Spring Game Roll Call

[moonshine]

Punting has been sub-par in the 1st half.

[GlassOnion]

I dont think the splitting the team into 2 teams is a good method. I'd rather see #1 O against #1 D.

[moonshine]

I agree GO, 1's vs 2's would give us a better gauge of the team's development.

Defense ruled the day which is no surprise in the spring, especially with the 3rd and 4th QB taking snaps. Middleton seems to be picking up where he left off, as is Blair.

[GlassOnion]

The OLs were terrible. I think we have enough guys and experience to put together a good 1st team, with a back up or two, but splitting into two Olines, you get two below average Olines. That doesnt help the team look impressive. Lamb better be all world, or we're going to have a rough go of it in 2014.

[asumike83]

Bryant sat out too, correct?

[Appersrule]

I didnt like the Oline scheme. You cannot constantly cut block and be successful. Sometimes you just have to man up and block somebody. On almost every pass play, we cut blocked. You know what happens if you miss your block on a cut? The Dline pushes you down and goes over you cause now your laying on your stomach.

I hope that changes or it will be a long year no matter who is at QB. Punting was another embarrassment.

Like the aggressive play on D. The D looked good. Best i've seen our defense in years.

[asutrnr81]

We are in trouble at QB. I know supposedly JJ and KB will be healthy. But both were limping today!

I am NOT feeling good about this deal!

[Goapps15]

We are in trouble at QB. I know supposedly JJ and KB will be healthy. But both were limping today!

I am NOT feeling good about this deal!

Knee surgery doesn't make it better over night. I would be more worried about Kam Bryant than Jamal. Jamal should be fine by the time the season starts and fall camp starts. He's really ahead of schedule compared to most with that surgery.

3 Biggest issues I saw today:

1. Offensive Line
1a. Kicking game (especially punting)
3. #2 Quarterback (if Kam Bryant is not healthy or he doesn't play well; then Taylor Lamb will have a good shot at taking this role. Very poor play today from both Hallock and Kalik.

Really shows us all how bad Western's defense was for Hallock to light them up like he did.

D Line, OLB and DBS looked great. Inside linebacker looked good and getting Karl Anderson back to move inside and getting the incoming freshman will be big for us. Middleton and Barnes at the safeties are absolutely great. Michael Frazier and Ronald Blair lining up on one side is going to cause problems for O-lines. Frazier was all over Hallock all day.

Offensively, the line and QB play were not good at all. At RB Magloire and Fergerson looked to be a nice combo, Holloway looked decent but he did not play much. We all know what WR has for us, but Simms McElfresh looked really good. Starks and Bobo were solid as well.

Kicking was not very good; outside of Zach Matics kicking field goals.

[firemoose]

Bryant sat out too, correct?

Correct Mike.

Couple of things I took from the video. Our D is strong and will do nothing but get stronger when our fall class gets here and any transfers we add, that don't have to sit, will do the same. Combine the two D's I saw today and a frosh or two and we're going to have a great rotation. Great to see Middleton back to form and, if Blackmon comes back at 100% we just get better.

GO is right about the OL. Combine both and we'll find a starting group. Depth is a different story. We'll see if any transfers or any of the incoming guys will help with that. Didn't like all the cut blocking. Need to hit them in the face and go man on man or some people are going to get by. Going to take a little time to gel and I hope they work more straight up blocking into the mix.

WR-enough said.

Our group of RB's is interesting as we have just about every type of back you want on a team. Scat back types, up the middle types, screen types, etc. Once we get Cox and Upshaw here it's going to be a strong group. Glad to see Holloway play today. Some reports were he might be done. You could tell he was rusty but looked like he knew what he wanted to do. Once they get behind a complete O'line I think we'll see good things. I like the fact that we have so many different types of backs. Gives you options. If a D is able to stop one type then hit them with a completely different type. As a LB I always hated that. We would have to spend a lot of time game planning when we faced a team with backs like this.

