State of the football program

[The Jackal]

FYI Punt returns:
FU avg. 3.58
Opp avg. 14.38

you should rage-post this in YouTube comments during the Coach's show.

[apaladin]

FYI Punt returns:
FU avg. 3.58
Opp avg. 14.38

you should rage-post this in YouTube comments during the Coach's show.

I would but anything that is not sugar coated or actually requires an answer is ignored. Waste of time.

[Davemeister]

State of the Football Program? My vision isn't 20-20, but here's how I see it.

We dug ourselves a hole this Spring and we are struggling - in fits & starts - to climb out of it. And despite all of the Doom & Gloom, I think we are making some Progress.

About a month ago we played Mercer at Home. The Bad News Bears made us look bad on both sides of the ball in a game that I didn't think was as close as the score indicated. Last Saturday our team played #14 ETSU at Home, an outfit that by most estimations is better than Mercer. The Paladins played like a completely different team and could have (some say SHOULD have) pulled off the upset.

We CAN play better and we WILL play better.

Now let's run the numbers on the rest of the season. We are 4-3 and we have 4 games left.

If Furman wins 2 more games, we finish 6-5 and avoid a second straight losing season. This is well within our wheelhouse.

If Furman wins 3 more games, we finish 7-4 and can be considered a decent team not ashamed to show its face in Polite Company. Harder, but definitely within the Realm of Possibility.

If Furman wins all 4 games, we finish 8-3 and are a good Football Team, playoffs be damned. Not likely, but stranger things have happened.

The Drama begins on the bus-ride to 'Nooga . . .

[The Jackal]

Just my two cents.

In spite of the mistakes, I think we'd have beaten every team left on the schedule with our effort Saturday. The only team that wasn't going to let us get away with that was probably ETSU.

[FUBeAR]

State of the Football Program? My vision isn't 20-20, but here's how I see it.

We dug ourselves a hole this Spring and we are struggling - in fits & starts - to climb out of it. And despite all of the Doom & Gloom, I think we are making some Progress.

About a month ago we played Mercer at Home. The Bad News Bears made us look bad on both sides of the ball in a game that I didn't think was as close as the score indicated. Last Saturday our team played #14 ETSU at Home, an outfit that by most estimations is better than Mercer. The Paladins played like a completely different team and could have (some say SHOULD have) pulled off the upset.

We CAN play better and we WILL play better.

Now let's run the numbers on the rest of the season. We are 4-3 and we have 4 games left.

If Furman wins 2 more games, we finish 6-5 and avoid a second straight losing season. This is well within our wheelhouse.

If Furman wins 3 more games, we finish 7-4 and can be considered a decent team not ashamed to show its face in Polite Company. Harder, but definitely within the Realm of Possibility.

If Furman wins all 4 games, we finish 8-3 and are a good Football Team, playoffs be damned. Not likely, but stranger things have happened.

The Drama begins on the bus-ride to 'Nooga . . .

Great post.

And, @ 8-3, 6-2 with only losses to an most-likely good-bowl-bound P5 FBS and what could be 2 other Playoff Teams, FU has a strong case for an At-Large Playoff bid & may tie for SoCon Championship.

Don’t see the AutoBid happening…hard to see 1) ETSU losing 2 of 3 to WCU (away), VMI (home), and Mercer (home) AND 2) Mercer losing 2 of 3 to CIT (away), Chatt (home), and ETSU (away). Easier to see that happening with Mercer, but the Bears do have another bye before the final 2 BIG ones. Maybe Coach Cronic can cook up something to stop a train AND sink a ship during their off week….AND FU (probably) needs both 1) AND 2) to happen AND to win out for the AutoBid. Pretty big ask all the way around. At-Large still quite possible though.

Also - For the sake of accuracy, FUBeAR did want to point out that a now-much-improved Mercer Team (recent VMI game excepted) did whip ETSU fairly badly 6 months ago. The final was 21-13, but Mercer never trailed, was up by 2 scores most of the game, and the score was 21-6 until 5 minutes remained to play.

[FUBeAR]

Nothing to see here

[apaladin]

State of program. Good. Not great.

Superb D (occasional pass D bonehead play on third and long) but SUPERB D

O HAS TO SCORE 20. Please.

