[Sly Fox]

This thread is going to be interesting.

Here are the final stats:



Coach Rocco on Loss
"I'm really disappointed in this game. The kicking game was bad amnd the fact we couldn't kick a field goal or extra point was bad. When all is said and done I'm disappointed in how we played today. We weren't ready to play today and that was my fault."

Coach Rocco on Rashad's Injury
"I'm not sure if it is his knee or shin but its defenitely a leg injury."

Coach Rocco on what went wrong
"I never envisioned that we would come out here and not execute better. We had a number of shots downfield and we never connected on one of them. If Rashad had been in there for the 4th quarter I;m sure we would've put more points on the board. But we'll get in there and look at how we can do better next week."

[KaplanKrazies]

The overall play in this game, save the 2 RB's, was terrible. Everybody was making mistakes that could have, or did cost the game.

[A.G.]

I think the team was ready to play. Execution was the problem. I wonder if the kicking game is a snapper, holder, or kicker issue?

[TDDance234]

Some of Rocco's calls were questionable.

The gameplan was extremely conservative. It took the 4th quarter before this team started taking some shots down field. Running it on 3rd and 21 in the opposing teams 30 yard area was another awful decision.

But leaving 7 points on the field are unexcusable by the kicker. We've got to do something, this is going to be our downfall.

[Sly Fox]

9 Penalties for 85 yards ...

I know we are going to have plenty of rants ont he kicking game but our passing game wasn't much better.

[Baldspot]

Someone please explain to me why a 6 pt margin after our last TD was better than a 5 pt margin if Rocco had gone for the two pts and it failed.

I want the program to succeed but the players weren't the only sloppy ones today.

[WinthropEagleFan]

Someone please explain to me why a 6 pt margin after our last TD was better than a 5 pt margin if Rocco had gone for the two pts and it failed.

I want the program to succeed but the players weren't the only sloppy ones today.

Alot of coaches don't like to go for two until the 4th quarter. You never know when that one point (assuming you don't make it) could come back and haunt you. Then again, it can haunt you the other way, like it did today. It's a tough call.

[ATrain]

I say we bring in a soccer player (men's or women's) to kick for us...just one field goal, that one extra point, could've given this game a completely different outcome...ARGH!!!!

[A.G.]

Someone please explain to me why a 6 pt margin after our last TD was better than a 5 pt margin if Rocco had gone for the two pts and it failed.

I want the program to succeed but the players weren't the only sloppy ones today.

I can't explain it. Perhaps I am just drinking too much of the Rocco Kool Aid. I bet if he had it to do all over again, he'd go for two, though.

[TDDance234]

It's a tough call.

Not for THIS team it's not. We can't make field goals or extra points. The kicker left SEVEN points, at least, on the field.

Unexcusable.

[grm]

Just sad - would have been a huge win. Especially with homecoming and all...

We'll probably sleep better than Coach tonight

[grm]

Also, players have to make plays. If you don't, and the other team does, they win. Sometimes,
it is no more complicated than that. Still sad.

[KaplanKrazies]

http://thetribehasspoken.net/2006/10/14 ... -lu-14-13/

[A.G.]

Before this turns into a free-for-all, let's just gather ourselves, take a deep breath, and relax. I think it is a testament to how far Rocco has brought the team, and enthusiasm, in a short time, that we are all frustrated over a one point loss to a team that has schooled us in the past (and flat our embarrassed us last year).

Think back to January. I think we would have all been thrilled with the current record, 2 close losses to reasonably legit I-AA teams, and not getting our doors blown off by a 6-1 ACC team. Please keep this in mind as we debate over the next couple of days. Peace. I think my preseason prediction was 8-3, with the majority being at 6-5. Let's run the table the rest of the way.

[TDDance234]

The problem isn't that we lost. It's HOW we lost. I would have felt better if WM came out and smacked us in the mouth and we lost by 4 TDs. We left valuable points on the board time and time again that would have won us the game.

Rocco has to know we absolutely cannot put our STs on the field in a position of pressure, they're not going to come through.

