random thoughts about Navy

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

1. Talk about a tale of 2 halves. . .man! At halftime I thought the Ponies were going to win handily. Give props to Navy for making adjustments on both sides of the ball. They dominated the 2nd half. Hard to watch, but impressive.

2. I was surprised at how effective Navy was at shutting down the SMU run game in the 2nd half. I don't recall any significant run by Line after halftime. It seemed like Zach got immediately swarmed every time he touched the ball. If memory serves, no other team we've faced all season has been able to shut down Line like that in a given half. How did Navy succeed where far more athletic defenses at Tech and TCU failed?

3. TAYLOR REED. . .anyone who watched the game knows what I mean. He's been good all year, but he looked like JG Davis' evil twin out there yesterday! Reed made plays and delivered hard hits all over the field. I hope we witnessed a true coming out party for him.

4. Didn't like the botched field goal before halftime. . .but it didn't prove decisive. Glad to see that we didn't muff any punts. On the whole though, our special teams play is very inconsistent.

5. Did it seem to other folks that we weren't able to get the vertical passing game going at all. What's up with that? Did Navy just shut it down or what? I noticed that Navy did a good job of wrapping up our receivers immediately. Not too many yards after catch. On the whole, the run and shoot looks OK right now. . .not thrilling. . .but OK. I'd like to see the passing game pick up over the next several weeks.

6. Finally, what is it about Navy. Other than 1998, I have never seen SMU beat Navy. Time after time, in their place or ours, its always the same result. Very frustrating. As I recall, they aren't on the schedule next year (at this point). Probably a good time for a break.

Big game against UH this week!

[redpony]

The second half shows that we lack the consistency to be a 'big time' winning program. We can't expect to be invited to a major conference when we blow chances to prove we belong there. i.e. Tech, TCU and now Navy.

GO PONIES!!!

[mr. pony]

and JJ is 0-3 against Navy ....

[jimhagle]

He sadly got outcoached yesterday and this should not be happening to him or the team.

[CalallenStang]

The second half shows that we lack the consistency to be a 'big time' winning program. We can't expect to be invited to a major conference when we blow chances to prove we belong there. i.e. Tech, TCU and now Navy.

GO PONIES!!!

There's no such thing as "proving you belong" in a major conference through what you do on the field. That is myth #1 of conference realignment.

[sbsmith]

6. Finally, what is it about Navy. Other than 1998, I have never seen SMU beat Navy. Time after time, in their place or ours, its always the same result. Very frustrating. As I recall, they aren't on the schedule next year (at this point). Probably a good time for a break.

They're on the 2011 schedule, then a 3 season break, then 4 more seasons of triple option madness from 2015-2018. I wonder if June will still be here by then.

[ponyscott]

He sadly got outcoached yesterday and this should not be happening to him or the team.

I can't disagree as this is a team that doesn't match up with SMU athletically. They were well coached and disciplined and were doing to SMU what we should have been doing against them. Whatever specifically they did to SMU in the second half defensively will be viewed by CUSA teams and copied in future games this year you can bet.
It will be interesting to see what JJ says at the lunch tomorrow.

[PonyKai]

They certainly shut down the running game in the 2nd half. First half, Line has 72 yards...looks like he's easily on his way to about 150. Second half, he nets 11 yards. If continue to be able to use Line to gash Navy's defense like in the first half, we win that game. I wonder what adjustments they made to successfully remove the running game as a threat.

[CalallenStang]

They certainly shut down the running game in the 2nd half. First half, Line has 72 yards...looks like he's easily on his way to about 150. Second half, he nets 11 yards. If continue to be able to use Line to gash Navy's defense like in the first half, we win that game. I wonder what adjustments they made to successfully remove the running game as a threat.

They were loading the box at times. I wonder if Padron has the authority to change the play at the line because two or thee times we ran a draw against 8 in the box.

[PonyKai]

Also of note, Padron wasn't sacked a single time yesterday. Or at least, the stat sheet doesn't note any "sacks"

[CalallenStang]

Also of note, Padron wasn't sacked a single time yesterday. Or at least, the stat sheet doesn't note any "sacks"

He was sacked once right before halftime. After the sack we called timeout and tried the field goal where the hold was botched.

[PonyKai]

Yeah that's why I amended the statement, because I certainly remember that play.

[Stallion]

that play should have been the draw-but it really doesn't matter if the FG snap is dropped at the 10 or 20. But I thought SMU should have played for the points to go up by 17 definitely

[78pony]

Agree JimHagle about being outcoached. At least JJ can say he got beaten (again) by a former player.

On the D side, 3rd & 17! No explanation needed there.

On the O side, play calling. The draw to Line is effective most of the time vs most of our competition, but it is not going to fool a well disciplined team like Navy for an entire game. Especially when they make halftime adjustments to slow it down. It always looks the same. Little variation.

Kyle can run. Kyle can throw. O line missing a key player. D needs a rest.

A couple of times this year (very seldomly used) when we ran it, the play action pass has produced nice yards. It gives the D the look of Line pounding them again, somewhat freezes the LB's, and allows Kyle an option of throwing (while buying more time) or turning up the ball with some momentum already achieved. I don't understand why we don't try to incorporate more fakes, misdirection and play action into our offense. With the speed of AR and DJ, why not at least keep them honest with a couple of fakes, or handoffs to our guys coming around? I'm stumped.

Dalton and tcu have perfected the fake handoff, reverse pivot and roll out. When you have a guy that can run, doing that really means the D has to play assignment football. It's tough to defend if just one guy blows an assignment.

[sbsmith]

Agree JimHagle about being outcoached. At least JJ can say he got beaten (again) by a former player.

On the D side, 3rd & 17! No explanation needed there.

On the O side, play calling. The draw to Line is effective most of the time vs most of our competition, but it is not going to fool a well disciplined team like Navy for an entire game. Especially when they make halftime adjustments to slow it down. It always looks the same. Little variation.

Kyle can run. Kyle can throw. O line missing a key player. D needs a rest.

A couple of times this year (very seldomly used) when we ran it, the play action pass has produced nice yards. It gives the D the look of Line pounding them again, somewhat freezes the LB's, and allows Kyle an option of throwing (while buying more time) or turning up the ball with some momentum already achieved. I don't understand why we don't try to incorporate more fakes, misdirection and play action into our offense. With the speed of AR and DJ, why not at least keep them honest with a couple of fakes, or handoffs to our guys coming around? I'm stumped.

Dalton and tcu have perfected the fake handoff, reverse pivot and roll out. When you have a guy that can run, doing that really means the D has to play assignment football. It's tough to defend if just one guy blows an assignment.

Speaking of seldom used plays, where the hell is the shovel pass and why isn't Line being used more as a receiver?