(01-12-2020 03:17 PM)Dukester Wrote:  This post will cover many post game, and post season thoughts I have. I have not yet gone back and re-watched the game, but these are things that went through my mind about the game and season on my way back yesterday. Once again, because the exact times and events may be off since this has been written as a fan watching the game yesterday, and the possible game specific inaccuracies do not really alter why I feel and see things as I do. (that's the BDK clause)

#1 - Props to NDSU, their coaches, and more so by far Trey Lance. I felt NDSU was the more mentally tough team yesterday. After the first drive yesterday, it felt like they never were out of control of the game. Trey Lance in person was everything I read about & more. NDSU has had some great QB's the last decade, but even as only a freshman he's the most dominant NDSU QB I have seen in college. I get the POY conference and national awards. Sadly we did not see a ton of his passing game yesterday, but he was without a doubt the best player on the field. The comparison that kept coming to my mind in watching him was Amanti Edwards. He was unstoppable, a game changer, and the difference in the game. He's no fluke, and could be a very good QB at the next level, especially with the current NFL's evolving QB play.

Coaching for the game and Year

Curt was my choice for the next head coach because I thought he was the safe move. At worst I felt he would be good coach at JMU. He and his staff are the best in the CAA in my opinion. All and all he had the year I expected based on the team he had coming back and Curt's resume. I liked the progress the team made throughout the year. I think the two biggest games of the year Curt's team lost were due to better coaching. I think we should of beaten both WVU and NDSU. I'd rate Curt between good and very good, but not great.

NDSU fans

I know some have said they are friendly and great fans. Here's my take - I think some are very friendly, but a lot of very arrogant and not so friendly. As far as the arrogance, we have the same fans (even on here), but at least their teams have earned it. I would not call them one of the friendlier fans bases as many have claimed. As far as support, there are none better in FCS. I'd say they had at least 50% more fans then us yesterday.

Coaching was the difference

The fake FG, and fake double reverse were great plays and well executed. We never stopped Trey, and they never went away from what was working. On the fake FG in those weather conditions from that distance - the coaches should of had the players ready for a fake FG.

As good as I know Trey was, I'm shocked with the talent we have, the success we've shown in stopping the run, and three weeks of preparation that Curt and Corey could not devise a defense to even slow Trey. Basically they were a one man team on offense. Make someone else beat us. We had the talent to play much better than we did yesterday. As good as I know Trey was, I was a bit shocked by our inability to stop his running.

There was an article in the DNR about how we were preparing for their 2 point gimmick play they run, and after their first TD they had 4 players out to the right, and we only had two covering. Why they didn't go for the two points, I don't know. How in the world were we not ready for something they always do? Our coaches were going nutz on the sidelines to get someone to move out, but we never adjusted. Thankfully they just kicked the extra point.

I guess the package we came up with over the three weeks was with Gage Moloney. I do like that it gave our possible starter some meaningful playing time on the big stage. That experience will never hurt. I actually like the lateral to Ben, but it should of been on the initial series with Gage. After Gage plays his initial series, I'm sure the NDSU coaches were able tell their players be alert for a lateral to Ben for a long pass. They certainly had it covered. Ben should of thrown the ball away. That is not a spot he could take the big sack.

The clock management on the final drive was brutal. Coaches made a ton of errors.

Palmer runs the ball for 7 yards, and then you bring in Hamilton to run the next play? 1) when you switch running backs you automatically take 20 seconds off the clock to allow the defense to make changes. 2) Why bring someone else to run the ball when Palmer just ran for 7 yards? They did this multiple times on the last drive killing clock each time. Then with less than a minute on the clock we let 20 seconds run on the clock after a defensive offside. 1) after a penalty we should of been ready to run a play with no time running off the clock. 2) we had two timeouts we could of used. I watched Curt the whole time during the that 20 seconds - he looked relaxed and I wonder if anyone was aware the clock was running.

