(09-02-2016 12:56 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 12:38 AM)mrbig Wrote:  Seems like they have decided to make the entire team big and strong instead of fast. I noticed this trend with the previous S&C coach, hopefully this is just after-effect from him and the new guy is working on more quickness and speed.

This is something that I don't think gets enough attention. Is it just me, or does almost every one of our players seem to get slower the longer he is here? That comes from one place--the head coach. The S&C coach emphasizes whatever the head coach tells him to emphasize--or he doesn't keep his job.

If I were to come in as head coach at Rice, one of the first things I would do is to tell my S&C coach that I want to emphasize quickness, agility, and endurance, and de-emphasize bulk, without losing strength. If everybody loses 10-20 pounds doing that, I'm perfectly happy with it.

Paul Bryant used to say, "Football is moving and hitting people. If you hit but you can't move, we can teach you to move. If you won't hit, there is nothing we can do." We need to teach our players how to move.

I actually thought Rice teams looked quicker and faster from 2008 through about 2012-2014 (I can't remember the exact year I felt like the team started slowing down). Since then, I feel like the teams have looked slower. Particularly skill positions and most noticeable with the RB's. They move like they are training to move the pile instead of avoid the pile, but only Charles Ross consistently moved the pile.

Biggest issue I notice in our backs is not lack of speed (though Davis has definitely slowed over the years), but lack of VISION!

As dumb as it sounds, I don't think we always "run where they aren't."

Obviously, it's easier said than done...

(09-02-2016 12:59 AM)mrbig Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 12:47 AM)Middle Ages Wrote:  -Hated the passive approach DB took to 4th downs, end of half, and 3rd quarter

Agree with this as well. Normal for Bailiff, of course. But down big with ~50 seconds left in the half and 2 timeouts and Rice doesn't even try. Just don't get it.

And while I think there is an argument to leave Stehling in all game to get reps, I would have preferred to see the #2 get some snaps. That's what WKU was doing in the 4th quarter. Otherwise, we just head into 2017 with another starting QB with limited game action.

Keeping Jackson in late during blowouts was indefensible. Giving a new QB more reps is somewhat understandable; however, the coaches wouldn't need to give Stehling more action this game had they done the correct thing last season.

(09-02-2016 01:01 AM)mrbig Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 12:56 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 12:38 AM)mrbig Wrote:  Seems like they have decided to make the entire team big and strong instead of fast. I noticed this trend with the previous S&C coach, hopefully this is just after-effect from him and the new guy is working on more quickness and speed.

This is something that I don't think gets enough attention. Is it just me, or does almost every one of our players seem to get slower the longer he is here? That comes from one place--the head coach. The S&C coach emphasizes whatever the head coach tells him to emphasize--or he doesn't keep his job.

If I were to come in as head coach at Rice, one of the first things I would do is to tell my S&C coach that I want to emphasize quickness, agility, and endurance, and de-emphasize bulk, without losing strength. If everybody loses 10-20 pounds doing that, I'm perfectly happy with it.

Paul Bryant used to say, "Football is moving and hitting people. If you hit but you can't move, we can teach you to move. If you won't hit, there is nothing we can do." We need to teach our players how to move.

I actually thought Rice teams looked quicker and faster from 2008 through about 2012-2014 (I can't remember the exact year I felt like the team started slowing down). Since then, I feel like the teams have looked slower. Particularly skill positions and most noticeable with the RB's. They move like they are training to move the pile instead of avoid the pile, but only Charles Ross consistently moved the pile.

That's what I was saying earlier.
RB at this point is not a strength.
I don't know what Stewart's measurables are, but in the close-up video shots he had the build of a *strong* LB. Great to see success in the gym and all, but we need burst. and we're not getting it from the current RBs, and kick returners.
Someone also mentioned one of our starting safeties is 6'0, 220#, basically linebacker build, but we need speed there too...

