Watched the game with my dad and had some awesome bbq, really nice Saturday. I will start by saying I am very happy with the outcome of the game when you see other top teams struggling with the teams of the ilk of NW. So any criticism below should be noted that I am not displeased with the outcome whatsoever, convincing win after a slow start. Wrigley turned out to be an awesome venue for this game (at least watching from home) and they fixed a lot of the issues with short endzones and views for a football game for the most part. Here are my thoughts:
1. Bad news first on this review but its not a secret by any means, I am just getting it out of my system. Holy shit, why do we always have a slow start? It doesn't matter who the opponent is, but the coaches and players only seem to wake up at the end of the 2nd quarter and in the 2nd half. If anyone has any inclination as to why that happens, I am curious to hear it because that cannot keep happening when we face elite competition.
2. I guess I will follow up with more criticism and end my post on a more positive note. Our tackling is atrocious overall absent a few players and I'm not sure how to fix that in mid-November. It is one thing to be missing tackles against Oregon, but freaking NW? Something needs a big fix and quick.
3. Final negative point and I swear I will get to the positives. Sonny Styles is struggling hard on the position transition in a lot of ways, but his tackling is the worst on the defense from what I have seen. The LB play is abysmal other than Simon and I think the biggest culprit is scheme...but they have to figure it out fast or we're not getting to our goals this year.
4. On to the positives. At first I was pissed at running the ball so much against a good run defense. But at the end of the game, I feel like the OL/RBs had a huge boost of confidence knowing they could wear down a good run defense on the road over time. That provides value that I don't think we'll remember, but now it is there.
5. Quin and Trey both went to work when we needed it. Great job by both guys and the OL also really kept improving as time went on in the game.
6. Favorite part of the game hands down was Tate getting two TDs in his home town. Kid has been through a lot and he is a serious talent, but I am seriously amped he performed like that in Chicago.
7. Jeremiah Smith...I can't say anything that hasn't been said really. We are blessed to have this kid on our team and get to watch greatness.
8. Sawyer seems to be really coming on and we need it. JT and Sawyer playing at an elite level is definitely needed from here on out, and I think we will see it.
9. The entire defense needs a guest lecture from Downs on how to form tackle, but man is that kid so good. He's the best safety I can remember here since maybe Doss and Hooker? Up for debate but man he's good, absolute missile out there. Ransom is also criminally underrated because Downs gets the attention, but is playing great football.
10. I thought Mathews looked pretty good out there and I am glad to see him splitting time with IGB to cut down on the PI calls. Hancock and Burke seem to be coming back into form, but we will find out next week.
Those are my initial thoughts but Go Bucks and on to IU!
