FCS Playoffs in Spring 2021

[Paul C]

Id like to see Landon Lawrence come back too

[FurmAlum]

Would like to see McKoy come back too.

[gofurman]

several things gave The Citadel trouble playing EKU.

The EKU big back got stronger and stronger as the game went on and the DOGS had no answer in the fourth.
Furman has two 220+ backs, both can run between the tackles and catch.

The EKU quarterback had ok mobility - ended up with 57 rushing yards to go with 274 passing yards and four touchdowns. Also, Citadel got beat on two long throws over the top.
Grainger and Sisson IMO are far more effective runners, and Furman has the makings of a very good receiving corp, with a blend of speed and some size.


I'll put this on The Citadel - they put the ball on the ground a lot and EKU took away the big play-action plays.

The DINS did not show up well against the CItadel last season but I just don't see the same team. Furman has key parts back, has new pieces to blend in, and several key players got critical game experience. I hear rumors they won't play in the spring but I'd circle Chatty as the leading competition if they play. I say that not expecting a cakewalk at Mercer.

I've said this before, but Furman is some consistent QB play away from being a holy terror on offense.

Our completion percentage in 2019 was around 52%. If that completion percentage jumps to over 60% (which isn't a big ask in this offense), I think we will be a title contender.

Let's beat Citadel and Wofford and win a freakin playoff game before we throw around terms like "holy terror". WE got terrorized in the 2019 playoffs. I am aware that game snowballed vs AP but they were making us look very slow in space with their athletes last year. They did. Also, "title contender" makes me cringe a little bit for a conference that lost both games in first round last year. SoCon needs to step up and so do we. We are one of the better teams in the conference but the whole conference looks average at best nationally.

I have hope and belief that we can get there but 'title contender' is a hard one when we can't get to the quarterfinals yet in playoffs. Granted, CCH is in only his, what 4th year of coaching for us and 3rd year of recruiting(?) - joined Dec 2016... and has done a WONDERFUL job. I am just saying let's see how these next two years play out. Are we SoCon champs? Can we get to the quarterfinals/semifinals? That last one would really encourage me.

[The Jackal]

several things gave The Citadel trouble playing EKU.

The EKU big back got stronger and stronger as the game went on and the DOGS had no answer in the fourth.
Furman has two 220+ backs, both can run between the tackles and catch.

The EKU quarterback had ok mobility - ended up with 57 rushing yards to go with 274 passing yards and four touchdowns. Also, Citadel got beat on two long throws over the top.
Grainger and Sisson IMO are far more effective runners, and Furman has the makings of a very good receiving corp, with a blend of speed and some size.


I'll put this on The Citadel - they put the ball on the ground a lot and EKU took away the big play-action plays.

The DINS did not show up well against the CItadel last season but I just don't see the same team. Furman has key parts back, has new pieces to blend in, and several key players got critical game experience. I hear rumors they won't play in the spring but I'd circle Chatty as the leading competition if they play. I say that not expecting a cakewalk at Mercer.

I've said this before, but Furman is some consistent QB play away from being a holy terror on offense.

Our completion percentage in 2019 was around 52%. If that completion percentage jumps to over 60% (which isn't a big ask in this offense), I think we will be a title contender.

Let's beat Citadel and Wofford and win a freakin playoff game before we throw around terms like "holy terror". WE got terrorized in the 2019 playoffs. I am aware that game snowballed vs AP but they were making us look very slow in space with their athletes last year. They did. Also, "title contender" makes me cringe a little bit for a conference that lost both games in first round last year. SoCon needs to step up and so do we. We are one of the better teams in the conference but the whole conference looks average at best nationally.

I have hope and belief that we can get there but 'title contender' is a hard one when we can't get to the quarterfinals yet in playoffs. Granted, CCH is in only his, what 4th year of coaching for us and 3rd year of recruiting(?) - joined Dec 2016... and has done a WONDERFUL job. I am just saying let's see how these next two years play out. Are we SoCon champs? Can we get to the quarterfinals/semifinals? That last one would really encourage me.

Here's my take on this -

Last season we averaged 33.4 ppg. The "showtime" Paladins of 2005 averaged 34.9 with Ingle Martin, Jerome Felton and a bastion of offensive weapons. Same yards per play average (6.4).

Now, it's hard to compare eras in football, but suffice to say, the 2019 offense was already statistically in the discussion with historically great Furman offensive teams. We were the SoCon's best unit on both sides of the ball. That includes playing two FBS teams.

So, then what went wrong?

Our offense struggled in 4 games (I'm throwing out Virginia Tech) - Citadel, Wofford, ETSU, APSU. Two of those games were played in the rain and wind (make of that what you will). But, from my vantage point, all four games looked very similar.

Each of those teams had a defense that could force us out of our game plan. They knew that the QB play was the weakest part of the offense, they loaded the box, brought pressure, and forced our young QBs to beat them in the air.

Now, mind you, every team attempted to do this to Furman. Against most teams, Furman is a really tough matchup up front. It was only against teams that had horses up front that was struggled, because it exposed us.

Now, do I think the Citadel is better than we are? I don't. It's clear they aren't. You can watch them for 10 minutes and see that. Do they have enough talent on defense to make sledding tough? Yes. Should they match us blow for blow? No.

Watch the Citadel game again. Our completion percentage that game was 20%. It was was 7-3 game at half time. We had plenty of opportunities and failed to capitalize.

Watch that game and you will see Furman receivers open everywhere. We just struggled to the ball to them. It was cold, rainy, windy, and the Citadel has enough talent on defense where we couldn't just shove them around up front. They kept us in our end zone and it basically was the game.

Here's an example I've cited before, but watch Deluca spin around the Citadel's DB to the point he couldn't even find him. Literally, the DB lost the WR he was juked so hard. There were examples like this over and over. Guys were open. We had the right plays called. We just couldn't get the ball to them.

Easier said than done, right?

It is my opinion that if our completion percentage ticks up and as our freshman QBs now get more comfortable in the offense, you'll see us explode. At the moment, we can push around many of teams we play. We probably don't even have to throw it. To play at that next level, though, we have to start hitting open receivers and force good defenses to back off. Once we do that, we'll pose a major threat.

[The Jackal]

Just a note. It appears that Trey Lance, NDSU's top flight QB, will declare for the NFL Draft and skip out on the spring season.

[FUBeAR]

Just a note. It appears that Trey Lance, NDSU's top flight QB, will declare for the NFL Draft and skip out on the spring season.

Some have said the only reason NDSU played a game this Fall was to showcase Lance for NFL Teams. Early in their game against UCA, Lance seemed to have ‘reins’ on him, focusing on throwing the ball & limiting the deployment of his quite exceptional talents in running the ball & scrambling. As the game appeared to be at risk, those reins seemed to be cut away & NDSU’s O became MUCH more formidable. IMO, UCA’s pulls the upset in the ‘neutered’ dome if Lance continued to be reined.

So...the next QB in line for the bizuns is a Transfer (from Iowa, I think) who, reportedly, has an accurate cannon, but, essentially, no wheels. So..maybe...just maybe...the bizun dynasty could POSSIBLY end this Spring. UCA is a good club, but as we saw in their close game with a not-very-good-looking APSU Team this Fall, they are not World-Beaters. So...if some MVFC Team or, better, 2, can beat them on the road (out of Dome) in the Spring ‘regular’ season, they still probably get an at-large, but maybe they don’t get the benefit of an All-Dome Playoff run...be pretty cool to see them come to Paladin Stadium in Round 2...and get ‘cut.’

Just doin’ some daydreamin’ while on a never-ending Zoom call... #FootballBeatsWork

[The Jackal]

Just a note. It appears that Trey Lance, NDSU's top flight QB, will declare for the NFL Draft and skip out on the spring season.

Some have said the only reason NDSU played a game this Fall was to showcase Lance for NFL Teams. Early in their game against UCA, Lance seemed to have ‘reins’ on him, focusing on throwing the ball & limiting the deployment of his quite exceptional talents in running the ball & scrambling. As the game appeared to be at risk, those reins seemed to be cut away & NDSU’s O became MUCH more formidable. IMO, UCA’s pulls the upset in the ‘neutered’ dome if Lance continued to be reined.

So...the next QB in line for the bizuns is a Transfer (from Iowa, I think) who, reportedly, has an accurate cannon, but, essentially, no wheels. So..maybe...just maybe...the bizun dynasty could POSSIBLY end this Spring. UCA is a good club, but as we saw in their close game with a not-very-good-looking APSU Team this Fall, they are not World-Beaters. So...if some MVFC Team or, better, 2, can beat them on the road (out of Dome) in the Spring ‘regular’ season, they still probably get an at-large, but maybe they don’t get the benefit of an All-Dome Playoff run...be pretty cool to see them come to Paladin Stadium in Round 2...and get ‘cut.’

Just doin’ some daydreamin’ while on a never-ending Zoom call... #FootballBeatsWork

Iowa State.

As you would expect from a quarterback that transferred from Iowa State to North Dakota State, he's from Watkinsville, Georgia.

[apaladin]

Another conference has announced their spring schedule. The OVC begins Feb. 21st. I’m sure the SoCon will be last to announce.
https://fbschedules.com/ovc-football-sc ... -released/

[Davemeister]

Another conference has announced their spring schedule. The OVC begins Feb. 21st. I’m sure the SoCon will be last to announce.
https://fbschedules.com/ovc-football-sc ... -released/

Sunday games? Think the SoCon may follow suit?

