Mercer To Hire DREW CRONIC

[The Jackal]

In our first six games, DG looked like he was going to rewrite the record books. Then something happened.

What happened was the other teams figured out how to defend the FU offense, combined with more physical opponents, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't overcome it.

What I can't figure out was GA. State and VA. Tech were just as physical as Citadull and Wofart. Weren't they?

I really think we are making this too complicated.

Every team we played tried to load up the box against us. Against most teams (Samford, VMI, etc.) we just ran over them.

Against a few other decent defenses, we had to make throws. Sometimes we made enough of them (ETSU). Sometimes we didn't (Citadel and Wofford).

If you watch those games, though, we had guys open. We just struggled to get the ball to them. It really isn't about "figuring out" our offense, in my opinion. Teams just forced us to try and beat them with the pass. When we couldn't, we struggled.

Any run heavy team needs to be able to hit their passes. At times, this season, we didn't keep teams honest. A 60% completion percentage on a smaller number of passes and we'd have been just fine. We hit around 50%.

[gofurman]

In our first six games, DG looked like he was going to rewrite the record books. Then something happened.

What happened was the other teams figured out how to defend the FU offense, combined with more physical opponents, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't overcome it.

What I can't figure out was GA. State and VA. Tech were just as physical as Citadull and Wofart. Weren't they?

I really think we are making this too complicated.

Every team we played tried to load up the box against us. Against most teams (Samford, VMI, etc.) we just ran over them.

Against a few other decent defenses, we had to make throws. Sometimes we made enough of them (ETSU). Sometimes we didn't (Citadel and Wofford).

If you watch those games, though, we had guys open. We just struggled to get the ball to them. It really isn't about "figuring out" our offense, in my opinion. Teams just forced us to try and beat them with the pass. When we couldn't, we struggled.

Any run heavy team needs to be able to hit their passes. At times, this season, we didn't keep teams honest. A 60% completion percentage on a smaller number of passes and we'd have been just fine. We hit around 50%.

The only odd thing was those weren't that hard of passes to complete - some were simple out routes for 7 yards. Things we completed quite often early in the year.. then later in the year we overthrew the receiver by 3 yards or threw it in the dirt on occassion. That didn't happen in the first few games on the same throws... Was there more pressure on the throws later in the year? Yes, a little. Still, on some of the throws late in the year there was no more pressure put on our QBs than early in the year and the throws were definitely "different" - weird,
I certainly get it if the QB (esp young one) is running for his life or under pressure. But some of the throws and routes were under little to no pressure and the same routes as in the early part of the season and were not nearly as accurate.

[fufanatic]

In our first six games, DG looked like he was going to rewrite the record books. Then something happened.

What happened was the other teams figured out how to defend the FU offense, combined with more physical opponents, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't overcome it.

What I can't figure out was GA. State and VA. Tech were just as physical as Citadull and Wofart. Weren't they?

I really think we are making this too complicated.

Every team we played tried to load up the box against us. Against most teams (Samford, VMI, etc.) we just ran over them.

Against a few other decent defenses, we had to make throws. Sometimes we made enough of them (ETSU). Sometimes we didn't (Citadel and Wofford).

If you watch those games, though, we had guys open. We just struggled to get the ball to them. It really isn't about "figuring out" our offense, in my opinion. Teams just forced us to try and beat them with the pass. When we couldn't, we struggled.

Any run heavy team needs to be able to hit their passes. At times, this season, we didn't keep teams honest. A 60% completion percentage on a smaller number of passes and we'd have been just fine. We hit around 50%.

The only odd thing was those weren't that hard of passes to complete - some were simple out routes for 7 yards. Things we completed quite often early in the year.. then later in the year we overthrew the receiver by 3 yards or threw it in the dirt on occassion. That didn't happen in the first few games on the same throws... Was there more pressure on the throws later in the year? Yes, a little. Still, on some of the throws late in the year there was no more pressure put on our QBs than early in the year and the throws were definitely "different" - weird,
I certainly get it if the QB (esp young one) is running for his life or under pressure. But some of the throws and routes were under little to no pressure and the same routes as in the early part of the season and were not nearly as accurate.

This is a great point. We weren't asking them to make across their body fade routes ... it was the simple passes that were 5-7 yards that weren't even close and sunk our chances.

[The Jackal]

In our first six games, DG looked like he was going to rewrite the record books. Then something happened.

What happened was the other teams figured out how to defend the FU offense, combined with more physical opponents, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't overcome it.

