Why UAB Doesn't Worry Me (and I'm right and you morons are wrong)

[curmudgeon]

We played like sorority girl shit and had a 20 point lead with 2:00 to go.

Dak Prescott played a half a game and had five touchdowns (to go with his four from last week's half a game).

Dan Mullen isn't going to pull this 2nd team shit against LSU.

Don't be surprised to look up in November and UAB is challenging Marshall for the CUSA title. All we heard last week is how improved they were and how their coach is awesome.

If we were a bad team, we would have lost that game. We're about to rape a jaguar to get ready for a tiger.

[Jack Lambert]

I agree with everything you just said. I was looking at the stats for USA and they do not impress me one bit. They play Kent State and looking at Kent State stats for the past two week don't impress me either. We win 48 to 13.

[TrapGame]

CUSA and Sun Belt teams get fired up to play us and we could care less. We will be a completely different team against LSU.

[RougeDawg]

The only concern I have about these first three weeks, is running the offense like a 15 year old trying to learn how to drive a stick shift. We have been slipping gears and grinding the clutch on offense, but somehow expect it to turn into a finely tuned 6 speed Ferrari in Baton Rouge next weekend? I don't see how that thinking could ever be considered brilliant. If we had allowed our 1st and 2nd teams offenses 4-6 consecutive series to get in a rhythm before grinding the clutch and slipping gears, we would look more proficient and ease a lot of tensions amongst everyone. I do not feel like we can just turn it on and run smoothly in BR, if we play this USA game like we have the first two. We need to find some rhythm and finely tune this machine, before heading into one of our two most difficult match-ups of the season. LSU will be as tough as any we play this year, no matter how inexperienced they are. Dan acts like a great offense is merely a flip of a switch, but that is far from the norm. You don't see the other great teams playing 7th grade science project with an offense and team that has the capability to win the West and Entire SEC. Why must we? I'm all for getting players reps, but do it in a more rhythmic pattern than what is currently being done. Our offense about rhythm and timing, and the way Dan has played it the past two, has done nothing to help either of those. You can argue the playing time BS all you want, but no one in their right mind can argue that the last two games have done anything to improve our offensive TIMING and RHYTHM. Those two things will be the key to us going to Atlanta or not, and we've wasted two weeks to get them down pat.

I was a lot more comfortable about the LSU game, before I saw how Dan has attempted to throw our offense out of rhythm the past two weeks. I'm not sure we can just turn it on next week, and expect to come out clicking in BR. I fully expect us to look like shit for at least 2 quarters in BR. That may be too much for us to overcome, and leave us with yet another loss to LSU, when we should have been at worst an equal team as them on the field.

[DudyDawg]

I agree with everything you just said. I was looking at the stats for USA and they do not impress me one bit. They play Kent State and looking at Kent State stats for the past two week don't impress me either. We win 48 to 13.

Me neither. USAs qb had 160 pas yards. He won't beat us with his legs consistently. Very few sec teams if any will beat us on the ground, much less a sun belt team. Look at UAB. They beat us with a handful of deep PASS bombs. If this guy can't throw agains kent, well what's he gonna do when they rush for about 40 yards. If our front seven doesn't dominate, something is very wrong. No reason not to hold them below 17 points.

[BrunswickDawg]

I am going to throw an idea out. One criticism we have had of our team of the past few years is the inability to overcome adversity and fight through problems to win a game we shouldn't. What if Dan's idea with the 1A/1B stuff is to create adversity prior to having to see it against a team like LSU? Top tier teams like LSU & Bama are all about taking you out of your rhythm and comfort zone to force you into mistakes. If all you have seen prior to that disruption is the ease of a well oiled game plan, then you have no idea how to change the momentum and get back on track. We saw how disruptive the game plan was Saturday - but then we saw how the team pulled together and just dominated when they needed it to make sure the game was in hand.

[Covercorner2]

What's funny to me is how before the season a lot of folks were hoping that we would limit Dak in the 3 non-conference games in order for him to stay healthy throughout the season. Well, guess what? That's what we have done so far and we are 2-0 and he still has 9 TDs....

