment no matter who they are, especially in Mullen's system. The one bad shot he took yesterday was partially his fault for not sliding earlier and probably should have been a penalty/ejection on the defender.

10. WR look decent but Bear needs to stop getting Offensive Pass Interference calls, this is the second game in a row he has been called on that. Dear Dan, stop running Brandon Holloway up the middle, he's too damn small and will get slaughtered in SEC play.

If Holloway gets slaughtered in SEC play we have plenty of backup RBs. He's not essential to our gameplan like Dak is. I know a lot will disagree with this but I like his change of pace when he's in there. Just needs to be a little more patient. He had some ok runs Saturday and looks like he's getting better.

 

[DirtyDog]

Wanted to add a note that the team seemed business-like after the win. We watched them head into the locker room and they weren't overly excited about the win. They were smiling but seemed like it was just another day at the office. I think that's a good sign. In addition, the ball coach stopped by the few fans in that corner and shook hands, high-fiving my 10 year old. He gave his visor to another kid. Nice gesture.
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[Drebin]

Is it a better strategy to tell your kicker to kick it out of the back of the endzone so as to not risk a touchdown? or to risk a touchdown by kicking it to the 1 or 2 and hope your team has enough speed to pin the opponent behind the 25 yd line? We will see if this works on Saturday night in death valley against a very fast team of LSU tigers. I hope I am wrong...and you are right.

Football is a game of field position. Never give someone the 25 yard line when you can pin them inside the 20. You're worried about giving up a TD run? ****, we could give up one on any one of 75 plays that are run over the course of the game.

Kicking it with hangtime and covering the kick is the right approach - 110% of the time.

 

[johnson86-1]

Mullen hasn't missed any damn kicks. At one point we had what 4 guys that were placekickers? One them will pan out. I will probably pee my pants if we make a field goal in the next month though.

Mullen may not have missed any kicks, but somebody is 17ing up our kickers. Surely we didn't recruit 4 ****** kickers to campus; one of them would have figured it out if left to their own devices. No SEC school should be in a situation where they can't trust their kicker to 35 yards, much less be in that situation two years in a row.

 

[AlanDawg]

Yeah lets not throw the ball on offense for fear of it being intercepted too then

 

[dawgstudent]

I disagree with this. I would take the 100% no touchdown option every time.

 

[121Josey]

Yeah, even if the TD rate is less than 1% and the boneheaded decision to bring it out of the endzone is 25%.**

There were 50 returns of 90 yards or more (100 max). The average return is 26 yards.

There are people that I wouldn't kick to and there are people that I want to kick to.

 

[engie]

Kicking it with hangtime and covering the kick is the right approach - 110% of the time.

No it isn't.

We've given up 15 returns at an average of 18.07 yards/return. While it seems to be the right approach for us "most" of the time -- it's certainly not a given.
LSU has 7 returns at 25.57 yards/return all of which were Fournette.

In this specific instance, I'd rather put it through the endzone. We're setup to stop the run. Making Jennings march them 75 yards mostly through the air seems like a better option to me than giving Fournette a chance to beat us in one electric swoop. He's going to break one at some point and I'd prefer it be after us.

 

[dawgstudent]

But you are saying it's an option depending on opponent. I would take the touchback everytime.

 

[tenureplan]

So would you punt it out of bounds every time too?

Also, we better not throw it deep because they could get a pick 6

 

[dawgstudent]

Starting at the guaranteed 25 is a whole lot different than the guaranteed 40. Someone already did the average - the avg starting field position is around the 21 yard line on our kickoff coverage. It's not worth an extra 4 yards to me.

 

[patdog]

But you are saying it's an option depending on opponent. I would take the touchback everytime.

That is just stupid. Why give an opponent the ball on the 25 when you can pin them inside the 20? engie is right. The decision whether to kick through the end zone or not depends on the opponent.

 

[dawgstudent]

About punting - If it would guarantee only a 4 yd difference - yes.

 

[AFDawg]

Chris Jones: The Kate Upton of Defensive Linemen.

 

[johnson86-1]

So would you punt it out of bounds every time too?

Also, we better not throw it deep because they could get a pick 6

Pretty much not alike at all. There are teams where we're better off kicking through the end zone and teams where we will be slightly better off kicking for the 1 with hang time. The teams with return play weak enough that we're better off kicking to the one, we almost always won't need the minor advantage. The only way I could see it (1) being a good idea to kick to the one and (2) mattering that we lengthen the field by 4 or 5 yards would be if we play an athletic team that treats special teams as unimportant, with returns mostly being handled by players that don't see the field much on offense or defense. Not sure if anybody treats special teams like that anymore.

 

[Drebin]

No it isn't.

We've given up 15 returns at an average of 18.07 yards/return. While it seems to be the right approach for us "most" of the time -- it's certainly not a given.
LSU has 7 returns at 25.57 yards/return all of which were Fournette.

In this specific instance, I'd rather put it through the endzone. We're setup to stop the run. Making Jennings march them 75 yards mostly through the air seems like a better option to me than giving Fournette a chance to beat us in one electric swoop. He's going to break one at some point and I'd prefer it be after us.

We cover kicks well. It's a strength. You don't go away from your strengths because you're scared of the other guy. Fournette may just as easily break a 75 yard run against us as return a kick for a TD.

Do what you do well. If they beat you, then you tip your cap and move on to the next play. If they return three kicks out to the 30, but only one to the 12, and we make a big play on defense with them backed up, it was worth it.