UNLV Game Thoughts

[WhoISthis]

I mostly agree.. We have it in us to change our offensive output

Even this offseason.. The conversation was about how slow our D starts before settling into their dominance. We are still DOMINANT in the second half, but are playing much better to start a game. I credit Peterson playing at an insane level and Eni moving inside with that as we are getting pressure with 3 to start and finish games against 2/3 really good offensive lines

I don't recall much view about how slow our D starts. People thought they start slow? They don't remove points from scoreboards, so we could not have been starting too slow. I guess people are often asking for more blitzing. More TOs wouldn't hurt.

Big 12 OCs will have much more to work with than the firs three opponents and will find weaknesses, but Heacock and Co are ******* brilliant. It is much harder to hide weaknesses and scheme advantages on defense, if Manning was utilizing talent at the same level, we'd have a few 10 win seasons.

 

[cyfan92]

I don't recall much view about how slow our D starts. People thought they start slow? They don't remove points from scoreboards, so we could not have been starting too slow. I guess people are often asking for more blitzing. More TOs wouldn't hurt.

Big 12 OCs will have much more to work with than the firs three opponents and will find weaknesses, but Heacock and Co are ******* brilliant. It is much harder to hide weaknesses and scheme advantages on defense, if Manning was utilizing talent at the same level, we'd have a few 10 win seasons.

Manning needs to call a better game. 100%.. But CMC loves to control clock and physically dominate opponents. Unless CMC does a complete 180 on offensive scheme like Saban has done with Bama.. I don't see it. Plus we don't get that level of athlete at ISU.

However, I think CMC has realized we need to get more explosive on offense if you look at the 2020-2022 classes. Guys like Jackson, Hutch and TJ Tampa in 2020. Noel and Silas in 2021. Greg Gaines, Quaron Adams and Jason Essex are the complete opposite of Sean Shaw, Darien Porter, Darren Wilson and Ezeriah Anderson. It sure looks like the staff wants better route runners and track speed over size. They lucked into Lazard and Butler who are unicorns for ISU receivers. It's really hard to find 6'5" ball catchers who can run great routes and separate against DB's who are getting bigger, longer and more athletic. SO maybe I am wrong and the change is currently underway

 

[SolarGarlic]

How so?

vertical doesn’t necessarily mean deep, and I’m pretty our yards/catch the best under CMC

What does vertical mean to you? Do you consider 14 yard seam routes to the TE vertical? Is RPO vertical?

 

[WhoISthis]

What does vertical mean to you? Do you consider 14 yard seam routes to the TE vertical? Is RPO vertical?

I would say that is getting vertical.

The defense must be worried about getting beat, which is fairly correlated with running vertically, and that is accomplished with more than just where a pass was completed (deep pass to Butler for example). Often in our offense and route trees, getting beat for a defense means a short completion to a stationary, horizontal, or even receiver coming back to the LOS, and an easy tackle. The odd thing is, we haven't really recruited guys good at getting separation in these types of routes.

There is a ton of extrinsic value in routes regardless of completion. Of course if you never complete them or the QB routinely shows on tape he doesn't have the arm, it does go away eventually. Perhaps we're just acknowledging the latter, but there is value in the attempts imo

 

[CloneGuy8]

Scates finally looked like a dangerous WR2 option. Hopefully he can produce like that against more talented teams.

 

[SolarGarlic]

Scates finally looked like a dangerous WR2 option. Hopefully he can produce like that against more talented teams.

It always feel as if he's on the verge of falling over or losing the ball. I'm more interested in seeing if Shaw can be that second guy, but Scates at least flashed some potential against a bad team.

 

[Cycsk]

Seems like the OL is struggling to get much push, which is damning because we do have a pretty big OL.

I wonder how much of this is the effect of having so few "full contact drills" during Fall camp. Seems like it might have affected the o-line more than others.

 

[CyclonePigskin]

Offensive line in the running game has been REALLY bad to start the year. Purdy had played 4 good quarters in 3 games. Breece seems to be lacking that "it" he had last year.. Is he hurt? o-line holding him back? We receivers who can seperate.

