So how do we beat Kent?

[Jacobs4Heisman]

In spite of how bad it's gotten, it would be stupid to count us out next week. So how do we right the ship and give ourselves a chance next week?

There's a long list of things most probably think we should do, but it's probably very different from what we will do. Still, if the players come out on a mission, they should be able to beat Kent even with a poor scheme.

What's the DL situation look like for next week? Will we have our full complement back? We'll need it to slow down Kent's ground game. They still have their first-string tailback.

[Warthog]

I expect the Kent halfback to go over 200 yards.


by halftime.

[Dr.Sooner]

An aggressive defense and good play calling will make all the difference. Let's get some razzle dazzles going early on ---- how about a reverse on the very first play from scrimmage! Then let's get the short pass going (which would have worked all afternoon at Miami) mixed in with a good selection of running plays. No more of this Sheehan sitting in the pocket looking for a 20 - 30 yard bomb, but taking the sack instead. And oh yes, just when Kent thinks they got the routine straightened out, let's throw in that double pass. That's always good for touchdown. ---- And some SPEED on defense will help. Speed means everything in football today. Lloyd Carr found that out after Appalacian State invaded the Big House. --------- Now, if Brandon doesn't follow my advice, you can expect the worst.

[Falcon137]

An aggressive defense and good play calling will make all the difference. Let's get some razzle dazzles going early on ---- how about a reverse on the very first play from scrimmage! Then let's get the short pass going (which would have worked all afternoon at Miami) mixed in with a good selection of running plays. No more of this Sheehan sitting in the pocket looking for a 20 - 30 yard bomb, but taking the sack instead. And oh yes, just when Kent thinks they got the routine straightened out, let's throw in that double pass. That's always good for touchdown. ---- And some SPEED on defense will help. Speed means everything in football today. Lloyd Carr found that out after Appalacian State invaded the Big House. --------- Now, if Brandon doesn't follow my advice, you can expect the worst.

The short pass was / is the problem. They never go downfield. Miami made this offense look so bad Saturday by taking the short throws away.

The best way to beat Kent is to put 8 or 9 in the box and hope for the best on D run blitz every down but 3rd and long. On O we have to run the ball and keep thier offense of the field otherwise Kent could rack 350+ rushing yards.

[hammb]

The defense needs a gut check. The DL must man up and clog the middle to free up the LBs. Those LBs, if they can keep the OL off them, must fill the holes properly and wrap up and tackle well. KSU is one of the better rushing teams in the country and if our front 7 shows up like it did last week they will easily run for 200-300 yards on us.

On offense some diversity would be a welcome change. I don't know what team Dr. Sooner has been watching but I can assure you that Sheehan has not been looking for the bomb. It would be pointless for him to look for it considering we don't have any WRs run routes more than 15 yards downfield.

Seriously has Tyler thrown more than 5 passes > 20 yards all season? Vertical passing is just not a part of our offense. It should be, but it isn't. The problems with holding the ball too long last week is mostly a result of coverage. The TV & radio announcers both kept saying how we weren't getting anyone open, and that is in large part because we keep the field too small for the defense...it's easy to defend.

We absolutely must add either a running game or a vertical passing game to this offense. Both would be very welcome, but at this point we should hope for baby steps. Honestly I have no idea how the OC of the '01 & '02 offenses is now our HC and we are currently running one of the most bland, predictable offenses in all of college football.

[Flipper]

Miami killed us running a 240lb guy right up the gut...with Davis, Ream and O'Dro out, we were definitley thin there. Falconboy's prayers were answered as Brandon mack made an appearance at DT. If Davis isn't back next week, we'll be running Barrow, Young, Mack and Toresso out there.....man, we really need Davis back. It didn't sound good for O'Dro at the game. On the plus side...Schaefer is back, he's a bigger DE and that should help against the run.

Jarvis is a Ransom/Geter sized scat back...Kent wil work the edges a bit more than Miami did. Our quicker DE's and LB's should have a better chance to make some plays.

On offense we need to see more Dan Macon...or Dan Macon as PJ Pope. Macon ran HARD on the TD drive againsst Miami...I don't think Bullock is regarded as a "good hands" guy right now. Whether it's Geter or Macon, we need to get the RB more carries and get him some catchs to give the defense another dimension to worry about. We also need to throw the ball downfield some. We keep hearing about how fast Pronty and Charles are...let's give them a chance to sjow it ...if they can't get open, let's see what Cheatem, Brighton and Kelly can do.

I know someone else on here mentioned this play before, but why not run that pitch option to the WR Harris and Magner used to run back in 2003? Freddie Barnes is tailor made to execute that play.

If we can't handle the blitz any bewtter than we'v3e shown, we may have to run less 5 WR sets and keep Winovich in the backfield. He can't pick up three guys on his own, but maybe he can pick up the one that seems to be blocking Sheehan's downfield vision.

[Redwingtom]

RUN THE STUPID FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tiznow]

Have a person with a camera on Kent's sidelines taping their signals.

[BGorDeath]

I think if we simply score more points than Kent State, we should be in a good position to bring home a victory.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I think if we simply score more points than Kent State, we should be in a good position to bring home a victory.

BOOM!

[BGFalconfromCincy]

I think if we simply score more points than Kent State, we should be in a good position to bring home a victory.

damn, stole my answer

[San Fran Falcon]

SHOW UP WITH SOMETHING THAT RESEMBLES A FOOTBALL TEAM!! (Sorry, still p'oed from the MU debacle)

[truth]

The short pass was covered all game long vs. miami. The miami d sat in a cover 2 which is excellent for stopping short passes. The way to beat the cover 2 is 15 or so yards down the middle of the field. It helps to have a deep threat running down the side of the field to draw one of the 2 deep safeties away from the middle.

The few times we tried this were obvious long pass situations, and in those situations miami dropped into cover 4. Cover 4 is hard to go deep on, but easy to throw underneath the coverage to a tailback or maybe even the TE/slot reciever running an underneath route.

The problem is we are so very predictable and at least for the miami game, totally uninspired. The team had no enthusiasm, and appeared to not give a damn about anything. It sure didnt help that the D got pushed around like it did.

Vs kent we need to be motivated above all else. There is something to be said about being predictable, but still unstoppable. I think the coaches need to throw underneath and let the athletes make some plays in obvious long down situations, and sometimes on first and 10 we need to take some chances. We need to try the stop and go routes and the out and ups.

It also wouldnt hurt to be a bit more patient with the run game. We throw a lot on first and 10. when a defense is sitting in cover 2, our short passes wont be too effective, but a misdirection run or even a playaction pass would. We need to make teams respect the run threat to get an effective playaction pass happening.

I was more embarrassed to be at the Miami game than i have been at any other falcon football game. it was that sad. The coaching was cluelessly awful, the motivation was bad. About the only good thing was our kick return team, and we saw a lot of that.

[goofyeuph]

So how do we beat Kent?

With a stick

[Schadenfreude]

So how do we beat Kent?

Prayer, and lots of it.