I think we found our identity (positive)

[dp42828]

I like most on here are SUPER bummed about the outcome of the game Saturday. In such a close game, 2-3 plays caused us to lose by 1 vs winning by 7-10+.

The past is the past. We can't change it now.

What I'm most excited about is that we seemed to have found our identity against a good (probably not great, maybe top 35 team) Wake Forest team.

What I mean...

Offense:
- Throw to set up the run! Taylor looked GREAT Saturday. Our receivers looked fast and pretty sure handed. It seems like the passing game opened up holes we didn't have last week and at GA.
- Playcalling was really good - Wake's run D is stout.
- 3rd down percentage was good
- WRs again, great hands, lots of really solid catches with WF players hanging all over them ALL DAY LONG (refs could have easily throw 3-4 more pass interference flags)
- Strong, gutsy running from Upshaw (Moore looks less than 100%) - dude was a freight train hitting WF linebackers!
- O line seemed to hold their own on Wake's front line
- Hennigan has the chance to be extremely special (how did we get this kid!)

Defense:
- We look FAST
- We knocked the CRAP out of wake all day!
- We wrapped up about 95% of the time
- other than the TE slipping through for a TD, no "big plays" (dude was W I D E open)

Special teams:
- Punting game was ON point (mate!)
- Rubino - I'm still high on this kid, we've put him in some tough spots and that last kick was blocked by a 6'5" stud that go UP (6'5 + 3' arms, he's almost 10' standing still)...I rewinded that play like 10 times, I feel like if Washington doesn't get a hand on it, 22-20 Apps...we'll never know #giveamountaineerachance
- Good kick offs and kick coverage

The bad?
- While it cost us dearly on Saturday, I think they are simple mistakes that 18-19 year olds made (ie - Letmans off sides, Virgils ball spin) It's not like Wake was blowing us off the field...
- Not much else, we played a good game. We could play Wake 10 times and win 5, I truly believe that.

I think we'll look back on this game 10 years from now and say, we lost that game, but realized that we belong at this level now and STILL, STILL have FCS recruits playing!

Overnight success usually takes 10 years I think we are well on our way and I expect us to roll the Sun Belt.

Let's go!

[Yosef84]

"6'5" stud that go UP (6'5 + 3' arms, he's almost 10' standing still)..."

Nice positive post, but unless his 3 foot arms extend from the top of his head, you probably have to deduct a foot or so.

Sorry. I had to be a smart aleck. I like your points though!!!

[biggie]

Yep he'd reach somewhere a little over 8.5'.

I just worry about our running game currently, need to get a little more going. Hope everyone is healed up and everything goes well next game.

[firemoose]

Might want to add one thing that it appears that all but a couple of people missed, don't understand, or just don't care what it means. That Rubino lost Rylee Critcher, his holder that's he's been practicing with since Critcher arrived, on the blocked XP. If you don't understand what that means and how it can affect the kicking game or you think the relationship between long snapper, holder, and kicker doesn't mean anything then you don't know squat about football. You think ball placement doesn't mean anything then watch MNF tonight and watch the guy kicking off. How carefully he puts the ball in exactly the right spot on the tee, will move it a cm one way and a mm the other to get it exactly right. Now convert that to kicking off the ground. It why most holders are not starters or even primary backups elsewhere. And it's why those three spend so much time practicing snap and placement. Losing a holder is like losing a part of you as a FG kicker. Takes time to get the backup to put the ball where and how the kicker wants it.

Watch the replay of the game, if only the missed FG at the half. See Rubino talking to Zeb Speir as they come off the field, see our coaches meet them, talk to them, and give Speir an encouraging slap on the helmet. Don't need to be a body language expert to see that the ball wasn't where Rubino wanted it to be.

Did that effect the final kick? Who knows. The snap was behind Speir and he had to snag it and get it down. Looked like he had to quickly pull his hand away when Rubino was planting. But there is also the good point of the OP that the 6' 5" WR that blocked it, his waist was near the chest of Colby Gossett, who 6' 6". That guy was more than 10' in the air. Even with perfect execution it might not have mattered as that was a hell of a play by that guy. But Rubino has been kicking pretty well for more than a year and just after losing his holder the kicks aren't so good anymore. 2+2

[APPRIDE]

I like most on here are SUPER bummed about the outcome of the game Saturday. In such a close game, 2-3 plays caused us to lose by 1 vs winning by 7-10+.

The past is the past. We can't change it now.

What I'm most excited about is that we seemed to have found our identity against a good (probably not great, maybe top 35 team) Wake Forest team.

What I mean...

