Something I may have missed in other wrap-up posts...we're back to pooch kick-offs???? At the end of the 3rd quarter, we scored to go up 24-21. And then...we kicked it off out-of-bounds... Took them 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:19 to score a TD and go back up 24-28. Arnone obviously has the leg to kick it to the endzone, why not use it? One more awful coaching decision we made in this game.

I think Mickey was scared by all of the long returns CCSU had in week 1. Long kickoffs are good as long as you can cover them.

(09-09-2013 07:31 PM)jmufan2008 Wrote:  Something I may have missed in other wrap-up posts...we're back to pooch kick-offs???? At the end of the 3rd quarter, we scored to go up 24-21. And then...we kicked it off out-of-bounds... Took them 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:19 to score a TD and go back up 24-28. Arnone obviously has the leg to kick it to the endzone, why not use it? One more awful coaching decision we made in this game.

Maybe they were kicking into the wind?

Oh hi, what's up Clayton!

(09-09-2013 08:01 PM)JMUCHAMP Wrote:  

(09-09-2013 07:31 PM)jmufan2008 Wrote:  Something I may have missed in other wrap-up posts...we're back to pooch kick-offs???? At the end of the 3rd quarter, we scored to go up 24-21. And then...we kicked it off out-of-bounds... Took them 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:19 to score a TD and go back up 24-28. Arnone obviously has the leg to kick it to the endzone, why not use it? One more awful coaching decision we made in this game.

Maybe they were kicking into the wind?

Huh...I know they mentioned the rain every now and then. Must have forgotten them mentioning 50mph winds...strong enough to change the kick distance by 30 yards... We should never...EVER...do another sky punt.

We got supremely lucky on the first one to catch them off guard and sleeping. Why we thought it was going to work again is beyond me. Especially when 1/4 of the time we've done the stupid sky kick it's gone out of bounds.

Pooch kick is terrible & some "genius" is churning out stats in an office in the Plecker center to justify its continued use. Why is it so hard just to coach up the kick coverage team? Are we really OK with admitting we can't coach a kickoff coverage team? That's what this is. It's a giant billboard screaming, "WE CAN'T COACH THIS."

I find Mickey's continued use of the pooch kick ironic in light of this quote from the VA Tech game in 1999:
"The way they returned punts, we just did not cover them well," Matthews said. "Every time I looked up, they had the ball at the 35-yard line. You're gonna give up a lot of points if they keep starting at the 35-yard line, and they were doing that because of their punt returns."
So there he is saying the opponent starting at the 35 is a big advantage. That was not our 35 he was referring to. Why would it be any different on a kickoff? And since the out of bounds kickoffs start there and the pooch kickoffs frequently do as well, what has changed his opinion?

(09-08-2013 09:28 AM)JMUBarry Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:48 AM)rufus Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:02 AM)JMUETC Wrote:  I see a 7-5 season with no playoffs and a new head coach in a new conference (i hope) next year.

In my opinion, 7-5 or 6-6 is a worst case scenario, because it's bad enough to discourage our fans and hurt recruiting, but I don't think it will be enough to get Mickey fired. I just can't see King or Bourne firing a coach with a winning or .500 record.

I'm hoping for playoffs this year, but if it becomes clear that we are not going to make the playoffs, then I want a losing record. I think we're going to need a couple consecutive losing seasons to get a coaching change.

Rufus, you are incorrect. 7-4 last year or comparable this year is not acceptable to the admin. With 2 years left in his contract its not enough to make a change, but if it happens again with 1 year left after this season it will be.

Personally, I would prefer it doesn't come to this and we have 8-9 regular season wins plus playoffs

I am ready for this MM crap to finally end. What idiot on the road against an FBS team goes for 2 after scoring first? Take me back to Boone when that fat ******* went for it on 4th down from our own 42... I pray for a 2-11 season. Is it basketball season yet?

(09-10-2013 12:41 AM)johnjmu98 Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 09:28 AM)JMUBarry Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:48 AM)rufus Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:02 AM)JMUETC Wrote:  I see a 7-5 season with no playoffs and a new head coach in a new conference (i hope) next year.

