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Just some thoughts (Ramblings)

Watching the Wildcats last night was very interesting. I like bullet points because I'm not a journalist and writing in paragraphs always seems to end up with paragraphs the size of a book so here we go:

Defense:

  • Our front 4 on defense is flat out nasty. Britz is a beast, Mueller has kind of regressed a little this year, Clinkscales is learning what is takes and starting to play well, Willis and Geary are turning into a beasts as well. The true Frosh Lee made one sack in the game even though he didn't get credit and I think OC's fear his speed. On 3rd in long we bring in our speed DL package and they are fast and relentless.
  • Jonathon Truman isn't Arthur Brown but for many older Cats he feels like the second coming of Brooks Barta. He studies the game, he studies opponents tendencies, and he has great instincts. When the lights go on he is always in the right place. Not flashy just a damn good football player.
  • Other D mentions include Evans, Burns and McDaniel who are playing at a high level. I feel like the style of defense we play puts a great deal of pressure on our DB's playing mistake free and always being in the correct position. Our #1 and #2 goals is to force every offense we play to abandon the run and pass the ball. By forcing other teams hands we inherently put more pressure on our DB's.
  • Overall this unit is playing with a huge amount of confidence and swagger. That is why our defense is ranked so well. But it isn't just the ranking it is the fact that when the other team has a gimme third and one, the OC for the opposing team knows it isn't a gimme with our front 7.

Special Teams:

  • McCrane is really playing well
  • Long snapper appears to be playing better from earlier in the season
  • Also, I'm not sure but I saw Sexton holding for McCrane and I can't remember him doing it earlier in the season, but he does an excellent job of getting the ball down.
  • Punt return unit is exceptional, either returning punts or blocking them
  • KO return & KO coverage units are also playing very well
  • Punt team seems to struggle a little more than I can remember in the past (Coverage is pretty good, but our punter has given up a couple of blocked kicks and the snaps don't seem to have the requisite velocity)

Offense:

  • Jake Water is a great QB. No he isn't Collin Klein in some areas, but he is one of the best QB's we've had here. He isn't Collin Klein in running the football and seemingly willing his team to victory. He isn't Collin Klein in that he throws the ball sooo much better. His leadership appears to have taken off this year as well. He commands respect in the huddle and the guys seem to be paying attention to him. He is also a very fiery guy and takes things very personally when things don't go right which is a sign of a leader to me. Jake appears to be excellent at playing chess with the opposing teams OC which is important in today's game. Unlike Klein though when he checks to a pass all DC's have to fear his accuracy and quick release.
  • WRs of Lockett and Sexton are just outstanding. Need Burton to step up at the end of this year so he will be ready to assume the mantle next year. FYI, if you are going to try and lock up Lockett in man coverage you will eventually get burned. Watch the replay of what he did to the poor CB last night on a double move it is a thing of beauty. If Waters takes a little off the pass it would have been 6. Sexton is the slot receiver that catches everything in a ten mile radius and what he lacks in speed he makes up for in shiftiness and route running.
  • TE's and FB both catch the ball very well. Gronk's run blocking is up and down. But for the most part he makes good solid plays.
  • OL and RB's are a huge question to me. The OL seems to be pretty good at pass blocking, but run blocking may leave a little to be desired. But I can't tell if the problem is our Run Blocking, Running Backs, Running Scheme, or offensive run calling (Too predictable). I don't know what the issue is but our running game seems to be in a rut and they need to get out of it fast. I know our Running Backs as a whole aren't as good as we have been in the past.

Coaching:

  • Bill Snyder has continued to evolve as a play caller and I enjoy the diversity of Bill 2.0. I would like to see us use a little I formation, but I believe the reason we don't is because our OL can't line up and block it right now. I would also like to see us get the ball in Tyler's hands more. Bubble screens, jet sweeps, pick plays, and drag routes across the middle of the field so he can get the ball in space.
  • Tom Hayes runs an outstanding defensive scheme. It isn't Phil Bennett's in your face blitzing scheme which I loved, but it is a scheme that fits our style of play perfectly. Our older blitz heavy, man coverage defense gave up way too much in big plays. Being that I am a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan I believe the defense that we run is a very similar concept to the old Tampa 2. Bend but don't break, keep big plays in front of you, and force teams to go long fields in multiple plays. That style is perfect, because it forces fast break offenses to be patient, take what we give them, and execute over longer drives. This also fits perfectly in slowing the game down which fast pace teams hate, because every possession counts. We probably trim an average of at least 2 possessions per game off the fast break offenses which messes them up.
  • I believe Charlie Dickey is an excellent coach and I wonder if his main issue is talent or experience on this years OL.
  • Sean Snyder is a good Special Teams coach so it is disappointing for our best all time punter to have a punter as average as the guy we have now. But all in all his Special teams have performed very well.
  • Of course you always have the old stand in's Del Miller, Dana Dimel, Andre Coleman, & Mo Lattimore. Those guys are all really good coaches and they know exactly what Bill wants them to do. So that cohesiveness is huge.
  • Whomever is leading up our recruiting efforts is doing an excellent job, because not only has our talent improved every year, but we are getting on these kids faster.
That is all I have just rambling this morning sitting at my desk. I always try and respond to comments so if you have any great if you think I'm a nut job you can post that too.

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