I think that two of our team's strengths canceled each other out to some degree: We have some depth and talent in the D-line, and we had receivers coming open all day
as long as the QB had time to pass. I've said it before, and I'm sure that I'll say it again, you folks need to stop expecting another Stanley Morgan to emerge, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It is much easier to defend a team with only 2 threats who are great receivers than it is to defend a team with a stable full of capable receivers who get open and catch the ball when targeted. Jaron Woodyard and Andre Hunt were very difficult to cover, and both did great jobs of moving with the QB when he had to scramble. Kade Warner is just technically an excellent receiver, and it shows up by his consistently getting open in the Red Zone or in tight situations. We have excellent TEs, top to bottom. Miles Jones looked very good. We had a squadron of walk-ons who genuinely looked like they can contribute, too. When you factor in that JD and Wan'Dale didn't play, and that we have a couple more speedy wideouts showing up in May, the cupboard is stacked. If you were looking for one guy to do everything, yeah, you're probably disappointed. If you looked for a bunch of interchangeable parts that will get the job done, go watch the game again on YouTube, and on almost any given pass play, look to see how many potential receivers created space to get open.
I was off the couch in a heartbeat when he got his sack. I really hope this kid plays more this fall.
I was pumped, too, and I hope that he finds a way onto the travel roster, but ... that sack was because the O-line had a breakdown. The RG stopped blocking him, thinking that the RT was going to pick him up, but the RT was chasing an OLB on a line stunt.
If Belt is higher than #3 on the depth chart for game 1, we are in trouble. Mazour at least has some shiftiness in the hole, but I didnt see a starting B1G RB anywhere on the field.
I mostly agree, but I thought that Belt looked better than I expected, especially considering that he's a redshirt freshman who had no meaningful snaps last year. He ran hard and hit the hole when it was there, and he seemed to generally read the plays well, going where he should. Our O-line wasn't exactly blowing up the defense either, so it wasn't easy for any of the RBs. I also thought Jones looked pretty good, but playing for the White team was a handicap, as was going against the Red defense.
I meant Jones and I was hoping they could separate themselves from the 'other' RBs.
Jones did look pretty good running the ball, and he looked very good catching the ball. I wish that he had had more carries with more variety to what he ran. He didn't do anything stupid. On at least 2 of his carries when he was tackled for no gain or for a loss, I don't think that he should have even been given the ball because they looked like Zone Read runs where the QB gave when he should have pulled. I think that Bunch was told to NOT keep on those plays because he looked frustrated, and it's not as though he was going to get lit up by the defense if he ran the ball wearing a green jersey. When he did pull the ball it was pretty much always to throw a pass on an RPO. Jones will grade out pretty well.
Depends on your definition of "average," I suppose, but they're pretty dang good as a whole. See above.