Offense:
- Throw to set up the run! Taylor looked GREAT Saturday. Our receivers looked fast and pretty sure handed. It seems like the passing game opened up holes we didn't have last week and at GA.
- Playcalling was really good - Wake's run D is stout.
- 3rd down percentage was good
- WRs again, great hands, lots of really solid catches with WF players hanging all over them ALL DAY LONG (refs could have easily throw 3-4 more pass interference flags)
- Strong, gutsy running from Upshaw (Moore looks less than 100%) - dude was a freight train hitting WF linebackers!
- O line seemed to holid their own on Wake's front line
- Hennigan has the chance to be extremely special (how did we get this kid!)

Defense:
- We look FAST
- We knocked the CRAP out of wake all day!
- We wrapped up about 95% of the time
- other than the TE slipping through for a TD, no "big plays" (dude was W I D E open)

Special teams:
- Punting game was ON point (mate!)
- Rubino - I'm still high on this kid, we've put him in some tough spots and that last kick was blocked by a 6'5" stud that go UP (6'5 + 3' arms, he's almost 10' standing still)...I rewinded that play like 10 times, I feel like if Washington doesn't get a hand on it, 22-20 Apps...we'll never know #giveamountaineerachance
- Good kick offs and kick coverage

The bad?
- While it cost us dearly on Saturday, I think they are simple mistakes that 18-19 year olds made (ie - Letmans off sides, Virgils ball spin) It's not like Wake was blowing us off the field...
- Not much else, we played a good game. We could play Wake 10 times and win 5, I truly believe that.

I think we'll look back on this game 10 years from now and say, we lost that game, but realized that we belong at this level now and STILL, STILL have FCS recruits playing!

Overnight success usually takes 10 years I think we are well on our way and I expect us to roll the Sun Belt.

Let's go!

all of this is spot on, great post.

The way I look at it we have been paying some serious dues at the FBS level for 3+ years now...We are the golfer that's come in second in so many different ways that we are just primed for a breakthrough...even if we don't win a major we have earned the right to at least some steady tour wins...

[Rick83]

"6'5" stud that go UP (6'5 + 3' arms, he's almost 10' standing still)..."

Nice positive post, but unless his 3 foot arms extend from the top of his head, you probably have to deduct a foot or so.

Sorry. I had to be a smart aleck. I like your points though!!!

Yeah but if he stands on his toes...there's another foot right there (sorry about the bad pun).

[Rick83]

Might want to add one thing that it appears that all but a couple of people missed, don't understand, or just don't care what it means. That Rubino lost Rylee Critcher, his holder that's he's been practicing with since Critcher arrived, on the blocked XP. If you don't understand what that means and how it can affect the kicking game or you think the relationship between long snapper, holder, and kicker doesn't mean anything then you don't know squat about football. You think ball placement doesn't mean anything then watch MNF tonight and watch the guy kicking off. How carefully he puts the ball in exactly the right spot on the tee, will move it a cm one way and a mm the other to get it exactly right. Now convert that to kicking off the ground. It why most holders are not starters or even primary backups elsewhere. And it's why those three spend so much time practicing snap and placement. Losing a holder is like losing a part of you as a FG kicker. Takes time to get the backup to put the ball where and how the kicker wants it.

Watch the replay of the game, if only the missed FG at the half. See Rubino talking to Zeb Speir as they come off the field, see our coaches meet them, talk to them, and give Speir an encouraging slap on the helmet. Don't need to be a body language expert to see that the ball wasn't where Rubino wanted it to be.

Did that effect the final kick? Who knows. The snap was behind Speir and he had to snag it and get it down. Looked like he had to quickly pull his hand away when Rubino was planting. But there is also the good point of the OP that the 6' 5" WR that blocked it, his waist was near the chest of Colby Gossett, who 6' 6". That guy was more than 10' in the air. Even with perfect execution it might not have mattered as that was a hell of a play by that guy. But Rubino has been kicking pretty well for more than a year and just after losing his holder the kicks aren't so good anymore. 2+2

I totally get what you're saying and you're right, but what happened on the PAT that was blocked when Critcher got hurt? I'm not challenging your assumptions, just wondering what happened as i know it wasn't as the WSJ described it.

[bigdaddyg]

I echoed the point about the kick blocker on another post. I don't think we can de-emphasize this enough. That dude was was up in the air. Unless I am way off with my eyes the kick was probably ok but the kid was WAY up.

[Oldlknapp]

Like you, bummed too. But we may owe a lot of future success to WF and their coach. He supported this game beforehand and I'm sure he does now. Most WF folks were not aware of the "electric" atmosphere at "The Rock". Word will spread throughout the regional ACC schools and G5 schools. We have future home games with NC, UNCC, ECU... Got to be good for recruiting!

