Any update on Zach? Hopefully he is ok and doesn't have a concussion. Boomer looked awful, like really awful.
Injuries
- Thread starter TigerCane16
- Start date
I think he’s ok from what was said after the game. But yes, if he’s out, you can almost guarantee a loss next week.
I imagine people say the exact same thing about us quite often.
Idaho damn near beat them. Missouri is not the team they were last year and never plays at altitude.
A loss to Wyoming at home is not much better than a loss to San Jose on the road. This is a game we will be favored in and should win. The fact that Monty doesn't have a back up QB capable of inspiring confidence in this type of a game should be a huge red flag.
How can this be (tongue in cheek) ? Monty says they are nearly equals. So much so that he spent all of spring and fall giving them equal time with first team offenses. Surely he can recognize true QB ability like he did with Chad President.
Obviously he was foolin'.
It is also why we saw so little of Smith in the later scrimmages. It would be a disaster to lose him to injury.
They may not have faced the best competition but they are 3-0. With TU's self-destructive tendencies (and coaching snafus), we would be hard pressed to beat Missouri.
The team needs to address this game as a must-win. It is.
The team needs to address this game as a must-win. It is.
It is apparent that Smith works his way through progressions a LOT faster than Boomer does. He is decisive, has a quick release, and a strong arm. Just the few plays Boomer was in you could see the doubt and hesitancy (in his defense you could also see the OSU defense lick it's chops and really put a ton of pressure on him as well). Of course the play Smith went out, we had a 3rd and 1 upcoming and we ran Brooks into the line instead of,you know, the 230 lb back in Wilkerson. Or, if you are running that play, maybe Boomer needs to keep it and slip around the end because OSU didn't see that at all on Saturday.
Sounds like Smith could have returned but the coaches decided it wasn't worth the risk at that point in the game.
I agree. Our offense is capable of scoring 21-30 on almost any average defense which is what we'll see the rest of the way (and we don't play Temple who is easily the next best defense in the AAC). Of course we're also capable of scoring zero points against anybody if the play calling gets stale and predictable. Monty has been a little Jekyll & Hyde this year with the play calling. I thought it was aggressive in the 1Q against Michigan State and then it went ultra conservative when it was apparent they were coming after us. I thought it was predictable but effective in the 1st half vs SJSU, and a lot better in the 2nd half vs SJSU with different wrinkles. On Saturday, it was on point for the last 20 minutes of the 1st half, and predictable and easily defensed to start the 2nd half. By the time he started throwing more plays into the mix, we were out of rhythm and never reclaimed that mojo.
I'm dead serious that most of us on this board who have watched what this offense can do, the different talent available at the skill positions, we can call the plays with better rhythm and effectiveness. Smith seems smart. let him check to the audible if he reads something that will cause the called play to not work. This 10-15 second pause to get a different play in is part of the reason for the false starts.
Devils advocate here...
Wyoming: 3-0. Win over SEC school (who stomped a Big 12 school the next week). #1 red zone offense, top 25 rushing defense. Sad numbers for passing offense and passing defense, but 27th for rushing offense. Game plan: Control the ball, don't turn it over (top 10 turnover ratio), don't lose yards (12th), grind down the field, and score when in position. Team has significant weaknesses involving the pass game on offense and defense, but plays to its strengths.
Tulsa: 1-2. Only win over SJSU, whose only win is over a win less FCS team. #1 in penalties per game and penalty yards per game, top 25 in sacks and tackles for loss allowed. 108th rushing offense, 77th passing offense. Rely on a decent defense (75th overall) that is soft against the run (105th) and trying to find some offense (109th).
Tulsa has obviously played a harder schedule than Wyoming, but Wyoming has as many FBS wins this year as we did all of last year (or the year before). They have a P5 win for the year, which we haven't notched since 2012 (longer if we only count regular season match ups). I think Tulsa is a better football team and we are playing at home. But they want the win so they can keep their dream of running the table alive, Tulsa needs the win so we can enter conference play at 500 and keep bowl eligibility on the table.
Lets not overlook this game.
/devil's advocate
We better stomp Wyoming just to prove a point. Significant melting will ensure if we lose at home to a ::checks Wikipedia:: Mountain West team that isn't Boise State.
I agree with your assessment. The problem is Smith is checking and giving the audible at the line after the sideline get his attention and send in the new play. That is the most frustrating thing to me, in that it slows the pace so much and allows the defense to shift as well. We know this isn't going to change based on the info regarding how Dane Evans' was handled and never really let loose in the offense.
Agree or disagree, but the QB and center are seeing the alignments better than anyone else in the stadium since were to damn stubborn to have a real offensive coordinator in the box getting a birds eye view of defensive schemes. In our situation the QB needs more control than their given. Now for the big surprise conclusion..... we really need an offensive coordinator. Hell, Gundy was a great play caller, and he's smart enough turns the reigns over to his coordinators (he vetos when needed) and manages the game.
Agree or disagree, but the QB and center are seeing the alignments better than anyone else in the stadium since were to damn stubborn to have a real offensive coordinator in the box getting a birds eye view of defensive schemes. In our situation the QB needs more control than their given. Now for the big surprise conclusion..... we really need an offensive coordinator. Hell, Gundy was a great play caller, and he's smart enough turns the reigns over to his coordinators (he vetos when needed) and manages the game.
Exactly. Gundy has become a much better in game coach than he was in the 1st 3-4 seasons he was at OSU. And he's brought in some insanely talented OCs during that time. Being head coach of an FBS team is a BIG PICTURE gig. Monty still doesn't see it that way and it has honestly hurt us. Hell, put Trahan up in the box to see what's going on...or even Bloesch who can look at stuff and let Monty know adjustments need to be made as they overload one side or another. It is the most frustrating thing to watch week after week. So far this season I've realized we are not at the talent deficit everyone wants to declare because our guys are only 2-3* coming out of HS. Stokes and Crawford have simply shown they can bet just about anyone and catch anything thrown close enough to them to get their hands on. Brooks needs only a small crack to pick up 8-10 yards and Wilkerson has pretty much run over everyone. Even the OL who we decried as being terrible in week 1 has played pretty well overall the last 2 weeks. The D is the best TU defense in 27 years (or the best TU D I have witnessed). This team can flat out play when given the freedom to go out and do so.
There’s nothing wrong about this football team except the current on field strategy and the head coach attempting to carry it out.
The over the top negativity really is getting old. We get it bro.
Original and Maverick do tend to push things to the extreme.
We've all had our issues w/ Monty for whatever reason but I think we all try to give the team credit when it's deserved and to see some positivity when they do the right things. This team has the talent to surprise some people and win games this year...it doesn't feel the same as last year or the year before. We've seen more of the playbook this season than the last 2 years combined. Yes, there is a chance the full potential of this team won't come out if the play calling stays conservative or goes into a shell when we have the lead. Trust the playmakers and trust the defense...stay aggressive and put the game away. This tea, has already shown against OSU that it can bounce back from less than ideal situations.
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