Thoughts on Tomorrow's Game

[NCDawg]

Jackson is a better QB that Ta'Amu (spelling), so if we play pass defense like we played against Ole Miss, we will not stand much of a chance. Also, we can't let them bust runs up the middle on us.

[Todd4State]

Jackson is a better QB that Ta'Amu (spelling), so if we play pass defense like we played against Ole Miss, we will not stand much of a chance. Also, we can't let them bust runs up the middle on us.

We help Ta'Amu to 10 for 22 in passing. That's under 50% obviously and he threw a pick. Even though they hit two long TD passes it was the allowing the two long rushing TD runs that killed us.

In other words typically our pass defense isn't that bad. We remember the bad- but that doesn't mean the entire game was bad.

That said, I expect our defense to be a cluster in the Gator Bowl.

[NCDawg]

We help Ta'Amu to 10 for 22 in passing. That's under 50% obviously and he threw a pick. Even though they hit two long TD passes it was the allowing the two long rushing TD runs that killed us.

In other words typically our pass defense isn't that bad. We remember the bad- but that doesn't mean the entire game was bad.

That said, I expect our defense to be a cluster in the Gator Bowl.

We were lucky they didn't hit another TD pass on us when we had them down on their goal line. Their guy had beaten our guy, no. 7, and he overthrew him. Otherwise they would have had a 99 yard TD pass.

[Todd4State]

We were lucky they didn't hit another TD pass on us when we had them down on their goal line. Their guy had beaten our guy, no. 7, and he overthrew him. Otherwise they would have had a 99 yard TD pass.

"Lucky" or the reality that long passes are lower percentage plays in general? I would consider that a lack of execution on the part of the QB on a tough play more than just luck. It cuts both ways- we had a guy wide open in the first quarter and Fitz underthrew the ball and it was intercepted. Ole Miss was by the same token would have to also be considered "lucky" by your criteria. I also consider that a lack of execution on the part of the QB.

Our fans are quick to look at the negative and consider the glass half empty result. The actual result was a positive play for our defense in that case.

At any rate- and to hijack this thing- our fans are crowning Ta'Amu and AJ Brown and everyone else on their team but the reality is Wilkins hurt us way worse- and Ole Miss is going to miss him A LOT. And it's going to affect their QB and their WR's negatively. Eliminate Wilkins we probably win 28-17. They better hope their JUCO RB from Jones has a come out of nowhere season. I don't know how many if any remember but when Sheavior went down I said it made Ole Miss better because it caused them to be more balanced- and unfortunately that's what happened. And a big reason why they beat Kentucky and us. I think they have likely lost that balance again though- and with a much less talented QB who has some expectations on him now.

[NCDawg]

"Lucky" or the reality that long passes are lower percentage plays in general? I would consider that a lack of execution on the part of the QB on a tough play more than just luck. It cuts both ways- we had a guy wide open in the first quarter and Fitz underthrew the ball and it was intercepted. Ole Miss was by the same token would have to also be considered "lucky" by your criteria. I also consider that a lack of execution on the part of the QB.

Our fans are quick to look at the negative and consider the glass half empty result. The actual result was a positive play for our defense in that case.

At any rate- and to hijack this thing- our fans are crowning Ta'Amu and AJ Brown and everyone else on their team but the reality is Wilkins hurt us way worse- and Ole Miss is going to miss him A LOT. And it's going to affect their QB and their WR's negatively. Eliminate Wilkins we probably win 28-17. They better hope their JUCO RB from Jones has a come out of nowhere season. I don't know how many if any remember but when Sheavior went down I said it made Ole Miss better because it caused them to be more balanced- and unfortunately that's what happened. And a big reason why they beat Kentucky and us. I think they have likely lost that balance again though- and with a much less talented QB who has some expectations on him now.

I agree that Fitz missed a wide open sure TD pass in the first quarter. We also dropped 2 sure interceptions, which was unlucky for us, but it still does not excuse our poor pass defense in my opinion. In regard to Wilkins runs for TD's, I don't see how that hurt us any worse that the TD passes. Any good RB with wide open holes and lack of good LB play can make those plays. I don't think I look at the glass half empty, and I give the team kudos when they play well. I just can't spin it to say that we played well when we didn't, and to make matters worse, we made AJ Brown look like a Heisman trophy candidate.

[Todd4State]

I agree that Fitz missed a wide open sure TD pass in the first quarter. We also dropped 2 sure interceptions, which was unlucky for us, but it still does not excuse our poor pass defense in my opinion. In regard to Wilkins runs for TD's, I don't see how that hurt us any worse that the TD passes. Any good RB with wide open holes and lack of good LB play can make those plays. I don't think I look at the glass half empty, and I give the team kudos when they play well. I just can't spin it to say that we played well when we didn't, and to make matters worse, we made AJ Brown look like a Heisman trophy candidate.

Holding a QB to below 50% in this day in age of college football with a pass first offense is not bad pass defense. We made AJ look good because of a personnel issue- we played JT Gray in the slot on him when we should have used one of our corners. Even at that almost half of his yards in the game were on one play where he scored a long TD and our safety took a horrible angle. I was surprised that Grantham made that mistake or at least didn't adjust. At any rate, he only accounted for one of their touchdowns the entire night. My point about Wilkins is Ole Miss is not a good running team and if we had stopped him we win the game. He had more touchdowns by himself than any of their WR's did.

I'm not saying that we played well by any stretch of the imagination- but I am saying we didn't play nearly as poorly against them as a lot of our fans are making it out to be. It was a perfect storm of our best player getting hurt (intentionally) which indirectly led to three turnovers that probably wouldn't have happened. Sure, Fitz may very well would have thrown another INT against them- but odds are good that he wouldn't have and I don't recall Fitz fumbling the ball all year. We lost the turnover and explosive play battle and that usually is a recipe for losing.

When you lose every little thing that is not 100% right gets magnified. Like- well our corner got beat on that play too, our guard lost his battle on that play and we were lucky to gain three yards, we dropped a pass there in that situation, the snap wasn't quite perfect there.

For an inverse example- the 1999 Egg Bowl had a TON of mistakes on our side. Not just Pig Prather. But people don't talk about the corners getting burned in that game as much because we won.

It is what it is and we will probably beat them next year.