Baylor Football Blog
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Blog Moves
Again, yes, I know.
But now we have a permanent home.
And what better day to check it out than when I'm all pissed off by that terrible TCU game?
BRUINSBOLD.COM ¶ 9/01/2007 1 Comments
But now we have a permanent home.
And what better day to check it out than when I'm all pissed off by that terrible TCU game?
BRUINSBOLD.COM ¶ 9/01/2007 1 Comments
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Baylor Football Blog Moved!
I've moved the Baylor Football Blog to a new address to reflect an expansion in coverage.
The new site Baylor Sports Unlimited is going to not only look at the Baylor football team, but also look at men and women's basketball, as well as baseball (pending finding someone that is willing to take up this task!).
I won't be updating this site anymore, but I would love for everyone to continue to read over on the new site. I'm hoping the new place will be a little more structured and a lot more informative.
Thanks! ¶ 9/10/2006 0 Comments
The new site Baylor Sports Unlimited is going to not only look at the Baylor football team, but also look at men and women's basketball, as well as baseball (pending finding someone that is willing to take up this task!).
I won't be updating this site anymore, but I would love for everyone to continue to read over on the new site. I'm hoping the new place will be a little more structured and a lot more informative.
Thanks! ¶ 9/10/2006 0 Comments
Saturday, September 09, 2006
It's Game Day
I'm sitting here watching Missouri just take Ole Miss apart, and I'm thinking that we better be at least this good against NSU. There's 2 minutes left in the first quarter, and MU has outgained Mississippi 153 yards to 5 yards. They only lead 7-0, but are sitting inside the 20 about to score.
I know it's game-day, and I'm likely not as objective as I should be, but I am really wondering if NSU is going to be able to score much against our defense. I know that we have a starter out at defensive tackle, but that's supposed to be one of our deepest positions. I think if we have made a big stride this week in offense, learning from our mistakes against TCU, then we should see a team that is dominant on both sides of the ball.
I think the goal for this game has to be to score more than 50 points and hold NSU to less than 10 points. ¶ 9/09/2006 0 Comments
I know it's game-day, and I'm likely not as objective as I should be, but I am really wondering if NSU is going to be able to score much against our defense. I know that we have a starter out at defensive tackle, but that's supposed to be one of our deepest positions. I think if we have made a big stride this week in offense, learning from our mistakes against TCU, then we should see a team that is dominant on both sides of the ball.
I think the goal for this game has to be to score more than 50 points and hold NSU to less than 10 points. ¶ 9/09/2006 0 Comments
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
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Top 5
Here are the Top 5 positives and the Top 5 negatives Baylor fans should take away from the TCU/BU game.
Top 5 Positives:
5. The offense.
It is at least as good as last years. It might not be better yet, but we produced more than we averaged last year, and looked good at times.
4. Daniel Sepulveda.
Coming off his injury, he boomed a huge punt that pinned TCU at their own 15 yard line, and averaged over 43 yards per punt on the day. Not bad for coming back 4 weeks early. Hopefully he won't have to punt much this weekend and be able to be 100% by the time we head to Seattle.
3. The defense.
This battled hard for the top spot, but we gave up two late scores (last 18 minutes of the game), and had some trouble wrapping up on our tackles. There are a lot of young players out there, so that should get better, but they didn't deserve #1 or #2 this week.
2. Terrance Parks at Receiver.
The guy looked very good out there, showed very good hands and got up the field quickly after the catch.
1. The offensive line.
We had a couple problems with penalties early, but only gave up one sack on the day and gave Bell
Top 5 Negatives:
5. Penalties.
I know one of Jason Smith's penalties was bogus, but twice we took ourselves out of field goal range because of penalties. Havens was within a couple feet of nailing a 47-yard field goal. His accuracy when under 40-yards: 100%. More than 40-yards: ~50%.
4. Kickcoverage.
I've never understood why it's so hard to stay in your lane when on kick coverage. Really, how often does this need to be practiced? That 69-yard kickoff return was the beginning of a huge shift in momentum, and it was easily fixable. We stop him between the 20 and the 30, and we likely get another 3 and out. Instead, we give them great field position so that when we shut down their offense, they are still able to kick the field goal.
3. Misdirection defense.
I don't know how many times TCU got big yardage on the counter plays, or the pump-fake to one side, screen to the other plays. But we need to learn not to overpursue. I'm hoping experience will help with this.
2. Red-zone.
I know, I know, we turned the ball over or got penalties. It's not like we floundered through 3 downs and had to settle for a FG, but we didn't score at ALL. We have to settle down when we get into the redzone, and we have to realize when we are that close to scoring, we can't be careless with the ball.
1. Shawn Bell's ball placement.
Shawn has to learn to lead his receviers and hit them in stride. This offense is predicated on yards gained after the catch. Sure, you only have to throw the ball five yards, but you should at least give the receiver a chance to turn that into a big play. Zeigler and Shelton were making NFL-caliber catches, and getting 7 yards for them. We need to let our playmakers make plays. ¶ 9/05/2006 0 Comments
Top 5 Positives:
5. The offense.
It is at least as good as last years. It might not be better yet, but we produced more than we averaged last year, and looked good at times.
4. Daniel Sepulveda.
Coming off his injury, he boomed a huge punt that pinned TCU at their own 15 yard line, and averaged over 43 yards per punt on the day. Not bad for coming back 4 weeks early. Hopefully he won't have to punt much this weekend and be able to be 100% by the time we head to Seattle.
3. The defense.
This battled hard for the top spot, but we gave up two late scores (last 18 minutes of the game), and had some trouble wrapping up on our tackles. There are a lot of young players out there, so that should get better, but they didn't deserve #1 or #2 this week.
2. Terrance Parks at Receiver.
The guy looked very good out there, showed very good hands and got up the field quickly after the catch.
1. The offensive line.
We had a couple problems with penalties early, but only gave up one sack on the day and gave Bell
Top 5 Negatives:
5. Penalties.
I know one of Jason Smith's penalties was bogus, but twice we took ourselves out of field goal range because of penalties. Havens was within a couple feet of nailing a 47-yard field goal. His accuracy when under 40-yards: 100%. More than 40-yards: ~50%.
4. Kickcoverage.
I've never understood why it's so hard to stay in your lane when on kick coverage. Really, how often does this need to be practiced? That 69-yard kickoff return was the beginning of a huge shift in momentum, and it was easily fixable. We stop him between the 20 and the 30, and we likely get another 3 and out. Instead, we give them great field position so that when we shut down their offense, they are still able to kick the field goal.
3. Misdirection defense.
I don't know how many times TCU got big yardage on the counter plays, or the pump-fake to one side, screen to the other plays. But we need to learn not to overpursue. I'm hoping experience will help with this.
2. Red-zone.
I know, I know, we turned the ball over or got penalties. It's not like we floundered through 3 downs and had to settle for a FG, but we didn't score at ALL. We have to settle down when we get into the redzone, and we have to realize when we are that close to scoring, we can't be careless with the ball.
1. Shawn Bell's ball placement.
Shawn has to learn to lead his receviers and hit them in stride. This offense is predicated on yards gained after the catch. Sure, you only have to throw the ball five yards, but you should at least give the receiver a chance to turn that into a big play. Zeigler and Shelton were making NFL-caliber catches, and getting 7 yards for them. We need to let our playmakers make plays. ¶ 9/05/2006 0 Comments
