Observations about the actual game
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:51 am* The coaching was much better. The sideline was less cluttered because Coach Gush was upstairs observing, while Coach Bennett was calling the defenses on the field. And the defense, for the most part, was sensational. Tech was 1-for-6 (I think) on fourth down, and not too fabulous on third down (hence all the fourth downs). Yes, they passed for a ton of yards (throw it 50-plus times with 4 or 5 WRs out there and nearly any team will put up a bunch of yards.)
* The offense line played great. Did anyone even notice that Darrin Johnson was hurt and had to leave? (What was his injury, by the way?) Ben Poynter stepped in and nobody noticed - meaning he did a hell of a job. Hats off to him. #50 (Peveto) also looked really good, as did Kieschnick. If I'm not mistaken, there wasn't a single holding penalty on our offensive line, and with a group as young as this one, that's outstanding. And the OTs -- Johnson/Poynter and Urbanus -- did their job. I had a radio at the game, and didn't hear Tech DE Duckett's name called all night. And he's an absolute stud.
* Why was Avery Cleveland in street clothes?
* I've seen every home game (and a few road games) since 1989. The secondary played better than I can ever remember. I went into this season worried about the short CBs, but no more. The Air Force transfer is a stud -- he was everywhere. Knocking down passes, making strong tackles (including in the open field), getting that sack -- glad to have him. Hunphrey looked stronger and so much more sure of himself. What an amazing athlete. And #22 (they need names on their jerseys!) was terrific, too. I think it was Stallion who pointed out that he saved two TDs -- who was the last DB we had who did that in a game? Knocked down two sure TDs? That guy had a perfect game other than Hicks' TD in the fourth quarter. I also liked the new nickel and dime packages that the coaches threw out there .... Nnabuife looked very much at home when the dime package required him to squeeze up with the LBs, and Fitzgerald -- Coach Bennett wasn't kidding, what an athlete!
* Rico Harris looked like had good mobility, but he didn't seem quite comfortable yet at OLB, like he still had to think, rather than simply seeing something and reacting. He'll be OK. D.D. Lee hits really hard, but can he PLEASE wrap up on tackles???
* I want a #11 jersey. Cory Muse has played DE for what, three weeks? First play he's in the game, he busted through TWO blockers and forced the RB to run out of bounds. Later he sheds a block and yanks down super-fast Glover on an end-around -- one-handed. The kid is big and strong and fast as hell, and he's only going to get better. A LOT better.
* I really wanted to see Foy Munlin run for 300 yards and 10 TDs last night. Not just because it would have meant the Ponies would have won, but because HE wanted so badly to do well against his former team. He didn't get a lot of carries, but at the beginning of the second quarter, when he had that run from deep in our own end for 14 or 15 yards, he was looking for someone to run over. He wanted to bust someone up, rather than just running where there was room. He looked good, and when he settles in against non-Tech opponents and relaxes a little, he should have a big year.
* I liked both quarterbacks. Phillips needs to be more accurate. He has a strong arm, but he needs to throw a higher percentage. What he gives us is the extra dimension of running. Defenses can't just lock up on WRs and Munlin, because he'll take off, as he did many times last night. Eckert also looked good. He's a natural passer with a good arm, and he doesn't look like he gets fazed easily. A lot of guys would panic with a pair of snaps on their shoetops, but he scooped up both of them and got rid of the ball, throwing the ball away once and completing the other. I'd like to see Phillips start again, but we'll be fine mixing in Eckert.
* Pellerin worked really well with Eckert. Devin Lowery has great hands. Blake Warren is a tough little guy, and Ryan Kennedy ran a lot better than a guy his size should b
* The offense line played great. Did anyone even notice that Darrin Johnson was hurt and had to leave? (What was his injury, by the way?) Ben Poynter stepped in and nobody noticed - meaning he did a hell of a job. Hats off to him. #50 (Peveto) also looked really good, as did Kieschnick. If I'm not mistaken, there wasn't a single holding penalty on our offensive line, and with a group as young as this one, that's outstanding. And the OTs -- Johnson/Poynter and Urbanus -- did their job. I had a radio at the game, and didn't hear Tech DE Duckett's name called all night. And he's an absolute stud.
* Why was Avery Cleveland in street clothes?
* I've seen every home game (and a few road games) since 1989. The secondary played better than I can ever remember. I went into this season worried about the short CBs, but no more. The Air Force transfer is a stud -- he was everywhere. Knocking down passes, making strong tackles (including in the open field), getting that sack -- glad to have him. Hunphrey looked stronger and so much more sure of himself. What an amazing athlete. And #22 (they need names on their jerseys!) was terrific, too. I think it was Stallion who pointed out that he saved two TDs -- who was the last DB we had who did that in a game? Knocked down two sure TDs? That guy had a perfect game other than Hicks' TD in the fourth quarter. I also liked the new nickel and dime packages that the coaches threw out there .... Nnabuife looked very much at home when the dime package required him to squeeze up with the LBs, and Fitzgerald -- Coach Bennett wasn't kidding, what an athlete!
* Rico Harris looked like had good mobility, but he didn't seem quite comfortable yet at OLB, like he still had to think, rather than simply seeing something and reacting. He'll be OK. D.D. Lee hits really hard, but can he PLEASE wrap up on tackles???
* I want a #11 jersey. Cory Muse has played DE for what, three weeks? First play he's in the game, he busted through TWO blockers and forced the RB to run out of bounds. Later he sheds a block and yanks down super-fast Glover on an end-around -- one-handed. The kid is big and strong and fast as hell, and he's only going to get better. A LOT better.
* I really wanted to see Foy Munlin run for 300 yards and 10 TDs last night. Not just because it would have meant the Ponies would have won, but because HE wanted so badly to do well against his former team. He didn't get a lot of carries, but at the beginning of the second quarter, when he had that run from deep in our own end for 14 or 15 yards, he was looking for someone to run over. He wanted to bust someone up, rather than just running where there was room. He looked good, and when he settles in against non-Tech opponents and relaxes a little, he should have a big year.
* I liked both quarterbacks. Phillips needs to be more accurate. He has a strong arm, but he needs to throw a higher percentage. What he gives us is the extra dimension of running. Defenses can't just lock up on WRs and Munlin, because he'll take off, as he did many times last night. Eckert also looked good. He's a natural passer with a good arm, and he doesn't look like he gets fazed easily. A lot of guys would panic with a pair of snaps on their shoetops, but he scooped up both of them and got rid of the ball, throwing the ball away once and completing the other. I'd like to see Phillips start again, but we'll be fine mixing in Eckert.
* Pellerin worked really well with Eckert. Devin Lowery has great hands. Blake Warren is a tough little guy, and Ryan Kennedy ran a lot better than a guy his size should b
