(10-19-2016 11:04 AM)JCGSU Wrote: (10-19-2016 09:24 AM)Eagle22 Wrote: (10-19-2016 09:12 AM)SpeedkingATL Wrote: After the first quarter GS looked pretty good on both sides of the ball against GT. And I don't see complaining about all the long, methodical drives either as those demoralize and wear a defense out. Do that enough and the explosive plays will come late against a tired defense. I would be very surprised if GS doesn't run up and down the field on Saturday.
Our offensive synchronicity isn't there. At least not to the level we (Georgia Southern fans) are accustomed to.
We're probably not the right fan base to accurately diagnose defensive deficiencies and shortcomings all that accurately, but we are able to recognize and dissect run game woes, especially those that are option oriented.
There were some promising moments against Georgia Tech. We haven't put it all together in a single game this year, and that is why most Eagle fans feel we're puttering around instead of operating with peak performance.
I know many of our fans had this unrealistic expectation that we'd hit the ground running (no pun intended) and just pick up where we left off after our bowl win, but many who really looked at the composition of the team knew we had zero minutes (not starts, minutes) of playing time returning at TE. Furthermore, because our coaching staff had been extremely quiet regarding the status of some players across the OL, it was clear we'd have some struggles up front as well.
I don't think it should have taken us to game 7 for our coaches to find some of the solutions that they have now stumbled upon, but hopefully they will continue to learn and apply those findings. That has been my primary concern with this new coaching staff, and I am anxious to see how the rest of our season turns out as a result. I'm not sure what to expect though.
As for the lengthy drives, that eats up time and eats up opportunities for more scoring drives. When you have to settle for FG's instead of TD's like we've done more often this year, that is a direct corollary to why our scoring is down.
We had three games to work out the bugs and it has only gotten worse until some hope in the GT game.
I dont think it was "unrealistic" of fans to expect to be close to how the offense ran 90% of the time last year and or have it figured out by the third game.
I dont like what I have seen and I like even less where we seem to be headed. Our HC has given excuses not reasons why we cant run the ball as Fritz had zero problems leading the nation in rushing facing the same stacked boxes. Our passing game got to inept last year teams knew we were running and still could not stop us. Now we are throwing out of desperation and it still does not open up holes in the running game.
I hope you haven't interpreted my comments as a defense of the coaching staff as a whole. Trust me, I'm not pleased with what I've seen overall, at all.
But, I will say I've seen every play of each game except the Arkansas State contest in person, and have been on the sidelines watching what is and isn't happening. Players, coaching interactions, coaching decisions. And I see that relative to two years ago, relative to 10 years ago, and beyond.
I have a pretty good view of the offensive line's woes up front and personal, and our first year head coach is not at the point of laying all of the offensive woes on their shoulders, nor should he, because it is not
all their fault. But it is clear we aren't getting the production that we did from that group in previous years.
Now if you try to convince me that our coaches haven't been trying a myriad of solutions to combat this ... you and I are in complete disagreement.
And yes, it is unrealistic to expect to be hitting on all cylinders when the starting OL lineup is largely comprised of players who were/are 2nd string last year for a reason. Unrealistic in the first 3rd of the season, not so much halfway through. But OL depth IS an issue no matter how much we wish it isn't.
Experience is part of the reason, pure talent is part, and scheme/approach is part of what is going on. I was hopeful we'd 'learn' our way out of the experience shortage but with our coaches moving on the fly to try to find some success I think that is tempering some of the ability to gain that necessary experience.
I think we are at our best with tempo, when we are four wide with a single back in the backfield, and spread out. We have the lanes and it allows our RB's and WR's to work in space (which our OL is not creating much of the time). We'll see what we do in Las Cruces.
, but NMSU's defense is very bad. I think you guys would still win with 
