I’m glad the Razorbacks managed to escape a pretty good Vanderbilt team today. That’s what it was – escape. The margin of victory was essentially a botched extra point.
170 yards rushing, 224 yards passing. I’m okay with that. 39 runs and 20 passes. I’m okay with that, too. We need to have over 50% of our yards come from passing to be an effective major college offense.
Mitch was fortunate that interceptions were not a big problem. On the plus side, he made some good reads and really good throws.
The old standard Houston Dale offense would have gotten us beat today. If you are not noticing a lot of different stuff on offense by now, you are just not paying attention. We had six different receivers catch passes – three of them freshmen.
Giving up 240 yards rushing and three touchdowns to Vandy was not a good thing. I know we are short of linebackers, but Reggie Herring is going to have to improve his game-planning. He got abused a few times early in the game. It’s also obvious opposing coordinators easily read his blitzes and have attack plans ready to go.
We were fortunate that Houston Dale called time out and supposedly the wind picked up to knock the field goal down at the end of the game. We could easily have lost.
I hope our offense continues to improve. We are going to need to outscore some teams in the next few weeks to have chances to win.
Hogblogger – someone will probably do a blurb called "Anatomy of a Kicker" before we progress too much further won't they? — Until then we'll just pick at it.
The place kicking "blues" are usually solved one snap at a time, one extra point at a time (ask Vandy), one FG try at a time. Coaches are helpless but super crutical. It's a "what have you done for me lately" kinda job. You just CANNOT miss the "try" – that's an unwritten rule. You do and you better have one heck of a next practice week (cuz you're under the scope) or you find yourself out in the cold on a warm September day. Where do ex-quarterbacks and ex-kickers go – defense?
Another fairly strong leg takes over and nails a respectfully lengthy FG only to have it "negated" as Sunshine puts it. Why then do you NOT let him try it again?
Let's see – the kid just got pumped about drillin' one. His concentration has been broken by the deflating penalty. He has limited game experience. HDN wants to save the kid the anguish of possibly NOT making the extra yardage and besides – Gus has a 21 yard play that he has talked Houston into – OR was it the lack of HDN's confidence in the kid's leg? – Safely, a little bit of both.
UnderHog – So you don't let him try again, and don't try to punt them into a deep hole, but you do go for it on 4th and 18?
I find the moments Houston Dale chooses to express his bravery interesting. A miss or an incomplete pass accomplishes the same thing – except perhaps the effect on the kicker's confidence.
I'm betting the kid would have nailed it. Better bet than converting 4th and 18. However, couldn't have argued with punting.
As is indicated by his 'story' that he called time-out prior to the game's final field because he thought they'd fake the kick, he doesn't tend to believe that 49 yard field goals are possible.
HogBlogger -
My HDN points are perhaps too subtle. That particular day you should have let the "kid" try it again – there was no more perfect opportunity – or like you say if you have those "painful" doubts you "pooch" for field position.
As it stands the kid now still has doubts in himself for that particular yardage because of the perception HDN laid on him and not letting EVERYBODY live that experience. "Anatomy of a Kicker" says that the value of any game time experience is priceless – in the development of the place kicking game and like you I'm bettin' that he would have split the uprights again…
UnderHog – totally agree. your points are too subtle. seriously, i totally agree with you. that was a moment to show confidence in the kicker.
there's a saying – 'whatever you think about peope, you are right.' meaning that your going in thoughts about people actually bias the activity or your review of the activity such that your original going in position is validated in your own mind.
'if you think you can't, then you are right'.
Houston Dale runs from certain fears many times directly into positions of bravery that many times are worse than the original thing he was running from.
bottom line – he doesn't believe in kickers. he is always doubtful. the kicker is on his own to believe in himself. not exactly a recipe for success.
unfortunately, Houston Dale is like that on a number of matters. you should see how many golf balls he carries to the first tee.