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Well, that was pretty clearly our best 60 minutes of the year. But does anyone really have a reason to think that we don't have a better game in our system than that one? If we play exactly like we did against Cincy but: (I) we actually go plus 1 or plus 2 in turnover margin, which has to happen eventually; (ii) we actually score first (o.k., that doesn't have to happen eventually but one can dream); (iii) Arkeel, now ready to have a second half of a season, doesn't get himself suspended for 15 minutes; and (iv) Shirreffs plays well for a whole game, and not just a half, we're going to be at another level. Flaws and all. I don't expect us to go 5-1 the rest of the way. I don't expect us to be able to contain USF's offense and I don't think we're good or consistent enough to run off 5 straight then. But 4-2 is absolutely possible, and less than 3-3 will be very disappointing. What happened this week? I don't think it was as much coaching improvement as some wrote. Just as one example, if you didn't know we were running Thomas on a jet sweep on the first play from that formation, you don't watch us enough. But we played better. The OL, with Hopkins back at LG, clearly had its best game of the year, both running and pass protecting. CAn we keep doing that? Can we be better? Arkeel looked like last year's Arkeel. And we moved the ball. On D, it was unthinkable coming off last year that Jamar Summers would be moved from corner, but between him being burned two straight games and Watkins just not looking up to the weak side safety spot, we move Jamar over, start John Green after 4 and 1/2 years on the bench and the defense clicks. Everyone, coaches and players contributes, and it's hard not to be more optimistic moving forward. Except for the crowd. For that part of the season, with a team struggling but competitive and a decent opponent, that was pitiful.
On offense, shout out to Thompson, the walk-on from Shelton, who got to start and get a carry early on, and looked o.k. With the ball in his hands. That is not only a thrill for him, but allowed us to not burn a redshirt. Shout out to Beals, who I never figured would play so little the last year plus after his start against Army and Nova last year. has only gotten a few snaps a game and few targets this year. But he has a chance to make a play to get us back in the game, he makes it, and we're back in a game with momentum swung. Shout out to Ron Johnson, who easily could have sulked when Thompson started over him with Arkeel being suspended for the start of the game, but instead was much better in pass protection and did his job on his four carries. Shout out to Arkeel, who gave us what we needed from him. And from Shirreffs, who shook off a very poor first half and was tremendous on all levels in the second. And shout out to the OL, that had the best game as a unit it's had in a very, very, very long time. I give the coaches credit for helping the team get better, but I don't think it was play calling that was the difference. We scored because people made plays on two long TDs. We still were 0-2 in the red zone, and fought with some of the clock management issues at the end of the game (like not running the clock all the way down on the drive when we pushed the lead to 11). It isn't all play calling when we lose, and it's not all play calling when we win.
On defense, I thought Diggs was just terrific. John Green didn't look great, but he did his job pretty consistently, and credit to the young man to finally get his number called so late in his career but to be ready. Kudos to Cole Ormsby, who I think was as good as I've seen him. And Kudos to Levenberry, who I think played the whole second half when Joseph got hurt in the first. Joseph is clearly our leader on D, and hits like a truck, but Levenberry is without doubt faster and I thought played his best game as a Husky. The run defense was so spectacular that it's not even clear what you can say about it, but it will be interesting to see if they can dominate USF at the line of scrimmage like that. And, while we had to blitz more to do it, we got to the QB consistently, and hit him a lot, and it showed.
Specials was solid against. You have to like Bobby Puyol's attitude. After missing the 52 yarder in the first half, which I thought was out of his range, I saw him drill at least 3 of them in a row warming up from the spot before the 2d half. And muttering to himself that he couldn't believe he missed it during the game. Coverages were very good. Lemelle looks much more comfortable catching the punts.
So that's it. This will be tough Saturday night, but it will be the one game against a team truly better than us remaining. For all Diaco's warts -- and there are many -- this team is getting better, and I really hope to see continued improvement over the second half of the season. Not for in game management to be better, but I'll trade better OL play for that every day. And hopefully, more folks will get their butts in the seat for homecoming.l
On offense, shout out to Thompson, the walk-on from Shelton, who got to start and get a carry early on, and looked o.k. With the ball in his hands. That is not only a thrill for him, but allowed us to not burn a redshirt. Shout out to Beals, who I never figured would play so little the last year plus after his start against Army and Nova last year. has only gotten a few snaps a game and few targets this year. But he has a chance to make a play to get us back in the game, he makes it, and we're back in a game with momentum swung. Shout out to Ron Johnson, who easily could have sulked when Thompson started over him with Arkeel being suspended for the start of the game, but instead was much better in pass protection and did his job on his four carries. Shout out to Arkeel, who gave us what we needed from him. And from Shirreffs, who shook off a very poor first half and was tremendous on all levels in the second. And shout out to the OL, that had the best game as a unit it's had in a very, very, very long time. I give the coaches credit for helping the team get better, but I don't think it was play calling that was the difference. We scored because people made plays on two long TDs. We still were 0-2 in the red zone, and fought with some of the clock management issues at the end of the game (like not running the clock all the way down on the drive when we pushed the lead to 11). It isn't all play calling when we lose, and it's not all play calling when we win.
On defense, I thought Diggs was just terrific. John Green didn't look great, but he did his job pretty consistently, and credit to the young man to finally get his number called so late in his career but to be ready. Kudos to Cole Ormsby, who I think was as good as I've seen him. And Kudos to Levenberry, who I think played the whole second half when Joseph got hurt in the first. Joseph is clearly our leader on D, and hits like a truck, but Levenberry is without doubt faster and I thought played his best game as a Husky. The run defense was so spectacular that it's not even clear what you can say about it, but it will be interesting to see if they can dominate USF at the line of scrimmage like that. And, while we had to blitz more to do it, we got to the QB consistently, and hit him a lot, and it showed.
Specials was solid against. You have to like Bobby Puyol's attitude. After missing the 52 yarder in the first half, which I thought was out of his range, I saw him drill at least 3 of them in a row warming up from the spot before the 2d half. And muttering to himself that he couldn't believe he missed it during the game. Coverages were very good. Lemelle looks much more comfortable catching the punts.
So that's it. This will be tough Saturday night, but it will be the one game against a team truly better than us remaining. For all Diaco's warts -- and there are many -- this team is getting better, and I really hope to see continued improvement over the second half of the season. Not for in game management to be better, but I'll trade better OL play for that every day. And hopefully, more folks will get their butts in the seat for homecoming.l