[NorCalDawg]

I am going to throw an idea out. One criticism we have had of our team of the past few years is the inability to overcome adversity and fight through problems to win a game we shouldn't. What if Dan's idea with the 1A/1B stuff is to create adversity prior to having to see it against a team like LSU? Top tier teams like LSU & Bama are all about taking you out of your rhythm and comfort zone to force you into mistakes. If all you have seen prior to that disruption is the ease of a well oiled game plan, then you have no idea how to change the momentum and get back on track. We saw how disruptive the game plan was Saturday - but then we saw how the team pulled together and just dominated when they needed it to make sure the game was in hand.

Sell. I think he's simply trying to get everyone reps. He's got a deep team and he knows it and wants to get everyone involved. I think this is his way of doing it. I don't like it because I don't think he's getting all his best players on the field at one time. I don't think Chris Jones and Preston Smith have lined up together, yet. But hey, what really matters is W's, right? We're 2-0. We'll see as the season progresses if this is a failed experiment or football genius on a whole new level.

[RougeDawg]

I am going to throw an idea out. One criticism we have had of our team of the past few years is the inability to overcome adversity and fight through problems to win a game we shouldn't. What if Dan's idea with the 1A/1B stuff is to create adversity prior to having to see it against a team like LSU? Top tier teams like LSU & Bama are all about taking you out of your rhythm and comfort zone to force you into mistakes. If all you have seen prior to that disruption is the ease of a well oiled game plan, then you have no idea how to change the momentum and get back on track. We saw how disruptive the game plan was Saturday - but then we saw how the team pulled together and just dominated when they needed it to make sure the game was in hand.

Did you see some of the passes that Dak made? His timing was off a good bit this past weekend. He cannot afford to throw like that (errant and off target) against the upper echelon SEC defenses. They will pick more of those passes off, and will have much faster closing speeds on our WR's. We need to have our timing down as close to perfect as possible before we play an LSU speed defense. Saturday did nothing to perfect our timing and rhythm in the passing game. Our passing game is the difference in winning 8 and 10/11 games this year and we've done nothing to better it in the past two weeks. If we had our timing down well enough to push for Atlanta, Dak would be around the 70% completion mark instead of 58%, because it's not going to get much easier than the last two weeks. The drops and errant passes are a result of no rhythm and timing with offense at game speed. Timing and rhythm are to blame for the 58% and there's one glaring reason that the timing And rhythm hasn't been were it needs to be. He's wearing a headset.

[FlabLoser]

I agree we'll have a different motivation, different strategy, different substitution philosophy, etc for LSU. That's doesn't concern me.

But I am very much concerned about kicking. We will lose at least 1 game, maybe two, that we should have won due to our kicking.

So all you fellas go ahead and knock down your win prediction by 1.

[CadaverDawg]

The only concern I have about these first three weeks, is running the offense like a 15 year old trying to learn how to drive a stick shift. We have been slipping gears and grinding the clutch on offense, but somehow expect it to turn into a finely tuned 6 speed Ferrari in Baton Rouge next weekend? I don't see how that thinking could ever be considered brilliant. If we had allowed our 1st and 2nd teams offenses 4-6 consecutive series to get in a rhythm before grinding the clutch and slipping gears, we would look more proficient and ease a lot of tensions amongst everyone. I do not feel like we can just turn it on and run smoothly in BR, if we play this USA game like we have the first two. We need to find some rhythm and finely tune this machine, before heading into one of our two most difficult match-ups of the season. LSU will be as tough as any we play this year, no matter how inexperienced they are. Dan acts like a great offense is merely a flip of a switch, but that is far from the norm. You don't see the other great teams playing 7th grade science project with an offense and team that has the capability to win the West and Entire SEC. Why must we? I'm all for getting players reps, but do it in a more rhythmic pattern than what is currently being done. Our offense about rhythm and timing, and the way Dan has played it the past two, has done nothing to help either of those. You can argue the playing time BS all you want, but no one in their right mind can argue that the last two games have done anything to improve our offensive TIMING and RHYTHM. Those two things will be the key to us going to Atlanta or not, and we've wasted two weeks to get them down pat.

I was a lot more comfortable about the LSU game, before I saw how Dan has attempted to throw our offense out of rhythm the past two weeks. I'm not sure we can just turn it on next week, and expect to come out clicking in BR. I fully expect us to look like shit for at least 2 quarters in BR. That may be too much for us to overcome, and leave us with yet another loss to LSU, when we should have been at worst an equal team as them on the field.

I totally agree.

