Game 4 - Mercer

[apaladin]

Just checked the ticket site and even though it is Family Weekend, which is usually good for attendance, there are a lot of tickets left on the home side. Mercer doesn't travel well so not much help there. Was hoping for at least 8k but that is in doubt now. Hopefully sales will pick up the next couple of days.

Noticed that too, hopefully the walk-up will be decent with nice weather in store

I have noticed that attendance at college games is becoming a problem everywhere. Did you know that Clempson did not have a single sellout last year and that included the SC game? When SC and NC played in Charlotte the first game of the year they played before thousands of empty seats. That is 2 large state universities an hour and a half from Charlotte and it was pitiful attendance. I really think this is a downward trend being experienced by most everyone if not all. I think the proliferation of TV, where you can now watch virtually every game from the comfort of your living room is the main culprit.

[gofurman]

Hope we have a nice crowd. Furman vs Mercer is a bargain. It has been a great nail biter every year.

i HATE nail biters. I want to crush them and be bored out of my mind. NDSU wins titles because most of their season is boring - just like Clemson

[gofurman]

The disconcerting part is that what Peay did in the 4th qtr "sitting back in zone and not wanting to give up a quick score" is what FU does the entire game.

I swear this line of argument is going to drive me off the deep end.

Here are VT's passing stats from Saturday.

PASSING
Total (Net) 123
Comp.-Att.-Int.: 17-21-1
Avg. / Att. 5.9
Avg. / Comp. 7.2
TDs 1

That doesn't even include 4 sacks.

If folks want to criticize the pass defense, that's fine. Just don't criticize the pass defense against Georgia State and completely ignore the overwhelming job Furman did against the Hokies.

I think you are being a little purple glasses. The VT coach said before the game he wanted to use our game to improve their running. They were gonna run first (like us) as opposed to GSU - in comparing those stats you have to look at both the strengths of both teams and what their objective was -granted, I still felt we did a strong job defending the passing game of VT but even there the pick was a clear overthrow to a wide open recvr. But overall a good showing for sure. I hope (and do think) we won't see a QB like GSU had again

Also, FUBeAR is right - I think you have to look at all games.. not just APS. Mercer has two guys above Thomas Gordon.. Duden and Connor.

[gofurman]

In looking back at the yearly interception leaders for Furman ... we haven't had a player with more than 2 since 2015 or more than 4 since 2002. And this is in an era of teams throwing it around much more than they did in the 70s, 80s and even 90s. The national individual leader in the category already has 3 this year and in past years the average is usually 7-9.

As a team, the Paladins haven't averaged at least one INT a game since 2013 and haven't had more than two consecutive years with at least an average of one INT a game since 2002-2004.

Hopefully someone smarter than me can tell us what these numbers mean, but it's hard not to think that it says that we sit back in pass coverage a lot and hope the other team makes a mistake before reaching the end zone. That philosophy works just fine against running teams like VT, but doesn't appear to work quite as well against pass-first teams like Georgia State as an example.

Before I get jumped I want to say I have seen massive improvement in Furman in 3 areas (esp OL). MASSIVE. Run offense, Pass offense, Run defense. Run O and Run D being CCH stated objective. And that wins. However, I too have not noticed great coverage improvement. Pass rush - yes! Hope etc are starting to get us there and that really helps. I don't care if one particular guy gets a bunch of INTs. I want our beloved TEAM to get some INTs. You could basically measure our two halves against VT by the turnovers - 2 For us in first half, 2 against us in second half. And if we are good at Run D - which we are!!! we should have the chance to jump routes on 3rd and 11 for chances at INTs (like Jackal said). But we usually don't get them. We do sometimes stop the drive and I am more than happy with that. Look, I will be elated if we can beat Mercer. Elated ! But overall one thing we need to work on is coverage in the backfield. I do understand that we are young in backfield but not really at CB where Blackshear RFr has been playing great and Trapp is a Senior from Clemson. The Safeties are a little young in that Okeh is a Senior but Ryan (talented but young) is a Tru Freshman

the underlined is a key in business and sports - to 'hope' the other team makes a mistake instead of making things happen in our own control is a dangerous way to go about things. I doubt Coca-Cola allows a business plan of 'hoping' Pepsi doesn't advertise well. I heard one of our former asst coaches speak to this and say they didn't think the other team could make it down the field over 11 plays without a mistake. And I have heard former players cringe at this. You are now saying we are letting the opponent dictate the game. If they can do it, they win. If they can't, we win. WE need to dictate the game. Again, I actually heard (granted, years ago in prior coaching regime - not these coaches) an asst of ours say this. FURMAN needs to take aggression and win the game. Don't HOPE the other team makes a mistake -force them into mistakes and hit the QB

Anyway, Go Furman !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FurmAlum]

Your prob right about the TV proliferation (I lernd that wurd wif my FU libural arts educashun), but another factor is how long the games take! 3 Hours minimum and if you have 2 throwing teams 3 1/2. Add on the ridiculous time it takes for "plays under review". I want to throw up every time I here that phrase.(The only plays they don't review are when we intercept a pass or recover a fumble against an FBS team.) And then you have 3 minutes of commercials every time play stops or somebody farts!!!

