Post by obc on Oct 13, 2013 7:23:33 GMT -6
Thoughts from Saturday:
Defense is getting better every week. T-Starr is who we all thought he would be and the surrounding cast is elevating their game. Davis/Iddings/Jacobs are really coming into their own. Iddings is a developing star IMO. Add in Praska and Greer at times to add some beef and all of a sudden the DL front weakness from last year has become a strength. Their strong play allows the speed that has been recruited to do their thing. The DB play is as good as I have ever seen from USD. Without looking at the stat sheet, if my memory serves me right ISU had 5-6 three and out series.
On Offense with Earl in there so much more opens up for the Yotes. The defense cannot afford to slam 8-9 in the box. Completing early downfield passes has opened up the Yote running game. Also putting JVM in a WR position gives USD much more athleticism to complement Terrance Terry. I believe the offense only had two three and out series all game. Wilhelm (TE) has been much more involved in the offense since Earl started at QB. Having two strong RB's and a strong true freshman FB pound it out is a thing of beauty.
Terrance Terry had a fantastic game and had a couple very difficult catches that were impressive. As JVM gets more involved it will open Terry up.
We all knew with a new QB - interceptions would also come as he gains experience. It is a price well worth paying IMO. Just wish that Earl had been the QB gaining that experience the last 5 to 6 games of the 2012 season. (That is hindsight though) His picks in the Red-Zone certainly took points off the board, but I would rather that than have turnovers deep inside USD territory, putting our defense in a tough spot.
Special Teams - A mixed bag really. Kick-off coverage and Punt coverage was good. The two punt snaps were good today. ISU didn't try for a block (that was surprising to me). The punter shanked his first punt for a very bad net gain. His second punt was a perfectly executed kick downed by the coverage team at the one. Blocked FG cannot happen. Looked like a mental mistake - botched blocking assignment.
The punt return team for USD also ran into the kicker for a penalty that ended up being a non-factor, but if it had been a short yardage 4th down it would have extended the ISU offensive possession. Those types of penalties are game changers.
Any time USD's special teams takes the field I get nervous. It really should be a strength - most of your special teams unit is made up of the skill players from defense - and USD has very good players at those positions. The special teams coach needs to step it up.
Coaching - You could see Wes opened up the playbook for Earl a little in the first half. Showed that USD has some firepower, as Earl gets more experience this could get interesting. Some very tough defenses on the second half of the season. Listening to Glenn in the postgame was interesting. He said: "I still think Josh was making more big plays for us." If he really believes that, it is concerning. With JVM at QB there is a very slim chance USD wins that game or the MSU game. Petrino is coaching up this defensive unit as well as I have seen. He should be a candidate as USDs next head coach IMO.
Officiating - Certainly the MVFC refs are doing the best they can, but they are very inconsistent. Seems to be just the way it is at this level.
Game Day Atmosphere - disappointing crowd, students on three day weekend hurt. It was a good crowd in the sense of making noise though. Felt like the crowd was making a difference for the team when ISU was on third and fourth downs. The pregame was awful. Timing for coming out on the field was way off. USD has a guy hired to coordinate the game day and he was off. No stats on the scoreboard for the first half. Also when you are announcing the HOF inductees at halftime - it could really be pulled off in a more organized fashion. It looked like a complete cluster.
I also saw something I have never seen at a football game before. There were people down the row from me that every time the Dome got loud they would sit there and cover their ears. It was strange. They never clapped or cheered, it was if they thought they were watching television. Strange to me.
Feels good to be excited for the USD football team and staff's progress. Hurts knowing that this team could be 4-2 or even 5-1 if just a few things were adjusted earlier, but that is football. As good as things have been trending, the remaining schedule is brutal. Getting one to two wins out of the remaining six may be it. I don't think the way USD is going they will lose them all, but there is not a game in there that if USD makes the mistakes they did the past two Saturdays that they get a win. If they keep improving though and do not have huge special teams blow-ups or Offensive turnovers that result in immediate points - winning three of the last six could happen. Illinois State on the road may be the most winnable of the remaining games. That is saying a lot considering USD's road record the last few years.
On to UNI - hopefully some Yote fans will make the road trip to Cedar Falls. It is a great place to see a game and they have a pretty good tailgate scene.