We need to come out this weekend and play as if we are playing a SEC team....at least for 2-3 quarters. I want to at least see us get a full dress rehearsal with our 1's, and try to get some timing down and into a rhythm. Otherwise, you're right...it's going to be tough to find your first rhythm of the year in Death Valley. Come on, Mullen...no bull shit this weekend. Please.

[CadaverDawg]

I agree we'll have a different motivation, different strategy, different substitution philosophy, etc for LSU. That's doesn't concern me.

But I am very much concerned about kicking. We will lose at least 1 game, maybe two, that we should have won due to our kicking.
Io
So all you fellas go ahead and knock down your win prediction by 1.

I think You're spot on with this. It's a damn shame too. It's unacceptable to be in this type of kicking situation in a season that could be this big for us.

[curmudgeon]

We need to start seeing who UAB recruits as kicker and swoop in and steal them. Those bastards always have a good kicker. Its the one position on the field that the quality of conference and competition do not mean as much. If you are 18/20 on FG over 30 yards, you can play for us.

[CadaverDawg]

We need to start seeing who UAB recruits as kicker and swoop in and steal them. Those bastards always have a good kicker.

Yea, I think Kicker is that one position where Mullen needs to take the Hugh Freeze recruiting strategy, and just offer whoever other teams with good kickers offer. But I'm afraid our problem isn't the talent at kicker, but the people coaching the kickers.

[BrunswickDawg]

Did you see some of the passes that Dak made? His timing was off a good bit this past weekend. He cannot afford to throw like that (errant and off target) against the upper echelon SEC defenses. They will pick more of those passes off, and will have much faster closing speeds on our WR's. We need to have our timing down as close to perfect as possible before we play an LSU speed defense. Saturday did nothing to perfect our timing and rhythm in the passing game. Our passing game is the difference in winning 8 and 10/11 games this year and we've done nothing to better it in the past two weeks. If we had our timing down well enough to push for Atlanta, Dak would be around the 70% completion mark instead of 58%, because it's not going to get much easier than the last two weeks. The drops and errant passes are a result of no rhythm and timing with offense at game speed. Timing and rhythm are to blame for the 58% and there's one glaring reason that the timing And rhythm hasn't been were it needs to be. He's wearing a headset.

I am aware of all of that Rogue. I was throwing out a possible reason for why this 1A/1B system is being used, it was not an analysis of the results. If anything, you proved my point. Our history shows that we struggle with the teams that disrupt our timing and rhythm. So maybe, we created an artificial situation to simulate what we have all seen happen in our big games. Being able to overcome a shit performance against a big team to win a game is exactly the thing that has been missing (sans at UF). What if the difference in the season is Dak starting a big game 3-10, then bouncing back in the second half grinding it out on the ground for 75 and a TD and going 8-10 with 3 TDs in the second half? Because that is pretty much the blue print of what I saw Saturday (not in exact stats, but in a general sense). Put in an adverse situation where we had to perform, we did. When was the last time you could say that about a State team?

[msstate7]

I think You're spot on with this. It's a damn shame too. It's unacceptable to be in this type of kicking situation in a season that could be this big for us.

I wanna attempt some FG's this week. I hope we're in a position that we can set some easy attempts up without having to worry about winning.

[Coach34]

What's funny to me is how before the season a lot of folks were hoping that we would limit Dak in the 3 non-conference games in order for him to stay healthy throughout the season. Well, guess what? That's what we have done so far and we are 2-0 and he still has 9 TDs....

B-b-b-b-b-but it wasnt done exactly the way Joe Fan wanted????

[Todd4State]

I'm OK with the 1A and 1B stuff that we did IF Dan doesn't do it this week.

It's time to get serious now and build towards our first SEC game.

It's really frustrating to me. We FINALLY get a schedule that is manageable- and then a coach that has no idea how to handle it.

[CadaverDawg]

B-b-b-b-b-but it wasnt done exactly the way Joe Fan wanted????

Right, and it could cost us the LSU game when it comes to timing. But screw winning big games as long as we defend every move Mullen makes. Right?

[Todd4State]

B-b-b-b-b-but it wasnt done exactly the way Joe Fan wanted????

Scoring 47 just isn't enough. I guess some people want us to score 70 on trick plays. Or some people are just never going to be happy.

[CadaverDawg]

I'm OK with the 1A and 1B stuff that we did IF Dan doesn't do it this week.

It's time to get serious now and build towards our first SEC game.

