What all went wrong this year - other than bad coaching

[Irondawg]

Putting the bad coaching aside, what has happened this year to keep us from making the couple of plays that would overcome our coaching and allow us to be 6-3 instead of 3-6. Here's my list in no particular order: [list type=decimal] [*]The loss of Mike Brown, Anthony Johnson, Jamon Hughes and Jamar Chaney. MSU does not have the talent depth of the top programs and when you lose 3 of your top 10 players by Game 2, it takes a toll. Add in Robert Elliott as well. [*]Special teams play. Every year it seems that most teams win or lose about 3 games b/c of their punter/placekicker. These positions become even more important when you're a team like MSU that plays a lot of close game b/c you don't have the talent to blow anyone out. We simply haven't been good on special teams in most every game this year and not having a placekicker worth anything is a lot on Croom's b/c Carlson has never shown us anything that would make you think he was ever going to be anything more than mediocre. [*]QB instability again. While I don't think anyone expected Wes to be all SEC - most expected him to be decent. A guy that had a habit for turning in a big drive when it was needed and seemed to have the kind of moxie other guys rally around. But he was bad for the most part when he played this year. Tyson has been decent, but he's not a downfield threat. [*]Offensive Line problems. We simply haven't run-blocked well all year and our pass protection on the right side has been an issue. Most of this is due to Brown's depature. Hard to blame Quentin S. as he's just a RS freshman who didn't even practice at tackle last year. He's simply not ready. I really thought Freeman would have been the most ready to handle this but I guess not. To win, MSU has to be able to run the football and the lanes simply haven't been there most of the year. This is most obvious on all the 4th and 1's where we can't get a yard when we need it. [*]Where are you Derek Pegues and Anthony Dixon? Supposedly our best players on offense and defense, they haven't lived up to the hype this year. It's apparent that while Dixon has athletic ability and good size and speed, his vision and quick decision making skills simply aren't there, meaning he's at best an average RB in college football. Pegues let the team down with his first game suspension and has done a poor job in coverage most of the year. [*]Complete lack of defensive pass rush. We simply couldn't replace Titus and have been unable to get any kind of pass rush on the QB which has put a lot of pressure on our coverage unit. Bailey has been ok, but there has been a real lack of big plays from this position not only in the passing game, but the run-game as well. [/list]

What else do you guys want to add?

Maybe later in the week we can look at some things that went right that provide some sliver of hope for future.</p>

</p>

 

[Irondawg]

Putting the bad coaching aside, what has happened this year to keep us from making the couple of plays that would overcome our coaching and allow us to be 6-3 instead of 3-6. Here's my list in no particular order: [list type=decimal] [*]The loss of Mike Brown, Anthony Johnson, Jamon Hughes and Jamar Chaney. MSU does not have the talent depth of the top programs and when you lose 3 of your top 10 players by Game 2, it takes a toll. Add in Robert Elliott as well. [*]Special teams play. Every year it seems that most teams win or lose about 3 games b/c of their punter/placekicker. These positions become even more important when you're a team like MSU that plays a lot of close game b/c you don't have the talent to blow anyone out. We simply haven't been good on special teams in most every game this year and not having a placekicker worth anything is a lot on Croom's b/c Carlson has never shown us anything that would make you think he was ever going to be anything more than mediocre. [*]QB instability again. While I don't think anyone expected Wes to be all SEC - most expected him to be decent. A guy that had a habit for turning in a big drive when it was needed and seemed to have the kind of moxie other guys rally around. But he was bad for the most part when he played this year. Tyson has been decent, but he's not a downfield threat. [*]Offensive Line problems. We simply haven't run-blocked well all year and our pass protection on the right side has been an issue. Most of this is due to Brown's depature. Hard to blame Quentin S. as he's just a RS freshman who didn't even practice at tackle last year. He's simply not ready. I really thought Freeman would have been the most ready to handle this but I guess not. To win, MSU has to be able to run the football and the lanes simply haven't been there most of the year. This is most obvious on all the 4th and 1's where we can't get a yard when we need it. [*]Where are you Derek Pegues and Anthony Dixon? Supposedly our best players on offense and defense, they haven't lived up to the hype this year. It's apparent that while Dixon has athletic ability and good size and speed, his vision and quick decision making skills simply aren't there, meaning he's at best an average RB in college football. Pegues let the team down with his first game suspension and has done a poor job in coverage most of the year. [*]Complete lack of defensive pass rush. We simply couldn't replace Titus and have been unable to get any kind of pass rush on the QB which has put a lot of pressure on our coverage unit. Bailey has been ok, but there has been a real lack of big plays from this position not only in the passing game, but the run-game as well. [/list]