[thepostman]

out of all the losses I have gone through since coming here in 2003 this was by far the most painful one. The crowd was big and wanted something to cheer about....we did not play well overall on offense, our defense did a pretty good job, Will and Mary did not play well at all and should have lost this game....I know it has been said, but something has got to be done with this kicking game....I don't know what, but something....the score should have been 20-14.....

comment about the conservative game calling, I admit I don't like it, but I think that it was the safe thing to do....you saw our execution on the 3 deep balls thrown in the 4th quarter, terrible....Coach Rocco will never say this, but he has no confidence in the pass game, it scares him to call passing plays because of this.....

nearly 16,000 fans in that stadium was great, i was so happy to see the turnout, but the loss makes it meaningless to me

so disappointing

[TDDance234]

A passing game isn't always about connecting. A valuable passing game keeps the defense honest and doesn't allow them to stack the box with an extra player.

The whole game I was crying for some kind of play action. I was calling the whole game from the stands, and if I knew the play- certaintly, the coaches did. It was a poorly executed gameplan. We needed to go deep a few times to try and stretch the defense out, atleast to open a few more lanes.

Brock has the talent. He showed it last season.

[thepostman]

you're right, but when you can't trust either one of your QB's to make the right pass, or the recievers to catch passes that are right there then as a coach it becomes harder to pass...I do wish we would try the passing game more, all I was saying was I think the reason is is because Coach Rocco does not trust the passing game....something he would never admit I am sure

[jmdickens]

The score should have been 24-14

[KaplanKrazies]

Remember that Jake Phillips got picked off in the endzone on a pass that shouldn't have ever happened. Hand it to Elijah and that's 7 more for W&M.

[pbow]

This game came down to one stupid thing, kicking!!!! It was truly sicking to see us lose this game...and the fact that Brock could not connect with Wynton Jackson on any of the long bombs where he was completly open is also very pathetic.

[mrmacphisto]

This was a huge disappointment to say the least. Perhaps the worst call of the game was kicking a field goal on 4th and 5 in the fourth quarter. Why are you sending the kicking team out there when the kicker can't kick? Unless it's a fake (and it should have been), the only option is to run the ball (since we can't pass either). I don't know if Rocco's calling the plays or what, but whoever is needs to put some more serious thought into it.

The first thing we need is to hold open tryouts for the position of Place Kicker. Our kicker has one job, and he can't do it. He needs to go.

After that, we need some linemen who can protect our quarterback. How many hurries and sacks were there today? Too many.

Maybe then we can figure out where the real problem in our passing game lies. The passes were horrible today, but there were some times where we could have scored, but the receiver wasn't looking for the ball. It's almost understandable, though, because when the ball is rarely in your area (either overthrown, picked off or both), you stop expecting to see a pass thrown to you. The only thing we have going for us is a talented backfield.

This game proved we still have a long way to go before we're any sort of competitor in NCAA Division I football.

[nickrichard]

Before eveybody goes blasting the kickers (not that they are entirely without fault) weren't 2 of them blocked? That seems that the OL is as much to fault as the kickers? Who knows, without them being blocked, they are on target, Liberty wins by one?

[LU'sbestmanager]

we need a new kicker, which i think rocco will go out and get, a 1A transfer at QB, which i think we can get, and some more 1A linemen, which i think we can get. look at what coach rocco has recruited here in about 6 months or so. imagine what he can do in a entire year of recruiting. should be good to see this years recruiting class and transfers.

[Stevev]

I missed the game. I just can't believe we ran for 315 yards and still lost. Unbelievable! Even when Jennings was hurt. It is good to know that Beasley is gone after this year after what has happened the last 2 years. A kicker has got to be high on his priority list come recruiting time. I kind of wonder about the QB position at times. Maybe a 1A transfere (maybe this Vic Hall guy from UVA) could be in the works if Coach Rocco doesn't have faith in the passing game. Can't blame the coach since most of his players are not his own. You could question some of the play calling especially for going for the field goal with our kicking game in such a sad shape but maybe he played the odds figuring that the kicker was due to make one. Can't totally blame the coach at all for this game. I guess that I will have to look at the stats a little closer but based on what I have read we should have won convincingly.