What I can't figure out was GA. State and VA. Tech were just as physical as Citadull and Wofart. Weren't they?

I really think we are making this too complicated.

Every team we played tried to load up the box against us. Against most teams (Samford, VMI, etc.) we just ran over them.

Against a few other decent defenses, we had to make throws. Sometimes we made enough of them (ETSU). Sometimes we didn't (Citadel and Wofford).

If you watch those games, though, we had guys open. We just struggled to get the ball to them. It really isn't about "figuring out" our offense, in my opinion. Teams just forced us to try and beat them with the pass. When we couldn't, we struggled.

Any run heavy team needs to be able to hit their passes. At times, this season, we didn't keep teams honest. A 60% completion percentage on a smaller number of passes and we'd have been just fine. We hit around 50%.

The only odd thing was those weren't that hard of passes to complete - some were simple out routes for 7 yards. Things we completed quite often early in the year.. then later in the year we overthrew the receiver by 3 yards or threw it in the dirt on occassion. That didn't happen in the first few games on the same throws... Was there more pressure on the throws later in the year? Yes, a little. Still, on some of the throws late in the year there was no more pressure put on our QBs than early in the year and the throws were definitely "different" - weird,
I certainly get it if the QB (esp young one) is running for his life or under pressure. But some of the throws and routes were under little to no pressure and the same routes as in the early part of the season and were not nearly as accurate.

This is a great point. We weren't asking them to make across their body fade routes ... it was the simple passes that were 5-7 yards that weren't even close and sunk our chances.

It is and it isn't.

Dan Orlovsky did a bit the other day (I'll have to find the link) where he evaluated a bunch of throws by Carson Wentz that looked like "misses." On a lot of the throws, he's putting the ball where only his man can catch it. Sometimes the receiver is blanketed. Sometimes it looks like he's missing easy throws when he really isn't. Football is a game where most armchair QBs have no idea what they are looking at.

I've been interested in following Lamar Jackson this season. He's the best player in the NFL right now. He was not the best player in the NFL last year. In fact, many thought he was a bust. He was considered one of the worst starting QBs in the league.

Jackson has historically been a "run first" guy, but you can see vast improvements in his passing game from last year. His completion percentage has increased dramatically. His "bad throw" percentage has dropped. His improved throwing ability has aided his already solid rush attack.

So, in just one season a guy goes from being one of the league's worst QBs to essentially the runaway MVP. Sometimes it just takes a minute to get all the pieces working.

If you look at a kid like Grainger, he's already got the wheels. He's got the arm. He's got the poise (very few turnovers for a freshman QB). What needs to come along is the accuracy. If he figures that piece out, we are going to have an incredible player at QB.

[fufanatic]

In our first six games, DG looked like he was going to rewrite the record books. Then something happened.

What happened was the other teams figured out how to defend the FU offense, combined with more physical opponents, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't overcome it.

What I can't figure out was GA. State and VA. Tech were just as physical as Citadull and Wofart. Weren't they?

I really think we are making this too complicated.

Every team we played tried to load up the box against us. Against most teams (Samford, VMI, etc.) we just ran over them.

Against a few other decent defenses, we had to make throws. Sometimes we made enough of them (ETSU). Sometimes we didn't (Citadel and Wofford).

If you watch those games, though, we had guys open. We just struggled to get the ball to them. It really isn't about "figuring out" our offense, in my opinion. Teams just forced us to try and beat them with the pass. When we couldn't, we struggled.

Any run heavy team needs to be able to hit their passes. At times, this season, we didn't keep teams honest. A 60% completion percentage on a smaller number of passes and we'd have been just fine. We hit around 50%.

The only odd thing was those weren't that hard of passes to complete - some were simple out routes for 7 yards. Things we completed quite often early in the year.. then later in the year we overthrew the receiver by 3 yards or threw it in the dirt on occassion. That didn't happen in the first few games on the same throws... Was there more pressure on the throws later in the year? Yes, a little. Still, on some of the throws late in the year there was no more pressure put on our QBs than early in the year and the throws were definitely "different" - weird,
I certainly get it if the QB (esp young one) is running for his life or under pressure. But some of the throws and routes were under little to no pressure and the same routes as in the early part of the season and were not nearly as accurate.

This is a great point. We weren't asking them to make across their body fade routes ... it was the simple passes that were 5-7 yards that weren't even close and sunk our chances.

It is and it isn't.

