I'm literally trying to come up with one. I was thinking sacks/pressure but we are tied for 4th in the conference.
What's our biggest area for improvement after 6 games?...
- Thread starter dawgstudent
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Running QBs are a real problem for us right now. Gotta find a way to contain better
Kicking was too obvious and I can't believe I forgot that.
100% the exp/fg kicking game. If it continues it's hard not to imagine it costing a game as it did last year (Memphis, Ark, LSU)
I don't know, as bad as the kicking game has been, I think our inability to handle mobile qbs is worse. It's extremely unlikely, but we could possibliy win against bama with our current kicking. If Young plays and is healthy, I don't think there is anyway we can beat Bama with the way we have handled mobile QBs.
I guess realistically, we mostly are what we are with mobile qbs b/c that's largely a speed issue, and kicking is where we actually can (and better) improve.
I never missed a kick in high school. Now I only kicked 2 PAT's b/c I begged but they went through the uprights.
Consistent effort every week and quarter to quarter. Eliminate the offensive lulls. Make quicker defensive adjustments.
We are what we are personnel-wise, but seems like we could still use a contain rush in certain situations when you know the QB is likely to run. That was killing me during the LSU game... you had to assume Daniels was going to break and run, yet we kept rushing hard straight up field with basically our heads down.
We definitely don't help ourselves with scheme, but there were several times against LSU where I felt like we were in the right positions but just too slow to make the tackle.
We still drop more passes than I’m comfortable with. It hasn’t hurt us the last two weeks but definitely did in Baton Rouge.
Kicking game.
Second to me would be mobile qb containment lucky for us really only guy left that scares me is Bryce Young.
Our pass coverage scares me. Other than Forbes and occasionally Richardson, we have issues staying with or picking up receivers. Too many wide open players to my liking.
Keeping contain on running quarterbacks and avoiding busted coverages in the secondary. The big plays we give up on defense are our biggest weakness.
At the end of the day - I can't complain about less than 20 points scored on our defense. Outside of LSU - the defense has been fine. And versus LSU _I think it was more of our offense that caused the problems for our defense. We couldn't sustain a drive in the 2nd half and the D was gassed.
Getting the backup quarterback more playing time! We are terrible at that! ***
At one point near the end of the game, Arkansas almost matched our offensive yardage being nearly at 500 yards. I realize that doesn't translate to points, but it increases the shots at points if an offense is more competent like an Alabama or Georgia.
The big yardage from extended plays will be a huge problem against Bama because that’s how they score. Aside from that the kicking game could be killer in a close matchup against several remaining opponents.
I know this goes against what Leach does, but I wish we would milk the clock with the lead. As Saturday's game was winding down we were consistently snapping the ball 15 seconds or more on the clock. This also bit us a little at the end of the first half.
Kicking.
And kicking.
Our D gives up a lot of big plays, and our pass rushers keep over running the QB leaving a wide open field.
I'm pretty sure we can add to this list after the Alabama game.
And kicking.
Our D gives up a lot of big plays, and our pass rushers keep over running the QB leaving a wide open field.
I'm pretty sure we can add to this list after the Alabama game.
Gotta stop the dropped balls and stupid penalties. They seem to kill us before half every game.
Obviously the kicking sucks too.
Obviously the kicking sucks too.
If you're not in position to more or less end the game with a clock eating drive, I think you're better off letting them play. If you get them to the line of scrimmage and get in the play you want and sit there, that's not great for your OL. If you burn some time before getting to the LOS, then you run the risk of not having time to get into the play you want if the defense surprises you. But maybe more importantly, I think it does something mentally to players if they start milking the clock midway through the second half. But there will be a time that it bites us.
And not only that, but Saturday’s game showed multiple occasions of our secondary struggling to decide whether to stay with a receiver or play the run, and we’ve just got to be crisper than that. I’m not saying there’s some magic formula to being perfect here, but the one thing you can’t do is be indecisive because that’s when you end up being bad and both.
If the kicking game does not get more spot on… it’s going to probably cost us a game.
Special teams as a whole cost the LSU game. They were a 16 point swing, at least. 2 XP misses… the called back long return inside LSU’s 20, and the muffed punt giving them the ball inside our 20.
Not midway through the second half, I'm referring to a couple minutes left, like game ending drives. I fully realize this is not what Leach does and he's not going to change.
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the penalty that got the return called back, IIRC, it was behind the play and had no bearing on the play, those are usually not called right?
To be fair, our starting field position was much closer to the end zone than theirs. They had a couple big plays (which is what I think we need to improve the most) that accounted for a lot of that yardage.
My opinion:
When rushing an elusive QB (e.g., Bryce Young), the rusher approaching the QB should always break down and get ready for a juke. Otherwise, if the rusher continues at full speed, then he will most likely get juked and whiff on the sack/tackle as he flies past the QB. This will give the QB extra time to survey the field for an open receiver.
When the rusher gets past the blocker and forces the QB to look at him and move to avoid him, he has already positively affected the play (e.g., by disrupting the timing of the route and/or the pass). At that point, the rusher should control his speed towards the QB and be sure to keep pressuring the QB. As a rusher, do not let an elusive QB get past you running upfield with speed.
Easier said than done, I know . . . especially when the rusher is a defensive lineman.
the schedule. our opponents are the suck AND
injuries. we ain't gettin' them and oppoents are
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