What else do you guys want to add?

Maybe later in the week we can look at some things that went right that provide some sliver of hope for future.</p>

</p>

 

[rugbdawg]

I'm not confident that we are going to fire the fat man. Damn you Blue Raiders and Chris Nickson!

 

[TR.sixpack]

A lot of this is the fault of a QB who can't hit a WR in stride, but our YAC has been awful all year long. But what do you expect when you've got a walkon throwing to a walkon.

 

[fwsultan]

a lot of people thought that we were better than we really were coming into the year. People were looking at last year and honestly we were not very good last year, just got some huge breaks. Without an interception(bama), Orgeron(4th down call), 5 turnovers(Auburn), and our spot on UK's scheduel(we were either before, between, or after LSU and Florida); we go 3-9 last year. For 5 years this has been a poorly coached and poorly prepared team week in and week out.

 

[DovaDawg]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I know that this is an apples to oranges kind of comparison, but yesterday when I was watching the Titans game, the announcers kept talking about how Tennessee did the little things that made them that much more effective. The TE was lined up on the outside on a run play. He saw the defense and shifted his position so that he would have a better angle on the block. Was not required of him, but he understood what was going on in front of him. This has always been one of my gripes under Croom is that we seem to lack fundamentals. It seems like good players come to State and regress under Croom. Big programs like LSU and Florida turn out pro players because they are smarter players. How many kids has State put in the pros over the last few years that have turned out to be solid players, but never really developed under Croom.</p>

 

[Agentdog]

La Tech: If we have Pegeus returning punts.....we probably squeak by. Didn't we give them an easy TD with a fumbled punt? Also, Smith didn't field one punt he could have and it pinned us deep. Leading to their TD just before half time. Lee screwed up on that series also. He slides short of the marker when he could have possibly made it. Also, Crxxm's game plan to play a finesse football game vs a WAC team. Wrong, wrong. We should have rode Dixon that night then came out throwing vs. AU.

AU: It has been talked about over and over. The 4th down go late in the game. Wrong decision again. Also, stupid running the ball on that play. Everyone knew that is what we would do. Why not fake the give and roll out Carrol with the option to run or toss to the TE? Sprint (direction) option is what the 49ers called the play. Regardless of all that, McRae makes the play at the end. We have a chance to kick the FG for the win.

UK: Don't know as I only listened to the 2nd half. But what can you say.....our special teams cost us. Poor special teams, typical Crxxm team. However, on the last two series, I would have ran something underneath on 3rd and long to set up a much more makable 4th down. You knew the game was on the line at that point. You know you will use all 4 downs. I know we punted on the next to last series though.

All that to say we are/were only 3-4 plays away from 6 wins. However, that is baseball football because there is alot of teams that could say that. You sum it nicely though. Bottom line, we do not have the horses. That is not something that went wrong this year. That is the bed Crxxm made a few years ago. Dixon isn't a speedster. However, he would have better numbers if he did not run behind the worst OL in the history of MSU football. Especially on the right side.

 

[cowbell9]

...to me, that is where it all weant wrong. Win that one and we could still make a bowl.

 

[coursesuper]

and an inflexible attitude about everything that goes on around this cluter17 of a program.

