4th Quarter Meltdowns

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 16, 2011

Listened to the game while at the State Fair...which pissed off my wife. Getting kids from ride to ride with one earplug in. Meh...what do you want from women?

Anyway, I was proud of the defensive effort, until...as I mentioned in my mid-season grade of the coaching staff...the fourth quarter meltdown.

At some point, this coaching staff has got to convince the team that football is a 60 minute game, not a 45 minute game.

Some thought it was overly harsh to bitch about letting Indiana and FAU back up in the fourth quarter. But, the truth is, the way you do things become habitual.

This team had a second half letdown against Houston after a close first half. It went close with what wil be the winner of the Sun Belt this year - and, on the road - until the fourth. It has almost coughed up leads in the two wins because of poor play in the fourth quarter.

Offensive problems aside, the object of a football game is to score more points than your opponent. For 45 minutes, our defense was more than giving us those opportunities. But, again, they laid down in the fourth.

I suspect the defense will be, "Well, the defense is worn out because the offense can't move the ball." Okay, so quit? A winning attitude says, "To hell with our offense, we'll go out and get this one until they can come around!"

I think Bowen has these guys about 3/4 of the way there. I'm waiting to see a complete game out of this unit, though. I hope it will be against ULM at homecoming.

(Just for the record, until we get a coach and/or offensive coordinator who understands what a fullback and tight end do, I have no hope for the offense. There are no playmakers on the offensive side of the ball this year.)

FINAL NOTE: I also noted being mystified by our kicking problems this year despite having a full time special teams coach. I admit it, I still don't get it. My guess is, he's got the kid overthinking things. If so, back off and let the kid do the routine that made him successful last year.

I counted three FG opportunities for us during the game. Two we bypassed and failed. The other was a miss. My philosophy is that you take points on the road. The kid has hit from 50+. The two bypassed efforts would have been well short of that range. Not happy about what is happening with the kicking. The decisions made at potential FG time were, in my opinion, not good coaching choices.

Edited October 16, 2011 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

MeanGreenTexan · October 16, 2011

Listened to the game while at the State Fair...which pissed off my wife. Getting kids from ride to ride with one earplug in. Meh...what do you want from women?

Anyway, I was proud of the defensive effort, until...as I mentioned in my mid-season grade of the coaching staff...the fourth quarter meltdown.

At some point, this coaching staff has got to convince the team that football is a 60 minute game, not a 45 minute game.

Some thought it was overly harsh to bitch about letting Indiana and FAU back up in the fourth quarter. But, the truth is, the way you do things become habitual.

This team had a second half letdown against Houston after a close first half. It went close with what wil be the winner of the Sun Belt this year - and, on the road - until the fourth. It has almost coughed up leads in the two wins because of poor play in the fourth quarter.

Offensive problems aside, the object of a football game is to score more points than your opponent. For 45 minutes, our defense was more than giving us those opportunities. But, again, they laid down in the fourth.

I suspect the defense will be, "Well, the defense is worn out because the offense can't move the ball." Okay, so quit? A winning attitude says, "To hell with our offense, we'll go out and get this one until they can come around!"

I think Bowen has these guys about 3/4 of the way there. I'm waiting to see a complete game out of this unit, though. I hope it will be against ULM at homecoming.

(Just for the record, until we get a coach and/or offensive coordinator who understands what a fullback and tight end do, I have no hope for the offense. There are no playmakers on the offensive side of the ball this year.)

FINAL NOTE: I also noted being mystified by our kicking problems this year despite having a full time special teams coach. I admit it, I still don't get it. My guess is, he's got the kid overthinking things. If so, back off and let the kid do the routine that made him successful last year.

I counted three FG opportunities for us during the game. Two we bypassed and failed. The other was a miss. My philosophy is that you take points on the road. The kid has hit from 50+. The two bypassed efforts would have been well short of that range. Not happy about what is happening with the kicking. The decisions made at potential FG time were, in my opinion, not good coaching choices.

I bet they have this attitude, but this is certainly a valid excuse in my eyes. When your offense keeps going 3 & out, how on earth can the D stay rested to back up their attitude?

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 16, 2011

After thinking about it, I more agree with you. I'd just like to see four solid quarters of Mean Green football at some point in my remaining years on this earth.

