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I thought I would give a UMD perspective of the UMD-ODU game.

First I think ODU has done a great job with their program. They have progressed at warp speed since 2007 when they first got underway. I think you guys have a great offense. I think you Wilder needs to find a way to get that defense better.

In regards to the Terp game, I think the majority of the posts from ODU fans that I have seen are overreacting to the loss. First it is just one game. UMD has taken its share of blowouts. It doesn't mean we suck as a program, it happens to most D1 team once every season or so. Second I think fans are incorrect in their assessment of why ODU loss. I saw a couple posts where ODU fans are saying there is just too much of a talent difference between ODU and Maryland and Maryland had LB that could cover ODU WR's. Thats not really true. Maryland's LB probably range in speed from the 4.6's to the 4.8's but they cannot cover ODU receivers. There may be a talent gap, but its not so big that ODU cannot beat UMD.

On defense Maryland really adapated to ODU. Darius Kilgo is probably the most accomplished player on our defense. He was one of five returning starters back from last year and of the five probably played at the highest level last year. Why is that of signficiance?

Because we didn't even start him. We didn't start our best player on D becaues we had a specific game plan for ODU. Get as much speed on the field as possible. Instead we started a third DE at NT. Normally Braglio would be considered a big dropoff in talent from Kilgo at NT as Kilgo is a very good 315 pound NT and Braglio is a tough player, but at 260 very undersized for the NT in a 3-4. But we were not worried about ODU's run so we didn't start our best player. Likewise instead of our normal 3-4 we played a dime, a 3-2-6, so some of those guys you might have thought were LB's were actually added defensive backs. It was an unusual scheme for us, I have never seen us do that. I think it shows two things 1) Maryland took ODU serious because we gameplanned for them specifically rather than using vanilla defensive schemes and 2) If ODU is going to have success at the D1 level they have to present at least a threat of a run game or other teams will follow Maryland's example.

On offense Maryland more or less had their will. By contrast to the defensive which used really aggressive specific sets to play ODU, it seemed like our offense stayed fairly vanilla, but was still able to have success. I think that is a lot more worrisome to ODU. If somebody is going to have success against you, you want it to be because they had a good gameplan, not because they imposed their will on you. When you can have success and stay vanilla that is idea and that was what Maryland did on offense. Overall it just felt like ODU didn't get off blocks, didn't tackle well, and got to positions a step slow. The ODU defense is not impressive. The ODU coaches can adjust on offense to deal with teams like Maryland and the adjustments will help a lot, but ODU needs to improve fundamentally on defense because no X's and O's can fix not getting off blocks, poor tackling, and reading the play half a second too late.

Overall I think you guys will have a successful season. I am picking you guys against Idaho and I would pick you to upset one of your remaining ACC games except your defense is so bad I think in reality you'll lose both, you just lose one close in a high scoring shootout similar ot the ECU game.

Good luck.

(09-13-2013 12:54 PM)philibusters Wrote:  I thought I would give a UMD perspective of the UMD-ODU game.

First I think ODU has done a great job with their program. They have progressed at warp speed since 2007 when they first got underway. I think you guys have a great offense. I think you Wilder needs to find a way to get that defense better.

In regards to the Terp game, I think the majority of the posts from ODU fans that I have seen are overreacting to the loss. First it is just one game. UMD has taken its share of blowouts. It doesn't mean we suck as a program, it happens to most D1 team once every season or so. Second I think fans are incorrect in their assessment of why ODU loss. I saw a couple posts where ODU fans are saying there is just too much of a talent difference between ODU and Maryland and Maryland had LB that could cover ODU WR's. Thats not really true. Maryland's LB probably range in speed from the 4.6's to the 4.8's but they cannot cover ODU receivers. There may be a talent gap, but its not so big that ODU cannot beat UMD.

On defense Maryland really adapated to ODU. Darius Kilgo is probably the most accomplished player on our defense. He was one of five returning starters back from last year and of the five probably played at the highest level last year. Why is that of signficiance?

Because we didn't even start him. We didn't start our best player on D becaues we had a specific game plan for ODU. Get as much speed on the field as possible. Instead we started a third DE at NT. Normally Braglio would be considered a big dropoff in talent from Kilgo at NT as Kilgo is a very good 315 pound NT and Braglio is a tough player, but at 260 very undersized for the NT in a 3-4. But we were not worried about ODU's run so we didn't start our best player. Likewise instead of our normal 3-4 we played a dime, a 3-2-6, so some of those guys you might have thought were LB's were actually added defensive backs. It was an unusual scheme for us, I have never seen us do that. I think it shows two things 1) Maryland took ODU serious because we gameplanned for them specifically rather than using vanilla defensive schemes and 2) If ODU is going to have success at the D1 level they have to present at least a threat of a run game or other teams will follow Maryland's example.

On offense Maryland more or less had their will. By contrast to the defensive which used really aggressive specific sets to play ODU, it seemed like our offense stayed fairly vanilla, but was still able to have success. I think that is a lot more worrisome to ODU. If somebody is going to have success against you, you want it to be because they had a good gameplan, not because they imposed their will on you. When you can have success and stay vanilla that is idea and that was what Maryland did on offense. Overall it just felt like ODU didn't get off blocks, didn't tackle well, and got to positions a step slow. The ODU defense is not impressive. The ODU coaches can adjust on offense to deal with teams like Maryland and the adjustments will help a lot, but ODU needs to improve fundamentally on defense because no X's and O's can fix not getting off blocks, poor tackling, and reading the play half a second too late.

