Nagging Questions

Forum Forum Lehigh Sports Lehigh Football Nagging Questions

This topic contains 8 replies, has 1 voice, and was last updated by  LU65 14 years, 5 months ago.

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  • #834

    LU65
    Participant

    On Defense

    Status of # 54 Troy Taylor, Sr. LB – 4 games played/4 games started this year…16 total tackles…last seen walking the sidelines last weekend with his right arm in a sling

    Status of # 30 Heath Brickner, Sr. LB – 1 game played/1 game started…9 total tackles this year… a two year starter with 51 prior tackles, 1 blocked punt, and 1 interception to his credit prior to this year.

    How nice would it be to see – as we once envisioned – a quartet of senior linebackers (Cohen, Taylor, Brickner, and Pierce) in the game and not need to rely on the unseasoned – yet admirable to date – play of the sophomore and freshmen understudies: Groome, Green, Newton, and Freshman Boyko? There’s no substitute for experience. And, these young guys are sure getting their full of it this year. Four game stats show that the LB corp is responsible for 45% of the tackles made.

    Can we expect more aggressive play out of our DBs in hopes of generating turnovers? They have picked-off just 2 of 93 passes thrown their way this year. It’s hard to win games losing the turnover battle each week.

    On Offense

    Status of # 8 Jaren Walker, Jr. RB – 2 carries for 9 yards in the Harvard game. Can we expect to see more out of him this weekend? If good enough to play (recovered/recovering from a high ankle sprain) last weekend, I then question his limited use.

    Why has our featured running back, Jay Campbell, seen such little action (42 rushing attempts for 172 yards in four games) while averaging a respectable 4.1 yds/carry? It’s still an unanswered mystery why he so no touches during the fourth quarter of the Princeton game. With our tandem – actually trio – of relatively untested QBs wouldn’t you have expected a greater reliance on our RBs? LU has yet to establish a running game, recording only 20 rushing first downs in four games.

    Why hasn’t sure-handed (trusted to be on the receiving end of 3 TDs) TE Alex Wojdowski (8 receptions for 69 yards over 16 quarters of play) been the target of more passes?

    Can we shelve the Wildcat experiment? I get it: Colvin can run the ball (15 attempts for 116 yards) but that’s about all he has proven he can do (0-2 passing the ball and 1 reception of -1 yard) and our opponents know that. Inserting Colvin into the game merely disrupts the rhythm and consistency of play that all QBs tell you they need to be effective. Besides, why complicate the game plan any more than it is already – especially in light of the junior talent we have on offense?

    Can FB Fossati do more than block? He has yet to run the ball and has been the target of just one pass in four games played.

    Why not allow our QB to call the play? Brown is not getting it done from his vantage point. If not that, then let’s script a few plays on occasion and run a no-huddle sequence. Now that would be shocking, fun to watch and maybe even effective. Can’t get much worse.

    Answers? Comments? Where do we go from here?

    #836

    analyst
    Participant

    ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

    #842

    Lehigh74
    Participant

    You raise so many good questions. The offensive schemes that we use and the play calling are abysmal. You can’t blame all the problems on the offensive coordinator. Coen is the offensive guru. Why can’t he get it right? The coaches talk about establishing the run but never make any effort to do so. What is the fascination with the shotgun? Why not scrap it and use a a scheme that is more suited to having a balanced offensive attack. Why don’t we throw to the tight end more? Coen is a great guy and is well liked by the players. Unfortunately, if he hasn’t figured it out by now he is not going to. The problem with this team is the coaching not the players.

    #848

    lfnadmin
    Keymaster

    "LU65" wrote: Can we shelve the Wildcat experiment? I get it: Colvin can run the ball (15 attempts for 116 yards) but that’s about all he has proven he can do (0-2 passing the ball and 1 reception of -1 yard) and our opponents know that. Inserting Colvin into the game merely disrupts the rhythm and consistency of play that all QBs tell you they need to be effective. Besides, why complicate the game plan any more than it is already – especially in light of the junior talent we have on offense?

