Rest of the season

[reb4life777]

If the line comes out to play like last night they could still make a bowl game, it will come down to the cornerbacks. I don't see many teams in the MW that can stop UNLV with how that line can potentially play. the problem is with the way they give up big plays no team is ever out.

I think they win 3 more with the cannon being one of those. Would a 5 win season keep the fans happy or buying into the new era?

 

[karaoke_jesus]

5 wins is an improvement over 3 wins. So yes, that is enough to keep me engaged.

 

[RedCannon]

It's crazy how much I expect this team to do better than 5 wins, but if they win the Cannon at 5 wins its a huge step forward. Only one mandatory win at the end of the season, but I expect much more.

 

[RebelTomola]

bowl game is still possible we have to win at home

 

[BostonRebel]

5 games was my bar...just want to see steady improvement. I would be happy with that.

 

[RebelBuzz]

I always felt an undefeated season at home was a real possibility this year. Well, we dropped the ball against Idaho in the worst way to scratch that possibility. But we're still 2-1 with 3 games left at home vs. CSU, WYO, and Reno. We win out at home, and we've got 5 wins.

Got 4 road games left @ SDSU, Hawaii, BSU, and SJSU. Getting a win at San Diego or Boise is gonna be very tough. Winning in Hawaii or San Jose is certainly a possibility. Gotta have at least one of these to get to those 6 wins we all want.

 

[j. spilotro]

I always felt an undefeated season at home was a real possibility this year. Well, we dropped the ball against Idaho in the worst way to scratch that possibility. But we're still 2-1 with 3 games left at home vs. CSU, WYO, and Reno. We win out at home, and we've got 5 wins.

Got 4 road games left @ SDSU, Hawaii, BSU, and SJSU. Getting a win at San Diego or Boise is gonna be very tough. Winning in Hawaii or San Jose is certainly a possibility. Gotta have at least one of these to get to those 6 wins we all want.

Yep, still doable for sure. But I have a feeling the Idaho game is gonna be unforgiving.

 

[RebelBuzz]

Yep, still doable for sure. But I have a feeling the Idaho game is gonna be unforgiving.

Agreed. If that game is the difference between 5 and 6 wins this year, it's gonna be a tough pill to swallow. I hope that's a program lesson we don't have to learn again. Gotta bring it EVERY game.

 

[LVRebel2000]

That Idaho loss was definitely a bad loss. With our schedule, we can still win 5-6 games, if we can play 4 full quarters, but I'd feel a whole lot better at 3-2 than I do at 2-3 at this point.

 

[dcut03]

6 wins total is doable, but that Idaho loss really stings looking at the schedule.

Winning at Hawaii is always tough, and they seem to have their best game of the year against us. Maybe its the 9th island thing.

San Jose has not looked that good. Still tough game on the road.

Wyoming looks to be significantly improved. Of course weather is always a potential issue there.

No need to comment at SDSU or Boise. Though S. Alabama didn't do us any favors.

 

[mvvsmith]

That Idaho loss was important to the Fresno State win. Think about it. Wake up calls are a bitch.

 

[Bullmastiff 1]

6 wins total is doable, but that Idaho loss really stings looking at the schedule.

Winning at Hawaii is always tough, and they seem to have their best game of the year against us. Maybe its the 9th island thing.

San Jose has not looked that good. Still tough game on the road.

Wyoming looks to be significantly improved. Of course weather is always a potential issue there.

No need to comment at SDSU or Boise. Though S. Alabama didn't do us any favors.

We have Wyoming here. They do appear to be a little better than expected.

 

[j. spilotro]

That Idaho loss was important to the Fresno State win. Think about it. Wake up calls are a bitch.

Wake up call should have come from CMU - return home, poor foe... should have lit them up.

 

[reagan21]

Wake up call should have come from CMU - return home, poor foe... should have lit them up.

That's how I felt while sitting through that poop fest. How could they lose that way to CMU and then come HOME and lay an egg to a team who is volunteering to go down to FCS next season. Sanchez was right, that was embarrassing.

