3 games in, Assess Your Team

[WOCO]

I think after 3 games we all have a realistic idea of who our teams really are. Time to put it out there. The Good, the bad and the ugly along with a prediction for the rest of the year

Wofford

The Good- Our talent level across the board is getting a lot better. We are much faster and more athletic. 3 of our top five tacklers are freshmen. I see that this team is always going to fight in every game. We have learned a lot from USF and Wisconsin and we will get a lot better.

The Bad- We are really young and it is showing. We are making tons of mistakes that a Wofford team typically doesn't make. Though we are a lot faster, we are a lot smaller and depth is a problem. We also have to learn to better read the option and get the ball pitched. We aren't getting the ball to our playmakers like mike rucker on the edge . Our youth at qb could be a liability to our offense reaching it's potential.

The Ugly- Injuries might do us in. Arguably our 3 best players (clark, breitenstein and niam) are out, and 2 are possibly out for the year. Clark hasn't played all year. We are already thin and injuries aren't helping at all.

Prediction- We have played to good FBS teams and 1 FCS. We handled the FCS team. Anybody that saw the USF games knows that this team can be really good. I just don't know that with our youth and injuries we will get there this year. All that being said, with 8 games left in the regular season I see us going 6-2 and squeaking into the playoffs with all of our hardest games at home.

[psc2445]

Asses! LOL

[Minuteman87]

Our team has plenty of asses.

[WOCO]

Asses! LOL

Thats horrible. I left that s off in the title. Sucks to be me right now. xoopsxxoopsxxoopsxxoopsx

[Hoseinexile07]

We suck. xlolx

[Phoenixalltheway]

Hose, do u go to PC. I know someone there and am wondering if u know her

[Skjellyfetti]

I'll wait till we've played three. Not sure at this point.

[Big Al]

UNI

The Good - Monster offensive capability. We will spread the field to throw it to any of 4-5 talented WRs or we will jam it down your throat with a talented 1-2 backfield. On defense, James Ruffin is a monster and this is probably the best defensive secondary we've had in a few years -- scary, considering a majority of them are freshmen!

The Bad - I worry if some on the team are letting their potential get to their heads. While the defense performed very well yesterday, the offense seemed flat. Maybe St. Francis' defense is that good or maybe we were limiting the plays so our conference mates didn't have any interesting film to study but we should have scored 1-2 more TDs yesterday.

The Ugly - I think this team is fully capable of putting the hurt on you, if you try to get in their way. Maybe not ugly for UNI, but definitely ugly for our opponents.

[gobluehose1]

We suck. xlolx

we started 3 true freshman on defense yesterday and it showed....

[UMass922]

Well, I guess UMass has been taking care of business so far, but it's hard to say where they're at. The close loss to K-State wasn't necessarily as impressive as the final score seems to indicate, and the dominating wins over Albany and URI were probably to be expected. I expect a similar performance against Stony Brook next week. Then it's a bye, followed by a three game stretch--@ Delaware, vs. UNH, @ Richmond--that should give us a better sense of how good UMass really is.

[joecooll6]

UNI

The Good - Monster offensive capability. We will spread the field to throw it to any of 4-5 talented WRs or we will jam it down your throat with a talented 1-2 backfield. On defense, James Ruffin is a monster and this is probably the best defensive secondary we've had in a few years -- scary, considering a majority of them are freshmen!

The Bad - I worry if some on the team are letting their potential get to their heads. While the defense performed very well yesterday, the offense seemed flat. Maybe St. Francis' defense is that good or maybe we were limiting the plays so our conference mates didn't have any interesting film to study but we should have scored 1-2 more TDs yesterday.

The Ugly - I think this team is fully capable of putting the hurt on you, if you try to get in their way. Maybe not ugly for UNI, but definitely ugly for our opponents.

I agree with this. The team appears to be getting a bit big for its britches, especially if the fans are any indication. I've never seen the UNI fanbase so.....I'm not sure if I'd call it confident or cocky.... Anyway, I think someone is going to knock the Panthers off their high horse soon, it may be Missouri State in Springfield next week. Or, even worse, it could be the Bison in Fargo. That would be lame.

[Native]

The good:

1. Weber State's offense can produce yards, control the ball, and score on anyone.
2. WSU has beat the Sagarin predictor in each of their games, by a combined total of 37 points after 3 games.
3. The defense has proven better than expected.

The bad:

1. MISTAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Two close losses to FBS teams are still losses and make it harder to getto the playoffs.

[appstate38]

I'll wait till we've played three. Not sure at this point.

I will give it a shot....

The Good: AE is back obiviously- Plenty of offensive weapons, Big play WR Quick & Coco; Possession WR Cline. Solid Running game. TE have yet to emerge but I feel like it won't be long....

The Bad- Defense needs to tackle better. Plenty of studs and stars on that side of the ball. Played two good offensive teams so I am not ready to hit the panic button on them.

The Ugly- Special teams- Missed FG cost us @ ECU and KO coverage is not exactly a picture of consistency. OH and did I mention we are 0-2!

