Embarrasing

[mildawg]

That is not entirely true. We did move our safeties down considerably in the second half. Rice then proceeded to beat us pretty good through the air.

Not when #35 was in the game. We did absolutely nothing to stop the outside run and/or option. Nothing. Same stupid alignment we ran against Army.

[mildawg]

When all else fails, blame the players... sounds familiar, although in a different context:

[Captain Rowdy]

I was having dinner with some friends that I've been trying to get off the flag ship's bandwagon. I had them all convinced to come to the Tulsa game... and then we tuned into the athletic abortion that was last night's game. I swear Radio knows more about coaching football than the entire Holtz family .

[Guisslapp]

When all else fails, blame the players... sounds familiar, although in a different context:

The players are who they are. I blame recruiting.

[Guisslapp]

Not when #35 was in the game. We did absolutely nothing to stop the outside run and/or option. Nothing. Same stupid alignment we ran against Army.

We didn't try the 5-2 we tried against army. Our deepest safety was 10 yards off the line of scrimmage when no. 35 was playing QB for most of the second half. The first half cushion was too much with 35 in, I agree.

[mildawg]

The players are who they are. I blame recruiting.

I understand and agree that we have some player deficiencies. But sitting here watching the game again, there are GLARING errors on both sides of the ball that could (and should) be corrected. Some of it is schematic, but much of it is simply that our fundamentals are terrible. Player development: we're seeing none of it.

[mildawg]

We didn't try the 5-2 we tried against army. Our deepest safety was 10 yards off the line of scrimmage when no. 35 was playing QB for most of the second half. The first half cushion was too much with 35 in, I agree.

That's what I was referring to -- our safety (or safeties). We should have had EVERYONE within 5 yards of the LOS when 35 was in the game... if we couldn't cover the receivers man to man with him in the game, then so be it. But we kept stacking our 2 LBs and our nickle between the tackles, essentially giving them the outside run. Of course, Rice was ramming it up the middle against that same alignment, but that was mostly because we just can't tackle. Again, we come back to fundamentals.

But the bottom line is that we gave up 52 points and it could have been much worse. Everything they did to us last night worked. To say that coaching is not to blame is ludicrous. To say that the players are not to blame is equally ludicrous. They both are guilty of underperforming. My only argument is this: with better coaching and scheming, these same players could be MUCH better. MUCH. With these same coaches, better players would also underperform.

[Guisslapp]

Putting your safeties level with the LBs can create other problems with run defense, which I am sure Rice would have easily exploited.

[johnnylightnin]

I guess our question is answered about whether or not this year matters with regard to Holtz's contract.

[mildawg]

Putting your safeties level with the LBs can create other problems with run defense, which I am sure Rice would have easily exploited.

Disagree completely with creating problems. Not even close. Teams do it all the time with success.

[mildawg]

And by the way, I'm sitting here re-watching the game to see what I didn't catch at the game last night. On running plays, we would end up with DBs over 10 yards downfield because they continued to cover their man even after it was obvious Rice was running the ball. Our LBs sit back and don't attack the run. Our DBs and LBs don't read the QB AT ALL. Watching Rice's defense, their players were very good at reading and reacting to the play. Our players let the play develop instead of using their eyes and reacting quickly. Every time the Rice QB threw the deep out or corner, he stared down his WR the whole play... yet we never had anyone within 7 yards of the WR making the catch. Terrible.

[Mudfever]

Was it just me, or did it seem Bicknellish that we were down some 24 points with the ball and 2 mins to go in the 1st half. Then with 3 timeouts in hand, we watched the clock run out?!? I may be wrong as I was in a bar in Alabama and stuck in the corner with one small TV and surrounded by screaming Bama people. My wife stated it was a little embarrassing that we asked them to switch one of the TVs to the game only to get monkey stomped...

Mud

[rangerdawg]

That's what I was referring to -- our safety (or safeties). We should have had EVERYONE within 5 yards of the LOS when 35 was in the game... if we couldn't cover the receivers man to man with him in the game, then so be it. But we kept stacking our 2 LBs and our nickle between the tackles, essentially giving them the outside run. Of course, Rice was ramming it up the middle against that same alignment, but that was mostly because we just can't tackle. Again, we come back to fundamentals.

But the bottom line is that we gave up 52 points and it could have been much worse. Everything they did to us last night worked. To say that coaching is not to blame is ludicrous. To say that the players are not to blame is equally ludicrous. They both are guilty of underperforming. My only argument is this: with better coaching and scheming, these same players could be MUCH better. MUCH. With these same coaches, better players would also underperform.

THIS was the entire problem. They are running the "Wild Owl" and we have a nickel back in rather than THREE LB'S!!!!! Was Spangler coaching this from afar? Stupid package to put in. When they are doing this, it is never a good idea to have 5 DB's in the game!

[Guisslapp]

Who is our 3rd LB when Cobb is injured?

[T1]

Who is our 3rd LB when Cobb is injured?

Whoever #42 is. I saw a Rice RB destroy him to get into the end zone.