[Rooster Cogburn]

I love Coach Rocco and hope he stays here until he retires, but he is replaceable. Everyone is replaceable.

100% agree with this statement. But we are not where we are without him.

[Sly Fox]

And as far as recruiting goes, we are slightly above where Hout & early Sam teams were with talent. Coach Rocco has raised the bar of the program and I entend for him to stay forever (he could follow his family mentor's plan up in Happy Valley) but if he did leave we'll find a great coach based on how attractive the program has become.

[ToTheLeft]

Will he change his stubborn old defense?

If not, he can leave whenever he likes.

I might be okay with the loss now, and think we'll be fine this season, but the defense is unacceptable.

I was hoping with this new "adjuster" business that we'd be putting more pressure on QB's and not falling into the same old stuff.

But we're falling into the same old stuff.

Dropped coverages, open receivers, 3rd downs are easier for opponents than first or second down, and the run stopping is terrible.

And it's always been the same. We have to rely on mistakes or early leads, then let the other team throw into 8 man coverage and never be able to score. If it's a close game, we have to outscore the other team, because they'll be able to drive right down our throats.

I'm sorry guys, yes, Rocco has brought us far, but we're not going to compete with a defense like this. Offense sells tickets and builds hype, defense wins championships. Rocco is supposed to be a defensive guy, and the new system this year had me excited. But when it's a big drive in a tied game with limited time left and we're dropping EIGHT into a DEEP ZONE that leaves a 20 yard bubble down the middle, and gets no pressure on the QB, you don't want to win. Were we trying to let them score quickly so we could come back and score again?

Rocco is a great guy, he says the right things and he obviously recruits very well. But the defense since he's been here has always had the same problems.

It doesn't:

1. Stop the run
2. Prevent open receivers
3. Put pressure on the QB

Any good defense should do one of those things. Ours does none.

He's shown the 4 man line look from time to time and I honestly think it's a lot better. Adams, Bannon, Schuster, and Champman all on the line at the same time gives us a chance on the point of attack. If we only have 3, they double Asa, and then the rest of the blockers pick up the smaller guys, and we get no pressure. Put 4 on the line, and if they double Asa, one blitzer will come free on sheer numbers. And we'd still have 6 in coverage. Against 5 receivers (the most they can ever have). There is no excuse to drop 8 in coverage against 5 receivers, especially if you can't stop them with 8.

Am I a football coach? No.

Could I replace Rocco? No.

But I'd like to think I'm seeing the same things you guys are, right? Yes, we were 1-10 before he got here. Yes, the program was in the dumps. But that doesn't give Rocco a free pass. We're committed to making this team a national contender. That starts with improving on things that don't work. The offense has worked since Danny got here. The defense hasn't.

Something has to change.

[From the class of 09]

You can't fire a guy for one loss TTL. You're wwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy over reacting. Does the defense need to improve from last week? Yes

However two weeks ago our defense allowed us to win that game. Not only did they stop Ball State on the last drive they also kept us in the game after 3 MB interceptions.

You can't just say well thanks for taking our 1-10 program and turning us into a top 25 team, but you have had 5 years and we really expected you to win at least one NC, so see you later. Your statements are insane and expectations are unrealistic.

I understand the frustration but you are WAY off base on this one.

[LUnpretty11]

You can't fire a guy for one loss TTL. You're wwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy over reacting. Does the defense need to improve from last week? Yes

I don't think TTL was saying he needs to get fired. Just that something needs to change. I think TTL hit the nail on the head. It's not just one loss. It's three years of one losses.

[Hold My Own]

I was just listening to The Herd and he was talking about how Bobby Knight is in the top % as far as IQ but wont be getting a job because he refused to adapt which all great coach's have to do. He's never adapted to the idea of players leaving early to go to the NBA.

