FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[cobbernation]

Let me start by saying this:  I have not seen the Johnnies play this year.  I have seen the Oles play.  I am basing this opinion on conversations that I have had with people associated with the SJU football program, what I have read on post patterns, what I have seen in reviewing statistics, and what I know about the St. Olaf football program.

If St. Olaf wants to win the game, they will need to do the following:
1.  Put pressure on Kofoed.  Make him make quick/rash decisions and watch as the mediocre QB shows up (not saying that he is a mediocre QB, but he can play inconsistently).
2.  The offense needs to play their game (PROTECT PENZ), and they will be fine.
3.  Remember, the Johnnies are not a team of superhumans, no matter what you read on here.  They are just regular people.

If it is close at the half, the Oles will take this one.

Oles 27, Johnnies 23

PASSING         GP   Effic Att-Cmp-Int   Pct  Yds       TD  Lng  Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed      5  163.84  127-87-5    68.5 1089  12  51 217.8

I can see where you would get that Koefed is inconsistent.  He is only completing 68.5% of his passes. 

[johnnie_esq]

Let me start by saying this:  I have not seen the Johnnies play this year.  I have seen the Oles play.  I am basing this opinion on conversations that I have had with people associated with the SJU football program, what I have read on post patterns, what I have seen in reviewing statistics, and what I know about the St. Olaf football program.

If St. Olaf wants to win the game, they will need to do the following:
1.  Put pressure on Kofoed.  Make him make quick/rash decisions and watch as the mediocre QB shows up (not saying that he is a mediocre QB, but he can play inconsistently).
2.  The offense needs to play their game (PROTECT PENZ), and they will be fine.
3.  Remember, the Johnnies are not a team of superhumans, no matter what you read on here.  They are just regular people.

If it is close at the half, the Oles will take this one.

Oles 27, Johnnies 23

PASSING         GP   Effic Att-Cmp-Int   Pct  Yds       TD  Lng  Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed      5  163.84  127-87-5    68.5 1089  12  51 217.8

I can see where you would get that Koefed is inconsistent.  He is only completing 68.5% of his passes. 

To be honest, if STO takes that approach I think they still lose.  Kofoed is at his best when he scrambles on a good field-- and SJU is a good field (not mud like in Northfield).  If they want to force Kofoed to make bad decisions they need to force him to stay in the pocket and use the delay blitz to make him throw of his back foot.  It worked in the first half by UWRF-- by Cord tried to blitz him from the outside which allowed AK to feel the pressure and scramble well. 

Offensively, while I haven't seen them play, I have seen Meidt offenses for about 10 years now, and I think STO needs to be comfortable and patient with what SJU will give them.  It's a not-well-hidden secret that SJU will give up short passes in favor of protecting the long ball; if STO tries to play the deep-ball passing matchup I think they struggle; if they stick with what SJU will give them their offense can stick with them.  But to protect Penz they will likely have to double Gunderson, meaning someone else on the line has one-on-one coverage--so they have to bring their A-game and not get caught flat-footed by SJU's d-line speed.

As to your last point, you are absolutely right-- SJU is not a team of superhumans.  They are just ordinary people doing things extraordinarily well.  (c) John Gagliardi.

[repete]

Interestingly and despite some kvetching on Saturday, many of Kofoed's numbers are better than the guy featured on the d3football cover == and that guy has played deeper into most games.

I disagree with Pat's comment that "St. John's fans HAVE TO BE worried" about the quarterbacking. It's pretty easy for me to write Saturday's struggles off on a number of levels. Seems like a bit of an overstatement.

[chadbrochillseventeen]

Did you know you'll be seeing a lot of this in your endzone saturday?

Did you also know, this other guy will be catching balls all over the sprinturf?

Agreed, and no Stanbob I could not have said it better myself, again!

[Pat Coleman]

Mac77, one correction in reference to the 2003 season. Bethel was not the final regular season game; Crown was! Where is Bluenote when we need him?

Hey, Johnnie Red!

CROWN!!! How could I have forgotten Crown?? (because I didn't go - was still thawing out from the Bethel game!)

Pfft, that wasn't that cold. I've had 15 years on the east coast to soften me up and I still did just fine.

[Pat Coleman]

Interestingly and despite some kvetching on Saturday, many of Kofoed's numbers are better than the guy featured on the d3football cover == and that guy has played deeper into most games.

I disagree with Pat's comment that "St. John's fans HAVE TO BE worried" about the quarterbacking. It's pretty easy for me to write Saturday's struggles off on a number of levels. Seems like a bit of an overstatement.

If you're able to write them off, go for it. It would trouble me.

[TC]

Interestingly and despite some kvetching on Saturday, many of Kofoed's numbers are better than the guy featured on the d3football cover == and that guy has played deeper into most games.

I disagree with Pat's comment that "St. John's fans HAVE TO BE worried" about the quarterbacking. It's pretty easy for me to write Saturday's struggles off on a number of levels. Seems like a bit of an overstatement.

If you're able to write them off, go for it. It would trouble me.

I've already discussed it to death so I'm not going to go into it much further, but what do you think is the best way to judge a player--off his single most recent (and admittedly poor) performance or off of the body of work that he amassed over the prior 3 and a half seasons?

Let it be a source of concern if you'd like but I'm not going to let one shaky half against UW-River Falls a rough game in the rain against Carleton overshadow a 3+ season track record of one of the best quarterbacks in St. John's history.

