I know it's only been two games but...

[BJCrawford 1,568]

19 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Didn't say or imply that. Please stop taking my posts to irrational extremes.

And UW's D, specifically D Line, can't be classified as elite 2 games into the season, after playing a subpar AU OL & giving up 4.9 yards per carry against FCS opponent North Dakota.

Stats can be somewhat misleading bc ND had a 70 yard run in the second half. Take that out and it’s 2.9. Similar to the 51 yard pass we should not have given up. Not arguing here but stats don’t slways tell the story. Saw a post on tiger rant that stidham’s stats were no better than burrows on sat. Never mind that he only played two quarters.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

Prince Tega and Harrell look good... so that is a start. NB is starting to get healthy s that will help the center position. We really need Horton to step up or move CA in his position. No idea if Jake will work out. He has struggled. maybe Trox will step in later in the year.

I do see pieces that can come together to be a really good OL. Maybe not immediately but soon. Have some faith!

 

Besides, I think we win this game (and most games) with our defense. 

 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

41 minutes ago, Randman5000 said:

Going to have to live on Stidham this year. Imo. Just keep throwing it, I say. 

I agree with this 100%. We are going to have to pass to set up the run this year. Keep Stidham upright, score just enough, and let the defense win the games. 

[au302 2,669]

47 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Depends on if Brahms is ready to start IMO.

Have you heard from your sources if Brahms will take over the job this weekend? He played much more physically than Kim this Saturday imo. 

[AUwent 3,748]

1 hour ago, WDavE said:

The Louisville defense had two returning starters this year as well as a new DC.

Either way, everybody’s crowned Heisman winner hasn’t exactly gone up against the cream of the crop defensively.

[AUpreacherman22 3,885]

UDubb is a very respectable defense.  

Our OL will continue to get better each week.  Their ceiling isn’t as high as the elite lines, but they can be good.  This week will be another major test.  LSU’s front is at least as good as UDubb, plus Aranda calls an aggressive D.  We’ll see how our boys hold up.  

I think Sandberg is our best backup already.  We need to get him game ready as soon as possible!   Cord and Bo will be in a good competition next year.  

I have confidence we’ll get past LSU (I think that’ll make us the only team in the country with 2 top 12 wins.  Our trip to Starkvegas will be a fight! (I still think we win because Stid > Fitz!).  That makes us undefeated when we play A&M.  By that time we’ll see how much we’ve improved and where we are concerning injuries.   But there is certainly no reason to press the panic button at this point!!!

[corchjay 5,311]

This is a stupid thread.  We are 2 - 0.  The line was the biggest question mark going into the season based on experience not talent.  They are and will gain experience as the season goes along.  For those saying we are a championship type team I agree with them... but the reason we aren't "predicted" to be a championship teams is because of schedule and the unknown on the OL.  The season so far has been what it's been expected to be.  

This week we will see if we have improved from week 1 to week 3.  

The rest of the comment is just standard agenda.  It's been the agenda since the hire of JB.  Stop the ignorant nonsense.

[ellitor 33,091]

35 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Prince Tega and Harrell look good

Mixed reviews from coaches I've seen through game 1. Not sure about game 2 which doesn't tell us much anyway.

[ellitor 33,091]

32 minutes ago, au302 said:

Have you heard from your sources if Brahms will take over the job this weekend? He played much more physically than Kim this Saturday imo. 

I am not an insider so I don't have sources. I'm just hoping he's ready because we need him to be.

[ellitor 33,091]

9 minutes ago, corchjay said:

The line was the biggest question mark going into the season based on experience not talent.

Hope you're right but not sure that's reality.

[corchjay 5,311]

3 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Hope you're right but not sure that's reality.

I don't even understand this comment or where it comes from.... Driscoll was the lowest rated player we have on our entire roster at OL minus walkons.  

[The Plainsman 948]

A couple of things we have going for us-

1- Stidham can check down out of plays as needed.  This will offset some potential breakdowns of the Oline or get out of plays where the Oline may be overly taxed. 

2- Cox is a blocking machine and will support on any and every play needed.  

3- Return of speed sweeps spreads D, which will help the interior Oline. 

4- Return of our quick receivers from injury helps us get the ball out in a hurry.  

[DAG 33,980]

28 minutes ago, corchjay said:

This is a stupid thread.  We are 2 - 0.  The line was the biggest question mark going into the season based on experience not talent.  They are and will gain experience as the season goes along.  For those saying we are a championship type team I agree with them... but the reason we aren't "predicted" to be a championship teams is because of schedule and the unknown on the OL.  The season so far has been what it's been expected to be.  

This week we will see if we have improved from week 1 to week 3.  

The rest of the comment is just standard agenda.  It's been the agenda since the hire of JB.  Stop the ignorant nonsense.

No doubt in my mind the O-Line will step up and perform this weekend. Otherwise, I have been fairly content with the way this team as performed. 

[au701948 998]

2 hours ago, ellitor said:

Again. Has nothing to do with what I saw. It's just what I'm hearing from people who know the team and program better than me. If they are right I look at the Bama St. output as fools gold. Regardless JB has his work cut out for him this season.

I agree with you on this and am hoping that JB and his OL players learned enough in past 2 weeks to get better quick.

