(09-13-2018 11:08 AM)ODUBB35 Wrote: I'm still trying to wrap my head around why this team is so bad this year. It's basically the same team that we had last year plus Duhart. I figured that they would at least be as good, where we went 5-7. Not only did I think we would be a Bowl team, but I would've picked ODU as a darkhorse for the league title, especially with all of the rah rah coming out of camp about how different it was this year. Needless to say, those hopes were dashed 3 quarters into the season. What happened? How did we regress so much?
Two primary reasons.
1. We cannot run at all, and we do not have TH or DW to pick up the slack, period.
When you cannot run, and you get closer to the goal line, the field compresses, making it more difficult to pass.
When you have a marginal passing game and no running game the drives stall.
2. Our supposedly improving defense has given up almost 600 yards and almost 500 yards respectively in two games to lower tier FBS opponents.
The "why" is more difficult to understand. With the addition of Weaver, our OL should be better. Unless Darius Garcia made more of an impact than I thought it makes no sense.
A limping Cox does not explain this completely, but we certainly miss Ray Lawry.
Neither LU nor FIU run/pass blitzed to any great extent. They played us straight up. In the past, we have had to contend with the stacked box and the blitzes. (Heck, our QBs are getting more time in the pocket than in recent memory.)
Opposing coaches are picking up on something, as our rushing game is getting little or no respect at all.
As far as QB goes, BL has has (substantially) the better passing stats.
12/19 183 yards 63.2% completion
9.63 yards per pass 1 TD
SW:
25/52 292 yards 48.1% completion
5.62 yards per pass 1 TD
BL is the better passer, but cannot run. SW can certainly run. In fact he is our second leading rusher with 75 yards, behind Cox with 77.
Has anyone asked BW about Drayton Arnold, our 3 star who can pass
and run?
I have no clue as to our defense.
The secondary was a question for me going in, but our vaunted DL has under performed and our LBs, who should be better than last year, have IMO, under performed as well.
EDIT: looking at the play-by-play on both games it appears that the opponents made 2nd half adjustments that allowed them to substantially ignore our rushing game, and more concentrate on the pass, thus shutting down our offense almost completely, even before desperation pass time.