10/6: UAB Game

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Originally Posted by boxerdog

Interesting you bring up LSU. Most of the people who follow them closely would assert that Smith is the most poised of all the qbs they've faced this year.

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Yes, I got several comments from lsu homers that were more condescending than complimentary. Many of them were Tech grads. I pay no attention to them. I do know several lsu grads who have been lifelong lsu fans. None of them were too excited about our QB play. They were complimentary of the comeback by our team as a whole. I also got many comments on #45.

Running has to be an option for our QB if our running game is going to be successful. When I hear and read about our OLine not making holes for the RBs I cringe.

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Originally Posted by tenacious_dog

I hope J'mar will have an epiphany and learn to throw as the runner breaks rather than wait until they're open. If he learns that one thing our passing attack is going to be very potent. And I bet his passing average goes up a lot.

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Definitely needs to improve on anticipating along with knowing when it's best to tuck it and run. Those deficiencies are 2 sides of the same coin. I don't think it has to do with fear but there is definitely apprehension.

Accuracy will probably always be an issue at times, but those things should improve.

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

Yes, I got several comments from lsu homers that were more condescending than complimentary. Many of them were Tech grads. I pay no attention to them. I do know several lsu grads who have been lifelong lsu fans. None of them were too excited about our QB play. They were complimentary of the comeback by our team as a whole. I also got many comments on #45.

Running has to be an option for our QB if our running game is going to be successful. When I hear and read about our OLine not making holes for the RBs I cringe.

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I'm not talking about friends, I'm talking about people who are paid to evaluate football. What do you think the coaches in CUSA believe about J'Mar? I think they would see more positives than negatives.

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Originally Posted by boxerdog

Definitely needs to improve on anticipating along with knowing when it's best to tuck it and run. Those deficiencies are 2 sides of the same coin. I don't think it has to do with fear but there is definitely apprehension.

Accuracy will probably always be an issue at times, but those things should improve.

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I played a little QB a million years ago and I can say that for me, it was much scarier to stand in the pocket for 5 seconds (like J'Mar does) than to take off running to the open field when no one is open. I'm amazed he stays in the pocket so long.

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Originally Posted by dawg80

Their coach is either blowing smoke up our skirts (a kilt for me, thanks), or is the biggest dumb chit in coaching history:

On trying to stop Louisiana Tech's quarterback J'Mar Smith:

"Like a lot of the other quarterbacks, he is good with both the run and the pass. He can throw the ball extremely well and he can also run. Our pass lanes have to be filled by our defensive line and we have to have integrity to cover our man the whole time, knowing that eventually our line will get there. We have to be prepared up front and on the back end."

He is good with the run? J'Mar Smith? Does that UAB coach actually watch video of opposing teams?

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They only watch the Southern game video. Rushing

J'Mar SmithJ. Smith

5

54

10.8

1

28

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

Running has to be an option for our QB if our running game is going to be successful. When I hear and read about our OLine not making holes for the RBs I cringe.

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Why is it so easy for us to see that the delayed handoff only works against Southern because, understandably, that is the only team that we can expect to hold our blocking for 4, 5, or 6 seconds against? Why is it so hard for coaches to see the same?

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Originally Posted by techman05

Why is it so easy for us to see that the delayed handoff only works against Southern because, understandably, that is the only team that we can expect to hold our blocking for 4, 5, or 6 seconds against? Why is it so hard for coaches to see the same?

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How many times has he kept the ball this year? Three? When he did it against UNT last week he fooled everybody in the stadium.

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

How many times has he kept the ball this year? Three? When he did it against UNT last week he fooled everybody in the stadium.

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Which is why I keep saying if he isn’t going to keep it at least a couple times a game, the read play won’t be nearly as effective. I’m not looking for Smith to be another Michael Vick, but you’ve got to keep it at least a few times to keep the defense honest. In a lot of cases the DE doesn’t even look at Smith. As far as him standing in the pocket, as long as he’s completing most of his passes, I’m OK with that. It’s hard for any defense to keep routes covered for more than 4 seconds no matter how good they are. It’s just a matter of him being able to find the open guy, which he needs to work on.

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Originally Posted by boxerdog

Accuracy will probably always be an issue at times, but those things should improve.

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Yep. I think we often forget that he's not the first guy to have accuracy issues. Driskel had poor accuracy on his deep balls. He was efficient on the short passes though...and J'Mar is not as good in the mid and short game as Driskel, but he's better than he was last year...who knows, maybe by next year, he'll be where we all want him to be.

I actually think he performs better under pressure. I think he's looked better in big games than in games like the USA game (LSU, SC, Arkansas come to mind). I think our coaches are a little looser in those games and they take the reigns off a little. I think when they are tight, he plays tight. Thus, we get indecision and hesitancy to run.

He doesn't look scared unless you've already decided that he is. Nobody here is qualified to say whether or not that's true.

But the real question is, what's behind him. What are our other options? It's not like Higgins is on the bench.

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Originally Posted by SicemDawgz

Which is why I keep saying if he isn’t going to keep it at least a couple times a game, the read play won’t be nearly as effective. I’m not looking for Smith to be another Michael Vick, but you’ve got to keep it at least a few times to keep the defense honest. In a lot of cases the DE doesn’t even look at Smith. As far as him standing in the pocket, as long as he’s completing most of his passes, I’m OK with that. It’s hard for any defense to keep routes covered for more than 4 seconds no matter how good they are. It’s just a matter of him being able to find the open guy, which he needs to work on.

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What little bit he has run has not been impressive. He runs as if he is looking for a place to lie down. I think the coaches have conditioned him to look to throw the ball to the degree that he really doesnt consider running. If he could just use those legs to extend 3rd downs and give the defense an additional option to respect in the running game, I think it would increase our pt production by another TD per game. If we can consistently score 40 I think we are tough to beat. Our D can hold other teams to 39.

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Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

He doesn't look scared unless you've already decided that he is. Nobody here is qualified to say whether or not that's true.

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Help me understand what you think is going through his mind when he has a easy 10 yards in front of him and no contact coming with a decent slide. He "LOOKS" scared when he has an opening to run and "LOOKS" like he has decided which receiver he is going to before the play develops. Otherwise why does he look guys off who are open past the 1st down marker?

BTW, he does not slide well. Maybe he is "scared" of hurting himself on the slide.

We’ve played two emotional games on the road in back to back weeks. We should easily handle them, but this game makes me nervous. I hope that we come out this week and play a solid four quarters of football and beat C-UAB like a rented pack mule.

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Originally Posted by SicemDawgz

We’ve played two emotional games on the road in back to back weeks. We should easily handle them, but this game makes me nervous. I hope that we come out this week and play a solid four quarters of football and beat C-UAB like a rented pack mule.

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Our coach always has us ready for big games as long as they are bowl games.

Many fans think that he had us ready for LaLaff in those two games. I disagree. LaLaff just sucked.

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

Our coach always has us ready for big games as long as they are bowl games.

Many fans think that he had us ready for LaLaff in those two games. I disagree. LaLaff just sucked.

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Mean :laugh:

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

Help me understand what you think is going through his mind when he has a easy 10 yards in front of him and no contact coming with a decent slide. He "LOOKS" scared when he has an opening to run and "LOOKS" like he has decided which receiver he is going to before the play develops. Otherwise why does he look guys off who are open past the 1st down marker?

BTW, he does not slide well. Maybe he is "scared" of hurting himself on the slide.

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I'll defer to you on the mind reading...:D

Indecision and being scared are not the same thing. I've conceded that he's indecisive, but I think he's improving.

No disagreement on the ugliness of his slide.