What are your thoughts on this team? Better than you expected? Worse than you expected? Still undecided and need to see a few more games? Any one player or phase impresses/depressing you?
What y'all got
What y'all got
Two games in...
- Thread starter TarHeelNation11
- Start date
Still too early for me as well, especially considering that SCar was beaten at home by Kentucky. It makes our implosion against the Gamecocks look worse. At least we did throttle an FCS team, as expected. We jumped on A&T early and never allowed them any sliver of hope (unlike Auburn). Plus the coaching staff called Hood's number a few times to pound it in for the scores instead of getting cute.
** Disclaimer: This first part isn't meant to sound like I know it all or anything like that, this is just truly what I felt during the first quarter of the game in Charlotte **
It only took me a few drives for each team in the SCar game to confirm my suspicions that the 'Cocks will be very, very mediocre this season. That's why the loss hurt even more. You could see it right in front of you who the better team was, on the night and just in general, and yet we kept squandering away points every time we knocked on the door.....and presto, we lost. I'll be shocked if SCar wins more than 6 games. They have UGA coming up and -- if he's healthy -- Nick Chubb will run for 200+ against SCar. And if he can't go, Sony Michell (sp) will have a big game.
As for our team, I hope like heck that the SCar implosion sticks in this team's craw and furiously motivates them each week. Heck, if I was the coaching staff, I'd consider showing SCar walking off the field in victory the morning before each remaining game this season just to piss the guys off and make them want to go out and dominate someone to prove they aren't the team that choked on the [the second syllable in SCar's team name] on national TV.
Still too early for me to totally think the defense has improved. Illinois will be a good measuring stick because they appear to have some firepower, so IF (big 'if') our defense fares well against them, I'll take that as a more positive sign than I did against SCar, to be honest. SCar's offense was so putrid, that I can only give our D so much credit for their performance in that game.
Even GT isn't a great measuring stick because of how unconventional it is. It will be a better measuring stick of our 4 defensive coaches' gameplanning, more than anything. We should know after the Wake and Virginia games how good are defense is, IMO.
On offense, I still want to see a strong commitment to the traditional run game. And I want to see the OLine pave some darn holes. Also, sprinkle in some trick plays. We've been very vanilla in that regard so far. Can't help but think we'll see one against Illinois.
Oh, and block for Switzer on punt returns please!!!
I think first and foremost we are much improved on the defensive side of the ball. I also think our special teams from a kicking game perspective are improved. From there, the rest still remains in the air. It is my opinion that South Carolina frankly isn't very good and we should have beat them. A&T didn't tell us much because they were overmatched. One thing that I believe remains the same is our offensive scheme doesn't match our best personnel from time to time, see Elijah Hood in red zone situations and I'll leave it at that. I'm still not a fan of Fedora. I think he's a used car salesman and all sizzle with no steak.
I'd also like to point out that Caleb Henderson just looks like a QB out there 
Would love to see him a little more against the Fightin' Joe Flacco Sacko's
Would love to see him a little more against the Fightin' Joe Flacco Sacko's
Agreed completely, but I'm hopeful -- like I said above -- that that game pisses the team off all year and serves as the fire that makes them give that extra bit of effort at all times to win. Especially as SCar continues to lose games and their record gets uglier and uglier.
And MW will always look like a large, power running RB playing at QB.I'd also like to point out that Caleb Henderson just looks like a QB out there
While it is easy to see weaknesses exposed by even average 1AA teams, it is next to impossible to see real growth against all but the very best 1AA teams. The NCA&T game can tell us nothing about how the season is likely to play out.
If the Illinois offense is better than the SoCar offense, as is my guess, and MW plays not much better vs. the Illini than he did vs. the Chickens, then we probably will be 0-2 vs. 1A teams.
Duuuuude, we know, we know. I'm critical of MW, but he didn't do much wrong against A&T. He threw and ran well. Mitch looked good too. All 3 QB's didn't put a foot wrong. Let's see how MW does against Illinois.
