Positives And Negatives Of The Night

[SUMG]

Positives:

1) Great crowd....students were awesome....especially on such a hot evening.

2) To me, that was the best our defense has played since Deloach has been back. I know it sounds bad, them giving up 32.....but that was because they were constantly dealing with horrible field position situations. How many drives did Rice start in our end of the field? We totally took McGuffie out of the game (except for the first play).

3) How bout the afterburners of Stratford? Man, did he pull away from their DBs on that TD run.

Negatives:

1) Special teams

2) Special teams

3) Special teams

There were other negatives....but special teams cost us this game. From not fielding punts to kickoffs out of bounds....to coverage. Did you see how well Rice covered kicks and punts?

Just my opinions anyway.

[NT91]

Did NT own the stats in this game like last week?

[Travis]

Negatives:

Recievers dropping catchable balls

Secondary dropping catchable interceptions

Special teams super sucky- WHY DO WE NOT PUT OUR BEST PLAYERS OUT THERE FOR THIS?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Dumb penalties

Questionable calls from the coaches

THe F'ing heat

[Harry]

How about another loss against a team we shoudl have beat against in front of a good crowd. John you are such a class act like many of our fans you try to put a good spin but the reality is another good crowd of aour fans and students were served another loss again at home. How long can we continue to face this? Is there any accounatabilty? Thus getting hard for us. GMG!

[akriesman]

How many games have we lost over the last 3+ years because of special teams ? In the end, it just may cost our head coach his job.

Our offense was better tonight. Our defense was better. But, our special teams were a complete joke (again).

[NT91]

How many home game wins do we have over the past 4 years?

[meangreen2018]

Alright, I saw a lot of positives in this game. And there were a lot of negatives too...

But you gotta hand it to the D. They played really well, especially for how good of field position rice had to start every drive.

The offense was not on its best game. They played really well against clemson and not so well against rice. We had two fumbles (Lance and Nathan), 1 Int, and a lot of dropped passes. But is any of that the coaches fault? No, Its the players' mistakes.

So everyone needs to stop being so freaking negative about the coaching. If anyone messed up on coaching, it would be chico, because he didnt get the ball to lance enough, but not Dodge or Deloach. In my opinion, they both coached good games.

And special teams..wasn't very good. But hey, we blocked a punt. Trent Deans made his PATs. We still have a lot to work on, but I think we have a good shot at Army. We just have to start strong and finish strong.

[CaribbeanGreen]

I'm glad at least some modicum of sanity is being shown here re: the defense. I was fearing the 32-21 score and late meltdown would make this another "the defense cost us another one!!!1!" night, but it so obviously wasn't the case.

It really wasn't anything new - Special teams were beyond embarrassing, as they have been for 3+ years now. We came out completely flat and were down before you could blink, just like last week and most of the past 3+ years..... The offense made the same horrible mistakes, turned the ball over, inexplicably forgot Dunbar existed, and piled up solid numbers that mask huge and timely deficiencies.... again, same song as the last 3+ years. I've yet to see a huge sea change as we transition from Dodge to Canales...... maybe it just takes some more time, but time is a luxury this staff doesn't (and shouldn't) have.

The positive difference tonight? The defense. The defense played head and shoulders beyond the majority of the past three years (after the initial meltdown on the McGuffie wheel route) and kept us alive in a game that frankly, should have been a Rice blowout in the 2nd quarter.

Crowd was good, I just wonder how much of it is left by the time ULL rolls in here.

[LoveMG]

positives were the crowd, offense except for turnovers, jeremy phillips, tyler stratford.

negatives were secondary, special teams again, heat, injuries and pure bad luck.

[SUMG]

To me....Special Teams have been awful under Dodge every year. No matter who coaches the Special Teams...no matter the kickers, punters, return people that we have.

I have never seen a team miss as many PATs and FGs as we did last year. We've had way too many blocked punts, blocked FGs and blocked PATs.

Kickoffs out of bounds....occur way too often. If their KO receiver had let that one go out of bounds tonight....we would have had 3 KOs out of bounds in two games.

We're back to the point where any FG over 35 yards.....we're scared to even try.

I would think that TD knowing this was his "do or die" year...would have tried like crazy to correct some of this stuff.

