Sanford game thread.

[The Jackal]

The thing I like the most (besides the big gain), is the internal clock on Johanning, Tomlin, and Abrams. They held blocks as long as they needed to and then broke free down field. Tomlin actually looks for someone to block, and finding that the Samford defenders were running the wrong way, just took off downfield.

Gutsy call by the OC. I'm sure by that point they felt pretty confident that Samford was likely going to over-pursue the ball. Any time, though, you are lateraling the ball backwards 6 yards into your own backfield you hold your breath. Sisson just manages to get the pitch off before the Samford DT was on him.

I'm sure the Samford DE had an "OS moment" when he looked up and saw Deluca screaming around the edge and he was 5 yards out of position to even slow him down.

[The Jackal]

Oh, another wrinkle I hand't noticed the first few times. The tailback on the Deluca option is Kendall Thomas.

I had a little concern in the VMI game that Furman was getting too predictable with Thomas. He's an electric back with excellent receiving skills, but Furman tends to insert him in the game when they want to try to break a play to the outside, typically with a simple pitch option.

This is a good job by the OC of springing a trap. Furman changes personnel and uses a formation and action signaling to Samford that we are doing exactly what they think we are going to do - run option outside with Thomas. They get the entire defense flowing that way and then send the ball back the other direction.

[DeepPurple]

I hope this is the game that sparks us into the direction we want to go. We have had a couple weeks of more men in the box than we have hats to block them (at times). We ought to be getting where we recognize these looks and have a plan for attacking. I like our RPO game going forward. This is a process. You don't read a lot of excuses from our crowd, just see them working to get better. Go FU!

[gofurman]

Oh, another wrinkle I hand't noticed the first few times. The tailback on the Deluca option is Kendall Thomas.

I had a little concern in the VMI game that Furman was getting too predictable with Thomas. He's an electric back with excellent receiving skills, but Furman tends to insert him in the game when they want to try to break a play to the outside, typically with a simple pitch option.

This is a good job by the OC of springing a trap. Furman changes personnel and uses a formation and action signaling to Samford that we are doing exactly what they think we are going to do - run option outside with Thomas. They get the entire defense flowing that way and then send the ball back the other direction.

That's a good catch Jackal.. I am not going back to look at the play as I certainly trust you. I too had thought in VMI - A) insert Thomas B) here we go for the edge. No matter the speed it just gets too predictable at some point. Glad to see us use it as a decoy once.

I always say I want nothing more than to run between tackles and basic plays for 5 yds a carry w no deception - IE, FU v Western. I want a boring domination. But that's just not realistic right now. we still need some deception and plays to open up the run. Like in OT, one good pass.. easy run to the endzone on next play !

[The Jackal]

There's plenty of big plays from Saturday that are going to make defenses think twice before crashing hard against our run game.

We can still have a boring run-heavy game, we just need to have options available to punish teams that want to overcommit.

[AstroDin]

DeLuca in three games has:
3 carries for 34 yards
13 catches for 285 yards (21.92 yards per catch) and one touchdown
DeLuca is proving to be a tough cover match for an entire game. He seems to turn it up a gear in the 4th quarter.

Ryan Miller has been a scoring machine.
7 catches for 141 yards and 4 touchdowns.
I'm curious if we'll see Miller as a rushing ball carrier.

It was also a good sign seeing Bell catch the ball in space.
We've yet to see him really get loose, same for Kendall Thomas.
Both will get their moment, and then lookout!

[The Jackal]

DeLuca in three games has:
3 carries for 34 yards
13 catches for 285 yards (21.92 yards per catch) and one touchdown
DeLuca is proving to be a tough cover match for an entire game. He seems to turn it up a gear in the 4th quarter.

Ryan Miller has been a scoring machine.
7 catches for 141 yards and 4 touchdowns.
I'm curious if we'll see Miller as a rushing ball carrier.

It was also a good sign seeing Bell catch the ball in space.
We've yet to see him really get loose, same for Kendall Thomas.
Both will get their moment, and then lookout!

Miller was 4 yards from giving us two 100 yard receivers for the game. I'm sure it's happened recently and I don't remember it, but that seems like a "don't see this every day" type of plateau.