Wyoming Game 9-15-2018

[SmallTownTerrier]

I think Phil Martelli’ Comment about Billy Packer is needed at this point... Martelli told Packer to go get his own team... Take that however you wish.

[boulder3m]

Amen, STT. I don't think you can expect a first time head coach, on the road, playing great defense the whole game to go for a fourth and three at midfield against a team that had used all its time outs; with a kicker who can put it inside the 5 on occasion. He made the sensible correct call and our defense just couldn't handle them when we needed to. The fact is that Wyoming played better in that two minutes than they had all game and did what it took to win the game. We played a good game and showed that we were at least as good as a non-Big 5 FBS team a long way from home. Personally I hope our coaches and players gained confidence and knowledge from this game.

[Ruckus28]

It was the correct call. The Wyo defensive front had given us trouble all day and I for one didn’t have great confidence we could have gotten the first down. Big big risk. 4 and 1 or 2, maybe a different story.
Why didn’t we run the option? Look at their ends and safeties. That defense was no joke.
Disappointed we didn’t see Mosley. While playing a solid game, Newman rushed several throws and threw into triple coverage for the first INT (the second was a pick 6 had the defenders not run into each other). That is NOT the OC’s fault. In his defense, they were stunting like crazy and he didn’t have a lot of time. Also disappointed we didn’t try to punt out of bounds and pin them deep late.
Overall, a good showing to be proud of. But LOTS to learn from. Missed assignments plagued us on both sides of the ball. To only rush 3 and drop 8 into coverage only to complete a short crossing route in front of LBs is an issue of execution and focus/lack of experience. Missed Hinton on that play.
I am also convinced we were gassed on those last 2 drives. Altitude was an issue I believe.
No moral victory here. Should have won, but once again we just can’t have 3 TOS and expect to beat good teams. Same thing MA preached for 30 years.

[youngterrier]

I'm proud of our effort and may have been a little harsh yesterday. I no longer believe in moral victories for our program. We are a top 20 FCS program. 10 years ago that may not have been the case but now it's just frustrating.

I understand why we punted it, but when I say it's simple math, it's a gamble either way, but you're more likely to "win" one play than a series of a plays. The defense was gassed, etc.

[Loyal-T-dog]

What I believe:
We have a great group of young men that are going to improve every week.
We have excellent coaching that will have these young men prepared every week.
We have a HC that knows defense and has a tremendous defense to lean on.
We have an OC that, for the first time, has freedom and will also continue to improve.
Our QB's are going to throw more and will improve.
Our younger players got invaluable game experience yesterday regardless of the final score.
There are no moral victories but you have to lose a game like yesterday to create a bad taste for it.
We can play toe to toe with anyone and will only improve this level with the recruiting that will come.

What I know:
We are more talented than we have ever been.
We have zero to be negative about the first 3 games.
I was good with going or punting on the final 4th down (we need to be capable of both).
Joe just overthrew a nice corner route (that Wofford hasn't run in years) and that will be a TD in the future.
Lang isn't showing everything on O and Conklin isn't either on D.
Our OL is going to be five beasts on a mission very soon.
We allowed the bellhops to be in the first game and won.
We dominated inferior talent in the second game.
We were in position yesterday and came up short but everything that was wrong is correctable.
That rub route crossing pattern WY had for the last TD will be to our advantage next time someone attempts it (thank you pokes).
Wofford is a team that belongs with the capability of winning without having to play the perfect game or needing help.

Stay positive fellas.....the future is bright!
GO TERRIERS!

[SmallTownTerrier]

+1

[Retiredterrier]

Here is a U of Wyo website for sports and it has a good bit about the game. http://www.wyosports.net/

[WocoSix]

Not going to lie this one hurt even though its a nonconference game. And probably will have nothing but a positive impact on the rest of our season. But as most of us saw the better team came out on the short end of the stick. There were some key points of the game that I don't see mentioned. In my book if we make these plays or get these calls the game is over nor even close.

1. 1st Touchdown never happens if the Refs doesn't make the phantom roughing the passer call on 3rd and long. More than likely it becomes a FG attempt instead of 2 plays later a TD.
2. The INT on the first drive in the second half. If thrown out of bounds it give us a chance to kick the FG.
3. 4th & 4 with :25 we didn't get off the field. Some reason we never covered the RB out the back field. WYU ran the same RB flares several times and we paid for it keeping the drive alive.
4. Three times #18 of WYU kept ripping McAfee's helmet off. In fact our last drive if the Refs would have called the personal foul we would have had a 1st at their 35. And going for it 4 & 3 would have been an easier call or even a FG attempt.
5. Fumble in the 1st half didn't hurt as much but we cant have turnovers against the better teams.
6. On the last drive the missed tackle hurt us as well. It was 3rd and 15 and instead of making the tackle to make it 4 and 10 with the clock still running. WYU got a 1st down with clock stopped with less than 30 seconds remaining.

