Thats now 3 games in a roll that UT has gotten off to a slow start after the 1st Qt. The remaining MAC games are going to be very challenging for the Rockets. It is not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination. Must be prepare for CMU and not look past this team, especially on the road. I am very nervous for this game as the Chips are tire of losing at home to the Rockets. UT must get off to a quick start, if they don't, they may not be able to come back like they did against the Minutemen. The bubble may break in this game. If they haven't realize what could happen after the UMASS game, then they will lose.

Hope we don't look past NIU, our next foe...

(10-24-2015 08:01 PM)RangerRocket Wrote:  Hope we don't look past NIU, our next foe...

NIU is the next game, got the teams mix up. Should be prepare to take on the Huskies at the bowl on national TV. NIU is again NIU, a very good FB team.

I'm more worried about CMU as well

Time to show nation why we are ranked and put a hurting on NIU, CMU, BG and WMU next month

I'm worried about our propensity of late to throw a bunch of picks early on. We HAVE to cut down on those. Four yesterday, although one was called off. I was on a plane so I missed the first half. Are these bad throws, bad routes, bad decisions or what?

(10-25-2015 09:52 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  I'm worried about our propensity of late to throw a bunch of picks early on. We HAVE to cut down on those. Four yesterday, although one was called off. I was on a plane so I missed the first half. Are these bad throws, bad routes, bad decisions or what?

First one was on target but into double coverage, the D made a good play to take the ball out of Zmolik's hands.

2nd was miscommunication between Ely and Wilcher - Ely thought he was going to sit, but instead he cut outside. Ely through to where he would have been which was right to the DB.

3rd was a terrible decision, throw by Ely right to the wide open defender.

Take away the 3 picks and the 2 wide open receivers in the end zone that were missed, and the Rockets should have been up by at least a TD at the half.

It wasn't just the offense that started slow yesterday. A very terrible team was looking like they had the match-ups with a 6'6" unrushed QB hitting strikes to a wide open 6'4" athletic receiver or running un-touched through the middle of the line for 40 yds.

UMASS couldn't cover their own shadows and we throw 4 picks and another couple tipped balls? It's the OC. We have a short immobile strong armed QB that won't move to open up lanes and puts his stock on long passes into coverage. It's the OC. We have three very strong RBs but feel the need to get the passing game first, going against weak teams. It's the OC.

Establish the running, get some scores, then let the QB practice some BALL CONTROL passing just to establish some confidence in that game. Great QB otherwise, strong arm but location and timing does not seem to me to be his strong point.

(10-25-2015 10:39 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  It wasn't just the offense that started slow yesterday. A very terrible team was looking like they had the match-ups with a 6'6" unrushed QB hitting strikes to a wide open 6'4" athletic receiver or running un-touched through the middle of the line for 40 yds.

UMASS couldn't cover their own shadows and we throw 4 picks and another couple tipped balls? It's the OC. We have a short immobile strong armed QB that won't move to open up lanes and puts his stock on long passes into coverage. It's the OC. We have three very strong RBs but feel the need to get the passing game first, going against weak teams. It's the OC.

Establish the running, get some scores, then let the QB practice some BALL CONTROL passing just to establish some confidence in that game. Great QB otherwise, strong arm but location and timing does not seem to me to be his strong point.

Don't really understand how you can blame the OC for all the mistakes made on the field. All 3 of the INTs were self-inflicted errors by the players on the field. Can't blame the OC for missing a wide open Roberts in the end zone, and a wide open Jones in the end zone, and the one bad drop by Russell. Even in the 1st half, the offense moved the ball pretty much at will, but mistakes not only ended drives but game UMass several short field opportunities which made their offense look better than it was.

Take away the mistakes and UT scores 70.

(10-25-2015 11:17 AM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  

(10-25-2015 10:39 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  It wasn't just the offense that started slow yesterday. A very terrible team was looking like they had the match-ups with a 6'6" unrushed QB hitting strikes to a wide open 6'4" athletic receiver or running un-touched through the middle of the line for 40 yds.