[Flagman]

Another conference has announced their spring schedule. The OVC begins Feb. 21st. I’m sure the SoCon will be last to announce.
https://fbschedules.com/ovc-football-sc ... -released/

Sunday games? Think the SoCon may follow suit?

I, for one, certainly hope not. I'm not sure my church would let me take off 8 straight weeks.

[The Jackal]

Another conference has announced their spring schedule. The OVC begins Feb. 21st. I’m sure the SoCon will be last to announce.
https://fbschedules.com/ovc-football-sc ... -released/

Sunday games? Think the SoCon may follow suit?

I, for one, certainly hope not. I'm not sure my church would let me take off 8 straight weeks.

It would seem almost a formality at this point given how many universities at this level have shared facilities. You can't have two different sports playing on the same field at the same time. I think at least some of the facilities in the SoCon (UTC, for instance) are in municipally owned facilities that likely have other non-SoCon stuff scheduled.

Others with athletic administration experience (there are a few of you on here) may have some insight into the complexity of trying to pull off having two sports seasons playing simultaneously.

[apaladin]

I’m sure the OVC has, by announcing their schedule, already secured national TV contracts so that could be the reason for the Sunday games. Too much national competition from college basketball on Saturdays at that time. When they go back to Saturday’s ESPN will be through with CBB and in need of programming. By the SoCon dragging their feet on releasing a schedule all the national TV slots will be taken. The SoCon leadership is really bad. Does anyone even know who the Commish is? The SoCon commish has to be the easiest job in the country. Do nothing and get paid big bucks.

[Furmanoid]

Another conference has announced their spring schedule. The OVC begins Feb. 21st. I’m sure the SoCon will be last to announce.
https://fbschedules.com/ovc-football-sc ... -released/

Sunday games? Think the SoCon may follow suit?

I, for one, certainly hope not. I'm not sure my church would let me take off 8 straight weeks.

It would seem almost a formality at this point given how many universities at this level have shared facilities. You can't have two different sports playing on the same field at the same time. I think at least some of the facilities in the SoCon (UTC, for instance) are in municipally owned facilities that likely have other non-SoCon stuff scheduled.

Others with athletic administration experience (there are a few of you on here) may have some insight into the complexity of trying to pull off having two sports seasons playing simultaneously.

I get what you are saying, but who, other than football, uses a football stadium? Soccer and maybe track some places? Where in America would there be a shortage of nearby track and soccer facilities that could be rented cheap from municipalities or high schools? I think your average Rec Dept manager or high school AD could schedule this stuff pretty easily.

[FUBeAR]

Another conference has announced their spring schedule. The OVC begins Feb. 21st. I’m sure the SoCon will be last to announce.
https://fbschedules.com/ovc-football-sc ... -released/

Sunday games? Think the SoCon may follow suit?

I, for one, certainly hope not. I'm not sure my church would let me take off 8 straight weeks.

It would seem almost a formality at this point given how many universities at this level have shared facilities. You can't have two different sports playing on the same field at the same time. I think at least some of the facilities in the SoCon (UTC, for instance) are in municipally owned facilities that likely have other non-SoCon stuff scheduled.

Others with athletic administration experience (there are a few of you on here) may have some insight into the complexity of trying to pull off having two sports seasons playing simultaneously.

I get what you are saying, but who, other than football, uses a football stadium? Soccer and maybe track some places? Where in America would there be a shortage of nearby track and soccer facilities that could be rented cheap from municipalities or high schools? I think your average Rec Dept manager or high school AD could schedule this stuff pretty easily.

I believe FU Women’s LAX is still ‘a thing’ and uses Paladin Stadium as their Home Field
Mercer Men’s & Women’s LAX use 5 Star Stadium as their Home Field
VMI definitely has a track around their Football Stadium & both a Men’s and Women’s Track Team

While Football is obviously the most important sport for any school, as it should be , the LAX & Track peeps just don’t see it that way. They think that stadium was built for them & that they allow Football to share it with them...Much like the WCU Band believes the 1st half of WCU Football home games are just to give the fans something to do while they tune up and the 2nd half is played only to keep from having all of their fans leave at once following their performance and cause a traffic jam in Cullowhee.

In other words, they ain’t about sharing. It’s a challenge - not an insurmountable challenge, but facilities, like event staffing & security are challenges as well.

[FurmAlum]

Another conference has announced their spring schedule. The OVC begins Feb. 21st. I’m sure the SoCon will be last to announce.
https://fbschedules.com/ovc-football-sc ... -released/

Sunday games? Think the SoCon may follow suit?

I, for one, certainly hope not. I'm not sure my church would let me take off 8 straight weeks.

Oh come on Flagman, that's what Associate Pastor's are for. Or you could do your sermon virtually direct from Paladin Stadium.