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Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:19 am
by Davemeister
Does having an unexpected week off give our team more time to brood over a crushing defeat, or will it allow us to better prepare for our SoCon opener?
What say you?
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:35 am
by fufanatic
I don't see how this could be a positive. This team - especially the offense - desperately needs live game reps and now we won't get another opportunity until the SoCon opener on the road. Hopefully they'll be able to use this surprise week to get things figured out and prepare extra for a big game next Saturday.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:55 am
by Paul C
I might suggest it's a slight positive. The challenge with any freshman quarterback/young team is installation. If we use this week to get Grainger practice reps it could increase the amount of the playbook that the staff feels comfortable using in game situations as well as clean up our execution.
Practice time is always positive time.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:02 am
by gofurman
Davemeister wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:19 am
Does having an unexpected week off give our team more time to brood over a crushing defeat, or will it allow us to better prepare for our SoCon opener?
YES
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:08 pm
by The Jackal
I think it's a good thing for a few reasons.
1. It looks like Grainger has been pegged as "the guy." This give him more reps with the first team. While I have not observed practices, my speculation is they have been splitting a lot of time with the QBs.
2. We looked like we were going into Colgate with a few contributing players banged up (Porter, Weems, Gilby). This gives them an extra week before conference play.
3. We can spend a bit more time preparing for ETSU and WCU. Both of those teams face VMI before facing Furman the next two weeks. So, with us having a bye week, that will negate a bit, I think, the advantage for both of those teams in preparing for Furman while not worrying terribly about their next week's opponent.
4. At bottom, we have a young team. Having a pause point at this stage in the season should help us figure out a bit what went wrong the first two weeks.
5. That said, bye weeks are not a panacea. I've seen Furman look awful coming out of a bye week numerous times. Of note, last year was not one of those years.
6. A slight downside is that if we reschedule a game, we do not take our bye week before hitting a stretch with Wofford, Samford, and the Citadel.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:29 pm
by gofurman
The Jackal wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:08 pm
I think it's a good thing for a few reasons.
1. It looks like Grainger has been pegged as "the guy." This give him more reps with the first team. While I have not observed practices, my speculation is they have been splitting a lot of time with the QBs.
2. We looked like we were going into Colgate with a few contributing players banged up (Porter, Weems, Gilby). This gives them an extra week before conference play.
3. We can spend a bit more time preparing for ETSU and WCU. Both of those teams face VMI before facing Furman the next two weeks. So, with us having a bye week, that will negate a bit, I think, the advantage for both of those teams in preparing for Furman while not worrying terribly about their next week's opponent.
4. At bottom, we have a young team. Having a pause point at this stage in the season should help us figure out a bit what went wrong the first two weeks.
5. That said, bye weeks are not a panacea. I've seen Furman look awful coming out of a bye week numerous times. Of note, last year was not one of those years.
6. A slight downside is that if we reschedule a game, we do not take our bye week before hitting a stretch with Wofford, Samford, and the Citadel.
Jackal, agree with all this... however, I still don't like not playing in Paladin Stadium until late September.... and missing live game reps vs a top 25 team we should have beaten. Hate sitting' on that loss for 2 weeks.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:47 pm
by apaladin
IMHO I think it hurts. Nothing replaces game experience and whoever is the QB needed another game before conference play starts and a win would also be a positive and a confidence builder. Right now this team doesn't even know that it can win a game. FWIW I stopped by practice yesterday and it looked like they were working on the passing game real hard. Unfortunately the passing game has a long way to go from what I saw. On top of the QB inexperience our receiving corps is very small and that hurts too.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:51 pm
by Paul C
apaladin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:47 pm
On top of the QB inexperience our receiving corps is very small and that hurts too.
Yeah I hear ya. 5'8" Kelvin McKnight really struggled for Samford last week vs Fla St
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:58 pm
by Paul C
apaladin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:47 pm
On top of the QB inexperience our receiving corps is very small and that hurts too.
Yeah I hear ya. 5'8" Kelvin McKnight really struggled for Samford last week vs Fla St
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:26 pm
by apaladin
Paul C wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:58 pm
apaladin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:47 pm
On top of the QB inexperience our receiving corps is very small and that hurts too.
Yeah I hear ya. 5'8" Kelvin McKnight really struggled for Samford last week vs Fla St
Unfortunately we don't have a McKnight at least not so far. The receivers yesterday were getting no separation from the db's. Maybe our db's are just that good. Hope so.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:30 pm
by cavedweller2
If the receivers were looking good, catching balls and getting separation the complaint would be that our DB's suck.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:57 pm
by apaladin
It does look like DG is indeed the man from what I saw yesterday.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 3:37 pm
by The Jackal
apaladin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:47 pm
IMHO I think it hurts. Nothing replaces game experience and whoever is the QB needed another game before conference play starts and a win would also be a positive and a confidence builder. Right now this team doesn't even know that it can win a game. FWIW I stopped by practice yesterday and it looked like they were working on the passing game real hard. Unfortunately the passing game has a long way to go from what I saw. On top of the QB inexperience our receiving corps is very small and that hurts too.
Yes, but I'm also in favor of letting a young QB cut his teeth against a team that isn't either Clemson or a top 25 FCS team.
ETSU isn't going to look near as imposing as Clemson or Elon and probably even Colgate.
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:18 pm
by gofurman
cavedweller2 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:30 pm
If the receivers were looking good, catching balls and getting separation the complaint would be that our DB's suck.
Well, we saw that at Elon...
... by ELon's WRs...
Re: Question: Does This Help Us Or Hurt Us?
PostPosted:Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:39 pm
by Purpleglasses
ETSU just went up on VMI 20-17 in the 3rd.
they have only one offensive TD...and that was with a short field after a strip sack and great field position.