LSU Post Mortem...

[cover2]

About as dissapointed as I've been in a while (last season not withstanding). If ever we "snatched defeat from the jaws of victory," this was it. We simply refused to win on Saturday. Anyhow, here are some observations from this past Saturday...


*I read articles in the Sun by Andreu and Dooley and I'm usually not in total concert with them; however, the gist of one was that just when it looked like we were going to turn a slight corner (even though LSU and us are shells of our former selves), we found a way to cough up a fur ball. Muschamp probably had us in as good a position to win the game as could be (spare me the "offense sucks" cry; we all know that too well by now) until a triumverate of 4th quarter errors scuttled our chances. When what happened happens, it might be a good sign that we reached our high-water mark two years back and it just isn't going to get any better, despite the best efforts of all involved. I am inclined to agree at this point. The other article talked about how Jeff Driskel was on the verge of exorcising the demons of seasons past, finally winning an important game despite struggles early (his turnovers, drops, poor routes, etc.). And then, just like Lucy pulling the ball away from Charlie Brown at the last second...Bang! Intercepted after throwing into a crowded window, a throw that IMO never should have been. Once is a mistake, multiple times is a habit. I think he's a good kid by all accounts and a good teammate, but there is a difference in thinking you can make a play to win it and KNOWING you can. Sadly, there is a gap between the two that may never be bridged.

*Whether it is coaching, skill set, motivation, or whatever, our receivers are pedestrian at best, wildy erratic, unfocused, and lazy at worst. Granted, Driskel struggles with many of his throws, but our guys do not appear to be the best effort guys. Every throw won't be a lollipop regardless of who the QB is. Good recivers will find a way to make even an average QB look better than he is and we just don't have that from this group. I know he had talent to work with, but Dwayne Dixon, where are you when we need you? Seems like he always had the guys competing to get on the field.

*Fournette ran it up our tailpipe, many times over the left side. For a team that was struggling on the OL, LSU pretty much won that battle. And yet, we still had a chance.

*I'm sorry to call out a particular player, but good grief, Brian Poole! How in the world everyone else could be playing man with a safety over the top and him squat and let his guy run past him is indefensible. 41 yard reception on a 3rd-and-25! You've got to be kidding me. Somewhere, Kyle Jackson is waiting on an apology. I remember seeing him in the UA game his senior year and he drew a lot of praise from the announcers and played pretty well. Not the same guy and I believe he has had a couple of goofs this year as well.

*Shades of Jackie Smith! All that was missing was Westbrook falling down after the drop. We just can't make a play when it presents itself.


I'll finish my private mourning and be back for more this Saturday. Mauck has looked atrocious of late; here's hoping we don't allow him to look like an AA. Went through some old photos and found one from a game way back that had a sign that said "Wait 'til next year!" I had hoped such wouldn't be back in vogue anytime soon, but, viola, just like the bell bottoms, that sentiment appears to be back!

 

[bradgator2]

Hang in there Cover. I was wondering if the LSU game did you in.

 

[Coach9]

Trying to think of any defense when you want a Corner squatting on 3rd and 25. I'm at a loss. Really shows a lack of feel for the game.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Cover 1? With a blitz I suppose. They were afraid of that screen pass that Bammer killed us with on third and forever. He was supposed to drop back into a 3 or maybe a 2 if they were blitzing from the corner or nickel on the other side? I don't know.

I don't freakin know but we were obviously in one high zone before the audible that the other 10 guys heard. So the question becomes why were we in it to begin with and why didn't we have some way to ensure the defensive audibles were received by everyone, especially the corner near the other team's bench.

Lack of feel, exactly.

 

[cornbread]

always good to hear cover2 view

 

[RocketCityGator]

Glad to hear from you Cover2. You sound about as dismayed and disheartened as the rest o us.

