2014 football season thread

[WizardHawk]

Tall order for this team. They have yet to play a full game and we have questions about Miles' ability to throw accurately and with some pace on the ball, the play calling, the secondary, and the coaches ability to make in-game adjustments.

Stanford doesn't have to play perfectly to win. They should be somewhat dominate on both lines, although I will be curious to see what our D line does with their running game.

UW has to play far more of a complete game than they have thus far and still have an uphill task unless they can get some good fortune early. We all know how loud that stadium is when the fans are into the game so any early turnovers by Stanford and/or big plays by our kids and things will get very difficult in that Stanford huddle.

At the end of the day Stanford should win the game, but funny things happen at Husky stadium....

 

[TheDayMan]

The night before we start Pac 12 play, against Stanford no less, and it's pretty quiet around here. Is everyone pretending like they have something to do Friday night?

I'm stoked, part of me feels like we're going to see the team we've been wanting to see for four games now. I'm trying to hang on to that part, because another part of me, the more rational part, feels like we might see Stanford run it up our ass like Hawaii x 5 to set up Hogan to pick apart an inexperienced secondary running a vanilla scheme.

I do have a good feeling though for some reason, and I see I'm not the only one...

Oh, and what's up with the blackout for a 1:15 kickoff?

And another thing, can everyone please keep their Seahawks boners in their pants for one day and not cheer for Sherman and Baldwin when they come out with Stanford?

Game day is almost here. Go Dawgs!

 

[RegentDenali]

Stoked for this game. Relaxed and not really stressed. Huge PAC test out if the gate, but it's at our house. I think Stanford is more vulnerable than usual right now. We got a D front 7 that can give their bull rush line some business. It's close in the 4th, we got a good chance at the W.

No Seahawks boner tomorrow from the Dawg. Nope.

Go Dawgs!!! Get that W!!!

 

[mcnabb7542]

gotta coach a game today when the Dawgs kick off, I might have some news later this week, one of the varsity kids with the program I'm with is getting some serious attention from UW staff will know more this week, LB/TE position...

 

[RegentDenali]

"We certainly did enough to win," Petersen said after the loss. "On offensive we have to go back to the drawing board. We have to get our quarterback some answers for sure."

"We need to be able to run the ball better and figure out how we're going to throw the ball down field better," said Petersen of the struggles in the passing game. "Sometimes our pass protection was good enough and sometimes it was not. We really need to analyze as coaches and decided[how to fix the passing game]."



Push comes to shove. People seem to be overly obsessing about the call on the fake punt. I'm not actually too pissed about that. Petersen was obviously trying to give our offense an opportunity. I can deal with that.

What I'm sick to my stomach is the complete inability for our offense to create any output. That was a total disaster, especially considering how well our D kept us in the the entire game. What a wasted opportunity when a W was handed to us like that.

If we can't put points on the board, Cal game is a disaster in the making. We had 4 games to get our offense tuned up for PAC play. This was flat out a disaster today. Miles looked like deer in headlights.

 

[TheDayMan]

So, the offensive line was just absolute shit. Miles had no chance to plant and throw from what I saw. Happy with the defense... I don't know. I'm tired and drunk, or drunk and tired...

One thing I want nothing of, some asshole who sits behind us, and some assholes calling in to the Honks after the game saying "this isn't the Mountain West, you can't take those gambles, blah, blah, blah..." about the fake punt. Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit... The only thing I have a problem with is the declining of taking the ball at the 35 on the kick out of bounds. But all of it comes from having no faith in the offense.

Got some things to work on I guess. Was glad to see the defense step up though.

 

[Ironbreaker]

Cal isn't Stanford. lol...

No one in the pac12 has Stanfords D, in fact maybe no one in the nation.

Still, offensive protection was bad. What I saw was miles running for his life all day long, sometimes it was too soon, usually it wasn't. He had no time to pass. Our pass blocking is the same as it was under Sark. Same kids, so, no wonder.

We have no one stepping up as a runner. I'm not a committee guy, but none of them want the job apparently. Can't run, can't pass.


Pass blocking needs to improve or get used to seeing no production in our O.

 

[WizardHawk]

Haven't had any time to sit and post on anything, more or less this game.

