Bullmastiff 1 said:

If Sam Houston State is being considered then does it make sense to go after UTEP and lock the PAC out of Texas market?

Click to expand...

I'm starting to not like you guys as much.......

There's no all-22 tape for the game, but I have watched it twice now. Fresno very clearly wasn't ready for the triple option game with our current personnel--over and over the ignored the QB or let a fake pitch pull them way out of position. It really looked like they didn't think Hajj was a running threat and instead were geared to stop the RBs.

They were also bringing a SS into the box on nearly every running down and Ricky was constantly in single coverage. The man can run some routes. I'm more (or maybe less given the Skipper DC stent here) surprised that they never really adapted to either tendency. We barely even used any RPO (the announcers called PA passes RPO several times), and that's apparently Hajj's bread and butter. I really like how well Hajj read the read option--I don't think we've ever had a QB who has been that good with it. I only counted 3 bad reads all game (and in fairness, I'm applying my personal knowledge of the reads based on formation--it might be different in the GoGo at times.

Once you get those DBs having to double Ricky more and decide to take away the QB run you're going to see more RBs and other WRs start to get big plays. I don't think Hajj has as big an arm as Sluka or even Maiava, but his ball is super catchable and he understands when to change speeds and can throw from several different angles.

As for the QB power off guard on 4th and goal, that almost seems like it was a pre-snap read and we ran right into the teeth of a run blitz. Maybe it was rushed

reagan21 said:

I'm almost positive I was firmly on 8-4. Thought we'd lose 1 to Houston/Kansas, Boise St., one to Fresno/Syracuse, drop one to a lesser that seems to happen every year. In short, they've won one more than I thought they would this season, and WHEN we win on Friday the Rebs will already have 2 more wins than I thought.

Boise is still a beast and we won't know until the end of the season if we drop a game we shouldn't.

If we beat Syracuse we will be favored in every remaining game and Boise will probably be -1 or Pick'm.

Click to expand...

SJSU scares me a bit.

oneepstein said:

I like the way the rest of the season lines up… there’s just a lot of little things that I think are favorable.

Syracuse is good enough that we won’t look past them.
Utah St road game on grass against someone we should beat. Hopefully not a trap game. Nice warm up for…
Oregon St not going to be easy but we’ll likely be the favorite.
Boise… slugfest. Can’t count on or call anything. If the game is this week Id be worried AF. By then it could be a coin flip.

Likely need some magic by this point but…

If you made it that far unblemished you’re definitely in the top 12-15 and you’ll get everyone’s best shot. But “what’s at stake” will be well known and nobody will be getting looked past.

SJSU will be the one game in that stretch that scares me. I mean I’ll be on pins and needles for all but that one will have me not sleeping.

Click to expand...

SJSU defense gave up 54 points to WSU.... Even if our defense failed to show up, our offense can run that score wild as well...
Im not worried about that game as I am about Boise.. agree on trap game to USU. it fits right into the schedule and is a road game...

Yeah, in general we should NOT be excited that schools can pay players directly.
For an athletic budget running on tight margins that has historically been mostly in the red, that is not good. It was better when we couldn't, and rely on outside money (which at the very least Las Vegas has a lot of potential there) for these kinds of things.

Perfect work we can have the school afford good contracts for the coaches, and boosters can fund NIL.

Mojo702 said:

The talk was that Liberty would have been in the CFP the last couple years despite having a weak SOS.

Click to expand...

Possibly but an 11-1 AAC or MWC team would get the nod over them. CUSA is that bad overall.

Then you get the to the at large spots.

I can't see any way the powers that be wouldn't find a way to get in 2 SEC teams and 2 BIG10 teams plus a BIG12 and ACC team in.

See it in basketball all the time with the selection committees.

Bullmastiff 1 said:

It does though.

Rankings are based around strength of schedule.

People keep saying UNLV can just dominate the MWC 2.0 and get the G5 CFP invite every year.

To do that they will have to ramp up their OOC considerably to compensate for a weaker conference schedule. Makes things more difficult.

AP/Coaches polls and whatever Commodore 64 they use to formulate the rankings algorithm weighs strength of schedule.

Your margin for error shrinks way down.

Click to expand...

The talk was that Liberty would have been in the CFP the last couple years despite having a weak SOS.

dcut03 said:

Just look at last season and "What could have been"..
We also had extreme moving of goalposts in terms of expectations as the season went on.
But we are all very content with how last season went after the fact, as we should be. The same applies to this scenario.

Click to expand...

Yep it was a disappointing ending not only losing the conference title game but getting blown out but when it all ended I was very happy with how the season went as were the vast majority here. They were fun to watch and they won a lot more than any recent team had.

LVRebel2000 said:

Yeah, Harper mentioned that in one of his interviews recently as well. Hopefully there are better rules in place for that transition though, as opposed to how NIL is currently handled. But agreed about hopefully using that money to bring in key players in all sports

Click to expand...