I think 5 wins is where we end up and it's where I thought we'd end up. I had us beating Idaho and losing to Fresno State. Before the season started I did NOT think Fresno would be THAT bad. It will be hard to win 5 knowing we lost to Idaho at home, but when was the last time we won 5 and were disappointed? Progress, I guess?

 

[j. spilotro]

That's how I felt while sitting through that poop fest. How could they lose that way to CMU and then come HOME and lay an egg to a team who is volunteering to go down to FCS next season. Sanchez was right, that was embarrassing.

I think 5 wins is where we end up and it's where I thought we'd end up. I had us beating Idaho and losing to Fresno State. Before the season started I did NOT think Fresno would be THAT bad. It will be hard to win 5 knowing we lost to Idaho at home, but when was the last time we won 5 and were disappointed? Progress, I guess?

It's definitely still progress. I like a lot of what I see personally. I didn't expect greatness this year, was thinking top 80, which is still poor, just better than where we've been. I've been disappointed by what I thought would be a strength - focus. Any amount of focus and you don't get run that badly by CMU and you don't lose to Idaho.

The inconsistency has been high. The times they've looked good, they were actually pretty good. But it's been fewer and further between from what I expected. Short stretches of sharp, long stretches of mediocre to blah.

 

[run'em_out'a_here]

5 wins can be done imo and would make me a happy camper. Getting 6 wins and a bowl eligibility would be a huge bonus.

 

[depuppy3]

I think the wins and losses depend, in large part, on the opposing QB. Fresno didn't have one capable of making UNLV pay, and Snead had a nice game on other side.

 

[willlevi]

I think the wins and losses depend, in large part, on the opposing QB. Fresno didn't have one capable of making UNLV pay, and Snead had a nice game on other side.

Fresno's quarterback provided no chance for them to win.
Inaccurate and scared to step into his throws showing no competitive edge.
Definitely a great win still but that we really needed. I hope they stop exposing Sneed to potentially season ending hits.

 

[Rashanir]

Sneed has some nifty moves. He needs to work on his passing game though

 

[lvrebalum2012]

Fresno's quarterback provided no chance for them to win.
Inaccurate and scared to step into his throws showing no competitive edge.
Definitely a great win still but that we really needed. I hope they stop exposing Sneed to potentially season ending hits.

They? You mean Dalton himself?

 

[rebelwithacause]

5 wins would be progress in the right direction. Even 4 wins is step in the right direction. With the amount of youth we have on this team, i'm pretty sure we all know its going to get better and better each year.

 

[Kswoll]

As we judge success and failure, It's time for all of us to also remember a few key details that are being omitted....

1. We lost the strength of our team early on. 3 starting receivers all out for the year, only Boyd is left standing. That changes how teams play us knowing we will be one dimensional and predictable....We have been and we aren't good enough to be and it's showed.

2. QB play with JS has been spotty at best...but he flashed at times and was better than Rosen against UCLA. DS didn't exactly throw it all around Sam Boyd either, but he is a better passer than we saw...The team will have to prove we are capable of throwing and running. See point 1. The receiver injuries really re-shape our attack.

3. I know JSU wasn't a power 5 school but they weren't a JC team either....We did whatever we wanted that night because we still had most of our starting team together. We just aren't deep enough to lose a QB and 3 starting WR's.

4. Our defensive play is also suffering because of the offensive injuries. D line gets gassed from 280lb guys playing without enough rest after picks and 3 and outs. We have more sacks this year, we are doing much better against the run but can't defend 3rd and 20's down field. Our secondary is horrendous and wasn't last year...That's the biggest mystery of them all to me. Maybe they read their own headlines a little too often but they need to get better or all bets are off.

Just my take...With a healthy team of core players for all the games we would have won 7 of them this year with one big win in there somewhere. I know injuries are a part of the game and next man up...but it's year two of Coach Sanchez. The "next man up" isn't here yet or he's a true Freshman....By 2018 this team will be really good, flag this post!

