Morning after: Good, bad, ugly

[Saint3333]

Still is a state of shock for here it goes.

Good: this team has so much grit and heart. Never give up, next man up is ever present throughout this group. Our WR question marks has been eased. Davis is going to be a very special player and while not as sure handed as last years group they are growing up fast. The OC use of the TE and presnap movement is the best since Drink and Satt. We have some stud linebackers.

Student showed well for game day!

Bad: tackling at the second level was noticeably worse this week, should be able to fix that with film. the secondary has taken a step back, we no longer have a shutdown corner tandem like Hayes, Duck, Shemar, Jolly etc. any team with a quality QB and oline is going to be tough for us this year.

Ugly: kickoff coverage, please kick the ball out of the endzone every time

2-1 through three is where a lot of us thought we’d be, huge game vs a very capable JMU with a good QB.

[CoachRob]

1st, We have had 3 straight weeks of physical, emotional, high level play. We need rest and need to get healthy fast.

2nd, Several may say this is a coaching issue, which it is not. I fear this may be more of a talent issue
We should have seen the signs this spring when we were hitting the portal hard for DBs. I just don't think we are as talented back there as in the past.

3rd, Our DL personal is A+ vs the run, but we have to bring Hampton or others to pressure the QB. Coupled with a struggling secondary and it's not a good mix.

JMU next week scares me, get past them and the schedule eases up for us a little.

[biggie]

Yeah the lack of close coverage worries me the most.

And the injuries do keep piling up.

[bigdaddyg]

We speak of our depth at linebacker and the guys who have come in have done admirably but Cobb and Harrington are a step above right now and we are not quite at the plug and play level. We seem to play defense with a "don't let the guy get behind us" approach. We appear to be small in the secondary and we have faced some bigger dudes at receiver. We definitely need to heal up. Some injuries have been odd. I thought Shawn said Noel and Cobb practiced but didn't play. I figured Cobb who was in a sling last week might be down a few games but Noel was standing on the sideline at A@M but who knows. Cam didn't look great limping off. We might need to unleash that freshman beast. We just need to get the W next Saturday then play lots of guys against the Citadel.

[diehardapp18]

Good: I still think offensively we are very good if not the best in the conference. Especially when we get Nate back. Credit to Troy, I haven’t seen the breakdowns yet but it at least felt like they took our run away much more efficiently in the second half which obviously will make things more difficult for an App State O. But this unit seems as well balanced and as well coached as I can remember.

Bad: Defense looked lost in the first half again. To their credit, things looked better in the second half. It at least felt like the coverage was tighter and we consistently dialed up pressure but that QB just made play after play. We definitely have struggled so far with up tempo, pass heavy offenses. I’m not sure how many more we play but we’re struggling mightily with teams that quick offenses with good QB play.

Special teams coverage has got to be better obviously.

[Black Saturday]

I could fill the page with positives since we won. We had no business losing to Troy first place and no business winning at the end - what were the odds?, but that's why we have been undoubtedly the most exciting ticket over the years - Mountain Magic.

My concerns are just reiterations and blatantly obvious.

1) We have to have the worst KO coverage over the years no matter the coaching staff as we are magical in winning games over those years. It's been almost obligatory to give up KO TDs what seems more than our fair share in 40 years. Touchbacks I'd rather take my chances with on the 25 every time than the awesome stop or hit, than giving away the likely an extra 15-20+ yards of starting field position.

2) As in our losses to UL and WKU last year, UNC this year and maybe should have been Troy, we struggle with a QB that can pass, not sure if its our defensive personnel or scheme of both, but that is this teams Achilles.

Great Win and incalculable advertising this last week. Couldn't have happened to a better program than APP. I'd love for us to maximize it.

