On injuries
First, none of the ones from Saturday night were season-ending. Not that any were expected to be. Here's the real question, though: do you try to throw any of those guys back on the field this Saturday night? That tells you pretty much what you need to know about Josh Walker, Drew Kaser and James White (as well as anyone else I'm missing). In my opinion, no. You don't need to. You do need them for Arkansas, and getting then snaps against Nevada to get them back into full game condition would be great. Just judging from what was said yesterday, that's probably the game plan. Otaro Alaka may be the exception; he could well play some Saturday.
They'll get all those guys, along with Zaycoven Henderson and A.J. Hilliard, back for Nevada and be pretty much 100% when conference play begins. I don't know what the deal is with Richard Moore, so I can't speculate, and I am hoping Julien Obioha will be back by then but that's probably no better than 50/50. If the Aggies can get through this weekend shorthanded -- which they should without trouble -- then they should be a lot closer to full health when Nevada shows up.
One guy happy with a position switch
Is Mark Hagen. The oft-ripped former linebackers coach is now in charge of the defense tackles, and his charges did a really nice job against ASU. They combined for 12 tackles -- half from Daylon Mack -- 3.5 TFL (including a huge stuff on 3rd and goal by Alonzo Williams) and a sack (from Hardreck Walker). He did a good job of rotating his guys and they pretty much dominated the interior line of Arizona State, especially against the run. He'll be a big beneficiary of reinforcements, when Henderson and Obioha get back, so he's got to be finding life coaching the tackles a lot easier than coaching an undermanned, underconfident group of linebackers.
Was that really all it took?
"When I was asked where the deficiencies were, and it was simply confidence. And their confidence has grown by leaps and bounds. As coaches, we have to put them in positions to have success, and when they have success they become confident. Once they become confident, they become a great football team." -- John Chavis. He plainly, and honestly, believes in his guys and they believe in him. I don't know if it was the simplification of the scheme or just getting athletes moving north-south instead of waiting and then going east-west, but the defense has been majorly altered, as we saw.
Guys to watch for
Judging from the comments of Jake Spavital yesterday and a cursory review of the game tape, the problems on the offensive line seem to be largely contained to left guard (at least in the opinion of those who matter). Keaton Sutherland got intimidated early and Jeremiah Stuckey was just flat bad, so what do you do? It looks like they're going to get another shot this weekend, probably with Sutherland starting and Stuckey coming in later (or if needed). But guys like Jermaine Eluemunor, Connor Lanfear and Tank Davis have to be getting a look in practice again. They're honest to goodness guards and might be of use. One guy who isn't going to get a look is Germain Ifedi. He may be a guard at the next level, but right now he's still one of the team's two best tackles and there's still a premium on good tackle play. You don't rob Peter to pay Paul in this instance. Maybe his backup, Koda Martin, gets into the guard mix, but Ifedi's not and it just wouldn't help the team overall to move him.
The name to learn for Saturday
Kwame Etwi. He's a freshman running back from Conroe Oak Ridge who put up huge numbers but was overlooked because of his size (5'9", 190). He had a really good spring and he traveled to Houston this past weekend when some scholarship guys didn't. With James White iffy and Kendall Bussey still not 100%, he could be the guy who spells Tra Carson before the Human Victory Cigar, Brice Dolezal, takes the field. Just something to keep in mind.
The picks for the weekend
Auburn over Jacksonville State
Georgia over Vanderbilt in a low scoring, boring game
Ole Miss over Fresno State in one that is closer than expected
Alabama over Middle Tennessee State
Arkansas over Toledo
A&M over Ball State
Mizzou over Arkansas state
Florida over East Carolina
South Carolina over Kentucky
AND THE TWO OF REAL INTEREST
Tennessee over Oklahoma. But my faith in this is dropping after UT's secondary played like crap and Baker Mayfield threw for 388 yards last weekend. UT needs to get physical on both lines and beat up OU.
LSU over Mississippi State. I know a lot of people are picking MSU, but I watched them play Southern Miss last Saturday night and USM stinks. But the Golden Eagles still moved the ball a lot and that was a game into the 4th quarter. I don't think LSU is great, but I do think they can do enough to win. Look for a lot of running up the middle from both teams and a 9-6 style game.
Oh, and Rice over Texas.
