Key areas for next game

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:47 pm

Weber "shouldn't" be much to worry about, but we need to use this game as a big improvement tool.

Our defense can only develop with time and experience. That is the only the secondary will get better.

But what area would you like to see the biggest improvement in?

I say we need to improve our special teams. We aren't getting hardly any big returns, and I don't think we returned more than one punt against ISU Saturday. Scoring is harder with more green in front of you.

The passing game is getting better, but I still want some improvement in route running and seperation from DBs.

What happened to Milton? I thought he had a few nice runs, did he get injured? I definately think he should still be the starter, but I was impressed with Domineck's running on Saturday. I still say we rotate them in, just like the Rams in their win tonight.

The OL is getting better but Lulay still needs more time. I'll have it noted that Lulay rushed for -2 yards against ISU. We need him running again, but not too much.

All in all I was very concerned about this team after watching the Adams St and Cal-Poly games, but the last two games we have been making strides and I look forward to more firepower on offense next week and tighter defense. I think our DL will smash Weber, plain and simple. And if anything gets through, Cooper will smash him.

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:54 am

CelticCat wrote:Weber "shouldn't" be much to worry about, but we need to use this game as a big improvement tool.

Our defense can only develop with time and experience. That is the only the secondary will get better.

But what area would you like to see the biggest improvement in?

I say we need to improve our special teams. We aren't getting hardly any big returns, and I don't think we returned more than one punt against ISU Saturday. Scoring is harder with more green in front of you.

The passing game is getting better, but I still want some improvement in route running and seperation from DBs.

What happened to Milton? I thought he had a few nice runs, did he get injured? I definately think he should still be the starter, but I was impressed with Domineck's running on Saturday. I still say we rotate them in, just like the Rams in their win tonight.

The OL is getting better but Lulay still needs more time. I'll have it noted that Lulay rushed for -2 yards against ISU. We need him running again, but not too much.

All in all I was very concerned about this team after watching the Adams St and Cal-Poly games, but the last two games we have been making strides and I look forward to more firepower on offense next week and tighter defense. I think our DL will smash Weber, plain and simple. And if anything gets through, Cooper will smash him.

WE SHOULD WORRY ABOUT WEBER OR ANY OTHER BIG SKY TEAM UNTIL OUR OFFENSE GETS BETTER. This game is by no means a gimmee for us and I hope the players and coaches treat it as such. We snuck through and won a HUGE game this weekend and we cannot afford to blow that road breakthrough by losing another HOMECOMING game. I'm sure WEBER is going to come out and play tough/loose and with nothing to lose this weekend. They are a dangerous team and one we need to go out and knock them in the mouth early and take away their running game. Then its LIGHTS OUT!

WE NEED A HUGE CROWD THIS WEEKEND! LETS GET THE CATS ON A ROLL!

WYCAT · Post by **WYCAT** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 8:24 am

I agree special teams in general need to improve. We really have no threats in either return game and I don't see that improving without Roosevelt. What about Beal? He has speed and quickness - just a thought. The defense needs to focus on stopping Chournous this weekend. If we can do that early they are in trouble. It should be a good game for our secondary to get a little bit of a break.

One area we have been strong in lately is turnovers. If we could just get Lulay to quit throwing INT's deep in our own territory it would be great. We can't give them any turnovers.

We really need to improve the running game too. We have had some good runs but no real consistency. I miss the days of 150 yards/game Ryan Johnson used to give us. I think moving the ball solidly on the ground gives the entire offense confidence, something we need. It also helps the passing game.

BelgradeBobcat · Post by **BelgradeBobcat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 8:47 am

If we play the way we played against ISU-without the lucky breaks-we probably lose against Weber.

The offense has to be more productive on first down. If we run the ball and only get a yard or 2, we're in an obvious passing situation on 2nd down. If we get 4 or 5 yards on first down, the playbook suddenly has a lot more options.

We had way too many 3rd and longs on Saturday.

Helcat72 · Post by **Helcat72** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:25 am

I agree with Belgrade Bobcat. If Chournos runs like he can, and we play run defense like we did in Idaho in the first half...we might be on the short end having to play catchup and the defense will be tired tackling him all day.

