Opening thoughts:
Feels good to win and I can't say much more than that other than prayers for RWIII his health is more important that a win or a loss. Back to the game thoughts though this is exactly what this team needed, because in the long run its going to do some good for the program. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a program changer, but it certainly is a small step in a positive direction for a change.
Offensive player of the game: Drew Morgan
Defensive player of the game: Dre Greenlaw
Difference maker:
Dominique Reed is becoming a true game changer, his presence and threat of stretching the field has opened things up in the middle for HH and JS. Also has helped Drew Morgan as well because he will and can beat most one on one coverage in the slot. When Cornelius gets back those three together will be a very good group of wide outs.
Got it done down the stretch.
Thus far in the last three years, its been well documented of our woes in the 4th quarter and a lot of those loses have been pinned on BA. However, for this time without a doubt he closed the door in the OT period. He made a couple of plays that he just made or we lose. On the roll out for the 2 point conversion we flooded right side of the field and everyone was well covered. As BA extended the play Sprinkle broke off what was essentially a whip route and followed scramble rules and he and BA extended the play. His primary was Drew on the Arrow then he had Reed on the corner and Sprinkle was #3. HH was in max protect as well as Walker. Auburn took away all options we basically scored the two point conversion on the scramble rules. Hence BA made a play this really showed real ability to make a play.
Play Calling!
I don't understand why some people continually gripe about Enos. I have said it before this year and I will say it again, Enos has infused so much life into our offense from what it was last year. The concepts we run are very good at times. There has been times that our lack of personnel to fit a true balanced offensive attack has been lacking this year. They have done a good job of player development throughout the year and some people are starting to make plays. I still say the coach of the year on this staff is the much maligned Michael Smith. There seems to be good continuity between he and Enos as far as what they are teaching and doing. Two plays I want to highlight that were fantastic calls.
Play #1 The two point conversion on the final two point conversion of the game. We had been using the jet sweep all day and it was effective throughout the day so he motioned Drew into the backfield and it was a fake then Kody slipped out into the flat and made an easy throw for BA.
Play #2 The second touchdown that went to Sprinkle in the first half. We were in 11 personnel (our most effective personnel grouping this season) We brought Reed in Jet motion across the formation; right after we had scored on it earlier in the game. He went flat after the fake and they also faked to the dive back Kody. They sent Morgan on a Post verses man on the outside and Reed was on a flat route. With that Sprinkle ran wheel route (or as the announcers called it an out and up) which was wide open. This was a pre-snap read that was an easy read that worked well. We caught them in cover 0 because they were staking the box because of our tendency of running on first down. So on first down we dialed up this play and they had no safety help because they were caught in the box because of down and distance and the double tight end formation. When the corner vacated that side defending the post and the outside linebacker got caught with eyes on Reed. Sprinkle was wide open.
Grades:
QB: Regulation I would have given him a C+ because he missed some big throws including an open 9 route to Reed on the final drive that he just underthrew, and could have had at least two other ints if they would have caught them. However, without a doubt in OT he gets an A+ because he was on point on everything he did. Maybe this is the moment that could change his fortunes? Maybe this is the game that helps him get that monkey off his back? Who knows? I know I don't but for today when it was needed he made plays and I am happy for him, and for the team in general.
Grade: A- for the game as a whole because you have to grade the whole game if you want to be fair.
RB's: Alex Collins put two on the turf which doesn't grade well. He missed some cutbacks today that could have made some bigger plays. However, he was very good in Pass Pro actually I thought he was near perfect on all but one play that I watched. Kody was nice today and it was good to see we needed it.
Grade: Overall B+
WR's: Again this group keeps showing up and they go beyond logic. As injured as this group has been there is no way that they should be producing like they are, but they are. I say it every week I think, but Drew Morgan just continues to make plays and the guy keeps getting better over these next two years and he will be in the league someday. Guys like him are getting more and more frequent in the NFL.
Grade: A+ Reed and Morgan were tough today.
TE's: Their best game of the year and its not even close. They both blocked well, and caught everything thrown to them.
Grade: A+
OL: Tretola will grade out on this film very very well. He is making a lot of money right now as he is our most dominant linemen. The rest had another good game, and another good day of pass pro as we thew the ball alot today and I believe we only had one sack against us. Also, thought Kirkland had a decent (but not great game) Also really think Smothers might have had one of his best games of his career. Also really was impressed with the screen blocking today, they did well on that for the first time under BB.
Grade: B+ solid day, but they missed some things today that could have sprung us on the edges today.
Defense:
DL. Had a decent game, thought I seen a few guys that stood out. Wise, Jackson, Johnson, Loewen, Winston, Hodge all made plays. I will say though the one negative was we didn't do well on their counters and traps today, but we did do a good job on zone and power.
