Where art thou JasonB?

[Arkpony]

I miss JasonB’s game summary for the Tulsa game! I always find them informative and insightful.

[JasonB]

Sorry - Halloween got in the way. Big deal around here .

Going in, I thought we were significantly better than Tulsa, and that proved out. If Stone made it through the whole game, we would have killed them. But the way he dives around when he runs the ball, it was coming. Something I am sure he will be coached on in the offseason.

Jennings does have a running aspect to his game, but they clearly held him in the pocket because there wasn't anyone else left. I was surprised and very impressed that he threw true reads across the middle. It would have been really easy to restrict him to screens and deep balls. Says a lot about where he is as a player. Very impressive to do that.

Both QBs had an adjusted completion percentage over 70%, that is really important in the offense.

Wheaton is clearly a difference maker at RB. He hits the hole quick enough for the line to be successful. And then you have Lavine who plows into the line without delay and gains yards. That combination gives us a legit running game for the first time this season, which is a big deal.

That was the starting OL I expected coming into the season. JT did well at center. Overall a really nice game from the unit. Only one hurry and one pressure allowed.

Still expecting more from the defense. The line continues to evolve depth and play better both against the run and with the pass rush. The 11 and 58 combo on passing downs was awesome to see, and we should see more of it the rest of the season (especially after the Houston game). They had two runs over 40 yards, and then outside of that were about 25 carries for 100, so you know the DL is doing their job. The QB scrambles and the big chunk runs are where you can tell our athleticism isn't quite where we want it to be at LB and safety. On the first big run, Wiley got pushed around, which will happen sometimes, but the LB and S have to be able to react to it and keep it from going 40. Symons needs some time to bring his personnel into the system. Corner you can also see the athletic limitations on certain routes, and we don't go make plays on the ball much. We will get better athletically there with getting an injured player back and 14 growing up, but we aren't where we need to be.

[ponyboy]

I don’t get the take on the defense. It’s the same “bend don’t break” debate from many years ago. The defense stopped Tulsa when they needed to. In a rather dramatic fashion.

[Arkpony]

Thanks JasonB!

[Pony78]

Thanks JasonB!

Yes, thank you. Was having withdrawal pains and the shakes.

[JasonB]

I don’t get the take on the defense. It’s the same “bend don’t break” debate from many years ago. The defense stopped Tulsa when they needed to. In a rather dramatic fashion.

When Symon's defense has the right personnel In the base 4-2-5, you will see what you see from the Cowboys - good pass defense, an excellent pass rush, and then you are sacrificing presence against the run and challenging the other team to consistently run the ball down the field. You eliminate explosive plays by playing really good pass defense and then running to the ball in the running game to keep gains to 4 or 5 or 10 yards when they get past the line. If they do that, then you tighten up in the box and force field goals.

Early in the season, the DL wasn't doing a great job, and LBs weren't good, and we got mushed in the running game against Maryland and TCU. Then, against UCF and Navy, we made scheme adjustments to come out of the 4-2-5 and play more run defense. The defense against the run improved, but our secondary got exposed in both of those games. Against Tulsa, for the most part we played the 4-2-5 again and got back to the base defense, but playing 96 more on the edge on early downs and then subbing 11 and 58 for pass rush. Very improved play from the front 4, which is why the standard running play went for so little. However, in the 4-2-5, you have to be able to swarm to the ball and can't allow those 40 yard gains. The athleticism and speed at LB and the secondary just isn't where it needs to be yet. Symons is doing a great job with scheme and trying to hide weaknesses, but basically we have to load up to stop the run or back up to stop the pass. If we are backing up and they run, it goes for yards, and if we load up and don't get a sack, we give up passing yardage.

My disappointment comes from higher expectations - I really thought we would take a big leap forward defensively. We knew coming in that our corners were kind of meh, but I thought we would get more from Hall and more improvement from Rogers. Levelston hasn't been quite as effective as expected at one NT (much better on the edge), and 92 has been hurt. They are getting the DL worked out as we go along, and we see the improvement. But while 6 has been pretty consistently improving and making impacts, Slade and Reid have been very inconsistent which has impacted the performance of the defense. At safety, 22 has been ok and Crossley has been ok, but Massey is a shell of what he was in the Spring and early Fall (pre injury) and there has been no NWO, and a lot of playing time for 13, who tries his best but just isn't at the same level athletically.

Last year, we were the 9th best defensive team in conference according to Beta Rank. This year we are 7th. I was just expecting a bigger jump than that, and I think most of it is underperformance at LB and S.