 

[josebrown]

As in none, at least that is what I have heard...18 plays, 10 plays...

 

[rugbdawg]

Without McRrae and Lee, the two players that you are bashing, we would probably be 1 and 8 right now. Croom is so Rule 17ing lucky that both of them decided to walk on. McRrae is the best receiver we have ever had under Croom. He is our best offensive threat. Lee is the best QB we have ever had under Croom. Believe it or not, he is our second best offensive threat because our offensive line is such a joke.

Bash Henig, Carroll, Relf, Co-******, Bell, Bailey, and O'Neal Wilder. These are all the crappy players that Croom recruited.

However, DO NOT bash the walkons that are now the centerpiece of our offensive attack. And, at the same time, DO NOT give Croom credit for "star players." They just plopped down in his fat ***, whisker infested, lap.

 

[Indndawg]

[No message]

 

[TR.sixpack]

However, he's not a playmaker. He's a reliable possession receiver who knows how to get open. HOWEVER, he should be complimented by deep threats who can stretch the field. No one is scared of McCrae getting behind them. He's not even in the top 100 in receiving yards and he's #73 in receptions/game.

The fact our best WR is a walkon is proof we have no playmakers.

Lee is the best QB we have ever had under Croom

So? He's mediocre at best.

 

[josebrown]

Honestly, in mind the D has not scored for us like last year, I think next year we see a much larger impact from no EJ on that side of the ball. With the losses from this years D we will see if Coach Cheese can earn his money if the unthinkable happens and crxxms is retained. I am sure it is likely to happen just unthinkable in my mind that crxxms should be allowed to continue the probationary period we furthered upon ourselves from hiring him.

 

[Liverdawg]

Tyson has been decent, but he's not a downfield threat.

It's hard to be a downfield threat when you have to juke three dl's just to make a five yard pass. Our O-line is a joke. And Lee has had a couple of dropped balls that were right on time (Ducre@LSU). Lee hasn't been a world-beater, but he isn't the problem. Our Wr's arent the problem either. There are really only two problems that are significant enough to keep us out of a bowl with our joke of a schedule. Terrible O-line and Terrible Special Teams. Both of which can be blamed on our Terrible Head Coach.

 

[muddawgs33]

so I doubt having Johnson here would have made a difference.

 

[Eureka Dog]

The only things I'd add or highlight are a drop-off in leadership among the players, the commitment to all-out effort on every single play despite the score, and (as someone else noted), the ability to do the little things that often aren't noticed by the casual fan, but which change the outcomes of plays.</p>

 

[mooseknuckle2]

</p>

 

[Todd4State]

This team does not know how to handle success- from the coaches on down. Instead of working harder and busting their ***, they busted caps.

Throw in a trap game with La Tech where we totally overlooked them, and then Croom flat out panicked, and **** meet fan.

But I agree with your other six points.

 

[ShrubDog]

And get stopped.

 

[lawdawg02]

we often run offtackle or a counter, which doesn't work either. against auburn, we tried play action of 4th down (failed).

we did roll lee out on 4th and short against UK. he hit mcrae on an out for the first down. of course, we were 0-3 on other 4th downs in the game. we just suck at 4th downs (and offense in general).

 

[Irondawg]

does anyone know what we are on 4th downs for the season?

 

[lawdawg02]

8-8 against us. talk about a key stat discrepancy. i hope everyone notices this stat.

we are actully better percentage wise than our opponents on 3rd downs. we're 48/135 (36%), opponents are 40/126 (32%). of course, 36% is still pretty pathetic.

 

[LR1400]

Yous speak the truth. Tyson and Brandon are the best we got. Embrace them. I bet our true best lineman and running back are walk-on's too

rugbdawg wrote: _________________________________________________ Without McRrae and Lee, the two players that you are bashing, we would probably be 1 and 8 right now. Croom is so Rule 17ing lucky that both of them decided to walk on. McRrae is the best receiver we have ever had under Croom. He is our best offensive threat. Lee is the best QB we have ever had under Croom. Believe it or not, he is our second best offensive threat because our offensive line is such a joke.

