Mercer Press Conference

[Affirm]

You can bet CCH makes a lot more than $200k.

Yes.

[purplehorse]

Based on what I have seen since we scored an early TD at Wofford in 2019, there is not a single game that I am confident we can win. Part of the problem is we have lost our “winning mentality”. Other issues and problems for sure but I am still looking for us to have a really good game. Again hopeful but not optimistic at all.

[MNORM]

I suspect we will see some changes in 2 weeks.

Furman has a bye week and then two games where we should be favored. Seems like if you are contemplating changes, this is the week to make them.

To us it seems obvious that you switch QB’s and stuff because, hey, what have you got to lose? But if you are the coaches you might be cautious because if you lose those two games your future looks very grim. Even FU’s asbestos coated seat could become warm. The temptation is to play it safe and make some very minor tweaks. It will take courage to make major changes. It’ll be interesting to see what they do.

How much can you really change in two weeks and have it be executed effectively enough to win? The team had a spring season, summer practice, and four games in this offensive "system". Aside from a possible QB change, how much tweaking can really be done in 8-9 practices? Not pessimistic here...I'm simply trying to grasp what the expectations are for change vs. the reality of the situation.

[FUBeAR]

How much can you really change in two weeks and have it be executed effectively enough to win? The team had a spring season, summer practice, and four games in this offensive "system". Aside from a possible QB change, how much tweaking can really be done in 8-9 practices?

FWIW…1979 … Started 0-5 after winning 1978 SoCon Championship … Demoted 1978 SoCon Player of Year QB / Sr. / Team Captain / Leader, loved by his Teammates to 2nd Team after week 5 … New Starting QB was much more of a running/option QB… NOT a bye week … 5-1 rest of season. Woulda been 5-0-1 (AKA undefeated), after change, except for a missed XP @ VMI.

[MNORM]

How much can you really change in two weeks and have it be executed effectively enough to win? The team had a spring season, summer practice, and four games in this offensive "system". Aside from a possible QB change, how much tweaking can really be done in 8-9 practices?

FWIW…1979 … Started 0-5 after winning 1978 SoCon Championship … Demoted 1978 SoCon Player of Year QB / Sr. / Team Captain / Leader, loved by his Teammates to 2nd Team after week 5 … New Starting QB was much more of a running/option QB… NOT a bye week … 5-1 rest of season. Woulda been 5-0-1 (AKA undefeated), after change, except for a missed XP @ VMI.

Appreciate the perspective Bear. I guess I'm wrestling with whether our offensive woes (in terms of a short-term tweak/change) fall more on the shoulders of one position (QB) or an entire position group (OL). The former is relatively easy to "change". It would seem that the latter is more challenging to change and more an issue of execution. You'd know better than I. It's difficult for me to envision throwing a Freshman QB with limited snaps out there and expecting much if the root of the problem lies with an entire position group.

[FUBeAR]

New Starting QB in 2nd half of ‘79 was Soph who had played in 0 games as a FR (couldn’t redshirt w/o injury in those days) and very limited ‘end-of-game’ snaps prior to starting Game 6 in ‘79. He remained the Starter thru 2 SoCon Championship seasons in ‘80 & ‘81.

No - you cannot successfully change out an entire O-Line personnel-wise in a week or 2 … and, if you even thought for a second about doing that, you should just, instead, fire your OL Coach, your Recruiting Coordinator, and then yourself. That said, in general, often things appearing to be OL issues to many fans, are not OL issues.

“C’MON, O-LINE! BLOCK SOMEONE!!” is a frequent refrain of the uninformed fan. If one finds oneself saying this to ‘encourage’ their favorite Team…one just might be an uninformed fan.

[The Jackal]

How much can you really change in two weeks and have it be executed effectively enough to win? The team had a spring season, summer practice, and four games in this offensive "system". Aside from a possible QB change, how much tweaking can really be done in 8-9 practices?

FWIW…1979 … Started 0-5 after winning 1978 SoCon Championship … Demoted 1978 SoCon Player of Year QB / Sr. / Team Captain / Leader, loved by his Teammates to 2nd Team after week 5 … New Starting QB was much more of a running/option QB… NOT a bye week … 5-1 rest of season. Woulda been 5-0-1 (AKA undefeated), after change, except for a missed XP @ VMI.

Appreciate the perspective Bear. I guess I'm wrestling with whether our offensive woes (in terms of a short-term tweak/change) fall more on the shoulders of one position (QB) or an entire position group (OL). The former is relatively easy to "change". It would seem that the latter is more challenging to change and more an issue of execution. You'd know better than I. It's difficult for me to envision throwing a Freshman QB with limited snaps out there and expecting much if the root of the problem lies with an entire position group.

So, I think it's an all of the above problem.

For one, I think the pass protection is massively better than it was in the spring. Furman has surrendered only 3 sacks in 4 games. Most of the time, when the QB drops back, he has all the time he needs. That's been a big improvement.

I think the problem with the run game is still a mixture of the core problem - we are not consistent enough in the passing game to force defenses out of their game plan. While no one wants to "pass to set up the run," if we are going to stay in this offensive zone scheme then we have to be able to consistently throw the ball. You can have a bunch of studs along the offensive line, but there's still typically more defenders to block than there are blockers to block them on most plays.

But what I think ails us is misfiring in the passing game. Examples:

Here is a crippling interception in a 4 point game. Mercer uses their best CB on Harris and double teams Miller. Harris has a step on his man, but the ball is so badly overthrown that he's got no chance of even catching it. Probably the only place you cannot put that ball is where it was thrown.

The bugger of this is Mercer is telling you what they're doing. Man coverage on Harris. They are just daring us to try to throw it to him.

