Real concerns regarding this team

[BlackNGold]

Last night was when reality jumped up and hit Buff Fans in the face (or maybe ~24 inches lower).

Defense - we gave 266 yards on the ground to a team that had 5 new starters on the Offensive Line for most of the game. CSU does not have more talent than CU but they certainly got more out of the talent they do have. Our defensive alignments and assignments are very predictable, there is little mixing it up and less imagination.

Offense was the same way - the other team adjusted and CU was done.

My big concern is we only scored 17 points against CSU, how is that going to translate against teams with more talent than CSU. And I do not even want to think about what some real offenses are going to do to our defense - CSU QB struggled and they just switched to the run and killed us.

Unless things change quick we are in for a long season.

 

[Buffnik]

One thing that's becoming a trend with games under MacIntyre is that we're seeing very good initial game plans followed by the other team adjusting and the Buffs having no answer.

I don't know enough to say whether that's mostly a coaching issue, mostly a lack of veteran player leadership issue, mostly a lack of talent issue, or something else. But we have been an awful counter-punching team in the last year + 1 game.

 

[BlackNGold]

One thing that's becoming a trend with games under MacIntyre is that we're seeing very good initial game plans followed by the other team adjusting and the Buffs having no answer.

I don't know enough to say whether that's mostly a coaching issue, mostly a lack of veteran player leadership issue, mostly a lack of talent issue, or something else. But we have been an awful counter-punching team in the last year + 1 game.

Last night could not of been a talent issue because you are never going to convince me that CSU has more talent across the board than CU. They (CSU) were certainly tougher mentally then we were. CU has a ton of starters back.

 

[BuffLuke80]

Well, we have to find a way to get pressure. Blitz the hell out of people or something. I get it'll leave us exposed at times but I'd rather go out swinging than get pushed around like sissies. Run blitzes as well. Gilliam won't last if he is the only damn one making plays for the most part. Of course mix it up. On O, gotta start going downfield more. Sefo threw a couple of good deep balls, Spruce should of had a 3rd td but sefo was a tick late on the throw, it should've been 6. I could write a mtn post but I don't feel like it, too disgusted still.

 

[Buffnik]

Last night could not of been a talent issue because you are never going to convince me that CSU has more talent across the board than CU. They (CSU) were certainly tougher mentally then we were. CU has a ton of starters back.

That's why I listed coaching first. It starts there. Coaches have to find something after the other team makes its adjustments. But I'm not in the locker room and I simply don't know if there's a huge problem of the guys just not knowing how to win. If, maybe, they're still reacting to adversity by saying "here we go again" instead of it making them want to fight. I think there's probably some of that. All coaches in a rebuilding situation talk about building back confidence and needing the team to learn how to win.

Anyway, if I'm giving grades the coaches would not be happy with the marks I'm giving them for last night. Beyond the poor job making adjustments, the team looked flat -- even when it was pitching a shutout and dominating in the 1st quarter.

 

[DBT]

Well, we have to find a way to get pressure. Blitz the hell out of people or something. I get it'll leave us exposed at times but I'd rather go out swinging than get pushed around like sissies. Run blitzes as well. Gilliam won't last if he is the only damn one making plays for the most part. Of course mix it up. On O, gotta start going downfield more. Sefo threw a couple of good deep balls, Spruce should of had a 3rd td but sefo was a tick late on the throw, it should've been 6. I could write a mtn post but I don't feel like it, too disgusted still.

We blitz in the PAC and we will be devoured. I realize the irony of that remark.

 

[BuffLuke80]

We don't blitz we will get ass raped anyway, we aren't good enough to rush 4 all the time.

 

[Duff Man]

Two glaring weaknesses to me:

1. Not many plus athletes in the front seven on defense. We can excuse that awful performance by saying it had a lot to do with youth, but I am not sure experience is going to dramatically improve things there. For all the hype about Olugbude in the offseason, he was a complete non-factor last night.

2. We have some good receivers in Spruce and Fields, but none of our RBs can attack the edges at all. Pretty easy to contain our running game when you do not have to worry about anyone bouncing it outside the tackles.

 

[Liver]

Last night could not of been a talent issue because you are never going to convince me that CSU has more talent across the board than CU. They (CSU) were certainly tougher mentally then we were. CU has a ton of starters back.

Go look at their roster at the transfers and jucos they brought in. Add in the risky guys they've kept eligible compared to all the Embree risks that never saw the field. Then tell me they don't have better athletes.

Dee hart is a one legged guy deemed too washed up to play elite ball and he absolutely destroyed our Buffs. He'd be the best rb on our roster by a gigantic margin.

Talent. Or lack thereof.

I would hope we could work to correct the team quitting and being soft but this giant talent problem is going to lead to week after week of double digit ass beatings when we get into conference.

Not ready for prime time.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

One thing that's becoming a trend with games under MacIntyre is that we're seeing very good initial game plans followed by the other team adjusting and the Buffs having no answer.

I don't know enough to say whether that's mostly a coaching issue, mostly a lack of veteran player leadership issue, mostly a lack of talent issue, or something else. But we have been an awful counter-punching team in the last year + 1 game.

That's one of the more frustrating parts of last night, was how well things were going early on and even into the 3rd quarter and then there was a complete 180. Obviously the first thing that comes to mind is lack of adjustments among other things. I was genuinely excited over the first quarter and a half and I still felt good about things at halftime despite us leaving points on the field and CSU having seized all the momentum. Man do I feel like a fool now.

 

[Liver]

That's one of the more frustrating parts of last night, was how well things were going early on and even into the 3rd quarter and then there was a complete 180. Obviously the first thing that comes to mind is lack of adjustments among other things. I was genuinely excited over the first quarter and a half and I still felt good about things at halftime despite us leaving points on the field and CSU having seized all the momentum. Man do I feel like a fool now.

Well this is where the no adjustments/coaching thing has validity. We have a decent secondary with enough guys to cause a ****ty lower level team like csu some problems. Once they realized we were soft as jello upfront they just stopped throwing and ran the rock and pulverized us at the point of attack.

So ****ing dreadful.

 

[Buffnik]

Well, we have to find a way to get pressure. Blitz the hell out of people or something. I get it'll leave us exposed at times but I'd rather go out swinging than get pushed around like sissies. Run blitzes as well. Gilliam won't last if he is the only damn one making plays for the most part. Of course mix it up. On O, gotta start going downfield more. Sefo threw a couple of good deep balls, Spruce should of had a 3rd td but sefo was a tick late on the throw, it should've been 6. I could write a mtn post but I don't feel like it, too disgusted still.

One of the frustrating things is that I don't feel like we had any surprises. Learned nothing last night.

Spruce is a hell of a player.
Sefo is a competitor who would look great if he was in a Bobby Pesavento situation here with surrounding talent.
OL is ok at run blocking and breaks down too much in pass protection.
Irwin is a good blocking TE who will do some possession type receiving, but won't scare teams in the seam.
Fields has the potential to be great.
Deuce and McCulloch are what they've always been.
Darragh's an excellent punter.
Oliver is a decent kicker.
Gillam closes as well as Dizon.
McCartney will flash as a pass rusher.
DL has trouble getting off blocks, especially on the edges.
Greer is inconsistent - either looking lost or blowing guys up.
KO is fast but misses some reads and catches too many blocks.
Corners still struggle making plays on the ball despite being in position.
Chido is a special athlete that needs to be turned loose to make plays.
Thompson looks like a solid player who will hold down a safety spot for a few years.
Coaches are great game planners and sub-par on in-game adjustments/management.

I typed that off very quickly. Probably missed some. But the point is that if I'd written up a report on the 2014 Buffs immediately after signing day, I would have written the same thing. Once caveat - I would have had Bell in there. I do think that him going down and it moving Chido away from the line of scrimmage really hurt us last night since we lost a lot of playmaking ability from that. Bell's a better playmaker in the deep third than Chido and Chido's a better playmaker than Greer -- our nickel was a more dynamic base defense than our 4-3.

 

[Quattro]

Go look at their roster at the transfers and jucos they brought in. Add in the risky guys they've kept eligible compared to all the Embree risks that never saw the field. Then tell me they don't have better athletes.

Dee hart is a one legged guy deemed too washed up to play elite ball and he absolutely destroyed our Buffs. He'd be the best rb on our roster by a gigantic margin.

Talent. Or lack thereof.

I would hope we could work to correct the team quitting and being soft but this giant talent problem is going to lead to week after week of double digit ass beatings when we get into conference.

Not ready for prime time.

CSU does not have better athletes. Their coaches adjusted and ours didn't, it wasn't about them having better athletes.


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[Duff Man]

CSU does not have better athletes. Their coaches adjusted and ours didn't, it wasn't about them having better athletes.


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At the very least, I did not see much difference between their offensive skill players and ours.

 

[Quattro]

At the very least, I did not see much difference between their offensive skill players and ours.

We ran so damn many screens that I don't even know. I do know our pass rush was terrible so maybe that made their WRs look better. We dominated them for 20 minutes, and then we missed that FG after getting stuffed, we just seemed to collapse at that point.


