Key Points IMHO

[Golden Balaam]

The off sides on 4th that gave Duke a first.

The two early drives that resulted in FGs not TDs

These are the key moments that changed the game for GT yesterday because of the shift on points. We have a defense that can get us off the field occasionally, but not regularly. The reality is we will have to outscore our opponents each week - no matter who we play. We get behind and we don't play to our strengths because of the time factor. We can score quickly - but these types scenarios are not favorable to our defense and that is the real issue - not the "2 minute drill".

Another quick thought......
I saw, on another board, the question around why MS St has advanced so far compared to us since we played them last and won fairly easily. My response to this is simple - I believe their QB is in his 2nd year of significant playing time. The QB is key and his experience in their system is paying off after a mediocre year last year.

JT is way ahead of where Dak was in his first year. Does that mean that we will be Top5 next year? No Does that mean we give up on this year? No It just shows that experience matters and that a year from now experience will make JT even better than he is now. The pieces are coming together and help his on the way for the defense. We can and will have a great remainder season, and the future is even brighter.

 

[bartoma]

"The reality is we will have to outscore our opponents each week - no matter who we play."

Well, yes - that's the whole idea, I suppose...

 

[motynes]

Because MSU's defense is unbelievably talented as well. Their defensive line is amazing and they rotate 8 players that are all stout.

 

[jeffgt14]

Because MSU's defense is unbelievably talented as well. Their defensive line is amazing and they rotate 8 players that are all stout.

This is 100000% correct. Their O-Line is as well.

 

[DvilleJacket]

I thought Dline showed some progress this season up until yesterday it stepped back. Only guy I saw playing hard was Freeman.

 

[RamblinCharger]

Msst recruits in the top 20 every year and has a good fan base. Very different. They always just needed a good coach to support that could recruit and they've got it now.

 

[LongforDodd]

Yes MS St is in the Special Ed Conference and they can recruit to that advantage.

 

[motynes]

I really haven't been too disappointed in the DL. I've been disappointed in the LBers and I truly hate the 4-2-5 defense. Duke pounded the ball and we couldn't stop it and that sucked. I wish Anthony Harrell would get more action as he is much more of a run stopper. Our LBers miss way too many tackles.

 

[4NatlChmps]

Completely agree on LBers missing tackles and looking in wrong gaps? Wtf, it's every game? That said, #1 still seems to be out of position on every play that gets to second level.....but most frustrating is ABSOLUTELY NO PASS RUSH FROM FRONT 4!!!!

 

[gtg936g]

Our safeties get sucked inside and burned quite easily. By my count we have 10 eligible DL players. If we have to bring 5 or 6 we might as well go back to the 4-3. Gostis gets double most of the times. I would be in favor of playing Simmons more just because of his quickness.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Not agreeing with premise but if our backers are a weakness....4-2-5 makes more sense than a 4-3. Davis is good IMO. Nealy is one of our best D players this year. I have been a bit disappointed thus far in Marcordes but only b/c of preseason hype. Harrell doesn't have ideal speed or quicks for LB IMO. 4-2-5 makes sense due to our talent IMO.

 

[gtg936g]

I think our LBs are doing okay. I think it looks like they are out of their position because the DL does not hold their positions. All I am saying is that if you are going to roll a safety down to stop the run and you have to bring the LBs to get pressure, you have defeated the coverage/speed advantage of the 4-2-5.

Ideally the 4-2-5 would allow you to play tighter coverage in the slot by having the 2 LBs stop the run, and allowing the safety to help over the top. If the front 6 can't stop the run we (IMO) would be better off having more muscle in the on the field.

 

[Boomergump]

Regardless of scheme 4-3, or 4-2-5, do you guys realize how undersized we are as a defense? We are small. That is why we are getting pounded. Think about it. At DT, we have a natural DE (Gotsis) and a 6-0, 280 pounder (Green). At DE we have four guys rotating, all of whom are about the size of average LBs. At one of our LBs we have Davis who is short and 210 pounds. When he subbed out it was Noble coming in (against Duke)I believe. The secondary group is about average in size, but Johnson and Golden aren't exactly enforcers in run support. Heck, back in 1990 we had a guy playing safety (Ken Swilling) who was bigger than everybody but the guys we have at DT now. If that doesn't put it in perspective for you I don't know what will.

Effort is not the problem, or at least not consistently the problem. Travis, Freeman, Gotsis, and Green are all pretty high effort guys, it is just that they are giving up a ton of size. When they are going against guys who are soft and large (VT and TwoLane) it isn't that big a deal, but UM and DUKE have big guys that are also athletes on the interior. It is a tough match up for us most games.

One guy I am learning to miss is Brandon Watts. He was a good combo player who could line up and defend the run fairly well, blitz the QB, or cover most slot guys pretty well. This year, we have given up the size with the nickel guy and we haven't (at least recently) gained much in coverage in doing so. That position has been burned a good bit the last couple games.

 

[awbuzz]

Because MSU's defense is unbelievably talented as well. Their defensive line is amazing and they rotate 8 players that are all stout.

This! Makes a BIG difference.

 

[gtg936g]

I will say that our D may match up better against UNC than Duke. UNC is going to try to run a lot of plays, and snap the ball quick. If we can tackle I think we will be okay. We are going to need the best game from our back 7 in terms of coverage and tackling though.

 

[swampsting]

Isaiah should be an enforcer in run support.
The linebackers were terrible yesterday in their primary role, stopping the run.
If you can fog a mirror, you have half of the admission requirements for a Mississippi State football player covered.
Yeah, their D line depth is better - PJ even alluded to it during last Monday's radio show about how many D line guys had left/were asked to leave in the offseason.

Laskey's fumble on the first drive of the second half cannot be overlooked. We were moving the football and very likely would have taken the lead, either with another field goal and hopefully a TD. But the fumble came at midfield and two-point deficit became a two-score deficit.

I still think if Zenon had taken his route toward the back of the end zone and given JT more room to drop that ball in, it's a completion and a TD. There was nobody anywhere near Zenon on the wheel route, but JT didn't have the best angle to try to get it to him. They need to be able to signal each other/read each other to turn that into a takeoff route to give JT a better shot. Because that thing, if completed, had six written all over it.

So, in sum, played like crap, missed a FG (albeit a long one) and a two-point try, and came within a smidgen of potentially winning the game? The margin for error is small, has been small and will remain small. But we were all waiting for that game where we come out and step on our cranks. Hope we just saw it.

Let's go finish 11-1 and take it to Free Seafood University in the ACCCG and kick some backside in the playoffs.