    IMO, that would mean that a guy who has gotten 1/4 of our rishing yardage, our fastest player and the player that has given the O any sign of life would be on the bench. Personally, I don’t think this is a smart move.

    "LU65" wrote: Why not allow our QB to call the play? Brown is not getting it done from his vantage point. If not that, then let’s script a few plays on occasion and run a no-huddle sequence. Now that would be shocking, fun to watch and maybe even effective. Can’t get much worse.

    Answers? Comments? Where do we go from here?

    IMO, this would be suicide. I think this might be the first time I’ve ever heard that a sophomore starting QB that threw 4 INTs should be calling his own plays. Not that Lum’s no good – far from it. But he’s a sophomore fer Pete’s sakes in his second start.

    #851

    LU65
    Participant

    Everyone to his own opinion. That’s the beauty of this Board. But Chuck if, as you say, Colvin is that good and our fastest player then maybe we should instruct him on how to take a hand-off and line him up in the tailback position. I guess I’d rather take my chances with proven RBs Walker and Campbell. As for a sophomore quarterback not being able to call his own plays on occasion or run a few scripted plays out of the "no-huddle" formation, I’m shocked. I would have thought that to be possible and worth a try.

    #852
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Troy in ,Brickner still out as is Winnett notice that Dook also out wondered why he was getting no time at DE, Walker not listed on 2 deep. Lum starting
    rb s avg OK but OC only lets them run in the 1st half.Then he forgets all about them. Not a big fan of the way Brown uses Wildcat.Like the idea tho. Colvin is so far our best offensive weapon . Got to get him on the field. No idea why they dont use more swing passes to rbs and TEs. Quick slants and flares TE short over the middle. Gets QB and O moving. But I haven’t been able to figure out the reasoning of our O all season. :?

    #853
    van
    van
    Participant

    Think one reason we are not seeing RBs get carries in the second half and especially the fourth quarter, is that we are always behind and if we keep running the same stuff we just fall further behind.

    Somehow we need to stop the turnovers and dumb penalties that keep costing us. Wonder what the outcome would have been against CCSU, Princeton and Harvard if we don’t turn over the ball, too many men on the field, rough the kicker, etc. Our offense is not strong as we can all see, but if we cut down errors we can win with it. Of course some better play calling would help.

    Having seen CCSU and Harvard games live, I still think our wide outs are not getting separation on a regular basis. We really miss the guys that graduated last year! I don’t hear many making this observation, am I all wet? Watch some of the tapes.

    #854
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Been to 3 games, agreed that wrs have not been good at separating themselves.

    Spent last nite actually looking at the computer and going over Nova, CCSU and Princeton. Much of the reason for lack of separartionis play calling . Even with our sideline "macarena" audibles routes called seem to lead receivers right into dbs. Lot of zone coverage. Did not see many seam routes or slants.

    O does not appear to use Air lehigh routing which allowed wrs and qb to alter routes depending on coverages. Perhaps inexperience of both qb and wrs. If so burden on whoever is calling plays to figure out coverages and call appropriate plays. We have decent speed and size, altho I do wonder why we dont see some of the tall kids, but not much wiggle in our wr s . Not fast enuf to always out run dbs. We’reback to play calling again :x

    #855

    LU65
    Participant

    After attending all four games and watching the receivers run their routes closely, I believe they have decent (not breakaway) speed but perhaps lack the willingness or incentive to separate – so dedicated they are to running their prescribed routes. Seldom do you see them break-off their routes or look for open areas in coverage to bail out their QB who by this time may be in trouble. On the passing end of the equation, I sense a strong dedication to the principal receiver and seldom see (Lum seems better at this than Clark) the QB check down to alternative receivers. Maybe this is a function of age, experience, and afforded pass protection. After all, Lum, Drawl, and Gordon are only sophomores and are, no doubt, doing exactly what the play and coaches call for. Throw in two sophomores on the OL (McKenna and Lieber) and you have the makings of a very young offensive unit that will only improve over time. Can you say "2010" or "2011?" Like so many posters I believe in our players and question only at times the coaching.

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