Hey Cyclone fans, Raider here (sorry for the long post)
- Thread starter ttraiderbacker
- Start date
K
KFitzy87
Guest
There are plenty of third party reports about how good your last few recruiting classes have been. However, it was clear last year that the coaching was blowing it. I think the game may come down to coaching. Our DB coach is new and has already had a huge impact in terms of our guys going for the ball and stripping away catch-able passes.
How well are the TTU WRs being coached? It is one thing for them to be great athletes, but quite another to be great Big 12 players.
Yeah, our defensive coordinator last year was a disaster and was fired. In all honesty he should have been fired after the UT game. It was painfully obvious he couldn't make half-time adjustments and didn't really know how to teach. In his defense though, our defense was a walking trauma ward. We ended up starting 3 walk-ons in the secondary and had to move a WR over to CB to start the final 3 games.
We have a new DC and are currently ranked as a top 5 defense in the country. Yes, yes, I know we've only played "cupcakes", but you can compare Tech vs. UT's defense with a similar opponent and Tech's defense outperformed UT's vaunted defense. Could mean nothing, or could mean Tech's new DC has completely turned Tech's defense around. We'll find out.
I wasn't really asking about your defense. I would really like to hear about how the TTU WRs are being coached.
How well are the TTU WRs being coached? It is one thing for them to be great athletes, but quite another to be great Big 12 players.
Is it possible that this common cupcake undertook some injuries and dings against the "vaunted" Texas defense that softened them up? Most coaches will not discuss injuries unless they prevent a player from playing. Not saying it happened but it could explain some things. I am quiet certain that Iowa and Tulsa would each be 3-0 against the TT OOC schedule.
Saturday afternoon, I was working on hanging siding on my house, so I had the UI game on the radio to break the boredom. It was pregame and they interviewed Northern Iowa coach Farley. I almost fell off the ladder (which would have prevented me from going to the ISU game) when Farley was asked about Iowa. He said he had not seen UI or ISU play this year till he watched the film of the UI/ISU game. He was shocked and amazed at just how damn good ISU defense was. The UI announcer (Dolfin?) was in shock disbelief that UNI head coach would talk ISU in the UI pregame interview. I guess CPR and CWB have the ISU defense ready for anyone. By far in my mind, the best team defense we have had under CPR. Our secondary will be tested by TT, but if our fresh D-line can get a push, especially in the 2nd and 4th quarters, we stand a good chance.
I really believe with 2 weeks to coach what has gone on in the first 3 weeks, the offense will be better and will have some additional wrinkles that TT will not be ready for. I am quite sure the Jack will be full and loud. The only thing that would make it harder for TT is cold wind for its passing game.
I actually heard an interview with Tech's offensive coordinator today. He talked about how he wants to see CB's and Safeties on the ground when they review film. He doesn't want the WR's to just block their man, he wants them to put the CB on the ground. He wants the opposing team to view the film and just understand that they'll be in for a rough night. Thought that was interesting.
Also heard an interview with Seth Doege(Tech's QB) and he talked about a TD pass to our 6'6" 250lb TE. He said that him(Doege) and the TE had different reads so the TE ran a different route than was expected, but Doege hit him anyway. So, our WR's are not signaled in set routes, they actually are taught to make a presnap read of the secondary and run their route based on that.
UT defense vs. New Mexico TTU defense vs. New Mexico
Total yards 241......................127
Passing yards 35.....................43
Rushing yards 206...................84
UT knocked the NM starting QB out in the 2nd quarter, where he played the full game vs TTU so it's realistic to assume NM would have probably put up a lot more yards on UT.
Um I'm going to go with this. Your defense is not anywhere close to being as good as Texas. 3 crappy non-con games shows nothing.
BTW the only team you both played that was the same was New Mexico, and Texas shut them out and Tech didn't. So I'm not sure how you can bring up this crap. Still means nothing though when comparing how 2 teams did against New Mexico.
So Tech allowed 100 yards more rushing in one game and equal yards passing? And you left out something....Texas shut them out and you allowed two TDs (both in the 2nd quarter vs presumably first string defense). Those numbers aren't enough for me, sorry.
What I think you want is us to admit that you are obviously better than last year and will be better in the Big 12 and vs Big 12 opponents. What we are saying, is we refuse to do that since you haven't played anything other than 3 true, blue cupcakes. If you had those numbers, and also played an SEC team and put up numbers that close to Texas vs them, I would be much more impressed (not that UT's numbers vs Ole Miss are that particularly impressive).
You are comparing our apples to your oranges and we just wish you even had the tiniest miniature apple to put against us so we could legitimately have some comparisons between our teams.
Kicked off the team for a violation of team rules. He transferred to SELA and is 2nd on the team in total tackles.
They are not all... all Big 12 but we have depth at WR.
Stephens was on pace to get 1,000 yards rushing last season when he got injured. In the two games he played vs Big 12 teams... 26 carries for 124 yards and 2 TD vs KU and 22 carries for 102 yards and 1 TD vs A&M before getting injured in the 3rd quarter. Not gaudy stats but it's not like he only got 50 yards rushing vs the Big 12 teams.
Well LT Waddle is the one that gets talked about. He was named to the Outland Trophy Watch list this season.
The OL has good potential not all that certain of how deep. Guys like Waddle, McDaniel, and Gallington have good experience and are seniors. Carpenter has some good experience from last season. After Waddle I think most people are high on Le'Raven Clark. Carpenter and Clark are both more natural tackles than interior linemen though. I don't know how much we've rotated guys. But our 2nd string offense has played like 1 game/ game and a quarter which has helped get guys reps. That said I don't think the 2nd team unit has performed that well. I'd say the lack of depth on the inside worries me the most though its probably better than in previous years. Like last season we had to move Gallington over from guard to center due to an injury. He got his first start at Center vs ISU last season actually. He looks more solid now. Last season he had trouble with snapping the ball to the QB.
Overall I'd give them all depth included like a B- so far but they haven't really gone up against a credible DL.
Actually, Tech's defense gave up 1 70 yard drive and score. Adjusted to a new look they had never showed on film and shut them down the rest of the game. The other 7 points came from a kick-off return.
I honestly don't care if ya'll admit we're obviously better or not. I'm just giving you the facts and letting you form your own opinion. I know what the facts clearly point to and I've formed my opinion. You're welcome to yours.
One of their TD was on a 98 yard kick return. Our special teams has not been good so far and is the weak point of the team. Hopefully that is addressed in the bye week.
I get that we played cupcakes and that means nothing when it comes to Big 12 play. I understand that. At the same time I'm not sure what ISU did in OOC tells us that much about what they will do in Big 12 play either.
