Yabadabadoo
Well-known member
As much as it was the performance on myriad levels.
The loss? Even though I felt they had a good chance to break the seal, I also mentioned that they could very well lose this game and that it would hardly surprise me.
Of course I wanted a win (I always want a win), but in a season where the W's & L's are less significant to me than they will be in ensuing years, what I wanted mostly, was to see continuing signs of growth and progress, building upon many of the positives that we saw in last week's loss to WSU.
You may mention the ND loss, and the loss to EMU as disturbing losses, but to me, this game yesterday was the most dispiriting one to date - simply because they regressed and didn't build on the positives from the week before.
I started wondering how well this game would go when I was down on the field prior to the game. Now anyone can place too much stock in what I'm about to mention...then again maybe there is something semi-significant to it. During warm-ups I noticed that New Mexico was on point completely, they seemed genuinely excited to play the game, their workouts and every warm-up they did in preparing for the game was done with precision, with enthusiasm, with an organized approach that reeked of absolute preparedness.
Conversely, I felt that Wyoming looked pretty much the opposite. They appeared to look almost unmotivated to a certain extent, almost going through the motions, they lacked the crispness that I noticed with the guys wearing red and white. This was really surprising to me - because if there was ever a team that needed to come into a game sporting a fever pitch - it was our guys. Is this coaching? I have to believe that if it was then that is pretty disturbing - especially for a guy like me who is very bullish (and I still am) on our current regime. Bob Davie's team looked ready to play and looked like they wanted to play. Us? I can't say the same.
Perhaps the first play from scrimmage was the harbinger of what was to come. Jhurell Pressley takes the handoff and the Wyoming defensive front appears to be in position to set the tone early with a tackle for loss. I mean they had Pressley dead to rights. Not one guy, not two, but THREE players ALL whiffed on the tackle. Most of you saw it. One by one, in order, Andrew Wingard (who we all love), Marcus Epps, and Lucas Wacha, all swung and missed...if you look at the replay its hard not to laugh, they go down in succession, thud, thud, thud...a 13 yard gain on a play that should have been a 5 yard loss. The next play goes for what only feels like the 15th TD run of 40 yards or more in the first 4 games. Last week we had hats on the ball, we swarmed to the point of attack way better than we did yesterday...not good.
The balance we established last week on offense with the run and the pass never materialized and we became one-dimensional for most of the game...even though the play calling by Vigen seemed almost force fed to the point of insisting the Pokes run the ball come hell or high water, results be dammed.
One week prior we saw some daylight and we saw both our offensive and defensive lines winning individual battles as well as collective unit battles throughout the night in Pullman. Not yesterday. We were once again mauled in the pits, shoved around...perhaps not as badly as the games against ND and EMU, but still, we lacked a ferocity along both lines today. Youth? Yes, but what about the lack of execution and the inability to stay disciplined with all the penalties? Youth again? Okay, but when will we begin to see the maturation and the elimination of some of these issues?
The confidence that I saw begin to slowly build last week didn't come close to manifesting itself yesterday with any carryover effect. Disappointing.
Don't get the wrong idea, I'm still as high on Bohl as I have ever been, but I, like all of us, was very disappointed with the failure to 'build upon' some of the positives from a week ago.
Questions for all here:
1-Coffman finished with numbers that would compel someone to think he was amazing today if they didn't actually see the game. I thought his day was made to look better than it really was based upon his yardage total and the amount of times he put it in the air - and 2 TD's he was credited with that were somewhat unconventional. Gentry made an incredible catch with that toe drag, otherwise that throw is too far to the right (but I credit Coffman for even getting off the pass under such duress) -- and the final TD pass was off a deflection to Harshman. Coffman's decision making is sometimes unsteady -- but I'm probably being too critical given the fact that he's under pressure a lot. The wide open Hollister that he missed down the right sideline, instead throwing into double coverage that resulted in an interception is a sign of what I refer to as unsteady decision making. And if anyone can tell me who Coffman was throwing to on that last INT I'd be thrilled to know. Coffman is an upgrade over last year's starter (CK) but the more I see him and the more I feel like I know why he was eventually phased out at Indiana. Am I being too harsh in my critique of Coffman?
