§ It’s the start of a new season, a very important game, another brick opportunity as the first Pac-12 game, and it’s one of the few winnable-looking games left on the schedule (maybe Arizona at home and at UCLA?). Of course, WSU is thinking the exact same thing, that this is a road game they can and need to win in order to have a shot at a bowl game. However, we actually opened as a 4-point favorite and it is staying right around 3, the general “home field” cushion. It should be another beautiful Saturday in Boulder for another great football game. We need to welcome in the Pac-12 era with a raucous crowd and help will the Buffs to a rare win.
§ The injury report for CU has grown and probably doesn’t even include a few names that could be there as well. C Daniel Munyer is probable now and should play some; DE Goldberg and S Jaffee are both questionable. The CBs are a mess, with Sanderfseld, Vigo and Ewing out for a few games still, and Bell gone for the season; if TFr. Sherrard Harrington’s hip gets healthy, they may have to ask him to burn his redshirt and play in the coming weeks.
§ …So, Sr. RB Brian Lockridge went to coaches Tuesday and asked what he could do for the team his last nine weeks, if he could help at DB. He has switched and with only one class this semester, he thinks he can learn most of the defensive playbook by the game-everything I have ever heard about him says he can and will accomplish what he sets his mind to. That’s steppin’ up and being a leader for your team!
§ Bad stats: The Buffs are the most penalized team in the country at 88 yards per game (and remember that a ton have been declined because we still didn’t do well on the play). They are also still dead last in kickoff returns at 13.85 yards per return. Not much better on punt returns or, our supposed bread and butter, rushing (105th at only 86.5 yards/game). There are likely numerous other pathetic categories we could point out (3rd down % for instance) but it might be too depressing to research and note.
§ It is somewhat difficult to judge WSU as they have played some pretty weak teams. Although they have put up a lot of yards and points, they have given up a ton as well and didn’t look good after the opening TD in the loss to San Diego St. With our DB injuries, it should be a high-scoring affair and fun to watch, as long as we have the slightly better end of it.
§ Washington St. will enter this game with a bye week off to heal their minor injuries (not QB Jeff Tuel yet though) and to prepare, study film of our first four games now and gameplan specifically for the Buffs. For some teams this is a boost but there have been many teams that suffer from the extended layoff. This is not a problem CU will encounter this season.
§ Wazzu and their coach Paul Wulff have never shied away from playing freshman (they have played at least 9 freshmen, 10 redshirt freshmen so far this year) and there are reports that TFr. LB/DE Logan Mayes might burn his redshirt to help get a pass rush on Tyler Hansen.
§ Special Teams has become a complete disaster outside of Wil Oliver and an occasional O’Neill booming punt; unfortunately, many of the rugby style punts have been a complete adventure. The kickoffs have been poor, out of bounds, or short with shoddy coverage, giving up some huge returns. As such, more starters will be playing the units this week and the foreseeable future, while fewer of the younger players will be getting time for now. These have all compounded with many of the penalties to leave both the offense and defense with terrible field position; against OSU CU often started inside their own 15, while the Buckeyes often started in Buff territory. This made it extremely difficult for both the defense and offense to do their jobs. This is another area where I could probably dig up a bunch of depressing stats.
§ The offense actually did okay against OSU despite that terrible starting field position, but they had to start very deep and could not dig their way out. They will (still) need to eliminate mistakes and get the running game going right from the start. WSU has not been very good against the run and I certainly don’t expect to see 3 passes to open the first series. As always, it will start with the O-line, who will be starting their 5th different group of the season, with Bakhtiari LT, Handler at C and likely Dannewitz at RT, with Miller and Adkins at G. This group has to limit holdings with no false starts, give some more consistent holes for Speedy and crew, as well as give some time to Tyler. Then, he has to not overthrow his receivers and they have to catch the ball when it’s near them. If P-Rich is doubled, take advantage and get others the ball-the Cougar DBs are not going to be as good or fast as the Buckeyes were. This is a perfect game at home for the offense to finally breakout, without a plethora of mistakes, gaining and scoring both on the ground and through the air.
§ The defense also did relatively well, holding the Buckeyes in check, but was on the field way too often with very short playing fields, including from the 5 once, and they just got worn out by the end of the game. The front seven will need to have a strong game to take some pressure off the DBs, as the Cougs Sr. QB Marshall Lobbestael will be passing a lot, usually to four or five wideouts, starting with Marcus Wilson. Deji will start across from Henderson, and we will see a lot of Terrel Smith, Josh Moten and even Jason Espinoza or Lockridge. They can get some pressure on Lobbestael and some sacks, but everyone needs to stay in their lanes and not let him get free for big running plays. We will give up some yardage and points to this team, but the key is to contain them and give the offense the ball.
§ At some point soon, maybe not this week, I would like to see some more of the younger players getting some PT, even burning more redshirts if need be. We lose 28 seniors after this year, seniors who are not even playing that great and are not setting the example as leaders this year. If there are going to be a ton of stupid mistakes, I guess I would rather have the young kids making them, learning from them, instead of seniors who have fossilized bad habits and are not going to change. It is looking extremely doubtful that this team earns 15 bowl practices so let’s get them ready while we can! If not now, then soon! Here’s some possibilities:
1. I am really ready to see an infusion of TEs into this offense! When can we just give Thorton and Slavin a chance? Give them a shot in a two-tight-end formation to see what they can do! If they screw up, so what? Then maybe they won’t do it next year when we will need to count on them. [Interestingly enough, tackle Alex Kelley got some reps as a blocking TE on Columbus; was that because Matt Bahr coughed it up and/or Thorton/Slavin are just terrible blockers?]
2. Likewise, if Speedy is banged up then let Tony Jones get more work as he looked almost as good running and I don’t think he blew any big blocks. How about giving Josh Ford a few carries; these two guys will be carrying the load next year and there are no big time RBs waiting anywhere in the wings.
3. Is WR Nelson Spruce going to burn his redshirt? If so, let’s do it now.
4. I would even love to get Nick Hirschman a series or two a game at QB.
5. Special Teams is a disaster! If DD Goodson is going to play at all then let’s go!
6. Kyle Washington and Wil Harlos are contributing on special teams as TFr. but I would like to see them get some time on defense as well. Right now Terrell Smith is only other safety getting on field with whichever bunch of CBs is healthy at the moment.
7. It was good to see Juda Parker and Brady Daigh out there on defense! I want to see more of those guys and anyone else who will be counted on next year! I don’t really want Tony Poremba on the D-line-I don’t see that he is doing more than anyone else but is getting lots of reps.
Maybe I am being a little hasty, but I am tired of seeing the same mistakes by the same “experienced” players who also made them the last few years. The current recruiting class looks decent, but not spectacular by any means, and with so many seniors leaving, the guys on the sidelines now are the leaders of this team for the next couple of years.
§ No matter who Embree and the coaches decide to send out on Folsom Field (even if it’s only “30 guys” as he threatened earlier in the week), they have to be more disciplined and find a way to win a home game against a team they are favored against and should beat. The alternative is undesirable, to say the least.
If you are one of those who still needs more before you head to Folsom…
§ This is the WSU homepage on the same network as Ralphie Report and they have a ton of material leading up to this game since they had a bye week before. http://www.cougcenter.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment