Illinois State

[JimmyJack]

Re: Illinois State

Some have disagreed with me, but I did see good speed from our linebackers and d-backs against UD. Of course there's a difference between being fast and being in the right spot (e.g. Jimmy Rogers) but we have some solid athletes back there.

The point about one game not being a season is a good one. I hope the fans come out Saturday and light a fire under this team. ISU-Red is a pretty shaky team, defensively. But they have a good QB and play an exciting brand of offense.

As usual, if we can run the ball (I believe we can) the Jacks win by 14+.

[shot_5533]

Re: Illinois State

UD had their corners up and their safeties withing 10 yards of the line of scrimmage all day. Pretty tough on any O line blocking 8 to 9 men in the box all day. O line was not responsible for the turnovers.

As most football games are won or lost, the turnovers lost the game for the Jacks.

Big keys for the Jacks winning this Saturday - limit turnovers especially INTS, improve all special teams excluding punting, stop stupid penalties, and catch the football.

[shot_5533]

Re: Illinois State

Kick off team was good too.

Kick return and field goal teams were terrible.

[Nidaros]

Re: Illinois State

UD had their corners up and their safeties withing 10 yards of the line of scrimmage all day. Pretty tough on any O line blocking 8 to 9 men in the box all day. O line was not responsible for the turnovers.

As most football games are won or lost, the turnovers lost the game for the Jacks.

Big keys for the Jacks winning this Saturday - limit turnovers especially INTS, improve all special teams excluding punting, stop stupid penalties, and catch the football.

Playing the safeties so close reminds you of the days of Josh Ranek. This is what we seemed to see every Saturday. If we get our passing game going, some team is going to give up big yards if they use this scheme. It makes you wonder why they loaded the box the way they did. I assume they did not think they would be able to handle our blockers one on one.

[shot_5533]

Re: Illinois State

The one pass play we attacked the middle of the field deep resulted in a long gain. You need to throw deep once in awhile to get the safeties off the line of scrimage. It has nothing to do with blocking. At least the threat of a deep pass needs to be there.

[thumper_76]

Re: Illinois State

UD had their corners up and their safeties withing 10 yards of the line of scrimmage all day. Pretty tough on any O line blocking 8 to 9 men in the box all day. O line was not responsible for the turnovers.

As most football games are won or lost, the turnovers lost the game for the Jacks.

Big keys for the Jacks winning this Saturday - limit turnovers especially INTS, improve all special teams excluding punting, stop stupid penalties, and catch the football.

It may be tough, but not getting just 25 yards rushing tough. I'm fairly sure that happend to us last year and we still managed to move the ball. Not saying that throwing better wouldn't help, but still just 25 yards is pathetic no matter how you look at it.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Illinois State

It may be tough, but not getting just 25 yards rushing tough. I'm fairly sure that happend to us last year and we still managed to move the ball. Not saying that throwing better wouldn't help, but still just 25 yards is pathetic no matter how you look at it.

The Jacks have always had the "here is what our offense does, now try to stop it" approach on the field. With all the successes that the team has had, I think that a good majority of the teams out there have delevoped a defense to stop it. With just my amateur eyes I can guess the upcoming play, I can only imagine what defenses can do with all the tape.

I hope that with a game under their belt they will be able to change things up a bit to give Kyle and Thomas a fighing chance against the better teams.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Illinois State

The Jacks have always had the "here is what our offense does, now try to stop it" approach on the field. With all the successes that the team has had, I think that a good majority of the teams out there have delevoped a defense to stop it. With just my amateur eyes I can guess the upcoming play, I can only imagine what defenses can do with all the tape.

Early in the game, they ran Minett on five of the first seven first downs. Naturally, they had 8 or 9 in the box and those rushes resulted in 14 yards. Then, they passed on five of the next seven first downs. Of course we were down 20 when we started passing on first down, so that might be kind of predictable, too.

I don't know beans about football, other than as a fan. But I'm guessing that unless you're routinely overpowering people, unpredictability is your friend.

[shot_5533]

Re: Illinois State

I agree SoDak, the Jacks do take that Vince Lombardi approach. Plus for being an amateur, your in sites have been spot on.

That being said, didn't the Jacks used to have more of a vertical approach to the passing game vs. the seemingly horizontal approach of today? Remember the shots they used to take DOWN field to #1, JaRon Harris?

[goon]

Re: Illinois State

I agree SoDak, the Jacks do take that Vince Lombardi approach. Plus for being an amateur, your in sites have been spot on.

That being said, didn't the Jacks used to have more of a vertical approach to the passing game vs. the seemingly horizontal approach of today? Remember the shots they used to take DOWN field to #1, JaRon Harris?

Yep, its a big change to the 5 yard out routes that we see now. I am guessing it also would have to do with the personel. Harris could run it, Berry could make that pass. Might not be wanting young QB and recivers now trying that. To me the sets we are running are different. There seems to be little change in the run, just up the middle, or pass 5 yard slant outs. Hope to see the flash set, or the spilt back field, or pass out of running sets or run out of passing sets. It seems the offense that Berry ran, was able to do that, and the points per game showed. Now it seems very dry play calling, and few points on the board. I find that odd, considering our players now are as good or better then the team Berry was QB for.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Illinois State

That being said, didn't the Jacks used to have more of a vertical approach to the passing game vs. the seemingly horizontal approach of today? Remember the shots they used to take DOWN field to #1, JaRon Harris?

That's the biggest thing that is missing. Think back to Montana. Start of the second half, they score a TD and we come right back with a deep post for a long score. That was the last time I can remember throwing the ball deep. That includes the Delaware game. We need to at least threaten to throw it deep. I understand that both Montana and Delaware were getting a lot of pressure which makes it hard to throw it deep, but it never hurts to chuck it deep now and then. Makes the safeties think twice about standing a yard behind the linebackers. Plus, you may even complete one now and then.

How about playaction? We have a decent TE I hear. A seam route to him off of a playaction? May be something there.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Illinois State

Spoke to a couple of players today. They said the team is angry and embarrassed and ready to play Jackrabbit football. I think we'll see some of those young players show a lot more confidence this week with 13,000 or 14,000 fans backing them up.

[shot_5533]

Re: Illinois State

Tough to run play action when TOB is always in shotgun. Plus Kyle never gets a running start towards the line of scrimage. Mike Holmgran never allowed Brett Favre to start from the shotgun. Ever. I'd love to see them use play action Saturday. What is the strength of Illinois State's defense?

[shot_5533]

Re: Illinois State

Jimmy Jack - It would be good to see the whole team settle down this Saturday including the Seniors. Cole dropped the second kickoff in the endzone and Colin dropped one burried right in his gut. Home crowd really needs to support Saturday. Early and often.

[SpeedRabbit]

Re: Illinois State

The one pass play we attacked the middle of the field deep resulted in a long gain. You need to throw deep once in awhile to get the safeties off the line of scrimage. It has nothing to do with blocking. At least the threat of a deep pass needs to be there.

I think I have stated this before- safeties need to be threatened.. We have a couple of guys that can do this.. Hope the coaches can figure it out and soon.