A game of momentum

[Carl Spackler]

Well, we had it. The momentum, from the beginning. Through about 5-7 minutes or so of the third quarter.

then we lost it, and we never came close to getting it back. We were doing it folks. All three phases were working.

Jimmy Johnson coined Michael Irvin as "the play maker". Jimmy talked endlessly about how much 'momentum' means in football, and all the little things you can do to swing it, but nothing works as well as just the ability to make plays when the opportunity is there.

But that's were the delicate balance comes in, because you need to make the play,but you have to stay in the structure of the team, and you have to play within your self and your ability.

Johnny Mac will take a lot of heat, he'll be ok with it. But wow - he is who he is - walk on QB. Not a rookie, frosh mistake, but man, truthfully, he's lucky all he lost was the ball on that run in traffic, turning his back. Wow. He's lucky he got up. Slide kid. Go to the ground. You're not a running QB.

Very delicate balance, in motivation, learning, getting the most out of yourself, in knowing when to push for that extra inch and when to make a smart move. Another way to say it, is that you've got to try to make the plays, and push yourself, but at the same time, stay within yourself and not go beyond what you should be doing for yourself, and within the team.

These guys are learning, but they're hard lessons, and they're happening in front of lots of people watching.

I will say, without a doubt, there were tens of thousands of people, watching in that stadium for a good 2 hours that were feeling the momentum, and worried. Very worried.

Best performance as a full team, all three phases, so far - for 2 1/3 quarters.

Got to get it to 4 quarters.

And lastly, I really don't like to point out names, but Tebucky Jr - please catch the damn ball. Oy vey. Hands. Hands. Hands. Need to hold on to the ball when it hits you in the hands.

Oh one more - in coverages....single coverages, .the heads were turning and they were trying to make a play on the ball - better than last week.

 

[jbdphi]

Completely agree that those first 38 minutes of the game represented a huge improvement for this team but after that it was just disastrous. Kickoffs were much better, FG kicking unit still missed one kick but at least came back to perform better, for the most part I thought the secondary played better until "the play" and what ensued. Still a huge question mark around our running game and our OL however. When we were driving and had the momentum, they weren't able to put pressure on the QB but when we had our backs to the wall and were in long yardage situation, McEntee was a sitting duck. This is not a team that can afford mistakes of any kind on offense or defense. JJL's fumble, blocking in the back penalties, sacks allowed, etc. just kill our chance to achieve much. We are not explosive (at least not in a good way).

Still, I think this was the best team we'll see all year. No more halftime "moral victories" from here onwards. If the trend is to continue, we need to play more consistently against USF in our house. Given what Pitt did to them last week, I'm sure they'll be itching to get out there and hit somebody

 

[Carl Spackler]

Deleone, at some point, in a press statement said that this team needs to play perfect. The guy knows football.

I was there. The people in the stands, and those players on the field wearing the dark colors were nervous. We had control.

I don't know if there can be a more clear example of what it means to make a play.

In 99% of cases, the play to be made, is a play that doesn't show up on highlight films.

I also can't think of a game, where the shift in energy was so dramatic and so hard to reverse.

There was a play in there where the ball came loose from the WVU QB, but we didn't recover, and I haven't seen the game yet on film, but I swear that there were at least three or four passes that were caught and then we dislodged the ball from the player, but were called incomplete? Dont' know...people watching?

Anyway - every unit on this team, they all played well. They all played to their potentials, and we were right there.

It's SO SO difficult to get that momentum back though, especially on the road.

Play makers. got to make the plays.