What do we know about our team

[gofurman]

Ole Miss - not a ton bc they are a legit CFP player. However, I firmly believe last years team would have held up a little better. Especially in defensive backfield.

CSU - this is the kicker, Now, only AFTER beating us they are ranked 205 of 263 D1 teams. Exposed our QB battle but mainly our OL inability to consistently run block and that our DBs can be beat by a decent receiver

Stetson. Ranked 262 of 263 in all D1 teams. So let’s not oversell them. Look at that ranking. That said I saw much improvement- passing. Some I suspect as Heddon is taking all the first team snaps. Front 7 looked strong again. Real issues covering 50/50 deep balls without a PI. Still very sketchy run blocking by OL. 4 yards per carry vs number 262? Stetson probably doesn’t win a single SoCon game. Really.

Here’s where I am going. Only the CSU game is very indicative of much. And they are ranked below every SoCon team except maybe VMI. *. I think we all agree we will know A LOT more in two weeks. William and Mary. Samford. After that I think we have a good feel for where this team is. Ole Miss and somewhat Stetson are just hard to gauge.

Regardless I hope we keep improving !

[apaladin]

After 3 weeks it is even worse than most expected. Charleston Southern lost to Richmond tonight 38-0. Wofford won at Richmond last week. So the last 2 weeks we have played 2 really bad football teams and are 1-1.

[FUPlayer74]

Hate to say it but we're staring down the barrel of a tough season. Glaring weaknesses in running game and corner coverage.

[AllTimeFU]

1st game gave us no information. Second game was a shell shock from game 1 with some information. While Stetson is not representative of our upcoming SoCon competition, the tape from this game in addition to what was learned in game 2 will be very helpful. The eye in the sky don't lie. These youngsters need to see their breakdowns on tape and feel the weight of it. Practice tape is hard to change behavior. DBs HAVE to get to their heads turned around. OL has to get some run game going. I anticipate we'll be nicely prepared and show marked improvement next week. This game did show that we have more options in the OL than what we've been going with in meaningful snaps. I've said it before, I'd like to see 51 at an OT. Let's take a couple steps forward next week and get ready for a SoCon run!

[FUTex]

I'm fairly optimistic. The salient issue, the same one that everyone else has pointed to, is the intermittent lawnchair O Line. I'm waiting for FUBear's commentary to see what the issue(s) are. To my untrained eye I see our OL losing the man-to-man battles, and when the Defense "packs the box" (I don't know why I don't like that term) we get crumpled like a lawnchair being sat upon by my 300 pound little brother high on chicken wings and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Look, today the Paladins beat a FCS team, one that does indeed have athletic scholarship players, by 41 points. There were many bright spots. Nevertheless, the Evil Portal remains open, and we ain't got no possum no more. Bill and the Beeatch will be a good and tough one.

This morning we were all-time 0-2 against Stetson. Now we're 1-2. We're getting better.

[Paul C]

Here’s where I am going. Only the CSU game is very indicative of much. And they are ranked below every SoCon team except maybe VMI.

Why do you not bring up the 4-0 turnover ratio in that game? If we had won the turnovers battle 4-0 you sure would be using it to discount the win. .

[gofurman]

Here’s where I am going. Only the CSU game is very indicative of much. And they are ranked below every SoCon team except maybe VMI.

Why do you not bring up the 4-0 turnover ratio in that game? If we had won the turnovers battle 4-0 you sure would be using it to discount the win. .

Fair question. I wouldn’t completely discount the win. Hypothetically say we go even in turnovers in that game or, negative one or two…. We overcome that and win 24-17. Great !!! Heck, after watching their players extracurricular actions I would LOVE to have beaten them.