We have to establish a running game because we are much too opne dimensional now. Lulay can't keep makeing big plays to pull the game out. What's with the almost non existent splits in our O-line. I was looking at about every team imagionable on T.V this weekend and non of them have the small splits like we do. We don't need splits like Cal Poly...but I would think you need smething in there or three D linemen can do the work of four on our running game. I would also think the smaller linement could use the angles that bigger splits provide to take advantage of their quickness. I suppose the downside is on the side fo pass blocking with the smaller O-line. we could sure use some 6-5 guys with long arms at the guards. I think the guys we have are doing a fantastic job considering!

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:39 am

Helcat72 wrote:I agree with Belgrade Bobcat. If Chournos runs like he can, and we play run defense like we did in Idaho in the first half...we might be on the short end having to play catchup and the defense will be tired tackling him all day.

We have to establish a running game because we are much too opne dimensional now. Lulay can't keep makeing big plays to pull the game out. What's with the almost non existent splits in our O-line. I was looking at about every team imagionable on T.V this weekend and non of them have the small splits like we do. We don't need splits like Cal Poly...but I would think you need smething in there or three D linemen can do the work of four on our running game. I would also think the smaller linement could use the angles that bigger splits provide to take advantage of their quickness. I suppose the downside is on the side fo pass blocking with the smaller O-line. we could sure use some 6-5 guys with long arms at the guards. I think the guys we have are doing a fantastic job considering!

Our run defense will be fine, I think that RB just caught us off guard in the first half on the scheme we were running. We missed a lot of tackles that would have been for a loss in the first half on the RB. We need to just wrap up. We adjusted very well the 2nd half I thought and did a MUCH better job of tackling. Tackling the RB should be what is practiced on defense this week in practice. We have guys there to make the play (WHICH IS GOOD!), they just need to wrap the guy up on the first contact.

BelgradeBobcat · Post by **BelgradeBobcat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:51 am

The column in the Chronicle pointed out a defensive adjustment that may have made the difference in the second half against ISU:

The MSU coaches adjusted by moving Ryan Force back to safety, switching to a 3-4 from a 4-3, and blitzing regularly. The tactics paid dividends in the fourth quarter, when the Bengals were unable to threaten the end zone on their final four drives.

MSU can't look past winless Weber State

HelenaCat95 · Post by **HelenaCat95** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:01 am

I'm still concerned about our secondary. Force is a "force" in the backfield, and I thought Lindsey had a good game too.
Predictably, I think our corners have to get better. I thought they did well against ISU, but still the weakest, and now thinnest depth wise on our defense. If they can stay healthy, and improve every game, we will be quite good. I do like the progress that has been made thus far.
Have not heard anyone mention Darryl Rogers on the DLine. I thought he had a couple of key plays in the ISU game.
Running game has to get it going. It seems like the philosophy is start the RB that is hot, and if he's hot stay with him...if not switch to the other guy. Unfortunately, I don't think either Milton or Domineck would qualify as "hot" yet. OLine has to start opening more holes for them. On the plus side, I though their pass blocking was pretty good on Saturday.

This is a crucial game to see if we have truly put it all together. Offense and Defense.

OZCAT · Post by **OZCAT** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:32 am

Our running game will get better if the coaching staff would just settle on a starter and as Milton said give them the ball. I think the coaches (Kramer?) gets annoyed for some reason and pulls the player out of the game as punishment. This is a high school tactic if you ask me.

Last year as my sons and I were driving to a home game the radio announcers were all over the fact that Jimmy Beal was going to start in the backfield. He never touched the ball once and I don't think he was injured. What happened to Milton on Saturday?

We will eventually settle on a running back as we did last year but the sooner the better!

mslacat · Post by **mslacat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:36 am

OZCAT

You located in Missoula?

94VegasCat · Post by **94VegasCat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:43 am

Didn't Domenick average 4 yards a carry? (I can't remember the exact #'s). It sounds as if the running game is there, just may need to utilize it some more. I disagree with Lulay running more. What would be the alternative to him getting hurt. Is our 2nd stringer capable yet of running the show? I'm not sure. I do like it when Lulay scrambles for the big yards and saves our bacon with his feet and brains, but we need to keep him healthy.

