- Oct 5, 2017
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Truth Takes: #FailState, Is It Fool's Gold?
New Coach- Check
Highly Regarded team from Mississippi after a win over Tennessee- Check
350ish yards- Check
Sign of good times ahead? It wasn't in 2015, but I honestly believe this win is different. And not just because Franks probably won't be popped for PED's.
In my preview I said the game would come down to three things:
Creative play-calling. How many different ways did we call screens? We saw Toney at the wildcat, direct snaps to Scarlett, that double pass, etc. In my preview, I said screen and then go long taking advantage of a blocker releasing deep...we did that. It was covered and ended with a throwaway, but still more creativity to put into the minds of our opponents. We had 22 completions to 12 different receivers (including 4 TE's and 2 RB's). Did everything work? No, but rarely everything works. We ran when we needed, Franks hit passes, and for the love of everything, the short throws that let our playmakers make plays works. If only someone wrote that in various threads at least once a week. No, I don't need many down field passes if we can catch and run for just as many yards. Soon enough opposing defenses will stop the soft coverage and try to press, that's when you go deep to Grimes, Jefferson (who had 4 catches to tie Grimes for most on the team), and Cleveland.
Speaking of, how many drives were we moving the ball at will only to be killed by penalties? Mostly in the first half, but that pass to Grimes being negated was awful. However, without that holding Franks takes a big loss and loss of down so I'll call it a draw on that one. It sucks, but is what it is. Those false starts though, come on.
Franks was 22 of 31. Let's look:
Quick Hits:
Why this isn't just Ole Miss in 2015 with different paint:
Great win on the road in what will be the harshest environment left on the schedule. With FSU in the state their in, unless something clicks, there is no way in hell it touches tonight. Big game against LSU next week. I think a big LSU win over Ole Miss is in our favor. Remember last year when they came into the Swamp after losing to Troy? I don't want that motivation. I want the overconfidence of beating somewhere in between 10th-13th worst team in the SEC. LSU does look dangerous, but not many teams haven't looked that way against Ole Miss, even when Ole Miss has won.
New Coach- Check
Highly Regarded team from Mississippi after a win over Tennessee- Check
350ish yards- Check
Sign of good times ahead? It wasn't in 2015, but I honestly believe this win is different. And not just because Franks probably won't be popped for PED's.
In my preview I said the game would come down to three things:
- Tackling
- Line play on both lines
- Creative Play-calling
Creative play-calling. How many different ways did we call screens? We saw Toney at the wildcat, direct snaps to Scarlett, that double pass, etc. In my preview, I said screen and then go long taking advantage of a blocker releasing deep...we did that. It was covered and ended with a throwaway, but still more creativity to put into the minds of our opponents. We had 22 completions to 12 different receivers (including 4 TE's and 2 RB's). Did everything work? No, but rarely everything works. We ran when we needed, Franks hit passes, and for the love of everything, the short throws that let our playmakers make plays works. If only someone wrote that in various threads at least once a week. No, I don't need many down field passes if we can catch and run for just as many yards. Soon enough opposing defenses will stop the soft coverage and try to press, that's when you go deep to Grimes, Jefferson (who had 4 catches to tie Grimes for most on the team), and Cleveland.
Speaking of, how many drives were we moving the ball at will only to be killed by penalties? Mostly in the first half, but that pass to Grimes being negated was awful. However, without that holding Franks takes a big loss and loss of down so I'll call it a draw on that one. It sucks, but is what it is. Those false starts though, come on.
Franks was 22 of 31. Let's look:
- Franks on 1st and 15, because of course we false start, with a nice 18 yard pass to C'yontai Lewis?????? And I had given up on that guy.
- Franks screen to Jefferson, not much to say about it.
- Franks screen to Hammond for a first down. Puts the ball in front of Hammond so he could get vertical momentum before the catch.
- Franks swing pass to Scarlett, looks like a drop to me.
- Franks with a nice throw for a 9 yard gain to Swain in a tight window between two defenders
- Franks with a screen to Grimes (fooled me, thought it going to be thrown to Moral Stephens)
- Franks with another nice first down pass to Swain over the middle
- Franks screen to Cleveland for about 10 yards
- Franks throws away before he could get sacked, ends up on the ground.
- Franks with a great low throw for a first down to Hammond on 3rd and 8
- Franks ball batted, possibly should've been intercepted. Underneath defender comes from opposite side of route (not the last time we will see this)
- Franks screen to Jefferson for a first down.
- Franks screen to Toney
- Franks throws his INT. Cleveland appeared open, but again a defender from opposite the route make a play on the ball causing Cleveland to miss and the ball pops up for an INT. Great D on the play.
- Franks swing to Perine for a 9 yard game
- Franks with a strike to Perine after escaping the pocket.
- Franks screen to Grimes for a first down.
- Franks screen to Grimes, not as successful.
- Franks with a great throw in a tight window to Kyle Pitts (another TE showing hands)
- Franks screen to Jefferson for a first down
- Franks ball hits Swain in the chest, forced to release quickly by blitz.
- Franks with his best throw of the game. On a rope to Hammond for a big gain in the middle.
- Franks throws it away. In my opinion, this is Franks best play of the game and shows a good level of thinking. This is the fake screen, deep ball on a blockers release I wanted to see. It wasn't open, Franks rolls right (unfortunately, a defender on the ground kept him from going right quickly) because he knows if he gets the edge, there should be room to run. However, a defender gets there partially because the extra bit to get around the previously mentioned defender and Franks just throws it away instead of trying to make a play and ending up with a loss.
- Franks with a 4 yard hitch to Jefferson.
- Franks has a jail break blitz in his face and a d-lineman gets his paw on the ball. Franks had the receiver if he beat the lineman.
- Franks with a quick out to Krull for about 6 yards
- Franks with a screen to Grimes who runs for about 8 yards and a first down.
- Franks with a high pass over Swain. I think it had to do with a DE appearing last minute. Either way, bad pass.
- Franks quick in to Cleveland short of a first down.
- Franks swing to Pierce for 6. Pierce should've followed the blocks, which would have kept him inbounds.
- Franks throws a low pass to Hammond that is deflected.
Quick Hits:
- Stupid play by Dean. Yes, ball had been out, but it was recovered before Dean dove. However, the helmut to helmut targeting when guys are diving for balls is ridiculous. Your head is down because the ball is on the ground.
- Thought McWilliams and Stewart were good with the loss of Dean.
- Good to see Davis back, he played well and will be a boost to the safety position.
- MVP, Polite. He stepped up huge when we needed it most.
- Perhaps #FailState knew a loss was coming when Lewis actually caught a pass ( on the first actualy play by UF).
- The end of the First Half was a time management failure by Mullen. Could have had the ball with 40-50 seconds in good position with timeouts. McPherson from all available information should be able to take a kick of 50+.
- Getting sick of the predictable inside runs on third and long though
Why this isn't just Ole Miss in 2015 with different paint:
- Road game at a place Florida hasn't played well since 1990
- #FailState does have great lines, just a QB who can't throw well
- Everyone is showing improvement weekly
- There are actual offensive coaches
- I won't comment on QB to not put anything into the universe, we know what happened two weeks later
Great win on the road in what will be the harshest environment left on the schedule. With FSU in the state their in, unless something clicks, there is no way in hell it touches tonight. Big game against LSU next week. I think a big LSU win over Ole Miss is in our favor. Remember last year when they came into the Swamp after losing to Troy? I don't want that motivation. I want the overconfidence of beating somewhere in between 10th-13th worst team in the SEC. LSU does look dangerous, but not many teams haven't looked that way against Ole Miss, even when Ole Miss has won.
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