In my opinion, 7-5 or 6-6 is a worst case scenario, because it's bad enough to discourage our fans and hurt recruiting, but I don't think it will be enough to get Mickey fired. I just can't see King or Bourne firing a coach with a winning or .500 record.

I'm hoping for playoffs this year, but if it becomes clear that we are not going to make the playoffs, then I want a losing record. I think we're going to need a couple consecutive losing seasons to get a coaching change.

Rufus, you are incorrect. 7-4 last year or comparable this year is not acceptable to the admin. With 2 years left in his contract its not enough to make a change, but if it happens again with 1 year left after this season it will be.

Personally, I would prefer it doesn't come to this and we have 8-9 regular season wins plus playoffs

I am ready for this MM crap to finally end. What idiot on the road against an FBS team goes for 2 after scoring first? Take me back to Boone when that fat ******* went for it on 4th down from our own 42... I pray for a 2-11 season. Is it basketball season yet?

(09-08-2013 09:28 AM)JMUBarry Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:48 AM)rufus Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:02 AM)JMUETC Wrote:  I see a 7-5 season with no playoffs and a new head coach in a new conference (i hope) next year.

In my opinion, 7-5 or 6-6 is a worst case scenario, because it's bad enough to discourage our fans and hurt recruiting, but I don't think it will be enough to get Mickey fired. I just can't see King or Bourne firing a coach with a winning or .500 record.

I'm hoping for playoffs this year, but if it becomes clear that we are not going to make the playoffs, then I want a losing record. I think we're going to need a couple consecutive losing seasons to get a coaching change.

Rufus, you are incorrect. 7-4 last year or comparable this year is not acceptable to the admin. With 2 years left in his contract its not enough to make a change, but if it happens again with 1 year left after this season it will be.

Personally, I would prefer it doesn't come to this and we have 8-9 regular season wins plus playoffs

7-4/5-3 last season is comparable to 8-4/5-3 this season. Difference is last yr wasn't good enough to make playoffs in a highly unusual year, and this year it will be in an expanded field.

(09-10-2013 09:43 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 09:28 AM)JMUBarry Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:48 AM)rufus Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:02 AM)JMUETC Wrote:  I see a 7-5 season with no playoffs and a new head coach in a new conference (i hope) next year.

In my opinion, 7-5 or 6-6 is a worst case scenario, because it's bad enough to discourage our fans and hurt recruiting, but I don't think it will be enough to get Mickey fired. I just can't see King or Bourne firing a coach with a winning or .500 record.

I'm hoping for playoffs this year, but if it becomes clear that we are not going to make the playoffs, then I want a losing record. I think we're going to need a couple consecutive losing seasons to get a coaching change.

Rufus, you are incorrect. [/b]7-4 last year or comparable this year is not acceptable to the admin. With 2 years left in his contract its not enough to make a change, but if it happens again with 1 year left after this season it will be.

Personally, I would prefer it doesn't come to this and we have 8-9 regular season wins plus playoffs

7-4/5-3 last season is comparable to 8-4/5-3 this season. Difference is last yr wasn't good enough to make playoffs in a highly unusual year, and this year it will be in an expanded field.

I doubt 4-4 in conference with the Akron loss is getting a bid, but I'm not sure undefeated in out of conference play with an Akron win and 4-4 in conference would be enough to do it either. Finish 5-3 in conference and the Akron loss doesn't matter.

(09-10-2013 09:56 AM)QuinDuke Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 09:43 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 09:28 AM)JMUBarry Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:48 AM)rufus Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:02 AM)JMUETC Wrote:  I see a 7-5 season with no playoffs and a new head coach in a new conference (i hope) next year.

In my opinion, 7-5 or 6-6 is a worst case scenario, because it's bad enough to discourage our fans and hurt recruiting, but I don't think it will be enough to get Mickey fired. I just can't see King or Bourne firing a coach with a winning or .500 record.

I'm hoping for playoffs this year, but if it becomes clear that we are not going to make the playoffs, then I want a losing record. I think we're going to need a couple consecutive losing seasons to get a coaching change.

Rufus, you are incorrect. [/b]7-4 last year or comparable this year is not acceptable to the admin. With 2 years left in his contract its not enough to make a change, but if it happens again with 1 year left after this season it will be.

