After Game Thoughts

[gman]

Let's be honest last week - Furman played vanilla stuff - Grainger made some very good passes, ran the offense well. Last night Grainger made plays, stood in the pocket, took hits, made some excellent pitches, showed his ability to pick up yards when running the ball. This offense only goes up from here.

Fingers-crossed we stay healthy after the back to back FBS matchups. I only see this as a positive heading into the Mercer game. Mercer will have faced; Western, PC, and Austin Peay - the Govs will be the best opponent the Bears have faced. The Dins have been thrown into the buzzsaw, played a game against a team with a new coaching staff and scheme, a vastly improved, athletic GSU team, and VaTech.

Furman will come into the Mercer game and the SoCon season with a pretty good idea of who they are.

IMO, we come in against Mercer with our hair on fire.

If Mercer beats APSU, they'll likely be ranked coming to Greenville (they may be ranked this week as well). That would be a key game for both teams, not only in the SoCon race, but in the beauty contest.

Doubt very seriously if Mercer will be ranked by the time they come to PS. In last week's coaches poll they did not receive any votes. There were 31 other teams in the receiving votes category. Don't see them jumping 31 teams by beating PC and Austin Peay. This is why it is very important to start in the poll. Regardless that will be a very important game for both teams. After last night their QB probably can't wait to get here. He is very good.

I don’t see them being ranked either. I don’t know why so many Furman fans think Mercer is good. They were 5-6 last year. There is no reason to believe they are any better this year. We should beat them by at least 3 td’s.

[DeepPurple]

He is a good thrower, he does not have the same skill set as GSU QB nor the surrounding cast.

[FUBeAR]

Let's be honest last week - Furman played vanilla stuff - Grainger made some very good passes, ran the offense well. Last night Grainger made plays, stood in the pocket, took hits, made some excellent pitches, showed his ability to pick up yards when running the ball. This offense only goes up from here.

Fingers-crossed we stay healthy after the back to back FBS matchups. I only see this as a positive heading into the Mercer game. Mercer will have faced; Western, PC, and Austin Peay - the Govs will be the best opponent the Bears have faced. The Dins have been thrown into the buzzsaw, played a game against a team with a new coaching staff and scheme, a vastly improved, athletic GSU team, and VaTech.

Furman will come into the Mercer game and the SoCon season with a pretty good idea of who they are.

IMO, we come in against Mercer with our hair on fire.

If Mercer beats APSU, they'll likely be ranked coming to Greenville (they may be ranked this week as well). That would be a key game for both teams, not only in the SoCon race, but in the beauty contest.

Doubt very seriously if Mercer will be ranked by the time they come to PS. In last week's coaches poll they did not receive any votes. There were 31 other teams in the receiving votes category. Don't see them jumping 31 teams by beating PC and Austin Peay. This is why it is very important to start in the poll. Regardless that will be a very important game for both teams. After last night their QB probably can't wait to get here. He is very good.

I don’t see them being ranked either. I don’t know why so many Furman fans think Mercer is good. They were 5-6 last year. There is no reason to believe they are any better this year. We should beat them by at least 3 td’s.

Mercer is better this year. So is Furman. Furman may win by 3 TD’s, but that doesn’t alter the improvement in evidence (so far) in Mercer’s Defense & Passing game (compared to what FU defended last year @ Mercer).

[Jasper]

Let's be honest last week - Furman played vanilla stuff - Grainger made some very good passes, ran the offense well. Last night Grainger made plays, stood in the pocket, took hits, made some excellent pitches, showed his ability to pick up yards when running the ball. This offense only goes up from here.

Fingers-crossed we stay healthy after the back to back FBS matchups. I only see this as a positive heading into the Mercer game. Mercer will have faced; Western, PC, and Austin Peay - the Govs will be the best opponent the Bears have faced. The Dins have been thrown into the buzzsaw, played a game against a team with a new coaching staff and scheme, a vastly improved, athletic GSU team, and VaTech.

Furman will come into the Mercer game and the SoCon season with a pretty good idea of who they are.

IMO, we come in against Mercer with our hair on fire.

If Mercer beats APSU, they'll likely be ranked coming to Greenville (they may be ranked this week as well). That would be a key game for both teams, not only in the SoCon race, but in the beauty contest.

Doubt very seriously if Mercer will be ranked by the time they come to PS. In last week's coaches poll they did not receive any votes. There were 31 other teams in the receiving votes category. Don't see them jumping 31 teams by beating PC and Austin Peay. This is why it is very important to start in the poll. Regardless that will be a very important game for both teams. After last night their QB probably can't wait to get here. He is very good.

I don’t see them being ranked either. I don’t know why so many Furman fans think Mercer is good. They were 5-6 last year. There is no reason to believe they are any better this year. We should beat them by at least 3 td’s.

Mercer is better this year. So is Furman. Furman may win by 3 TD’s, but that doesn’t alter the improvement in evidence (so far) in Mercer’s Defense & Passing game (compared to what FU defended last year @ Mercer).

I agree. I think Mercer is much improved this year. I think both teams are likely representatives in the playoffs and will battle it out for league championship. Mercer may not be ranked because of the caliber of competition they will have played prior to our game but that will not change the fact that they deserve to be.

[Affirm]

Let's be honest last week - Furman played vanilla stuff - Grainger made some very good passes, ran the offense well. Last night Grainger made plays, stood in the pocket, took hits, made some excellent pitches, showed his ability to pick up yards when running the ball. This offense only goes up from here.

Fingers-crossed we stay healthy after the back to back FBS matchups. I only see this as a positive heading into the Mercer game. Mercer will have faced; Western, PC, and Austin Peay - the Govs will be the best opponent the Bears have faced. The Dins have been thrown into the buzzsaw, played a game against a team with a new coaching staff and scheme, a vastly improved, athletic GSU team, and VaTech.

Furman will come into the Mercer game and the SoCon season with a pretty good idea of who they are.

IMO, we come in against Mercer with our hair on fire.

If Mercer beats APSU, they'll likely be ranked coming to Greenville (they may be ranked this week as well). That would be a key game for both teams, not only in the SoCon race, but in the beauty contest.

Doubt very seriously if Mercer will be ranked by the time they come to PS. In last week's coaches poll they did not receive any votes. There were 31 other teams in the receiving votes category. Don't see them jumping 31 teams by beating PC and Austin Peay. This is why it is very important to start in the poll. Regardless that will be a very important game for both teams. After last night their QB probably can't wait to get here. He is very good.

I don’t see them being ranked either. I don’t know why so many Furman fans think Mercer is good. They were 5-6 last year. There is no reason to believe they are any better this year. We should beat them by at least 3 td’s.

In Sagarin, we are the 12th highest-ranked FCS and they are 15th. Not much difference per those statistics.
(In the list below, * indicates several FBS teams selected for addition to the list for various reasons. Those listed are of interest for various reasons. All the other teams on the list are FCS. All ranking numbers between the FCS teams listed are occupied by FBS teams.)
(2* CU*)
(*31 UofSC*)
37 NDSU
(56* VaTech*)
62 SDakotaSU
(87* Tennessee*)
99 JMU
100 Weber State
101 Mont State
103 UNI
(105* Georgia State University*)
112 Mont
114 Princeton
115 Illinois State
121 EWU
122 Dela
123 FU
125 Towson
127 YSU
130 Mercer University
145 Wofford
(146* Vandy*)
...
183 Citadel
etc.

[gofurman]

Again, Mercer plays to our weakness. They throw the ball more than some. It’s about matchups. Last year we escaped 35-30 and played Vs a QB - for a half- that will never again see the field for Mercer (3rd string guy). Second half we played vs a gimpy top two QB and they came back on us and we held on
More to the point the last two years CH Vs BL have been one score affairs I am almost sure. So to think we orbthey win easy is not in line w history. I hope we do though but I doubt it. I’ll take any win

[gofurman]

Let's be honest last week - Furman played vanilla stuff - Grainger made some very good passes, ran the offense well. Last night Grainger made plays, stood in the pocket, took hits, made some excellent pitches, showed his ability to pick up yards when running the ball. This offense only goes up from here.

Fingers-crossed we stay healthy after the back to back FBS matchups. I only see this as a positive heading into the Mercer game. Mercer will have faced; Western, PC, and Austin Peay - the Govs will be the best opponent the Bears have faced. The Dins have been thrown into the buzzsaw, played a game against a team with a new coaching staff and scheme, a vastly improved, athletic GSU team, and VaTech.

Furman will come into the Mercer game and the SoCon season with a pretty good idea of who they are.

IMO, we come in against Mercer with our hair on fire.

If Mercer beats APSU, they'll likely be ranked coming to Greenville (they may be ranked this week as well). That would be a key game for both teams, not only in the SoCon race, but in the beauty contest.

Doubt very seriously if Mercer will be ranked by the time they come to PS. In last week's coaches poll they did not receive any votes. There were 31 other teams in the receiving votes category. Don't see them jumping 31 teams by beating PC and Austin Peay. This is why it is very important to start in the poll. Regardless that will be a very important game for both teams. After last night their QB probably can't wait to get here. He is very good.

