Anything and everything about Liberty Flames football. Your comments on games, recruiting and the direction of the program as we move into new era.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke, Class of 20Something

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By jinxy
Registration Days Posts
#537436
Dailey got outsmarted big time tonight. As far as the d goes you may say they played solid but the continuous personal foul penalties and big play blown coverages are inexcusable. Each has been going on for 2 to 3 years. also they failed to add defensive depth this offseason despite knowing they had several defections. It has cost us all year.
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By rmiller1959
Registration Days Posts
#537439
I understand they need to keep the runs in the playbook to keep defenses honest. Our offensive identity, however, at least the one that helped us score all those points and gain all those yards, is an uptempo passing attack that keeps defenses on their heels. We acted tonight like we were uncomfortable with that identity until we were desperate, and that's not a good state of mind in which to play offense.
By rtb72
Posts
#537443
ballcoach15 wrote:Appears we left play book back in Lynchburg.
No...the sad thing is...that IS our playbook. I'm just at a loss with trying to understand our coaching strategy anymore.
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By rmiller1959
Registration Days Posts
#537444
They might have left some pages at home. All those slant passes to keep the defensive line at bay and move the ball quickly down the field seem to have disappeared.
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By flameshaw
Registration Days Posts
#537445
jinxy wrote:Dailey got outsmarted big time tonight. As far as the d goes you may say they played solid but the continuous personal foul penalties and big play blown coverages are inexcusable. Each has been going on for 2 to 3 years. also they failed to add defensive depth this offseason despite knowing they had several defections. It has cost us all year.
I missed the personal foul penalties, with the streaming messed up and not watching some of the game. And I was hoping for something positive out of this game. :oops:
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By Class of 20Something
Posts
#537448
While traditional teams run to open up the pass, we absolutely need to pass to establish the run. Mosley isn't a generational talent that's going to magically appear through the line when they stack the box. JSU's defense was stout. Moreso than I thought. Keep passing until they start putting men on receivers. I don't understand turning to a run game that hasn't been established all season. That is not our identity.

That's the kind of performance we put on against Coastal and CSU last year. If I see it again this season, I have no issues with some of the coaching staff getting let go. We have the players that can go and execute a high tempo, potent, FBS offense, and we destroyed that with timid playcalling. I've said it before, a home loss or Big South loss is unacceptable this year. With 76 on scholarships and our facilities, the only reason for losing is coaching.
By LUDad
Posts
#537459
You have to know that JS, having the defense athletes, would try to shut down our passing with press coverage of our receivers. Could not tell very well with the lack of decent video but did we have any picks and rubs in the game plan to create space? BTW, ask Clemson if "legal" picks works.
By willflop
Posts
#537460
Hard to analyze with only listening to the game, but passes accounted for 64% of all plays against JSU. This is a 20% increase in pass attempts vs. runs, over our prior three game average (53%). Their game plan was to stop the pass, so I don't see how throwing more would have helped. They shut it down, as Calvert threw 47%. My take is that we were just outmatched, across the board, so we wouldn't have succeeded under any game plan. In fact, they stopped the run while trying to stop the pass.

Not giving the coaches a pass, because it's their job to get a team that can compete with a top 5 FCS team, imo. They've had 6 years to do it, and they haven't. Taking the game in isolation though, is it possible different play calling would have made a difference? I'm doubting it, but who knows. Play calling is often akin to the guy that says he doesn't have a gambling problem, he has a losing problem.
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By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#537464
Don't forget, on top of being a very good team they had two weeks to evaluate us. Lots film plus the whole team probably watched the ISU game live. They were well rested after a week off. At home. In front of a capacity crowd.

We really needed a quick start and we had to settled for a short FG on our first drive. Needed the TD. That was the first bad omen.
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By flameshaw
Registration Days Posts
#537467
willflop wrote:Hard to analyze with only listening to the game, but passes accounted for 64% of all plays against JSU. This is a 20% increase in pass attempts vs. runs, over our prior three game average (53%). Their game plan was to stop the pass, so I don't see how throwing more would have helped. They shut it down, as Calvert threw 47%. My take is that we were just outmatched, across the board, so we wouldn't have succeeded under any game plan. In fact, they stopped the run while trying to stop the pass.

