Week 8 (BG) Thoughts

[catdaddyp]

There seemed to be more of an emphasis on running the ball, although still not enough in my opinion. Once the game was out of hand, we had no choice but to go pass heavy.

 

Akron actually out gained BG 157-81 in the first half. Final yardage was 279 to 297.

 

JU was responsible for 4 turnovers. 2 interceptions and 2 fumbles. Not going to win many games with a 4-0 turnover deficit.

 

The bye week is finally here, which will give the staff an opportunity to take a hard look at younger players who may see more snaps at the backend of the season. It will also be a time to attempt some offensive adjustments.

 

Freshman receiver Adrian Norton stood out. Looked like he was open a few times and did catch two passes in the second half. He’s going to be really good and should already be receiving more snaps.

 

Junior receiver Caleb Anderson made a difficult snag of a pass thrown behind him. Something the other receivers have failed to consistently do. That being said, Gathings did win a 50/50 ball in the first quarter.

 

Left guard Ben Frank probably had his worst game, but has been the most consistent lineman this season. For the most part, the left side of the OL has been solid and the right side has struggled. Yesterday, that scenario was flipped.

 

Defense was solid in the first half. The long TD drive followed up by JU’s fumble inside the 10 was a back breaker.

 

BG scored on Nunnally in coverage and also drew a PI on him in the end zone. Why we are dropping our best pass rusher into coverage in those situations is beyond me.

 

Kabbash Richards saw his first significant action on defense and did some good things. I think JoeMo said Kabbash was injured during the first half of season. He’ll likely see his snaps increase.

 

Sophomore LB Jaharon Griffin was laying some hits. He may force himself into more playing time. For all the issues this team has had, the linebacker position has not been one of them and looks to be legitimately 4 deep.

 

The starting OL played every snap on offense with the exception of Keylen Davis leaving the game due to injury. 2 of the sacks should be placed on them. The other 3 go to JU.

 

 

QB - Undercuffler (Bullock)

RB - Lingard (D. Anderson)

WR - Gathings (Norton)

WR - George (Anderson)

WR - Adams (Walker) (Golden)

TE - Banks (Newell)

LT - Chambers

LG - Frank

C - T. Williams

RG - K. Davis (Lyons)

RT - N. Williams

 

DE - Nunnally (Jackson)

DT - Jones (Robinson) (Proffitt)

DT - Lavea (Moore) (Murphy)

DE - Adler (A. Smith) (Richards)

LB - Fish (McCoy) (Griffin)

LB - Cooper (McCoy) (Harris)

NB - Lewis

CB - Durant (Golden-Nelson)

CB - Tallandier (Hunter)

S - C. Thomas (Johnson)

S - KJ Martin (Thompson)

Edited October 22, 2023 by catdaddyp

[Blue & Gold]

What good ol' Keener posted on another website:

There’s no legitimate positive spin to put on this dumpster fire. Zips are 1-8 against an extremely weak schedule. EXTREMELY WEAK. So tired of losing and even more tired of the excuses year after year after year after year. I can hardly wait til Kent rolls us to hear what the excuses will be.

 

I turned the game off after the 3rd quarter.  Did anyone listen to the JoeMo postgame interview on 640 AM?  Was there anything redeeming? Does he seem to realize how grave the fanbase views our current situation?

[egregiousbob]

No doubt Joe Dunn will begin with a question like, 'Well, coach, for the eighth straight week you came into the first quarter with a chance to win the game but just couldn't quite close it out."

 

 

[catdaddyp]

26 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

What good ol' Keener posted on another website:

There’s no legitimate positive spin to put on this dumpster fire. Zips are 1-8 against an extremely weak schedule. EXTREMELY WEAK. So tired of losing and even more tired of the excuses year after year after year after year. I can hardly wait til Kent rolls us to hear what the excuses will be.

 

I turned the game off after the 3rd quarter.  Did anyone listen to the JoeMo postgame interview on 640 AM?  Was there anything redeeming? Does he seem to realize how grave the fanbase views our current situation?