[catamount man]

Western Carolina sucks again. Sad but true. I would like to apologize for getting excited about this team the way I have over the last few years thinking things would change. Obviously, they never will. Enjoy the rest of 2009 because WCU fans will not. 0-11, 0-8 SoCon. BET ON IT.

xbawlingx xbawlingx xbawlingx

[Big Al]

Yeah, if anything, I think that is what will kill UNI. We've been knocking on the championship door for so long, it's good to see a team as stong as this one is. On the other hand, I don't want them to think they're invincible. I fear us turning into many App State fans after they won 3 in a row -- a little overly cocky and convinced they were invincible.

A little humility is a good thing.


I agree with this. The team appears to be getting a bit big for its britches, especially if the fans are any indication. I've never seen the UNI fanbase so.....I'm not sure if I'd call it confident or cocky.... Anyway, I think someone is going to knock the Panthers off their high horse soon, it may be Missouri State in Springfield next week. Or, even worse, it could be the Bison in Fargo. That would be lame.

[Dukie95]

I think it's still too early for just about all the CAA teams. The contenders were competitive with (or beat) FBS teams and have had no trouble with their other overmatched OOC opponents. We haven't seen enough to really know who's for real.

[PaladinFan]

Furman

Good: The offense. Furman is second in scoring offense and in total offense in the Conference. The Paladins are also averaging 167 yards a game on the ground, and are still without the starting running back Mike Brown (relying mostly on true freshman Jerry Williams). Furman really has a lot of flexibility with what they can do with the football.

Bad: Where's Chris Forcier? In two games he's gotten maybe three or four carries. I am of the opinion that Furman is keeping him to limited action and will use him more as conference play begins, but no one is really sure.

Ugly: Pass defense. Furman has some talented players, but they are very young and still have a lot of room to grow. The defensive line is getting very little push and forces our DBs to cover for a long time. Against good offenses, that just won't work.

In total, Paladins have looked decent so far. I think Furman might just be content to go into a shootout each game. The defense is fast and athletic, but has a lot of room to grow. The offense has a scary amount of weapons both in the running game and passing game and that will only continue to improve as we get Mike Brown back from injury.

[R.A.]

We suck. xlolx

xlolx So do we. It's just a matter of how much we suck.

If we lose to Georgetown, again, we really suck.

[utcfan]

About where I thought we would be, 2-1. A few more shots to win this year. Can hope for an upset at some point.

Good: Attendance is up. Interest is up. Giving is up. Lot of young players on 2-deep roster. Good sign for the future. Passing game has done well all 3 games, and running game improved over the last 2 with the return of Sr Fitzgerald returning to the line up. 2 wins--finally got an FCS win after more than a year and I think we will get 2 maybe three more.

Not as Good: Defense has struggled but is improving.

Needs Improvement: Special teams.

Huesman has Chattanooga Football moving in the right direction.

[kirkblitz]

We suck. xlolx

we still suck. year 3 of suck

[WestCoastAggie]

North Carolina A&T: WE ARE A WHOLE LOT BETTER THEN WE WERE DURING THE LEE FOBBS ERROR!!!! xlolx

However, we are still a season or two away from actually competiting with FAMU & SCSU and Hampton for a MEAC title and our chance to win a Playoff game.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Western Carolina sucks again. Sad but true. I would like to apologize for getting excited about this team the way I have over the last few years thinking things would change. Obviously, they never will. Enjoy the rest of 2009 because WCU fans will not. 0-11, 0-8 SoCon. BET ON IT.

xbawlingx xbawlingx xbawlingx

Really Catamount man...

Did you think that that Western was going to walk into Paulson and beat a GSU team that was mad as fire at taking the biggest beating that we have taken since we played the 1996 Florida Gators?

Your team's talent level just isn't there yet, but Wagner is doing good recruiting. Give it time.

[DSUrocks07]

Delaware State

Teams played: FAMU, *bye*, UD

The Good- Strong linebacker group. Able to make plays in run and pass coverage. Great secondary play. The defense is the strongest point of our team. Balanced offensive attack with Glaud and the running game. O-Line play is even better now that they know when to run block and pass block. We have the potential to close out games with the lead.

The Bad- D-line, can't get pressure on the QB or penetration without the blitz. Run defense, showing signs of progress but could still be an issue throughout the year. Coaching, questionable playcalling throughout games.

The Ugly- Special Teams, Flickinger has been hit or miss his entire career at DSU, yet he's Top 10 all time in FGs made for the Hornets. Dropped passes by recievers. At least a half dozen in the UD game, and even more in the FAMU game. Makes Glaud look worse than he is. Kills drives, costs us points.


Prediction for the year: 6-5 with wins over Hampton, Howard, NSU, BCC, WSSU, and Morgan. We have an outside chance at SC State.

[BEAR]

UCA-

Let's see. We nearly beat Hawaii. Beat WKU the 119th ranked team in the FBS. Hard to tell. Our defense looks fine. Not great. But able to do what they need to do. Our offense is relying heavily on the run game...which is really really weird to me. Our pass game keeps getting players thrown in there after serving one game suspensions..so I have no freakin' idea on that. Overall, glad to be 1-1 with a close chance at 2-0, but still I have no idea how this team will play in the SLC! xconfusedx

[txstatebobcat]

TxState

The good: The offense is for real. Last night we scored three touchdowns against the TCU first team defense. Which is something only Oklahoma was able to do last year. This was also with our best running back and one of our best WRs out for the game.

