Scouting Wofford -

[gofurman]

It's been a while (the longest of any SoCon team I guess?) since we beat these guys.

1) They beat us twice last year. that sucks. the second time much more convincingly than the first and, in all candor, we were playing much better ball in late 2017 than we are now.. to wit, the 2017 offense rolled 56 points on ETSU and Dirks ran up and down the field on WCU (granted, T Adams did have to leave that game and he is a game-changer). But still I don't think many would argue Furman in late 2017 was playing better football than we are now... and the Terriers stomped us in the playoffs.

2) Last year the Woff D was one of the few we got no push by our OL. We couldn't run inside or outside very well. Woff, Samford and Elon were the best D we saw last year in FCS.

3) in that playoff game we ran 27 times for only 52 yards - that had to be our worst outing of the year. That's just horrid ! ... We averaged 1.9 yds per carry with a long of .... 10 yards. Yes, our best run with a very good offense was 10 yards. Their front 7 just ate us up.

4) Where we made some hay was through the air as Blaze threw for 250+ mainly to Schumpert Gordon and Burnette.

*I am NOT pro-Wofford but this will be a Huge test to see where our OL and offense stands. When we are on D, I actually feel better as our pass D is what left me scratching my head after Western and ETSU. If we feel compfortable that 80% of the plays are runs I like that. I do wish we had Ellis but our front 7 can do this. Reid, McKoy etc. They have all played Woff twice and the Citadel - we should know where to be

5) The week off is huge as is being at home. So we have the intangibles. We can do this.

6) The matchup of them running vs our run D at least encourages me. I will have to see if I can watch them play UTC. matchups can be as important as talent - and right now I fear an air raid... I'll take the Woff wishbone over a passing O at this point

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One very key guy they will NOT have this year: (with thanks to FUBeAR for the info)
" They lost one of their best DLmen due to injury. Mikel Horton was injured @ Wyoming and is out for the season http://www.goupstate.com/news/20181001/ ... -of-season.

Miles Brown, who is a great DL, gets all of the publicity, but Horton was not far behind him ... Hate this for Mr. Horton, but don’t mind it all for Wofford. Not sure how much it will help the Paladins, but it can’t hurt. "

[Jasper]

A good review of last year's games, GF and some injury news but does anyone know about what Wofford is doing this year under a new head coach. Is it the same old run option Wofford who throws less than 10 times a game? I believe the new coach was DC at Pitt. Are they doing anything new? I have not seen them play and have only read some recaps but from that that it seems like old Wofford to me.

[FUBeAR]

A good review of last year's games, GF and some injury news but does anyone know about what Wofford is doing this year under a new head coach. Is it the same old run option Wofford who throws less than 10 times a game? I believe the new coach was DC at Pitt. Are they doing anything new? I have not seen them play and have only read some recaps but from that that it seems like old Wofford to me.

Here ya go. You can watch their whole game against Wyoming in under 20 minutes.

https://youtu.be/a8DJksWJZ3g

...or you can watch the 2 hour version...

https://youtu.be/tFiHXEo-06A

...or the 3 hour version on Facebook...

https://www.facebook.com/StadiumCollege ... 990535653/

[Paul C]

Wofford has thrown it 9, 17,15 and 12 times in their 4 games for 26, 221, 73 and 153 yards so far this year against Citadel, VMI, Wyoming and Gardner-Webb, respectively.

[apaladin]

So WC is pretty much a throwing team compared to what they were under Ayers.

[The Jackal]

So WC is pretty much a throwing team compared to what they were under Ayers.

I get the impression that Wofford is trying to channel a little bit of what Furman has managed to do offensively. Run the ball a lot, but also be dangerous throwing it.

With this year's team, they don't really have the personnel to throw it all that often. Their best QB, Joe Newman, is almost a pure option QB and a lot of his passes are ugly (to be kind). Trying to throw the ball almost cost Wofford their game against the Citadel in Week 1.

Of course, Wade Lang, Wofford's long time OC, is still calling the shots. So, I do not think they will get too far away from what they have historically done.

We should have much better idea of their offense after this week. UTC is supposed to have a pretty decent defense, and will be significantly better than any of the FCS defenses Wofford has played to this point.

[FUBeAR]

So WC is pretty much a throwing team compared to what they were under Ayers.

I get the impression that Wofford is trying to channel a little bit of what Furman has managed to do offensively. Run the ball a lot, but also be dangerous throwing it.

With this year's team, they don't really have the personnel to throw it all that often. Their best QB, Joe Newman, is almost a pure option QB and a lot of his passes are ugly (to be kind). Trying to throw the ball almost cost Wofford their game against the Citadel in Week 1.

Of course, Wade Lang, Wofford's long time OC, is still calling the shots. So, I do not think they will get too far away from what they have historically done.

We should have much better idea of their offense after this week. UTC is supposed to have a pretty decent defense, and will be significantly better than any of the FCS defenses Wofford has played to this point.

My ‘take’ on UTC’s Defense is that they are, by a rather wide margin, the most physically talented D in the SoCon. That said, they continue, on too many occasions, to play undisciplined Football, perhaps because they are just ‘passionate’ Players, or because they are looking for individual stats, or they just aren’t Coached all that well. I don’t know, but at all 3 levels of the D, they appear to have a lot of guys in the wrong place way too often. They also seem to wear down - could be lack of depth / could be lack of conditioning. Don’t know.

Either way...both of those flaws play right into the hands of the YardBarkers’ Offense as to what they are good at exploiting. My hope is that doesn’t happen & the Mocs play solid D & shut down those LittleDogs!

[gofurman]

So WC is pretty much a throwing team compared to what they were under Ayers.

I get the impression that Wofford is trying to channel a little bit of what Furman has managed to do offensively. Run the ball a lot, but also be dangerous throwing it.

With this year's team, they don't really have the personnel to throw it all that often. Their best QB, Joe Newman, is almost a pure option QB and a lot of his passes are ugly (to be kind). Trying to throw the ball almost cost Wofford their game against the Citadel in Week 1.

Of course, Wade Lang, Wofford's long time OC, is still calling the shots. So, I do not think they will get too far away from what they have historically done.

We should have much better idea of their offense after this week. UTC is supposed to have a pretty decent defense, and will be significantly better than any of the FCS defenses Wofford has played to this point.

Did Wofford graduate the QB from last year? I felt the guy (Brandon Goodson - I hda to look it up) at QB last year was one of the most accurate passers they had had in a long time. And that made them a much tougher out. Just looked, he went 8 for 11 vs. us both times last year. Which is good enough to make you back off just a little. He seemed a better passer than the QBs they had in the 90s etc where the line would be 3--7-- with 1 interception.

Is he gone?
just looked, appears he is gone. That's a win for us.. his arm was a good one for the Terriers

Yeah, it's Joe Newman now.. more like Woff QBs of old. Probably great w the option but against Citadel and Wyoming threw 2 picks in only 12 or so attempts. Did v well v VMI and GWebb as Wofford rolled.

Interested to see what they do tomorrow.

[gofurman]

Well, color me impressed. No one has whooped VMI... except Wofford. The Vmi score ( Wofford won 59-14) would not have impressed me pre-season but to VMI credit they (VMI) have been a very game opponent with everyone except Wofford. For instance VMI lost to WCU 52-50 and dropped and easy 2 pt conversion to send it to OT. VMI lost to ETSU (so I am using our last two opponents) 24-27. But Wofford rolled them

Now that isn’t a ton. But it is something ... so I was waiting for today. Well, Looking at the numbers Wofford imposes their will on Chattanooga.

Wofford ran 65 times for 442 yards ! That’s sick. Almost 7 yards per carry.

Wofford passed 8/9 - appears clear UTC couldn’t put Wofford in any passing situations ...

On the other side UTC Gained less than 200 totalyards of O. And ran the ball 16 times for 21 yards. 21 yards rushing.

Wofford OWNED Chatt. Woff def looks like the class of the SoCon right now. Today solidified that much more than G Webb and Citadel ...

The other piece that stunk was SoCon winless Samford just best the living CRAP out of WCU.. the same Western that we hung on to win. We won 44-38. Samford won something like 66-28? Something like that. Good grief. It was a flurry of turnovers that got the ball rolling for Sammy but still. I watched and Sammy looked scary on O as they got comfortable throwing the ball. Western couldn’t stop Samford to save their lives. Even w a 50 yard field after a turnover Sammy scored in like 5 plays without breaking a sweat.

I do believe in our run defense. It’s an opportunity for us. Let’s get it!!

[apaladin]

Sammy wasn't that impressive against WCU. They only had 736 yds of offense, lol, and held WCU to 364 yds. Didn't we hold them to under 600? Some have said that UTC has the best overall defense and WC rolled them for 511 yds and 442 on the ground? One correction GF. WC didn't beat the class of the Socon. They are the class of the SoCon as much as I hate to say it. I think everyone jumped the gun on UTC. They had a good record bit had played a weak schedule.

[gofurman]

Sammy wasn't that impressive against WCU. They only had 736 yds of offense, lol, and held WCU to 364 yds. Didn't we hold them to under 600? Some have said that UTC has the best overall defense and WC rolled them for 511 yds and 442 on the ground? One correction GF. WC didn't beat the class of the Socon. They are the class of the SoCon as much as I hate to say it. I think everyone jumped the gun on UTC. They had a good record bit had played a weak schedule.

Right. I am pretty sure I said Wofford is the class of the SoCon. At the moment they are playing the most consistent ball in total.

[AstroDin]

the Samford/Western game appears Adams was still suffering from a chest injury related to the Furman - he played four possessions and was replaced by a freshman QB. Also Western spotted Samford 35 in the first quarter on a bunch of turnovers.

Plus, I'm sure Samford was playing with their hair on fire.

[The Jackal]

the Samford/Western game appears Adams was still suffering from a chest injury related to the Furman - he played four possessions and was replaced by a freshman QB. Also Western spotted Samford 35 in the first quarter on a bunch of turnovers.

Plus, I'm sure Samford was playing with their hair on fire.

I noted this on the other thread, but WCU played without their best player and turned it over a bunch on the road. That has the makings of a route regardless of the opponent.

Furman led WCU most of the game by a significant margin. Tyrie Adams had an incredible game (and then played very little against Samford). Samford has lost to every moderately good defense they've played.

[The Jackal]

Also, UTC is not a particularly good offense. In fact, when you look at their schedule, you could make a strong argument that UTC is the worst offense in the SoCon (they've played a significantly lighter schedule than Furman). So, while Wofford has a good defense, it's not surprising that they largely shut down the Mocs.

The Mocs played ETSU the week after Furman did and didn't score until the 4th Quarter. Furman put 27 on the same team the week prior by the 3rd quarter. Then, for a bizarre set of reasons, we fell apart.

Furman's defense has had its share of ugly moments, but most of those are against the pass, not the rush. Furman held WCU to about 100 yards off their average rushing output. While Furman is roughly league average in rushing defense, the Paladins have also faced the top rush offense in the CAA (Elon), the ACC's best RB (Etienne), and a typically high powered rush offense in WCU.

Wofford, of course, does not throw the ball well. I still think our defense has a lot more to show us.

[AstroDin]

Also, UTC is not a particularly good offense. In fact, when you look at their schedule, you could make a strong argument that UTC is the worst offense in the SoCon (they've played a significantly lighter schedule than Furman). So, while Wofford has a good defense, it's not surprising that they largely shut down the Mocs.

The Mocs played ETSU the week after Furman did and didn't score until the 4th Quarter. Furman put 27 on the same team the week prior by the 3rd quarter. Then, for a bizarre set of reasons, we fell apart.

Furman's defense has had its share of ugly moments, but most of those are against the pass, not the rush. Furman held WCU to about 100 yards off their average rushing output. While Furman is roughly league average in rushing defense, the Paladins have also faced the top rush offense in the CAA (Elon), the ACC's best RB (Etienne), and a typically high powered rush offense in WCU.

Wofford, of course, does not throw the ball well. I still think our defense has a lot more to show us.

To your point, Elon's Summers ran for 186 yards against JMU. Etienne has rushed for 594 yards in five games.