FB: American Southwest Conference

[emma17]

This has been an interesting thread to read with good points by all.
At the end of the day, I think it's still won or lost mostly in the trenches.  A spread offense doesn't guaranty running lanes if the defensive line wins the battle and linebackers can move. 
From seeing MHB in the past, I always thought they were one of the most talented teams.  Their playoff runs seemed to end when they couldn't have the running success they were accustomed to vs less strong defensive units, which is why I always felt they would be a nightmare to face if they had a better passing game to balance the attack.

I wonder what is leading to the interceptions- is he throwing under pressure?  Is he accurate?  Is he throwing on the run all the time?  Is there a lot of ball fakes where maybe there is too much going on for him to see the field well? 

It takes a lot of time and committment to develop a solid passing game.  I imagine that coaching staff can live with the mistakes now hoping that all this experince will pay off come playoff time.

Best of luck MHB, yours is a team that is a scarry matchup. 

[Toby Taff]

This has been an interesting thread to read with good points by all.
At the end of the day, I think it's still won or lost mostly in the trenches.  A spread offense doesn't guaranty running lanes if the defensive line wins the battle and linebackers can move. 
From seeing MHB in the past, I always thought they were one of the most talented teams.  Their playoff runs seemed to end when they couldn't have the running success they were accustomed to vs less strong defensive units, which is why I always felt they would be a nightmare to face if they had a better passing game to balance the attack.

I wonder what is leading to the interceptions- is he throwing under pressure?  Is he accurate?  Is he throwing on the run all the time?  Is there a lot of ball fakes where maybe there is too much going on for him to see the field well? 

It takes a lot of time and committment to develop a solid passing game.  I imagine that coaching staff can live with the mistakes now hoping that all this experince will pay off come playoff time.

Best of luck MHB, yours is a team that is a scarry matchup.

The Picks have come in a variety of forms. I have watched picks where it was obvious the receivers were running a different route than the QB was throwing, one was on a hail mary, some have been the QB throwing flat passes to a spot instead of leading the receiver and the DB stepping under the receiver, some have been just bad throws.

[Bill McCabe]

Just out of curiosity, why, this season, are there (relatively) so many UMHB fans criticizing the team and its coach? In the past, it seems to me that most [all?] Crusader folks assumed the team and coach walked on water ... or even sometimes floated above it. 

The old Cru fans don't realize how much harder it is to stop the run from a spread/pistol formation.

The Pistol gives teams another element to worry about. The fact that they can't pass very good is irrelevant. Defenses still have to respect the 3 WR set and can't load the box.

"The fact that we can't pass very good is irrelevant."  You've got to be kidding.

You do understand that Defenses are spread out against the Pistol, right? They are spread out because THEY HAVE TO. They can't NOT cover the WR's and TE. The QB can have a noodle arm and guess what...whether it's a pass or not, the D will be spread out. This allows UMHB to actually run the ball BETTER....Less people in the box= easier to run...You still with me Bill??

So now you take UMHB's great OL, stable of good RB's, and a good running QB, have the Defense spread out....and magically it's easier to run....Call me crazy but I think the UMHB coaching staff knows better than you....

Going back to 2003, this years offense is 5th in average rushing yards per game.  It is behind 2010 and 2009.  So I don't see a great improvement and it certainly isn't "better."  It is not like we couldn't run the ball before.

You may be right on this issue Bill, however I think comparing our averages so far this year to whole years of the past is not realistic. UMHB has not played the historically weak teams of the ASC yet so their numbers should go up.

Wasn't the reason for the change to make us better against the better teams?  I haven't seen that.  You can do just about anything you want against the weaker teams.

[crufootball]

That was the argument Bill and statistically we are averaging nearly 300 yards rushing, the most passing yards we have ever had and overall the 3rd best total offense in our history against teams that should give us the biggest push of our regular season. So while you may not think we are playing better, I would argue that the stats show we are at least playing on par with the UMHB teams of the past.

