spang, is this a fair assessment of the game:
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Clawson Presser--All Banged Up
Very informative presser today from Coach. Feel free to head to the official website and take a look. Meanwhile, some things I found notable.
In what was an unusually honest comment from a coach, he said we were fortunate it was as close as it was at the end. And about that, he is right. We made too many mistakes, etc etc.
Coach says we are simply giving up too many plays on defense. We had been better stopping the run, but because we don't feel we have the size to just play "base" defense we have to compensate with blitzes (run and pass) and those end to get exposed.
"Your defense is your defense," Coach keeps saying, (and I swear I don't have the faintest idea what that might mean, and why your offense isn't your offense). He says we run a lot of multiple sets but if you have guys in the wrong gap and miss a tackle while you are trying to make a play, you can give up a big play.
On offense we are making too many mistakes. We aren't executing when we really need it--noting in particular that against Marshall and OU we were inside the 15 with less than a minute to go and lost both games.
Coach said that the team is banged up. In addition to the receivers, Winston Etheridge, a Dlineman has been lost for the season due to illness, and coach indicated it could be a career-ending illness.
Also, we have already talked about the three WR injuries (Wiley, Brighton, Pronty) and now Ray Hutson is injured as well. He may not play against Kent and he may not play the rest of the season, according to coach.
Willie Geter was banged up in the 2nd half against OU, as well.
I thought this was interesting. When the defense has a breakdown, they come out during practice on Sunday and re-create it--the play, situation, context. They teach the correction. Then, during practice in the week, that exact play will get put into a mix of plays they are practicing....and they show they react when it is unannounced.
We are very average on special teams. (A conclusion reached also in the ivy colored walls of the ICSTR).
He says we aren't practicing like a 1-4 team, but that 10% of our players are not giving everything they have.
He was asked about personnel changes and how his system might be fitting in. He replied that we are not doing everything we would like on offense or defense.
Finally, he had high praise for Jerrett Sanderson, who rushes like an end, covers like a corner and plays LB like a LB.
On Kent, he said the following:
* Their QB situation is stabilized.
* They found a guy to replace Jarvis
* They are improved.
* On defense, they play zone blitz and have 40 tackles for loss.
We have to avoid letting them get us "off schedule."
It will be interesting to see how we handle the pressure. My impression is that pressure can throw our QB's timing off (as it can any QB), but if he is prepared well, perhaps he can just hit the hot route and not worry about too many decisions.
