What we must do to win this contest

Coach 57

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Aug 22, 2012
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After watching all of our games over the holiday break here is what I think we can do to win this game tomorrow night.




1.) We must be balanced offensively and have multple play drives that keep thier defense on the field.

Look I realize Tyler is having an amazing season as far as MSU QB standards. But in order for us to be successful in this game we MUST run the ball. Don't be suprised if early on there isn't much success. They are pretty good salty defensively and will get after Tyler when he drops back. But we must maintain balance throughout this game....PERIOD. Here's why. There is no way around the fact that we must exploit their depth at certain defensive positions and as the game wears on into the 4th the pounding and play action plays will start to catch up to them. The first thing that goes when you are fatigued is your perception and your ability to process information quickly. If you back and see HOW they have lost the last few games THIS is what has been exposed. DEPTH. Guys that were coming off the ball hard as hell early in the game have lost their pop. I think this will ultimately allow us to win this contest.

2.) Weather the storm!

When this game is kicked off no doubt they will be very pumped to hit anything wearing maroon. I'll be honest if they win the toss it will shock me if they recieve the kick. As Freeze will allow his team to set the tone of this game on kickoff coverage and then n defense. If a rival had been taunting and disrespecting my team for the last 3 yrs it's what I'd do as a coach. We MUST weather this storm as a football team and as a fan base sitting in the stands. It might even start VERY ugly for us in all honesty. I wanted this intially to be at the top of my list but I think they will burn off so much adrenaline in the first 2 qtrs it will aloow us to get back control of this contest. It wouldn't suprise me a bit if we were down scores going into halftime. They have started like this Vs. Vandy and even LSU. I say to you from fan to fan DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED! I honestly think Freeze is a good coach but he is also "OVERcoaching" his entire team. He wants his offensive snaps to be around 75 plays on avg a game. That can work IF you have the depth at certain defensive positions. He doesn't have that kind of depth especially right now. And I actually think it has cost them at least 3-4 wins this year. Especially the last 2 and even against A&M. When you total that many offensive plays againsta team that is pretty balanced you are actually hurting your defenses ability to close late in games and I think this is why he's gone for it so many times on 4th down late in these close games. As he knew his defense was gased and already thin. This is a coaching flaw that we can and MUST expose. But to do so we must wheather the storm.

3.) Play Dak on the redzone.


Okay again I think Tyler has done an excellent job this year but this team is a VERY good redzone defense. I believe they might be #2 in the SEC. Alot of that is because of speed they have outside and even on the DL. I want a heavy formation with a split back formation with 1 WR who always goes in motion for the threat of the jet sweep (probably Bump) and have Griffin to the right and Hemphill/Marcus as the other. Put in both TE's off the edge and run the read option. If we get in this position we must come away with TDs not FGs. And the only way to do that is bring in an extra person they must defend. Use our size Vs. their speed. Make no mistake about it their defense is fast!


Just some things I thought of, enjoy your leftovers today guys
 

thatsbaseball

All-American
May 29, 2007
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If our ground game with Prescott at QB causes them match-up problems I wouldn`t wait until I got to the red zone to use him.
 

doggy3

Redshirt
Aug 23, 2012
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Good analysis. I agree on all of them.

I've been to a ton of these and this one is as tough to assess as any that I have seen. One reason for me is that this MSU team is just so different than what I am used to seeing. How many times in our history have we been above average and not relied on a salty D and at least one (sometimes 2 - 3) huge RBs and/or QBs? I worry that we don't have enough toughness, especially on the defensive side of the ball, to win against a team that plays hard, fast and inspired. Changes have got to be made on that side of the ball in the off season. Period.

As much as it pains me to say, UM is the most improved team in the SEC. They play HARD! They remind me so much of our 2009 team that was a pretty damn good team but just ran out of gas at the end of games against a good schedule. I'm very, very worried that we will not slow them down which goes to your #2 point. That will put an inordinate amount of pressure on Tyler and the guys. Trying to score on the road against an inspired hard playing defense is brutal.

Which brings me to your #1 and #3 point: why not play Dak early and often to just shove it down their damn throat? I know, I know...that is too simple, but is it? I absolutely love Tyler, he's the best these eyes have seen at MSU. He definitely gets a majority of the snaps, but for balance purposes, and considering the small quick defense UM will put on the field, let's mix it up. That will keep the ball out of UM's hands, our D off of the field and work on the depth which is a MAJOR issue for UM.