Not giving the coaches a pass, because it's their job to get a team that can compete with a top 5 FCS team, imo. They've had 6 years to do it, and they haven't. Taking the game in isolation though, is it possible different play calling would have made a difference? I'm doubting it, but who knows. Play calling is often akin to the guy that says he doesn't have a gambling problem, he has a losing problem.
We were 16 for 23 passing to start the game, moving the ball well, then started running. No particularly a bad plan, except it was clear to an average 5th grader, that the running game was not going to work after a couple of series. However, we continued to run unsuccessfully. After we fell so far behind, we were forced to pass a lot. They were able to pressure the QB with just 4 rushers and that was really the key to the game.
IMHO, both the OC and DC need to be replaced after the season (at the minimum). I hear a lot of good things about both of them being good men. But we need some good men who are good coaches as well. If we were to win every game the rest of the year (which we should), personally I would replace the entire staff. We have not really gotten better under Gill. The offense is a little better, but the defense has gotten worse. I shudder to think where we would be without Calvert. It is clear to me, after the last two games, Gill is not the guy going forward. No excuse for that debacle in the second quarter.
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By rmiller1959
Registration Days Posts
#537470
I still think quick passes to the slot receivers and running backs to tame the rush would have been preferable to bubble screens and taking shots downfield, neither of which worked well once they figured out how to cover our receivers. String a few of those quick-hit passes together and that keeps their pass rush honest and gives Buckshot time to survey the field and take his shots.

And I agree with Class of 20Something - we are designed in terms of talent to use the pass to set up the run. And Purple has a point about the offensive line. They need to be able to block four rushers.
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By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#537472
rmiller1959 wrote:I still think quick passes to the slot receivers and running backs to tame the rush would have been preferable to bubble screens and taking shots downfield, neither of which worked well once they figured out how to cover our receivers. String a few of those quick-hit passes together and that keeps their pass rush honest and gives Buckshot time to survey the field and take his shots.

And I agree with Class of 20Something - we are designed in terms of talent to use the pass to set up the run. And Purple has a point about the offensive line. They need to be able to block four rushers.
Quick slants and screens also cover for a shaky O Line
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By flameshaw
Registration Days Posts
#537473
Purple Haize wrote:Sounds like the offensive line was suspect
Absolutely, that and very poor play calling make for an overall bad performance. Once the defense dictates how the game is played, it usually gets ugly, quick.
By Chippy
Registration Days Posts
#537484
My observations - JSU has a veteran defense with an All-America DE. Their front 4 were better than our O-line as they had 2 sacks and 14 QB hurries. Our D-line had 6 QB hurries and 0 sacks. They realized they had to put more pressure on Buckshot in the second half which explains the disparity in his completion numbers from one half to the next. We did not adjust to their pressure very well offensively in the 2nd half.

For us, the bend don't break defense may be how we have to play given our lack of upfront pressure as we have 2 sacks in 4 games. Unfortunately, we have to put up a lot of points to overcome the lack of defensive pressure and the occasional lapses in coverage, assignments and technique. JSU is a very good team with much better talent, depth and experience. It would have been a huge upset to beat them at home after having 2 weeks to prepare for us and in front of a record crowd.
By JK37
Registration Days Posts
#537490
9 returning starters on D. DB's were in press all second half. Takes away quick slant and the like. Can afford to because d-line was dominant. JSU is really good.

I agree the staff is employed to put a Top 5 FCS-competitive team on field. I think BSC has held us back. Now that LU is going FBS Indy, we should see better talent. LU should be in the pecking order right after the P5's. Then we can evaluate coaches.
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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#537495
As I mentioned in the preview, Jax State has a roster enhanced significantly by P5 & JUCO transfers. That is a great plan for FCS success. It doesn't work at the FBS level in most cases. But they have certainly built quite an elite FCS operation.
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By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#537496
Sly Fox wrote:As I mentioned in the preview, Jax State has a roster enhanced significantly by P5 & JUCO transfers. That is a great plan for FCS success. It doesn't work at the FBS level in most cases. But they have certainly built quite an elite FCS operation.
Absolutely
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