[EastHallApp]

I have no idea if this is the case, but I have wondered if Wake somehow had a tell to time the snap on our kicks. Not just that they blocked two, but that they jumped offsides right before the last play. Possible they same something that tipped them off?

[firemoose]

I totally get what you're saying and you're right, but what happened on the PAT that was blocked when Critcher got hurt? I'm not challenging your assumptions, just wondering what happened as i know it wasn't as the WSJ described it.

From what I saw it looked like Wake was playing Clawson ball and we weren't. As most that have watched football games over the years, either from the field or stands have seen, a lot of times on the first TD the extra point isn't really contested as they are later in the game. It's not exactly lethargy but more like it's early, a given, and people don't go at it quite as hard as they do later on XP's, especially in close games. But I've seen Clawson do this before. Just from personal observation, and remember I was coming back, wasn't there, and didn't see it live but on video later, that we were a bit slower off the snap and Wake wasn't. Only saw it once, was watching and replaying the others more, and plan to go back later to watch that one again. I want to see if what I thought I saw the first time was correct or if it was just a low kick. Didn't appear to be that low but looked like there was penetration that got close enough. I'll watch it again when I have time and will edit this post if needed.

And BTW, I haven't read the WSJ article so I don't know what they said happened.

[AppinATL]

Might want to add one thing that it appears that all but a couple of people missed, don't understand, or just don't care what it means. That Rubino lost Rylee Critcher, his holder that's he's been practicing with since Critcher arrived, on the blocked XP. If you don't understand what that means and how it can affect the kicking game or you think the relationship between long snapper, holder, and kicker doesn't mean anything then you don't know squat about football. You think ball placement doesn't mean anything then watch MNF tonight and watch the guy kicking off. How carefully he puts the ball in exactly the right spot on the tee, will move it a cm one way and a mm the other to get it exactly right. Now convert that to kicking off the ground. It why most holders are not starters or even primary backups elsewhere. And it's why those three spend so much time practicing snap and placement. Losing a holder is like losing a part of you as a FG kicker. Takes time to get the backup to put the ball where and how the kicker wants it.

Watch the replay of the game, if only the missed FG at the half. See Rubino talking to Zeb Speir as they come off the field, see our coaches meet them, talk to them, and give Speir an encouraging slap on the helmet. Don't need to be a body language expert to see that the ball wasn't where Rubino wanted it to be.

Did that effect the final kick? Who knows. The snap was behind Speir and he had to snag it and get it down. Looked like he had to quickly pull his hand away when Rubino was planting. But there is also the good point of the OP that the 6' 5" WR that blocked it, his waist was near the chest of Colby Gossett, who 6' 6". That guy was more than 10' in the air. Even with perfect execution it might not have mattered as that was a hell of a play by that guy. But Rubino has been kicking pretty well for more than a year and just after losing his holder the kicks aren't so good anymore. 2+2

This and the original post in this thread are about the strongest I've seen on here in a long while.

I was a kicker although in the primitive days (I was the first soccer style kicker my school and probably the conference ever saw). Moose is dead-on. The kicker always gets all the credit or all the blame, but it's a three man operation out there and if the first two guys are off, it's likely the kicker will be, too. Rubino has been MONEY since his unfortunate debut at Tennessee. Absolutely solid. Until he lost his holder. I hope
Critcher will be back at it with the week off but if not, you can bet Spier will be working hard these two weeks and we'll see better results next game.

[1ASU78]

Yep he'd reach somewhere a little over 8.5'.

I just worry about our running game currently, need to get a little more going. Hope everyone is healed up and everything goes well next game.

I kept looking for the bean stalk he came down.

[bigdaddyg]

I'm reminded of a little funny (between myself and one of my boys) football story. Son was going out for middle school football and had never played a snap before. A friend of ours was at an early practice after work so we talked a bit on the phone. I asked my buddy how our boys were doing. Said my son was just standing at one end of the field. When I picked him up that day I asked why he was standing alone. He said he was going to try out for kicker and was waiting. I had to remind him that in middle school (at least where we live) there is virtually no need for a kicker. I told him that the team would need someone to snap the ball accurately, someone to catch and place the ball and someone to kick it. All the while the line would have to block. Not gonna happen. That being said he went out for another position. Of course it's way different in high school and college. Can't minimize the importance of having the three guys in place and the timing that is needed. As far as last Saturday goes, once I saw that big guy jump in the middle my entire perspective changed. Hard to defend that much less prepare for it.