Thoughts on the game

[PonySnob]

There were about 5 plays that I think really changed the game.

1. The terrible hands to the face call on the 3rd and long.
2. Hicks pick in the end zone. I was on the grass right behind the end zone and if i could have yelled louder to lob it over the defenders head i would have.
3. The roughing the punter.
4. We were driving and in Baylor territory. Freeman just ran for about 5 yards on 2nd down and it was 3 and about 2 and they call a short pass pay on the sideline. We were in 4 down territory and I know Freeman could have got 2 yards in 2 plays.
5. I believe it was 3 and long and Baylor threw a touchdown in the corner of the end zone on the side with the open grass area. Our DB had good coverage he just jumped too early. If he doesnt even jump at all he could have knocked the pass down.

The roughing the punter call looked legit as our player didn't try to change his direction (not sure if he could have) but it is a risk when your going for the block. The hands to the face call was total BS.

[JasonB]

As to why my opinion on Hicks changed and the comments about Davis in this game:

Hicks was inaccurate all spring. That hasn't changed. But when he is on target, he has a legit arm. The big difference is negative plays. Davis would have taken 8 sacks in this game. Yes, he makes plays with his feet, but his decision making is really slow and he bails under pressure.

In the first half, we consistently moved the ball. That consistency is what has been missing from the offense, and it kills the defense. Davis is not going to provide that against better teams because he takes sacks and bails under pressure.

Hicks gets the ball in the hands of our playmakers, which are the strength of the team. Throw it up and let guys make a play.

His accuracy got worse as the game went on, and it probably had something to do with being banged up, but also realize Sutton wasn't playing a lot of downs. That is a big deal. Also, when Wilds came in, the right side was a disaster. That really hurt us as well. Hope Briggs gets better.

5 red zone opportunities against Baylor is really not a bad job of offense.

Hicks is going to do a better job of getting the ball in the hands of playmakers, especially against bad teams. Not having a spy will open up the running game more and the screen game.

Hicks also allows us to run more of the offense, which will help us in the long run as well.

6 wins. We beat Liberty, Tulsa, Tulane, and then two of Temple, Memphis, ECU, USF, Navy. The defense is much improved. Baylor is a VERY good running team. A performance like that against their running game is very impressive and bodes really, really well in conference play because our LB play and depth of the secondary is going to get better and better as the season rolls along.

[Treadway21]

There were about 5 plays that I think really changed the game.

1. The terrible hands to the face call on the 3rd and long.
2. Hicks pick in the end zone. I was on the grass right behind the end zone and if i could have yelled louder to lob it over the defenders head i would have.
3. The roughing the punter.
4. We were driving and in Baylor territory. Freeman just ran for about 5 yards on 2nd down and it was 3 and about 2 and they call a short pass pay on the sideline. We were in 4 down territory and I know Freeman could have got 2 yards in 2 plays.
5. I believe it was 3 and long and Baylor threw a touchdown in the corner of the end zone on the side with the open grass area. Our DB had good coverage he just jumped too early. If he doesnt even jump at all he could have knocked the pass down.

The roughing the punter call looked legit as our player didn't try to change his direction (not sure if he could have) but it is a risk when your going for the block. The hands to the face call was total BS.

I don't think he is saying it was a bad call, I think he is saying it was a game changing type play.

[mrydel]

FWIW, Spencer Tillman said he thought we were a viable candidate for the Big 12.

[ebrooks11]

There were about 5 plays that I think really changed the game.

1. The terrible hands to the face call on the 3rd and long.
2. Hicks pick in the end zone. I was on the grass right behind the end zone and if i could have yelled louder to lob it over the defenders head i would have.
3. The roughing the punter.
4. We were driving and in Baylor territory. Freeman just ran for about 5 yards on 2nd down and it was 3 and about 2 and they call a short pass pay on the sideline. We were in 4 down territory and I know Freeman could have got 2 yards in 2 plays.
5. I believe it was 3 and long and Baylor threw a touchdown in the corner of the end zone on the side with the open grass area. Our DB had good coverage he just jumped too early. If he doesnt even jump at all he could have knocked the pass down.

The roughing the punter call looked legit as our player didn't try to change his direction (not sure if he could have) but it is a risk when your going for the block. The hands to the face call was total BS.

Didn't mean to imply that it was a bad call. He roughed him.

[PonyPlayer4]

The stadium security was the absolute worst process. As mentioned before by another poster, I was in line for 45 minutes, and I barely made kickoff. People were trying to use tickets on their phones, but it was too bright for the scanners to read the screen. Absolutely awful.

[ojaipony]

For what it's worth, I thought Green/Lawler/Minor played outstanding. I'm hoping Biggurs/Scott/JT Williams can step up (Rhone played pretty good against the run also). Gentry's decent, he takes up space that's for sure. I like what I saw from Badejo, he'll be a stud. Gary is good but I don't think he's quite ready yet/got blocked/let himself get turned quite a bit (not a knock, he's a true freshman playing against a Baylor OL). I hope Gary and McLaurin and Patrick Jones can develop, we'll need them. Hoping they'd be ready to get some reps as true freshmen for experience going into next year as we lose Minor and Green.

[Digetydog]

[quote="JasonB"] ... Also, when Wilds came

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

FWIW, Spencer Tillman said he thought we were a viable candidate for the Big 12.

It was nice to hear that yes.

[Digetydog]

when Wilds came in, the right side was a disaster. That really hurt us as well. Hope Briggs gets better.

I looked at Natour's play in the first half and some of the 2nd. His guy blocked a pass (Not entirely his fault). Otherwise, "his" guy didn't appear to make any tackles for a loss and rarely if ever disrupted a play. Even when he "missed" a block, his good first step allowed him to cut the defender off from the play. Although I don't know for sure that he blocked the correct guy, he seemed to be getting his assignments correct.

Although I didn't look at the right side as much (yet), it appeared to me that Bennett was attacking our TE & RB's with a lot of success. Although I first thought the RT was getting beaten often, it looked like our TE's were more of the problem.

[birddogger]

I didn't see the game or any highlights, so have relied on fellow PF'ers for commentary. i've lurked on this board a long time and have never seen such positive comments in defeat. Dare I say that we're becoming optimists? I hope we all enjoy the season and the seasons ahead!

See you in NOLA at the Tulane game (which will not be an easy one, I believe).

Regards, to all...

[JasonB]

when Wilds came in, the right side was a disaster. That really hurt us as well. Hope Briggs gets better.

I looked at Natour's play in the first half and some of the 2nd. His guy blocked a pass (Not entirely his fault). Otherwise, "his" guy didn't appear to make any tackles for a loss and rarely if ever disrupted a play. Even when he "missed" a block, his good first step allowed him to cut the defender off from the play. Although I don't know for sure that he blocked the correct guy, he seemed to be getting his assignments correct.

Although I didn't look at the right side as much (yet), it appeared to me that Bennett was attacking our TE & RB's with a lot of success. Although I first thought the RT was getting beaten often, it looked like our TE's were more of the problem.

Yes, they certainly chose our right side to blitz from. But Wilds had a rough night.

For what its worth, Natour was going to be the starting LG before the injury that forced him outside.