All aboard.....

jagur1 · Post by **jagur1** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:42 pm

Hey Gimp, I mean BAC we need a prediction page/Thread.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:44 pm

What? You gotta broken leg or sumpthin?

I had to dredge up that phrase from long, long ago.

Fine, I'll start a prediction thread.

OZCAT · Post by **OZCAT** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:53 pm

I agree that Bailey is not very creative in his play calling and he also doesn't utilize the talent he has very well. The offense was non existent in the first half but perked up in the second half. I do feel that we have a running game but it materialized mostly in the second half. If we continue to run the ball the whole game like we did in the second half we will have many hundred yard gamesthis season. And if our receivers hang on to the ball our passing game will come around.

Travis said in an interview that he was a little rattled and I think Bailey didn"t recognize that. Upon recognizing that Bailey should have run some plays that so Travis would regain his confidence. Travis is bound to have a better game next week.

The game plan in the first half seemed like a "raffle"...plays scribbled on pieces of paper and drawn at random out of a brown paper bag. The second half seemed a little more thoughtful.

In conclusion, I think we have real potential this year in all aspects of the game but to be successful next week we need to (as Archie Bell and the Drells sang) :"Tighten Up".

Bigtime75 · Post by **Bigtime75** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 4:07 pm

[quote="BozoneCat"]My game thoughts from yesterday:

As for the friz, I could care less who they schedule. They have a pretty solid schedule this year, as they usually do, but they also play just about everybody at home. That doesn't prepare you well for conference games and the playoffs. I like our schedule, I think it provides us with good challenges every week and also puts us in a position to play games every week that will help us prepare to defend our Big Sky titles and make a run in the playoffs. The friz didn't play great this weekend again, and I would guess that if they played either of their first two on the road they would have lost. I guarantee that if Ochs keeps playing the way he is, he will be out for the year by week 5. He took 2 hits that knocked his helmet all the way off - great coaching to put a kid with a history of concussions in a position like that. His numbers look pretty good so far, but I still think that when he hears footsteps, he is a mediocre-at-best QB. I am pretty confident that if he is still playing when we get them, our front 7 will dominate that game and Ochs won't do much with Bobcats at his throat all day long. "

I wish you would stop being so preoccupied with Ochs. It sounds especially ludicrous in light of the fact that Ochs had a hell of a game this weekend and Travis had one of his worst. I am a 100% Lulay supporter, but it is completely ignorant to call Ochs a "mediocre QB." In addition to being a Cat fan, I am also a huge Buffs supporter, and a healthy Ochs is an extremely dangerous QB. Hell, the kid helped beat the huskers as a freshman, at a time when it was unheard of for the Buffs to beat the Huskers. While our D did a great job containing him last season, the kid was playing @ less than 80%. I am not saying that Ochs is the best QB anyone has ever seen, but he is unarguably much better than "mediocre".

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 5:22 pm

If you read my post more carefully, I say that Ochs is mediocre at best when he is under pressure. I have watched a lot of his game film and I think he makes bad decisions and bad throws when he has people bearing down on him. He is a very good pocket passer when he has all day to throw, can set his feet, and doesn't throw the ball more than 20 yards. He has surprised me a lot by how much he has run the ball so far this season, and how willing he is to run - not calling him a wimp, as I think he is a tough SOB, but I don't think I would run a whole lot with a history like his. However, I wouldn't bet on him making it through the season if he keeps it up. He got his helmet knocked completely off TWICE last week... for a kid with a sordid history of concussions, that is not good news.

WYCAT · Post by **WYCAT** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:09 am

From the Cal Poly Guy's Post, it sounds like he is on board after watching one game. I have no idea why in three years Kramer can't see what football fans around the nation can see in a few hours.

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 2:59 pm

Not bad points for a change, Bear. However, I have some points of my own:

1.) Travis has nothing of the injury history that Ochs has. It may be a little over-simplified, but suffice it to say that each injury/concussion predisposes you to another by a significant degree.

2.) Travis running for his life and taking hits is nothing new. He has pretty much been running for his life ever since stepping foot on campus, with the exception of a few notable games.

3.) Right now, I don't know that I would be too upset if Travis got knocked out for a few games...

Post by **SonomaCat** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 3:03 pm

BozoneCat wrote:3.) Right now, I don't know that I would be too upset if Travis got knocked out for a few games...

The term "Cut off your nose to spite your face" comes to mind.

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 3:09 pm

I should have prefaced that statement as tongue-in-cheek, because I certainly don't want him to go down. I still think he is our guy, but he needs to show a lot of improvement. I agree that it will help his confidence when (if) guys start to make catches, but there is no excuse for throwing a 5-yard pass into a guy's feet.

Still venting about the game..... deep breaths....

mjc · Post by **mjc** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 5:14 pm

In my opinion, I think that Kramer always "Praises" someone to the hilt, (Azimi and Tyler Thomas) and now Lulay and the only place to go is down. Brett Favre couldn't even live up to what Kramer says and has said about these QB's.

