Defense

[Ut-Grizfan]

The Griz D coaches are terrific. All of them.

They need to change something up, coach the guys up better or think of something to fix this (and I hope they do, truly) because we can't afford to be giving up 550 yards and 49 points a game and expect to repeat as Big Sky Champs

 

[UnitasWeStand72]

The defense with so many new players is clearly not playing as a unit. Somewhat oddly, you can see coaching game changes being made as evidence that the problem is being addressed, but then some other aspect of performance on the field falls apart. I think that is more execution by the players than coaching. It should get better but I confess I’m not looking forward the nightmares I’m going to have about the Cats running game.

 

[mthoopsfan]

They need to change something up, coach the guys up better or think of something to fix this (and I hope they do, truly) because we can't afford to be giving up 550 yards and 49 points a game and expect to repeat as Big Sky Champs

We aren't given up that much yardage or points, and we are winning most games.

Name one things the D needs to change. Be specific. Bet you can't.

 

[mthoopsfan]

So they got worse when he returned?

Wilson played well in 2d half.

 

[Ut-Grizfan]

Adjustments during the game for one, we're way to hit and miss on that, Chism was running open and gave him way to many 1 on 1 opportunities even late into the 2nd half. Tackling (think they counted 5 broken tackles on that 48 yard QB Run alone) on top of not setting/sealing the outside edge, overpursuit/getting sucked in, pass rush seems to have trouble getting home and our defense seems to have trouble still getting off the field on 3rd and Long especially when it matters to name a few.

And when you take into account our games against REAL competition (Morehead State has 0 scholarships so they don't count)

MSU: 356 Total Yards, 24 Points
UND: 340 Total Yards, 27 Points
WCU: 477 Total Yards, 35 Points
EWU: 550 Total Yards, 49 Points

This averages out to giving up 432 Yards a game and 33.75 points, that's not good.

There you go, looking forward to your "yOu DoN't kNoW fOoTbAlL" deflection comment

 

[oldngrizzly]

I’m sure they are all just sitting around all week and not doing a thing at practice or the film room. Just collecting paychecks or wasting air and cafeteria food.

You can be mad about it or disappointed like we all are, but it’s not like these kids aren’t putting in work and trying to improve.

I NEVER SAID the kids were doing anything wrong.I am sure they are playing and trying as hard as they can.Sometimes in sports you just don't have the talent to compete.We have what we have and we have to live with it. There is a reason for that also. FCS

 

[oldngrizzly]

Or, we did a great job of shutting down the pass when we needed to, and they did run the ball. We turned the run defense on when we needed to, and forced them to pass. And, at the end of the day, won the game. Wild how that works. The other team of players and coaches is also trying to score the ball, and their offense doesn't suck.

Actually I though the other team was pretty crappy.

 

[Wolf777]

“The fact that NO ONE is doing anything about it is not exceptible.”

Pretty sure this does include athletes.

I NEVER SAID the kids were doing anything wrong.I am sure they are playing and trying as hard as they can.Sometimes in sports you just don't have the talent to compete.We have what we have and we have to live with it. There is a reason for that also. FCS

It may be a talent gap, it may be individual effort, and there has been breaks and let downs for sure. You’re also right we have to live with it. That’s exactly why coaches are moving guys around in a few different positions, trying different guys on the depth chart, including true freshman, trying different coverages, and doing it all while dealing with injuries and other factors beyond their control. Once again, people are doing things and working with what they can.

I’m sure they will continue to work on fundamentals and schemes on the coaching side and the player side. This was a bad performance and probably the worst of the year. Doesn’t mean these guys can’t improve throughout the rest of the season.

 

[AZGrizFan]

The defense with so many new players is clearly not playing as a unit. Somewhat oddly, you can see coaching game changes being made as evidence that the problem is being addressed, but then some other aspect of performance on the field falls apart. I think that is more execution by the players than coaching. It should get better but I confess I’m not looking forward the nightmares I’m going to have about the Cats running game.

I’m not convinced we have the talent. At least not that we had last year…especially on the back side…

 

[mthoopsfan]

Actually I though the other team was pretty crappy.

EWU was better than I expected, and I didn't think crappy at all.

 

[mthoopsfan]

Adjustments during the game for one, we're way to hit and miss on that, Chism was running open and gave him way to many 1 on 1 opportunities even late into the 2nd half. Tackling (think they counted 5 broken tackles on that 48 yard QB Run alone) on top of not setting/sealing the outside edge, overpursuit/getting sucked in, pass rush seems to have trouble getting home and our defense seems to have trouble still getting off the field on 3rd and Long especially when it matters to name a few.

