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The App. ST. game is big IMO in regards to ODU's bowl hopes. It's early yet to think about, but a bowl appearance is ODU's most likely next obtainable goal (I don't think a Championship is reasonable this season.)

If they defeat App. St. the record will be 3-1. With 8 games left, and looking at the schedule, I think going at least 3-5 the rest of the way is a good possibility. If they lose to App. St. 6 wins can still be reached, but a lot of wiggle room goes out the window. I see three probable losses in @Marshall, WKU, and @USM, four probable wins in Charlotte, @UTSA, UTEP, and FAU, and a toss up @FIU. A loss to App means they will have to win all of their prob. wins or they could drop one and win the toss up game. Those are of course, just the way I see the schedule. You never know.

I really don't know enough about App State. They were terrible early in the year (lost to Liberty) then went on a roll. This year they got beat bad by Clemson (good team) and beat a terrible Howard team.

The defense looks small. QB and run game looks pretty good.

Defense held opponent to around 5.3 yards per play in 2014. 28th in the nation I believe. ODU was a 6.13. Not bad for transitioning teams but App is ahead of schedule.

(09-21-2015 12:19 PM)ODUR8R Wrote:  Defense held opponent to around 5.3 yards per play in 2014. 28th in the nation I believe. ODU was a 6.13. Not bad for transitioning teams but App is ahead of schedule.

The strength of schedule last year was pathetic though.

They played zero top 50 teams based on F/+: They played 4 teams ranked 110 or lower plus 2 FCS schools.

12 games, 2 teams in the 50s, 1 in the 60s, and 1 in the 70s.

To compare to us:


We played: 17,35,50,55,86,87,90,96, 100,115,128,FCS

And the teams we played that were highly ranked, were ranked high on offense.

ASU's strength is their running game...they rushed for 200+ yards vs Clemson and their top 5 RBs avg > 4.6 yds/carry. They rely on big pass plays to keep opponents honest, but Clemson pressured their soph QB into a 9-28-3 day (key for ODU). They are more experienced at almost every position (start 8 srs and 8 jrs).

Their LBs are the key to their defense, but their secondary (except for SS Middleton) is vulnerable.

Another weakness for ASU is special teams (they rivaled ODU for the worst in FBS last season) and they only netted 18 yards on kickoffs vs Clemson.

Finally, they been very penalty-prone in their first two games (19 penalties).

If ODU can win the TO battle and turn some into points, it's a winnable game. But if we get behind early, ASU can dominate time of possession with their running game.

App fan here, about our team, very strong defensively, especially on the defensive line and linebackers, top defensive team in the SBC last year, actually played great against Clemson, held them to 3.3 yds per carry, and under 360 total yds for the game, 4 turnovers just killed us, led to 24 Clemson points. Offensively, we are a running team, with Cox and Upshaw, good solid receiving corp, but, not a lot of breakaway speed, we are more a possession type corp, our qb Lamb, is very smart (the son of a collage football coach, Bobby Lamb at Mercer) doesn't make alot of mental mistakes, but, not a great athlete, isn't going to beat anyone running with the ball, we basically ask him to manage the game, and not try to win the game by himself, good leader, players listen and respect him. The strength of the team might be the depth, we can now go 2, sometimes 3 deep at most positions and not see production drop off significantly. I don't know much about you guys, but from what little I know, it seems that this game will probably be close into the 4th, neither team can afford to not bring their best game if they hope to win, a critical turnover, or a poor special teams play might decide the game

(09-21-2015 01:03 PM)moehler Wrote:  App fan here, about our team, very strong defensively, especially on the defensive line and linebackers, top defensive team in the SBC last year, actually played great against Clemson, held them to 3.3 yds per carry, and under 360 total yds for the game, 4 turnovers just killed us, led to 24 Clemson points. Offensively, we are a running team, with Cox and Upshaw, good solid receiving corp, but, not a lot of breakaway speed, we are more a possession type corp, our qb Lamb, is very smart (the son of a collage football coach, Bobby Lamb at Mercer) doesn't make alot of mental mistakes, but, not a great athlete, isn't going to beat anyone running with the ball, we basically ask him to manage the game, and not try to win the game by himself, good leader, players listen and respect him. The strength of the team might be the depth, we can now go 2, sometimes 3 deep at most positions and not see production drop off significantly. I don't know much about you guys, but from what little I know, it seems that this game will probably be close into the 4th, neither team can afford to not bring their best game if they hope to win, a critical turnover, or a poor special teams play might decide the game

I have the strangest feeling that the weather is gonna play a hand in this game. Weather is looking kinda funky for Saturday.

(09-21-2015 01:06 PM)odu83alumni Wrote:  

(09-21-2015 01:03 PM)moehler Wrote:  App fan here, about our team, very strong defensively, especially on the defensive line and linebackers, top defensive team in the SBC last year, actually played great against Clemson, held them to 3.3 yds per carry, and under 360 total yds for the game, 4 turnovers just killed us, led to 24 Clemson points. Offensively, we are a running team, with Cox and Upshaw, good solid receiving corp, but, not a lot of breakaway speed, we are more a possession type corp, our qb Lamb, is very smart (the son of a collage football coach, Bobby Lamb at Mercer) doesn't make alot of mental mistakes, but, not a great athlete, isn't going to beat anyone running with the ball, we basically ask him to manage the game, and not try to win the game by himself, good leader, players listen and respect him. The strength of the team might be the depth, we can now go 2, sometimes 3 deep at most positions and not see production drop off significantly. I don't know much about you guys, but from what little I know, it seems that this game will probably be close into the 4th, neither team can afford to not bring their best game if they hope to win, a critical turnover, or a poor special teams play might decide the game

I have the strangest feeling that the weather is gonna play a hand in this game. Weather is looking kinda funky for Saturday.