UMASS couldn't cover their own shadows and we throw 4 picks and another couple tipped balls? It's the OC. We have a short immobile strong armed QB that won't move to open up lanes and puts his stock on long passes into coverage. It's the OC. We have three very strong RBs but feel the need to get the passing game first, going against weak teams. It's the OC.

Establish the running, get some scores, then let the QB practice some BALL CONTROL passing just to establish some confidence in that game. Great QB otherwise, strong arm but location and timing does not seem to me to be his strong point.

Don't really understand how you can blame the OC for all the mistakes made on the field. All 3 of the INTs were self-inflicted errors by the players on the field. Can't blame the OC for missing a wide open Roberts in the end zone, and a wide open Jones in the end zone, and the one bad drop by Russell. Even in the 1st half, the offense moved the ball pretty much at will, but mistakes not only ended drives but game UMass several short field opportunities which made their offense look better than it was.

Take away the mistakes and UT scores 70.

Be nice if we could take away the "mistakes," but the question is, who takes responsibility?

First we remind ourselves for peace's sake, we're talking about a 7.5 - 0 team. The coaches may well have felt they had that game in hand, even down 28-7. But...

1) He's the one that teaches them.

2) He's the one calling the plays.

3) He's the one that is supposed to know the team's weak and strong points.

4) He's where the buck is supposed to stop. In college, I'm pretty sure that's why they pay them so much and change coaches when things are not as they should be as opposed to changing the team.

We're far enough into the season that even as amateurs we can see, there are plays our QB cannot make. Using a game to practice and get better is all fine and good but when it results in a team like Mass getting 28 early points, it's IMO the coaches that are making the mistakes. Mass was GIVING us the run. Our passing game was shot. The offensive coordinator coordinates. Q.E.D.

Use the team's strength to control the game, get the lead THEN work on weaker fundamentals. In the upcoming games, we will be lucky to have time to work on anything, during game. At least make them stop our strength before testing our weakness.

Don't really see how you can blame the players for all the mistakes made in the booth.

I'm still trying to figure out where all the bad calls were. Yeah, we didn't run as much as you wanted. OK, that's fine, but UT ran up 620 yards of offense, 265 of which came in the 1st half. Must have been at least a couple good calls in there I would think.

Wasn't a fan of all the early pass attempts in the 1st half yesterday. Wasn't a fan of an offense that was more focused on the pass in what were ineffective 1st quarters in the 2 games previous to that. Having said that, we are 7-0. I would prefer to see our offense lean a bit more on our strengths.[/align]

Run the ball...

Not an OC, but doesn't the run set up the pass? Causes the LBs to hug the line of scrimage. Given their run stopping ranking, I to was suprised we didn't run the ball more early in the game vs coming out throwing. Been several games like that where I felt we could have run all day on teams. Especially with the justice league.

(10-25-2015 01:19 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  I'm still trying to figure out where all the bad calls were. Yeah, we didn't run as much as you wanted. OK, that's fine, but UT ran up 620 yards of offense, 265 of which came in the 1st half. Must have been at least a couple good calls in there I would think.

You're willing to give the coaching a pass for a couple good calls but not the players for many good plays? That's a head scratcher.

You consider three interceptions in five drives successful play calling?

They ran up 620 yds on MASS. Again, nothing to hang a hat on.




Let's try this tact.
That first half is indicative enough of a problem that someone not me started a whole thread on it.

What do you think the coaches are concentrating on this week: that 620 yards of offense or the 28 points given up mostly by the offense? If the former then the problem is bigger than any of us could imagine.

The goal we're talking about is how can this team get into the Access Bowl, not the MACC. The polls say, not by doing what has been doing with the passing game.

(10-25-2015 09:43 AM)indianasniff Wrote:  Time to show nation why we are ranked and put a hurting on NIU, CMU, BG and WMU next month

I agree, we still have not put a complete game together and coach Campbell would say the same. Now is the time for everything to fall into place, so, let's take them 1 at a time and kick their a*****.

