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Why FOCUS on work...it's not like security is going to ESCORT you out
Traditionally, we only pursue committed players if they contact us first. Who knows if that was the situation here or not.
In the past, Bud has crashed the defensive end hard on the dive with the whip or backer one on one with the QB, and then he will change it up to try to get the QB to make a mistake. But Williams, Carden, and Cato all gave the Hokies fits with the play, as it puts tremendous pressure on the individual playing the QB to make a solo tackle. Boone and Connette are both excellent in this phase of the game, and what Boone lacks in pure strength, he makes up for by selling the fake and forcing the end to bite inside.
I think everyone should stop fooling around here and FOCUS on work!
Doh! I completely missed the FOCUS dropped earlier.
I watched both the Pitt and the UVA games, but didn't have a film that we could use for the Pitt game. The UVA game was really strange. UVA didn't look particularly great early as they jumped out to a 22-0 lead, and Duke didn't exactly look great as they came back and took the lead. Both teams derailed themselves with numerous mistakes, drops, and penalties over and over again. Anthony Harris had a shot at an interception that could have stopped the bleeding for UVA when they were up 22-17, and he dropped it like a muffed punt.
Duke's defense is pretty pedestrian. For the most part, they gave up some yardage to UVA, but the Wahoos couldn't sustain it. Penalties and a brutal looking passing scheme seemed to derail the Hoos more than anything Duke did. Duke is very similar to Pitt in that they try to keep everything in front of them, and occasionally generate pressure with delayed blitzes from their two hybrid safety-linebackers. Duke doesn't have an Aaron Donald type player though, so the Hokies offense should be able to sustain drives.
Bud Foster has two weeks to prepare, and I think he will do everything in his power to force Boone out of his comfort zone, which means taking away screens and the middle of the field. Boone is very accurate, but he doesn't have the arm strength that Carden, Williams, or Cato had. I don't think Duke can hurt the Hokies in the passing game unless Crowder makes people miss on a screen or on play action. Stopping the running game is absolutely critical. If Duke can run the ball, this will be a nail biter.
So Beamer is starting to recruit committed players? I know we kinda did that with Maddy, Moss, and McLaughlin, but somehow it just seems....so....un-Beamer to do that.
These puns have me living on the EDGE of laughter
I think they'll give us a tougher game than the hoos, for sure. Just got to keep doing what we're doing right on defense, and play turnover-free on offense.
MUCH better
Not 100% yet, but chances are looking good for those dates. I will definitely try to move any Beijing meetings into your window of time there so can make it up at same time. I just got a new project opportunity up there so will likely be making a few trips over the next month.
make sure you bring a warm jacket man. Arctic North Face gear or something. It will be COLD.
Maybe you mentioned this before but I can't remember -- how does Bud defend the standard spread read-option against a DE? Is it essentially trying to fool the QB into making the wrong read? Make the QB keep it so that they keep getting hit and THEN make the wrong read? I remember that being the formula for GT, but do you think it works against Duke?
....ugh....can't believe i'm concerned with playing Duke.
I have heard you are quite the EXPLORER. Is it time to wrap this up and have a FIESTA?
Great insight.
I like hearing about how the current personnel fit the offensive schemes. This is an important aspect of the offense (or lack of it) and why they haven't put up the big numbers yet.
Hopefully our guys in the trenches get healthy this week, get their zone blocking mojo back and open up holes so big they can been seen by weather satellites.
Obligatory tv comment about how big his hands are
I guess the refs' reasoning was that it wasn't dirty enough to be a personal foul and that they would have called the ball down even had Holliday touched it. I agree with you though - bad precedent to set by letting it slide.
Both Mason and I have touched on the holes available to the backs over the last couple of weeks. I think a big part of that issues is the wide variety of sets and plays, and the backs are getting sometimes their first few opportunities to see how a hole will develop against different defenses. Also, while Logan Thomas has played really well, the reality is that he is not a fluid read option quarterback. He is about 50/50 on making the correct read, and even when he does, his technique does not hide the ball well enough to deceive defenders for more than a split second.
Right now, Loeffler is implementing his system, but he is adding features that fit personnel that he has inherited. Several of the linemen and Thomas are not great fits for what he likes to employ (other than the inverted veer.) I think next season will also be a transitional year, and then we will have a good idea about the full Loeffler system in year 3.
I'm a big fan of super cars. How about the Ford GT40?
It was quite the EXPEDITION.
Very nice analysis, hopefully the o-line is well rested and healthy for Duke.
Excellent analysis! This just made me even more excited for this saturday!
this one wins
I bet you had to go on an EXCURSION to figure it out...
You don't have to PROBE into our conversations if you don't like them.