The problem is if a sport doesn't cover its cost, then that becomes an issue. All but basketball and football lose money, and to ask schools are boosters to come up with NIL money for athletes in sports like softball, swimming, tennis, etc. is crazy.

Bullmastiff 1 said:

Possible..

One thing about USU. They are like vanilla ice cream. You don't hate it, it's also not your favorite. But it delivers consistent results.

And no I did not say vanilla because their rosters are full of white dudes named Jorgenson, Olsen and Young.

Click to expand...

Using your analogy that makes NMSU Horse Apple Ice Cream. Looks like shit tastes like shit.

InZoneU said:

Probable. Yes. Or your favorite Sam Houston which has been wiping it's nuts over FBS programs for years.

Click to expand...

Lol.

Do it!

Masked_rebel said:

What if we just say F it and go all in on Texas schools...
Texas State
UTEP
Sam Houston St.
Steven F Austin- basketball only, future option for football membership (currently FCS and not a great FCS program)
Pushes PAc out of Texas entirely unless the pay more money for UTSA and Rice

Click to expand...

This x 1000

Boston Rebel 2 said:

We have a legit chance at a CFP so if we drop two and miss out you can't help but be disappointed initially. But at the end of the season it would be easy to look back and think what a great year it was. Anyone here would have taken 10-2 at the beginning of the year.

Click to expand...

Just look at last season and "What could have been"..
We also had extreme moving of goalposts in terms of expectations as the season went on.
But we are all very content with how last season went after the fact, as we should be. The same applies to this scenario.

What if we just say F it and go all in on Texas schools...
Texas State
UTEP
Sam Houston St.
Steven F Austin- basketball only, future option for football membership (currently FCS and not a great FCS program)
Pushes PAc out of Texas entirely unless the pay more money for UTSA and Rice

Bullmastiff 1 said:

Would love to see it but that exit fee is massive.

More likely would be their less attractive cousin UTEP.

Click to expand...

Probable. Yes. Or your favorite Sam Houston which has been wiping it's nuts over FBS programs for years.

InZoneU said:

I'm down with it. Now sell out to get UTSA and that'll be fantastic.

Click to expand...

Would love to see it but that exit fee is massive.

More likely would be their less attractive cousin UTEP.

oneepstein said:

That’s the only post I’ve seen about it for the last few hours so…

Click to expand...

Yeah until I see CBS or ESPN report it not holding my breath.

I'm down with it. Now sell out to get UTSA and that'll be fantastic.

UTEP >> Sam, and it's not even close. They average 9k for football last year. Only been FBS for a couple of years. Sam's biggest rival has been Steven. F. Austin University if that tells you anything.


UTEP and TxState are like 5-6 hours apart, but at least that will help TxState a little bit.

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

RebNReno said:

I don’t think Texas State has ever even played UTEP before so I don’t think it’s much of a rivalry but it could grow into something.

Sam Houston State / Texas State is the big rivalry. They may be on the radar too.

Click to expand...

If Sam Houston State is being considered then does it make sense to go after UTEP and lock the PAC out of Texas market?

That’s the only post I’ve seen about it for the last few hours so…

RebNReno said:

Anybody the MWC adds is going to have some major warts. That’s just where we’re at right now. Texas State looks like the best option we could hope for now. They’re nowhere near the level of the first 4 teams we lost but I think 5 years from now you could be saying they’re more valuable than USU.

Click to expand...

Possible..

One thing about USU. They are like vanilla ice cream. You don't hate it, it's also not your favorite. But it delivers consistent results.

And no I did not say vanilla because their rosters are full of white dudes named Jorgenson, Olsen and Young.

j. spilotro said:

If you take a step back and say “undefeated”, it’s too much to chew.

If you look at it game by game and assume getting “normal” luck, those bites make more sense.

I think we win our last 4 games.

These next four, I don’t think so. I think we drop a couple.

But I’ll still probably initially bitch if we end up 10-2. That’s the unreasonable fan part of me. Then the dust will settle and I will see it for what it really is. Gotta give a little rope for immediate irrationality at emotionally charged times. It’s when it remains that it becomes “a hater” or “a lover”.

Click to expand...

I like the way the rest of the season lines up… there’s just a lot of little things that I think are favorable.

Syracuse is good enough that we won’t look past them.
Utah St road game on grass against someone we should beat. Hopefully not a trap game. Nice warm up for…
Oregon St not going to be easy but we’ll likely be the favorite.
Boise… slugfest. Can’t count on or call anything. If the game is this week Id be worried AF. By then it could be a coin flip.

Likely need some magic by this point but…

If you made it that far unblemished you’re definitely in the top 12-15 and you’ll get everyone’s best shot. But “what’s at stake” will be well known and nobody will be getting looked past.

SJSU will be the one game in that stretch that scares me. I mean I’ll be on pins and needles for all but that one will have me not sleeping.