What a glorious day for football it was Saturday; from the sky divers to Jacksonville State's band...high marks across the board and a good time had by all. I am amazed sometimes when I go to the game that 45,000 people can sound so loud down on the field even against an outmatched opponent.
Causes for concern:
1. Last year the first month complaint was we were getting to the QB but it was a step late. The adjustment became the Bears front where we added a body to the line of scrimmage with all blockers covered and some exotic line games with stunting and bringing a fifth rusher from among the LBs delayed; that bore fruit until November.
Saturday we went Plain Jane straight base defense; not much in the way of stunting as best I can tell, some clear coverage busts (sorry but we got bailed out by the incomplete pass call down to the 2 yard line; that was a catch and fumble out of bounds). Their QB had a name more suited to being the Rush Chairman for an Ole Miss Lambda Gamma Douche fraternity than for running over our safeties. But hats off to him, there were times I thought I was watching Tim Tebow. When he was tackled he was the one delivering the blow. MJ did plant him a couple times, but it was disconcerting to see four broken tackles in front of him. It was shades of Ga Tech 2nd quarter last year when Alderman and Minkins looked like matadors.
2. My second cause for concern is I'm hooked on Tyler Shough's downfield ability. It's addictive. Inject it in my veins.
3. C'mon Irish. C'mon Cats. C'mon Rambling Wreck. When we need you to win, you lose. It's becoming a Toxic Relationship.
....and you're right there with them Pony Express. Two games in and they out to call you the Gelding Express.
4. Nothing in the two games so far has given an indication of the quality of a punter. Ok that's a reach for a concern but I'm really just spitballing now.
Causes for optimism:
1. It reminds me a little bit of 2000 when we had a question at Running back with the graduation of Frank Moreau when on Media Day Tony Stallings was asked how he felt about being "part of a question mark at Running Back". Stallings straightened up, looked into the camera and said "I'm making that position an Exclamation Point!"
...that's where we are at Running Back now. Preseason it was the unquestioned biggest question mark of all of the position rooms, and the response from the whole group has been resounding. A good running game and a good defense is something that every coach wants to pack for a road trip.
I was asked Saturday if I thought they should redshirt Isaac Brown or Duke Watson...not only no but Hell No. We saw in spades last year what it means to be talented and experienced but shallow at RB; our production diminished with Jawhar's hamstring but was bailed out by Guerendo. Give me deep and talented with some inexperience all day every day and I don't care if they are freshmen or have to be in the program five years; the shortest shelf life of any position in all of sports is the football running back. Well, that and a Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher. They aren't built to last any more and these aren't well bred two year olds who have already broken their maiden. Ride 'em and ride 'em until the wheels fall off. Beyond that it becomes easy to recruit the position in the future because it becomes the one position you don't have to wait to get onto the field.
2. And right behind is the entirety of the receiving corps. After watching Ga Tech get carved to bits at Syracuse our WR's are going to be flying into their routes waving their arms like a flag man on an aircraft carrier deck to get Shough's attention. Blue Hicks' catch was as good a catch under duress as I've seen from a Louisville receiver in years and probably a completion we wouldn't have had with prior Louisville QBs going back to Lamar. In fact I can say uncategorically Puma Pass, Malik Cunningham, Plummer, Doman, Conley, et al wouldn't even have thought about making that pass. I was counting it off and Shough planted to throw at the 16 and the completion was to the 25. That's 59 yards in the air and it dropped in over the shoulder perfectly. Brooks' is getting more and more involved in the totality of the offense and I'd put him as the co-star in the Documentary Film "Offensive players that just ooze Talent" with Isaac Brown. Jamari Johnson is creeping into that category; I mean a leaping catch on a deep corner route from a TE? As I said last week with the Redman TD, those aren't routes and completions you associate with tight ends. The ball was spread around more with the tight ends and when you run the football well it opens so much up for tight ends because linebackers have to be more aggressive in attacking gaps. I believe all but Skinner got receptions. The TD for Bell was off the Max Protection that I was referring to that wasn't really used against APeay but with a wrinkle where he ran a deep Crossfield flag route rather than the deep corner he scored with in the Spring Game.
3. Less protection leaks than we saw against Austin Peay. There was one time when instead of taking a coverage sack Shough tucked it for a first down and you could get a nervous sense from the crowd when he looked like he was in between sliding or diving for the marker. He did have the nice dump off to Isaac Brown rather than taking a coverage sack.
4. Brock Travelsted...I didn't think he had a 60 yarder in his tool bag. I guess technically he doesn't but I thought his range was 54 at best.
5. Has the offense turned the ball over yet? I don't believe they have.
Cause for personal euphoria (non-Sidney Sweeney Version):
Lastly and wholly unrelated...but my faith in Mankind was restored when the Children of the Corn rose from the ashes and whipped the hated Buffaloes in Lincoln. Felt like Old Times. All I needed to complete the euphoria would be for Keith Jackson to have been doing the play-by-play. I really don't know if Deion Sanders is coaching Colorado or angling to wedge Samuel L. Jackson out of his role as Stephen in Django Unchained 2 with that whole white beard thing he has going on. Whatever draft stock Shadeur had slid with that mind boggling dumb throw out if his endzone that edged out Brock Vandergriff's stunner against South Carolina as Worst decision in Football Week Two edition. But alas that lasted 24 hours before being outdone by 'Ol L's Down himself where he Roid Raged a shovel pass to the eager arms of a Chicago Bear. Yikes.
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