The not so good: Defense is still a problem We had problems against Angelo State (D-II) and had a rough time stopping TCU. With that said however, this defense looks far better than the one a year ago. with a few more games under their belt I think they will go from mediocre to average or maybe even slightly better than average. Which will be enough to keep us in the hunt for the SLC title.

Special teams: Have yet to see our kicker, but coverage on kickoff returns was far better than what it was the previous game.

[The Cats]

Unfortunately, it will take Wagner at least 2 or 3 more years to produce a winner at Western. When you run off nearly an entire team over the course of a season and a half...... rebuilding will take time.

Last night in Statesboro, I became a realist about WCU football..... the Cats are as bad as every says they are........ xnonono2x

Last year will be Wagner's best of the two.....I see no conference wins for the Catamounts this season.

Once again, the SoCon will circle WCU as an auto win..... maybe Chip should consult the VMI AD about how to get into the Big South - if they'd even want us.....

[catamount man]

Unfortunately, it will take Wagner at least 2 or 3 more years to produce a winner at Western. When you run off nearly an entire team over the course of a season and a half...... rebuilding will take time.

Last night in Statesboro, I became a realist about WCU football..... the Cats are as bad as every says they are........ xnonono2x

Last year will be Wagner's best of the two.....I see no conference wins for the Catamounts this season.

Once again, the SoCon will circle WCU as an auto win..... maybe Chip should consult the VMI AD about how to get into the Big South - if they'd even want us.....

We cannot beat G-Webb or Liberty so we definitely don't need to go to the Big South. Maybe we can drop to D2 and join the SAC although Brevard is 4-0 so we might even lose that one. I just love how the rest of the SoCon fans keep telling us to hold on. HA! They better thank God they don't have to live this nightmare year after year after year.

[SU DOG]

Samford has a HUGE front 7 that loves to hit and are very quick. The 2s are almost a carbon copy and there is not much drop-off, so depth is unusually good. While this lends us to be extremely tough against the run, our pass defense and tendency to give up the big play are troubling areas. Unlike last year, we now have a PK who can boom 'em. Our punter is extremely good at kicking the ball out inside the 20, but coverage is still not what it should be.

Our OL is big and should be solid, but with the flu/injuries it looks different each week and continuity has not been established. Our passing game, which should be very good, has not yet gotten on track, and that is a major concern.

I guess we will find out Saturday what we are really made of. I wish I didn't have these nightmares of last Halloween.

[GaSouthern]

We suck. xlolx

As do we! xthumbsupx

[AmsterBison]

Offense: B
Defense: F

[Silenoz]

We're good. Probably really good

[WOCO]

We're good. Probably really good

Dont you guys say that every year?

[UND92,96]

Only two games so far for UND, but I'll say:

Defense-B. Too many yards allowed, but not bad in terms of point allowed. Has definitely improved over last season.

Offense-C. Not a lot of mistakes, but not a lot of production, either. Need to avoid being so predictable, i.e. run on first and second downs and pass on third. Line play hasn't been great.

Special Teams-A. Kicker has been great, and have blocked field goal and punt. Also recovered fumble on punt coverage, and solid coverage on both kicks and punts.

[The Cats]

They better thank God they don't have to live this nightmare year after year after year.

.....after year, after year, after year, after year..... I don't think it will ever end. xbawlingx

[The Gadfly]

Is the bar open yet? The Thunderin' Beach Chickens are not rollin' too heavy this year. xoopsx

[seattlespider]

Defense (A): Only real area of concern was how our DE would step up in light of the losses of our studs from last year. They are stepping up nicely; last game they seemed to put it all together.

Offense (B): Running game improved a bit from the last two weeks, but still a bit of concern. Ward is all (FCS) world. Our stud WR Grayson took a bit to get untracked, but that is partly as a result of doubleteams and big-time depth. OL is great, as can be expected with the experience we have.

Special Teams (C): Giving up two safeties in the first two weeks on botched snaps was no good, but that seems to have been stabilized. Not much doing on kick/punt returns as of yet. Coverage is decent, getting a blocked punt for a big TD against Duke to set the tone in that game. Howard, our PK, seems to have gotten over his troubles from last year.

Overall (B): Things are definitely on the upswing after the great win over Hofstra, and based on that game alone I would have graded them out at an A. VMI next week should be a similar result, then our bye and we get into the heart of the CAA schedule. Nice to have two CAA wins (one road) in the bank already.

[Go...gate]

Colgate is off to a promising start.

Princeton has a lot of work to do.

[AggieFinn]

Only 2, but our offense really needs to finish, finish, finish. Vs. Western Oregon the Ags will start relatively slow after the bye week, but we will mop them up eventually. Boise is for $$$ only, and to showcase how Aggie Pride gave them the program they have today (Dan Hawkins and Chris Petersen both UC Davis alumni under Coach Jim Sochor). After that if we don't go undefeated, Bob Biggs will have questions to answer, we're tired of losing due to poor execution when it counts most.

http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/11/25/21/219-3S26AGGIECAPS.embedded.prod_affiliate.4.JPG

[MSUBear42]

For Missouri State, the defense has been AMAZING so far. I mean, for a team that finished in the bottom 3 or 4 defenses in the country last season, we have been the complete opposite. We've been putting up great numbers and we didn't even play a D2 or NAIA school this year.