Personally, I would prefer it doesn't come to this and we have 8-9 regular season wins plus playoffs

7-4/5-3 last season is comparable to 8-4/5-3 this season. Difference is last yr wasn't good enough to make playoffs in a highly unusual year, and this year it will be in an expanded field.

I doubt 4-4 in conference with the Akron loss is getting a bid, but I'm not sure undefeated in out of conference play with an Akron win and 4-4 in conference would be enough to do it either. Finish 5-3 in conference and the Akron loss doesn't matter.

Edited to fix where I messed up with the bolded.

8 Div I wins this season out of the CAA in a 24 team field is a lock no matter how you slice it....

(09-10-2013 08:06 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(09-10-2013 12:41 AM)johnjmu98 Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 09:28 AM)JMUBarry Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:48 AM)rufus Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:02 AM)JMUETC Wrote:  I see a 7-5 season with no playoffs and a new head coach in a new conference (i hope) next year.

In my opinion, 7-5 or 6-6 is a worst case scenario, because it's bad enough to discourage our fans and hurt recruiting, but I don't think it will be enough to get Mickey fired. I just can't see King or Bourne firing a coach with a winning or .500 record.

I'm hoping for playoffs this year, but if it becomes clear that we are not going to make the playoffs, then I want a losing record. I think we're going to need a couple consecutive losing seasons to get a coaching change.

Rufus, you are incorrect. 7-4 last year or comparable this year is not acceptable to the admin. With 2 years left in his contract its not enough to make a change, but if it happens again with 1 year left after this season it will be.

Personally, I would prefer it doesn't come to this and we have 8-9 regular season wins plus playoffs

I am ready for this MM crap to finally end. What idiot on the road against an FBS team goes for 2 after scoring first? Take me back to Boone when that fat ******* went for it on 4th down from our own 42... I pray for a 2-11 season. Is it basketball season yet?

That and the dufus thinks a 12 game schedule can have a record of 2-11.

Grantland has a weekly article about curious coaching decisions in the NFL (good thing the author doesn't cover FCS). http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triang...-decisions

This is the part that made me weep...

Bad coaches use this as an excuse to blindly trust their gut. They panic or get overwhelmed in key moments of the game and make subpar strategic decisions that cost their teams dearly.

Not Chip Kelly. Kelly has a long history of going for it on fourth down and attempting two-point conversions from his time at Oregon, and when he faced a fourth-and-1 from the Washington 21-yard line on the first drive of the game, he knew he was going for it in advance. And that's how he gained a significant advantage.

When the Eagles faced that fourth-and-1, there was no confusion. Michael Vick didn't stare at Kelly for 15 seconds waiting for a play call. They didn't waste a timeout debating the percentages or trying to find the perfect play. The Eagles simply lined up immediately after their third-down snap and handed the ball to LeSean McCoy, who burst up the middle for four yards and a first down.

Knowing that you're going to go for it on fourth-and-1 in a given zone in advance has a number of advantages. As I just mentioned, you don't burn a timeout or struggle with the percentages while you're trying to manage every other part of an NFL game.

I still can't let it go...

(09-10-2013 09:43 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 09:28 AM)JMUBarry Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:48 AM)rufus Wrote:  

(09-08-2013 08:02 AM)JMUETC Wrote:  I see a 7-5 season with no playoffs and a new head coach in a new conference (i hope) next year.

In my opinion, 7-5 or 6-6 is a worst case scenario, because it's bad enough to discourage our fans and hurt recruiting, but I don't think it will be enough to get Mickey fired. I just can't see King or Bourne firing a coach with a winning or .500 record.

I'm hoping for playoffs this year, but if it becomes clear that we are not going to make the playoffs, then I want a losing record. I think we're going to need a couple consecutive losing seasons to get a coaching change.

Rufus, you are incorrect. 7-4 last year or comparable this year is not acceptable to the admin. With 2 years left in his contract its not enough to make a change, but if it happens again with 1 year left after this season it will be.

Personally, I would prefer it doesn't come to this and we have 8-9 regular season wins plus playoffs

7-4/5-3 last season is comparable to 8-4/5-3 this season. Difference is last yr wasn't good enough to make playoffs in a highly unusual year, and this year it will be in an expanded field.

BDK - you make a good point (as usual).
Let me clarify my thought:

7 or less wins - MM will be fired
9 or more wins - he is extended. I hope we wins up in this position, not bc I'm trying to defend MM but bc is rather just win.

8 wins - we are in a crappy situation and JB and CK will have a challenging decision. 3 scenarios here:
1). 8 wins but no playoffs. As BDK pointed out this is unlikely. MM (IMHO) probably fired.
2). 9(+)-5. 8 wins and make playoffs and win at Least 1 game. MM probably retained
3). 8-5 - make playoffs with 8 wins but lose in first round. This is no mans land and I pray we don't find ourselves in this situation for the sake if our own sanity

Has anyone confirmed that MM called the two point play after the first score or is it a situation where the players can run it if they see something in the defense they like?

(09-10-2013 09:38 PM)JMUETC Wrote:  Grantland has a weekly article about curious coaching decisions in the NFL (good thing the author doesn't cover FCS). http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triang...-decisions

This is the part that made me weep...

Bad coaches use this as an excuse to blindly trust their gut. They panic or get overwhelmed in key moments of the game and make subpar strategic decisions that cost their teams dearly.

Not Chip Kelly. Kelly has a long history of going for it on fourth down and attempting two-point conversions from his time at Oregon, and when he faced a fourth-and-1 from the Washington 21-yard line on the first drive of the game, he knew he was going for it in advance. And that's how he gained a significant advantage.

When the Eagles faced that fourth-and-1, there was no confusion. Michael Vick didn't stare at Kelly for 15 seconds waiting for a play call. They didn't waste a timeout debating the percentages or trying to find the perfect play. The Eagles simply lined up immediately after their third-down snap and handed the ball to LeSean McCoy, who burst up the middle for four yards and a first down.

Knowing that you're going to go for it on fourth-and-1 in a given zone in advance has a number of advantages. As I just mentioned, you don't burn a timeout or struggle with the percentages while you're trying to manage every other part of an NFL game.

I still can't let it go...

Making a mountain out of a mole hill. If we line up quickly on 4th down and go for it and don't make it then you guys criticize the coach for not using a timeout and getting it "right" on a crucial down in a crucial situation.

Many fans have the belief that if it works the players executed well. If it didn't work the coach is an idiot. Remember all the whining here last year (and I was one of them) about running the read option on 4th down at Richmond and getting stopped at midfield? We crushed MM for that but turns out the coaches knew exactly what Richmond was going to do, told Thorpe that, and Thorpe still screwed it up.

FWIW - I recently heard, with my own two ears, a former JMU president say "no playoffs this year, no MM next year."

Good luck Mickey, quit the ******* sideline staring on offense now!

(09-11-2013 11:06 AM)Purplehazed Wrote:  FWIW - I recently heard, with my own two ears, a former JMU president say "no playoffs this year, no MM next year."

Good luck Mickey, quit the ******* sideline staring on offense now!

Why are people hung up on this? Is it just another case of finding something petty to ***** about just to *****? They are communicating a play to the QB/team one way or another. This method prevents the defense from subbing so it has at least one advantage. It also allows us to control the tempo and go at our speed.

(09-11-2013 11:45 AM)JMUDuke25 Wrote:  

(09-11-2013 11:06 AM)Purplehazed Wrote:  FWIW - I recently heard, with my own two ears, a former JMU president say "no playoffs this year, no MM next year."

Good luck Mickey, quit the ******* sideline staring on offense now!

Why are people hung up on this? Is it just another case of finding something petty to ***** about just to *****? They are communicating a play to the QB/team one way or another. This method prevents the defense from subbing so it has at least one advantage. It also allows us to control the tempo and go at our speed.

Yea, I really don't get this either. We go to a conventional huddle, have the play run in from the side, permitting the D to make their subs. We burn 30 seconds getting the play called and breaking the huddle no one says a peep.
Instead we line up, take a read on what the D is calling, don't allow them the time or opportunity to sub, perhaps change the play call at the line on either an audible or another call from the sideline, and run it at the 20 second mark and everyone is having a melt down.

This one I don't get AT ALL. We ran 90+ plays in this game, how much faster do any of you think this could go?