For better or worse, MW is the guy for the rest of this season. So you may as well make peace with it
This is where I stand as well.
Not only are we tackling better, but we appear more disciplined too. That is what I most wanted to see from the defense this year. And our field goal kicking seems considerably improved. Being able to convert 40-45 yarders consistently would be huge for this team. The Illini have put up big numbers offensively, albeit against pretty weak comp. We'll know a lot more after this weekend.
^ GT could very well beat FSU. Not predicting it, but they could. Tough test for the Jackets this week at ND
I for one ain't forgetting it. That sh*t will piss me off until we win a big game, whenever that may be. Or possibly, possibly, until we beat State.
What will make that loss worse and worse is, just watch, SCar is heading for a nightmare Bunting-esque season. They aren't going to beat anybody in the SEC save for Vandy. That was our last crack at the Ole Ball Coach.....with him having a TERRIBLE team with no QB and no big uglies on either side, and we still lost. That's on us, and it just yet another reminder that this program doesn't know how to win big games. We flat-out just don't know how. We're more comfortable playing when we're trailing in the ACC standings or when we already have 4-5 losses.
This season has been a mixed bag so far for me.
Pros
- kicking game (Weiler has become a weapon on KOs and FGs)
- running game productivity (200+ ypg both games)
- interior defense against the run
- defensive secondary (run support and pass defense)
- better tackling overall
Cons
- inconsistent running game (ran well against SC but needed QBs to put up #s against A&T)
- inconsistent QB play
- not enough defensive pressure on pass plays
- edges of the defense are soft against the run
- still taking some bad angles on defense
I really don't think there have been any big surprises so far this season. Most the cons above were things I expected to play out. MW will simply never be a pure pocket passer and the defense just has such a long way to go. I think it's up to the coaches to play to our strengths as much as possible.
Pros
- kicking game (Weiler has become a weapon on KOs and FGs)
- running game productivity (200+ ypg both games)
- interior defense against the run
- defensive secondary (run support and pass defense)
- better tackling overall
Cons
- inconsistent running game (ran well against SC but needed QBs to put up #s against A&T)
- inconsistent QB play
- not enough defensive pressure on pass plays
- edges of the defense are soft against the run
- still taking some bad angles on defense
I really don't think there have been any big surprises so far this season. Most the cons above were things I expected to play out. MW will simply never be a pure pocket passer and the defense just has such a long way to go. I think it's up to the coaches to play to our strengths as much as possible.
This post essentially mirrors my pro's and con's as well. I'd just like to add one more con. I'm not trying to make a huge deal out of it, but it's a con that needs to be listed -- offensive penalties and also offensive play-calling (at times).
Overall, I'd just like to see some flexibility in our gameplan where we can just go with the hot hand of what's working at any given time. I don't care if it's Hood up the middle or if it's a darn triple option with Marquise, Dibble, and Romar Morris. Whatever is working in the game, go with it until they stop it.
One positive I'd like to add is the coaching staff's attention to detail when it comes to getting experience for younger players. I love the way they integrated young guys into the A&T game, including the subtle mind tricks they used on Andre Smith and Trubisky (didn't tell them they would go in til right before, thus simulating them replacing an injured guy at a moment's notice). Oh and one more positive: tight end play thus far. Would love to see Fritts and Singleton continue to attack vertically, thus clearing space for underneath routes or deep balls to the periphery.
Failing to beat the Ole Ball Sack this year is on us, but if we had had even Cam Sexton at QB and played him, we would have won.
Obvious defensive improvement. We will see if it stands up. I think the D is going to give up some big numbers down the road, but for the entire year, should be a lot better. Offensively, no better than last year. This team should be 2-0. Same ole, same ole. Losing games that you shouldn't. The good news is UNC still hasn't lost in the ACC! We will see what happens Saturday, but need to be 3-1 going into GT.
