UR vs.Maine In Game Thread
- Thread starter TarrantFan
- Start date
With all due respects, Stonewall D the O has been incapable of sustained drives on a consistent basis since Strauss went down. Look at the stats, this ain't a mystery. Poor decision making is almost an understatement and I don't mean play calling.
Look, 6 turnovers are not too bad. (Were there really 6?) You need to remember that this team is very good. They deserve the benefit of the doubt. The Spiders could have come back. They were in it until the end. They fought hard. They were warriors.
Purple people will buy up remaining tickets for next weekends game.It will be a sellout because of them.They have a shot at the playoffs if they win in the Brickhouse.
Strauss in Orono but not in uniform.Walked across field unaided at conclusion of game and Cosgrove shook his hand and spent 15 secs saying something.Maybe it was " Boy,I'm glad you didn't play today".Seriously,Strauss looked quite mobile.
Stonewall - At least three of those turnovers where absolute daggers to the heart, courtesy of our QB. I'm only now realizing how very lucky we were to beat Villanova. This is my very last commentary on today's debacle; from now on, nothing but sweetness and light. Go Spiders!
Fan I Maine did blitz but predictable of if it was 3rd and long they blitzed every time. Every time Rocco tried some type of sideline timing pass. there should have been some type of seam or slant route quick hitter as there had to be space. Also a couple of dumb penalties like late hit after they are stopped on downs, pass interference, etc...Maine just looked like they wanted this game a lot more then us. They looked faster to the ball, hit harder, and their QB who is a freshmen, made great decisions on his throws and I don't think we came close to intercepting any of his throws.
Striper fishing and basketball next weekend as I think this game cooked our goose.
Striper fishing and basketball next weekend as I think this game cooked our goose.
We really crapped the bed today.
Win the next two, we're probably in the play offs.
Lose any one of the games remaining, we can pack up the helmets until next Sept.
I am sure the Barneys are foaming at the mouth to get at us!
I have not gone to their board,
I predict they will take over The Bread Box (their term for Robins Stadium) with their purple. We'd better be ready. I really hate those guys!
Win the next two, we're probably in the play offs.
Lose any one of the games remaining, we can pack up the helmets until next Sept.
I am sure the Barneys are foaming at the mouth to get at us!
I have not gone to their board,
I predict they will take over The Bread Box (their term for Robins Stadium) with their purple. We'd better be ready. I really hate those guys!
This game was merely everything negative coming together at one time against a very beatable team. Rocco has been lucky up to this point as a QB. How he ever started at U. Va. over Strauss is a mystery. Strauss is the much better QB. Rocco was fortunate that the teams we played after Strauss went down were even more beatable than Maine (with the exception of Villanova, of course, and that was a game we won in spite of Rocco). The formation we use when punting is ridiculous. I have seen other teams use it too, but I always see punts almost blocked in this formation. Why not use the simple formation the pros use. It seems to work well for them. Finally, our offensive line is average at best. They were exposed today for being merely average. Our RBs aren't great, but the line doesn't help either. I have been a supporter of Coach Rocco, but I think his poor decision making and play calling at various times hurt the team today. But overall, the solution today was simple: with Strauss we win, with Rocco, we do not.
As a mediocre intercollegiate athlete, and a youth league coach, I'm in awe of our current teams. That said, I think UR football is too prone to errors. We place an emphasis on quarterbacks making quick throws. Strauss is much better at this. With Rocco, you need to give him more time, to survey the defense. Fisher has been a pretty consistent runner, but he had only 5 carries. We have some great TEs, and we emphasize a short passing game, so, why aren't we using them?
Our defense seems to be, to not make a mistake, and capitalize on the opponent's mistakes. Too many games, where they don't make mistakes, and they exploit our soft coverage. Maine had a very weak offense, and we didn't take advantage of it.
All of that said, I feel for the team and the coaches. Every game is uncertain. I think we do have a better team than Maine. They simply played better today. Maine gives scholarships just like Richmond does. There are really, no gimme games.
Two games left, I think our guys will be as motivated as they can be, to show what they're capable of.
Let me add, that it wasn't a raucous capacity filled stadium that uplifted the Bears. Lots of empty seats.
This post was edited on 11/8 6:25 PM by TBSpyder
Our defense seems to be, to not make a mistake, and capitalize on the opponent's mistakes. Too many games, where they don't make mistakes, and they exploit our soft coverage. Maine had a very weak offense, and we didn't take advantage of it.
