Feb. 27 - VMI

[AstroDin]

I just posted from the game notes release for the FU/VMI game.
My guess is based on the WCU game Furman substitute liberally along the offensive line Saturday.

[apaladin]

According to the weather channel, take it for what its worth a 24% chance of rain at kickoff but field will be soaked after 20 straight hours of rain. Chance of snow Friday night but “supposed” to be in the low-mid 50s by ko. Could bode well for VMI passing game, not so well for our running game. Grass field, prolly no tarp so likely muddy.

[gofurman]

Go Dins,

I’ll be interested in Woff Chatt game too.

[The Jackal]

Unrelated, but just realized jemar Lincoln transferred to Georgia Southern and made their basketball team as a walk-on.

Good for him.

https://gseagles.com/sports/mens-basket ... ncoln/4173

[apaladin]

Update on the weather, still calling for the rain to be over by noon. At 2pm 57 degrees. Looking a little better.

[AstroDin]

VMI finally posted game notes for the Furman matchup.

On paper, VMI will go with a 3-4
LE 56 Warren Dabney 6-1 303 Jr. (returning starter moved from NG)
NT 52 Eric Weaver 6-3 300 R-So.(moved from DE - backup in 2019)
RE 0 Jordan Ward 6-1 249 Sr. (returning starter)

As a whole, the VMI d-line averages out to 6-1. Not a very tall bunch and it’s mentioned that this line struggles to attack the passing game. Furman has a long, athletic, deep o-line I’ll be curious to see what Furman does.

The linebackers…
OLB 31 Connor Riddle 6-1 212 R-Sr. (lots of backup exp, first-year starter)
OLB 35 Ethan Caselberry 6-4 201 Jr. (returning starter, leading tackler)
ILB 26 Carter Johnson 6-3 223 Jr. (made one start, mainly a backup)
ILB 5 Stone Snyder 6-3 225 So. (mainly a reserve, started against Furman in 2019)

Furman puts a lot of pressure on linebackers with a stable of backs that can catch the ball and all of our backs can make yards in the open field. It will be interesting to see how the Furman inside run game fairs against the Keydets.

The backside…
SAF 4 A.J. Smith 6-2 204 Sr. (is the star)
SAF 9 Tyren Cloyd 6-3 205 Sr. (moved over from OLB)
CB 11 Alex Oliver 6-0 175 Fr. (true freshman)
CB 1 Aljareek Malry 6-0 173 So. (moved over from safety)

Safety appears solid with some big bodies. Corners on the other hand appear to be a liability matching up against Furman’s very good route runners and athleticism.

Will Peterson have another big game? I’d also look out for how VMI handles Ryan Miller.

[cavedweller2]

Sort of a curious meteorological issue I noticed during last week's game - even though the kick off time was roughly "standard," the lighting was peculiar for a home football game. I actually think it screwed with the broadcast some early on because the field was covered in more shadow than normal.

Looks like the weather on Saturday at VMI is supposed to be wet and probably chilly. VMI, notably, does not have lights on their football field (or at least have not in the past). Reports suggest that sunset is almost an hour earlier Saturday than it would have been on October 3, 2020 - the original date for the game.

This has nothing to do with the x's or o's, but just an interesting quirk of the 2021 spring season. If it's cloudy and a four hour game, I imagine we'll have some interesting lighting late in that contest.

No way its a 4 hour game. The way we will run the ball and burn clock will make it closer to a 2 hour 45minute game. Now if they dont tackle and we keep running down the field scoring it could drag out.

[The Jackal]

Sort of a curious meteorological issue I noticed during last week's game - even though the kick off time was roughly "standard," the lighting was peculiar for a home football game. I actually think it screwed with the broadcast some early on because the field was covered in more shadow than normal.

Looks like the weather on Saturday at VMI is supposed to be wet and probably chilly. VMI, notably, does not have lights on their football field (or at least have not in the past). Reports suggest that sunset is almost an hour earlier Saturday than it would have been on October 3, 2020 - the original date for the game.

This has nothing to do with the x's or o's, but just an interesting quirk of the 2021 spring season. If it's cloudy and a four hour game, I imagine we'll have some interesting lighting late in that contest.

No way its a 4 hour game. The way we will run the ball and burn clock will make it closer to a 2 hour 45minute game. Now if they dont tackle and we keep running down the field scoring it could drag out.

VMI is an air raid offense. So, counterpoint.

Also, the length of the game is the commercial breaks, not the actual time playing football.

[cavedweller2]

Air raid maybe. I anticipate a lot of 3 and outs on their side. I could be wrong.

[apaladin]

Now forecasted high of 63. Virtually no chance of rain after 10AM. Look for a downpour.

[The Jackal]

Air raid maybe. I anticipate a lot of 3 and outs on their side. I could be wrong.

Last season, Udinski had roughly 150 more passing attempts than the number 2 QB in the league. His completion percentage was 64%. Their single running back also lead the league in rushing attempts. They still have the former, but not the latter.

This is a team that will throw it significantly more frequently than Samford does, and Samford throws it a lot. As you might expect, VMI and Samford were at the bottom of the SoCon in time of possession.

If I am VMI, I am putting the ball in the hands of my best player - Udinski - and see if he can keep Furman's offense on the sideline. Even in 2019, Furman put up 636 yards of offense against the Keydets. Sisson had 300+ total yards by himself. VMI hung around early, but just couldn't stop our offense really at any point.

I would expect a lot of dink and dunk on offense from VMI. I don't think they have a ton of deep threats at receiver, so they'll try to get guys loose with shorter crossing routes where they can pick off a defender and pick up a head of steam.

All that aside, the game time problem is a TV issue, not a game play issue. Even when I rewatched the game from Saturday, there are a ton of commercials.

[FUBeAR]

Now forecasted high of 63. Virtually no chance of rain after 10AM. Look for a downpour.

Was somebody talking about weather...

[apaladin]

Well it looks like they got that part right hopefully they will get tomorrow right(unlikely). Still saying no rain high of 63. Looks loke the snow is laying on the grass which will make the field very wet and muddy tomorrow.

[Flagman]

and that's the worst playing surface in the SoCon.

[The Jackal]

Well it looks like they got that part right hopefully they will get tomorrow right(unlikely). Still saying no rain high of 63. Looks loke the snow is laying on the grass which will make the field very wet and muddy tomorrow.

Grass is also, likely, dormant.

I have no idea what it’s like to play on dormant grass after a snow and rain. Guess we will see.