I think we are subject to the law of averages in the weather department. In the past years of our football history I only remember two really bad weather days and a couple games with drizzle here and there. I hope the NSU game and the probable weather this Saturday are not the start of a string of miserable weather games!!

hope we aren't bringing up it with us, last year we had a horrible home stretch in terms of weather, almost every game had rain or snow, including a blizzard that dump 6 inches of snow during the game against GS.

Looking forward to my first trip to ODU Saturday. I think this will be a very good game and, as a previous poster said, turnover battle is likely to be key with weather possibly playing a role.

ASU is coming to ODU off a bye week, ODU perhaps got beat up a bit against NC State, do I have a cause for concern?

I see where right now ASU is favored by 7.

(09-21-2015 07:39 PM)NC Monarch Wrote:  ASU is coming to ODU off a bye week, ODU perhaps got beat up a bit against NC State, do I have a cause for concern?

I see where right now ASU is favored by 7.

FWIW - I think the answer is yes. Both issues you mentioned help them and make our road to victory this coming Saturday more difficult. If it was reversed with us off last Saturday and say they had just played Clemson on Saturday, the 19th, I think we might be favored.

(09-21-2015 08:06 PM)ETSUDB8-79 Wrote:  

(09-21-2015 07:39 PM)NC Monarch Wrote:  ASU is coming to ODU off a bye week, ODU perhaps got beat up a bit against NC State, do I have a cause for concern?

I see where right now ASU is favored by 7.

FWIW - I think the answer is yes. Both issues you mentioned help them and make our road to victory this coming Saturday more difficult. If it was reversed with us off last Saturday and say they had just played Clemson on Saturday, the 19th, I think we might be favored.

Luckily ODU suffered no injuries (that I know of) during the NC St. game. As for the bye week, it might make some difference, but I don't know how much fresher they will be than ODU after only three games played. Personally, I hate early season bye weeks. I think the spread is based more on the perception of the two teams last season, ODU's youth, and TH being gone, than it is App. St. coming off the bye.

(09-21-2015 08:15 PM)paintedblue2 Wrote:  

(09-21-2015 08:06 PM)ETSUDB8-79 Wrote:  

(09-21-2015 07:39 PM)NC Monarch Wrote:  ASU is coming to ODU off a bye week, ODU perhaps got beat up a bit against NC State, do I have a cause for concern?

I see where right now ASU is favored by 7.

FWIW - I think the answer is yes. Both issues you mentioned help them and make our road to victory this coming Saturday more difficult. If it was reversed with us off last Saturday and say they had just played Clemson on Saturday, the 19th, I think we might be favored.

Luckily ODU suffered no injuries (that I know of) during the NC St. game. As for the bye week, it might make some difference, but I don't know how much fresher they will be than ODU after only three games played. Personally, I hate early season bye weeks. I think the spread is based more on the perception of the two teams last season, ODU's youth, and TH being gone, than it is App. St. coming off the bye.

Yes, we have no publicly stated injuries but as someone who played (albeit very poorly) college football trust me when I say in a very physical game like NC State Saturday all but the super human athletes are feeling it for days after the game. You are sore with lots of bruises, scraps, dings, etc. and they add up. After a week off that accumulation is just not as bad. So in that regard it is nicer to be Appy this week than ODU.

(09-21-2015 08:23 PM)ETSUDB8-79 Wrote:  Yes, we have no publicly stated injuries but as someone who played (albeit very poorly) college football trust me when I say in a very physical game like NC State Saturday all but the super human athletes are feeling it for days after the game. You are sore with lots of bruises, scraps, dings, etc. and they add up. After a week off that accumulation is just not as bad. So in that regard it is nicer to be Appy this week than ODU.

I trust you on that. NC State was big and physical, so I'm sure many of the guys are still feeling it.

App under Satterfield starts games slow, bye week doesn't help that. The key to game will if App's D can get the QB and RB in the backfield, if so we win by 10, if not ODU out scores us in a game in which both teams score in the 30s.

I'd like to think that ODU has a slight advantage simply due to App State being in the Sun Belt. The style of play from their offense is not like that one GA school we've faced (also in the Sun Belt). Because of that and ODU just having faced stiffer competition in NC State, I think this will be a competitive game and our guys will find a way to get this one and move up to 3-1.
Plus App St is coming off their bye week so they could be a little rusty as far as simple mechanics.

This is a HUGE game for both squads' bowl aspirations. Maybe Wilder held something back v. NCSU to have something new for Appy State?

(09-21-2015 09:05 PM)ODUsmitty Wrote:  This is a HUGE game for both squads' bowl aspirations. Maybe Wilder held something back v. NCSU to have something new for Appy State?

Based on the fact that we didn't run many plays on offense (but plenty of offensive plays) I think there are some playbook pages still to be turned.