However, I wouldn’t be so intelligent as to know what that was worth at the time. All I would know is that they played Citadel -who lost to SC State- and played Citadel fairly even. Eh, But THEN - yes plus 3 turnovers - I would see Richmond beat the livin shizzle out of them 38-0 AND triple (yes 3 turnovers) CSU in yardage. Triple the yardage and hold CSU to 130 yards TOTAL. IE, Richmond killed em. I love the running game. Richmond also - and front seven is our strength on D, no doubt and is experienced so no youth excuse there - held CSU to 39 rushes for TWENTY SEVEN YARDS TOTAL RUSHING…. That’s 1.4 yards per rush. That RB kept escaping our tackles and getting more yards by late game v us.

Richmond also passed for 13-15 so just effortlessly efficient. That’s sick efficiency. And that has nothing to do w taking the ball away from CSU. It’s just how much better the Richmond offense/passing game was v CSU pass defense than was our passing offense vs the CSU defense

It’s like beating Florida State in game 1. Looked great at the time…. Just an average win at best now. But GTech profited immensely from overblown rankings as did Boston College to an extent. I suspect CSU will be like a lesser FSU maybe winning 5/6 games

Let’s not argue. I admit we coulda beaten CSU. Heck, it’s an interesting take that we probably DO beat CSU by leaving CJ in the games as it just minimizes the turnovers (maybe 2 or 3 instead of 4? ). I actually postulated that myself. Singular win… probably better to have left CJ in there (maybe no fumble in backfield or whatnot). But that’s hindsight.

I agree with Jackal and others if you are close to playing Hedden then just play Hedden. Baptism by fire and now get him all the first unit snaps. Especially the practice with the first unit OL and RBs and WR - timing. Stetson ain’t CSU - I admit - but Hedden was already different today and appears more in sync.

Also I just meant this as a summary that we have certainly one game - ole miss - and maybe a little of another - Stetson who has only played NAIA until today that are not very telling. Only CSU falls in the general FCS range. And so I’ll be interested in seeing what W&M and then Samford show us…. And, at worst, how do we look by November

So yeah. Let’s not argue and I do hope the team improves game to game . Heck, we could be FSU.

[gofurman]

I'm fairly optimistic. The salient issue, the same one that everyone else has pointed to, is the intermittent lawnchair O Line. I'm waiting for FUBear's commentary to see what the issue(s) are. To my untrained eye I see our OL losing the man-to-man battles, and when the Defense "packs the box" (I don't know why I don't like that term) we get crumpled like a lawnchair being sat upon by my 300 pound little brother high on chicken wings and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Look, today the Paladins beat a FCS team, one that does indeed have athletic scholarship players, by 41 points. There were many bright spots. Nevertheless, the Evil Portal remains open, and we ain't got no possum no more. Bill and the Beeatch will be a good and tough one.

This morning we were all-time 0-2 against Stetson. Now we're 1-2. We're getting better.

“Lawn chair” OL. Tex has funny commentary. I love it - his vernacular is outstanding

[Paul C]

Here’s where I am going. Only the CSU game is very indicative of much. And they are ranked below every SoCon team except maybe VMI.

Why do you not bring up the 4-0 turnover ratio in that game? If we had won the turnovers battle 4-0 you sure would be using it to discount the win. .

Fair question. I wouldn’t completely discount the win. Hypothetically say we go even in turnovers in that game or, negative one or two…. We overcome that and win 24-17. Great !!! Heck, after watching their players extracurricular actions I would LOVE to have beaten them.

However, I wouldn’t be so intelligent as to know what that was worth at the time. All I would know is that they played Citadel -who lost to SC State- and played Citadel fairly even. Eh, But THEN - yes plus 3 turnovers - I would see Richmond beat the livin shizzle out of them 38-0 AND triple (yes 3 turnovers) CSU in yardage. Triple the yardage and hold CSU to 130 yards TOTAL. IE, Richmond killed em. I love the running game. Richmond also - and front seven is our strength on D, no doubt and is experienced so no youth excuse there - held CSU to 39 rushes for TWENTY SEVEN YARDS TOTAL RUSHING…. That’s 1.4 yards per rush. That RB kept escaping our tackles and getting more yards by late game v us.