Fight South Dakota!
Defense is getting better every week. T-Starr is who we all thought he would be and the surrounding cast is elevating their game. Davis/Iddings/Jacobs are really coming into their own. Iddings is a developing star IMO. Add in Praska and Greer at times to add some beef and all of a sudden the DL front weakness from last year has become a strength. Their strong play allows the speed that has been recruited to do their thing. The DB play is as good as I have ever seen from USD. Without looking at the stat sheet, if my memory serves me right ISU had 5-6 three and out series.
On Offense with Earl in there so much more opens up for the Yotes. The defense cannot afford to slam 8-9 in the box. Completing early downfield passes has opened up the Yote running game. Also putting JVM in a WR position gives USD much more athleticism to complement Terrance Terry. I believe the offense only had two three and out series all game. Wilhelm (TE) has been much more involved in the offense since Earl started at QB. Having two strong RB's and a strong true freshman FB pound it out is a thing of beauty.
Terrance Terry had a fantastic game and had a couple very difficult catches that were impressive. As JVM gets more involved it will open Terry up.
We all knew with a new QB - interceptions would also come as he gains experience. It is a price well worth paying IMO. Just wish that Earl had been the QB gaining that experience the last 5 to 6 games of the 2012 season. (That is hindsight though) His picks in the Red-Zone certainly took points off the board, but I would rather that than have turnovers deep inside USD territory, putting our defense in a tough spot.
Special Teams - A mixed bag really. Kick-off coverage and Punt coverage was good. The two punt snaps were good today. ISU didn't try for a block (that was surprising to me). The punter shanked his first punt for a very bad net gain. His second punt was a perfectly executed kick downed by the coverage team at the one. Blocked FG cannot happen. Looked like a mental mistake - botched blocking assignment.
The punt return team for USD also ran into the kicker for a penalty that ended up being a non-factor, but if it had been a short yardage 4th down it would have extended the ISU offensive possession. Those types of penalties are game changers.
Any time USD's special teams takes the field I get nervous. It really should be a strength - most of your special teams unit is made up of the skill players from defense - and USD has very good players at those positions. The special teams coach needs to step it up.
Coaching - You could see Wes opened up the playbook for Earl a little in the first half. Showed that USD has some firepower, as Earl gets more experience this could get interesting. Some very tough defenses on the second half of the season. Listening to Glenn in the postgame was interesting. He said: "I still think Josh was making more big plays for us." If he really believes that, it is concerning. With JVM at QB there is a very slim chance USD wins that game or the MSU game. Petrino is coaching up this defensive unit as well as I have seen. He should be a candidate as USDs next head coach IMO.
Officiating - Certainly the MVFC refs are doing the best they can, but they are very inconsistent. Seems to be just the way it is at this level.
Game Day Atmosphere - disappointing crowd, students on three day weekend hurt. It was a good crowd in the sense of making noise though. Felt like the crowd was making a difference for the team when ISU was on third and fourth downs. The pregame was awful. Timing for coming out on the field was way off. USD has a guy hired to coordinate the game day and he was off. No stats on the scoreboard for the first half. Also when you are announcing the HOF inductees at halftime - it could really be pulled off in a more organized fashion. It looked like a complete cluster.
I also saw something I have never seen at a football game before. There were people down the row from me that every time the Dome got loud they would sit there and cover their ears. It was strange. They never clapped or cheered, it was if they thought they were watching television. Strange to me.
Feels good to be excited for the USD football team and staff's progress. Hurts knowing that this team could be 4-2 or even 5-1 if just a few things were adjusted earlier, but that is football. As good as things have been trending, the remaining schedule is brutal. Getting one to two wins out of the remaining six may be it. I don't think the way USD is going they will lose them all, but there is not a game in there that if USD makes the mistakes they did the past two Saturdays that they get a win. If they keep improving though and do not have huge special teams blow-ups or Offensive turnovers that result in immediate points - winning three of the last six could happen. Illinois State on the road may be the most winnable of the remaining games. That is saying a lot considering USD's road record the last few years.
On to UNI - hopefully some Yote fans will make the road trip to Cedar Falls. It is a great place to see a game and they have a pretty good tailgate scene.
Fight South Dakota!
