Chicago Duke's Post-Game Post-Mortem

[ChicagoDuke]

First of all, congrats on a fine season. Another classic Griz team, full of hard hitting dudes, a solid coaching staff, and some incredibly passionate fans. As we depart FCS, I'll be cheering for you guys more than most any other FCS team.

So I've been reading your various mid and post game threads, and have a good feeling for what y'all collectively thought of the game. Here's what I saw as the differences in the game.

1) Montana's D-Line vs JMU's OL was the story of the game. The OL for JMU is very young, and yet the vaunted Montana 3-3 stack defense didn't cause the havoc that was promised. There was plenty of times that Cole had all the time he need to go to his second and third read, and he picked you guys apart. Don't get me wrong....you got to him more than any other team and applied a decent amount of pressure, but he wasn't on the run all game like Eric Barrier last week.

2) JMU's defense was outstanding. The Griz lost a QB and a key WR (both on objectively fair hits), but even beyond that the JMU defense outclassed the Griz offense. We were getting to the QB quickly with just our standard 4 man rush, which would have been true regardless of what QB was back there.

3) Coaching: Coach Cig had this team ready, and developed a game plan to exploit the Griz weaknesses. We ran a fair amount of crossing routes that we hadn't run all season. We ran the ball way more than we have all season because we saw that you guys were playing a lot of nickel (take what the defense gives you). We limited your special teams impact, and we had the right calls all game (look at the trick plays that were sniffed out).

4) Speed. We've focused on recruiting speed. It's hard to hit a guy if you can't catch him. Our guys that ran away from your guys tonight are not even our speed guys. Justin Ford is a nice player, but he was getting beat more often than not by our freshman WR Wells Jr. We saw you abandon man coverage early because of the speed differential, and Cole was able to find guys in the holes of the defense.

5) Big plays. You guys don't typically allow big plays, but we were able to get 2-3 against you. That made a big difference.

Again, nice season, and I'll be wishing you success down the road. Go Dukes and Go Griz.

 

[kemajic]

4) Speed. We've focused on recruiting speed. It's hard to hit a guy if you can't catch him. Our guys that ran away from your guys tonight are not even our speed guys. Justin Ford is a nice player, but he was getting beat more often than not by our freshman WR Wells Jr. We saw you abandon man coverage early because of the speed differential, and Cole was able to find guys in the holes of the defense.

The corner getting beaten more often was second stringer Corbin Walker, #8, replacing our shutdown corner Onu, who was not available for the game. Hauck's lack of speed at safety was also exposed.

Humphrey has been one hit from done for most of the season. We could never win without him. Our lack of depth was most exposed in this game. You beat even our run defense. Now go get NDSU!

 

[Proud Griz Man]

I really agree with you on those two points #2 and #5. I thought our Griz defense and special teams played well all year, but the really great teams (like JMU) find ways to exploit weaknesses, and our weaknesses were exposed in theGriz Oline, quarterback play, and on defense the center of the field pass or run.

Wishing you Good luck at Fargo, several of us Griz fans will be rooting for your Dukes.

2) JMU's defense was outstanding. The Griz lost a QB and a key WR (both on objectively fair hits), but even beyond that the JMU defense outclassed the Griz offense. We were getting to the QB quickly with just our standard 4 man rush, which would have been true regardless of what QB was back there.

5) Big plays. You guys don't typically allow big plays, but we were able to get 2-3 against you. That made a big difference.

Again, nice season, and I'll be wishing you success down the road. Go Dukes and Go Griz.

 

[AZGrizFan]

I think it’s a different game if Cam and Akem don’t go down early. Not saying we’d have won, but it’d have been a fuck of a lot more competitive.

and agreed about the big plays. One was survivable. The 2nd one was a killer. And having to take a FG on that trip inside the 10 yard line was the death knell. That’s when I left the bar and went to the casino.

 

[Griz Time]

I think it’s a different game if Cam and Akem don’t go down early. Not saying we’d have won, but it’d have been a [#]f### of a lot more competitive.

and agreed about the big plays. One was survivable. The 2nd one was a killer. And having to take a FG on that trip inside the 10 yard line was the death knell. That’s when I left the bar and went to the casino.

Well said, AZ.

 

[Griz Time]

I think it’s a different game if Cam and Akem don’t go down early. Not saying we’d have won, but it’d have been a [#]f### of a lot more competitive.

and agreed about the big plays. One was survivable. The 2nd one was a killer. And having to take a FG on that trip inside the 10 yard line was the death knell. That’s when I left the bar and went to the casino.

Well said, AZ.

 

[DrainBramage]

1) Montana's D-Line vs JMU's OL was the story of the game. The OL for JMU is very young, and yet the vaunted Montana 3-3 stack defense didn't cause the havoc that was promised. There was plenty of times that Cole had all the time he need to go to his second and third read, and he picked you guys apart. Don't get me wrong....you got to him more than any other team and applied a decent amount of pressure, but he wasn't on the run all game like Eric Barrier last week.

4) Speed. We've focused on recruiting speed. It's hard to hit a guy if you can't catch him. Our guys that ran away from your guys tonight are not even our speed guys. Justin Ford is a nice player, but he was getting beat more often than not by our freshman WR Wells Jr. We saw you abandon man coverage early because of the speed differential, and Cole was able to find guys in the holes of the defense.

5) Big plays. You guys don't typically allow big plays, but we were able to get 2-3 against you. That made a big difference.

Again, nice season, and I'll be wishing you success down the road. Go Dukes and Go Griz.

For the 3-3-5 to work as a havoc creating, stop everything behind the LOS style, the defense requires that the CB can play on an island. Once the Griz were beat for big plays on speed routes the Griz D stopped playing Man coverage (the JMU coach pointed this out in the post game presser) and the pass rush was more limited.

The difference in the game was that the Griz depth chart did not have the athleticism to play with JMU after the various injuries. (UM coach said this too, in coach speak) Hicks-Onu was needed in the game, his back-up wasn't fast enough.

 

[UTGrizFan]

Can't get on board with this, browsing through their forum there are many fans celebrating Cam getting injured and going on about how classless we are. Fuck them, hope the Bison beat there ass.

 

[ordigger]

Can't get on board with this, browsing through their forum there are many fans celebrating Cam getting injured and going on about how classless we are. [#]f### them, hope the Bison beat there ass.

Don’t worry about Purple. I suspect he’s 50 years old, still lives in his mothers basement and thinks Atari is the greatest thing ever. Poutine is probably his favorite dish, which technically means he should be a Bizon fan, but he can’t find Fargo on his Commodore computer.

 

[Yukon]

One thing I did not like was the post game interview on the field with JMU head coach. He said "we took out there QB". He said it as if it was part of the game plan. Not a good look.

 

[daGrizJ]

JMU was the strongest team last night in all phases, and is the only team we have played this year that hit harder than the Griz.

Good luck at NDSU, if they win. You will need all the toughness you can muster.