What did we learn? Fordham Edition

[CheeseHusker]

- Returns are still a glaring problem
- Stepp is probably the best running back
- I still get a special feeling inside when I see a successful option play

- Lines looked terrible early, but greatly improved as the game went on

- Did the coaches actually make successful adjustments?

 

[ndobney]

I still get a special feeling inside when I see a successful option play

More option you say?

 

[CheeseHusker]

More option you say?

Ha..... yeah, if it's there - it's like anything else, if it's working you run it into the ground. I don't know if it works against the better defenses on our schedule, but it would be fun to try. I really liked it when Smothers was running it; I had some Crouch flashbacks.

 

[krc1995]

More option you say?

Me likie Amart on the move. 

 

[BoSolich]

i didn't learn much tbh. we still look like a 5 win team to me at best.

if martinez can take care of the ball and make the easy throws then maybe we are a 6 or 7 win team, but there's no evidence he can do that consistently. 

the lack of playmakers on offense and defense is pretty glaring.

and with recruiting looking pretty bad right now, it's hard to imagine frost will be back barring a miracle run this season.

 

[Jpetermbb]

Stepp, Toure, Martin, Manning, and Allen should be one of the better groups of skill position players in the conference

 

[Lorewarn]

I learned Cam loses about 50 IQ points when he's not playing cornerback :lol: two of the most dumbfounding and so-bad-they're-hilarious mistakes I've ever seen from a punt returner.

Not a 'learned' but I absolutely loved when we threw that quick dump to Allen, and then we came out and ran the exact same play again. Good attitude, good decision, good execution.

At the end of the day it was Fordham, but look, outside of CTB and one bad handoff exchange, we played nearly completely mistake free football. I'll take it.

 

[The Dude]

This is kinda what I expected to do to teams like Iowa and Minnesota in year 2.

I still don't know what happened. 

 

[BoSolich]

Stepp, Toure, Martin, Manning, and Allen should be one of the better groups of skill position players in the conference

idk about that. our running backs all look pretty average right now. manning is physically big but was struggling to outrun players on fordham. allen is a big target, but a little slow. toure has looked good, but i am curious to see how good he is against better competition.

 

[RedSavage]

-We won like we were supposed to.  Haven’t seen that in years, sadly. 

-Stepp is the best back

-Martinez can game, when the game is going his way

-The OL may have shown improvement.  Hard to judge when you’re playing Rumham

-CTB needs to never be our punt returner ever again

The biggest and only positive thing I think I can say so far about this coaching staff is in the last two games they’ve significantly cleaned up the penalties…I think we had 2 today? I realize what happened agains Illinois but about half of our penalties last week were bs.  We’re not seeing the constant false starts, etc that we’ve pretty much become numb to *knocks on tree stump*

 

[Jpetermbb]

idk about that. our running backs all look pretty average right now. manning is physically big but was struggling to outrun players on fordham. allen is a big target, but a little slow. toure has looked good, but i am curious to see how good he is against better competition.

Agreed on Stepp in that he has to show more, but i cant think of too many teams in the BIG not named OSU that have the potential quality skills guys we could have. Obviously short on data points with only two games, but i like oir ability to move the ball IF Adrian is given time

 

[The Duke]

Ha..... yeah, if it's there - it's like anything else, if it's working you run it into the ground. I don't know if it works against the better defenses on our schedule, but it would be fun to try. I really liked it when Smothers was running it; I had some Crouch flashbacks.

I had the same feeling. There was one play in particular that caught my attention where Smothers was going up the sideline, and just made a sudden quick burst into another gear.

He might have similar straight line speed to Crouch, but I'm not sure anyone will match Crouch's agility at changing directions while at top speed.

I would still definitely prefer to see us bring back the fullback & I-back at some point in the future while running the option (because I believe it still works), but any kind of option is fine with me no matter what formation they use as long as they are executing it at a high level.

They have utilized that Pistol option with the Orbit/Jet-Motion enough in these first two games to where I believe it it is not just a gimmick but will be a real part of our offense going forward.

I can't help but think Frost is holding a few new wrinkles back to use for the Oklahoma game.

 

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

I learned that Frost will likely survive the season, but it's basically just prolonging the inevitable. Take Buffalo and the points next week, no matter the spread.

 

[The Dude]

The OL may have shown improvement.  Hard to judge when you’re playing Rumham

 

[NoLongerN]

Had no desire to watch this game.  Was surprised when I saw the score.  Good for them.  Then I saw Illinois and them losing to USTA and it sort of put it all into perspective for me.