Maybe he has. But when I see such lousy special teams (worst I've ever seen at NT)....it's easy for me to conclude that Special Teams just aren't a point of emphasis with Todd. Maybe I'm wrong. I like TD a lot and want him to succeed....but these losses are getting really, really old.

Edited September 12, 2010 by SUMG

[GrayEagle]

Did NT own the stats in this game like last week?

Yes, but not by all that much. We bested them about 50 yds passing and 20 yds rushing. They were better on the special teams stats as you might imagine.

[Rudy]

Positives:

Defense. They were the reason we were so close. Yes, they gave up some big plays, but that's because they were on the field alot. They are not experienced enough to be the type of D that can win a game by themselves, yet.

Offense. We moved the ball, and we scored

GREAT CROWD!

Negatives.

Tackling. Still a problem

DB's getting burned. TAKE THE PI, 15 yards is better than 60 with a TD

Special teams. They're "special"

play calling. Use Riley better. Use Dunbar like he should be used.

Too many dropped balls. Im in for a can of that sticky stuff to spray on the hands.

[Hunter Green]

John, you have hit the nail right on the head. Special teams play will be the epitomy of Todd Dodges' career. Well coached teams do make the mistakes our boys do game in and game out. I'm sorry to say, but Dodge will be fired this season and with good reason. A culture of losing has set in and I don't believe the coaches believe they can win either. As much as I like Canales and Deloach, it's time to clean house and bring in a PROVEN head coach with his own staff. The Dodge experiment is and should be over.

[FLAUNTER]

Guys, this is another demoralizing loss to take. I don't think I have seen them win a game in a few years. Very tough one to take, especially with such a good crowd.

Better Win Next Week!

[eulesseagle]

I thought the game was the best "overall" effort on both sides of the ball in the Dodge era. NT started out a little shakey letting the long pass go through for a TD and the four or five dropped passes in the first quarter and a couple of bad punts giving Rice excellent field position but after the first quarter NT played really pretty steady and consistant. Can not do anything about the two 50 yard field goals from Rice. Nice kicks. NT did stop Rice in the "Red Zone" one time then blocked a field goal.

In every game there are going to be break away plays as was exhibited last night from both teams.

Thompson looked really good as a back up.....but....you have got to ask yourself is NT snakebit at the QB position in the Dodge era by QB injuries. Just hope Tune is ok.

The biggest negative about the game was not having the NT dancers on our side of the field.

The biggest positive was the crowd staying until the end.

This was the second game of the season and I feel certain that NT can still win six....maybe seven games.

[Travis]

I thought the game was the best "overall" effort on both sides of the ball in the Dodge era. .

If true then does this not make you angry?!?! in our best effort we still lose. I argue that it isn't our best but if it was that doesn't help. It only adds more fuel to the fire.

Like last year, when dodge and co. kept saying how "this year is different" "our boys really care this time" and in their best year they yielded 2 wins.

These things just fall on deaf ears.

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

This team doesn't need to be coddled.

They lost this game.

The coaching staff didn't get a punt blocked, lose two fumbled, miss a FG, drop passes in the endzone, throw and INT, shank two or three punts, place kick the ball out of bounds twice, drop two interceptions, allow the kick returner 40 yard when he did actually touch the ball, not be able to push a lumbering TE out of bounds to save a TD, etc, etc, etc.

With the long list of player mistakes, it is insane to think that we had the lead in the 4th. Even more amazing is that Rice only put up 31 points when they started 8 drives within OUR 40 yard line.

Maybe the 25 pt loss went to these team's collective head and this wakes them up.

TEAM! Please don't give up.

Edited September 12, 2010 by SteaminWillieBeamin

[GoMeanGreen1999]

This team doesn't need to be coddled.

They lost this game.

The coaching staff didn't get a punt blocked, lose two fumbled, miss a FG, drop passes in the endzone, throw and INT, shank two or three punts, place kick the ball out of bounds twice, drop two interceptions, allow the kick returner 40 yard when he did actually touch the ball, not be able to push a lumbering TE out of bounds to save a TD, etc, etc, etc.

With the long list of player mistakes, it is insane to think that we had the lead in the 4th. Even more amazing is that Rice only put up 31 points when they started 8 drives within OUR 40 yard line.

Maybe the 25 pt loss went to these team's collective head and this wakes them up.

TEAM! Please don't give up.

Question - at 5-33, just how much worse does it have to get before you say it might be coaching?