[ToTheLeft]

You can't fire a guy for one loss TTL. You're wwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy over reacting. Does the defense need to improve from last week? Yes

However two weeks ago our defense allowed us to win that game. Not only did they stop Ball State on the last drive they also kept us in the game after 3 MB interceptions.

You can't just say well thanks for taking our 1-10 program and turning us into a top 25 team, but you have had 5 years and we really expected you to win at least one NC, so see you later. Your statements are insane and expectations are unrealistic.

I understand the frustration but you are WAY off base on this one.

As npretty said, I never said fire him. I said change needs to be made.

And the Ball State game was a shootout. Back and forth all game. And it was when we were getting pressure on their QB that allowed us to have success. Stacking the box and bringing pressure worked against the pass game too, and we used 4 down linemen a lot. Then we turn around against RMU and drop 8 guys again and forget the success we had against BSU.

And I never said he should be "gone" (since I never said fire him) because he didn't win a national championship. I'm saying if he wants to turn us into national contenders at some point, we have to make changes. And if he doesn't want to make changes, he can leave whenever he wants.

And once again, bringing the team from 1-10 to top 25 isn't a free pass to be mediocre every year. Rocco has the team on the upswing, but he has to make some more changes if he wants to make us true national contenders.

And again, IF he doesn't want to change, then he can leave for the next job that's offered to him.

[Rooster Cogburn]

I think this loss had as much to do with being on a long bus trip to a small school with a small crowd right after a huge win as anything.

[LUnpretty11]

I think this loss had as much to do with being on a long bus trip to a small school with a small crowd right after a huge win as anything.

Say what you want. No excuse. Like TTL said, Rocco needs to change up his defensive philosophies. We also went from having one of the best rushing offenses, to well, possibly one of the lousiest. Things need to change up.

[ToTheLeft]

I think this loss had as much to do with being on a long bus trip to a small school with a small crowd right after a huge win as anything.

If we were playing at Maine or Towson I'd buy that.

We were playing at Robert Morris, who was previously beaten by a team that does not give out scholarships. The kind of team that CAA schools beat by 40.

There is no excuse. I know you guys drink Rocco's bathwater like it was the sweetest koolaid known to mankind, but he (or Clark) really called a poor game. Especially on that last drive. If we had pressured the QB, I have no doubts we could have stopped them on that final drive. From the very first play of the game we could get to the QB, but we stopped and decided to go into cloud coverage. It's the same things that allowed Presby to beat us. Not putting pressure on a decent QB turns them into a great QB. I'm decent at throwing a football with friends at a tailgate or in a pickup game with no blitzing. But in a live game with people coming after me, I suck. The same is true to an even greater extent with college and pro QB's. Give them time and they can just play catch with their WR's. Especially in a zone, you just wait for them to leave one guys zone and head towards another and hit them in the open space between the zones.

[Rooster Cogburn]

I think this loss had as much to do with being on a long bus trip to a small school with a small crowd right after a huge win as anything.

Say what you want. No excuse. Like TTL said, Rocco needs to change up his defensive philosophies. We also went from having one of the best rushing offenses, to well, possibly one of the lousiest. Things need to change up.

Is it philosophy or just the lack of AA. We need a bigger, change up back. 3 of the same dudes is not quite doing it.

[LUnpretty11]

I think this loss had as much to do with being on a long bus trip to a small school with a small crowd right after a huge win as anything.

Say what you want. No excuse. Like TTL said, Rocco needs to change up his defensive philosophies. We also went from having one of the best rushing offenses, to well, possibly one of the lousiest. Things need to change up.

Is it philosophy or just the lack of AA. We need a bigger, change up back. 3 of the same dudes is not quite doing it.

AA would not make us the top tier rushing team in the nation again. I like Holloway and Barnett, I'm just not liking the way Davis runs. It seems like he is hesitant every time he touches the ball. Streeter, Rocco or whoever needs to adjust and make the offense good enough to where a different style back can be successful. We have good backs. So it's not their fault. We also have a pretty decent line.

