Friday, September 19, 2008

Keys to beating the Gators


I am amazed at the lack of confidence on the Orange when it comes to winning tomorrow. Let me give you the three keys to us winning the game. I know they are the tree keys to anyone winning, but it seems that we need to get back to the fundamentals, or in the Land of the Orange, General Neyland's Maxims.

1. Live by the run, Die by the run. I do not have faith in the arm of our quarterback. I am afraid Brandon Warren is going to kill him if he two hops another ball to him. The corps of running backs have established they can run with great success. So to win, we are going to have to be a running team. Key stat to look for. If Crompton has over thirty pass attempts, UT will lose the game.

2. Control the run by Florida. Our defensive front has looked surprisingly well so far. If we can limit their gains by Tebow or Harvin, it would force the offense into a throwing team and play into the play makers we have in the secondary. I know Defenses in the SEC have been trying to stop Tebow for two years now, but to beat the Gators this is key.

3. Do not give up the big play on Special Teams. A lot needs to go under this heading. So much i think they should HIRE A SPECIAL TEAMS COACH. Cannot punt the ball to them. Too dangerous. Cannot give up a blocked kick, or miss chip shot field goals. And when we kickoff, COVER IT. Put the play makers on the field, Berry, Morely, Warren.

If somehow we can pull these off, it assures a victory.

By the way on a side note, anyone seen Rico McCoy? Anyone told him football season has started?

Monday, September 1, 2008

I don't agree, but it will be said....

OVERTIME

Like I said at the end of the fourth Quarter, the Norm Chow offens scares the bejesus out of me in the hurry up. UCLA gets the first possesion. First down, incomplete. Second down, no gain on the sweep. Nice tackle by Johnson. caft has been superb 18 of 24 in the second half for 193 yds. Can't convert, so blue gets the FG. to take the lead 27-24.

UT ball first down play is a run by Hardesty to the right, stopped, may have lost a yard. Second try, shotgun, screen to foster, short, will be 3rd and seven, from the 21, i say go for the end zone, nobody open, crompton keeps it, will have to settle for the FG try, it is no good, wide left. after being the most accurate kicker in the SEC he could not find his aim, much like Crompton there just was no sense of confidence. No one else can take the blame for this one exept our QB. We have all been forced to buy into the Crompton system. It is what we have, it is what we have to work with. This might be a tough one.

UCLA with the upset.

going to four


BIG BIG defensive stand. I really thought we had the safety, but they reviewed it and said he had forward progress. Punt from the end zone, 30+ yd return, Vols start on the 26 of the Blue. First sack of the year given up by the O-line. Looked bad too. FG attempt of 51 yds..........blown dead, delay of game. Makes it a 56. You have to punt it now. Thought it was gonna be downed at the goal line, but crosses in.

PET PEEVE!!! I don't think Crompton has put his mouthpiece in since the first quarter. Isn't that a personal foul penalty?

UCLA is starting to move the ball. Craft is on target for the blue and has moved it across into UT territory. Big third down conversion with 7:20 to play and the Blue is about to score. Down to the UT 3. Touchdown blue. Marched down the field eighty yards and punches it in on the corner. Blue said all they wanted to do was be in the game in the fourth quarter and theu would be able to get the win. Looks like they are cutting down on their mistakes and giving it a shot. So with 6:51 to go in the game it is 17-14 Blue. After giving up four interceptions in the first half he was six for six, 71 yds on the drive.

First down, wide open Warren, Crompton misses with the throw AGAIN. He cannot buy a completion. Gets lucky and gets a facemask on a sack, personal foul, first down. Third down, and long, Crompton has had pressure all night, and Crompton has folded every time, he reminds me of JaMarcus Russell. He will make a good throw and then will make five more that you hold your breath whenever he drops back. He cannot throw under pressure. Has not been able to complete a throw under any pressure all night. Third and long, 5:27 to go it all depends on this..... Crompton tucks it and runs, comes up a yard short, and with fourth and one Phil goes for it. Second effort gets it on the keeper.

4:00 to go and we have to finish this off. FG would tie but do not want to rely on the offense in a pressure filled OT. Craft is on his game, and we have never found our rythim. Lincoln is 0-fer on the FG attempts as well. Good third down conversion by Hardesty. 1st and 10 on the 20 with 2:04 to go...... Hardesty gets the corner GIVE HIM SIX!!!!! 21-17 ORANGE. Great block by the TE Stocker, and by the WR Jones. Great job running tonight by Hardesty.

1:54 to go, and if there is anything that scares me is a Norm Chow offense in the hurry up/ Neuheisel is known for his two minute offense. QUick seam route complete. Second play, complete for close to a first. Measurement is.... short by inches. 2nd and 1. Need a takeaway by UT. Good coverage, 3rd and 1, minute ten. Conversion 1st and 10 pass....complete and it will be first and ten after the UCLA time out.

If they score we should have time for a quick all or nothing drive. Craft is right on target, 1st and 10 with :44 to go he cannot seem to miss. second half is 16 of 20. shold have been a penalty for illegal man down field on a middle screen, but is complete 2nd and two.incomplete. 3rd and 2 31 seconds. Touchdown !

UT will have a last chance effort to come back with :27 seconds to make it happen.

:23 seconds and one timeout to get in field goal range.

