Appy state defensive line

[reezun]

bottom line - hokies gonna wish they didn't show up

 

[Orange_Crush]

Can we please, nearly a week later move on from APP? We won. It wasn't pretty, but we're 1-0 and ready for VPI. Damn.

It's actually kind of hard to when the team left us with so many quesstion marks. Most fans will post here concerning those ???s until the team plays again and starts putting them to rest.

If UT comes out and lights it up against VT, many will move on and consider week 1 an aberration against an undervalued team. (Many others will continue to roll on in their misery, but whatever...)

 

[1974Vol]

All off season we heard CBJ talk about working on the down field passing game but I don't see a commitment to it. In the 4th qtr against Appy St. with the game on the line Dobbs makes a great throw to Malone for a must have 1st down and comes back with a slightly under thrown but very catchable ball to Malone for the TD. Then what? Back into the run game shell looking like they were playing for OT with 6+ minutes left. They only pass the ball when the only choice is throw or lose. You will never get Dobbs in rhythm if you won't let him throw it early and often.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

My 2 biggest questions coming into 16' were ...

#1 Will our OL grow from avg/below avg into above avg?

#2 Will our pace & space offensive attack evolve with better balance, or have SEC teams seen enough to now stifle it?

*It was 3 questions, but Kongbo, Tuttle, and Johnson playing inside fulfill that.*

After week 1 I am no more assured of the 2 questions. But, it's game one. As every coach and seasoned fan knows, you can never make an accurate call after the opener.

Here's to hoping for + answers after the VT game.

Agreed. I'd also feel a lot better if App State were to beat Miami in a couple weeks. Even if we win Saturday handily, I will be watching them going forward with anticipation.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

What do we have here, yet another thread to bring out the coaching experts. I would say amazing but its the status quo. Same posters posting the same old recycled crap like they know what they are talking about.

Look, no offense, but first it's a discussion forum. Second, you can sarcastically label people here "coaching experts" all you like, but is the horrendous display we saw last Thursday what you call "expert coaching"? Did what you saw last week REALLY instill confidence in you that this coaching staff will ever lead us to anything significant?

I have been very supportive of this staff, and still am withholding judgement until after the Battle at Bristol, but I think it's completely fair to say that many of us have had our faith in Jones severely shaken for a multitude of reasons, one being almost losing to a Sun Belt team, at home, with potentially the most talented roster we've fielded in years and years. Cheers to hoping App is really just that good.

 

[sanglemangle]

Go to tonybasilio to learn the rest of the story.

 

[MikeVol44]

They did something simple that we'll continue to see until Dobbs beats it with his arm.

They brought everyone up to stop the run then dropped into zone on pass plays.

They accurately calculated that Dobbs would not anticipate and throw to holes in their zone very effectively nor would he throw over the top effectively enough to keep them from playing up.

The OL didn't play well but on numerous plays ASU simply had UT outnumbered at the point of attack. They had all kinds of bodies flying into run lanes.

They were also very effective with their blitzes and quick.

They took a risk that UT wouldn't burn them deep and won.

Dobbs must stretch opponents vertically and hit open spots in zones well enough to prevent this strategy from working.

Yep.....listened to the interview with D. Jones....they planned to play a Safety deep to take away the big play and "GAPPED" us pretty much all night--whether from a 3 man front or bringing pressure....They attacked us to fill the gaps, get penetration, and disrupt our running game. Jones said they also had one guy assigned to stop Dobbs' when he runs the ball.....

 

[MikeVol44]

All off season we heard CBJ talk about working on the down field passing game but I don't see a commitment to it. In the 4th qtr against Appy St. with the game on the line Dobbs makes a great throw to Malone for a must have 1st down and comes back with a slightly under thrown but very catchable ball to Malone for the TD. Then what? Back into the run game shell looking like they were playing for OT with 6+ minutes left. They only pass the ball when the only choice is throw or lose. You will never get Dobbs in rhythm if you won't let him throw it early and often.

Well....it worked and we won.....and NO, it didn't look good!!

And that's what we're all so mad about....We wanted a Bama-esque 52-6 game so we could walk around at work and beat our own chest (as fans) and tell everyone that UT gonna "whoop dat azz!"

That's what everyone is griping about when you boil it down to it's CORE....it's more about fan SWAG than about a lack of ability in our coaches....

Volnation just gives opportunity for every idiot out there (including ME) to express an opinion...


