hunt-ducks
Well-known member
Downtown Missoula was in rare form last night! Looks like everyone was ready for a return to Grizzly football!
Defense......
What can one say that hasn't been said by others in different threads? This may be the best team defense we have had here since the 2000 National Championship team. It's still early, and we must avoid injuries to key players, but jeeez, I can not recall seeing such dominance from a Griz defense.
The WIU QB can really sling the rock, but nobody watching last night would believe that. Our D-line and LBs were in his face all evening, and by the second half, you could tell that he didn't wanna be there any longer. The WIU passing attack is designed to hit teams with long pass plays. Their great WR impressed me, when he could get open, which wasn't often. But we totally erased their long passing game by putting relentless pressure on their QB, giving him zero time to let a long play develop.
The other factor in making his night miserable was the incredible coverage from our two CBs. When I attended fall practice, Ford did not participate, due to a tweaked ankle, so I never got to see him. I knew Onu was a shut-down corner, capable of playing man, but it looks like Ford is also capable of the same. Their ability to play man opens-up our 3-3-5 to provide multiple defensive looks with the safeties and LBs.
I now must agree with several posters who stated that Bobby and Baer have finally recruited the players who fit the 3-3-5 defensive scheme. The "Ace Card" for that defense is Robertson. If you remember, Arizona wanted to move Gavin to LB, which was one of the reasons he transferred...... he wanted to play safety. But he is big enough and physical enough to play like a LB in the 3-3-5, giving us more of a 3-4 look many times. The various looks we can give an offense with these players is endless, keeping offenses confused much of the time.
Our three LBs are each unique in their skill set. Lewis is....well....Lewis. But Welnel has such incredible speed for a LB, and is so good dropping into coverage. And O'Connell is such a great pass-rusher off the edge, and hits like a scalded mule, that we have three different skill sets at the LB position. Together, they are an incredible force which all offenses must deal with. UDUB found that out!
The X-factor regarding our defense which has yet to be determined, is how we will perform against great running offenses who feature a running threat from the QB position (like EWU and MSU). Can we defend this style of offense too???
Offense.....
Our offense still provides many questions for me. Last night we were not able to generate the great run-blocking from our O-line as we did in Seattle. Was it because we were playing 4th and 5th string RBs? Or was it that WIU's game plan was to load the box to stop our running game, and make Cam show that he could beat them with the pass? I think the latter is more of a factor.
And now, Cam Humphrey. <sigh> Last night, Cam did not disappoint in looking exactly like I predicted he would look........ looking like Tom Brady on several passes, but again making those head-scratching throws which lead to inaccuracy and interceptions. I think that the Cam you saw last evening, is the Cam we will live with all season. His problem, to me, is not physical, it is between his ears. My fear is that he will have a couple of those 3-4 interception/turnonver games during the season, which could lead to a loss. I hope not, but Cam is who he is. I have said earlier that we will go as far this season as our QB position allows us to go.
Oh, finally, how did Brown look? I have always maintained that one can not evaluation the potential of a QB unless he is able to play with the first unit offense. I remember how bad Cam looked when he got into a game playing with the second unit during the Sneed days. Brown threw one great pass, threw another into coverage, and then threw an ill-advised desperation throw after a poor snap which lead to an interception. I would loved to have seen Brown get a couple of series playing with the first unit during the 4th quarter last night.
Defense......
What can one say that hasn't been said by others in different threads? This may be the best team defense we have had here since the 2000 National Championship team. It's still early, and we must avoid injuries to key players, but jeeez, I can not recall seeing such dominance from a Griz defense.
The WIU QB can really sling the rock, but nobody watching last night would believe that. Our D-line and LBs were in his face all evening, and by the second half, you could tell that he didn't wanna be there any longer. The WIU passing attack is designed to hit teams with long pass plays. Their great WR impressed me, when he could get open, which wasn't often. But we totally erased their long passing game by putting relentless pressure on their QB, giving him zero time to let a long play develop.
The other factor in making his night miserable was the incredible coverage from our two CBs. When I attended fall practice, Ford did not participate, due to a tweaked ankle, so I never got to see him. I knew Onu was a shut-down corner, capable of playing man, but it looks like Ford is also capable of the same. Their ability to play man opens-up our 3-3-5 to provide multiple defensive looks with the safeties and LBs.
I now must agree with several posters who stated that Bobby and Baer have finally recruited the players who fit the 3-3-5 defensive scheme. The "Ace Card" for that defense is Robertson. If you remember, Arizona wanted to move Gavin to LB, which was one of the reasons he transferred...... he wanted to play safety. But he is big enough and physical enough to play like a LB in the 3-3-5, giving us more of a 3-4 look many times. The various looks we can give an offense with these players is endless, keeping offenses confused much of the time.
Our three LBs are each unique in their skill set. Lewis is....well....Lewis. But Welnel has such incredible speed for a LB, and is so good dropping into coverage. And O'Connell is such a great pass-rusher off the edge, and hits like a scalded mule, that we have three different skill sets at the LB position. Together, they are an incredible force which all offenses must deal with. UDUB found that out!
The X-factor regarding our defense which has yet to be determined, is how we will perform against great running offenses who feature a running threat from the QB position (like EWU and MSU). Can we defend this style of offense too???
Offense.....
Our offense still provides many questions for me. Last night we were not able to generate the great run-blocking from our O-line as we did in Seattle. Was it because we were playing 4th and 5th string RBs? Or was it that WIU's game plan was to load the box to stop our running game, and make Cam show that he could beat them with the pass? I think the latter is more of a factor.
And now, Cam Humphrey. <sigh> Last night, Cam did not disappoint in looking exactly like I predicted he would look........ looking like Tom Brady on several passes, but again making those head-scratching throws which lead to inaccuracy and interceptions. I think that the Cam you saw last evening, is the Cam we will live with all season. His problem, to me, is not physical, it is between his ears. My fear is that he will have a couple of those 3-4 interception/turnonver games during the season, which could lead to a loss. I hope not, but Cam is who he is. I have said earlier that we will go as far this season as our QB position allows us to go.
Oh, finally, how did Brown look? I have always maintained that one can not evaluation the potential of a QB unless he is able to play with the first unit offense. I remember how bad Cam looked when he got into a game playing with the second unit during the Sneed days. Brown threw one great pass, threw another into coverage, and then threw an ill-advised desperation throw after a poor snap which lead to an interception. I would loved to have seen Brown get a couple of series playing with the first unit during the 4th quarter last night.