Starts on the 43 yard line. First down incomplete, clock at :18. Complete to the Blue forty. 2nd and ten with :12 can take one shot to get closer. Ball snapped first down and Time out. Has a chance at the field goal with :05 will be a 47 yd attempt to take it to OT...........It is...........GOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOING TO OVERTIME!!!!!!!! lINCOLN FROM 47!!! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD FROM 57!!!!!

whew we get a second life.

Third Quarter

After a HUGE run by arian Foster and a good throw and catch to Lucas Taylor, poor ball handling by Foster results in fumble. A good looking drive that would have really made it tough on the Blue to come back, a turnover kills the momentum. Eric Berry just de-cleated a Bruin reciever on a pass to the middle. Really looking good on the defensive side of the ball.

For the third or fourth time we have run into our own players on offensive plays. On the punt by Blue, Rogan makes the first two guys miss and just as he gets going, runs right into Eric Berry. Way out of sync tonight. Crompton goes deep again for Austin Rogers and had the ball placed perfect, but the ball was bobbled. When he rares back and throws it, he seems to be on target, it is the touch passes in the middle that he seems to be missing.

With five minutes to go in the third, the Blue seems to be driving. First and ten on the thirty of UT gets about five to the 25. Great run defense backs them up and a great blitz by the LB Wilson gets a big sack. Pushes them back to 3rd and 18. incomplete pass forces a FG by Blue to close it up 14-10.

Crompton keeps overthrowing the recievers. Some have been wide open down the field and he throws it ten feet over their head. Not sure, but it seems if there is any pressure what so ever he overthrows. The quarter ends with UT up by four, not a comfortable lead at all, but it is what we have. So on to the fourth 14-10.

UCLA Quarter two

Quarter two is not starting very well for the Orange. So much has been made of the offensive line's experience. They made some crucial mistakes on the opening drive. Two false start penalties when the Bruins show blitz, forced the Vols into a 3rd and 17. FINALLY, they heard my plea!! Throw it down the field and let Josh Briscoe go get it. Pass to Briscoe complet for a gain of FORTY YARDS! Montario Hardesty takes the handoff and WALKS into the Endzone for the first score of 2008. In the words of John Ward: Give Him SIX! Tie ballgame. To be honest UCLA is in their heels, look tired, our defense really needs a quick stop to punish them. UCLA loses their third starter five minutes into the second period, lost their starting reciever Everette(sp). Interesting call by Fulmer. Third down the bruins come up three yards short but gets a holding call. Instead of forcing the punt, he backs them up ten and replays the down. He is showing a lot of confidence in his defense. Short again, punts to the Vols.

Interception Bruins. Crompton cannot find a target. His throws have either been way overthrown or way underthrown. Way off target. Not sure if it is nerves or what. They say overthrowing is a product of poor mechanics. Not sure if it is not just him forcing it. Tennessee takes over aftetr the third bruin interception, but Tennessee cannot convert. The Offense looks horrible, noone looks like they are on the same page. A lot of miscommunication. With a minute to go, I thought Phil should have went for it on fourth and long, but instead he tries a fifty-five yard field goal and misses wide left. The first attempt of fifty-one was wide right. Craft throws an interception with less than thirty seconds to go and he could go.... SIXTY_YARDS PICK SIX!! 14-7 UT!!! UCLA will kneel on the ball and take it into the half behind a touchdown.

I am impressed in the defense. I am VERY disappointed in the Offense. I have been very optimistic about the new Clawson offense. I think it is going to be fine, Crompton has to find a rythim. He has to find a groove, he has been pressured a lot. I think we are seeing the difference in the Clawson led Offense and the Cutcliffe offense. Cutt was all about timing, two and a half seconds the ball was gone out of the qb's hands. It may be to the sideline, but it was gone. Crompton has been staying in the pocket much longer, thus having a good bit of pressure. In the past Crompton was very quick to tuck the ball and run, after one full half, he has not made any rushing attempts.

I am impressed with the DBs. After some soft coverage on the first drive of the game, they have really stepped up. Hardesty has looked good, and Foster had a good run late, but as a whole I have to give the Offense a C-. I would probably give the Defense a A-, so far throwing a shutout, the only Bruin points coming off of the blocked punt. Maybe we can get on the same page in the locker room, and can drop the hammer on the baby blue.

Game Ramblings First Quarter

I am having some difficulties handling my nervous energy during the game. I normally enjoy some adult beverages during the game, but that all changed this year. So maybe I can try typing, maybe that will keep me occupied. So far the Orange is kinda vanilla. The defens is keeping in the game. We are about through the first quarter. Three minutes to go and already have two take aways with interceptions by Rogan and Morely. Offense is off sync. Early fumbled snap, stumbles by Crompton and just plain off target on his throws down the field. After a couple of early 6-7 yd runs my Foster, the offense has stalled out. Would like to see them go back to the short passes in the middle to the tight ends and slot recievers. Gerald Jones has had a couple of nice catches early, and Briscoe brought in a good one but was called out of bounds. Crompton started out 5 of 7. But has missed his next five passes.

I told Jim and Ryan back a few weeks ago that the thing I was the most scared about was the fact that we had a brand new punter making his first kicks of his career. With just over a minute to go in the first quarter, UCLA blocks the punt and walks in for the first points of the game and the 7-0 lead. The first quarter is going to end in the middle of a Tennessee drive, opening with the G-Gun package and Gerald getting a decent gain. Montario Hardesty has entered the game and given us a spark with a little more of a burst of the line. UCLA ends the quarter with a couple of question marks, with injuries to the starting running back and tight End, not sure to what capacity they can perform.