My grades for the season so far:

Offense: B-
Passing: C+
Rushing: B

Defense: A- (- because of the Arkansas game)

Special Teams: C (Was an a until last game, when we missed 2 FGs, but maybe the rain affected that)

[smcwildcat]

defense is finally bette rthan offense....good? or bad? idk

[CID1990]

Ask me at the end of the season.

Right now we look like we have a monster defense and a B- offense.

We have a placekicker which last year would have given us two more wins and we would have been 6-5 instead of 4-7.

[Bull Fan]

Hofstra: Bad, bad, bad. Masterful at beating sub-par talent, cannot win against the average to better CAA competition. Over the last four years, miserable record against winning teams. I mean MISERABLE.

Asking for an intervention by the NCAA, as the Hofstra University intercollegiate varsity tackle football program needs to be declared a disaster. Fans are willing to have the head coach fired three games into the season. Send in Gerry Faust, that will be an improvement.

[kalm]

Perhaps UNC's defense is just that good, but I'm still waiting for Nichols and the offense to have a break-out game under coach Baldwin (like we did numerous times in 2007).

The defense looks really promising. We are platooning 7 guys on d-line which seems to be working and we are forcing turnovers.

Yesterday was the first shutout pitched at Woodward since 1983. If the d stays that good and we start clicking on offense it could be a very good season.

[Reign of Terrier]

Defense (A): Only real area of concern was how our DE would step up in light of the losses of our studs from last year. They are stepping up nicely; last game they seemed to put it all together.

Offense (B): Running game improved a bit from the last two weeks, but still a bit of concern. Ward is all (FCS) world. Our stud WR Grayson took a bit to get untracked, but that is partly as a result of doubleteams and big-time depth. OL is great, as can be expected with the experience we have.

Special Teams (C): Giving up two safeties in the first two weeks on botched snaps was no good, but that seems to have been stabilized. Not much doing on kick/punt returns as of yet. Coverage is decent, getting a blocked punt for a big TD against Duke to set the tone in that game. Howard, our PK, seems to have gotten over his troubles from last year.

Overall (B): Things are definitely on the upswing after the great win over Hofstra, and based on that game alone I would have graded them out at an A. VMI next week should be a similar result, then our bye and we get into the heart of the CAA schedule. Nice to have two CAA wins (one road) in the bank already.

stupid #1 team in the nation:p

[Wildcat80]

defense is finally bette rthan offense....good? or bad? idk

GOOD-Defense looks like they are for real. Best in years. Ware, Jackson, Young, Vasso etc. Big reason why we won two. Offense got rolling vs Ball State. Toman still needs to play even better. Our WR & RB have depth. Jellison super.

BAD-Kickoff coverage. Need to get the ball to Sicko.

Undecided--Oline is rotating alot of young guys due to injury. Overall doing well but our big games are coming up. Can Kackert be an All CAA performer? Hope So! New Offensive coaches--can we score against Nova? If so they are doing fine.

Just keep improving UNH. Get better every week. GO CATS!!!xnodxxnodx

[skinny_uncle]

It's tough to tell about the Salukis. We've only had two games and neither was against an FCS foe. Our last game, half our first and second string linebackers were either injured or suspended. All in all we have played pretty well. Our guys feel like they should have won the game at Marshall, but we had one of our famous third quarter meltdowns. We will know more once we get into conference play. Our run D looks good as was expected and the secondary has 4 INTs in two games. The offense looks good so far and our kicking game is solid. We probably have another conference contender and expect to make it back to the playoffs. After that, it is just another roll of the dice.

[Silenoz]

Dont you guys say that every year?
Yes

[darell1976]

UND:

The good: DEFENSE!!!! Goal line stops have been the key as Texas Tech and now NW ST. found out. Also after this Saturday at SFA 5 out of the next 6 games are at HOME!!!

The bad: Offense!! Still a little shaky Landry is doing a good job hanging in the pocket but the running game needs work.

The Special teams look great with the kicking game with over 50yd FG's...that helps a lot.

Overall grade: B+ If UND wins this Sat. then the next 5 home games plus at SUU they will be at 8-1!!

[Gil Dobie]

NDSU 1-2

They are where I expected them to be in the W-L column, but the defense is much worse than expected. I was optimistic with them finishing 7-4, but looks like 6-5 or 5-6 is more relistic, unless the defense gets better. :(

[blueballs]

GSU:

The good: 83 players are either Fr or SO, including 6 offensive starters with less than 4 career starts, 34 players on the two deep are FR or SO so the future looks very bright.

The bad: 83 players are either FR or SO, including 6 offensive starters with less than 4 career starts, 34 players on the two deep are FR or SO so inconsistency, poor execution at times and a bit of undisciplined play occurs.

The ugly: When a team with 83 FR and SO and about two dozen guys who have never stepped foot on a plane travel over 1000 miles to face a very good, experienced, older, and well coached team who has had an entire preseason to prepare.