I don’t see them being ranked either. I don’t know why so many Furman fans think Mercer is good. They were 5-6 last year. There is no reason to believe they are any better this year. We should beat them by at least 3 td’s.

Mercer is better this year. So is Furman. Furman may win by 3 TD’s, but that doesn’t alter the improvement in evidence (so far) in Mercer’s Defense & Passing game (compared to what FU defended last year @ Mercer).

the bold is why I wish after all these FBS games we had one other game (SoCon, whomever prior to Mercer) - early indications have Furman and Mercer as the two best in my worthless opinion

[gofurman]

Again, I LOVED our offense, both run O and pass O. loved our run D considering opponent. Pass D I have an objective thought - I get how great the GSU QB was both as a thrower and elusive.. but I think one mistake we made was going to the 3-8 (rush 3). It SEEMED (maybe I recall incorrectly) that was when he got comfortable in the second Q. We went to 3-8 and with that kind of time we had to cover for (as announcers said) 7 seconds and (again as ESPN announcers mentioned) no one can cover that long. Prior to that i THINK we at least rushed 4 guys most plays and it held them to 5 seconds or so which is still long but they have a great OL and QB etc. IE, you never want a QB to get 'comfortable' .. and i personally felt the rush 3 contributed to this greatly.

thoughts on this?

[paladinduece]

Again, I LOVED our offense, both run O and pass O. loved our run D considering opponent. Pass D I have an objective thought - I get how great the GSU QB was both as a thrower and elusive.. but I think one mistake we made was going to the 3-8 (rush 3). It SEEMED (maybe I recall incorrectly) that was when he got comfortable in the second Q. We went to 3-8 and with that kind of time we had to cover for (as announcers said) 7 seconds and (again as ESPN announcers mentioned) no one can cover that long. Prior to that i THINK we at least rushed 4 guys most plays and it held them to 5 seconds or so which is still long but they have a great OL and QB etc. IE, you never want a QB to get 'comfortable' .. and i personally felt the rush 3 contributed to this greatly.

thoughts on this?

Agreed, but after they had continued success why not make an adjustment? I have seen a couple of things in the first two games that are a concern. The good thing is I have seen much more that outweighs the negatives. We will have to make some scheme adjustments on D, but I feel we can get exponentially better as the season progresses. ( We will have to ). Watching some Mercer film I like the QB, but he isn’t the same caliber we saw last night. I think this team has a good chance to make some noise in the playoffs and take home another conference title.

[gofurman]

Again, I LOVED our offense, both run O and pass O. loved our run D considering opponent. Pass D I have an objective thought - I get how great the GSU QB was both as a thrower and elusive.. but I think one mistake we made was going to the 3-8 (rush 3). It SEEMED (maybe I recall incorrectly) that was when he got comfortable in the second Q. We went to 3-8 and with that kind of time we had to cover for (as announcers said) 7 seconds and (again as ESPN announcers mentioned) no one can cover that long. Prior to that i THINK we at least rushed 4 guys most plays and it held them to 5 seconds or so which is still long but they have a great OL and QB etc. IE, you never want a QB to get 'comfortable' .. and i personally felt the rush 3 contributed to this greatly.

thoughts on this?

Agreed, but after they had continued success why not make an adjustment? I have seen a couple of things in the first two games that are a concern. The good thing is I have seen much more that outweighs the negatives. We will have to make some scheme adjustments on D, but I feel we can get exponentially better as the season progresses. ( We will have to ). Watching some Mercer film I like the QB, but he isn’t the same caliber we saw last night. I think this team has a good chance to make some noise in the playoffs and take home another conference title.

Paladindeuce, I agree . esp with the bold. Many great things we have seen and the PLUS are more than the MINUS ... a few things are concerning and if we want a really good year we have to make some adjustments on D. As you said, we can get better and yes, we will need to.

[fufanatic]

I would imagine that our offense will be able to score aplenty on every team we will play this year. Virginia Tech included. Grainger was amazing. Some of those throws were remarkable. Especially the one on the two-point play. I'm a bad judge at distance, but it seemed like he threw that thing 40 yards plus across the field to the opposite corner of the end zone. He was smart, made great decisions and managed the offense like a veteran. Imagine what he's going to look like as a junior and senior? Walter Payton Award candidate I imagine.

Hated the WR pass call. We were moving effortlessly. Seemed like an unnecessary risk at that time. Also didn't like the onside kick. I agree that we showed no ability to stop them, but with timeouts and 3+ minutes I liked our chances at stopping them more than I liked our chances at recovering an onside kick. However, we got the ball back anyway and had a chance to win the game on the final drive. That's all you can ask out of a team, especially on the road at an FBS squad.