Va Tech consistently, year after year, blocks punts - is that coaching or just the players?

Edited September 12, 2010 by GoMeanGreen1999

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

Question - at 5-33, just how much worse does it have to get before you say it might be coaching?

You will never hear me say that we have been lacking in the coaching experience. However, this year we have experience all over the coaching payroll. Therefore I wasn't taking the history of the program into my argument. I was taking this team and this year.

Game one was well coached.

Game two was an abortion.

I still want to see game three before my head asplodes.

I figured we would be 2-2 in our first 4. I didn't think we would lose our one home game though. Let's see what this team can string together in the next two weeks. I am letting this new experience gel. If it doesn't, then we know the end result of the season. So I am not getting gray haired on this game -- we know how the story ends if he continues to lose.

It has been a rough start to the season with injuries. I can't remember a season like it. Yet, this is why we have the experienced coaches to coach us out of this situation. I just hope they can do it and save their jobs.

[TIgreen01]

Yep...special teams continue to be a joke. Our kick and punt coverage is just terrible. Can we not find a couple of gunners who can actually make a play on a return man??! I can't remember any of them even getting within a few yards of the return men last night. It's time we start putting some guys there who actually want to hit and tackle somebody...or at least have some field awareness and turn the returner into the help.

We had a blocked punt and blocked field goal (though it was erased by a penalty) go against us. It is mostly chaos behind our line on punts. Rice crashed multiple men through on most of our kicks but only managed to block one. WTH are our blocking schemes?! They flat out suck.

It's hard to look past that stuff in year 4 when we've been seeing the same crap play on special teams every year since Dodge got here.

Positives:

Defense was consistently aggressive last night. That was great to see. Really the only 2 plays that stood out (going against us) were the first play from scrimmage for Rice and the TE rumbling down the sideline on the 20+ TD reception...but that looked like our D didn't get the call in and we had mass confusion before the snap. Outside of that, defense played really well.

Negatives:

Not using Dunbar or Hamilton more.

Dropped passes.

Riley Dodge's usage....we've got to sprinkle in a few passes when he's at QB or he's going to have no chance to make plays.

Tune getting injured really, really sucked

Also, anyone else think the heat on RV is going to be really, really hot unless Thompson turns out to be a Dodge Savior? Lost starting center, starting QB, starting CB.....lots of critical injuries in just 2 games. 7 games is going to be awfully hard to enforce with just the injuries we've sustained thus far. What if it continues?

Edited September 12, 2010 by TIgreen01

[LoveMG]

The coaching staff didn't get a punt blocked, lose two fumbled, miss a FG, drop passes in the endzone, throw and INT, shank two or three punts, place kick the ball out of bounds twice, drop two interceptions, allow the kick returner 40 yard when he did actually touch the ball, not be able to push a lumbering TE out of bounds to save a TD, etc, etc, etc.

the coaching staff recruited those players and decided which players to put on the field. if they make those mistakes it is the coaches fault.

[VideoEagle]

the coaching staff recruited those players and decided which players to put on the field. if they make those mistakes it is the coaches fault.

By that bizarre logic, any play ever made is because of coaching and players have nothing to do with it. You realize that makes no sense at all, don't you?

[LoveMG]

By that bizarre logic, any play ever made is because of coaching and players have nothing to do with it. You realize that makes no sense at all, don't you?

the definition of a coaching staff about to be fired is to keep allowing the same players to make the same mistakes and expecting different results.

[DallasGreen]

Any coach will tell you all that they can do is put the players in a position to win. They can not win it for the players. That being said using Riley Dodge in a short yardage situation does not put you in a position to succeed. Every other team knows he has no arm strength and is about as durable as a straw doll. Anyone and I mean ANYONE is a better choice in that situation. Hell give me Micah Mosley to make the yard, much less Hamilton, Dunbar or a host of others.

[UNT90]

Also, anyone else think the heat on RV is going to be really, really hot unless Thompson turns out to be a Dodge Savior? Lost starting center, starting QB, starting CB.....lots of critical injuries in just 2 games. 7 games is going to be awfully hard to enforce with just the injuries we've sustained thus far. What if it continues?

This is complete bullshit. All teams face injuries. I am so sick and tired of excuses. Win 7 or see ya later.

Depth is the responsibility of the head coach, ya know.