I'm so damn nervous I can't sit still...
 

was21

Senior
May 29, 2007
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OM offensive strategy may be to throw the quick pass under...just as good as a run. It may be effective but may also result in some turnovers as well.
 

Coach 57

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
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Their offense is predicated off the zone read plays. It's too late in the game to go away from that now.

I think defensively this game will come down to our DEs reading blocks and not getting caught running upfield and our LBs ability to maintain gap integrity. Too many times have I seen us blitz and the LB attack the gap incorrectly or the Safety take a bad angle and get caught in a mass of humanity. I saw Eulls Vs. Arky getting caught running himself out of the play. Do that against the Bears and a 5 yd jet sweep can turn into a 40 yd Td. Once they run it and Wallace'll be the dive (as he did Vs. LSU) then they start throwing the bubble and combo screens and they are off to the races.

At the end of the day this game'll hinge on play from the LBs and DL (especially DEs).

And when Logan lines up in the slot or TE his defender MUST be physical! They have really started working him in 3rd downs. He either runs a stop, a seam or a stutter go. Alll of which are timing routes, easily defensed by being physical with him at the P.O.C (point of contact i.e first 5 yds). I'd like to see Matt Wells on him.
 

Railin Jemmye

Redshirt
Oct 29, 2012
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this is very simple........

1 - don't get beat on kickoff return.

2 - don't give up those 2 or 3 play drives where our defense looks like water. these typical happen to us right before half-time. stands to reason that stupid hail marys to moncrief are included here. just don't give up dumb big plays. wallace is no manziel, and the ole miss offensive line is not quite texas a and m caliber. we should be able to do this.

seems very simple and straightforward.
 

drt7891

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Dec 6, 2010
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I don't know how we will approach this game defensively, but we better engineer some early scoring drives. We CANNOT afford early 3 and outs because we run the ball or get away from what makes us successful (I'm referring to your point about running the ball). I think we set up the run with the pass because this ole miss D WILL BRING PRESSURE with d backs. I'm not disagreeing with You on balance, but we better produce points early on or we could be looking at being down 14 or 21 very early. once we gain confidence and a score or two, we can then balance our attack more.
 

Coach 57

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
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I'm sorry man but we are going to get down a couple of scores. The emotions of the game will allow them ti get up early. It's just going to happen. And I wished Rallyin Jimmy you were right. But it's just not that easy.
 

IBleedMaroonDawg

All-American
Nov 12, 2007
25,492
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A few simple things.

!. Keep the sticks moving on Offense. Make long drives that keep Ole Miss off the field. They do have big play potential players.

2. Second man on the tackle needs to go for the strip. They have a habit of turnovers.

3. Make Wallace throw to beat us. He makes bad decisions throwing the ball.

4. Use of offensive line in the second half to punch it down their throat. Ole Miss has played some good ball but every game their lack of depth shows up in the second half and they get gassed.
 

was21

Senior
May 29, 2007
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DP may be = or > CR.....TR has to still be in control as the man. DP understands..so does TR.
 

bolddogge

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2012
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Defense and special teams need to be ready for anything and everything - Fake punts, extra points, and field goals, halfback passes, onside kicks, the works! The bears have nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is what worries me the most.
 

drt7891

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Dec 6, 2010
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My point is if we let this game get to anything more than 14-0 early on, we will lose. If we just go out running the ball to keep it balanced and their speed forces into quick 3 and outs, they are going to Texas A&M their way into the endzone multiple times with < 3min scoring drives. I think Mullen really needs to look at that game and we need to figure out a way to at least stay in the game with an early score. OMs front 7 can't sniff A&M's or Alabama's, and I expect them to blitz a lot early on to try to disrupt Tyler.

I totally agree with you that I anticipate being down early, even as much as 10-14 points, but if we let this game get out of hand (Alabama and A&M both went up 21-0 on us early), we will emotionally shut down and we WILL lose. We cannot simply rely on our defense early on to keep us in the game. We HAVE to do it with Offense/Special Teams. Our early offensive production will be a huge key in this game, and I hope Mullen realizes that.