Baylor Football Blog
Friday, September 08, 2006
Northwestern State.... Huh.
I have to admit that I'm having a hard time getting up for this game. It's a D1-AA opponent, and we just nearly knocked off a Top 25 team. I sure hope that the team isn't suffering from the same malaise as I am.
But there are some positive things that we can accomplish this weekend. Bell needs to show that he can be effective in the redzone. He needs to show that he can hit a receiver downfield. He needs to show that he can be decisive when running the ball. And he needs to do a MUCH better job of hitting his receivers in stride for maximum YAC (yards after catch), which this system is built on.
Our running backs needs to hit the holes harder. We've been saying this for a long time, and Paul even showed some of it this past week, but then they'd go and run into the back of their offensive linemen instead of hitting a gap. We also need to catch the ball better. This has a lot to do with Bell's placement of the ball, and yes Paul had a huge catch for a 2-yard gain, but we can't afford to blow a play because our QB can't get the ball to our running back in the flats, or the RB in the flats can't catch it.
Our receivers need to be much more physical in their play. And stop cramping up. How hard is it to get hydrated? I sure hope they have started hitting the pedialite already. Payne needs to find a job out there. If you aren't going to catch the ball, then throw a block. Sorry, that's my one "call-out" for the week.
The defense should be dominant. And I seriously mean DOMINANT. TCUs line was inexperienced as far as starters go, but NSUs line is YOUNG, YOUNG, YOUNG. Redshirt freshmen, sophomores and a converted DE. We should rip these guys up. And we better. The tackles have to get penetration, and the linebackers have to fill the holes (preferably all the way into their backfield). I'm not concerned about the secondary as much, but they can't just sit back and relax.
This needs to be a statement game. Yes, it's just a D1-AA school, but we need to show that we mean to get the season re-started, and on a better foot. Let's come out and knock them down and then step on their throat. Let's show the killer instinct we couldn't find against TCU. Let's be the better team, again, and let's remove any doubt. Let's take away any chance of people in the future saying, "Yeah, they're in the Big XII, but..."
Baylor 56-13. I think we could give up fewer points than that, but the defense is going to have to prove to me that they are capable of concentrating for the whole game. I think they have every chance of shutting this opponent out. And they should do it, but it's hard to predict that when in their last two games, they've laid an egg in the second half (OSU in 2005 and TCU in 2006). ¶ 9/08/2006 0 Comments
But there are some positive things that we can accomplish this weekend. Bell needs to show that he can be effective in the redzone. He needs to show that he can hit a receiver downfield. He needs to show that he can be decisive when running the ball. And he needs to do a MUCH better job of hitting his receivers in stride for maximum YAC (yards after catch), which this system is built on.
Our running backs needs to hit the holes harder. We've been saying this for a long time, and Paul even showed some of it this past week, but then they'd go and run into the back of their offensive linemen instead of hitting a gap. We also need to catch the ball better. This has a lot to do with Bell's placement of the ball, and yes Paul had a huge catch for a 2-yard gain, but we can't afford to blow a play because our QB can't get the ball to our running back in the flats, or the RB in the flats can't catch it.
Our receivers need to be much more physical in their play. And stop cramping up. How hard is it to get hydrated? I sure hope they have started hitting the pedialite already. Payne needs to find a job out there. If you aren't going to catch the ball, then throw a block. Sorry, that's my one "call-out" for the week.
The defense should be dominant. And I seriously mean DOMINANT. TCUs line was inexperienced as far as starters go, but NSUs line is YOUNG, YOUNG, YOUNG. Redshirt freshmen, sophomores and a converted DE. We should rip these guys up. And we better. The tackles have to get penetration, and the linebackers have to fill the holes (preferably all the way into their backfield). I'm not concerned about the secondary as much, but they can't just sit back and relax.
This needs to be a statement game. Yes, it's just a D1-AA school, but we need to show that we mean to get the season re-started, and on a better foot. Let's come out and knock them down and then step on their throat. Let's show the killer instinct we couldn't find against TCU. Let's be the better team, again, and let's remove any doubt. Let's take away any chance of people in the future saying, "Yeah, they're in the Big XII, but..."
Baylor 56-13. I think we could give up fewer points than that, but the defense is going to have to prove to me that they are capable of concentrating for the whole game. I think they have every chance of shutting this opponent out. And they should do it, but it's hard to predict that when in their last two games, they've laid an egg in the second half (OSU in 2005 and TCU in 2006). ¶ 9/08/2006 0 Comments