It's really frustrating to me. We FINALLY get a schedule that is manageable- and then a coach that has no idea how to handle it.

Well said, Todd. I agree with you. If we come out this weekend and play the way we will against LSU for at least a half, in terms of substitutions and coaching decisions...I can get over the first 2 games of rotations. But if we do that shit again this week, and then come out in Death Valley out of sync and having zero rhythm....it's all on Dan. And for those defending him so hard....what will you say if we come out with our first team looking like shit because we haven't been preparing in our first 3 games? Nevermind, y'all will find a way to blame someone other than Mullen. It's never a Mullen, Hevesy, or OL issue.*

[Todd4State]

Right, and it could cost us the LSU game when it comes to timing. But screw winning big games as long as we defend every move Mullen makes. Right?

Timing can be game to game. Just because you don't have timing and rhythm in game two, it doesn't mean that you won't have it in game four.

And yes, part of me is worried that Dan will do the 1B thing against LSU, but there is also a part of me that says he won't do it in SEC play. Well, let me say this- I don't expect him to rotate people, but it wouldn't shock me if he did.

[curmudgeon]

TWO WINS AND ZERO LOSSES.

We have managed our schedule to perfection. Or is the name of the game to win the PR battle?

Nebraska needed a miracle to beat an FCS team last week. North Carolina gave up a shitload of points to an online school. Both those teams are ranked.

We had a 20 point lead with 2:00 to go on a team that will be in a bowl game this year and might challenge for their conference title.

[HoopsDawg]

What's funny to me is how before the season a lot of folks were hoping that we would limit Dak in the 3 non-conference games in order for him to stay healthy throughout the season. Well, guess what? That's what we have done so far and we are 2-0 and he still has 9 TDs....

What are you talking about? People wanted Dak to run less against these 3 cupcakes to avoid a pounding. They didn't want him to rotate every series with the 2nd string QB. And then Coach34 comes in and agrees with you. That's just trolling.

[thunderclap]

It ain't a light switch.

[CadaverDawg]

Scoring 47 just isn't enough. I guess some people want us to score 70 on trick plays. Or some people are just never going to be happy.

Seriously? I mean, you Do realize that nobody has a problem with how much we've scored right? People are concerned that the rotations are going to potentially prevent Dak and is offense from being on all cylinders when we go to Baton Rouge. If that's not the case...then good for Mullen. But in what could be our best set up EVER to have a big year...I sure wish he wouldn't put anything to chance.

After all....anybody that thinks we have a chance at a good year if we lose Dak, is kidding themselves anyway. So exactly what are these 3 and outs by Williams and our 1B's helping against UAB and USM? Outside of just wanting to defend Mullen's moves, I don't see the positive that can't be achieved just as easily by playing them in garbage minutes after we get a big lead. But maybe I'm crazy. If Dan had always proven to rise to the occasion against good teams...I might not be as skeptical. But in case nobody notices...he doesn't have a good track record vs good teams. So maybe we should make sure our 1A's are as sharp as possible, instead of having 2 line shifts that are both somewhat ready.

[Todd4State]

Well said, Todd. I agree with you. If we come out this weekend and play the way we will against LSU for at least a half, in terms of substitutions and coaching decisions...I can get over the first 2 games of rotations. But if we do that shit again this week, and then come out in Death Valley out of sync and having zero rhythm....it's all on Dan. And for those defending him so hard....what will you say if we come out with our first team looking like shit because we haven't been preparing in our first 3 games? Nevermind, y'all will find a way to blame someone other than Mullen. It's never a Mullen, Hevesy, or OL issue.*

If he does the rotation thing against LSU, I will rake him across the coals. But I can't assume that he will at this point. And I can't assume that he will because of how he handled the USM and UAB games. I can understand the argument for rotating players in like he has done for USM and UAB- but LSU is totally different animal.

So, since I can't assume that he will rotate players in, it's not worth getting upset at Dan over at this point. I think it's worthy of discussion, but it seems like we have some people going over the deep end over it.

[HoopsDawg]

TWO WINS AND ZERO LOSSES.

We have managed our schedule to perfection. Or is the name of the game to win the PR battle?

Nebraska needed a miracle to beat an FCS team last week. North Carolina gave up a shitload of points to an online school. Both those teams are ranked.

We had a 20 point lead with 2:00 to go on a team that will be in a bowl game this year and might challenge for their conference title.

Surely you aren't touting our win over UAB? They lost to USM last year. We need to be preparing to beat LSU, A&M, and AU not trying to peak in Novemeber like Mullen said yesterday. This isn't the NFL where you want to peak at the end of the season. Every game counts. Dak is not a finished product. He needs reps, he needs consistency, and he needs to be ready for 3 Top 10 opponents in a row.

[Todd4State]

Seriously? I mean, you Do realize that nobody has a problem with how much we've scored right? People are concerned that the rotations are going to potentially prevent Dak and is offense from being on all cylinders when we go to Baton Rouge. If that's not the case...then good for Mullen. But in what could be our best set up EVER to have a big year...I sure wish he wouldn't put anything to chance.

After all....anybody that thinks we have a chance at a good year if we lose Dak, is kidding themselves anyway. So exactly what are these 3 and outs by Williams and our 1B's helping against UAB and USM? Outside of just wanting to defend Mullen's moves, I don't see the positive that can't be achieved just as easily by playing them in garbage minutes after we get a big lead. But maybe I'm crazy. If Dan had always proven to rise to the occasion against good teams...I might not be as skeptical. But in case nobody notices...he doesn't have a good track record vs good teams. So maybe we should make sure our 1A's are as sharp as possible, instead of having 2 line shifts that are both somewhat ready.

Actually, there was one guy on here either on Sat. or Sun. complaining about how he spent good money and it wasn't entertaining at all.

[CadaverDawg]

It ain't a light switch.

Sure isn't. But I hope Coach and the rest of the Johnny Cochran Mullen Defense Team are right, and we can be sharp against LSU. Because we won't be able to afford spending the first half figuring things out against LSU

[CadaverDawg]

Actually, there was one guy on here either on Sat. or Sun. complaining about how he spent good money and it wasn't entertaining at all.

Yea, that guy is a bit off I think. Ha

[curmudgeon]

I'm not touting a win over UAB anymore than it should be touted. We beat the team that lined up across the ball from us. We haven't always done that, if you can remember a few short years ago.

I'm saying that ranked teams struggled with teams that UAB would blast by 21 points. I expect we'll see a traditional approach this week at USA. Get up comfortably, let the starters have a couple of drives in the third quarter and let Damian Williams shitshow us out of Mobile with a 38-14 win.

Yep, I think we'll even kick a field goal this week.

[CadaverDawg]

Surely you aren't touting our win over UAB? They lost to USM last year. We need to be preparing to beat LSU, A&M, and AU not trying to peak in Novemeber like Mullen said yesterday. This isn't the NFL where you want to peak at the end of the season. Every game counts. Dak is not a finished product. He needs reps, he needs consistency, and he needs to be ready for 3 Top 10 opponents in a row.

Yea that comment made me think Dan was either A) a good troll of our fan base, or B) a coach that will never win big

[curmudgeon]

We should fire Dan Mullen. No excuse not to beat UAB by 49 points.

Some of you armchair coaches would shit yourselves if you realized how good a coach like UAB's actually is. He completely changed his game plan from Week 1 to Week 2. They looked like two completely different teams. Against Troy, they ran for 350 yards and against us they looked like the Kentucky Air Raid. We had the #1 defense in America in 1999 and got torched by that stuff. No worries at all.

Bold Prediction: We will not lose to a feline on our schedule, starting this week with the Jaguars and ending with those pussies in Oxford.

[CadaverDawg]

We should fire Dan Mullen. No excuse not to beat UAB by 49 points.

Some of you armchair coaches would shit yourselves if you realized how good a coach like UAB's actually is. He completely changed his game plan from Week 1 to Week 2. They looked like two completely different teams. Against Troy, they ran for 350 yards and against us they looked like the Kentucky Air Raid. We had the #1 defense in America in 1999 and got torched by that stuff. No worries at all.

Bold Prediction: We will not lose to a feline on our schedule, starting this week with the Jaguars and ending with those pussies in Oxford.

You just said nothing that everybody else hasn't said. Nobody is disputing that UAB was decent, that they have a good coach, or that we won't lose to a weak team on our schedule. And nobody is saying we should have won by more points. You're using a bunch of random stuff that nobody is arguing, to try and deflect from the real issues people are concerned with. Just wanted to let you know.

