GDT: Southern Illinois

[bigticket1]

A couple of positives looking ahead. SIU by far has the best offense compared to the rest of contenders that the Jacks will face going forward. And the Jacks continue to score 40 plus points per game, despite leaving points on the field in the last couple of games.

[jakejc795]

Based on playing time in prior games, Josh Buri appears to trail Angel Johnson as well as Amar Johnson on the RB depth chart.

My response was intended to address the implication that a larger back, like Davis, would've been better suited to grinding out yardage. I have no idea whether Buri's reps versus Johnson & Johnson's are due to versatility or actual position on the depth chart

[jakejc795]

At some point you just have to say SIU earned the win, and SDSU didn't, and tip your hat to the Salukis.

Such concision would hamstring my attainment of a Doctor of Jacktitude

[jakejc795]

A couple of positives looking ahead. SIU by far has the best offense compared to the rest of contenders that the Jacks will face going forward. And the Jacks continue to score 40 plus points per game, despite leaving points on the field in the last couple of games.

SIU also has a propensity for turnovers, so they're likely to drop at least one game, hopefully two

[jakejc795]

and i have NO IDEA HOW having Davis available would have changed these things, unless you are suggesting that he is not as explosive as Pierre and he allows us to just go to the 4 yard and a cloud of dust game play to eat the clock.

I'd be curious if they're asserting something like that the combined of Davis and Strong would've increased the likelhood of a run being called on the 2pt attempt or that the losses you mentioned would've been less likely

[Prairiehaas]

I wouldn't blame the loss on any players, they are young men working their tails off and will make mistakes. That is part of the college game. I will not blame the refs. Bad calls are randomly distributed and balance out. In this case I would blame the coaches. They are seasoned professionals with the task of putting their team in position to win the game. In two cases, the 4 qtr field goal and the OT conversion, they failed that task. I'm not saying they are bad coaches. I'm saying they made two bad decisions that cost the team the game.

Going into this game I was most worried about SIU. On the upside, I'm now less worried about SIU should we meet in the playoffs.

[Jackedforlife]

I wouldn't blame the loss on any players, they are young men working their tails off and will make mistakes. That is part of the college game. I will not blame the refs. Bad calls are randomly distributed and balance out. In this case I would blame the coaches. They are seasoned professionals with the task of putting their team in position to win the game. In two cases, the 4 qtr field goal and the OT conversion, they failed that task. I'm not saying they are bad coaches. I'm saying they made two bad decisions that cost the team the game.

Going into this game I was most worried about SIU. On the upside, I'm now less worried about SIU should we meet in the playoffs.

Agree with so much of this post…but must add a 3rd bad decision which honestly is the first one, the way Eck changed calling the game. I think Jason is an incredible O-line coach but often his playcalling switches to conservative when we should be stomping on their necks.

[jakejc795]

I wouldn't blame the loss on any players, they are young men working their tails off and will make mistakes. That is part of the college game. I will not blame the refs. Bad calls are randomly distributed and balance out. In this case I would blame the coaches. They are seasoned professionals with the task of putting their team in position to win the game. In two cases, the 4 qtr field goal and the OT conversion, they failed that task. I'm not saying they are bad coaches. I'm saying they made two bad decisions that cost the team the game.

Going into this game I was most worried about SIU. On the upside, I'm now less worried about SIU should we meet in the playoffs.

Perhaps over officials' seasons, the distribution is random, but isolated to a single game, performance can indeed be skewed. Who knows how much influence they had this game.

How might very specific missed calls have exerted considerable influence? Illegal forward passes that extended Saluki drives (and prevented a loss of down)