If you'd like to ignore everything you saw today that is your business. I don't need to be educated on how spring games work, it's not my first time at the rodeo. I'll leave it at this: That was awful football today. You can cart out the excuses - they don't open up the playbook? Well, how exactly can they block the other half off the playbook, they couldn't keep every play today from being a jailbreak. Bennett is hurt? Well it will be news when he isn't hurt. I honestly can not believe that someone who is even remotely objective about this program could watch that game and think that wasn't an awful performance. I'll let you get back to attacking me instead of dealing with what we saw.
Cochran was 4-15 with an interception and three sacks. The bar for looking good is awfully low when you can 'look good' while going 4-15.
It wasn't good, but I think several things contributed. First, it seems pretty clear that the coaches wanted to use this to evaluate quarterbacks more than anything else. So all 4 got significant time. It is really hard to develop an offensive rythm when tha thappens, and we didn't. It was also evaluation time for the #2 running back slot. McCoombs had a couple of nice runs in the 1st quarter on the fg drive and elsewhere, but after that it mostly other guys. Not even sure he played in the 2nd half. He ended up with 10 carries. He would carry the ball 10 times on a single drive last year. Plus they simply didn't run the ball all that much in order to watch how the passers performed. I think you saw Williams look pretty good catching the ball, actually quite good. he has really stepped it up as a reciever this year I think. Phillips looked very good. He'll give us a big time reciever I think. And th etight ends made some plays. And don't discount the defense. Bliddi and Gratz are very good. The linebackers are going to be quite good and Shamar Stephens is a beast. The only disappointment fo rme was that Mike Smith didn't catch a ball, although I chalk some of that up to his playing on the blue squad, so rather than seeing throws from Whitmer, he was getting them, from Mac and Cochran.
If you are going to punt alot it sure is nice to have a great punter, for 2 more years. We are going to have a good defense and now we have depth at LB and D-line. Our DE play should help out the pass rush of the D-tackles who all looked good today. To expect the rebuilt O-line to be finished today isn't realistic. There were quite a few snap mishandles (4 QB's?) and we played 3 guys at center so that affected play. We threw constantly and it was a mismatch at times with DE vs OT's. Nick Williams was way more involved and in tune with the offense. Pair him up with Mike Smith and Shakim Phillips and the glass is way more than half full. DeLorenzo and Osiecki looked good. Very good hands on MO. Great move getting him on the field on O rather than buried on the depth chart on D. Was impressed by Cochrans arm strength but redshirting him is a no brainer. He played pretty well for a kid who could still be in High School.
Phillips, Whitmer, Williams, Wirth, Osiecki, Stephenson are all new players that showed nicely today. Team as a whole looked better compared to last years spring game. I feel 100% better about the QB & WR position going into this year than last year. Actually the only position that concerns me is the O-line.
Good point. Its a lot to ask of a BCS program to be able to snap the ball cleanly. I imagine they didn't want any film of a clean exchange available to UMass.
I actually didn't think he looked good at all, to be honest. He looked like a the game was too fast for him at this stage. And he paniced on a couple of long throws and just sort of heaved the ball. He will improve. As to your overall assemssment, I do think you have some legitimate points and it is concerning that the offensive line looked pretty bad for long stretches. Part of that is the mix of guys. Part the nature of a spring game and part a timing thing with 4 quarterbacks rotating, and part I think was that we were trying out a bunch of running backs who also made mistakes. McCoombs is going to carry the ball more than 10 times a game come the regular season, and he did a nice job reading his blocking. Other guys not quite as much.
We had 2 guards who are now at center. Bullock and Mateas. Lots to do besides snap the ball and they should get better. Everyone thinks the QB's are the only ones making decisions out there. Watching the long snappers there may be some concern there, always a very important position that gets overlooked. One of our QB's got stepped on but most snap mishandles were in shotgun.
Given that trying to figure out our QB mess is the most important issue facing us right now (outside of a weak and shorthanded offensive line), did you expect them to do anything different?
Yep. Nfl teams fumble so no problem there. Dont know who the quarterback is so lets ignore they couldnt move the ball two inches on the ground. It was only the 15th practice. No reason to have figured out how to snap the ball yet. Im sure NCSU will allow courtesy snaps.
Love what the D did. ANd there were some bright spots on O: - McCombs had some very nice runs with the 1's. Showed great vision. He is ready to shoulder the load again. - Gus Cruz looked pretty solid against a very tough front line. I was hoping a lineman emerged, and Cruz looks like he can be that guy. - Passing to tb/fb/nick williams on short routes. Seems simple, but we could not do it last year. Negatives: - Line was a horrible except for Cruz - QB's made some terrible decisions We have to remember that 2 starters were out with injury on the line. While I am discouraged that it appears there is no quality depth, I am hopeful that the starters will be good. Only issue this year is that their is a new line coach and a new scheme (no need to rehash my views on that, only to sum it up as stupid).
If they play like they did today all season there won't be anybody posting on the board. Ive got no beef with P - he just trotted out a disaster today. He's got plenty of time to fix it, but NC State beat Louisville in their bowl- if this team isn't light years ahead of where it is right now they will get spanked. Im sorry that I'm not going to look the other way on todays performance. We have seen the steps back. Its time for the steps forward.
You have to remember, this was just a glorified practice, and the 1's weren't playing the whole game. Walk On's were playing with some of the 1s at one point. I am not as optimistic as many appear to be, but don't fret too much because of a spring game.
Sorry I ignored your question since you were responding to sarcasm. I expect to gain positive yardage on the ground. Yes that stat includes what felt like a million sacks but even Mccombs averaged 2.5 yards a carry.
Maybe just maybe and I know this is hard to believe... but maybe I understand spring game dynamics. Is there anyone who could possibly believe that the coaching staff thought today was even remotely acceptable? Wirth should have applied for the draft I guess. He's that good.
whaler11 - Bottom line is the defense is way ahead of the offense which I would think is normal for this time of the year ? Just maybe our defense is that good. Tough to judge the offense with no clear QB winner.