[KennyPowers2]

The only concern I have about these first three weeks, is running the offense like a 15 year old trying to learn how to drive a stick shift. We have been slipping gears and grinding the clutch on offense, but somehow expect it to turn into a finely tuned 6 speed Ferrari in Baton Rouge next weekend? I don't see how that thinking could ever be considered brilliant. If we had allowed our 1st and 2nd teams offenses 4-6 consecutive series to get in a rhythm before grinding the clutch and slipping gears, we would look more proficient and ease a lot of tensions amongst everyone. I do not feel like we can just turn it on and run smoothly in BR, if we play this USA game like we have the first two. We need to find some rhythm and finely tune this machine, before heading into one of our two most difficult match-ups of the season. LSU will be as tough as any we play this year, no matter how inexperienced they are. Dan acts like a great offense is merely a flip of a switch, but that is far from the norm. You don't see the other great teams playing 7th grade science project with an offense and team that has the capability to win the West and Entire SEC. Why must we? I'm all for getting players reps, but do it in a more rhythmic pattern than what is currently being done. Our offense about rhythm and timing, and the way Dan has played it the past two, has done nothing to help either of those. You can argue the playing time BS all you want, but no one in their right mind can argue that the last two games have done anything to improve our offensive TIMING and RHYTHM. Those two things will be the key to us going to Atlanta or not, and we've wasted two weeks to get them down pat.

I was a lot more comfortable about the LSU game, before I saw how Dan has attempted to throw our offense out of rhythm the past two weeks. I'm not sure we can just turn it on next week, and expect to come out clicking in BR. I fully expect us to look like shit for at least 2 quarters in BR. That may be too much for us to overcome, and leave us with yet another loss to LSU, when we should have been at worst an equal team as them on the field.

Only concern I have is I got about $400 riding on this game and I need to cover. Mullen does not care about gambling folk.

[steeldawg]

Well said, Todd. I agree with you. If we come out this weekend and play the way we will against LSU for at least a half, in terms of substitutions and coaching decisions...I can get over the first 2 games of rotations. But if we do that shit again this week, and then come out in Death Valley out of sync and having zero rhythm....it's all on Dan. And for those defending him so hard....what will you say if we come out with our first team looking like shit because we haven't been preparing in our first 3 games? Nevermind, y'all will find a way to blame someone other than Mullen. It's never a Mullen, Hevesy, or OL issue.*

Everything from preparation, practice, routine, coaching decisions, subbing, rotations and everything in between should be designed to prepare for next week and give our players confidence. No guess work and no scrimmage attitude... A new chapter of the season starts this week, IMO.

[HancockCountyDog]

Here is all I know about the UAB game - I wanted Dak to run the ball about 5 times. He ran it 18 times. That is just way too much against such an inferior opponent. It bothered me that he needed to run it that much for our offense to go.

I have no problem with Damien Williams getting reps. If Dak had played the entire first half, Damien could have played the entire second half. Im not sure why he needs reps in the first quarter, especially when we have a QB that needs the reps throwing the ball. No one has explained to me why Damien needs reps in the first quarter of meaningless games.

[CadaverDawg]

Here is all I know about the UAB game - I wanted Dak to run the ball about 5 times. He ran it 18 times. That is just way too much against such an inferior opponent. It bothered me that he needed to run it that much for our offense to go.

I have no problem with Damien Williams getting reps. If Dak had played the entire first half, Damien could have played the entire second half. Im not sure why he needs reps in the first quarter, especially when we have a QB that needs the reps throwing the ball. No one has explained to me why Damien needs reps in the first quarter of meaningless games.

I agree. And as for Dak running it....he probably doesn't have to run it more than 5-10 times if we let him play the first 2 quarters with no rotation. We had the quick score, and then shut down their offense. If we leave Dak in and score again, the flood gates would have opened because they would have pressed. We get up by 20-30 points at the half, and Dak is done for the day. Instead, we provided them confidence and a feeling that they could compete by handing them 3 and outs every other series early.

[RougeDawg]

We should fire Dan Mullen. No excuse not to beat UAB by 49 points.

Some of you armchair coaches would shit yourselves if you realized how good a coach like UAB's actually is. He completely changed his game plan from Week 1 to Week 2. They looked like two completely different teams. Against Troy, they ran for 350 yards and against us they looked like the Kentucky Air Raid. We had the #1 defense in America in 1999 and got torched by that stuff. No worries at all.

