Thoughts on the Virginia game
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2024 11:55 pmWell, that went pretty much as expected. I can't believe we are in the ACC Championship game.
- Jennings was incredible. I mentioned before the game that the Virginia defense was fine, but it really performed better than the sum of its parts, with no extraordinary players. We just needed different makers to step up. Jennings did exactly that. SMU is losing playmakers left and right. RJ, Brinson, Camar, Rooster, Bailey. Brashard is clearly banged up. Hudson missed the second half. But Jennings is the difference between the SMU offense struggling a bit and this thing continuing to put up points. The scramble throws and arm angles get the highlights, but the decision making is just great. He completed 75% of his passes even though he left a couple of completions on the table with two overthrows. PFF only gave him a 79.5, which is nuts. Special player.
- Thank you Brashard Smith for toughing it out. Clearly isn't quite right, and this game looked a bit like the Stanford game where he was turning his body to absorb hits. I know we are going to try and go for the undefeated season next week, but if we had any depth at RB he would sit next week for the ACC Championship game.
- We have been waiting for a WR to step up and become *that guy* for two years. Hudson is finally taking that mantle. Two great games in a row. I'm not sure if they diagnosed him with a concussion officially or were just holding him out, but I hope he gets better quickly. He has really turned it up.
- Something to keep an eye on, but the OL is just starting to wobble a bit. Osborne got pancaked twice that I saw in pass protection. PJ had a rough day, didn't block that great in the running game and 3 false starts. The group isn't running on all cylinders right now, and has a really tough matchup against Cal next weekend. The offense played at a slow pace against Virginia, and some of that is to save the playmakers, but I think they are also trying to help the OL out a bit as well. That 1st and goal sequence that Jennings finally scored on wasn't great.
- The defense was great against Virginia and of course it all starts with the DL. We had a ton of sacks and that was awesome, but what might go unnoticed is that Roberts, who had zero sacks, actually led SMU in pressures. The sacks on blitzes get the press, but he was the guy who was pushing a double team back when we only rushed 4 and making the Virginia QB move out of the pocket. Virginia had trouble throwing on rhythm all day long.
- I said before the game that the offense doesn't have playmakers. They have one good WR. And that the QB will run and scramble and create some things, but none of it is really sustainable. The SMU defense did an even better job than I thought they would. NWO, Moses, Wilson and Walker were all over the place. The safety and LB play was elite.
- Don't forget that SMU got off to a bit of a sluggish start in this game. The defense is what snuffed out hope for Virginia. Three possessions starting in SMU's half in the first half and zero points allowed is a hell of a job.
- Final note, check out what BC did to UNC this last weekend. They were a QB away from being a really good team, and they fixed that problem. That BC win was a very quality win by SMU and shouldn't be looked past. That is exactly the type of team SMU would play in the CFP with any of the SEC or Big 10 teams that SMU might face (and ND). It is great to know that we can go head to head with something like that.
- SMU, of course, just needs to focus on beating Cal. I expect Georgia (GT), Tennessee (@Vandy), Texas (A&M), and Miami (@Syracuse) to each be involved in really tight games this weekend. An SMU win, a couple of losses in that group, and a Clemson upset against South Carolina could just about clinch two ACC teams in the CFP, regardless of the result of the championship game. Keep your fingers crossed.
- Jennings was incredible. I mentioned before the game that the Virginia defense was fine, but it really performed better than the sum of its parts, with no extraordinary players. We just needed different makers to step up. Jennings did exactly that. SMU is losing playmakers left and right. RJ, Brinson, Camar, Rooster, Bailey. Brashard is clearly banged up. Hudson missed the second half. But Jennings is the difference between the SMU offense struggling a bit and this thing continuing to put up points. The scramble throws and arm angles get the highlights, but the decision making is just great. He completed 75% of his passes even though he left a couple of completions on the table with two overthrows. PFF only gave him a 79.5, which is nuts. Special player.
- Thank you Brashard Smith for toughing it out. Clearly isn't quite right, and this game looked a bit like the Stanford game where he was turning his body to absorb hits. I know we are going to try and go for the undefeated season next week, but if we had any depth at RB he would sit next week for the ACC Championship game.
- We have been waiting for a WR to step up and become *that guy* for two years. Hudson is finally taking that mantle. Two great games in a row. I'm not sure if they diagnosed him with a concussion officially or were just holding him out, but I hope he gets better quickly. He has really turned it up.
- Something to keep an eye on, but the OL is just starting to wobble a bit. Osborne got pancaked twice that I saw in pass protection. PJ had a rough day, didn't block that great in the running game and 3 false starts. The group isn't running on all cylinders right now, and has a really tough matchup against Cal next weekend. The offense played at a slow pace against Virginia, and some of that is to save the playmakers, but I think they are also trying to help the OL out a bit as well. That 1st and goal sequence that Jennings finally scored on wasn't great.
- The defense was great against Virginia and of course it all starts with the DL. We had a ton of sacks and that was awesome, but what might go unnoticed is that Roberts, who had zero sacks, actually led SMU in pressures. The sacks on blitzes get the press, but he was the guy who was pushing a double team back when we only rushed 4 and making the Virginia QB move out of the pocket. Virginia had trouble throwing on rhythm all day long.
- I said before the game that the offense doesn't have playmakers. They have one good WR. And that the QB will run and scramble and create some things, but none of it is really sustainable. The SMU defense did an even better job than I thought they would. NWO, Moses, Wilson and Walker were all over the place. The safety and LB play was elite.
- Don't forget that SMU got off to a bit of a sluggish start in this game. The defense is what snuffed out hope for Virginia. Three possessions starting in SMU's half in the first half and zero points allowed is a hell of a job.
- Final note, check out what BC did to UNC this last weekend. They were a QB away from being a really good team, and they fixed that problem. That BC win was a very quality win by SMU and shouldn't be looked past. That is exactly the type of team SMU would play in the CFP with any of the SEC or Big 10 teams that SMU might face (and ND). It is great to know that we can go head to head with something like that.
- SMU, of course, just needs to focus on beating Cal. I expect Georgia (GT), Tennessee (@Vandy), Texas (A&M), and Miami (@Syracuse) to each be involved in really tight games this weekend. An SMU win, a couple of losses in that group, and a Clemson upset against South Carolina could just about clinch two ACC teams in the CFP, regardless of the result of the championship game. Keep your fingers crossed.