My Top 5 Takeaways vs the Zippers

[DKW 86 7,419]

1) We had no "Players taking the play off" tonite. It was worth getting rid of CGM staff just for that.

2) Ran a clearly focused, cleanly designed Offense for the first time in years.

3) We ran the most disciplined O and D I can remember in almost 10 years.

4) We did not waste play after play on weirdly designed routs and silly trickeration plays. 

5) We didnt shoot ourselves in the foot with penalty after penalty after drive killing penalty.

6), I, certainly no O Genius, could not call 7/8s of our O for the first time in 8 years.

7) WE GOT BETTER THE LONGER WE PLAYED. That felt so good I am going to say it again. WE GOT BETTER THE LONGER WE PLAYED.

8) During the game you could see us getting the bugs out and the confidence building. 

9) Our players seem to be really having fun playing the game and being successful. We have not seen that in a long while on the Plains. 

10) Most of the fans I know, saw the same things. We know this was only Akron, but when you are used to the team underperforming game after game, and the team looking confused, bewildered, lost and then not seeing them that way, the change is easy to see. 

11) It was great to see the WHOLE O being utilized again.

12) The White Out was a good change for us and glad we pulled it off so well.

It was only Akron, but we are very encouraged. It was awesome to watch a game and ENJOY it rather screaming at the tv over the last idiotic call by the OC. 

Edited September 5, 2021 by DKW 86

[cole256 17,042]

18 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

I haven't done this in at least 6 years me believe. I don't know if these are even allowed anymore, but I just wanted to commemorate the first game of a new era with a few thoughts. 

1. A new regime was the right decision - This isn't predicated on the win or the magnitude of the match-up, those are obviously inconsequential. But the atmosphere of that game? That's one of jubilee. This crowd was gonna be popping if we played a middle school team, but the payoff...the coaching staff clearly understood that they needed to impress even considering, and they styled. The new regime has clearly (in blatant and low-key ways) wanted to do everything to look better than the ex, and this game falls in line with that 

2. This is going to be an upper echelon receiving core - Idk about this month, this season, who knows right? But there's a clear marriage between talent and good GOOD scheming. I don't know the last time I've been comfortable with us throwing on 3rd down. Timing bunch routes, intermediate posts, zigs, just about everything honestly. A couple curls, not much in the way of crossers (at least not the main focus of some plays, as the deep ball was almost always there, right?), but really sound scheming from top to bottom. Not to make this about me, but I didn't feel particularly good and there were a TON of students around that exacerbated that, so my focus was kinda in and out. But so far I love Bobo's scheming

3. The OL is going to resemble 2019's IMO - Sans drastic run blocking improvement, I don't think this is going to be a top quarter of the SEC OL. They kept things clean in pass blocking though, and I feel comfortable with us throwing 20-25 times and not having like 2 sacks and 8 QB hurries or something insane. I can't pretend like I know blocking, but the bevy of "weird" delayed handoffs, involving literally every OLine "hole", the staff was at least willing to get funky to alleviate that issue

4. Derick Hall is good - Defensive line is the best they've been since 2019 easily. Akron's OL is butt, no ways around this. But edge rushing speed is something even I, a novice, could, identify...because there's been so little of it post Jeff Holland. There's edge rushing SPEED here man. They did unfortunately give up contain a few times, but I think the fellas we played tonight have better wheels than anyone we're playing this season sans like Max Johnson or maybe Haynes King. They didn't seem to employ a ton of QB spy in the first half when I was in attendance, but I think I feel comfortable with that being an option with the bevy of DB options they have 

There's probably a few more minute things that just got lost to time for me, but it was a great watch. Didn't mention the RBs or TEs, but you have to feel good about Bigs and the new guy (Hunter?), who seems to have some burst along with his bowling ball build. I think this is like the 2nd PAT Anders has missed in the last ~5 games, so that's a bit odd. Maybe something that will fix itself. All in all, based on this defensive speed (the interior could be better definitely) plus how the SEC has performed in week 1, I feel assured in a 8 win floor 

Good job bro. I remember I would give you hell on your takes back in the day, but this is legit good stuff. Hell I'll just sit back and listen to you instead of talking too much

[doug3020 842]

5 hours ago, AUx said:

Ain't gonna happen. August ended 5 days ago.

Sorry September…brain fart

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,653]

3 hours ago, cole256 said:

Good job bro. I remember I would give you hell on your takes back in the day, but this is legit good stuff. Hell I'll just sit back and listen to you instead of talking too much

Those were a little ass kid who watched SEC football and nothing else having his fun at the spite of the forum…now I’m a grown ass kid! 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,653]

3 hours ago, DKW 86 said:

1) We had no "Players taking the play off" tonite. It was worth getting rid of CGM staff just for that.

2) Ran a clearly focused, cleanly designed Offense for the first time in years.

3) We ran the most disciplined O and D I can remember in almost 10 years.

4) We did not waste play after play on weirdly designed routs and silly trickeration plays. 

5) We didnt shoot ourselves in the foot with penalty after penalty after drive killing penalty.

6), I, certainly no O Genius, could not call 7/8s of our O for the first time in 8 years.

7) WE GOT BETTER THE LONGER WE PLAYED. That felt so good I am going to say it again. WE GOT BETTER THE LONGER WE PLAYED.

😎 During the game you could see us getting the bugs out and the confidence building. 

9) Our players seem to be really having fun playing the game and being successful. We have not seen that in a long while on the Plains. 

10) Most of the fans I know, saw the same things. We know this was only Akron, but when you are used to the team underperforming game after game, and the team looking confused, bewildered, lost and then not seeing them that way, the change is easy to see. 

11) It was great to see the WHOLE O being utilized again.

12) The White Out was a good change for us and glad we pulled it off so well.

