VTTW Board Index

Defense:
We have huge, gaping holes in the middle.  We are down to converted DEs playing DT, Phillips and Mixon
How Shoop figures that out is a $M question, big reason we are being gashed in the run game.
WE have learned how to cover the screen (big kudos to Moseley last night) but we still cannot set an edge if our life depended on it.  We are very susceptable to the backside and to jet sweeps.  Zero freaking improvement after the bye week.
Also, where is the vaunted rotation at DE?  Lewis rotated for Vereen (played better for the most par IMO) and Kongbo got in for a few plays giving DB9 a blow but that was essentially it.

We need Cam/Foreman back at corner.  Till we do, we have to play the safeties more in the pass game.

Speaking of safeties, we need Micah back, or at least a stitched up Berry.  Warrior is NOT the answer.  He goes quick and hits well when he gets there.  However, "there" is all to often not the correct place.  TK might be the answer at Sam.  IMO he is too slow to play safety though he plays the run game in front of him well.  Took better angles last night but even that resulted in a couple of chunk plays.

Would have loved seeing CMac gets some reps last night along side Kirtland.  IMO his play was more consistent than Jumper in the same situations and I don't have to hold my breath every time Jumper is forced to cover a WR (though once last night Martin showed he had studied film, forced a swap of receivers with Jumper and then made a play off of tight coverage where Jumper would have been lost in space

Offense:
Dobbs needs to learn how to read zone defense.
His first pick was similar to the pick in the A&M OT.  On another pass against zone Helm made the correct read and sat down in the open area (wide open) but Dobbs did not and missed the pass by between 5 and 10 yards.
You can tell he worked on "touch" in the off season but he needs to differentiate between touch and getting the ball to the receiver (see 2nd pick)
For whatever reason, Dobbs has difficulty throwing to Josh Smith.  Throws at his feet, 3-5 yards behind him and occasionally throws to him like Smith is 10' tall.  On rare occasions he actuall gets the ball within 3 feet of Josh.

We are woefully tin at RB.  Something is wrong with Hurd, no spring or giddy-up
Our best two RBs at the moment are Kamara and Kelly (who once again showed he can run the damn ball in the SEC) and Kamara is hurt.  After that you have true FR.

WR:  Smith gets separation the most often but see above
Jennings is just freaking nasty and will catch the ball if given half a chance.
Malone is inconsistent
Byrd has the most upside but wasn't in the game much last night (which tells me Smith was banged up before the bye)

TE: Rarely used.  For all the BS about Butch's offense being a heavy TE use offense we rarely employ them.

OL:  Disaster area.  So bad, should be quarantined
Wiseman is a better blocking center than Thomas but isn't on the same planet as Thomas when it comes to pulling and making blocks, which a large part of our running game.
Our most consistent G is Robertson but he has his moments. 
Jones was a disappointment last night, as was Kendrick
Hall IMO should not have played on one leg.
The OL was clearly not getting it done last night yet ZERO changes were made.  The same 5 played all freaking night.
Going forward, if this is the level of play, play Richmond, Boulware and Taylor, get them reps for the future.
This coaching staff only plays younger guys when they are forced to and as a result the performance level is poor.

A lot of questions and not many answers are apparent.  I know we have had a lot of injuries but this team has regressed.

For years we all lamented about playing the Gators early in the season.  Wanted to move that game to later in the year, so as we improved we would be ready.  Well, I'm glad we're not playing them now!  I'm finding it much harder not to be critical of the entire staff.  From S&C down to play calling, there is something seriously wrong.  Is there a player on the team that we can say has really been "coached up"?  It's very frustrating to watch other teams roll out freshman QBs, or any other skill position for that matter, and watch them play with confidence and poise, and then watch our veteran team look like they've never played before.  Last night is not just unacceptable, it's unbelievable!   Sorry for the rant....but it feels good to let it out.  :mad:

Kelly played really well, and finished with 115 yards on 19 carries.  Honestly we should have fed him the ball more, and I am not sure why we didn't.  He averaged over 4 yards/carry which last night was all we needed.  And don't get me started on the one play that, per the clueless announcers, Kelly '"had" to have a blow'.  It was a passing play...he could have stood there and blocked.  But I digress.

I was on record as saying we could run on these guys.  Kelly was the only bright spot (other than a couple nice catches by Jennings and the one long run by Dobbs).

Part of me wonders if, had we fed Kelly a bit more, they start keying on him and spring Dobbs a few more times, because schematically they shut Dobbs down pretty well most of the time.

Water under the bridge, but do wish Kelly had more touches.

Don't get me started on what Kamara could have done..... :banghead:

Cheap shot by the tide  :bird: :bird: :bird: