I hope what has been implemented puts a halt to the things that have been going on. It's past time for this coaching staff to get our players minds on football games. We still have a season to salvage.
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I hope what has been implemented puts a halt to the things that have been going on. It's past time for this coaching staff to get our players minds on football games. We still have a season to salvage.
I have an observation that I made at the Rice game and wanted to know if anybody else has noticed the same thing. (or am I imagining it).
Does it seem like our receivers are not running their routes full speed. I saw all too often at Rice what looked like half-assed effort.
Here is one example that I remember:
On the last INT that Luke threw it looked like one of our WR was running a fly pattern and could EASILY have gotten behind the DB, but he was maybe running 3/4 speed. This was B4 the ball was thrown, because I was fully expecting him to turn the jets on and see a bomb for a TD. Unfortunately Luke threw to a different receiver, who apparently broke his route off as well.
In the past few weeks, I’ve looked back at video from past years, particularly 96, 97, and 98, to find some answers. Games like Cal, Alabama, and Mississippi State. What made our offense work in the past? Here are a few observations
i was at the mississippi state game in 96 -- hate to tell you but as much as i love tech -- the mississippi state receivers lost that game -- kind of reminds me of what is happening to our team this year -- too many dropped passes
You don't play football at halfspeed. If you do, you'll get your ass handed to you. Anyone that's ever played the game through high school, knows that. We've been in every game we've played up until Luke started throwing interceptions. Turnovers always turn the momentum in favor of the team that gets them.
Not true. Hell, Randy Moss plays in the NFL and he sure as heck doesn't go "full speed" every play.You don't play football at halfspeed. If you do, you'll get your ass handed to you. Anyone that's ever played the game through high school, knows that.
While I agree that the turnovers have hurt us. Every INT thrown is not 100% the QBs fault. Receivers can play just as much a roll in an INT being thrown.We've been in every game we've played up until Luke started throwing interceptions.
NTXDAWG I think you are right about the receivers playing a role in Ints. Luke is responsible for throwing them, but I don't see our receivers protecting the football either. They run poor routes, don't get seperation, rarely break on the ball, most often do not work to position themselves between the ball and the defender, and all too often drop routine easy passes. Add to that the fact that they have made almost no spectacular catches and you can see the major problem with the Tech offense. They do not execute the fundamentals. I sure hope that changes soon. It is the coaches responsibility to see that it does.
About all of our WR's catches are diving catches. How much seperation can they get running a 2 yard route? I have seen this since Luke has been QB, the WR beats his man deep, but Luke always misses him. The WRs are probably really frustrated right now because they run plays that have no chance of working and a QB that can not get the ball to them.
Move Delone Williams to WR will help, he has the suze and the speed that we need, plus he averaged 25 yards per catch in high school. Play Spienger, the big TE, who we heard how great that he is, but he never gets to play.
Re. Luke alone on the sideline w/o ANY coaching support or consultation.
HOW very revealing :!: I wish someone would send these pics to Bick and company :!:
Why the hell are the coaches not "coaching" :?:
GRM - don't put this SOLELY on the back of the coaches. I'm not calling ANYONE out here so nobody take it as such. But as individuals, when we see a friend, co-worker, family member, or associate in trouble, having problems, or generally down, you don't turn your back on them. Part of who we are as individuals is revealed in how we support others. It's a key to LIFE, not just football. And it's something that is learned very early on.Originally Posted by theGRM
I've got another picture that hasn't been developed yet that demonstrates this. With about 2-1/2 minutes left in the game, Luke was standing in a situation VERY similiar to the first picture. Joe Smith walked up to Luke, put his hand on his shoulder and talked to him. I don't know what was said, I don't know how it started, I don't know their relationship off the field. But Luke VISABLY straightened up and looked Joe right in the eyes giving him his full attention. Now THAT'S leadership and THAT's what needs to be happening on the sidelines whenever ANY player gets in trouble. Some people respond to "in your face" coaching or motivation. Other's don't and need encouragement.
COACHES - If you don't know already, FIND OUT what motivates each player on the team AND USE IT!!!
PLAYERS - Do the same as the coaches and help each other BE A TEAM and help your team mates get through their problems, on AND OFF the field! If you can do this, you will be one more step up in being successful in life endevours.