The next two games will tell the tale for the 2009 edition of Georgia Southern... can they be a factor this year or are they a year away? Two weeks from today we'll know...

[Husky Alum]

We suck. xlolx

What he said.

[jmc_jackrabbit]

South Dakota State, 2-0

The Good: The defense has only given up 6 points in two games, and neither team we have played (GSU, The Trees) have moved the ball inside our 20 yard line. The trees only managed 90 yards of total offense. QB Ryan Crawford has completed 74 percent of his passes with 4 TDs and just 1 interception. The coaches say he's only made two bad passes in two games. We have a bunch of playmakers: WRs Mike Steffen and Glen Fox; RBs Kyle Minett and Tyler Duffy, TE Colin Cochart. All have caught a bunch of passes and made lots of plays. Danny Batten has been dominant from his DE spot.

The Bad: Slow starts in both games won't do once we get into the heart of MVFC play.

[seantaylor]

The good: Our defensive team speed is incredible.

The bad: Undisciplined team. Ton of penalties

The ugly: One of the most boring and predictable offensive systems in football. Our playcalling is nothing short of awful.

[straightshooter]

Against WCU, GSU started 1 junior, 5 seniors and 16 freshmen and sophomores. The punter, kicker and long snapper are sophomores too. They are young and talented, but they make the silly mistakes that they won't make with more experience. GSU is a better team than what they showed at SDSU. The inexperience really showed up 1,500 miles from home against a very good senior oriented Jacks team.

This team will continue to get better as the youngsters learn to play together. Hatcher will start opening up the playbook as that happens too. Against WCU the D really shut the Cats down. The Cats managed only four first downs the entire game, and had only 16 yards of total offense in the second half. Hatcher balanced the GSU offense with 42 runs and 42 passes for 461 yards. because of the youth, the playbook has been limited, but that will change as they get more experience.

This team will continue to make the youthful mistakes, but they will also get better each week. The youth on the team make them difficult to figure out. They may be a year away yet, but they do have talent, and on any given Saturday they've got a chance to win.

[OL FU]

Furman

Good: The offense. Furman is second in scoring offense and in total offense in the Conference. The Paladins are also averaging 167 yards a game on the ground, and are still without the starting running back Mike Brown (relying mostly on true freshman Jerry Williams). Furman really has a lot of flexibility with what they can do with the football.

Bad: Where's Chris Forcier? In two games he's gotten maybe three or four carries. I am of the opinion that Furman is keeping him to limited action and will use him more as conference play begins, but no one is really sure.

Ugly: Pass defense. Furman has some talented players, but they are very young and still have a lot of room to grow. The defensive line is getting very little push and forces our DBs to cover for a long time. Against good offenses, that just won't work.

In total, Paladins have looked decent so far. I think Furman might just be content to go into a shootout each game. The defense is fast and athletic, but has a lot of room to grow. The offense has a scary amount of weapons both in the running game and passing game and that will only continue to improve as we get Mike Brown back from injury.


xnodx

Forcier, who knows. I thought we would see him after Missouri rang our bell in the first half. Just to get some playing time for him. The offense is moving the ball so there is no criticism of how the offense is being run. It is possible that Lamb doesn't want to show the plays that Forcier will run but you would think a little game day experience would be good. Like I said no criticism, just wondering.

We apparently are going play soft on pass defense until we have more confidence in the young guys on D. At least that is what I took from LAmb's pre-game statements ( I did read alot into said statements:D)

[drpnut]

I think Woffy is about where we thought they would be...

We are young and making many mistakes... turnovers and not being able to capitialize on TO's are killing us. I was at the Wisconsin game and must say we did pretty well. (By the way the blocked punt was not a touchdown, the guy was on the stripe when he fell on the ball, and I actually told the ref about it later because they were staying in our hotel.)

We rushed for over 200 yards on a Big Ten D,and Wisc. is far better this year than last.

Our D is playing well, esp. since we have some many "puppies."

I say all we need to do is cut out mistakes and play smart and we should have a good year.

I also believe that Coach Lang and Coach Ayers have been calling a very "plain" playbook and are getting ready to unleash the whole assault this weekend.:D

[elcid83]

Bear in mind this is my first year following Gardner-Webb football. GW is at or near the top of all Big South stats at this point in the season with some teams playing significant opponents and some teams opening with ease. After watching 3 games I have developed an opinion about this team:

1. Offense - While we clearly cannot stand up to NC State's penetrating D, we do have a QB that makes very good decisions if he is given the time to do so. Doolittle also has the quick feet to make himself some more time if he needs to. With only 1 int and with very good numbers in all other measured categories, Stan is playing the way you expect a Sr. QB to play. The O line has done a decent job of protecting the QB, but there is room for improvement. On a bright note, with the worst record in the conference last year in sacks given up with 29, our line has given up just 4 sacks in 3 games and 2 of those were by NC State.

2. Defense - LBs are stout, but they were neutralized by NC State's offensive game plan. Keep an eye of Matt Goods for freshman of the year honors if he keeps up his play. The good news is we probably aren't going to face a more athletically gifted QB than the one we faced Saturday night. Our rush D continues to lead the conference and only allows 70 ypg. Depth is a concern and if we continue to lose experienced players in the secondary we will have a difficult time defending the pass.

