(10-21-2016 10:05 AM)WillaMary08 Wrote:  According to an Instagram post by TribeAthletics, WM's defense:

is 5th nationally in fewest passing yards allowed per game

had 193 interception return yards which leads the CAA and ranks 5th in FCS

has 8 interceptions, including at least one in six of the last seven games.

Our defense has been a real bright spot this year. Rookies are really stepping up and the unit gets better each game. Our yards allowed would probably be even lower if the defense didn't spend so much time on the field in the 2nd half in our losses.

That's a great stat, our secondary has played very well. The defense has been asked to do a lot and they have stepped up.

As with most stats they can be deceiving. If a team is running the ball or if a team is a run oriented team that will impact other stats.

The secondary has made huge plays, the defense has made huge plays overall. Here's the overall look at the defense. Keep in mind JMU, Delaware and UNH were run dominant offenses.

Pass D - 5 out of 122
Rush D - 102 out of 122
Total D - 44 out of 122
Scoring D - 35 out of 122

Still, I think most would agree, with the youth on this side of the ball, they have performed very well.

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Do we play a passing attack the rest of the season? I feel like Maine, Stony Brook, and Towson are all built around their running game. Richmond less so but that's due to injury.

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When opponents can run the ball for 5 yards/carry as they're currently averaging there isn't much need to throw.

(10-21-2016 11:30 AM)Rocco Wrote:  When opponents can run the ball for 5 yards/carry as they're currently averaging there isn't much need to throw.

I think the defense is better than I expected. Swinton, Graves and Reed are very solid in the back 4. However, the run defense is still terrible. I think the young guys have greatly improved, but we miss the excellent run stuffing D line from 2013 and earlier. Atkins, for example, does a good job and makes a lot of tackles, but the first hit is coming 4-5 yards or more off the ball. Most of the O-lines have had great success against our D-line. The linebackers are not free to roam to the football because they are either blocked at the point of attack or have the d-line knocked back into them. We have gotten little pressure on the QB as well. Some of it is the quality of the running games of the teams we are playing, and some is also attributable to the offense not keeping the defense off the field. In a few games, they have also been hurt by awful special teams which set up short fields. It was nice to see the defense really step up Saturday with 2 big turnovers. We also had more negative yardage plays and 4th down stops. I do wonder though why Delaware ever attempted a pass.

I did love that we finally threw the ball down the field in the 4th quarter offensively. No one hates the 1 yd pass more than me and we did it 12-15 times. I am not talking about hitting Christian in stride in open space. It is the totally covered, low to the ground pass where the acrobatic receiver would have to catch it and then make 2 guys miss to get the first down that is maddening. It is a terrible call. I remember Chase Hill, Sean Ballard(and this season Jack Armstrong) as guys who ran third down routes past the first down marker and nearly always received the ball past the marker. We do not do that this year much at all. But, in the 4th, we finally threw the ball more than 5 yards. I would like to see that continue. Finally, anyone else miss the long passes Cluely would occasionally throw to an open or even covered Dedmon last year. Not the throw away interception in the 4th quarter pass, but the loosen the defense, go for the home run 1st half pass. But, it was an exciting win and a great 4th quarter. I would love to see Coach Rogers and Laycock let the team just go all out and take chances in the remaining 4 games. They really have nothing to lose at this point.

We would see how good our pass defense is if we could get off to better starts and get the lead. We have been playing from behind all year this season.

(10-21-2016 11:30 AM)Rocco Wrote:  When opponents can run the ball for 5 yards/carry as they're currently averaging there isn't much need to throw.

Thankfully, Delaware did not get that memo. It might be the reason their coach is no longer employed.

I withhold judgement on W&M football teams until they demonstrate they can stop the run. Until they show they can, I don't get very hopeful.

Similarly, I withhold judgement on W&M basketball teams until they demonstrate they can get defensive rebounds and break the press.

I don't "expect" W&M teams in either sport to be able to accomplish these tasks. They have to show it.

(10-21-2016 06:23 PM)tribeinexile Wrote:  I withhold judgement on W&M football teams until they demonstrate they can stop the run. Until they show they can, I don't get very hopeful.

Similarly, I withhold judgement on W&M basketball teams until they demonstrate they can get defensive rebounds and break the press.

I don't "expect" W&M teams in either sport to be able to accomplish these tasks. They have to show it.

Did you see Tribe basketball games last year? There was not a team in the CAA that could successfully press David Cohn.

Agreed. I don't worry about breaking the press this year. Rebounding, however ...

I think our defensive line is pretty talented. Just young. Murray, Suarez, and Gavin Johnson are all freshman in one way or another. Plus we've been without Murray, Kleinrichert, and Gryder for stretches this year.

But I also realize that saying our line is young and injured gives little solace while watching the games.

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I really believe this, don't ask me why. The team that was written about in the preseason, the one the experts wrote about, will be the team that shows up the final 4 games.

KA will run through people, Cluley will finish on fire. All of our receivers will be used. The line will dominate.

Defensively, this squad will stop the run, and create turnovers.

We will sneak into the playoffs and win a game.

Not a bad turn around!

I'm sober, I don't live in CO.



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Our line is already dominating. They're opening up some MASSIVE holes for KA

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