Its time to move Past Saturday

[LaTechDawg]

I am disapointed just like all othere Tech fans. However it is time to turn the page and get ready for Homecoming.

Do we need a coaching change? Mabee. Do we need to shake up the starting lineups to ensure W's? Yes.

We need to run the ball 20-25 times this coming weekend. If Davis has lost his redshirt then put him in at FB. Use him for dump passes and blocking for Smith. SMU Couldnt stop Smith and with a lead blocker with speed like Davis he could and should bust for over 150 yards with 20-25 carries. That will set up the pass for Luke and his WR's. Smith will be a great pickup for some team in this years NFL draft.

If you need stickum on your hands to catch a ball that hits your hands you ride the pine. Its that simple. We have plenty of WR's, lets play the ones who can catch.

I hate that Bicknel has lost the respect of the team. I remember many folks saying that he didnt have it 2 years ago. So if this is true, and I would love to hear it from players, then we cannot afford to retain him. We need to make the phone calls to the Alumni with the $$$ to pay him out of his contract.

Also, did anyone notice the fundraising program at the half? The SMU alumni who were celebrating their 5, 10, 15, 20 etc reunion donated nearly 1 million to the university. I imagine that is low due to the poor performance of the Mustangs the past several years. It is a good idea and we need to work it.

And my final thought from Saturday. What a BEAUTIFUL stadium!!!!!!!! It was amazing. A pure work of art.

Despite the loss, My family enjoyed the game and the Tech Crowd was larger than I expected.

Now lets go out there and start our 5 game winning streak...

[EJ]

Regardless of how you feel about the coaching situation, it will most likely not change. Bicknell has 4 years left on a $250,000 per year contract. So, unless someone comes up with $1 million, he is not going anywhere.

I hope that Coach Bicknell will be a man and give our team and coaches a good kick in the ass, because that is what they need. We have talent. What we need is some motivation and coaching!

And, our AD and President needs to formulate a fundraising and marketing plan for the world to see. If you saw SMU's stadium, then you can see what can be done when you raise $57 million.

[DawginBR]

Its time to move Past Saturday

Uhhh, Which Saturday are we moving past???

I felt SOOOOOOOOO bad after Texas A&M Saturday and then I drove all the way to Houston and became absolutely SICK after that Saturday. I was not able to see or hear the SMU game and when I heard what happened I don't ever remember feeling as devastated as I do now. Part of me wants to mail the rest of my season tickets back to Oakes/Reneau. Part of me has absolutely no interest in the rest of this season. The other part of me doesn't really know what to do or feel.

All that we have built up and towards with this promising season and with the next season as well have gone down the drain. We are worse off now after this series of Saturdays than we were pre-spirit of 88. LSU had their Curly Hallman. Tech has Bicnel...

Yes, we must move past Saturday...

We must also move past Bicnel...

[boxerdog]

Do ya'll seriously think Bicknell is going somewhere? He just got a contract extension and was voted conference coach of the year last season. We could post a goose egg this year and he'd still be back.
Undoubtedly, our team has some serious issues to overcome. Heck, some of it is even related to bad coaching decisions. But let's be realistic, Bicknell ain't leaving no time soon. You might as well get used to it. Unless some of you complainers are ready to fork over some serious bucks, you're spitting in the wind. It's not like Ruston is some coaching Mecca where everybody's is just dying to occupy. Even Keith Burns turned down the head job for goodness sake. It will take some serious jack$$ to get any quality candidate to give us a look. And I don't think its a great idea to gamble on a no-namer right now.
This is the status of our program currently: We have a unproven head coach who is learning on the run.(The next two seasons will manifest whether or not he is a legitimate 1A leader.) Our talent is getting better, but is still deficient as compared to the big boys.(I think the roster does have a few diamonds in the rough who slipped through the cracks of major schools.) We are and will be competive in the WAC for at least the next few years.(Not even Fresno is in position to be dominant, and they are far ahead of us.) It's not too late to salvage a decent season and get some momentum heading into next year.(We can beat every team left on our schedule--although Boise would be tough.) This year can only make our coaches better.(It's good to look at your own failures in the face and grow by them.)
I like to gripe with the best of them. But let's not get carried away into fantansy land. I doubt Saban or Holtz are interested in transferring.