Now the next three play call objections are just personal option, but realize some will disagree:
1) I would of run Palmer at the three with 7 seconds to go with timeouts in hand.
2) I would of gone for 2 on the first TD, so I knew if I would need 1 or 2 more possessions.
3) In the 2nd quarter I would of gone for the 4th and 7, especially after Ethan missed the first attempt.

Ben

After the third quarter I was thinking what a solid game he had played. Well that kinda fell apart in the 4th quarter. He started making ill-advised passes. The execution on his final pass was not good. On the lateral from Gage he should of never taken the sack. Also there was multiple opportunities to have big runs and he choose to pass the ball, once pass the line of scrimmage. They brought in Gage to run the ball?

I don't get it, the one thing Ben did well last year, and earlier in the year was run the ball. He's not Trey, but his running ability causes major issues for opposing teams. I asked this weeks ago - Why is Ben no longer part of the running offense? Did he have some injury we are unaware of? Had some prior JMU football players in front of me asking the same thing. Ben's always been a good runner - why did it leave the offense? The few times he does run the ball he shy's away from hits and head out of bounds. That is not the Ben I know. His final run on a 4th and 6 he lowed his pads and picked up the key first down. Why was his running not part of the offense the rest of the games or prior games?

Ben had a really good year, and led us to be the dominant team we were. He earned and deserved the CAA offensive POY, but the 4th quarter was a step back to his past.

Officiating

I never go here, but the difference in the calls (by I think the same ref) on interference were maddening. I'm questioning if he had money on the game. There was some blatant ones by us in the first half I did not have an issue with, but the second half - what the heck?

Maybe they were not calling holding on either team, but I saw some major holds by them on big plays not called. As I said, I've not gone back and watched on TV, but in person it looked like they had someone holding big time on Trey's last 44 yard TD.

Credit again to NDSU


They made a ton of plays on 3rd and long, and 4th downs. We didn't and we did not stop them.

Streamers

The staff at the game did not care about streamers as seemed the case to me two years ago. Obviously don't display you have them coming in, but there were 1,000s of streamers there and no one seemed to care.

Fabulous Frisco

My feelings have not changed from before. Even if we to go again next year, can't see dropping another $2,000 + to go. Who knows, but right now I can't see investing that money to go back to the same place for a FCS game.

Next year

While we have a lot coming back, I'm not sure we've ever lost more to graduation in a single year. As other's have said, put NDSU in another category. This is likely the least optimistic I've felt for an upcoming year since Houston's first year. I'm not sure winning the CAA is a lock as I've thought the last three years. I'm not sure we're a top 6 team. Reason's for concern:
1) As I said we've never lost more to graduation
2) I don't think our high school recruiting was as strong this year
3) With the dominant performances we had, I don't think we utilized some of the easy wins to invest in the returning players enough - especially with our defensive front. I realize there was a drop off on the 2nd teamers, but we should of invested in them more as NDSU did, and we have done in the past. We'll see how prepared they are next year once they have to play.
4) We have no idea who the QB will be
5) We lost three great receivers & blockers in Polk, & the Stapletons.

We have some real studs returning next year, and hopefully some key transfers but I see a significant drop off for us next year. Does not fell like a reload.

2019 was a great year for JMU football. I feel we left something on the table, but we were easily 2nd best. If not for one player we would of easily been the best.

I can't imagine anything that could excitement me more in JMU FCS football than an announcement we are going FBS. JMU FCS football excitement continues to diminish each year. Still like it a lot. I would never miss watching a game, but FCS and lack of what I feel is a rival.....

The holding call against tutt on the long 3rd down td run was a bad miss.

Reminded me of the call they got against domo in 2016. Except this was a way more blatant hold they got away with.

Was not a game changer in of itself, but they make that call and we likely hold them to a punt or a very long fg attempt and it’s 21-13 at start of fourt and us having ball instead of down 15.