Was disappointed in the defense, but honestly with the talent of the QB, the height of the WRs and the size of the oline, it shouldn't have been a surprise. I doubt we will see an oline that talented this year. They were monsters and we could get no pressure, even from guys like Hope that always find a way to get pressure. Believe we will be OK, especially with an offense that could easily average 35+ a game this year.

Overall, I was so proud of the team. It would have been easy to fold after GSU came all the way back late in the first half and then couldn't stop scoring in the second. But we kept on fighting and nearly won the game.

Last thing I'll say is how impressed I was with the stadium. Amazing how they turned a giant baseball stadium into a really fun, downright intimate football environment. Also for my only gameday complaint, that horn they blared can go right to hell.

[FUwolfpacker]

Also for my only gameday complaint, that horn they blared can go right to hell.

Amen!

[furpop16]

Last thing I'll say is how impressed I was with the stadium. Amazing how they turned a giant baseball stadium into a really fun, downright intimate football environment. Also for my only gameday complaint, that horn they blared can go right to hell.

It wasn't any picnic for those of us listening to the broadcast, either.

I must say I'm stunned to learn the experience was otherwise impressive. Somebody needs to talk some sense into the GSU program officials about that obnoxious horn. In an age of competitive recruiting, I would think the last thing you want to associate with your school name would be such a blaring cacophony. That's 100% controllable PR, but the only thing remaining in my head, beside the ringing, is the afterthought "GSU = rubes"

[Jasper]

I would imagine that our offense will be able to score aplenty on every team we will play this year. Virginia Tech included. Grainger was amazing. Some of those throws were remarkable. Especially the one on the two-point play. I'm a bad judge at distance, but it seemed like he threw that thing 40 yards plus across the field to the opposite corner of the end zone. He was smart, made great decisions and managed the offense like a veteran. Imagine what he's going to look like as a junior and senior? Walter Payton Award candidate I imagine.

Hated the WR pass call. We were moving effortlessly. Seemed like an unnecessary risk at that time. Also didn't like the onside kick. I agree that we showed no ability to stop them, but with timeouts and 3+ minutes I liked our chances at stopping them more than I liked our chances at recovering an onside kick. However, we got the ball back anyway and had a chance to win the game on the final drive. That's all you can ask out of a team, especially on the road at an FBS squad.

Was disappointed in the defense, but honestly with the talent of the QB, the height of the WRs and the size of the oline, it shouldn't have been a surprise. I doubt we will see an oline that talented this year. They were monsters and we could get no pressure, even from guys like Hope that always find a way to get pressure. Believe we will be OK, especially with an offense that could easily average 35+ a game this year.

Overall, I was so proud of the team. It would have been easy to fold after GSU came all the way back late in the first half and then couldn't stop scoring in the second. But we kept on fighting and nearly won the game.

Last thing I'll say is how impressed I was with the stadium. Amazing how they turned a giant baseball stadium into a really fun, downright intimate football environment. Also for my only gameday complaint, that horn they blared can go right to hell.

Excellent post. You are spot on in every comment; especially the wide receiver trick play that bombed. The way we were moving the ball against them and with 10 + minutes on the clock, there was no need for a high risk trick play to be called. I hope whoever called it learned a valuable lesson. There is a time and place for such plays but that was not one of them. As to the onside kick, we were four friends at the game and we split evenly on the call before it was executed. A case could be made either way. We came away from this game with a lot more positives than negatives however and have a lot to look forward to. I trust this coaching staff to make the corrections that are necessary.

[FUBeAR]

1) I think FU’s Coaching Staff just may be the best Coaching Staff in the whole united world.

2) FUBeAR hated the double pass call too for all of the reasons mentioned + something I haven’t seen mentioned...

3) We showed it earlier in the game, but a procedure call blew it dead before the WR ‘showed’ the 2nd pass...but FUBeAR saw it being set up...and I guarantee that GaSt’s Coaching Staff in the box saw it too. Sure they may be anklebiting yardyappers, but they ain’t entirely stupid. No doubt, they radio’d down to watch for that later after they saw it & made their DB’s doubly aware to watch for the double pass.

4) See 1) above - FU Coaches musta seen something that they REALLY liked about the way GaSt defends the hitch pass & felt they could still get a home run ball over the Panthers even after showing it earlier. They too knew that GaSt Coaches had seen it earlier, but they still thought it would work.

5) Execution was clearly No Bueno...I’m sure the WR Chunker had been Coached to BAIL OUT by just running the ball or throwing the ball out onto Hank Aaron Blvd. if the WR Chunkee was not wide-a open. But...y’know...live bullets....everybody has a plan until.....and all that.

6) See #1