[glm47]

You guys that want to run the ball so much, duh, we can't because our line isn't good enough. Except for three long runs by Smith, his average was anemic and we failed on two 4th and ones.

We cannot run the ball consistently and haven't all year except against tulsa. We will be stuffed if we try and run the ball 25-30 times in a game.

[Dirtydawg]

Hello people. Here's a news flash for you. You're not going to gain yardage on every running play you call. However, if you run the ball 25-35 times, the holes will form in there and you will get yardage. You people are saying that Joe only got his yards on only 2 carries. While that is accurate, you're not completing the fact that Joe got his yardage on only 2 runs with only a total of 13 carries. I'c feel safe in wagering that Joe would have had at least 2 more 10 yard runs with another 13 carries.

Ask any running back how many times he needs to carry the ball to really be effective and get into the feel of the game and they'll say at least 25 times. You all cite that the offensive line doesn't run block well. Heck, every offense line doesn't run block perfectly, but after enough carries the backs and the line learn to work together. Didn't Shaun Alexander have over 200 yards in rushing alone when we played Alabama the last time? Did he gain yards on every play? No. People, it keeps the clock going and gives the defense rest and reduces turn-overs. Run the ball at least 25-35 times a game.

[DogsWin]

You guys that want to run the ball so much, duh, we can't because our line isn't good enough. Except for three long runs by Smith, his average was anemic and we failed on two 4th and ones.

I believe there is much to learn from our past experiences, Glen. I don't care if Joe had only three 99 yard rushes and 13 losses of yardage, the fact is that Joe Smith ran a paltry 13 times for 135 yards & 3 TDS vs SMU and he did not lose the football.

In the Rice game Joe Smith had 17 carries for 93 yards, while the passing game netted 37 plays for 189 yards. Joe scored a TD in the first half and we abandoned our "running game" on all but 2 plays in the 2nd half, even though we were up 20-14 at half time. Final score: Tech still holding at 20 - Rice 37! We tossed 3 Interceptions in the 2nd half, two of which led to 14 RICE points and Luke ran for 1 TD. The passing game gave up more points than it scored.

Now Glen, what is your proposal? Keep doing what we've done at Rice & SMU and expect different results?

I've offered solutions & statistics with my gripes. Now it's your turn. Enlighten us as to which player on offense has been more productive, scored more points, and turned the football over less than Joe Smith? Since he is also the team's leading receiver, should we just line him up as a 6'-1" 220 WR instead?

Please respond with something more strategic/tactical than just "Our coaches suck & we should fire them all". Thanks.
________
Zx14 Vs Hayabusa

[Bossdawg]

DW, he can't come back with anything else because Joe Smith is the best player on our team and looks like the only one who has not given up on the team so far.

[Dirtydawg]

DW, he can't come back with anything else because Joe Smith is the best player on our team and looks like the only one who has not given up on the team so far.

You're exactly right, Bossdawg. I think the best thing the coaches could do would be to look at the rest of the season as one big version of the Tulsa game last year. Put the rest of the season on Joe's back and let him carry us. Luke is not getting it done for whatever reasons. Therefore, he cannot lead this team. Nobody wants to follow Luke's lead. Give the ball to Joe more, and I guarantee that we will see a better passing game as a result. Give the ball to the man that is carrying the offense and let him lead this team. He is a senior and ready for this task. I bet if you went back to his JUCO and asked who the team leader was when he was there, the answer would be JOE SMITH.