As far as QB the jury is still out for me based on today. 1 and 2 out and, if the wind was blowing as hard at KBS as it is at my house then hard to judge down the field throws. It's also hard to get a true read on QB during practices and games like today and last week since if you blow on a QB he's down. Barnes would have broken several runs from what I saw except someone put a finger on him. On at least three or four no way that would have been a tackle as he was already past the defender. Hallock had a couple of those also. Plus we are taking a large part of our offense away by having no read option or true spread. Hard to run a Pistol when the QB is a non factor. We really won't know until fall and a few blow out games what Bryant, Barnes, Hallock, and the rest can truly do. Lamb coming and the possibility of a transfer or a home run in recruiting is always there. Time will tell.

Special teams were not great today but again the wind didn't help that much. Jury still out on those also.

All and all I think we are in pretty good shape with a couple of small exceptions (OL and LB mainly). We've got enough players to find a good starting group at both of those positions but depth is the question for now. We won't know until fall if any of the incoming class will step up and add to those positions. QB is an unknown due to the type of play spring ball is. Won't truly know until we run the full O. We are still a young team and we're putting together a new D and a change at O on the field so there are going to be some growing pains but, once it all comes together, I believe we've got a strong foundation built to carry us forward.

[asumike83]

Thanks for the updates guys.

Don't like to hear the OL struggled but I think it'd almost be a bigger concern if the offense lit up the D with the third and fourth quarterbacks.

3,500 is a good bit less than I was expecting, hopefully Fan Fest will get another strong turnout.

[mtnjax]

I was hoping for a bigger turnout today as well, but i would venture to guess that the 40 degree temps and wind were a deterrent.

I think Matics will give us what we need in the punting game and hopefully Stewart gets the job done kicking.

just like I saw last week in Charlotte, the Oline was getting dominated by the Dline. that needs to be improved upon.

[TheMoody1]

Anyone else catch Taylor Lamb chatting up Richie Williams on the sideline? I am sure they were going over some of BL' s coaching strategies.

[JTApps1]

Don't forget the OL is missing a few guys while the DL is at full strength. Our starting unit will be fine but after that its a toss up.

[Kgfish]

I hope you guys that were able to get to game are having fun. The broadcast is a joke. Camera work pathetic and some kind of shitty music playing over DJ.

What, you dont like the Smithsonian IMAX music?

Camera work not as bad as I thought. Stiil bad but I needed to adjust the screen mode on the TV. IMAX....

Must be the same person who did the captions on the goasu slideshow. Reminds me of something a high school girl would say. Third slide shows Ryan McGuirt punting with the caption "Drew Stewart attempts a field goal." Some other goodies, "Logan Hallock searches for an open pass under pressure", "Logan Hallock looks for an open pass" as he is throwing the ball, "Malachi Jones anticipates the play" - anticipates the play? Probably the best one "Black and gold take the field" - shows the line of scrimmage right before a snap. Don't know who is in charge of proof reading this stuff, but they failed miserably. Nothing like putting your best foot forward!

What were the highs and lows. Any estimate on the crowd?

[AppAttack]

They said attendance was around 3,500.

[RankinApp]

Over 13,000 for Charlotte's game. The App dudes over there trolling are getting smacked in the mouth and deservedly so.

Can't believe the weather is being used as an excuse again. Nothing a fleece couldn't handle and it was positively gorgeous today.

[3rd]

Not a big deal that they had a lot, we got to remember this is their first time seeing football it is very exciting for them. We had a good crowd but our fan base also knows what team we got and has seen them play a lot. Also not a big incentive for students to go. They like watching our team hit other teams not playing half speed against themselves. We all know come Fall 30,000 will be their strong as ever.

[bcoach]

Media guys must be monitoring. Musics been cut.

Maybe we can get a spinning C for old times sake?

PS. We need a #2 QB.

PPS. And an Oline

and a punter

[Appersrule]

Punting looked awful. It was windy. But we were shanking 28 yard punts with the wind at our back. Hope we get the offense in gear and end up not having to punt very much this year.

[AppAttack]

Watch out for #41 Tashion Singleton. Dude is gonna be a BEAST. I'm calling it.