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Post Game: The defense brings it home

BWahlberg

Well-known member
DONOR
It was a sloppy win but a road win, in conference nonetheless. The Grizzly offense couldn’t find a good rhythm the whole game and the game was basically thrown on the defense’s back. The D had a few issues with some early big plays but shut out Davis in the 2nd half and forced 4 turnovers. We saw some new faces make a few plays today and some more untimely injuries too. Lets look at it from 40,000 feet real quick, the Griz are heading home with a winning record of 3-2 and 2-0 in the Big Sky. Yep, it wasn’t pretty for the offense but the defense did great work and now we’ve got two in a row in Wa Griz and a bye week bracketed in between.

Let’s get the big discussion up first. The offense once again was hot and cold and couldn’t capitalize on the many opportunities the defense handed them. There were so many chances in the 2nd half to put this game way out of reach and we saw more short 3 and outs or mis-reads on 4th down plays. I think we need to accept that unless something suddenly changes… this is our 2015 offense. Mid/upper 20’s in points, hot to cold play, drops, some big catches, and a running game that doesn’t develop until late. Will that work against teams like UC Davis? Sure… it did today. Will that work against PSU and UND? Not sure. Will it work against EWU and MSU? Nope.

I don’t necessarily know what to suggest though. What can you do when it seems clear that the loss of Ben Weyer still has the interior OL reeling. What can you do when your QB is up and down and up and down? How can you have an effective deep passing game if no team respects your rushing attack? The silver lining about the whole thing is that just enough has worked these last two weeks (the two weeks before that… just enough didn’t work). I think we know what we can expect from this offense now and games forward are going to hinge on the defense playing the way they have these last two weeks. The addition of Calhoun to the run game might be an interesting addition – he had a very good fall camp. Chalich… a better game statistically today and 3 TDs, so there’s slow improvement there too. It’s baby steps right now for the offense but fortunately it’s baby steps in the right direction.

Thank goodness for this defense, the players, the assistant coaches, and DC Ty Gregorak. The Grizzly d-line has been questioned a bit outside of Holmes and today they delivered big time. Holmes had just 1 sack but forced an int and was in the QB’s face all day – despite being double teamed. Ryan Johnson continues to emerge as a future stud D-end with another sack and a pick today. Kidder with his best game yet as a Griz, two sacks, a pick, a fumble recovery – think he had a TFL or two as well outside of the sack. Wilson a forced fumble as well. The LB’s were once again highlighted by Kose and Van Ackeren, Kose the game sealing sack. The corners had some early issues but buckled down, safeties a little up and down – fooled on the one trick play, the middle was open a bit today.

Some general thoughts:

- Good glimpse of the future in not only Ryan Johnson but Connor Strahm. Also Markell Sanders making great plays on ST – not just the fumble recovery but also had 1 or 2 tackles for short gains on kickoffs.

- Chris Lider bounced back from his first 3 bad punts to that one that was smashed out of the endzone, fumbled, and then rolls all the way back until the Griz grabbed it. His punts after that were on point.

- Jamaal Jones may be the best complete WR the Griz have ever had. Another week and another highlight reel TD. This guy has a legit shot at the NFL.

- I know there’s probably going to be a lot of pissing and moaning about all of the bubble screens to Naccarato but consider it a run play practically. I don’t think we had more than a few passes go to Nac that weren’t quick screens. So if I told you we had a running back that had 84 yards on 13 carries for a 6.5 ypc average you’d be happy right? So brighten up – look at it like a run play. Don Read did the same thing.

- The O-line took another good step forward. Luke and Dietrich seemed to have issues with one of Davis’s interior lineman, knocked on their butts a little too much. However I think just 1 sack and far less pressure than the first few games of the season. At some point Jackson Thiebes was in at LT – not sure if that was due to injury, ineffectiveness, or giving a rest to our other tackles. 176 rushing yards today… that’s our best rushing game yet I think…

- The D-line now has more interceptions than our secondary about halfway through the season. That’s something no one would’ve ever predicted.

- +3 today – that puts the Griz at -1 on the season. We’re headed back in the right direction.

- The one lost fumble though was just a gut-punch though. Chalich probably didn’t have the best chance to cover that ball up after spinning out of one tackle and was prone to a hard shot, but that once again just showed some more of our red zone woes.

