Armed Forces Bowl

[starkvegasdawg]

SB Nation has us playing there against Navy. Saw a tweet where Navy punted twice...in November.

[chef dixon]

If you thought Arkansas game was bad...

[BeardoMSU]

That would suck....

[msstate7]

I think we'll be fine if we play them.

[Quaoarsking]

I'd much prefer the Las Vegas Bowl against Wyoming or San Diego State, but we're in no position to be choosy here.

[BulldogBear]

SB Nation has us playing there against Navy. Saw a tweet where Navy punted twice...in November.

Maybe we can learn from them how to go for it on 4th and mm to go.

I read years ago that if people would put punting out if their minds you would generally lose one game you otherwise won but win TWO that you lost playing normally.

Translation is that if you didn't even recruit a punter you average one more win per year.

Okay, I know few coaches are willing to go that far, but more reasonable coaches with this philosophy say you should never ever ever consider punting unless inside you're own 40 and still rarely do it unless inside own 25. Even then resolve to never punt for any reason on 4th and less than 2.

But it's so ingrained in our cultural football mindset when the fact is its no harder to make a 4th and 1 than a 2nd and 1.

[ShotgunDawg]

I'd really rather not play Navy. Not only will they gash us, we don't play anyone on the schedule next year that runs their offense. So preparing against their offense does nothing to help this defense prepare for next season. It's wasted time

[BulldogBear]

I'd much prefer the Las Vegas Bowl against Wyoming or San Diego State, but we're in no position to be choosy here.

Idk.... SDSU lost by two TDs to South Alabama*****

[Jarius]

Playing in the armed forces bowl would allow you to go see dak play on Monday night and see us play the next day. That would be perfect.

[Bubb Rubb]

A bowl game would be an awesome thing for us...but Navy is the last team I'd want to play. They would work us silly, the way we tackle.

[klong-dog]

Playing Navy would be absolutely terrible. It would be another game of no punting by our defense. Regardless, I'll be happy to get a bowl but that would definitely suck drawing them.

[Dawgowar]

My 78 year-old father went there for his undergrad. 25 years Active duty - We played them when I was at State and that was kind of fun, but they were not a decent team then. I do not want to have to cheer against my old man. Bad enough he got a second masters from Bama in his retirement, but Navy is his first sports love. Ugh, would feel like Timmy being sent to the barn to take down Old Yeller.

Please - no Navy matchup, pleeaaasseeeeee.

[blacklistedbully]

That would suck....

My initial thought as well. But then I got to thinking...maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to face a team that doesn't pass much. We have athletes that can get in position and run to the ball...we just don't tackle well. If we got all that time to work on getting in position & tackling...it might well be a good thing for us.

We'd be back in a 4-3 front, just with our LB's lined up differently. Our LB's are good enough to handle the adjustment. We have the D-line personnel to clog up the middle, taking away the fullback dive and keeping their o-linemen from getting to our LB's if they can learn their block-down-step-down technique, how to deal with cut-blocks, and maintain discipline.

If we can get our D-line to maintain discipline & clock up the middle, then get our athletic LB's to understand their roles and make the tackle, we're well on our way. Db's are a little scary, as they'd have to learn a new role, as well, and communicate...NO BLOWN ASSIGNMENTS. But with all that time to prepare and less concern for the passing game, I like the potential with our athletes.

[IMissJack]

Nightmares of Air Force '91.

[TrapGame]

The only good thing out of that would be the extra practices.

[Gutter Cobreh]

We're better at stopping the run versus the pass, yet not really good at either. GT gave us fits with the triple option in the Orange Bowl and we had better athletes then who could tackle.

We're 5-7, so if we do go to a bowl there is a pretty good chance we get gashed regardless of who our opponent is. We just have to score more than they do.

[lamont]

Nooooooo Navy

Not only would it suck to have to get ready for them- they cut block all game. We run a higher risk of a DL player tearing up a knee

[BulldogBear]

My initial thought as well. But then I got to thinking...maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to face a team that doesn't pass much. We have athletes that can get in position and run to the ball...we just don't tackle well. If we got all that time to work on getting in position & tackling...it might well be a good thing for us.

We'd be back in a 4-3 front, just with our LB's lined up differently. Our LB's are good enough to handle the adjustment. We have the D-line personnel to clog up the middle, taking away the fullback dive and keeping their o-linemen from getting to our LB's if they can learn their block-down-step-down technique, how to deal with cut-blocks, and maintain discipline.

If we can get our D-line to maintain discipline & clock up the middle, then get our athletic LB's to understand their roles and make the tackle, we're well on our way. Db's are a little scary, as they'd have to learn a new role, as well, and communicate...NO BLOWN ASSIGNMENTS. But with all that time to prepare and less concern for the passing game, I like the potential with our athletes.

Even using all 15 practices just to work on tackling would not be a waste of time toward next year!

[Commercecomet24]

Nooooooo Navy

Not only would it suck to have to get ready for them- they cut block all game. We run a higher risk of a DL player tearing up a knee

That's what scares me the most about playing these type teams, all the cut blocks. Crap the DL start getting worried more about dodging linemen diving at their knees than playing their assignment. Scary proposition.

[CadaverDawg]

Navy = Best Triple Option attack in football.

So...

http://awesomegifs.com/wp-content/uploads/no.gif

[msstate7]

Navy = Best Triple Option attack in football.

So...

http://awesomegifs.com/wp-content/uploads/no.gif

They couldn't stop us either

[Commercecomet24]

They couldn't stop us either

I agree. It would be an entertaining game because it would look like a basketball score. Our offense is extremely confident right now and I think we can score on anyone(except bama)

[Todd4State]

They couldn't stop us either

They're in the 80's in total defense right now if my memory serves me correctly. And not against SEC offenses.

[Todd4State]

I think where some of Navy's opponents get tripped up too is they can't run the ball well enough a lot of times to keep their offense off the field. Obviously the fact that they are an offense we don't see a lot is a challenge but we'll also have two weeks to get ready for it. And the strength of our defense is stopping the run so that's a plus. Nick James and Simmons are going to be a load for them to neutralize. And the GT game is irrelevant because we also played them without a DC.

[Commercecomet24]

They're in the 80's in total defense right now if my memory serves me correctly. And not against SEC offenses.

Their defense is really small, undersized. They are quick, but we play vastly larger and just as quick defenses. It would certainly be an entertaining. Football is getting to the point if your defense can get 2 or 3 stops a game you have a chance to win. It's epidemic in college.

[Quaoarsking]

The Armed Forces Bowl will almost certainly take Texas over us if they can.

Let's hope USA or ULL loses next week to get Texas in the bowl picture too, and then we can go play somebody else in some other bowl.

You gotta think the New Orleans Bowl is salivating over the idea of a Southern Miss vs. Mississippi State game, if they can somehow work it out.

[stalkingpoon]

The Armed Forces Bowl will almost certainly take Texas over us if they can.

Let's hope USA or ULL loses next week to get Texas in the bowl picture too, and then we can go play somebody else in some other bowl.

You gotta think the New Orleans Bowl is salivating over the idea of a Southern Miss vs. Mississippi State game, if they can somehow work it out.

USM in NOLA would be excellent. Is it in the Superdome?

[Todd4State]

USM in NOLA would be excellent. Is it in the Superdome?

Yes it is.

[blacklistedbully]

The Armed Forces Bowl will almost certainly take Texas over us if they can.

Let's hope USA or ULL loses next week to get Texas in the bowl picture too, and then we can go play somebody else in some other bowl.

You gotta think the New Orleans Bowl is salivating over the idea of a Southern Miss vs. Mississippi State game, if they can somehow work it out.

They don't get to choose. When it comes to APR teams, the choice of available bowls goes to the schools, from highest APR down.

[stalkingpoon]

They don't get to choose. When it comes to APR teams, the choice of available bowls goes to the schools, from highest APR down.

He means that if USA or ULL loses then they would choose Texas over us, leaving us to go to another game not against Navy.

[BigEasyDawg]

This would defiantly make me tune in a heck of a lot closer to the Army/Navy game this year on Dec. 10. Bowls will be announced before that game.