Why I think we're seeing what we're seeing:
Injuries - Mid-season plateau/late season drop-off: The coaches have recognized this issue and the fall camp injuries, hence the reduced contact/scrimmages during fall camp. This likely contributed to our slow start, but will hopefully continue to show benefits through the remainder of the season. This is a very dynamic issue, though, as all it takes is one game for some key injuries to occur. Things that concern me now - Kittrel's injury and the nasty targeting hit on Rourke vs. Ball State.
Offensive line performance: The key to our slow start offensively. The new OL coach and the changes he brought have takes some time for the OL to assimilate. We are now seeing the type of performance we (and MAC coaches) expected pre-season.
Defensive performance: We knew that there would be a drop-off in the front 7 due to loss of key players and lack of game experience in the replacements. They are really beginning to get their legs under them now. Will they be as good as last year's? Probably not. Do they need to be? No. If the running game continues to perform at (or near) this level, the defense will be protected by the offense.
The last two teams we have played are pretty bad...it's hard to argue otherwise. However, if we continue to play at this level, I think we'll be fine. Even with the improved competition, there's plenty of wiggle room between running a team completely out of the stadium (as we did) and just winning, baby.
The media may be ready to anoint Buffalo as the conference champs, but I guarantee that the Buffalo coaching staff is enduring their share of heartburn watching our running game grinding up defenses as we expected them to...let''s hope they get to experience that too.
Great great analysis. These coaches noticed the injuries we had in camp in 2005-2006. We let off on going super hard in tackling and it paid dividends towards the end of 2006. One thing about Solich is he will try something new and if it works..great. If not...then back to the drawing board. Thats what i loved about playing for him. Troy whopped our boys in a bowl game years after i left...and what did he do.....sent his assistants to Troy to utilize the pistol up-tempo. Years later it paid off.
Lets not forget Buffalos star Lb Hodge was hit with targeting last week and has to sit out the first half. I dont see them losing their next game but it changes a lot of schemes for their next game in the first half. And you never know in the MAC.
Last Edited: 11/1/2018 7:42:07 PM by ExCat21