TDF
A good coach knows his players. He knows which ones he can scream and curse at and which ones he needs to use positive reinforcement with. He finds out what it takes to motivate individual players and acts accordingly.
But, by the same token, at this level players should be able to motivate themselves. If they can't then maybe we aren't recruiting players with the right type of character.
I agree with what you are saying. But just keep in mind that we are talking about 18, 19, 20 year old KIDS. Did WE FULLY know what motivated us when we were that age? I can only speak from personal experience, but I didn't. I didn't realize a lot of that until my mid 20's and it is dynamic. It changes depending upon current life conditions.
TDF
Leadership starts and ends with the quarterback and head coach. A quarterback who goes to the sidelines after throwing an interception and stands there with his head down is not a leader. A three year starter should not need comforting by his teamates. He is their leader. If anything he should be slapping them on their asses telling them to keep their heads up and he'll take care of business on the next series. A coach who does not seek out that quarterback and speak to him (either bitching OR telling him to forget about it) is not a leader. This needs to change. And fast. Luke and Bick have been around much too long to be making these kinds of mistakes. Luke, with his insane focus on just ONE receiver and Bick with his easy going attitude towards his players, are mistakes first year people make. Not 3 year people. Both these guys have the tools to turn this team into a serious top 25 contender. Neither is using those tools. Hopefully, the Rice loss will awaken these two. We shall see. When McCown and Bicknell begin leading, the rest of the team will follow. Until then, I fear we can expect more losses than wins against quality opponents. And when it gets really bad we will consistently lose to teams like Rice.
TDF: Thanks for the further note re. Joe Smith's support of Luke. Agree with your post completely. Lord only knows what is going on on the sidelines these days when we get into trouble. :?: Yall are correct re. what motivates individual players, and it is probably not wise to make too many judgements. Nevertheless it concerns me to see Luke standing there on the side lines with no visible support on consultation with any of the coaching staff :?:
Well, we are throwing to Joe quite a bit if you look at the statistics. But most are essentially behind the line almost laterals. Joe is a good receiver with good hands. Maybe he shold line up at Tight End once in while and have Moats in at RB.
"About all of our WR's catches are diving catches"
OK, you're kidding, right?
I stand 100% behind what I wrote. No seperation, no protection of the football, not breaking on the ball, dropping easy passes in the numbers, and almost never making difficult catches. Maybe we're watching two different teams because I can't remember more than 2 or 3 times where one of our receivers has made a really difficult catch.
Did you see the Georgia receiver make that TD aginst Alabama? The ball was woefully under thrown. Yet this guy puts on the breaks and reaches back behind him as he was falling backwards, snagged the football about 18" off the turf, and scores 6 points that Georgia had to have if they are going to win the game. It was spectacular. But it was not rare. I see this stuff every week.
Why? Because that is what it takes to win. And that Georgia receiver was covered step for step by the Alabama defender. They were touching each other when he made the catch.
Tech has a long and proud history of great receivers who could make a poor pass into a critical first down. Remember Roger Carr, Billy Ryckman, Pat Tilley, Rod Foppe, Bobby Slaughter, Chad Mackey, James Jordan, Sean Cangelosi, and my all time favorite..........tiny Leland Padgett(who even caught a pass or two while virtually upside down in mid air). There are others of course. But the point is that our guys are not doing the things that have to be done to make plays. Heck, they are not even doing the basic things that any receiver has to do.
Personally, I think the problem lies with the coaching more than with the players. For example, after dropping more than 2 passes in a game I would put someone else in there to see if they will catch the ball. What else can you do?
At this point in the season I would start Causey. If there is perhaps a problem with Luke not being able to adjust to situatuations, or an inablitly to read defenses, or lead the team, then the coaches need to put Causey in and let him have a go at it. I think he can do better than what Luke has done the last few games. But I also don't beleive for 1 second that its even close to all Luke's fault that our offense has gone south. And until the receivers become receivers this trend will continue. That comes down to the coaches doing what has to be done to get these guys in routes that are not predictable, to get these guys to run the routes aggressively, and to get these guys to catch the ball. Otherwise it won't matter who we have at QB..........we'll getted hammered.
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