3. Special Teams - Need to emphasize more practice time here to help these guys gain an advantage as we get into conference play.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[93henfan]

Six pages into the thread and the lack of a response about Delaware is telling.

We really don't know what we have yet. We whipped a D-II, lost to the #1 team on a blocked field goal, and then let DelState hang around before beating them. The O-line is still a concern. The defense is strong, as expected. The QB is a big upgrade from last year.

The game this Saturday at William and Mary should help us learn a little more about the team. They could still realistically fall anywhere from 5-6 to 8-3. I just don't have a good feel for them yet.

[Poker Alan]

Griz

Offense: suspect, still no decision made on starting QB, Selle had a better day last Saturday vs. PSU... Reynolds was semi-bottled up, line has to gel better.

Defense: Rush D solid, pass D bend but don't break, what matters is bottom line, points are hard to come by right now against the Griz, clearly strength of team.

Probably properly ranked nationally, right now.

[blueballs]

xnodx

Forcier, who knows. I thought we would see him after Missouri rang our bell in the first half. Just to get some playing time for him. The offense is moving the ball so there is no criticism of how the offense is being run. It is possible that Lamb doesn't want to show the plays that Forcier will run but you would think a little game day experience would be good. Like I said no criticism, just wondering.



Do you guys think that a redshirt may be in order for Forcier?

[ur2k]

Defense (A): Only real area of concern was how our DE would step up in light of the losses of our studs from last year. They are stepping up nicely; last game they seemed to put it all together.

Offense (B): Running game improved a bit from the last two weeks, but still a bit of concern. Ward is all (FCS) world. Our stud WR Grayson took a bit to get untracked, but that is partly as a result of doubleteams and big-time depth. OL is great, as can be expected with the experience we have.

Special Teams (C): Giving up two safeties in the first two weeks on botched snaps was no good, but that seems to have been stabilized. Not much doing on kick/punt returns as of yet. Coverage is decent, getting a blocked punt for a big TD against Duke to set the tone in that game. Howard, our PK, seems to have gotten over his troubles from last year.

Overall (B): Things are definitely on the upswing after the great win over Hofstra, and based on that game alone I would have graded them out at an A. VMI next week should be a similar result, then our bye and we get into the heart of the CAA schedule. Nice to have two CAA wins (one road) in the bank already.

Agree with everything Seattle stated. Our biggest concern right now is a lack of a short-yardage/power running game. It's ok for now (almost killed us in the Delaware game - with not scoring from the goal line) but is where UR needs to improve greatly.

We could also do a lot better on kick and punt returns. That's a part of our game that's gone way downhill in the last 2 years. Justin Rodgers was all-world as a KR in his first year, but we haven't been that good in that phase the last 2 seasons.

[GrizFanStuckInUtah]

Griz

Offense: suspect, still no decision made on starting QB, Selle had a better day last Saturday vs. PSU... Reynolds was semi-bottled up, line has to gel better.

Defense: Rush D solid, pass D bend but don't break, what matters is bottom line, points are hard to come by right now against the Griz, clearly strength of team.

Probably properly ranked nationally, right now.

I agree for the most part. I think Selle will probably get the start, but Roper was hit pretty hard and wasn't able to return so that played into why Selle played so much. I do agree the O-line has some work to do, but they at least finally clicked and I think they are on the right track now which is good for us.

The defense is doing better, I think it took them a bit too long to adjust to PSU, but they finally did and started playing well, I hope they can continue to improve and adjust better.

I think special teams are looking really good. Punt and kick cover teams for opposing teams had better be wary.

Overall, I liked our improvement after the 1st quarter.

[straightshooter]

Seems to me that Lamb would give Forcier some playing time, even if he just ran the same plays that Sorrells had been running. I'd find it hard to believe that those plays aren't a part of the playbook when Forcier is in the game.

I do know this. Any playing time in a real game is far better than taking snaps against the scout team. Maybe Lamb doesn't think Forcier is ready yet.

[DirtyDukes]

3 games in, Asses to your team too! (_*_) (_*_)

;)

[elon77]

Elon?xconfusedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconf usedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconf usedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconfusedxxconf usedx
I guess we might know more after this Saturday.

[Native]

...The Bad - I worry if some on the team are letting their potential get to their heads. ...

It's an occupational hazard of being an 18 to 22 year old male.

Happens to all of us.

[BisonBacker]

Offense: C
Defense: F-

There I fixed it for ya. If it's possible to get an F- they deserve it after the last three weeks.

[89Hen]

Special Teams (C): Giving up two safeties in the first two weeks on botched snaps was no good, but that seems to have been stabilized. Not much doing on kick/punt returns as of yet. Coverage is decent, getting a blocked punt for a big TD against Duke to set the tone in that game. Howard, our PK, seems to have gotten over his troubles from last year.
You're forgetting a blocked FG that may have saved your chances of a top 4 seed. xwhistlex

[89Hen]

For the Hens this is easy. We are who they thought they were. A team that can do some damage but is not ready to contend right now.

Good - Beat WCUPA like they're supposed to.

