The program doesn't end when the season does. Hate this loss, but the staff has got to learn what limited this team from getting over the hump.
My handful of thoughts without attacking any single play or player:
1) Don't get too exotic with defensive looks. Twice in crucial situations in the last 2 games we've left a huge gap between defensive linemen, and the offense gashed it with a run.
I’m sure it works on paper, but they have players too. Can't count on a linebacker to cover two gaps.
2) Red zone, red zone, red zone. OCs with less than 1/10th of the imagination of Sark are able to score more easily.
3) Ball SECURITY... Wisner did a great job carrying the load this year, but the other 2 RBs put the ball on the ground way too much. Ewers was pretty bad at it as well with flipping the ball out to the sidelines. Manning has had a few come loose that have been close. Can't put the ball in the turf as much as we do.
4) Realize what your players' weaknesses are and avoid exposing them. Leaving Cam on an island against speed is rolling the dice. Trying to pull guards across to kick out ends had a high fail rate too
5) Break your tendencies and learn if you're tipping. ASU safeties were making tons of stops at the LOS. They're either river boat gamblers or figured us out. Same happened on the sweep. We actually had leverage pre-snap, but the DBs killed it with no fear of Juan Davis getting behind them.
We've got a tell and never fixed it.
7) False Starts should be rare. Drill that until the cows come home.
8) Don't play the injured before they're ready. I think Ewers and Bond played well below potential at times with lingering injuries. Tough deal for Ewers as attendance is part of the grade for a QB, but he really didn't look fully recovered until 1/1.
Sark has improved with each year. Results didn't get better this year, but I think some key injuries weighed heavily at the offensive skill positions which slowed us down.
Let's go get a big back, work on getting the trenches tuned back up, and find a way to take that next step!
My handful of thoughts without attacking any single play or player:
1) Don't get too exotic with defensive looks. Twice in crucial situations in the last 2 games we've left a huge gap between defensive linemen, and the offense gashed it with a run.
I’m sure it works on paper, but they have players too. Can't count on a linebacker to cover two gaps.
2) Red zone, red zone, red zone. OCs with less than 1/10th of the imagination of Sark are able to score more easily.
3) Ball SECURITY... Wisner did a great job carrying the load this year, but the other 2 RBs put the ball on the ground way too much. Ewers was pretty bad at it as well with flipping the ball out to the sidelines. Manning has had a few come loose that have been close. Can't put the ball in the turf as much as we do.
4) Realize what your players' weaknesses are and avoid exposing them. Leaving Cam on an island against speed is rolling the dice. Trying to pull guards across to kick out ends had a high fail rate too
5) Break your tendencies and learn if you're tipping. ASU safeties were making tons of stops at the LOS. They're either river boat gamblers or figured us out. Same happened on the sweep. We actually had leverage pre-snap, but the DBs killed it with no fear of Juan Davis getting behind them.
We've got a tell and never fixed it.
7) False Starts should be rare. Drill that until the cows come home.
8) Don't play the injured before they're ready. I think Ewers and Bond played well below potential at times with lingering injuries. Tough deal for Ewers as attendance is part of the grade for a QB, but he really didn't look fully recovered until 1/1.
Sark has improved with each year. Results didn't get better this year, but I think some key injuries weighed heavily at the offensive skill positions which slowed us down.
Let's go get a big back, work on getting the trenches tuned back up, and find a way to take that next step!