(09-02-2016 12:56 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Over the last 12 games, Rice has surrendered 460 points (38.33 ppg), and that included the 7 scored in last year's finale by a pathetic Charlotte team. Throw that out, and it's 453 in 11 games (41.18 ppg). A team needs a GREAT offense in order to overcome those kinds of results.

No, you simply CAN'T overcome those kinds of results. You've got to get that number down significantly, or you just can't win. You can't win enough games 60-40 for it to matter. And what's even worse, those 11 games included a number of opponents who weren't exactly very good.

(09-01-2016 11:23 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(09-01-2016 11:18 PM)LonghornOwl Wrote:  I suppose it's naive to think Rice could be an independent? Maybe schedule the service academies and then add a few SEC/Big 12 games, a Stanford or Notre Dame here and there? Games that might generate more interest than the typical Conference USA game.

As discussed before where do the rest of our teams play? BYU found out going indy in football and having the other programs in the WCC wasn't a good situation which is why they suddenly want back into the B12 discussion.

Good point. Just don't think Conference USA opponents will ever draw big crowds at Rice Stadium. It will be interesting to see what kind of crowd the Baylor game draws.

My best (only?) positive from last night was Jordan Taylor caught two touchdowns for the Broncos and probably clinched a spot on the 53 man roster. It's not the talent level.

(09-02-2016 05:40 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  My best (only?) positive from last night was Jordan Taylor caught two touchdowns for the Broncos and probably clinched a spot on the 53 man roster. It's not the talent level.

I'd actually argue that is a perfect example of how the talent level masked coaching deficiencies. As soon as JT left, Driphus couldn't do a thing.

After watching this game, it's clear that the position we are weakest at is wide receiver and TE. Stehling looked good enough to effectively move the ball, but we dropped the pass too frequently. weren't open enough to make a play, and when we had a chance to make w play, we couldn't shake a man for extr yards.

Of course scheming differently could help alleviate these deficincies, but it dawned on me just how bad our receivers were in comparison to WKU's last night when we dropped a sure touchdown and a few other easy passes.

(09-02-2016 01:19 AM)LonghornOwl Wrote:  

(09-01-2016 11:23 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(09-01-2016 11:18 PM)LonghornOwl Wrote:  I suppose it's naive to think Rice could be an independent? Maybe schedule the service academies and then add a few SEC/Big 12 games, a Stanford or Notre Dame here and there? Games that might generate more interest than the typical Conference USA game.

As discussed before where do the rest of our teams play? BYU found out going indy in football and having the other programs in the WCC wasn't a good situation which is why they suddenly want back into the B12 discussion.

Good point. Just don't think Conference USA opponents will ever draw big crowds at Rice Stadium. It will be interesting to see what kind of crowd the Baylor game draws.

One thing that makes sense to me would be to redraw CUSA and Sunbelt, putting CUSA west and Sunbelt west together in one league, and CUSA east and Sunbelt east in the other. Then our conference would look like:

West:
Rice (CUSA)
La Tech (CUSA)
New Mexico State (SB)
North Texas (CUSA)
Texas State (SB)
UT-Arlington (SB)
UT-El Paso (CUSA)
UT-San Antonio (CUSA)

East:
Arkansas-Little Rock (SB)
Arkansas State (SB)
Louisiana-Lafayette (SB)
Louisiana-Monroe (SB)
South Alabama (SB)
Southern Miss (CUSA)
Troy (SB)
UAB (CUSA)

(09-02-2016 06:43 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 01:19 AM)LonghornOwl Wrote:  

(09-01-2016 11:23 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(09-01-2016 11:18 PM)LonghornOwl Wrote:  I suppose it's naive to think Rice could be an independent? Maybe schedule the service academies and then add a few SEC/Big 12 games, a Stanford or Notre Dame here and there? Games that might generate more interest than the typical Conference USA game.

As discussed before where do the rest of our teams play? BYU found out going indy in football and having the other programs in the WCC wasn't a good situation which is why they suddenly want back into the B12 discussion.

Good point. Just don't think Conference USA opponents will ever draw big crowds at Rice Stadium. It will be interesting to see what kind of crowd the Baylor game draws.

One thing that makes sense to me would be to redraw CUSA and Sunbelt, putting CUSA west and Sunbelt west together in one league, and CUSA east and Sunbelt east in the other. Then our conference would look like:

West:
Rice (CUSA)
La Tech (CUSA)
New Mexico State (SB)
North Texas (CUSA)
Texas State (SB)
UT-Arlington (SB)
UT-El Paso (CUSA)
UT-San Antonio (CUSA)

East:
Arkansas-Little Rock (SB)
Arkansas State (SB)
Louisiana-Lafayette (SB)
Louisiana-Monroe (SB)
South Alabama (SB)
Southern Miss (CUSA)
Troy (SB)
UAB (CUSA)

This is a logical post, but it still makes me sick. That looks terrible, but then again so does CUSA.

(09-01-2016 10:45 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Bailiff post-game sideline interview:

"We gotta improve. It starts with me."

"We gotta lot of work to do."

"Personnel."

"We're gonna go to work and we're gonna get better."

The exact same words he said throughout last season. They got old 5 seasons ago.

(09-02-2016 06:53 AM)Middle Ages Wrote:  This is a logical post, but it still makes me sick. That looks terrible, but then again so does CUSA.

I appreciate your feeling, but the bottom line is that those people who make you sick are our athletic peers, and this is an athletics league. They are not our academic peers, but we have such a huge divide between academics and athletics that our academic peers are not our athletic peers.

(09-02-2016 01:10 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 12:56 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Over the last 12 games, Rice has surrendered 460 points (38.33 ppg), and that included the 7 scored in last year's finale by a pathetic Charlotte team. Throw that out, and it's 453 in 11 games (41.18 ppg). A team needs a GREAT offense in order to overcome those kinds of results.

No, you simply CAN'T overcome those kinds of results. You've got to get that number down significantly, or you just can't win. You can't win enough games 60-40 for it to matter. And what's even worse, those 11 games included a number of opponents who weren't exactly very good.

Here's another sobering number: over Rice's last 8 season opening games against FBS schools (this includes last season's SECOND game, since the 1st was against Wagner), the Owls have given up 349 points (43.63 ppg). The opening game is the only one for which the players and coaches have months to prepare. Yet, year after year, it seems as if Rice is unprepared, and simply uses the opener as a "learning experience".

And, those opponents, though some were decent, were not world-beaters. Their combined won-loss records (excluding yesterday): 49-40.

(09-02-2016 01:09 AM)Bailiff_Lingo_Bingo Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 01:01 AM)mrbig Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 12:56 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 12:38 AM)mrbig Wrote:  Seems like they have decided to make the entire team big and strong instead of fast. I noticed this trend with the previous S&C coach, hopefully this is just after-effect from him and the new guy is working on more quickness and speed.

This is something that I don't think gets enough attention. Is it just me, or does almost every one of our players seem to get slower the longer he is here? That comes from one place--the head coach. The S&C coach emphasizes whatever the head coach tells him to emphasize--or he doesn't keep his job.

If I were to come in as head coach at Rice, one of the first things I would do is to tell my S&C coach that I want to emphasize quickness, agility, and endurance, and de-emphasize bulk, without losing strength. If everybody loses 10-20 pounds doing that, I'm perfectly happy with it.

Paul Bryant used to say, "Football is moving and hitting people. If you hit but you can't move, we can teach you to move. If you won't hit, there is nothing we can do." We need to teach our players how to move.

I actually thought Rice teams looked quicker and faster from 2008 through about 2012-2014 (I can't remember the exact year I felt like the team started slowing down). Since then, I feel like the teams have looked slower. Particularly skill positions and most noticeable with the RB's. They move like they are training to move the pile instead of avoid the pile, but only Charles Ross consistently moved the pile.

That's what I was saying earlier.
RB at this point is not a strength.
I don't know what Stewart's measurables are, but in the close-up video shots he had the build of a *strong* LB. Great to see success in the gym and all, but we need burst. and we're not getting it from the current RBs, and kick returners.
Someone also mentioned one of our starting safeties is 6'0, 220#, basically linebacker build, but we need speed there too...

