Here's what I think

emmitt01 · September 22, 2005

I think a few things led to Saturday's loss and I think they are all "correctible" save a few.

1)We have a redshirt freshman quarterback with a true freshman backing him up. I'm sure Dickey wanted to play it close to the vest and take the game out of Danny's hands. He tried to do that but the way the game was going forced him to take more chances which Tulsa pounced on. Dickey did not anticipate losing Andrew Smith. Before anyone says "that was last year" remember two things. We did try to sign a JUCO quarterback in the off-season. That guy starts at Nebraska right now (Zac Taylor). Second, Joey Byerly did not do his job in the classroom. Dickey doesn't do academic work for players last I checked, and if he does I don't want to know about it (though the NCAA might). Combine this with my next point and the QB play was predictably shaky...

2)Our O-Line got whooped. There is no play in ANY coach's playbook that is suited for 8 and 9 men baring down on your freshman quarterback with all of 15-20 snaps total in his collegiate career. What's that I hear? Quick slant or something of the like?....please see my next point.

3)We faced 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and a billion a bunch. What does a quick slant do for you on 2nd and 20? Or 1st and 25? Or how about 4th and 55? We shot ourselves in the foot so much that we negated any and all remedy to the stacked box. A quick slant on 2nd and 20 might net you 6 yards or so...so now it's 3rd and 14, where's your quick out now?

4)We didn't run the ball badly. Patrick, even against a heavy run blitz, still averaged over 5 yards a carry if I recall correctly. He even had one run down to the 1 when it was 2-2. With 23,000+ on hand punching that one in and making it 9-2 would have been a whole different ballgame.

5)Jamario was hurting. I know it might have helped to put him out there to get some yards or even as a decoy but why risk 'the franchise' in a blowout? And I don't agree with redshirting him either. I'd be willing to be that 15-20% of that crowd was there specifically to see the two-headed monster in the backfield and will return to see it later in the season as our ground game gets untracked.

6)We knew coming into this season that our defense would be 'green' with no pun intended. Think having TJ Raymond take care of his business in the classroom would have helped? How about Isaac Thomas being well enough to go all the way through fall practice getting his snaps? We are replacing FOUR starters on that d-line and THREE secondary players. Ask Oklahoma what replacing that much of any part of your team will do to you.

I'm not ready to put on the green tinted glasses and call for an undefeated season from here on out but I am willing to say that IF we make strides this weekend in Kansas, IF we come home and defend our brand new turf better against Troy, and IF we put it together against La Tech (we've got several weeks to get there) that this season could still look good by the time it's all said and done. If we don't do all of this though let's try to look at this team for what they are up against.

Edited September 22, 2005 by emmitt01

PlummMeanGreen · September 22, 2005

I think a few things led to Saturday's loss and I think they are all "correctible" save a few.
1)We have a redshirt freshman quarterback with a true freshman backing him up. I'm sure Dickey wanted to play it close to the vest and take the game out of Danny's hands. He tried to do that but the way the game was going forced him to take more chances which Tulsa pounced on. Dickey did not anticipate losing Andrew Smith. Before anyone says "that was last year" remember two things. We did try to sign a JUCO quarterback in the off-season. That guy starts at Nebraska right now (Zac Taylor). Second, Joey Byerly did not do his job in the classroom. Dickey doesn't do academic work for players last I checked, and if he does I don't want to know about it (though the NCAA might). Combine this with my next point and the QB play was predictably shaky...
2)Our O-Line got whooped. There is no play in ANY coach's playbook that is suited for 8 and 9 men baring down on your freshman quarterback with all of 15-20 snaps total in his collegiate career. What's that I hear? Quick slant or something of the like?....please see my next point.
3)We faced 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and a billion a bunch. What does a quick slant do for you on 2nd and 20? Or 1st and 25? Or how about 4th and 55? We shot ourselves in the foot so much that we negated any and all remedy to the stacked box. A quick slant on 2nd and 20 might net you 6 yards or so...so now it's 3rd and 14, where's your quick out now?
4)We didn't run the ball badly. Patrick, even against a heavy run blitz, still averaged over 5 yards a carry if I recall correctly. He even had one run down to the 1 when it was 2-2. With 23,000+ on hand punching that one in and making it 9-2 would have been a whole different ballgame.
5)Jamario was hurting. I know it might have helped to put him out there to get some yards or even as a decoy but why risk 'the franchise' in a blowout? And I don't agree with redshirting him either. I'd be willing to be that 15-20% of that crowd was there specifically to see the two-headed monster in the backfield and will return to see it later in the season as our ground game gets untracked.
6)We knew coming into this season that our defense would be 'green' with no pun intended. Think having TJ Raymond take care of his business in the classroom would have helped? How about Isaac Thomas being well enough to go all the way through fall practice getting his snaps? We are replacing FOUR starters on that d-line and THREE secondary players. Ask Oklahoma what replacing that much of any part of your team will do to you.
I'm not ready to put on the green tinted glasses and call for an undefeated season from here on out but I am willing to say that IF we make strides this weekend in Kansas, IF we come home and defend our brand new turf better against Troy, and IF we put it together against La Tech (we've got several weeks to get there) that this season could still look good by the time it's all said and done. If we don't do all of this though let's try to look at this team for what they are up against.
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I think what I highlighted in Emmitt's post is killing us right now. Hopefully, TJ plans on getting his grades and coming back this Spring; hopefully (and for his own sake) Issac Thomas gets over his heat related injury and then gets back on schedule of being a pretty decent defensive lineman.

Looking at that game last Saturday, I don't know if Joe Montana would have had time to pass the ball with a Tulsa DL in your face almost immediately after the center hikes the ball; of course, give Tulsa credit for that, too.

GMG!

Edited September 22, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

medpilot21 · September 23, 2005

Emmitt is right. There are still positives for this year. Tulsa had the correct game plan against this offense. We took a setback, not a failure. It is still too early in the season to write anything off. So we learned a thing or two about our young QB. There is still plenty of time for this team to re-invent itself. Our success this season will be based on their ability to come together quickly after a devastating loss. It can be done, but two things have to happen and there is no getting around either:

1. We need a QB to emerge and assume leadership of this team. I know that is asking a lot of a Freshman QB, especially when each of them know the other is also going to get reps. Quinn and Muzzy are leadership influences out there, so it can be done. Learn as much as possible from those two guys, and then push this offense they way they do. As Fans, we are always expecting too much from our players...it's our business. However, we can be realists, and will be patient if we see this team come together.

2. Offensive Line: not much left to say here. We have the talent, they just need time to jell. Coach Dickey WILL get this fixed...I just hope it's sooner than later.

1-0 in conference...that's the way I see it.

GMG!!!