MeanGreenTexan · October 16, 2011

After thinking about it, I more agree with you. I'd just like to see four solid quarters of Mean Green football at some point in my remaining years on this earth.

:stupid:

You and I both my friend...

keith · October 16, 2011

I bet they have this attitude, but this is certainly a valid excuse in my eyes. When your offense keeps going 3 & out, how on earth can the D stay rested to back up their attitude?

I don't understand this. This is one of our go to excuses that the defense simply gets worn down because they are on the field so long, but the facts don't back that up. We have won the Time of Possession battle in all 7 games this year. Some by pretty wide margins. It seems to me there is plenty of time for the defense to rest. How could they possibly be more tired than the other team's defense who has actually been out on the field longer than ours?

Keith

GrandGreen · October 16, 2011

I don't understand this. This is one of our go to excuses that the defense simply gets worn down because they are on the field so long, but the facts don't back that up. We have won the Time of Possession battle in all 7 games this year. Some by pretty wide margins. It seems to me there is plenty of time for the defense to rest. How could they possibly be more tired than the other team's defense who has actually been out on the field longer than ours?

Keith

Good point, I also wonder why you seldom if ever hear of an offense getting tired.

greenminer · October 16, 2011

I don't understand this. This is one of our go to excuses that the defense simply gets worn down because they are on the field so long, but the facts don't back that up. We have won the Time of Possession battle in all 7 games this year. Some by pretty wide margins. It seems to me there is plenty of time for the defense to rest. How could they possibly be more tired than the other team's defense who has actually been out on the field longer than ours?

Keith

Something else to consider is downs/snaps actually played. Offensive tempos can vary so wildly.

Travis · October 16, 2011

Something else to consider is downs/snaps actually played. Offensive tempos can vary so wildly.

Yes, but... time on the field is time on the field. Either way, the defense is getting rest on the opposite end. We are getting more rest than the other team in every game. I don't buy the defense is getting tired bit.

Big Green · October 16, 2011

Listened to the game while at the State Fair...which pissed off my wife. Getting kids from ride to ride with one earplug in. Meh...what do you want from women?

Anyway, I was proud of the defensive effort, until...as I mentioned in my mid-season grade of the coaching staff...the fourth quarter meltdown.

At some point, this coaching staff has got to convince the team that football is a 60 minute game, not a 45 minute game.

Some thought it was overly harsh to bitch about letting Indiana and FAU back up in the fourth quarter. But, the truth is, the way you do things become habitual.

This team had a second half letdown against Houston after a close first half. It went close with what wil be the winner of the Sun Belt this year - and, on the road - until the fourth. It has almost coughed up leads in the two wins because of poor play in the fourth quarter.

Offensive problems aside, the object of a football game is to score more points than your opponent. For 45 minutes, our defense was more than giving us those opportunities. But, again, they laid down in the fourth.

I suspect the defense will be, "Well, the defense is worn out because the offense can't move the ball." Okay, so quit? A winning attitude says, "To hell with our offense, we'll go out and get this one until they can come around!"

I think Bowen has these guys about 3/4 of the way there. I'm waiting to see a complete game out of this unit, though. I hope it will be against ULM at homecoming.

(Just for the record, until we get a coach and/or offensive coordinator who understands what a fullback and tight end do, I have no hope for the offense. There are no playmakers on the offensive side of the ball this year.)

FINAL NOTE: I also noted being mystified by our kicking problems this year despite having a full time special teams coach. I admit it, I still don't get it. My guess is, he's got the kid overthinking things. If so, back off and let the kid do the routine that made him successful last year.

I counted three FG opportunities for us during the game. Two we bypassed and failed. The other was a miss. My philosophy is that you take points on the road. The kid has hit from 50+. The two bypassed efforts would have been well short of that range. Not happy about what is happening with the kicking. The decisions made at potential FG time were, in my opinion, not good coaching choices.

Amen Brother

glick1980 · October 17, 2011

The field goal thing is killing me....We actually had two FG attempts during the game, the first one was blocked, the 4th or 5th block we have given up this season....The second we missed, but I have to think Olen is pressing due to all the blocks. All of the blocks have come in different games, and it has not been corrected. It would be more understandable if we had a few blocked in one game and corrected the mistake, but we have had FG's blocked in most of our games, and we have yet to correct the mistakes.