Chrisball96

We ran a trick play (flea flicker) and our WR who was supposed to be “wide open” was triple covered.

Kent converting 3rd and 19 like we don’t even have a defense out there.

Zips D is just not good in space. Kent is just throwing it to the field and letting their guys run free.

That pick would have been huge for us oh man!!

That’s a pretty solid drive but I just don’t get throwing/running a route short of the sticks down in the red zone. Also, kind of like the use of both JU and Bullock. Feel like the change of pace could work out here. Just can’t forget about Lingard because he’s been working.

Undercuffler throwing some great deep balls this game. He’s getting time courtesy of the running game too I think.

Fake punt leads to a wide open TD. Really bad sequence there. Woof.

I know that people disagree but this is why I would at least like to maybe try our young quarterbacks for the rest of the season or at least part of it. We need to know the future of the QB position going forward through game action with meaningful snaps. We know what we are getting from Undercuffler and Bullock and so it’s time to see what our other options are. We can’t just try to keep doing the same things we’ve been doing with the same terrible results. If our backups (who were recruited in many cases specifically by JM) are not good then we have way deeper problems that aren’t going to be fixed anytime soon.

At this point what do we have to lose by seeing what our young guys can do? From what I have seen we can still preserve their redshirt years if that’s what we are concerned about. We have to evaluate what we have at the QB position for the long term future and what better time than now to do it? At least then we’d at least be getting our future guys some meaningful snaps/experience versus bashing our heads against the wall trying to do the same thing each week and getting nowhere.

I don’t mind at all trying out young QBs out. Heck I’d welcome it. But I’m not trying to go the Irons route with TB because that didn’t work at all. What I am suggesting is leaning on Lingard and seeing if he can be a workhorse and the focal point of the offense. Honestly don’t know what the best option is going forward but just seems like Lingard is a good back and we haven’t tried this yet (but I could be wrong there).

I know it seems simplistic but in this day and age so much of our offense is dictated by QB play. And if you have terrible QB play as we have then there is little you can do on offense to help out the defense even if they are playing well. It's to the point where the QB play is dearly costing us points through interceptions and fumbles such that you have to wonder how much we should drop back at all. I am not saying we turn into a single wing or triple option team but at the same time we seriously have to consider just pounding it away with a run-first offense and see if we can make something happen.

Maybe it’s too simplistic but I am hoping for something to be positive about in these next few games. Someone to step up and show flashes of potential or talent that we can somehow build off of in the next few years. Maybe just a general bump in our ability to fight and keep games close. Something, anything, to show there’s hope for the future.

To a certain extent the the question is: what do you try to fix fix first when everything seems broken? If I am way off base here please smack me down. But without any semblance of improvement as a program how do you recruit a semi competent QB? I don’t think you can. That leaves another option, get a line that can block, a few RBs that can get tough yards and a defense that can keep things competitive. Try to establish some sort of running game with multiple backs and go back to square one. To be honest I don’t know what the solution is but we aren’t winning anything relying on a QB but we have serviceable backs, maybe they might provide some sort of workable solution?

Well we have no QB and turned the ball over 4 times. Not exactly a recipe for success.

This is about as ugly as they come folks. And it’s not even done yet.

Bowling Green has only 174 total yards by the way. Turnovers are a b****.

Or maybe just stick to running the ball.

3 incomplete passes and a missed field goal. Might be a long day.

Limiting them to 3 after all that is pretty sweet.

That would have been such a huge hold by the defense after that big run too. That is a frustrating damn shame.

Any time you distill talent down from one level (HS) to another (college) you are going to get some washouts. Same as with the transition from colleges to the pros. It takes a completely different level of focus, attention, and ability to succeed even at a mediocre college program. You point out kicking and you’re right it does seem wildly inconsistent but that’s true even for some big programs, because it’s a skill that most HS football players don’t intentionally develop. As to the transfer portal I don’t see it as the result of some sort of flaw in rankings or the system overall. It’s just a way to allow players to get on the field and exercise their talent. The fact that it’s so full is just the reality that scouting kids out of high school is tough both because they are still growing and developing. It won’t always work out but I don’t think that’s anything of a new phenomenon. And I think the star system isn’t any sort of crystal ball and I think most coaches will admit that even if most fans put a lot more faith into it. That’s what these services are counting on by doing it because it generates hype, revenue, and to a certain extent, NIL. Again I’m not an expert on Akron football but just seems like the measuring stick should be how well we develop guys that we get regardless of star level. Just see some improvement in their play, get them to play above their perceived ranking, whatever that may be. And go from there.

I think everyone’s going to be watching the QB situation this week, like all weeks before. Bowling Green has 10 interceptions so far, so maybe, perhaps, just maybe we try to establish the run this week?

Yes and with all due respect I’m not sure that revoking scholarships for playing poorly is going to have a positive impact on recruiting.

Well I think I’ve got some reading to do:

Again, sort of a newbie here, but any chance we could lean on Lingard a bit more, if we aren’t super behind that is? He’s got a decent YPC but he doesn’t seem to be asked to be that involved. Maybe establish the run to set up the pass if we don’t have as reliable a QB? Or am I way off base?