AppAlum1 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:53 pm

Rekdiver wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:42 pm

Not to mention the hit in the enzone on his TD which should have been a PF

Maybe, but the Charlotte player hit him right at the goal line. It was too close to be a penalty, IMO.

Was this the shoulder he injured? He got hit on the left shoulder at the end zone when he scored. But, I thought it was his right shoulder that was hurt later.

I watched it again Take a look at the 3:23 mark. Peoples was well in the zone

Rekdiver wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:25 pm

AppAlum1 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:53 pm

Rekdiver wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:42 pm

Not to mention the hit in the enzone on his TD which should have been a PF

Maybe, but the Charlotte player hit him right at the goal line. It was too close to be a penalty, IMO.

Was this the shoulder he injured? He got hit on the left shoulder at the end zone when he scored. But, I thought it was his right shoulder that was hurt later.

I watched it again Take a look at the 3:23 mark. Peoples was well in the zone

This. He was over a yard in the endzone. On the sideline it would have been called.

After further review (of the entire game):

1. Our defense played excellent, stopped run, shutdown corners, etc.
2. Running game was very good
3. Zac did better in review than I realized in game time. He had a few bad moments that, in the moment, I probably weighted too much.
4. We did have a handful of bad/stupid mistakes (fumbles, off sides, roughing kicker, bad field goal, kickoff return). You can't drive into two defenders at goal line with ball in one arm. However, ALL are very correctable. If they clean it up going forward we are good.
5. We should have won by at least 28 pts without a few of the above.

Considering this is almost an entirely new coaching staff, rain conditions and all the COVID crap, we did pretty darn good. Bar is high but we appear to be in an excellent position to make another run. We do have to clean up mistakes so let's see if we get the big improvement from week 1 to 2.

I have very high expectations, I was pleased with the few exceptions mentioned.

Mistakes were made,conditions and first game yips withstanding,WE were better than they

I heard something from Clark in the post game interview. If your a receiver and you want to be on the field you better be willing and able to make your blocks.

Longrifle28 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:33 pm

Rekdiver wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:25 pm

AppAlum1 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:53 pm

Rekdiver wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:42 pm

Not to mention the hit in the enzone on his TD which should have been a PF

Maybe, but the Charlotte player hit him right at the goal line. It was too close to be a penalty, IMO.

Was this the shoulder he injured? He got hit on the left shoulder at the end zone when he scored. But, I thought it was his right shoulder that was hurt later.

I watched it again Take a look at the 3:23 mark. Peoples was well in the zone

This. He was over a yard in the endzone. On the sideline it would have been called.

Popped him right on the arm. He knew what he was doing.

Appster99 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:47 pm

Watching Cam Peoples run in traffic reminded me of Armanti. He just seems to float along with that long stride. It just looks effortless. As far as his fumble, they showed him on the sidelines after that and you know he was more disappointed in himself than any of us could be. Same for Marcus. If it had to happen, let it happen in game one.

Disagree. He ran more like Bo Jackson; if he couldnt run around a defender he ran through them.

Mjohn1988 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:19 pm

I heard something from Clark in the post game interview. If your a receiver and you want to be on the field you better be willing and able to make your blocks.

He was referring to why Virgil wasn’t on the field much later in the game, Clark saying they chose to run more. Guess with his smaller frame he isn’t much of a blocker compared to other WRs.

With all of the anxiety, fear and angst 2020 has dealt these young men, it was great to see their joy after the win on Saturday. To do something they love, to regain a sense of certainty and control in a world that's gone crazy, bad weather be darned.

They made some mistakes, but every first game of the season provides opportunities for improvement. They'll be ready for Marshall and for old guys like me (class of '93), we will be too.

biggie wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:20 pm

Mjohn1988 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:19 pm

I heard something from Clark in the post game interview. If your a receiver and you want to be on the field you better be willing and able to make your blocks.

He was referring to why Virgil wasn’t on the field much later in the game, Clark saying they chose to run more. Guess with his smaller frame he isn’t much of a blocker compared to other WRs.

I know the context of his statement. I think he was sending a message.

AppGrad78 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:48 pm

Pleased with: The running game; the look of the stadium; progress on NEZ; Cam Peoples' return; the defense; college football is back.

Concerned with: Four bonehead mental mistakes.
1) The fourth-down offside penalty when everybody knew Charlotte's plan was to get us to bite.
2) The roughing the kicker penalty when it appeared we were just half-way trying block the kick.
3) The ill-considered lockerroom photo, the optics of which were bad no matter what colored glasses you're looking through.
4) Poor clock management at the end of the first half cost us a chance at a touchdown or at the least an easier field goal try.

