Practice Report

[apaladin]

Players aren't longer. The measuring tapes are less accurate. Result of supply chain issues, less measuring tape workers, etc.

Yep just like the speed guns in baseball pitching. Everyone is throwing 95 plus these days including every college and minor league pitcher. I ain’t buying it!

You aren't following baseball very closely, then.

Like a lot of sports, the game is light years ahead of where it was 20-30 years ago.

Watch it every day at all levels. Just not buying every pitcher in baseball from high school up has Nolan Ryan velocity.

[The Jackal]

Players aren't longer. The measuring tapes are less accurate. Result of supply chain issues, less measuring tape workers, etc.

Yep just like the speed guns in baseball pitching. Everyone is throwing 95 plus these days including every college and minor league pitcher. I ain’t buying it!

You aren't following baseball very closely, then.

Like a lot of sports, the game is light years ahead of where it was 20-30 years ago.

Watch it every day at all levels. Just not buying every pitcher in baseball from high school up has Nolan Ryan velocity.

Like many things, I disagree with your position on the subject but I am going to resist the urge to allow a perfectly good football thread be taken over with nonsense.

[FUBeAR]

Players aren't longer. The measuring tapes are less accurate. Result of supply chain issues, less measuring tape workers, etc.

Yep just like the speed guns in baseball pitching. Everyone is throwing 95 plus these days including every college and minor league pitcher. I ain’t buying it!

You aren't following baseball very closely, then.

Like a lot of sports, the game is light years ahead of where it was 20-30 years ago.

Watch it every day at all levels. Just not buying every pitcher in baseball from high school up has Nolan Ryan velocity.

Like many things, I disagree with your position on the subject but I am going to resist the urge to allow a perfectly good football thread be taken over with nonsense.

We have been having quite a shortage of nonsense here recently - a veritable paucity of it.

Covid, Supply Chain issues, and the Labor Shortage are, no doubt, the culprits causing this issue as well.

[FUBeAR]

Just saw a vid on IG where our Transfer WR double moved & smoked our most exp’d/best CB for a TD. Ball was a little underthrown unfortunately - couldn’t see who the chunker was….but… anyway…

This is GREAT to see!

FUBeAR has no concerns about the CB. He’s proven he’s one of the best in the SoCon. CB’s get beat sometimes. That’s why “Big Ego” & “Short Memory” are 2 top-tier items listed on the Job Requirement.

But we don’t really know what we got in this WR. He definitely showed out as a FR All-American, but the stats trailed off a bit over the subsequent years and he was out all of 2021 with an injury. To see him running a great route - shaking a Top-Tier SoCon CB, separating…stretching the separation (until he had to come back for the underthrow ) and making the catch told FUBeAR a lot.

He, Harris, Miller, et al are going to be problematic for SoCon Secondaries. Gotta get ‘em the ball in stride though.

[apaladin]

Just saw a vid on IG where our Transfer WR double moved & smoked our most exp’d/best CB for a TD. Ball was a little underthrown unfortunately - couldn’t see who the chunker was….but… anyway…

This is GREAT to see!

So reading between the lines, one new player comes in and shows we are still going to be weak on pass defense and we are still struggling getting the ball to the pass catchers.

[FUBeAR]

Just saw a vid on IG where our Transfer WR double moved & smoked our most exp’d/best CB for a TD. Ball was a little underthrown unfortunately - couldn’t see who the chunker was….but… anyway…

This is GREAT to see!

So reading between the lines, one new player comes in and shows we are still going to be weak on pass defense and we are still struggling getting the ball to the pass catchers.

[The Jackal]

Kyndel Dean had 47 receptions as a freshman at JMU.

I went back over 10 seasons. Furman has had only 3 players reach at least 47 receptions in a season - Gordon (2019), Snellings (2014), and Suttles (2013).

[Furmanoid]

Players aren't longer. The measuring tapes are less accurate. Result of supply chain issues, less measuring tape workers, etc.

Yep just like the speed guns in baseball pitching. Everyone is throwing 95 plus these days including every college and minor league pitcher. I ain’t buying it!

You aren't following baseball very closely, then.

Like a lot of sports, the game is light years ahead of where it was 20-30 years ago.

Baseball is probably better because of year round travel ball play. But I went to a pretty big jamboree on Monday, and football is NOT getting better. The drop off in ability over the past 10 years or so is unmistakable. Fortunately, it’s falling off everywhere, so competition will still be ok.