Richmond also passed for 13-15 so just effortlessly efficient. That’s sick efficiency. And that has nothing to do w taking the ball away from CSU. It’s just how much better the Richmond offense/passing game was v CSU pass defense than was our passing offense vs the CSU defense

It’s like beating Florida State in game 1. Looked great at the time…. Just an average win at best now. But GTech profited immensely from overblown rankings as did Boston College to an extent. I suspect CSU will be like a lesser FSU maybe winning 5/6 games

Let’s not argue. I admit we coulda beaten CSU. Heck, it’s an interesting take that we probably DO beat CSU by leaving CJ in the games as it just minimizes the turnovers (maybe 2 or 3 instead of 4? ). I actually postulated that myself. Singular win… probably better to have left CJ in there (maybe no fumble in backfield or whatnot). But that’s hindsight.

I agree with Jackal and others if you are close to playing Hedden then just play Hedden. Baptism by fire and now get him all the first unit snaps. Especially the practice with the first unit OL and RBs and WR - timing. Stetson ain’t CSU - I admit - but Hedden was already different today and appears more in sync.

Also I just meant this as a summary that we have certainly one game - ole miss - and maybe a little of another - Stetson who has only played NAIA until today that are not very telling. Only CSU falls in the general FCS range. And so I’ll be interested in seeing what W&M and then Samford show us…. And, at worst, how do we look by November

So yeah. Let’s not argue and I do hope the team improves game to game . Heck, we could be FSU.

TL/DR

[FUATT]

I think gofurman summary is good but Paul C is right, if we don't go -4 at CHS SO that is a VERY different ballgame. Remember, the second half drives ended TD/INT/FUM/FG/FUM/Downs. They really did not stop us in the 2nd half, we stopped ourselves three times, and scored on the other drives. And if we don't get that phantom holding call that preceded the fumble... I honestly think we win that game 27-21 or more. Still not world beating but I think we are looking at things very differently.

The summary of the state of the OL and the back 4 is fair. I think those guys and the coaches are going to work on it, but it is not really a scheme thing it is really a "we got who we got" situation. We were decimated by injury, graduation and transfer in the back 4 in ways that were really, collectively, not entirely foreseeable, and we lost four really great OL in Johanning, Toomey, Hughes. What is less obvious is a lot of the guys show stepped up not only did not have tons of snaps but has missed significant time to injury which hampered their overall development.

I'll say something in fairness too. This team is I think struggling a bit to find collectively strong leadership in the locker room. We have a FR QB who they guys like and respect but is earning the role of leader. We are better off on defense, but I will be honest, we miss 97s presence. He was a strong leader on this team and his presence is a real loss.

Going forward, I think we are going to see something unusual at FU which is we are going to be a "throw to open up the run" team because the strength of this offense is the experience and depth at WR and the potential at QB. If we can do somethings in the counter and screen and draw game to get Myion the ball that is going to be effective. I am personally excited about the 8 car and the potential we have with him in there. I think the run game can open up more as the OL improves and we play off the increasing need for DCs to pressure 8 (screens and draws). I expect we see more misdirection in the run game too.

In the back on D we are going to find the best guys. Lewis is young but seems to have a nose for the ball and gives us a little more size back there. And we are going to have to get to the QB so those longer, jump ball routes don't have as much time to develop, but if you are rushing 4 and they max protect to throw that route... gonna be hard. Just going to have to win more 1v1s back there.

W&M on road will tell us a lot. I really wish I could go to this one as it drivable for me, but FUATTs daughter is going on an official recruiting visit and that is that. I'll be checking in as often as I can.

GO DINS.

[The Jackal]

A few of my observations:

Defensively, we look physically up to the task up front. Even the young defensive linemen are big. The linebackers all look like they can run and hit. There were a few missed tackles in the Ole Miss game in the second half, but we've generally seemed ready to stop the run. I think that group will continue to get better.

