*** Official 2018 Spring Game Thread ***

[DrunkOffPunch]

18 minutes ago, Making Chimichangas said:

 

Honestly, I have never understood the correlation between how much a QB weighs and his "ability to take a big hit(s)".  A "big hit" can knock out, and even end, anyone's day--or career for that matter.  Weight does not equal toughness. 

Imagine two semis going 30mph and colliding, then switch out one of those semis for a mid-size car. It’s more about physics than toughness.

[Mavric]

 

[MyBloodIsRed16]

2 hours ago, B.B. Hemingway said:

Anybody expecting the defense to be lighting the world on fire is likely going to be disappointed. It just seems highly unlikely when you have this type offensive system on the other side of the ball. Offensively there are going to a lot of quick scoring drives, and a lot of quick 3 and outs (hopefully more of the former). So this defense will give up points, probably throughout Frost's tenure here. Where this defense will/can make a difference is by causing turnovers.

On the flip side hopefully the offense performs which is going to put more pressure on opposing offenses.  They will have to play catch up which will help the defense.  But it is hard to be on the field a lot and not give up points.  

[Mavric]

 

[Caliborn72]

3 hours ago, chamrocck said:

I tend to agree with this.  I think we are going to try to outscore opponents and will be a defense wanting to create turnovers because that gives our offense another drive to put up points and have more points than the opponent at the end of the game.  Could be some shootouts.  I have to admit...Bookie would have been a starting CB in this defense...that did cross my mind.  Wonder how much time he gets early at OU.  I do think this defense over time will attract some athletes we haven't had on defense in awhile.  

Blades as well. I have no doubt in my mind that he’d be CB1 here this year.

 

There’s no use thinking about what could have beens, but Bookie and Blades are two that I think would instantly transform our defense with at least 3 years of special plays. Oh well, onto better things!

[Sker fer life]

22 hours ago, Moiraine said:

I noticed and assumed they decided to only use it for real games. I'm not attached to "Can You Feel It" and we didn't have a kickoff.

They should replace "Can you feel it" with "The Red" by Chevelle. 

[Making Chimichangas]

3 hours ago, DrunkOffPunch said:

Imagine two semis going 30mph and colliding, then switch out one of those semis for a mid-size car. It’s more about physics than toughness.

 

I get what you're saying...I still think it's over-stated.  

[Sker fer life]

4 hours ago, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

Anyone else concerned about Gebbia's weight? He looks to be about 180 lbs. soaking wet. I just don't know how many big hits he's going to be able to take.

Yes, he looks frail to me.

[gobiggergoredder]

4 hours ago, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

Anyone else concerned about Gebbia's weight? He looks to be about 180 lbs. soaking wet. I just don't know how many big hits he's going to be able to take.

The QB for that team that won the peach bowl is 5’11” and 177 lbs.  I heard the offense this new coach is bring in is similar to that team.

[RedDenver]

9 hours ago, Toe said:

 

Martinez was the #1 rusher, while Gebbia didn't even make the stat sheet for rushers. Gebbia might be the better passer, but from what we saw yesterday, Martinez seemed like the more complete QB for this offense.

How well the QB's ran the ball is extremely difficult to assess when they're wearing green no-contact jerseys.

[Toe]

@RedDenver True, but I think it's telling that they didn't really even give Gebbia any runs.

[RedDenver]

1 minute ago, Toe said:

@RedDenver True, but I think it's telling that they didn't really even give Gebbia any runs.

I thought a lot of those plays were RPO's that the QB was making a decision as to whether to run. I only saw a couple designed QB runs. Plus it's just the spring game, so I'm not sure the QB runs really told us much other than how the guys looked.

[Moiraine]

1 hour ago, gobiggergoredder said:

The QB for that team that won the peach bowl is 5’11” and 177 lbs.  I heard the offense this new coach is bring in is similar to that team.

 

 

If Gebbia was as fast and elusive as Milton, then I'd be okay with this comparison. I find that unlikely.

[Danimal]

7 hours ago, B.B. Hemingway said:

Anybody expecting the defense to be lighting the world on fire is likely going to be disappointed. It just seems highly unlikely when you have this type offensive system on the other side of the ball. Offensively there are going to a lot of quick scoring drives, and a lot of quick 3 and outs (hopefully more of the former). So this defense will give up points, probably throughout Frost's tenure here. Where this defense will/can make a difference is by causing turnovers.

 

Yes, the more times the opposition gets the rock the more yards and points they are going to get in a game. To grade this defense you really have to look at yards per play, points per possession, and turnovers forced. 

[brophog]

 

The goal, ultimately, is not about how many points you give up....it's about outscoring the opponent. 

 

It's fascinating how different sports view analytics. Basketball, another "ball and net", alternate possession sport, figured out years ago that possession based statistics were more insightful than counting stats. In football, it's drives we are concerned about, yet we don't readily track those stats. At best, the box score may track per play stats, but that's a bit misleading if what we are really after is per drive stats.

 

UCF's defense last year is not impressive from a counting stat viewpoint, but it was very effective from a drive based efficiency viewpoint. Turnovers certainly played a big part in that, and I'm always suspicious of teams that rely too much on the bounce of the ball. What they teach, though, translates to any defense you'd want to play....play with leverage, play fast and aggressive, and bring a lot of people to the ball.

 

We saw a glimpse of that in the spring game, enough of which to expect a massive improvement from where we were at.