Bad - Second time in 6 years lose to Richmond on a blocked chip shot from the center of the field.

Ugly - Letting DelSt look like a good team.

[CDT_Wilson]

Yeah, if anything, I think that is what will kill UNI. We've been knocking on the championship door for so long, it's good to see a team as stong as this one is. On the other hand, I don't want them to think they're invincible. I fear us turning into many App State fans after they won 3 in a row -- a little overly cocky and convinced they were invincible.

A little humility is a good thing.

We did see that when something does go wrong (SDU flea flicker for 6) they respond aggressively. This team might be like a fighter who needs to get a couple jabs to get into the flow of the fight. Against St Francis they didn't push much. I don't know if they were just trying to keep the score down or work the running game to keep the clock going. Last two games we haven't seen the starters for a whole game. Lots of questions, but potential means nothing and thats why we play the games.

[Hoseinexile07]

we still suck. year 3 of suck

Yeah, at least the Scrotum-Chinned Chickens don't "0-3 suck." xlolx

[PantherRob82]

UNI

The Good - Monster offensive capability. We will spread the field to throw it to any of 4-5 talented WRs or we will jam it down your throat with a talented 1-2 backfield. On defense, James Ruffin is a monster and this is probably the best defensive secondary we've had in a few years -- scary, considering a majority of them are freshmen!

The Bad - I worry if some on the team are letting their potential get to their heads. While the defense performed very well yesterday, the offense seemed flat. Maybe St. Francis' defense is that good or maybe we were limiting the plays so our conference mates didn't have any interesting film to study but we should have scored 1-2 more TDs yesterday.

The Ugly - I think this team is fully capable of putting the hurt on you, if you try to get in their way. Maybe not ugly for UNI, but definitely ugly for our opponents.

I think this is pretty accurate. The bad may also be the ugly. Against Iowa we looked fantastic. Against South Dakota I felt like we showed that we were going to show up for every game. I felt like we didn't show up for the St Francis game. Farley said afterwards that he told the team "This is what happens when you play without emotion."

Personally I would use games like this to pad my stats. xlolx

[bkrownd]

Then it's a bye, followed by a three game stretch--@ Delaware, vs. UNH, @ Richmond--that should give us a better sense of how good UMass really is.

Heh, well by January we'll REALLY know how things are going. ;)

[Go...gate]

Hofstra: Bad, bad, bad. Masterful at beating sub-par talent, cannot win against the average to better CAA competition. Over the last four years, miserable record against winning teams. I mean MISERABLE.

Asking for an intervention by the NCAA, as the Hofstra University intercollegiate varsity tackle football program needs to be declared a disaster. Fans are willing to have the head coach fired three games into the season. Send in Gerry Faust, that will be an improvement.

What the Hell has happened in Hempstead? That was a powerful program.

[TheValleyRaider]

Colgate

3-0
vs. Monmouth
vs. Stony Brook
at Dartmouth

Good
Offense-The offense is clicking again. The offensive line graduated 4 members, and looks like nothing happened. Sullivan and Eachus were a good combination in Games 1 and 2, and Jordan McCord stepped up in Game 3 after the Eachus injury. Simonds continues to be a reliable target, and Rosnick is emerging as a good #2

Defense-Much maligned a year ago, much improved this year. In particular, halftime adjustments have given let Colgate pull away in the 2nd half of games. The defense has allowed 7, 0, and 3 points in each 2nd half

Bad
Kickoff coverage-They've spent most of the season kicking high towards the 30 to not allow returns, because when they do allow returns, it can get ugly. Letting the opponent start at their 30-35 is far preferable to letting them start at your 40, but the coverage needs to improve

Jury's Still Out
Kicking Game-I want to like the freshman Colborne, and presumably he was the best kicker in the bunch during practices. Still, he's missed 1 PAT, had another blocked, and is 1-2 on FG attempts. Easy to improve those numbers, though if his FG attempts stay low because we keep converting TDs, I can't say I'll complain too much

Overall
A nice start to the season. Colgate usually starts slow and finishes strong, so a quick beginning could set us up for a big season. Still, dangerous trips to Princeton, Holy Cross and Lafayette loom, and we still have yet to play a PL game

[Uncle Buck]

What the Hell has happened in Hempstead? That was a powerful program.

After the 2001 playoff debacle, we went into a dry spell for a bit. in 2005 we had a better 7-4 season with a great win over UMass to cap the season. Then enter Dave Cohen as the new head coach. 2-9, then 7-4 (easy first six only to finish 1-5), then 4-8 with a lot of injuries. 2009, tons of talent back, coaches have no idea how to use it, especially the offensive coordinator who starts the third best QB on the team because he is a 5th year senior.

Garbage, they have and are continuing their drive to send HU football into obscurity. I expect and pray for a coaching change next season, it's the only way.

[DSUrocks07]

For the Hens this is easy. We are who they thought they were. A team that can do some damage but is not ready to contend right now.

Good - Beat WCUPA like they're supposed to.

Bad - Second time in 6 years lose to Richmond on a blocked chip shot from the center of the field.

Ugly - Letting DelSt look like a good team.