First, none of the ones from Saturday night were season-ending. Not that any were expected to be. Here's the real question, though: do you try to throw any of those guys back on the field this Saturday night? That tells you pretty much what you need to know about Josh Walker, Drew Kaser and James White (as well as anyone else I'm missing). In my opinion, no. You don't need to. You do need them for Arkansas, and getting then snaps against Nevada to get them back into full game condition would be great. Just judging from what was said yesterday, that's probably the game plan. Otaro Alaka may be the exception; he could well play some Saturday.
They'll get all those guys, along with Zaycoven Henderson and A.J. Hilliard, back for Nevada and be pretty much 100% when conference play begins. I don't know what the deal is with Richard Moore, so I can't speculate, and I am hoping Julien Obioha will be back by then but that's probably no better than 50/50. If the Aggies can get through this weekend shorthanded -- which they should without trouble -- then they should be a lot closer to full health when Nevada shows up.
One guy happy with a position switch
Is Mark Hagen. The oft-ripped former linebackers coach is now in charge of the defense tackles, and his charges did a really nice job against ASU. They combined for 12 tackles -- half from Daylon Mack -- 3.5 TFL (including a huge stuff on 3rd and goal by Alonzo Williams) and a sack (from Hardreck Walker). He did a good job of rotating his guys and they pretty much dominated the interior line of Arizona State, especially against the run. He'll be a big beneficiary of reinforcements, when Henderson and Obioha get back, so he's got to be finding life coaching the tackles a lot easier than coaching an undermanned, underconfident group of linebackers.
Was that really all it took?
"When I was asked where the deficiencies were, and it was simply confidence. And their confidence has grown by leaps and bounds. As coaches, we have to put them in positions to have success, and when they have success they become confident. Once they become confident, they become a great football team." -- John Chavis. He plainly, and honestly, believes in his guys and they believe in him. I don't know if it was the simplification of the scheme or just getting athletes moving north-south instead of waiting and then going east-west, but the defense has been majorly altered, as we saw.
Guys to watch for
Judging from the comments of Jake Spavital yesterday and a cursory review of the game tape, the problems on the offensive line seem to be largely contained to left guard (at least in the opinion of those who matter). Keaton Sutherland got intimidated early and Jeremiah Stuckey was just flat bad, so what do you do? It looks like they're going to get another shot this weekend, probably with Sutherland starting and Stuckey coming in later (or if needed). But guys like Jermaine Eluemunor, Connor Lanfear and Tank Davis have to be getting a look in practice again. They're honest to goodness guards and might be of use. One guy who isn't going to get a look is Germain Ifedi. He may be a guard at the next level, but right now he's still one of the team's two best tackles and there's still a premium on good tackle play. You don't rob Peter to pay Paul in this instance. Maybe his backup, Koda Martin, gets into the guard mix, but Ifedi's not and it just wouldn't help the team overall to move him.
The name to learn for Saturday
Kwame Etwi. He's a freshman running back from Conroe Oak Ridge who put up huge numbers but was overlooked because of his size (5'9", 190). He had a really good spring and he traveled to Houston this past weekend when some scholarship guys didn't. With James White iffy and Kendall Bussey still not 100%, he could be the guy who spells Tra Carson before the Human Victory Cigar, Brice Dolezal, takes the field. Just something to keep in mind.
The picks for the weekend
Auburn over Jacksonville State
Georgia over Vanderbilt in a low scoring, boring game
Ole Miss over Fresno State in one that is closer than expected
Alabama over Middle Tennessee State
Arkansas over Toledo
A&M over Ball State
Mizzou over Arkansas state
Florida over East Carolina
South Carolina over Kentucky
AND THE TWO OF REAL INTEREST
Tennessee over Oklahoma. But my faith in this is dropping after UT's secondary played like crap and Baker Mayfield threw for 388 yards last weekend. UT needs to get physical on both lines and beat up OU.
LSU over Mississippi State. I know a lot of people are picking MSU, but I watched them play Southern Miss last Saturday night and USM stinks. But the Golden Eagles still moved the ball a lot and that was a game into the 4th quarter. I don't think LSU is great, but I do think they can do enough to win. Look for a lot of running up the middle from both teams and a 9-6 style game.
Oh, and Rice over Texas.