(10-25-2015 12:15 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(10-25-2015 11:17 AM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  

(10-25-2015 10:39 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  It wasn't just the offense that started slow yesterday. A very terrible team was looking like they had the match-ups with a 6'6" unrushed QB hitting strikes to a wide open 6'4" athletic receiver or running un-touched through the middle of the line for 40 yds.

UMASS couldn't cover their own shadows and we throw 4 picks and another couple tipped balls? It's the OC. We have a short immobile strong armed QB that won't move to open up lanes and puts his stock on long passes into coverage. It's the OC. We have three very strong RBs but feel the need to get the passing game first, going against weak teams. It's the OC.

Establish the running, get some scores, then let the QB practice some BALL CONTROL passing just to establish some confidence in that game. Great QB otherwise, strong arm but location and timing does not seem to me to be his strong point.

Don't really understand how you can blame the OC for all the mistakes made on the field. All 3 of the INTs were self-inflicted errors by the players on the field. Can't blame the OC for missing a wide open Roberts in the end zone, and a wide open Jones in the end zone, and the one bad drop by Russell. Even in the 1st half, the offense moved the ball pretty much at will, but mistakes not only ended drives but game UMass several short field opportunities which made their offense look better than it was.

Take away the mistakes and UT scores 70.

Be nice if we could take away the "mistakes," but the question is, who takes responsibility?

First we remind ourselves for peace's sake, we're talking about a 7.5 - 0 team. The coaches may well have felt they had that game in hand, even down 28-7. But...

1) He's the one that teaches them.

2) He's the one calling the plays.

3) He's the one that is supposed to know the team's weak and strong points.

4) He's where the buck is supposed to stop. In college, I'm pretty sure that's why they pay them so much and change coaches when things are not as they should be as opposed to changing the team.

We're far enough into the season that even as amateurs we can see, there are plays our QB cannot make. Using a game to practice and get better is all fine and good but when it results in a team like Mass getting 28 early points, it's IMO the coaches that are making the mistakes. Mass was GIVING us the run. Our passing game was shot. The offensive coordinator coordinates. Q.E.D.

Use the team's strength to control the game, get the lead THEN work on weaker fundamentals. In the upcoming games, we will be lucky to have time to work on anything, during game. At least make them stop our strength before testing our weakness.

Don't really see how you can blame the players for all the mistakes made in the booth.

I think it was on the players this week too.
The coaches exploited every weakness of the UMASS swiss cheese defense and in the first half the execution was a hair off

Players

When the "s" is on it, how is that not a coaching issue? All season long, same people putting it on players, specifically receivers. So I really don't get how that isn't a coaching issue for you?


If some aspects of the team skill set are sustaining drives and others ending them, yet the coaching continues to call the latter (in an undecided game particularly), then I don't get how that isn't a coaching issue for you? The players don't make the decision on what plays to call or what options to take, the coaches do. The QB does.

:shrug:

In the end-all, I'm putting my faith in the "buck stops" and the "it's not my fault," argument.

(10-25-2015 09:52 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  I'm worried about our propensity of late to throw a bunch of picks early on. We HAVE to cut down on those. Four yesterday, although one was called off. I was on a plane so I missed the first half. Are these bad throws, bad routes, bad decisions or what?

The 4th pick was on a free play - the D jumped off sides, so Ely just threw it up since he knew it was a free play. So that pick wasn't a bad decision, it was actually a good decision.

(10-25-2015 06:32 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  Players

When the "s" is on it, how is that not a coaching issue? All season long, same people putting it on players, specifically receivers. So I really don't get how that isn't a coaching issue for you?


If some aspects of the team skill set are sustaining drives and others ending them, yet the coaching continues to call the latter (in an undecided game particularly), then I don't get how that isn't a coaching issue for you? The players don't make the decision on what plays to call or what options to take, the coaches do. The QB does.

:shrug:

In the end-all, I'm putting my faith in the "buck stops" and the "it's not my fault," argument.

With the exception of possibly 3 passes that I would have preferred to see a run called, I thought the offense was called to perfection this week.
And throwing a pass over a receiver's head, or making the wrong cut as a receiver and leaving the QB out to dry with a pick are just correctable player errors.
And they were all corrected in the 2nd half.