Not Today, But There’s Still Tomorrow
November 24, 2006 by HogBlogger
LSU was by far the toughest team we’ve played since USC.
Just as Arkansas could point to early scores, early defensive stops, winning the field position battle, and winning the kicking game as the keys to most of our victories, you can point to each of those things as the keys to this loss.
Not being able to get the LSU offense off the field, seemingly always having poor field position, and playing from behind the entire game made life much more difficult than we’ve experienced in a while.
Still, I thought the Hogs fought hard and represented well for the most part. Their toughness and effort can’t be questioned and must be applauded.
I think today was the day that coaching cost us. And not just today’s coaching.
The fact that we didn’t exercise our passing game during the easier games of the season, as well as our failure to take opportunities during the year to work on the two minute offense, came back to haunt us today.
The “Monk-centric” nature of the passing game, limited variety in plays, the failure to have clear throwing lanes leading once again to an interception, and the tendency to want to go for the long ball rather than having a possession passing game (a historic trait of Houston Dale offenses) all were on display. Along with that, you have to throw in that the passing game apparently has a limited audible package.
Casey had a terrible day throwing the long ball, with each one seeming several yards short. It appeared that the LSU coverage on the shorter routes was very good all day. And the mobility that Casey’s demonstrated the last few games became a liability as he ran out of some pretty good pockets for no real good reason.
But still, you could argue that the running game was enough to win on offense. The defense being unable to get off the field on third down, the lapse in the kick-off coverage, along with the poor snap leading to the missed extra point ended up being huge factors. Particularly the fact that the defense couldn’t get off the field on third down.
Herring got his hat handed to him in the first half. No question about it. Jimbo basically tore him a new one. Players have to play, but the schemes need to work. Today they didn’t. Herring going up against an upper tier offensive coordinator - well, let’s just say I worry a lot when that happens. Today you saw why.
After the stats come out, I’ll be back to talk about third downs.
One last thing…McFadden and Felix…those guys are amazing.
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14 Responses to “Not Today, But There’s Still Tomorrow”
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A good picture today of how much of his passing game Malzahn has been allowed to implement or use. NONE!
Who could figure that on 4th and 3 LSU would double cover Monk? Duh!
Whatever, LSU has awesome talent.
Unfortunately, too many folks accepted the LSU game as a “throw away” game. We must have believed them - as we literally did “throw away” this game. We “threw” it away offensively and we gave up too much on 3rd and long on their “throws” defensively (including the penalties too). In addition, kicking game stunk all around.
For a coach that has two great quarterbacks and a “quick trigger”, he must have left the pistol back in Fayetteville! Such as shame we didn’t do better here.
Got to hand it to McFadden and Jones - they played their hearts out!
It appears that Malzahn is living his passing game vision more of late through DM and successfully. 4 for 4 ain’t bad for an offensive back but you may be stunting the growth of a passing game that has almost totally gone to looking for one receiver as Hogblogger says.
The flip side of that is a number of dropped passes which may tend to shy Houston Dale away from much more than being one dimensional in the air. He always seems to dance with who brung him - odd for an ex-quarterback but the running yardage speaks loudly all the same. And Monk continues to do his part. Younger receivers need repetitions to develop though. They’re not getting that. It may be too difficult a task to shine your star on a limited number of long balls.
There is such a thing as a “balanced passing attack”.
I’m certain Gus has a “short pass” play book but Houston Dale has it locked up some where?
How can you not bring in Mustain in that game? Thought he would bring Mustain in after the 2nd possession, after an almost interception. I think if we would have used the Wildcat everydown we would have won.
Oh, the 4th down call was inexcusable. Here you have two backs getting 5 yards on their worst plays to the outside, and you call a pass from a quarterback who was having a terrible game? Houston Dale is going to continue to break our hearts. It’s just stupid.
Are the rumors true that Malzan is leaving and Mustain won’t play another down for Arkansas? They should, or Malzan should be made head coach. That is if we ever want to win a National Title. If we are satisfied with getting to a BCS once every 9 years than by all means lets keep the “nutty” way of doing things.
Come on folks. Mistakes were made and opportunities missed but we still played a heck of a game, its been a heck of a year and 8 days from now we’ll be SEC champs so don’t go jumping off just yet. I think this is a year ahead of schedule when you take a look at the talent level. Have a little faith. Go Hogs!
Time for everyone to jump off the bandwagon. It was too heavy anyway. After losing one game Stephen thinks we should fire Nutt now. Go cheer for someone else. We won 10 games in a row and still have the SEC Championship on the line and a BCS bowl game. Let the bandwagon fans jump off. I’m going to have fun watching us pound Florida in the SEC Champ game.
Bottom line is if we don’t give up the kickoff return for a TD. We win. It has nothing to do with our passing or running game. We played good enough to win, but we can’t give up that big play.
Hogsdill - I agree, without the kick-off return we win.