I would still rather go to a game in person than watch one on TV. HaHa.

[FUPlayer74]

In looking back at the yearly interception leaders for Furman ... we haven't had a player with more than 2 since 2015 or more than 4 since 2002. And this is in an era of teams throwing it around much more than they did in the 70s, 80s and even 90s. The national individual leader in the category already has 3 this year and in past years the average is usually 7-9.

As a team, the Paladins haven't averaged at least one INT a game since 2013 and haven't had more than two consecutive years with at least an average of one INT a game since 2002-2004.

Hopefully someone smarter than me can tell us what these numbers mean, but it's hard not to think that it says that we sit back in pass coverage a lot and hope the other team makes a mistake before reaching the end zone. That philosophy works just fine against running teams like VT, but doesn't appear to work quite as well against pass-first teams like Georgia State as an example.

Before I get jumped I want to say I have seen massive improvement in Furman in 3 areas (esp OL). MASSIVE. Run offense, Pass offense, Run defense. Run O and Run D being CCH stated objective. And that wins. However, I too have not noticed great coverage improvement. Pass rush - yes! Hope etc are starting to get us there and that really helps. I don't care if one particular guy gets a bunch of INTs. I want our beloved TEAM to get some INTs. You could basically measure our two halves against VT by the turnovers - 2 For us in first half, 2 against us in second half. And if we are good at Run D - which we are!!! we should have the chance to jump routes on 3rd and 11 for chances at INTs (like Jackal said). But we usually don't get them. We do sometimes stop the drive and I am more than happy with that. Look, I will be elated if we can beat Mercer. Elated ! But overall one thing we need to work on is coverage in the backfield. I do understand that we are young in backfield but not really at CB where Blackshear RFr has been playing great and Trapp is a Senior from Clemson. The Safeties are a little young in that Okeh is a Senior but Ryan (talented but young) is a Tru Freshman

the underlined is a key in business and sports - to 'hope' the other team makes a mistake instead of making things happen in our own control is a dangerous way to go about things. I doubt Coca-Cola allows a business plan of 'hoping' Pepsi doesn't advertise well. I heard one of our former asst coaches speak to this and say they didn't think the other team could make it down the field over 11 plays without a mistake. And I have heard former players cringe at this. You are now saying we are letting the opponent dictate the game. If they can do it, they win. If they can't, we win. WE need to dictate the game. Again, I actually heard (granted, years ago in prior coaching regime - not these coaches) an asst of ours say this. FURMAN needs to take aggression and win the game. Don't HOPE the other team makes a mistake -force them into mistakes and hit the QB

Anyway, Go Furman !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope plays for Furman. Which is a good thing. And I hope the other team makes mistakes and Hope hits the QB!

[gofurman]

In looking back at the yearly interception leaders for Furman ... we haven't had a player with more than 2 since 2015 or more than 4 since 2002. And this is in an era of teams throwing it around much more than they did in the 70s, 80s and even 90s. The national individual leader in the category already has 3 this year and in past years the average is usually 7-9.

As a team, the Paladins haven't averaged at least one INT a game since 2013 and haven't had more than two consecutive years with at least an average of one INT a game since 2002-2004.

Hopefully someone smarter than me can tell us what these numbers mean, but it's hard not to think that it says that we sit back in pass coverage a lot and hope the other team makes a mistake before reaching the end zone. That philosophy works just fine against running teams like VT, but doesn't appear to work quite as well against pass-first teams like Georgia State as an example.

