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A few observations after the SDSU game

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Well the thing with our defense is They put our offense in such great position (along with our special teams). We need to connect and punch the ball in and keep the other offense off the field. I agree in most part with all your responses! A win is a win, but we won't beat Penn State in 3 weeks in their place, at night, if our offense can't atleast be better than today.

Still we're not getting Ginn enough touches. What do you guys think of putting Ginn at tailback once in while? not to run straight ahead but you can do many things. I mean if you motion a running back out of the backfield more than likely he's manned with a linebacker. an option with Ginn/Smith. Sweeps, quick pitches. Anything, but we need to get the guy the ball 10 times a game.
 
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Ginn has almost dropped more passes than hes caught so far this season. Im sorry, but its the truth, hes thinking too hard or something like that, because he is not playing like he should be and is capable of playing. He dances around everytime he gets the ball, going east and west everytime. Go ahead and argue/ding or whatever, but it is true.
 
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Some solid opinions here. It seems that Smith just wasn't distributing the ball the way one expect to see in a spread offense. Troy is the better QB, but Zwick has done a bit more in this area.

We are all used to seeing games like this under Tressel...plodding toward victory against a vastly inferior team. OK, I shouldn't complain, 27-6 looks pretty solid in the books.
 
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All the announcers talked about was the QB needing to distribute the ball to the playmakers, but I didn't see much of that today. Bottom line if the offense plays like this against a good defense that can stop the QB from running we lose. Smith needs to start making reads and hitting receivers rather than running every other play. SDST wasn't as good as we made them look today.
 
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Maybe we need to throw Gonzo in as the number 2 WR.

Let's play Haw/Pittman...they are a good combo.

I don't know what to say about the QB position...but Troy did not look like the answer today.

I thought the O line played well enough. Interesting we hired Peterson and all of a sudden that unit is not a liability. Also, JT keeps his distance (supposedly) from the defensive coaching and we all know how good that unit is.
 
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I will say that I'm not sure what Smiths problem is but, to me, he hasn't looked good so far this season. The announcers said he put on a clinic today which is false. I think most of us who watched and follow this team felt his performance was subpar. The only thing that is separating Smith from Zwick right now is his ability to run. I still don't think he earned the job back but at least we have an identified starter even though I disagree with who it is.

Pittman looked bad today. Not sure why. He looked good against Miami and Texas it doesn't make sense that he would fall back in progress against SDSU. Wells looked like he's going to be an exciting player and even Haw had some good carries.

Ginn is thinking about his runs before he's catching the ball and it's costing him catches and big plays. He's going to be an explosive player but all the hype might have come a year to soon.

All I can say about this defense is I get chills watching them. They are dominant.

The kicking game seems to be on par with last years performance which means it's great.

Hopefully the offense can get it together and start executing. I just wonder if the hang over from Texas and anticipation of a payback to Iowa had the offense sidetracked??????????? The offense seems to be the only unit (the past two games) that is out of sync.
 
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exhawg said:
To tell you the truth I didn't pay too much attention to the blocking today, and of course this is the game that I forget to Tivo. Sorry.
Click to expand...

Almost everything was zone today. Lateral step and still allowed penetration through...

Seems like tOSU could have just dropped those pads and driven them off at will but we kept going back to that zone stretch.
 
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osugrad21 said:
Almost everything was zone today. Lateral step and still allowed penetration through...

Seems like tOSU could have just dropped those pads and driven them off at will but we kept going back to that zone stretch.
Click to expand...

With the type of backs we have zone stretch would be a good way to go. We don't really have the power back to run right at them even though the OL could have done it against a team like SDST. Our backs should be better at running laterally then finding the hole. To tell the truth, most of what I remember about the running game today was Smith dropping back looking at a receiver then running. :p That worked today, but if we play a better defense that won't work for 5+ yards a carry like it did today.
 
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Ah.. and suddenly things take a turn for the interesting in the Zwick vs Smith debate.

Smith now has had a few negative 'on the field' performances as well as 'off the field.'

I'm unbiased in terms of 'favoritism' with the QB's, and don't count myself in either 'camp.'
Its interesting to see the "Smith Supporters" scrambling for once, in terms of defending his 'on the field' performance. Usually that's their 'ace in the hole' when he is criticized.

Points of interest:

* SDSU was defensively ranked worse than 100 in both rushing and passing defense. Our offense, led by a supposedly fiery leader, was anemic at best, and a self-graded 'C-, D'.

* Is it just me, or is Smith doing the exact same thing everyone criticized Zwick for (locking onto one receiver the whole time)?

* I'm interested to see Zwick start at Iowa (if he can come out firing in that game, you can't fault him for 'confidence' issues anymore -- after his lack of performance against them last year he owes them one) and also Haw to get significant carries.

* Will Teddy ever see time at QB, ala Alamo Bowl?

* The playcalling wasn't as terrible as it seemed; Smith just cannot read the plays. It started in the texas game, and is a continuing trend. Can't read a play against the 100+ ranked passing defense? I mean, zwick came in and completed X in a row with our second team offense.

* Smith had no kind of timing today. Zwick, however, looked like he was firing away simply on timing patterns.

* Mo Wells should never run on the interior; use him in the spread only.

* Ginn needs to be utilized on slants, those seem to be his best 'route.' Beyond that, his route running leaves a little to be desired. He seems to be in a slump of sorts; I'm interested to see him get in sync and EXPLODE. Even on his longer play today he seemed to be in slow mo, as much as #7 can be considered slow.

* The more I see of the offense, the more I get frustrated. Part of it is the players seemingly being 'rusty.' But that's not an excuse; If our biggest defensive playmaker in AJ Hawk was blowing plays, we wouldn't blame it on being Rusty. There is no excuse, this is the third game, if we aren't up to speed by now when is it going to happen?

* The other part of the offensive problem is the Offensive coaches. If this was a single season problem, I'd look past it (as I have several seasons now.) The blame has to lie on the offensive coaches. JT needs to update his staff, big time. Dick Tressel is a horrible RB coach, I'm sorry Jim, its the truth. Bollman has never earned his keep, and Daniels is worthless. Gene Smith, throw your weight around!

* Our defense is phenomenal, but Nate Salley is by far our weakest player in the secondary IMO.

* At this point, from all accounts that I've seen and heard, I feel most comfortable with Zwick under center and Haw in the backfield. I'd have to have another look of Todd before I could count him in the mix.

*Not that there's a lack of talent/depth, but where is Albert Dukes?
 
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