[The Jackal]

Another quick thought on the passing game.

I really think Furman might have some depth, size, and speed that we've not had for quite a while. Furman has had talented receivers come through the program, but I'm not sure I have been as encouraged by the number we might have on this team.

I think Roper might break the mold a bit on our traditional WR deployments. Looking at what he did at Holy Cross, he seems willing to deploy multiple "split end" type receivers in 2-3 WR configurations. I saw a few plays where Holy Cross had 3 receivers in the formation all listed over 6'.

[The Jackal]

[gofurman]

It also makes me wonder if Coach Cutch prefers these longer linemen.

“Longer linemen” are fine IF they can play

FUBeAR has seen a lot of longer linemen playing that cannot play - ESPECIALLY at the FCS level

Seen 1 SoCon Team, in the past, really focus on bringing in and playing longer linemen. As their ability to maintain consistent drives, maintain consistent offensive production, and convert in critical 3rd down short yardage situations deteriorated, so did their Team’s record.

Sure…bad record…BUT…LONGER LINEMAN…every freakin’ play!!!

Hopefully Furman’s OL recruiting will continue to focus on bringing in high quality ATHLETES who can PLAY…and IF they happen to be longer…that’s not, necessarily, a bad thing…as long as they can PLAY!

Ideally, your football team would have 6'6 320 lbs cyborgs that could run, hit, block, and had perfect footwork.

You'd rather have a good football player over a big football player.

You'd rather have a good big football player.

My guess is Hendrix believes in his ability to "coach them up." Find guys with the right mold and mentality, and utilize the process.

yes, BUT we had several times last year that we needed a yard or two with a down or two to get it .. and could Not get the job done as our OL couldn't hold up. SO strange as in our first year with backs that 'couldn't get to the edge' so everyone knew we were coming up the middle we were able to get a yard almost at will - Hendrix first year.

BLOCK SOMEONE. There were a few painful times last year we couldn't get a fourth and one. That is a killer

[FUBeAR]

It also makes me wonder if Coach Cutch prefers these longer linemen.

“Longer linemen” are fine IF they can play

FUBeAR has seen a lot of longer linemen playing that cannot play - ESPECIALLY at the FCS level

Seen 1 SoCon Team, in the past, really focus on bringing in and playing longer linemen. As their ability to maintain consistent drives, maintain consistent offensive production, and convert in critical 3rd down short yardage situations deteriorated, so did their Team’s record.

Sure…bad record…BUT…LONGER LINEMAN…every freakin’ play!!!

Hopefully Furman’s OL recruiting will continue to focus on bringing in high quality ATHLETES who can PLAY…and IF they happen to be longer…that’s not, necessarily, a bad thing…as long as they can PLAY!

Ideally, your football team would have 6'6 320 lbs cyborgs that could run, hit, block, and had perfect footwork.

You'd rather have a good football player over a big football player.

You'd rather have a good big football player.

My guess is Hendrix believes in his ability to "coach them up." Find guys with the right mold and mentality, and utilize the process.

yes, BUT we had several times last year that we needed a yard or two with a down or two to get it .. and could Not get the job done as our OL couldn't hold up. SO strange as in our first year with backs that 'couldn't get to the edge' so everyone knew we were coming up the middle we were able to get a yard almost at will - Hendrix first year.

BLOCK SOMEONE. There were a few painful times last year we couldn't get a fourth and one. That is a killer

Prolly TE’s or other RB’s missing their blocks, or the Ball Carrier ‘bounced’ when he shouldn’t have, or the QB made the wrong read, or he made the wrong check at that line…but no worries…people that don’t really know Football always blame the OL and yell “BLOCK SOMEONE!!,” so it’s all good.

[The Jackal]

Those 11 guys in the opposite color jersey also have a pretty good idea of what you're trying to do as well. They aren't just going to give it to you.

[apaladin]

What go Furman said but I think we didn’t convert on third and short more than a few t8mes. Captain obvious here but we have to be better on third doen on both sides of the ball. How many times did we give up first downs on defense on third and 10+ situations?

[The Jackal]

What go Furman said but I think we didn’t convert on third and short more than a few t8mes. Captain obvious here but we have to be better on third doen on both sides of the ball. How many times did we give up first downs on defense on third and 10+ situations?

Our third down defense wasn't great.

On those third and longs, remember that we were missing several key defensive backs all season. Those guys are back this year.