Overall I think you guys will have a successful season. I am picking you guys against Idaho and I would pick you to upset one of your remaining ACC games except your defense is so bad I think in reality you'll lose both, you just lose one close in a high scoring shootout similar ot the ECU game.

Good luck.

Our offensive line will need to get quicker as we move up in competition. We possibly have the back to get the job done. You didn't see Lee our quickest back out for the year for disiplinary reasons. The proper wide recievers are here or on the way here and just need experience. The defense is a work in progress and hopefully help is on the way. Our best defensive lineman Galen Evans is out with a broken arm. Linebackers might be improving. We need bigger and more speed at defensive back. Our quarterbacks, kickers and punts can get the job done.

Thanks for the insight!

I don't think it was neccessarily that we needed to run. If Maryland played 6 defensive backs, they got way too much pressure on the QB for having 6 guys in coverage. Thats on the OL.

(09-13-2013 01:28 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  I don't think it was neccessarily that we needed to run. If Maryland played 6 defensive backs, they got way too much pressure on the QB for having 6 guys in coverage. Thats on the OL.

The OL cannot block forever. My take was that TH had the time, but no one to throw to.

When there was pressure in the backfield came from UMD's corner/safety blitzes, and for the most part they were really obvious.
On one play we did a handoff and the rb ran laterally right into the blitzing db. That play should have been changed (audible) at the line as the corner came up and set less than halfway into the count.

The middle was wide open. A good tight end buttonhook and an RB delayed pass across the middle from the backfield are examples of two pass plays that would have helped. Instead we ran outs and slants with the RBs, right into the meat of their coverage.

Draws, and power running up the middle would have broken the blitzes and made them think twice about stacking the ends with their dime D.

Remember, in the old days, TH often took off up the middle. He shouldn't do that in FBS, but someone should.

IMHO, we need to learn from Oregon and develop running plays even if Lee is out.

(09-13-2013 01:28 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  I don't think it was neccessarily that we needed to run. If Maryland played 6 defensive backs, they got way too much pressure on the QB for having 6 guys in coverage. Thats on the OL.

Maryland's front 3 did a good job at getting pressure, but Maryland was blitzing from all over the field. I think getting Taylor Heincke out of rhymthm was a big part of Maryland's defensive success. It seemed like we blitzed the boundary corner like 7 or 8 times. I think we also blitzed the field corner once or twice (though not as much because its so dangerous because the field corner is lined up so far away from the QB at the snap).

(09-13-2013 01:57 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(09-13-2013 01:28 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  I don't think it was neccessarily that we needed to run. If Maryland played 6 defensive backs, they got way too much pressure on the QB for having 6 guys in coverage. Thats on the OL.

The OL cannot block forever. My take was that TH had the time, but no one to throw to.

I thought Maryland did a good job at getting pressure. UMD did not get pressure on all plays, they really mixed up how many people they brought. But make no mistake, UMD was not just dropping people into coverage. Maryland blitzed a lot. We also had plays where we dropped 8 into coverage and those may be the plays you are remembering but ODU would have picked us apart if we did that on all the plays. UMD's secondary is solid, but not elite. We dialed up a lot of atypical blitzes. Cause we were using 6 DB's on first down sitautions whereas normally we run a 3-4 and thus only have 4 DB's we blitzed corners and safeties a lot. I thought even on the plays where we didn't dial up pressure TH was a little bit out of rhymthm.

ODU really doesn't even need a great running game. What they needed was a running game good enough to keep Maryland honest. I had never seen Maryland in a dime package on first down before. Our normal scheme is a 3-4 scheme. Also sitting our best defensive player, the 315 pound run stuffing NT Darius Kilgo for this game shows you that Maryland was not being honest with ODU. Maryland sold out against the pass and ODU could not counter with any type of run game.

(09-13-2013 03:36 PM)philibusters Wrote:  

(09-13-2013 01:57 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(09-13-2013 01:28 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  I don't think it was neccessarily that we needed to run. If Maryland played 6 defensive backs, they got way too much pressure on the QB for having 6 guys in coverage. Thats on the OL.

The OL cannot block forever. My take was that TH had the time, but no one to throw to.

I thought Maryland did a good job at getting pressure. UMD did not get pressure on all plays, they really mixed up how many people they brought. But make no mistake, UMD was not just dropping people into coverage. Maryland blitzed a lot. We also had plays where we dropped 8 into coverage and those may be the plays you are remembering but ODU would have picked us apart if we did that on all the plays. UMD's secondary is solid, but not elite. We dialed up a lot of atypical blitzes. Cause we were using 6 DB's on first down sitautions whereas normally we run a 3-4 and thus only have 4 DB's we blitzed corners and safeties a lot. I thought even on the plays where we didn't dial up pressure TH was a little bit out of rhymthm.

ODU really doesn't even need a great running game. What they needed was a running game good enough to keep Maryland honest. I had never seen Maryland in a dime package on first down before. Our normal scheme is a 3-4 scheme. Also sitting our best defensive player, the 315 pound run stuffing NT Darius Kilgo for this game shows you that Maryland was not being honest with ODU. Maryland sold out against the pass and ODU could not counter with any type of run game.

That pretty much sums it up.

Great analysis. The real bad news is Wilder has said as recently as this week he has no intention of developing a running game. This could prove to be his waterloo. Defenses will eventually gameplan our offense (MD just did). Where do you go from there?

You get a quicker offensive line that can pull and get out in front of small fast running backs and clear a path like a road grader.

I have the sneaking suspicion that Wilder is throwing everyone for a loop just so no one will see the run game coming. I think 83 has the right idea.

Don't be surprised corner plays are coming.