- The Griz were on pace for 22:00 TOP at the half but finished with 26:30. A good halftime adjustment and improvement from the team to focus more on TOP and prevent the defense from getting too gassed.

- 97 plays for the offense. Did it seem like it? Didn’t to me, but hey – that’s the goal!

- Remember in 2006 the Grizzly rushing game was not doing much until halfway through the season underclassman Thomas Brooks Fletcher provided the running game a much needed spark? I’m not saying it’ll happen again but maybe Jeremy Calhoun is just the guy to do that. Now that he can’t use that RS this year let’s see what he can do for this running game!

- Guess who was the top two leaders on the team in tackles? Kose and KVA. These two could be the best combo of linebackers we’ve ever had. Every week they’re tops in stats, in on most stop, all over the field, and making key plays. Kose once again sealed it with a late sack – last week he sealed it with a tipped pass on 4th down.

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Lots to work on but lots to be happy about. Defensively that was a great game. The offense needs to keep working but is moving in the right direction. Weber state is up next – let’s get after it Griz!

GO GRIZ!
 
I think we need to throw deep more often, especially early in the game. I think if we take more chances downfield, it will open the run game faster. Hit or miss, we need to take more downfield shots early in the game.
 
The wind was blowing pretty hard today with some pretty bright sun. I don't think that helped either offense. The Griz did a great job with penalties today.
 
Good write up, but I do think the Griz offense can get better. Unfortunately it starts with play calling 1st down hand off to JN, 2nd down bubble pass to Naccarato, now it is 3rd and long and converting that is a low percentage crapshoot at best. For a coach that is so intent on getting off to a fast start on offense that he would choose to give the other team the ball to start the second 1/2 in WA Griz against the advice of every person on earth, you would hope to start better than 3rd and long. Maybe handing off to Calhoun will change that.
 
grizaremoregooder said:
The wind was blowing pretty hard today with some pretty bright sun. I don't think that helped either offense. The Griz did a great job with penalties today.

Did they have any?
 
Brint, good point about the screen pass game essentially replacing our running game at points. Yes, a running back with 80+ yards, and over 6.5 ypc would be heralded in the running game; why can't it be in the passing game as well?
 
Brint, good point about the screen pass game essentially replacing our running game at points. Yes, a running back with 80+ yards, and over 6.5 ypc would be heralded in the running game; why can't it be in the passing game as well?
 
The end zone catch by EH was a timing situation that was fantastic. The other catch by Roberts was also the same as he was sliding out of bounds. The missed extra point kick by Sullie was a downer. The great play by our defense was great.

We need to have more reps on offense to smooth things out. Receivers open and Chad missed many of them. His QB play was average at best. But good enough to win. We are all worried as we move ahead. I am thinking we will improve and we need to if we are going to make any noise this year! Go Griz!
 
The D did play well, as we have come to expect and the O is still frustrating to watch at times - then at other times they look pretty sharp. But like we've all said, as long as they keep improving. A couple more games to get this machine tuned for the final four game push!

GO GRIZ!
 
grizband said:
Brint, good point about the screen pass game essentially replacing our running game at points. Yes, a running back with 80+ yards, and over 6.5 ypc would be heralded in the running game; why can't it be in the passing game as well?
It is a good point but this is the first game that it has actually worked out that way. Naccarato (sp?) usually gets knocked down on first contact because he is so small.
 
Boscoe said:
I think we need to throw deep more often, especially early in the game. I think if we take more chances downfield, it will open the run game faster. Hit or miss, we need to take more downfield shots early in the game.

Why though on 3rd down and 5. I thought this offense was geared to get the first down.
 
The game today was the most complete game the Griz have played all year. Special teams mad plays and the defense was lock down again. We may have found a QB for this offense now we just need a head coach that stops doing stupid stuff during the game, some of Stitt calls were pure poppycock plain and simple.
 
Big G said:
The game today was the most complete game the Griz have played all year. Special teams mad plays and the defense was lock down again. We may have found a QB for this offense now we just need a head coach that stops doing stupid stuff during the game, some of Stitt calls were pure poppycock plain and simple.

:wtf: :?
 
After about 5 drops by our WRs, I am thinking that Chalich's ball is not the most catchable. QB analysts talk about delivering the ball in a catchable way, and Chalich doesn't have the greatest accuracy/touch. Also, his ball is rarely delivered as a tight spiral.
 
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