NC A&T - Sept. 4

[tim]

They have a good team but not having played in 2 years, I can't imagine them showing it. Timing alone should be a major problem. For them, its an opening game x 2.

[apaladin]

Well I guess I coulda lied and said I expect us to win by 2 scores. Of course I hope I am totally wrong and we win by many but after watching us lose by 3 tds to a 1-9 Citadel team 3 months ago I admit I don’t have much confidence. Shoot me. There are many unknown factors that may or may not play a part:
1. A&T not playing for almost 2 years.
2. A&T will be starting a local guy making his first college start.
3. A&T their size and spped.
4. FU will be starting a revised and mostly new OL.
5. FU Hamp Sisson
6. FU can we run the ball?
Regardless I can’t wait for Sept. 4th to see what happens.

[The Jackal]

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sport ... 05048.html

[The Jackal]

Dacquari Wilson will lead an experienced and talented offensive line at N.C. A&T

https://journalnow.com/sports/college/d ... e5a79.html

[The Jackal]

This A&T fan has done a preview of the Aggie football team in a few installments.

It's a useful read, though certainly written to make the 2021 Aggies sound like the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

https://bluedeathvalley.com/2021-bdv-fo ... ew-part-3/

https://bluedeathvalley.com/2021-bdv-fo ... ew-part-2/

https://bluedeathvalley.com/2021-bdv-fo ... ew-part-1/


Just reading these reports, it would appear that A&T leans heavily on the transfer portal to fill out their roster. For instance, it looks like they rely on multiple transfers at every level of their defense (I count five or more just on the defensive line).

They do return a good number of players with game experience, but with the pandemic and eligibility changes, I think you can say that about every team on Furman's schedule. I expect everyone (Furman included) will boast about how many returning letterman they have.

Two areas where they may have some inexperience is at OT and QB. The matchup between A&T's new OTs and Adrian Hope may be one to watch. It's a tough draw for a first time starter slotting in for the first game action in two years to face up with one of the nation's best pass rushers.

[The Jackal]

A fourth https://bluedeathvalley.com/2021-bdv-fo ... ew-part-4/

[apaladin]

It's a useful read, though certainly written to make the 2021 Aggies sound like the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

To be honest our previews read the same way.

[apaladin]

Now for something that concerns us all. THE WEATHER:
Of course it will change 15 times between now and next Saturday.
Mostky sunny 87 for a high and winds 5-10 mph with virtually no chance of rain(4%). Lowest rain chance for the next 2 weeks. For Labor Day weekend I will take that. Lock it in.

[The Jackal]

Now for something that concerns us all. THE WEATHER:
Of course it will change 15 times between now and next Saturday.
Mostky sunny 87 for a high and winds 5-10 mph with virtually no chance of rain(4%). Lowest ra8n chance for the next 2 weeks. For Labor Day weekend I will take that. Lock it in.

Give me sunny, hot, and high humidity and let’s put our conditioning up against theirs.

[Roundball]

This is a good band and a very nice addition to pre-game activities.

[apaladin]

Now for something that concerns us all. THE WEATHER:
Of course it will change 15 times between now and next Saturday.
Mostky sunny 87 for a high and winds 5-10 mph with virtually no chance of rain(4%). Lowest ra8n chance for the next 2 weeks. For Labor Day weekend I will take that. Lock it in.

Give me sunny, hot, and high humidity and let’s put our conditioning up against theirs.

Never understood this line of thinking which is common. Every team works just as hard as FU. I think its more about the Jimmys and Joes.

[Thorny]

Now for something that concerns us all. THE WEATHER:
Of course it will change 15 times between now and next Saturday.
Mostky sunny 87 for a high and winds 5-10 mph with virtually no chance of rain(4%). Lowest ra8n chance for the next 2 weeks. For Labor Day weekend I will take that. Lock it in.

Give me sunny, hot, and high humidity and let’s put our conditioning up against theirs.

Never understood this line of thinking which is common. Every team works just as hard as FU. I think its more about the Jimmys and Joes.

Maybe due to depth we have more Jimmys and Joes.

[Roundball]

A lot can change between now and Saturday, but the NWS has the Saturday morning low temperature at 60. with a high of 85 and lower humidity. Give us that, please.

[The Jackal]

Now for something that concerns us all. THE WEATHER:
Of course it will change 15 times between now and next Saturday.
Mostky sunny 87 for a high and winds 5-10 mph with virtually no chance of rain(4%). Lowest ra8n chance for the next 2 weeks. For Labor Day weekend I will take that. Lock it in.

Give me sunny, hot, and high humidity and let’s put our conditioning up against theirs.

Never understood this line of thinking which is common. Every team works just as hard as FU. I think its more about the Jimmys and Joes.

I am not sure what is complicated about this. Every team works hard, but not every team conditions the same.

No team can truly recreate game speed conditions in practice. Especially early in the season, the heat can take its toll on fitness and depth - you'll frequently see guys cramping up in the second half, defensive linemen on a knee in between plays, and some heavier legs out there. It won't show up in the first quarter. It will show up midway through the second half.

Furman is going to rotate a lot of players into the game on both sides of the ball Saturday. Our second and third lines at many positions will not show much of a drop off from the first unit. That is particularly true across the defensive front, where the Paladins go three deep at many positions.

Does that play a role late in tight game? Maybe. Maybe not.

[Furmanoid]

Now for something that concerns us all. THE WEATHER:
Of course it will change 15 times between now and next Saturday.
Mostky sunny 87 for a high and winds 5-10 mph with virtually no chance of rain(4%). Lowest ra8n chance for the next 2 weeks. For Labor Day weekend I will take that. Lock it in.

Give me sunny, hot, and high humidity and let’s put our conditioning up against theirs.

Never understood this line of thinking which is common. Every team works just as hard as FU. I think its more about the Jimmys and Joes.

I am not sure what is complicated about this. Every team works hard, but not every team conditions the same.

No team can truly recreate game speed conditions in practice. Especially early in the season, the heat can take its toll on fitness and depth - you'll frequently see guys cramping up in the second half, defensive linemen on a knee in between plays, and some heavier legs out there. It won't show up in the first quarter. It will show up midway through the second half.

Furman is going to rotate a lot of players into the game on both sides of the ball Saturday. Our second and third lines at many positions will not show much of a drop off from the first unit. That is particularly true across the defensive front, where the Paladins go three deep at many positions.

Does that play a role late in tight game? Maybe. Maybe not.

I hope we do rotate the defensive line guys. It amazes me how often coaches leave the big guys out there when they are half dead. Anybody whose played a sport with something close to heat exhaustion knows that they are dipping down to maybe 70-80% performance (or lower) so the next fresh guy off the bench is better. I wouldn’t think exhausted offensive linemen would be too happy to see a completely fresh second string guy show up across from them. The OL guy might have manhandled him in the first quarter but not so much in the third.