LibertyMan wrote: ↑October 26th, 2021, 9:16 pm
paradox wrote: ↑October 26th, 2021, 8:59 pm
How do you know that HF's message is soft?
Watch the press conferences bro! I’m tired of hearing about how we have FCS talent when we loose games in the press conferences. We’ve had 3 seasons to recruit FBS players so he can’t keep using that excuse! The team is to one-sided this season. Very little J Huntley, Stubbs, JMack, Frith, Shedro (limited) contributions. As a result, we are predictable and it’s becoming too easy to stop our offense lately! I’m just saying…something to think about. Too much focus on Willis… The O-line didn’t get worse. They just don’t know whether to run block or pass block with all focus on Willis. The players above didn’t get worse. Their just sitting back and watching Willis. I’ve never been one afraid to speak the truth. But it is what it is…
The O Line absolutely got worse and by a big margin.
Last year we controlled the LOC against P5 teams with exception of NC ST. ( and that was more on MW than OL from the pass blocking ) That was what shocked me, we were doing it with every starter being an FCS recruit. Just not supposed to happen. I assumed we had one of the top O Line coaches in the country. We ran it well from 1st drive and got stronger in the 4th quarter and completely controlled the clock.
Huntley - I agree, but when your O Line isn’t holding up, you call for pass protect from your TE.
Stubbs is at 80% with his ankle - he will get back.
Mack is missing blocks right and left and not running great, HF did abandon the run too early against ULM, but then again we got down 14.
Frith just has never turned the corner. Should be a stud based on build, stiff and not great hands, does just enough to be out there.
Losing our best wide out from last year hurts, but we are undefeated if we have #6 on Defense back. He was the perfect plug last year - we replaced with good players, but they have missed way too many assignments in crucial drives and it has really cost us.
Last year was extremely lucky from injury/Covid.
Losing the GA/FIU wideout due to eligibility last minute is also a big difference on offense.
ULM and UNT - both bad records, both have better talented athletes ( ULM maybe a push) but UNT across the board ( as they should ). No team is good enough to overlook anyone and expect to win all their games, least of all LU. We have won every game we were supposed to win under HF with exception to ULM. The only game left we are supposed to win is UMASS - and I don’t care what Vegas says. ( and btw that 32.5 spread was spurred by a national pundit touting how LU has been a lock covering the spread ). Yes we should beat them 90 out of 100 - that game progressed as the perfect storm of what could go wrong - did. Rich Rod nailed us with 2nd half surprise and our 2 quick turnovers didn’t allow us to adjust.
Now - UNT - they smacked us in the mouth, kicked us in the nuts, and gave us an elbow while we were on the ground and we got up and willed our way to an beautiful/ugly win.
Hopefully our best ball is in front of us, and I think it is, but I am not predicting 3-1 for our last 4 games by any stretch. If we somehow do go 3-1 or better, it is because our O Line either got healed up, or coached up, whatever the problem is, but that WAS our identity last year, this year it’s all “ MW - do your thing” while at time’s it is entertaining, but it is way too stressful and leaves fighting to win every week - ( about where I expected to be in year 3 of bowl eligibility btw ).
As for HF always referring to “process” vs “goals” - I am cool with it if he is flexible to change/adjust the “process” when there are back to back road games mid/late season. Gill went overboard on the back to back trips to NM and made a mountain out of a mole hill - there is a happy medium.
This post edited by Bantam Random House
Special thanks to my editor PH - any typos or factual errors are his alone ( wouldn’t be here with out you )
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