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1. The Troy game gave me hope that this staff had forged an improved team with last year's players and a half dozen JUCOs and transfers, but a Troy team with a new QB is not the best barometer. Today confirmed what I hoped I saw against Troy. This staff is as good as we hoped, and this team is legit. Who knew we had this much talent?

2. State was bigger, stronger, deeper and more talented than UAB (there were 2 to 4 future NFL players among their LB and DL), and we were playing on their home field in 95 degree heat. In spite of that, we came within a freakish pick six and a blocked punt of being in position to win the game. That is due to a combination of excellent coaching and player grit.

3. This team will improve as the season progresses. This was their second game in new offensive and defensive systems. This was their second game for a number of starters and second game for this coaching staff with these players. They are still learning each other.

4. Unbelievable yardage and big plays. 34 points and 550 yards on the road against what was thought to be a top tier SEC defense. If we had a complete and experienced quarterback, this team might win 10 games - but we don't and probably won't. We have one qb who is a decent game manager and scrambler, with nice touch on the short and mid-range routes. We have a second qb with a cannon arm that seems to only know how to throw 95 mp fastballs. I don' know how often we'll have 3 td passes of over 75 yards in one game (probably never again) but we obviously have the QB talent to make plays deep. But is it terribly ungrateful to want a QB who can simply sustain a drive at key points in the game (like the first drive of the second half)?

5. Our offensive line is surprisingly good. State got good pressure, but only two sacks. The running game was not a highlight today, but we won't be the only team to struggle to run the ball against them. These guys are a pleasant surprise and we get all but one of them back next year. They will get better, particularly as we get out of the SEC portion of the schedule.

6. Skill players. Two backs (one likely an all conference player) with 100+ yes in game one and two WRs with 100+ yes in game two. 3 WR with 75+ yd TD catches. An all-conference tight end with two TDs in game one but not enough catches today, when we couldn't run the ball. A very deep stable of WRs, with one of them being arguably the fastest player in the league. We have even better skill players than I thought, and are well equipped to score a lot of points this year.

7. Now to my favorite change - we have found a defense. It makes me nervous and feels a bit foolish to write those words. But this defense appears to be legit - in spite of its flaws and obvious gaps. - and the 500 yards they gave up today These guys play HARD and with grit. I don't remember the last time a high quality team punted 8 times, nor can I remember a quality opponent with so few 3rd down conversions. These guys believe they can play defense, they are in position to make plays and they are much improved at tackling (with more room to improve). Amazing what a difference real coaching makes.

8. We have safeties - and good ones! Bobby Baker (14 tackles today) is a stud and its great to have Jay Davis and Calvin back on the field. We've upgraded from D quality talent and experience last year at safety to at least B+.

9. Chris Walton is a beast at tackle - with 6 tackles today - more than the rest of the DL combined. Watkins didn't seem to make an impact today, nor did Rabb, but that won't be the case very often. They won't see OLs like that in C-USA.

10. LBs are also much improved - with much more depth.. Tevin Crews 7 tackles today - where did he come from. Kalen Jackson - goal line interception. Harris Gaston is making a huge difference as a big, beefy MLB. Alonzo Mcgee - 5 tackles. Derek Slaughter 6 tackles. Shaq Jones made some plays (and missed a pick six, but at least he made a play on the ball).. Ganus didn't have his best day (was Ganus injuried?), and Grisset still seems to be adjusting to the new position.

11. Cornerbacks. We have corners who actually turn and play the ball - and we are developing some depth here. Petty looks very good. Darius Williams has made a play both games. Jean has made some mistakes as well as some impact plays. We are improving here and I anticipate that trend to continue.

This team will win 7 or 8 games, unless we have a slate of injuries on the OL or at RB.

This coaching staff is the real McCoy. The guys we had the past two years were simply egotistical amateurs who had no clue what it means to lead a team, so instead chose to bully it. Thank you Bobby Petrino, from the bottom of our Blazer hearts for rescuing us and setting off the chain of events that brought Clark and his staff here.

Wow, that was even longer than I expected. Can you tell I'm enjoying this team?

I agree with all that you said. This bunch is starting to look like a top tier Conf. USA team. It was nice to see those stud receivers be more involved. I think we have as much quality depth as any team in the Conference. I like the 2 Qb's that we are playing. I also believe that if and when Arsenio Favor gets up to speed he will help this team out at some point. Having said that I think that Clark and Vincent are smart enough to make it work w/o a QB controversy(um sure a lot of fans disagree with that...c what happens).This team will surely play in a bowl game.

I had guessed that the UAB staff kept the TE's close to aid in QB protection.

And if Clements gets hurt, we are in real trouble. Briscoe needs a lot more polish.

That's exactly why I hope they can get Favors ready. He has played and started. Gives us some insurance and a little more experience.

I am excited to see what Clark can do not just this year but in the years ahead with some more of his own recruits.

Overall, we just look like we know what we are doing. I never saw that from Callaway or McGee coached teams.

I think we are at a turning point for football and people will look back at this year as the one when it all changed.

(09-07-2014 12:44 AM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  I had guessed that the UAB staff kept the TE's close to aid in QB protection.

And if Clements gets hurt, we are in real trouble. Briscoe needs a lot more polish.

Backman did stay in a lot. Love a TE that can block and catch.