So now we have to listen to all the whiners and complainers and analysts on ESPN and SEC Network (especially those Fla grads) tell us how over-rated we are.....

As I've said before--this game is on our PLAYERS, more so than any one I've seen. Look into their eyes before they run out of the tunnel---there's no "eye of the tiger" there......

They expected to show up and smash...and got busted in the mouth.....a little HUMBLE pie doesn't taste good...

We will be fine....

 

[landscapingvol]

... but they were more talented last year? :question:

No. What did you see last year that made you think they played any better when were weren't running the ball? They got trucked when we had to make a throw and the game was on the line during several key moments.

 

[sjt18]

You're assuming that play wasn't designed to go to Kamara.

Yes. And I think it is a fairly reasonable assumption with a Sr QB as intelligent as Dobbs. It looks like he made a pre-snap read and got baited by the Fr DB. If they do not trust Dobbs to have options on every pass play and go through his progressions.... then the problems with Dobbs are much deeper than anyone here imagined.

Players make mistakes. That's fine. But Dobbs has a very, very strong tendency to very quickly check down to the short routes.

It seemed pretty obvious that when he was in the game and lined up at slot, the plan was to go to him with the ball. It was pretty obvious, which was why the defense was jumping passes to Kamara all night.

If it was a designed play with only one option.... there are also significant issues with Jones and DeBord since as you point out.... it was obvious and predictable.

 

[sjt18]

And when we get a QB who can throw the ball, we will need one that can run!

UT doesn't need a statue but it is more important to have a QB who can set up other playmakers than one who can make plays on his own in the run game.

 

[Johncarter53]

We out weighed them by 50 pounds but they owned the line of scrimmage. Where they just simply too quick or where they giving us multiple looks that confused us?

They played harder and were well coached.

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

Yes. And I think it is a fairly reasonable assumption with a Sr QB as intelligent as Dobbs. It looks like he made a pre-snap read and got baited by the Fr DB.

Yeah, you're wrong here. It's obvious when watching that play that it was designed to go to Kamara. There was no reading the defense at all involved. It was drawn up to try and draw coverage off of Kamara with the outside receiver over the top and get a quick 4-5 yard completion with the chance for Kamara to make a guy miss.

If they do not trust Dobbs to have options on every pass play and go through his progressions.... then the problems with Dobbs are much deeper than anyone here imagined.

I don't think it's an issue of trust. It's most likely an issue of Debord's unnecessarily meticulous scripting of drives

If it was a designed play with only one option.... there are also significant issues with Jones and DeBord since as you point out.... it was obvious and predictable

It was and I'm hoping (and guessing) that the reason they so predictably went to Kamara every time he was lined up in the slot was to put something on tape for VT defenders in the hope of taking advantage next week. They did a similar thing with Kamara last year on swing passes against Kentucky and Mizzou and got an easy TD against Vandy out of it.

 

[Biopsyman]

And they lost.. Game over

 

[T_man_J]

They did something simple that we'll continue to see until Dobbs beats it with his arm.

They brought everyone up to stop the run then dropped into zone on pass plays.

They accurately calculated that Dobbs would not anticipate and throw to holes in their zone very effectively nor would he throw over the top effectively enough to keep them from playing up.

The OL didn't play well but on numerous plays ASU simply had UT outnumbered at the point of attack. They had all kinds of bodies flying into run lanes.

They were also very effective with their blitzes and quick.

They took a risk that UT wouldn't burn them deep and won.

Dobbs must stretch opponents vertically and hit open spots in zones well enough to prevent this strategy from working.

But we didn't have to throw deep to control this game.

If you show App State a 12 personnel group, they go bear front and man up in the flats (80% of the time). All we had to do is put in two tightends (which would have neutralized their two-gap d-line strategy) roll the pocket right and throw to the flats in man coverage.

With a tackle on first contact we get 5 yards, and if our receiver breaks the first tackle, we get 10. If we get downfield blocking we take it to the house.

I hate to say it, but this is coaching plain and simple.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

No. What did you see last year that made you think they played any better when were weren't running the ball? They got trucked when we had to make a throw and the game was on the line during several key moments.

What did I see last year? We DID run the ball, our second highest total in the history of our school, I believe. But that didn't happen vs. APP ST. So, I have to think that was for reasons other than our line was inherently less talented than they were last year. :dunno: