Yeah, Pitt State repeatedly shot itself in the foot with a couple of series worth of poor defensive strategy, suspect playcalling on O, improving almost nothing from last week. And then talent took over.
If we can consistently get out of our own way, we'll be really good.
I have to take back what I said about our running backs. Kintchen and Scheurich were both solid tonight. Scheurich should replace Brown as our short yardage guy. Kintchen can give Adkins a breather whenever he needs it. Brown needs to get better--maybe be Horak's understudy. I'm also encouraged about Bradbury as a backup/future QB.
The defense is so fast, but outsmarts itself sometimes. If I was a QB, I would hate to be shadowed by Selemaea. When we run a 4 man front and then have Taylor shadow the RB and Selemaea shadow the QB, it just seems like the offense might as well just throw up a prayer. Unfortunately, we only run that defense about 1/3rd of the time.
I hope Nate watches some old interviews of Chuck Broyles and takes a lesson. When Pitt came out in that 3 man front with 1 or 2 LBs, ESU was able to double Sima and create some big holes between the guards. Why? It's like we predetermined that ESU was going to come out and throw the ball all over the field. In the pregame interview Coach Higgins wanted to come out and establish a run game, and we come out ready for 5 wide and hail marys. Now, back to the Broyles comment. I remember when Broyles would be interviewed about how he was going to defense a certain offense and what changes he was going to make and his comment would basically be this, "We do what we do and don't worry so much about what other teams do. We will work on what we do and see what happens." I like that attitude. Pretty much saying what we do is better than what you do, no matter what you do if we do what we do right.
When Pitt switched after the half back to the 4 man front and 3 backers, ESU was pretty much done for the night and was shut out in the second half. The only threat they had came after the WR pass interception. ESU got the ball around our 40 and made it to the 2 and elected to try a fg on 4th instead of going for it and missed. After that, nothing. If we would have gone with what we do the entire game ESU may not have seen the endzone. Pitt held them to 72 passing yards and 181 rush which the vast majority of that was the first quarter, and for sure first half. That 3 man front made Nault look like a superstar. I think he had like 70 yards on the first drive. I hope we go with what we do from here on out. That 3 man front worked late in the 4th when ESU had to pass, but that is how we should be. Have a adjustment when called for but don't try and revamp your defense week to week for the team you're going to play. Do what you do and do it well, then adjust as the game dictates.
Offensively the first half was a half of being inept. Backs slipping and falling down, QB losing the ball out of his hand, snaps were high and play calling that was just, what? Most of the first half we would throw the ball on 1st down. When we would run the ball it would be 2 and 6 or 5. The first half play calling looked like Rampy was back in the booth calling plays. Weimers needs to establish what we do, which is run the ball then call off that. We didn't establish anything the first half. Second half first possession we drove down the field by running the ball and did not make one pass and ate up over 6 minutes and scored a fg. Tie game. Once we started to run the ball the offense started moving it. Couple that with the ESU offense going 3 and out all second half and their defense got wore down and the game was over.
Fun and frustrating game. Looked like at times the team from the first half of last year and then like the team from the second half of last year and last week. We need to establish what we do and quit trying to out think ourselves. Get a groove and wear it out until the other team can prove they can stop it. Go Chuck Broyles on them, if you will.
Held Esu to 253 total yards and just over 19 minutes of TOP. Gave up only 13 points and the great part about all of that is we didn't look very good doing it. If this team can put it together and Nate just do what we do and Weimers stops the WR passes and trying to be Rampy and throwing the ball all over the place, this team could put together a good season. Lots of promise, but it has to be realized.
No win is bad. Great to be 2-0 and on to next week.
One more thing.......DROP THOSE UGLY GREY UNIFORMS!!!!
Wow...just read Pitt held ESU to 63 total yards in the second half!!
Well, better to be 2-0 with issues than 0-2 with issues. I'll take it.
Good point, and true.
This team appears to have some real potential. Hopefully they can get it all put together by te time they run the gauntlet:
NSU- Probably the last chance to play bad and win for a while.
UNK- Looks much better than people expected (Physical Option team)
Elwood- Improved team (Becoming more physical each season)
NW- Been stomping nards and punching throats for so long they just call those thing "northwesting"
Hays- Taken a step back, but still a sound, physical team.
UCM- Looks like the D has improved, and probably the best O in the conference, even with a BU QB.
MW- Fast and physical
WU- Fast and physical
Southern- Finish it off with a game Pitt should win.
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