FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Chubbs]

They were in cover 2. Point being they had only one safety back on first and essentially 80, with 17 seconds left.

Also, why not go for 2 after the go ahead TD for SJU? It would put you up 6 and force Auggie to make Xtra point to win-which they missed twice. Maybe coaching?

Just watched the highlight.

That was not Cover 2. For some inexplicable reason the safety bites up on the receiver and the completion is made over his head. It looks like player, not coach error to me. But the corner is deep as well. Granted, they could have been in cover 4 or full on prevent, but they weren't in Cover 2.

Here are exhibits A & B   

Exhibit A:  Sure looks like it was supposed to be Cover 4 since the CB on boths sides stay over the top of their guy.  The S (#4) is too busy with his eyes in the backfield staring at the football.  If the S's eyes are where they should be, he'd see that both the shorter routes (which are both poorly run as they end up tripping over each other) are well covered and he'd also see the deep post coming directly at him.  The coverage call is perfect for the situation, and the Auggie QB just defaults to the deep ball because everything else is covered and catches a lucky break in the form of a spectating #4.  Can't even really say that the S bit up; he just stood there and watched the play go by.

Exhibit B:  Looks like prevent with man under, but they leave the single receiver uncovered with just the two deep safeties to his side (bad idea, as becomes obvious a few seconds later).  The Auggie receiver runs his skinny post unopposed until he gets to the goal line.  Then the deep safety takes a horrible angle (runs behind a receiver when already in the end zone? )  to play the man instead of knocking the ball away. 

I hate to armchair QB too much, but that's shocking to see from an SJU defense.  Those are the kind of mistakes (especially play A) that I'd expect to see at the JV high school level.  It's not a scheme problem, but rather players making pretty basic mental mistakes.  I have a hard time believing that those players haven't been coached up properly on how to play those situations.

[DuffMan]

Welcome back, Chubbs aka Spackler.

Although I have only seen SJU play once this season and I can't speak for mistakes in the secondary, I will say that I saw similar things on the defensive line.  It's been a few years (9, I guess  ), but the coaching staff is relatively unchanged and I can't imagine they have changed philosophies.  Things like getting blown off the ball and losing QB contain are basic mistakes that must be cleaned up to win games.  Those are maybe first-game mistakes.  4 games into the season and those things should never be happening.

[USTBench]

I'll let you guys to rehash Saturday through today, but remember to implement some sort of $hi+ talking gameplan for the rest of the week.

I'll get us started with some old standbys:

Your girls are fat
You're a bunch of hicks
Your coach is old
Your team just lost to Auggie Tech
Your glory days are behind you
You only have attendance left to brag about
Locker rooms

Here's some ammo in case you're feeling down

USTd
Our girls are of ill-repute
We've only been good for two years
Caruso is leaving for the big-time
Don Roney was allowed to coach us for a decade
Locker rooms (I'm not certain why, but this seems to fit into both categories)

[GoldandBlueBU]

Our girls are of ill-repute

That is some phrase-ology that isn't used enough.

+k

[DuffMan]

USTBench,
Sorry, but this is probably the first time I have ever not looked forward to a SJU/UST game 

[AO]

I could use some help setting the line for the Holy Grail as I have no idea what to expect in a world where Augsburg wins in Collegeville.   Comparing results against the Cobbers is probably a waste of time.  Do the Johnnie faithful really fear the monkey stomp?

[DuffMan]

Do the Johnnie faithful really fear the monkey stomp?

Fear, no.  Expect, yes.

[USTBench]

USTBench,
Sorry, but this is probably the first time I have ever not looked forward to a SJU/UST game 

When UST went 2 - 8 and lost to Hamline before Roney was tossed, I was straight up off this board for about a year. Lost my post equity, forgot my password, it was bad. I know the feeling. That being said, SJU goes 6 - 4 with a close losses to Bethel and UST. They'll right the ship.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Yeah, I just have a hard time seeing SJU getting beat badly by either UST or Bethel.  Maybe a 14.5 line for the SJU-UST game?

I agree with Bench...they will get things figured out enough to keep the margins respectable.

[corn horn]

That being said, what's up with going for the 2-pt conversion with a 20 point lead, then when it fails, pulling the onside kick?

I thought the two point conversion was strange. It wasn't like they'd missed a point after attempt prior.

But the onside kick just struck me as gutsy and brilliant. UST took the ball to start the half and scored. By going for the onside kick, recovering it and then scoring, they essentially put the game out of reach. And up by 20 early in the 3rd quarter is not the time to take your foot off the gas in my opinion. Especially given the way Concordia came back last week against SJU.