**+*+. As I look forward , my fear is the D might take a step back next year as the O progresses and we remain about 6-5. OL is young. JW is very young. We do lose Wynn - that will hurt. If Miller and Harris progress that’s awesome. O could definitely. Improve

But D losing Hope. McKoy. Clay. Several DL. I worry our D was best this year

Hope has another year if he wants it. The only DL we lose are Stokes and Lawrence. Sochovka and Lewis have another year if they want it.

[tim]

State of the Football Program? My vision isn't 20-20, but here's how I see it.

We dug ourselves a hole this Spring and we are struggling - in fits & starts - to climb out of it. And despite all of the Doom & Gloom, I think we are making some Progress.

About a month ago we played Mercer at Home. The Bad News Bears made us look bad on both sides of the ball in a game that I didn't think was as close as the score indicated. Last Saturday our team played #14 ETSU at Home, an outfit that by most estimations is better than Mercer. The Paladins played like a completely different team and could have (some say SHOULD have) pulled off the upset.

We CAN play better and we WILL play better.

Now let's run the numbers on the rest of the season. We are 4-3 and we have 4 games left.

If Furman wins 2 more games, we finish 6-5 and avoid a second straight losing season. This is well within our wheelhouse.

If Furman wins 3 more games, we finish 7-4 and can be considered a decent team not ashamed to show its face in Polite Company. Harder, but definitely within the Realm of Possibility.

If Furman wins all 4 games, we finish 8-3 and are a good Football Team, playoffs be damned. Not likely, but stranger things have happened.

The Drama begins on the bus-ride to 'Nooga . . .

Great post.

For the sake of accuracy, FUBeAR did want to point out that a now-much-improved Mercer Team (recent VMI game excepted) did whip ETSU fairly badly 6 months ago. The final was 21-13, but Mercer never trailed, was up by 2 scores most of the game, and the score was 21-6 until 5 minutes remained to play.

Bear, what happened in the Mercer/VMI game? That thing just does not compute in my mind. Vmi qb finally playing more? Mercer injuries? I know they struggled with WCU also but looked back up to snuff vs Woffy.

[FUBeAR]

State of the Football Program? My vision isn't 20-20, but here's how I see it.

We dug ourselves a hole this Spring and we are struggling - in fits & starts - to climb out of it. And despite all of the Doom & Gloom, I think we are making some Progress.

About a month ago we played Mercer at Home. The Bad News Bears made us look bad on both sides of the ball in a game that I didn't think was as close as the score indicated. Last Saturday our team played #14 ETSU at Home, an outfit that by most estimations is better than Mercer. The Paladins played like a completely different team and could have (some say SHOULD have) pulled off the upset.

We CAN play better and we WILL play better.

Now let's run the numbers on the rest of the season. We are 4-3 and we have 4 games left.

If Furman wins 2 more games, we finish 6-5 and avoid a second straight losing season. This is well within our wheelhouse.

If Furman wins 3 more games, we finish 7-4 and can be considered a decent team not ashamed to show its face in Polite Company. Harder, but definitely within the Realm of Possibility.

If Furman wins all 4 games, we finish 8-3 and are a good Football Team, playoffs be damned. Not likely, but stranger things have happened.

The Drama begins on the bus-ride to 'Nooga . . .

Great post.

For the sake of accuracy, FUBeAR did want to point out that a now-much-improved Mercer Team (recent VMI game excepted) did whip ETSU fairly badly 6 months ago. The final was 21-13, but Mercer never trailed, was up by 2 scores most of the game, and the score was 21-6 until 5 minutes remained to play.

Bear, what happened in the Mercer/VMI game? That thing just does not compute in my mind. Vmi qb finally playing more? Mercer injuries? I know they struggled with WCU also but looked back up to snuff vs Woffy.

Didn’t really struggle with WCU. Wasn’t great, but game always seemed to be ‘in hand’ unless you are a WCU fan.

