|
|
Post by Mojave Gator on Sept 24, 2023 11:46:02 GMT -5
My high school reunion started right at kickoff time. Reading about all of the short field goals speaks to stalled drives in the red zone - against Charlotte. This isn't encouraging with the meat of the SEC schedule looming. Didn't look like we were able to run the ball much either.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Sept 24, 2023 20:11:06 GMT -5
Same but JV softball game into travel softball practice. The little I did see was not very pretty and confusingly Montrell turned back into our lead back but I’m really hoping they were keeping things off tape for UK. Either way I’m steeling myself for “this is how Napier wants to play” and “Billyball isn’t pretty but it sure is effective!” Articles this week. If there’s any truth to that he should be fired immediately because that shit doesn’t even work for the guys that were effective with it (Saban and smart). Nobody who has watched CFB since Jacob Coker game managed Bama to a title damn near a decade ago would consider that a good idea/progress.
|
|
|
|
Post by g8rfan on Sept 25, 2023 6:17:15 GMT -5
The Etienne thing is simply maddening. Dude rushed for 170 against Tennessee and barely saw the field in this game. I’m really starting to believe that Napier really is just a dolt.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Sept 25, 2023 14:10:46 GMT -5
The Etienne thing is simply maddening. Dude rushed for 170 against Tennessee and barely saw the field in this game. I’m really starting to believe that Napier really is just a dolt. Yeah it doesn't make a lot of sense at any level whatsoever. Etienne is clearly our best player on offense, it's not remotely close. Pearsall is 2nd and Johnson is 3rd but there's a big gap and neither is a real "game changer" to borrow a phrase. Some of the young kids look like they may have the potential to be special, but right now we have one special player on offense. They need to have him on the field at least 2/3 of the time when we have the ball. Mertz has played well but contrary to what Kool-Aid drinker would have you believe he's not going to complete 80% of his passes even being check down Charlie the rest of the way when the Defenses are much more Utah than Charlotte. We're 55th in the country in total offense and tied for 76th in the country in scoring offense with Mertz playing above his head against 3 shit defenses at home and 1 real one on the road. I'm just glad our one good performance was the one recruits saw in living color. I'm happy with how the season has fallen out thus far because we will see if Napier has the capacity and inclination to adjust. I don't feel like he's going to do it without some losses, but frankly if we don't improve there's at least 6 of those around the corner, and maybe he was playing possum last week and in the 2nd half against Tennessee. I'd love to be surprised. |
|
|
|
Post by g8rfan on Sept 25, 2023 16:39:10 GMT -5
And to add to the confusion, they put Etienne back to return punts, which is something you usually don’t let your best offensive asset do. At least most teams don’t. I guess I’ll take the touches, but he heeds minimum 20 touches a game on offense if this offense is ever going to find itself. I just don’t understand why something so obvious to everyone else is like some mystery to this guy.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Sept 26, 2023 8:04:40 GMT -5
And to add to the confusion, they put Etienne back to return punts, which is something you usually don’t let your best offensive asset do. At least most teams don’t. I guess I’ll take the touches, but he heeds minimum 20 touches a game on offense if this offense is ever going to find itself. I just don’t understand why something so obvious to everyone else is like some mystery to this guy. Did they seriously do that? That reminds me of the kid's high school coach putting the back-up QB (who should be starting but is only a 10th grader) back to return kick-offs in a 48-0 loss to Sammy Brown (top LBer in the country and 5 overall on 24/7 composite) and Jefferson. It makes even less sense because Etienne's not a punt return type back, he's not a bruiser but he runs in between the tackles, and his balance and small space shiftiness are his biggest strengths. He can run in a straight line but that's really not his game. He returned kick-offs last year and did a nice job there, shouldn't be doing that this year, but punts? That's absurd and never your primary back, occasionally it's a scatback but that's not Etienne. You're basically using Emmett Smith like Darrin Sproles. I could see doing it in a make or break game just to have him on the field/play like there's no tomorrow, but Charlotte? That's sumpin |
|
|
|
Post by wahhappen on Sept 26, 2023 13:55:50 GMT -5
And to add to the confusion, they put Etienne back to return punts, which is something you usually don’t let your best offensive asset do. At least most teams don’t. I guess I’ll take the touches, but he heeds minimum 20 touches a game on offense if this offense is ever going to find itself. I just don’t understand why something so obvious to everyone else is like some mystery to this guy. Did they seriously do that? That reminds me of the kid's high school coach putting the back-up QB (who should be starting but is only a 10th grader) back to return kick-offs in a 48-0 loss to Sammy Brown (top LBer in the country and 5 overall on 24/7 composite) and Jefferson. It makes even less sense because Etienne's not a punt return type back, he's not a bruiser but he runs in between the tackles, and his balance and small space shiftiness are his biggest strengths. He can run in a straight line but that's really not his game. He returned kick-offs last year and did a nice job there, shouldn't be doing that this year, but punts? That's absurd and never your primary back, occasionally it's a scatback but that's not Etienne. You're basically using Emmett Smith like Darrin Sproles. I could see doing it in a make or break game just to have him on the field/play like there's no tomorrow, but Charlotte? That's sumpin I think it depends on if they are good at it (or are they a “game changer?”). Reggie Bush and others have done it, but they are typically built differently. Etienne is listed behind Pearsall as the #2 guy so I don’t think it was a spur of the moment thing. Although, it is possible they wanted someone else back there but they were wearing the same number as another player on the field. That right there would be considered progress. |
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Sept 27, 2023 11:52:37 GMT -5
Yeah, I agree, it's just weird especially in context with the rest of his usage rate, I mean if it was end of a tight game against Georgia I think you want him back there because you want to give your best player as many touches as possible. I could even see using him like Bush and Montrell as White in a thunder and lightening type approach. If you were doing that then put him back there regularly. The obvious problem with a thunder and lightening type approach is that they are similar sized, Montrell is a little taller which accounts for being slightly heavier, but if anything Etienne is the more powerful runner through contact. He's also faster, more elusive, and has better vision. So, what needs to happen is very clear but Etienne lacks the Sunbelt pedigree so he's second string.
Maybe Johnson is a better blocker? I don't know, but this isn't Franks v. Trask where while Trask was clearly the better player, Franks was better at certain things. This is Jones starting over Richardson when they play the same game, Richardson is just a lot better at it. This isn't a shot at Montrell, I think today he's the 3rd best player we have on offense which hopefully changes as some of the young guys come into their own. He could wind up a productive NFL back. I'll be interested to see what he runs when he comes out because he'll have at least 2 years with our S&C staff.
It would also make sense to figure out a way to get them on the field at the same time and that was the buzz in the Spring, but I figured that was a bit outside the box for RDB's back to the future approach. I'm just glad and hopeful that Etienne seems content to wait his turn and be a good soldier which will pay off for him in 2 years when he's playing on Sundays. That said, I wouldn't be surprised or blame him if he enters the portal next year if we continue giving him 1/3 of the workload.
|
|
|
|
Post by SoTxCaiman on Sept 27, 2023 12:02:37 GMT -5
I am hoping they are looking at this being a long season and they know they will need him to be the bell cow in later conference games and have had conversations with him behind the scenes and told him we are going to keep you fresh early and not waste touches against the likes of Charlotte so that we can work you silly against the like of GA and LSU. If that's the case I have no big issue with it. Then again it could be they are to blind to get out of their own way. We may never know.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Sept 27, 2023 14:33:37 GMT -5
I am hoping they are looking at this being a long season and they know they will need him to be the bell cow in later conference games and have had conversations with him behind the scenes and told him we are going to keep you fresh early and not waste touches against the likes of Charlotte so that we can work you silly against the like of GA and LSU. If that's the case I have no big issue with it. Then again it could be they are to blind to get out of their own way. We may never know. That's exactly what I'm hoping, after seeing the disparate averages last year and then those being even more dramatic this year they've decided that Etienne will be the #1 against non-candy SEC teams and FSU and Johnson will be used to spell him and carry the load against the worst teams on our schedule. Fingers crossed, breath not held. We'll see soon enough especially with a Noon kick. |
|
|
|
Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Sept 28, 2023 12:56:04 GMT -5
Yeah, I agree, it's just weird especially in context with the rest of his usage rate, I mean if it was end of a tight game against Georgia I think you want him back there because you want to give your best player as many touches as possible. I could even see using him like Bush and Montrell as White in a thunder and lightening type approach. If you were doing that then put him back there regularly. The obvious problem with a thunder and lightening type approach is that they are similar sized, Montrell is a little taller which accounts for being slightly heavier, but if anything Etienne is the more powerful runner through contact. He's also faster, more elusive, and has better vision. So, what needs to happen is very clear but Etienne lacks the Sunbelt pedigree so he's second string. Maybe Johnson is a better blocker? I don't know, but this isn't Franks v. Trask where while Trask was clearly the better player, Franks was better at certain things. This is Jones starting over Richardson when they play the same game, Richardson is just a lot better at it. This isn't a shot at Montrell, I think today he's the 3rd best player we have on offense which hopefully changes as some of the young guys come into their own. He could wind up a productive NFL back. I'll be interested to see what he runs when he comes out because he'll have at least 2 years with our S&C staff. It would also make sense to figure out a way to get them on the field at the same time and that was the buzz in the Spring, but I figured that was a bit outside the box for RDB's back to the future approach. I'm just glad and hopeful that Etienne seems content to wait his turn and be a good soldier which will pay off for him in 2 years when he's playing on Sundays. That said, I wouldn't be surprised or blame him if he enters the portal next year if we continue giving him 1/3 of the workload. |
|
|
|
Post by soflaisgatorcountry on Sept 28, 2023 13:04:49 GMT -5
"but this isn't Franks v. Trask where while Trask was clearly the better player, Franks was better at certain things."
I feel like whatever specific areas FFranks was better at than KTrask were insignificant considering how poor all the other areas FFranks was as a QB,
Ex.FFRanks can chuck a ball 75 yards and KTrask couldnt, that was great for the Heave to Cleve Hail Mary but KTrask wouldve led an offense that wouldnt need a Hail Mary to beat Tenn at home bc hes a far better QB.
FFranks was more athletic and could scramble for first downs compared to KTrask. Yup, But also thats a result of FFranks poor QB talent where he couldnt read defenses, hit receivers accurately and would scamble on third and longs after 3 seconds of pass blocking.
The entire FFranks and KTrask era is so mind boggling how Dan Mullen just couldnt pull the trigger for the better QB (something reported by people like Louis Murphy, Shane Matthews and other players back then).
Then Mullen doubled down with EJones and AR15 SMH
|
|