And when you take into account our games against REAL competition (Morehead State has 0 scholarships so they don't count)

MSU: 356 Total Yards, 24 Points
UND: 340 Total Yards, 27 Points
WCU: 477 Total Yards, 35 Points
EWU: 550 Total Yards, 49 Points

This averages out to giving up 432 Yards a game and 33.75 points, that's not good.

There you go, looking forward to your "yOu DoN't kNoW fOoTbAlL" deflection comment

Adjustments seemed good to me. Took away the early good screen game.

Brint said Chism is the best receiver in FCS. Joe was very good. College receivers almost never get double teamed, so, of course, 1 on 1. The long QB run was odd, and yes tackles couldn't be made, but I wouldn't call many of them missed tackles.

And the team with only 340 yards beat us.

Football is mostly about winning, or finding a way to win. It's not so much about how you win.

This team has huge heart, doesn't get rattled, and doesn't back down. This includes the D.

Do you think you know football? If so, please explain why and how.

 

[PTGrizzly]

Oh BS. Defense is fine.

This was Eastern’s best offensive output of the year in terms of points and yards, and overall yards per play. They have played Monmouth and Drake. Not sure I would categorize it as fine, at the moment.

 

[Ut-Grizfan]

Adjustments seemed good to me. Took away the early good screen game.

Brint said Chism is the best receiver in FCS. Joe was very good. College receivers almost never get double teamed, so, of course, 1 on 1. The long QB run was odd, and yes tackles couldn't be made, but I wouldn't call many of them missed tackles.

And the team with only 340 yards beat us.

Football is mostly about winning, or finding a way to win. It's not so much about how you win.

This team has huge heart, doesn't get rattled, and doesn't back down. This includes the D.

Do you think you know football? If so, please explain why and how.

Considering you think giving up 551 yards and 49 points is good defense I think you're the one who needs to learn what Football is

 

[SoldierGriz]

There is but a single person on this earth who thinks the Griz defense is "fine."

The unit is certainly not fine.

I do agree they have a chance to improve...

Everyone needs to remember - a hallmark of BH coached teams is in-season improvements. That has proven true pretty consistently over the years.

Let's see if it continues.

 

[pussycatkillerz]

The Griz are still championship contenders despite a shaky defense because their offense is unstoppable, will be ranked #1 in the nation when stats update today. With even a few key defensive improvements—whether it's getting stops on third downs or forcing turnovers—this team can win a lot of games. They don’t need a perfect defense, just a couple of stops to give their offense a chance to take over. The Griz can outscore anyone, and that makes them dangerous no matter what.

 

[griz fanatic]

We lack the drive and determination that Gubner gave us last year.

 

[mthoopsfan]

This was Eastern’s best offensive output of the year in terms of points and yards, and overall yards per play. They have played Monmouth and Drake. Not sure I would categorize it as fine, at the moment.

Not sure you understand D.

 

[Wolf777]

I love Gubner and we heaped praise on him and it still wasn’t enough to show what he truly did for us. However, if you look at the rosters, we lost a lot of guys at every level of the defense to graduation/transfer that is so far proving to have a profound effect on our defensive effectiveness. Gubner and Edwards on the line, Janacaro/Hill/Flink in the linebacker group, Fouch, Graves, Cotton in the secondary. We knew and the coaches knew the offense would have to step up and take the lead and be the heart and soul of this team.

I think Pat Hayden has done an admirable job for a transfer nose and Ramos has looked better than last year. Hayden Harris has really progressed. Our linebackers aren’t there yet and it’s a huge difference when Riley is in the game as we saw yesterday. The secondary has taken a big step back. There is some good young talent like Otlewski and Loud. We’ve also dealt with a lot of injuries on that side of the ball.

They aren’t anywhere close to the standard set forth by the defenses of the last half decade(and before like the LB room) but they will continue to work and improve, and get healthy. Hopefully to a point where we don’t give up a conference game we should win, and our schedule is favorable for that until November, though NAU is looking like a much improved squad thus far.

 

[mthoopsfan]

There is but a single person on this earth who thinks the Griz defense is "fine."

The unit is certainly not fine.

I do agree they have a chance to improve...

Everyone needs to remember - a hallmark of BH coached teams is in-season improvements. That has proven true pretty consistently over the years.

Let's see if it continues.

I do. A few bad quarters doesn’t define a D. Had a bad 4th Q. Again, kept their QB 30% below his season completion average. Their main runners averaged 5.5, 5.5 and 6.2 yards. I said the D is fine, not that they played fine.

 

[mthoopsfan]

They need to change something up, coach the guys up better or think of something to fix this (and I hope they do, truly) because we can't afford to be giving up 550 yards and 49 points a game and expect to repeat as Big Sky Champs

We haven’t been giving up those numbers every game. Just one game.