Utah State Post Game Wrap-up

The Good:

1. ESPN did a great job reporting the win. They didn’t focus on the penalties, the interceptions and the relatively sloppy play. They simply accentuated the fact that BYU jumped on the Aggies early and often. They only mentioned that the Aggies put some points on the board late in the game. Their report could have been the single most important aspect of our win because the national press only heard how dominant BYU played. Thank you ESPN.
2. BYU started fast. The offense came out and marched down the field with ease. Not only did the offense score early, but the defense came up with huge hits and turnovers that got the Cougars out to a early and sizable lead.
3. Our zone coverages looked good. They were good early in the game, which forced the quarterback to scramble and look for open receivers (This will be further addressed in the ugly section). The secondary can only hold up so long before it becomes nearly impossible to keep your eyes where they should be.
4. The defense was playing extremely physical during the first half of the game. This caused numerous turnovers. Those turnovers were able to sustain our team throughout an offensive drought.
5. In short our defense played well throughout the game and came up with some crucial stops.

In all honesty ESPN made our performance sound much better then it really was. I am on the record now saying Utah State was our Tulsa from 2007. Good news is, we played just bad enough to still win handily. Our Cougars pounced on the Aggies early but fell into the dangerous land of relaxation and then had to scramble to save face.

We can talk about how bad and ugly the win was but let’s not forget the big picture - we still won. Whether it is by 1 point or 100 a win is a win. At times like this I understand why Coach Mendenhall continually preaches that it is too early to be pay attention to the polls. The best teams are yet to shift to the top, and we want to be the team that is getting better as the season progresses. This game gave our beloved Cougars a much needed test and wake-up call from a team that was inspired by the underdog wins of Oregon State and Alabama. Just remember that there are a few team that were in the top ten last week that would have killed for an ugly win over an opponent they were supposed to beat.

Read the rest of this post with the previous statements in mind.

The BAD and the UGLY:

1. The offense’s performance was less then stellar. Let’s first concentrate on the offensive line. I understand that the Aggies where stacking the box and shooting the gaps, but we consistently had a problem running the ball against an eight man box. We didn’t dominate the trenches, which forced us into unfavorable second and third down situations. Yes, we are normally great on third down, but unlike Friday night’s game we normally only have to move the ball five or six yards. The Aggies did a phenomenal job of forcing our offense into second and third and longs. As an offense when you struggle on first down it alters the play calling. Shrinking the number of plays the offense can call. Honestly Coach Anae didn’t run a large variety of plays, install anything new,m and kept the plays simple. I think he is holding some plays back for the upcoming games.
2. Penalties, Penalties, Penalties. They just kept on coming. We had easily 115 yards in penalties and they weren’t the five yard variety. Pass interferance, Personal fouls, roughing the passer were just a few. These penalties are a sign of a team that is playing physical - but is a step too slow.
3. Tackling, Tackling, Tackling. #12 made us look silly more than we needed it. Granted he was a good player and deserves his credit, but when a five or six guys miss a tackle something is wrong. We were trying too hard to lay the wood instead of wrapping him up and bringing him down. I would expect the team to be hitting the popsicle sled often next week getting ready for a running back that is 230lbs and nimble.
4. Max’s play, while decent, didn’t convince me that he is ready to put the offense on his back. I had a feeling he was trying too hard. When a quarterback starts to force balls into double coverage he’s simple trying to create something that isn’t there. He needs to get back to the basics; taking what the defense gives him, moving the ball methodically down the field, spreading the ball out to numerous receivers, and controlling the emotion and the clock. Austin is a great player but even Austin needs a break every once and awhile. I understand Mike Reed is still out but the best match up to exploit will always be our tight ends and running backs against our opponent’s linebackers. This should be a good game for Max to learn from and come back to Lavell Edwards Stadium with fire in his eyes.
5. At times the Cougars looked stunned and out of sync. This lag made me believe that they aren’t handling the pressure as well as they should be. I could be wrong, but the way the team reacted after Utah State’s emotional plays left me with a feeling of uncertainty and doubt. Is our young defense developing fast enough to put them in their prime for the late season push? When a team gets emotional momentum you have to stay composed, focusing all of your senses towards the goal of either scoring or getting a three and out. Stop worrying about losing and start playing to destroy your opponent, physically, mentally, and emotionally - leave them wondering “what hit us?”
6. Missed/blocked field goals. In the close games, or any games for that matter, we cannot afford unsuccessful field goal attempts. More importantly, we need to convert our visits to the blue zone (red zone) into touchdowns, not field goals. When I played defense I loved to tell the opponent that field goals will never beat us so you need to tell your coach to come up with some better plays inside the twenty. An offense never wants to hear that. Often I would yell it until I was horse - but it’s the truth; field goals alone won’t beat the Cougars.

I think I got all of the bad and ugly out. Here is some food for thought. The Aggies played their best game yet and most importantly they showed some emotion and life. I give an enormous amount of credit to the Aggie coaching staff for getting the best out of their players. The Aggies played with passion and spirit, they took our best punch in the first half and stood up asking for more - I liked how the Aggies played.

Cougs you need to take a deep breath, smile, and give credit where it’s is due. Praise the Aggies for what they did and then get ready for a hard week of practice.

Finally many of you are wondering what Coach Mendenhall said after the game. I am sure he was very honest, and voiced his disappointment in the way we were out played down the stretch. He talked about the team’s intensity in the first quarter and a half and then he stressed the Cougar’s inability to execute at key moments in the second half. He doesn’t yell and scream, rather he carries himself with a quiet confidence and speaks with a direct and authoritative voice that demands respect and compliance. The time to yell is Monday through Thursday, once you get to Friday and Saturday, it is time for the team leaders to take the helm and steer Enterprise Cougar towards victory (When was the last time you saw Coach Mendenhall, Hill, or Tidwell make a tackle). Our players step between the white lines with all the tools they need to succeed and if they don’t, they only have to look in the mirror for the reason why.

Lets get ready for the Bobos…..wait I mean Lobos. We still have a great team and our hopes for perfection are still alive!!!