Compare that to this big play from Mercer. Not an identical play, but the QB puts the ball well out in front of the receiver where either he catches it, or no one catches it.

Similar situation here. I've watched this play a number of times and can only assume the linebacker tipped it before it bounced off the DB's shoe and in the air (though not sure). Despite the freakishness of the play, it's a good call - Harris has his man beat inside, and the QB has a bunch of time to throw. This has to be a completion for Furman's offense. Has to be.

If you are defending Furman, why do anything different? We've not demonstrated any ability to consistently make these throws. Even if you give up some yards, eventually we will misfire on throws. It happens nearly every possession.

Again, I think that if we want to run this type of offense, we have to make these throws. Have to. If we don't think we can make these throws, then we need to turn our offense into an inside drill and let the dogs eat.

[The Jackal]

Also, side note.

Went back and looked at 2017. Blazejowski averaged about 25 ypg rushing. Sisson right now is under 5 ypg.

It is my opinion that for this scheme to get working, we need a run threat from the QB position. He doesn't have to be Lamar Jackson, but we've gotta have the ability to gain yards on the ground there.

I think Sisson is a capable runner and the coaching staff has shown more willingness to give him designed opportunities this fall, but that's an element of the offense we have to improve on.

[purplehorse]

It looked to my untrained eye that Jace Wilson’s passes had more zip on them and that he was a better runner. We really don’t have much to lose by switching to him, if for nothing else, experience for him for next year. We have ridden HS as far as he can take us.

[The Jackal]

It looked to my untrained eye that Jace Wilson’s passes had more zip on them and that he was a better runner. We really don’t have much to lose by switching to him, if for nothing else, experience for him for next year. We have ridden HS as far as he can take us.

At this point, if we are going to endure another season of 21 or 22 ppg out of the offense, we might as well make a switch.

I haven't seen enough of Wilson, but in about one and a half quarters Saturday, Wilson matched Sisson's long run of the season and covered over half of his entire rushing output for the year.

Again, Wilson was put into a situation where Mercer knew we had to throw the ball. I'm interested to see what he can do with a blank slate.

[apaladin]

On that diving catch, in person I thought the QB had crossed the los when he threw. Video confirms.

[apaladin]

It looked to my untrained eye that Jace Wilson’s passes had more zip on them and that he was a better runner. We really don’t have much to lose by switching to him, if for nothing else, experience for him for next year. We have ridden HS as far as he can take us.

I thought the same about the zip on JC’s passes. He obviously made some expected mistakes. I think at this point if we are hoping that HS will get much better, that is probably not happening,

[FUBeAR]

Deleted post…another user error. FUBeAR is slippin’

[FUBeAR]

On that diving catch, in person I thought the QB had crossed the los when he threw. Video confirms.

Doesn’t…

NCAA Rules 2021 - Section 3, Article 2: “Illegal Forward Pass - A forward pass is illegal if:
a. It is thrown by a Team A player whose entire body is beyond the neutral zone when the ball is released.



Line of Scrimmage was the Mercer 49. I have circled the released ball, which is between the Mercer 46 & 47. While the line I tried to draw may not be perfectly parallel, it is obvious that the QB’s entire body is still not across the Mercer 49 even though the ball has already flown 2 or 3 yards beyond that point. Ref’s no call was correct. Whether or not he caught the ball is a different question. From my endzone view live, it appeared that he did, but I haven’t seen a video angle to confirm that.

[gofurman]

So, I think it's an all of the above problem.

For one, I think the pass protection is massively better than it was in the spring. Furman has surrendered only 3 sacks in 4 games. Most of the time, when the QB drops back, he has all the time he needs. That's been a big improvement.

I think the problem with the run game is still a mixture of the core problem - we are not consistent enough in the passing game to force defenses out of their game plan. While no one wants to "pass to set up the run," if we are going to stay in this offensive zone scheme then we have to be able to consistently throw the ball. You can have a bunch of studs along the offensive line, but there's still typically more defenders to block than there are blockers to block them on most plays.

But what I think ails us is misfiring in the passing game. Examples:

Here is a crippling interception in a 4 point game. Mercer uses their best CB on Harris and double teams Miller. Harris has a step on his man, but the ball is so badly overthrown that he's got no chance of even catching it. Probably the only place you cannot put that ball is where it was thrown.

The bugger of this is Mercer is telling you what they're doing. Man coverage on Harris. They are just daring us to try to throw it to him.

If you are defending Furman, why do anything different? We've not demonstrated any ability to consistently make these throws. Even if you give up some yards, eventually we will misfire on throws. It happens nearly every possession.

Again, I think that if we want to run this type of offense, we have to make these throws. Have to. If we don't think we can make these throws, then we need to turn our offense into an inside drill and let the dogs eat.

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY - which probably hurts your reputation... lol.

It's the old thing Furman used to do on Defense- make a team make several throws to get down the field and assume at least once or twice they fall incomplete leaving the O to punt or with 3rd and 8. RIchie and Armanti and a few others were able to beat us when we did this... sadly, we can't beat it. You are right, i noticed that tight coverage on our fastest Recvr (Harris) right before that play. It was set for us to make a killing. They were daring us.. and we threw to the only place we couldn't throw to. Dang Dang Dang.

If we can't make that throw we have very little chance of winning many games. One on One w our possibly best Receiver - that's a gimme or at worst an incompletion. I almost feel we were baited into a sucker play.
Dmn that;s painful to watch.

AGREE - we either HAVE to complete a few more of these passes or QB / system has to change. And that pains me to say - but they are stackin the box... gotta do something other than run for a yard up the middle vs 8 guys