Final: ULM (24) vs Louisiana (30)

[LifeTimeCajun]

Just think if we had Nixon Eli and riles with a passing QB

[Just1More]

BRAVO! You must have coached or played before. I've never seen a coach not play to his talent's strength, but force fits his style instead.

Ha! No. It's just too obvious. And that makes it even more ridiculous.

[ManAboutTown]

Easy there. We just beat a horrible football team. We have no QB, a suspect OL and WR who have trouble getting separation. Play calling is one of many factors on why we suck. I do like your suggestion of using EM in the slot.

We just had a real passer come into the game, with zero 1st team reps, in the rain, on HC, down 15, and lead us to victory... Wtf are you talking about

[billbeck451]

We may have seen the birth of a defense tonight

[MetryCajun]

You think he is good, I don't. We will see over the next few weeks who is right. Of course if he stinks, you will blame the coaches.

[Just1More]

Easy there. We just beat a horrible football team. We have no QB, a suspect OL and WR who have trouble getting separation. Play calling is one of many factors on why we suck. I do like your suggestion of using EM in the slot.

I'm not downplaying the fact we have some weak spots on both units. Every team does. But we have some seriously obvious brain deficits when it comes to player utilization and play calling. We have almost no business trying to run up the gut, especially against 8 men in the box. We have speed and succeed when we take it to the edges. Neither QB is gifted in working to see an open receiver from the pocket, so it makes much more sense to give them Robinson over the middle and Eli out of the slot. Riles can be used significantly more as a blocking back, third down back, bubble screen receiver, and a check down receiver. But Eli has tremendous catching ability. How can we bruise that guy trying to bash him into a brick wall every game, when he just needs some space and he's a magician. Our staff just isn't very smart or creative. Hud loves power football to a fault. And he hasn't used techniques to make the game slow down for our QBs. There's ways to do it. He is far too dependent on thinking his guys will bull their way to the end zone.

I see lesser talented teams do much better at using their talent. And if we're going to start beating bad teams handily, and occasionally knock off a good team, Hud has got to get smarter, or get a smarter offensive staff. On defense, I just want smart schemes and good fundamentals. The south has plenty of athletes to have a decent defense year in and year out. I have no problem with aggressive bull nose defense. But offenses should show off some thinking capability from a staff.

[CajunRed]

They showed it up close on the broadcast a few times.

Sorry for slamming you. I was a little cold...a bit wet...and our play up to that point was pretty bad.

[MetryCajun]

In the first half the Cajuns ran a great play where EM was in the slot. Unfortunately the OL missed the blitz and Nixon got crushed. EM was wide open. We are a not as talented as you think.
Defense actually got some pressure in the 2nd half. That is what they need because our DB's struggle in man, cover 2, cover 3, soft zone and any other defense you can think of.

[Just1More]

You think he is good, I don't. We will see over the next few weeks who is right. Of course if he stinks, you will blame the coaches.

I sure hope you don't mind it if Haack does do well. I can assure you this, if Eli had no history and our staff just keeps running him up the gut, he'll "stink" like Haack does. This staff is at the root of a lot of supposed player issues right now.

[RaginScotsman]

No more complaints tonight. Only living in the moment of the win. We are far from a good football team, but a win is SO sweet. Enjoy it and compliment our guys for fighting and taking the W.

[MetryCajun]

I sure hope you don't mind it if Haack does do well. I can assure you this, if Eli had no history and our staff just keeps running him up the gut, he'll "stink" like Haack does. This staff is at the root of a lot of supposed player issues right now.

Not at all. I hope my first and second impression of him is wrong. I really like his attitude and competitive fire. I just don't think he can make the tough throws. In his defense his receivers are not getting open.

[Just1More]

In the first half the Cajuns ran a great play where EM was in the slot. Unfortunately the OL missed the blitz and Nixon got crushed. EM was wide open. We are a not as talented as you think.
Defense actually got some pressure in the 2nd half. That is what they need because our DB's struggle in man, cover 2, cover 3, soft zone and any other defense you can think of.

I can't say this applies to every defensive secondary breakdown we see, but you cannot separate the lack of pressure and DB play. All secondaries will eventually fail if we don't get pressure. In fact, that second half pressure resulted in our DBs making plays in the second half. Funny how they could all of a sudden look decent once we get some line pressure. I don't have the same view of our defense as our offense. The offense seriously lacks play intelligence.

My basic feeling on our defense, aside from what I've been told in actual personnel issues, is the fact that we played and taught way too much soft zone and line lane management. If these guys had as many Saturdays as their counterparts in playing traditional intelligent aggressive man coverage and attacking line defense, maybe they'd be better. You can't make a dog act like a cat and then expect great dog tricks out of him all of a sudden. Hud needs to take some sage advice and stop being bullheaded. We are not Alabama. We will not out recruit everyone and just out athlete them.