Welcome to the Hardcore Husky Forums. Folks who are well-known in Cyberland and not that dumb.
Options
A few thoughts
dnc
Member Posts: 56,827
I stayed out of the game thread last night for my own sanity's sake so I'm sure most (or even all) of this has been covered, but here are some observations:
Morris is accurate, confident and decisive. We still need to see how he responds to a pass rush that beats him up and turning it over, but he looks legitimately above average at the very least and probably good. Even his deep ball issues seem to be improving. If he can stop the Jake Locker ten yard overthrows he's going to be really tough to beat. He might even hold Sam off for a year if that happens.
The receiver drops are massively aggravating but I think they will work themselves out. Everyone is trying too hard to make a play right now, as they settle in it will start to come. The more important thing for me is they're all open - the lot of them. Not counting the TE's we have five or six receivers who can consistently get open and a scheme that gets them open. The catches will come.
This team believes in itself and is having fun. Jimmy Lake is a cocky son of a bitch and it may bite him in the ass at some point but right now he has this team believing and enjoying itself for the first time since Azeem Victor died and someone else inhabited his body. The emotion of Ulofoshio and Morris especially is so refreshing and contagious. We've long dreamed of a team that talks shit, now we have a team and a coach who do. Enjoy it while we can.
The defense is NASTY. Aside the two drives where OSU got to us on the ground (with probably the best RB in the conference) the first and second team defense have been nails. They shut down Arizona for three quarters yesterday while only getting one turnover despite hitting hard, rushing the passer well and being constantly around the ball. They'll play better opponents but even so they'll get more TO's most games. Best talent we've had yet + Kwat back at DC = best UW defense of the Pete/Lake era.
I can't remember a bigger turnaround from one game to the next from a ST unit. Didn't look like the same unit aside from the Henry misses. Coverage units should be good with as much speed and athleticism as we have. Returners should be good at worst. This unit should make some things happen.
Speaking of ST: The fake FG set the tone for the game. Jimmy No Balls big balled the first drive and we never looked back. Absolutely love the decision, the play call, the execution. Cockiness comes when coaches believe their players can impose their will. Contrast that with Pete's infamous unwillingness to go for it on fourth down early in his tenure. If there's one area Lake seems to have potential to be a clear upgrade over Pete it's in his mentality. That shit's contagious and it appears to already be spreading.
I'm assuming guys like Cam Davis (who has surprisingly good hands), Heimuli and Smalls are going to get more and more PT as we go. Which brings me to my last thought:
This team is YOUNG. Aside from two corners (where we simply reload), Kirkland and maybe Otten) what major contributors are we likely to lose after this season? They could be really good for awhile. Especially if Morris takes a step (he should) and/or Sam is even better (he should be).
The defense collapse down the stretch is disconcerting and the over reliance on the running game still has me nervous, but damn that shit was impressive yesterday. Hard not to be cautiously optimistic. Gotta destroy teams and keep the foot on the gas going forward.
Morris is accurate, confident and decisive. We still need to see how he responds to a pass rush that beats him up and turning it over, but he looks legitimately above average at the very least and probably good. Even his deep ball issues seem to be improving. If he can stop the Jake Locker ten yard overthrows he's going to be really tough to beat. He might even hold Sam off for a year if that happens.
The receiver drops are massively aggravating but I think they will work themselves out. Everyone is trying too hard to make a play right now, as they settle in it will start to come. The more important thing for me is they're all open - the lot of them. Not counting the TE's we have five or six receivers who can consistently get open and a scheme that gets them open. The catches will come.
This team believes in itself and is having fun. Jimmy Lake is a cocky son of a bitch and it may bite him in the ass at some point but right now he has this team believing and enjoying itself for the first time since Azeem Victor died and someone else inhabited his body. The emotion of Ulofoshio and Morris especially is so refreshing and contagious. We've long dreamed of a team that talks shit, now we have a team and a coach who do. Enjoy it while we can.
The defense is NASTY. Aside the two drives where OSU got to us on the ground (with probably the best RB in the conference) the first and second team defense have been nails. They shut down Arizona for three quarters yesterday while only getting one turnover despite hitting hard, rushing the passer well and being constantly around the ball. They'll play better opponents but even so they'll get more TO's most games. Best talent we've had yet + Kwat back at DC = best UW defense of the Pete/Lake era.