 

[VulcanAlex]

Great summary but on the pass and int that finally finished us I have some questions:

I wonder who called that play at all, seems like a no winner no matter what at the distance. I think Roper did it, and Jeff not being willing to free lance just runs what is called. His locking on and lack of judgement is what is most lacking in him as a QB, next is accuracy and touch. Without these he is toast in the NFL and poor as our QB. Probably should have switched positions or concentrated on Base Ball.

Without the game film and the ability to Analise it we are at a loss. On the busted play apparently communications was the problem, but why we need so much communications rather than identification and play is another question.

On defending the power running by LSU on our left side it appeared to me (I know a little) that the LB on that side continually played the inside allowing the outside to be covered by DBs, bad decision time after time, but perhaps the inside was not covered by the line and laying back until the play developed was not done. Who knows what keys are being used but they did not work there.

Let's hope for improvements and wins.

 

[Coach9]

Great summary but on the pass and int that finally finished us I have some questions:

I wonder who called that play at all, seems like a no winner no matter what at the distance. I think Roper did it, and Jeff not being willing to free lance just runs what is called. His locking on and lack of judgement is what is most lacking in him as a QB, next is accuracy and touch. Without these he is toast in the NFL and poor as our QB. Probably should have switched positions or concentrated on Base Ball.

Without the game film and the ability to Analise it we are at a loss. On the busted play apparently communications was the problem, but why we need so much communications rather than identification and play is another question.

On defending the power running by LSU on our left side it appeared to me (I know a little) that the LB on that side continually played the inside allowing the outside to be covered by DBs, bad decision time after time, but perhaps the inside was not covered by the line and laying back until the play developed was not done. Who knows what keys are being used but they did not work there.

Let's hope for improvements and wins.

Not sure. But think Lsu was in a blitz look and that was the Hot read. Don't think the guy blitzed so it was a cluster that he threw into. Don't like throws short of the sticks in that situation

 

[VulcanAlex]

Not sure. But think Lsu was in a blitz look and that was the Hot read. Don't think the guy blitzed so it was a cluster that he threw into. Don't like throws short of the sticks in that situation

If so a poor hot read in that situation. No time outs means that anything less than a first down would run off time and LSU could have taken their time getting up. Much better to throw the swing or throw it out of bounds immediately. I would like for someone to ask Coach for the answer nobody did after the game.

Way too much talking about the seconds added back and I understood it from the ref and the announcers. I think a flag should have been thrown but perhaps the rules are different. I also wondered why someone under the goal might not have jumped high enough to block the kick on that end, seemed quite low.

 

[RocketCityGator]

Great summary but on the pass and int that finally finished us I have some questions:

I wonder who called that play at all, seems like a no winner no matter what at the distance. I think Roper did it, and Jeff not being willing to free lance just runs what is called. His locking on and lack of judgement is what is most lacking in him as a QB, next is accuracy and touch. Without these he is toast in the NFL and poor as our QB. Probably should have switched positions or concentrated on Base Ball.

.

I believe it's Gator Count that did good analysis of the INT play. If I recall correctly, Jeff made the wrong read, Robinson was open.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

what exactly is champs expertise in? Wasn't it defense? what do we do well because champ is the coach?

 

[G8RNGA]

Thanks, cover for your analysis. It's always good to hear your perspective as a football coach.

 

[GatorStud]

as you alluded to...

 

[Swamp Donkey]

If so a poor hot read in that situation.

I think it was probably the correct presnap read, the guy covering the slot moved in to feign the blitz, but once that backer/safety dropped into coverage, Driskel should have relaxed (unless someone else was calling heat from his blindside) and gone through his reads. Maybe given down and distance he should have changed the play to give himself some other hot read like maybe a wr screen the blitz side but I just don't see that in his repertoire.

It's just groundhog day with this kid. Same mistakes, on about 50% of the plays, year after year. Actually, now that I think about it this was a slight improvement because the last three years he would have just taken the sack on the blitz.

 

[EuroGator]

Nice write-up. Thanks for sharing.

 

[GatorJ]

About as dissapointed as I've been in a while (last season not withstanding). If ever we "snatched defeat from the jaws of victory," this was it. We simply refused to win on Saturday. Anyhow, here are some observations from this past Saturday...