And one other thing that doesn't qualify as a bonehead play, but concerning nonetheless. We've got to get a better tackling effort from our kicker. Yeah, he's a kicker, a freshman kicker. But he still should know better tackling technique. That kickoff return for a TD should never have happened.

As someone else suggested, these are all teachable moments.

Couldn’t agree more about the kicker’s tackling effort. How many times do you see a smaller guy just give a more athletic guy a good shove out of bounds along the sidelines? That was all that was needed rather than grabbing a stronger athlete high and trying to wrestle him down.

Apptrain wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:54 pm

AppGrad78 wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:48 pm

Pleased with: The running game; the look of the stadium; progress on NEZ; Cam Peoples' return; the defense; college football is back.

Concerned with: Four bonehead mental mistakes.
1) The fourth-down offside penalty when everybody knew Charlotte's plan was to get us to bite.
2) The roughing the kicker penalty when it appeared we were just half-way trying block the kick.
3) The ill-considered lockerroom photo, the optics of which were bad no matter what colored glasses you're looking through.
4) Poor clock management at the end of the first half cost us a chance at a touchdown or at the least an easier field goal try.

And one other thing that doesn't qualify as a bonehead play, but concerning nonetheless. We've got to get a better tackling effort from our kicker. Yeah, he's a kicker, a freshman kicker. But he still should know better tackling technique. That kickoff return for a TD should never have happened.

As someone else suggested, these are all teachable moments.

Couldn’t agree more about the kicker’s tackling effort. How many times do you see a smaller guy just give a more athletic guy a good shove out of bounds along the sidelines? That was all that was needed rather than grabbing a stronger athlete high and trying to wrestle him down.

Especially, if you are going to wear a traditional linebackers number. Add in the slip on the kickoff and he had a rough day. The only way to go from Game 1 is UP!

I agree with most all being said here. We are better than them. Running game was great. Zack was good enough. All that being said, if we don’t correct the mistakes and Continue to play like we did, especially in the first half, we could be embarrassed.

After watching the video again I come away with a few obvious takes. Clean up special teams and we are fine. Without those miscues and better ball protection Saturday would have been a 30 point win. Also, Hennigan is really good, not only as a receiver but a heck of a blocker. Did he make like two great blocks on one of our big runs by Williams?

pop5app wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:08 am

I agree with most all being said here. We are better than them. Running game was great. Zack was good enough. All that being said, if we don’t correct the mistakes and Continue to play like we did, especially in the first half, we could be embarrassed.

Fair points, but consider:
1. First game of season
2. Wacky spring and summer
3. New staff
4. New starting players

So some gaps in performance should be expected. Throw the rain in on top of that and there you go.

I think the staff and players will make necessary adjustments. If there's one area of potential concern, it's special teams.

Historically, App has been either very good or very bad where the kicking/punting game is concerned. Having a dedicated ST coach last year did a world of good and the current coach has had success coaching ST. Hoping we'll see the play improve this wk against the Herd.

Did I imagine this or did I hear SC say that Sunday was all about Special Teams?

ST: Waves, Lanes and Angles.
Looked like some of our pursuit angles were wrong on the TD.

Rick83 wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:58 am

Did I imagine this or did I hear SC say that Sunday was all about Special Teams?

as it should have been. ST directly resulted in a 13 point differential. Take away their 10 (KR & roughing the punter resulted in FG) and add our 3 and its 38-10, which is much more in line with the actual game play, despite how sloppy we played.

I don’t recall a game with that many special team “issues”-

1. Missed (blocked) short FG. I believe I saw both guys off the edge in the backfield.
2. Roughing the punter
3. Horrible effort on the kick TD. It’s one thing when a fast guy busts through a hole but he was going sideways up the line then broke.
4. Kicker slipped and fell on kickoff- I know that was slippery turf but still.

Missing anything? Should be easily corrected but dang. I know it rained but Charlotte didn’t have any issues. Can’t we kick off into the endzone anymore?

With the exception of Last years joyful respite, our Kickoff coverage has been terrible for the whole of my fandom. It is truly fascinating how it has been a constant over the years. We are apparently the only team that can’t kick it to the end zone consistently. I used to tell friends that we needed at least a 2 score cushion at all times because we will absolutely spot a big kickoff return to whoever we play.

I honestly expect it at this point, but it is really interesting why that is the case. Doesn’t matter as long as we win but it is always a big play and momentum grabber.