I can't remember a bigger turnaround from one game to the next from a ST unit. Didn't look like the same unit aside from the Henry misses. Coverage units should be good with as much speed and athleticism as we have. Returners should be good at worst. This unit should make some things happen.
Speaking of ST: The fake FG set the tone for the game. Jimmy No Balls big balled the first drive and we never looked back. Absolutely love the decision, the play call, the execution. Cockiness comes when coaches believe their players can impose their will. Contrast that with Pete's infamous unwillingness to go for it on fourth down early in his tenure. If there's one area Lake seems to have potential to be a clear upgrade over Pete it's in his mentality. That shit's contagious and it appears to already be spreading.
I'm assuming guys like Cam Davis (who has surprisingly good hands), Heimuli and Smalls are going to get more and more PT as we go. Which brings me to my last thought:
This team is YOUNG. Aside from two corners (where we simply reload), Kirkland and maybe Otten) what major contributors are we likely to lose after this season? They could be really good for awhile. Especially if Morris takes a step (he should) and/or Sam is even better (he should be).
The defense collapse down the stretch is disconcerting and the over reliance on the running game still has me nervous, but damn that shit was impressive yesterday. Hard not to be cautiously optimistic. Gotta destroy teams and keep the foot on the gas going forward.
Comments
Throughout the Pete era we had two major weaknesses talent wise (QB and edge) and one major weakness culture wise (mindset).
Right now we seem to have an above average QB, All American edge and badass mindset.
Ho. Lee. Shit.
Those if us that barely remember Rick have only Pete and player development and this kind of a program.
Getting your 3 deeps experience so you can get some of them ready for next year is perfectly reasonable, to us.
Irvin I thought many of the tbs'ers shit themselves over, he clung to those wideouts like a fly on shit, he just needs experience and to turn his head around quicker. Keep the program going.
Sidney jones looked really bad in 2014 at times. He wasn't as talented as this kid coming out of hs.
6 starters on defense are sophomores - Taki (Tuli if he was healthy), ZTF (Latu if he was healthy), Ulofoshio, Sirmon, McDuffie, and Asa. Throw in Cook as a first time starter as a Junior.
Offense is just as young - Morris, Bynum, Puka, Newton/Davis, Ale, Bain, Curne.
Remember that there are single digit seniors on this team, and barely double digit juniors. Definitely set up for success long term. And the even younger backups are getting live fire exercise reps as well.
2021 and 2022 will be speshul POTD, but still.
I've officially made it!
- Eddie and Sirmon a lot more consistent in their run fits, Eddie had a phenomenal game in general
- Tuitele getting a lot of penetration against the run, Bronson with a much better game
- ZTF is a monster, he is beating dudes with straight up power rushes, unteachable strength
- Much better game from Bowman, ideally we would use him as a pass rush specialist, but unfortunately he's the best we got
- K made some good adjustments, getting Alex Cook a lot more involved near the LOS, run blitzing DB's
- The trio of McDuffie/Molden/Taylor is really not fair, up their with our best cornerback groups
- Cade Otton looks incredible, clearly one of the best players on the field on every play
- Oline looked good. I would like to see us run out of more spread formations, its just really hard to block consistently against stacked boxes.
- S/O the backup oline on the long Dick run - Fautanu-Kalepo-Mele-Buelow-Luciano, completely crushed them
- Kind of crazy how many points we actually left on the field. Messed up handoff on the goal-line, missed fg, Puka drop in FG range, McMillan-Morris could have had 2-3 long TDs
- Morris looks comfortable in the offense, which is good. He knows how to make his reads quickly, and is pretty decisive with the ball. He's pretty quick to recognize when nothing is there and minimizes the damage. His accuracy on shorter throws still isn't ideal. but it was definitely better this game, and not a huge problem. His arm is still really bad, he does not look at all comfortable throwing deep, like he doesn't trust his arm so he overcompensates with his body and overthrows it. Hopefully that can be improved, I guess we'll see.