VMI
1) “Snakebit” - everything that could go wrong, did go wrong…
A) essentially a 14 point swing on 1st play typifies this…brief version of that play…VMI busts coverage. WR alone 15 yards behind any VMI Player AND directly behind line of sight of QB to primary receiver (slant) who is also open…QB sees sure TD & tries to adjust throw mid-motion to hit deeper WR, but fails & ball falls well short right into the hands of VMI DB who blew coverage for easy Pick6
B) punt into 15 mph wind goes 60 yards out of Endzone. Punt with 20 mph wind goes 6 yards
C) blocked punt fallen on at VMI 15 by kid new to US Football (from Sweden)…easy scoop & score. Assuming they can’t advance blocked punts in Sweden
D) FG Kicker hits 50 & 51 yarder in prior week & misses 2 short FG’s by about 1” each…same spot.
2) QB, after 14 pt swing Pick6 on 1st play & being blind side sacked (OL mental error) & fumbling (lost - led to very short field 3 play VMI TD ‘drive’) on 4th play…and oddly fumbling (not lost - lost 5 yds tho…leading to 3 & out) an attempted pitch on 5th play, seemed a bit rattled the rest of the way. Was cucumber cool facing Bama’s rush, but not living his best QB life on 10/16.
3) D game plan - seemed to fail to turn page from Sammy/WCU games. Those Teams do not have effective running games. VMI does. Tried to ‘match’ 7 or 8 Roos with 4 or 5 Bears-in-the-box. Just can’t be done - 3-3-5 w/1 or sometimes both OLB’s walked out over WR’s & CB’s playing Man on outside WR’s ain’t gonna work against VMI..unless they are in 5 wides…they weren’t. Thought they might adjust at half…but didn’t until VMI took 2nd half kickoff & with 10 of 12 plays rushing…walked down the field to go up 31-0. No idea why they misjudged what they needed to do against VMI, nor why they didn’t adjust - VMI had almost 200 yds rushing in 1st half. Haven’t seen this Staff err like that previously - obviously had a good plan for Woffy (lowest rushing & lowest total O for the Terriers this season)..and expect they will have good plans going forward.

Have to think it was a 1-time anomaly in all 3 of the above. Mercer may not (or may) be as good as Chatt or ETSU & may (may not) lose both of those games, but will be surprised if we see another VMI-like outing from them.

Of course…maybe they could just be pacifists & are gonna let SC’s Military boys do to them this week exactly what VA’s cadre did a few weeks ago.

[Thorny]

I'm not happy about the loss and I understand this is part of a larger trend BUT losing to a top 15 opponent by 4 is not the canary in the coal mine.

We are not going to beat a good team with our current offense, that would be the takeaway here.
Right now as it stands we have 4 wins against losing teams, and things are not looking promising for this Saturday @UTC to be frank, I hope we light up the scoreboard, but judging by how our past 16 Div. I games have gone I doubt it, lets see what happens.

I'm on board with our coaches could get more out of the talent we have on offense BUT JW is starting his third game as a true freshman. If he had been a Sophomore we would have won. So, atleast for me, there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

[AstroDin]

I'm not happy about the loss and I understand this is part of a larger trend BUT losing to a top 15 opponent by 4 is not the canary in the coal mine.

We are not going to beat a good team with our current offense, that would be the takeaway here.
Right now as it stands we have 4 wins against losing teams, and things are not looking promising for this Saturday @UTC to be frank, I hope we light up the scoreboard, but judging by how our past 16 Div. I games have gone I doubt it, lets see what happens.

I'm on board with our coaches could get more out of the talent we have on offense BUT JW is starting his third game as a true freshman. If he had been a Sophomore we would have won. So, atleast for me, there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

To Thorny's point about Jace - the touchdown pass to Miller - was an impressive throw for any QB.

[apaladin]

State of the Football Program? My vision isn't 20-20, but here's how I see it.

We dug ourselves a hole this Spring and we are struggling - in fits & starts - to climb out of it. And despite all of the Doom & Gloom, I think we are making some Progress.

About a month ago we played Mercer at Home. The Bad News Bears made us look bad on both sides of the ball in a game that I didn't think was as close as the score indicated. Last Saturday our team played #14 ETSU at Home, an outfit that by most estimations is better than Mercer. The Paladins played like a completely different team and could have (some say SHOULD have) pulled off the upset.

We CAN play better and we WILL play better.

Now let's run the numbers on the rest of the season. We are 4-3 and we have 4 games left.

If Furman wins 2 more games, we finish 6-5 and avoid a second straight losing season. This is well within our wheelhouse.

If Furman wins 3 more games, we finish 7-4 and can be considered a decent team not ashamed to show its face in Polite Company. Harder, but definitely within the Realm of Possibility.