It was only Akron, but we are very encouraged. It was awesome to watch a game and ENJOY it rather screaming at the tv over the last idiotic call by the OC. 

I personally like about 70% of Gus’s tenure here, so I won’t praise anything in the context of putting down what he had. But there is something cathartic about being able to reasonably expect specific areas of the field be used. If not for any reason than that means the defense also has to expect they’ll be used

[japantiger 4,051]

3 hours ago, DKW 86 said:

1) We had no "Players taking the play off" tonite. It was worth getting rid of CGM staff just for that.

2) Ran a clearly focused, cleanly designed Offense for the first time in years.

3) We ran the most disciplined O and D I can remember in almost 10 years.

4) We did not waste play after play on weirdly designed routs and silly trickeration plays. 

5) We didnt shoot ourselves in the foot with penalty after penalty after drive killing penalty.

6), I, certainly no O Genius, could not call 7/8s of our O for the first time in 8 years.

7) WE GOT BETTER THE LONGER WE PLAYED. That felt so good I am going to say it again. WE GOT BETTER THE LONGER WE PLAYED.

😎 During the game you could see us getting the bugs out and the confidence building. 

9) Our players seem to be really having fun playing the game and being successful. We have not seen that in a long while on the Plains. 

10) Most of the fans I know, saw the same things. We know this was only Akron, but when you are used to the team underperforming game after game, and the team looking confused, bewildered, lost and then not seeing them that way, the change is easy to see. 

11) It was great to see the WHOLE O being utilized again.

12) The White Out was a good change for us and glad we pulled it off so well.

It was only Akron, but we are very encouraged. It was awesome to watch a game and ENJOY it rather screaming at the tv over the last idiotic call by the OC. 

Thanks for the update.  Haven't seen the game yet...that's on the list for tomorrow.  It was good to win a game that we should have won by 50; uhm..by ...uhmm...50.  Certainly a good start.

[AUatHeart 624]

I’m shocked that we covered the 37 point spread.  No way I was going to place a bet without knowing anything about us yet.

[Hank2020 3,199]

1 hour ago, japantiger said:

Thanks for the update.  Haven't seen the game yet...that's on the list for tomorrow.  It was good to win a game that we should have won by 50; uhm..by ...uhmm...50.  Certainly a good start.

We should have won by 37 but we won by 50. Much better day than “the money” expected.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

10 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

This is really what has me optimistic more than anything. This looks like yet another year where the scragglers are closer to the much chosen. Most of the top 15 didn't look great to me. 

Yeah. No team looked dominate. I personally like that. I want more teams in the mix. I'd be surprised if any major team went undefeated this year.

[milehighfan 1,240]

All I've seen are highlights and replays. But from what I can tell, unlike his predecessor, Hardin had his team ready to play the whole game and the players took care of business from start to finish

Unfortunately, not every game is going to be that easy. But, at least for now, Hardin seems to be a man with a plan.

 

[milehighfan 1,240]

2 minutes ago, milehighfan said:

All I've seen are highlights and replays. But from what I can tell, unlike his predecessor, Hairson had his team ready to play the whole game and the players took care of business from start to finish

Unfortunately, not every game is going to be that easy. But, at least for now, Ha seems to be a man with a plan.

 

That's supposed to read Hairson. I hope I spelled his name right.

[AUGoo 2,659]

10 hours ago, milehighfan said:

That's supposed to read Hairson. I hope I spelled his name right.

Almost there.

Try again.

[W.E.D 11,070]

11 hours ago, WarEagle1983 said:

Yeah. No team looked dominate

One did, unfortunately 

[W.E.D 11,070]

On 9/4/2021 at 10:52 PM, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

3. The OL is going to resemble 2019's IMO

That's a huge improvement over last year's OL.  We were the ~30th rated OL in 2019 and dropped to 75th or so in 2020.  It's not going to be an elite unit, but it's good enough to win a lot of game and help us continue to build the for the future.

On 9/4/2021 at 10:52 PM, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

4. Derick Hall is good - edge rushing speed is something even I, a novice, could, identify

One thing that I noticed about Hall moreso than a lot of pure DEs we've had the few years is that he straight bullied the OT a few times.  Attacked him, bull rushed him, then threw him off to the side to make the sack.  He can do speed rush around the end, but the pure strength and aggressiveness to go through an OT is something I hadn't seen in a while.

[ToomersRevenge 284]

Even our WRs were blocking on most plays which has bugged me for a long time

[aublaise 199]

8 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

That's a huge improvement over last year's OL.  We were the ~30th rated OL in 2019 and dropped to 75th or so in 2020.  It's not going to be an elite unit, but it's good enough to win a lot of game and help us continue to build the for the future.

One thing that I noticed about Hall moreso than a lot of pure DEs we've had the few years is that he straight bullied the OT a few times.  Attacked him, bull rushed him, then threw him off to the side to make the sack.  He can do speed rush around the end, but the pure strength and aggressiveness to go through an OT is something I hadn't seen in a while.

I noticed the Hall bull rush.  It was impressive but I worry that he will not be able to use that technique against better tackles.  Hall is about 250 pounds and he will be at a significant weight disadvantage against SEC lineman.  

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,653]

After getting the TV view and really getting a chance to look at things, that Marcus Harris guy is a monster too 

[W.E.D 11,070]

14 minutes ago, aublaise said:

I noticed the Hall bull rush.  It was impressive but I worry that he will not be able to use that technique against better tackles.  Hall is about 250 pounds and he will be at a significant weight disadvantage against SEC lineman.  

First play...

 

[yngwie1995 2,229]

On 9/4/2021 at 11:21 PM, Randman5000 said:

Uh can you pump the brakes. We looked great but....it was Akron....

This isn't the Akron team we're used to seeing.