 

[Bullmastiff 1]

As we judge success and failure, It's time for all of us to also remember a few key details that are being omitted....

1. We lost the strength of our team early on. 3 starting receivers all out for the year, only Boyd is left standing. That changes how teams play us knowing we will be one dimensional and predictable....We have been and we aren't good enough to be and it's showed.

2. QB play with JS has been spotty at best...but he flashed at times and was better than Rosen against UCLA. DS didn't exactly throw it all around Sam Boyd either, but he is a better passer than we saw...The team will have to prove we are capable of throwing and running. See point 1. The receiver injuries really re-shape our attack.

3. I know JSU wasn't a power 5 school but they weren't a JC team either....We did whatever we wanted that night because we still had most of our starting team together. We just aren't deep enough to lose a QB and 3 starting WR's.

4. Our defensive play is also suffering because of the offensive injuries. D line gets gassed from 280lb guys playing without enough rest after picks and 3 and outs. We have more sacks this year, we are doing much better against the run but can't defend 3rd and 20's down field. Our secondary is horrendous and wasn't last year...That's the biggest mystery of them all to me. Maybe they read their own headlines a little too often but they need to get better or all bets are off.

Just my take...With a healthy team of core players for all the games we would have won 7 of them this year with one big win in there somewhere. I know injuries are a part of the game and next man up...but it's year two of Coach Sanchez. The "next man up" isn't here yet or he's a true Freshman....By 2018 this team will be really good, flag this post!

Nice post.

 

[dcut03]

Even when healthy, TS was looking for a "game manager" out of our starting QB in the pre season. . This was with what looking to be the best receiving corps in the league.

Part of this was confidence it what our QBs could do, also I think part of it is Coach Cotton's system which is definitely run heavy.

Personally, I think we need incorporate the pass more. We still have Boyd who has length, speed, and (historically) excellent ball skills. We need to take advantage of that.

Also, our defense is not good enough to play ball control offense. We need to score points. It's hard to do that with a one dimensional offense.

There is a lot to like about Sneed, but he didn't show too much of a passer last game. A big chunk of his modest passing yards came from a great play call that involved a relatively easy throw to a wide open guy. He did show a good back shoulder throw down the field which was very encouraging. I'd like to give him some easy throws: screens and quick slants (oddly Stanton's biggest downfall), you his connect to Cui to find open spots underneath the defense. But also a few shots downfield when Boyd has a good match up.

I agree our offense is negatively affecting our defense. We don't get a lot of sustained drives and don't give the defense much rest. OUr yardage on first down stinks and we struggle to convert 3rd downs. Not a great recipe for sustaining long drives.

 

[Moscurry91]

I've never been a believer that coaches choose to conceal looks from future opponents, but watching Saturday's game, I could not help but notice how many times Boyd was on the flats with single coverage and was basically ignored. So, Rocky Long and Co. are not going to have much to guide them while prepping for this week. Did Cotton dial it down because it was Sneed's first start? Is this the new offense? Is confidence in Boyd shot?
Answers to these questions and more to come Saturday. I'm hoping that they allow Sneed to throw a little more, but if they don't need to that's a good thing.

 

[depuppy3]

I think they were purposely avoiding over the middle throws to avoid a bad turnover. If you make a mistake over the middle it's a recipe for disaster. With a RS Freshman QB making 1st start and having very few passes in a real game they probably wanted to limit exposure to a game changer like an overthrow from adrenaline and a pick inside UNLV territory. They were managing the game from what I saw and it made sense.

 

[j. spilotro]

I think they were purposely avoiding over the middle throws to avoid a bad turnover. If you make a mistake over the middle it's a recipe for disaster. With a RS Freshman QB making 1st start and having very few passes in a real game they probably wanted to limit exposure to a game changer like an overthrow from adrenaline and a pick inside UNLV territory. They were managing the game from what I saw and it made sense.

That's what I saw too and it was the right play. Maybe a double benefit in not showing SDSU too much, but I think the primary goal was to keep pressure low for Sneed in his first career start/game. I agreed with the strategy from the start, it was a well managed game.