Hudspeth: 'The hardest schedule I've ever been a part of'

[angeleast]

Matt, don't misunderstand my optimism for weakness. My standards as a supporter are as constantly high as they've always been. But again, I truly believe in "when there's blood in the streets, buy buy buy". We still have plenty of talent on this roster. We now have a roster of kids that have been battered and bruised (physically, psychologically, emotionally) for two years. I think we needed a chip on our shoulder as a program, like we had in 2012-2014. I feel like we lost that and haven't played with an edge for 2 years.

This team has it. They have a lot to prove.

My comment about the schedule is more about the travel schedule than it is about the opponent. If you study the dates and the miles, it's pretty ridiculous. I know Hud has gotten his arse handed to him at home, but the home advantage remains for the players. There's no doubt it adds a level of intensity, organically.

I'll be disappointed if we don't go into Ole Miss with a mindset of winning. I've already been told that the Tulsa game is a major focus and the team leaders have marked down a W for that trip. Regardless of what people think of that, to me, it shows these cats believe they can win. I'm encouraged by it.

Well MAtt, belief in victory is the first step to translating team preparations to victory on the field. I hope your right. I really think that if we have running back average 4 to 5 yards a rush that will take pressure off of JD and we can utilize a short passing scheme along with JD's legs to move the ball. Once defences are forced to stop a run game, the passing game down field becomes more open. But the first step is believing especially for JD and our younger guys.

[ManAboutTown]

Well MAtt, belief in victory is the first step to translating team preparations to victory on the field. I hope your right. I really think that if we have running back average 4 to 5 yards a rush that will take pressure off of JD and we can utilize a short passing scheme along with JD's legs to move the ball. Once defences are forced to stop a run game, the passing game down field becomes more open. But the first step is believing especially for JD and our younger guys.

I'll guarantee you, if we have a back averaging 4-5 yards a carry, we'll win a lot of football games..

[Just1More]

Matt, don't misunderstand my optimism for weakness. My standards as a supporter are as constantly high as they've always been. But again, I truly believe in "when there's blood in the streets, buy buy buy". We still have plenty of talent on this roster. We now have a roster of kids that have been battered and bruised (physically, psychologically, emotionally) for two years. I think we needed a chip on our shoulder as a program, like we had in 2012-2014. I feel like we lost that and haven't played with an edge for 2 years.

This team has it. They have a lot to prove.

My comment about the schedule is more about the travel schedule than it is about the opponent. If you study the dates and the miles, it's pretty ridiculous. I know Hud has gotten his arse handed to him at home, but the home advantage remains for the players. There's no doubt it adds a level of intensity, organically.

I'll be disappointed if we don't go into Ole Miss with a mindset of winning. I've already been told that the Tulsa game is a major focus and the team leaders have marked down a W for that trip. Regardless of what people think of that, to me, it shows these cats believe they can win. I'm encouraged by it.

I'm not questioning you and your optimism. I think you probably stood close to the army campfires and it's encouraged you. I want the general to have the right attitude... not just his soldiers. A lot of soldiers have had invincible attitude prior to conflict. And they were slaughtered by a bad strategy. I still do not trust "Hud football". I'm not saying that all about it is flawed. But when it combines with our legacy issues, it comes up short.

I don't want to see Hud trying to find his keys from years 1-4 for a ride down memory lane. Years 1-4 were training camp. He accomplished "training camp". We need better than that to even return to respectable.

I understand the schedule issue. But does an army spend time worrying that the war is 1000 miles away versus 2000 miles away? Does annihilation strategy even care? Hud seems to coach textbook football... to the level of his reading comprehension... and then just thinks a fully rallied troop can defeat its enemies. We need to light the enemy on fire. We cannot just trade blows.

The season hasn't started and I do not know what Hud has in store. I'll wait and see.

[Just1More]

I'll guarantee you, if we have a back averaging 4-5 yards a carry, we'll win a lot of football games..