[beef]

Even Keith Burns turned down the head job for goodness sake. It will take some serious jack$$ to get any quality candidate to give us a look. And I don't think its a great idea to gamble on a no-namer right now. .

you idiot. Burns wanted the job but was disgusted when told he would have to keep all the good ole boy coaches we already had like Hines and BICKNELL so he said screw it. And Bicknell IS a no name. His dad is the one with the name.

[glm47]

[quote:f96c1a8a90="glm47"]You guys that want to run the ball so much, duh, we can't because our line isn't good enough. Except for three long runs by Smith, his average was anemic and we failed on two 4th and ones.

I believe there is much to learn from our past experiences, Glen. I don't care if Joe had only three 99 yard rushes and 13 losses of yardage, the fact is that Joe Smith ran a paltry 13 times for 135 yards & 3 TDS vs SMU and he did not lose the football.

In the Rice game Joe Smith had 17 carries for 93 yards, while the passing game netted 37 plays for 189 yards. Joe scored a TD in the first half and we abandoned our "running game" on all but 2 plays in the 2nd half, even though we were up 20-14 at half time. Final score: Tech still holding at 20 - Rice 37! We tossed 3 Interceptions in the 2nd half, two of which led to 14 RICE points and Luke ran for 1 TD. The passing game gave up more points than it scored.

Now Glen, what is your proposal? Keep doing what we've done at Rice & SMU and expect different results?

I've offered solutions & statistics with my gripes. Now it's your turn. Enlighten us as to which player on offense has been more productive, scored more points, and turned the football over less than Joe Smith? Since he is also the team's leading receiver, should we just line him up as a 6'-1" 220 WR instead?

Please respond with something more strategic/tactical than just "Our coaches suck & we should fire them all". Thanks.[/quote:f96c1a8a90]

I'm not in favor of firing all the coaches - Perot and Jackson do a good job in my opinion.

And I don't think our line is strong enough to run first and then pass. We have to use the pass to set up the run. We should put the QB under center more, use more play action passing, two tight end sets and some two back sets. In addition we need to put people in motion more often. Doing some of these things would keep the defense more off balance instead of putting 8 in the box everytime QB is under center and dropping 8 when we use our 4 receiver sets. We have a "plethora" of tight ends - USE THEM.

We could run more out of these various sets which I think we should do, but i think the threat of the pass has to come first because our O-Line is just not going to line up and whip too many people physically.

[glm47]

And as a follow-up. Just because we line up in the shotgun with wide recievers all over the place does not make us a wide open offense. We are so conservative, so predictable that it is sad really.

What we do now offensively is nothing near what we did when Crowton was here. OF course many people on here have already acknowledged this fact.

But apparently our head coach and offensive coordinator are too stupid to see this.

[DONW]

DogsWin,
There's another thing about Joe Smith that some people seem to forget. He gets stronger in the second half. The more he gets the ball the better he does. He could have ran for over 300 yards against SMU. I would be giving him the ball 25-30 times every game.

[boxerdog]

Beef, I don't know if you're trying to make a point. But you've just substantiated my initial comments with both of your statements. Are you arguing or agreeing?

[Memdawg]

DW,

I would suggest that some of our better artists, make up poster board signs that say "RUN JOE MORE"!! or, "Let JOE Have IT!!!!"!!! Flash them up to the press box and maybe they can serve as a reminder to RUN JOE RUN!!!

He IS the BEST OFF. player that we have right now!!! Let's Ride him till he can't be ridden anymore!!!!

GO JOE GO!!!!

One other point, we have had ZERO success running out of the shotgun... We need to line up under center more and go every direction from there!!! D's are just keying on Joe when they know the DRAW is coming!!! Evidently, we AIN'T Nebraksa!! Wait, Nebraska, ain't Nebraska this year!!! Poor Solich!!! :cry:

We do this,(run from under center), then I can see us utilizing the more traditional play action to freeze people and allow Tram and Norwood to make Big Plays!!!

Oh well, come on Saturday!!! Go Dawgs!!