The defense: Overall have to be pleased, but there were still some substantial problems with that unit. They didn't tackle well at times and there were 4 or 5 plays were a receiver had no defender within 5 yards. We know some of that is going to happen, but they really need to dial that in and fix those issues. You had to be more or less happy with the interior line though. They weren't just flat out pounding the ball down our throats and they have an outstanding blocking line. They did find some success running to the outside and again our experienced LB's were blowing tackles. The blown tackles by the young kids I can deal with, but not the vets.

Special teams: Durkee was flat out a stud. That kid will play on sundays if he keeps that up. Couldn't have asked for a better day in a field position game than what he gave us. Too bad the coaches didn't respect it enough to really punt from our own 47 on 4th and 9. Seriously, I know what they were trying to do, but this wasn't 4th and 2, it was 4th and 9 in a tied game from your own end of the field. Bad call is a bad call.

Offense: Hard to dump on the lack of running game too hard when you faced the best run stopping defense will see all year. The line did have some problems here and there, but even Miles admitted he was leaving the pocket too soon. My problem was with the play calling and Miles still not growing much. I mean he still can't hit a quick dump pass or screen and that's all they do ffs. He does make good decisions and doesn't try to force things so yeah, he's a game manager? Not throwing to Ross at all in the first half is criminal. You have the fastest guy on the field and are not even trying to get him the ball!!!!!! Wake the fuck up Smith! Call some fucking plays to get your play makers the ball.

 

[Ironbreaker]

! Wake the fuck up Smith! Call some fucking plays to get your play makers the ball.

I'm back on the Smith is in over his head kick, in a big way. After watching his mini-presser it just sealed the deal. He's clueless.


Rumor has it Hokes going to get fired, that should free up Nuss.


Bring back Nuss!

 

[RegentDenali]

The UW @ Cal game gets 3pm start time on PAC12 network.

Always a beautiful setting with the sunset going on at that stadium. Hopefully our offense finds a grove that day.

 

[WizardHawk]

They have two weeks now to work on that offense. Again, not that worried about the lack of running game as no other defense we will face again this year has anything like the run stopping of Stanford, but Miles needs LOTS of work. Teams are just going to keep blitzing until the dawgs prove they can make them pay for doing it. It starts with play calling and I just don't see them adapting in game to what the defense is doing. But Miles is a huge part of the problem. He is taking forever to get through his reads and to get the ball off on even screens and quick hitters. Love that he's pretty good at getting rid of it when the play goes bad, but ffs learn to hit a guy in stride on a screen. That's really not too much to ask is it?

They need to march into Cal with some game plans for blitzes and the ability to get Ross and Mickens the ball in space.

While Cal shouldn't be taken lightly, this team has no business going down there and losing. Period. Cal can score in bunches and they are going to seriously test that young secondary of ours. No doubt they will end up with at least a couple of huge plays on blown coverages. Flat out going to happen. Still, their defense has given up big leads and lots of points to worse offenses than ours. And their offense runs hot and cold. A loss in this game is simply not acceptable. And if it happens I'll be leading the pitch forks on Montlake for Smith's head.

 

[mcnabb7542]

The UW @ Cal game gets 3pm start time on PAC12 network.

Always a beautiful setting with the sunset going on at that stadium. Hopefully our offense finds a grove that day.

Damn it! I don't like sitting in the bars to watch, to many arm chair coaches.........

Two weeks time to fix the O, It's like Wiz said the Oline was facing the best front seven in college football, I think it's time for a break, Petersen will get it fixed....

 

[WizardHawk]

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[Destroydacre]

I knew Oregon was fucked as soon as ESPN ran that story yesterday about how big a genius Helfrich is. Kind of way too early in his career to be reaching conclusions like that.

 

[WizardHawk]

After watching several games now by everyone else in the conference, it's easy to say that UW has the weakest QB in the conference. Not that this is a shock as 10 teams had returning starters, but anyone who watched Zona's freshman QB and the poise he had in a very hostile Autism stadium last night had to see the truth about Miles. He just doesn't have 'it'. His throwing mechanics are terrible. Doesn't have a quick/compact throwing style at all. His accuracy is even worse. They throw mostly bubble screens and he almost never hits the guy in stride.