Tounge-in-cheek I assume?xsmiley_wix

only 2 losses so far, both to "Top 25 teams" (according to some polls), FAMU 21-12 and UD 27-17, and our offense has shown flashes of what could be.

[ASU_MBA]

I saw the App State defense on the side of a milk carton. That pretty much sums up the first two games.

[WOCO]

I saw the App State defense on the side of a milk carton. That pretty much sums up the first two games.

thats funny

[DG Cowboy]

McNeese: One game worse than expected. One game better than expected. One game as expected. Looking for an identity to emerge Saturday against Tulane. The young O line will have to play well.

[wapiti]

MSU Bobcats.

The good - Run defense has done ok.

The bad - I saw a picture of the secondary and the offense at the entrance of WalMart.

If the injuries to secondary starters get healed, there is a chance the defense will be found. The offense has shown glimpses of working well, just not consistent enough to get the job done, so it too may get found.

I forsee the game in Greely to be a defensive battle.
Here's hoping the Bobcat defense can cause a few fumbles and recover them.

The talent is there, just need to stop making mistakes.

[unigriff]

For UNI, its always been about how big their heads get. Especially come conference title game, playoff time. Then they go off and do stupid things like possess and sell drugs. But hey, lots of college teams have that.

I think for UNI it will come down to special teams and the O.C. We have a freshman punter who has kicked pretty well so far (around 40yd a game i think!?) but we haven't been battled tested yet with a small lead yet to see if our OC will play conservative like he usually does in the 4th quarter. I felt he did that a lil bit in the Iowa game when we were up 13-10. And we know how the playoffs have been going for us. 2005- @UNH...had the ball with 1:12 left...run run run for like 2 yards. And last year against Richmond in the semi's. It's like he'd rather play from behind.

Offense- A- (need more emotion and play for a purpose)
Defense A
Special Teams - C+/B-
Coaching - B+/A-

[TheBisonator]

There I fixed it for ya. If it's possible to get an F- they deserve it after the last three weeks.

I disagree with you giving the offense a C. I would give the offense at least a B, perhaps a B+. The Defense deserves a Q or an X.

[BisonBacker]

I disagree with you giving the offense a C. I would give the offense at least a B, perhaps a B+. The Defense deserves a Q or an X.

They get that in my opinion (C) because they have yet to prove they can really pass consistently. Mind you the three performances to date are not against superior competition. They will really get tested in the coming weeks. If they can consistently move the ball both on the ground and in the air yeah they get a better grade. Right now a C is about all I'd give them. Too one dimensional with Pat running the ball. Yes he's a great runner but if defenses don't have to respect the pass (and they won't) at least not until Mertens can prove he can effectively pass without turning the ball over yeah they get a better grade. Just my opinion though.

[lionsrking2]

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA

Right where we thought we would be at this point...blowout wins over two sub D-I teams we were supposed to beat and a blowout loss to FBS No.4, Ole Miss, in a game that was more competitive than the final score.

Offense is a B+ right now...put up big numbers in first two games against lesser competition and had over 300 yards of total offense against an outstanding Ole Miss defense - though turned the ball over twice inside their 10 and failed to pick up a 4th and 1 at their 23...still need to prove we can get the running game established against solid FCS competition.

Defense a B+ as well...frontline defense was dominant first two outings and held their own against Ole Miss...Rebs scored 52 points but 14 were on questionable, penalty extending drives - one right before the half - and another 14 points came in garbage time late - one a defensive score...secondary has played well minus a couple of busts...big improvement from last year.

Special teams is a B-...Solid special teams play overall, but our usually reliable place-kicker missed three FGs and an xtra point in the first two games...punt return game has been spotty with a couple of fumbles and trouble getting the gunners blocked...otherwise, kick coverage has been very good and our true freshman punter has done a great job even though it doesn't show up in his average per punt.

We'll get a much better feel for where we stand this coming week at South Dakota.

[OrygunBison]

I disagree with you giving the offense a C. I would give the offense at least a B, perhaps a B+. The Defense deserves a Q or an X.

The defense actually should get an "incomplete" since the haven't shown up yet. I think that the running game should get an A-, the passing a B+ and the special teams a C-/D+.

[g-webb1994]

I'll give G-W an overall B ranking. The win at Western was needed and should set the tone for a good year. We should be 5-2 going into the final four game stretch of Stony Brook, at Coastal, Liberty, then at PC. Just going to have to wait and find out if they tank into mediocrity those last four or not, like they have the past few seasons.

As for WCU. They won't go 0-fer for the year, they'll pick off a win at Chatty or knock out Citadel in Cullowheeeeeee.

[Khan4Cats]

I think this is pretty accurate. The bad may also be the ugly. Against Iowa we looked fantastic. Against South Dakota I felt like we showed that we were going to show up for every game. I felt like we didn't show up for the St Francis game. Farley said afterwards that he told the team "This is what happens when you play without emotion."

Personally I would use games like this to pad my stats. xlolx

I agree, the emotion was not there. Would have been interesting to see had Herring not returned the opening kick for a score and we then marched down the field on our first regular possession.

They definitely turned it up a notch in the second half as StF did not have anything going on offense and our O-Line controlled up front.

If they play with fire and emotion I think they have a chance to be pretty good. This week will tell us more.