I posted this on M-Live's Bronco forum a couple of days ago. No replies. Any thoughts here?
"Graham Couch has a nice article up on M-Live about Dustin Duclo and the linebacker situation.
"Duclo, at just 5 foot 9 inches tall (according to Couch though he's listed at 5' 11" on the roster), is short on stature but deep in football instinct and heart. The major programs wouldn't even give him a look but he walks on at Western and under Cubit finds a niche for his style of all-out effort, smarts, and love of the game. Ya gotta love that. Only in the MAC.
"It is, however, a match-up disparity against W.V. Or is it? Duclo is described by Cubit as quick. And he's not exactly built like Olive Oyl (you know; Popeye's stick-figure girlfriend) at the roster listed 225 pounds. Maybe that's just the kind of player needed to run down lightning fast Slaton and White? Pritchard on one side of him does have the height (6'4 on the roster) and McCornell has the brawn.
"Is it enough? Unfortunately there is no experience behind those three, and -- as Couch says -- only 4 games by Pritchard (none by McCornell). I sure hope those three starters have great football "motors" because they can't run out of gas if Western is to have a chance. There's no one behind them with any game experience at all. None.
"Special Teams is my other concern. Field goals, punting, kick coverage, returns. Only field goal kicking was good last year and he's gone now. Will these areas hold or will they fold? I'm thinking W.V. is going to have a clear advantage here. Will it be the difference?"
All those guys have to do is keep WVU's RB's contained and don't give up big plays. Make them work for every yard. The real onus for Western is on offense. We need to hang onto the ball, don't make turnovers and keep the clock running. Keep grinding it away.
If we can avoid turnovers and eat up the clock, we have an outside shot at this game.
Darrell Copeland was a force as a sophomore and then did a redshirt year and kind of sat out last year, similar to Hiller with a knee. He has lots of game experience. I notice he also had a pick from LB at one of the scrimmages. So that's one more guy no one is talking about. I don't know if he is able to play in game conditions, I assume he is at this point. He's a good one. He played at LB, and both safety slots.
BroncoPhilly Wrote:All those guys have to do is keep WVU's RB's contained and don't give up big plays. Make them work for every yard.
That's all everybody has to do. Only 3 teams have managed to do so in the last 2 years. WMU won't be the 4th.
BroncoPhilly Wrote:The real onus for Western is on offense. We need to hang onto the ball, don't make turnovers and keep the clock running. Keep grinding it away.
WVU doesn't need to win time of possession to win the game. They've defeated several teams who've held the ball longer than they have during a game. When your offense can score from anywhere on the field in no time flat, time of possession means nothing.
BroncoPhilly Wrote:If we can avoid turnovers and eat up the clock, we have an outside shot at this game.
WMU doesn't have the snowball's chance in hell.
Been my experience that people who lead with their mouths usually can't back it up come crunch time.
I expect to see you back here after the contest, ready to take your medicine Butt Muncher.
Duclo definitely isnt fast enough to chase down slaton or white. What he is good at is filling gaps between the tackles. He is descent in pursuit, but he wont make many solo tackles outside of the tackles. Pritchard will fill in nicely on the outside. He is just as talented as Ismail, and hopefully with the past two years of experience, he will play like it. I havent really seen McCornell, but from the sound of it, he should play the run pretty well. If our Dline plays like they should, bitcruncher will be scratching his head.
Quote:Duclo definitely isnt fast enough to chase down slaton or white.
What LBer worth his salt is fast enough to chase down RB's? That's an unfair comparison. LBers are supposed to fill gaps against RB's, not chase them down from behind. If they don't tackle them, they're supposed to at least slow them down so the Safety's and CB's can tackle them.
what i wrote was in response to the question extra point asked.
bitcruncher Wrote:WMU doesn't have the snowball's chance in hell.
That's true. It'll be a rout. 70-0 as Cubit says.
Let the expectations game begin.
:ncaabbs: W.V.U. National Champions To Be!
D.E., you're right, I haven't heard of Darrel Copeland. I hope he's ready b/c he might be needed.
jubbasubba, what I meant by running down Slaton and White is sideline to sideline pursuit where our LBs will have to help run down developing plays involving Slaton and White. If Duclo and Co. pick the right angles, and anticipate correctly, then they can help shut down some of those plays with good lateral movement. That's what I mean by hoping that they have "good motors" (endurance) and good
quickness.
Of course if WVU can successfully penetrate more directly through gaps ahead then they won't have to bother much to the sides which would really be bad news.
No one is going to run down Slaton or White - the biggest things you need out of your linebackers is staying home and not over commiting - after that they need to be able to tackle in space. Whatever that means I'm just regurgitating crap.
Anyway - BP I disagree in the fact that you can't just say "contain their run game" when that's all every teams tries to do and no one can. You can hope to slow them down a little, but I do agree that the real weight falls on your offense to take advantage of our less than top notch defense, and not make mistakes. Last year we gave up huge third downs all year long, and teams that could just not kill themselves with mistakes scored points on us.
Best way to stop guys like Slaton and White is to engage them in their own backfield. If they get 2 or 3 steps they can begin to put their skills to work. Got to meet Slaton as or soon after he gets the ball, White, before he disengages from his receivers and begins to think run.
So the game begins to become, beating your lineman more than beating your skill guys.
"So the game begins to become, beating your lineman more than beating your skill guys."
Dead on - if they get in the open they're usually gone - it's the teams that kept them from getting the first few steps that hurt us.
Quote:BP I disagree in the fact that you can't just say "contain their run game" when that's all every teams tries to do and no one can.
Keep it contained between the 15 yard lines is what I meant. Like UM did against Bo Jackson and the Auburn War Eagles back in 1981(?). Concede that you're not going to keep the yards down, but close the door when you get near the 15 yard lines.
Bring 9 people into the box. Force WVU to beat us with the pass. It's the only chance we have to win, so go for it! WVU's weakness on offense is their passing game and our strength on defense is our DB's. In order to win we have to gamble, so why not? The alternative is to play a straight up game and just attempt to keep the score down.
So, what do you do? Gamble going for the win or play it safe and try to beat the spread? Decisions, decisions!
Good Point D.E. Does that mean a lot of stunting and blitzing? I hope so. You're right, we've got to disrupt what they do before it can unfold. It's risky but it's our only chance at a W imo.
And since I'm feeling so agreeable tonight I will also concur 100% with what BP says. Stuff the run and force them to pass. Easier said than done though. Does Slaton catch the ball pretty well too?
Directly on the thread topic I was glad to see ChipDip's report on scrimmage last week where he noted LB Cornelius Robinson looking good and making one very impressive play in particular. But he's on the depth chart behind Pritchard who presumably will be the starter each and every game unless he gets hurt or doesn't perform well.
I wonder if Robinson could be used at either of the other LB positions if need be?
Directly OFF this topic, I'm feeling very good about how the offense is shaping up. This might be the biggest surprise of all in the game. Is there a weak link anywhere? Doesn't seem like it but time will tell. I'm still worried about special teams with the exception of now being excited about Schneider Julian returning punts.
Quote:Stuff the run and force them to pass. Easier said than done though. Does Slaton catch the ball pretty well too?
If WVU's passing game is clicking as well, we're screwed. But, you have to gamble and take a shot at it, or forever hold your peace.
Oh, also encouraged by ChipDip's report that the coaches don't seem very concerned about the LB situation.
So if the coaches aren't concerned then maybe I shouldn't be either...
Bit Cruncher is a punk. Bet he never played a down -- at any level.
Butt Muncher probably spent his formative years working the stalls at local truck stops.