Peeps, been a long time. Posted this over on the other board and decided to share it here too. I'm not going to talk much about any specific observations from yesterday's mauling. This will be a much more high level/overview discussion. Going to dispense with the usual Offense-Defense-ST & Coaching format this week, because it doesn't make sense for what I want to say. So here we go:
The Overview/Problems:
Game Specific Observations:
1. Will isn't an SEC QB, maybe not a P5 or D1 QB. Many of us have been saying it for years, but it's become obvious to all but the Will worshippers who pray to a shrine of him every night. With the numbers he put up the last 3 years, the NFL should've been begging him to leave early. The fact they weren't says all you need to know. He's bouncing 5 yard passes in the dirt and throwing bubble screens at his receivers' shins. Pull the plug, it's over, everyone who isn't a cultist has seen enough.
2. Our OL is bad. Really bad.
3. Defense can't stop the pass or generate any pass rush without blitzing. They make up for it by not stopping the run too. You can't win giving up 500 yards of offense every week.
4. I'm glad someone is scared of our DBs, because no one outside of Starkville is. Don't think I'd ever run against us, other than the occasional "keep 'em honest" run.
Broader Observations:
1. I really don't want to panic or overreact after just 3 games. But it feels like we're getting worse each week, not better. No one came out of that game with any credit. Not the defense, certainly not the offense. Our punter deserves some praise, because he's the only one who actually did anything. And our KOR team and Woody. That's it. Everyone else was trash. Yesterday's game gave me Croom/Joe Mo vibes.
2. I have some sympathy with the hiring process. Nobody expected Leach to pass. We didn't have an AD in place. Leach died at a time when several candidates we probably would've liked to look at were off the board. Arnett was a hot name as a potential HC within coordinator circles. We may have hired him 1-2 years early, but it definitely wasn't some terrible idea to promote him. We knew there'd be growing pains and we're seeing them. Do we have the patience to ride them out? Can they be ridden out? We're going to find out very soon one way or another.
3. I have zero sympathy with the staff around Arnett we assembled. Some of those decisions were his and he has to take responsibility for them. Why did we bring in Friend to coach the OL? Auburn was ecstatic to be shot of him. Barbay, liked the hire, but we need to see some improvement. But the bigger red flag for me is promoting Brock to DC. Which leads me to...
4. Brock isn't ready to be DC. Yeah, we lost Forbes and a couple of DBs. But most of the D is back. And we don't just replace first round CBs, granted. There's no reason for the D to look this bad though. That's on Brock. But more than that, it's on Arnett. If he wasn't going to run the D himself, he should have done a national search and hired an experienced, qualified DC. I understand wanting to keep your system. But either run it yourself or recognize you need to hand it off to an experienced DC you don't have to worry about as a first time HC, even if that means a new defensive system. Instead, he promoted his buddy. Not good by any standard.
5. Barbay isn't the problem with the offense per se. The power spread is fine. What is a problem in terms of coaching is how lost we look. OL has forgotten how to pass block in just one offseason. They make up for it by forgetting how to run block in 3 games. We've got some WR talent. Tulu, Zavion, Creed, Walley all need to be force fed touches, but Will can't get the ball to them. Plays are there to be made, but we're not executing at a level to make them, especially at QB. That said, Friend needs to go, yesterday. Knox is a very good recruiter and solid RB coach. Jury is out on Bump, but I'm willing to give it some time. Good thing is he's apparently a beast mode recruiter.
6. CFB is semi-pro now. Treat all coaches and players like mercenaries at your school solely for the money, because that's exactly the situation. The "amateur athlete" fig leaf is totally gone in the era of NIL and 18 year old kids making more for playing a game than most of the fans in the stands make.
The Overview/Problems:
Game Specific Observations:
1. Will isn't an SEC QB, maybe not a P5 or D1 QB. Many of us have been saying it for years, but it's become obvious to all but the Will worshippers who pray to a shrine of him every night. With the numbers he put up the last 3 years, the NFL should've been begging him to leave early. The fact they weren't says all you need to know. He's bouncing 5 yard passes in the dirt and throwing bubble screens at his receivers' shins. Pull the plug, it's over, everyone who isn't a cultist has seen enough.
2. Our OL is bad. Really bad.
3. Defense can't stop the pass or generate any pass rush without blitzing. They make up for it by not stopping the run too. You can't win giving up 500 yards of offense every week.
4. I'm glad someone is scared of our DBs, because no one outside of Starkville is. Don't think I'd ever run against us, other than the occasional "keep 'em honest" run.
Broader Observations:
1. I really don't want to panic or overreact after just 3 games. But it feels like we're getting worse each week, not better. No one came out of that game with any credit. Not the defense, certainly not the offense. Our punter deserves some praise, because he's the only one who actually did anything. And our KOR team and Woody. That's it. Everyone else was trash. Yesterday's game gave me Croom/Joe Mo vibes.
2. I have some sympathy with the hiring process. Nobody expected Leach to pass. We didn't have an AD in place. Leach died at a time when several candidates we probably would've liked to look at were off the board. Arnett was a hot name as a potential HC within coordinator circles. We may have hired him 1-2 years early, but it definitely wasn't some terrible idea to promote him. We knew there'd be growing pains and we're seeing them. Do we have the patience to ride them out? Can they be ridden out? We're going to find out very soon one way or another.
3. I have zero sympathy with the staff around Arnett we assembled. Some of those decisions were his and he has to take responsibility for them. Why did we bring in Friend to coach the OL? Auburn was ecstatic to be shot of him. Barbay, liked the hire, but we need to see some improvement. But the bigger red flag for me is promoting Brock to DC. Which leads me to...
4. Brock isn't ready to be DC. Yeah, we lost Forbes and a couple of DBs. But most of the D is back. And we don't just replace first round CBs, granted. There's no reason for the D to look this bad though. That's on Brock. But more than that, it's on Arnett. If he wasn't going to run the D himself, he should have done a national search and hired an experienced, qualified DC. I understand wanting to keep your system. But either run it yourself or recognize you need to hand it off to an experienced DC you don't have to worry about as a first time HC, even if that means a new defensive system. Instead, he promoted his buddy. Not good by any standard.
5. Barbay isn't the problem with the offense per se. The power spread is fine. What is a problem in terms of coaching is how lost we look. OL has forgotten how to pass block in just one offseason. They make up for it by forgetting how to run block in 3 games. We've got some WR talent. Tulu, Zavion, Creed, Walley all need to be force fed touches, but Will can't get the ball to them. Plays are there to be made, but we're not executing at a level to make them, especially at QB. That said, Friend needs to go, yesterday. Knox is a very good recruiter and solid RB coach. Jury is out on Bump, but I'm willing to give it some time. Good thing is he's apparently a beast mode recruiter.
6. CFB is semi-pro now. Treat all coaches and players like mercenaries at your school solely for the money, because that's exactly the situation. The "amateur athlete" fig leaf is totally gone in the era of NIL and 18 year old kids making more for playing a game than most of the fans in the stands make.