*I read articles in the Sun by Andreu and Dooley and I'm usually not in total concert with them; however, the gist of one was that just when it looked like we were going to turn a slight corner (even though LSU and us are shells of our former selves), we found a way to cough up a fur ball. Muschamp probably had us in as good a position to win the game as could be (spare me the "offense sucks" cry; we all know that too well by now) until a triumverate of 4th quarter errors scuttled our chances. When what happened happens, it might be a good sign that we reached our high-water mark two years back and it just isn't going to get any better, despite the best efforts of all involved. I am inclined to agree at this point. The other article talked about how Jeff Driskel was on the verge of exorcising the demons of seasons past, finally winning an important game despite struggles early (his turnovers, drops, poor routes, etc.). And then, just like Lucy pulling the ball away from Charlie Brown at the last second...Bang! Intercepted after throwing into a crowded window, a throw that IMO never should have been. Once is a mistake, multiple times is a habit. I think he's a good kid by all accounts and a good teammate, but there is a difference in thinking you can make a play to win it and KNOWING you can. Sadly, there is a gap between the two that may never be bridged.

*Whether it is coaching, skill set, motivation, or whatever, our receivers are pedestrian at best, wildy erratic, unfocused, and lazy at worst. Granted, Driskel struggles with many of his throws, but our guys do not appear to be the best effort guys. Every throw won't be a lollipop regardless of who the QB is. Good recivers will find a way to make even an average QB look better than he is and we just don't have that from this group. I know he had talent to work with, but Dwayne Dixon, where are you when we need you? Seems like he always had the guys competing to get on the field.

*Fournette ran it up our tailpipe, many times over the left side. For a team that was struggling on the OL, LSU pretty much won that battle. And yet, we still had a chance.

*I'm sorry to call out a particular player, but good grief, Brian Poole! How in the world everyone else could be playing man with a safety over the top and him squat and let his guy run past him is indefensible. 41 yard reception on a 3rd-and-25! You've got to be kidding me. Somewhere, Kyle Jackson is waiting on an apology. I remember seeing him in the UA game his senior year and he drew a lot of praise from the announcers and played pretty well. Not the same guy and I believe he has had a couple of goofs this year as well.

*Shades of Jackie Smith! All that was missing was Westbrook falling down after the drop. We just can't make a play when it presents itself.


I'll finish my private mourning and be back for more this Saturday. Mauck has looked atrocious of late; here's hoping we don't allow him to look like an AA. Went through some old photos and found one from a game way back that had a sign that said "Wait 'til next year!" I had hoped such wouldn't be back in vogue anytime soon, but, viola, just like the bell bottoms, that sentiment appears to be back!

Absolutely phenomenal post.

 

[Floridagator]

I don't think it was called by anyone but Jeff. I'm going off memory cause I'm out of town but I think he made a quick call that was absolutely stupid. Even if caught, what? No first down and clocks ticking. This kid is done and so are we if he plays. Need to start developing TH and or Grier

 

[RocketCityGator]

I think it was probably the correct presnap read, the guy covering the slot moved in to feign the blitz, but once that backer/safety dropped into coverage, Driskel should have relaxed (unless someone else was calling heat from his blindside) and gone through his reads. Maybe given down and distance he should have changed the play to give himself some other hot read like maybe a wr screen the blitz side but I just don't see that in his repertoire.

It's just groundhog day with this kid. Same mistakes, on about 50% of the plays, year after year. Actually, now that I think about it this was a slight improvement because the last three years he would have just taken the sack on the blitz.

I wish he had taken a sack.

 

[Coach9]

I never understood why there was no targeting discussion when a player is laid out by a helmet to helmet hit. I can't help but think the way the game was officiated, if the teams were reversed, Targeting is called. Interception is wiped out and penalty puts the ball on the 30 yard line. Just seems how it goes for us.

 

[aka]

Meyer went down to the crossroad.