Bold Prediction: We will not lose to a feline on our schedule, starting this week with the Jaguars and ending with those pussies in Oxford.

Maybe he abandoned the rushing approach because even the great SEC rushing offense have struggled to rush against us? Just a thought based on observation.

[State82]

The only concern I have about these first three weeks, is running the offense like a 15 year old trying to learn how to drive a stick shift. We have been slipping gears and grinding the clutch on offense, but somehow expect it to turn into a finely tuned 6 speed Ferrari in Baton Rouge next weekend? I don't see how that thinking could ever be considered brilliant.

Hard to better this analogy. So let me see if I understand the line of thinking here. If Damien needs game reps, then Dak doesn't. Because they certainly can't get them simultaneously. Drew Brees needs game reps so I feel confident in saying Dak does too. I'm also capable of seeing he is not a well oiled pinpoint accurate machine at this point. Who is? But he can become that over time, time in practice but more importantly time in live game action. You know, a lot of concepts are just not that difficult to grasp.

[HoopsDawg]

Hard to better this analogy. So let me see if I understand the line of thinking here. If Damien needs game reps, then Dak doesn't. Because they certainly can't get them simultaneously. Drew Brees needs game reps so I feel confident in saying Dak does too. I'm also capable of seeing he is not a well oiled pinpoint accurate machine at this point. Who is? But he can become that over time, time in practice but more importantly time in live game action. You know, a lot of concepts are just not that difficult to grasp.

You wouldn't think, but apparently for Mullen and some of his defenders they are.

[DudyDawg]

You wouldn't think, but apparently for Mullen and some of his defenders they are.

Yeah, our defense blows

[blacklistedbully]

Sure isn't. But I hope Coach and the rest of the Johnny Cochran Mullen Defense Team are right, and we can be sharp against LSU. Because we won't be able to afford spending the first half figuring things out against LSU

Seems pretty clear Dan thinks we're better off trying to get quality, experienced depth, rather than optimize our 1st team ASAP. I will say, lack of depth has killed us versus the top dogs in the past. But if we don't get our 1st team running as smoothly as possible, quality depth probably won't help much.

I agree with you, Cadaver, I think we should let the backups get in later in the game, rather than interrupting the flow of the game for our 1st team. I question whether it's really any better for the backups to get their game experience in early in the game, as opposed to late. That said, I do get the concept of getting backups in when the game is still in doubt, to see how they perform under pressure, and to get them that kind of experience. It's kind of a Catch-22.

I suppose I'd rather we get up by 3 scores before we start wholesale subbing of backups. If that happens in the first Q, then fine, give them a drive or 2 before bringing the starters back in for another 2 or 3 possessions. But if we aren't up by a minimum of 17 points, don't bring them in. I think 1 or 2 (if the lead is still at least 17) drives early is plenty, and they can get the rest of their PT in garbage time.

[Barking 13]

It's all about the film, dudes.. how can you compare / evaluate / correct your players to get the best players on the field at a given time. I agree, it's somewhat unorthodox but everybody keeps saying we are good at evaluating talent.. I wouldn't be at all surprised that we actually see this week against USA another amalgamation of players on certain series, like Damian with the 1a's or some other mish mosh of stuff we haven't seen yet (think James, C. Jones, P. Smith on the DL)... Think of it as preseason.. I agree also that we need to develop a solid gameplan and stick with it for LSU. That's why they have practice and game situation prep during the week. I almost think the shitastic secondary play was by design, but who knows...

[Homedawg]

What's funny to me is how before the season a lot of folks were hoping that we would limit Dak in the 3 non-conference games in order for him to stay healthy throughout the season. Well, guess what? That's what we have done so far and we are 2-0 and he still has 9 TDs....

Exactly. Most were saying we need to protect dak, don't play him etc. We did that and the fit begins to be thrown.

[Coach34]

Let me remind everyone- Dakota scored TD's on 6 of his first 9 drives.

[CadaverDawg]

Exactly. Most were saying we need to protect dak, don't play him etc. We did that and the fit begins to be thrown.

And again, it's not the amount of time Dak's playing that's the issue. I get the feeling that you know that, but are using this to deflect from what people are actually concerned about. But whatever, we'll see what happens.

[CadaverDawg]

Let me remind everyone- Dakota scored TD's on 6 of his first 9 drives.

Yep. Imagine his numbers if he had completed 50% or more passes. And LSU won't drop two picks