While it sounds like I'm blaming the offensive woes on Miles, the truth is it's entirely on Smith. Miles may not have the legs of Lindquist or Williams, but he can run and yet they aren't getting him more involved in the offense with his legs. Why do they need to? Because I'm already tired of watching them call the same passing plays over and over in 2 high safety coverage and watching Miles try to figure out how to get out of those plays when no one is open. They haven't ran the ball effectively enough to force the issue, but when teams are sitting back in deep coverages the QB running lanes are generally open. Force teams to bring a spy down so you can find an open receiver every now and then.

They have a veteran line that on paper should be good at opening running lanes. They aren't the best pass protecting unit, but Miles has had time and can't find people open.

The bigger problem is Ross. They threw to him like twice last game? How can you justify having a game plan against anybody that doesn't involve the biggest play maker on the field for either side? There is no excuse for him not getting at least 10 touches a game and it should be more like 15-20. Two? Are you fucking kidding me? That tells me Smith is in way over his head. I don't care if you give him the ball on sweeps, reverses, tosses, screens, or whatever, BUT GET HIM THE FUCKING BALL!

How many times are we going to watch draw runs and bubble screens that aren't working as 70%+ of all of their plays before we are all calling for a change in coaching? I realize it's a new system for these kids, they aren't their kids, and they have questions at key positions like QB, but the OC's job is to maximize the tools they do have and minimize the weaknesses of their unit and so far I'm not seeing either.

 

[Ironbreaker]

That tells me Smith is in way over his head.

Absolutely agree.

The worrisome part is none of our QBs will ever be worth a hoot under his tutelage.


I liked one part of Coach Petes presser after the Furd game, he said We have to do better at coaching our offense, we have to do better at coaching our QBs.


So he's on the ball with the issue.

How long he lets it fester is the big question. Because thats what its gonna do, fester. Smith isn't P5 FBS level in my book. He simply doesn't have enough experience to be running a PAC offense...

 

[WizardHawk]

We can't let it go on as long as Sark let Holt drag down our defense. But does he have the balls to make any kind of coaching change in season? If the offense is this bad all year Smith can't survive the off season.

I don't really have any problems with Petersen at this point, but his leadership in identifying the problems and taking charge of fixing them is paramount here.

 

[RegentDenali]

I knew Oregon was fucked as soon as ESPN ran that story yesterday about how big a genius Helfrich is. Kind of way too early in his career to be reaching conclusions like that.

I think we already saw the massive chinks in the armor during the Ducks Cougs game. You could see the Ducks Oline and Defense was having issues. I think Zona was ranked team quality, but the pollsters would find any weak sauce excuse in the book to stuff as many tSEC teams in the top 25 as they can. It's pushed everyone in the rest of the confs down way too much.

I think it's just simply: The Ducks are not the only ones with their act together in the PAC anymore and they can't pull all the crap they did during the Kelly era with the longest yard rosters and blatantly buying players to come there. UCLA, USC, Stanford, Washington, Zona schools, etc... They're all thick with coaching talent and nice looking rosters. Parity has returned to the PAC.

 

[BHF]

We can't let it go on as long as Sark let Holt drag down our defense. But does he have the balls to make any kind of coaching change in season? If the offense is this bad all year Smith can't survive the off season.

I don't really have any problems with Petersen at this point, but his leadership in identifying the problems and taking charge of fixing them is paramount here.

Completely bizarre, throwing crap at the wall, almost certainly never gonna happen, but what if...

Think Scott Woodward could throw enough cash at Charlie Weiss to bring him in as an OC? Crappy, crappy head coach, but man...he can design and run an offense.

 

[WizardHawk]

There are names out there to be had and now that we have Petersen and a quality core of kids along with all of the facility upgrades there is no reason they can't go get one. Weiss would be fine with me.

Graham, RR, Dykes, Mora, and even Leach have raised the bar on their teams and have things going in the right direction. Hell add MacIntyre to that list as well.

Petersen was undoubtedly a great pickup and should bring us to a new level, but he has to totally shed his mid major coaching roots to make that jump and it begins with any dead weight on his staff. He has to identify his teams weaknesses and fix them, even if it means making those hard choices. I'm sure he will, but my only fear is if he thinks he needs to give Smith a couple of years to bring their offense online. I'm not willing to wait for failed experiments anymore. Been there and done that.