I guess Keener was here before I joined? Of course he’s entitled to his own opinion and like the old saying goes “you are what your record says you are” but I’d disagree about there’s nothing positive when the defense is head and shoulders above last year’s in nearly every category. As we’ve discussed on the board adnauseam, QB play along with blend of OL/play-calling has masked what could have been. Like all fanbases, it’s easier to just say “we suck” due to all the frustration of loses. To each their own on that. Better results, no matter how it’s sliced, are needed.

 

I didn’t listen to JoeMo. Not sure what else he can say at this point. None of the QBs that have played are going to get it done this year. Either need to make as many schematic adjustments as possible in the bye week (which I don’t see happening) or give one of the two freshman an opportunity to run the offense.

[Blue & Gold]

If we go with one of our freshmen QB's the Wagon Wheel Game is a tough week for a freshman to get his first start.

 

I still think we're only an average QB away from being .500.  But that doesn't take the blame off the staff's shoulders, as it's their responsibility to make sure we've got that average QB on the roster.

[catdaddyp]

3 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

If we go with one of our freshmen QB's the Wagon Wheel Game is a tough week for a freshman to get his first start.

 

I still think we're only an average QB away from being .500.  But that doesn't take the blame off the staff's shoulders, as it's their responsibility to make sure we've got that average QB on the roster.

100%

[LoyalZIP]

This week’s advanced box score: https://collegefootballdata.com/boxscore/401532429

 

BG’s average starting field position was…the Akron 48 yard-line.

 

I can’t say with any certainty I’ve seen that in a MAC football game before. Just total incompetence by this QB. The biggest issue with that room is that it isn’t even remaining a steady bad, it is getting worse. The biggest failure by this offensive staff is the disaster at QB and it is not even close. I can’t really wrap my head around it.

 

At this point, I hope and pray that things will get better down the line. But this season has been an enormous gut punch. I can’t blame anyone for giving up on the 2023 Zips or the coaching staff at this point. This is really hard to follow year after year, no doubt about it. I wouldn’t be shocked to see some kind of shakeups within the staff following the season. I’m usually in the camp of let’s ride it out, but something isn’t right in that football facility. Just my opinion and speculation, but it isn’t supposed to look like this. 
 

Our next opponent is essentially a worse version of everything we have, somehow. And I’m terrified of them. This absolutely sucks. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by LoyalZIP

[catdaddyp]

12 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

This week’s advanced box score: https://collegefootballdata.com/boxscore/401532429

 

BG’s average starting field position was…the Akron 48 yard-line.

 

I can’t say with any certainty I’ve seen that in a MAC football game before. Just total incompetence by this QB. The biggest issue with that room is that it isn’t even remaining a steady bad, it is getting worse. The biggest failure by this offensive staff is the disaster at QB and it is not even close. I can’t really wrap my head around it.

 

At this point, I hope and pray that things will get better down the line. But this season has been an enormous gut punch. I can’t blame anyone for giving up on the 2023 Zips or the coaching staff at this point. This is really hard to follow year after year, no doubt about it. I wouldn’t be shocked to see some kind of shakeups within the staff following the season. I’m usually in the camp of let’s ride it out, but something isn’t right in that football facility. Just my opinion and speculation, but it isn’t supposed to look like this. 
 

Our next opponent is essentially a worse version of everything we have, somehow. And I’m terrified of them. This absolutely sucks. 

Averaging starting field position at the 48 and 4 turnovers. That’s about as inefficient as it gets.

 

Im not sure we’ll see much of a staff shakeup unless it’s coaches leaving on their own. The majority of the offensive woes fall at JoeMo and Fessler’s feet and it’s unlikely either of them are going anywhere. Can’t see JRod going anywhere either as he’s had to create such an overhaul along the OL.

[GoZips86]

50 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

If we go with one of our freshmen QB's the Wagon Wheel Game is a tough week for a freshman to get his first start.

 

I still think we're only an average QB away from being .500.  But that doesn't take the blame off the staff's shoulders, as it's their responsibility to make sure we've got that average QB on the roster.