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[fatbuff]

CSU does not have better athletes. Their coaches adjusted and ours didn't, it wasn't about them having better athletes.


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We were out talented, not outcoached. How much coaching does it take to run right at the defense, and shut down our slow ass RBs? Your recruiting assessments are ****ed.

 

[Quattro]

We were out talented, not outcoached. How much coaching does it take to run right at the defense, and shut down our slow ass RBs? Your recruiting assessments are ****ed.

Ok whatever you say


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[Duff Man]

Ok whatever you say

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Did you not at least see big talent gap at RB?

 

[Quattro]

Did you not at least see big talent gap at RB?

RB they are better, no argument there. Overall though I do not believe they have more talent, just better in-game coaching and adjustments last night.


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[BuffLuke80]

Idk if I'd say they had better athletes, they have some game changers in the backfield we don't have. I'd take Jerrels or Hart no question. I'm kinda old school in my football beliefs. You win up front on both sides of the ball, it allows you to free up what athletes you do have make plays, maybe even make them look better than they are. There aren't many things we are good at right now, coaching or player wise.

 

[BlackNGold]

Go look at their roster at the transfers and jucos they brought in. Add in the risky guys they've kept eligible compared to all the Embree risks that never saw the field. Then tell me they don't have better athletes.

Dee hart is a one legged guy deemed too washed up to play elite ball and he absolutely destroyed our Buffs. He'd be the best rb on our roster by a gigantic margin.

Talent. Or lack thereof.

I would hope we could work to correct the team quitting and being soft but this giant talent problem is going to lead to week after week of double digit ass beatings when we get into conference.

Not ready for prime time.

So tell me about all the Jucos on CSU's Oline - None. CU has two Dlinemen that are Jucos and One Running back other than the other Jucos are gone or buried in the depth chart. I am not buying that CSU has better athletes.

I still want to know how they had two players go over 100 yards rushing with that Oline.

 

[Eggon]

Physical beat down at point of attack. Could not run the ball. Yes, we were out coached. Our fans were out cheered.

My head hurts. Crap.

 

[BlackNGold]

We were out talented, not outcoached. How much coaching does it take to run right at the defense, and shut down our slow ass RBs? Your recruiting assessments are ****ed.

You have to being kidding me. Wait until we see PAC 12 teams for a talent diffence.

 

[Buffnik]

So tell me about all the Jucos on CSU's Oline - None. CU has two Dlinemen that are Jucos and One Running back other than the other Jucos are gone or buried in the depth chart. I am not buying that CSU has better athletes.

I still want to know how they had two players go over 100 yards rushing with that Oline.

That's the real disturbing thing. Sully Wiefels would have started for CSU last night on the OL if CU hadn't poached him last recruiting cycle. Sully's not even our primary backup at any of the interior OL spots. So how is CSU's OL so much better than our OL? How does Tupou dominate our interior OLs all spring and all fall camp, but disappears against CSU?

We've got problems other than talent. The talent disparity will show in some of our Pac-12 games, but last night points to other issues that are much more worrisome than talent.

 

[jobuff]

That's the real disturbing thing. Sully Wiefels would have started for CSU last night on the OL if CU hadn't poached him last recruiting cycle. Sully's not even our primary backup at any of the interior OL spots. So how is CSU's OL so much better than our OL? How does Tupou dominate our interior OLs all spring and all fall camp, but disappears against CSU?

We've got problems other than talent. The talent disparity will show in some of our Pac-12 games, but last night points to other issues that are much more worrisome than talent.

Yep, like cr@ppy coaching and a S&C program based on color folders. When Forman talked about not caring what someone can squat etc. it goes to show you why everyone else is much stronger than us.

 

[BuffLuke80]

Some of it looks like desire to me. Tupou was probably born strong, that isn't enough in the trenches, have to want it. I saw many a player last night hanging their head when they got physical.

 

[leftybuff]

CU lacks FB players. CSU started bitch slapping CU's guys and they curled up and laid down...it is as simple as that. We are back to the choir boy era of 82-84. Talent differential was relatively meaning less, although Hart is a player. It was will , or lack thereof, plain and simple.

 

[fatbuff]

You have to being kidding me. Wait until we see PAC 12 teams for a talent diffence.

Im not kidding you, and your second sentence is scary. Where did you see CU with a noticeable difference in talent?

 

[Johnny Juzang]

Did Franke play last night?

 

[Buffnik]

Did Franke play last night?

I hope not. We need to find a way to redshirt as many guys as possible. With the way this team is being assembled, filling a roster with guys who are a year or two (in the case of a gray shirt) years older than their actual class is the only way it has a chance of working.