NC State 35, South Alabama 13
by Akula Wolf on Sep 17, 2011 9:53 PM EDT
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PrintI'm happy about a win under any circumstances, but when we play a game in September, especially against a team like South Alabama, I spend the majority of the game projecting the future. That's part madness for sure, because who knows what is going to change down the line. Still, I can't go into these games without looking for a statement to the effect of, "see, you didn't need to worry this much, we'll be all right." I didn't quite get that tonight.
Mike Glennon was exceptionally efficient--for the second straight week he was the least of State's problems--and the game was never in doubt even if it was frustratingly close all night. Liberty we beat handily in the margins. South Alabama was no match on a per-play basis but our fortune was nowhere near as good as it was in week one. It's the per-play aspect that's predictive so what am I worried about? The play in the trenches. In games like this the gameplan just shouldn't matter that much. I wanted to see us render them ineffective with decisive play up front on both sides of the ball. Didn't happen. South Alabama had an easier time of it on the ground than we did and that's pretty horrifying.
Defensively we couldn't do much of anything with a 4-man rush, and it didn't really matter what we did when they ran the football. Offensively the pass protection was good but the run blocking was garbage. We're three games in but I think it's safe to say this: we're no better running the football than we were a year ago, and I don't think there's been much in the way of noticeable improvement up front. If you can't put a significantly undersized team like South Alabama away through sheer force of will, that says some very bad things.
Injuries are killing the defensive line. We still can't run the football for shit. And now Terrell Manning has a knee injury, the extent of which we still don't know. I realize how all of this sounds a few hours after we won a football game, which is a win which is good and hooray and stuff. I just don't know about this team's prospects. Right now I don't think this is a bowl team.
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Agreed across the board
We can’t run the ball – at all.
We can’t protect Glennon – at all.
Glennon has absolutely zero pocket presence to feel when he’s under pressure. Got a tip for you, Mike – if you’re in the pocket for 2 seconds, you’re under pressure – you better look & see where it’s coming from.
We can’t stop the run.
We can’t get pressure on the opposing QB.
And our DB’s (despite some picks) are horrific in coverage.
This is not a bowl team – it’s not a good team – it’s an actively bad team right now.
Yup
We couldn’t stop USA, and GT ran for 600 yards today against Kansas. It will horrendous in 2 weeks.
I have no clue how our D regressed so much since last year. I thought it was all the Dline, that when Sweezy and Reiskamp came back we’d get better. But we can’t cover anyone and we can’t tackle. These are fundamentals I thought we were good at last year. I don’t get it.
by Stuart Spencer on Sep 17, 2011 10:38 PM EDT reply actions
the tackling was appalling tonight
Don’t know if that’s a lack of focus due to the opponent or what. No excuse for it whatever the case.
Our D sucks
The zone isn’t working, USA was working the middle of the zone with ease all night. In fact the two INTs that they threw, there were guys wide open but the qb badly over-threw and thus the picks
Our running game is horrendous too but the d is our biggest problem and will be the downfall of the team and OB’s program if they don’t get it fixed quick
by leewolf on Sep 18, 2011 12:49 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
The zone isn’t working, USA was working the middle of the zone with ease all night. In fact the two INTs that they threw, there were guys wide open but the qb badly over-threw and thus the picks
Yeah, things could have been far worse than they were. We also dodged a bullet when that one guy dropped a sure touchdown pass after Brandon Bishop misjudged the ball.
3rd down
Our defense is not able to get off the field, USA converted way too many 3rd downs. This was a great strength last year but that magic is gone. The good news is GT won’t need 3rd down, they’ll get all the yards they need on 1st down.
everyone else has already written the "bads" of which i
would have written, so i will add to those comments by stating that i expect State to be 2 and 3 after five games.
a positive statement: is T.J. Graham going to give State a Holt/KRob type of year? could be.
I always pull for the track guys
but I can’t see that lasting. Have we seen anything that makes you think he can pull in 6-8 catches no matter what the defense does against 1-A competition? He had at least one last night that was a really good catch, but he was more open on the TD than he usually is fielding punts. And regardless of the receiver’s ability, it is hard to imagine Glennon having that kind of time again.
I’m sure we’ll see another half-dozen plays where he makes the defense pay for a mistake in a way that no one else would. But that one play a game is not going to bring back memories of Tory for me.
At least we are getting more out of him than O’Cain did from Alvis Whitted. Amazing that they never found a use other than KO returns for someone who stuck for half a decade in the NFL.
It Baffles Me...
Just how bad we look against lesser competition…the only teams I think we may be better than on our schedule is CMU and BC…
Does anyone disagree the UC will probably beat us by 2 or more TDs?
i shutter to
think of the whuppin’ that GaTech is going to lay on us.
I've never seen a team run for 400 yards on us
Won’t be able to say that for much longer.
by wolfonthehill on Sep 18, 2011 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions
wait wait wait
I personally saw Woody Dantzler run for 800 yards and throw for another 500 against us.
by PACKHOOLIGAN on Sep 18, 2011 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Will we get the ball?
My two buds who are Bearcat fans are licking their chops. They like our defense. I shudder to think that their team also has last year posted on the B-board. I am having this horrible vision of them plotting that we never even touch the ball (except the one kickoff)
I have a few non-field-related game day issues
Can we get a new stadium announcer? Ed Funkhouser just sucks the energy out of the place. He’s just so monotone and… blah. You need someone with energy and enthusiasm.
Also, I know the media loves the dude in the wolf hat and red and white striped overalls, but he sucks as the student section hype man. He sounds like he’s about ready to take a nap. Get a real hype man for the students who can get them whipped up in a fury and not ready for a warm glass of milk.
Okay, so on the field… yeesh…
I propose a halftime wrestling match between Wolfhead Hat Guy and his archnemesis, Bicycle Helmet Guy.
In the event of a tie, the competitor holding the most PhD’s from NC State will be crowned victor due to time constraints.
by non_sequitur on Sep 18, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
The last time I saw BHG
He was driving an ice cream truck through the vet school lot on game day.
by PACKHOOLIGAN on Sep 18, 2011 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions
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