Grade B-
LB's: Greenlaw and Ellis keep making plays in the run game, but they still struggle in pass coverage. Its not really these guys faults they are getting caught up in the middle of teams out scheming us. Like today Auburn breaks a lot of their own tendencies, because they as many teams have learned you go 5 wide on us and take your fastest wide out and get our linebackers in man to man which we get caught on a seam route down the middle of the defense at least once a game. When we go two high safety we are man underneath on 5 wide.
Grades: C+
Secondary: Pitiful to be honest they were bad. Schematically we just seem lost a lot of the time. If Auburn could have caught the ball White would have thrown 400 today. Joshua Liddel did make a good break on the ball at the end of the game, so lets give credit where its due. Some of our problems I do think is our secondary scheme we run the same coverage the biggest majority of the time. I think conceptually we are suppose to give up the short stuff, take away the long stuff and be able to close and make the tackles when they are short. However, we don't have the closing speed from most of our secondary to close those big gaps we give.
Grade: F-
Special teams: Nothing special but nothing great either. I will say based on what we did today our special teams won the special teams battle today. The reason was because of our disparity of the Punt game. Still nothing great, but didn't get us beat today.
Grade: C
Final thoughts
Defensively we have done a good job stopping the run and today we didn't a decent job until we got worn out. Teams have us figured out on defense and if don't make corrections in the middle of the field we are going to continue get shredded down the middle. You watch when we show two high most teams are going to motion someone out and be in 5 wide. Also if you hadn't noticed a lot of teams are taking their best wide out and placing them on the inside when they spread us out. We get to 4-4 after UT-Martin next week and then we hit a stretch of 4 games and we match up well with 2 of those last 4. I seriously don't think will beat Ole Miss, it will probably end up being our Georgia game this year. They have a QB, and Treadwell is healthy and they will spread us out in 5 wide and unless we get a lot fixed between now and then we just don't match up well there. We are built to play LSU tough no matter where it is at. I honestly think and have thought for a while that we will contain Fournette as well as anyone beside bama will do as well as anyone will do all year. Miss State will be tough for us to win, but I think at home we will do well. They are very one dimensional and hopefully we will continue to improve and then who knows. Missouri is a poor football team and we should win that won.
So here are my thoughts on % chance to beat those remaining teams. (I based this research on their style of play and personnel, home field advantage, our match up verses what they do defensively, and our chance to control the clock verses their defenses)
UT- Martin-99.9%
Ole Miss- 25%
LSU- 40%
Miss State- 50%
Missouri- 85%
These are my opinions and what I think in general for today and whats left, I will say nothing else in responses. I hope those who choose to read enjoy the read. See you next weekend!
Feels good to win and I can't say much more than that other than prayers for RWIII his health is more important that a win or a loss. Back to the game thoughts though this is exactly what this team needed, because in the long run its going to do some good for the program. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a program changer, but it certainly is a small step in a positive direction for a change.
Offensive player of the game: Drew Morgan
Defensive player of the game: Dre Greenlaw
Difference maker:
Dominique Reed is becoming a true game changer, his presence and threat of stretching the field has opened things up in the middle for HH and JS. Also has helped Drew Morgan as well because he will and can beat most one on one coverage in the slot. When Cornelius gets back those three together will be a very good group of wide outs.
Got it done down the stretch.
Thus far in the last three years, its been well documented of our woes in the 4th quarter and a lot of those loses have been pinned on BA. However, for this time without a doubt he closed the door in the OT period. He made a couple of plays that he just made or we lose. On the roll out for the 2 point conversion we flooded right side of the field and everyone was well covered. As BA extended the play Sprinkle broke off what was essentially a whip route and followed scramble rules and he and BA extended the play. His primary was Drew on the Arrow then he had Reed on the corner and Sprinkle was #3. HH was in max protect as well as Walker. Auburn took away all options we basically scored the two point conversion on the scramble rules. Hence BA made a play this really showed real ability to make a play.
Play Calling!
I don't understand why some people continually gripe about Enos. I have said it before this year and I will say it again, Enos has infused so much life into our offense from what it was last year. The concepts we run are very good at times. There has been times that our lack of personnel to fit a true balanced offensive attack has been lacking this year. They have done a good job of player development throughout the year and some people are starting to make plays. I still say the coach of the year on this staff is the much maligned Michael Smith. There seems to be good continuity between he and Enos as far as what they are teaching and doing. Two plays I want to highlight that were fantastic calls.
Play #1 The two point conversion on the final two point conversion of the game. We had been using the jet sweep all day and it was effective throughout the day so he motioned Drew into the backfield and it was a fake then Kody slipped out into the flat and made an easy throw for BA.
Play #2 The second touchdown that went to Sprinkle in the first half. We were in 11 personnel (our most effective personnel grouping this season) We brought Reed in Jet motion across the formation; right after we had scored on it earlier in the game. He went flat after the fake and they also faked to the dive back Kody. They sent Morgan on a Post verses man on the outside and Reed was on a flat route. With that Sprinkle ran wheel route (or as the announcers called it an out and up) which was wide open. This was a pre-snap read that was an easy read that worked well. We caught them in cover 0 because they were staking the box because of our tendency of running on first down. So on first down we dialed up this play and they had no safety help because they were caught in the box because of down and distance and the double tight end formation. When the corner vacated that side defending the post and the outside linebacker got caught with eyes on Reed. Sprinkle was wide open.