As mentioned on ESPN -we will likely have our staff picked with all this attention from our HC and OC. WVU has enough money to buy our HC if things continue to slide with Neal, who has had enough time to produce. If Barbay is here next season, I'll be surprised. Clark loves it here, but everybody has a price

[BambooRdApp]

Hopefully, Peoples injury is not bad and Noel comes back soon. If the rule still is you can play 4 games and keep redshirt, I hope the new RB gets some opportunities during the year. With Harrington, Castle, WF transfer, etc., It seems those guys will get first shot for carries.
Post game...it was great to see Bruce helping students who were climbing over the wall ...I want to have on field celebrations after every game if that is what students want to do. They are college kids. I am sure DG and the staff will try to address the safety issues this week. What a great game.

[falcoapp]

Any word on Peoples?

[appfanjj]

Good to know that if we play Troy in the conference championship game we have home field in our pocket.

[Yosefus]

Good: we won in historic fashion. Stormed the field
Bad: defense secondary and special teams still need work.
Ugly: folks getting injured storming field.

Offense will need to do ball control next week like they did at A&M. We need to keep JMU offense off field next week.

[Seattleapp]

If I’m the coach, Ronald Clarke is on tackling drills all week.

[ah59396]

I could fill the page with positives since we won. We had no business losing to Troy first place and no business winning at the end - what were the odds?, but that's why we have been undoubtedly the most exciting ticket over the years - Mountain Magic.

My concerns are just reiterations and blatantly obvious.

1) We have to have the worst KO coverage over the years no matter the coaching staff as we are magical in winning games over those years. It's been almost obligatory to give up KO TDs what seems more than our fair share in 40 years. Touchbacks I'd rather take my chances with on the 25 every time than the awesome stop or hit, than giving away the likely an extra 15-20+ yards of starting field position.

2) As in our losses to UL and WKU last year, UNC this year and maybe should have been Troy, we struggle with a QB that can pass, not sure if its our defensive personnel or scheme of both, but that is this teams Achilles.

Great Win and incalculable advertising this last week. Couldn't have happened to a better program than APP. I'd love for us to maximize it.

As mentioned on ESPN -we will likely have our staff picked with all this attention from our HC and OC. WVU has enough money to buy our HC if things continue to slide with Neal, who has had enough time to produce. If Barbay is here next season, I'll be surprised. Clark loves it here, but everybody has a price

We will be very lucky if we get a second season of Kevin Barbay.

[Seattleapp]

I could fill the page with positives since we won. We had no business losing to Troy first place and no business winning at the end - what were the odds?, but that's why we have been undoubtedly the most exciting ticket over the years - Mountain Magic.

My concerns are just reiterations and blatantly obvious.

1) We have to have the worst KO coverage over the years no matter the coaching staff as we are magical in winning games over those years. It's been almost obligatory to give up KO TDs what seems more than our fair share in 40 years. Touchbacks I'd rather take my chances with on the 25 every time than the awesome stop or hit, than giving away the likely an extra 15-20+ yards of starting field position.

2) As in our losses to UL and WKU last year, UNC this year and maybe should have been Troy, we struggle with a QB that can pass, not sure if its our defensive personnel or scheme of both, but that is this teams Achilles.

Great Win and incalculable advertising this last week. Couldn't have happened to a better program than APP. I'd love for us to maximize it.

As mentioned on ESPN -we will likely have our staff picked with all this attention from our HC and OC. WVU has enough money to buy our HC if things continue to slide with Neal, who has had enough time to produce. If Barbay is here next season, I'll be surprised. Clark loves it here, but everybody has a price

We will be very lucky if we get a second season of Kevin Barbay.

Honestly if we could keep this staff in tact we really could have a Cincinnati type run

[appstatealum]

Still is a state of shock for here it goes.

Good: this team has so much grit and heart. Never give up, next man up is ever present throughout this group. Our WR question marks has been eased. Davis is going to be a very special player and while not as sure handed as last years group they are growing up fast. The OC use of the TE and presnap movement is the best since Drink and Satt. We have some stud linebackers.

Student showed well for game day!

Bad: tackling at the second level was noticeably worse this week, should be able to fix that with film. the secondary has taken a step back, we no longer have a shutdown corner tandem like Hayes, Duck, Shemar, Jolly etc. any team with a quality QB and oline is going to be tough for us this year.