Please don't let Hud read this. He already has that fantasy. We need great coaching. Football box scores don't keep many stats to tally up good versus bad coaching. They usually just use the one at the end of a game called "the score".

[Just1More]

Let's start off the season making "lions" look like house cats. If the build up to the season needs some pomp... let's make the opening game a romp.

[ManAboutTown]

I'm not questioning you and your optimism. I think you probably stood close to the army campfires and it's encouraged you. I want the general to have the right attitude... not just his soldiers. A lot of soldiers have had invincible attitude prior to conflict. And they were slaughtered by a bad strategy. I still do not trust "Hud football". I'm not saying that all about it is flawed. But when it combines with our legacy issues, it comes up short.

I don't want to see Hud trying to find his keys from years 1-4 for a ride down memory lane. Years 1-4 were training camp. He accomplished "training camp". We need better than that to even return to respectable.

I understand the schedule issue. But does an army spend time worrying that the war is 1000 miles away versus 2000 miles away? Does annihilation strategy even care? Hud seems to coach textbook football... to the level of his reading comprehension... and then just thinks a fully rallied troop can defeat its enemies. We need to light the enemy on fire. We cannot just trade blows.

The season hasn't started and I do not know what Hud has in store. I'll wait and see.

I agree with everything here. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with Will Hall's offense. I'll say this; it's certainly not boring or bland.

I don't know what we'll see againat SLU, but I'm confident we'll see the kitchen sink against Tulsa.

[Ragin4U]

I agree with everything here. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with Will Hall's offense. I'll say this; it's certainly not boring or bland.

I don't know what we'll see againat SLU, but I'm confident we'll see the kitchen sink against Tulsa.

I hope you're right about the kitchen sink. But it doesnt even have to be trick plays, etc. Just a bit more imagination than jump balls and 23 Blast.
Good points about the "chip". When Hud came in, he was the "savior". After some success, maybe we relaxed a bit and thought that we didnt need the same level of effort. I hope you are right about that fire coming back.
J1M-I'm worried about Hud ball too. It seems like we try to out-talent teams in areas we cant and out-strength in areas we cant. If he lets Hall figure out where we can use finesse and where we can use power, we will be ok. I'm just not sold on the idea he can let go of that much control.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Hud's complained every year about recruiting from the SBC, yet App State completely blows that excuse out the water. They compete in a state with I believe four P5, one AAC, and another G5 school.

Hud's hit the jackpot with Joe Dillon. ZiYon Hill seems to be the answer in the middle, can't tell you how often the QB feels zero pressure up the middle. Hope the surgical repair is completely sound.

[zephyr]

I hope you're right about the kitchen sink. But it doesnt even have to be trick plays, etc. Just a bit more imagination than jump balls and 23 Blast.
Good points about the "chip". When Hud came in, he was the "savior". After some success, maybe we relaxed a bit and thought that we didnt need the same level of effort. I hope you are right about that fire coming back.
J1M-I'm worried about Hud ball too. It seems like we try to out-talent teams in areas we cant and out-strength in areas we cant. If he lets Hall figure out where we can use finesse and where we can use power, we will be ok. I'm just not sold on the idea he can let go of that much control.

We have heard the same things from the top for years. We've been told we will open up the offense for more years than I can remember. My skepticism comes from the lack of follow through from the coaching. We continuously approach big money games with a caution of trying not to get guys hurt while not showing our "true" opponents too much of our playbook.

I know we have a new OC but we've run the same components on offense since Hud got here. We're going to run the pistol, zone dive, wildcat where the QB runs it every time or gives it up on a jet sweep and a very inefficient passing game defined by either poor routes or no time for the QB.

I am highly concerned about our QB. Hopefully he has matured to a point where he can lead our offense because he was in no position to do this the last couple years, hence going out and getting AJ. Our OL was poor last year and while they have more experience, I'm still worried about this group.

[ManAboutTown]

So here's this