Yeah, I've never understood/been happy with the move of McGaskey to safety. Normally you move safeties down to linebacker to try to get faster. Not the opposite. Unconventional wisdom, I guess.

There's a clear talent gap between us and the top four teams in CUSA. I couldn't believe my eyes last night at the speed WKU has, especially at WR. Our guys aren't athletic enough to keep up. The talent gap needs to close, and I hope the EZF will help.

(09-02-2016 08:36 AM)raptorsareout Wrote:  There's a clear talent gap between us and the top four teams in CUSA. I couldn't believe my eyes last night at the speed WKU has, especially at WR. Our guys aren't athletic enough to keep up. The talent gap needs to close, and I hope the EZF will help.

There's also a significant coaching gap. Enough with the excuses.

(09-02-2016 08:36 AM)raptorsareout Wrote:  There's a clear talent gap between us and the top four teams in CUSA. I couldn't believe my eyes last night at the speed WKU has, especially at WR. Our guys aren't athletic enough to keep up. The talent gap needs to close, and I hope the EZF will help.

I think a real problem is the S&C emphasis has been on bulking up. That comes from the head coach, the S&C guy designs the program the HC wants. Interestingly, as many of you know I have a lot of Auburn connections, and one big criticism that they had of Yoxall is that he and Chizik wanted players to bulk up at the expense of speed and quickness, and in the process they went from national champions to a losing record in three years.

I think we should emphasize strength, but strength with agility and quickness, not bulk. A lot of times, you get bulk without much strength, and I think that is what we have done. Don't know what the new S&C guy will do, but it will still be Bailiff calling the shots.

(09-02-2016 08:43 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 08:36 AM)raptorsareout Wrote:  There's a clear talent gap between us and the top four teams in CUSA. I couldn't believe my eyes last night at the speed WKU has, especially at WR. Our guys aren't athletic enough to keep up. The talent gap needs to close, and I hope the EZF will help.

There's also a significant coaching gap. Enough with the excuses.

That's fair, but even the greatest coaches aren't going to do anything with inferior talent. WKU was better than us in every position last night other than punter. Our guys appeared slow compared to theirs.

(09-02-2016 08:43 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(09-02-2016 08:36 AM)raptorsareout Wrote:  There's a clear talent gap between us and the top four teams in CUSA. I couldn't believe my eyes last night at the speed WKU has, especially at WR. Our guys aren't athletic enough to keep up. The talent gap needs to close, and I hope the EZF will help.

There's also a significant coaching gap. Enough with the excuses.

These two things don't have to be mutually exclusive...

(09-02-2016 12:20 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I thought Stehling did OK. He seemed to have time, but the receiving corp let him down a couple of times.

The up tempo offense was there. Good to see. anybody else notice that WKU was meercatting on some plays?

O-line seemd to pass black Ok, not so much on run bla=ocking.

Biggest lack: pass rush. That made the secondary look worse than it is. Seemed to pick up against the second stringer.

True freshman Ellis got playing time, looked good.

This. Finally someone who knows what they're talking about.
I was disappointed too, especially with the WR's multiple mistakes and the penalties.
And absolutely ZERO pass rush -- but WK had 5 starters back on OL from last year's record setting team.
At least this team looks better than last year's (IMO), and I fully expect WK will be hanging around their #24 ranking again this year.

Rushing attack, as always, has little to do with the ball carriers and everything to do with the OL. Our RB's did a good job with what they had.
The converse of our awful pass defense was our outstanding rush defense --- but again, take in to consideration the opponent...

One more pet peeve -- everyone watching knew that our kickoff coverage was going to get burned by this faster and more athletic team -- and yet we kicked off in standard fashion, and they fielded the ball at the 5 or so. It shouldn't be that hard to put in a pooch or a squibble or something, if you can't put it deep into the endzone!