3-17…. 3! We didn’t complete a pass in the 2nd half. What is this the 1940’s? Being at the game I first got worried when Davis shanked that extra point almost perfectly side ways on our opening drive. That took the life right out of the crowd and put us in the position to either lead or be behind, never tied. I think we win the game if he doesn’t screw that up. Another problem we seem to have is Dick seems to goes limp under pressure. Not one ball he threw deserved to be caught. The look on Monk’s face when he “found” that ball for the TD was priceless. QB play was terrible and NUTT should be called out for his double standard “quick trigger” by the media. Mustain may have made some mistakes but at least we would of had a live arm in the game. He wouldn’t have under thrown wide open McFadden or Crawford on our final series. We were carried by our backs today against a very beatable LSU team. Nutt needs to do some explaining this week and actually show up this Saturday or we are Capital One or possibly Cotton bowl bound. That being said I fully expect Nutt to screw this season up.
This bandwagon stuff is rubbish. What “bandwagon”? The one where we are in the top 10 once every 10 years? Should we be satisfied with that? Having said that, it’s not the results I care about. I wouldn’t care if we lost a game, but played the way we should, and didn’t make stupid, inexcusable mistakes. I think Nutt does a good job managing the program as a whole, but his play calling and offensive mind are just not there. He should have given that responsibility totally over to Malzan, like he said he was going to do. It’s not fair to someone like McFadden who played like a champion to have lost because of the ineptitude of a coach.
I’m ready for the Foundation to buy out my contract at UNC and give me a shot at fulfilling many of Nutt’s promises:
(Nuttster’s excuses in parens)
1. NC Under Construction (I’ve only had 9 years)
2. Gus will be the O.C (in title only)
3. Mitch Mustain is our future (only after I leave)
4. Gus called some good plays brotha (those have been in my playbook for years)
5. SEC Champion (I’ll lay another egg in the Dome)
I’m a bit frustrated by the game yesterday. I agree we should have won if we don’t give up the kickoff return. But, as hogblogger said, we have not developed the passing game. How do you not develop the passing game with the #1 QB coming out of high school and another supposed “experienced” (in the words of HDN) QB. Only Nutt can figure out a way to do that.
Someone asked why did Mustain not get in? I think we should look to the Bible for the answer. Yes, that’s right… scripture.
Proverbs 11:2 - When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 13:10 - Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Houston Dale has been beat down over the years and all he has left is pride. I have to admit that much of the criticism was unwarranted in his first 7 years, but the past two it has become obvious he has done whatever he needed to do to keep his job. If Mustain had had the day that Dick had he would’ve been pulled at halftime. I want to hear some answers this week on why Mustain didn’t get a shot. I don’t like to use the word “hypocrite” because we’re all hypocrites to some extent, but the actions yesterday were a bit hypocritical.
Casey has not done anything spectacular since he began starting. He’s done enough to get the job done and I have been fine with that. But, Mitch did enough to get the job done as well while he was starting. He got pulled because he apparently threw a pass that was a simple read and he read it wrong. Well, how many times did Casey throw into double, triple, even quadruple coverage yesterday? Seems he was making the same mistakes. Maybe he could use some time on the sideline “to watch the game and learn”. A lot of good that “experience” helped us with yesterday.
That last drive is what happens when you don’t develop the passing game. As long as you’re in the lead and you’re winning the running game is perfect. But, as many an expert has said this year you have to be able to do both effectively. We’re still a one-dimensional team and the only reasons we’ve been successful this year are #5 and #25 and an experienced line. What are we going to do next year without the third? I hope we don’t lose Mitch over this. I wouldn’t leave if I were him even though there are a lot of reasons to cut your losses and run, but I can see where he is frustrated.
Heaven forbid we lose these last two games. I don’t think we will, but I can imagine the fallout if we do.
If you knew Nutt the man personally, not Nutt the coach from the stands and perception then your comments about pride would seem as hollow to you as they do to many other of us. Has he been prideful at times- yes. In frustration and stressfull times we often do things we wish we had not. But to place the game and substitutions on his overwhelming pride is just wrong.
Nutt and the staff are second guessing themselves. Luckilly they have worked well together this year and will again this week. They all have shown character in bad years and this year in the good. It shows in the team.
I take issue with the issue of Herring. His defense gave up 17 pts- if you take out the kickoff and the 14yds they had to go after the interception. They gave us two TO’s. I give them a B at worst becuase we did give up too many 3rd conversions.
But the main key I thought was Russell. That guy made big plays but more importantly little plays that made a huge difference. I sure wish he would go pro early.
Just a piss poor job coaching. I guess all the CD fans now can just shut the heck up about how good he is. I think the record stands. He sucks worst than ROJO. Anytime the backs have more yards per passing then the QB something is bad wrong. M16 might not of been brillant at times but at least he is a winner.
I love all the fairweather fans. Guys, we still had a chance to win this game (even playing and coaching as bad as you are saying) What a bunch of whiners. We played one of the best teams in the country. With a few metal errors eliminated (by senior lineman and defensive backs) we still could have and should have pulled out the win.
Go Hogs!!!