With all due respect, not really THAT tough of a game for a freshman to start. Attendance will be embarrassing for a rivalry game no one outside of Kent or Akron fans care about. If this was OSU-Mich, sure. But Akron-Kent? I dont think a freshman will be too rattled with 20 people in the stands. Now is the time to see what one of these kids has in them. 

[MangoZip]

They are 100% not going to start a freshman at QB this year, just stop that talk. 

[LZIp]

42 minutes ago, MangoZip said:

They are 100% not going to start a freshman at QB this year, just stop that talk. 

What do they call doing the same thing over again and expecting different results? 

[ZippyRulz]

2 hours ago, MangoZip said:

They are 100% not going to start a freshman at QB this year, just stop that talk. 

 

100%. That would do absolutely nothing to help JU's development as QB1 looking toward next season 🙄

 

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by ZippyRulz

[Blue & Gold]

22 hours ago, GoZips86 said:

With all due respect, not really THAT tough of a game for a freshman to start. Attendance will be embarrassing for a rivalry game no one outside of Kent or Akron fans care about. If this was OSU-Mich, sure. But Akron-Kent? I dont think a freshman will be too rattled with 20 people in the stands. Now is the time to see what one of these kids has in them. 

Good point, '86.

[egregiousbob]

20 hours ago, ZippyRulz said:

 

100%. That would do absolutely nothing to help JU's development as QB1 looking toward next season 🙄

 

 

For me, Undercuffler will always be the guy caught yelling F-bombs at officials on live television.  Wonder if his verbal skills are on par with last season.

 

[KangarooJake]

I heard Undercuffler was so upset with his performance Saturday he threw his helmet down in the locker room and it got intercepted.

 

I wonder how many fumbles he coughs up this weekend against BYE?

[a-zip]

On 10/22/2023 at 10:27 AM, MangoZip said:

They are 100% not going to start a freshman at QB this year, just stop that talk. 

Why not?

[Ham]

Our 2 young QB's have a couple of spring practices and have been running the scout team.  It is not like they have no idea what's up.  They will keep their red shirt if that was a concern.  Can they perform any worse?  It's time to find out!

[Ham]

Pro Football Focus rates QB play.  Out of 160 QB's with minimal action, Jeff Underperformer is listed 159; one better than Iowa's Deacon Hill.  I say again; can either of the young QB's perform any worse?  It truely is time to find out!!

[egregiousbob]

No Morehead press conference this week?  No postgame comments either.

[Lee Adams]

On 10/22/2023 at 8:58 AM, catdaddyp said:

I guess Keener was here before I joined? Of course he’s entitled to his own opinion and like the old saying goes “you are what your record says you are” but I’d disagree about there’s nothing positive when the defense is head and shoulders above last year’s in nearly every category. As we’ve discussed on the board adnauseam, QB play along with blend of OL/play-calling has masked what could have been. Like all fanbases, it’s easier to just say “we suck” due to all the frustration of loses. To each their own on that. Better results, no matter how it’s sliced, are needed.

 

I didn’t listen to JoeMo. Not sure what else he can say at this point. None of the QBs that have played are going to get it done this year. Either need to make as many schematic adjustments as possible in the bye week (which I don’t see happening) or give one of the two freshman an opportunity to run the offense.

Agree that the D is mch better. But, Buffalo kinda exposed them. They ran, NIU ran and ran. Looks like Central ran. As far as frustration, I have been watching Akron since the late 1960's. I have seen good, real good, bad and real bad. This season what is so frustrating to me is that the offense has not improved from last season to this, nor from the beginning of this season to now. I expected to see that improvement through the first month, but no. I am still wondering about Moorehead, his play calling and his inability to coach up a QB. This does not bode well for the future.

Hope they can at least beat KSU. After that, looks like no chance.

[catdaddyp]

26 minutes ago, Lee Adams said:

Agree that the D is mch better. But, Buffalo kinda exposed them. They ran, NIU ran and ran. Looks like Central ran. As far as frustration, I have been watching Akron since the late 1960's. I have seen good, real good, bad and real bad. This season what is so frustrating to me is that the offense has not improved from last season to this, nor from the beginning of this season to now. I expected to see that improvement through the first month, but no. I am still wondering about Moorehead, his play calling and his inability to coach up a QB. This does not bode well for the future.