These are just 18-22 year old "kids" .

Just my opinion......

Bozgriz · Post by **Bozgriz** » Sun Sep 19, 2004 7:11 pm

Well cat fans, I too visited bobcat stadium yesterday and walked out of there thinking this cat team is very poor.

Travis is ok when not forced to think. That pick for TD was a terrible play...Running game is non-existent and I counted no less than 8 dropped passes by WRs...Kicker, well, botched snap and blocked FG don't bode well. 2-4 on PATs on the year...Punter, well, another partially blocked kick proves teams are on to this rolling out punt thing. DL and LB, Marudas is out for the year, Cal-Poly simply ran the ball right down the cats front seven on the last two drives of the game. DBs got smoked deep more than once, including a pass that looked more like a punt...

The cat fans I was sitting with were pissed and with good reason. There simply is not one part of this team, aside from Cooper, that gives anyone any reason to smile!

Bailey called a good game, fact is, there simply are no playmakers on this team right now...My guess is, someone will step up and take on that responsibility but I see this team coming out of the gate at 1-3 with a huge loss at CSU and then a conference opening loss at ISU...

velochat · Post by **velochat** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:24 am

I went to the game thinking we had a chance to win, but no way would I ever pick us over Cal Poly until we actually beat them. It's crazy that MSU was ranked higher, as CP had a better season last year. The Cats certainly have potential to come around this season, but if so, it will be much like the past two seasons, as the offense continues to be completely ineffective, as we are so used to now.

As for the friz, the phrase silver lining comes to mind

Cat Pride · Post by **Cat Pride** » Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:34 am

No playmakers on offense....hmmm, who recruits the kids on that side of the ball Kramer and Bailey!

MSUcantouchus · Post by **MSUcantouchus** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:47 pm

I must re-open this post. Wow how BAD is Bailey. Could he call any worse plays. Do we really need to run draws over and over, not to mention screens and swing passes. How about a different QB sneek. Bailey try a play action bootleg, actually try anything but what you have been calling. I will give you a copy of my Madden playbook maybe that will help.

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 11:10 am

In all seriousness. I think Bailey is a sharp OC. Maybe somebody else has better info, but I think Bailey's offense is much like Boise's and you can see how Boise scores. My question is this: I wonder if that offense is too complicated for the Cats?

Also - I think if you really digest the offensive play calling, there are only a few plays each game where you say to yourself, WTF WAS THAT CALL??!! By far and away, if the players made the plays they are supposed to make, the Cats would be easily scoring over 30 pts per game. How about Gatewood make a catch - geez, he should have 6 TD's this year, but his hands are just stone. Maybe he's injured.

And finally, Travis has a chance to hit a streaking Guinn and he overthrows him by several yards - brutal.

Anyway - I think Bailey is doing fine. I think if guys made just he easy plays, the Cats would score double what they do now.

Helcat72 · Post by **Helcat72** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 11:30 am

I too, when watching the game don't get the feeling that the play calling is flawed...just the execution. Yesterday the O-line got their lunch handed to them in the first half. Brady Fosmark beat Bolton like a rented mule!. To his credit, he played much better the second half.

A lot of the play calls can be explained away by saying they were trying to set something up; but you can't set anything up unless you are at least successful on a few of them! Weber's D-line was physical and had quick D-ends. It was a great call to go with the "no huddle'...like Baileysaid it created some rhythm and kept them from thinking too much.

Cat Pride · Post by **Cat Pride** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:56 pm

I was all for moving Bolton to RT early in the season, and I commend the kid for his effort in moving over and giving it his all. But I think we may be better suited to keep Jeff at RG and take our chances with DeCock at RT until Joe Hirst comes back.

MSUcantouchus · Post by **MSUcantouchus** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 4:13 pm

I'm sorry but a can not agree with you guys on the fact that our players are not executing. If the players can't execute then change things. We shouldn't need 3/4ths of a season to learn an offense. Maybe the offense is too difficult but maybe not. Screens, draws, and swing passes are not difficult. I think it is fairly plain to see that the run will not set up the pass. For our team it is our pass that sets up the run. We nearly moved the ball at will in the second half when we ignored the run a bit along with the no huddle and passed the ball.

I think Bailey is not very good at recognizing the weaknesses of the other teams d. The best example is Guinn lining up against a db nearly a foot shorter and 50 lb's lighter. The db was giving him a 12 yrd cushion and we did a quick pass once to his side. Guinn ran over their guy and juked another before he was brought down. Colorado State and Idaho State did that against our soft coverage all the time. Why did Bailey not see that?

What kills me the most is that instead of doing what we did in the second half yesterday, next week against Portland State we will see the usual crappy offense until we need to score or lose. He never learns! Please prove me wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All aboard.....

Re: All aboard.....