Partly cloudy

[ponydawg]

I don't believe I've ever been a true sunshiner, but I think people need to relax.
Yes that stinks. Yes we should have won. Yes Sutton got held on the last play of the game and yes we never should have been put in that position BUT I bet everyone's preseason predictions will still be met. Last year recruiting focused on the offense - a lot of them making impacts right now. This year we are focused on recruiting defense that hopefully will make an impact on D next year.

We (once again) are a young team BUT remember we also have a young (inexperienced) coaching staff.

Just because we overproduced against BU and TCU doesn't mean we magically jumped light years from the many years of non-recruiting. Sucks we lost some MO with fans and MAYBE recruiting but your precious preseason Wins and Loses will still probably be met.

Bash away and see you at ECU.

[Puckhead48E]

Yeah...there is no way we should have been in this game. Luck and a few big plays kept us close. Having said that, we could have won with better playcalling and better execution (well, as could every other team who lost this weekend!).

Still fighting to look good enough so we don't scare off the key recruits we need.

[Lebanese4Life]

we got manhandled by an FCS team.. shoulda been a blowout

[03Mustang]

ECU is going to murder us. Tulsa too. I don't even want to think about Houston and Memphis.

[sbsmith]

Yes Sutton got held on the last play of the game and yes we never should have been put in that position BUT I bet everyone's preseason predictions will still be met.

How will everyone's preseason predictions be met?

[ponydawg]

Yes Sutton got held on the last play of the game and yes we never should have been put in that position BUT I bet everyone's preseason predictions will still be met.

How will everyone's preseason predictions be met?

Most realistic people said we will win 1-4 games and really just wanted to see improvement on the field. We've already seen improvement and we will probably still win 2-3 games.

[sbsmith]

Most realistic people said we will win 1-4 games and really just wanted to see improvement on the field. We've already seen improvement and we will probably still win 2-3 games.

True but that's just most people not everyone. What about the "6 Wins Minimum" crowd?

[mrydel]

I will admit my hopes were trending upward but this was a huge dose of reality.

But last year we had nothing. This year we have already surpassed last years total scoring, and increased our scoring in every game. Our offense is improving faster than I had imagined and our defense is more offensive than I had feared. We will get there.

[No Quarter]

I will admit my hopes were trending upward but this was a huge dose of reality.

But last year we had nothing. This year we have already surpassed last years total scoring, and increased our scoring in every game. Our offense is improving faster than I had imagined and our defense is more offensive than I had feared. We will get there.

I chose this thread because it IS cloudy this morning where I live and doubtful that we'll see the eclipse to night. I had been looking forward to that event same as I looked forward to a SMU win yesterday.

It was a "dose of reality? and I agree we are better this year than last and think "we will get there." I would congratulate the JMU coaches and team for being well prepared.

As is often the case myrdell and ponyte offer a calm viewpoint in the storm.

I don't know if ballplayers ever think in the terms I'm about to quote, but a little poem by Masefield came to mind, and I'm putting it up even though it may draw fire from some because it mentions a higher power.

Tomorrow by John Masefield

Oh yesterday the cutting edge drank thirstily and deep,
The upland outlaws ringed us in and herded us as sheep,
They drove us from the stricken field and bayed us into keep;
But tomorrow,
By the living God, we'll try the game again!

Oh yesterday our little troop was ridden through and through,
Our swaying, tattered pennons feld, a broken, beaten few,
And all a summer afternoon they hunted us and slew;
But tomorrow,
By the living God, we'll try the game again!

And here upon the turret-top the bale-fire glowers red,
The wake-lights burn and drip around our hacked, disfigured dead,
And many a broken heart is here and many a broken head;
But tomorrow,
By the living God, we'll try the game again!

Go Ponies!

[PonySnob]

Yes Sutton got held on the last play of the game and yes we never should have been put in that position BUT I bet everyone's preseason predictions will still be met.

How will everyone's preseason predictions be met?

Most realistic people said we will win 1-4 games and really just wanted to see improvement on the field. We've already seen improvement and we will probably still win 2-3 games.

Has the defense improved?


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[sbsmith]

Has the defense improved?


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It has gotten worse. Of course they are group short on talent (thanks June) learning a new scheme installed by a first-time DC.

[ponydawg]

Has the defense improved?


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Everyone says "you have to give morris (or new HC) time to get his players in for his system, might take a few years." Same thing for the defense, not any different. Defense should get time to get THEIR players recruited that fit its defensive scheme.
1st yr recruits focused more on offense. This year focused more on defense.

[vielsiehorsepower]

Has the defense improved?


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It has gotten worse. Of course they are group short on talent (thanks June) learning a new scheme installed by a first-time DC.

I don't think they're worse than last year, probably about the same. I think the difference is that now there is an offense on the field that they are afraid of so now they are not taking their foot off of the pedal the whole game.

[blackoutpony]

The reality check was the UNT game. If they had someone with the skills of a DII quarterback, we probably don't win that game.

Look, this thing was always going to take time and this is year one of a brutal rebuild. The players have to learn a new offense and defense. You have a rookie college head coach, an offensive coordinator who was a GA last year, and a rookie DC that has never called plays before. The coaches gotta figure out what they're doing too. Morris still inherited a roster where over half the players had no other FBS offers. Building that depth is going to take a few years. We haven't even had a full recruiting class of Chad Morris's only players yet.

I think too many people started listening to the Billy Embodys of the Twitterverse thinking that we'd be a bowl team just because of a new strength coach and new schemes. It takes more than 6 months to undo years strength and conditioning neglect and new schemes can hurt just as much as they can help early on because the players have only had a few games worth of reps.

This loss absolutely sucks, but come 2017, these are the teaching moments that will pay off when Sutton, Castile, Jones, West, Thomas and Co. are all Juniors.

Patience young grasshopper; Patience.....

[sbsmith]

I think too many people started listening to the Billy Embodys of the Twitterverse thinking that we'd be a bowl team just because of a new strength coach and new schemes.

Too many people thought we were ready for the NFL just because we lost our last game by 19 points.