Hope they can at least beat KSU. After that, looks like no chance.

Agree the offense has been a major disappointment. Part of the problem against most teams has been the offense’s inability to stay on the field and in turn cause the defense to play more snaps. They’ve also been put in poor situations numerous times. Even with the aberration against NIU, the defense is still on pace to be ahead of last year and especially vs Arth’s last season.  I added the stats below.
 

Total Defense:

2023 = 342.0 YPG

2022 = 406.2 YPG

2021 = 457.0 YPG

 

Scoring Defense:

2023 = 29.4

2022 = 33.5

2021 = 38.6

 

Rush Defense:

2023 = 148.8

2022 = 162.4

2021 = 246.0

 

Pass Defense:

2023 = 193.3 YPG

2022 = 243.8 YPG

2021 = 211.0 YPG

 

Sacks:

2023 = 15

2022 = 19

2021 = 14

 

QB Pressures:

2023 = 104

2022 = 167

2021 = 104

 

Interceptions:

2023 = 6

2022 = 6

2021 = 6

 

If the offense could even be average and protect the football, we’d be fielding a pretty good team this year. Instead, we’re dead last in the MAC in rushing for the second straight season and averaging almost 100 yards less through the air.

 

 

[Chrisball96]

5 hours ago, catdaddyp said:

Agree the offense has been a major disappointment. Part of the problem against most teams has been the offense’s inability to stay on the field and in turn cause the defense to play more snaps. They’ve also been put in poor situations numerous times. Even with the aberration against NIU, the defense is still on pace to be ahead of last year and especially vs Arth’s last season.  I added the stats below.
 

Total Defense:

2023 = 342.0 YPG

2022 = 406.2 YPG

2021 = 457.0 YPG

 

Scoring Defense:

2023 = 29.4

2022 = 33.5

2021 = 38.6

 

Rush Defense:

2023 = 148.8

2022 = 162.4

2021 = 246.0

 

Pass Defense:

2023 = 193.3 YPG

2022 = 243.8 YPG

2021 = 211.0 YPG

 

Sacks:

2023 = 15

2022 = 19

2021 = 14

 

QB Pressures:

2023 = 104

2022 = 167

2021 = 104

 

Interceptions:

2023 = 6

2022 = 6

2021 = 6

 

If the offense could even be average and protect the football, we’d be fielding a pretty good team this year. Instead, we’re dead last in the MAC in rushing for the second straight season and averaging almost 100 yards less through the air.

 

 

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. 

[Ham]

1 hour ago, Chrisball96 said:

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. 

That didn't work out too well when we tried TB.  I know that a win over Cant is top priority, but l think our best chance is to give our young QB's a chance.  They will have a few extra days to work with the No one's, and remember they have been leading our scout team against a D that is probably much better than Cants. If l see JU or TB start next Wednessday, I'll go straight to the hard stuff to ease my pain.  Remember JU is rated 159 out of 160!  I don't think TB has enough attemps to be rated.

[Chrisball96]

46 minutes ago, Ham said:

That didn't work out too well when we tried TB.  I know that a win over Cant is top priority, but l think our best chance is to give our young QB's a chance.  They will have a few extra days to work with the No one's, and remember they have been leading our scout team against a D that is probably much better than Cants. If l see JU or TB start next Wednessday, I'll go straight to the hard stuff to ease my pain.  Remember JU is rated 159 out of 160!  I don't think TB has enough attemps to be rated.

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). 

[Captain Kangaroo]

Undercuffler HAS to be done. No way he can see the field again with anything other than a ball cap, a headset and a clip board.
 

Wassel and Jennings are nowhere near ready, or they would have played by now. 

 

Hopefully Bullock, with a week and a half to prepare, can somehow carry the Zips to a victory against a terrible Kent team. 
 

Maybe our OL can carry Irons up and down the field like Leftwich at the Rubber Bowl?