(12-11-2015 08:28 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  There are just too many silly, stupid mistakes and mental errors.

This . . . the difference between 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is stupid mistakes (penalties and turnovers).
Category 2012 2013 2014 2015
Penalty Yards/Game: #61 at 51.9, #57 at 45.3, #73 at 54.0, #99at 63.9
TO Margin/Game: #41 at (+.4), #27 at (+.5), #21 at (+.6), #119 at (-1.1)

We averaged this past season giving our opponents the ball one extra possession and over 60 yards of free production each game. Those are the stupid mistakes that make the difference. That is coaching. I still believe this season got out of control at the UT game when the staff allowed the team to place so much emphasis on one game that got out of control due to those very mistakes. We never cleaned up our production after that game.

This drastic change in two categories is the difference in next years prediction thoughts. @WKU, Baylor and @Stanford are all easy to ID as losses. @LaTech and @SoMiss would require a major improvement in both the stupid mistakes and performance in other categories. PVA&M, UNT and Charlotte can be handled with the removal of these types of mistakes. So the rub is @Army, UTEP, UTSA and FAU. 8-4 or 4-8 can be based in large part by the issues of penalties and turnovers. Two things coaches have a big part in controlling, but it has to be done in Spring and camp.

(12-11-2015 01:25 PM)WTXOwl Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 08:28 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  There are just too many silly, stupid mistakes and mental errors.

This . . . the difference between 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is stupid mistakes (penalties and turnovers).
Category 2012 2013 2014 2015
Penalty Yards/Game: #61 at 51.9, #57 at 45.3, #73 at 54.0, #99at 63.9
TO Margin/Game: #41 at (+.4), #27 at (+.5), #21 at (+.6), #119 at (-1.1)

We averaged this past season giving our opponents the ball one extra possession and over 60 yards of free production each game. Those are the stupid mistakes that make the difference. That is coaching. I still believe this season got out of control at the UT game when the staff allowed the team to place so much emphasis on one game that got out of control due to those very mistakes. We never cleaned up our production after that game.

This drastic change in two categories is the difference in next years prediction thoughts. @WKU, Baylor and @Stanford are all easy to ID as losses. @LaTech and @SoMiss would require a major improvement in both the stupid mistakes and performance in other categories. PVA&M, UNT and Charlotte can be handled with the removal of these types of mistakes. So the rub is @Army, UTEP, UTSA and FAU. 8-4 or 4-8 can be based in large part by the issues of penalties and turnovers. Two things coaches have a big part in controlling, but it has to be done in Spring and camp.

Well if it's coaching then it sure looks like our coaches did very well in this department (especially turnover margin) in 2012-2014.

Inexperience might also play a factor. I'd actually say a big factor.

I do think you are spot on about the UT game taking the wind out of our sails. Even WITH all the mental mistakes in Austin that was our best game of the season.

(12-11-2015 12:56 PM)MemOwl Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 08:28 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I like both teams, I like both coaches, it will be an interesting contrast of styles defensively, and whoever wins, I plan to enjoy.

Would you expect D'Antonio to be successful in the NFL?
My son attended MSU his freshman year which was the 2013 season and Rose Bowl win, so have followed them closely since then. He seems very impressive.

Interesting question. They play almost exclusively quarters coverage in the secondary. I'm not sure you can get away with that in the NFL. Good coaches obviously modify things when they go to the next level. Barry Switzer didn't run the wishbone with the Dallas Cowboys. I'm not sure how much of what they are doing depends on that particular scheme. My guess is that he'd be a good coach at any level, but he would have to make schematic changes to win in the NFL.

Interesting to me that D'Antonio appears to build the secondary first and then puts line and linebackers in front of it, whereas Saban (and Kirby Smart) build the dominant front seven first and work backwards. Obviously, both approaches can work.

(12-12-2015 12:37 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Well if it's coaching then it sure looks like our coaches did very well in this department (especially turnover margin) in 2012-2014.

Maybe, maybe not. I never liked our mental preparation in those years, either. I just don't think we are as focused as we should be. Mental errors show up in many places besides the statistics quoted, although, to be fair, those statistics are reasonable indicators of at least part of mental preparation.