[Mid Atlantic Tiger 150]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

Braden & Golson were much more talented than anything we have on the OL this year plus Dunn was an experienced C who did well once he got going. Take or leave what I'm posting but the info is not mine. It comes from people who know much more about this team than most of us.

So, just what the hell has Gus been doing?  You don't win if you can't compete in the trenches.  He recruited this, and now he gets $7 Million a year to have 9/10ths of a fantastic team.

Damn.  With just a serviceable OL, the potential of this team is amazing.  What the hell was he thinking when it came to OL recruiting, E?  So disappointing to learn this.

[au701948 998]

53 minutes ago, The Plainsman said:

A couple of things we have going for us-

1- Stidham can check down out of plays as needed.  This will offset some potential breakdowns of the Oline or get out of plays where the Oline may be overly taxed. 

2- Cox is a blocking machine and will support on any and every play needed.  

3- Return of speed sweeps spreads D, which will help the interior Oline. 

4- Return of our quick receivers from injury helps us get the ball out in a hurry.  

I am ok with return of speed sweeps to a lesser degree than more. I don’t want to see it every 1st or 3rd Down.

[DAG 33,980]

24 minutes ago, Mid Atlantic Tiger said:

So, just what the hell has Gus been doing?  You don't win if you can't compete in the trenches.  He recruited this, and now he gets $7 Million a year to have 9/10ths of a fantastic team.

Damn.  With just a serviceable OL, the potential of this team is amazing.  What the hell was he thinking when it came to OL recruiting, E?  So disappointing to learn this.

Gus is winning games right now and until proven otherwise there is no reason to think this team can’t or won’t run the table.

[Mid Atlantic Tiger 150]

14 minutes ago, DAG said:

Gus is winning games right now and until proven otherwise there is no reason to think this team can’t or won’t run the table.

Y'know, even just two games into this, you are right.  Maybe they grow and gel, and can be serviceable.

[AUinfusion 390]

2 hours ago, corchjay said:

This is a stupid thread.  We are 2 - 0.  The line was the biggest question mark going into the season based on experience not talent.  They are and will gain experience as the season goes along.  For those saying we are a championship type team I agree with them... but the reason we aren't "predicted" to be a championship teams is because of schedule and the unknown on the OL.  The season so far has been what it's been expected to be.  

This week we will see if we have improved from week 1 to week 3.  

The rest of the comment is just standard agenda.  It's been the agenda since the hire of JB.  Stop the ignorant nonsense.

Not sure what makes this ignorant nonsense? I’m no coach, but I also have no agenda. I want AU to win every game, and everyone associated with the team (and the school) to achieve their goals. That said, what I saw re-watching the Washington game was concerning, and seems reasonable to discuss. Some of it still seemed to be there with ASU: OL getting badly out-muscled or just not getting to their responsibility. We don’t have the RB corps to make up for that right now. This seems like the most interesting area to critique right now, and the biggest X factor in how far this team will go.

 

 

[ellitor 33,091]

18 hours ago, corchjay said:

I don't even understand this comment or where it comes from.... Driscoll was the lowest rated player we have on our entire roster at OL minus walkons.  

 Being a coach, you know as well as anyone that ratings by recruiting services doesn't empirically equate to talent level. They try to  but it doesn’t always come out that way.  Facts are everyone of our starting OL have struggled this year at least one aspect of their blocking if not more. Another fact, they will have to improve for running attack to be serviceable enough against LSU so that Jarrett has more opportunities to do his thing passing the ball.

Also, regardless of where they were rated remember our OL did not get much development while herb hand was here.So they are behind where they should be.

[ellitor 33,091]

1 hour ago, Mid Atlantic Tiger said:

So, just what the hell has Gus been doing?  You don't win if you can't compete in the trenches.  He recruited this, and now he gets $7 Million a year to have 9/10ths of a fantastic team.

Damn.  With just a serviceable OL, the potential of this team is amazing.  What the hell was he thinking when it came to OL recruiting, E?  So disappointing to learn this.

@WarDamnEagleWDE may be better to touch on this. I know Gus is directly involved with recruiting offensive skill players. I am not sure he is directly involved with OL recruiting. My impression was Hand & JB got whoever they wanted within the number restraints he gives them. If true your frustration on that may be misplaced.

[Cardin Drake 1,825]

I have one data point for this year.  The OL did a reasonable job against a very tough front 7 in their 1st game.  Am I satisfied? No, but I think the negativity at this point is unjustified.  We'll have another data point after Saturday.   We know they will have to up their game to beat Bama and Georgia at the end of the year.  That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Rather have our problems than those of 99% of the teams out there.

[Ronin 2]

4 hours ago, ellitor said:

Again. Has nothing to do with what I saw. It's just what I'm hearing from people who know the team and program better than me. If they are right I look at the Bama St. output as fools gold. Regardless JB has his work cut out for him this season.

Aren’t these what most people call “sources?”

[JDUBB4AU 5,112]

OL does make me nervous . I’m not sure we have recruited well enough on that side of the ball . Grimes is going to give it everything he has got . If the OLine is willing to work they can be great . THey have the size and athleticism. They better grow up quick 

[clwn 336]

9 hours ago, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

The OL is going to keep this AU team from being a title contending one. Just not very good. Time isn't going to help. IMO. Going to be a achilles heel for the foreseeable future. 

What a load of horse***t. This team is good and will continue to grow. 13+ wins.