I like to see performance improvement from game to game. My thinking is that it doesn’t always translate to “wins”, but it should translate to more wins.
The Hogs are two games into the season, after playing only 1 real game.
I feel it’s still too early to project the Hogs season based on the first two games, especially as we still don’t know the real quality of TCU.
So, my “near-term” measure is, “have we improved since the two losses to Missou and Va Tech”. Well, I’ve not seen any improvement…in fact, I worry we’ve “net” regressed.
The point of this post is to ask, “Have you seen improvement?” and if so, where? And, is that an advantage as we face A&M?
If you have a set of eyes that work you should be able to see the defense is better.
Look at the number of big plays the defense has given up. There haven’t been any. Containing Kenny Hill! They did.
Our defense needs to win 1st and 2d down in order to get stops on 3rd down.
Offense wow hard to judge. O line better than last year the A&M game we will see.
It will be hard to make a comparison until the receivers get thier act together. Young WR are the biggest issue.
Watch enough games on the weekends and you will see other teams across the country with the same issues.
I still have hope for this season. Try to find positives.
TCU ran for 195 yards and people are panicking. Last year our defense was having a great night if it held somebody below 200 on the ground. (Fun fact: TCU also ran for exactly 195 against us last year). Bend but don’t break defense isn’t flashy or fan pleasing but there’s a reason people play it. If you make somebody run 12-13-14 plays to go 80 yards there’s a real good chance they will screw themselves up somewhere along the way, either penalties or turnovers or both.
That’s true. I don’t mind bend-but-don’t-break defenses. Have seem them work many times. My concern for the Hogs is an offense that delights in winning time of possession needs to have a defense that gets its share of three-and-outs. They have to get off the field on third downs, but that’s difficult in third-and-1. But I will say, one game (and that’s about all we’ve got to go on) is not enough to say one way or another if there’s a trend. They may play the big-play potential of Kenny Hill than they will the freshman QB of Texas A&M.
I am mildly optimistic about the defense, though with only two games its hard to tell a whole lot. I thought it would be sometime in October before they showed much at all, and so far they look a lot more fundamentally sound. Pass Rush still a work in progress.
On offense I feel good about the interior of the OL, the way the TEs are coming along, and the FB play. I am really not worried about the RBs. I am worried about AA getting out of his funk and playing like a senior, and the OTs are iffy to make a lot of improvement. I think the WR situation is about to sort itself out.
Special teams-net regression. Still looking for decent place kicking and some spark on KO returns. Punting has been mediocre.
The defense did some nice things for three quarters. It’s the reason the Hogs had a chance in the fourth quarter. The offense didn’t do much. Giving up big plays was devastating last year. But, the defense does have to get itself off the field better.
It works really well when our offense can stay on the field too. IMHO, the D held up its end of the bargain against the Frogs, but the offense didn’t deliver.
TCU got most of those 195 yards by 3-4 yard plays and the defense couldn’t get em off the field, TCU beat Arkansas at its own game and our coaching staff couldn’t make any adjustments at half time or anytime. No the defense is not better than last year, yet.
The defense appears to be a little better…it appears to be more sound…everbody seems to know what they are supposed to do. I don’t like the soft, bend but don’t break philosophy, but I am not the coach. A good quarterback will eat up that defense who gives you all day to throw the ball. A+M has a talented, but inexperienced quarterback. The guy can run like a deer, so I am wary of him.
Our offense has been just plain weak…bad. I am surprised by how Austin Allen has played, how the line has blocked and how the receivers have not gotten themselves open to make plays. The backs have delivered when they have had space to run. This is no secret…the offense is going to have to play like they did last year or at least close to it for us to beat the Aggies. The Aggies looked very good against UCLA until they imploded in the middle of the 3rd quarter.
I know one thing…I am tired of losing to Texas A+M. I know those players are even more sick of it.
We stunk up the joint in every phase vs. Auburn, had an open date, then ran Florida out of the stadium last year. Something resembling that would be nice.
The rule of thumb seems to be blitz the new guys, drop back against the experienced guy. Kenny Hill was experienced. Kellen Mond isn’t. I bet we give him a few more defensive wrinkles than we showed TCU.
Ags might be mediocre, but they are super talented. A&M’s last five recruiting classes have been ranked:
10 (2017)
17 (2016)
10 (2015)
6 (2014)
11 (2013)
That’s 10.8 average ranked class over the last 5 years (Rivals.com).