Sizing up the Competition

[Zipsrifle]

OK, I am in no way a stats man, but I really don't know what to expect from Buffalo. Did a little research, nosed around on their board, here are some thoughs.

First of all, it looks like they ditched their starting QB and went with some freshman, yea, I guess they split time between 2 freshman, against UCF. Apparently everyone is very happy with them. From the talk on the Buffalo Board, I'm guessing the freshman Moore will start this week. I don't know if their passing performance against UCF will yield much insight as to how good these guys are, they only made 7 attemps with 5 completions. It could be REAL interesting if one of these Freshman QB's is hot with the pass.

Just from looking at the stats and reading some posts, they are primarily a running team. I hope the same D shows up for this game as the Can't game. We seemed to do a pretty good job at containing Cribbs and the Can't running game so hopefully we will have success this week. With the new QB's, the passing game is probably a big ? Like I said, if the QB is hot, could add a whole other dimension to their offense. I don't have a good idea about their D but I would guess that we should have about the same success as the Can't game. They are giving up about 200 ypg on the ground and about 180 through the air. Might be a good game for Biggs, and hopefully Frye can put up more than 180.

Anyway, for what it's worth, I'm just trying to get a fix on our opponent. In years past I would have just shown up and expected a rout. Not this season. Anyway, if anyone cares, here are some of the stats.

Buffalo Stats

Oh yea, one more thing, while listening to the game on Web Radio last week (through NIU) it sounded like Ringer got a LOT of carries early. Was Biggs hurt or did the announcers just botch that up?

[Z-P]

In case the staff hasn't looked at the films from last year just kidding, I know they have..........

Buffalo does a good job defending against the pass. Last year in Buffalo, they had us on the ropes (I'm doing this from memory, so apologies if off a little bit) until we came out for the second half. I think the halftime score was either tied or we were narrowly leading..............anyway, we did a complete RETRO and went to a total running attack. I think 42 rushed for 2 TD's and about 75 yards in the 3rd quarter alone, giving us control of the game..............someone with a media guide can dig out the details and post them to see if I'm correct.

Anyway, the reason I am posting this is because if I were do game plan against Buffalo, I'd give them a big dose of my favorite player this year, Mr. Brett Biggs.

Oh yea, the following week (last season), LO's guys lost their minds, and their memories of one week earlier, and rushed the ball a total of just 5 frikin times in Miami and probably cost the Zips any chance to compete with Big Ben's crew. IMHO, that was the "straw that broke the camels back" for the old regime. I can still visualize The Boss's face as he patted the players on the shoulders coming off the field in Miami.....he had that look on his grill which said "don't worry about it guys, I'm gunna take care of this crap once and for all"..........when LO came out of the locker room, I heard him tell a player's parent "we've got to do a better job of rushing the ball"......all I could think to myself was............golly Lee, it starts by putting it into the Fullback or Tailback's hands once in a while.

[Guest ***GUEST_racer]

no to change the subject. i have been wondering why from year to year are defense just

does not improve.im not speaking as a team either. i mean individual players. not to

name names but it seems like most of the guys that come never improve or improve very little. i dont want to hear it was all just the former coaching staff either. im not taking any staffs side. jd also had at least one offseason with these guys.all i heard from some poeple on the board was how jd had them working their butts in the offseason compared to owens. then we start the season and the defense payers just dont get better from the offseason. most of the front 7 have been here awhile. it should not take a coach to always have to motivate players all the time either. maybe it's the new system ;which i agree takes time to learn. what you see from some (not al)l of these guys on d from their first season is what we have now.any thoughts?

[Captain Kangaroo]

no to change the subject. i have been wondering why from year to year are defense just

does not improve.im not speaking as a team either. i mean individual players. not to

name names but it seems like most of the guys that come never improve or improve very little. i dont want to hear it was all just the former coaching staff either. im not taking any staffs side. jd also had at least one offseason with these guys.all i heard from some poeple on the board was how jd had them working their butts in the offseason compared to owens. then we start the season and the defense payers just dont get better from the offseason. most of the front 7 have been here awhile. it should not take a coach to always have to motivate players all the time either. maybe it's the new system ;which i agree takes time to learn. what you see from some (not al)l of these guys on d from their first season is what we have now.any thoughts?

Owens never recruited well on the defensive side of the ball. Period. For every Dwight Smith, there were 8 Jesse Smiths.

Name one DL he recruited that you're ever said..."Wow, that guy is awesome/unstoppable." I've never saw one in 9 years (Jason Taylor was from Faust)..

If you look at Faust's team in 1991 (?) he had 3 pro-caliber DB's on the field! Robert Lyons hung around the NFL for a couple years, Victor Green had a great NFL career and Shawn Vincent was a final cut with the Steeler's. Owens got one player of that caliber in 9 years.

I like our LB's right now, but for the most part Owens really struggled to recruit LB's. You always had a Ricky Jackson or Brad Detweiler as the #3 LB...guys who were undersized for Safety, let alone LB.

I like our defensive schemes this year. we're blitzing up the middle more. Our corners are playing tighter. We're trying different fronts and adjusting as the game progresses. We're just small, slow and not all that deep behind the few good players we have. There's no miracle to turn arond our defense. Better recruiting and time are the only cures. I think the coaching is in place.