Azusa Pacific Part 2

This weeks game was going to be at Azusa since we played them already at our home. Facing their defense meant we had to change up some of the run plays. Azusa runs a 4-3 defense with the mike linebacker always lined up off of the ball at eight yards. They also have a plug backer that lines up opposite of the three technique. For inexperienced lineman, it can make things difficult for them to make the correct calls and play assignment football. When facing a defensive front like this you have to take care of the first level and get off to the linebackers. If you don't, you allow the linebackers to make the plays and against our guys, we didn't fare to well.

The game plan was going to be the same, account for everyone upfront except the mike linebacker and make him make the tackles. Running the ball as in all of football, is critical for the pass game. We are down two running backs for this game and so we are relying on these two backs to pick up the slack.

Pass game won't change for this game. We know that we can take advantage of our match-ups, so it is up our guys to win those battles. The offensive line has to do a better job this week in protecting him and give the quarterback time to get the ball off. There blitz packages will make it hard to identify who we have so it will be key in identifying the mike and knowing who we have.

Beginning of the game started out good for us. We kept the same pace with them on both sides of the ball. When they scored, we scored. We even took advantage and forced a stop and took the lead but missed the field goal. It was deja vu all over again. We started fast and strong and went into half time with momentum. Now we had to get the monkey which has been on our back all season and take over in the second half. But like I said, deja vu all over again. Dropped balls, three and outs, and no stops on defense took place and we lost the game. We shot ourselves in the foot again and the monkey continues to run all over our back. 

Western Oregon

0-5. The record definitely does not reflect the talent that is on the team. The blow outs against some of the teams we have faced do not do justice to those guys on the field. I believe the game plans on the offensive side of the ball have been great, we've just had a lot of things not go our way. It happens though and this is football. You are going to have your highs and your lows but you have got to have the resiliency to over come those hardships and learn to get over it as a staff and team.

Western Oregon on film wasn't anything special. Their defensive end was a preseason all-conference and I believe that he was over hyped. He was ok on the field but nothing impressive. We knew as an offensive line that if we shut him down we were going to force the other guys on defensive to stop us. We did a good job at that and did a really good job at moving the ball early in the game but turnovers killed us on bug drives. Two crucial drives we were driving the ball and turned it over on fumbles, our kryptonite thus far this season.

I felt that we had plenty of chances to over come those turnovers, but when you lose momentum like that and there aren't enough seasoned or experience guys on the team to band together and rally, it's hard.

Our rushing game was held under 100 yards only gaining 37 the whole game. I know that I sound like a broken a record when I say this, but if you have no run it puts the offense and defense in bind. Forcing the offense to throw and allowing the opposing defense to blitz or sit back in zone and only rush three or four. This causes us to go three and out a majority of the time and puts our defense back on the field wearing them down.

The pass game was inconsistent at times and when it started to get going, we would turnover the ball or not make a big play on third down. When the game ended and you watch a team that should not have won the game,win, it makes you sick in the stomach. The final score of the game was 14 to 19, Western Oregon barely squeaking by with a victory. This is going to be another long bus ride back to St. George, and hopefully, we can figure this out.  We have Azusa Pacific next and I know their game plan against isn't going to change.

Simon Fraser

Trying to put the last four weeks behind us as a staff and team, changes need to be made. I won't get to in depth with topic, but changes need to be made. The moral of the players are beginning to fade and the trust between coaches and players is relevant.  Questions are beginning to circulate amongst the players questioning our ability as a staff. I understand the frustration they feel because I too fell that we haven't put our guys into a great position. Yet, on the other hand I do know that there are certain players we need in order to execute what we as a staff are trying to implement, but we are missing that aspect of the game as well. 

Putting that behind, our strategy on the offensive side of the ball going into the game against Simon was establish the run game to open the pass the game. Their middle linebacker Jordan Herdman will probably be the best linebacker we face all season. He can cover from sideline to sideline. He does a great job at shedding blocks and making tackles. So we have our work cut out for us. 

For the offensive line, it is going to be key for us to execute our double teams up to the linebackers and sustain our blocks. Simon Fraser's defensive line wasn't anything spectacular, but they do a good enough job holding the line and letting their backers read and get to the ball. 

Going into Saturday's game, I felt that offensive line didn't get enough time during the week during individuals to work on double teams and getting off to the backers. But, thats how it's been so far through the season. Another one of the frustrations I've come across this season. But back to the game, we started out slow which I felt was going to happen due to lack of preparation with the offensive line. We couldn't run the ball if our lives depended on it. We were lucky that the defense held strong the first quarter and that our passing game was able to bail us out and get us into the end zone in the first quarter. The rest of the game didn't fair out so easily for us as we turned over the ball for a score, a punt return for a touchdown and safety. Take away those 16 points we gave up and we have our first victory of the season. We out gained Simon 330 yards to 280 and outplayed them in almost all aspects of the game except rushing and turnovers. But that's where games are won. In the plus minus turnover battle and we haven't won that aspect of the game all so far this season hence the 0-5 record. 

Until next time bloggers, wish us luck because we are going to need it.