[Pat Coleman]

That's cool and all, but now you're blowing off a game and a half -- about a third of the schedule -- against inferior competition. Just want to make sure that's pointed out.

That was my take. Just saying.

[familyguyfaneightyfour]

Let me start by saying this:  I have not seen the Johnnies play this year.  I have seen the Oles play.  I am basing this opinion on conversations that I have had with people associated with the SJU football program, what I have read on post patterns, what I have seen in reviewing statistics, and what I know about the St. Olaf football program.

If St. Olaf wants to win the game, they will need to do the following:
1.  Put pressure on Kofoed.  Make him make quick/rash decisions and watch as the mediocre QB shows up (not saying that he is a mediocre QB, but he can play inconsistently).
2.  The offense needs to play their game (PROTECT PENZ), and they will be fine.
3.  Remember, the Johnnies are not a team of superhumans, no matter what you read on here.  They are just regular people.

If it is close at the half, the Oles will take this one.

Oles 27, Johnnies 23

PASSING         GP   Effic Att-Cmp-Int   Pct  Yds       TD  Lng  Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed      5  163.84  127-87-5    68.5 1089  12  51 217.8

I can see where you would get that Koefed is inconsistent.  He is only completing 68.5% of his passes. 

Kofoed's stats v. Carlton (2-2 w/ wins over Mac & UM-Morris)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            25-14-3   120  0   17    1

Kofoed v. UW-River Falls (1-4 w/ the win coming over Hope)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            26-13-1   116  1   36    3

Kofoed v. Concordia (3-2)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            32-26-0   303  4   33    0

Augsburg (does their record matter? it's augsburg....)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            20-16-1   301  4   51    1

Marrietta (0-5)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            24-18-0   249  3   33    0

he isn't exactly the poster boy for consistency this season.

To save you the trouble of pointing this out...
The Johnnies have played only one team with a winning record, Concordia, and that was Kodoed's best game.

[finsleft]

I just want to say that my position is somewhere between "blowing off a game and a half" and "worried".

Mayor Fins

[DustySJU]

Interestingly and despite some kvetching on Saturday, many of Kofoed's numbers are better than the guy featured on the d3football cover == and that guy has played deeper into most games.

I disagree with Pat's comment that "St. John's fans HAVE TO BE worried" about the quarterbacking. It's pretty easy for me to write Saturday's struggles off on a number of levels. Seems like a bit of an overstatement.

If you're able to write them off, go for it. It would trouble me.

I've already discussed it to death so I'm not going to go into it much further, but what do you think is the best way to judge a player--off his single most recent (and admittedly poor) performance or off of the body of work that he amassed over the prior 3 and a half seasons?

Let it be a source of concern if you'd like but I'm not going to let one shaky half against UW-River Falls a rough game in the rain against Carleton overshadow a 3+ season track record of one of the best quarterbacks in St. John's history.

TC;  There was no rain in Northfield, just soft turf.

Has Salem installed their plastic stuff yet?

Developing.....

[Pat Coleman]

Yep, the plastic is in place in Salem. They've played a D-III game on it already, in fact.

http://www.d3football.com/aroundtheregion/midatlantic/2007/Laying+the+foundation+of+a+series

[sju56321]

Yea-I'm darn worried. I hope SJU has Good Alex and he gets off to a fast start-otherwise, oh boy.

[Kilted Rat]

Let me start by saying this:  I have not seen the Johnnies play this year.  I have seen the Oles play.  I am basing this opinion on conversations that I have had with people associated with the SJU football program, what I have read on post patterns, what I have seen in reviewing statistics, and what I know about the St. Olaf football program.

If St. Olaf wants to win the game, they will need to do the following:
1.  Put pressure on Kofoed.  Make him make quick/rash decisions and watch as the mediocre QB shows up (not saying that he is a mediocre QB, but he can play inconsistently).
2.  The offense needs to play their game (PROTECT PENZ), and they will be fine.
3.  Remember, the Johnnies are not a team of superhumans, no matter what you read on here.  They are just regular people.

If it is close at the half, the Oles will take this one.

Oles 27, Johnnies 23

PASSING         GP   Effic Att-Cmp-Int   Pct  Yds       TD  Lng  Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed      5  163.84  127-87-5    68.5 1089  12  51 217.8

I can see where you would get that Koefed is inconsistent.  He is only completing 68.5% of his passes. 

Kofoed's stats v. Carlton (2-2 w/ wins over Mac & UM-Morris)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            25-14-3   120  0   17    1

Kofoed v. UW-River Falls (1-4 w/ the win coming over Hope)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            26-13-1   116  1   36    3

Kofoed v. Concordia (3-2)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            32-26-0   303  4   33    0

Augsburg (does their record matter? it's augsburg....)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            20-16-1   301  4   51    1

Marrietta (0-5)
Passing              Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack
-------------------------------------------------
Alex Kofoed            24-18-0   249  3   33    0

he isn't exactly the poster boy for consistency this season.

To save you the trouble of pointing this out...
The Johnnies have played only one team with a winning record, Concordia, and that was Kodoed's best game.

Kofoed has been the most consistent this year where it matters most: The Win column.

Throw out all the stats you want, but I'd rather win a game on a sh*tty quarterbacking performance than lose despite a great one! SJU is 34-5 since he took over as starting QB. How many QB's who have played 4 years can boast a win percentage of .872?

He's 31-3 in the regular season, .911.

[DuffMan]

To save you the trouble of pointing this out...
The Johnnies have played only one team with a winning record...

The same can be said for the Oles.