2-While I love being bold and being fearless at times, I thought Bohl's decision to go for it on our first drive eschewing a potential (was it 38 yards?) field goal by Tristen Bailey to go for it on 4th and 11, turned out to be a mistake. Bailey is going to have to start making some 3-pointers eventually, and if he isn't capable then the sooner the better to find the guy who will be able to afford the team a dimension on offense they apparently don't possess at this juncture. Bohl on 4th & 11 - would you have attempted a FG?
3-I HATE our defense. Not the players so much - but the actual system. It is too much of a template to me, it can be attacked and exploited through study, and you let your opponent's run away from our best defensive lineman (Yarbrough) effectively neutralizing your most game-changing player. I know Eddie is a prototypical pass rushing DE, but its here where I'd be more ambitious and creative. I'd allow Yarbrough to freelance more, placing him in positions where the offense may not expect him, taking advantage of his athleticism and explosiveness, while making him more of a wild-card than a guy who offenses know where to look to find him. Stand him up, move him around, allow him more flexibility and the opportunity to make a beeline to the ball from different angles more often. Our linebackers, small and undersized to begin with, play way too far off the ball imo...even on very short yardage situations our LB's are a good 5-6 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Push them up, create some confusion for the offense...when was the last time we saw a corner blitz, anyone? Our defense is too damn predictable, it doesn't stress an attack and disrupt approach, its way too much read and react...not too mention we have undersized players and we still need to acquire more speed to contain the edges.
I guess I'm venting for the first time this year in a way...a loss I can take, especially because reality smacks me in the eyes with the fact that on most Saturday's we're going to be out-talented by most teams we play. What annoyed me yesterday was a loss without any real positives - especially positives that were not transferable from one week against WSU -- to yesterday's game against New Mexico.
The loss? Even though I felt they had a good chance to break the seal, I also mentioned that they could very well lose this game and that it would hardly surprise me.
Of course I wanted a win (I always want a win), but in a season where the W's & L's are less significant to me than they will be in ensuing years, what I wanted mostly, was to see continuing signs of growth and progress, building upon many of the positives that we saw in last week's loss to WSU.
You may mention the ND loss, and the loss to EMU as disturbing losses, but to me, this game yesterday was the most dispiriting one to date - simply because they regressed and didn't build on the positives from the week before.
I started wondering how well this game would go when I was down on the field prior to the game. Now anyone can place too much stock in what I'm about to mention...then again maybe there is something semi-significant to it. During warm-ups I noticed that New Mexico was on point completely, they seemed genuinely excited to play the game, their workouts and every warm-up they did in preparing for the game was done with precision, with enthusiasm, with an organized approach that reeked of absolute preparedness.
Conversely, I felt that Wyoming looked pretty much the opposite. They appeared to look almost unmotivated to a certain extent, almost going through the motions, they lacked the crispness that I noticed with the guys wearing red and white. This was really surprising to me - because if there was ever a team that needed to come into a game sporting a fever pitch - it was our guys. Is this coaching? I have to believe that if it was then that is pretty disturbing - especially for a guy like me who is very bullish (and I still am) on our current regime. Bob Davie's team looked ready to play and looked like they wanted to play. Us? I can't say the same.
Perhaps the first play from scrimmage was the harbinger of what was to come. Jhurell Pressley takes the handoff and the Wyoming defensive front appears to be in position to set the tone early with a tackle for loss. I mean they had Pressley dead to rights. Not one guy, not two, but THREE players ALL whiffed on the tackle. Most of you saw it. One by one, in order, Andrew Wingard (who we all love), Marcus Epps, and Lucas Wacha, all swung and missed...if you look at the replay its hard not to laugh, they go down in succession, thud, thud, thud...a 13 yard gain on a play that should have been a 5 yard loss. The next play goes for what only feels like the 15th TD run of 40 yards or more in the first 4 games. Last week we had hats on the ball, we swarmed to the point of attack way better than we did yesterday...not good.