[Bill McCabe]

That was the argument Bill and statistically we are averaging nearly 300 yards rushing, the most passing yards we have ever had and overall the 3rd best total offense in our history against teams that should give us the biggest push of our regular season. So while you may not think we are playing better, I would argue that the stats show we are at least playing on par with the UMHB teams of the past.

You get zero points for yardage and it is the worst scoring offense in the past 10 seasons.  3 TD passes and 9 INTs, plus a fumble on a sack. That is not better.  If you think the teams we have played are top tier defensively, I think you are mistaken. 

[hsugma]

Games in Abilene, Texas delayed until at least 5 pm...   "RAIN DELAY".......

[hsugma]

LET'S GO COWBOYS....  WIN...WIN...  "GO COWBOYS GO"

[mcmfan]

Are there any NCAA rules about how long you can go with a rain delay before a game is automatically cancelled?  I remember the controversy a few years ago when a game HSU (I think) was supposed to play was cancelled, guaranteeing they would be one game short in the conference standings.  A cancelled game probably doesn't affect HSU or Sul Ross much, but it has big implications for McMurry.

[Bill McCabe]

mcmfan,  I think Oklahoma State had a weather delay this year and the game didn't end until 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning.  Hope that isn't the case today.  What type of weather are you having in Abilene?

[Toby Taff]

mcmfan,  I think Oklahoma State had a weather delay this year and the game didn't end until 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning.  Hope that isn't the case today.  What type of weather are you having in Abilene?

we've had rain and lots of lightening. over an inch in abilene and i promise no one here is complaining. its calm here now so i think the games should get going soon. may be a lttle less air raid today though

[Bill McCabe]

It has been raining in San Antonio off and on all day long.  No complaints here either.

[mcmfan]

Our SID posts on the McM sports page that the rules specify that the game must be started sometime today if it's not to be cancelled, even if that's 11:59 tonight.  Right now, it's postponed indefinitely, with buckets of rain falling and periodic bursts of thunder.  I guess everyone will have to wait until 11:59 to see what happens: imagine a homecoming half-time show at 2:00 in the morning!

[Toby Taff]

Our SID posts on the McM sports page that the rules specify that the game must be started sometime today if it's not to be cancelled, even if that's 11:59 tonight.  Right now, it's postponed indefinitely, with buckets of rain falling and periodic bursts of thunder.  I guess everyone will have to wait until 11:59 to see what happens: imagine a homecoming half-time show at 2:00 in the morning!

If the game goes off that late, I'll be there around half time

[LA Crusader]

We cannot continue to throw the interceptions out of the pistol.

[Top Notch]

Just out of curiosity, why, this season, are there (relatively) so many UMHB fans criticizing the team and its coach? In the past, it seems to me that most [all?] Crusader folks assumed the team and coach walked on water ... or even sometimes floated above it. 

The old Cru fans don't realize how much harder it is to stop the run from a spread/pistol formation.

The Pistol gives teams another element to worry about. The fact that they can't pass very good is irrelevant. Defenses still have to respect the 3 WR set and can't load the box.

"The fact that we can't pass very good is irrelevant."  You've got to be kidding.

You do understand that Defenses are spread out against the Pistol, right? They are spread out because THEY HAVE TO. They can't NOT cover the WR's and TE. The QB can have a noodle arm and guess what...whether it's a pass or not, the D will be spread out. This allows UMHB to actually run the ball BETTER....Less people in the box= easier to run...You still with me Bill??

So now you take UMHB's great OL, stable of good RB's, and a good running QB, have the Defense spread out....and magically it's easier to run....Call me crazy but I think the UMHB coaching staff knows better than you....

Slow down Top Notch.  You are obviously new to the board and do not need to get tacky with Bill.  There are few more reliable and passionate Cru supporters than him.  We sat in the stands together for many years while our sons were playing side by side including the year we went to the Stagg Bowl.  He is fully entitled to his opinion whether you agree with him or  not.  That is the real beauty of these Boards that we can sometimes agree to disagree.  Pat Coleman has as his signature "Let's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect."  Please keep that in mind and your stay on this board will be much more fruitful!!!

He is entitled to his opinion, just like I am to my own. Believe me, the UMHB coaches know better than any of the message board warriors. End of story.