Before I get jumped I want to say I have seen massive improvement in Furman in 3 areas (esp OL). MASSIVE. Run offense, Pass offense, Run defense. Run O and Run D being CCH stated objective. And that wins. However, I too have not noticed great coverage improvement. Pass rush - yes! Hope etc are starting to get us there and that really helps. I don't care if one particular guy gets a bunch of INTs. I want our beloved TEAM to get some INTs. You could basically measure our two halves against VT by the turnovers - 2 For us in first half, 2 against us in second half. And if we are good at Run D - which we are!!! we should have the chance to jump routes on 3rd and 11 for chances at INTs (like Jackal said). But we usually don't get them. We do sometimes stop the drive and I am more than happy with that. Look, I will be elated if we can beat Mercer. Elated ! But overall one thing we need to work on is coverage in the backfield. I do understand that we are young in backfield but not really at CB where Blackshear RFr has been playing great and Trapp is a Senior from Clemson. The Safeties are a little young in that Okeh is a Senior but Ryan (talented but young) is a Tru Freshman

the underlined is a key in business and sports - to 'hope' the other team makes a mistake instead of making things happen in our own control is a dangerous way to go about things. I doubt Coca-Cola allows a business plan of 'hoping' Pepsi doesn't advertise well. I heard one of our former asst coaches speak to this and say they didn't think the other team could make it down the field over 11 plays without a mistake. And I have heard former players cringe at this. You are now saying we are letting the opponent dictate the game. If they can do it, they win. If they can't, we win. WE need to dictate the game. Again, I actually heard (granted, years ago in prior coaching regime - not these coaches) an asst of ours say this. FURMAN needs to take aggression and win the game. Don't HOPE the other team makes a mistake -force them into mistakes and hit the QB

Anyway, Go Furman !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope plays for Furman. Which is a good thing. And I hope the other team makes mistakes and Hope hits the QB!

well played - I HOPE so !

[DungeonRealm]

[gofurman]

LOVE the article.. the math part I don't like:

"Lamb was an all-state quarterback, and without many programs in existence in the state of Georgia outside of the two power five programs in the state--Georgia Tech and Georgia--the two friends headed about 2.5 hours north on I-85 to play for Dick Sheridan at Furman. "

- as we say, you know we have to be losing a few guys (Veneziale was one who decommited from us and then chose GState over us) etc to Georgia State and KSU and Coastal etc that we would have gotten years ago bc these programs didn't exist and as a good FCS power we could get them. Sorry, that just always gets me... while the North Dakota area and the pacific northwest don't seem to ever add any programs out there. Thus NDSU and EWU and others

[gofurman]

SoCon John picks us 31-28. He sees it really close. that will give me a heart attack - lol

[Flagman]

Sagarin has us as 10 point favorites. Sagarin had Austin Peay as 2 point favorites over Mercer and we all remember how that one turned out.

[The Jackal]

Sagarin has us as 10 point favorites. Sagarin had Austin Peay as 2 point favorites over Mercer and we all remember how that one turned out.

I like our chances if we go out there and roll up our sleeves.

I noted this at the outset of this thread. If Furman wants to get back in the conversation nationally, this is the sort of game where you show it.

[gofurman]

I like our chances of we run the ball well and blitz some

[Affirm]

LOVE the article.. the math part I don't like:

"Lamb was an all-state quarterback, and without many programs in existence in the state of Georgia outside of the two power five programs in the state--Georgia Tech and Georgia--the two friends headed about 2.5 hours north on I-85 to play for Dick Sheridan at Furman. "

- as we say, you know we have to be losing a few guys (Veneziale was one who decommited from us and then chose GState over us) etc to Georgia State and KSU and Coastal etc that we would have gotten years ago bc these programs didn't exist and as a good FCS power we could get them. Sorry, that just always gets me... while the North Dakota area and the pacific northwest don't seem to ever add any programs out there. Thus NDSU and EWU and others

I'm guessing the math part you don't like is the numbers of players and the numbers of programs at FCS and FBS levels now compared to back then.
I don't like that math part either.
However, the math part of that article had something else I do not like.
Commerce, GA, to Furman University is NOT "about 2.5 hours". According to Google Maps, it is 1 hour 28 minutes now. I believe the travel time would have been 1 hour 28 minutes back then also.

[Affirm]

Your prob right about the TV proliferation (I lernd that wurd wif my FU libural arts educashun), but another factor is how long the games take! 3 Hours minimum and if you have 2 throwing teams 3 1/2. Add on the ridiculous time it takes for "plays under review". I want to throw up every time I here that phrase.(The only plays they don't review are when we intercept a pass or recover a fumble against an FBS team.) And then you have 3 minutes of commercials every time play stops or somebody farts!!!

I would still rather go to a game in person than watch one on TV. HaHa.

I agree about the length of games being a factor that works against attendance. ("another factor is how long the games take! 3 Hours minimum and if you have 2 throwing teams 3 1/2") Football absolutely involves way too much time. Those of us on UFFP probably do not mind that very much if at all. The average attendee, however, does mind it, in my opinion. I seem to remember about 2 hours 40 minutes being the time involved for a college football game.
Of course, that might have been 40 years ago. I do not see any improvement on the horizon, because television rules the business.
I would not blame anyone who is an average attendee for waiting until about 50 minutes after game time enter the stadium.