[ToTheLeft]

Holloway seems to dance at the line a bit. We don't have a Rashad who just sees the hole and goes with his shoulder down. If anyone is close, it's Korey, and he showed that with a few 4-8 yard runs against RMU.

We're not winning the battle for the line of scrimmage, tho, and that's the key issue here.

[LUnpretty11]

Holloway seems to dance at the line a bit. We don't have a Rashad who just sees the hole and goes with his shoulder down. If anyone is close, it's Korey, and he showed that with a few 4-8 yard runs against RMU.

We're not winning the battle for the line of scrimmage, tho, and that's the key issue here.

Maybe I'm missing some plays then...

[ToTheLeft]

Holloway seems to dance at the line a bit. We don't have a Rashad who just sees the hole and goes with his shoulder down. If anyone is close, it's Korey, and he showed that with a few 4-8 yard runs against RMU.

We're not winning the battle for the line of scrimmage, tho, and that's the key issue here.

Maybe I'm missing some plays then...

I was wondering what you meant. There were a few times Korey was able to cut through a seam and get yards. Even York and Rutigliano pointed out at one point that SirChauncey danced a bit before hitting the hole.

Neither of them are super aggressive. That is one thing AA did that these guys don't. But it's not all on them, the O-Line isn't getting them a good push to start off with, either.

[ToTheLeft]

Looking back at the game play-by-play.

Korrey had rushes of 4, 5, 7, 13, 3, and 4 on the day, none of them were "Pushed out of bounds." So he got up the middle some and got some gains. (I removed a loss of 1 yard, since I don't remember if it was a broken play or just a poor run).

Holloway had rushes of 2, 2, 17, 1, 1, 0, 0. (I removed a loss of 4, and a loss of 5 that was called back for holding). SirChauncey might have had the biggest run, but his runs in general weren't very good. Not to mention he was the one who held in the end zone for the safety.

[ballah09]

like i said in the other thread. i think barnett should get more carries

[Rooster Cogburn]

So, I guess we will not see Bah this year?

[From the class of 09]

I think the play calling is being adjusted to the what we can put on the field. I hate to admit it but we may be looking at a year where we can't run the ball between the tackles. Lack of line play or lack of talent in the back field either way your left with the same result.

[ToTheLeft]

I think the play calling is being adjusted to the what we can put on the field. I hate to admit it but we may be looking at a year where we can't run the ball between the tackles. Lack of line play or lack of talent in the back field either way your left with the same result.

Look at Davis' runs tho. Only one play of less than 3 yards. I think he just needs more carries, especially since it would continue to wear down the defense.

[From the class of 09]

I think the play calling is being adjusted to the what we can put on the field. I hate to admit it but we may be looking at a year where we can't run the ball between the tackles. Lack of line play or lack of talent in the back field either way your left with the same result.

Look at Davis' runs tho. Only one play of less than 3 yards. I think he just needs more carries, especially since it would continue to wear down the defense.

Maybe now the coaches will give him a few more touches. While those limited numbers definitely look good it would be interesting to see how he did with 15-20 carries.

I really hope we can come up with some kind of running game (other than MB) before Saturday. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t even attempt 15 rushing attempts (not involving MB).

[LUconn]

On the plus side, we don't have a run game on tape for JMU to watch.

[From the class of 09]

On the plus side, we don't have a run game on tape for JMU to watch.

I like your glass is half full kind of approach

[kuntryboimike]

On the plus side, we don't have a run game on tape for JMU to watch.

I like your glass is half full kind of approach

haha nice. i like that. this was all planned out! haha

[TDDance234]

I think this loss had as much to do with being on a long bus trip to a small school with a small crowd right after a huge win as anything.

Wait, what? I'll give you we might come out flat from a long bus trip but we lost because we're playing in front of a small crowd? If we're losing because of crowd participation, we're doomed. This is a terrible excuse.