The backfield is a work in progress, but I haven't hated what I've seen. We're struggling on some 50/50 balls, but that seems like some fixable technique stuff and, honestly, in all three games our DBs are right on the guy they're covering. The Ole Miss receivers had a step on us, but they're freaks. I think we'll continue to get better there and, by season's end, will have a solid unit in the back half.

Offensively, it's hard to pinpoint the issue in the run game. It seems like we are just struggling on the stretch outside zone runs and just getting everyone blocked.

As a fan, it's hard to see a play and know what the problem is. Typically, when a run play doesn't work, everyone blames the offensive line. Maybe it's deserved. Maybe the QB didn't do the right thing. Or the running back. It's hard to know.

The outside zone run is a staple of the offense. To my eyes, it appears we are having a hard time cutting off the backside pursuit. The opponents linebackers are able to flow to the play and fill the gaps.

This wasn't as much of a problem last season because of Huff's threat to run the ball. Defenses couldn't pursue the run action hard for fear of Huff pulling the ball back and taking off the opposite direction.

It seemed somewhere in the second half that Hedden started to get more comfortable with his reads in the RPO game. That backside slant RPO is one of the ways Furman can combat the over pursuit by the linebackers - essentially throwing it behind them in the space they vacated. If we can demonstrate the consistent ability to do that, we can probably slow down the pursuit of the running back and give our backs the ability to turn up field.

I think once our QBs get more comfortable in the offense, this problem will resolve itself.

[AstroDin]

This might not be popular with a few fellow posters…

We have outstanding young talent on both sides of the ball—they need to play. I think it's going to be exciting to see how the trio of Hedden, Hester, and Hall develops as the season progresses. Hester and Hall bring some quicks!

I like what I see defensively with Earl, McLeod, Stoneking, Harrison, Bussey, and Billy Lewis . I think Billy Lewis was a PWO - if so, what a pickup. Same for #41 Schuck; keep an eye on him on kickoffs… dude can run for a 6-3 233 bandit.

I still feel like #8 has some #22 swagger. I also love what I see with Hedden's fakes and eye candy. The more comfortable he got into the game, the more that came out, leading to that touchdown run on some sweet fakery.

[cavedweller2]

I expect QB 8 to improve significantly each week. The game will slow down for him. He is a big kid with a big arm. Same size basically as the Sellers kid in Cola., maybe weighs 10 lbs less. He is also deceptively fast. Looking forward to watching him progress.

[gofurman]

Here’s where I am going. Only the CSU game is very indicative of much. And they are ranked below every SoCon team except maybe VMI.

Why do you not bring up the 4-0 turnover ratio in that game? If we had won the turnovers battle 4-0 you sure would be using it to discount the win. .

Fair question. I wouldn’t completely discount the win. Hypothetically say we go even in turnovers in that game or, negative one or two…. We overcome that and win 24-17. Great !!! Heck, after watching their players extracurricular actions I would LOVE to have beaten them.

However, I wouldn’t be so intelligent as to know what that was worth at the time. All I would know is that they played Citadel -who lost to SC State- and played Citadel fairly even. Eh, But THEN - yes plus 3 turnovers - I would see Richmond beat the livin shizzle out of them 38-0 AND triple (yes 3 turnovers) CSU in yardage. Triple the yardage and hold CSU to 130 yards TOTAL. IE, Richmond killed em. I love the running game. Richmond also - and front seven is our strength on D, no doubt and is experienced so no youth excuse there - held CSU to 39 rushes for TWENTY SEVEN YARDS TOTAL RUSHING…. That’s 1.4 yards per rush. That RB kept escaping our tackles and getting more yards by late game v us.

Richmond also passed for 13-15 so just effortlessly efficient. That’s sick efficiency. And that has nothing to do w taking the ball away from CSU. It’s just how much better the Richmond offense/passing game was v CSU pass defense than was our passing offense vs the CSU defense

It’s like beating Florida State in game 1. Looked great at the time…. Just an average win at best now. But GTech profited immensely from overblown rankings as did Boston College to an extent. I suspect CSU will be like a lesser FSU maybe winning 5/6 games

Let’s not argue. I admit we coulda beaten CSU. Heck, it’s an interesting take that we probably DO beat CSU by leaving CJ in the games as it just minimizes the turnovers (maybe 2 or 3 instead of 4? ). I actually postulated that myself. Singular win… probably better to have left CJ in there (maybe no fumble in backfield or whatnot). But that’s hindsight.