All of that said, I feel for the team and the coaches. Every game is uncertain. I think we do have a better team than Maine. They simply played better today. Maine gives scholarships just like Richmond does. There are really, no gimme games.
Two games left, I think our guys will be as motivated as they can be, to show what they're capable of.
Let me add, that it wasn't a raucous capacity filled stadium that uplifted the Bears. Lots of empty seats.
This post was edited on 11/8 6:25 PM by TBSpyder
Of course, I am beyond depressed about today's performance, but to be an optimist...
If the day after the UNH loss, someone had told us we would be 7-3 at this point, would anyone have been surprised? This is where we expected to be. We knew we could do better and hoped we would, but 7-3 seemed like the consensus expectation. We just took a different route to get here.
If the day after the UNH loss, someone had told us we would be 7-3 at this point, would anyone have been surprised? This is where we expected to be. We knew we could do better and hoped we would, but 7-3 seemed like the consensus expectation. We just took a different route to get here.
Handing over double-digit points like the offense and special teams did today with TOs and mistakes is a recipe for disaster. While our D didn't seem to be attacking a young QB and offense, this one is all on the O beginning with their coaches all the way down to the O line and QB. They all get an F for today's performance.
If anyone thinks our coaches want to have a balanced attack, I certainly don't believe it. Streeter has only proved last 2 seasons that he's NOT going to do what it takes to have a running game, which starts with your O line development and also handing the ball off to RBs enough to make teams stop blitzing nearly every play. And you have to come up with a game plan that makes the opposing D pay for their aggressiveness, and we don't have any creativity in play calling to make that happen. We're simply way too predictable.
Our O Line is also average. Just don't get how we've fallen so far when we used to have decent pass blocking and give up very few sacks. The bad run blocking has been chronicled on this board for years. Part of last season and this year our QBs have been sacked and rushed endlessly. And Strauss survived simply because he's a better QB with a much quicker release and makes better decisions, even though he's also had his moments with INTs.
Really hoping Strauss is ready to play next 2 games and won't be too rusty. Otherwise, I fear Spiders will be heading home once again for Thanksgiving instead of preparing for a playoff game.
If anyone thinks our coaches want to have a balanced attack, I certainly don't believe it. Streeter has only proved last 2 seasons that he's NOT going to do what it takes to have a running game, which starts with your O line development and also handing the ball off to RBs enough to make teams stop blitzing nearly every play. And you have to come up with a game plan that makes the opposing D pay for their aggressiveness, and we don't have any creativity in play calling to make that happen. We're simply way too predictable.
Our O Line is also average. Just don't get how we've fallen so far when we used to have decent pass blocking and give up very few sacks. The bad run blocking has been chronicled on this board for years. Part of last season and this year our QBs have been sacked and rushed endlessly. And Strauss survived simply because he's a better QB with a much quicker release and makes better decisions, even though he's also had his moments with INTs.
Really hoping Strauss is ready to play next 2 games and won't be too rusty. Otherwise, I fear Spiders will be heading home once again for Thanksgiving instead of preparing for a playoff game.
I've never understood the rationale for that punt formation at the HS or collegiate level. I would always much rather block everyone at the line of scrimmage rather than let three or four guys get a 10-yard running start before I try to block them. Also, as we saw today, it is easier to visually miss a guy in this formation than I assume it would be at the line of scrimmage, when everyone has a clear view of the guy he is going to be blocking.
It seems illogical, but then I'm not a football guy and I suppose there must be a reason for it.
It seems illogical, but then I'm not a football guy and I suppose there must be a reason for it.
Vienna, those turnovers were not daggers, they were opportunities for improvement for the offense. They were also golden chances for the defense.
Young Rocco cannot feel good about what happened yesterday.4 picks which led to Maine scores would not make anyone happy.Lots of pressure on the kid.He's had no backup for 4 weeks.Everything is on him.He also knows that his uncle wants to keep Kyle in a redshirt.I actually feel for the kid who must feel undue pressure just having Uncle Danny as his head coach.Hopefully,he has wiped yesterday's fiasco from his mind.Self doubt would be a crippler which we shouldn't create.For the time being,young Rocco is the only alternative at QB.
