Stanford Game Analysis!!!!
Stanford Game Analysis!!!!
I will start by saying that ending the season with a W feels oh so good. Even if we had lost the game in the end, I still could walk away with many positives. This game was sooo close to being an ND blowout. Two fumbles and a TD taken away!!! Well, I will get into my analysis.
DEFENSE: I have to start with the side of the ball which won the game for us. They played a really solid game. There were a couple missed plays, but overall we stopped everything they thru at the D. So here is my position analysis.
DL: Trevor is unbelievable. He played his usual awesome self. Ian Williams is becoming a true force in the middle. He comes of blocks well and flows like an experienced guy. We have found a REAL NT in Ian. Justin Brown had his best game of the year. I feel he could be real solid next year with some more weight. Grade: A-
OLB: Was there a bigger pick up in our recruiting class last season than Brian Smith. He is simply awesome. He sheds blocks, runs like a deer and punishes people. He is becoming unblockable. Neal also had a very solid game. Next year teams will fear this tandem. Ryan struggled again today getting off blocks. Grade A-(you have to come up with turnover or game winning stop to get A+)
ILB: Brockington had one of his better hitting games, but he still gets beat on many plays. Crum missed a few tackles today that he shouldn't. This position is my biggest concern on the entire team for next season. Toryan Smith must not be showing much, he is not getting on the field much at all and our starters are not all-americans by any stretch. We may have to look at moving Mo Richardson or someone else in there to help. Grade C+(They did not make any huge mistakes, but just don't have the physical skills to dominate)
Safety: This was Zibby's best game of the season. He hit hard, made an INT and just was in good position alot. Bruton just likes to hit people. He is going to be on AA watch list in 2008. I was happy to see no breakaway bombs. Grade B+
CB: Darrin Walls had another solid game. Even when a ball is caught against him, he is in position to make a solid tackle. McNeil looked fairly good in his time on the field. Wooden got lost on a couple plays. Lambert has become pretty solid. Have you noticed that on deep balls this season, we are not letting the WR's get behind us. Grade B+
Coaching: C. Brown called a good gameplan here. He was a bit timid on the blitz, which I believe comes from getting burned on a couple long QB runs for first downs. These plays are examples on how our ILB's are not capable of running down QB's in open field. We need a mid field general. Overall, the kids love playing for Brown and the D recruits should be salivating. This D will only get better and NASTIER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OFFENSE: I saw some really positive things, but there is plenty for off-season work.
QB: Jimmy, Jimmy I was so glad to see your improvement the last couple weeks. Well, you took a little step back into freshman land today. He made some solid throws, but also had some shaky plays. 3 times he ran out of bounds when he could have thrown it away, costing us 10 yards each time. The INT ball was a bad mood. Jimmy needs to look some guys off a bit. Finally, some of his struggles today was due to the horrible playcalling. Grade: C-(JC will be great, he just learned alot today)
RB: HUGHESSSSSS!!!! You have to love this kid. He never goes down on the first contact. He runs possessed. Allen had a couple good runs, he just did not get enough carries to get a rythm. On the one play he got killed in the backfield when our FB, who will remain nameless, got blown up. Aldridge only got a couple plays which I assume is due to the ankle and a field that could have hurt him worse. Jabbie looks solid every time he plays. I hope he comes back for a 5th year, he will be a good spot duty guy. Grade A-
FB: Do I really need to say much here. Scwaap is terrible and yet CW continues to go with him and leave Luke Schmidt on the sideline. This is a debacle. Grade D-(he made a couple blocks, so he avoided the F)
WR: Kamara is coming of age. He is about to blossom into another Stovall. He won't outrun people, but he will out jump and out catch. Grimes has finally come back to the guy we remember from last season. He made TD catch that was stolen. Parris looked slow today on the few plays he was in. We are in desperate need of a third receiver who can stretch the field. Tate, Hord or an incoming recruit will need to be that guy. These guys could have had more catches today had we run another route besides the go route. Grade B
TE: Carlson, thanks for all your effort over the last 2 years. John had a solid game today, making a nice catch in traffic again. Yeatman does a decent job at blocking. Ragone, you need to work on your blocking, put on about 20#'s and keep your mouth shut until you can back it up. Watch this kid. He is running his mouth all the time. He alone cost us the 4th down and 1 play in the first half. He TOTALLY missed his block. Grade C+(Ragone cost them on this grade)
OL: After playing OL and coaching OL, you can see that these guys are getting a groove. I know there were some sacks, but alot of that is playcalling. I look at the individual performance. Turk moved some guys today. I love watching Stew. He tries so hard. Olsen has a mean streak. Wenger snaps the ball so much better. These guys are starting to feel success. Young had the most struggles today. He just is slow getting out of the blocks. Grade C+(Expect this group to become stout next season)
Coaching: Wow!!! Where do I start here. CW has some serious serious personal evaluation to do in the off-season. The playcalling was off the charts bad today. Are you telling me that we only have two pass plays, go route or screen??? How many times did we see Jimmy just flinging it down the sidelines?? The DB's were step for step with us. They knew it was coming. Then we run the screen so many times it makes me ill. I don't care if we get ONE lone run by Jabbie, it is still uncalled for. I am convinced that CW's big playcard only has about 5 plays on it. Go Route, Screen, Run Right, Screen, Run left. The announcers were even questioning why he kept doing the long go routes. We criticize the OL for struggling with blocking, but this is because the playcalling allows the D to lay their ears back. Ask yourself how many times you know exactly what is coming the instant the play is snapped. Further, our plays are developing soooooooooo slow. This is coaching. CW should not be going to NE to figure this out. Belichick recently commented when asked about the college spread O, "I can't comment on that since I really never watch college football and don't know what they are doing there." Finally, we have some good progress to smile about.
End of Season Thought: We ended the season with two pretty solid victories. Stanford should have never been that close. We have lots of youth on the team who are going to be sooooo good next season. Our Defense will become fearsome next season if we can fill the LB void. Our Offense has some playmakers and a QB who will lead them to many W's. There is an incredible influx of talent coming that should be really excited to play with the other youth on this team. The IRISH will be back among the better teams in 2008 and will dominate in 2009. Thanks to all the great Seniors. Zibby, Laws, Carlson all lead with class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks. Trevor, get rich, you earned every penny!!!!
GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