Losing Roosevelt is going to cause some growing up by some young guys, in a hurry. I think that we may be deeper in the wr corp than it appears. I have thought all along that Kellen Alley should be on the field more. Maybe "rudy" McCullough will be able to get some time as well.

I think that for as young as our secondary is, they are doing a great job. They are only freshmen at the corner, and Force is a sophomore. Sean Hill and Joey Thomas had their days when they were freshmen and DID NOT look good. The coaches stuck with them and look how they ended up. We are playing a lot more zone defense this year and it is directly attributable to the fact that our boys are young and the coaches are putting them in a postion to succeed. Sure, it looks bad when the WR has a 10 yd cushion, but our boys are coming up and making the tackles. Austin and Fuller are going to be great in short time.

Cooper is going to play on sundays next year, and maybe it is a blessing that Marudas is out. Epi King may have never seen the field. We will be able to go into next year with confidence in our LB's.

It will be bad to lose Beau Clark and Ray Seybestian as well, but it looks like we are NINE deep at D-Line. How many BSC schools can say that.

THE CATS CAN BEAT ANYBODY IN THE BIG SKY, THEY CANNOT LOOK PAST ANYBODY. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO GET PORTLAND STATE AND EWU AT HOME. THE SCHEDULES FAVORS THE BOYS IN BLUE AND WHITE. I SEE ANOTHER PLAYOFF RUN. JUST CONTINUE TO PROGRESS!!

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:53 am

BelgradeBobcat wrote:The column in the Chronicle pointed out a defensive adjustment that may have made the difference in the second half against ISU:

The MSU coaches adjusted by moving Ryan Force back to safety, switching to a 3-4 from a 4-3, and blitzing regularly. The tactics paid dividends in the fourth quarter, when the Bengals were unable to threaten the end zone on their final four drives.
MSU can't look past winless Weber State

Ummm, SDSU isn't a Div II school. They are a 1-AA school in the newly formed Great West conference. How do some of these writers get to be sports writers if they don't keep up on things?

Robcat · Post by **Robcat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:56 am

Could not agree more with "Vegas". We inprove week by week and the young boys in the secondary had a very good game. The stats may not reflect the level of the game that they had, but I am confident we will see good results form them this weekend. I agree that we still need to run the ball more and Dominick is looking much better, in fact when he was recruited I felt he was going to be our go to man and I still think that is the case. Milton I am not sure what is going on with him, maybe he will see some action next weekend. A win this weekend will be a big confodence booster for the Cats. Maybe thet will realize just how good of a team they really are. Lulay could still use a little more work, he still seems to lack some confidence. See you all next weekend.

velochat · Post by **velochat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:09 am

I hesitate to mention the "homecoming disadvantage". A bigger monkey than the dome losing streak.

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:21 am

velochat wrote:I hesitate to mention the "homecoming disadvantage". A bigger monkey than the dome losing streak.

Cats are gonna put that one to rest this week as well. Smack em in the mouth early. Should have a big Crowd and we need the 12th man!

Robcat · Post by **Robcat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:24 am

I hesitate to mention the "homecoming disadvantage". A bigger monkey than the dome losing streak
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IMHO that is all behind us, last weekends game was a testament to the fortitude of this team. It may not be pretty but we will get the W. Kramer said we will never lose again at "homecoming" under his watch. My money is on Kramer and the Cats.

Helcat72 · Post by **Helcat72** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 1:41 pm

Robcat wrote:Could not agree more with "Vegas". We inprove week by week and the young boys in the secondary had a very good game. The stats may not reflect the level of the game that they had, but I am confident we will see good results form them this weekend. I agree that we still need to run the ball more and Dominick is looking much better, in fact when he was recruited I felt he was going to be our go to man and I still think that is the case. Milton I am not sure what is going on with him, maybe he will see some action next weekend. A win this weekend will be a big confodence booster for the Cats. Maybe thet will realize just how good of a team they really are. Lulay could still use a little more work, he still seems to lack some confidence. See you all next weekend.

Milton caught a helmet under the chin and split his chin wide open. Dominek came in and got something going so he stayed in on offense.

Key areas for next game

Key areas for next game

Re: Key areas for next game