Ugly: kickoff coverage, please kick the ball out of the endzone every time

2-1 through three is where a lot of us thought we’d be, huge game vs a very capable JMU with a good QB.

Agree on all points. I feel better about the hands of our TEs but our WRs have so much physical talent, I'm hoping this elevates Horns confidence and he could be that "go to" deep

[appstatealum]

Most frustrating things- the things I think stood out the most from last week to this week..

1. We abandoned the run /ball control approach. Cam and Co. were picking up chunk yards. Keep running if they can't stop it.

2. Blocks downfield weren't being sustained.

3. Secondary was just off again. The quick dumps and stretches kill us. Not sure if Dale can find a way to drop LBs back to cut those off but UnC/AM/Troy all took advantage (some better than others).

4. Special teams. We just don't have those crash test dummy guys. Kick it through the endzone, please.

All things we can work with, film study should be enlightening this week. Glad we took the dub regardless of the less than stellar play.

[bigdaddyg]

I don't know if it's a strategy on kickoffs to attempt higher ones that land inside the 5 in hopes that the opponents will bring them out and if covered we keep them behind the 25 which is a win- but I hate that. Just bust a kick and roll on at the 25. That alternate option is almost a given they get to the 40 or worse. I don't think our kicker can get that height on long kicks.

[Rekdiver]

Not only good… but great:

[Black Saturday]

Most frustrating things- the things I think stood out the most from last week to this week..

1. We abandoned the run /ball control approach. Cam and Co. were picking up chunk yards. Keep running if they can't stop it.

2. Blocks downfield weren't being sustained.

3. Secondary was just off again. The quick dumps and stretches kill us. Not sure if Dale can find a way to drop LBs back to cut those off but UnC/AM/Troy all took advantage (some better than others).

4. Special teams. We just don't have those crash test dummy guys. Kick it through the endzone, please.

All things we can work with, film study should be enlightening this week. Glad we took the dub regardless of the less than stellar play.

Ha - Troy sure didn't abandon their passing game that we couldn't stop.

[WASU 93]

The Great: As my buddy spacemonkey said, "You couldn't have written a better script for yesterday". Game Day, our fans, Luke Combs playing the roll of Superfan, Miracle on the Mountain 2, the fans that were there to see it (in the early 90's, half of the crowd would have left at halftime and there would have been less than a quarter of the crowd there to see the final play)

The Good: Our depth at running back. In the last two weeks, we have had our #3, #4 and #5 running back all score TD's in meaningful situations. Peoples also ran hard yesterday.

The Questionable: As good as the game calling was last week, I think Barbay was a little too gimmicky yesterday. Our offense did not have the great rhythm that we had in Week 1 and Week 2. We also abandoned the deep back shoulder routes (until Robinson made a great catch in the 4th Quarter). I think that is the only time we tested Troy deep, until the final play.

The Bad: Due to injuries or whatever, we do not have a Championship defense at this point. Perhaps it shows how great DeMarco Jackson was last year at both roaming sideline to sideline and also dropping back 20 yards into the passing lane. The chunk running plays we give up worry me more than the secondary (where I do have some concerns).
Gunnar Wilson threw for 355 yards against Louisiana last year (on 55 attempts) and threw for 235 and three scores against Coastal. But, we held him to 109 yards passing last November. He's a 5th year, Junior and made good decisions with the ball yesterday. They will have success in the passing game all year.

The Ugly---Sure we've given up a few Kickoff Return TD's in the past few years. But, we've also been very good at pinning the opposing teams inside the 25 yard line on returned kickoffs. This year, we don't have players getting free releases downfield. Perhaps it is hang time, perhaps it is ball placement (not close enough to the left sideline) or maybe we just don't have the blockade runners that we've had in the past. But, we have to fix this area.
For those who say to kick it out of the end zone every time, I question if game fatigue plays a factor and if that is an option in the 4th quarter. Regardless, it needs to be fixed. With our current defensive play, we need to keep momentum after a score.

[Saint3333]

Unless we score 70 the kicker shouldn’t be fatigued.