Bash Henig, Carroll, Relf, Co-******, Bell, Bailey, and O'Neal Wilder. These are all the crappy players that Croom recruited.

However, DO NOT bash the walkons that are now the centerpiece of our offensive attack. And, at the same time, DO NOT give Croom credit for "star players." They just plopped down in his fat ***, whisker infested, lap.

 

[SLUdog]

we could (should?) have beaten La Tech (should), Aub (could), UK (could) and be 6-3 right now. We might have ended 6-6 but coaching ultimately doomed us. If we had no major injuries and a decent oline a good coach could have won 8-9 games with this schedule.

 

[patdog]

As mediocre as our talent level is, there's absolutely no excuse for this team not to be 6-3 right now. None.</p>

 

[grayghost.sixpack]

I think on the positive side, is that Louis Campbell (linebackers coach) has done a great job. On the other end is the deep threat. We were suppose to have that this year and it is non-existent.

 

[OEMDawg]

Without McRrae and Lee, the two players that you are bashing, we would probably be 1 and 8 right now. Croom is so Rule 17ing lucky that both of them decided to walk on. McRrae is the best receiver we have ever had under Croom. He is our best offensive threat. Lee is the best QB we have ever had under Croom. Believe it or not, he is our second best offensive threat because our offensive line is such a joke.

Bash Henig, Carroll, Relf, Co-******, Bell, Bailey, and O'Neal Wilder. These are all the crappy players that Croom recruited.

However, DO NOT bash the walkons that are now the centerpiece of our offensive attack. And, at the same time, DO NOT give Croom credit for "star players." They just plopped down in his fat ***, whisker infested, lap.

Calling McRae the best WR under Crooms is like betting on the top athlete at the special olympics. He's a good WR, but dinking and dunking 5 yards down the field will get you a 2-6 record against FBS opponents.

 

[Duggar Hall Desk]

To me, our offense isn't really all that much better or worse than last year. Last season, we got a decent number of defensive scores, which went a long way to obscuring an inept offense. This year, the lack of defensive scores makes the anemic offense a glaring weakness. I'm not blaming the defense, though - they've done an admirable job considering how much time they have to spend on the field.

 

[peepee]

Is he still on the team? My goodness, we never hear anything about him. He told me last year on a Wednesday morning at an elementary school function that he was planning on scoring against Arkansas the coming weekend and then he didn't even catch a pass. Poor kid just never could adjust to the speed of SEC football. Reminds me of 1986 Parade Player of the Year for Mississippi - Anthony Thames from Louisville High School , that was supposed to be the next Mardye McDole and he never hit the field except special teams. Mike Justice his high school caoch at the time said he would definately be playing on Sundays. Hmmm, I remember Justice also saying the same thing about offensive lineman Lee Brown. Some guys just don't develop.

 

[BlindDawg]

In Co-Eric's defense, how many times has he been targeted this year? 10, maybe? It seems like Lee looks his way about once a game. I'd say no one knows how good or bad he is or could be cause he has been so poorly utilized by this coaching staff.

 

[skip dog]

it just does, everything you listed comes back to coaching,

 

[bulldogbaja]

To me, that's been almost as detremental as our horrible offense.

 

[rugbdawg]

manhandled every play is clearly the main reason why we suck offensively. Well maybe the second reason...we do have Croom.

 

[thatsbaseball]

enough to beat LaTech in 08 by just showing up. Everything basically went to **** from there.</p>

 

[jakldawg]

The special teams are an abomination, and have bit us square in the *** on many occasions. The previously mentioned lack of pick-6'es is sure not helping.

 

[FlabLoser]

[No message]

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Like I note after the Tech game... "the Offensive Line" ,...other than coaching, is our problem...
With a better performance there, we run better, protect the QB, and we're in a bowl.