All of these are teachable moments, but there are some things we can clean up before conference play begins. WYU's QB stated he knew we were a Cover 3 team and that drags, comebacks, and flood routes would be available. I'm sure the Defensive coaches will do a better job of implementing Cover 1 and Cover 2 and also doing a better job of disguising coverages so the QB doesn't have such easy reads.

Offensively I was surprised we didn't see Miller Mosley as a change of pace. Especially when it looked like WYU had game planned a scheme to pinch the ends and stop the quick screens. All and all a great gameplan, but we have to take care of the football and on occasions get the old ground and pound back in motion. Also would have love to see Wofford continue the simple one man routes (outs, bubble screens, curls), but at some point we have to include the TE's and some simple QB rollouts where he has the option to run or throw.

I like where the team is heading and I think we have a special team as long as we keep making improvements and learn from our mistakes.

[youngterrier]

Am I just old and crotchety now and that's why I'm more pessimistic than most people here? Is it me?

[lawdog]

Not going to lie this one hurt even though its a nonconference game. And probably will have nothing but a positive impact on the rest of our season. But as most of us saw the better team came out on the short end of the stick. There were some key points of the game that I don't see mentioned. In my book if we make these plays or get these calls the game is over nor even close.

1. 1st Touchdown never happens if the Refs doesn't make the phantom roughing the passer call on 3rd and long. More than likely it becomes a FG attempt instead of 2 plays later a TD.
2. The INT on the first drive in the second half. If thrown out of bounds it give us a chance to kick the FG.
3. 4th & 4 with :25 we didn't get off the field. Some reason we never covered the RB out the back field. WYU ran the same RB flares several times and we paid for it keeping the drive alive.
4. Three times #18 of WYU kept ripping McAfee's helmet off. In fact our last drive if the Refs would have called the personal foul we would have had a 1st at their 35. And going for it 4 & 3 would have been an easier call or even a FG attempt.
5. Fumble in the 1st half didn't hurt as much but we cant have turnovers against the better teams.
6. On the last drive the missed tackle hurt us as well. It was 3rd and 15 and instead of making the tackle to make it 4 and 10 with the clock still running. WYU got a 1st down with clock stopped with less than 30 seconds remaining.

All of these are teachable moments, but there are some things we can clean up before conference play begins. WYU's QB stated he knew we were a Cover 3 team and that drags, comebacks, and flood routes would be available. I'm sure the Defensive coaches will do a better job of implementing Cover 1 and Cover 2 and also doing a better job of disguising coverages so the QB doesn't have such easy reads.

Offensively I was surprised we didn't see Miller Mosley as a change of pace. Especially when it looked like WYU had game planned a scheme to pinch the ends and stop the quick screens. All and all a great gameplan, but we have to take care of the football and on occasions get the old ground and pound back in motion. Also would have love to see Wofford continue the simple one man routes (outs, bubble screens, curls), but at some point we have to include the TE's and some simple QB rollouts where he has the option to run or throw.

I like where the team is heading and I think we have a special team as long as we keep making improvements and learn from our mistakes.

Well said WocoSix.

[walliver]

I had (and still have) mixed feelings about the 4th and 4 call. We were extremely lucky to stop Wyoming on their previous drive (tipped ball interception). The way the moved the ball on that drive worried me that we were unable to stop them at this point. A 4th down conversion would have won the game or given them a short field.

I personally wished we had tried, as I felt it was going to take another interception on the last drive to win the game.

[Peachy Carnahan]

I'm going to say something that might be controversial. I feel we went for it on fourth down over the last few decades because it was a do or die mentality...we did not feel as though we could stop the other team and we had to make a stand on that 4th and 3 or the game was over...It was a test...a David vs Goliath moment. If we lost, no worries, we were not supposed to win anyway, if we prevailed, we are world beaters.

I saw, in that 4th and 3 punt, a move to the next level. Our coach, believed we could go toe to toe with an FBS opponent and win based on our talent level. He was just 17 seconds off. They had to do everything right and we came up short. We stopped an FBS opponent for most of the game with Miles Brown out...with Horton hurt, with 2-3 three deep on the D line. When in our history have we moved with that much swagger.

Chins up Gents...We have a talented team.

[BigJohn94]

I totally agree Peachy (I was going to abbreviate your name, but then all I could think of was a blue hose). I was visiting my son at Ft Benning, so I didn't see nor hear any of the game, but was checking the score religiously. We had allowed Wyoming 10 points thru 58 minutes of football. I would have punted and put it in the defense's hands, all day long.

[youngterrier]

Any update on Horton? It's good that we have a bye this week

[boulder3m]

Hey Peachy +1