The Next Step

[SoDakJack]

What's SDSU need to take the next step?

The excuses used to be we didnt have the players or the facilities to compete with the upper level FCS programs.

We now have arguably the nicest facilities in the nation along with a top QB, WR, and TE. Is it scheme? Overall coaching? Or just a lack of experience on the big stage?

[thumper_76]

Re: The Next Step

So quarterfinals isn't another step? Or are you talking taking the next step from where we got this year?


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[SoDakJack]

Re: The Next Step

So quarterfinals isn't another step? Or are you talking taking the next step from where we got this year?


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Well...we really cant take any more steps this year.

Joking aside...my intention was more in the future. We have made improvements across the board, what do we need to we need to do now?

[jakejc795]

Re: The Next Step

What's SDSU need to take the next step?

The excuses used to be we didnt have the players or the facilities to compete with the upper level FCS programs.

We now have arguably the nicest facilities in the nation along with a top QB, WR, and TE. Is it scheme? Overall coaching? Or just a lack of experience on the big stage?

Beating the Bison in Brookings next year would be a great step.

Do you think Eck will implement new blocking schemes with a year under his belt?

On defense, I think Catrabbit's point from the game thread about the DL (and other senior defenders) is key -- assuming there are no unexpected departures that Jacks have dealt with in past years

[Jacked_Up]

Re: The Next Step

The Jacks are what, the fifth or sixth best team in the FCS and have steadily improved in recent years? That's pretty darn good. Dozens of FCS have little hope of reaching that level anytime soon. But to keep inching upward, the Jacks probably need to keep improving their line play and line depth, offensively and defensively. That would be a good place to start. It's do-able.

[SoDakJack]

Re: The Next Step

Beating the Bison in Brookings next year would be a great step.

Do you think Eck will implement new blocking schemes with a year under his belt?

On defense, I think Catrabbit's point from the game thread about the DL (and other senior defenders) is key -- assuming there are no unexpected departures that Jacks have dealt with in past years

I think the mental aspect of beating them two out if three times in a year would be huge. The way the schedule sets up next year, a win in that game should be for a top 4 seed.

IMO, our next step is a top 4 seed with home field through the quarters.

[jakejc795]

Re: The Next Step

I think the mental aspect of beating them two out if three times in a year would be huge. The way the schedule sets up next year, a win in that game should be for a top 4 seed.

IMO, our next step is a top 4 seed with home field through the quarters.

Hopefully the fans pack the 'house and limit the number of Bison fans.

[thumper_76]

Re: The Next Step

Sorry, some people likely look at it like we haven't taken a step this year again, so I had to ask.

We need a defense that gets off the field on 3rd downs, that's for sure. Honestly there has to be some scheme problem there, we gave up way too many 3rd and longs this year. And the fact that we can get teams into third and long pretty consistently tells me it's not all players. That was the biggest Achilles heel for sure. Our biggest question mark is certainly the defense next year.

Offensively we can't be satisfied with how successful we were, hopefully the guys use this loss as a motivator all offseason to improve even more. If we stay where we are, we will fall behind. Need to learn how to deal with success as a team overall as well IMHO. We don't ever seem to deal well with being the favorite a lot of the times and always have the one or two head scratching games we shouldn't lose. We will start the year highly ranked, with a lot of players receiving pre season accolades,so that's important.

Also need to keep some of our assistant coaches we got this year, specifically coaches like Coach Eck. Hopefully he stays for a while, he did a phenomenal job this year IMO especially for it only being his first year.


If we are looking at more quantifiable goals for the team, I would say semifinals and a top 4 seed should be the goal. With how we start the season there is zero reason to lose any of our OOC games. If I remember correctly we also get NDSU, ISUr, and UNI all at home, with our toughest road games being at YSU and USeD. If we want to talk making another step, we shouldn't lose more than two games honestly.

Look I'm just as frustrated with the game as anybody else is, but looking objectively at it (as hard as that is to do) the majority of the frustration is the performance in the second half and the fact that it was to the Bison. Don't think anybody would have been upset at the start of the year with a seed and making the quarterfinals. Would you have felt better if we didn't have a seed but won an extra game in the playoffs?

On a personal level the next step for me is getting season tickets and making all the home games, and getting my tailgating game on, cause we need to take the next step as a fanbase as well. If anybody saw the JMU game last night that place was packed. I believe we can do it, it's just an uphill climb. With our home slate I don't see any reason we can't beat our attendance average from this year. Just my $0.02


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[bigticket1]

Re: The Next Step

I would like the secondary to play more aggressively, especially in long yardage situations. Too many times the corners play 10 yards off, and are back-pedaling at the snap. And the safeties play so deep with the idea of not getting the ball thrown over their heads, and can't get up fast enough to prevent the first down. We had a lot of inexperience back there this year, so hopefully this will get better next season. And I believe we red-shirted a number of DB's.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: The Next Step

I would like the secondary to play more aggressively, especially in long yardage situations. Too many times the corners play 10 yards off, and are back-pedaling at the snap. And the safeties play so deep with the idea of not getting the ball thrown over their heads, and can't get up fast enough to prevent the first down. We had a lot of inexperience back there this year, so hopefully this will get better next season. And I believe we red-shirted a number of DB's.

I'd like them to get fewer PI penalties.

[SoDakJack]

Re: The Next Step

I'd like them to get fewer PI penalties.

I think this will come with experience. We have a very young secondary,

[jack power]

Re: The Next Step

I would like the secondary to play more aggressively, especially in long yardage situations. Too many times the corners play 10 yards off, and are back-pedaling at the snap. And the safeties play so deep with the idea of not getting the ball thrown over their heads, and can't get up fast enough to prevent the first down. We had a lot of inexperience back there this year, so hopefully this will get better next season. And I believe we red-shirted a number of DB's.

Bingo. By playing so far back all their doing is allowing the receivers to get into their routes and up to speed. By then,were just playing catch up. It seems like we're set a up for a home run pass.

[RochJack69]

Re: The Next Step

I would like the secondary to play more aggressively, especially in long yardage situations. Too many times the corners play 10 yards off, and are back-pedaling at the snap. And the safeties play so deep with the idea of not getting the ball thrown over their heads, and can't get up fast enough to prevent the first down. We had a lot of inexperience back there this year, so hopefully this will get better next season. And I believe we red-shirted a number of DB's.

A coaching thing, they must be to non-reactive to be close in.

[Jacks-02]

Re: The Next Step

1. A consistent running game. We didn't show this year that we could run when we needed to, it was kind of all or nothing thing. You look at NDSU, and when they need to grind out a drive to put a game away they can do that...we haven't shown that ability.

2. 3rd/4th and short offense. I get that we run a shotgun offense, and did so successfully, but I think need to have some versatility in our alignments. We were atrocious this year in short yardage situations. This needs to get better.

3. 3rd down defense. Whether it was scheme or just lack of execution, our defense had a heck of a time getting off the field in the games we lost. Cal Poly, Illinois State, TCU, and NDSU today all saw our opponents consistently converting on 3rd downs.

4. Special Teams. While we had a decent kick return average, we didn't have a single kickoff or punt return for TD this year, while giving up 3 to our opponents. Those are huge swings in a game, and hurt us this year. Our punt return average was just 4.5 yards, compared with 9.5 for our opponents.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: The Next Step

Thumper already posted pretty much my thoughts in post #8.

Also, I'm not sure it's a next step type of deal, but installing some sort of under center plays would be nice.

Stig has said under center isn't us. I get it, TC is a heck of an athlete, but come on...

I can't believe we can't go under center in certain situations.