Some of our unfiltered thoughts from the game:
- Tim and I both agreed that Threet looked much better than Sheridan again. He made better reads, better throws (for the most part), and even looked more authoritative on his runs. With a repertoire of two half games for each, I think Steven Threet should be the starting quarterback. I wasn’t watching the broadcast, so I don’t know why they were rotating; I think it was to give each guy a shot against the same team (again).
- Mark Ortmann came out in the third quarter, but the injury was treated with an icepack on his elbow. It didn’t appear to be too serious, and God help us all if it is.
- The gameplan seemed to be almost the exact same as last week. Even the first play was the exact same (of course, Odoms had much more success on it today than he did against Utah). Are the coaches holding back tricks for later games, and keeping it vanilla (a la DeBord), or is this everything they can do with quarterbacks who can barely throw and run?
- Shaw was running well, then disappeared. Anyone watch the broadcast and hear why that might have been? In Shaw’s stead, McGuffie was the best running back. I’m surprised we didn’t see more of Grady when they ran from the I-form. Minor was, well, Minor. That is neither good nor bad.
- The fans faded during the course of the game. When the team gave them something to be really excited about, they responded. However, the fan momentum wasn’t really maintained, and the third quarter was pretty quiet.
- The half-rolls that Miami was using on offense was pretty effective (once they went to it – nice adjustment by the Miami coaching staff). It prevents a fairly dominant D-line from getting to the quarterback. We’ll see if other teams go to that sort of strategy, and how Shafer reacts.
- This offense hasn’t been making too many big plays (aside from a couple of runs getting blown open and the Odoms screen), but when you watch them play, it is clear that they have big-play potential, and are just a slight improvement in execution away from making something very interesting happen. As the experience across the board improves (especially if Zirbel and Ortmann can get/stay healthy), and more of the playbook is installed, this offense may be adequate down the road.
- The offensive line was again a weak point. We can hope for improvement and the return of Zirbel, and they could be good (enough) by the end of the year.
- Obi Ezeh was again a badass in terms of making tackles, and seemed to defend the pass better this week (albeit against worse competition). He could be a really special player down the line.
Anything to add?
Posted under Analysis
Tags: Football, I posted, miami, postview
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It appeared that shaw was limping off the field after the game. I was in the student section, and when the players came over he was clearly a favoring one leg (right leg?). I think it looked like he might have hurt a hammy running a pass route but I cant remember when it was.
JM
Looks like Stevie Brown over-ran a few passing routes again getting caught on the wrong side of the play. Also looks like Charles Stewart makes the same mistake. The Safety play better improve dramatically and soon against the next few teams.
Whenever I watch stevie brown play, I cringe. He was the cause for more than a few of their long plays and would have been at fault in a few others if they hadn’t dropped balls. As the previous guy said he over runs/over commits on passing routes and gets caught out of position. Offensive line looked much better today and espn commentators are terrible.
Is it just me, or did the D-line kinda suck? Miami didn’t get huge rushing yards but was extremely effective getting positive plays of 3 to 5 yards. This set up all those third and shorts. It just looked like the Miami O-line was winning most of the battles.
Mouton was much much greater than Evans. The LB corps as a whole was infinitely better.
And holding is no longer a penalty.
Part of that has to be the adjustments by Miami. Their coaches are no slouches.
Also, for a lot of the game, the entire starting line-up was out. It seemed for the most part when they needed a stop, they could get, but I don’t particularly like that strategy.
Local radio said Shaw had a groin pull. That was all the mention it got.
I agree with the poster above; Stevie Brown is awful in pass coverage right now. He was responsible for a ton of blown coverages and chain moving receptions by Miami.
Threet appears much better running the offense, but I think the coaches are getting frustrated with his accuracy, he has missed alot of big wide open plays. It’s not his running like everyone makes fun of it’s his accuracy that is holding us back. I want to like the kid just step into your throw and wing it son.
Minor was Minor??? I think he had 2 touches and 1 was a spectacular td run. This is the 1 thing that has me confused right now. Everything we heard about Minor was positive in the preseason he looks good when he gets out there but he isn’t getting any looks. Mcguffie is fine but the carries shouldn’t be 17 to 2. And why dunk Grady gets more touches is beyond me he has no vision, short yardage my ass Minor runs harder and is less likely to kill our lineman plowing in their backs.
I wouldn’t necessarily call Minor’s TD run “spectacular.” He was as expected in most ways: when there is a hole, he runs through it, and when there isn’t he tries to make one. He’s a good back, and the comment wasn’t meant to be an insult.
He is what he is.
I want to like the kid just step into your throw and wing it son.
Considering most of his “incompletions” are actually passes intended for Tacopants, I don’t think his lack of winging it is the problem.