Adding to Young Rocco's UR experience since he enrolled in Jan 2013 is that he was hoping to play last season.He had a yo yo wait and see outcome from the NCAA.He was gonna play,he was not gonna play.Practice Spring ball .End up ineligible to play.Sit out a year wanting to play.Cant play.Talk about frustrating.He's 22 years old.Not as mature and worldly as everyone who posts on this board particularly all those who have played the game and have great inside knowledge about everything.Now he's got no backup.Ease up on the kid.He's been through a lot since he came to UR.Yesterday was a new low for him,if that is even possible.He needs our support not ridicule.For a 22 year old kid he's had his share of ups and downs,big time.
This post was edited on 11/9 4:03 PM by 32counter
This post was edited on 11/9 4:03 PM by 32counter
He was begging for the opportunity to start. How about the other 21 seniors that have been waiting 4/5 years to go to the playoffs? I'm sure he is feeling a lot of pressure, but we can still have the discussion. Michael Rocco doesn't have to read the message boards.
Hey Rick
I nor anyone would question the veracity of your statement but could you provide a transcript or reference for your statement that Young Rocco
"...was begging for the opportunity to start".Thanks.Look forward to your supplying facts which we know you have.
I nor anyone would question the veracity of your statement but could you provide a transcript or reference for your statement that Young Rocco
"...was begging for the opportunity to start".Thanks.Look forward to your supplying facts which we know you have.
32, you should go back and replay MR's Albany post game interview where he states how excited he was for this opportunity. He also said something along the lines that he kept thinking how this was the 6th game of the season and he was still the back up. So yes, I would agree with that statement that he was anxious to be the starter.
007-What?
Anxious and Begging don't mean the same.Or do they share the same definition.Let me check with the Chair of the UR English dept for his ruling whether there is a similar meaning for those 2 words.I'll get back to you.....In the meantime,good try.
Anxious and Begging don't mean the same.Or do they share the same definition.Let me check with the Chair of the UR English dept for his ruling whether there is a similar meaning for those 2 words.I'll get back to you.....In the meantime,good try.
32 - seriously. It's a figure of speech to say "begging". I beg to differ. Is that literally begging. Come on this is absurd.
Seriously,when someone writes that MR was "begging to start",the author should prove that MR said it.Seriously,the phrase begging to differ and begging to start have no similar context for the word begging.But let me check that with the UR English Chair.Will let you know.Seriously.I'll let you know.Seriously.
I believe it was a JOC article couple of weeks ago when he said he had been waiting for this opportunity to start but not necessarily the way it happened, I guess talking about Strauss going down. I guess "begging" wasn't the proper word 32 I will retract that statement. Too lazy to pull the transcript, sorry.
That punt formation is akin to the extra point try where most of the offensive line lines up to the side of the kicker and then all move in unison to in front of the kicker prior to the snap. Just line up and kick the damn ball.
I find it interesting that Danny has on a couple of occasions stated the game turned on the missed extra point. I wasn't there, so didn't see the sidelines, but it sure seemed to me that the air went out on the pick six. Easier to throw the kicker under the bus than family. Sorry, time to move on. Hope the team isn't as hungover as I am. I really don't like purple.
He never blames the QB, just like the opening drive of the New Hampshire game. Offense steamrolls down the field to the two yard line and Coach changes QB. Loses 3 yards, next 2 plays are in completions and Spiders kick FG rather than a TD.....lose game by 3 points. Saturday after the Maine game, Coach's interview never mentions 4 interceptions. Admittedly there were a lot of other mistakes to talk about! Beat JMU and all is forgiven!!!!!
Found it amusing that the quote in the RTD about the game, singled out the defense as having a bad day up there, saying there QB and RB ran all over us. I didn't watch the game, but the stats didn't bear the defense getting slashed on the running game. What the stats did day was our starting QB had 4 INT's and usually it is really tough to win when your QB throws 4 picks. That was probably the o-lines fault or maybe the receivers ran the wrong route.
I saw that and thought it was an absurd statement. That happened in the first 7 minutes of the game and we were winning 6-0 at that point. It was the kicker's first PAT miss of the season, there's no need to throw him under the bus in a game where the QB and the rest of the special teams were atrocious. Maine also missed their first PAT.
The game turned when the QB threw a screen to a defender that was returned for a TD, and on the ensuing kick, we fumbled and gave them the ball back for more points, then in the 2Q we had a punt blocked for a TD, then we get the ball back - have a 3 and out - 20 sec drive, give them the ball back and let them score to end the half after a 15 yard roughing the passer penalty on second and 15. 23-6 at half time, all points pretty much gifted to the other team.