If Furman wins all 4 games, we finish 8-3 and are a good Football Team, playoffs be damned. Not likely, but stranger things have happened.

The Drama begins on the bus-ride to 'Nooga . . .

Great post.

For the sake of accuracy, FUBeAR did want to point out that a now-much-improved Mercer Team (recent VMI game excepted) did whip ETSU fairly badly 6 months ago. The final was 21-13, but Mercer never trailed, was up by 2 scores most of the game, and the score was 21-6 until 5 minutes remained to play.

Bear, what happened in the Mercer/VMI game? That thing just does not compute in my mind. Vmi qb finally playing more? Mercer injuries? I know they struggled with WCU also but looked back up to snuff vs Woffy.

Didn’t really struggle with WCU. Wasn’t great, but game always seemed to be ‘in hand’ unless you are a WCU fan.

VMI
1) “Snakebit” - everything that could go wrong, did go wrong…
A) essentially a 14 point swing on 1st play typifies this…brief version of that play…VMI busts coverage. WR alone 15 yards behind any VMI Player AND directly behind line of sight of QB to primary receiver (slant) who is also open…QB sees sure TD & tries to adjust throw mid-motion to hit deeper WR, but fails & ball falls well short right into the hands of VMI DB who blew coverage for easy Pick6
B) punt into 15 mph wind goes 60 yards out of Endzone. Punt with 20 mph wind goes 6 yards
C) blocked punt fallen on at VMI 15 by kid new to US Football (from Sweden)…easy scoop & score. Assuming they can’t advance blocked punts in Sweden
D) FG Kicker hits 50 & 51 yarder in prior week & misses 2 short FG’s by about 1” each…same spot.
2) QB, after 14 pt swing Pick6 on 1st play & being blind side sacked (OL mental error) & fumbling (lost - led to very short field 3 play VMI TD ‘drive’) on 4th play…and oddly fumbling (not lost - lost 5 yds tho…leading to 3 & out) an attempted pitch on 5th play, seemed a bit rattled the rest of the way. Was cucumber cool facing Bama’s rush, but not living his best QB life on 10/16.
3) D game plan - seemed to fail to turn page from Sammy/WCU games. Those Teams do not have effective running games. VMI does. Tried to ‘match’ 7 or 8 Roos with 4 or 5 Bears-in-the-box. Just can’t be done - 3-3-5 w/1 or sometimes both OLB’s walked out over WR’s & CB’s playing Man on outside WR’s ain’t gonna work against VMI..unless they are in 5 wides…they weren’t. Thought they might adjust at half…but didn’t until VMI took 2nd half kickoff & with 10 of 12 plays rushing…walked down the field to go up 31-0. No idea why they misjudged what they needed to do against VMI, nor why they didn’t adjust - VMI had almost 200 yds rushing in 1st half. Haven’t seen this Staff err like that previously - obviously had a good plan for Woffy (lowest rushing & lowest total O for the Terriers this season)..and expect they will have good plans going forward.

Have to think it was a 1-time anomaly in all 3 of the above. Mercer may not (or may) be as good as Chatt or ETSU & may (may not) lose both of those games, but will be surprised if we see another VMI-like outing from them.

Of course…maybe they could just be pacifists & are gonna let SC’s Military boys do to them this week exactly what VA’s cadre did a few weeks ago.

Crazy things happen in football but VMI outrushed Mercer 306-23. Probably had more to do with the lopsided score than any of the above.

[FUBeAR]

State of the Football Program? My vision isn't 20-20, but here's how I see it.

We dug ourselves a hole this Spring and we are struggling - in fits & starts - to climb out of it. And despite all of the Doom & Gloom, I think we are making some Progress.

About a month ago we played Mercer at Home. The Bad News Bears made us look bad on both sides of the ball in a game that I didn't think was as close as the score indicated. Last Saturday our team played #14 ETSU at Home, an outfit that by most estimations is better than Mercer. The Paladins played like a completely different team and could have (some say SHOULD have) pulled off the upset.

We CAN play better and we WILL play better.

Now let's run the numbers on the rest of the season. We are 4-3 and we have 4 games left.

If Furman wins 2 more games, we finish 6-5 and avoid a second straight losing season. This is well within our wheelhouse.

If Furman wins 3 more games, we finish 7-4 and can be considered a decent team not ashamed to show its face in Polite Company. Harder, but definitely within the Realm of Possibility.

