WCU Postgame

[FUpaladin08]

JohnW I agree with your post.

I'm sure some you don't mean it to come off the way it does - but some of the chatter reads as consistent nit-picking about DG.

I'm not sure we've ever had a QB that could do what DG did on the 0:37 drive at the end of the first half. Maybe Ingle, but I can't remember Ingle faking defenders out in the open field. Another element that is not talked about is how far DG as come running the option and making the pitch.

I'm very excited about the future. I appreciate the journey of watching a young QB develop. DG is going to have his ups and downs but one thing you can't take away from him is his ability to use his feet. And I still think we will see more consistency in the passing game as we close out our SoCon run.

His (and the team’s) ability to get back on the line and spike the ball following that pass to the middle of the field was the most impressive play of the game IMO. When that ball was caught I thought they were crazy to not throw towards the sideline. Two minute offense is looking much better from what they tried at the end of the GSU game.

[The Jackal]

JohnW I agree with your post.

I'm sure some you don't mean it to come off the way it does - but some of the chatter reads as consistent nit-picking about DG.

I'm not sure we've ever had a QB that could do what DG did on the 0:37 drive at the end of the first half. Maybe Ingle, but I can't remember Ingle faking defenders out in the open field. Another element that is not talked about is how far DG as come running the option and making the pitch.

I'm very excited about the future. I appreciate the journey of watching a young QB develop. DG is going to have his ups and downs but one thing you can't take away from him is his ability to use his feet. And I still think we will see more consistency in the passing game as we close out our SoCon run.

This tweet circulated some to highlight Deluca, but it sort of underscores why I think Furman will continue to get better.

I believe this is a 1st and 10 play from our 7 yard line. 3rd quarter. Still 7-3.

Citadel brings a late blitz - I presume the MLB is instructed to "spy" Grainger and then pressure him in the pocket. We don't pick up the pressure, the pass eventually falls incomplete to Thomas Gordon (outside the frame).

Deluca spins his receiver around in a circle and is wide open 15 yards downfield. Guys are open - if we pick up the pressure or have time to work through progressions, maybe this is a big play for us. The calls are there - guys are open - we just have to execute.

The Citadel CB literally has his back turned to the QB - he has no idea where Deluca is.

[fufanatic]

JohnW I agree with your post.

I'm sure some you don't mean it to come off the way it does - but some of the chatter reads as consistent nit-picking about DG.

I'm not sure we've ever had a QB that could do what DG did on the 0:37 drive at the end of the first half. Maybe Ingle, but I can't remember Ingle faking defenders out in the open field. Another element that is not talked about is how far DG as come running the option and making the pitch.

I'm very excited about the future. I appreciate the journey of watching a young QB develop. DG is going to have his ups and downs but one thing you can't take away from him is his ability to use his feet. And I still think we will see more consistency in the passing game as we close out our SoCon run.

Someone else has pointed this out too, but this whole thing is a bit awkward to navigate due to the position of QB being so unique on the football field. It's not calling out an individual player necessarily to say the oline or LBs didn't have a good game for example, but it can really only be one player if someone suggests the passing game wasn't great or the QB position (if only one QB played) didn't have its best game. I'm not sure how to work around that.

I haven't read every word of every thread, but I personally haven't read anything on here that seemed super out of bounds. Nothing about a player's family, attitude, ability in the classroom, etc. Nothing about a player being awful and needing to be benched or removed from the team.

With DG, I think everyone has been pleasantly surprised at how skilled and impressive he has looked for much of the year despite still having very few college starts at the most critical position on the field. The difference from last year to this year is stark and he absolutely deserved to be listed among the nation's leaders for the WP Award a few weeks ago. I watched the GSU performance live and it's the best game by a Furman QB I've seen in well over a decade in my opinion, especially considering the opponent. I'm incredibly excited that he could be our starting guy for another three years, and I fully expect him to contend for conference and national honors for years to come.

But I don't think it's out of bounds to highlight that it wasn't a great performance against The Citadel, and that if we want to be a team that competes for national titles we will need everyone to be more consistent, including at QB. I'm certainly willing to give the last two weeks a pass because of the weather, but you never know where you'll get sent in the playoffs, and 75 and sunny is far from guaranteed. Heck, even Frisco has been pretty darn cold for the last few national title games.

I really don't think the two sides on this board are that far off. One side is saying that DG has been unbelievable, and the other side is saying agreed, but to go where we want to go, it will take a bit more. Which I believe will come in time, but that might not be this year.

[The Jackal]

From my read, it isn't about "sides" of a debate.

It's one group of fans being perpetually sour about everything with the football team.

It's another group of fans being tired of the first group of fans.

[fufanatic]

From my read, it isn't about "sides" of a debate.

It's one group of fans being perpetually sour about everything with the football team.

It's another group of fans being tired of the first group of fans.

Well I'll add a third side for myself then, which are fans that are annoyed at the over the top negativity, but also don't think there's anything wrong with highlighting areas for improvement while fully appreciating how far the program has come in just a few years. If the goal is to win a national title, then there are areas that need to be improved. Hell, if our goal is to win the SoCon and win a game in the playoffs, there are areas that need to be improved. I don't think there's anything wrong with talking about those. Why should we as fans be satisfied if we know the coaches and players aren't?

[The Jackal]

From my read, it isn't about "sides" of a debate.

It's one group of fans being perpetually sour about everything with the football team.

It's another group of fans being tired of the first group of fans.

Well I'll add a third side for myself then, which are fans that are annoyed at the over the top negativity, but also don't think there's anything wrong with highlighting areas for improvement while fully appreciating how far the program has come in just a few years. If the goal is to win a national title, then there are areas that need to be improved. Hell, if our goal is to win the SoCon and win a game in the playoffs, there are areas that need to be improved. I don't think there's anything wrong with talking about those. Why should we as fans be satisfied if we know the coaches and players aren't?

It isn't that folks cannot discuss what may or may not be the problem. I grow weary of the chicken little effect every week. The sky isn't falling. We've got a good football team. They play hard. They do a lot of stuff extremely well. Everyone needs to chill.

Just keep things in context. A few weeks ago, there was mass handwringing on this forum because our "bad" pass defense gave up a chunk of yards to "awful" Georgia State in the passing game.

Here's commentary after the Georgia State game:

3. The defense has a long way to go. Zero pass rush and soft coverage equals long days/nights? Did we ever blitz tonight?
3. GSU set a school record for offense.
4. I think most of us FU peeps thought the defense would be our strength. After 2 games the offense is much better.
5. Darren Grainger has me sold. He had a great game tonight both throwing and passing.
6. This could be a very good team if the defense can play better.
7. We've proved to everybody that you can show on FU. Ellington was only 11-24 against UT but was like 90% tonight.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1124

Oh when will we ever see defense at Furman again? Oh, next week you say? All season? Top defense in the league is it? 13.6 ppg? Georgia State's good are they?

I'm just saying everyone needs to relax. Don't live and die with every drive. Give this young team the time to grow and develop. Stop freaking out and making this an unbearable place to enjoy Furman football.

[gofurman]

From my read, it isn't about "sides" of a debate.

It's one group of fans being perpetually sour about everything with the football team.

It's another group of fans being tired of the first group of fans.

Well I'll add a third side for myself then, which are fans that are annoyed at the over the top negativity, but also don't think there's anything wrong with highlighting areas for improvement while fully appreciating how far the program has come in just a few years. If the goal is to win a national title, then there are areas that need to be improved. Hell, if our goal is to win the SoCon and win a game in the playoffs, there are areas that need to be improved. I don't think there's anything wrong with talking about those. Why should we as fans be satisfied if we know the coaches and players aren't?

I am in this category. Nothing wrong w saying what’s great and where we need improvement to be elite. I’ll go to something in past so as to keep it less sensitive. w Fowler we needed to do better on OL. It may have been scheme ( looked like it was) but either way we were letting 3 or 4 guys sack us w 6 OL back then. And for a few weeks people denied it.

We are great. But nothing wrong w noting the great, good and areas for improvement.

I just got a PM from a guy who is gonna take. A few weeks off the board Bc he feels you can’t say anything even close to realistic here. That’s a shame he has to feel like that but I can empathize

[Thorny]

I take a break from here when Furman loses a game because I can't handle all of the negativity.

We have a championship caliber coaching staff and a good team. Enjoy it.

[JohnW]

"I just got a PM from a guy who is gonna take. A few weeks off the board Bc he feels you can’t say anything even close to realistic here. That’s a shame he has to feel like that but I can empathize"

You do see the irony here, don't you?

[apaladin]

"I just got a PM from a guy who is gonna take. A few weeks off the board Bc he feels you can’t say anything even close to realistic here. That’s a shame he has to feel like that but I can empathize"

You do see the irony here, don't you?

Not a cool post. No one is more passionate about FU football than GF. I wish we had many more like GF.

[JohnW]

"I just got a PM from a guy who is gonna take. A few weeks off the board Bc he feels you can’t say anything even close to realistic here. That’s a shame he has to feel like that but I can empathize"

You do see the irony here, don't you?

Not a cool post. No one is more passionate about FU football than GF. I wish we had many more like GF.

Explain.

[apaladin]

Just sounded like you were saying GF should be the one taking a break. Of course I could be totally wrong and misinterpreted your post.

[JohnW]

Just sounded like you were saying GF should be the one taking a break. Of course I could be totally wrong and misinterpreted your post.

No. I wondered if he saw that the break taker couldn't handle being criticized for being critical.

[apaladin]

My apologies.

[Davemeister]

Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously.

What we post here has no effect on how the team performs. Which is prolly a good thing.