Looking forward.. I hope that the line can figure it out with more reps like they have done in back-to-back league seasons.. Manning needs to keep putting Purdy in short throw situations to let Hutch and Kolar go make plays.. If Purdy isn't asked to make 25+ yard throws, o-line can improve run blocking. We are heading to Dallas in December with a Sugar Bowl on the line

I think Purdy making the 25+ yard throws opportunistically is needed to enhance run blocking. Without that, defenses are more free to play more effective contain against short passing and stack against the run.

But…, as someone already mentioned in this thread, the RPO with the tight end running a delayed route down the seam is a fantastic counter.

 

[cyfan92]

I think Purdy making the 25+ yard throws opportunistically is needed to enhance run blocking. Without that, defenses are more free to play more effective contain against short passing and stack against the run.

I agree on sprinkling it in. But he just can't make that throw without underthrowing the WR. So it'd have to be an early timing play when they have the matchup they want

 

[WhoISthis]

I agree on sprinkling it in. But he just can't make that throw without underthrowing the WR. So it'd have to be an early timing play when they have the matchup they want

That timing has been elusive. Likely in part because we tend to practice bully ball against overmatched teams, which means we're a bit under-prepared at the more aggressive/risky plays when we need them. I was pleased to see a little less bully ball mentality against the pathetic UNLV team, but unfortunately it took two really bad outings to know we need urgency, nuance, and "fun".

 

[cyfan92]

That timing has been elusive. Likely in part because we tend to practice bully ball against overmatched teams, which means we're a bit under-prepared at the more aggressive/risky plays when we need them. I was pleased to see a little less bully ball mentality against the pathetic UNLV team, but unfortunately it took two really bad outings to know we need urgency, nuance, and "fun".

Agree. If teams are going to go 1 on 1 versus Scates on the outside. You need to sprinkle in a timing route, Have Purdy throw it early and let Joe go run underneath it since he's the fastest guy in the WR room. If teams cheat a safesty over the top to help. You get to throw it in the seems to Kolar

 

[besserheimerphat]

To your point, despite clearly being more talented, it was 14-0 late in the 2nd quarter, with UNLV having the ball. That won’t cut it against any decent team.

What we did in the latter stages against a team with bad culture and quit isn’t that useful Imo.

Like every year, it was nice to see Manning slowly start to recognize what we do well. One would have hoped he would know Day1 given the returning starters.

We possessed the ball for 20 minutes of the first half. Out of 6 first half possessions, we had 3 TDs, 1 FG, 1 turnover on downs and 1 turnover. We dominated with ball control. The score wasn't indicative of how much we dominated that first half. Hell, we scored 5 TDs on the first two drives...

 

[Cyclonepride]

Heh! I totally did not notice that.

I was wondering about that, as it seemed like the penalty would actually benefit us vs where the ball went out, but my short attention span got me by the time the next play ran.

 

[ashmore]

Offense

• Brock Purdy got his "get right" game we had all been screaming for. 21-24 is a video game line with almost 300 yds, 3 td's. He had the fearless look about him again, which is what we need the rest of the year to get back to Dallas. He plays that well the next couple weeks and we will be 4-1.
• Breece - nothing spectacular but a solid outing, he was extremely close to breaking a long one. Good game.
• Xavier Hutchinson - star of the offense imo, 2 td's for 130 yds. He's an nfl receiver next season.
• O line - Simmons and Newell and the tackles brought more attitude today and it showed. Their D was brutal so they needed today to gel a bit more
• Deon Silas - dude is actually bigger than I thought, he has some serious muscle on him already. Explosive through the hole. Interesting running back and I thought Aaron Taylor made a good comparison in comparing him to Jaquiizz Rogers of Oregon St, they look extremely similar. Shifty, short, and strong.
• Dekkers was not great tonight but he was in mop up duty and didn't need to be great. He's a good runner and hard to bring down.