Hazzbeen...of course you are correct about the onside kick...it just doesn't FEEL like the right decision when your team is getting it handed to them, and that it came on the heels of the curious 2-point attempt. It wouldn't help at this point either to state that it certainly appeared from my seat...right on the 30-yard line...that the squib kick grazed the kicker's right leg about 5 yards from the tee. No, the fact is the Tommies are a force, and while I haven't yet seen Bethel, they appear to be the squad to be reckoned with in the MIAC this year. I'm not ready to throw Augie in the mix.

[sju56321]

SJU probably stays close in one game-14 points- and gets beat better in the other. I would guess that since SJU seems to have UST figure out, that game might be a loss by 14-17 points. I could see Bethel being a loss by 21+.
I could see SJU losing to either Carlton or St. Olaf to finish 5-5. (Question here is does SJU go with Bruns from here on out-he looked very good in that last drive-that could make for an interesting rest of the season).
But that doesn't mean that next year SJU doesn't rebound and contend for the MIAC championship, expecially if they play the underclassmen and gain valuable experience.

[DuffMan]

(Question here is does SJU go with Bruns from here on out-he looked very good in that last drive-that could make for an interesting rest of the season).

Imagine that.  4 games into the season and they haven't settled on a QB yet   I thought Bruns looked good when I saw him, too.  He's only a sophomore, and while the Johnnies aren't technically out of the hunt for a playoff berth, it seems highly unlikely.  So, Bruns is my choice, but I don't see that happening.

[USTBench]

That being said, what's up with going for the 2-pt conversion with a 20 point lead, then when it fails, pulling the onside kick?

I thought the two point conversion was strange. It wasn't like they'd missed a point after attempt prior.

But the onside kick just struck me as gutsy and brilliant. UST took the ball to start the half and scored. By going for the onside kick, recovering it and then scoring, they essentially put the game out of reach. And up by 20 early in the 3rd quarter is not the time to take your foot off the gas in my opinion. Especially given the way Concordia came back last week against SJU.

Hazzbeen...of course you are correct about the onside kick...it just doesn't FEEL like the right decision when your team is getting it handed to them, and that it came on the heels of the curious 2-point attempt. It wouldn't help at this point either to state that it certainly appeared from my seat...right on the 30-yard line...that the squib kick grazed the kicker's right leg about 5 yards from the tee. No, the fact is the Tommies are a force, and while I haven't yet seen Bethel, they appear to be the squad to be reckoned with in the MIAC this year. I'm not ready to throw Augie in the mix.

Wasn't a fan of the two point call, but was really digging the onside kick. I think the Caruso philosophy isn't predicated on running up the score (as it may appear sometimes), but putting as much crazy stuff on tape as possible. There are instances, I feel, when UST could have made it a lot worse than it was for some teams, but Caruso likes getting looks at his younger talent and doing some different things from a play calling stand point when he thinks games are in hand.

[USTBench]

SJU probably stays close in one game-14 points- and gets beat better in the other. I would guess that since SJU seems to have UST figure out, that game might be a loss by 14-17 points. I could see Bethel being a loss by 21+.
I could see SJU losing to either Carlton or St. Olaf to finish 5-5. (Question here is does SJU go with Bruns from here on out-he looked very good in that last drive-that could make for an interesting rest of the season).
But that doesn't mean that next year SJU doesn't rebound and contend for the MIAC championship, expecially if they play the underclassmen and gain valuable experience.

What would a win over SJU mean for Ramler should Gags ride off into the sunset? Or has the heir apparent in-house already been decided?

[SagatagSam]

SJU probably stays close in one game-14 points- and gets beat better in the other. I would guess that since SJU seems to have UST figure out, that game might be a loss by 14-17 points. I could see Bethel being a loss by 21+.
I could see SJU losing to either Carlton or St. Olaf to finish 5-5. (Question here is does SJU go with Bruns from here on out-he looked very good in that last drive-that could make for an interesting rest of the season).
But that doesn't mean that next year SJU doesn't rebound and contend for the MIAC championship, expecially if they play the underclassmen and gain valuable experience.

What would a win over SJU mean for Ramler should Gags ride off into the sunset? Or has the heir apparent in-house already been decided?

I hope that the replacement for Gags doesn't come from within the current staff. There'd be too much temptation to maintain the status quo.
SJU would be stupid not to pursue Ramler after Gags retires....

....though don't count on that anytime soon. Longevity runs in the Gagliardi blood. I want to say John's mother lived well into her 90s.