Recent Comments
I don't think this situation needs wholesale message changes. Desperation is a stinky cologne, and the kids won't respond to it. What they do need to do is identify where players are only serving as caretakers, and determine if some of the players behind them can contribute long term. If they can't, some deadwood needs to get cut, and they need to target more defensive recruits. Athletic incoming freshmen like David Prince would be directed towards playing defense.
I also agree that Edmunds should at least be practicing on defense. The redshirt, coupled with additional recruits for next year like Harris and Reid mean he is needed on defense. Linebackers are hard to find in next year's recruits, meaning that Deon Clarke is the only viable long term prospect in the system.
While I agree with French's take on our LB recruiting from 2008-2010, the biggest problem that we had against both Pitt and UNC was that our DLs were being pushed out of their assigned gaps with ease.
Our DL was supposed to be the deepest, most talented unit on the team this year. They have regressed significantly from last year, along with the play of our supposedly all-ACC caliber center and, until yesterday at least, our QB.
I have no clue what's happened to the Hopkins brothers, Maddy, Gayle et al, but Charley Wiles needs to get it figured out ASAP or else we'll quite likely lose to Duke too.
Derrick Hopkins has been one of the major dissappointments on this season. DHop, Kyle Fuller, and Logan Thomas have all seen their level of play drop this season and they can not win if two out of those three have a bad game.
Can we just play the scout team versus Duke? Yeah we will lose but hell we might lose anyway..and it would be a wake up call to everyone...
I don't think LB was our biggest problem yesterday. Did you see how bad our DT's were getting pushed around all game? It was pathetic. The linebackers looked like they were over-pursuing everything because they knew the d-line wasn't going to help them out at all. I can't believe our d-line is so bad, it's time to start playing guys based on effort instead of skill, maybe that'll wake everyone up.
I know I'm beating a dead horse and that we promised him a shot at) but trey edmunds would better help this team in the long run at LB. With harris coming in and williams the following year, we'll be fine at)..doesn't seem like this is gonna happen though so hopefully he turns out to be something special there
Can we hold in-season tryouts and still have a better team place by the team we play FSU? Personally, I want to see that upset. It may be a long shot, but it is Thurs night Blacksburg. If the coaches are sure that some of the young guys are better than the veterens then change them now and run with it. If they are on the fence about it, I say go with consistency. We have already complained about not having a consistent #1 RB so far this season. I'm scared to see that same philosophy with half the defense.
However, I agree that we play backups to get them more experience now. Although I doubt that the coaches are going to resign to that decision just yet... Which is both frustrating and understandable at the same time.
Maybe once a few more L's are experienced and we don't have a shot at "winning our side" (Beamer-speak), we'll go to this strategy. Could prove useful. Because who's our first opponent next season?
Oh yeah. I remember. Some team called the Crimson Tide?
And remember he lost weight during the offseason because he didn't want to play inside.
Thank you so much for this post. This post so full of truth. And the truth can hurt sometimes.
The way that we fought SO DAMN HARD to come back and lead in that game after being down by 17 (I think?) and all the special teams miscues (blocked punt, personal fouls on punt coverages, etc) and then to lose it like that? Terrible.
He had the best game of his college career against FSU in that ACCCG though. That was beautiful... I'll always cherish that one in my heart. Was watching that one with FSU fans from my high school in Jacksonville. Man, was that a sweet sweet victory.
I've never been so angry at a football game as that last Boise drive and how we let them score. I was basically numb by the JMU game. Tyrod deserved better than that after how much he matured and had given this team.
I know it would be good for the ACC, but I didn't want to see them go all the way. They didn't seem to deserve it after we've worked hard to win the ACC since joining and they've pretty much stayed silent. They would have one year with a good team and an easy schedule to get there where we've worked hard since 2005 to compete in the ACC and win it. Their national title game would mask all the hard work we've put in for three ACC titles when they were sitting silent year after year with top 12 recruiting classes.
Just makes you hate 2010 season, doesn't it? If we don't lose two WHATTHEFRIGGINHELL games to Boise and JMU, we're in the National Championship game after going undefeated in ACC play.
I know it looks bad, but I was getting sick of FSU fans talking crap about the ACC and how it was "ruining their strength of schedule" when they can't even get through it undefeated. I still think we should be proud of how well we've done in the ACC since joining despite this year.
he still has that breakaway track runner speed to make a big play on occasion.
Agree. I'm all about the good possession receivers, just need a dependable guy who can get open and always makes the catch (Danny Coale for example). Sometimes that's really all you need to move the sticks, not always about big plays.
I agree, although we as a conference always provide SUCH exciting games for the national media to dissect and laugh at after our NC contender has a pathetic showing (Just glad that it wasn't us getting laughed at for once... We're comfortably in the mediocre background.)
That we start taking credit for a curse on the Seminoles... I mean, think about it. Ever since '99 they've had four times where they went 5-0 and then lost their next game when they were supposed to be "back."
We'll call it the Vick curse. He's obviously correlated in some fashion.
We need somebody (freaking ANYBODY) in the ACC to put together a Nat Champ run. FSU was (WAS) the only team that could do that this year, and I don't see how they could now, unless they steamroll Florida. Their conference schedule is going to be a liability, including whatever terrible Coastal team manages to finish 5-3 in conference and wins the chance to get thumped by FSU.
I know, he's in the same boat as Coleman and Holmes, this is first time dealing with college level. Bonner ain't exactly a veteran either. And i don't mean to pick on him, I'm sure he's going to come good over the next few years (hopefully they all are), but right now he's looking a little overwhelmed out there. And maybe that's on the coaches for not having the experienced guys in place to take those reps. It seems like we've had several guys leave the program (Aromire, for one) who seemed like they were going to be stepping up soon but balled out when they didn't win the starting job. Silver lining, we're getting a TON of dudes back on D AND O next year AND I'm cised about some of the incoming guys as well (ahem...Kendall Fuller).
It just sucks that I'm already building up next year in my mind the first weekend of October. Anything to distract me from this season.
Their defense obviously stepped up to hold FSU to 16. I'm sure FSU will play it off as them screwing themselves, but I think NCST stepped it up there.
I don't think anyone would, but that was a beautiful team game by NC State. I was hoping that we would be the ones to crash the 'Noles National Title train, but that would have been incredibly unlikely anyway.
Who would have thought a Glennon was clutch?
I haven't heard or read anything that would indicate that Edmunds is definitely pegged for RB no matter what.
I agree with you and think that, with all the other good RBs we're going to have, he would probably help the team more ... and get more PT for himself ... at LB. But they'll put them all out on the field in the spring and let them compete.
If he can clearly distinguish himself as one of our 2 best RBs and we can be sure that he's going to get a lot of reps there, fine. Keep him at RB.
But if he's caught up in the muddle behind our 2 best guys (who I'm thinking are going to be Coleman and Harris), then I think you'll see him move to LB where he can either start or be a primary backup immediately.