Grades:
QB: Regulation I would have given him a C+ because he missed some big throws including an open 9 route to Reed on the final drive that he just underthrew, and could have had at least two other ints if they would have caught them. However, without a doubt in OT he gets an A+ because he was on point on everything he did. Maybe this is the moment that could change his fortunes? Maybe this is the game that helps him get that monkey off his back? Who knows? I know I don't but for today when it was needed he made plays and I am happy for him, and for the team in general.
Grade: A- for the game as a whole because you have to grade the whole game if you want to be fair.
RB's: Alex Collins put two on the turf which doesn't grade well. He missed some cutbacks today that could have made some bigger plays. However, he was very good in Pass Pro actually I thought he was near perfect on all but one play that I watched. Kody was nice today and it was good to see we needed it.
Grade: Overall B+
WR's: Again this group keeps showing up and they go beyond logic. As injured as this group has been there is no way that they should be producing like they are, but they are. I say it every week I think, but Drew Morgan just continues to make plays and the guy keeps getting better over these next two years and he will be in the league someday. Guys like him are getting more and more frequent in the NFL.
Grade: A+ Reed and Morgan were tough today.
TE's: Their best game of the year and its not even close. They both blocked well, and caught everything thrown to them.
Grade: A+
OL: Tretola will grade out on this film very very well. He is making a lot of money right now as he is our most dominant linemen. The rest had another good game, and another good day of pass pro as we thew the ball alot today and I believe we only had one sack against us. Also, thought Kirkland had a decent (but not great game) Also really think Smothers might have had one of his best games of his career. Also really was impressed with the screen blocking today, they did well on that for the first time under BB.
Grade: B+ solid day, but they missed some things today that could have sprung us on the edges today.
Defense:
DL. Had a decent game, thought I seen a few guys that stood out. Wise, Jackson, Johnson, Loewen, Winston, Hodge all made plays. I will say though the one negative was we didn't do well on their counters and traps today, but we did do a good job on zone and power.
Grade B-
LB's: Greenlaw and Ellis keep making plays in the run game, but they still struggle in pass coverage. Its not really these guys faults they are getting caught up in the middle of teams out scheming us. Like today Auburn breaks a lot of their own tendencies, because they as many teams have learned you go 5 wide on us and take your fastest wide out and get our linebackers in man to man which we get caught on a seam route down the middle of the defense at least once a game. When we go two high safety we are man underneath on 5 wide.
Grades: C+
Secondary: Pitiful to be honest they were bad. Schematically we just seem lost a lot of the time. If Auburn could have caught the ball White would have thrown 400 today. Joshua Liddel did make a good break on the ball at the end of the game, so lets give credit where its due. Some of our problems I do think is our secondary scheme we run the same coverage the biggest majority of the time. I think conceptually we are suppose to give up the short stuff, take away the long stuff and be able to close and make the tackles when they are short. However, we don't have the closing speed from most of our secondary to close those big gaps we give.
Grade: F-
Special teams: Nothing special but nothing great either. I will say based on what we did today our special teams won the special teams battle today. The reason was because of our disparity of the Punt game. Still nothing great, but didn't get us beat today.
Grade: C
Final thoughts
Defensively we have done a good job stopping the run and today we didn't a decent job until we got worn out. Teams have us figured out on defense and if don't make corrections in the middle of the field we are going to continue get shredded down the middle. You watch when we show two high most teams are going to motion someone out and be in 5 wide. Also if you hadn't noticed a lot of teams are taking their best wide out and placing them on the inside when they spread us out. We get to 4-4 after UT-Martin next week and then we hit a stretch of 4 games and we match up well with 2 of those last 4. I seriously don't think will beat Ole Miss, it will probably end up being our Georgia game this year. They have a QB, and Treadwell is healthy and they will spread us out in 5 wide and unless we get a lot fixed between now and then we just don't match up well there. We are built to play LSU tough no matter where it is at. I honestly think and have thought for a while that we will contain Fournette as well as anyone beside bama will do as well as anyone will do all year. Miss State will be tough for us to win, but I think at home we will do well. They are very one dimensional and hopefully we will continue to improve and then who knows. Missouri is a poor football team and we should win that won.
So here are my thoughts on % chance to beat those remaining teams. (I based this research on their style of play and personnel, home field advantage, our match up verses what they do defensively, and our chance to control the clock verses their defenses)
UT- Martin-99.9%
Ole Miss- 25%
LSU- 40%
Miss State- 50%
Missouri- 85%
These are my opinions and what I think in general for today and whats left, I will say nothing else in responses. I hope those who choose to read enjoy the read. See you next weekend!
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