I agree with Jackal and others if you are close to playing Hedden then just play Hedden. Baptism by fire and now get him all the first unit snaps. Especially the practice with the first unit OL and RBs and WR - timing. Stetson ain’t CSU - I admit - but Hedden was already different today and appears more in sync.

Also I just meant this as a summary that we have certainly one game - ole miss - and maybe a little of another - Stetson who has only played NAIA until today that are not very telling. Only CSU falls in the general FCS range. And so I’ll be interested in seeing what W&M and then Samford show us…. And, at worst, how do we look by November

So yeah. Let’s not argue and I do hope the team improves game to game . Heck, we could be FSU.

TL/DR

Paul. Thats funny but a little insulting I ALMOST typed TL DR myself at the end.

However it insults me because you LITERALLY asked for my answer. And it takes A HELLA LOT LONGER to type it than to read it. I took time to type my thoughts. You say “too long; didn’t read”. That’s just insulting. My son is applying to Wake Forest and they want summaries of the latest FIVE BOOKS he read that were not required. Think about that. FIVE books he read IN ADDITION to school requirements . And we have people here - you as one - who won’t read a few paragraphs. Plus he has to write about Maya A etc.

It’s embarrassing for FURMAN as a whole. I thought we were studious and read - BOOKS. I THOUGHT that about Furman. I’m beginning to doubt it. Apparently we are NOT Wake Forest. In academics or sports. Weak

[gofurman]

A few of my observations:

Defensively, we look physically up to the task up front. Even the young defensive linemen are big. The linebackers all look like they can run and hit. There were a few missed tackles in the Ole Miss game in the second half, but we've generally seemed ready to stop the run. I think that group will continue to get better.

The backfield is a work in progress, but I haven't hated what I've seen. We're struggling on some 50/50 balls, but that seems like some fixable technique stuff and, honestly, in all three games our DBs are right on the guy they're covering. The Ole Miss receivers had a step on us, but they're freaks. I think we'll continue to get better there and, by season's end, will have a solid unit in the back half.

• Offensively, it's hard to pinpoint the issue in the run game. It seems like we are just struggling on the stretch outside zone runs and just getting everyone blocked.
  
  As a fan, it's hard to see a play and know what the problem is. Typically, when a run play doesn't work, everyone blames the offensive line. Maybe it's deserved. Maybe the QB didn't do the right thing. Or the running back. It's hard to know.

The outside zone run is a staple of the offense. To my eyes, it appears we are having a hard time cutting off the backside pursuit. The opponents linebackers are able to flow to the play and fill the gaps.

This wasn't as much of a problem last season because of Huff's threat to run the ball. Defenses couldn't pursue the run action hard for fear of Huff pulling the ball back and taking off the opposite direction.

It seemed somewhere in the second half that Hedden started to get more comfortable with his reads in the RPO game. That backside slant RPO is one of the ways Furman can combat the over pursuit by the linebackers - essentially throwing it behind them in the space they vacated. If we can demonstrate the consistent ability to do that, we can probably slow down the pursuit of the running back and give our backs the ability to turn up field.

I think once our QBs get more comfortable in the offense, this problem will resolve itself.

Jackal, Somewhat. Cole Neely specified particular OL getting beat on some plays and on those I could see what he was saying - I don’t claim to know much but when he pointed out a particular guy on our OL then it became clear to my untrained eye. He would say something to the effect (paraphrase here) of “watch their DL penetrate the left side of our center and blow up the play… if our center sees this a moment sooner the play works.” Not picking on our Center. Was various OL he mentioned throughout game… once I had his help I could see it.