NowherePoke said:
I think optimism, or at least excitement, is warranted despite the awful defensive performance last week.
SDSU is good, no doubt about it, and they deserve to be favored, but the Pokes have shown the ability to compete with very good teams, particularly at home. We have a balanced offense with both power/ball control capabilities and big play capabilities. We have a special teams group that can make a positive contribution and we are playing the first Senior Day in a long time with a conference title still on the line.
Pokes will need to play a very clean game and Allen will have to make good decisions. There will be a lot on his shoulders because SDSU is not going to provide openings for Brian Hill. My guess is he will be contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage on most of his carries. Now, that doesn't stop him from carrying 3 guys and gaining some yardage, but they will be keying on him and they have the personnel to beat our blockers. Allen will have to make plays and do so without turning the ball over.
Another CarbonPoke theory I tend to agree with: we're going to see a lot of 22 personnel tomorrow, sometimes with Austin Conway as the wide-out. That formation gives us the best chance to exploit the 3-3-5(nickle) defense. Austin Conway will punish you for over-pursuing. Two tights and a fullback will test SDSU's smaller, faster front seven physically.
Boise and SDSU have similar front sevens, although they line-up in different formations. They're both aggressive, stunt heavy, and fast. Hollister, fullbacks, and the wheel route could give SDSU a lot of trouble.
We really could use a fast start in this one. If we can make SDSU play catch up, and force them to pass the ball, our chances of winning really go up.
I think there's a chance that we can gash SDSU's defense with a physical running game. They haven't faced a team as physical as us all year.