If Furman wins all 4 games, we finish 8-3 and are a good Football Team, playoffs be damned. Not likely, but stranger things have happened.

The Drama begins on the bus-ride to 'Nooga . . .

Great post.

For the sake of accuracy, FUBeAR did want to point out that a now-much-improved Mercer Team (recent VMI game excepted) did whip ETSU fairly badly 6 months ago. The final was 21-13, but Mercer never trailed, was up by 2 scores most of the game, and the score was 21-6 until 5 minutes remained to play.

Bear, what happened in the Mercer/VMI game? That thing just does not compute in my mind. Vmi qb finally playing more? Mercer injuries? I know they struggled with WCU also but looked back up to snuff vs Woffy.

Didn’t really struggle with WCU. Wasn’t great, but game always seemed to be ‘in hand’ unless you are a WCU fan.

VMI
1) “Snakebit” - everything that could go wrong, did go wrong…
A) essentially a 14 point swing on 1st play typifies this…brief version of that play…VMI busts coverage. WR alone 15 yards behind any VMI Player AND directly behind line of sight of QB to primary receiver (slant) who is also open…QB sees sure TD & tries to adjust throw mid-motion to hit deeper WR, but fails & ball falls well short right into the hands of VMI DB who blew coverage for easy Pick6
B) punt into 15 mph wind goes 60 yards out of Endzone. Punt with 20 mph wind goes 6 yards
C) blocked punt fallen on at VMI 15 by kid new to US Football (from Sweden)…easy scoop & score. Assuming they can’t advance blocked punts in Sweden
D) FG Kicker hits 50 & 51 yarder in prior week & misses 2 short FG’s by about 1” each…same spot.
2) QB, after 14 pt swing Pick6 on 1st play & being blind side sacked (OL mental error) & fumbling (lost - led to very short field 3 play VMI TD ‘drive’) on 4th play…and oddly fumbling (not lost - lost 5 yds tho…leading to 3 & out) an attempted pitch on 5th play, seemed a bit rattled the rest of the way. Was cucumber cool facing Bama’s rush, but not living his best QB life on 10/16.
3) D game plan - seemed to fail to turn page from Sammy/WCU games. Those Teams do not have effective running games. VMI does. Tried to ‘match’ 7 or 8 Roos with 4 or 5 Bears-in-the-box. Just can’t be done - 3-3-5 w/1 or sometimes both OLB’s walked out over WR’s & CB’s playing Man on outside WR’s ain’t gonna work against VMI..unless they are in 5 wides…they weren’t. Thought they might adjust at half…but didn’t until VMI took 2nd half kickoff & with 10 of 12 plays rushing…walked down the field to go up 31-0. No idea why they misjudged what they needed to do against VMI, nor why they didn’t adjust - VMI had almost 200 yds rushing in 1st half. Haven’t seen this Staff err like that previously - obviously had a good plan for Woffy (lowest rushing & lowest total O for the Terriers this season)..and expect they will have good plans going forward.

Have to think it was a 1-time anomaly in all 3 of the above. Mercer may not (or may) be as good as Chatt or ETSU & may (may not) lose both of those games, but will be surprised if we see another VMI-like outing from them.

Of course…maybe they could just be pacifists & are gonna let SC’s Military boys do to them this week exactly what VA’s cadre did a few weeks ago.

Crazy things happen in football but VMI outrushed Mercer 306-23. Probably had more to do with the lopsided score than any of the above.

Can you not read or do you just not know anything about Football or both?

[The Jackal]

Can we loan him to the Mercer forum to point out everything that's wrong with Mercer football?

[gofurman]

State of program. Good. Not great.

Superb D (occasional pass D bonehead play on third and long) but SUPERB D

O HAS TO SCORE 20. Please.

**+*+. As I look forward , my fear is the D might take a step back next year as the O progresses and we remain about 6-5. OL is young. JW is very young. We do lose Wynn - that will hurt. If Miller and Harris progress that’s awesome. O could definitely. Improve

But D losing Hope. McKoy. Clay. Several DL. I worry our D was best this year

Hope has another year if he wants it. The only DL we lose are Stokes and Lawrence. Sochovka and Lewis have another year if they want it.

Losing McKoy will hurt. He has gotten’ better and is a real weapon