Defense

• What can we say that hasn't been said? We have studs at every level of the D. Will McDonald if you added up sacks and holding penalties garnered, has to be leading the nation by a huge margin.
• 19 Kymmani King - my surprise player of the D. He plays like Isheem and i think he's actually faster. When he hits people go down abruptly. Exciting talent.
• Isheem was a beast today
• Beau Freiler looks like a future stud at safety
• We have good young guys on the line like Blake Peterson and JR Singleton
• The corners don't give up big plays
• Aric Horne LB plays with an attitude and i love his play
• Gerry Vaughn LB is much better than I ever knew. Smaller than Vance but he runs the field really well, had a couple tackles for loss early on

ST

• I cannot believe i'm writing this at this moment. Punt returns! Jaylin Noel was close to breaking one, got a couple 5 yd returns.
• Mevis' 54 yard kick was a freaking beauty. That's an nfl level kick folks

ISU looked good. UNLVis putrid

 

[WhoISthis]

We possessed the ball for 20 minutes of the first half. Out of 6 first half possessions, we had 3 TDs, 1 FG, 1 turnover on downs and 1 turnover. We dominated with ball control. The score wasn't indicative of how much we dominated that first half. Hell, we scored 5 TDs on the first two drives...

Yes, that is the issue. Dominating but 14 points is not a good sign.

We know by now that is not a fluke. Mistakes, poor execution, and unimaginative play calling have limited this offense. Even against a **** team like UNLV, it limited us to 14 points and with the opponent the ball with 4 minutes left in the half. Similar play against better teams, and you don't get to the part in which the other team quits. Instead you are down 27-10 because you pissed yourself.

 

[VeloClone]

I was wondering about that, as it seemed like the penalty would actually benefit us vs where the ball went out, but my short attention span got me by the time the next play ran.

Penalty is either
a. 5 yards from spot of kick and rekick or
b. 30 yards from where they kicked it (generally the 35 unless kick is from elsewhere due to penalty) or
b. 5 yards from where the receiving team would have otherwise gotten it (where it went out of bounds).

Generally b. is most advantageous so we get used to seeing it at the 35.

 

[besserheimerphat]

Yes, that is the issue. Dominating but 14 points is not a good sign.

We know by now that is not a fluke. Mistakes, poor execution, and unimaginative play calling have limited this offense. Even against a **** team like UNLV, it limited us to 14 points and with the opponent the ball with 4 minutes left in the half. Similar play against better teams, and you don't get to the part in which the other team quits. Instead you are down 27-10 because you pissed yourself.

You aren't getting it. Almost every time we possessed the ball, we scored. One of the times we didn't was a fumble, which is random. (Yes you can practice punching the ball out, but once the ball IS out it is 50:50 on who actually recovers it. There have been studies and the statistics back this up). We possessed the ball most of the time. Your are complaining about a 14-0 score when we had scored 2 TDs on 2 drives and they had gained like 10 total yards on their 2 drives. Hall crossed the goal line 5 times between those two drives due to crappy spots. We opened up a bit in the second half and had more explosive plays - the long TDs to Kolar and X.

 

[bosco]

You aren't getting it. Almost every time we possessed the ball, we scored. One of the times we didn't was a fumble, which is random. (Yes you can practice punching the ball out, but once the ball IS out it is 50:50 on who actually recovers it. There have been studies and the statistics back this up). We possessed the ball most of the time. Your are complaining about a 14-0 score when we had scored 2 TDs on 2 drives and they had gained like 10 total yards on their 2 drives. Hall crossed the goal line 5 times between those two drives due to crappy spots. We opened up a bit in the second half and had more explosive plays - the long TDs to Kolar and X.

People being hung up on the score vs time of game are not realizing how this offense is meant to operate. E.G. look at the Fiesta Bowl. The offense is designed to complement the defense. There are some concerns with this offense but trying to be the Kingsbury TTU offense isn't one of them.

 

[cyhiphopp]

Anyone know when Orien Vance is going to be back?

 

[SolarGarlic]

I agree on sprinkling it in. But he just can't make that throw without underthrowing the WR. So it'd have to be an early timing play when they have the matchup they want

Purdy can absoutely make 25-35 yard throws with accuracy and zip. It's when he is throwing 40+ that either his hand size or mechanics fail him and it comes out short and wobbly.