The balance we established last week on offense with the run and the pass never materialized and we became one-dimensional for most of the game...even though the play calling by Vigen seemed almost force fed to the point of insisting the Pokes run the ball come hell or high water, results be dammed.
One week prior we saw some daylight and we saw both our offensive and defensive lines winning individual battles as well as collective unit battles throughout the night in Pullman. Not yesterday. We were once again mauled in the pits, shoved around...perhaps not as badly as the games against ND and EMU, but still, we lacked a ferocity along both lines today. Youth? Yes, but what about the lack of execution and the inability to stay disciplined with all the penalties? Youth again? Okay, but when will we begin to see the maturation and the elimination of some of these issues?
The confidence that I saw begin to slowly build last week didn't come close to manifesting itself yesterday with any carryover effect. Disappointing.
Don't get the wrong idea, I'm still as high on Bohl as I have ever been, but I, like all of us, was very disappointed with the failure to 'build upon' some of the positives from a week ago.
Questions for all here:
1-Coffman finished with numbers that would compel someone to think he was amazing today if they didn't actually see the game. I thought his day was made to look better than it really was based upon his yardage total and the amount of times he put it in the air - and 2 TD's he was credited with that were somewhat unconventional. Gentry made an incredible catch with that toe drag, otherwise that throw is too far to the right (but I credit Coffman for even getting off the pass under such duress) -- and the final TD pass was off a deflection to Harshman. Coffman's decision making is sometimes unsteady -- but I'm probably being too critical given the fact that he's under pressure a lot. The wide open Hollister that he missed down the right sideline, instead throwing into double coverage that resulted in an interception is a sign of what I refer to as unsteady decision making. And if anyone can tell me who Coffman was throwing to on that last INT I'd be thrilled to know. Coffman is an upgrade over last year's starter (CK) but the more I see him and the more I feel like I know why he was eventually phased out at Indiana. Am I being too harsh in my critique of Coffman?
2-While I love being bold and being fearless at times, I thought Bohl's decision to go for it on our first drive eschewing a potential (was it 38 yards?) field goal by Tristen Bailey to go for it on 4th and 11, turned out to be a mistake. Bailey is going to have to start making some 3-pointers eventually, and if he isn't capable then the sooner the better to find the guy who will be able to afford the team a dimension on offense they apparently don't possess at this juncture. Bohl on 4th & 11 - would you have attempted a FG?
3-I HATE our defense. Not the players so much - but the actual system. It is too much of a template to me, it can be attacked and exploited through study, and you let your opponent's run away from our best defensive lineman (Yarbrough) effectively neutralizing your most game-changing player. I know Eddie is a prototypical pass rushing DE, but its here where I'd be more ambitious and creative. I'd allow Yarbrough to freelance more, placing him in positions where the offense may not expect him, taking advantage of his athleticism and explosiveness, while making him more of a wild-card than a guy who offenses know where to look to find him. Stand him up, move him around, allow him more flexibility and the opportunity to make a beeline to the ball from different angles more often. Our linebackers, small and undersized to begin with, play way too far off the ball imo...even on very short yardage situations our LB's are a good 5-6 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Push them up, create some confusion for the offense...when was the last time we saw a corner blitz, anyone? Our defense is too damn predictable, it doesn't stress an attack and disrupt approach, its way too much read and react...not too mention we have undersized players and we still need to acquire more speed to contain the edges.
I guess I'm venting for the first time this year in a way...a loss I can take, especially because reality smacks me in the eyes with the fact that on most Saturday's we're going to be out-talented by most teams we play. What annoyed me yesterday was a loss without any real positives - especially positives that were not transferable from one week against WSU -- to yesterday's game against New Mexico.