We can still win a lot with Briscoe if needed. No other team on our schedule will bottle up our running game like today. Keep bruising them with Howard and go for the occasional bomb from Briscoe to Nelson. Or Staples. Or Humphrey. Or Magee. Or Perdue. Damn, where did all these wide receivers come from?

Briscoe has a lot of the issues Hackney did as a young starter. In case anybody needs a refresher, Hackney didn't complete over 55% of his passes until his senior year. He also loved to throw 5 yard slants as hard as he did 50 yard bombs. But, he developed into arguably the best QB in UAB history. Both of our QB's have flaws, but I think they are all fixable.

I guess I think a lot of our fanbase is being too hard on these 2 guys after 2 games. We have two winnable games back to back, and that gives us time to get these guys ready in practice.

Is anybody else surprised that Madrecus didn't get involved more yesterday?

I thought we looked pretty good out there. Our teams the last few years would have rolled over and quit but we hung tough. We definitely got stonewalled on our rushing attack yesterday, MSU has some talent on the line. We got things going on the ground late in the game, but it wasn't quite enough. Vinson is going to help Howard out a lot this season, he's got some moves and runs hard too. Plus I LOVE that he calls himself the Green Mamba.

Passing game looked alot better than it did against Troy when we opened it up some. It looks like we have got some depth behind Drec, Staples, and JJ that can make plays too. I still like Briscoe a bit better than Clements, though Clements held things together alright today.

I think we should be very strong in the conference. I dont see us playing anyone with near that talent. If the stars align the right way, I could see us really putting Arkansas on upset alert.

Excited for the A&M game!

http://instagram.com/p/skyYjYhOAl/

check out DJ's tweet haha

I only saw the passes covered by the news stories. Did either QB throw better spirals than the other. The more wobble in a pass, the more it is affected by the wind and affects travel speed and accuracy to the receiver. Obviously, the longer the pass is in the air, the more the need to have a tight spiral. Our passing game will be best served by not having to depend upon faulty defenders making coverage mistakes.

Briscoe has the stronger arm & is making the longer passes easier, Clements has the better mobility & may be the better short yardage passer.

Still hard to tell. Hope both can continue to get better.

The only part of your analysis I would nitpick...
I think the inability to sustain a drive had more to do with a quality defense than it has to do with our QBs

Both quarterbacks will continue to get better. Good grief Briscoe's long passes looked beautiful though. Nice spiral and right on the money. Clements has a little more mobility than Briscoe and can also throw short passes better than Briscoe (at least during the MSU game).

Clements' arm is better than we saw last week. I think we'll be fine once we're not playing 900 gorillas. Briscoe's got a cannon we might not have seen the likes of since Big 4. Once he calms down and stop trying to bore a hole in his receivers, he could be special.

Next week (hopefully the next two) will be good weeks to work out the kinks without the pressure of putting the game on their backs.

(09-07-2014 11:48 AM)Smaug Wrote:  Clements' arm is better than we saw last week. I think we'll be fine once we're not playing 900 gorillas. Briscoe's got a cannon we might not have seen the likes of since Big 4. Once he calms down and stop trying to bore a hole in his receivers, he could be special.

Next week (hopefully the next two) will be good weeks to work out the kinks without the pressure of putting the game on their backs.

I agree. Our running game should take care of business this upcoming Saturday.

(09-07-2014 08:45 AM)GoBlazers468 Wrote:  If the stars align the right way, I could see us really putting Arkansas on upset alert.

Unfortunately for us, I think Arkansas is significantly better than last year and also significantly better than Mississippi State. But I'm excited about that game anyway.

Not excited enough to even think about going to Arkansas, but very excited.

On our running game in this game, it's biggest problem was the delay draw where the qb/rb just kinda sit there for a couple of seconds before handing off. The result of those were loses or no gain as you can't give this kind of D that much time to react. On the runs where we just handed off & went, we gained yardage. I can only guess the reason they stuck so long w/ that delay play was to set something up but I just didn't see it though we did call more of the quick handoffs in the 2nd & gained yds. The first half weather was a killer w/ many seen at the first aid stations w/ heat exhaustion type things, it's good thing a some clouds rolled in & sat over the stadium in the 2nd half!!! I liked Clark's postgame comments on moral victories vs what happened in the past when those words were uttered. Throwing by both qbs was better, not perfect & imagine w/ AA&M followed by off week followed by FIU, we should be able to work more improvement in those areas. The cow bells weren't much of a factor. The loudest I heard them was their interception for a TD otherwise it was muted all day. Their fans were great even after the game when we ran into a couple at stops on the way home. Seven letters & one word for this game - R E S P E C T & we earned it from MSU players/crowd by the final whistle.

(09-07-2014 12:48 PM)blazerwkr Wrote:  On our running game in this game, it's biggest problem was the delay draw where the qb/rb just kinda sit there for a couple of seconds before handing off. The result of those were loses or no gain as you can't give this kind of D that much time to react. On the runs where we just handed off & went, we gained yardage. I can only guess the reason they stuck so long w/ that delay play was to set something up but I just didn't see it though we did call more of the quick handoffs in the 2nd & gained yds.

I thought those were zone read plays. Hence the delay, Cody reading the line before giving the ball or keeping it.

For read plays though, Clements did take longer than usual. I thought it was just me that noticed that lol