I have a mental image of Coach Searels barking at a (large) pack of guilty Dawgs in the dark hours of the early morning. The rain coming down in sheets soaks that trademark gray sweatshirt as stairs are climbed and punishments are endured.
Last week I was frustrated by the dink and dunks that Ol' Willie was satisfied with allowing to Stephen Frickin' Garcia. But I laid off the Dawg DC cuz it's hard to throw him under the bus when the offense and special teams did the defense no favors. Plus they continually held the lamecocks to FGs, which won the game for us.
Saturday night the dink and dunks turned into apathy in the secondary. We again had little pass rush, but added the fun twist of letting burgundy jerseys run uncontested in the vast open spaces of our secondary. It was as if we were an arena league team only allowed 8 players at a time on the field.
Awesome. I guess Martinez likes a challenge as much as Fabris does.
Richt has an iron for the turnover problem. Okay. We have stadium stairs for the dumbass non-aggressive penalties. I assume. The ineptness of the defensive philosophy and overall play may be our most formidable opponent this season.
Hunker down...and dig in deep.
Today's Ingredients
- You take away Walsh and Butler and...well, the special teams weren't so special. And I expect either Walsh or the fans to be blamed for the out of bounds kicks. Maybe both.
- Our defense has many serious flaws that need to be remedied in the next two weeks before serious SEC play begins. No pass rush, erratic and inexplicable pass (un)coverage, piss ass sorry tackling.
- Joe Waterloo may have put it best, Why exactly is Arkansas bothering to run the ball?
- Blackledge after ARKs second TD: Bryan Evans was never in position to make a play on the ball. Kinda goes against the very definition of what a safety is, huh?
- I assume it goes without saying...but we can't count on 500 yards of offense when the Tigers and Vols come a callin'.
- I coulda sworn we had decided after Stillwater that Carlton Thomas has no business running inside.
- Some analysis from the Dawgwebs: the Senator sums up another wild night, Bill King wants the D to turn the page, Hale has some fleeting thoughts, Hamp pontificates, BUI compares the road test to a Rumble in the Jungle, Mackie has a morning after pill and Rex spent the day dodging lightning bolts and now wants your thoughts on the defensive philosophy.
- No word yet on Justin Fields (shoulder) or Vance Cuff (knee), the injured Dawgs.
- Joe Cox. The proud recipient of this week's Walter Camp Nat'l Offensive Player of the Week.
- Lastly, a BIG BDB shout-out to Frank in Conyers, Class of '70. Frank wrote in and actually called last week's vlawg on the chicken tailgate a cult classic. This after SilverDawg nominated it for one of those bald-headed man gold statue thingies...Pretty soon, Nama's gonna ask for a raise.
Not sure how much magic Nama will be able to perform with the vlawg this week. The game kept us pretty busy, so there's little footage to work with. But rest assured the house was rocking. Kids were screaming, BBQ and brownies coming out our ears, bourbon, Logan bringing the swine jokes, beer was iced, juice boxes juiced, Twizzlers (h/t Joe) on hand, chest bumping with Noah, to the carpet tackling and no pulled fingers.
Good time.
Meatloaf's ready. Take a firm grip of the fork Reader and dig in. Then go and swim through your Monday.
Bernie
7 comments:
Yes, Bernie, the kicks out of bounds are Walsh's fault. The scheme of kicking the ball into the corner to force coverage onto a side of the field makes the kickoff more difficult to execute, BUT, the kicker's job, when this is called is to execute, and Blair did not.
More difficult to execute or an example of insanity?
As Rex said here it's like trying to hit a 7 iron with the height of a 9 iron. If Fabris wants a challenge, let him arm wrestle Herschel Walker or try to block Richard Tardits.
I understand Blair is doing what he is told and is not executing, but come one. Directional kicking is insanity when the kid can boom it. I'm sick and tired of the coaches throwing the kickers under the bus when it's the coverage team that misses the tackle and their own faulty logic that keeps giving teams extra first downs.
Einstein's definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results
Bernie... There is tons of talent on this defense. They are big and fast. I believe they will improve. We still need a pass rush, but C. Washington is knocking and I think he is coming in. With all the learning opportunites they have had in the past two weeks, this ASU game gives them a chance to take that huge step to putting it all together just in time for the meat of the schedule. At least that is my hope.
I don't think it matters whose at fault for our poor directional kickoffs. Walsh isn't very good at it, so let him do what he is good at. You don't see the Budweiser Clydesdales trying to run the Kentucky Derby, but they're damn good at pulling a wagon (not to mention shooting Super Bowl commercials)! Let the Kid pull the wagon!
It may be exciting football, but it is not a recipe for winning consistently.
David Greene isn't the all time winning QB in college football because of games like Cox had, he is the king because of Brian Van Gorder's defenses.
As good as Cox and the offense played, we cannot expect that every week, especially with our remaining schedule.
WE HAVE GOT TO START PLAYING DEFENSE!! NOW!!!!!
Funny you mentioned your vision of post-game Searels, Bernie. I was leaving the media room and Searels was walking out of the locker room with this awful scowl on his face. He seemed a bit dazed. Anyway, I'm sorta watching him as I walk back toward the field, and all of a sudden I hear, "Coach Searels! Coach Searels! Wait up!"
I turn around, and there's Kathryn Richt running after him to give him a hug. He, of course, is wearing the sweatshirt and she runs up and gives him a big hug, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a grown man look quite so uncomfortable.
It was sheer comedy.
The Water Girl wants to know...
Coach Searels...why the scowl? And how many O-linemen did you eat for breakfast?
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