Dan Orlovsky did a bit the other day (I'll have to find the link) where he evaluated a bunch of throws by Carson Wentz that looked like "misses." On a lot of the throws, he's putting the ball where only his man can catch it. Sometimes the receiver is blanketed. Sometimes it looks like he's missing easy throws when he really isn't. Football is a game where most armchair QBs have no idea what they are looking at.

I've been interested in following Lamar Jackson this season. He's the best player in the NFL right now. He was not the best player in the NFL last year. In fact, many thought he was a bust. He was considered one of the worst starting QBs in the league.

Jackson has historically been a "run first" guy, but you can see vast improvements in his passing game from last year. His completion percentage has increased dramatically. His "bad throw" percentage has dropped. His improved throwing ability has aided his already solid rush attack.

So, in just one season a guy goes from being one of the league's worst QBs to essentially the runaway MVP. Sometimes it just takes a minute to get all the pieces working.

If you look at a kid like Grainger, he's already got the wheels. He's got the arm. He's got the poise (very few turnovers for a freshman QB). What needs to come along is the accuracy. If he figures that piece out, we are going to have an incredible player at QB.

Honestly, Jackson's numbers are what I was hoping out of a Furman QB in this offense ... 12-15 completions a game, high completion percentage, few INTs, multiple TDs passing and 50-60 yards rushing a game. Which I thought was doable in our run first, but not full-on run only team. I think you're right that DG has the potential (he showed it against GSU).

[The Jackal]

In our first six games, DG looked like he was going to rewrite the record books. Then something happened.

What happened was the other teams figured out how to defend the FU offense, combined with more physical opponents, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't overcome it.

What I can't figure out was GA. State and VA. Tech were just as physical as Citadull and Wofart. Weren't they?

I really think we are making this too complicated.

Every team we played tried to load up the box against us. Against most teams (Samford, VMI, etc.) we just ran over them.

Against a few other decent defenses, we had to make throws. Sometimes we made enough of them (ETSU). Sometimes we didn't (Citadel and Wofford).

If you watch those games, though, we had guys open. We just struggled to get the ball to them. It really isn't about "figuring out" our offense, in my opinion. Teams just forced us to try and beat them with the pass. When we couldn't, we struggled.

Any run heavy team needs to be able to hit their passes. At times, this season, we didn't keep teams honest. A 60% completion percentage on a smaller number of passes and we'd have been just fine. We hit around 50%.

The only odd thing was those weren't that hard of passes to complete - some were simple out routes for 7 yards. Things we completed quite often early in the year.. then later in the year we overthrew the receiver by 3 yards or threw it in the dirt on occassion. That didn't happen in the first few games on the same throws... Was there more pressure on the throws later in the year? Yes, a little. Still, on some of the throws late in the year there was no more pressure put on our QBs than early in the year and the throws were definitely "different" - weird,
I certainly get it if the QB (esp young one) is running for his life or under pressure. But some of the throws and routes were under little to no pressure and the same routes as in the early part of the season and were not nearly as accurate.

This is a great point. We weren't asking them to make across their body fade routes ... it was the simple passes that were 5-7 yards that weren't even close and sunk our chances.

It is and it isn't.

Dan Orlovsky did a bit the other day (I'll have to find the link) where he evaluated a bunch of throws by Carson Wentz that looked like "misses." On a lot of the throws, he's putting the ball where only his man can catch it. Sometimes the receiver is blanketed. Sometimes it looks like he's missing easy throws when he really isn't. Football is a game where most armchair QBs have no idea what they are looking at.

I've been interested in following Lamar Jackson this season. He's the best player in the NFL right now. He was not the best player in the NFL last year. In fact, many thought he was a bust. He was considered one of the worst starting QBs in the league.

Jackson has historically been a "run first" guy, but you can see vast improvements in his passing game from last year. His completion percentage has increased dramatically. His "bad throw" percentage has dropped. His improved throwing ability has aided his already solid rush attack.

So, in just one season a guy goes from being one of the league's worst QBs to essentially the runaway MVP. Sometimes it just takes a minute to get all the pieces working.

If you look at a kid like Grainger, he's already got the wheels. He's got the arm. He's got the poise (very few turnovers for a freshman QB). What needs to come along is the accuracy. If he figures that piece out, we are going to have an incredible player at QB.

Honestly, Jackson's numbers are what I was hoping out of a Furman QB in this offense ... 12-15 completions a game, high completion percentage, few INTs, multiple TDs passing and 50-60 yards rushing a game. Which I thought was doable in our run first, but not full-on run only team. I think you're right that DG has the potential (he showed it against GSU).

In an offensive system like Furman's, that is going to be run heavy, if we can't complete a higher percentage of passes we are going to look at some underwhelming seasons.

The only teams that can run the ball against good defenses without needing to throw are option teams. If we aren't an option team, we are going to have to make throws to keep a defense out of our backfield.

Furman is a bit like Georgia was this year - veteran OL, talented and deep group of running backs, and can impose their will on less talented teams. When you face a good defense, though, that can stack the box and take away the run game, the offense struggles.

[FurmAlum]

Jackal's right. Grainger, and Sisson too, are on the cusp of being good, maybe great QB's. All they need is another off-season working on their accuracy and a little more game experience.

Dick Crum (not a VD disease), ex coach at UNC, used to say that all men think they can do two things: 1. grill out, and 2. coach football. Everybody is an armchair QB. The truth is, most, if not all of us have never coached a down of football and no nothing about it. We just think we do.

I can grill out!

[sluggo]

Blah blah blah.

JeMar Lincoln laughed out loud.

[gofurman]

Blah blah blah.

JeMar Lincoln laughed out loud.

Ouch - well played Sluggo

[gofurman]

In our first six games, DG looked like he was going to rewrite the record books. Then something happened.

What happened was the other teams figured out how to defend the FU offense, combined with more physical opponents, and for whatever reason, we just couldn't overcome it.

What I can't figure out was GA. State and VA. Tech were just as physical as Citadull and Wofart. Weren't they?

I really think we are making this too complicated.

Every team we played tried to load up the box against us. Against most teams (Samford, VMI, etc.) we just ran over them.

Against a few other decent defenses, we had to make throws. Sometimes we made enough of them (ETSU). Sometimes we didn't (Citadel and Wofford).

If you watch those games, though, we had guys open. We just struggled to get the ball to them. It really isn't about "figuring out" our offense, in my opinion. Teams just forced us to try and beat them with the pass. When we couldn't, we struggled.

Any run heavy team needs to be able to hit their passes. At times, this season, we didn't keep teams honest. A 60% completion percentage on a smaller number of passes and we'd have been just fine. We hit around 50%.

The only odd thing was those weren't that hard of passes to complete - some were simple out routes for 7 yards. Things we completed quite often early in the year.. then later in the year we overthrew the receiver by 3 yards or threw it in the dirt on occassion. That didn't happen in the first few games on the same throws... Was there more pressure on the throws later in the year? Yes, a little. Still, on some of the throws late in the year there was no more pressure put on our QBs than early in the year and the throws were definitely "different" - weird,
I certainly get it if the QB (esp young one) is running for his life or under pressure. But some of the throws and routes were under little to no pressure and the same routes as in the early part of the season and were not nearly as accurate.

This is a great point. We weren't asking them to make across their body fade routes ... it was the simple passes that were 5-7 yards that weren't even close and sunk our chances.

It is and it isn't.

Dan Orlovsky did a bit the other day (I'll have to find the link) where he evaluated a bunch of throws by Carson Wentz that looked like "misses." On a lot of the throws, he's putting the ball where only his man can catch it. Sometimes the receiver is blanketed. Sometimes it looks like he's missing easy throws when he really isn't. Football is a game where most armchair QBs have no idea what they are looking at.

I've been interested in following Lamar Jackson this season. He's the best player in the NFL right now. He was not the best player in the NFL last year. In fact, many thought he was a bust. He was considered one of the worst starting QBs in the league.

Jackson has historically been a "run first" guy, but you can see vast improvements in his passing game from last year. His completion percentage has increased dramatically. His "bad throw" percentage has dropped. His improved throwing ability has aided his already solid rush attack.

So, in just one season a guy goes from being one of the league's worst QBs to essentially the runaway MVP. Sometimes it just takes a minute to get all the pieces working.

If you look at a kid like Grainger, he's already got the wheels. He's got the arm. He's got the poise (very few turnovers for a freshman QB). What needs to come along is the accuracy. If he figures that piece out, we are going to have an incredible player at QB.

Jackal, I agree most kids get better from FR to Soph season. But as you yourself told me earlier in season when I said I feared playing Mercer, you mentioned that many QBs REGRESS - The Mercer QBs etc. Mercer QBs (and others) were much better as Freshman than as Sophomores, anyway it does happens from time to time. However, I agree most kids improve and the regression is the outlier. If ours regress we will be in trouble. we HAVE to complete 60% passes at this point as our OL is good (see CSU, Mercer, Sam games in early part of year) but our OL i s not "blow the opponent off the ball " good vs the best teams (Cit, Woff, APy)